| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abate | become less in amount or intensity |
| abdicate | give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations |
| aberrant | deviating from what is normal |
| abet | assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing |
| abeyance | temporary cessation or suspension |
| abject | miserable; pitiful |
| abjure | formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure |
| ablution | the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels |
| aboulia | a loss of will power |
| abrogate | abolish or annul by authority; put down |
| abscission | the act of cutting; the natural separation of a leaf or other part of a plant |
| abscond | to depart secretly |
| abstemious | moderate in appetite |
| abstentious | an act or instance of abstaining. |
| abstinence | the giving up of certain pleasures |
| abstruse | Dealing with matters difficult to be understood. |
| abysmal | very bad |
| accretion | growth in size or increase in amount |
| accrue | to accumulate; grow by additions |
| acerbic | harsh or corrosive in tone |
| acquiesce | to agree or express agreement |
| acrid | unpleasantly sharp or bitter taste or smell |
| acrimonious | Bitter and sharp in language or tone |
| adamant | uncompromising; unyielding |
| addendum | textual matter that is added onto a publication |
| adept | someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field |
| adjoin | be in direct physical contact with |
| adjunct | something added, attached, or joined |
| adjure | ask for or request earnestly |
| admonish | to caution or reprimand |
| adolescent | in the state of development between puberty and maturity |
| adroit | skillful (or showing skill) in adapting means to ends |
| adulation | flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved |
| adulterate | corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance |
| adventitious | associated by chance and not an integral part |
| advertise | call attention to, make publicity for |
| aesthetic | artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful (of a person or building); CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics |
| affable | diffusing warmth and friendliness |
| affected | pretentious; phony |
| affinity | fondness; liking; similarity |
| afflatus | a strong creative impulse |
| aggrandize | make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement |
| aggregate | amounting to a whole; total |
| aggrieved | wronged, offended, injured; treated wrongly |
| alacrity | cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed |
| alchemy | medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold; a seemingly magical power or process of transmutation |
| alibi | an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene |
| allay | to lessen; ease; soothe |
| alleviate | provide physical relief, as from pain |
| alloy | a combination; a mixture of two or more metals |
| allure | the power to entice by charm |
| altruist | someone who makes charitable donations intended to increase human well-being |
| amalgamate | to bring or combine together or with something else |
| amatory | expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance |
| ambiguous | having more than one possible meaning |
| ambivalence | noun the state of having contradictory feelings |
| ambrosia | something delicious; the food of the gods |
| ameliorate | to improve |
| amenable | agreeable; cooperative; suited |
| amendment | a statement that is added to or revises or improves a proposal or document (a bill or constitution etc.) |
| amenity | something that increases comfort |
| amish | Pennsylvania Dutch; Moravian Bretheren |
| amity | a state of friendship and cordiality |
| amnesty | the formal act of liberating someone |
| amulet | ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits |
| anachronism | something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred |
| analgesic | medication that reduces or eliminates pain |
| analogous | comparable |
| anarchy | absence of government; state of disorder |
| androgen | male sex hormone that is produced in the testes and responsible for typical male sexual characteristics |
| androgynous | having both male and female characteristics |
| animus | a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility |
| anodyne | something that calms or soothes pain |
| anomalous | deviating from the general or common order or type, abnormal, irregular |
| antecedent | something that comes before |
| antediluvian | prehistoric |
| anticipatory | to give advance thought, discussion, or treatment to |
| antipathy | a feeling of intense dislike |
| apartheid | a social policy or racial segregation involving political and economic and legal discrimination against non-whites |
| apathy | indifference |
| apex | the highest point |
| aphid | any of various small plant-sucking insects |
| aplomb | great coolness and composure under strain |
| apogee | apoapsis in Earth orbit |
| apostasy | the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes) |
| apothegm | a terse, witty saying |
| apotheosis | the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god) |
| appease | make peace with, calm, pacify |
| appellation | name |
| apposite | strikingly appropriate and relevant |
| apprise | make aware of, inform |
| approbation | official recognition or approval |
| appropriate | take possession of by force, as after an invasion |
| apropos | relevant |
| arabesque | ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body |
| archeology | the study of material evidence of past human life |
| archipelago | a group of many islands in a large body of water |
| ardor | great emotion or passion |
| arduous | difficult to accomplish |
| argot | a specialized vocabulary used by a group |
| arrest | to stop; to seize |
| arrogate | seize and take control without authority and possibly with force |
| artifact | item made by human craft |
| artless | guileless; natural |
| ascetic | one who practices self-denial |
| asperity | severity; harshness; irritability |
| aspersion | slander; false rumor |
| assailant | someone who attacks |
| assiduous | diligent; hard-working |
| assuage | provide physical relief, as from pain |
| astringent | harsh; severe |
| asylum | place of refuge or shelter |
| atavism | in biology, the reappearance of a characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence; individual or a part that exhibits atavism; return of a trait after a period of absence |
| atrophy | any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use) |
| attenuate | become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude |
| attract | be attractive to, Pull together |
| audacious | bold; daring |
| austere | of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor, practicing great self-denial |
| autonomous | self-governing; independent |
| autonomy | personal independence, Self-government. |
| avarice | greed |
| aver | to affirm; declare to be true |
| avocation | an auxiliary activity, hobby |
| avowal | a statement asserting the existence or the truth of something |
| avuncular | like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant |
| awe | a profound emotion inspired by a deity |
| axiomatic | taken for granted; self-evident truth |
| bacchanalian | pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity; pertaining to revelry |
| banal | commonplace; trite |
| bane | something causes misery or death; deadly poison |
| banquet | a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed; a ceremonial dinner party for many people |
| banter | playful conversation |
| barbiturate | A drug that causes sedation; one of several derivatives of barbituric acid |
| bard | poet |
| bawdy | obscene |
| beatify | to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to |
| bedizen | to dress in a vulgar, showy manner |
| bedlam | a state of extreme confusion and disorder |
| befriend | become friends with |
| behemoth | huge creature; anything very large and powerful |
| beleaguered | to harass; beset |
| belie | contradict; give a false impression |
| belligerent | engaged in war |
| bemoan | lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of |
| beneficent | kindly; doing good |
| benevolent | generous in assistance to the poor |
| benign | pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence, kindly |
| bereave | suffering the death of a loved one; left alone |
| bestow | to present a gift; give; confer |
| bibulous | related to consumption of alcoholic drink; readily absorbing fluids or moisture |
| bifurcate | to divide into two parts |
| bilateral | having two sides or parts |
| bilious | ill-tempered; very unpleasant |
| blandishment | flattery |
| blase | bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned |
| blatant | conspicuously and offensively loud |
| blemish | a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body) |
| bolster | support and strengthen |
| bombastic | pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas |
| bonhomie | a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to) |
| boorish | ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance |
| bovine | cowlike |
| brazen | bold; shameless |
| broach | to mention for the first time |
| bucolic | characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral |
| bumptious | offensively self-assertive |
| buoyed | cause to become cheerful or confident; to raise the spirits of |
| burgeon | grow and flourish |
| burnish | polish and make shiny |
| buttress | a support usually of stone or brick |
| byline | the line that tells you who wrote an article |
| cacaphonous | unpleasant or harsh-sounding |
| cadge | to beg; sponge |
| caginess | Having or showing a clever awareness and resourcefulness in practical matters; secretive; wary; careful; shrewd |
| callous | thick-skinned; insensitive |
| callow | lacking experience of life, immature, youthful, inexperienced |
| calumniate | charge falsely or with malicious intent |
| calumny | false and malicious accusation; slander |
| camaraderie | goodwill between friends |
| cameo | shell or jewel carved in relief; star's special appearance in a minor role in a film |
| canard | a deliberately misleading fabrication or story |
| canon | an established set of principles; a basis or standard for judgment; a group of literary works |
| cant | insincere talk; language of a particular group |
| cantankerous | irritable; ill-humored |
| capitulate | surrender under agreed conditions |
| capricious | impulsive and unpredictable, fickle |
| capricous | fickle |
| captious | faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument |
| cardinal | of foremost importance |
| cardsharp | a professional card player who makes a living by cheating at card games |
| carnal | of the flesh or body; related to physical appetities |
| carouse | engage in boisterous, drunken merry-making |
| carping | to find fault; complain |
| cartography | science of making maps |
| caste | any of the hereditary social classes in Hindu society; social stratification |
| castigate | to criticize, inflict punishment |
| castigation | punishment; chastisement; criticism |
| cataclysm | a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change |
| catalyst | something that causes change |
| categorical | absolute; without exception |
| caucus | smaller group within an organization |
| caulk | make watertight by plugging seams; to fill in crack |
| causal | involving a cause |
| caustic | any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue |
| caveat | a warning against certain acts |
| cavil | quibble: an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections |
| celestial | concerned with sky or heavens; sublime |
| centrifugal | moving away from a center |
| centripetal | moving or directed toward a center |
| cession | Something that is given up. |
| chagrin | strong feelings of embarrassment |
| champion | to defend or support |
| charade | a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way |
| chasten | to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue |
| chicanery | the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them) |
| chip | break a small piece off from |
| chivalry | the qualities idealized by knighthood such as bravery and gallantry toward women |
| choir | group of people who sing together (esp. during religious services); place for choir |
| chuckle | a soft partly suppressed laugh |
| churlish | rude; boorish |
| circuitous | deviating from a straight course |
| circumambulate | walk around something |
| circumscribe | draw a line around |
| circumspect | Showing watchfulness, caution, or careful consideration. |
| clairvoyant | one who can predict the future; psychic |
| clamor | noisy outcry |
| clarion | loud and clear |
| clique | a small, exclusive group |
| cloister | to confine; seclude |
| cloven | used of hooves; split; divided |
| coagulate | change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state,thicken |
| coalesce | to cause to become one |
| coda | concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that summarizes or concludes |
| codify | to systematize |
| cogent | powerfully persuasive, having the power to influence or convince |
| cogitate | consider carefully and deeply |
| cognizant | informed; conscious; aware |
| cohort | a group people having approximately the same age |
| collage | artistic composition of materials pasted over a surface; an assemblage of diverse elements |
| collusion | agreement on a secret plot |
| coltish | playful like a colt; wile and unruly |
| commensurate | corresponding in size or degree or extent |
| compendium | a concise but comprehensive summary of a larger work |
| complacent | Pleased or satisfied with oneself. |
| complaint | (criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense |
| complaisant | overly polite; willingness to comply with the wishes of others |
| complement | something that completes or makes up a whole |
| compliant | yielding |
| comport | behave in a certain manner |
| compotes | perserved fruit |
| compunction | a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed) |
| concave | curving inward |
| conceit | feelings of excessive pride |
| concentric | having a common center |
| conciliate | To obtain the friendship of. |
| conciliatory | overcoming animosity or hostility |
| conclave | a confidential or secret meeting |
| concoct | to invent |
| concomitant | existing concurrently |
| condescend | debase oneself morally, act in an undignified, unworthy, or dishonorable way |
| condescending | (used of behavior or attitude) characteristic of those who treat others with condescension |
| condone | excuse, overlook, or make allowances for |
| conflagration | a very intense and uncontrolled fire |
| confluence | a coming together of people |
| confound | to baffle; perplex; mix up |
| congenial | similar in tastes and habits; friendly; suited to |
| congenital | present at birth but not necessarily hereditary |
| conglomeration | an occurrence combining miscellaneous things into a (more or less) rounded mass |
| conjugal | pertaining to marriage agreement |
| conjure | engage in plotting or enter into a conspiracy, swear together |
| connivance | agreement on a secret plot |
| connoisseur | a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgements in an art, particularly one of the fine arts or in matters of taste |
| conscience | The faculty in man by which he distinguishes between right and wrong in character and conduct, rebellion against the government |
| conscientious | guided by or in accordance with conscience or sense of right and wrong |
| conscript | a person compulsorily enrolled for military service |
| consecrate | to declare sacred |
| consort | associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife (or a ruler) |
| consummation | the act of bringing to completion or fruition |
| contemn | look down on with disdain |
| contemplative | persistently or morbidly thoughtful; deep in thought |
| contend | to assert |
| contention | assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition |
| contentious | inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits |
| contiguous | touching; neighboring; connecting without a break |
| continence | self-control; abstention from sexual activity |
| contravene | go against, as of rules and laws |
| contrite | feeling regret for a fault or offence |
| contumacious | disobedient; rebellious |
| contusion | an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration |
| conundrum | a difficult problem |
| convalescent | a person who is recovering from illness |
| convention | practice widely observed in a group; custom; accepted technique or device |
| converge | to approach; come together; tend to meet |
| convex | curved outward |
| convivial | sociable |
| convoke | call together |
| convoluted | intricate; complex |
| copious | abundant; plentiful |
| coquette | woman who flirts |
| cornucopia | horn overflowing with fruit and grain; state of abundance |
| corroborate | establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts |
| cortege | the group following and attending to some important person |
| cosmology | study of the universe as a totality; theory of the origin and structure of the universe |
| countenance | formal and explicit approval |
| covenant | a signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action |
| covert | hidden; secret |
| covetous | desiring something owned by another |
| coy | shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer |
| cozen | to mislead by trick or fraud; decieve |
| crass | (of persons) so unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility |
| craven | cowardly |
| craving | an intense desire for some particular thing |
| credence | acceptance of something as true |
| credo | statement of belief or principle; creed |
| credulous | gullible, too willing to believe |
| cronyism | favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications) |
| crotchety | Capriciously stubborn or eccentric; perverse; having a difficult and contrary disposition; irritable, often due to old age |
| culpable | deserving blame or censure as being wrong or evil or injurious |
| cunning | drafty artfulness (especially in deception) |
| cupidity | extreme greed for material wealth |
| curb | the act of restraining power or action or limiting excess |
| cursory | hasty and without attention to detail |
| dais | a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it |
| dale | an open river valley (in a hilly area) |
| dally | talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions |
| dank | unpleasantly cool and humid; damp |
| dapper | marked by smartness in dress and manners |
| daunt | intimidate; frighten; discourage; dishearten |
| dearth | scarcity |
| debauchery | corruption |
| debilitate | make weak |
| debonair | having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident air; friendly |
| debunk | expose while ridiculing |
| decadent | marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay |
| decorum | proper behavior |
| decrepit | lacking physical strength or vitality; worn and broken down by hard use |
| defame | to malign; harm someone's reputation |
| default | loss due to not showing up, failed to act |
| deference | a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard |
| deferential | respectful and polite in a submisive way |
| deflated | brought low in spirit |
| deft | dexterous, nimble, skillfull, clever |
| defunct | no longer existing |
| deign | do something that one considers to be below one's dignity |
| delineate | describe in vivid detail |
| delinquent | failing in what duty requires; a young offender |
| delude | To mislead the mind or judgment of. |
| demographic | related to population balance |
| demotic | pertaining to people |
| demur | to express doubt; question or oppose |
| denigrate | blacken, belittle, sully, defame |
| denizen | an inhabitant; a regular visitor |
| denouement | outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature |
| deplore | express strong disapproval of |
| deprave | corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality |
| deracinate | pull up by or as if by the roots |
| derelict | abandoned especially by the owner or occupant; lacking a sense of duty: negligent |
| deride | make fun of, ridicule |
| derision | contemptuous laughter |
| derivative | something derived; unoriginal |
| derogatory | insulting tending to damage; express a low opinion |
| descant | v. discuss fully; remark; n. high melody |
| desiccate | remove water from |
| despondent | without or almost without hope; dejected; depressed |
| despotism | absolute power or control; tyranny |
| destitute | poor enough to need help from others |
| desuetude | state of disuse |
| desultory | marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose |
| detente | the easing of tensions or strained relations (especially between nations) |
| deterrent | something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress |
| detraction | slandering, verbal attack, aspersion |
| devious | deviating from a straight course; crooked; indirect; dishonest; crafty |
| devoid | completely lacking |
| devout | devoutly religious |
| diaphanous | transparent; vague; insubstancial |
| diatribe | bitter verbal attack |
| dichotomy | division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones) |
| didactic | intended to teach or moralize excessively |
| diffidence | shyness; lack of confidence |
| diffident | lacking self-confidence |
| diffuse | spread or diffuse through |
| digression | a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern) |
| dilapidated | decayed, deteriorated, fallen into ruin |
| dilatory | inclined to waste time and lag behind |
| dilettante | an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge |
| din | the act of making a noisy disturbance |
| dint | means; effort |
| dire | causing fear or dread or terror; crucial; urgent |
| dirge | a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person |
| disabuse | correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief |
| discerning | having or revealing keen insight and good judgment |
| discombobulated | adj. confused; discomposed |
| discomfit | to make uneasy; disconcert |
| discommode | to cause inconvenience or discomfort to |
| discordant | not in agreement or harmony |
| discourse | an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic |
| discredit | cause to be distrusted or disbelieved |
| discreet | Showing care or wisdom in what one says or does |
| discrepancy | a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions |
| discrete | constituing a separate thing; distinct |
| discretion | quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions |
| disdain | lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike |
| disgruntled | in a state of sulky dissatisfaction; unhappy; To put in a bad mood |
| disingenuous | not candid, crafty |
| disinterested | unaffected by self-interest |
| disjointed | lacking order or coherence; dislocated |
| dismiss | bar from attention or consideration |
| disparage | express a negative opinion of, belittle |
| disparate | dissimilar |
| disport | to play about, frolic or gambol, amuse |
| disquiet | disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed |
| dissemble | hide under a false appearance |
| disseminate | cause to become widely known |
| dissident | person who disagrees about beliefs |
| dissipated | indulging excessively in sensual pleasures (to spend or use wastefully) |
| dissolution | disintegration;debauchery |
| dissonance | disagreeable sounds, discord |
| dissuasion | persuasion not to do something |
| distend | cause to expand as it by internal pressure, expand swell out |
| distill | extract the essential elements |
| distrait | inattentive; preoccupied |
| diverge | move or draw apart, have no limits as a mathematical series |
| diversity | many different cultures and viewpoints |
| divest | reduce or dispose of |
| divestiture | the sale by a company of a product line or a subsidiary or a division |
| divulge | to make known something that is secret |
| docile | easily handled or managed |
| doctrinaire | dogmatic; unyielding |
| doctrine | a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school |
| document | a written account of ownership or obligation |
| dogged | stubbornly unyielding |
| doggerel | a comic verse of irregular measure |
| dogma | a firmly held opinion, especially a religious belief |
| dogmatic | Making statements without argument or evidence. |
| doleful | filled with or evoking sadness |
| dormant | inactive |
| doting | extravagantly or foolishly loving and indulgent |
| doughty | resolute and without fear; intrepid |
| dour | showing a brooding ill humor, sullen; gloomy; stubborn |
| dowdy | lacking in smartness or taste; untidy |
| draconian | excessively harsh; severe. |
| drawl | speak slowly with words running together |
| dregs | sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid |
| drench | Cover with liquid; pour liquid onto; to wet throughly |
| drivel | nonsense; foolishness; V: talk nonsense; saliva flowing out |
| droll | comical in an odd or whimsical manner |
| dross | waste; worthless matter |
| dulcet | extremely pleasant in a gentle way; sweet sounding; harmonious |
| dupe | a person who is tricked or swindled |
| duplicity | the acting of being two-faced, double-dealing, deception |
| duress | forcible restraint, especially unlawfully; coercion by threat; illegal coercion |
| dwindle | to keep on becoming less; to grow smaller in number or amount |
| dystrophy | any degenerative disorder resulting from inadequate or faulty nutrition |
| ebullient | exhilarated; overly enthusiastic |
| eccentric | not having a common center; irregular |
| ecclesiastic | of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church) |
| echelon | a body of troops arranged in a line |
| eclectic | selecting from various sources |
| edifice | large building; any large, complex system of organization |
| edify | instruct, correct morally; make understand |
| educe | deduce (a principle) or construe (a meaning) |
| efface | remove completely from recognition or memory |
| effeminate | having unsuitable feminine qualities |
| effervescence | inner excitement or exuberance, bubbling from fermentation or carbonation |
| effete | depleted of vitality; overrefined; decadent |
| efficacy | capacity or power to produce a desired effect |
| effigy | dummy; likeness of a person made of wood, paper, or stone; Ex. burn an effigy of the President |
| effluence | the process of flowing out ex-'out' + flu-'flow' |
| effluvium | a foul-smelling outflow or vapor (especially a gaseous waste) |
| effrontery | audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to |
| effusive | emotionally unrestrained; gushy; pouring forth |
| egalitarian | a person who believes in the equality of all people |
| egoism | the tendency to see things in relation to oneself; self-centeredness |
| egotistical | excessively self-centered; conceited |
| egress | come out of; exit |
| elegy | a mournful poem |
| elicit | draw out fact or information (by discussion or from someone) |
| elixir | a sustance believed to have the power to cure ills |
| elocution | an expert manner of speaking involving control of voice and gesture |
| elucidate | make clear and (more) comprehensible |
| elusive | difficult to describe; hard to grasp |
| Elysian | delightful; blissful |
| emaciated | thin and wasted |
| emancipate | free from slavery or servitude |
| embellish | make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc. |
| embolden | give encouragement to; foster boldness |
| eminence | An elevated position with respect to rank, place, character, condition, etc. |
| emollient | soothing; mollifying |
| empathy | understanding and entering into another's feelings |
| empirical | derived from experiment and observation rather than theory |
| emulate | strive to equal or match, especially by imitating, imitate; rival |
| emulation | effort to equal or surpass another; strong desire to achieve something |
| enamored | marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness; in love |
| encomium | a formal expression of praise |
| encroach | advance beyond the usual limit |
| encumber | hold back; get in the way; be a burden to |
| endemic | inherent; belonging to an area |
| endue | give qualities or abilities to |
| enervate | to weaken |
| enfetter | restrain; constrain; make a slave |
| enfranchise | grant freedom to |
| engender | cause; produce; give rise to |
| engrossed | wholly absorbed as in thought |
| enhance | make better or more attractive |
| enigma | a difficult problem, puzzle, mystery |
| ennui | the feeling of being bored by something tedious |
| enrapture | To delight extravagantly or intensely. |
| ensconce | settle comfortably |
| entomology | the scientific study of insects |
| enunciate | to pronounce clearly |
| ephemeral | enduring a very short time |
| epigram | a witty saying |
| epilogue | peroration; last part of a literary work; short speech of a dramatic work |
| epiphany | any appearance or bodily manifestation of a deity |
| episodic | loosely connected |
| epistemology | branch of philosophy tha texamines the nature of knowledge |
| epitaph | an inscription on a gravestone |
| epithet | a defamatory or abusive word or phrase, a term or phrase describing or characterizing (n.) |
| epitome | summary; digest |
| equable | steady; unvarying; serene |
| equanimity | composure; calmness |
| equinox | period of equal days and nights |
| equipoise | balance; balancing force; equilibrium |
| equivocate | be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information, lie, mislead, conceal the truth. |
| errant | mistaken; straying from the proper course |
| erratic | odd; unpredictable; devious; errant; stray |
| erudite | learned, scholarly, having or showing profound knowledge |
| eschew | avoid |
| esoteric | hard to understand, known only to a chosen few |
| essay | to make an attempt; subject to a test |
| esteem | a feeling of delighted approval and liking |
| estimable | admirable; possible to estimate |
| estrange | arouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness; alienate |
| estranged | separated; alienated |
| ethereal | light; heavenly; fine; vaporous |
| ethnic | relating to races |
| ethnocentric | based on the attitude tha one's group is superior |
| etiology | causes or origins |
| etymology | origin an history of a word |
| eugenics | study of factors that influence the hereditary qualities of the human race and ways to improve those qualities |
| eulogy | expression of praise |
| euphemism | an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive |
| euphony | any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds, sweet sound |
| euphoria | feeling of extreme happiness |
| euthanasia | mercy killing |
| evanescent | tending to fade from sight; ephemeral; vanishing |
| evince | to show plainly; be an indication of |
| evocative | tending to call to mind or produce a reaction |
| exacerbate | make worse |
| exact | to force the payment of; demand and obtain by authority |
| exanimate | lifeless; spiritless; depressed |
| exasperate | To make very angry or impatient; annoy greatly |
| excoriate | flay; abrade |
| exculpate | pronounce not guilty of criminal charges |
| execrable | detertable; abhorrent |
| exegesis | an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible) |
| exemplar | something to be imitated; A model, pattern, or original to be copied or imitated. |
| exemplary | serving as an example or warning; outstanding |
| exhort | to urge by strong appeals |
| exhume | dig out of the ground |
| exigency | crisis; urgent requirements |
| exigent | requiring immediate aid or action; also, demanding. |
| existential | having to do with existence |
| exonerate | relieve from the burden; free from charge |
| exorbitant | going beyond what is reasonable; excessive |
| exorcise | to expel evil spirits; free from bad influences |
| expatiate | to speak or write at length |
| expatriate | to send into exile |
| expedient | likely to be useful or helpful for a purpose; practical |
| expedite | help the progress of; speed up business etc |
| expiate | to atone for |
| explicate | to explain;interpret;clarify |
| exposition | an exhibition of art, industrial products etc. explaining something in detail |
| expository | explanatory |
| expound | add details, as to an account or idea |
| expunge | cancel; remove |
| extant | in existence; not lost |
| extemporaneous | unrehearsed |
| extirpate | to root up; to destroy |
| extraneous | not essencial |
| extrapolation | an inference about the future (or about some hypothetical situation) based on known facts and observations |
| extricable | capable of being extricated |
| extricate | free from an entanglement or difficulty; disentangle |
| extrinsic | not inherent of essential |
| exuberant | abundant; effusive; lavish |
| exude | discharge; give forth |
| exult | to express great joy |
| facade | front of a building |
| facet | plane of a cut gem, issue, problem, aspects or sides of personality |
| facetious | cleverly amusing in tone, humorous, flippant |
| facilitate | make easier, help bring about; make less difficult |
| faction | party; clique; cabal |
| factious | inclined to form faction |
| factotum | a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman |
| fallacious | based on a false idea or fact; misleading |
| fallible | liable to error |
| fallow | plowed but not sowed; uncultivated |
| fanatic | a religious zealot |
| fastidious | very attentive and concerned about accuracy; difficult to please; punctilious |
| fathom | understand after much thought; comprehend |
| fatuous | complacently or inanely foolish, brainless, stupid, dorky |
| fauna | animals of a period o region |
| fawning | attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery |
| fealty | loyalty; faithfulness |
| fecklessness | worthlessness due to being feeble and ineffectual |
| fecund | capable of producing offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive |
| fecundity | fertility; fruitfulness |
| feign | pretend; sham; simulate |
| feisty | showing courage; aggressive |
| felicitous | exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style, well chosen |
| felony | a serious crime (such as murder or arson) |
| feral | existing in a wild or untamed state |
| ferment | agitation; commotion |
| ferret | drive or hunt out of hiding |
| fervid | ardent; fervent; passionate |
| fervor | feelings of great warmth and intensity |
| fester | generate pus; suppurate |
| fetid | having a bad smell |
| fetish | object supposed to poses magical powers |
| fetter | to bind; confine |
| fiat | arbitray order; authorization |
| fidelity | loyalty; exact correspondence |
| fiduciary | a person who holds assets in trust for a beneficiary, of a trust |
| figment | invention; imaginary thing |
| filibuster | use of obstructive tactics in a legislature to block passage of a law |
| finesse | subtly skillful handling of a situation |
| finial | an ornament at the top of a spire or gable |
| fissure | crevice |
| flaccid | flabby |
| flag | become less intense, weaken |
| flagrant | extremely or deliberately shocking or noticeable |
| flamboyant | ornate; rococo; baroque |
| flannel | a soft light woolen fabric |
| flaunt | the act of displaying something ostentatiously, display proudly |
| fledging | beginner; novice |
| fledgling | young and inexperienced |
| flinch | a reflex response to sudden pain |
| fling | throw with force or recklessness; indulge oneself |
| flippancy | levity; lightness; trifling gaiety |
| flit | a sudden quick movement |
| flora | plants of a region or era |
| florid | ruddy; reddish; flowery |
| flounder | to struggle to move; to proceed clumsily |
| flourish | en embellishment or ornamentation |
| flout | laugh at with contempt and derision, reject |
| fluvial | of or relating to or happening in a river |
| flux | flowing; a continuous moving |
| foible | weakness; slight fault |
| folly | foolish or senseless behavior |
| foment | to incite; arouse |
| foray | raid; incursion; invasion |
| forbearance | patience |
| forensic | suitable to debate or courts of law |
| forestall | keep from happening or arising |
| formidable | menacing; threatening |
| forswear | renounce; repudiate |
| forthright | frank, direct, straightforward |
| fortitude | courage; calm courage in the face of pain |
| fortuitous | accidental; by chance |
| foster | rear; encourage; nurse |
| founder | to sink; fail; colapse |
| fracas | a loud quarrel; brawl |
| fractious | easily irritated or annoyed |
| fraught | filled; replenish |
| frenetic | frenzied; frantic |
| fresco | a painting done on plaster |
| fretwork | framework consisting of an ornamental design made of strips of wood or metal |
| friable | easily broken into small fragments or reduced to powder |
| frieze | ornamental band on a wall |
| fringe | A fairly narrow line or space forming a boundary |
| frivolous | not serious in content or attitude or behavior |
| frolicking | having fun |
| froward | stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient |
| frugality | prudence in avoiding waste, Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing |
| fulminate | to attack loudly; denounce |
| fulsome | so excessive as to be disgusting |
| furtive | stealthy; covert |
| fusillade | rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms |
| fusion | union; synthesis |
| fustian | pompous; bombastic |
| futile | ineffective; useless; fruitless |
| futon | mattress consisting of a pad of cotton batting that is used for sleeping on the floor or on a raised frame |
| gadfly | a person who persistently annoys or provokes others with criticism, schemes, ideas, demands, requests, etc. |
| gaffe | a socially awkward or tactless act |
| gag | a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter |
| gainsay | to contradict; to deny. |
| gallant | having or displaying great dignity or nobility |
| galvanize | to stimulate, to startle into sudden activity |
| gambol | to frolic; leap playfully |
| gamut | The whole range or sequence. |
| garbled | mixed up; jumbled; distorted; |
| gargoyle | a spout projecting from a rain gutter to carry water down and away from a building. Gothic versions are known for their grotesque and monstrous creatures. |
| garish | tastelessly showy |
| garner | assemble or get together |
| garrulous | loquacious; wordy; talkative |
| gauche | coarse and uncouth; clumsy |
| gaunt | very thin and bony especially from disease or hunger or cold; emaciated and haggard |
| gauntlet | a glove with long sleeve |
| genial | warmly and presently cheerful; kindly; sympathetic |
| geniality | cheerfulness; kindliness; sociability |
| genre | a kind of literary or artistic work |
| germane | appropriate or fitting; relevant |
| germinate | produce buds, branches, or germinate |
| gerrymander | to divide an area into voting districts in a way that favors a political party |
| gibber | unintelligible talking; speak foolishly |
| gilt | a coating of gold or of something that looks like gold |
| gist | (n.) the essential part, main point, or essence |
| glee | joy, happiness, gladness |
| glib | fluent in an insincere way; offhand |
| glut | the quality of being so overabundant that prices fall |
| glutton | a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess |
| gnarled | knotted, twisted, lumpy |
| goad | a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something |
| gong | a metallic disk that makes a deep ringing sound when struck |
| gossamer | characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy |
| gouge | overcharge, tear out |
| gourmand | a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess |
| graduated | slowly and smoothly |
| grandiloquent | bombastic (in order to impress) |
| grandiose | impressive, showy, magnificent |
| gregarious | outgoing; sociable |
| grimace | A distortion of the features, occasioned by some feeling of pain, disgust, etc. |
| grisly | (adj.) frightful, horrible, ghastly (syn- gruesome, gory, hideous) |
| grouch | a bad-tempered person |
| grouse | to complain |
| grovel | crouch or crawl abjectly on the groundact obsequiously to obtain forgiveness or favour |
| grueling | characterized by toilsome effort to the point of exhaustion |
| gruffness | an abrupt discourteous manner |
| guffaw | a burst of deep loud hearty laughter |
| guile | the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them), the quality of being crafty |
| guileless | free of cunning or deceit; artless |
| guise | outward appearance; false appearance |
| gullible | easily deceived |
| gully | deep ditch cut by running water (especially after a prolonged downpour) |
| gustatory | affecting the sense of taste |
| hackneyed | commonplace; trite; overused |
| haggard | very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold |
| hagiography | a biography that idealizes or idolizes the person (especially a person who is a saint) |
| halcyon | calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous |
| hale | exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health |
| hallowed | holy; sacred |
| hamper | hinder; obstruct |
| hangdog | frightened into submission or compliance |
| hankering | a yearning for something or to do something; a strong desire |
| haphazard | random; by chance; happening in an unplanned manner; Ex. haphazard growth of the town |
| hapless | unlucky, unfortunate |
| harangue | a long, passionate speech |
| harass | exhaust by attacking repeatedly |
| harbinger | an indication of the approach of something or someone; foreshadow or presage |
| hardy | resolute and without fear; being in robust and sturdy good health |
| harebrained | very foolish |
| harrowing | extremely distressing; terrifying |
| harry | make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes |
| haughty | arrogantly superior and disdainful |
| haven | a sheltered port where ships can take on or discharge cargo |
| havoc | violent and needless disturbance |
| hearsay | gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth |
| hedonism | an ethical system that evaluates the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good |
| hedonistic | devoted to pleasure |
| heed | pay close attention to |
| herbivorous | an animal that feeds mainly on plants |
| herculean | displaying superhuman strength or power |
| heretic | a person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church |
| hermetic | adj. obscure and mysterious; occult (2nd def) |
| heterodox | characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards |
| heterogeneous | of different kind, diverse in character |
| hiatus | a natural opening or perforation through a bone or a membranous structure; a gap; pause |
| hidebound | stubbornly conservative and narrow-minded |
| hieroglyphics | a system of writing in which pictorial symbols represent meanings or sounds; wirting or symbols that are difficult to decipher |
| hirsute | covered with hair |
| histrionic | relating to exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect; theatrical acts or performances |
| hoary | covered with fine whitish hairs or down |
| hodgepodge | a motley assortment of things |
| homeostasis | automatic maintenance by an organism in balance with itself |
| homily | sermon; tedious moralizing lecture |
| homogeneous | composed of identical parts; uniform in composition |
| hone | sharpen; increase; whet; edge |
| hoodwink | influence by slyness |
| hooves | the feet of certain animals, such as deer |
| humility | a humble feeling; courtesy; modesty |
| hush | To make quiet or still |
| husk | worthless outside part of anything |
| hyperbole | a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor |
| hypocrisy | insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have |
| hypocritical | pretending to be virtuous; deceiving |
| iconoclast | someone who tries to destroy traditional ideas or institutions |
| iconoclastic | attacking cherished traditions |
| ideology | imaginary or visionary theorization; ideas of a group of people |
| idiosyncrasy | a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual |
| idolatry | idol worship; blind or excessive devotion |
| idyllic | excellent and delightful in all respects |
| igneous | produced by fire; volcanic |
| ignoble | completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose |
| ignominious | Disgraceful |
| ignominy | great personal dishonor or humiliation; shameful or disgraceful action, conduct, or character |
| illicit | contrary to or forbidden by law |
| imbroglio | complicated situation; an entanglement |
| imbue | to permeate or influence as if by dyeing; to tinge or dye deeply; to provide with something freely or naturally |
| immaculate | spotless; flawless; absolutely clean; pure; faultless |
| immanent | of a mental act performed entirely within the mind |
| immolate | offer as a sacrifice by killing or by giving up to destruction |
| immutable | inchangeable |
| impair | make worse or less effective, injure, hurt, harm |
| impale | pierce with a sharp stake or point |
| impasse | predicament(dangerous condition) from which there is no escape; situation allowing for no further progress; a deadlock |
| impassive | having or revealing little emotion or sensibility |
| impeach | challenge the honesty or credibility of |
| impecunious | poor; having no money |
| impede | block passage through, be a hindrance or obstacle to |
| impenitent | not feeling remorse or sorrow for errors |
| imperious | overbearing, arrogant, seeking to dominate, pressing, compelling |
| impermeable | impossible to permeate |
| impertinent | improperly forward or bold |
| imperturbable | not easily disturbed |
| impervious | incapable of being affected; impossible to penetrate |
| impetuous | characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or deliberation |
| impiety | irreverence; lack of respect for God or piety; wickedness; profanity |
| impinge | to strike; encroach |
| implacable | incapable of being pacified; impossible to appease; Ex. implacable enemy |
| implausible | unlikely; unbelievable |
| implicit | being without doubt or reserve |
| implode | burst inward |
| impolitic | not wise; not expedient; not politic; injudious |
| importune | beg persistently and urgently |
| imprecation | curse; damnation |
| impromtu | adj. done on the spur of the moment; unplanned |
| improvident | thriftless; not providing for the future |
| imprudent | lacking caution; not prudent; injudicious |
| impugn | attack as false or wrong |
| imputation | a statement attributing something dishonest (especially a criminal offense), charge; reproach |
| impute | to attribute the fault to; relate to a particular cause or source |
| inadvertenly | carelessly; unintentionally |
| inadvertently | without knowledge or intention, careless |
| inamorata | a woman with whom you are in love or have an intimate relationship |
| inarticulate | incomprehensible; unable to speak with clarity; speechless |
| incarcerate | to imprison, to confine |
| incarnate | having bodily form |
| incendiary | capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily |
| incessant | uninterrupted; unceasing; continous |
| inchoate | disorganized, not fully formed |
| incognito | without revealing one's identity; with an assumed name |
| incoherent | unable to think or express your thoughts in a clear or orderly manner; not logically coordinated |
| incommodious | uncomfortably or inconveniently small; not spacious |
| incompatible | not easy to combine harmoniously |
| incongruity | lack of harmony; absurdity; ADJ. incongruous: lacking in harmony; inappropriate |
| inconsequencial | insgnificant; unimportant |
| inconsequential | lacking worth or importance |
| incorporate | introduce something into another thing already in existence |
| incorporeal | lacking a material body, insubstantial |
| incorrigible | impervious to correction by punishment; that cannot be improved, corrected |
| incubate | develop under favorable conditions, such as germs and bacteria |
| inculcate | learn by reciting continously |
| inculpate | to charge with fault, blame |
| incursion | an attack that penetrates into enemy territory |
| indefatigable | with indefatigable energy; tireless |
| indelible | cannot be removed, washed away or erased |
| indemnify | secure against future loss, damage, or liability |
| indeterminate | not leading to a definite ending or result |
| indict | accuse formally of a crime; charge |
| indigence | a state of extreme poverty or destitution |
| indigenous | originating where it is found; native |
| indigent | poor enough to need help from others |
| indignant | angered at something unjust or wrong |
| indiscriminate | choosing at random; confused; not based on careful distinctions |
| indoctrinate | to teach, or brainwash |
| indolence | inactivity resulting from a dislike of work |
| indolent | habitually lazy; idle |
| indomitable | unconquerable; unyielding |
| indubitably | in a manner or to a degree that could not be doubted |
| induce | succeed in persuading or influencing, bring about or give rise to |
| indulgent | showing or characterized by or given to indulgence |
| ineffable | defying expression or description |
| ineluctable | not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable |
| inert | slow and apathetic, unable to move or resist motion |
| infuriate | make furious |
| infusion | a solution obtained by steeping or soaking a substance (usually in water), the act of infusing or introducing a certain modifying element or quality |
| ingenous | naive and trusting; lacking sophistication |
| ingenuous | Candid, frank, or open in character or quality. |
| ingratiate | gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts , flattery |
| inherent | existing as an essential constituent or characteristic, firmly established by nature or habit; intrinsic |
| inimical | hostile; threatening |
| iniquitous | unfair, wicked |
| innocuous | harmless |
| innovate | bring something new to an environment |
| innuendo | a hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense) |
| insalubrious | detrimental to health |
| inscrutable | difficult to understand, mysterious |
| insensate | without compunction or human feeling, devoid of feeling and consciousness and animation |
| insensible | unconscious; unresponsive |
| insidious | intended to entrap, sly,crafty,tricky |
| insinuate | give to understand, imply |
| insipid | lacking in flavor; dull |
| insolent | arrogent, insulting, insulting in manner or speech; rude |
| insouciant | indifferent; lacking concern or care |
| insular | narrowly restricted in outlook or scope |
| insularity | narrow-mindedness; isolation |
| insuperable | insurmountable; unconquerable |
| intangible | not material |
| intemperance | immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites |
| interdict | to forbid; prohibit |
| interloper | someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission |
| intermittent | stopping and starting at irregular intervals |
| internecine | deadly to both sides |
| interpolate | to insert; change by adding new words or material |
| interregnum | interval between reigns; gap in continuity |
| intimate | marked by close acquaintance |
| intractable | not easily managed |
| intransigence | stubbornness; refusal to compromise |
| intransigent | not capable of being swayed or diverted from a course |
| intrigue | A plot or scheme, usually complicated and intended to accomplish something by secret ways. |
| introspective | contemplating one's own thoughts and feelings |
| inundate | (v) to flood, overflow; to overwhelm by numbers or size SYN: submerge, deluge, swamp, fill or cover completely, usually with water |
| inured | hardened; accustomed; used to |
| invective | abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will |
| inveigh | to disapprove; protest vehemently |
| inveigle | to win over by flattering or coaxing |
| inveterate | confirmed; long standing |
| invidious | likely to provoke ill will |
| invigorate | impart vigor, strength, or vitality to |
| irascible | characterized by anger, quickly aroused to anger |
| iridescent | having a play of lustrous rainbow-like colors |
| irk | irritate or vex |
| irrepressible | unable to be restrained or held back; impossible to hold back |
| irresolute | uncertain how to act or proceed, weak |
| itinerant | wandering from place to place; unsettled |
| itinerary | a proposed route of travel |
| jaded | tired; bored; worn out |
| jaundiced | havind a yellowish discoloration of the skin; affected by envy |
| jejune | lacking interest or significance |
| jeopardy | a source of danger |
| jest | activity characterized by good humor |
| jettison | throw as from an airplane; throw overboard |
| jibe | to be in agreement |
| jocose | characterized by jokes and good humor |
| jocund | full of or showing high-spirited merriment |
| judicious | proceeding from good sense or judgment; prudent; sapient |
| juggernaut | huge froce destrying everything in its path |
| junta | group of people united in political intrigue |
| juxtapose | place side by side |
| ken | range of what one can know or understand |
| kinship | a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character |
| kith | your friends and acquaintances |
| knavery | lack of honesty |
| kudos | fame; glory; honor |
| labile | likely to change |
| labyrinth | A maze |
| lacerate | cut or tear irregularly |
| lachrymose | causing tears, tearful |
| lackluster | lacking luster or shine; dull |
| laconic | brief and to the point |
| ladle | a spoon-shaped vessel with a long handle |
| laggard | someone who takes more time than necessary |
| lambaste | to trash verbally or physically |
| lambent | softly bright or radiant |
| lament | show, feel great sorrow |
| lampoon | a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way; ridicule |
| languid | lacking spirit or liveliness |
| lascivious | lustful |
| lassitude | a feeling of lack of interest or energy |
| latent | dormant; potential not apparent |
| laud | praise |
| laudatory | full of or giving praise |
| lax | not strict, careless; lacking discipline; not tense, relaxed |
| lazing | spend time in a relaxed manner; be lazy; loaf |
| leaden | (of movement) slow and laborious; lacking energy and vitality; lacking |
| lecherous | given to excessive indulgence in sexual activity; impure in thoughts |
| legerdemain | sleight of hand; artful trick; A show of skill or deceitful cleverness |
| lethal | deadly, fatal |
| lethargic | drowsy; dull; N. lethargy: state of sluggishness and inactivity |
| levee | a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea |
| levity | light manner or attitude |
| liaison | a channel for communication between groups |
| libel | a tort consisting of false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person |
| liberal | tolerant; broad-minded |
| libertine | debauched person, roue |
| libido | sexual desire |
| licentious | lacking moral discipline; wanton; lewd |
| ligneous | woodlike |
| lilliputian | extremely small |
| limn | to draw, describe |
| limpid | clear; transparent |
| linguistic | pertaining to language |
| lionize | assign great social importance to; treat as a celebrity |
| litany | lengthy recitation; repetitive chant |
| literati | scholarly of learned persons |
| litigate | institute legal proceedings against |
| litigation | legal proceedings |
| livid | furiously angry; black and blue |
| lode | A somewhat continuous unstratified metal- bearing vein. |
| lofty | of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in character |
| log | a written record of events on a voyage (of a ship or plane) |
| loquacious | talkative |
| lout | an awkward stupid person |
| loutish | ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance |
| lucid | bright; clear; intelligible |
| lucre | money or profits |
| lugubrious | excessively mournful |
| lull | a pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished |
| luminary | a celebrity who is an inspiration to others |
| luminous | bright; brilliant; glowing |
| lurid | shining with an unnatural red glow as of fire seen through smoke |
| lurk | wait in hiding to attack |
| lustrous | shining |
| mace | ceremonial staff used as a symbol of authority; clublike medieval weapon |
| macerate | cause to grow thin or weak; waste away |
| machiavellian | crafty; double-dealing |
| machinations | plots or schemes |
| maelstrom | whirpool; turmoil |
| magnaminity | generosity; nobility |
| magnanimity | the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving |
| magnate | a very wealthy or powerful businessman |
| maladroit | clumsy; not skillful; awkward; bungling |
| malaise | physical discomfort (as mild sickness or depression) |
| malevolent | wishing or appearing to wish evil to others |
| malfeasance | wrongful conduct by a public official |
| malign | evil or harmful in nature or influence |
| malinger | avoid responsibilities and duties, e.g., by pretending to be ill |
| malleable | capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionate |
| manumit | free from slavery or servitude |
| mar | a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body) |
| marauder | someone who attacks in search of booty; intruder; plunderer |
| martinet | someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms; A strict Disciplinarian |
| masonry | structure built of stone or brick by a mason |
| maudlin | Foolishly and tearfully affectionate. |
| maverick | dissenter |
| maxim | A principle accepted as true and acted on as a rule or guide. |
| meander | to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course |
| meek | very docile; humble and mild |
| megalomania | delusions of power or importance |
| melancholy | characterized by or causing or expressing sadness |
| mellifluous | Sweetly or smoothly flowing; dulcet; euphonious |
| menagerie | a variety of animals kept together |
| mendacious | dishonest |
| mendicant | beggar |
| mercenary | a person hired to fight for another country than their own |
| mercurial | capricious, change, fickle |
| meretricious | gaudy; specious; flasely attractive |
| mesmerize | to hypnotize |
| metamorphosis | change of form; Ex. metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly; V. metamorphose: change by metamorphosis |
| metaphysics | a branch of philosophy tha tinvestigates the ultimate nature of reality |
| meteoric | coming into existence swiftly, suddenly , brightly, like a meteor |
| metereological | concerned with the weather |
| meticulous | excessively careful (with great attention to detail); painstaking; scrupulous |
| mettle | courage; endurance |
| mettlesome | full of courage and fortitude |
| microcosm | a small system having analogies to a larger system |
| mien | dignified manner or conduct |
| miff | a state of irritation or annoyance; a petulant |
| militate | to work against |
| minatory | threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments |
| minion | a servile or fawning dependent |
| minuscule | very small |
| minutia | petty details |
| mire | a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot |
| mirth | n. gladness and joyful exuberance. |
| misanthrope | one who hates humanity; one who dislikes others |
| miscegenation | intermixing of races by marriage or sexual relations |
| miscellany | mixture of writtings on various subjects |
| miscreant | villain; criminal |
| misdemeanor | a crime less serious than a felony |
| misogynist | one who hates women |
| mite | any of numerous very small to minute arachnids often infesting animals or plants or stored foods |
| mitigate | alleviate; to become less severe |
| mnemonic | realated to memory; assisting memory |
| modicum | limited quantity |
| mollify | to calm or soothe |
| monolithic | solid and uniform; constituing a single, unified whole |
| moot | think about carefully |
| morass | a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot |
| morbid | caused by or altered by or manifesting disease or pathology |
| morose | ill-humored; sullen |
| motif | a theme that is elaborated on in a piece of music |
| motility | ability to move spontaneously and independently |
| motley | a collection containing a variety of sorts of things |
| mottled | having spots or patches of color |
| moxie | fortitude and determination |
| mulish | unreasonably and inflexibly obstinate like a mule |
| multifarious | diverse |
| mumble | talk indistinctly; say low and inarticulately |
| mundane | boring, to common, plain |
| munificent | Extraordinarily generous; bountiful |
| murk | make dark, dim, or gloomy |
| mutinous | rebellious, unruly |
| nascent | coming into existence |
| natatorium | pool that provides a facility for swimming |
| natty | marked by smartness in dress and manners |
| nebulous | hazy, fuzzy, cloudy, vague, murky, opaque, indeterminate |
| necromancy | black magic |
| nefarious | extremely wicked; flagrant |
| negate | cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny |
| nemesis | someone seeking revenge |
| neologism | new word or expression |
| neophyte | novice; beginner |
| nepotism | favoritism shown to relatives or close friends by those in power (as by giving them jobs) |
| nettle | to arouse displeasure, impatience, or anger in (v) |
| nexus | a means of connection; a center |
| nihilist | someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief |
| nip | snip off; stop something's growth or development; bite; make numb with cold; Ex. nip the plan; Ex. A guard dog nipped the postman; Ex. fingers nipped by the extreme chill |
| nitpick | v. pay obsessive attention to petty flaws or details |
| noisome | Very offensive, particularly to the sense of smell; harmful or dangerous |
| nonplussed | bewildered |
| nostalgia | sentimental longing for a past time |
| nostrum | medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness |
| novelty | originality by virtue of being new and surprising; an innovation |
| nugatory | trifling; invalid |
| oaf | an awkward stupid person |
| obdurate | stubborn |
| obeisance | an expression of deference. |
| obfuscate | to darken, make obscure, muddle |
| objurgate | to scold or rebuke sharply |
| oblique | a diagonally arranged abdominal muscle on either side of the torso |
| obliterate | do away with completely, without leaving a trace; rub of; destroy |
| obloquy | abusively detractive language, sharp criticism, vituperation |
| obsequious | attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery |
| obsequy | funeral ceremony |
| obsolescent | becoming obsolete |
| obstinate | stubbornly adhering to an opinion or course of action |
| obstreperous | boisterously and noisily aggressive |
| obtrude | thrust oneself in as if by force; push into prominence |
| obtuse | slow to learn or understand, blunt, stupid |
| obviate | prevent the occurrence of, make unnecessary, get rid off |
| occlude | block passage through, shut, close |
| occult | relating to practices connected with supernatural phenomena |
| odious | unequivocally detestable; hateful |
| odyssey | a long, adventurous voyage; a quest |
| officious | too helful; meddlesome |
| olfactory | concerning the sense of smell |
| oligarchy | form of government in which power belongs to only a few leaders |
| ominous | threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments |
| omnipotent | having unlimited power |
| omnivorous | taking in everything; devouring or consuming anything and everything |
| onerous | burdensome |
| onomatopeia | formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to |
| opalescent | iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence |
| opprobium | public disgrace; contempt |
| opprobrium | a state of extreme dishonor |
| opulence | wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living |
| orator | a person who delivers a speech or oration |
| ornithologist | scientist who studies birds |
| oscillate | move or swing from side to side regularly, viberate |
| ossify | cause to become hard and bony |
| ostentatious | intended to attract notice and impress others |
| ostracize | avoid speaking to or dealing with, expel from a community or group |
| overhaul | periodic maintenance on a car or machine |
| overweening | presumptuous; arrogant |
| paean | song of joy or triumph; a fervent expression of joy |
| palatial | suitable for or like a palace; magnificent; splendid |
| paleonthology | study of past geological eras through fossil remains |
| palliate | lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of |
| pallid | lacking color or liveliness |
| palpable | capable of being perceived by the senses or the mind |
| paltry | trifle, insignificant: mean, despicable: inferior trashy |
| panache | dash or flamboyance in manner or style. |
| pandemonium | a state of extreme confusion and disorder |
| panegyric | a formal expression of praise |
| panoply | a complete and impressive array, complete collection or wide range of things |
| paragon | model of excellence or perfection of a kind |
| parapet | a low wall along the edge of a roof or balcony |
| paraphernalia | equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc. |
| pariah | a person who is rejected (from society or home) |
| parley | a negotiation between enemies |
| parry | avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues) |
| parsimonious | excessively unwilling to spend; excessively frugal |
| partisan | devoted to a cause or party, one-sided |
| parvenu | a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class |
| pastiche | a work of art that imitates the style of some previous work |
| paten | round gold plate that holds large host prior to consecration |
| pathogenic | able to cause disease |
| pathological | caused by or altered by or manifesting disease or pathology |
| patois | jargon; a regional dialect |
| patulous | spreading or expanding |
| paucity | an insufficient quantity or number |
| peck | to strike or indent with the beak, as a bird does, or with some pointed instrument, esp. with quick, repeated movements. |
| peculate | embezzle; defalcate; misappropriate; steal |
| pecuniary | relating to or involving money |
| pedagogue | someone who educates young people |
| pedantic | bookish, showing off learning |
| peerless | having no equal; incomparable |
| peevish | easily irritated or annoyed |
| pelf | informal terms for money; Wealth or riches, especially when dishonestly acquired |
| pellucid | transparent; easily understood |
| penchant | a strong liking, a tendency or strong desire |
| pendant | an adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry (necklace or earring) |
| penitent | feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds |
| pensive | persistently or morbidly thoughtful |
| penury | a state of extreme poverty or destitution |
| percipient | characterized by ease and quickness in perceiving, having a good understanding of things |
| percussion | tapping a part of the body for diagnostic purposes |
| perdition | damnation, complete ruin |
| peregrination | wandering from place to place |
| peremptory | imperative; leaving no choice |
| perennial | Continuing though the year or through many years. |
| perfidious | faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy |
| perfunctory | hasty and without attention to detail, done merely to carry out a duty |
| perigee | point in an orbit that is closest to the earth |
| peripatetic | a person who walks from place to place, itinerant |
| perishable | likley to spoil or decay |
| perjury | criminal offense of making false statements under oath |
| permeable | allowing (especially liquids) to pass or diffuse through |
| permutation | Reciprocal change, different ordering of same items. |
| pernicious | exceedingly harmful |
| pernickety | characterized by excessive precision and attention to trivial details |
| perpetrate | guilty of a committed crime; To be responsible for |
| perpetual | occurring so frequently as to seem ceaseless or uninterrupted |
| perquisite | gratuity or tip, a benefit in addition to a salary. |
| persnickety | characterized by excessive precision and attention to trivial details |
| perspicacious | acutely insightful and wise |
| perspicacity | quick judging and understanding |
| pertinacious | stubbornly unyielding |
| pertinent | being of striking appropriateness; suitable; to the point |
| perturb | to disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious |
| peruse | examine or consider with attention and in detail |
| pervasion | the process of permeating or infusing something with a substance |
| pervasive | spread throughout every part |
| petulant | easily irritated or annoyed |
| phial | a small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle) |
| philander | to engage in many love affairs, especially with a frivolous or casual attitude (used of a man) |
| philanthropy | voluntary promotion of human welfare, charity |
| philology | the humanistic study of language and literature |
| phlegmatic | Not easily roused to feeling or action, calm |
| phoenix | anything that is restored after suffering great destruction |
| physiognomy | facial features |
| pied | having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly |
| piety | devoutness |
| pinioned | (of birds) especially having the flight feathers |
| piquant | agreeably pungent, stimulating |
| pique | fleeting feeling or hurt pride |
| pittance | an inadequate payment |
| placate | pacify; conciliate |
| placebo | an innocuous or inert medication |
| placid | calm |
| plaintive | melancholy; mournful |
| plangent | beating with a loud or deep sound; also, expressing sadness. |
| plasticity | pliability; condition of being able to be shaped or formed |
| platitude | A written or spoken statement that is flat, dull, or commonplace. |
| platonic | spiritual; theoretical |
| plenary | full in all respects; thorough |
| plethora | excess; overabundance |
| pliant | capable of being bent or flexed or twisted without breaking; capable of being influenced |
| pluck | the trait of showing courage and determination in spite of possible loss or injury |
| plucky | showing courage in the face of danger |
| plumb | to examine deeply; determine the depth |
| plummet | drop sharply |
| plutocracy | society ruled by the wealthy |
| poignant | Severely painful or acute to the spirit. |
| polemic | a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma) |
| pommel | strike, usually with the fist |
| pontificate | talk in a dogmatic and pompous manner |
| pore | direct one's attention on something |
| porous | full of holes; permeable to liquids |
| poseur | poerson who affects an attitude to impress others |
| potable | any liquid suitable for drinking |
| potentate | a ruler who is unconstrained by law |
| pout | make a sad face and thrust out one's lower lip |
| pragmatic | guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory |
| prairie | a large, level area of grassland with few or no trees |
| prate | to talk idly; chatter |
| prattle | meaningless, foolish talk |
| preamble | A statement introductory to and explanatory of what follows. |
| precarious | uncertain |
| precept | principle; law |
| precipitate | rash; hasty; sudden; done without deliberation |
| precipitous | extremely steep |
| preclude | keep from happening or arising |
| precocious | characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude) |
| precursor | a person who goes before or announces the coming of another, forerunner |
| predicament | a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one |
| predilection | a predisposition in favor of something, a strong liking |
| predispose | v. to make (someone) inclined to do something in advance |
| preempt | to supersede; appropiate for oneself |
| preen | pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement |
| prefatory | serving as an introduction or preface |
| prehensile | capable of grasping |
| premonition | a feeling of evil to come |
| preponderate | to exceed in weight, influence, importance, amount, etc. |
| prerogative | a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right) |
| presage | to foretell; indicate in advance |
| prescient | perceiving the significance of events before they occur |
| presentiment | feeling something will happen, anticipatory fear, premonition |
| presumptuous | excessively forward, assuming too much; arrogant |
| pretentious | intended to attract notice and impress others |
| preternatural | supernatural; beyond the normal use of nature |
| prevaricate | be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information, equivocate |
| prig | a person who adheres smugly or unthinkingly to a rigid standard of propriety or morality |
| priggish | exaggeratedly proper |
| primordial | original; existing from the beginning |
| pristine | primitive, unspoiled, pure, as in earlier times, unadulterated |
| privy | hidden from general view or use; secret; hidden |
| probity | complete and confirmed integrity, honesty, decency |
| problematic | doubtful;unsettled; questionable; perplexing |
| procrastinate | To put off till tomorrow or till a future time. |
| prodigal | One wasteful or extravagant, especially in the use of money or property, lavish, wasteful |
| produce | cultivate by growing, often involving improvements by means of agricultural techniques |
| proffer | a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection |
| profilic | abundantly fruitful, marked by great productivity |
| profligate | unrestrained by convention or morality; shamelessly immoral |
| profound | deep, not superficial |
| profusion | the property of being extremely abundant |
| progeny | children; offspring |
| prognosis | a prediction of the course of a disease |
| prohibitive | so high as to prevent the purchase or use of, forbidding |
| proliferate | cause to grow or increase rapidly, spread, multiply |
| promulgate | put a law into effect by formal declaration, state or announce |
| proofread | read for errors |
| propensity | a natural inclination, an inclination to do something |
| propinquity | the property of being close together |
| propitiate | to appease; to conciliate, mollify |
| propitious | presenting favorable circumstances |
| propound | put forward, as of an idea |
| propriety | correct conduct, fitness |
| prosaic | unimaginative; dull; commonplace |
| proscribe | prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw |
| proselytize | convert to another faith or religion, doctrine |
| protract | cause to be or last longer, extend a body part, draw out plan |
| provident | providing carefully for the future |
| proviso | a stipulated condition; provision |
| provocative | serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate |
| proximate | closest in degree or order (space or time) especially in a chain of causes and effects |
| pseudonym | a fictitious name used when the person performs a particular social role |
| puckish | naughtily or annoyingly playful |
| puerile | displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity, childish |
| pugnacious | ready and able to resort to force or violence, belligerent |
| puissant | powerful |
| pulchritude | physical beauty (especially of a woman) |
| pulsatile | marked by or occuring in pulsation |
| pulverize | make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust |
| punctilious | careful in observing rules fo behavior |
| pungency | a strong odor or taste property |
| pungent | penetrating, caustic, to the point |
| puny | inferior in strength or significance |
| purlion | to steal; to practice theft |
| purport | to profess, suppose, claim |
| pusillanimous | cowerdly |
| quaff | to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught; drink with relish |
| quagmire | marsh, difficult situation |
| quail | to cower, lose heart |
| qualified | limited, restricted |
| qualm | sudden feeling of faintness or nausea |
| quandary | a state of uncertainty or perplexity; dilemma |
| quarantine | isolation to prevent the spread of infectious disease |
| quash | put down by force or intimidation |
| querulous | habitually complaining, peevish, discontented |
| query | question |
| quibble | argue over petty things, minor objections or criticism |
| quiescence | a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction, period of inactivity |
| quiescent | being quiet or still or inactive, dormant |
| quirk | peculiar way of acting; sudden twist or turn; caprice |
| quisling | someone who collaborates with an enemy occupying force |
| quixotic | idealistic without regard to practicality |
| quorum | number of memeber necessary to conduct a meeting |
| rabid | furious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme; mad; infected with rabies |
| raconteur | witty, skillful storyteller |
| rail | to scold with bitter or abusive language |
| raiment | clothing |
| rakish | marked by smartness in dress and manners |
| ramification | implication, consequence |
| rampant | growing in profusion, unrestrained; widespread |
| rampart | an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes |
| rancid | spoiled or bad smelling |
| rancor | bitterness; hatred |
| rant | talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner |
| rarefied | having low density, reserved for an elite group |
| ratify | approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation |
| rationale | fundamental reason |
| raucous | unpleasantly loud and harsh |
| raving | talking or behaving irrationally |
| raze | to completly destroy |
| rebu | puzzle in whic pictures or symbols represent words |
| rebuke | an act or expression of criticism and censure, express sharp disapproval coz of behavior or actions |
| recalcitrant | marked by stubborn resistance to authority, man having lot of attitude |
| recant | formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure, disclaim |
| recidivism | habitual relapse into crime |
| recluse | hermit; loner; one who lives in seclusion |
| recondite | abstruse, profound |
| recumbent | reclining; lying down completely or in part |
| recusant | someone who refuses to conform to established standards of conduct |
| redolent | having a strong distinctive fragrance |
| redoubtable | formidable, arousing fear |
| redress | To set right, as a wrong by compensation or the punishment of the wrong-doer. |
| reel | revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis |
| refractory | stubborn, resisting ordinary methods of treatment |
| refulgent | brightly shining, resplendent |
| refute | prove to be false or incorrect, deny or contradict |
| regale | to entertain |
| rejoinder | a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one), retort, to reply |
| relegate | expel, as if by official decree, banish to a inferior position |
| remonstrate | to object or protest |
| renascence | the revival of learning and culture |
| rendition | the act of interpreting something as expressed in an artistic performance |
| renege | to go back on one's word |
| reparation | amends, compensation |
| repartee | adroitness and cleverness in reply |
| repertoire | a collection of works that an artist or company can perform |
| repine | fret, complain |
| repose | freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility) |
| reprehensible | condemnable: bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure, blame worthy |
| reprisals | violent military actions carried out in retaliation for an enemy's actions |
| reprise | repetition, especially of a piece of music |
| reproach | a mild rebuke or criticism |
| reprobate | a person without moral scruples, wicked person |
| repudiate | reject as untrue, unfounded, or unjust, disown |
| repugnant | Offensive to taste and feeling. |
| rescind | repeal; annul; cancel (a law, decision, or agreement) |
| resigned | showing utter resignation or hopelessness; unresisting |
| resilient | recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like |
| resolute | characterized by quickness and firmness |
| resolution | determination, resolve |
| resolve | cause to go into a solution, to make a firm decision |
| respite | a pause from doing something (as work) |
| resplendent | having great beauty and splendor |
| restive | impatient especially under restriction or delay |
| restiveness | the anxious feeling you have when you have the jitters; uneasiness |
| resurgence | bringing again into activity and prominence |
| retaliate | make a counterattack and return like for like, especially evil for evil |
| reticent | Habitually keeping silent or being reserved in utterance. |
| revelry | boisterous, festivity; joyful, exuberant activity |
| reverent | expressing deep respect, worshipful |
| reverie | absent-minded dreaming while awake |
| revile | spread negative information about |
| revulsion | sudden strong change |
| rhabdomancy | searching for underground water or minerals by using a dowsing rod |
| rhetorical | concerned with effect or style of writing and speaking |
| ribald | humorously vulgar; wanton; profane |
| rickety | inclined to shake as from weakness or defect; likely to fall apart |
| rigor | something hard to endure; severity |
| rile | make turbid by stirring up the sediments of; to stir up anger |
| riposte | retaliatory action or retort |
| risible | arousing or provoking laughter |
| rococo | excessively ornate |
| roil | to stir up, disturb, rile |
| roseate | having a dusty purplish pink color |
| rotundity | the roundness of a 3-dimensional object |
| rubric | protocol, title or heading |
| rue | regret |
| ruminate | reflect deeply on a subject |
| ruminative | persistently or morbidly thoughtful |
| rummage | a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion) |
| ruse | trick, crafty stratagem |
| saboteur | a member of a clandestine subversive organization who tries to help a potential invader |
| saga | a narrative telling the adventures of a hero or a family |
| sage | a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics who is renowned for profound wisdom |
| salacious | lascivious, lustful |
| salient | conspicuous, highly relevant, prominent |
| salubrious | favorable to health of mind or body, healthy, promoting health |
| salutary | expecting an improvement, favorable to health |
| salutatory | The opening oration at the commencement in American colleges. |
| salvage | the act of rescuing a ship or its crew or its cargo from a shipwreck or a fire |
| sanction | official permission or approval |
| sangfroid | Composure in the face of difficulty or danger |
| sanguine | optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red |
| sapid | full of flavor; tasty |
| sapient | wise; sage; discerning. |
| sardonic | cynical, scornfully mocking |
| sartorial | pertaining to tailors |
| sass | an impudent or insolent rejoinder; disrespectful speech |
| satiate | fill to satisfaction |
| satiric | Resembling poetry, in which vice, incapacity ,or corruption is held up to ridicule. |
| saturate | imbue througout, soak thoroughly |
| saturnine | gloomy |
| satyr | a creature that is half-man, half beast, with the horns and legs of a goat |
| saunter | a leisurely walk (usually in some public place) |
| savant | someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field; scholar |
| savor | the taste experience when a savoury condiment is taken into the mouth |
| scalawag | a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel |
| scant | supply sparingly and with restricted quantities |
| scapegoat | blamed, someone punished for the errors of others |
| scathe | the act of damaging something or someone |
| schematic | relating to or in the form of an outline or diagram |
| schism | division of a group into opposing factions |
| scourge | a whip used to inflict punishment (often used for pedantic humor) |
| scrupulous | characterized by extreme care and great effort |
| scurrilous | Grossly indecent or vulgar. |
| secrete | hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism |
| secular | worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion; temporal |
| sedentary | requiring sitting; done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled |
| sedition | an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority and tending to cause the disruption or overthrow of the government |
| sedulous | diligent, assiduous |
| seethe | be in an agitated emotional state |
| seismic | relating to earthquakes |
| senility | mental infirmity as a consequence of old age |
| sensual | relating to the senses, gratifying the physical (sexual) senses |
| sensuous | relating to the senses |
| sententious | terse, concise, aphoristic; concise and full of meaning |
| sentient | aware, concious, able to preceive |
| serrated | notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex |
| serried | pressed together, compacted |
| servile | submissive, obedient |
| sextant | navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude |
| sham | adopted in order to deceive; fake and not real |
| shard | a broken piece of a brittle artifact, ceramics |
| shirk | (v.) to avoid or get out of doing work, neglect a duty; to sneak, slink |
| shoal | a stretch of shallow water |
| shoddy | of poor quality; characterized by inferior workmanship |
| shovel | a hand tool for lifting loose material |
| shroud | burial garment in which a corpse is wrapped |
| sidereal | relating to the stars |
| silhouette | a drawing of the outline of an object |
| simian | apelike, relating to apes |
| simile | comparison of one thing with another using "like" or "as" |
| sinecure | well-paying job that requieres little or no work |
| singular | unique, extraordinary, odd |
| sinuous | intricate, complex |
| siren | a woman who is considered to be dangerously seductive |
| skeptic | one who doubts |
| skimp | supply sparingly and with restricted quantities; work hastily or carelessly |
| skulk | to hide in a sneaking manner; sneak |
| skullduggery | verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way |
| slake | make less active or intense; satisfy thrust; quench |
| sloth | apathy and inactivity in the practice of virtue (personified as one of the deadly sins) |
| slouch | to sit or stand in a lazy way |
| slovenly | negligent of neatness especially in dress and person |
| slur | a disparaging remark |
| sly | marked by skill in deception, sneaky, tricky |
| smirk | to smile in an obnoxious, superior way |
| snarl | something jumbled or confused |
| sobriety | seriousness |
| sociopath | a person who shows extremely aggressive and antisocial behavior |
| sodden | thoroughly soaked, saturated |
| sojourn | a temporary stay |
| solicitous | concerned, attentive, eager |
| soliloquy | literary or dramatic speech by one character, not adressed to others |
| solvent | able to meet financial obligations |
| somatic | relating to or affecting the body, corporeal |
| somnambulist | someone who walks about in their sleep |
| sonnet | a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme |
| sophistry | seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism |
| soporific | a drug that induces sleep |
| sordid | filthy, contemptible and corrupt |
| spat | engage in a brief and petty quarrel; clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval |
| specious | seeming to be logical and sound, but not really so |
| spectrum | band of color, broad range of related ideas or objects |
| spendthrift | person who spends money recklessly |
| spiny | having or covered with protective barbs or quills or spines or thorns or setae etc. |
| splenetic | very irritable; peevish |
| sporadic | irregular |
| squabble | a quarrel about petty points |
| squall | utter a sudden loud cry; short violent storm |
| squalor | filthy, wretched condition |
| squat | crouch; settle without permission; To sit on one's heel |
| staccato | marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds |
| stalwart | a physically or morally strong person; a supporter |
| stanch | to stop or check the flow of |
| stentorian | extremely loud |
| sterile | incapable of reproducing; deficient in originality or creativity |
| stigma | A mark of infamy or token of disgrace attaching to a person as the result of evil-doing. |
| stint | supply, allotted amount, assigned portion of work |
| stipulate | make an oral contract or agreement in the verbal form of question and answer that is necessary to give it legal force |
| stoic | seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive |
| stoical | seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain |
| stolid | having or revealing little emotion or sensibility, impassive, dull |
| stomp | walk heavily |
| straddling | sit with each leg on one side |
| stratified | arranged in layers |
| striated | marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels |
| stricture | something that restrains, negative criticism |
| strident | loud, harsh, unpleasantly noisy |
| strut | to swagger, display to impress others |
| stultify | to impair or reduce to uselessness |
| stupefy | to dull the senses of, stun, atonish |
| stupor | the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally |
| stygian | dark and gloomy, hellish |
| stymie | hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of; impede; block |
| suave | smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication |
| subjugate | to bring under control, conquer, enslave |
| sublime | exalted, noble and uplifting, utter |
| subpoena | a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding |
| subside | sink to a lower level; settle down; sink to the bottom (as a sediment); descend; grow quiet; become less; moderate; abate |
| substantiate | establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts, verify, support |
| substantive | essential |
| subsume | to include, incorporate |
| subterfuge | something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity in order to achieve one's goal |
| subterranean | being or operating under the surface of the earth |
| subversive | intended to undermine or underthrow, especially an established government |
| succor | relief, help in time of distress or want |
| succulent | full of juice |
| suffrage | the right to vote |
| suffuse | cause to spread or flush or flood through, over, or across |
| sullen | darkened by clouds |
| sumptuous | rich and superior in quality; luxurious |
| sunder | break apart or in two, using violence |
| sundry | various |
| supercilious | having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy |
| supersede | take the place or move into the position of |
| supine | lying in the back, marked by lethargy |
| supplant | to replace, substitute |
| supple | easily bent; flexile; lilth; limber |
| suppliant | beseeching |
| supplicant | one who asks humbly and earnestly |
| supplicate | ask for humbly or earnestly, as in prayer |
| supposition | a hypothesis that is taken for granted, an uncertain belief |
| surfeit | eating until excessively full |
| surly | bad-temoered, rude, and hostile |
| surmise | a message expressing an opinion based on incomplete evidence |
| surreptitious | marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; clandestine |
| swarthy | having dark complexion or color |
| swathe | wrap in swaddling clothes |
| swindle | verb: to cheat or defraud someone of money or property, to obtain by practicing fraud. noun: a scheme or dishonest act. |
| sybarite | a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses |
| sycophantic | attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery |
| syllogism | a form of deductive reasoning with a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion |
| sylvan | related to the woods or forest |
| tacit | not spoken; implied by actions or statements |
| taciturn | habitually reserved and uncommunicative |
| taint | a stain or spot; a mark of corruption or dishonor; to stain or contaiminate |
| talisman | charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune |
| tangential | of superficial relevance if any, only slightly connected |
| tantalize | tease by putting something just out of reach; raise hopes that cannot be realized |
| tantamount | Having equal or equivalent value, effect, or import. |
| tardy | after the expected or usual time; late; moving slowly |
| taut | subjected to great tension; tight; ready |
| tautology | unnecessary repetition |
| tawdry | cheap, gaudy, showy, tacky |
| taxonomy | science of classification |
| teem | To be full to overflowing. |
| teeter | move unsteadily, with a rocking motion |
| teetotaler | one pledged to abstinence from alcoholic drinks. |
| temerity | boldness, brashness, intrepidness |
| tenable | based on sound reasoning or evidence, capable of being held |
| tenacious | tending to stick firmly to any decision plan or opinion without changing or doubting it |
| tendentious | having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one |
| tenet | belief, doctrine |
| tenterhook | one of a series of hooks used to hold cloth on a tenter |
| tenuous | thin or slight, slim, having little substance or strength; shaky; unsure, weak |
| tepid | moderately warm; mild |
| termagant | a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman |
| terrestrial | earthly, commonplace |
| terse | brief and to the point |
| tessellated | having a checkered appearance; adorned with a mosaic |
| testy | easily irritated or annoyed |
| tether | to hold or confine with rope to another object |
| theocracy | government by priests representing a god |
| thespian | an actor or actress |
| thrall | someone held in bondage; slave |
| throe | hard or painful trouble or struggle |
| thwart | block or hinder; baffle; frustrate |
| timbre | voice tone color |
| timeworn | hackneyed, stale; worn out by use |
| timorous | fearful; timid; demonstrating fear |
| tirade | a speech of violent denunciation, harangue |
| titillate | excite pleasurably or erotically |
| toady | flatterer, yes-man |
| toil | productive work (especially physical work done for wages) |
| tome | book, usually large and academic |
| torpor | inactivity resulting from torpidity and lack of vigor or energy, lethargy, dormancy |
| torque | a turning or twisting force |
| torrid | emotionally charged and vigorously energetic |
| tortuous | having many twists and turns, highly complex |
| tout | to promote or praise energetically |
| tractable | easily managed (controlled or taught or molded), easily led |
| traduce | speak unfavorably about; vilify; slander |
| transcendent | exceeding or surpassing usual limits especially in excellence |
| transgression | act of trespassing or violating a law or rule |
| transient | temporary, fleeting |
| translucent | partially transparent |
| transmute | change in outward structure or looks |
| transpire | exude water vapor |
| travail | work, especially arduous work |
| travesty | parody, exaggerated imitation, caricature |
| treatise | article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly |
| trek | any long and difficult trip; migrate |
| tremulous | trembling, frugal, timid |
| trenchancy | keenness and forcefulness of thought or expression or intellect |
| trenchant | having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect |
| trepidation | fear and anxiety |
| tribunal | specialist court outside the judical system, examins special problems |
| trifle | consider not very seriously |
| trite | unoriginal; dull |
| troth | a solemn pledge of fidelity |
| truculence | aggressiveness, ferocity |
| trudge | walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud |
| tryst | agreement between lovest to meet, rendez-vous |
| tumid | swollen, distended |
| tumult | the act of making a noisy disturbance; riot |
| tumultuous | Confusedly or violently agitated; confused; in an uproar |
| turbid | muddy, opaque, in a state of great confusion |
| turgid | swollen, pompous |
| turncoat | a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc. |
| turpitude | a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice; wickedness |
| tutelary | serving as a guardian or protector |
| ulterior | beyond or outside an area of immediate interest |
| unbend | release from mental strain, tension, or formality |
| unbuttoned | not under constraint in action or expression |
| uncanny | myterious, strange |
| unconscionable | lacking a conscience, not right or reasonable |
| uncouth | lacking in polish or grace; uncultivated in appearance or behavior; outlandish |
| unctuous | Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness; too polite in speech or manner |
| undulating | moving in waves |
| unfathomed | situated at or extending to great depth |
| unfeigned | not false, genuine |
| unorthodox | independent in behavior or thought |
| unsavory | distasteful; disagreeable; morally offensive |
| untactful | lacking or showing a lack of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others |
| untenable | indefensible |
| untoward | not favorable, troublesome, unruly |
| upbraid | express criticism towards |
| usury | a practice of lending money at exorbitant rates |
| vacillate | move or sway in a rising and falling or wavelike pattern, fluctuate |
| vacuous | empty, void, lacking intelligence |
| vagary | an extravagant, erratic, or unpredictable notion, action, or occurrence; caprice; whim |
| valedictory | pertaining to a farewell |
| vantage | the quality of having a superior or more favorable position; vantage point |
| vapid | tasteless, dull |
| variegated | varied, marked with different colors |
| vaunt | to boast, drag |
| veer | shift to a clockwise direction; turn sharply |
| venal | mercenary, corruptible |
| vendetta | prolonged feud marked by bitter hostility |
| veneer | coating consisting of a thin layer of superior wood glued to a base of inferior wood |
| venerate | regard with feelings of respect and reverence |
| veracious | precisely accurate, habitually speaking the truth |
| veracity | unwillingness to tell lies, filled with trust and accuracy |
| verbose | using or containing too many words |
| verify | confirm the truth of |
| verisimilitude | the appearance of truth |
| verity | an enduring or necessary ethical or religious or aesthetic truth, conformity to reality or actuality |
| vernacular | the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language) |
| vertigo | dizziness |
| vestige | A visible trace, mark, or impression, of something absent, lost, or gone. |
| veto | a vote that blocks a decision; refusal of permission |
| vexation | irritation, annoyance |
| viable | capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are |
| vicarious | suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another |
| vicissitude | A change, especially a complete change, of condition or circumstances, as of fortune. |
| vie | compete for something; contend |
| vigilance | the process of paying close and continuous attention |
| vilify | spread negative information about |
| vindictive | vengeful, unforgiving |
| virtuoso | someone with master skills, expert musician |
| visage | appearance, aspect |
| viscous | having the properties of glue |
| vitiate | to impair the quality of, corrupt morally |
| vitriolic | harsh or corrosive in tone; sarcastic |
| vituperative | marked by harshly abusive criticism, scolding |
| vivisection | dissection, surgery, or painful experiments performed on a living animal for the purpose of scientific research |
| vociferous | conspicuously and offensively loud, clamorous |
| vogue | prevailing fashion or practice |
| volatile | a volatile substance, changeable, inconstant, fickle, unstable, explosive |
| volition | act of using one's will; act of making a conscious choice; Ex. She selected this dress of her own volition. |
| voracious | devouring or craving food in great quantities |
| vortex | whirpool, center of turbulence |
| vouchsafe | promise or agree condescendingly, as a special favor |
| waffle | pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness |
| wallow | devote oneself entirely to something; an indolent or clumsy rolling about |
| wan | become pale and sickly |
| wane | a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number) |
| warranted | justified |
| wary | careful, cautious |
| wax | any of various substances of either mineral origin or plant or animal origin |
| welter | toss, roll, or rise and fall in an uncontrolled way |
| wheedle | influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering; cajole |
| whet | sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone |
| whimsical | capricious; changeable, fanciful |
| wily | marked by skill in deception; cunning; artful |
| winnow | treat by exposure to a current of air so that waste matter is eliminated |
| winsome | charming in a childlike or naive way; attractive; pleasing; gracious |
| wistful | vaguely longing, sadly thoughtful |
| wit | mental ability |
| wizened | lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness |
| wreak | v. To inflict, as a revenge or punishment. |
| wrest | To pull or force away by or as by violent twisting or wringing. |
| writ | A written order issued by a court; writings |
| yapping | a sharp or shrill bark; talk noisily and stupidly |
| yoke | stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team |
| zealot | one who is fanatically devoted to a cause |
| zephyr | gentle breeze; west wind |
| zesty | marked by spirited enjoyment, having an agreeably pungent taste |
| zither | a musical stringed instrument with strings stretch over a flat sounding box |
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