GRE High Frequency Words

GRE List Title Vocabulary Wizard 6.7 (Vocabulary Wizard) ¨Ï1995-2005 Prosigner 08/09/24 PM03:30 page 1/50

1 abase v. a<ad(=to)+bas(=lower)make someone lower in rank, position,character, etc.; lower; humiliateIt is written in the Bible that "whosoever shallhumble himself shall be exalted, and he thatshall exalt himself shall be abased ."; Hisrefusal to abase himself in the eyes of hisfollowers irritated the king, who wanted tohumiliate him.[+] debase, degrade, demean, humble

2 abdicate v. ab(=off)+dic(=say, proclaim)formally give up an office or a duty; give up thethrone; renounce; give upWe will not allow you to abdicate yourresponsibilities as a leading citizen of thiscommunity.; Rather than leaving immediately,they waited for the storm to abate.[+] bate, dwindle, lull, relent, slacken, subside,wane

3 aberrant a.abnormal or deviantGiven the aberrant nature of the data, we cameto doubt the validity of the entire experiment.[+] anomalous, atypical, untypical; [-] normal

4 abeyance n. bey(=gape)condition of not being in force or in use for atime; suspended actionThe case is being held in abeyance untilfurther evidence can be found.; The deal washeld in abeyance until her arrival.[+] dormancy, intermission, interruption,latency, pause, quiescence, suspension

5 abhor v. ab(=away, from , intensive)+hor(=shudder)hate something very much; detestI wouldn't say that I abhor housework, but Imust admit that I avoid it whenever I can.; Sheabhorred all forms of bigotry.[+] abominate, execrate, loathe; [-] greatlyadmire

6 abjure v.renounce upon oathHe abjured his allegiance to the king.[+] recall, recant, retract, withdraw; [-] espouse

7 abnegation n.repudiation; self-sacrificeNo act of abnegation was more pronouncedthan his refusal of any rewards for hisdiscovery.[+] denial, renouncement

8 abominate v.loathe; hateMoses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribebecause he abominated the custom.[+] abhor, detest, execrate, hate

9 abrogate v. ab(=away)+rog(=ask)abolish laws, customs, etc.No one, however powerful of intellectuallydominant, can abrogate the basic moral lawson which civilization rests.; He intended toabrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.[+] annihilate, annul, invalidate, nullify, vitiate; [-]uphold

10 abscond v. abs<ab(=from , away)+cond(=hide)go away suddenly and hide; depart secretly andhideHow can you accuse me of absconding withall your brilliant ideas when you have never hadan original idea in your life!; The tellerabsconded with the bonds and was not found.[+] flee

11 absolve v. ab(=from)+solv/solu(=loosen)declare someone free from guilt or punishment;pardon an offenseThe jury may have found him not guilty, but the"court of public opinion" will never absolve himof responsibility for the crime.; The fatherconfessor absolved him of his sins.[+] discharge, forgive

12 abstemious a. abs<ab(=away, from)+tem<tom(=cut)not eating and drinking too much; frugal;temperate; sparing in dringk, etc.He was so abstemious that he extended hisself-control even to his beloved music, andlistened to records no more than an hour eachday.; The drunkards mocked him because ofhis abstemious habits.[+] abstinent, continent, temperate

13 abstinence n.restraint from eating or drinkingThe doctor recommended total abstinence fromsalted foods.[+] continence, sobriety, temperance

14 abstruse a. abs<ab(=intensive, away)+trus(=thrust)deep in meaning; difficult to understand;obscure; profound; difficult to understandHe tried to conceal his lack of true scholarshipand intellectual depth by making use ofunnecessarily abstruse language.; She readabstruse works in philosophy.[+] esoteric profound, recondite, enigmatic

15 abysmal a.bottomlessHis arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmalignorance.[+] fathomless

16 accolade n. ac<ad(=to, near)+col(=neck)bestowed of a knighthood by a tap on theshoulder with the flat of a sword; praise;approval; award of meritCritics who bestow their accolades too easilymay gain some quick popularity, but they willsoon lose credibility and influence over theirreaders.; In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is thehighest accolade.[+] award, laurels; [-] criticism

17 accomplice n. ac<ad(=near)+com(=together)+plic(=fold)a person who helps another in a wrong act;partner in crimeI am sorry to have to tell you that I was anaccomplice in the practical joke that causedyou so much pain.; Because he had providedthe criminal with the lethal weapon, he wasarrested as an accomplice in the murder.[+] conspirator

18 accretion n.growth; increaseThe accretion of wealth marked the family's risein power.[+] augmentation, increment; [-] reduction insubstance caused by erosion

19 accrue v. ac<ad(=to, add)+cru<cre(=grow, increase)come as a natural growth or development; comeas a natural increase especially of money; comeabout by additionI am convinced that some substantialadvantages will accrue to me if I complete mycollege education.; You must pay the interestwhich has accrued on your debt as well as theprincipal sum.[+] augment

20 acerbic a.sour or bitter in taste; harsh or corrosive in tone

21 acerbity n.bitterness of speech and temperThe meeting of the United Nations Assemblywas marked with such acerbity that little hope ofreaching any useful settlement of the problemcould be held.[+] acrimony, asperity, mordancy

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22 acquiesce v. ac<ad(=to,intensive)+qui(=quiet)+esc(=becoming)give consent silently; assent; agree passivelyAlthough we really don't agree with mother'smusical tastes, we decided to acquiesce toher appeal.; Although she appeared toacquiesce to her employer's suggestions, Icould tell she had reservations about thechanges he wanted made.[+] accede, assent, consent

23 acrid a.sharp; bitterly pungentThe acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled theroom after the pistol had been fired.[+] piquant, poignant

24 acrimony n.sharpness or bitterness of speeech or temper

25 adamant a.hard; inflexibleHe was adamant in his determination to punishthe wrongdoer.[+] inexorable, obdurate, rigid, uncompromising,unyielding

26 addle a.rotten; muddled; crazyThis addle-headed plan is so preposterous thatit does not deserve any consideration.[+] decayed, putrid; bewildered, distracted,flustered; insane, lunatic, maniac

27 adjure v.request solemnlyI must abjure you to consider this mattercarefully as it is of utmost importance to all ofus.

28 adulate v.flatter in an obsequious manner

29 adulation n.flattery; admirationHe thrived on the adulation of his henchmen.[+] blandishment

30 adulterate v. ad(=to, add)+ulter<alter(=other)make something poorer in quality by addingsomething improper; make impure by mixingwith baser substancesDo you really believe that the academiccurriculum will be adulterated if courses likedriver education and consumer science areintroduced?; It is a crime to adulterate foodswithout informing the buyer.[+] degrade, impurify, pollute

31 adversary n.opponent; enemyBatman struggled to save Gotham City from themachinations of his wicked adversary the Jaker.[+] antagonist, oppugnant

32 advocate n.v. ad(=to)+voc(=call)a person who advocates; barrister; speak infavor of something; urge; plead forThe Fund for Animals was a strong advocateof the campaign to save dolphins from death inthe nets of the tuna fleet.; The abolitionistsadvocated freedom for the slaves.[+] justify, support; [-] denounce

33 aesthetic a.artistic; dealing with or capable off appreciationof the beautifulBecause of his aesthetic nature, he wasemotionally disturbed by ugly things.

34 aggregate a.sum; totalThe aggregate wealth of this country isstaggering to the imagination.[+] gross, inclusive, overall, whole; [-] isolatedunits

35 aghast a.filled with fear and surprise; horrifiedShe was aghast at the sudden attack.; He wasaghast at the nerve of the speaker who hadinsulted his host.[+] agape, dismayed, overwhelmed

36 agrarian a.pertaining to land or its cultivationThe country is gradually losing its agrarianoccupation and turning more and more to anindustrial point of view.

37 alacrity n.cheerful promptnessHe demonstrated his eagerness to serve by hisalacrity in executing the orders of his master.[+] promptness, agility; [-] hesitance andreluctance

38 alchemy n.medieval chemistryThe changing of baser metals into gold was thegoal of the students of alchemy.

39 allegory n.story in which characters are used as symbols;fable"Pilgrim's Progress" is an allegory of thetemptations and victories of man's soul.[+] apologue, parable

40 alleviate v. al<ad(=to, add)+lev(=light, lift)make pain or suffering less or easier to bear;relieveThe only truly effective way to alleviate thepoverty of underdeveloped third-world nations isto help increase their capacity to producewealth.; This should alleviate the pain; if it doesnot, we shall have to use stronger drugs.[+] allay, appease, assuage, calm, pacify,soothe; [-] exacerbate

41 allocate v.assignEven though the Red Cross had allocated alarge sum for the relief of the sufferers o thedisaster, many people perished.[+] allot, apportion, mete

42 alloy n.a mixture as of metalsAlloys of gold are used more frequently than thepure metal.

43 allusion n.indirect referenceThe allusions to mythological characters inMilton's poems bewilder the reader who has notstudied Latin.[+] connotation, implication, inkling, innuendo,insinuation, intimation

44 aloof a.e.remote in manner; apart; reservedHe remained aloof from their quarrel.; apathetic,impassive, indifferent; reserved, reticent,taciturn

45 altercation n. alter(=other)+ca(=s.e.)+tion(=that which)quarrel or noisy argument; wordy quarrelWhat began as a "minor quarrel" grew into analtercation and then into an ugly fight.;Throughout the entire altercation, not onesensible word was uttered.[+] argument, controversy, dispute, fracas




46 altruistic a. altru<alter(=other)+ist(=personwho)+ic(=nature of)considering the well-being and happines ofothers first,unselfish; unselfishly generous;concerned for othersWhat good are altruistic principles if no realattempt is made to help people by putting theminto practice?; In providing tutorial assistanceand college scholarships for hundres ofeconomically disadvantage youths, EngeneLang performed a truly altruistic deed.[+] charitable, humane, humanitarian,magnanimous, philanthropic, unselfish

47 amalgamate v.combine; unite in one bodyThe unions will attempt to amalgamate theirgroups into one national body.[+] compound, consolidate; [-] separate; [-]isolate

48 amass v.collect, pile or heap upHe would later amass a fortune from the smallinvestment.; The miser's aim is to amass andhoard as much gold as possible.[+] accumulate, cumulate, garner, stockpile

49 ambiguous a. amb<ambi(=around,both)+ig(=drive)+u(=s.e.)+ous(=having thequality of)having more than one meaning; of uncertainmeaning or intention; doubtful in meaningThe word presently may mean "right now"or "ata future time".Therefor, to say "I will do thatpresently" must be considered an ambiguousstatement.; His ambiguous instructions misledus; we did not know which road to take.[+] equivocal, unexplicit, vague

50 ambivalence n. val(=worth,strength)the state of having either or both of two contraryor similar values, meanings, etc.; the state ofhaving contradictory or conflicitng emotionalattitudesThe atrocity shook him out of his ambivalence .;Torn between loving her parents one minuteand hating them the next, she was confused bythe ambivalence of her feelings.

51 ameliorate v.improveMany social workers have attempted toameliorate the conditions of people living in theslums.[+] amend, improve

52 amiable a. am(=love, friendly)+i(=s.e.)+able(=capableof)good-tempered; kind-hearted; easy andpleasant to talk to; agreeable; lovableHe is so skillful in dealing with people that hecan seem amiable even when he is refusing togive them what they want.; His amiabledisposition pleased all who had dealings withhim.[+] complaisant, courteous, lenient

53 amorphous a. a<an(=not, without)+morph(=form)having no definite shape or form; shapelessThe musical composition, with no melodicpattern and no well-defined structure ofdevelopment, seemed amorphous to my ear.;She was frightened by the amorphous masswhich had floated in from the sea.[+] formless

54 anachronism n. chron(=time,age)mistake in dating something; something out ofdate now or in a description of past events; anerror involving time in a storySlavery is a sheer anachronism in the modernage.; The reference to clocks in Julius Caesaris an anachronism.[+] misdate, parachronism

55 anagram n. gram(=write)word made by changing the order of the lettersin another word"Ulatf" is an anagram for "fault"

56 analogous a. log(=speech)similar or parallel; comparableA bird's wing is analogous to a plane's wing.;She called our attention to the things that hadbeen done in an analogous situation andrecommended that we do the same.[+] corresponding, parallel, similar; [-] lackingsimilarity

57 anarchy n. an(=not, without)+arch(=govern,government)absence of government or control; disorder;confusion; absence of governing body; state ofdisorderThere is a vast difference between democracy,under which everyone has duties as well asprivileges, and anarchy under which no onehas any fixed obligations.; The assassination ofthe leaders led to a period of anarchy.[+] chaos, disorder; [-] order

58 anathema n. them(=put,place)formal declaration of the church,excommunicating somebody or condemningsomething as evil; solemn curseThe church pronounced anathema against thewilful heretic.; He heaped anathema upon hisfoe.[+] curse, imprecation, malediction, malison

59 anhydrous a.withered

60 annihilate v. an<ad(=to, near)+nihil(=nothing)destroy completely; put an end toWith their bigger, faster, more experiencedplayers, they simply annihilated our team by 56to 7.; The enemy in its revenge tried toannihilate the entire population.[+] demolish, raze

61 anomalous a.abnormal; irregularHe was placed in the anomalous position ofseeming to approve procedures which hedespised.[+] aberrant, abnormal, atypical, deviant,untypical; [-] conforming to an established rule;[-] normal

62 anonymous a. an(=not, without)+onym(=name, word)without a name, or with a name that is not madeknown; having no nameAlthough we cannot mention her name, we wantto express our heartfelt gratitude to theanonymous donor who gave this generous giftto our Building Fund.; He tried to ascertain theidentity of the writer of the anonymous letter.

63 antagonism n.active resistanceDespite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, theangry prisoner continued to make antagonisticremarks to the judge.[+] animus, enmity, hostility

64 antipathy n. anti(=against, opposite)+path(=feel)+y(=thatwhich)strong and decided dislike; aversion; dislikeYou are in deep trouble if you combine a strongtaste for high living with an equally strongantipathy for hard work.; His extreme antipathyto dispute caused him to avoid argumentativediscussions with his friends.[+] abhorrence, abomination, aversion, loathing,repugnance; [-] settled fondness




65 antiseptic n.a. sept(=rotten)chemical substance preventing infection;preventing infection; substance that preventsinfectionHe bathed the wound with an antiseptic.; It isadvisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound,no matter how alight or insignificant.

66 apathy n. a<an(=not, without)+path(=feel, suffer)absence of sympathy or interest; indifference;lack of caring; indifferenceHer moods seem to go from one extreme to theother-from deepest apathy to unlimitedenthusiasm.; A firm believer in democraticgovernment, she could not understand theapathy of people who never bothered to vote.[+] impassiveness, indifference

67 apocalyptic a.prophetic; pertaining to revelationsHis apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by hisaudience as wild surmises.[+] sibylline

68 apocryphal a. cryph<cryptrelating to the apocryphal; not genuine; notgenuine; shamMany tales of the old West are apocryphal .;Her apocryphal tears misled no one.[+] bogus, counterfeit, forged, phony, spurious,ungenuine; [-] authenticated

69 apostate n. st<a>(=stand)one who abandons his faith; one who abandonshis religious faith or political beliefsHe became an apostate when he left thechurch.; Because he switched from one party toanother, his former friends shunned him as anapostate.[+] betrayer, defector, recreant, renegade

70 apotheosis n. theo(=God)deification; release from earthly life; deification;glorificationSome tyrants believed that they had apotheosisduring medieval age.; The apotheosis of aRoman emperor was designed to insure hiseternal greatness.[+] dignification, exaltation, lionization

71 appease v. ap<ad(=to)+peas<pac(=peace)quiet an angry person, etc.; satisfy in appetite;yield to the demands of someone; pacify;sootheIn ancient times, people sacrified animals , andeven human beings, to appease the gods.; Wehave discovered that, when we try to appeaseour enemies, we encourage them to makeadditional demands.[+] assuage, conciliate, mollify, pacify, palliate,placate, propitiate

72 apprehensive a. ap<ad(=to, near)+prehens(=take)fearful about something that might happen;quick to understand; perceptive; fearful;discerningThose students who have been doing their workall term need not feel apprehensive about thefinal examination.; His apprehensive glances atthe people who were walking in the streetrevealed his nervousness.cf. comprehensive

73 approbation n. ap<ad(=to)+prob(=try, test, good)approval; sanctionPopularity polls seem to be based on themistaken idea that the basic task of a politicalleader is to win immediate approbation fromthe people.; She looked for some sign ofapprobation from her parents.[+] sanction; [-] condemnation

74 appropriate a.v.acquire; take possession of for one`s own useThe ranch owners appropriated the lands thathad originally been set aside for the lndians`use.[+] arrogate, commandeer, confiscate, seize; [-]surrender

75 arbiter n.a person with power to decide a dispute; judgeAs an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won theconfidence of the workers and the employers.[+] referee, umpire

76 arbitrary a. ar(=to)+bit<bat(=go)+r(=s.e.)+ary(=relatingto)based on opinion or impulse only, not onreason; dictatorial; using despotic power; fixedor decided; despoticMr. Ruggles claimed that the policewoman hadbeen arbitrary in giving him a parking ticketwhile ignoring other cars on the street.; Anyarbitrary action on your part will be resented bythe members of the board whom you do notconsult.[+] autocratic, despotic, monocratic

77 arduous a.hard; strenuousHer arduous efforts had sapped her energy.[+] laborious, toilsome

78 arid a.dry; barrenThe cactus has adapted to survive in an aridenvironment.[+] droughty; sterile, unfruitful

79 armada n.fleet of warshipsQueen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat themighty armada that threatened the Englishcoast.

80 arrogant a.unduly or excessively proud, as of wealth,station, learning, etc

81 arrogate v. ar<ad(=to, add)+rog(=ask)claim or seize without right; attribute unjustly;claim without reasonable groundsThe United States Constitution is uniquelydesigned to provide protection againstindividuals and bodies which might seek toarrogate undue power to themselves.; I amafraid that the manner in which he arrogatespower to himself indicates that he is willing toignore Constitutional limitations.[+] commandeer, usurp

82 artifice n.deception; trickeryThe Trojan War proved to the Greeks thatcunning and artifice were often more effectivethan military might.[+] chicanery, deceit, device, feint, maneuver,ruse, skullduggery, stratagem, trickery

83 ascetic a.practicing self-denial; austereThe wealthy young man could not understandthe ascetic life led by the monks.[+] abstemious, abstinent, astringent, austere,stern

84 askance a.e.with suspicion; with a sideway or indirect lookThe old woman looked askance at their shortshirts.; Looking askance at her questioner, shedisplayed her scorn.[+] awry, askew, crookedly

85 assay v.analyze; evaluateWhen they assayed the ore, they found thatthey had discovered a very rich vein.[+] appraise, assess, estimate




86 assiduous a. as<ad(=to, intensive)+sid(=sit)working steadily, diligent; eagerly attentiveWhat he lacks in skill, he makes up inassiduous attention to every last detail andrequirement of the job.; He worked assiduouslyat this task for weeks before he felt satisfiedwith his results.[+] industrious, sedulous

87 assuage v.ease; lessen painYour messages of cheer should assuage hersuffering.[+] allay, appease, mitigate, mollify, pacify,placate, propitiate, relieve, soothe; [-] intensify

88 astute a.wise; shrewdThat was a very astute observation. I shall heedit.[+] acute

89 atrophy n.v. a<an(=not, without)+troph(=nourishment)wasting away of the body or of a moral quality;cause atrophy in or waste awayMedical experts state that almost every case ofmuscle and tissue atrophy is the result ofchanges in cell nutrition, disease, or prolongeddisuse.; Polio victims need physiotherapy toprevent the atrophy of affected limbs.[+] decadence, declination, degeneracy,degeneration, deterioration

90 attenuate v. at<ad(=to, intensive)+tenu(=thin)make thin or slender; weaken; make thin;weakenWe must not allow passion for justice to beattenuated to mere halfhearted good will.; Bywithdrawing their forces, the generals hoped toattenuate the enemy lines.[+] debilitate, disable, enfeeble, extenuate,unstrengthen; [-] strengthen

91 audacious a.daring; boldAudiences cheered as Luke Skywalker andPrincess Leia made their audacious,death-defying leap to freedom and escapedDarth vader`s troops.[+] courageous, dauntless, intrepid; [-] timid

92 augment v. aug(=increase)make or become greater, increaseHe will augment his income by tending bar atnight.; How can we hope to augment our forceswhen our allies are deserting us?[+] aggrandize, boost, expand, extend, magnify

93 auspicious a.au<avi(=bird)+spic(=look)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=havingthe quality of)showing signs or promising good fortune,favorable; favoring successSince everything had gone so smoothly, we feltthat the campaign to elect Ellen captain was offto an auspicious deginning.; With favorableweather conditions, it was an auspiciousmoment to set sail.[+] favorable, fortunate, propitious

94 austere a.strict; sternHis austere demeanor prevented us fromengaging in our usual frivolous activities.[+] ascetic, rigorous, severe, stern, strict

95 authentic a. hen(=perpare,achieve)genuine, not fictitious; reliable, trustworthyYou cannot contest the authentic will.[-] bogus

96 autonomous a. nom(=law)self-governing; freeA federal system makes provision for localgovernment with considerable autonomousauthority.; This island is a colony; however, inmost matters, it is autonomous and receives noorders from the mother country.[+] independent

97 avarice n.greediness for wealthKing Midas's avarice has been famous forcenturies.[+] avidity, covetousness, cupidity, greed,rapacity

98 aver v. a<ad(=to)+ver(=true)declare as true; assert; affirm; state confidentlyWhwn they offered to help him, he proudlyaverred that he could handle the situationentirely on his own.; I wish to aver that I amcertain of success.[+] affirm, assert, avouch, avow; [-] deny

99 aviary n.enclosure for birdsThe aviary at the zoo held nearly 300birds.

100 awry a.distorted; crookedHe held his head awry, giving the impressionthat he had caught cold in his neck during thenight.[+] askance, askew

101 axiom n.self-evident truth requiring no proofBefore a student can begin to think along thelines of Euclidean geometry, he must acceptcertain principles or axioms.

102 azure a.sky blueAzure skies are indicative of good weather.

103 baleful a.deadly; destructiveThe drought was a baleful omen.[+] baneful, malign, pernicious, sinister; [-]beneficent

104 ballast n.heavy substance used to add stability or weightThe ship was listing badly to one side; it wasnecessary to shift the ballast in the hold to gether back on an even keel.

105 banal a. ban(=prohibition, control)+al(=nature of)commonplace; trite; hackneyed; commonplace;triteIn this moment of grief, the conventionalexpressions of sympathy which I hadconsidered so banal were surprisinglycomforting.; His frequent use of cliches madehis essay seem banal.[+] platitudinous; [-] arresting

106 bane n.cause of ruinLack of public transportation is the bane ofurban life.[+] poison, venom

107 baroque a.highly ornateThey found the baroque architecture amusing.[+] embellished, flamboyant, rococo,ornamented

108 bauble n.trinket; trifleThe child was delighted with the bauble shehad won in the grab bag.[+] bagatelle, triviality

109 beatific a.giving bliss; blissfulThe beatific smile on the child's face made usvery happy.

110 beatify v.to make supremely happy

111 bedizen v.dress with vulgar fineryThe witch doctors were bedizened in all theirgaudiest costumes.




112 beget v.father; produce; give rise toOne good turn may deserve another; it does notnecessarily beget another.[+] breed, generate, progenerate, propagate

113 beholden a.obligated; indebtedSince I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, Icannot accept this favor.

114 behoove v.suited to; incumbent uponIn this time of crisis, it behooves all of us toremain calm and await the instructions of oursuperiors.

115 belie v.give a wrong or untrue idea of; fail to justify orbe equal to what is hoped for or promised;contradict; give a false impressionHer behavior belied her story.; His coarse,hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.[+] contradict, contravene, controvert; [-] aver

116 bellicose a.warlikeHis bellicose disposition alienated his friends.[+] belligerent, combative, contentious, militant,pugnacious, quarrelsome, warlike.

117 benefactor n. fact(=do,make)person who has given financial help to a school,hospital, or charitable institution; gift gver;patronThe benefactor was generous to the school.;Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactorand gave him gifts.[+] patron

118 beneficent a. bene(=good)+fic(=do, make)+i(=s.e.)+ent(=having the quality of)doing good; kind; kindly; doning goodShe is known and loved throughout thecommunity for her many beneficent acts inbehalf of all types of unfortunates.; The overlygenerous philanthropist had to curb hisbeneficent impulses before he gabe away all hismoney and left himself with nothing.[+] maleficent

119 benevolent a. bene(=good)+vol(=will)+ent(=having thequality of)doing or inclined to do good; kindly; charitable;generous; charitableNo one doubts the benevolent intentions of theprogram for community improvement, but it wasruined by mismanagement.; His benevolentnature prevented him from refusing any beggarwho accosted him.[+] charitable, altruistic, humane, humanitarian,magnanimous, philanthropic

120 benign a. gn<gen(=birth)kind, gentle; mild; not dangerous; kindly;favorable; not malignantThe red evening sky was a benign omen.; Theold man was well liked because of his benignattitude toward friend and stranger alike.[+] clement, humane, merciful

121 berate v.scold sharply; scold stronglyHe began to berate tyrants.; He feared shewould berate him for his forgetfulness.[+] revile, upbraid, vituperate

122 bereave v.rob; leave sad by taking awayIllness bereaved the family of their father.

123 bereavement n.state of being deprived of something valuable orbelovedHis friends gathered to console him upon hissudden bereavement.

124 bereft a.deprived; deprived of; lackingDivorce left him bereft of family or home.; Thefoolish gambler soon found himself bereft offunds.[+] bereaved

125 beseech v.ask earnestly or urgentlyHe beseeched forgiveness for his folly.

126 besmirch v.soil; defileThe scandalous remarks in the newspaperbesmirch the reputations of every member ofthe society.[+] stain, sully, taint, tarnish

127 bestial a.beastlike; brutalWe must suppress our bestial desires and workfor peaceful and civilized ends.[+] brutish; cruel, savage, truculent

128 betroth v.engage a waman in contract of marriage;become engaged to marryThe couple was betrothed and planned to marryduring the summer.; The announcement thathad become betrothed surprised their friendswho had not suspected any romance.[+] engage

129 biennial n.a. enni(=year)plant that lives two years; occuring every twoyearsThe biennial pansy flowered in the secondyear.; The group held biennial meeting insteadof annual ones.

130 bilge n.v.where the sides of the vessel curve in to formthe bottom; cause to leak (as of vessels); takein water at the bilge

131 blandishment n.flatteryDespite the salesperson's blandishments, thecustomer did not buy the outfit.[+] adulation, flattery

132 blasphemous a.profane; impiousThe people in the room were shocked by hisblasphemous language.[+] irreverent, sacrilegious

133 blatant a.loudly offensiveI regard your remarks as blatant andill-mannered.[+] boisterous, clamorous, obstreperous,vociferous

134 blighted a.suffering from a disease; destroyedThe extent of the blighted areas could be seenonly when viewed from the air.

135 blithe a.gay; joyousShelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit"because of its happy song.[-] grave

136 bode v.foreshadow; portendThe gloomy skies and the sulphurous odorsfrom the mineral spring seemed to bode evil tothose who settled in the area.[+] augur, forebode, foreshadow, foreshow,omen, portend, presage

137 bolster v.support; prop upI do not intend to bolster your hopes with falsereports of outside assistance; the truth is thatwe must face the enemy alone.[+] buttress, prop, sustain; [-] decrease supportof; [-] undermine




138 bombastic a.pompous; using inflated languageThe orator's bombastic manner left theaudience unimpressed.[+] grandiloquent, magniloquent; [-] understated

139 boorish a.of or like a boor; rude; clownishBecause of his boorish behavior, which peoplefind offensive, he is seldom invited to parties.;Your boorish remarks to the driver of the othercar were not warranted by the situation andserved merely to enrage him.[+] churlish, loutish

140 breach n.breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gapThey found a breach in the enemy'sfortifications and penetrated their lines.[+] contravention, infraction, infringement,transgression, trespass, violation; break, hiatus,interim, interruption, interval, fracture, rift,rupture, schism; [-] solder

141 brevity n. brev(=short)+ity(=that which)shortness of statements, human life and othernonmaterial things; concisenessShakespeare expressed the tragic brevity oflife by comparing it to a candle that must soongo out.; Brevity is essential when you send atelegram or cablegram; you are charged forevery word.[+] conciseness, succinctness

142 brindled a.tawny or grayish with streaks or spotsHe was disappointed in the litter because thepuppies were brindled; he had hoped foranimals of a uniform color.[+] piebald, pied

143 broach v.open upHe did not even try to broach the subject ofpoetry.[-] close off

144 brook v.tolerate; endureThe dean would brook no interference with hisdisciplinary actions.(secondary meaning)[+] endure

145 bruit v.tell or spread rumors

146 brusque a.blunt; abruptShe was offended by his brusque replay.[+] gruff

147 bucolic a.rustic; pastoralThe meadow was the scene of bucolic gaiety.[+] rural, pastoral, rustic

148 bumptious a.self-assertiveHis classmates called him a show-off becauseof his bumptious airs.[+] impertinent, obtrusive

149 burgeon v.grow forth; send out budsIn the spring, the plants that burgeon are apromise of the beauty that is to come.[+] blossom, bloom, effloresce; augment,expand, multiply; [-] subside; [-] wither

150 burlesque v.give an imitation that ridiculesIn his caricature, he burlesqued themannerisms of his adversary.[+] parody, travesty

151 burnish v.make shiny by rubbing; polishThey burnished the metal until it reflected thelamplight.[+] furbish, glance, glaze, gloss, polish

152 buttress n.support or propThe huge cathedral walls were supported byflying buttresses.[+] prop

153 cabal n.small group of persons secretly united topromote their own interestsThe cabal was defeated when their schemewas discovered.[+] junto, plot

154 cache n.hiding placeThe detectives followed the suspect until he ledthem to the cache where he had stored his loot.

155 cacophony n.discordSome people seem to enjoy the cacophony ofan orchestra that is turning up.[+] discordance, dissonance

156 cadaver n.corpseIn some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers.[+] corpse

157 cajole v.coax; wheedleI will not be cajoled into granting you your wish.[+] beguile, deceive, delude

158 calcify v.become impregnated with calcium salts; turninto lime; become calcified; convert into lime

159 caliber n.ability; capacityA man of such caliber should not be assignedsuch menial tasks.[+] ability, capability, capacity

160 calk n.v.a metal cleat on the bottom front of a horseshoeto prevent slipping; provide with calks; seal withcaulking; injure with a calk

161 callow a.unfledged; youthfulIn that youthful movement, the leaders wereonly a little less callow than their immaturefollowers.[+] immature, juvenile, unfledged

162 calumniate v.slanderShakespeare wrote that love and friendshipwere subject to envious and calumniating time.[+] asperse, defame, denigrate, libel, maligne,slander, traduce, vilify

163 calumny n.malicious misrepresentation; slanderHe could endure his financial failure, but hecould not bear the calumny that his foes heapedupon him.[+] belittlement, defamation, depreciation,detraction, disparagement, slander

164 canard n.unfounded rumor; exaggerated reportIt is almost impossible to protect oneself fromsuch a base canard.

165 candid a.straightforwardI want your candid opinion.

166 capitulate v. cap(=head)+itul(=s.e.)+ate(=make)surrender on stated conditionCompletely surrounded at Yorktown byAmerican and French forces, Cornwallis had nochoice but to capitulate .; The enemy waswarned to capitulate or face annihilation.[+] submit, succumb, yield

167 capricious a.flickle; incalculableThe storm was capricious and changed courseconstantly.[+] fickle, mercurial, unstable; [-] steadfast




168 captious a. capt(=take)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having the qualityof)finding fault or making protests especially aboutunimportant points; faultfindingHe dismissed all of my carefully formulatedcriticisms with the casual rejoinder that I wasbeing "unreasonably captious ".; His criticismswere always captious and frivolous, neveroffering constructive suggestions.[+] carping, faultfinding

169 carnage n. carn(=flesh)+age(=collective)killing of many people; destruction of lifeThe carnage caused on our streets andhighways each year by careless driving hasbecome a major national scandal.; The carnagethat can be caused by atomic warfare adds tothe responsibilities of our statesmen.[+] butchery, slaughter

170 carte blanche n.unlimited authority or freedomUse your own discretion in this matter; I giveyou carte blanche.

171 cascade n.small waterfallWe could not appreciate the beauty of the manycascades as we made detours around each ofthem to avoid getting wet.[+] cataract

172 castigate v. cast(=pure)+ig(=drive)+ate(=make)punish severely with blows or by criticizingIn Gulliver's Travels and other books, JonathanSwift castigated the human race for its folliesand wickedness.; Sensitive seven to mildcriticism, Woolf could not bear the castigationwhich she found in certain reviews.[+] chastise

173 castigation n.punishment; severe criticismSensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could notbear the castigation which she found in certainreviews.[+] chastisement; [-] affection

174 cataclysm n. clysm(=wash)sudden and violent change; deluge; upheavalA cataclysm such as the French Revolutionaffects all countries.[+] deluge, inundation, overflow, spate; calamity,catastrophe, misadventure, tragedy

175 catalyst n. lys(=to loose)a combination which starts a reaction; agentwhich brings about a chemical change while itremains unchangedMany chemical reactions cannot take placewithout the presence of a catalyst .; Manychemical reactions cannot take place withoutthe presence of a catalyst.

176 catharsis n. hars(=pure)outlet for strong emotion; emptying of thebowels; purging or cleansing of any passage ofthe bodyAristotle maintained that tragedy created acatharsis by purging the soul of base concepts.[+] purification, purgation

177 caustic a. caust(=burn)+ic(=nature of)able to burn or destroy by chemical action;acrid; sarcastic; burning; sarcastically bitingIf any of the caustic material gets on yourclothing, wash it off immediately with lukewarmwater to prevent it from eating away the fabric.;The critic's caustic remarks angered thehapless actors who were the subjects of hissarcasm.[+] incisive, mordacious, mordant, pungent,sarcastic, scathing, stinging, trenchant; [-]innocuous

178 cavil v.make frivolous objectionsI respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislikethe way you cavil about unimportant details.[+] carp, dissent

179 celibate a.unmarried; abstaining from sexual intercourseThe perennial bachelor vowed to remaincelibate.

180 censor n.overseer of marals; person who reads toeliminate inappropriate remarSoldiers dislike having their mail read by acensor but understand the need for thisprecaution.

181 censure n.v.blame; criticizeHe was censured for his inappropriate behavior.[+] condemn, denounce, denunciate, rebuke,reprehend, reprimand, reproach, reprobate,reprove; [-] commend

182 cessation n.stoppingThe workers threatened a cessation of allactivities if their demands were not met.[+] cease, termination; [-] commencement

183 chafe v.warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbingThe collar chafed his neck.[+] abrade, excoriate; irritate, scratch

184 chaff n.worthless products of an endeavorWhen you separate the wheat from the chaff,be sure you throw out the chaff.

185 chagrin n.vexation; disappointmentHer refusal to go with us filled us with chagrin.[+] mortification

186 charisma n.divine gift; great popular charm or appeal of apolitical leaderPolitical commentators have deplored theimportance of a candidate's charisma in thesedays of television campaigning.[+] charm, fascination

187 charlatan n.quack; pretender to knowledgeBecause he was unable to substantiate hisclaim that he had found a cure for the dreaddisease, he was called a charlatan by hiscolleagues.[+] mountebank, quack

188 chaste a.pureHer chaste and decorous garb wasappropriately selected for the solemnity of theoccasion.[+] decent, immaculate, stainless, unblemished,undefiled, unsullied

189 chasten v.discipline; punish in order to correctWhom God loves, God chastens.[+] castigate, chastise, punish

190 chauvinist n.blindly devoted patriotA chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in hiscountry, no matter how flagrant they may be.

191 choleric a.hot-temperedHis flushed, angry face indicated a cholericnature.[+] irascible, testy, touchy

192 chronicle v.report; record (in chronological order)The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle thelatest escapades of the socially prominentcelebrities.




193 chronology n.the science that treats of computation of time,orof investigation and arrangement of events

194 circumlocution n. locut(=say)roundabout way of speaking; roundaboutexpression; indirect or roundabout expressionThe circumlocution "the game ended with ascore that was not in our favor" should bereplaced by "we lost the game".; He was afraidto call a spade a spade and resorted tocircumlocutions to avoid direct reference to hissubject.[+] euphimism, roundabout

195 circumvent v. vent(=come)prevent a plan from being carried out, frustrate;outwit; baffleThey tried to circumvent the official red tape.; Inorder to circumvent the enemy, we will maketwo preliminary attacks in other sections beforestarting our major campaign.[+] baffle, balk, foil, frustrate, thwart

196 clandestine a.secretAfter avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had aclandestine meeting.[+] covert, furtive, stealthy, surreptitious

197 coagulate v.thicken; congeal; clotEnen after you remove the pudding from theburner, it will continue to coagulate as it stands.[+] clot, coalesce, congeal, consolidate

198 coalesce v.combine; fuseThe brooks coalesce into one large river.[+] adhere, associate, cling, combine, conjoin,fuse, mingle, stick

199 coda n.concluding section of a musical or literarycompositionThe piece concluded with a distinctive coda thatstrikingly brought together various motifs.[-] prelude

200 codicil n.supplement to the body of a willThis codicil was drawn up five years after thewriting of the original will.[+] appendix, supplement

201 cogent a. co(=together)+g<ag(=drive, do)having a powerful appeal to the mind;convincingWe found her criticism of our conductunpleasant, but we had to admit that herremarks were cogent and to the point.; Shepresented cogent arguments to the jury.[+] convincing, persuasive, solid, valid

202 cognizance n.knowledgeDuring the election campaign, the twocandidates were kept in full cognizance of theinternational situation.[+] perception

203 cognizant a.co<con(=thoroughly)+gn<gno(=know)+iz(=s.e.)+ant(=having the quality of)having knowledge or being fully aware ofLike many people who are completely wrappedup in themselves, he seems not to becognizant that he is hurting the feelings of hisown friends.

204 cohesion n.force which keeps parts togetherIn order to preserve our cohesion, we must notlet minor differences interfere with our majorpurposes.[+] adherence, adhesion, cling, coherence,stickage

205 cohort n.a company of companions or supporters; aband of warriors (originally a unit of a RomanLegion)

206 collaborate v. col<con(=with)+labor(=work)work in partnership, especially in literature andart; work treasonably especially with enemyforces occupying one's country; work togetherAll those who collaborated with the enemy inthe hope of gaining special favors will bepunished severely.; Two writer collaborated inpreparing this book.

207 colloquial a.pertaining to conversational or common speechYou use of colloquial expressions in a formalessay such as the one you have presentedspoils the effect you hope to achieve.

208 collusion n. col<con(=together)+lus/lud(=laugh, play)secret agreement for an unlawful or evilpurpose; conspiring in a fraudulent schemeThe gambler's prediction of the scores of thegames proved so incredibly accurate that webegin to suspect some form of collusion .; Theswindlers were found guilty of collusion.[+] complicity, connivance

209 coltish a.given to merry frolicking

210 compatible a. com<con(=together)+pat(=feel, suffer)in accord with; able to live together in harmony;suited to; harmonious; in harmony withDo you think that your unwillingness to studyforeign language is compatible with yourambition to get a job in the Foreign Service?;They were compatible neighbors, neverquarreling over unimportant matters.[+] agreeable, congenial, congruous,consistent, consonant, sympathetic

211 compendium n. com<con(=with)+pend(=hang, weigh)concise and comprehensive account; summary;brief comprehensive summaryOn the basis of his many years of experienceas a school administrator, he had prepared aninvaluable compendium of all the mistakeslikely to be made by a young teacher.; This textcan serve as a compendium of the tremendousamount of new material being developed in thisfield.[+] abridgement, digest, epitome, syllabus

212 complacent a.self-satisfiedThere was a complacent look on his face as heexamined his paintings.[+] self-contented

213 compliant a. com<con(=thoroughly)+pli(=fill)ready or disposed to comply; yieldingBecause she is usually so compliant , we wereall surprised when she said firmly that shedidn't like our plans and wouldn't accept them.;He was compliant and ready to conform to thepattern set by his friends.[+] acquiescent, submissive

214 comport v.bear one's self; behaveHe comported himself with great dignity.[+] bear, conduct, demean, deport

215 comprehensive a.thorough; inclusiveThis book provides a comprehensive review ofverbal and math skills for the SAT.[+] inclusive, overall

216 conciliatory a.reconciling; soothingShe was still angry despite his conciliatorywords.[+] propitiatory




217 concise a. con(=intensive)+cis(=cut)brief; giving much information in few words;brief and compactIn spite of the vast number of details in theUnited States Constitution, the document isremarkably concise .; The essay was conciseand explicit.[+] compendiary, compendious, laconic, pithy,succinct, terse

218 conclave n.private meetingHe was present at all their conclaves as anunofficial observer.

219 condescend v. con(=together)+de(=down)+scend(=climb)do something that one's rank, merits, abilities,etc. do not require one to do; lower oneself;behave graciously, but in a way that showsone's feeling of superiority; bestow courtesieswith a superior airIf, as they say, they find those people so vulgarand unpleasant, why do they condescend toassociate with them?; The king condescendedto grant an audience to the friends of thecondemned man.[+] deign, vouchsafe

220 condone v. con(=intensive, completely)+don(=give)overlook or forgive an offence; overlook; forgiveI do not entirely condone his misconduct, but Ican understand, to a degree, why he behavedas he did.; We cannot condone your recentcriminal cooperation with the gamblers.[+] excuse, forgive, pardon

221 conglomeration n.mass of material sticking togetherIn such a conglomeration of miscellaneousstatistics, it was impossible to find a single areaof analysis.[+] accumulation, agglomeration, aggregation,amassment, cumulation

222 conjoin v.to unite

223 conjure v.summon a devil; practice magic; inagine; inventHe conjured up an image of a reformed city andhad the cotters completely under his spell.[+] invoke

224 connivance n.pretense of ignorance of something wrong;assistanceWith the connivance of his friends, he plotted toembarrass the teacher.[+] collusion, complicity

225 connoisseur n. con(=thoroughly)+n<gn<gno(=know)person with good judgement on matters inwhich taste is needed; expert; personcompetent to act as a judge of art, etc; a loverof an artAfter spending the summer behind the sodafountain at the Sweet Shop, I think I can fairlydescribe myself as a connoisseur of bananasplits and milk shakes.; She had developed intoa connoisseur of fine china.

226 consecrate v. con(=together)+secr<sacr(=holy)make sacred; devote something to a specialpurpose; dedicate; sanctifyAs we move into the third century of ournation's life, we should consecrate ourselvesanew to the ideals of human freedom.; We shallconsecrate our lives to this noble purpose.[+] devote; hallow, sanctify

227 consensus n. con(=with)+sens(=feel)general agreement of opinion, feeling, etc.;collective opinionAs we learned to understand each other'sneeds and aspirations, a sort of unspokenconsensus developed that enabled us to worktogether harmoniously.; The consensusindicates that we are opposed to entering intothis pact.

228 consequential a.pompous; self-importantConvinced of his own importance, the actorstutted about the dressing room with aconsequential air.[+] considerable, important, momentous,significant, substantial

229 consort v.associate withWe frequently judge people by the companywith whom they consort.

230 consummation n.the act of bringing to completion or fruition

231 contemn v.regard with contempt; disregardI will not tolerate those who contemn the sincereefforts of this group.

232 contentious a.quarrelsomeWe heard loud and contentious noises in thenext room.[+] bellicous, belligerent, combative, militant,pugnacious, quarrelsome, warlike;argumentative, controversial, disputatious,polemical

233 contravene v. ven(=come)go against a law, a custom, etc.; attack astatement, a principle, etc.; contradict; infringeonBy invading the neutral nation, the doctatorcontravened his earlier pledge to guarantee itsindependence.; I will not attempt to contraveneyour argument for it does not affect thesituation.[+] contradict, gainsay, impugn, negate;encroach, fringe, intrude, offend, transgress,trespass

234 contrite a. con(=intensive, together)+trit(=rub)filled with deep sorrow for wrongdoing; penitentIf you had paid some attention to my warning inthe first place, ther would be no need for you tobe contrite now.; Her contrite tears did notinfluence the judge when he imposed sentence.[+] compunctious, penitent, remorseful,repentant

235 contumacious a. con(=intensive)+tum(=swell)resisting authority; obstinate and disobedient;disobedient; resisting authorityThe situation was rapidly becoming intolerablebecause the new supervisor found theemployees to be not merely uncooperative butpositively contumacious .; The contumaciousmob shouted defiantly at the police.[+] factious, insubordinate, insurgent, mutinous,rebellious

236 contusion n.bruiseShe was treated for contusions and abrasions.[+] bruise

237 conundrum n.riddle; difficult problemDuring the long car ride, she inventedconundrums to entertain the children.[+] enigma, mystery, puzzle, riddle




238 conventional a.ordinary; typicalHis conventional upbringing left him whollyunprepared for his wife's eccentric family.[+] customary, orthodox

239 converge v. con(=together)+verg(=turn, bend)come towards each other and meet at a point;come togetherAt first, the two candidates were indisagreement on every issue, but as thecampaign went on, their opinions seemed toconverge .; Marchers converged onWashington for the great Peace March.[+] concentrate, focus

240 convoluted a.coiled around; involved; intricateHis argument was so convoluted that few of uscould follow it intelligently.[+] meandering, sinuous, tortuous, winding; [-]straightforward

241 copious a.plentifulShe had copious reasons for rejecting theproposal.[+] abundant, ample, bounteous, bountiful,plenteous

242 correlation n.mutual relationshipHe sought to determine the correlation thatexisted between ability in algebra and ability tointerpret reading exercises.[+] interrelation

243 corroborate v. cor<con(=intensive)+robor(=strength)give support or certainty to a statement, belief,theory, etc.; confirmAll the available evidence corroborates mytheory that the theft was planned by someonefamiliar with the layout of the house.; Unless wefind a witness to corroborate your evidence, itwill not stand up in court.[+] authenticate, confirm, justify, substantiate,validate, verify; [-] antagonize; [-] controvert

244 countenance n.v. coun<con(=together)+ten(=hold)face, including its appearance and expression;support; give support, approval, orencouragement to; approve; tolerateOne of the sure signs of a government that isnot free and democratic is that the people onpower will not countenance any criticism oftheir acts.; He refused to countenance suchrude behavior on their part.[+] approbate

245 covenant n.v. co<con(=together)+ven(=come)formed agreement that is legally bindingTwice in the 20th century, the nations of theworld have entered into a covenant tocooperate in safegurading international peaceand in seeking a better life for all peoples.; Wemust comply with the terms of the covenant.[+] agreement, compact, contract, convention,transaction

246 cower v.shrink quivering, as from fearThe frightened child cowered in the corner ofthe room.[+] cringe, quail, wince; [-] brazenly confront

247 coy a.shy; modest; coquettishShe was coy in her answers to his offer.[+] diffident

248 crass a.very unrefined; grossly insensibleThe philosophers deplored the crasscommercialism.[+] coarse, gross, raw, uncouth, unrefined; [-]refined

249 craven a.cowardlyHer craven behavior in running away from theenemy at this critical period was criticized byher comrades.[+] cowardly, poltroonish, pusillanimous; [-]valorous

250 credulity n.belief on slight evidenceThe witch doctor took advantage of the credulityof the superstitious natives.[+] gullibility

251 criteria n.standards used in judgingWhat criteria did you use when you selectedthis essay as the prizewinner?

252 culpable a. culp(=blame, fault)+able(=capable of)blameworthy,deserving punishment; deservingblameWhat do you think of the concept that when acrime is committed, society is often as culpableas the criminal?; Corrupt politicians whocondone the activities of the gamblers areequally culpable.[+] blamable, blameworthy, censurable,impeachable, indictable, reprehensible

253 cupidity n.greedThe defeated people could not satisfy thecupidity of the conquerors, who demandedexcessive tribute.[+] avarice, avidity, greed, rapacity, voracity

254 cursory a. curs(=run)+ory(=relating to)quick; hurried; done without attention to details;casual; hastily done"I was so pressed for time that I couldn't givethe lengthy report more than a cursoryreading", the busy executive confessed.; Acursory examination of the ruins indicates thepossibility of arson; a more extensive studyshould be undertaken.[+] shallow, superficial

255 cynic n.one who is skeptical or distrustful of humanmotivesCynical at all times, he was suspicious of allaltruistic actions of others.[+] sardonic

256 cynical a.exhibiting moral skepticism

257 dais n.raised platform for guests of honorWhen he approached the dais, he was greetedby cheers from the people who had come tohonor him.

258 dally v.triffle with; procrastinateLaertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could onlydally with her affections.[+] dawdle, drag, loiter, procrastinate

259 dank a.dampThe walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy.[+] damp, moist

260 daunt v.intimidateYour threats cannot daunt me.[+] appall, dismay, horrify, intimidate

261 dauntless a.boldDespite the dangerous nature of theundertaking, the dauntless soldier volunteeredfor the assignment.[+] brave, courageous

262 dearth n.scarcityThe dearth of skilled labor compelled theemployers to open trade schools.[+] insufficiency, paucity, scarcity




263 debacle n.breaking up; downfallThis debacle in the government can only resultin anarchy.[+] breakdown, collapse, crash; [-] completesuccess

264 debase v. de(=down, intensive)+bas(=bottom, lower)make lower or poorer in value, quality,character, etc.; reduce to lower stateBy concentrating on persoanl gain, he hasdebased both himself and the high office towhich he was elected.; Do not debase yourselfby becoming maudlin.[+] abase, degrade, demean, humble, humiliate,lower

265 debauch v.corrupt; make intemperateA vicious newspaper con debauch publicideals.[+] corrupt, deprave

266 debauchery n.a wild gathering involving excessive drinkingand promiscuity

267 debilitate v. de(=reverse)+bilit(=strong)+ate(=make)make weak; weaken; enfeebleThe historian explained that luxury andself-indulgence debilitated the Roman peopleand led to the fall of the empire.;Overindulgence debilitates character as well asphysical stamina.[+] attenuate, enfeeble, extenuate, weaken

268 debonair a.friendly; aiming to pleaseThe debonair youth was liked by all who methim, because of his cheerful and obligingmanner.[+] civil, courteous, polite, urbane

269 decadence n. de(=down)+cad(=fall)falling to a lower level in morals, art, literature,etc. especially after a period at a high level;decayHis definition of decadence is simply anythingthat differs from the standards and customsthat he is accustomed to.; The moraldecadence of the people was reflected in thelewd literature of the period.[+] declination, degeneracy, deterioration,downgrade

270 deciduous a.falling of as of leavesThe oak is a deciduous tree,

271 decorous a.properShocked by the unruly behavior, the teachercriticized the class for its lack of decorum.[+] decency, dignity, propriety, seemliness; [-]unseemly

272 decorum n.decorousShocked by the unruly behavior, the teachercriticized the class for its lack of decorum.[+] decency, dignity, propriety, seemliness

273 decry v.disparageDo not attempt to increase your stature bydecrying the efforts of your opponents.[+] belittle, depreciate, derogate, detract,devaluate, disparage, lower opprobriate

274 defamation n. de(=down)+fam<fa(=say)harm that is given to one's reputation; slander;harming a person's reputationLacking a positive program of his own, hehoped to gain the support of the voters bydefamation of the other candidates.; Suchdefamation of character may result in a slandersuit.[+] belittlement, calumny, depreciation,detraction, disparagement, slander

275 deference n. de(=down)+fer(=carry)the act of obeying the judgement or opinion ofanother; great respect; courteous regard foranother's wishAlthough I felt that he was wrong in hissweeping criticism, I accepted it silently indeference to his age and prefessionalstanding.; In deference to his desires theemployers granted him a holiday.[+] obeisance, recerence; [-] contempt

276 defunct a. de(=off, from)+funct(=perform)dead; extinct; dead; no longer in use orexistenceAlthough many of the formalities of etiquette ofearlier days are now generally disregarded, thebasic principles of courtesy are never defunct.; The lawyers sought to examine the books ofthe defunct corporation.; The lawyers sought otexamine the books of the defunct corporation.[+] deceased, extinct, vanished

277 deign v.condescendHe felt that he would debase himself if hedeigned to answer his critics.[+] vouchsafe

278 deleterious a.harmfulWorkers in nuclear research must avoid thedeleterious effects of radioactive substances.[+] detrimental, harmful, injurious, nocuous

279 delineate v. de(=intensive)+lin(=line)show by drawing or by describing; portraydelineationI can't provide all the details at this time, but Iwill try to delineate the mainfeatures of my planfor reorganizing the student government.; He isa powerful storyteller, but he is weakest whenhe attempts to delineate characer.[+] depict, describe, limn, portay

280 delusion n.false belief; hallucinationThis scheme is a snare and a delusion.[+] deceit, deception, fraud, guile; hallucination,illusion

281 demur v.delay; objectDo not demur at my request.

282 denigrate v.blackenAll attempts to denigrate the character of ourlate President have failed; the people still lovehim and cherish his memory.[+] asperse, calumniate, defame, libel, malign,slander, traduce, vilify

283 denouement n.outcome; final development of the plot of a playThe play was childishly written; the denouementwas obvious to sophisticated theatergoers asearly as the middle of the first act.

284 depict v. de(=intensive)+pict(=paint)show something with a picture; describesomething in words; portrayShe has gained success as a writer who knowshow to depict in a lifelike way the hopes, fears,and problems of young people today.; In thisbook, the author depicts the slave owners askind and benevolent masters.[+] delineate, describe, limn, portray

285 deposition n.testimony under oathHe made his deposition in the judge's chamber.[+] testimony; [-] process of eroding




286 deprecate v. de(=off, from)+prec(=pray)feel and express disapproval of; disapproveregretfullyThe whole history of social reformdemonstrates how much easier it is todeprecate evils than to take effective actionagainst them.; I must deprecate your attitudeand hope that you will change your mind.[+] disapprove, discountenance

287 depredation n. de(=intensive)+pred(=plunder)destruction or pillaging of property; plunderingThe depredations of the terrible disease couldbe seen only too clearly in her extremeemaciation and feebleness.; After thedepredations of the invaders, the people werepenniless.[+] pillage, plunder, spoliation

288 derelict n.a. de(=intensive)+re(=back)+lict(=leave)ship abandoned at sea; worthless person;person who neglects his duty; abandoned;deserted and left to fall into ruin; failing in one'sdutyIn every large city, there is a neighborhood thatserves as a refuge for derelicts who havefailed to come to terms with society.; Thecorporal who fell asleep while on watch wasthrown into the guard house for being derelict inhis duty.[+] delinquent, disregardful, neglectful,negligent, remiss

289 derision n.ridiculeThey greeted his proposal with derision andrefused to consider it seriously.[+] mockery

290 derivative a.unoriginal; derived from another sourceAlthough her early poetry was clearly derivativein nature, the critics thought she had promiseand eventually would find her own voice.[+] by-product, descendant, outgrowth

291 derogatory a. de(=down)+rog(=ask)tending to damage or take away from one'scredit, etc.; insulting; expressing a low opinionThe public will not readily accept an intensiveinvestigation designed to turn up derogatoryinformation about so popular a figure.; I resentyour derogatory remarks.[+] depreciative, depreciatory, detracting,disparaging, pejorative

292 descant v.discuss fullyHe was willing to descant upon any topic ofconversation, even when he knew very littleabout the subject under discussion.[+] expatiate

293 desecrate v. de(=down)+secr<sacr(=holy)treat a holy thing without respect; profane;violate the sanctity ofThey desecrated the memory of Lincoln byinvolving his name in defense of such a racistpolicy.; The soldiers desecrated the temple.[+] defile, pollute

294 desiccate v.dry upA tour of this smokehouse will give you an ofhow the pioneers used to desiccate food inorder to preserve it.[+] dehydrate; [-] hydrate; [-] add water to

295 despoil v.plunderIf you do not yield, I am afraid the enemy willdespoil the countryside.[+] depredate, pillage, spoliate

296 despotism n.tyrannyThe people rebelled against the despotism ofthe king.[+] autocracy, dictatorship, totalitarianism,tyranny

297 desuetude n.disused conditionThe machinery in the idle factory was in a stateof desuetude.[+] cease, cessation, closure, disusage

298 desultory a.aimless; jumping aroundThe animal's desultory behavior indicated thatthey had no awareness of their predicament.[+] haphazard, random; [-] strictly methodical

299 detached a.emotionally removed; calm and objective;indifferentA psychoanalyst must maintain a detachedpoint of view and stay uninvolved with herpatient's personal lives. (secondary meaning)[+] aloof, disinterested, indifferent, uninterested,dispassionate, neutral, remote

300 deterrent n.something that discourages; hindranceDoes the threat of capital punishment serve asa deterrent to potential killers?[+] obstacle, prevention

301 detraction n.slandering; aspersionHe is offended by your frequent detractions ofhis ability as a leader.[+] aspersion, belittlement, calumny,defamation, depreciation, disparagement, libel,slander, traducing, vilification

302 devoid a. de(=intensive)+void(=empty)completely without; lackingHe delivered a simple, low-key speech,completely devoid of fancy language oremotional appeals.; He was devoid of anypersonal desire for gain in his endeavor tosecure improvement in the community.[+] destitute, empty

303 dexterous a.skillfulThe magician was so dexterous that we couldnot follow him as he performed his tricks.[+] adept, adroit, deft, expert

304 diaphanous a. phan(=show,appear);dia(=through)+phan(=show,appear)+ous(=having the quality of)transparent, translucent; sheer; transparentHer diaphanous grown seemed part of themoonlight.; Corot painted poetic anddiaphanous landscapes, in which even solidobjects seemed to be suffused with light andmovement.; They saw the burglar clearlythrough the diaphanous curtain.[+] flimsy, gossamer, sheer, transparent

305 diatribe n.bitter scolding; invectiveDuring the lengthy diatribe delivered by hisopponent he remained calm and self-controlled.[+] harangue, tirade; [-] encomium; [-] laudatorypiece of writing; [-] eulogy

306 dichotomy n. di(=two)+cho(=into)+tom(=cut)+y(=thatwhich)division into two parts, groups. or classes,especially when there are sharply distinguishedor opposed; branching into two partsThere are very few world problems that can beunderstood in terms of a simple dichotomyomyof right and wrong.; The dichotomy of ourlegislative system provides us with manysafeguards.[+] divergence

307 diffidence n.shynessYou must overcome your diffidence of youintend to become a salesperson.

308 diffusion n.wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gasYour composition suffers from a diffusion ofideas; try to be more compact.[+] dispersion, dissemination, distribution,propagation




309 digress v. di<dis(=apart)+gres (=go, step)turn or wander away from the main pointMy criticism is not that you digressed fromyour main theme, but rather that you abandonedit altogether.

310 dilapidated a. di<dis(=apart)+lapid(=stone)falling to pieces; ruined; shabby; ruinedbecause of neglectBeneath the dilapidated body of the getawaycar,there was a powerful finely tunedmotor,capable of reaching high speeds.; Wefelt that the dilapidated building needed severalcoats of paint.[+] impaired, injured, marred

311 dilatory a.delayingYour dilatory tactics may compel me to cancelthe contract.[+] laggard, neglectful, negligent, remiss

312 dilettante n.aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabblerHe was not serious in his painting; he wasrather a dilettante.[+] amateur, tyro

313 dint n.means; effortBy dint of much hard work, the volunteers wereable to place the raging forest fire under control.

314 disabuse v. dis(=not)+ab(=away)+us(=use)free someone from false ideas and mistakes;correct a false impression; undeceiveAlthough she is well into middle age, my AuntSally seems unable to disabuse herself of theidea that she is still a teenager.; I will attempt todisabuse you of your impression of my client'sguilt; I know he is innocent.[+] disillude, enlighten, illuminate; [-] lead intoerror

315 disarray n.a disorderly or untidy stateAfter the New Year's party, the once orderlyhouse was in total disarray.[+] chaos, confsion, disorder, muddle

316 disavow v. dis(=not)+a<ad(=to)+vow<voc(=call)deny belief, approval or knowledge; refuseThe prisoner attempted to disavow hisconfession on the grounds that he had not beeninformed of his legal rights by the districtattorney.

317 disavowal n.denial; disclaimingHis disavowal of his part in the conspiracy wasnot believed by the jury.[+] negation, refusal, repudiation

318 discerning a.mentally quick and observant; having insightBecause he was considered the mostdiscerning member of the firm, he wasassigned the most difficult cases.[+] insightful, perceptive, sagacious

319 discombobulated a.having self-possession upset; thrown intoconfusion

320 discomfit v. dis(=not)+com<con(=thoroughly)+fit(=make,do)frustrate the plans or expectations of; makesomeone uneasy or confused; put to rout;defeat; disconcertIf you go to the interview well-prepared and inthe right frame of mind, there will be no need foryou to feel discomfited by even the mostprobing questions.; This ruse will discomfit theenemy.[+] abash, confound, confuse, disconcert,discountenance, embarrass

321 discordant a. dis(=apart)+cord(=heart)not in agreement; not harmonious; harsh;inharmonious; conflictingThe two leaders are trying to form an alliance,but their respective programs are so discordantthat it will be hard for them to work together.;She tried to unite the discordant factions.[+] conflicting, disconsonant, crepant,dissonant, incompatible, incongruent,incongruous, inconisistent, inconsonant

322 discourse n.formal discussion; conversationThe young Plato was drawn to the Agora tohear the philosophicla discourse of Scoratesand his followers.

323 discrepancy n. dis(=apart)+crep(=rattle)difference; absence of agreement; lack ofconsistency; differenceWith all the deductions,there is a discrepancyof 40 dollars between my official salary and myweekly paycheck.; The police noticed somdiscrepancies in his description of the crimeand did not believe him.[+] alterity, dissemblance, dissimilarity,dissimilitued, distinction, divergence

324 discrete a.separate; unconnectedThe universe is composed of discrete bodies.[+] distinct, diverse; [-] continuous

325 disdain n.v. dis(=not)+dain<dign(=worthy)contempt; scorn; look on with contempt; think itdishonorable to do something; be too proud;treat with scorn or contemptOnly a foolish snob would show such disdainfor anyone who doesn't belong to a countryclub.; You make enemies of all you disdain.[+] contemn, despise, scorn

326 disingenuous a. dis(=not)+in(=in)+gen(=birth)insincere; not straightforward; not naive;sophisticatedWhat disappointed me waas not so much yourfailure to complete the job but yourdisingenuous efforts to avoid all responsibilityfor the failure.; Although he was young, hisremarks indicated that he was disingenuous.[+] feigned, insincere, uncandid, unfrank

327 disinterested a. dis(=not)+inter(=between)+est(=to be)not influenced by personal feelings or interests;fair; indifferent; unprejudicedSince Tom is both smart and disinterested , Ithink he is the perfect person to decide which ofus is right in this long and bitter quarrel.; Theonly disinterested person in the room was thejudge.[+] dispassionate, impartial, neutral, unbiased

328 disjointed a.disconnectedHis remarks were so disjointed that we couldnot follow his reasoning.[+] discontinuous, disordered, incoherent,incohesive, unorganized

329 disparage v. dis(=not)+par(=equal)say that someone or something is of small valueor importance; speak ill of; belittleThere must be a serious flaw in the character ofa girl who makes it habit to disparage theabilities of her best friends.; Do not disparageanyone's contribution; these little gifts add up tolarge sums.[+] abuse, belittle, decry, depreciate, derogate,detract

330 disparate a.basically different; unrelatedIt is difficult, if not impossible, to organize thesedisparate elements into a coherent whole.[+] dissimilar, distinct, diverse; [-] homogeneous




331 disparity n. dis(=not)+par(=equal)inequality; difference; difference; condition ofinequalityI never cease to wonder at the disparitybetween what men aspire to do and what theyare equipped to do by natural endowment andtraining.; The disparity in their ages made nodifference at all.[+] dissimilarity, dissimilitude, distinction

332 disperse v. di<dis(=away, apart)+spers(=strew)scatter <something> in all directioms; routHer bright, optimistic manner did much todisperse the atmosphere of gloom that hadsettled over the meeting.; The police fired teargas into the crowd to disperse the protesters.[+] dispel, dissipate

333 dissemble v. dis(=not)+sembl(=same)hide one's feeling, intentions, etc.; disguise;disguise; pretendWhen she went into her all too familiar act ofthe uncomplaining martyr, I could notdissemble my annoyance.; Even though youare trying to dissemble your motive in joiningthis group, we can see through your pretense.[+] camouflage, dissimulate; [-] behave honestly

334 disseminate v. dis(=apart)+semin(=seed)distribute or spread widely ideas, doctrines,etc.; scatter like seedsPerhaps he did not originate that vicious rumor,but he certainly shares the responsibility forhaving disseminated it.; The invention of theradio has helped propagandists to disseminatetheir favorite doctrines very easily.[+] diffuse, disperse, propagate, radiate, spread

335 dissolution n.disintegration; looseness in moralsThe profligacy and dissolution of life inCaligula's Rome appall some historians.[+] rupture

336 dissonance n.discordSome contemporary musician deliberately usedissonance to achieve certain effects.[+] conflict, discord, disharmony, dissension; [-]concord

337 distill v.purify; refine; concentrateA moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; anepigrammatist distills thoughts into quips.

338 diverge v. verg(=lean)get farther apart from a point or from each otheras they progress; turn off; deviate; vary; go indifferent directions from the same pointThe spoken of the wheel diverge from the hub.;The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.[+] deviate, digress, swerve; [-] come together

339 diverse a.differing in some characteristics; variousThere are diverse ways of approaching thisproblem.[+] disparate

340 diversion n.act of turning aside; pastimeAfter studying for several hours, he needed adiversion from work.[+] amusrment, entertainment

341 diversity n.v. di(=apart)+vers(=turn)remarkable difference; variety; variety;dissimilitudeShe is never bored,because she has greatdiversity of interests,ranging from folk dancingto mathematics.; The diversity of colleges inthis country indicates that many levels of abilityare being cared for.[+] multifariousness, multiformity, multiplicity

342 divestiture n.an order to an offending party to rid itself ofproperty; it has the purpose of depriving thedefendant of the gains of wrongful behavior[-] acquisition

343 divulge v. di<dis(=apart, away)+vulg(=people)make known something secret; revealA person accused of a crime is not obliged todivulge anything that might tend to incriminatehim.; I will not tell you this news because I amsure you will divulge it prematurely.[+] disclose; [-] keep secret

344 docile a. doc(=teach)+ile(=capable of)easily trained or controlled; obedient; easilymanagedThe young man who seemed so quiet anddocile turned out to be very well-informed andto have strong opinions of his own.; As docileas he seems today, that old lion was once aferocious, snarling beast.[+] amenable, tractable, pliant

345 doggerel n.poor verseAlthough we find occasional snatches ofgenuine poetry in her work, most of her writingis mere doggerel.

346 dogmatic a.positive; arbitraryDo not be so dogmatic about that statement; itcan be easily refuted.[+] authoritarian, authoritative, dictative,dictatorial, doctrinaire

347 dormant a. dorm(=sleep)+ant(=having the quality of)in a state of inactivity but awaiting developmentor activity; sleeping; lethargic; torpidSo long as the local government lacks thenecessary funds, this worthwhile project willhave to remain dormant .; Sometimes dormanttalents in our friends surprise those of us whonever realized how gifted our acquaintancesreally are.[+] latent, potential, quiescent

348 doting a.extravagantly or foolishly loving and indulgent

349 doughty a.courageousMany folk tales have sprung up a bout thisdoughty pioneer who opened up the New Worldfor his followers.[+] courageous, dauntless, intrepid

350 dowdy a.slovenly; untidyShe tried to change her dowdy image by buyinga new fashionable wardrobe.[+] unkempt

351 dregs n.sediment; worthless residueThe dregs of society may be observed in thisslum area of the city.[+] deposit, precipitate, sediment

352 droll a.queer and amusingHe was a popular guest because his drollanecdotes were always entertaining.[+] comic, ludicrous

353 dross n.waste matter; worthless impuritiesMany methods have been devised to separatethe valuable metal from the dross.[+] slag

354 dubious a.doubtfulHe has the dubious distinction of being thelowest man in his class.[+] equivocal, suspect, skeptical

355 ductility n.malleability; flexibility; ability to be drawn outCopper wire has many industrial uses becauseof its extreme ductility.[+] softness




356 dulcet a.sweet soundingThe dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn weresoon drowned out by the roar of traffic passingour motel.

357 duress n.forcible restraint, especially unlawfullyThe hostages were held under duress until theprisoners' demands were met.[+] coercion, compulsion, constraint

358 earthy a.unrefined; coarseHis earthy remarks often embarrassed thewomen in his audience.[+] crude, gross, uncouth

359 ebullient a. e<ex(=out, up)+bul (=bubble, seal)bubbling, boiling; overflowing withenthusiaism,high spirits, etc.; exuberant;showing excitement; overflowing withenthusiasmEven before they said a word, I could tell fromtheir ebullient mood that our team had won.;His ebullient nature could not be repressed; hewas always exuberant.[+] effervescent, exuberant, vivacious

360 eccentric n.a.odd; whimsical; irregularThe comet passed close by the earth in itseccentric orbit.[+] curious, erratic, idiosyncratic, odd, peculiar

361 ecclesiastic a.pertaining to the churchThe minister donned his ecclesiastic garb andwalked to the pulpit.[+] clerical, sacerdotal

362 eclectic a. ec<ex(=out)+lect(=choose)selecting from various systems, doctrines, orsources; composed of material gathered fromvarious sources, systems, etc.; a person whouses eclectic methods in philosophy, science,or art; selective; composed of elements drawnfrom disparate sourcesEclectic school of art are typical of period whenthere is little original inspiration or boldexperimenting.; His style of interior decorationwas eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishingsfrom widely divergent periods, strikinglyjuxtaposed to create a unique decor.[+] elective

363 economical a.using the minimum of time or resourcesnecessary for effectiveness; of or relating to aneconomy, the system of production andmanagement of material wealth

364 economy n.the system of production and distribution andconsumption; the efficient use of resources;frugality in the expenditure of money orresources

365 edify v.instruct; correct morallyAlthough his purpose was to edify and not toentertain his audience, many of his listenerswere amused and not enlightened.[+] enlighten, illuminate, improve

366 educe v.draw forth; elicitShe could not educe a principle that wouldencompass all the data.[+] evince, evoke, extract

367 efface v. ef<ex(=out)+fac(=face)³µ´á; rub or wipe out; obliterate; make indistinct;rub outIf only I could efface the memory of the look ofshock and disappointment on my mother'sface!; The coin had been handled so manytimes that its date had been effaced.[+] delete, erase, expunge, obliterate

368 effeminate a.having womanly traitsHis voice was high-pitched and effeminate.[+] female, feminine

369 effervescence n.inner excitement; exuberanceNothing depressed her for long; her naturaleffervescence soon reasserted itself.[+] ebullience, exuberance

370 efficacy n.power to produce desired effectThe efficacy of this drug depends on theregularity of the dosage.[+] capability, effectiveness, efficiency, potency

371 effigy n. ef<ex(=out)+fig(=form)representation of a person in wood, stone, etc.;dummyDetermined to discredit the fallen leader, theopposition speakers presented a picture od himthat was no more than a grotesque effigy forthe mob to deride.; The mob showed itsirritation by hanging the judge in effigy.

372 effluvium n.noxious smellAir pollution has become a serious problem inour major cities; the effluvium and the poisonsin the air are hazards to life

373 effrontery n. ef<ex(=out)+front(=forehead)impudence; shameless boldnessFor her to accuse me being selfish after I havesacrificed so much to further her career issheer effrontery .; She had the effrontery toinsult the guest.[+] brazenness, impertience, impudence,insolence, presumption; [-] deference; [-]timidity; [-] decorum

374 effusive a. ef<ex(=out)+fus(=pour)expressing excessive emotion in anunrestrained manner; pouring out; overflowing;pouring forth; gushingNot until later did I realize that their effusiveexpressions of interest in our welfare wereinsincere and self-serving.; Her effusivemanner of greeting her friends finally began toirritate them.

375 egregious a. e<ex(=out)+greg(=flock, mob)remarkably bad; outstanding, used for someoneor something bad; flagrant; gross; shockingWhen the results of her mistakes becameobvious, she gained a well-deserved reputationfor being an egregious blunder.; She was anegregious liar and we could never believe her.[+] flagrant

376 egress n.exitBarnum's sing "To the Egress" fooled manypeople who thought they were going to see ananimal and instead found themselves in thestreet.[+] departure, exodus; [-] entrance

377 elegy n.poem or song expressing lamentationOn the death of Edward King, Milton composedthe elegy "Lycidas."[+] dirge,requiem, threnody

378 elicit v. e<ex(=out)+lic(=entice, permit)draw out; evoke; draw out by discussionMs. Mizote is so accomplished a teacher thatshe can elicit some degree of interest andattention from even the most withdrawnchildren.; The detectives tried to elicit where hehad hidden his loot.[+] educe, evince, extract




379 elucidate v. e<ex(=out)+luc(=light)explain; make clear; throw light on a problem, ordifficulty; explain; enlightenI am waiting for you to elucidate those strageremarks about the background of my familytree!; He was called upon to elucidate thedisputed points in his article.[+] clarify, illuminate, illustrate

380 elusive a.evasive; baffling; hard to graspHis elusive dreams of wealth were costly tothose of his friends who supported himfinancially.[+] elusory; incomprehensible, intangible

381 emanate v. e<ex(=out)+man(=flow, stay)come out; issue; issue forthYou may be sure that any directive thatemanates from her office will be clear, precise,and wokable.; A strong odor of sulphuremanated from the spring.[+] emit, exude, issue

382 embellish v. em<en(=make)+bel (=beautiful)make beautiful; decorate; make a story, etc.more interesting; adornAs the news traveled from person to person, itbecame embellished with so many fancifuldetails that we found it impossible to tell whathad actually happened.; His handwriting wasembellished with flourishes.[+] beautify, decorate, garnish

383 eminence n.an elevated position with respect to rank, place,character, condition, etc

384 empathy n. em<en(=in)+path(=feel, suffer)projecting oneself into and so fullyunderstanding, and losing one's identity in awork of art or other object of contemplation;sharing another person's feelingsSo strong is my empathy with the poems ofRobert Frost and I often feel as though I couldhave written them myself.

385 empirical a. em<en(=in)+pir<per(=try out)relying on observation and experiment, not ontheory; relying or based on practical experience;based on experienceHe has no confidence in magical formulas thatwill solve all our social problems overnight; thewhole bent of his thinking is practical andempirical .; He distrusted hunches and intuitiveflashes; he placed his reliance entirely onempirical data.[+] experiential

386 emulate v.rival; imitateAs long as our political leaders emulate thevirtues of the great leaders of this country, weshall flourish.[+] compete, contend, vie

387 enamored a.in loveNarcissus became enamored of his ownbeauty.

388 encroach v. en(=in)+croach<croch(=hook, bend)go beyond what is right or natural or desirableThe rights guranteed us by the Constitution donot permit you to encroach on the rights ofothers.

389 encumber v. en(=in)+cumb(=lean, lie)get in the way of; be a burden to; choke upYou will never be able to complete this hike ifyou encumber yourself with so much "essntialequipment".; Some people encumberthemselves with too much luggage when theytake short trips.[+] charge, load

390 endemic a.prevailing among a specific group of people orin a specific areaThis disease is endemic in this part of theworld; more than 80 percent of the populationare at one time or another affected by it.[+] aboriginal, indigenous, native; [-] exotic

391 endue v.provide with some quality; endowHe was endued with a lion's courage.[+] bestow, confer

392 enervate a.v. e<ex(=out)+nerv(=nerve)deprive of strength, force, vigor, etc.; weakenphysically, mentally, or morally ;; weakenedThe vigor of his opponent's attack enervated theyoung politician.; She was slow to recover fromher illness; even a short walk to the window lefther enervated.[+] debilitate, devitalize, disable; [-] strengthen,fortify

393 enfetter v.restrain with fetters; constrain; make a slave;

394 enfranchise v.to admit to the rights of citizenship(especiallythe right to vote)Although Blacks were enfranchised shortly afterthe Civil War, women did not receive the right tovote until 1920.[+] franchise

395 engender v. en(=make)+gen(=birth, creation)bring about; cause; produceJohn F. Kennedy warned us that governmentswhich make no effort at peaceable reform mayengender social unrest that will make violentrevolution inevitable.; To receive praise for realaccomplishments engenders self-confidence ina child.[+] arouse, generate, induce, provoke; [-]eradicate

396 enhance v.advance; improveYour chances for promotion in this departmentwill be enhanced if you take some morecourses in evening school.[+] augment, intensify, magnify

397 enigma n.puzzleDespite all attempts to decipher the code, itremained an enigma.[+] conundrum, mystery, riddle

398 ennui n.boredomThe monotonous routine of hospital life induceda feeling of ennui which made him moody andirritable.[+] boredom, doldrums, languor, listlessness,tedium, weariness

399 enrapture v.please intenselyThe audience was enraptured by the freshnessof the voices and the excellent orchestration.[+] captivate, delight, entrance

400 ensconce v.settle comfortablyThe parents thought that their children wereensconced safely in the private school anddecided to leave for Europe.




401 ephemeral a. ep<epi(=upon)+hemer(=day)+al(=nature of)living for a very short time; trasitory; short-lived;fleetingLooking at a lovely young girl, I feel a certainsense of sadness because I realize howephemeral physical beauty is.; The mayfly is anephemeral creature.[+] evanescent, momentary, temporary,transient

402 epilogue n. log(=speech)peroration, <opp.> prologue; last part of aliterary work; short speech at conclusion ofdramatic workNo epilogue for your play needs no excuse.;The audience was so disappointed in the playthat many did not remain to hear the epilogue.[+] apologue

403 epiphany n.any appearance or bodily manifestation of adeity

404 episodic a.loosely connectedThough he tried to follow the plot of "Gravity'sRainbow," John found the novel too episodic.

405 epitaph n. taph(=tomb)an inscription on a gravestone; inscription inmemory of a dead personThe professor wrote his own epitaph before hedied.; In his will, he dictated the epitaph hewanted placed on his tombstone.

406 epitome n. tom(=cut)summary, digest; something which shows, on asmall scale, the characteristics of somethingmuch larger; summary; concise abstractHis sonnet was the epitome of all love poems.;This final book is the epitome of all his previousbooks.[+] abstract, synopsis; recapitulation

407 equanimity n. equ(=equal, same)+anim(=mind, life, breath)+ity(=state)calmness of mind or temper; calmness oftemperamentTo bear evils with equanimity doesn't meanthat you should make no effort to correct them.;In his later years, he could look upon thefoolishness of the world with equanimity andhumor.[+] aplomb, composure, imperturbability,phlegm, placidity, poise, sangfroid, serenity,tranquility; [-] agitation

408 equinox n.period of equal days and nights; the beginningof Spring and AutumnThe vernal equinox is usually marked by heavyrainstorms.

409 equipoise n.balance; balancing force; equilivriumThe high wire acrobat used his pole as anequipoise to overcome the swaying caused bythe wind.[+] poise, stasis

410 equivocal a.doubtful; ambiguousMacbeth was misled by the equivocalstatements of the witches.[+] obscure, unexplicit, unintelligible, vague

411 equivocate v. equ(=equal, same)+i(=s.e.)+voc(=call,voice)+ate(=make)use vague expressions; lie; mislead; attempt toconceal the truthAlthough she tried to equivocate , we insistedon a simple "yes" or "no" answer.; Theaudience saw through his attempts toequivocate on the subject under discussion andridiculed his remarks.[+] prevaricate; elude, eschew, evade,tergiversate

412 erratic a.odd; unpredictableInvestors become anxious when the stockmarket appears erratic.[+] devious, errant, stray

413 erudite a. e<ex(=out)+rud(=crude)having or showing a wide knowledge gainedfrom reading; learned; learned; scholarlyLucy finally completed her erudite term paper,in which she quoted from more than a hundredsources, including ones in several foreignlanguages.; His erudite writing was difficult toread because of the many allusions which wereunfamiliar to most readers.[+] scholarly; [-] unlettered

414 eschew v.avoidHe tried to eschew all display of temper.[-] seek

415 esoteric a.known only to the chosen fewThose students who had access to his esotericdiscussions were impressed by the breadth ofhis knowledge.[+] abstruse, hermetic, profound, recondite; [-]generally known

416 estranged a.separatedThe estranged wife sought a divorce.[+] alienated

417 ethereal a.light; heavenly; fineVisitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty,her delicate charm.[+] vaporous, celestial, empyreal

418 ethnic a.relating to racesIntolerance between ethnic groups is deplorableand usually is based on lack of information.[+] racial

419 eulogy n. log(=speech)tribute; high praiseHis brother delivered the eulogy at the funeral.;All the eulogies of his friends could not removethe sting of the calumny heaped upon him byhis enemies.[+] Compliment, encomium, panegyric; [-]defamation

420 euphemism n. phe(=say)use of other mild, vague and indirect words orphrases in place of what is required by truth oraccuracy; mild expression in place of anunpleasant one"John" is a euphemism for the toilet.; Theexpression "he passed away" is a euphemismfor "he died."[+] circumlocution, roundabout

421 euphony n. phon(=sound)a pleasant sound; sweet soundThe psalm is enjoyed for its euphony as muchas its content.; Noted for its euphony evenwhen it is spoken, the Italian language isparticularly pleasing to the ear when sung.




422 euphoria n. phor(=carry)sense of well-being; elation; feeling ofexaggerated (or unfounded) well-beingHe was full of euphoria after the birth.; "Jill`sbeen on cloud nine ever since Jack asked herout, " said Betty, dismissing her friend'seuphoria.[+] elation, exaltation

423 evanescent a. e<ex(=out,intensive)+van(=empty)+esc(=becoming)tending to fade from sight; soon going from thememory; ephemeral; fleeting; vanishingSure, it's great to be a big-league ballplayer butbear in mind that the years of stardom are briefand evanescent .; For a brief moment, theentire skyline was bathed in an orange-red huein the evanescent rays of the sunset.[+] ephemeral, momentary, temporary,transient, transitory

424 evoke v. e<ex(=out, up)+vok/voc(=call)call forth or summon a spirit, etc.; draw forth orelicit a particular mental image, reaction, etc.That old song never fails to evoke memories ofour wonderful summer vacations at the lake.;He evoked much criticism by his hostilemanner.[+] educe, elicit, evince, extract

425 excoriate v.flay; abradeThese shoes are so ill-fitting that they willexcoriate the feet and create blisters.[+] chafe

426 exculpate v.clear from blameHe was exculpated of the crime when the realcriminal confessed.[+] absolve, acquit, exonerate, vindicate; [-]attribute guilt

427 exemplary a. ex(=out)+em<empt(=take)serving as an example or a warning; serving asa model; outstandingAlthough most of us cannnot hope to match heridealism, we may regard her noble life asinspiring and exemplary .; Her exemplarybehavior was praised at Commencement.[+] guiltless, inculpable, innocent,irreprehensible

428 exhume v.dig out of the ground; remove from a graveBecause of the rumor that he had beenpoisoned, his body was exhumed in order thatan autopsy might be performed.[+] disinter, unearth

429 exigency n. ex(=out)+ig(=drive)a situation demanding urgent action orattention; urgent situationOnly my family's situation of extreme exigencycould have led me to humble myself by askinghim for help.; In this exigency, we must look foraid from our allies.[+] crisis, emergency

430 exonerate v. ex(=out)+oner(=burden)+ate(=make)relieve of a burden, obligation, etc.; free from acharge or the imputation of guilt, exculpate;acquit; exculpateThe story of his unhappy childhood aroused oursympathy but did not exonerate him from thecharge of criminal assault on aged ladies.; I amsure this letter naming the actual culprit willexonerate you.[+] absolve, acquit, vindicate

431 exorbitant a. ex(=out)+orb(=track, circle)going beyond what is reasonable, just, proper,usual,etc.; excessiveYes, it's pretty dress, and I know that you'reeager to have it for the Junior Prom, but don'tyou think the price is little exorbitant ?; Thepeople grumbled at his exorbitant prices butpaid them because he had a monopoly.[+] extravagant, immoderate, inordinate,unconscionable

432 exotic a. exo(=outside)+t(=s.e.)+ic(=nature of)introduced from another country; foreign orunusual style; striking or pleasing becausecolorful or unusual; not native; strangeHas it occured to you that the exotic foods thatwe eat only on special occasions are part of theeveryday diet in other parts of the world?;Because of his exotic headdress, he wasfollowed in the streets by small children wholaughed at his strange appearance.[+] alien, extrinsic

433 expedient n.a. ex(=out)+ped(=foot)an expedient thing; likely to be useful or helpfulfor a purpose; advantageous though contrary toprinciple; auitable; practical; politicCut off from all supplies, the soldiers had to usevarious expedients to keep their equipment inworking order.; A prgmatic politician, he wasguided by what was expedient rather than bywhat was ethical.[+] advatageous, beneficial, convenient,profitable, utilitarian

434 expedite v. ex(=out)+ped(=foot)help the progress of; speed up business, etc.The new computerized referral system willgreatly expedite the processing of complaintsby customers.

435 exposition n. ex(=out)+pos(=put)an exhibition of art, industrial products,etc;explaining something in detailAn essay on Good Driving Habits calls not for"witty" or "colorful" writing but for clear, orderlyexposition of specific facts and ideas.

436 expository a.pertaining to a formal presentation

437 expunge v.cancel; removeIf you behave, I will expunge this notation fromyour record.[+] delete, efface, erase, obliterate

438 extol v. ex(=out, up)+tol(=raise, support)praise highly; praise; glorifyExtolling the people who have done so much tohelp humanity is fine, but it is no substitute fortrying to make contribution of your own.; Theastronauts were extolled as the pioneers of theSpace Age.[+] eulogize, laud, panegyrize

439 extrapolation n.projection; conjectureBased on their extrapolation from the results ofthe primaries on Super Tuesday, the net workspredicted that George Bush would be theRepublican candidate for the presidency.

440 extricable a.capable of being extricated

441 exuberant a.abundant; effusive; lavishHis speeches were famous for his exuberantlanguage and vivid imagery.[+] lavish, luxuriant, opulent, profuse, prodigal




442 exude v.discharge; give forthThe maple syrup is obtained from the sap thatexudes from the trees in early spring.[+] emanate, emit

443 facade n.front of the buildingThe facade of the church had often beenphotographed by tourists because it was moreinteresting than the rear.

444 facetious a.humorous; jocularYour facetious remarks are not appropriate atthis serious moment.[+] droll, jocose, ludicrous, witty; [-] lugubrious

445 facilitate v.make less difficultHe tried to facilitate matters at home by gettinga part-time job.[-] hamper; [-] thwart

446 faction n.party; clique; dissensionThe quarrels and bickering of the two factionswithin the club disturbed the majority of themembers.

447 factious a.inclined to form factions; causing dissensionYour statement is factious and will upset theharmony that now exists.[+] cooperative

448 fallacious a.misleadingYour reasoning must be fallacious because itleads to a ridiculous answer.[+] illogical, invalid, invalid, irrational,unreasonable; [-] valid

449 fallible a. fal (=err)+ible(=capable of)liable to errorThere is an old saying that pencils are madewith erasers because everyone is fallible .; Iknow I am fallible, but I feel confident that I amright this time.[+] errable, errant

450 fanatic n.a.a religious zealot

451 fastidious a.difficult to please; squeamishThe waitresses disliked serving him dinnerbecause of his very fastidious taste.[+] dainty, finicky, fussy

452 fathom v.comprehend; investigateI find his motives impossible to fathom.[+] apprehend, perceive, recognize

453 fatuous a.foolish; inaneHe is far to intelligent to utter such fatuousremarks.[+] asinine, idiotic, silly, witless

454 fawning a.courting favor by cringing and flatteringShe was constantly surrounded by a group offawning admirers who hoped to win some favor.[+] adulatory, flattering, sycophantic, toadying,trucking

455 fealty n.loyalty; faithfulnessThe feudal lord demanded fealty of his vassals.[+] allegiance, devotion, fidelity

456 feasible a.practicalThis is an entirely feasible proposal. I suggestwe adopt it.[+] practicable

457 fecund a.capable of producing offspring or vegetation;intellectually productive

458 fecundity n.fertility; fruitfulnessThe fecundity of his mind is illustrated by themany vivid images in his poems.[+] prolificacy

459 feign v.pretendLady Macbeth feigned illness in the courtyardalthough she was actually healthy.[+] sham, simulate

460 felicitous a.apt; suitably expressed; well chosenHe was famous for his felicitous remarks andwas called upon to serve asmaster-of-ceremonies at many a banquet.[+] applicable, proper, suitable

461 ferment n.agitation; commotionThe entire country was in a state of ferment.[+] clamor, tumult, turmoil, uproar; [-] tranquility

462 ferret v.drive or hunt out of hidingShe ferreted out their secret.[+] search

463 fervid a.ardentHer fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us toundertake the dangerous mission.[+] fervent, passionate

464 fervor n.glowing ardorTheir kiss was full of the fervor of first love.[+] enthusiasm, passion, zeal; [-] apathy

465 fester v.generate pusWhen her finger began to fester, the doctorlanced it and removed the splinter which hadcaused the pus to form.[+] suppurate

466 fetish n.object supposed to possess magical powers;an object of special devotThe native wore a fetish around his neck toward off evil spirits.

467 fetter v.shackleThe prisoner was fettered to the wall.[+] manacle

468 fiat n.commandI cannot accept government by fiat; I feel that Imust be consulted.[+] decree, mandate

469 fickle a.often changing; not constant; changeable;faithlessThe taste of the public is so fickle that a TVperformer who is a big hit one season may beout of a job the next.; He discovered she wasfickle and went out with many men.[+] capricious, inconstant, mercurial, unstable

470 fidelity n. fid(=trust)+el(=s.e.)+ity(=act)faithful devotion to duty or to one's obligationsor vows, loyalty, faithfulness; accuracy,exactnessAlthough I don't agree with all her ideas, I mustadmire her unshakable fidelity to them.; Adog's fidelity to its owner is one of the reasonswhy that animal is a favorite household pet.[+] allegiance, devotion, faithfulness

471 figment n.invention; imaginary thingThat incident never took place; it is a figment ofyour imagination.[+] fabrication, fiction

472 finesse n.delicate skillThe finesse and adroitness of the surgeonimpressed the observers in the operating room.[+] delicacy, nicety, subtlety; [-]heavy-handedness




473 finite a.limitedIt is difficult for humanity with its finite existenceto grasp the infinite.[+] bounded

474 fissure n.creviceThe mountain climbers secured footholds intiny fissures in the rock.[+] breach, cleft, crack, rift

475 flaccid a.flabbyHis sedentary life had left him with flaccidmuscles.

476 flag v.drop; grow feebleWhen the opposing hockey team scored itsthird goal only minutes into the first quarter, thehome team's spirits flagged.[+] decline, deteriorate, languish; [-] wax

477 flamboyant a.ornateModern architecture has discarded theflamboyant trimming on buildings andemphasizes simplicity of line.[+] baroque, rococo; [-] subdued

478 fledgling n.a.young bird just able to fly; young inexperiencedpersonLike a fledgling about to leave the nest for thefirst time, our youngest son is preparing tospend his first summer away from home.;While it is necessary to provide these fledglingpoets with an opportunity to present their work,it is not essential that we admire everything theywrite.[+] inexpert, untrained, callow; [-] experiencedpractitioner

479 flippancy n.trifling gaietyYour flippancy at this serious moment isoffensive.[+] frivolity, levity, lightness

480 flippant a.having a light, pert, trifling disposition[-] earnest

481 flout v.reject; mockThe headstrong youth flouted all authority; herefused to be curbed.[+] jeer, scoff, sneer

482 fluency n.smoothness of speechHe spoke French with fluency and ease.[+] glibness, volubility

483 flux n.flowing; series of changesWhile conditions are in such a state of flux, I donot wish to commit myself too deeply in thisaffair.[+] current

484 foible n.weakness; slight faultWe can overlook the foibles of our friends; noone is perfect.[+] frailty

485 foment v.stir up; instigateThis report will foment dissension in the club.[+] abet, foster, goad, incite, provoke, stir, spur;[-] squelch

486 foray n.raidThe company staged a midnight foray againstthe enemy outpost.[+] incursion, invasion

487 forbearance n.patience, self-controlHer forbearance during the depression wasinspiring.; We must use forbearance in dealingwith him because he is still weak from hisillness.[+] endurance, temperance

488 forensic a.suitable to debate or courts of lawIn her best forensic manner, the lawyeraddressed the jury.[+] controversial; juridical

489 forestall v. stall(=to put)upset somebody or his plans by doingsomething unexpectedly early; buy up; dosomething first and so prevent another fromdoing it; prevent by taking action in advanceWe trid to forestall the threatened foreclosure.;By setting up a prenuptial agreement, tneprospective bride and groom hoped to forestallany potential arguments about money in tneevent of a divorce.[+] deter, preclude; [-] precipitate

490 fortitude n. fort(=strong)calm courage in the face of pain, danger, ordifficulty; bravery; courageThe nurses displayed unwavering fortitudeduring the epidemic.; He was awarded themedal for his fortitude in the battle.[+] dauntlessness, intrepidity

491 fortuitous a.accidental; by chanceThere is no connection between these twoevents; their timing is entirely fortuitous.[+] casual, incidental

492 foster v.rear; encourageAccording to the legend, Romulus and Remuswere fostered by a she-wolf.[+] cultivate, nourich, nurse, nurture

493 fractious a. fract(=break)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having thequality of)irritable, peevish, bad-tempered; unrulyWe had many talented players, but thefractious behavior of a few individuls impairedour team spirit and led to a losing season.; Thefractious horse unseated its rider.[+] indocile, intractable, recalcitrant

494 fraught a.filledSince this enterprise is fraught with danger, Iwill ask for volunteers who are willing to assumethe risks.[+] plenished

495 frenetic a.frenzied; franticHis frenetic activities convinced us that he hadno organized plan of operation.[+] furious, rabid

496 frugality n.thriftIn these difficult days, we must live withfrugality or our money will be gone.[+] economy, husbandry, providence, thrift

497 fulminate v.thunder; explodeThe people against whom she fulminated wereinnocent of any wrongdoing.[+] detonate

498 fulsome a.disgustingly excessiveHis fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed hislisteners.[+] extravagant, exuberant, lavish, profuse

499 furtive a.stealthyThe boy gave a furtive look at his classmate'stest paper.[+] covert

500 fustian a.pompous; bombasticSeveral in the audience were deceived by hisfustian style; they mistook pomposity forerudition.




501 gaffe n.social blunderAccording to Miss Manners, to call yourhusband by your lover's name is worse than amere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake[+] faux pas

502 gainsay v.denyShe was too honest to gainsay the truth of thereport.[+] contradict, contravence, impugn; [-] speak insupport of; [-] concur

503 galvanize v.stimulate by shock; stir upThe entire nation was galvanized into strongmilitary activity by the news of the attack onPearl Harbor.[+] activate, energize, motivate, provoke, vitalize

504 gamut n.entire rangeIn this performance, the leading lady was ableto demonstrate the complete gamut of heracting ability.[+] spectrum

505 garbled a.mixed up; based on false or unfair selectionThe garbled report confused many readers whowere not familiar with the facts.[+] distorted, misreported

506 garish a.gaudyShe wore a garish rhinestone necklace.[+] brazen, meretricious, tawdry

507 garner v.gather; store upShe hoped to garner the world's literature in onelibrary.[+] accumulate, amass, cumulate, glean, reap,stockpile

508 garrulity n.talkativenessThe man who married a dumb wife asked thedoctor to make him deaf because of his wife'sgarrulity after her cure.[+] loquacity, prolixity, verbosity; [-] taciturnity

509 garrulous a.loquacious; wordyMany members avoided the company of thegarrulous old gentleman because his constantchatter on trivial matters bored them.[+] prolix, talkative, verbose

510 gauche a.clumsy; boorishSuch remarks are gauche and out of place; youshould apologize for making them.[+] maladroit, unskillful

511 gauntlet n.leather gloveNow that we have been challenged, we musttake up the gauntlet and meet our adversaryfearlessly.

512 genial a. gen(=birth)+i(=s.e.)+al(=nature of)favorable to growth; mild; warm;kindly,sympathetic; sociableJerry is not the most genial person in theworld, but in his own way he is at least trying tobe friendly.

513 geniality n.cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathyThis restaurant is famous and popular becauseof the geniality of the proprietor who tries tomake everyone happy.[+] agreeability, amenity, amiability, cordiality

514 genre n.style of art illustrating scenes of common lifeHis painting of fisher folk at their daily tasks isan excellent illustration of genre art.[+] category

515 germane a.pertinent; bearing upon the case at handThe lawyer objected that the testimony beingoffered was not germane to the case at hand.[+] apposite, apropos, relevant; [-] inappropriate

516 germinate v.cause to sprout; sproutAfter the seeds germinate and develop theirpermanent leaves, the plants may be removedfrom the cold frames and transplanted to thegarden.[+] generate, induce

517 gerrymander v.change voting district lines in order to favor apolitical partyThe illogical pattern of the map of thiscongressional district is proof that the StateLegislature gerrymandered this area in order tofavor the majority party.

518 gibber v.speak foolishlyThe demented man gibbered incoherently.[+] babble, prate, prattle

519 gist n.essenceShe was asked to give the gist of the essay intwo sentences.[+] core, crux; [-] trivial point; [-] tangential point

520 glib a.fluentHe is glib and articulate speaker.[+] voluble; [-] labored

521 gloat v.express evil satisfaction; view malevolentlyAs you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do youthing o the many victims your have defrauded?

522 glut v.overstock; fill to excessThe many manufacturers glutted the marketand could not find purchasers for the manyarticles they had produced.[+] gorge, jade, sate, satiate, surfeit

523 glutton n.a person who is devoted to eating and drinkingto excess; wolverine of northern Eurasia

524 gnarled a.twistedThe gnarled oak tree had been a landmark foryears and was mentioned in several deeds.

525 goad v.urge onHe was goaded by his friends until he yielded totheir wishes.[+] exhort, instigate, prick, prompt, propel, spur

526 gossamer a.sheer; like cobwebsNylon can be woven into gossamer or thickfabrics.[-] Ponderous

527 gourmand n.epicure; person who takes excessive pleasurein food and drinkThe gourmand liked the French cuisine.[+] gastronomist, gourmet

528 graduated a.arranged by degrees (of height, difficulty, etc.)Margaret loved her graduated set of Russianhollow wooden dolls; she spent hours happilyputting the smaller dolls into their largercounterparts.[+] classified, sorted

529 grandiose a.imposing; impressiveHis grandiose manner impressed those whomet him for the first time.[+] majestic, stately




530 gratuitous a. grat(=thank,pleasing)+uit(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)given, obtained, or done without payment; done,or given without good reason; uncalled; givenfreely; unwarrantedSince you've never seen me play tennis, yourassumption that you can beat me is quitegratuitous .; I resent your gratuitous remarksbecause no one asked for them.[+] changeless, gratis; [-] warranted

531 gregarious a. greg(=flock, mob)+ari(=s.e.)+ous(=full,many)living in groups or societies; liking the companyof others; sociableIf, as sociologists tell us, human beings arenaturally gregarious , why am I sitting here allby myself on this beautiful spring evening?;She was not gregarious and preferred to bealone most of the time.[+] social

532 grisly a.causing horror or terror, ghastlyThe mangled bodies of the victims told theirown grisly story of what had happened.; Sheshuddered at the frisly sight.[+] gruesome, lurid, macabre, terrible

533 grouse v.complain; fussStudents traditionally grouse about the abysmalquality of "mystery meat" and similar dormitoryfood.[+] tolerate; [-] rejoice

534 grovel v.crawl or creep on gound; remain prostrateEven though we have been defeated, we do nothave to grovel before our conquerors.[+] creep

535 guffaw n.boisterous laughterThe loud guffaw that came from the closedroom indicated that the members of thecommittee had not yet settled down to seriousbusiness.

536 guile n.deceit; duplicityShe achieved her high position by guile andtreachery.[+] craftiness, cunning, trickery

537 guileless a.without deceitHe is naive, simple, and guileless; he cannot beguilty of fraud.[+] artless, ingenouos, naive, unaffected,unsophisticated

538 guise n.appearance; costumeIn the guise of a blumber, the detectiveinvestigated the murder case.[+] semblance

539 gullible a.easily deeivedHe preyed upon gullible people, who believedhis stories of easy wealth.[+] credulous

540 hackneyed a.commonplace; triteThe English teacher criticized her storybecause of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot.[+] banal, commonplace, stale; [-] fresh; [-]original

541 haggard a.wasted away; gauntAfter his long illness, he was pale and haggard.[+] cadavorous, emaciated

542 halcyon a.calm; peacefulIn those halcyon days, people were not worriedabout sneak attacks and bombings.[+] placid, tranquil; [-] miserable

543 hallowed a.blessed; consecratedShe was laid to rest in hallowed ground.[+] sacred, sanctified, unprofane

544 hamper v.obstructThe minority party agreed not to hamper theefforts of the leaders to secure a lasting peace.[+] hinder, impede

545 haphazard a.random; by chanceHis haphazard reading left him unacquaintedwith the authors of the books.[+] aimless,desultory

546 hapless a.unfortunateThis hapless creature had never known amoment's pleasure.[+] miserable; [-] fortunate

547 harangue n.noisy speechInher lengthy harangue, the principal beratedthe offenders.[+] diatribe, tirade

548 harass v.to annoy by repeated attacksWhen he could not pay his bills as quickly ashe had promised, he was harassed by hiscreditors.[+] badger, harry, heckle,tease

549 haughty a.having or showing arrogant superiority to anddisdain of those one views as unworthy

550 hedonism n. hedon(=pleasure)belief that pleasure is the chief good; belief thatpleasure is the sole aim in lifeA culture devoted to hedonism is in danger ofbecoming soft.; hedonism and asceticism areopposing philosophies of human behavior.

551 hedonistic a.devoted to pleasure

552 heretic n.person who maintains opinions contrary to thedoctrines of the churchShe was punished by the Spanish Inquisitionbecause she was a heretic.[+] dissentert

553 hermetic a.obcure and mysterious; occultIt is strange to consider that modern chemistryoriginated in the hermetic teachings of theancient alchemists.[+] abstruse, esoteric, occult, profound,recondite

554 hiatus n.gap; pauseExcept for a brief two-year hiatus, during whichshe enrolled in the peace Corps, Ms. Clementshas devoted herself to her medical career.[+] breach, interim, interruption, interval

555 hierarchy n. hier(=holy)+arch(=govern, rule)+y(=thatwhich)organization with grades of authority fromlowest to highest; group of persons in authority;group of bishops of a country; body divided intoranksA superintendent is at the head of thehierarchy of educators responsible for theschooling of our children and young people.; Itwas difficult to step out of one's place in thishierarchy.[+] order

556 hirsute a.hairyHe was a hirsute individual with a heavy blackbeard.

557 hoary a.white with ageThe man was hoary and wrinkled when he was70.; The man was hoary and wrinked when hewas 70.[+] gray




558 homeostasis n.tendency of a system to maintain relativestabilityA breakdown of the body's immune systemseverely undermines the body's ability tomaintain homeostasis.

559 homily n.sermon; serious warningHis speeches were always homilies, advisinghis listeners to repent and reform.[+] discourse

560 homogeneous a. gen(=birth,kind)of the same kindThe immigrants added diversity to thehomogeneous neighborhood.; Educators try toput pupils of similar abilities into classesbecause they believe that this homogeneousgrouping is advisable.

561 hone v.sharpenTo make shaving easier, he honed his razorwith great care.[+] edge, whet

562 humility n.humbleness of spiritHe spoke with a humility and lack of pride thatimpressed his listeners.[+] courtesy, modesty

563 hybrid n.mongrel; mixed breedMendel's formula explains the appearance ofhybrids and pure species in breeding.[+] crossbreed

564 hyperbole n. bol(=throw)exaggerated statement made for effect and notintended to be taken literally; exaggeration;overstatementIt was hyperbole to say felt heavy as a moose.;This salesman is guilty of hyperbole indescribing his product; it is wise to discount hisclaims.[+] modification; [-] skepticism

565 hypocritical a.pretending to be virtuous; deceivingI resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for Iknow he is interested only in his ownadvancement.[+] affected, pharisaic, sanctimonious

566 hypothetical a. hypo(=under)+thet(=put)+ical(=nature of)having the nature of a hypothesis or a based onhypothesis; based on assumptions orhypothesesBy reference to hypothetical cases, you maybe able to clarify the difference between"murder" and "manslaughter" for the lawstudents.; Why do we have to considerhypothetical cases when we have actual casehistories which we may examine?[+] conjectural, putative, suppositious,supposititious

567 iconoclast n.an image-breaker; someone who tries todestroy traditional ideas or institutions

568 iconoclastic a.attacking cherished traditionsGeorge Bernard Shaw's iconoclastic plays oftenstartled more conventional people.

569 ideology n.ideas of a group peopleThat ideology is dangerous to this countrybecause it embraces undemocraticphilosophies.[+] credo, creed

570 idiosyncrasy n.peculiarity; eccentricityOne of his personal idiosyncrasies was hishabit of rinsing all cutlery given him in arestaurant.[+] oddity, singularity

571 idyllic a.excellent and delightful in all respects;suggestive of an idyll; charmingly simple andserene

572 igneous a.produced by fire; volcanicLavam pumice, and other igneous rocks arefound in great abundance around MountVesuvius near Naples.[+] plutonic

573 ignoble a. i<in(=not)+gno(=know)of low character; mean; of low birth; of lowlyorigin; unworthyFar from being ignoble , his failure after makinga valiant effort may serve as an inspiration toyoung people.; this plan is inspired by ignoblemotives and I must, therefore, oppose it.[+] humble

574 ignominious a. i<in(=not)+gno(=know)bringing contempt, disgrace, shame;dishonorable; disgracefulCan you imagine anything more ignominiousthan standing there on the stage, beforehundreds of people, utterly unable to rememberthe next line!; The country smarted under theignominious defeat and dreamed of the daywhen it would be victorious.[+] dishonorable, disreputable

575 imbroglio n.a complicated situation; perplexity;entanglementHe was called in to untangle the imbroglio butfailed to bring harmony to the situation.

576 imbue v.saturate; fillHis visits to the famous Gothic cathedralsimbued him with feelings of awe and reverence.

577 immaculate a. im<in(=not)+macul(=stain, spot)pure; faultless; without a spot or stain; perfectlyclean; right in every detail; pure; spotlessGeorge Washington's immaculate reputationas a dedicated patriot has been an inspiration tomany generations of Americans.; The WestPoint cadets were immaculate as they line d upfor inspection.[+] stainless, unblemished, undefiled, unsullied

578 imminent a. im<in(=on)+min(=hang, project)impending; likely to happen without delay;impending; near at handWhen the outbreak of the war seemedimminent , hte tourists rushed home.; Theimminent battle will soon determine oursuccess or failure in this conflict.[+] proximate, upcoming

579 immolate v. im<in(=on)+mol(=grain, heap, grind)kill as an offering; sacrifice one thing to another;offer as a sacrificeWhat a shock it was for her to discover theunworthiness of the cause for which she hadimmolated her youth, her talents, and herhopes of happiness.; The tribal king offered toimmolate his daughter to quiet the angry gods.[+] sacrifice, victimize

580 immune a.exemptHe was fortunately immune from the diseaseand could take care of the sick.[+] exempt; [-] having no resistance




581 immutable a. im<in(=not)+mut(=change)that cannot be changed; unchangeableThe institution of our society, far from beingimmutable , are in the process of change at thisvery moment.; Scientists are constantly seekingto discover the immutable laws of nature.[+] constant, immovable, inalterable, inflexible,unmodifiable

582 impair v. im<in(=not)+pair<par(=equal)damage; make worse or less, weaker; worsen;diminish in valueAre you suggesting that the mere fact that he isbelow averge height wuold impair his ability toserve as class president.; This arrest will impairher reputation in the community.[+] blemish, injure, mar, spoil, tarnish, vitiate

583 impale v.pierceHe was impaled by the spear hurled by hisadversary.[+] perforate, prick, puncture

584 impasse n. im<in(=not)+pas (=stride, step)blind alley; place or position from which there isno way out; deadlock; predicament from whichthere is no escapeFor a long time we lived in the illusion that"everything would come out all right", butinevitably we arrived at the impasse where wehad to face realities and make painfuldecisions.; In this impasse, all turned to prayeras their last hope.[+] cul-de-sac, dilemma

585 impassive a. im<in(=not)+pas (=feel, suffer)showing no sign of feeling; unmoved; withoutfeeling; not affected by painPsychologists tell us that people who seem tobe unusually impassive are often the onesmost likely to lose emotional control ofthemselves in times of stress.; The AmericanIndian has been incorrectly depicted as animpassive individual, undemonstrative andstoical.[+] apathetic; [-] overwrought

586 impede v.hinder; blockThe special prosecutor determined that theAttorney General, though inept, had notintentionally set out to impede the progress ofthe investigation.[+] hamper, obstruct; [-] assist

587 impenitent a.not repentantWe could see by his brazen attitude that hewas impenitent.[+] remorseless, uncontrite, unrepentant

588 imperious a. im<in(=in, intensive)+per<par(=arrange)commanding; haughty; arrogant; urgent;domineeringHis tone of voice was so imperious that Iwasn't sure if he was asking me for a loan ordemanding payment of tribute.; Hisimperiousness indicated that he had long beenaccustomed to assuming command.[+] haughtiness, hauteur, hubris, loftiness,superciliousness

589 impervious a. im<in(=not)+per(=through)+vi<via(=road,way)not allowing water, etc. to pass through; notmoved or influenced by; not penetrable; notpermitting passage throughHis parents tried to encourage an interest inliterature, music and art, but he seemed toimpervious to such influences.; You cannotchange their habits for their minds areimpervious to reasoning.[+] impassable, impenetrable, impermeable,imperviable, unpierceable

590 impetuous a.violent; hasty; rashWe tried to curb his impetuous behaviorbecause we felt that in his haste he mightoffend some people.[+] abrupt, headlong, precipitate; [-] deliberate

591 impiety n.irreverence; wickednessWe must regard your blasphemy as an act ofimpiety.[+] irreverence, profanity

592 implacable a. im<in(=not)+plac(=soothe, peace, please)that cannot be appeased; relentless; incapableof being pacifiedAs he watched his house go up in flames, hefelt that he was the victim of an implacablefate.; Madame Defarge was the implacableenemy of the Evermonde family.[+] unappeasable

593 implement n.v. im<in(=in)+ple(=fill)tool or instrument for working with; carry anundertaking, agreement, promise into effect;suppy what is needed; furnish with toolsIn your training course for dental assistant, youwill become familiar with many of theimplements that dentists use.; I am unwilling toimplement this plan until I have assurances thatit has the full approval of your officials.[+] complete, fulfill

594 implication n.that which is hinted at or suggestedIf I understand the implications of your remark,you do not trust our captain.[+] allusion, connotation, inking, innuendo,insinuation, intimation

595 implicit a.understood but not statedIt is implicit that you will come to our aid if weare attacked.[+] implied, tacit

596 impolitic a.not wiseI think it is impolitic to raise this issue at thepresent time because the public is too angry.[+] imprudent, indiscreet, injudicious

597 imprecate v.curse; pray that evil will befallTo imprecate Hitler's atrocities is not enough;we must insure against any future practice ofgenocide.[+] damn, execrate

598 imprecation n.a curse

599 impromptu n.a.im<in(=not)+pro(=before)+mpt<empt(=take)improvisation; an promptuspeech,performance,etc.; without preparation oradvance thought; without previous preparationFar from being impromptu , all those jokes andwisecracks you hear on TV talk shows areusually prepared by professional gag writersand are carefully rehearshed.; Her listenerswere amazed that such a thorough presentationcould be made in an impromptu speech.[+] extemporaneous, improvised, offhand; [-]carefully rehearsed

600 improvident a. im<in(=not)+pro(=before, forth)+vid(=look)not looking to future needs; wasteful; thriftlessIt is a commonplace of human experience thatmost improvident young people do not becomeaware of their folly until they are no longeryoung.; He was constantly being warned tomend his improvident ways and begin to "savefor a rainy day."[+] extravagant, lavish, prodigal, profligate,unthrifty




601 imprudent a.lacking caution; injudiciousIt is imprudent to exercise vigorously andbecome overheated when you are unwell.[+] extravagent, lavish, prodigal, profligate,unthrifty

602 impugn v. im<in(=on, against)+pugn(=fight)attack by argument or criticism,express doubtabout a statement,act,quality,etc.; doubt;challenge; gainsayIt is not for me to impugn his motives, but howcould anyone except an overambitiousscoundrel have misted his friends in that way?;I cannot impugn your honesty without evidence.[+] contradict, contravene, gainsay, negate; [-]champion

603 imputation n.charge; repraochYou cannot ignore the imputations in hisspeech that you are the guilty party.[+] reproof

604 inarticulate a.speechless; producing indistinct speechHe became inarticulate with rage and utteredsounds without meaning.[+] indistinct

605 incarcerate v.imprisonThe warden will incarcerate the felon afterconviction.[+] confine, constrain, immure

606 incessant a. in(=not)+ces (=go)continuous; not stopping; often repeated;uninterruptedHIs feverish and incessant activity cannot hidethe fact that he dosen't know what he is doing.;The crickets kept up an incessant chirpingwhich disturbed our attempts to fall asleep.[+] ceaseless, continuous, everlasting,interminable, perpetual, unceasing

607 inchoate a.recently begun; rudimentary; elementaryBefore the Creation, the world was an inchoatemass.[+] embryonic, undeveloped; [-] fully formed; [-]explicit; [-] completely formed; [-] fully realized

608 incisive a. in(=in, into)+cis(=cut)sharp and cutting; acute; clear-cut; cutting;sharpIn the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln askeda few incisive question that showed up thefatal weaknesses in his opponent's position.;His incisive remarks made us see the fallacy inour plans.[+] biting, penetrating, trenchant

609 incognito a.e.in(=not)+co<con(=thoroughly)+gn<gno(=know)concealed under a disguised identity; with anassumed name; with one's name, identity, etc.concealed; with identity concealed; using anassumed nameSince her face is well known to movie fans allover the world, there would be no point in hertraveling incognito .; The monarch enjoyedtraveling through the town incognito andmingling with the populace.

610 incoherent a.not logically coordinated, as to parts, elements,or details

611 incommodious a.not spaciousIn their incommodious quarters, they had toimprovise for closet space.

612 incompatible a.inharmoniousThe married couple argued incessantly andfinally decided to separate because they wereincompatible.[+] conflicting, disconsonant, discordant,discrepant, dissonant, incongruous,incongruent, inconsonant

613 incongruity n.lack of harmony; absurdityThe incongruity of his wearing sneakers withformal attire amused the observers.

614 incorporeal a.immaterial; without a material bodyWe must devote time to the needs of ourincorporeal mind as well as our corporeal body.

615 incorrigible a.in(=not)+cor<con(=together)+rig<rect(=straight)that cannt be corrected, improved, or reformedbeacause firmly established as a bad habit;uncorrectableHe has deceived me so many times that I amforced to the conclusion that he is simply anincorrigible liar.; Because he was anincorrigible criminal, he was sentenced to lifeimprisonment.

616 incubate v.hatch; schemeInasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off,we shall have to rely on the hens to incubatethese eggs.

617 inculcate v. in(=in, on)+culc<calc(=tread)impress upon the mind by frequent repetition orpersistent urging; teachBefore we start out to inculcate certainprinciples in young people, let's be very surethat these principles are truly desirable for themand their society.; In an effort to inculcatereligious devotion, the officials ordered that theschool day begin with the singing of a hymn.[+] instruct

618 incursion n.temporary invasionThe nightly incursions and hit-and-run raids ofour neighbors across the border tried thepatience of the country to the point where wedecided to retaliate in force.[+] foray, raid; [-] retreat

619 indefatigability n.tireless determination

620 indefatigable a.tirelessHe was indefatigable in his constant efforts toraise funds for the Red Cross.[+] inexhaustible

621 indemnify v.make secure against loss; compensate for lossThe city will indemnify all home owners whoseproperty is spoiled by this project.[+] reimburse, remunerate

622 indict v.chargeIf the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will goto trial.[+] arraign, criminate, incriminate, impeach

623 indigence n.poverty, indigentNeither the economists nor the politicalscientisis have found a way to wipe out theinequities of wealth and eliminate indigencefrom our society.[+] destitution, impecunious, impoverishness,penury; [-] wealth




624 indigenous a. indi(=within)+gen(=birth)+ous(=having thequality of)native or beloning naturallyFor many years, there was a tendnecy in thepart of American and Europeans to ignore thehighly developed indigenous cultures of thepeoples of Africa.; Tobacco is one of theindigenous plants which the early explorersfound in this country.[+] aboriginal, endemic; [-] acquired

625 indignant a.having such anger and scorn as is aroused bymeanness or wickedness

626 indiscriminate a. in(=not)+dis(=apart)+crimin(=separate,guilty, crime)acting without care or taste; choosing atrandom; confusedThe furnishings in his apartment are supposedto be "original" and "colorful", but I think theyare an indiscriminate collection of junk.; Shedisapproved of her son's indiscriminatetelevision viewing and decided to restrict him toeducational programs.[+] random

627 indolence n.lazinessHe outgrew his youthful indolence to become amodel of industry and alertness on the job.[+] sloth, sluggishness

628 indolent a.habitually inactive or idle

629 indomitable a. in(=not)+domit(=tame)+able(=capable of)unyielding; that cannot be subdued orconquered; unconquerableBy 1781, George Washington's green recruitsof a few years earlier had beed forged into anindomitable army.; The founders of our countryhad indomitable willpower.[+] inconquerable, insuperable, insurmountable,invincible

630 indubitably a.beyond a doubtBecause her argument was indubitably valid,the judge accepted it.

631 indulgent a. in(=to)+dulg(=yield)+ent(=having the qualityof)inclined to indulge; lenient or kind, often toexcess; humoring; yielding; lenientJudge Burnham has a reputation for beingindulgent but not when confronting a teenagercharged with reckless driving.; An indulgentparent may spoil a child by creating an artificialatmosphere of leniency.[+] charitable, clement, lenient, merciful

632 ineluctable a. in(=not)+e<ex(=out)+luct(=struggle)that cannot be escaped from; irresistible; not tobe escapedLetting the grim facts speak for themselves, thespeaker explained quietly the ineluctabletragedy that results from drug abuse.; He feltthat his fate was ineluctable and refused tomake any attempt to improve his lot.[+] inescapable, inevasible, unavoidable,unescapable

633 inept a. in(=not)+ept<apt(=fit)not suitable to the purpose; wrong in a foolishand awkward way; unsuited; absurd;incompetentYou may criticize the roads and the lights, butthe fact is that most automobile accidents arecaused simply by inept drives.; The constantturmoil in the office proved that she was aninept administrator.[+] inappropriate

634 inequity n.unfairnessIn demanding equal pay for equal work, womenprotest the basic inequity of a system that allotsgrater financial rewards to men.[+] injustice, patiality

635 inert a.lacking independent power to move; not activeThis experiment can be repeated with any inertobject, for example, a rock or a piece of wood.

636 inertia n.state of being inert or indisposed to moveOur inertia in this matter may prove disastrous;we must move to aid our allies immediately.[+] inactivity, stillness; [-] tendency to changemotion

637 infamous a. in(=not)+fam<fa(=say)disgraceful; having a bad reputation; wicked;notoriously badFor some years Benedict Arnold servedheroically in the American Revolution, but thenhe disgraced his name for all time by aninfamous act of treason.; Jesse James was aninfamous outlaw.[+] notorious, opprobrious

638 infer v. in(=in)+fer(=carry)reach an opinion from facts or reasoning;deduce; concludeAm I to infer from your statement that therewould be no point in further negotiation?; Wemust be particularly cautious when we infer thata person is guilty on the basis of circumstantialevidence.[+] reason

639 ingenuous a. in(=in)+gen(=birth, creation)frank; open; innocent; natural; naive; young;unsophisticatedCan you be so ingenuous that you don't realizeshe is paying us all those phony compliments toget something out of us?; These remarksindicate that you are ingenuous and unaware oflife's harsher realities.[+] artless, unaffected, unsophisticated

640 ingratiate v. in(=in)+grat(=thank, pleasing, favor)bring oneself into favor,especially in order togain an adventage; flatter; become popular withHow can we have any respect for people whotry to ingratiate themselves by offering flatteryand favors?; He tried to ingratiate himself intoher parents' good graces.

641 inherent a.firmly established by nature or habitHis inherent love of justice compelled him tocome to their aid.[+] congenital, inborn, innate, intrinsic

642 inimical a. in(=not)+im<am(=love)hostile; harmful; unfriendly; hostileWe shall oppose any changes in the labor codethat appear inimical to the health and safety ofworkers.; She felt that they were inimical andwere hoping for her downfall.[+] antagonistic

643 iniquitous a.unjust; wickedI cannot approve of the iniquitous methods youused to gain your present position.[+] immoral, reprobate, sinful, vicious

644 innate a. in(=in)+nat(=to be born)existing naturally rather than acquired; existingas an inherent attribute; inbornOnly when we tried to carry out the plan did itsinnate defects become evident to us.; Hisinnate talent for music was soon recognized byhis parents.[+] congenital, congenital, inherent, intrinsic




645 innocuous a. in(=not)+noc(=harm)causing no harm; harmlessThe tough leadership we need in these troubledtimes will not come from uncertain andinnocuous personalities.; Let him drink it; it isinnocuous and will have no ill effect.[+] innoxious

646 innovate v.to introduce or strive to introduce new things

647 innuendo n.hint; insinuationI resent the innuendos in your statement morethan the statement itself.[+] allusion, implication, insinuation, intimation

648 inordinate a. in(=not)+ordin(=order)not properly restrained or controlled; excessive;immoderate; unrestrained; excessiveSince the townspeople felt that the fee asked bythe Pied Piper was inordinate they decided topay him nothing at all.; She had an inordinatefondness for candy.[+] exorbitant, immoderate, intemperate,unconscionable, unrestrained

649 insalubrious a.detrimental to health

650 insalubrity n.the quality of being insalubrious and debilitating

651 inscrutable a. in(=not)+scrut(=examine)mysterious; that cannot be understood orknown; incomprehensible; not to be discoveredI tried to make some sense out of the strangeorders he had given us, but his plan andpurpose remained utterly inscrutable .; I fail tounderstand the reasons for your outlandishbehavior; your motives are inscrutable.[+] arcane, mysterious, mystic

652 insensible a.unconscious; unresponsiveSherry and I are very different; at iomes when Iwould be covered with embarrassment, sheseems insensible to shame.[+] callous, impassive, insensitive, inured

653 insipid a.tasteless; dullI am bored by your insipid talk.[+] flavorless, savorless, tasteless, unpalatable

654 insolvent a.backrupt; lacking money to payWhen rumors that he was insolvent reached hiscreditors, they began to press him rer paymentof the money due them.[+] solvent

655 insouciant a.indifferent; without concern or careYour insouciant attitude at such a criticalmoment indicates that you do not understandthe gravity of the situation.[+] listless

656 insularity n.narrow-mindedness; isolationThe insularity of the islanders manifested itselfin their suspicion of anything foreign.[-] cosmopolitanism

657 intemperance n.immoderate action or indulgence, as of theappetites

658 interdict v.prohibit; forbidCivilized nations must interdict the use ofnuclear weapons of we expect our society tolive.[+] ban, enjoin, inhibit

659 intermittent a. inter(=between)+mit(=send)stopping and starting again at intervals;periodic; on and offYou cannot hope to make good at this job byexerting intermittent efforts; you must do yourbest every day and every hour of the day.; Ourpicnic was marred by intermittent rains.[+] fitful, recurrent

660 intractable a. in(=not)+tract(=draw)unruly or stubborn; not easily controlled or dealtwith; unruly; refractoryAfter repeated efforts to appeal to his "better"nature had proved completely fruitless, Idecided that he was utterly intractable .; Thehorse was intractable and refused to enter thestarting gate.[+] fractious, headstrong, obstinate,pertinacious, perverse, recalcitrant, stubborn,unmanageable

661 intransigence n.state of stubborn unwillingness to compromiseThe intransigence of both parties in the disputemakes an early settlement almost impossible toobtain.

662 intransigent n.a. in(=not)+trans(=across)+ig(=drive)a person who is intransigent; uncompromising,especially in politics; refusing any compromiseI am proud to have it said of me that I amstubborn and intransigent when genuine moralissues are involved.; The strike settlement hascollapsed because both sides are intransigent.

663 intrepid a. in(=not)+trep<trem(=fear)fearless; boldDespite the threats made against his life, theintrepid prosecutor was able to obtain aconviction of the corrupt officials.; For hisintrepid conduct in battle, he was promoted.[+] audacious, brave, courageous, dauntless,valorous; [-] apprehensive

664 intrinsically e.essentially; inherently; naturally; intrinsicAlthough my grandmother's china hasintrinsically little value, I shall always cherish itfor the memories it evokes.[+] inherently, innately, naturally

665 inured a.accustomed; hardenedShe became inured to the Alaskan cold.[+] familiarized

666 invective n. in(=in, into, to, against)+vect<veh(=carry)abuse language; curses; violent expressionsInstead of facts and logic, he uaedrhetoricaltricks and slashing invective to attackhis opponent.; He had expected criticism butnot the invective which greeted his proposal.[+] billingsgate, contumely, obloquy, scurrility,vituperation

667 inveigh v.denounce; utter censure or invectiveHe inveighed against the demagoguery of theprevious speaker and urged that the audiencereject his philosophy as dangerous.[+] abuse

668 inveigle v.lead astray; wheedleShe was inveigled into joining the club after aninitial reluctance.[+] allure, bait, decoy, entice, lure, seduce,tempt; [-] request directly

669 irascible a.irritable; easily angeredHer irascible temper frightened me.[+] choleric, fractious, peevish, petulant, touchy

670 ironic a.resulting in an unexpected and contray mannerIt is ironic that his success came when he leastwanted it.




671 irreparable a. ir<in(=not)+re(=again)+par(=arrange)that cannot be repaired, mended, remedied,restored, etc.; not able to be corrected orrepairedA practical diplomat must proceed on theassumption that no conflict of ideas or interestsbetween nations, no matter how serious, isactually irreparable .; Your apology cannotatone for the irreparable damage you have doneto her reputation.[+] irrecoverable, irredeemable, irremediable

672 itinerary n.plan of a tripBefore leaving for his first visit to France andEngland, he discussed his itinerary with peoplewho had been there and with his travel agent.

673 jaded a.fatigued; surfeitedHe looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jadedappetite.

674 jeopardy n.exposure to death or dangerShe cannot be placed in double jeopardy.[+] hazard, peril

675 jettison v.throw overboardIn order to enable the ship to ride safely throughthe storm, the captain had to jettison much ofhis cargo.[+] abdicate, discard

676 jocose a.giving to jokingThe salesman was so jocose that many of hiscustomers suggested that he become a"stand-up" comic.[+] droll, facetious, humorous, jocular,ludicrous, witty

677 jocund a.merrySanta Claus is always vivacious and jocund.[+] blithe

678 judicious a. jud(=judge)+ici(=s.e.)+ous(=having thequality of)showing or having good sense; wise;determined by sound judgmentBy careful planning and judiciousinvestsments,he increased greatly the fortunehis parents had left him.; At a key moment inhis life, he made a judicious investment thatwas the foundation of his later wealth.[+] prudent, sapient

679 ken n.range of knowledgeI cannot answer your question since this matteris beyond my ken.cf. gamut; purview, scope

680 kinship n.a close connection marked by community ofinterests or similarity in nature or character;state of relatedness or connection by blood ormarriage or adoption

681 kith n.familiar friendsHe always helped both his kith and kin

682 knavery n.rascalityWe cannot condone such knavery in publicofficials.cf. rascal; [-] probity, uprightness

683 labyrinth n.mazeTom and betty were lost in the labyrinth ofsecret caves.

684 lacerate v.mangle; tearHer body was lacerated in the automobilecrash.[+] rend

685 lachrymose a.producing tearsHis voice has a lachrymose quality which ismore appropriate at a funeral than a classreunion.[+] lugubrious, mournful

686 laconic a.brief and to the pointMany of the characters portrayed by ClintEastwood are laconic types; strong men of fewwords.[+] compendious, concise, succinct, terse; [-]verbose; [-] garrulous

687 laggard a.slow; sluggishThe sailor had been taught not to be laggard incarrying out orders.[+] dawdling, delaying, dilatory, loitering,procrastinating

688 lambent a.flickering; softly radiantThey sat quietly before the lambent glow of thefireplace.[+] brilliant, effulgent, lucent, luminous,lustrous, radiant, refulgent

689 lament v.to express sorrowAcross the nation and around the world, peoplelamented the death of Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr.

690 languid a.weary; sluggish; listlessHer siege of illness left her languid and pallid.[+] lackadaisical

691 lascivious a.lustfulThe lascivious books were banned by theclergy.[+] incontinent, lecherous, lewd, libertine,libidinous, licentious

692 lassitude n. lass(=weary)tiredness; state of being uninterested in things;languor; wearinessSometimes we feel lassitude on a hot summerday.; The hot, tropical weather created a feelingof lassitude and encouraged drowsiness.[+] ennui, listlessness, tedium, weariness; [-] afeeling of vigor

693 latency n.the state of being dormant

694 latent a. lat(=carry, bear)+ent(=having the quality of)present but not yet active, developed or visible;dormant; hiddenIt is up to us to get rid of any latent prejudicesthat we may still hold against members of otherraces and nationalities.; Her latent talent wasdiscovered by accident.[+] abeyant, potential, quiescent

695 laudatory a.expressing praiseThe critics' laudatory comments helped to makeher a star.[+] encomiastic, eulogistic, laudative,panegyrical

696 lax a.carelessWe dislike restaurants where the service is laxand inattentive.[+] loose, remiss

697 lecherous a.impure in thought and act; lustful; unchasteHe is a lecherous and wicked old man.

698 lethal a.deadlyIt is unwise to leave lethal weapons wherechildren may find them.[+] fatal, mortal, pestilential




699 lethargic a.drowsy; dullThe stuffy room made her lethargic.[+] comatose, torpid, dormant

700 levee n.earthen or stone embankment to preventfloodingAs the river rose and theratened to overflow thelevee, emergency workers rushed to reinforcethe walls with sandbags.[+] bank

701 levity n. lev(=light, lift)+ity(=act)tendnecy to treat serious matters withoutrespect; lack of seriousness; lightnessAlthough the students made jokes about thecoming exams, we knew that beneath the levitythey were quite worried.; Such levity isimproper on this serious occasion.[+] flippancy; [-] gravity

702 lewd a.lustfulThey found his lewd stories objectionable.[+] incontinent, lascivious, lecherous, libertine,libidnous, licentious

703 liaison n. li<lig(=bind)+ai(=s.e.)+son<sion(=act)connection, linkage between two separategroups; illicit sexual relationship; officer whoacts as go-between for two armiesBecause the Pacific theater in World War IIinvolved amphibious warfare, one of the greatproblems was to maintain effective liaisionsamong the land, sea, and air forces.; As theliaison, he had to avoid offending the leaders ofthe two armies.

704 libertine n.debauched person; roueAlthough she was aware of his reputation as alibertine, she felt she could reform him and helphim break his dissolute way of life.[+] profligate, voluptuary, wanton; [-] ascetic

705 licentious a.wanton; lewd; dissoluteThe licentious monarch helped bring about hiscountry's downfall.[+] incontinent, lascivious, lecherous, libertine,libidinous, lustful

706 ligneous a.like woodPetrified wood may be ligneous in appearance,but it is stone-like in composition.

707 lionize v.treat as a celebrityShe enjoyed being lionized and adored by thepublic.[+] glorify, honor

708 lithe a.flexible; suppleHer figure was lithe and willowy.[+] lissom(e), lithesome

709 litigate v.to cause to become the subject-matter of asuitat law

710 litigation n.lawsuitTry to settle this amicably; I do not want to startlitigation.[+] suit

711 livid a.lead-colored; black and blue; enragedHis face was so livid with rage that we wereafraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.[+] ashen, pallid, wan

712 loquacious a. loqu(=say)+aci(=s.e.)+ous(=many, full)talkative,fond of talkingThere is an old folk tradition that women aremore loquacious than men, but all the men Iknow do their full share of talking.; She is veryloquacious and can speak on the telephone forhours.[+] garrulous, verbose; [-] taciturn

713 lout n.clumsy personThe delivery boy is an awkward lout.cf. flout

714 loutish a.ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible inbehavior or appearance

715 lucent a.shining; brightThe moon's lucent rays silvered the river.

716 lucid a. luc(=light)clear; lucent; bright; easily understoodAnd the scientific method of fearless thought,exhaustively lucid statement, and exhaustivelycriticized planning, which has given him theseas yet uncontrollable powers, gives him also thehope of controlling these powers.; Hisexplanation was lucid and to the point.[+] brilliant, effulgent, lambent, luminous,radiant, refulgent; pellucid, translucent,transparent, unambiguous; [-] murky; [-] vague

717 lucrative a.profitableHe turned his hobby into a lucrative profession.[+] remunerative

718 lugubrious a.mournfulThe lugubrious howling of the dogs added toour sadness.[+] doleful, dolorous, lamentable, plaintive,woeful

719 luminous a. lumin(=light)+ous(=full, many)giving out light; bright; clear; easily understood;shining; issuing lightHis luminous intelligence has helped to guidethe nation during a time of confusion anddarkness.; The sun is a luminous body.[+] brilliant, effulgent, fulgent, lambent, lucent,radiant, refulgent

720 lurid a.wild; sensationalThe lurid stories he told shocked his listeners.[+] eerie, ghastly, grisly, gruesome, macabre

721 lustrous a.shiningHer large and lustrous eyes gave a touch ofbeauty to a otherwise drab face.[+] brilliant, effulgent, fulgent, lambent, lucent,luminous, radiant, refulgent

722 macerate v.waste awayCancer macerated his body.[+] emaciate; cf. lacerate; [-] harden by drying

723 magnanimity n.extremely liberal generosity of spirit

724 magnanimous a. magn(=great)+anim(=mind)+ous(=havingthe quality of)having generosity; generousChurchill told his countrymen to be resolute inwar,defiant in defeat,and magnanimous invictory.; The philanthropist was mostmagnanimous.[+] benevolent, chivalrous, considerate, lofty

725 magnate n.person of prominence or influenceThe steel magnate decided to devote more timeto city politics.[+] tycoon




726 maladroit a. mal(=bad)+a(=to)+droit<rect(=straight, right)not adroit; clumsy; tactless; clumsy; bunglingSteiner's effort to settle the differences betweenthe two factions were so maladroit that whathad begun as a rift became a yawning chasm.;In his usual maladroit way, he managed toupset the cart and spill the food.[+] gauche, unskillful

727 malediction n. male<mal(=bad)+dict(=say)curse; prayer to God that someone or somthingmay be destroyed, hurt, etcBlows with cudgels and missiles may fracturemy skeletal structure, but maledictions willleave me unscathed.; The witch utteredmaledictions against her captors.[+] anathema, imprecation, malison

728 malefactor n. male<mal(=bad)+fact(=do, make)wrongdoer or criminalShortly after the crime, the malefactor wasapprehended and turned over to the police.; Wemust try to bring these malefactors to justice.[+] offender

729 malicious a.dictated by hatred or spiteThe malicious neighbor spread the gossip.[+] malevolent, malignant

730 malign v.speak evil of; defameBecause of her hatred of the family, shemaligns all who are friendly to them.[+] asperse, calumniate, denigrate, libel,slander, traduce, vilify, decry

731 malleable a.capable of being shaped by poundingGold is a malleable metal.[+] adaptable, plastic supple

732 mandatory n.a. mand(=order)+at(=s.e.)+ory(=relating to)person or state to whom a mandate has beengiven; of a command; compulsory, obligatoryIn this state, attendance at school is mandatoryfor children between the ages of six andseventeen.; These instructions are mandatory;any violation will be severly punished.[+] compulsory, required

733 manifest a.v.understandable; clearHis evil intentions were manifest and yet wecould not stop him.[+] distinct, obvious, unambiguous

734 marauder n.raider; intruderThe sounding of the alarm frightened themarauders.cf. maraud; depredator, despoiler, freebooter,pillager, plunderer, raider, ravager

735 maudlin a.effusively sentimentalI do not like such maudlin pictures. I call themtearjerkers.[+] romantic

736 maverick n.rebel; nonconformistTo the masculine literary establishment, Georgesand with her insistence on wearing trousersand smoking cigars was clearly a maverick whofought her proper womanly role.[+] dissenter

737 meander v.to wind or turn in its courseIt is difficult to sail up this stream because ofthe way it meanders through the countryside.[-] move purposively

738 mellifluous a. mel(=honey)+i(=s.e.)+flu(=flow)+ous(=having thequality of)sweet-sounding, smooth-flowing; flowingsmoothly; smoothSaid Churchill to the British people after theMunich agreement:We must reject thesemellifluous assurances of 'peace in our time'and realize that we have sustained a crushingdefeat.; Italian is a mellifluous language.[+] dulcet, euphonious, harmonious, mellifluent

739 mendacious a.lying; falseHe was a pathological liar, and his friendslearned to discount his mendacious stories.[+] deceitful, dishonest, fraudulent, unveracious

740 mendicant n.beggarFrom the moment we left the ship, we weresurrounded by mendicants and peddlers.

741 mentor n.teacherDuring this very trying period, she could nothave had a better mentor, for the teacher wassympathetic and understanding.[+] instructor, tutor

742 mercenary n.a. merc(=trade)+en(=s.e.)+ary(=relating to)soldier hired for pay to serve in a foreign army;working only for money or other reward;inspired by love of money; interested in moneyor gainOf course she wants to make money from herbooks! That doesn't mean that she'smercenary and indifferent to doing good work.;I am certain that your action was prompted bymercenary motives.

743 mercurial a.fickle; changingHe was of a mercurial temperament andtherefore unpredictable.[+] capricious, fickle, inconstant, unstable; [-]constant

744 meretricious a.flashy; tawdryHer jewels were inexpensive but notmeretricious.[+] garish, gaudy

745 metamorphose v.change completely the nature of something[-] remain unaltered

746 metamorphosis n. morph(=form)change of form or character, eg. by naturalgrowth or developmentThe metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly istypical of many such changes in animal life.;The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly istypical of many such changes in animal life.[-] continuation without change

747 meticulous a.excessively carefulHe was meticulous in checking his accountsand never made mistakes.[+] fastidious, fussy, heedful, punctilious,scrupulous

748 mettle n.courage; spiritWhen challenged by the other horses in therace, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by itsdetermination to hold the lead.[+] dauntlessness

749 mien n.demeanor; bearingShe had the gracious mien of a queen.[+] comportment

750 minion n.a servile dependentHe was always accompanied by several of hisminions because he enjoyed their subservienceand flattery.[+] sycophant




751 misanthrope n. anthrop(=man)hater of mankind; person who avoids society;one who hates mankindThe misanthrope chose to live alone.; Wethought the hermit was a misanthrope becausehe shunned our society.[+] philanthropist

752 misanthropy n. anthrop(=man)hatred of mankindHe forgot his misanthropy when he fell in love.

753 mite n.very small object or creature; small coinGnats are annoying mites that sting.[+] particle

754 mitigate v.appeaseNothing he did could mitigate her wrath; shewas unforgiving.[+] allay, alleviate, assuage, mollify, palliate,relieve; [-] exacerbate

755 mnemonic a.pertaining to memoryHe used mnemonic tricks to master new words.

756 modulate v. mod(=fit)+ul(=s.e.)+ate(=make)regulate; change the voice; vary the frequency,amplitude or phase of a wavesIn spite of my extreme terror, I made every effortto modulate my voice and speak calmly.

757 mollify v.sootheWe tried to mollify the hysterical child bypromising her many gifts.[+] allay, alleviate, appease, assuage, mitigate,pacify, placate, propitiate, relieve; [-] ire

758 molten a.in a melted and therefore very hot state; madeof metal that has been melted and castThe workers carefully ladled the molten ironinto the bell-shaped mold.; The city of Pompeiiwas destroyed by volcanic ash rather than bymolten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.[+] liguefied

759 moot a.debatableOur tariff policy is a moot subject.[+] disputable, dubious

760 mordant a. mord<mors(=bite)+ant(=having the qualityof)biting; sarcastic; biting; sarcastic; stingingI noticed with approval that his mordantremarks were intended to deflate the pompousand unmask the hypocritical.; Actors feared thecritic's mordant pen.[+] caustic, mordacious, scathing, trenchant

761 morose a.ill-humored; sullenWhen we first meet Hamlet, we find himmorose and depressed.[+] dour, gloomy, saturnine, sullen, morbid; [-]cheerful; [-] charming

762 motif n.themeThis simple motif runs throughout the entirescore.

763 motility n.ability to move spontaneouslyCertain organisms exhibit remarkable motility;motile spores, for example, may travel for milesbefore coming to rest.[+] locomotion

764 multifarious a. fa<fac(=make)varied, diversified; varied; greatly diversifiedThe actor has appeared in multifarious roles.; Acareer woman and mother, she was constantlybusy with the multifarious activities of her dailylife.[+] diverse, manifold, multiform

765 mundane a. mund(=world)worldly; dull, ordinary; worldly as opposed tospiritualHe devoted himself to the spiritual needs of hisfollowers, and left to his aides such mundanetasks as providing food and shelter.; He wasconcerned only with mundane matters,especially the daily stock market quotations.[+] earthly, secular, uncelestial, worldly; [-]exotic; [-] unearthly

766 munificent a. mun(=gift, service)+i(=s.e.)+fic(=make, do)+ent(=having the quality of)extremely generous; large in amount or splendidin quality; very generousMy sad story is that after working for threehours in the hot sun cleaning up the yard, Ireceived the munificent sum of 1 dollar 75cents.; The munificent gift was presented to thebride by her rich uncle.[+] bountiful

767 mutinous a.unruly; rebelliousThe captain had to use force to quiet hismutinous crew.[+] contumacious, insubordinate, insurgent

768 myriad n.very large numberMyriads of mosquitoes from the swampsinvaded our village every twilight.

769 nefarious a.very wickedhe was universally feared because of his manynefarious deeds.[+] flagrant, infamous, vicious

770 nemesis n.revenging agentCaptain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis.

771 neophyte n. phyt(=to plant)person who has newly been converted to somebelief or religion; beginner; recent convert;beginnerAfter her novel's success she was no longerconsidered a neophyte .; This mountain slopecontains slides that will challenge experts aswell as neophytes.[+] apprentice, novice, tyro

772 nettle v.sting oneself with nettles; make rather angry;annoy; annoy; vexI regret that Nancy was nettled by myunfavorable review of her short story, but I hadto express my opinion honestly.; Do not let himnettle you with his sarcastic remarks.[+] exasperate, irritate, peeve, provoke

773 nexus n.connectionI fail to see the nexus which binds these twowidely separated events.[+] junction, link; [-] disconnected components

774 nostalgic a.unhappy at being away and longing for familiarthings or persons

775 nostrum n.questionable medicineNo quack selling nostrums is going to cheatme.[+] cure-all, elixir, panacea

776 notorious a. not(=know)+ori(=s.e.)+ous(=many, full)widly known for something bad; outstandinglybad; unfavorably knownHe is notorious for his habit of taking smallloans from friends and then convenientlyforgetting about them.; Captain Kidd wasnotorious pirate.[+] flagrant, infamous




777 noxious a.harmfulWe must trace the source of these noxiousgases before they asphyxiate us.[+] baneful, deadly, pernicious, pestilential,deleterious

778 nugatory a.futile; worthlessThis agreement is nugatory for no court willenforce it.[+] paltry, ineffectual, useless; [-] consequential

779 nullify v.to make invalidOnce the contract was nullified, it no longer hadany legal force.[+] abolish, abrogate, annihilate, annul,invalidate, vitiate

780 oaf n.stupid, awkward personHe called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy oaf.

781 obdurate a. ob(=intensive)+dur(=last)stubborn, obstinate, inflexibleIn spite of all our efforts to appeal to whateverhuman sympathics the kidnappers might have,they remainded obdurate .; He was obdurate inhis refusal to listen to our complaints.; He wasobdurate in his refusal to our complaints.[+] obstinate, perverse, unyielding; [-]complaisant; [-] complaisant; [-] flexible

782 obeisance n. ob(=intensive)+eis<aud(=hear)deep bow of respect or homage; homage;obedience, submissionThe Bible tells us that visitors to the court ofSolomon, the great Hebrew king, willingly didobeisance unto him.; She made an obeisanceas the king and queen entered the room.[+] deference, reverence

783 obfuscate v. ob(=upon, over)+fusc(=dark) +ate(=make)darken or obscure the mind; bewilder; confuse;muddlePlease do not try to obfuscate yourresponsibility in this matter by irreleventcriticisms of other people.; Do not obfuscate theissues by dragging in irrelevant arguments.[+] bewilder, confound, confuse, disconcert,embarrass, fluster, perplex, nonplus, abash

784 objurgate v.scold; rebuke severelyI am afraid he will objurgate us publicly for thisoffense.

785 obliterate v. ob(=against)+liter(=letter)rub, or blot out; remove all signs of; destroy;destroy completelyI am willing to forgive you, but I can neverobliterate from my mind the memory of yourdishonesty.; The tidal wave obliterated severalisland villages.[+] delete, erase, efface, expunge

786 obloquy n. ob(=against)+loqu(=say)bad words spoken of a person or thing; illrepute; disgrade; slander; disgrace; infamyI knew that if I ran for public office, I would beexposed to severe criticism, but I neverexpected such a flood of obloquy .; I resent theobloquy that you are casting upon myreputation.

787 obsequious a. ob(=in the way)+sequ(=follow)too eager to obey or advantage; showingexcessive respect from hope of reward oradvantage; slavishly attentive; servile;sycophanticDuring imperial times, the Roman Senate waslittle more than a collection of obsequious yesmen, intent on preserving their own lives bygratifying the Emperor's every whim.; Nothing ismore disgusting to me than the obsequiousdemeanor of the people who wait upon you.[+] fawning, toadying, truckling

788 obsolete a.outmodedThat word is obsolete; do not use it.[+] outdate, outmode

789 obtrude v. ob(=in the way, intensive)+trud/trus(=thrust)push oneself, one's opinions, etc. forward whenunwanted; force oneself upon others; push intoprominenceWe were eager to be favorably impressed, butas he continued to speak, the one fact thatobtruded itself on all of us was his utterincapacity for the office.; The other members ofthe group object to the manner in which youobtrude your opinions into matters of noconcern to you.[+] impose, intrude

790 obviate v. ob(=away)+vi<via(=carry, way)get rid of; clear away; prevent by effectivemeasures; make unnecessary; get rid ofA compromise agreement reached in thejudge's chambers would obviate the need for along, costly lawsuit.; I hope this contribution willobviate any need for further collections offunds.[+] eliminate, remove

791 occult a. oc<ob(=intensive)+cul<cel(=hide)hidden; secret; mysterious; supernatural;magical; mysterious; secret; supernaturalThere is evidence which proves that manypersons supposed to have occult powers haveeither been clever frauds or the victims ofself-deception.; The occult rites of theorganization were revealed only to members.[+] mystic, uncanny; [-] readily fathomable; [-]bare

792 odious a.hatefulI find the task of punishing you most odious.[+] abhorrent, abominable, detestable, loath,repulsive

793 officious a. of<ob(=in the way)+fic(=do, make)very fond of giving unwelcome services oradvice; meddlesome; excessively trying topleaseAnd there was good old Dan, shouting orders,handing out papers, and generally making anofficious nuisance of himself!; Browninginforms us that the Duke resented the bough ofcherries some officious fool brought to pleasethe Duchess.[+] intrusive, meddlesome, obtrusive

794 oligarchy n.government by a fewThe feudal oligarchy was supplanted by anautocracy.

795 ominous a.threateningThese clouds are ominous; they portend asevere storm.[+] (n.) omen




796 omniscient a. sci(=know);omni(=all)+sci(=know)+ent(=having the qualityof)all knowing, having unlimited authority; knowingall; having complete or infinite knowledge;all-knowingWhen her prediction came true, we referred toher as the omniscient Sarah.; I do not pretendto be omniscient, but I am positive about thisfact.

797 opalescent a.iridescentThe Ancient Mariner admired the opalescentsheen on the water.

798 opaque a.dark; not transparentThe opaque window kept the sunlight out of theroom.[+] nontransparent, obscure, vague

799 opprobrious a.disgracefulI find your conduct so opprobrious that I mustexclude you from classes.[+] dishonorable, disreputable, ignominious; [-]irreproachable

800 opulence n. opul(=wealth)wealth, abundanceVistors from Europe are amazed at theopulence of this country.; Visitors from Europeare amazed and impressed by the opulence ofthis country.[+] affluence

801 ornate a. orn(=decorate)+ate(=having the quality of)richly ornamented; full of flowery language; notsimple in style or vocabulary; excessivelydecorated; highly decoratedHe has a very ornate writing style, using manyunusual words, figures of speech, and involvedconstructions.; Furniture of the Baroque periodcan be recognized by its ornate carvings.[+] baroque, flamboyant, rococo

802 oscillate v.vibrate pendulumlike; waverIt is interesting to note how public opinionoscillates between the extremes of optimismand pessimism.[+] pendulate, sway, swing

803 ossify v.change or harden into boneWhen he called his opponent a "bonehead," heimplied that his adversary's brain had ossifiedand that he was not capable of clear thinking.

804 ostensible a. os<ob(=over, against)+tens(=stretch)put forward in an attempt to hide the realreason; apparent; pretended; apparent;professed; pretendedExperience revealed, somewhat to our surprise,that the candidate's ostensible reason foroffice were also his real reasons.; Although theostensible purpose of this expedition is todiscover new lands, we are really interestedfinding new markets for our products.[+] alleged, pretended

805 ostentatious a. os<ob(=against, over)+tent(=stretch)done for unnecessary display; liking to attractnotice; showy; pretentiousIsn't it rather ostentatious to wear a Phi Betakappa key on a chain around your neck?; Thereal hero is modest, never ostentatious.

806 ostracize v. ostrac(=shell)shut out from society; refuse to meet, talk to,etc.; exclude from public favor; banThe ancient Greeks ostracized a dangerouscitizen by public vote.; As soon as thenewspapers carried the story of his connectionwith the criminals, his friends began toostracize him.[+] banish, exile, expatriate, expel, relegate, oust

807 palatial a.magnificentHe proudly showed us through his palatialhome.[+] impressive, regal, splendid

808 palindrome n.a word or phrase that reads the same backwardas forward

809 palliate v.ease pain; make less guilty of offensiveDoctors must palliate that which they cannotcure.[+] alleviate, mitigate, moderate, soften

810 pallid a.pale; wanBecause his occupation required that he workat night and sleep during the day, he had anexceptionally pallid complexion.[+] ashen

811 palpable a. palp(=touch)+able(=capable of)that can be felt or touched; clear to the mind;tangible; easily perceptibleNutritionists emphasize that there is a palpabledifference between "eating to live" and "living toeat".; I cannot understand how you couldoverlook such a palpable blunder.[+] detectable, discernible

812 paltry a.insignificant; pettyThis is a paltry sum to pay for such amasterpiece.[+] puny, trivial, unconsequential

813 pandemonium n. demon(=demon)wild and noisy disorder; wild tumultThe station was pandemonium at rush hour.;When feared the AIDS epidemic would soonreach pandemic proportions.[+] clamor, hubbub, uproar

814 panegyric n. pan(=all)+egyr(=bring together)+ic(=natureof)a formal speech or writing praising a person orevent; high or hyperbolic praise,laudation;formal praiseInstead of mouthing empty panegyrics to theBill of Rights, let's strive to make it a reality ineveryday life.; The modest hero blushed as helistened to the panegyrics uttered by thespeakers about his valorous act.[+] compliment, encomium, eulogy

815 paradigm n.model; example; patternPavlov`s experiment in which he trains a dog tosalivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of theconditioned-response experiment in behavioralpsychology.[+] archetype, paragon, standard

816 paradox n. para(=beside, apart from)+dox(=opinion)statement that seems to say somethingopposite to common sense or the truth, butwhich may contain a truth; statement that looksfalse but is actually correctAt sometime in our lives, all of us discover thetruth of the ancient paradox that by givingfreely to others, we gain more for ourselves.;Wordsworth's "The child is father to the man" isan example of paradox.




817 paragon n. para(=beside)+gon(=compare, test, angle)a model or pattern of perfection or excellence;model of perfectionMy parents set up my older brother as such aparagon that I despaired of ever being able tofollow in his footstep.; The class disliked himbecause the teacher was always pointing to himas a paragon of virtue.[+] archetype, paradigm

818 parallel a.to cause to correspond or lie in the samedirection and equidistant in all partsNobody can parallel him in ability.

819 parallelism n. par<para(=beside, side by side)+al (=other)the state of never meeting because always atthe same distance from each other; similarity;state of being parallel; similarityIt may be doubted whether there is any exactparallelism between muscular strength andhairiness.; There is a striking parallelismbetween the twins.[+] analogy, comparison

820 parapet n.low wall at edge of roof or balconyThe best way to attack the soldiers fightingbehind the parapets on the roof is bybombardment from the air.[+] rampart

821 paraphernalia n.equipment; odds and endsHis desk was cluttered with paper, pen , ink,dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writingcraft.

822 pariah n.social outcastI am not a pariah to be shunned and ostracized.[+] derelict

823 parity n.equality; close resemblanceI find your analogy inaccurate because I do notsee the parity between the two illustrations.[+] analogy, equality, equivalence, parallelism

824 parley n.conferenceThe peace parley has not produced theanticipated truce.[+] conversation, discussion, palaver

825 parry v.ward off a blowHe was content to wage a defensive battle andtried to parry his opponent's thrusts.[+] deflect

826 parsimonious a.stingy; excessively frugalHis parsimonious nature did not permit him toenjoy any luxuries.[+] miserly, niggardly, penurious

827 partisan a.one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a partyOn certain issues of conscience, she refused totake a partisan stand.[+] biased, jaundiced, prepossessed

828 passive a.not active; acted uponMahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursuea program of passive resistance as he felt that itwas more effective than violence and acts ofterrorism.[+] acquiescent, submissive

829 pathological a.pertaining to diseaseAs we study the pathological aspects of thisdisease, we must not overlook thepsychological elements.

830 pathology n. path(=disease)science of diseasesPlant pathology studies the disease of plants.

831 paucity n.scarcityThey closed the restaurant because the paucityof customers made it uneconomical to operate.[+] insufficiency, poverty

832 peculate v.steal; embezzleHer peculations were not discovered until theauditors found discrepancies in the financialstatements.[+] defalcate

833 pecuniary a.pertaining to moneyI never expected a pecuniary reward for mywork in this activity.[+] financial, monetary

834 pedagogue n.teacher; dull and formal teacherHe could never be a stuffy pedagogue; hisclasses were always lively and filled with humor.[+] instructor, tutor

835 pedagogy n.teaching; art of educationThough Maria Montessori gained fame for herinnovations in pedagogy, it took years beforeher teaching techniques were common practicein American schools.

836 pedantic a.showing off learning; bookishWhat you say is pedantic and reveals anunfamiliarity with the realities of life.[+] scholastic

837 pellucid a.transparent; limpid; easy to understandAfter reading these stodgy philosophers, I findhis pellucid style very enjoyable.[+] lucent, lucid, translucent

838 penchant n.strong inclination; likingHe had a strong penchant for sculpture andowned many statues.[+] predilection, predisposition, proclivity,propensity, tendency; [-] dislike

839 pensive a.dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint ofsadnessThe pensive youth gazed at the painting for along time and then sighed.[+] cogitative, meditative , musing, pondering,reflecting.

840 penury n.extreme povertyWe find much penury and suffering in this slumarea.[+] destitution, impecuniousness,impoverishment, indigence

841 perceptive a.having the ability to perceive or understand;keen in discernmenta word or phrase that readsthe same backward as forward

842 percussion n.striking one object against another sharplyThe drum is a percussion instrument.[+] collision, crash, impact

843 perdition n.damnation; complete ruinHe was damned to eternal perdition.[+] downfall

844 peremptory a. per(=intensive)+empt(=take)not to be disobeyed or questioned; dogmatic;insisting upon obedience; imperious;demanding and leaving no choiceAlthough I had no objection to proposal assuch, I so resented the perremptory tone inwhich he spoke to me that I refused tocooperate.; I resent your peremptory attitude.[+] unfaltering, absolute, uncompromising




845 perennial n.a. per(=through, throughout)+enn<an (=year)perennial plant; continuing throughout the wholeyear; lasting for a very long time; living for morethan two yearsSince we do not want to replace our plantingsevery year, we favor perennials over annuals.;These plants are hardy perennials and willbloom for many years.[-] fleeting

846 perfidious a. per(=through, falsely)+fid(=trust)faithless; treacherous; basely falseHis intense greed and lack of confidence in ourgood faith turned him into a perfidiousassociate who sold our formulas to thecompetitors.; Your perfidious gossip ismalicious and dangerous.[+] disloyal, recreant, treacherous

847 perfunctory a. per(=falsely)+funct(=perform)done as a duty or routine but without care orinterest; doing things without concern orsolicitude; superficial; listless; not thoroughPerhaps we were so overjoyed that the greatman actually condescended to give us aperfunctory nod as we passed by.; Heoverlooked many weaknesses when heinspected the factory in his perfunctory manner.[+] cursory

848 peripheral a. pher(=carry)of external boundary or surface; marginal; outerThe disease impaired her peripheral vision.; Welived, not in central London, but in one of thoseperipheral suburbs that spring up on theoutskirts of a great city.[+] exterior, neighboring

849 perjury n. per(=falsely)+jur(=swear, law)the act of making a false statement after takingan oath to tell the truth; wilful false statement;false testimony while under oathShe may have given wrong information in court,but this was an honest mistake and certainlydoes not make her guilty of perjury .; Whenseveral witnesses appeared to challenge hisstory, he was indicted for perjury.[+] forswearing; [-] truthful deposition

850 permeable a.porous; allowing passage throughGlass is permeable to light.[+] penetrable, pervious

851 pernicious a. per(=through, thoroughly)+nic<noc(=harm,kill)injurious; harmful; fatal; very destructiveThe more we studied the drug problem, themore we became aware of its perniciousinfluence on the American people today.; Heargued that these books had a pernicious effecton young and susceptible minds.[+] baneful, miasmatic, noxious, pestilential,poisonous, toxic, virulent

852 perpetual a. per(=through, throughout)+pet(=seek, strive)never-ending; going on for a long time orwithout stopping; continual; often repeated;everlastingPresidents, congressmen, and other officialscome and go, but the principles of democracyand freedom on which our government rests areperpetual .; Ponce de Leon hoped to findperpetual youth.[+] ceaseless, constant, continuous,interminable, unceasing; [-] intermittent

853 perquisite n.any gain above stipulated salaryThe perquisites attached to this job make iteven more attractive than the salary indicates.[+] bonus

854 pertinent a.suitable; to the pointThe lawyer wanted to know all the pertinentdetails.[+] applicable, apposite, apropos, germane,relevant

855 peruse v. per(=intensive)+us(=use)read carefullyIf you want to learn to play backgammon, Isuggest that you begin by perusing asummary of the rules.[-] glance at

856 pervasive a.thoroughly penetrating or permeating

857 petulant a.touchy; peevishThe feverish patient was petulant and restless.[+] fractious, fretful, irritable, peevish, testy,touchy

858 philanthropy n.voluntary promotion of human welfare; activehumanitarianism

859 phlegmatic a.calm; not easily disturbedThe nurse was a cheerful but phlegmaticperson.[+] imperturbable, inexcitable; [-] vivacious

860 pied a.variegated; multicoloredThe Pied Piper of Hamelin got his name fromthe multicolored clothing he wore.[+] bridle, piebald; [-] solid-colored

861 piety n.devoutness; reverence for GodLiving her life in prayer and good works, MotherTeresa exemplifies the true spirit of piety.[+] devotion, veneration, worship

862 pinioned a.(of birds) especially having the flight feathers;bound fast especially having the armsrestrained

863 pinnacle n. pin(=dom)tall, pointed ornament built on to a roof orbuttress; high, slender mountain peak; highestpointIt is a sobering thought that when one hasreached the pinnacle of a mountain, there isnowhere to go but down.; We could see themorning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle whilethe rest of the mountain lay in shadow.[+] acme, apex, climax, culmination, summit,zenith

864 pious a.devoutThe pious parents gave their children areligious upbringing.[+] religious

865 piquant a.pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulatingThe piquant sauce added to our enjoyment ofthe meal.[+] poignant, pungent

866 pittance n.a small allowance or wageHe could not live on the pittance he received asa pension and had to look for an additionalsource of revenue.

867 placate v. plac(=peace)+ate(=make)soothe; pacify; pacify; conciliateSome historians believe that if the Britishgovernment had made a sincere effort toplacate the colonists, the American Revolutionmight never have occurred.; The teacher triedto placate the angry mother.[+] appease, assuage, mollify, propitiate; [-]antagonize




868 placid a.peaceful; calmAfter his vacation in this placid section, he feltsoothed and rested.[+] composed, halcyon, poised, serene, tranquil

869 platitude n.trite remark; commonplace statementThe platitudes in his speech were applauded bythe vast majority in his audience; only a fewpeople perceived how trite his remarks were.[+] banality, cliche, prosaism; [-] originalobservation

870 platonic a.purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensualdesireAccused of impropriety in his dealings withfemale students, the professor maintained hehad only a platonic interest in the womeninvolved.

871 plenary a. plen(=fill)+ary(=relating to)unlimited; absolute; attended by all who have aright to attend; complete; fullSitting before the fire, puffing his pipe, after anexcellent meal, he was in a state of plenarycontentment.; The union leader was givenplenary power to negotiate a new contract withthe employers.[+] absolute, thorough

872 plethora n.excess; overabundanceShe offered a plethora of reasons for hershortcomings.[+] superfluity, surplus; [-] dearth; [-] scarcity

873 plumb a.checking perpendicularity; verticalBefore hanging wallpaper it is advisable to dropa plumb line from the ceiling as a guide.[-] examine superficially

874 polemic n.controversy; argument in support of point ofviewHer essays were, for the main part, polemicsfor the party's policy.[+] debate, disputation

875 pommel v.beatThe severity with which he was pommeled wasindicated by the bruises he displayed on hishead and face.

876 portend v.foretell; presageThe king did not know what these omens mightportend and asked his soothsayers to interpretthem.[+] adumbrate, augur, bode, forebode, forecast,foreshadow, foreshow, omen, predict,prognosticate, prophesy

877 potable a.suitable for drinkingThe recent drought in the Middle Atlantic Stateshas emphasized the need for extensiveresearch in ways of making sea water potable.[+] drinkable

878 pragmatic a. prag<pract(=do,business)+mat(=s.e.)+ic(=nature of)treating things in a matter-of-fact or praticalway; practical; concerned with practical valuesWhat point is there in dwelling on far-rangingtheories when we are faced with a pragmaticproblem of actual survival?; This test shouldprovide us with a pragmatic analysis of thevalue of this course.[+] practicable, practical

879 prate v.speak foolishly; boast idlyLet us not prate about our qualities; rather, letour virtues speak for themselves.[+] chatter, brag, gasconade, vaunt

880 prattle v.babbleThe little girl prattled endlessly about her dolls.

881 precarious a.uncertain; riskyI think this stock is a precarious investment andadvise against its purchase.[+] doubtable, unstable; dangerous, hazardous;[-] firmly grounded; [-] safe

882 precept n. pre(=before)+cept(=take)moral instruction; practical rule guiding conductI intend to be guided by the simple preceptsthat have proved their value over long periods ofhuman experience.; "Love they neighbor asthyself" is a worthwhile precept.[+] decree, ordinance, prescript, regulation,statute

883 precipitate a.v.throw headlong; hasten; headlong; rashDo not be precipitate in this matter; investigatefurther.; The removal of American politicalsupport appears to have precipitated thedownfall of the Marcos regime.[+] hasty, impetuous, expedite; [-] deliberate

884 preclude v. pre(=before)+clud(=shut)prevent; make impossible in advance; makeimpossible; eliminateThe fact that he was found guilty of a felonymany years ago doesn't preclude his runningfor mayor.; This contract does not preclude mybeing employed by others at the same time thatI am working for you.[+] deter, forestall, obviate, prevent

885 precocious a. pre(=before)+coc(=to mature, cook)having developed certain faculties earlier than isnormal; developed ahead of timeFar from being precocious as a small child,the great Albert Einstein was actually somewhatslow in learning to talk.; By her rather adultmanner of discussing serious topics, the childdemonstrated that she was precocious.[+] premature

886 precursor n. pre(=before)+curs(=run)harbringer; forerunner; sign; a predecessor asin officeExperience has shown that an increse inhousing construction is the precursor of ageneral economic upturn.; Gray and burns wereprecursors of the Romantic Movement inEnglish literature.[+] harbinger, herald

887 preen v.clean with one's bill, of birds; pride orcongratulate (oneself) for an achievement[-] rumple

888 prefatory a. pre(=before)+fa(=say)of a preface, introductoryWe knew that we were in for a stormy sessionwhen her prefatory remarks referred to "somesurprising fact that have come to my attention.";The chairman made a few prefatory remarksbefore he called on the first speaker.[+] preliminary

889 preponderate v.be superior in power; outweighI feel confident that the forces of justice willpreponderate eventually in this dispute.

890 prerogative n. pre(=before)+rog(=ask)a right or previlege that belongs to a person,class, etc. according to rank or position;privilege; unquestionable rightAnyone who thinks that is still a gentleman'sprerogative to ask a lady to dance didn't attendour Senior Prom.; The president cannot levytaxes; that is the prerogative of the legislativebranch of government.




891 presumptuous a.arrogant; taking libertiesIt seems presumptuous for one so relativelynew to the field to challenge the conclusions ofits leading experts.[+] overwddning, supercilious; [-] humble

892 pretentious a. pre(=before)+tent(=stretch)claiming great merit or importance;ostentatious; ambitiousSince he is well known to be a multy-millionaire,it seems almost pretentious of him, in aninverted sense, to drive around in a small,battered, inexpensive car.; I do not feel that yourlimited resources will permit you to carry outsuch a pretentious program.[+] affected, ostentatious, vain

893 prevaricate v. pre(=before)+varic(=straddle)+ate(=make)make untrue or partly untrue statements, try toevade telling the whole truth; lieThe more he tried to protect himself byprevaricating , the more he became entrappedin his own web of deception and dishonesty.;Some people believe that to prevaricate in agood cause is justifiable and regard thestatement as a "white lie."[+] equivocate

894 pristine a.characteristic of earlier times; primitive;unspoiledThis area has been preserved in all its pristinewildness.[+] primordial; virginal; [-] contaminated

895 privy a.secret; hidden; not publicWe do not care for privy chamber government.[+] private

896 probity n. prob(=test, good, proper)+ity(=nature)uprightness of character, integrity, sincerity;uprightness; incorruptibilityEven the most relentless and searchinginvestigations by or political opponents coulduncover no evidence that challenged ourreputation for complete probity .; Everyone tookhis probity for granted; his defalcations,therefore, shocked us all.[+] morality, rectitude, righteousness

897 problematic a.perplexing; unsettled; questionableGiven the many areas of conflict still awaitingresolution, the outcome of the peace talksremains problematic.[+] arguale, debatable, disputable, moot

898 prodigal a. prod<pro(=forth)+ig(=drive)wasteful; too free in giving or spending;abundant; wasteful; reckless with moneyIt will take us months of strict economizing tomake up for that one prodigal shopping spree.;The prodigal son squandered his inheritance.[+] extravagant, lavish, profuse

899 prodigious a. prod<pro(=before)+ig<ag(=saying)enormous; surprisingly great; beyond what isordinary; wonderful; marvelous; enormousCan you imagine what a prodigious amount ofresearch was needed for a book such asSandburg's biography of Lincoln?; He marveledat her prodigious appetite when he saw all thefood she ate.[+] colossal, gigantic, huge, mammoth, titanic;[-] slight

900 prodigy n.highly gifted child; marvelMenuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders onhis violin when he was barely eight years old.[+] miracle

901 profligate n.a. pro(=forward)+flig(=drive)+ate(=make)profligate person; shamelessly immoral;reckless, extravagant; dissipated; wasteful;licentiousHe was so profligate with his inheritance thathe consumed in a few years the fortune it hadtaken his parents a lifetime to accumulate.; Inthis profligate company, she lost all sense ofdecency.[+] extravagant, wasteful; dissolute, wanton

902 profusion n.lavish expenditure; overabundant conditionSeldom have I seen food and drink served insuch profusion as at the wedding feast.[+] extravagance; plethora, superfluity, surplus

903 progeny n.children; offspringHe was proud of his progeny but regardedGeorge as the most promising of all hischildren.[+] descendants, posterity, scions

904 prognosis n.forecasted course of a disease; predictionIf the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patientwill be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.[+] forecast, prophecy

905 prolific a. pro(=forth)+l<al(=nourish)producing many young or much fruit; turningout many products of the mind; fruitfl;abounding; abundantly fruitfulIn spite of his long and prolific career, hisreputation today rests entirely on one greatplay.; She was a prolific writer and wrote asmany as three books a year.[+] fecund, fertile, productive

906 propagate v.multiply; spreadI am sure disease must propagate in suchunsanitary and crowded areas.[+] generate, multiply, reproduce; circulate,diffuse, disperse, disseminate, distribute; [-] failto multiply

907 propensity n. pro(=forth)+pens(=hang, weigh)a natural inclination or tendencyYour propensity for spending more than youcan affird will lead to only oneresult-bankruptcy!; I dislike your propensity tobelittle every contribution she makes to ourorganization.[+] disposition, inclination, penchant,predisposition, proclivity, tendency

908 propinquity n.nearness; kinshipTheir relationship could not be explained asbeing based on mere propinquity; they weremore than relatives; they were true friends.[+] proximity

909 propitiate v. pro(=before)+pit<pet(=seek)+i(=s.e.)+ate(=make)do something to take away the anger of;appeaseThose religious ceremonies are intended toprotect the tribe against disasters bypropitiating the gods who control naturalphenomena.; The natives offered sacrifices topropitiate the gods.[+] assuage, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate;[-] incense; [-] antagonize

910 propitious a. pro(=before, forward)+pit<pet(=seek)favorable; well-disposed; kindlyWhen I entered his office and observed that heseemed to be in a good mood, I felt that thismight be a propitious time to ask for a rise.; Ithink it is advisable that we wait for a morepropitious occasion to announce our plans; thisis not a goodtime.[+] auspicious, opportune




911 prosaic a.commonplace; dullI do not like this author because he is sounimaginative and prosaic.[+] tiresome, unimaginative

912 proscribe v. pro(=before)+scrib(=write)forbid someone to do something; put outsidethe protection of the law; force someone to goaway; ostracize; banish; outlawLaws against slander and libel have their place,but they must never be used to proscribecriticism of public officials.; Antony, Octavius,and Lepidus proscribed all those who hadconspired against Julius Caesar.[+] exile, expatriate; ban, forbid, interdict,prohibit; [-] sanction

913 proselytize v.convert to a religion or beliefIn these interfaith meetings, there must be noattempt to proselytize; we must respect allpoints of view.[+] change

914 protocol n. col(=glue)first ro original draft of an agreement, signed bythese making it; code of behavior, etiquette aspracticed on diplomatic occasions; diplomaticetiquetteForeign service officers and their spouse mustlearn the rules of protocol .; We must run thisstate dinner according to protocol if we are toavoid offending any of our guests.

915 provident a.displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing foremergenciesIn his usual provident manner, he had insuredhimself against this type of loss.[+] canny, chary, economical, frugal

916 proviso n.stipulationI am ready to accept your proposal with theproviso that you meet your obligations within thenext two weeks.[+] condition, provision

917 provocative a.serving or tending to provoke, excite, orstimulate; stimulating discussion or excitingcontroversy; exciting sexual desire

918 pseudonym n. onym(=name)name taken, especially by author, instead of hisreal name; pen nameHe used a woman's psudonym for the Gothicromance.; Samuel Clemen's pseudonym wasMark Twain.[+] alias

919 puerile a.childishHis puerile pranks sometimes offended hismore mature friends.[+] immature

920 pundit n.learned Hindu; any learned man; authority on asubjectEven though he discourses on the matter like apundit, he is actually rather ignorant about thistopic.

921 pungency n.sharpness; stinging qualitythe pungency of the cigarette smoke mademecough.[+] piquancy, poignancy, sourness; [-]blandness

922 pungent a.stinging; causticThe pungency of the cigarette smoke made mecough.[+] piquant, poignancy, sour

923 purloin v.stealIn the story, "The Purloined Letter," Poe pointsout that the best hiding place is often the mostobvious place.[+] filch

924 purview n. pur<pro(=forth)+view(=look)range of operation or activity; range of sight orunderstanding; the body and scope of an act orbillUnder the American system of personal liberty,there are many aspects of everyday living thatdo not come under the purview of anygovernmental authority.; The sociologicalimplications of these inventions are beyond thepurview of this book.[+] compass, extent, range

925 quaff v.drink with relishAs we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gaysongs of the students in the tavern.cf. sip

926 quagmire n.bog; marshOur soldiers who served in Vietnam will neverforget the drudgery of marching through thequagmires of the delta country.[+] marshland

927 qualified a.limited; restrictedUnble to give the candidate full support, themayor gave him only a qualified endorsement.[+] circumscribed, definite, determined;competent, opposite

928 qualify v.to endow or furnish with requisite ability,character, knowledge, skill, or possessionsShe is well qualified for teaching music.

929 qualm n.a fit of nausea

930 quandary n.dilemmaWhen the two colleges to which he had appliedaccepted him, he was in a quandary as towhich one he should attend.[+] bewilderment, perplexity; [-] state ofcomplete certainty

931 quiescent a.at rest; dormantAfter this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescentfor twenty-four hours.[+] latent, abeyant, potential

932 quintessence n.purest and highest embodimentNoel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit.[+] essence, substance

933 quirk n.startling twist; capriceBy a quirk of fate, he found himself working forthe man whom he had discharged years before.[+] eccentricity, peculiarity

934 quixotic a.idealistic but impracticalHis head is in the clouds; he is constantlypresenting these quixotic schemes.[+] ant. practical

935 quizzical a.bantering; comical; humorously seriousWill Rogers' quizzical remarks endeared him tohis audiences.[+] droll, ludicrous

936 rabid a.like a fanatic; furiousHe was a rabid follower of the Dodgers andwatched them play whenever he could go to theball park.[+] frantic, frenetic, frenzied; a rabid dog a rabidrabbit




937 ramification n.branching out; subdivisionWe must examine all the ramifications of thisproblem.[+] divergence

938 rampant a.rearing up on hind legs; unrestrainedThe rampant weeds in the garden killed all theflowers which had been planted in the spring.[+] pandemic, prevailing, prevalent, widespread

939 rampart n.defensive mound of earth"From the ramparts we watched" as the fightingcontinued.[+] parapet

940 rancid a.having the odor of stale fatA rancid odor filled the ship's galley.[+] malodorous, fetid, putrid, noisome

941 rancor n.bitterness; hatredLet us forget our rancor and cooperate in thisnew endeavor.[+] enmity, animosity, animus, antagonism,antipathy, hostility

942 rant v.rave; speak bombasticallyAs we heard him rant on the platform, we couldnot understand his strange popularity with manypeople.[+] rave

943 rationalize v.reason; justify an improper actDo not try to rationalize your behavior byblaming your companions.[+] justify

944 raucous a.harsh and shrillHis raucous laughter irritated me and grated onmy ears.[+] strident

945 raze v.destroy completelyThe owners intended to raze the hotel and erectan office building on the site.

946 realm n.kingdom; sphereThe realm of possibilities for the new inventionwas endless.[+] empire; compass, extent, purview, scope

947 rebuff v.snub; beat backShe rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that hedid not realize he had been snubbed.[-] welcome

948 recalcitrant a.obstinately stubbornDonkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrantof animals.[+] unruly, fractious, intractable, untoward; [-]amenable

949 recant v. re(=back, away)+cant(=sing)withdraw or renounce beliefs, statement, etc. ina formal or public manner; repudiate; withdrawprevious statementWhat a mockery it is for intellectuals, terrorizedby a dictatorship, to recant publicly the ideasand ideals on which they have based theirlives!; Unless you recant your confession, youwill be punished severely.[-] affirm

950 recession n.withdrawl; retreatThe recession of the troops from the combatarea was completed in an orderly manner.[+] retreat, setback; cf. cession

951 recidivism n.habitual return to crimePrison reformers in the United States aredisturbed by the high rate of recidivism; thenumber of men serving second and third termsin prison indicates the failure of the prisons torehabilitate the inmates.

952 reciprocal a.mutual; exchangeable; interactingThe two nations signed a reciprocal tradeagreement.

953 reciprocate v. re(=back)+ci(=s.e.)+pro(=forward)+c(=s.e.)+ate(=make)give and recieve, each to and from each; causeto move backwards and forwards in a straightline; repay in kindCan you blame me for being bitter when asupposed friend reciprocated my confidencewith betrayal and slander?; If they attack us, weshall be compelled to reciprocate and bombtheir territory.[+] recompense, requite, retaliate

954 recluse n.a. re(=back)+clus(=shut)person who lives alone and avoids other people;shut away from the world; hermitDo you understand how someone can live as arecluse even in the midst of a great city?; Therecluse lived in a hut in the forest.[+] solitary

955 recondite a.abstruse; profound; secretHe read many recondite books in order to obtainthe material for his scholarly thesis.[+] esoteric; [-] widely understood

956 recumbent a. re(=back)+cumb(=lie)lying down; idle; reclining; lying downcompletely or in partComfortably recumbent in the shade of theelm tree, I watched the eager candidates for thefootball team in their hard, sweaty workout.; Thecommand "AT EASE" does not permit you totake a recumbent position.cf. incumbent; [-] standing up

957 recusant n.person who refuses to complyIn that religious community, the recusant wasshunned as a pariah.

958 redolent a. red<re(=intensive)+ol(=smell)having a strong smell; reminiscent; fragrant;odorous; suggestive of an odorEven today after so many years, I find that anordinary chocolate bar is redolent of longSaturday afternoons spent watching doublefeatures at the Bijou Theater.; Even though it isFebruary, the air is redolent of spring.[+] aromatic, odoriferous, perfumed

959 redoubtable a. re(=intensive)+doub<dob(=uncertain)to be feared; formidable; formidable; causingfearShe is such a redoubtable foe of the tritephrase that her students tremble lest her wrathdescend on them for using an overworkedexpression.; The neighboring countries tried notto offend the Russians because they could beredoubtable foes.[+] appalling, awful, dreadful, terrible; [-]unimpressive




960 redundant a. red<re(=back, again)+und(=wave)superfluous; superfluous; excessively wordy;repetitiousWhen he demanded that I immediately "returnback" the money I owed him, I found him notmerely unpleasant but redundant .; Yourcomposition is redundant; you can easilyreduce its length.[+] superfluous, supernumerary; prolix, verbose;[-] economical

961 refractory a. re(=again)+fract(=break)resisting control, discipline, etc. wilful; notyielding to treatment; hard to melt, fuse or work;stubborn; unmanageableSince they had always been reasonablywell-behaved, I was taken completely unawaresby their refractory behavior.; The refractoryhorse was eliminated from the race when herefused to obey the jockey.[+] obstinate, perverse

962 refute v.disproveThe defense called several respectablewitnesses who were able to refute the falsetestimony of the prosecution's only witness.[+] controvert, disprove, rebut; [-] prove

963 regal a. reg(=rule)+al(=nature of)of a king,royal; characteristic of aking,splendid,stately,magnificent,etc.The "big shot" behaving with almost regaldignity turned out to be Johnny Novak, myclassmate from the 5th grade.; Prince Alberthad a regal manner.[+] majestic, splendid, stately

964 reiterate v. re(=again)+it(=go)say or do again several times; repeatWhat a bore to hear the same silly advertisingslogans reiterated endlessly on TV programs!;I shall reiterate this message until all haveunderstood it.[+] iterate

965 relegate v. re(=back)+leg(=send)send someone to a lower position or grade;hand over a matter for decision or carrying out;banish; consign to inferior positionWhen Mr. Kummer saw my pathetically ineptefforts to prepare a banana split, I wasrelegated to the ranks of the unemployed.; Ifwe relegate these experienced people topositions of unimportance because of theirpolitical persuasions, we shall lose the servicesof valuably trained personnel.[+] exile, expatriate, expel, ostracize

966 relevant a. re(=again)+lev(=lift, light)closely connected with what is happening,being discussed, done, etc.; to the pointThe defense attorney has told you about thedefendant's unhappy childhood, but how is thisrelevant to the question of innocence or guilt?[-] immaterial

967 relinquish v.abandonI will relinquish my claims to this property if youpromise to retain my employees.[+] cede, waive, resign

968 reminiscence n.recollectionHer reminiscences of her experiences are sofascination that she ought to write a book.[+] retrospection, remembrance

969 remonstrate v. re(=again, against)+monstr(=show)say or plead in protest, objection, complaints,etc.Since he seems to have no moral standardswhatsoever, it would probably be futile toremonstrate with him about his outrageousbehavior.; I must remonstrate about the lack ofpolice protection in this area.[+] resist, withstand

970 renascence n.the revival of learning and culture

971 renaissance n.the revival of letters, and then of art, whichmarks the transition from medieval to moderntime

972 render v. ren<re(=back)+der<dit(=give)cause someone or something to be or become;give in return or exchange; present, send in;give a performance of; express in anotherlanguge; deliver; provide; representThat monologue about the pretty young teacheron her first day in shcool rendered mehelpless with laughter.; He rendered aid to theneedy and indigent.[+] furnish, supply; delineate, depict, describe,limn, portray

973 rendition n.translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc.The audience cheered enthusiastically as shecompleted her rendition of the aria.[+] interpretation, version

974 repertoire n.list of works of music, drama, etc., a performeris prepared to preseThe opera company decided to include"Madame Butterfly" in its repertoire for thefollowing season.

975 replica n. re(=again)+plic(=fold)a reproduction or copy of a work of art,especially a copy by the maker of the original;facsimileInstead of working so hard to prepare replicasof famous works of art, why don't you try tocreat something original?; Are you going tohang this replica of the Declaration ofindependence in the classroom or in theauditorium?[+] duplicate, facsimile, replication

976 reprehend v.express strong disapproval of

977 reprehensible a. re(=back, against)+prehens(=take)deserving to be blamed; deserving blameI don't know which was more reprehensible-making improper use of the money or lyingabout it later.; Your vicious conduct in thissituation is reprehensible.[+] blameworthy, blamable, censurable,culpable; v. reprehend

978 reprieve n.v. re(=back)+priev<prehend(=take)postponement or remission of punishment,especially by death; delay or respite; postponeor delay punishment; give relief for a short timefrom danger, trouble, etc.; temporary stayOnly by admitting your fault and trying to makeup for the damage you have done can youobtain a reprieve from the pangs ofconscience.; During the twenty-four-hourreprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay ofexecution permanent.[+] respite

979 reprobate n.person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense ofdecencyI cannot understand why he has so manyadmirers if he is the reprobate you say he is.[+] profligate, libertine; cf. elect




980 repudiate v. re(=back, away)+pud(=ashamed)disown; say that one will have nothing more todo with; refuse to accept or acknowledge;refuse to pay an obligation or dept; disown;disavowTo limit the free expression of unpopular ideasis to repudiate the basic siprit of the Bill ofRights.; He announced that he would repudiateall debts incurred by his wife.[+] disclaim

981 repugnant a. re(=back, against)+pugn(=fight)distasteful; causing a feeling of dislike oroppositionThe expression of satisfaction that come overhis face when he talks of the failure of otherpeople is highly repugnant to me.

982 rescind v. re(=back, away)+scind(=cut)repeal, annul, or cancel a law, contract, etc.Because of the incidents that occurred duringhazing week, the school may rescind the rulesthat allow fraternity initiations.; Because ofpublic resentment, the king had to rescind hisorder.

983 resigned a.unresisting; patiently submissiveBob Cratchit was too resigned to hisdowntrodden existence to protest whenScrooge bullied him.[+] acquiescent, yielding

984 resolution n. re(=intensive)+solu<solv(=loosen)fixed determination; formal expression ofopinion by a legislative body or a publicmeeting; solution of a doubt, question, discord,etc.; process of separating into constituentsIn our campaign to solve the energy problem,we must depend on the understanding,patriotism, and resolution of the Americanpeople.; Nothing could shake his resolution tosucced despite all difficuties.[+] decision, firmness, resolve

985 resolve n.v.determinationNothing coold shake his resolve that hischildren would get the best education thatmoney could buy.[+] decision, determination, firmness,resolution

986 resonant a.echoing; resounding; possessing resonanceHis resonant voice was particularly pleasing.[+] orotund, rotund, sonorous

987 respite n. re(=back, away)+spi(=look)time of relief or rest from toil, suffering, anythingunpleasant; postponement or delay permitted inthe suffering of or the discharge of anobligation; reprieve; delay in punishment;interval of relief; restAfter we had been playing our best rock recordsfor several hours, mother entered the room andbegged for some respite .; The judge grantedthe condemned man a respite to enable hisattorneys to file an appeal.[+] intermission, pause, reprieve

988 resplendent a. re(=intensive)+splend(=shine)very bright; splendid; brilliant; lustrousThe talents which had seemed so resplendentin their youth now struk us as unimpressive andeven pathetic.; The toreador wore a resplendentcostume.[+] splendid

989 resurgent a.rising again after defeat, etc.The resurgent nation surprised everyone by itsquick recovery after total defeat.[+] resurrectional

990 reticent a. re(=intensive)+tic<tac(=silent)not saying all that is known or felt; in the habit ofsaving little; reserved; uncommunicative,inclined to silenceWhy should he be so talkative about mostthings but so reticent about his own personalbackground.; Hughes preferred reticentemployees to loquacious ones, noting that theformers' dislike of idle chatter might ensurediscretion about his affairs.[+] tacitum

991 retroaction n.

992 reverent a.respectfulHis reverent attitude was appropriate in a houseof worship.[+] deferential

993 reverie n.daydream; musingHe was awakened from his reverie by theteacher's question.cf. revelry

994 revile v. re(=back)+vil(=cheap)swear at, abuse; slander; vilifyInstead of recognizing that he caused his ownfailure, he continues to revile all the peoplewho were "unfair" to him.; He was avoided by allwho feared that he would revile and abuse themif they displeased him.[+] calumniate, defame, libel, malign, traduce;cf. vile

995 rhetorical a.pertaining to effective communication; insincerein languageTo win his audience, the speaker used everyrhetorical trick in the book.[+] bombastic, euphuistic, grandiloquent,magniloquent, pompous

996 ribald a.wanton; profaneHe sang a ribald song that offended many ofthe more prudish listeners.[+] blasphemous, dissolute;

997 rigor n.severityMany settlers could not stand the rigors of theNew England winters.[+] asperity, austerity, sternness

998 risible a.inclined to laugh; ludicrousHis remarks were so risible that the audiencehowled with laughter.[+] comical, droll

999 rivet n.v.circular rounded protuberance (as on a vault orshield or belt); focus one's attention onsomething; fasten with a rivet or rivets

1000 riveting a.capable of arousing and holding the attention

1001 roseate a.rosy; optimisticI am afraid you will have to alter your roseateviews in the light of the distressing news thathas just arrived.[+] promising

1002 rote n.repetitionHe recited the passage by rote and gave noindication he understood what he was saying.cf. mote;by rote

1003 rotundity n.roundness; sonorousness of speechWashington Irving emphasized the rotundity ofthe governor by describing his height andcircumference.[+] orotund




1004 rudimentary a.not developed; elementaryHis dancing was limited to a few rudimentarysteps.[+] basal, embryonic

1005 ruminate v.chew the cud; ponderWe cannot afford to wait while you ruminateupon these plans.[+] reflect, meditate, cogitate, deliberate, muse,ponder

1006 rummage v.ransack; thoroughly searchWhen we rummaged through the trunks in theattic, we found many souvenirs of our childhooddays.

1007 saga n.scandinavian myth; any legendThis is a saga of the sea and the men who risktheir lives on it.[+] edda

1008 sagacious a.keen; shrewd; having insightHe is much too sagacious to be fooled by a tricklike that.[+] sage, discerning, insightful, judicious,perceptive

1009 salient n.a. sal(=leap, salt)+i(=s.e.)+ent(=having thequality of)salient angle; forward wedge driven into theenemy's battle front; outstanding, prominent,easily noticed; pointing outwardsThe long Allied struggle to push back thesalient that the Nazis had created in Belgium in1944 is popularly known as "The Battle of theBulge."; One of the salient features of thatnewspaper is its excellent editorial page.[+] conspicuous, noticeable, outstanding,remarkable

1010 salubrious a.healthfulMany people with hay fever move to moresalubrious sections of the country during themonths of August and September.[+] wholesome; [-] unhealthy

1011 salutatory n.the opening oration at the commemcement inAmerican colleges

1012 salvage n.v. salv(=safe)+age(=act)the rescue of a ship and cargo at sea from perilsuch as fire, shipwreck, etc.; cargo, property, orship saved; payment given to those who saveproperty; <saving of> waste material that can beused again after being processed; save fromloss, fire, wreck, etc.; rescue from lossIs it too much to expect that I will be able tosalvage a few shreds of self-respect from myhumiliating failure?; All attempts to salvage thewrecked ship failed.[+] rescue, retrieve

1013 sanction v.approve; ratifyNothing will convince me to sanction theengagement of my daughter to such aworthless young man.[+] authorize, certify

1014 sanguine a. sangu(=blood)hopeful; optimistic; having a red complexion;cheerful; hopefulThe nurse changed his sanguine bandage.;Let us not be too sanguine about the outcome;something could go wrong.[+] optimistic

1015 sapid a.savory; tasty; relishableThis chef has the knack of making most foodsmore sapid and appealing.

1016 sardonic a.disdainful; sarcastic; cynicalThe sardonic humor of nightclub comedianswho satirize or ridicule patrons in the audiencestrikes some people as amusing and others asrude.[+] mocking, derisive, scornful, sneering

1017 satiric a.resembling poetry, in which vice, incapacity,orcorruption is held up to ridicule

1018 saturate v.soakTheir clothes were saturated by the rain.[+] drench, imbue

1019 saturnine a.gloomyDo not be misled by his saturnine countenance;he is not as gloomy as he looks.

1020 saunter v.stroll slowlyas we sauntered through the park, we stoppedfrequently to admire the spring flowers.

1021 savant n.scholarOur faculty includes many world-famoussavants.[-] unlearned person

1022 savor v.have a distinctive flavor, smell, or qualityI think your choice of a successor savor offavoritism.[+] relish

1023 scapegoat n.someone who bears the blame for othersAfter the Challenger disaster, NASA searchedfor scapegoats on whom they could cast teblame.[+] victim

1024 schism n.division; splitLet us not widen the schism by furtherbickering.[+] rupture, disintegration; cf. chasm

1025 scourge n.lash; whip; severe punishmentThey feared the plague and regarded it as adeadly scourge.[+] plague

1026 scrupulous a.conscientious; extremely thoroughI can recommend him for a position ofresponsibility for I have found him a veryscrupulous young man.[+] fussy, heedful, meticulous, punctilious

1027 scurrilous a.obscene; indecentYour scurrilous remarks are especially offensivebecause they are untrue.[+] abusive, vituperative

1028 secular a.worldly; not pertaining to church matters;temporalThe church leaders decided not o interfere insecular matters.[+] earthly, secular, temporal

1029 sedentary a. sed(=sit)+ent(=quality)+ary(=relating to)done sitting down at a desk, etc.; spendingmuch of thier time seated; requiring sittingDuring the war, soldiers assigned to desk jobswere sometimes called sarcastically the"chairbound infantry" or "the sedentarycommandos".; Because he had a sedentaryoccupation, he decided to visit a gymnasiumweekly.

1030 sedulous a.diligentThe young woman was so sedulous that shereceived a commendation for her hard work.[+] assiduous, industrious; [-] careless




1031 seethe v.be disturbed; boilThe nation was seething with discontent as thenoblemen continued their arrogant ways.[+] ferment, stir

1032 serendipity n.gift for finding valuable things not searched forMany scientific discoveries are a matter ofserendipity.

1033 serrated a.having a sawtoothed edgeThe beech tree is one of many plants that haveserrated leaves.[+] saw-edged; [-] smooth; [-] without notches

1034 servile a. serv(=serve)+ile(=capable of)of or like a slave; lacking in the spirit ofindependence; obsequious; slavish; cringingA President needs people who will tell himfrankly when they think he is wrong, rather thanjust offer servile approval of everything hesays.; Uriah Heep was a very servile individual.[+] menial, obsequious, subservient

1035 shard n.fragment, generally of potteryThe archaeologist assigned several studentsthe task of reassembling earthenware vesselsfrom the shards he had brought back from theexpedition.

1036 shoal n.shallow placeThe ship was stranded on a shoal and had tobe pulled off by tugs.[+] shallow

1037 shoddy a.of poor quality; made to seem better than it is;sham; not genuine; inferiorThe record player looked impressive, but itsconstruction was so shoddy that within a fewmonths it seemed to be falling apart.; You willnever get the public to buy such shoddymaterial.[+] shabby

1038 sinuous a.winding; bending in and out; not morally honestThe snake moved in a sinuous manner.[+] convoluted, meandering, tortuous

1039 skeptic n.doubterIn this matter, I am a skeptic; I want proof.[+] unbeliever

1040 skulk v.move furtively and secretlyHe skulked through the less fashionablesections of the city in order to avoid meetingany of his former friends.[+] sneak

1041 sloth n.laziness; slow-moving tree dwelling mammalNote how well the somewhat greenish coat ofthe sloth enables it to blend in with its arborealsurrounding.(secondary meaning); Such slothin a young person is deplorable; go to work![+] indolence, sluggishness

1042 slovenly a.of or like a sloven; untidy; careless in workhabitsIsn't it strange that a young woman who willspend hours making sure that she looks "justright" for a date is often so slovenly at othertimes?; Such slovenly work habits will neverproduce good products.[+] disheveled, unkempt

1043 sojourn n.temporary stayAfter his sojourn in Florida, he began to long forher colder climate of his native New Englandhome.

1044 solicit v.make a solicitation or entreaty for something;request urgently; make amorous advancestowards; offer one's body for sex in return formoney

1045 soliloquy n.talking to oneselfThe soliloquy is a device by the dramatist toreveal a character's innermost thoughts andemotions.[+] monologue

1046 sophistry n.seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoningInstead of advancing valid arguments, he triedto overwhelm his audience with a flood ofsophistries.[+] casuistry, speciousness

1047 soporific n.sleep producerI do not need a sedative when I listen to one ofhis soporific speeches.[+] somnolent, somnorific; [-] stimulant

1048 sordid a.filthy; base; vileThe social worker was angered by the sordidhousing provided for the homeless.[+] squalid; despicable, servile

1049 specious a. spec(=look)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having the qualityof)seeming right or true, but not really so;seemingly reasonable but incorrectWe are mostly likely to fall victim to speciousreasoning when we have an emotional desire tobelieve what we are being told.; Let us not bemisled by such specious arguments.[+] casuistic; [-] valid

1050 spendthrift n.someone who spends moneyprodigallyRecklessly wasteful

1051 splenetic a.spiteful; irritable; peevishPeople shunned him because of his splenetictemper.[+] fretful, petulant, testy, touchy

1052 sporadic a.occurring irregularlyAlthough there are sporadic outbursts ofshooting, we may report that the major rebellionhas been defeated.

1053 spurious a.false; counterfeitShe tried to pay the check with a spuriousten-dollar bill.cf. spur

1054 squalid a.dirty; neglected; poorIt is easy to see how crime can breed in such asqualid neighborhood.[+] filthy; despicable, ignoble, vile; [-] pristine

1055 stagnant a.motionless; stale; dullThe stagnant water was a breeding ground fordisease.[+] v. stagnate

1056 staid a.sober; sedateHer conduct during the funeral ceremony wasstaid and solemn.[+] grave, sedate, solemn

1057 stamina n.strength; staying powerI doubt that she has the stamina to run the fulldistance of the marathon race.[+] vigor, vitality

1058 stanch v.check flow of bloodIt is imperative that we stanch the gushingwound before we attend to the other injuries.[+] check, stem

1059 sterile a.having no reproductive power




1060 stigma n.token of disgrace; brandI do not attach any stigma to the fact that youwere accused of this crime; the fact that youwere acquitted clears you completely.[+] besmirchment, disfigurement, disgrace,dishonor, taint

1061 stigmatize v. stig(=to prick, to mark)describe somebody scornfully; brand; mark aswickedHave we reached the stage where anyone whorefuses to go along with the majority opinion isto be stigmatized as a malcontent and aradical?; I do not want to stigmatize this youngoffender for life by sending her to prison.[+] denounce, vilify

1062 stint n.supply; allotted amount; assigned portion ofworkHe performed his daily stint cheerfully andwillingly.

1063 stipend n.pay for servicesThere is a nominal stipend for this position.[+] emolument

1064 stipulate v. stip(=press together)+ul(=s.e.)+ate(=make)state or put forward as a necessary condition;insist upon as part of an agreement; makeexpress conditions; specifyIf the contract was framed by a good lawyer, itwill stipulate exactly when, where, and howpayment is to be made.; Before agreeing toreduce American military forces in Europe, thepresident stipulated that NATO teams beallowed to inspect Soviet bases.[+] designate, detail, specificate

1065 stoic n.person who is indifferent to pleasure or painThe doctor called her patient a stoic becausehe had borne the pain of the examinationwithout whimpering.[+] epicurean

1066 stolid a.dull; impassiveThe earthquake shattered his usual stolidity;trembling, he crouched on the no longer stableground.[-] excitable

1067 striated a.marked with parallel bandsThe glacier left many striated rocks.

1068 strident a.loud and harshShe scolded him in a strident voice.[+] raucous

1069 strut n.pompous walk; supporting barHis strut as he marched about the paradeground revealed him for what he was : apompous buffoon.; The engineer calculated thatthe strut supporting the rafter needed to bereinforced.[+] prop

1070 stupor n. stup(=dumb-struck)almost unconscious condition caused by shock,drugs, alcohol, etc.; state of apathy; daze; lackof awarenessThe pain-killer kept him in a dreamlike stupor .;In his stupor, the addict was unaware of theevents taking place around him.[+] coma, lethargy, torpor

1071 stymie v.present an obstacle; stumpThe detective was stymied by the contradictoryevidence in the robbery investigation.[+] hinder, impede, obstruct; [-] foster

1072 suave a.smooth; blandHe is particularly good in roles that requiresuavity and sophistication.[+] refinement

1073 subjugate v.conquer; bring under controlIt is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we areinterested only in establishing peacefulrelations.

1074 subside v.settle down; descend; grow quietThe doctor assured us that the fever wouldeventually subside.[+] abate, slacken, wane

1075 subsidiary n.a. sub(=under)+sid(=sit)subsidiary company; serving as a help orsupport but not of first importance; subordinate;secondaryThe responsibility to the general public on thepart of these corporations and theirsubsidiaries is not lessened by the fact thatthey pay heavy taxes.; This information may beused as subsidiary evidence but is notsufficient by itself to prove your argument.[+] accessory, ancillary, appurtenant, auxiliary

1076 substantiate v.verify; supportI intend to substantiate my statement byproducing witness.[+] authenticate, confirm, corroborate, validate

1077 substantive a.essential; pertaining to the substanceAlthough the delegates were aware of theimportance of the problem, they could not agreeon the substantive issues.[+] cardinal, substantial; [-] trival

1078 subtlety n.nicety; cunning; guile; delicacyThe subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed bymost of his audience.[+] finess, nicety; duplicity

1079 succinct a. suc<sub(=under, precisely)+cinct(=gird,bind)terse; expressed briefly and clearly; brief; terse;compactThe reporter gave the rewrite man a succinctaccount of what had happened, and the cityeditor had it expanded into a feature story.; Hisremarks are always succinct and pointed.[+] concise, laconic, pithy

1080 succor n.aid; assistance; reliefWe shall be ever grateful for the succor youcountry gave us when we were in need.

1081 suffuse v.spread overA blush suffused her cheeks when we teasedher about her love affair.[+] overspread, pervade

1082 sullen a.showing a brooding ill humor; darkened byclouds

1083 sumptuous a. sumpt(=take, use,waste)+u(=s.e.)+ous(=full, many)costly, luxurious; magnificent, splendid; lavish;richWhat a chang-from a college dormitory to thesumptuous accommodations of a big-cityluxury hotel!; I cannot recall when I have hadsuch a sumptuous thanksgiving feast.[+] luxurious; cf. sumptuary

1084 sunder v.separate; partNorthern and southern Ireland are politically andreligiously sundered.[+] cleave, dichotomize, dismember, sever




1085 sundry a.various; severalMy suspicions were aroused when I readsundry items in the newspapers about yourbehavior.[+] multifarious, multitudinal, numerous

1086 superfluous a.excessive; overabundant; unnecessaryPlease try not to include so many superfluousdetails in your report; just give me the barefacts.[+] supernumerary

1087 supplant v. sup<sub(=under, in place of)+plant(=plant)take the place of ; take the place of someone,especially after getting him out of office;replace; usurpI know that love is fickle, but I never expected tobe supplnted in her affections by a crumb likeDanny Orr.; Ferdinand Marcos was supplantedby Corazon Aquino as president of thePhilippines.[+] displace, supersede

1088 suppliant a.entreating; beseechingHe could not resist the dog's suppliantwhimpering, and he gave it some food.[+] supplicatory; cf. supplant

1089 supposition n. sup<sub(=under)+pos(=put)supposing; guess; hypothesis; hypothesis;surmiseYou may be right in your belief that Jan won't letus use her car, but remember that this is stillonly a supposition .; I based my decision toconfide in him on the supposition that he wouldbe discreet.[+] assumption, conjecture, postulation,presumption, speculation, theory; [-] certainty

1090 surfeit n.v. sur(=over, excessive)+feit<fect(=do, make)too much of anything, especially food and drink;[cause to]take too much of anything; cloy;overfeedI have had my surfeit of excuses andevasions; now I want action!; I am surfeited withthe sentimentality of the average motion picturefilm.[+] glut, gorge, sate satiate; [-] famish

1091 surmise n.v. sur(=over)+mis(=send)guess; conjectureI offered that explanation as a mere surmise ,but to my surprise, it was generally accepted asan established truth.; I surmise that he will belate for this meeting.[+] conjecture, suppose

1092 surreptitious a. sur<sub(=under)+rep<rap(=take)done,got made, etc.in a secret,stealthyway,clandestineIf, as they claim, they were not aware of theillegal character of their undertaking, why didthey plan it in a surreptitious way.; News oftheir surreptitious meeting gradually leaked out.[+] clandestine, covert, furtive, stealthy,sub-rosa

1093 swathe v.wrap around; bandageWhen I visited him in the hospital, I found himswathed in bandages.[+] enwrap, wrap

1094 sycophant n.a servile flatterer, especially of those in authorityor influence

1095 syllogism n. log(=speech)a formal argument with a major and minorpremise and a conclusion; logical formulautilizing a major premise, a minor premise and aconc"All Romans are Italians, all Italians areEuropeans; therefore, all Romans areEuropeans" is an example of a syllogism .;There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; Icannot accept the conclusion.

1096 synthesis n. thes(=to place)a combination of parts to form a whole;combining parts into a wholeThis bill is a synthesis of the work of severalsenators.; Now that we have succeeded inisolating this drug, our next problem is to planits synthesis in the laboratory.

1097 tacit a.understood; not put into wordsWe have a tacit agreement based on only ahandshake.[+] alluded, implicit, intimated; silent,unexpressed, unuttered; [-] explicit

1098 taciturn a.habitually silent; talking littleNew Englanders are reputedly taciturn people[+] reserved, reticent

1099 tantalize v. tantal(=<King> Tantalus)keep just out of reach something that somebodydesires; raise hopes that cannot be realized;tease; torture with disappointmentHow can you be so cruel as to tantalize thepoor dog by offering him tidbits that you willnever let him have?; Tom loved to tantalize hisyounger brother.

1100 taut a.tight; readyThe captain maintained that he ran a taut ship.[+] tense

1101 tawdry a.cheap and gaudyHe won a few tawdry trinkets in Coney Island.[+] meretricious

1102 teem v.to be full to overflowing

1103 temerity n.boldness; rashnessDo you have the temerity to argue with me?[+] audacity, foolhardiness, heedlessness,recklessness, precipitateness

1104 temperament n. temper(=stretch)person's disposition or natureWe do not, indeed, know the exact relationshipof our physical to our mental being, the extent towhich our bodily condition causes ourtemperament or the exact process by which thebrain makes the intangible thing called thought.

1105 tenacious a.holding fastI had to struggle to break his tenacious hold onmy arm.[+] adhesive, cohesive

1106 tenacity n.firmness; persistency; adhesivenessIt is extremely difficult to overcome the tenacityof a habit such as smoking[+] obstinacy, pertinacity

1107 tenet n.doctrine; dogmaThe agnostic did not accept the tenets of theirfaith.[+] credo, creed




1108 tepid a.lukewarmDuring the summer, I like to take a tepid bath,not a hot one.cf. sapid, insipid, vapid, torpid

1109 termagant n.shrew; scolding, brawling woman"The Taming of the Shrew" is one of manystories of the methods used in changing atermagant into a demure lady.[+] virago

1110 terrestrial a.on the earthWe have been able to explore the terrestrialregions much more thoroughly than the aquaticor celestial regions.[+] earthy

1111 terse a.concise; abrupt; pithyI admire his terse style of writing; he comesdirectly to the point.[+] laconic, succinct

1112 tether v.tie with a ropeBefore we went to sleep, we tethered thehorses to prevents their wandering off duringthe night.[+] bridle, pinion

1113 thrall n.slave; bondageThe captured soldier was held in thrall by theconquering army.[+] enslavement

1114 throe n.extreme struggling anguish

1115 thwart v.baffle; frustrateHe felt that everyone was trying to thwart hisplans and prevent his success.[+] balk, circumvent, foil

1116 timbre n.quality of a musical tone produced by a musicalinstrumentWe identify the instrument producing a musicalsound by its timbre.[+] tone

1117 timorous a.fearful; demonstrating fearHis timorous manner betrayed the fear he felt atthe moment.[+] cowardly, timid; [-] intrepid

1118 torpid a.dormant; dull; lethargicThe torpid bear had just come out of his caveafter his long hibernation.[+] n. torpor (= coma, languor, lassitude,stolidity, stupor, torpidity)

1119 torpor n.lethargy; sluggishness; dormancyNothing seemed to arouse him from his torpor;he had wholly surrendered himself to lethargy.[+] coma, languor, lassitude, stolidity, stupor,torpidity; [-] vigor

1120 torque n.twisiting force; force producing rotationWith her wrench she applied sufficient torqueto the nut to loosen it.

1121 torturous a.marked by extreme suffering

1122 toxic a.poisonousWe must seek an antidote for whatever toxicsubstance he has eaten.[+] virulent; n. toxicity

1123 tractable a.docileYou will find the children in this school verytractable and willing to learn.[+] amenable, obedient; [-] headstrong

1124 traduce v. tra<trans(=over, across)+duc(=lead)say untrue or malicious things about; slander;expose to slanderIt is one thing to oppose him vigorously in theelection; it is quite another to traduce hischaracter and his record.; His opponents triedto traduce the candidate's reputation byspreading rumors about his past.[+] asperse, calumniate, defame, denigrate,libel, malign

1125 transgression n.violation of a law; sinForgive us our transgressions; we know notwhat we do.[+] contravention, infraction, infringement,trespass

1126 transitory a.existing for a short time only

1127 transmute v. trans(=intensive)+mut(=change)change the shape, nature or substance of;change; convert to something differentThe task of education, said the speaker, is totransmute the primitive selfishness of the childinto socially useful modes of behavior.; He wasunable to transmute his dreams into actualities.[+] convert, transform

1128 transpire v. tran<trans(=through)+spir(=breathe)give off moisture or pass off vapor; becomepublic or come to be known; exhale; becomeknown; happenIn spite of all our efforts to keep the meetingsecret, news of our conclusions transpired .; Inspite of all our efforts to keep the meeting asecret, news of our conclusions transpired.[+] leak; occur

1129 travail n.painful laborHow long do you think a man can endure suchtravail and degradation without rebelling?[+] drudgery

1130 travesty n.v. tra<trans(=over, across)+vest(=dress)any treatment that makes a serious work seemridiculous; imitation or description of something;comical parody; treatment aimed at makingsomething appear ridiculousSince she knew in advance whom she wouldchoose for each role, the so-called "try-outs" forthe play were no more than a travesty .; Theridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is atravesty of justice.[+] burlesque, caricature, mimicry; [-] paragon

1131 trek v.travel; migrateThe tribe made their trek further north thatsummer in search of game.[+] peregrinate

1132 trenchant a. trench(=cut)+ant(=having the quality of)sharp; keen, penetrating, incisive; clear-cut,distinct; cutting; keenAfter the Senator's trenchant analysis, each ofus should have a clear idea of what is involvedand where we stand on the issue.; I am afraidof his trenchant wit for it is so often sarcastic.[+] biting, incisive, penetrating, piercing,poignant, pungent

1133 trepidation n.fear; trembling agitationWe must face the enemy without trepidation ifwe are to win this battle.[+] dismay, dread, horror, terror

1134 tribunal n.place of judgment; court of justiceThe prisoner appeared before the tribunal forsentencing.; The decision of the tribunal wasfinal and the prisoner was sentenced to death.[+] court, lawcourt




1135 tribute n.tax levied by a ruler; mark of respectThe colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreigndespot.[-] denunciation

1136 trite a.hackneyed; commonplaceThe trite and predictable situations in manytelevision programs alienate many viewers.[+] banal, stereotyped

1137 troth n.pledge of good faith especially in betrothalHe gave her his troth and vowed he wouldcherish her always.[+] betrothal

1138 truculence n.aggressiveness; ferocityTynan's reviews were noted for their causticattacks and general tone of truculence.[+] barbarity, brutality, cruelty, savagery

1139 tumid a.swollen; pompous; bombasticI especially dislike his tumid style; I preferwriting which is less swollen and bombastic.[+] inflated, turgid; grandiloquent, magniloquent,rhetorical

1140 tumult n.commotion; riot; noiseShe could not make herself heard over thetumult of the mob.[+] clamor, hubbub, pandemonium, turbulence,uproar

1141 turbid a.muddy; having the sediment disturbedThe water was turbid after the children hadwaded through it.

1142 turbulence n.state of violent agitationWe were frightened by the turbulence of theocean during the storm.[+] agitation, commotion, tumult, turmoil; [-]tranquility

1143 turpitude n. turp(=vile)wickedness, depravityShe was charged with moral turpitude .; Avisitor may be denied admittance to this countryif she has been guilty of moral turpitude.[+] wickedness; [-] saintly behavior

1144 tutelage n.guardianship; trainingUnder the tutelage of such masters of theinstrument, she made rapid progress as avirtuoso.[+] aegis, protection, safeguard

1145 ubiquitous a.being everywhere; omnipresentYou must be ubiquitous for I meet you whereverI go.[+] universal; [-] unique

1146 ulterior a.beyond what is first seen or said; situatedbeyond; situated beyond; unstatedHis ulterior motive was not clear even tohimself.; You must have an ulterior motive foryour behavior, since there is no obvious reasonfor it.

1147 umbrage n.resentment; anger; sense of injury or insultShe took umbrage at his remarks and stormedaway in a huff.[+] exasperation, irritation, pique, rage, wrath

1148 uncanny a.unnatural, mysterious, weird; strange;mysteriousWe listened to an uncanny sense of direction.;You have the uncanny knack of reading myinnermost thoughts.[+] occult, supernatural

1149 uncouth a.rough, awkward, not cultured; outlandish;clumsy; boorishThe handsome young man was surprisinglyuncouth at dinner.; Most biographers portrayLincoln as an uncouth and ungainly young man.[+] bizarre, eccentric, odd; coarse, crude,unrefined; discourteous, impertinent, impolite

1150 unequivocal a. equ(=same,voc(=call,voice)clear, having one only possible meaning; plain;obviousShe won his unequivocal support.; My answerto your proposal is an unequivocal and absolute"No."[+] distinct, evident, manifest, patent

1151 unfeigned a.genuine; realShe turned so pale that I am sure her surprisewas unfeigned.

1152 unruly a.not easily controlled; disorderly; disobedient;lawlessThe unruly child was expelled from school.; Theonly way to curb this unruly mob is to use teargas.[+] fractious, indocile, intractable, recalcitrant,untoward

1153 untoward a.unfortunate; annoyingUntoward circumstances prevent me frombeing with you on this festive occasion.[+] hapless, misfortunate; fractious, intractable,recalcitrant, unruly; [-] favorable and anticipated

1154 unwonted a.unaccustomedHe hesitated assume the unwonted role ofmaster of ceremonies at the dinner.[+] extraordinary, singular, uncommon, unusual

1155 urbane a.suave; refined; elegantthe courtier was urbane and sophisticated.[+] cultivated, polished

1156 usury n.lending money at illegal rates of interestThe loan shark was found guilty of usury.

1157 uxoricide n.

1158 vacillation n.fluctuation; waveringHis vacillation when confronted with a problemannoyed all of us who had to wait until he madehis decision.[+] vacillation; [-] motionless balance

1159 vacuous a.empty; inaneThe vacuous remarks of the politician annoyedthe audience, who had hoped to hear more thanempty platitudes.[+] vacant, void

1160 vagary n.caprice; whimShe followed every vagary of fashion.

1161 vantage n.position giving an advantageThey fired upon the enemy from behind trees,walls and any other point of vantage they couldfind.

1162 vaunt n.v.extravagant self-praise; extravagant self-praise

1163 vaunted a.boasted; bragged; highly publicizedThis much vaunted project proved adisappointment when it collapsed.[+] vanity; cf. flaunt




1164 vehement a.impetuous; with marked vigorHe objected vehemently to a vote taking place inthe absence of a quorum.[+] ad. vehemently; ardent, fervent, fervid,passionate

1165 venal a.capable of being bribedThe venal policeman accepted the bribe offeredhim by the speeding motorist whom he hadstopped.[+] bribable, corruptible; [-] incorruptible

1166 veneer n.thin layer; coverCasual acquaintances were deceived by hisveneer of sophistication and failed to recognizehis fundamental shallowness.

1167 venerate v.revereIn China, the people venerate their ancestors.[+] adore, worship

1168 veracious a.truthfulI can recommend him for this position becauseI have always found him veracious and reliable.[+] candid, frank, honest, ingenuous, sincere; n.veracity

1169 verbiage n. verb(=word)+i(=s.e.)+age(=collective)unnecessary words for the expression of anidea, etc.; pompous array of wordsThat book has an interesting plot, but the authorhas practically smothered it in endless pages ofunnecessary verbiage .; After we had wadedthrough all the verbiage, we discovered that thewriter had said very little.[+] garrulity, loquacity, prolixity, talkativeness,verbosity

1170 verbose a.wordyThis article is too verbose; we must edit it.[+] garrulous, loquacious, prolix, talkative

1171 verity n.truth; realityThe four verities were revealed to Buddhaduring his long meditation.[+] truism, veracity; in verity

1172 vernacular n.the language of one's country

1173 versatile a. vers(=turn)+at(=s.e.)+ile(=capable of)interested in and clever at many differentthings; having various uses; having manytalents; capable of working in many fieldsLeonardo da Vinci was a versatile genius whoexcelled in many different fields of art andscience.; He was a versatile athlete; at collegehe had earned varsity letters in baseball,football, and track.[+] talented

1174 vertigo n.dizzinessWe test potential plane pilots for susceptibilityto spells of vertigo.

1175 vestige n.trace; remainsWe discovered vestiges of early Indian life inthe cave.

1176 vex v.annoy; distressPlease try not to vex your mother; she is doingthe best she can.[+] harrass, toment, fret, irritate, provoke

1177 viable a.capable of maintaining lifeThe infant, though prematurely born, is viableand has a good chance to survive.[+] living

1178 vicarious a.acting as a substitute; done by a deputyMany people get a vicarious thrill at he moviesby imagining they are the characters on thescreen.

1179 vicissitude n. vicis(=change)change, especially in somebody's fortunes;change of fortuneThe vicissitude of life may suddenly make amillionaire poor.; I am accustomed to life'svicissitudes, having experienced poverty andwealth, sickness and health, and failure andsuccess.

1180 vie v.contend; competeWhen we vie with each other for his approval,we are merely weakening ourselves andstrengthening him.[+] a. vying

1181 vigilance n. vigil/livelywatchfulness, keeping watchConstant vigilance is necessary in order toavoid accidents in driving.; Eternal vigilance isthe price of liberty.[+] vigil

1182 vilify v.slanderShe is a liar and is always trying to vilify myreputation.[+] revile

1183 vindicate v. vin(=force)+dic(=say)+ate(=make)prove the justice, truth, validity, etc. of; clear ofchargesMy faith in that seemingly "ordinary" young girlwas vindicated many years later when shewon the Pulitzer Prize in fiction.; I hope tovindicate my client and return him to society asa free man.[+] exculpate

1184 virile a.manlyI do not accept the premise that a man is virileonly when he is belligerent.

1185 virtuoso n.highly skilled artistHeifetz is a violin virtuoso.[+] expert, master

1186 virulent a.extremely poisonousThe virus is highly virulent and has made manyof us ill for days.

1187 visage n.face; appearanceThe stern visage of the judge indicated that shehad decided to impose a severe penalty.[+] countenance

1188 viscous a.sticky; glueyMelted tar is a viscous substance.[+] glutinous, viscid

1189 visionary n.a. vis(=look)+ion(=state)+ary(=relating to)visionary person; existing only in a vision or theimagination; unpractical; fanciful; produced byimagination; fanciful; mysticalTo the enthusiasm and dedication of the typicalvisionary he added the cool, realistic judgmentof the practical business executive.; She wasgiven to visionary schemes which nevermaterialized.[+] delusory; quixotic, unpractical

1190 vitriolic a.corrosive; sarcasticSuch vitriolic criticism is uncalled for.cf. vitriolic acid




1191 vivacious a. viv(=live, life)+aci(=s.e.)+ous(=having thequality of)lively,high-spirited,gay; animated; gayHer manner of speaking is so vivacious thateven commonplace remarks semm to suggestcharm and excitement.; She had always beenvivacious and sparkling.[+] cheerful, frolicsome, gay

1192 vociferous a. voc(=call,voice)+i(=s.e.)+fer(=carry)+ous(=having thequality of)noisy,yelling; clamorousAt lunchtime,the room rang with the vociferousdebates between the Cincinnati and Clevelandfans.; The crowd grew vociferous in its angerand threatened to take the law into its ownhands.[+] blatant, boisterous, obstreperous

1193 vogue n.popular fashionJeans became the vogue on many collegecampuses.[+] mode

1194 volatile a.evaporating rapidly; lighthearted; mercurialEthly chloride is a very volatile liquid.[+] vaporizable; capricious, fickle, inconstant,unstable

1195 volition n. vol(=will)+i(=s.e.)+tion(=that which)the act of exercising one's will, the power ofwilling; act of making a conscious choiceAlthough she emphasizes that she was thehelpless victim of bad luck, one can recognizethe effects of her own volition in bringing abouther own downfall.; She selected this dress ofher own volition[+] will

1196 voluble a. volu(=roll)+ble<able(=capable of)loquacious; able to talk very quickly and easily;fluent; rotating; fluent; glibHis answer at the press conference wasrambling and voluble while giving practically noinformation.; She was a voluble speaker, alwaysready to talk.

1197 voracious a. vor(=eat)+aci(=s.e.)+ous(=many, full)devouring or eager to devour large puantities offood; very greedy or eager in some desire orpersuit; insatiable; ravenousHas antone ever measured how many hours ofTV time are needed to satisfy a small boy'svoracious appetite for Westerns?; the wolf is avoracious animal, its hunger never satisfied.[+] covetous, gluttonous, greedy, rapacious,ravening

1198 vouchsafe v.grant condescendingly; guaranteeVouchsafe me a visit. Mr. Johnson vouchsafedto attend our party.

1199 vulnerable a.susceptible to woundsAchilles was vulnerable only in his heel.[+] sensitive

1200 waive v.give up temporarily; yieldI will waive my rights in this matter in order toexpedite our reaching a proper decision.[+] cede, relinquish

1201 wan a.having a pale or sickly color; pallidSuckling asked, "Why so pale and wan, fondlover?"[+] ashen

1202 wane v.grow gradually smallerFrom now until December 21, the wintersolstice, the hours of daylight will wane.[+] abate, subside; cf. wax

1203 wanton a.unruly; unchaste; excessiveHis wanton, drunken ways cost him manyfriends.[+] perverse, wayward; dissolute, lewd,licentious, lustful; bestial, brutal, cruel

1204 welter n.v.wallow; turmoil; bewildering jumbleAt the height of the battle, the casualties wereso numerous that the victims weltered in theirblood while waiting for medical attention.; Theexisting welter of overlapping federal and stateprograms cries out for immediate reform.[+] confusion, tumble; [-] orderly arrangement

1205 wheedle v.cajole; coax; deceive by flatteryShe know she can wheedle almost anythingshe wants from her father.

1206 whet v.sharpen; stimulateThe odors from the kitchen are whetting myappetite; I will be ravenous by the time the mealis served.

1207 whimsical a.capricious; fanciful; quaint"Peter Pan" is a whimsical play.[+] vagarious; odd, peculiar

1208 wily a.cunning; artfulShe is as wily as a fox in avoiding trouble.[+] astute, crafty, Machiavelian, sly, guileful

1209 winsome a.attractive; pleasing, bright; agreeable; gracious;engagingMarie is not particularly pretty, but her sparklingpersonality and high spirits make her extremelywinsome .; By her winsome manner, she madeherself liked by everyone who met her.[+] gay, sportive; attractive, captivating,charming

1210 wizened a.withered; shriveledThe wizened old man in the home for the agedwas still active and energetic.

1211 wreak v.inflictI am afraid he will wreak his wrath on theinnocent as well as the guilty.cf. reek

1212 wrest v.pull away; take by violenceWith only ten seconds left to play, our teamwrested victory from their grasp.[+] wrench, wry

1213 zealot n.fanatic; person who shows excessive zealIt is good to have a few zealots in our group fortheir enthusiasm is contagious.[+] Enthusiast, maniac

1214 zenith n.point directly overhead in the sky; summitWhen the sun was at its zenith, the glare wasnot as strong as at sunrise and sunset.[+] acme, apex, apogee, culmination, pinnacle;[-] lowest point; [-] nadir

1215 zephyr n.gentle breeze; west windWhen these zephyrs blow; it is good to be in anopen boat under a full sail.



GRE High Frequency Words

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Transcript of GRE High Frequency Words