| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abase | lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect |
| abash | embarrass |
| abate | subside or moderate |
| abbreviate | shorten |
| abdicate | renounce; give up (position, right, or responsibility) |
| aberrant | abnormal or deviant |
| aberration | deviation from the normal; mental disorder |
| abet | assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage |
| abeyance | suspended action |
| abhor | detest; hate |
| abject | (of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology |
| abjure | renounce upon oath |
| ablution | washing |
| abnegation | renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation |
| abolish | cancel; put an end to |
| abominate | loathe; hate |
| abominable | detestable; extremely unpleasant |
| aboriginal | being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native; indigenous; N. aborigine |
| abortive | unsuccessful; fruitless |
| abrasive | rubbing away; tending to grind down |
| abridge | condense or shorten |
| abrogate | abolish |
| abscission | cutting off; separation |
| abscond | depart secretly and hide |
| absolute | complete; totally unlimited; having complete power; certain; not relative; Ex. absolute honesty/ruler; CF. absolutism |
| absolve | pardon (an offense) |
| abstain | refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one's vote; |
| abstemious | sparing in eating and drinking; temperate |
| abstinence | restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking; CF. abstention: act of abstaining from vote |
| abstract | theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentationals representational (of a style of art) showing things as they actually appear in real life |
| abstruse | obscure; profound; difficult to understand |
| abusive | coarsely insulting; physically harmful |
| abut | border upon; adjoin |
| abysmal | bottomless |
| abyss | enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit |
| academic | related to a school; not practical or directly useful |
| accede | agree |
| accelerate | move faster |
| accessible | easy to approach; obtainable |
| accessory | additional object; useful but not essential thing |
| acclaim | applaud; praise; greet with great approval; announce with great approval; Ex. The new drung has been acclaimed as the most important discoveries for years; N: strong expression of approval and praise |
| acclimate | adjust to climate or environment; adapt |
| acclivity | sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity |
| accolade | award of merit; strong praise and approvals merit good quality deserving praise; merits: aspect of character or behavior deserving approval or disapproval; Ex. judge each plan on its own merits; V: deserve; earns demerit fault; bad qualitys earn gain for the performance of service or labor; gain (something that one deserves); deserve |
| accommodate | oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt; make enough space for; ADJ. accommodative; CF. accomodating: helpful and obliging |
| accomplice | partner in crime |
| accord | agreement |
| accost | approach and speak first to a person |
| accoutre | equip; N. accoutrement |
| accretion | growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete |
| accrue | come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrualacerbity bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone)s bitter having a sharp biting taste; causing sharp pain to the body or mind; filled with resentment, disappointment, or other unpleasant feelings; Ex. bitter wind/sorrow/tearss biting sharply painful to the body or mind; Ex. biting wind/remarks |
| acetic | vinegary |
| acidulous | slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic |
| acknowledge | recognize; admit |
| acme | peak; pinnacle; highest point |
| acoustics | science of sound; quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in |
| acquiesce | assent; agree passively; comply without protest |
| acquittal | deliverance from a charge; V. acquit: free from a charge or accusation; discharge from a duty; conduct (oneself) in a specified manner |
| acrid | bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent |
| acrimonious | stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior |
| acrophobia | fear of heights |
| actuarial | calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics |
| actuary | someone who advises insurance companies |
| actuate | motivate; activate; cause to act |
| acuity | sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing) |
| acumen | mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen |
| acute | (of the senses) sharp; quickly perceptive; keen; penetrating; brief and severe; Ex. acute sense of smell/analysis/pain |
| adage | wise saying; proverb s proverb adage; someone or something well known for notoriety; ADJ. proverbial: of a proverb; widely known; ADV. proverbially |
| adamant | hard; inflexible |
| adapt | make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel. |
| addendum | addition; appendix to book; something that is added (as at the end of a speech or book) |
| addiction | compulsive habitual need |
| addle | make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg) |
| address | direct a speech to; speak to; deal with or discuss; direct one's efforts or attention to; make with a destination; N: formal speech |
| adept | expert at; very skilled |
| adhere | stick fast; be a devotd follower; N. adhesion: adhering; devotion; loyality |
| adherent | supporter; follower |
| adjacent | adjoining; neighboring; close by |
| adjoin | be next to |
| adjourn | suspend until a later time; move from one place to another |
| adjunct | something attached to but holding an inferior position |
| adjuration | solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly |
| adjutant | staff officer assisting the commander; assistant |
| admonish | warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove |
| adore | love deeply and respect highly |
| adorn | decorate |
| adroit | skillful (in using mind or hand) |
| adulation | flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved |
| adulterate | make impure or of poorer quality by adding inferior or tainted(contaminated) substances |
| advent | arrival |
| adventitious | accidental; casual; happening by chance |
| adversary | opponent; enemy |
| adverse | going against; opposing; unfavorable; hostile |
| adversity | great hardship or affliction; misfortune; calamitous event |
| advert | refer |
| advocacy | support; active pleading on behalf of someone or something |
| advocate | speak in favor of; support (an idea or plan); urge; plead for |
| aegis | shield; protection; defense |
| aerie | (aery,eyrie,eyry) nest of a large bird of prey |
| aesthetic | artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful (of a person or building); CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics |
| affable | easily approachable; easy to talk to; warmly friendly |
| affected | artificial; pretended |
| affidavit | written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law) |
| affiliation | joining; associating with |
| affinity | feeling of kinship; similarity; Ex. strong affinity for her; Ex. many affinities between two languages |
| affirmation | positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath; V. affirm; ADJ. affirmative; CF. affirmative action: positive discrimination |
| affliction | state of distress; trial; cause of distress or suffering; V. afflict: inflict grievous suffering on |
| affluence | abundance; wealth |
| affront | insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect; V: insult or hurt the feelings of intentionally |
| agape | openmouthed |
| agenda | items of business at a meeting |
| agglomeration | collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap |
| aggrandize | make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement |
| aggregate | sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars |
| aghast | filled with great surprise or fear; horrified |
| agility | nimbleness; ability to move quickly |
| agitate | stir up; disturb |
| agnostic | one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality |
| agog | highly excited; intensely curious |
| agrarian | pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform |
| alacrity | cheerful promptness without reluctance |
| alchemy | medieval chemistry |
| alcove | nook; recess |
| alias | an assumed name esp. by a criminal (usually to mislead people); ADV. alias |
| alienate | make unfriendly or hostile; estrange; separate; change the ownership of |
| alimentary | supplying nourishment |
| alimony | payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce |
| allay | calm; pacify |
| allege | state without proof |
| allegiance | loyalty |
| allegory | story, play, or picture in which characters are used as symbols; fable |
| alleviate | relieve (pain) |
| alliteration | repetition of beginning sound in poetry |
| allocate | assign; set apart for a particular purpose |
| earmark | set aside (money or time) for a particular purpose |
| alloy | mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other maetals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness |
| allude | refer indirectly; N. allusion: indirect reference |
| allure | entice; attract; tempt |
| siren | apparatus for making sounds; womanlike creature |
| alluvial | pertaining to soil deposits left by running water |
| aloof | apart; not open in one's relationship with other people; reserved; ADV. |
| aloft | upward; high up in the air |
| altercation | noisy quarrel |
| altruistic | unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism |
| amalgamate | (of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body |
| amalgam | combination of different things; mixture of metals (containing mercury) used for filling holes in teeth |
| amass | collect (gradually, in a very large amount) |
| amazon | female warrior |
| ambidextrous | capable of using either hand with equal ease |
| ambience | environment; atmosphere; Ex. restraurant with a pleasant ambience; ADJ. ambient: completely surrounding; Ex. ambient temperature |
| ambiguous | unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation |
| ambivalence | the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions |
| amble | walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly |
| ambrosia | food of the gods |
| nectar | drink of the gods; sweet liquid collected by bees |
| ambulatory | able to walk |
| ameliorate | improve |
| amenable | obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests |
| amend | correct; change ; generally for the better |
| amenities | convenient features that helps to make life pleasant; social courtesies |
| amiable | agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly |
| amicable | peaceful; politely friendly; not quarrelsome; Ex. amicable settlement |
| amiss | wrong; faulty; Ex. something amiss; ADV. |
| amity | friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations |
| amnesia | loss of memory |
| amnesty | pardon (allowed by government to political criminals) |
| amoral | nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong |
| amorous | moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances |
| amorphous | formless; lacking shape or definition |
| amphibian | able to live both on land and in water; N. |
| amphitheater | oval building with tiers of seats; CF. arena |
| ample | enough; abundant; spacious; large in size; Ex. ample opportunity/garden; N. amplitude: quality of being ample; abundance; largeness of space |
| amplify | increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; Ex. amplify one's remarks with a graph |
| amputate | cut off part of body; prune (a limb) |
| amok(amuck) | in a state of rage; Ex. run amok |
| amulet | charm; talisman; an object worn believed to protect against evil, bad luck |
| anachronism | an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic |
| analgesic | causing insensitivity to pain; N. |
| analgesia | condition of being unable to feel pain |
| analogous | comparable; similar |
| analogy | similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things |
| anarchist | person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority |
| anarchy | absence of governing body; state of disorder |
| anathema | solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize |
| ancestry | family descent; ADJ. ancestral |
| anchor | secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; N. anchorage |
| ancillary | serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N. |
| anecdote | short story of an amusing or interesting event |
| anemia | condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic |
| anesthetic | substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia |
| anguish | acute pain; extreme suffering |
| angular | sharp-cornered; having an angle; not rounded (body); bony; lean; gaunt; stiff in manner |
| animadversion | critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval |
| animated | lively; spirited |
| animosity | active enmity |
| animus | hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition |
| annals | records arranged in yearly parts; history |
| anneal | reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass) |
| annex | attach; add to a large thing; take possession of; incorporate (territory) into a larger existing political unit (by force); N: building added to a large one |
| annihilate | destroy |
| annotate | comment; make explanatory notes |
| annuity | yearly allowance |
| annul | make void |
| elope | run away secretly with the intention of getting married |
| anodyne | drug that relieves pain or trouble; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement |
| anoint | consecrate; put oil on (in a religious ceremony) |
| anomalous | abnormal; irregular |
| anomaly | irregularity |
| anonymity | state of being nameless; anonymousness; ADJ. anonymous |
| antagonism | hostility; active opposition; V. antagonize: cause to become an enemy; N. antagonist: person who is opposed to another; opponent; adversary; principal character in oppostion to the protagonist |
| protagonist | leader or noticeable supporter of an idea; chief character in a play or story |
| antecede | precede |
| antecedents | preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background |
| antediluvian | antiquated; extremely ancient |
| anthem | song of praise or patriotism; Ex. national anthem |
| anthology | book of literary selections by various authors; CF. omnibus |
| anthropoid | manlike; resembling a human being; N. |
| anthropologist | student of the history and science of humankind |
| anthropomorphic | having human form or characteristics |
| anticlimax | letdown in thought or emotion; something unexciting, ordinary, or disappointing coming after something important or exciting |
| antidote | remedy to counteract a poison or disease; Ex. antidote to the economic troubles |
| antipathy | aversion; dislike or opposition |
| antiquated | obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated |
| antique | made in an earlier period and usu. valuable; N: object that was made in an earlier period and that is rare or valuable |
| antiquity | quality of being very old; ancient times; antiseptic substance that prevents infection in a wound; ADJ. |
| antithesis | contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical |
| antler | bony growth on the head of a deer |
| anvil | iron block used in hammering out metals |
| apathy | lack of caring; indifference; lack of concern or interest in important matters; Ex. He was sunk in apathy after his failure; ADJ. apathetic |
| ape | imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner) |
| aperture | opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light |
| apex | tip; summit; climax; highest point |
| aphasia | loss of speech due to injury or illness |
| aphorism | pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic |
| apiary | a place where bees are kept |
| hive | box for bees; V: cause to go in a hive |
| apiculture | bee-keeping |
| apiarist | person who keeps bees |
| aplomb | poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence |
| poise | good judgment with composure; balance; V: place in a carefully balanced position |
| apocalyptic | prophetic; pertaining to revelations especially of disaster; N. apocalypse |
| apocryphal | (of a story) widely believed but untrue |
| apogee | highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee |
| apolitical | having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs |
| apologist | one who writes in defense of a cause or institution; N. apologia |
| apoplexy | stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain |
| apostate | one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy |
| apothecary | druggist; pharmacist |
| apothegm | (apophthegm) pithy, compact saying |
| apotheosis | elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something |
| appall | dismay; shock deeply |
| apparition | ghost; phantom |
| appease | pacify or soothe; Ex. appease a crying baby; N. appeasement |
| appellation | name; title |
| append | attach |
| application | diligent attention; diligence; V. apply oneself |
| apposite | appropriate; fitting |
| appraise | estimate value of; N. appraisal |
| appreciate | be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of; ADJ. appreciable: enough to be felt; Ex. appreciable difference |
| apprehend | arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive; N. apprehension |
| apprehensive | fearful; discerning |
| apprise | inform |
| approbation | approval |
| appropriate | acquire; take possession of for one's own use without permission; set aside for a particular purpose; allocate; CF. misappropriate |
| appurtenances | subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing |
| apropos | with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV. |
| aptitude | fitness; talent |
| aquiline | curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose |
| arable | fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land |
| arbiter | person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware |
| arbitrary | unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler |
| arbitrate | act as judge (at the request of both sides) |
| arboretum | place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited |
| arboreal | of or living in trees |
| arcade | a covered passageway usually lined with shops |
| arcane | esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener |
| archaeology | study of artifacts and relics of early mankind |
| archaic | antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N. |
| archetype | prototype; primitive pattern |
| arch- | chief; first; Ex. archbishop |
| archipelago | group of closely located islands |
| archives | public records; place where public records are kept |
| ardor | heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent |
| arduous | hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work |
| argot | slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people |
| aria | operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio |
| arid | (of land) dry; barren; unproductive |
| aristocracy | hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat |
| armada | fleet of warships |
| aromatic | fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell |
| arraign | charge in court; indict |
| array | marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array |
| arrears | being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done |
| arrhythmic | lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia |
| arrogance | pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important (with a strong confidence in one's own importance and a lack of respect for other people) |
| arroyo | gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater |
| artery | blood-vessel; CF. vein |
| articulate | effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints |
| arsenal | storage place for military equipment |
| artifacts | object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced |
| artifice | deception; trickery |
| artisan | a manually skilled worker |
| artless | without guile; open and honest |
| ascendancy | controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant |
| ascertain | find out for certain; make certain |
| ascetic | practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism |
| ascribe | refer; attribute; assign |
| aseptic | preventing infection; having a cleansing effect |
| ashen | ash-colored; deadly pale |
| asinine | stupid; Ex. asinine remarks |
| askance | with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); Ex. look askance at |
| askew | crookedly; slanted; at an angle |
| asperity | sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter |
| aspersion | slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on |
| aspirant | seeker after position or status |
| aspire | seek to attain (position or status); long for; Ex. aspire to become president; Ex. aspire to/after the leadership |
| assail | assault |
| assay | analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore) |
| assent | agree; accept; N. assessment |
| assert | state strongly or positively; demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.); make a claim to (by forceful action); Ex. assert one's independence |
| assiduous | diligent |
| assimilate | absorb; take (food) into the body and digest it; understand (knowledge) completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous (the people of a country or race in the wasy of behaving or thinking) |
| assuage | mak less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) |
| assumption | something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; |
| assurance | firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in one's own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assurance in fron of his class; V. assure; tell firmly with confidence; ensure; make (something) certain to heappen; make (someone) feel sure; give confidence to; ADJ. assured: self-assured; confident in one's own ability; showing certainty |
| asteroid | small planet |
| astigmatism | eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism |
| astral | relating to the stars |
| astringent | binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism |
| astronomical | enormously large or extensive |
| astute | wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one's advantage |
| asunder | into parts; apart; V. sunder |
| asylum | place of refuge or shelter; protection (religious or political) |
| asymmetric | not identical on both sides of a dividing central line |
| atavism | resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic |
| atheistic | denying the existence of God; N. atheism |
| atone | make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for |
| atrocity | brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious |
| atrophy | wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle (through lack of blood or lack of use) |
| attentive | alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration |
| attenuate | make thin; weaken |
| attest | testify; bear witness |
| attribute | essential quality; V: ascribe; explain |
| attrition | rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition |
| atypical | not normal; not typical |
| audacious | daring; bold; N. audacity |
| audit | examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V. |
| augment | increase; add to |
| augury | omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future) |
| august | impressive; majestic |
| aureole | sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light |
| auroral | pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis |
| auspicious | favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices |
| austere | forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity |
| authenticate | prove genuine |
| authoritarian | subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will; Ex. authoritarian regime/father |
| authoritative | having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive |
| autocratic | having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy |
| automaton | mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself |
| autonomous | self-governing; N. autonomy |
| autopsy | examination of a dead body; postmortem; V. |
| auxiliary | offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant |
| avalanche | great mass of falling snow and ice |
| avarice | greediness for wealth |
| avenge | take vengence for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy. |
| aver | state confidently; declare as true |
| averse | reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; Ex. averse to cats/doing the house work |
| aversion | firm dislike |
| avert | prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight. |
| aviary | enclosure for birds; large cage |
| avid | greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity |
| avocation | secondary or minor occupation |
| avow | declare openly; N. avowal |
| avuncular | of or like an uncle |
| awe | solemn wonder; feeling of respect mixed with wonder and fear; V: fill with awe; ADJ. awesome |
| awful | terrible; very bad |
| awl | pointed tool used for piercing |
| awry | distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry. |
| axiom | self-evident truth requiring no proof |
| azure | sky blue |
| babble | chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N. |
| bacchanalian | drunken |
| bacchanal | noisy party with a lot of drinking |
| Bacchanalia | the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus |
| badger | pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal |
| badinage | teasing conversation; banter; joking talk |
| baffle | frustrate; perplex |
| bait | harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals |
| baleful | evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look |
| balk | stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate |
| ballast | heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast |
| balm | something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees |
| pang | sudden sharp feeling of pain |
| balmy | soft and mild (of air); fragrant |
| banal | hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed |
| bandy | discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with |
| bane | posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous |
| bantering | joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter |
| barb | sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark |
| bard | poet |
| barefaced | shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie |
| unregenerate | making no attempt to change one's bad practices |
| baroque | highly ornate |
| barrage | barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism |
| barrister | counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar |
| solicitor | lawyer in the lower court of law |
| barterer | trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money |
| bask | luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth |
| luxuriate | take pleasure in great comfort |
| bastion | stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism |
| bate | let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate |
| bauble | trinket; cheap jewel; trifle |
| bawdy | indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd |
| beatific | giving or showing bliss; blissful |
| bliss | complete happiness; ADJ. blissful |
| beatitude | blessedness; state of great happiness |
| mystic | of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism |
| bedizen | dress with vulgar finery |
| finery | beautiful clothes for a special occasion |
| bedraggle | wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled |
| beeline | direct quick route |
| befuddle | confuse thoroughly |
| fuddle | make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused |
| beget | father; become the father of; produce; give rise to |
| begrudge | envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldn't begrudge him his success. |
| grudge | deep feeling of dislike; Ex. grudge fight; V. |
| beguile | deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile |
| behemoth | huge creature; something of monstrous size or power |
| beholden | obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude |
| behoove(behove) | be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do. |
| belabor | harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically |
| belated | delayed |
| beleaguer | besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset |
| belie | contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure. |
| belittle | disparage; depreciate |
| bellicose | warlike |
| belligerent | quarrelsome |
| bemoan | lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of |
| bemused | confused; lost in thought; preoccupied |
| benediction | blessing |
| benefactor | gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose |
| beneficent | kindly; doing good |
| beneficial | helpful; useful; advantageous |
| beneficiary | person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will |
| benefit | advantage; anything that brings help, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits |
| benevolent | generous; charitable; having a wish to do good |
| benign | kindly; favorable; not malignant (disease); Ex. benign tumor |
| benison | blessing |
| bent | determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination |
| bequeath | leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest |
| berate | scold strongly |
| bereavement | state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft |
| bereaved | deprived of (someone beloved through death) |
| bereft | deprived of (something valuable); lacking |
| berserk | mad with violent anger; frenzied; madly excited |
| beseech | beg; plead with |
| beset | harass or trouble from all directions; hem in |
| hem | surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N. |
| besiege | surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually |
| besmirch | soil; defile; make dirty |
| bestial | beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel |
| bestow | confer |
| betoken | signify; indicate; be a sign of |
| token | outward sign; Ex. a token of our gratitude |
| betray | be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety. |
| betroth | become engaged to marry |
| bevy | large group; Ex. a bevy of starlets |
| bicameral | two-chambered as a legislative body |
| bicker | quarrel |
| biennial | every two years |
| bifurcated | divided into two branches; forked |
| bigotry | stubborn intolerance |
| bigot | one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics) |
| intolerant | not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; CF. tolerant; CF. tolerate |
| bilious | suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated |
| bilk | swindle; cheat |
| billowing | swelling out in waves; surging |
| billow | large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows |
| swell | long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V. |
| surge | powerful movement of or like a wave; V. |
| bivouac | temporary encampment; camp without tents; V. |
| bizarre | fantastic; violently contrasting; noticeably odd; strikingly unconventional |
| blanch | bleach; whiten; make white or pale |
| bland | soothing or mild (food); agreeable; causing no trouble or offence |
| blandishment | flattery |
| blare | loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light |
| screech | unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek; V. |
| dazzle | make blind with a sudden intense light; amaze; fill with wonder |
| blase | bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored |
| blasphemy | irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege |
| blatant | extremely (offensively) obvious; loudly offensive; Ex. blatant lie; N. blatancy |
| bleak | cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing |
| blighted | suffering from a disease; destroyed |
| blight | plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy |
| blithe(blithesome) | gay; joyous |
| bloated | (unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air |
| blowhard | talkative boaster; braggart |
| bludgeon | club; heavy-headed weapon; V. |
| bluff | pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ: rough but good-natured |
| blunder | error; stupid mistake |
| blurt | utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement |
| bluster | blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale |
| bully | one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; V. |
| bode | foreshadow; portend |
| bogus | counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview |
| bohemian | unconventional (in an artistic way) |
| boisterous | violent; rough; noisy |
| bolster | support; reinforce |
| bolt | door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric; large roll of cloth; V: dash or dart off; fasten (a door); gobble down |
| dart | move or throw suddenly and quickly |
| gobble | eat very quickly |
| bombardment | attack (as with missiles or bombs); V. bombard |
| bombastic | pompous; using inflated language |
| bombast | grandiloquent, pompous speech |
| boon | blessing; benefit; something very helpful |
| boorish | rude; insensitive |
| boor | rude, insensitive person |
| bouillon | clear beef (or meat) soup |
| bountiful | generous; graciously generous; showing bounty |
| gracious | kind in a generous way (to someone less important) |
| bourgeois | middle class; selfishly materialistic; too interested in material possessions |
| bovine | cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm |
| bowdlerize | expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler |
| brackish | somewhat saline |
| braggadocio | boasting |
| brag | boast |
| braggart | boaster; bragger |
| brandish | wave around (a weapon); flourish |
| bravado | swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery |
| swagger | walk or behave with an over-confident manner |
| brawn | human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness |
| brawny | muscular; having well-developed muscles |
| sturdy | strong and firm (in the body) |
| brazen | insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence |
| brawl | noisy quarrel |
| breach | breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening; V. |
| breadth | width; extent |
| brevity | conciseness; shortness of duration |
| brindled | tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals) |
| tawny | brownish yellow |
| bristling | rising like bristles; showing irritation |
| bristle | short stiff hair; V: (hair or fur) stand up stiffly |
| brittle | hard but easily broken; difficult; unstable; Ex. brittle situation |
| broach | introduce as a subject; moot; open up |
| brocade | rich, figured(patterned) fabric |
| brochure | pamphlet |
| brooch | ornamental clasp; pin |
| clasp | hold firmly within arms |
| brook | tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream |
| browbeat | bully; intimidate |
| browse | graze; feed on growing grass; skim or glance at casually |
| graze | (of an animal) feed on growing grass; cause (an animal) to feed on grass; scrape (esp. the skin) or touch lightly in passing; brush; Ex. We can't graze the cattle till summer; N: surface wound |
| skim | read or glance through quickly; touch lightly in passing; brush; remove from the surface of a liquid |
| brunt | main impact or shock (of an attack or blow); Ex. brunt of the argument |
| brusque | blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice |
| buccaneer | pirate |
| bucolic | rustic; pastoral |
| buffet | strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that's been set |
| slap | hit quickly with the flat part of the hand; N. CF. smack |
| buffoonery | clowning |
| buffoon | stupid person; clown |
| clown | act stupidly; play the fool; N. |
| bugaboo | bugbear; object of baseless terror |
| bullion | gold and silver in the form of bars |
| bulwark | strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends |
| bungle | mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior |
| botch | mismanage; blow |
| buoyant | able to float; cheerful and optimistic; N. buoyancy; Ex. buoyancy of wood/water/American market |
| bureaucracy | overregulated administrative system marked by red tape; ADJ. bureaucratic |
| burgeon | grow rapidly; grow forth; send out buds; Ex. burgeoning computer industry; CF. bludgeon |
| burlesque | give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly |
| burnish | make shiny by rubbing; polish |
| buttress | support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress |
| prop | support placed under or against something; V. |
| buxom | full-bosomed; plump; jolly |
| plump | pleasantly fat; nicely rounded |
| cabal | small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests |
| cache | hiding place; V. |
| cacophonous | discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds |
| cadaver | corpse; dead human body |
| cadaverous | like a corpse; pale |
| cadence | rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm |
| cajole | persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle |
| coax | persuade by flattery |
| calamity | disaster; misery |
| calculated | deliberately planned; likely |
| caldron(cauldron) | large kettle |
| caliber | ability; quality; diameter of the inside of a round cylinder; Ex. work of very high caliber |
| calligraphy | beautiful writing; excellent penmanship |
| callous | hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the sufferings of others; unkind |
| callus | area of thick hard skin |
| callow | youthful; immature; inexperienced |
| calorific | heat-producing; N. calorie |
| calumny | malicious misrepresentation; slander |
| camaraderie | good-fellowship; CF. comrade |
| cameo | shell or jewel carved in relief; star's special appearance in a minor role in a film |
| canard | unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report |
| candor | frankness; open honesty; ADJ. candid |
| canine | related to dogs; doglike |
| canker | any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer |
| ulcer | sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; Ex. stomach ulcer; ADJ. ulcerous; V. ulcerate |
| canny | shrewd in money matters; thrifty |
| cant | insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people |
| cantankerous | ill-humored; irritable |
| cantata | story set to music to be sung by a chorus (shorter than an oratorio) |
| canter | slow gallop; V. CF. trot |
| canto | division of a long poem |
| canvass | determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N. |
| capacious | spacious |
| capacity | mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president |
| capillary | having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender; Ex. capillary attraction; N: very fine hairlike tube; CF. capillarity |
| capitulate | surrender; give up all resistance |
| caprice | whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause |
| capricious | unpredictable; fickle |
| caption | title; chapter heading; text under illustration |
| captious | faultfinding; too critical |
| carafe | glass water bottle; decanter |
| carapace | shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.) |
| carat(karat) | unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold |
| carcinogenic | causing cancer; N. carcinogen |
| cardinal | chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather thatn order |
| cardiologist | doctor specializing in ailments of the heart |
| careen | lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger |
| career | rush wildly; go at full speed |
| sway | swing from side to side; influence (someone) to change one's opinion; N. |
| caricature | distortion; burlesque |
| carillon | a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played |
| carnage | destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals |
| carnal | fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body |
| carnivorous | meat-eating; N. carnivore; CF. herbivore |
| carousal | drunken revel; V. carouse |
| carping | petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble |
| carrion | rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture |
| cartographer | map-maker |
| cascade | small waterfall |
| caste | one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige |
| castigation | punishment; severe criticism or disapproval |
| casualty | serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle |
| casual | happening by chance; irregular; occasional; informal; showing or feeling little interest; Ex. casual reader/labor/remark |
| cataclysm | deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change |
| catalyst | agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis |
| catapult | slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult |
| hurl | throw forcefully; shout out violently |
| cataract | great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight) |
| catastrophe | calamity ; disaster |
| catcall | shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V. |
| catechism | book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize |
| categorical | without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute |
| qualify | reach a necessary standard; limit the meaning of something stated |
| catharsis | purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art |
| cathartic | purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ. |
| catholic | (of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes |
| caucus | private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston |
| caulk(calk) | make watertight (by blocking up cracks as in a ship) |
| causal | implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality |
| caustic | burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless |
| cauterize | burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection |
| cavalcade | procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry |
| cavalier | casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight |
| cavil | quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily |
| cede | yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession |
| celerity | speed; rapidity |
| celestial | heavenly |
| hereafter | life after death |
| afterlife | life after death; later part of one's life |
| celibate | abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy |
| censor | (in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V. |
| censorious | severely critical |
| censure | blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval |
| centaur | mythical figure, half man and half horse |
| centigrade | denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius) |
| centrifugal | radiating; departing from the center |
| centrifuge | machine that separates substances by whirling them |
| centripetal | tending toward the center |
| centurion | Roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers) |
| cerebral | pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum |
| cerebration | thought; working of the brain |
| ceremonious | marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy |
| unceremonious | not done politely without due formalities |
| certitude | certainty |
| cessation | stoppage |
| cession | yielding to another; ceding |
| chafe | warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N. |
| chaff | worthless products of an endeavor; husk(outer seed cover) separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff |
| chaffing | bantering; joking |
| chagrin | annoyance and disappointment; vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride) |
| chalice | goblet; consecrated cup |
| chameleon | lizard that changes color in different situations |
| champion | support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.) |
| championship | position of champion; defense or support; competition held to determine a champion |
| chaotic | in utter disorder |
| charisma | divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism |
| charlatan | quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine) |
| chary | cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold |
| chase | ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch |
| chasm | abyss; very deep crack |
| chassis | framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached |
| chaste | morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere |
| chasten | discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate |
| chastise | punish as by beating; criticize severely |
| chauvinist | blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin |
| check | stop motion; curb or restrain |
| checkered(chequered) | marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortuene; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares |
| cherubic | angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order |
| chicanery | trickery; deception |
| chide | scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong) |
| chimerical | fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature |
| chisel | swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting |
| chip | lose a small piece from the surface or edge; N: small piece broken off something; CF. French fry; Potato chip/crisp |
| chivalrous | courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry |
| choleric | hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera |
| choreography | art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances |
| chore | daily domestic task (such as cleaning, cooking, and shopping); unpleasant task |
| chortle | huckle with delight; N. |
| chuckle | laugh quietly |
| chronic | long established as a disease |
| chronicle | report; record (in chronological order) |
| churlish | boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo |
| ciliated | having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash |
| cipher | nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V. |
| circlet | small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc. (worn on the head, arms, or neck as decoration) |
| circuitous | roundabout |
| circuit | closed circular line around an area; circumference; regularly repeated journey from place to place |
| circumlocution | indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly) |
| circumscribe | limit; confine; draw a line around |
| circumspect | prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought |
| circumvent | outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around |
| cistern | reservoir or water tank |
| citadel | fortress |
| cite | quote; commend; Ex. cited for bravery in an official record |
| civil | having to do with citizens; not military or religious; courteous and polite; Ex. married in a civil ceremony; Ex. civil strife/disorder/law; N. civility; CF. civic |
| clairvoyant | having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance |
| hindsight | understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened |
| clamber | climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble |
| clamor | loud continous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express (a demand) continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous |
| clandestine | secret |
| chaperon | older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman |
| clangor | loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging |
| clapper | striker (tongue) of a bell |
| clap | strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; Ex. clap the thief in jail; N: clapping; loud or explosive sound; CF. applause |
| clarion | shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times |
| claustrophobia | fear of being locked in |
| clavicle | collarbone |
| scrimmage | disorderly fight between two or more people |
| cleave | split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to; N. cleavage; ADJ. cloven |
| cleft | N: split |
| clemency | disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement |
| clich\'e | phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. clich\'ed |
| bromide | platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement |
| clientele | body of customers |
| climactic | relating to the highest point; N. climax; CF. climatic |
| clime | climate |
| clique | small exclusive group of people |
| cloister | monastery or convent |
| clout | great influence (especially political or social); hard blow with fist |
| cloying | distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess |
| coagulate | congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant |
| clot | half-solid lump formed from a liquid (or blood); V. |
| pudding | hot sweet dish |
| coalesce | combine; fuse; N. coalescence |
| coalition | partnership; league; union of separate political parties |
| coda | concluding section of a musical or literary composition |
| coddle | treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs |
| codicil | supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will |
| codify | arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs |
| coercion | use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce |
| coeval | living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age |
| cog | tooth projecting from a wheel |
| cogent | convincing |
| cogitate | think over; ponder |
| cognate | having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N. |
| cognitive | having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing |
| cognizance | knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware |
| cohabit | live together |
| cohere | stick together |
| cohesion | tendency to keep together |
| cohorts | group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander (in the ancient Rome) |
| coiffure | hairstyle |
| coin | make coins; invent or fabricate (a word or phrase); N. coinage: word or phrase recently invented |
| coincidence | the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental |
| colander | utensil with perforated bottom used for straining |
| collaborate | work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy |
| collage | work of art put together from fragments |
| scrap | small bit or fragment; discarded waste material; fight; Ex. a scrap of paper/cloth; V: break into parts for disposal; discard as worthless; fight; quarrel |
| scraps | leftover food |
| scrappy | quarrelsome |
| collate | examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound) |
| collateral | security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; descended from the same person but through different sons or daughters |
| collation | a light meal; collating |
| colloquial | pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression |
| colloquy | informal discussion; conversation |
| collusion | conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude |
| colossal | huge |
| colossus | gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance |
| comatose | in a coma; extremely sleepy |
| coma | deep prolonged unconsciousness caused by disease, poison, or a severe blow |
| combustible | easily burned; N. CF. combustion |
| comely | attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance |
| homely | not good-looking; unattractive |
| comestible | something fit to be eaten |
| comeuppance | deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke |
| deserts | what someone deserves |
| comity | courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations |
| commandeer | take (private property) for military use without needing permission or giving payment; draft for military purposes |
| draft | first rough form; conscription; draught; V: make a draft of; conscript |
| draught | current of air (through a room or to a fire); act of pulling roads; act of swallowing liquid or amount of liquid swallowed at a time |
| commemorative | remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp |
| commemorate | honor the memory of; serve as a memorial to; Ex. commemorate the 100th anniversary/those who died in the war |
| commensurate | equal in extent; of the same size |
| commiserate | feel or express pity or sympathy for |
| commodious | spacious and comfortable |
| communal | held in common; public; of a group of people; of a commune |
| commune | small (often rural) community whose members share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature |
| compact | agreement; contract; ADJ: tightly packed; firm; brief; concise; Ex. compact statement |
| compatible | harmonious; in harmony with; able to exist together |
| compelling | overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel |
| compulsion | compelling; strong desire that is difficult to control; irresistible impulse |
| compulsory | obligatory; that must be done |
| compulsive | resulting from compulsion |
| compendium | brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious |
| compensatory | making up for; repaying |
| compilation | listing of information in tabular or book form; compiling |
| compile | assemble; gather; accumulate; make (a report or a book) from facts and information found in various places; Ex. compile a dictionary |
| complacency | self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent |
| smug | self-satisfied; complacent |
| complaisant | trying to please; obliging; willing to please others |
| complement | complete; consummate; make perfect; N. |
| complementary | serving to complete something |
| compliance | conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply |
| compliant | readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; comforming to requirements |
| complicity | participation; involvement (in a questionable act or a crime) |
| component | element; ingredient |
| comport | bear one's self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment |
| deport | send out of the country; behave; N. deportation, deportment |
| bearing | deportment; connection |
| composure | mental calmness |
| compound | combine; produce by combining; increase; make worse by adding to or increasing; exacerbate; Ex. compound an error; ADJ: consisting of two or more parts; N: combination of two or more parts; area enclosed by a wall containing a group of buildings; Ex. factory compound; CF. complex |
| comprehensive | broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive |
| comprehend | include; understand |
| compress | force into less space; squeeze; contract; put into fewer words; N: thick mass of cloth pressed to part of the body to stop bleeding or swelling, reduce fever, etc. |
| comprise | include; consist of |
| compromise | adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the interests or reputation of; put into danger, disrepute, or a dishonorable position; Ex. compromise one's principle; N. |
| compunction | remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt |
| compute | reckon; calculate |
| reckon | count; calculate; regard as; think; suppose |
| concatenate | link as in a chain |
| concave | hollow; curved inwards; OP. convex |
| concede | admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluctantly); yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal |
| conceit | vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one's own value; extravagant metaphor (in poetry) |
| vain | full of self-admiration; conceited; without result; unsuccessful; N. vanity |
| concentric | having a common center |
| conception | beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization; V. conceive: form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant; CF. inception |
| concerted | mutually agreed on; done together by agreement; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together |
| concession | an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil concessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire |
| conciliatory | reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger) |
| concise | brief and compact |
| conclave | private secret meeting |
| conclusive | decisive; ending all debate |
| concoct | prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise (something false) so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction |
| concomitant | that which accompanies; Ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; ADJ: existing or happening together with something else |
| concord | harmony; accord |
| concordat | formal agreement |
| concur | agree; coincide; happen at the same time |
| concurrent | happening at the same time; in agreement |
| condescend | (derog.) bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior |
| condign | adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved |
| condiments | seasonings; spices |
| condole | express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow |
| condone | overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse |
| conducive | helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards |
| conduit | aqueduct; passageway for fluids |
| confidant(confidante) | trusted friend (to whom one tells one's secret) |
| confide | tell in confidence (to a person one trusts); be confident about |
| confidence | self-assurance; calm unworried feeling based on a strong belief in one's abilities; strong belief in the ability of a person or plan; trust or faith in a person or thing; something confided; secret; Ex. confidence in your ability; Ex. I'm telling you this in confidence; Ex. exchange confidences about their boyfriends; ADJ. confides nt |
| confidential | spoken or written in secret; trusted with private matters; Ex. confidential secretary |
| confine | shut in an enclosed space; restrict; keep within limits; N. confinement |
| confiscate | seize; take possession of (private property) by official order (usu. as a punishment); commandeer |
| conflagration | great fire |
| confluence | flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together |
| conformity | harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformans ce |
| conformist | person who uncritically conforms to the customs of a group; OP. nonconformist: one who does not conform to accepted beliefs of norn ms |
| confound | confuse; puzzle |
| congeal | freeze; coagulate |
| congenial | pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather |
| congenital | existing at birth |
| conglomeration | mass of material sticking together |
| conglomerate | corporation made up of several different companies in diversified fields; mass of various material gathered together; rock consisting of small stones held together by clay; V. |
| congruence | correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity |
| congruent | in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous |
| conifer | pine tree (usu. evergreen); cone-bearing tree; ADJ. coniferous; CF. deciduous; CF. evergreen |
| conjecture | surmise; guess; V. |
| conjugal | pertaining to marriage |
| conjure | cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat. |
| connivance | pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign ignorance (of a wrong); cooperate secretly in an illegal action; conspire |
| connoisseur | person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. (whose judgments are respected); a lover of an art |
| connotation | suggested or implied meaning of an expression; V. connote |
| connubial | pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state |
| matrimony | state of being married |
| patrimony | property inherited from a father |
| consanguinity | kinship; relationship by birth |
| consanguineous(consanguine) | having a common ancestor |
| conscientious | scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker |
| conscript | draftee; person forced into military service; V. |
| consecrate | dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred; Ex. consecrate one's life to helping the poor |
| consensus | general agreement; opinion reached by a group |
| consequential | self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent |
| conservatory(conservatoire) | school of the fine arts (especially music or drama); glass-enclosed area; CF. conservancy |
| consign | send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart (for a special purpose); N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee |
| consistency | absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; Ex. consistency of thick cream; CF. viscous |
| console | lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort; allay the sorrow of; N. consolation |
| consolidation | unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen |
| consonance | harmony; agreement |
| consonant | harmonious; in agreement; N. |
| consort | associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife (or a ruler) |
| conspiracy | treacherous plot; secret plan against the law (by two or more people) |
| conspire | take part in a conspiracy; (of events) work together; combine; Ex. Events conspired to produce great difficulties. |
| consternation | great shock; dismay |
| constituent | supporter; voter; member of a constituency; component |
| constituency | voters represented by an elected official; district so represented; group of supporters (or constituents) |
| constitution | constituting; system of laws; composition of something; physical makeup or structure of a person; Ex. men with strong constitutions |
| constraint | restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison |
| construe | explain; interpret; Ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; CF. misconstrue |
| consummate | complete; V. |
| contagion | infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air |
| drastic | strong; violent and severe; Ex. drastic changes/measures |
| contaminate | pollute |
| contempt | scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible |
| contend | struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly |
| contention | assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition |
| thesis | opinion put forward and supported by reasoned arguments |
| boost | lift by pushing up from below; increase; raise; N: push upward; increase |
| contentious | quarrelsome; controversial; likely to cause arguments |
| contest | dispute; argue about the rightness of; compete for; try to win; Ex. contest the election results; Ex. contest a seat in Parliament; N. |
| context | writings preceding and following the passage quoted; circumstance in which an event occurs |
| contiguous | adjacent to; touching upon |
| continence | self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel functions; ADJ. continent |
| contingent | dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency |
| contortions | twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist |
| contraband | illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods; ADJ. |
| contravene | contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention |
| contrite | penitent; repentant; N. contrition |
| contrived | unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived. |
| contrive | invent or fabricate in a clever way (by improvisation); manage; Ex. contrive to attract his attention |
| contrivance | something contrived; machine or apparatus; clever deceitful plan; scheme |
| controvert | oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy |
| contumacious | stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court) |
| contusion | bruise |
| bruise | injure without breaking the skin; N. |
| conundrum | riddle; difficult problem |
| convene | come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council |
| convention | social or moral custom; established practice; formal meeting; international agreement |
| conventional | ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons |
| converge | approach; tend to meet; come together |
| conversant | familiar with; having knowledge of |
| converse | opposite; ADJ. |
| convert | one who has adopted a different religion or opinion; V: change into another form; (persuade to) adopt a particular religion or belief |
| convex | curving outward |
| conveyance | vehicle; transfer; act of conveying; Ex. public conveyance |
| conviction | judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief |
| convivial | pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial |
| convoke | call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation |
| convoluted | coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain |
| convulsion | violent uncontrollable shaking movement (caused by illness); V. convulse; ADJ. convulsive |
| copious | plentiful |
| coquette | flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V. |
| flirt | behave in a way that attracts (sexual) attention; deal triflingly with; N: one (or woman) given to flirting; ADJ. flirtatious |
| cordial | warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt; Ex. cordial welcome |
| cordon | extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress; |
| cornice | projecting molding on building (usually above columns or pillars); |
| cornucopia | horn (or horn-shaped container) overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance; horn of plenty |
| corollary | natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else) |
| corporeal | bodily (rather than spiritual); of a bodily form; material; tangible |
| corpulent | very fat; N. corpulence |
| corpus | collection (of writings or information); Ex. the corpus of Shakespear's works; Cf. corpse |
| corpuscle | red or white cell in the blood |
| correlation | mutual relationship |
| correlate | either of the correlated things; V. |
| corroborate | confirm; support; strengthen |
| corrode | destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action (over a long period) |
| corrosive | eating away by chemicals or disease; (of language) fierce |
| corrugated | wrinkled; ridged |
| wrinkle | small ridge on a smooth surface (face or cloth); V. |
| crinkle | wrinkle |
| cosmic | pertaining to the universe; vast |
| coterie | group that meets socially; select circle; close group of people with shared interests |
| countenance | approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance |
| countermand | cancel; revoke (an order) |
| counterpart | thing that completes another; things very much alike; thing that has the same purpose in a different system |
| coup | highly successful action or sudden attack; coup(s) d'\'etat; CF. coup de gr\^ace: deathblow or shot which kills |
| couple | join; unite; OP. uncouple |
| courier | messenger |
| covenant | binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise |
| bargain | agreement between two groups or people; something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer; V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power |
| covert | secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt |
| covetous | avaricious; desirous of (someone else's possessions); V. covet: desire eagerly (someone else's possessions) |
| cow | terrorize; intimidate |
| cower | shrink quivering as from fear; cringe |
| coy | shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer甫 罐疽阑 锭 |
| cozen | cheat; hoodwink; swindle |
| crabbed | sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting |
| peevish | bad-tempered; irritable; V. peeve: make angry |
| crass | very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior |
| craven | cowardly |
| credence | belief |
| credo | creed |
| credulity | belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivet\'e; ADJ. credulous |
| creed | system of religious or ethical belief |
| crescendo | increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent |
| far-fetched | too improbable to be believed; implausible; Ex. far-fetched story |
| overture | musical introduction to a long musical piece; first offer or proposal (to begin talks in the hope of reaching an agreement); Ex. overtures for peace |
| crestfallen | dejected; dispirited |
| crest | top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird |
| crevice | crack; fissure |
| cringe | shrink back as if in fear; cower |
| criteria | standards used in judging; CF. criterion |
| crone | hag; ugly old woman |
| crotchety | (of someone old) eccentric; odd; whimsical; bad-tempered; N. crotchet: odd or whimsical notion |
| crux | essential or main point; Ex. the crux of the problem; ADJ. crucial: of deciding importance |
| crypt | secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room (under a church) |
| cryptic | mysterious; hidden; secret |
| cubicle | small chamber used for sleeping or work |
| compartment | one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided |
| cuisine | style of cooking; Ex. French cuisine |
| culinary | relating to cooking or kitchen |
| cull | pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N. |
| culmination | highest point; climax; V. culminate in: reach the highest point in; end in; Ex. a series of minor clashes culminating in war |
| culpable | deserving blame; blameworthy |
| culprit | one guilty of a crime |
| culvert | artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road |
| cumbersome | heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform |
| cumulative | growing by addition; accumulative |
| cupidity | greed (for wealth); CF. cupid; CF. Cupid |
| curator | superintendent; manager (in charge of a museum or a library) |
| curmudgeon | churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person |
| cursive | (of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined |
| cursory | casual; hastily done with little attention to detail |
| curtail | shorten; reduce |
| cynical | skeptical or distrustful of human motives; N. cynicism; CF. cynic: person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness |
| cynosure | object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor |
| dabble | work at in a nonserious fashion; splash around; move noisily in a liquid |
| dais | raised platform for speakers or other important people |
| dally | trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time |
| dank | damp; unpleasantly wet |
| dapper | neat and trim (in appearance); (of small men) neat in appearance and quick in movements; neat; spry |
| dappled | spotted |
| daub | smear (as with paint); cover with something sticky; Ex. daub one's clothes with mud/paint; N: small bit of sticky substance; Ex. a daub of paint |
| smear | spread or cover with a sticky substance; N: mark made by smearing |
| smudge | dirty mark with unclear edges made by rubbing; V. |
| daunt | intimidate; frighten; discourage; dishearten |
| dauntless | bold; fearless |
| dawdle | loiter; hang around; waste time doing nothing |
| deadlock | standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces; stalemate |
| standstill | condition of no movement or activity; stop |
| deadpan | wooden; impassive; with no show of feeling; with an expressionless face |
| dearth | scarcity |
| d\'eb\^acle | sudden disastrous downfall or defeat; complete disaster |
| debase | degrade; reduce in quality or value; degenerate; lower in esteem; disgrace; N. debasement |
| kneel | go down on one's knee(s) |
| debauch | corrupt morally; seduce from virtue; N. debauchery: wild behavior (with sex and alcohol) |
| seduce | lead away from proper conduct; entice; ADJ. seductive |
| debilitate | weaken (esp. through heat, hunger, illness); enfeeble |
| bout | match; short period of great activity; Ex. wrestling bout; bout of drinking/flu |
| debonair | (of men) friendly, charming, and fashionably dressed; aiming to please; CF. of good disposition |
| d\'ebris | rubble; wreckage; scattered remains of something broken or destroyed |
| debunk | expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule |
| debutante | young woman making formal entrance into society |
| debut | d\'ebut; first public appearance; formal presentation of a young woman to society |
| decadence | decay; fall to a lower level (of morality, civilization, or art); ADJ. decadent |
| decant | pour off gently (wine or liquid) |
| decapitate | behead |
| decelerate | slow down |
| deciduous | falling off at a specific season or stage of growth as of leaves; Ex. deciduous tree/teeth |
| decimate | kill (usually one out of ten or every tenth man); destroy or kill a large part of |
| decipher | decode; CF. indecipherable |
| declivity | downward slope |
| d\'ecollet\'e | (of a dress) having a low-cut neckline; CF. d\'ecolletage: low neckline (on a dress) |
| decree | authoritative order; edict; judgment of a court of law; V: order or judge by decree |
| decomposition | decay; V. decompose: decay; break and separate into simple parts |
| decorum | propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners; appropriateness of behavior or conduct |
| decorous | proper (in behavior, conduct, or appearance) |
| decoy | lure or bait; V. |
| decrepitude | state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age |
| decrepit | weak and in bad condition from old age or hard use; Ex. decrepit old chair/man |
| n decry | express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. decry the violence of modern films |
| deducible | derived by reasoning; V. deduce: infer; derive by reasoning |
| deface | mar; disfigure |
| mar | spoil the appearance of |
| defame | harm someone's reputation; malign; speak evil of; slander; N. defamation; ADJ. defamatory |
| default | failure to act; failure to perform a task or be present; V. |
| defeatist | resigned to defeat or failure; accepting defeat or failure as a natural outcome; N. CF. defeatism |
| defection | desertion |
| defect | shortcoming; V: desert (in order to join the opposite one) |
| defer | give in respectfully; submit; delay till later; exempt temporarily; N. deferment; CF. show respect, comply with, courteous |
| deference | courteous regard for another's wish; courteous yielding to another's wish or opinion (showing respect); ADJ. deferential; OP. effrontery |
| defiance | refusal to yield; resistance; V. defy; ADJ. defiant |
| defile | pollute; make filthy or dirty; corrupt morally; profane; desecrate; N: narrow passage or gorge through mountains |
| definitive | most reliable; authorative and complete; that cannot be improved; conclusive; decisive; definite; Ex. definitive decision by the supreme court |
| deflect | turn aside; turn away from a straight course |
| defoliate | destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant |
| defray | provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay |
| defrock | strip a priest or minister of church authority; unfrock |
| frock | long loose garment (worn by monks) |
| deft | neat; skillful |
| defunct | dead; no longer in use or existence |
| degenerate | become worse in quality; deteriorate; ADJ: having become worse; Ex. a degenerate species; N: depraved or corrupt person |
| degradation | humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V. degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank |
| dishonor | disgrace; N. ADJ. dishonorable |
| n dehydrate | remove water from; dry out |
| deify | turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; Ex. Kings were deified; CF. deity |
| deign | condescend; stoop |
| stoop | bend forward and down; lower or debase oneself; fall to a lower standard of behavior by doing something; condescend; Ex. stoop to lying |
| delete | erase; strike out |
| deleterious | harmful |
| deliberate | consider; ponder; ADJ: done on purpose; slow |
| delineate | portray; depict; sketch; describe; N. delineation |
| delirium | mental disorder marked by confusion; uncontrolled excitement; ADJ. delirious |
| delta | flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river |
| delude | deceive |
| deluge | flood; rush; V. |
| delusion | false belief; hallucination; deluding; Ex. delusions of grandeur; Ex. under the delusion that |
| delusive | deceptive; likely to delude; misleading; raising vain hopes; Ex. delusive promises |
| delve | dig; search deeply; investigate |
| demagogue | person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader of people; CF. demagoguery |
| demean | disgrace; humiliate; debase in dignity; behave |
| demeanor | behavior; bearing |
| demented | insane |
| demise | death |
| demographic | related to population balance; N. demography: statistical study of human population |
| demolition | destruction; V. demolish |
| demoniac(demoniacal) | fiendish; cruel; N. demon: evil supernatural being; devil |
| fiend | evil spirit; devil |
| demotic | of or pertaining to the people |
| demur | object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; Ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday |
| demure | (of a woman or child) grave; quiet and serious; coy; pretending to be demure |
| denigrate | blacken; defame |
| denizen | (animal, person, or plant) inhabitant or resident of a particular place; regular visitor |
| denotation | meaning; distinguishing by name; V. denote: indicate; refer to directly; mean; CF. connotation |
| d\'enouement | final outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other literary work; the end of a story when everything is explained |
| denounce | condemn; criticize; N. denunciation |
| depict | portray |
| expos\'e | public revelation of something discreditable |
| deplete | reduce; exhaust |
| deplore | regret; express sorrow and severe disapproval for something bad; Ex. deplore their violent behavior; ADJ. deplorable: very bad; deserving severe disapproval; Ex. deplorable living condition |
| deploy | spread out (troops) in an extended though shallow battle line; distribute (persons or forces) systematically or strategically |
| battalion | army unit made up of four or more companies |
| depose | dethrone; remove from office; give a deposition; testify |
| deposition | testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning |
| depravity | extreme corruption; wickedness; V. deprave |
| deprecate | express disapproval of; deplore; protest against; belittle; ADJ. deprecatory |
| depreciate | lessen in value; belittle; represent as of little value |
| depredation | plundering; destruction |
| deranged | insane |
| institute | organization for a special purpose; V: establish |
| institution | instituting; (building for the) organization; established custom, practice, or relationship in a society; mental hospital; Ex. institution of marriage |
| institutionalize | make into an institution; put or confine in an institution |
| derelict | negligent; (of someone) neglectful of duty; (of something) deserted by an owner; abandoned; N: abandoned property; homeless or vagrant person |
| dereliction | neglect of duty; abandonment |
| deride | ridicule; treat with contempt; make fun of; OP. respect |
| derision | ridicule; ADJ. derisive; CF. derisory |
| derivative | unoriginal; obtained from another source; Ex. derivative prose style; N. |
| derivation | deriving; origin or source of something; Ex. the derivation of the word |
| dermatologist | one who studies the skin and its diseases |
| acne | skin disease (on the face) |
| derogatory | expressing a low opinion; disparaging; V. derogate: detract; disparage |
| descry | catch sight of (something distant) |
| desecrate | profane; violate the sanctity of |
| violate | break (a law); defile; desecrate; assault sexually; Ex. violate graves |
| desiccate | dry up |
| desolate | (of a place) deserted; unpopulated; (of a person) lonely; forlorn; joyless |
| desolate | make desolate; forsake; abandon and desert |
| desperado | reckless, desperate outlaw |
| desperate | having lost all hope; despairing; reckless and violent because of loss of hope or despair; undertaken as a last resort |
| despise | look on with scorn; regard as worthless or distasteful; ADJ. despicable: contemptible |
| despoil | plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village |
| despondent | without hope and courage; depressed; gloomy; N. despondency: loss of hope with gloom; dejection |
| despot | tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism |
| destitute | extremely poor; lacking means of subsistence; utterly lacking; devoid; Ex. destitute of any experience |
| impoverish | make poor; deprive of natural strength or something important; Ex. impoverished soil |
| desultory | aimless; haphazard; digressing at random |
| detached | emotionally removed; free from emotional involvement; calm and objective; physically separate; N. detachment; CF. attachment |
| detain | keep waiting; prevent from leaving or going; N. detention |
| determinate | having a fixed order of procedure; precisely defined; invariable; fixed; conclusive; final |
| determination | resolve; firmness of purpose; measurement or calculation; decision |
| deterrent | something that discourages or deters |
| detonation | explosion |
| detraction | slandering; aspersion; detracting; CF. detractor |
| detrimental | harmful; damaging; N. detriment |
| deviate | turn away from (a principle, norm); move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism |
| devious | roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route |
| devise | think up; invent; plan; bequeath; N: bequest |
| devoid | empty; lacking |
| devolve | deputize; pass or be passed to others (power, work, or property); Ex. devolve on/upon/to |
| deputize | work or appoint as a deputy; N. deputy: person who has the power to take charge when the leading person is away |
| devotee | enthusiastic follower; enthusiast; Ex. devotee of Bach |
| devout | pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest; Ex. my devout hope |
| religious | of religion; (of a person) pious; having reverence for a deity |
| dexterous | skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity |
| diabolical | diabolic; devilish; fiendish |
| diadem | crown |
| dialectical | relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments |
| diaphanous | sheer; transparent |
| diatribe | bitter scolding or denunciation; invective; abuse |
| dichotomy | division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones) |
| dictum | authoritative and weighty statement (made by a judge in court); saying; maxim; CF. obiter dictum: incidental, nonbinding remark (something said in passing) |
| didactic | (of speech or writing) intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional; N. didacticism |
| die | metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; CF. dice |
| diffidence | shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident |
| diffuse | wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out (like a gas); V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse |
| digression | wandering away from the subject; V. digress |
| dilapidated | falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation |
| dilate | expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject) |
| dilatory | delaying; tending to delay |
| dilemma | situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives |
| dilettante | aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight |
| diligence | steadiness of effort; persistent hard work |
| dilute | make (a liquid) less concentrated; reduce in strength; Ex. dilute the influence of the president |
| diminution | lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish |
| din | continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition |
| weary | tired after long work; V. |
| dinghy | small boat (often ship's boat) |
| maroon | leave helpless on a deserted island or coast; ADJ. red brown |
| dingy | (of things and place) dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain |
| dull | (of colors or surfaces) not bright; cloudy; overcast; boring; (of edge or sound) not sharp; not rapid; sluggish; slow in thinking and understanding; stupid; V. |
| dint | means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work |
| diorama | life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background |
| dire | warning of disaster; disastrous; (of needs and dangers) very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food |
| dirge | funeral song; slow mournful piece of music (sung over a dead person) |
| disabuse | correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief |
| disaffected | disloyal; lacking loyality; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty |
| disapprobation | disapproval; condemnation |
| disarray | state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state; Ex. with her clothes in disarray |
| disavowal | denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim |
| disband | dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded. |
| disburse | pay out (as from a fund); N. disbursement; CF. purse |
| discernible | distinguishable; perceivable; Ex. discernible improvement |
| discerning | mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive |
| disclaim | disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer |
| disclose | reveal; N. disclosure |
| discombobulated | discomposed; confused |
| discompose | disturb the composure of; confuse |
| discomfit | frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb |
| disconcert | confuse; upset; embarrass; perturb |
| disconsolate | hopelessly sad (at the loss of something) |
| discord | conflict; lack of harmony; dissonance (when musical notes are played) |
| discorda | nt not harmonious; conflicting |
| discount | disregard; regard (a story or news) as unimportant; deduct from a cost |
| discourse | serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V. |
| discredit | defame; disgrace; destroy confidence in; disbelieve; N. CF. discreditable: causing discredit; shameful |
| discrepancy | lack of consistency or agreement as between facts; difference; Ex. discrepancy between two descriptions |
| discrete | separate; unconnected |
| discretion | prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances; freedom of action or judgment; ADJ. discreet; CF. discretionary |
| discriminating | able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination |
| discriminate | distinguish; make distinctions on the basis of preference |
| brisk | quick and active; marked by liveliness and vigor |
| discursive | (of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan) |
| disdain | treat with scorn or contempt |
| disembark | debark; go ashore (from a ship); unload cargo from a ship; CF. embark |
| disenfranchise | disfranchise; deprive of a civil right; OP. enfranchise |
| disengage | uncouple; separate; disconnect; stop fighting; OP. engage |
| disfigure | mar the appearance of; spoil |
| disgorge | surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge |
| disgruntle | make discontented |
| dishearten | discourage |
| disheveled | untidy (of hair or clothing); V. dishevel |
| disinclination | unwillingness |
| disingenuous | not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous |
| disinter | dig up; unearth; OP. inter |
| disinterested | unprejudiced; free from bias and self-interest; objective |
| disjointed | disconnected; lacking coherence; V. disjoint: disconnect; disjoin |
| disjunction | act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive |
| dislodge | remove (forcibly); force out of a position; Ex. dislodge the food caught in his throat; CF. lodge |
| dismantle | take apart; disassemble |
| mantle | loose sleeveless outer garment; cloak; something that covers or envelops; the layer of the earth between the crust and the core |
| crust | hard outer covering (as of earth or snow) |
| dismember | cut into small parts; cut (a body) apart limb from limb |
| dismiss | eliminate from consideration; no longer consider; put out of court without further hearing; reject; discharge from employment; direct to leave; ADJ. dismissive; N. dismissal |
| disparage | belittle |
| maneuver(manoeuver) | strategic military or naval movement (done for training purposes); carefully planned process; stratagem; V: carry out a military maneuver; use maneuvers in gaining an end |
| disparate | basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated |
| disparity | difference; condition of inequality; OP. parity |
| dispassionate | calm; impartial; not influenced by personal feelings |
| dispatch | speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed; V: send to a specified destination; finish promptly; kill |
| dispel | scatter; drive away; cause to vanish |
| dispense | distribute; prepare and give out (medicines); N. dispensation: dispensing; religious system; official exemption from an obligation or a rule |
| disperse | scatter; Ex. disperse the cloud/crowd |
| dispirited | lacking in spirit |
| disport | amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert |
| disputatious | argumentative; fond of argument |
| disquietude | uneasiness; anxiety; V. disquiet: make anxious |
| disquisition | formal systematic inquiry; explanation of the results of a formal inquiry; long formal speech or written report |
| dissection | analysis; cutting apart in order to examine |
| dissemble | disguise; hide the real nature of; pretend |
| disseminate | distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds) |
| dissent | disagree |
| dissertation | formal essay; treatise |
| dissident | dissenting (with an opinion, a group, or a government); rebellious; N. |
| dissimulate | pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble |
| dissipate | squander; waste foolishly; scatter |
| dissolution | disintegration; reduction to a liquid form; looseness in morals; sensual indulgence; debauchery; ADJ. dissolute: lacking in moral restraint; leading an immoral life |
| reduce | diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition; demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; Ex. reduced to the ranks; Ex. reduce the house to rubble; N. reduction |
| dissuade | persuade not to do; discourage; N. dissuasion |
| dissonance | discord |
| distant | reserved or aloof; cold in manner; Ex. distant greeting; ADV. distantly |
| distend | expand; swell out |
| distill | refine (a liquid by evaporating and subsequent condensation); concentrate; separate the most important parts from; Ex. distill fresh water from sea water; CF. brew |
| distinction | honor; excellence; difference; contrast; discrimination; Ex. graduated with distinction; Ex. a writer of real distinction |
| distinct | clearly different; clearly noticed |
| distinctive | clearly different from others of the same kind |
| distort | twist out of shape; give a false account of; misrepresent; N. distortion |
| distrait | absentminded; distracted |
| distraught | upset; distracted by anxiety; very anxious and troubled almost to the point of madness; Ex. distraught with grief/worry |
| distract | take (one's attention) off something; upset emotionally; make anxious; ADJ. distracted |
| diurnal | daily; occurring during the daytime |
| diva | operatic singer; prima donna |
| diverge | vary; go in different directions from the same point; ADJ. divergent: differing; deviating |
| diverse | differing in some characteristics (from each other); various; N. diversity: variety; dissimilitude; lack of resemblance |
| diversion | act of turning aside; pastime; V. divert: turn aside from a course; distract; amuse |
| divest | strip (as of clothes); deprive (as of rights); dispossess; N. divestiture(divestment) |
| divine | perceive intuitively (by or as if by magic); foresee the future; foretell; dowse; ADJ. N. divination |
| dowse | use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals |
| divulge | reveal |
| docile | obedient; easily managed; submissive |
| ferocious | fierce; violent; N. ferocity |
| docket | program as for trial; book where such entries are made; list of things to be done; agenda; label fixed to a package listing contents or directions; V: describe in a docket |
| doctrinaire | unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding; marked by inflexible attachment to a doctrine without regard to its practical difficulties |
| doctrine | teachings in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught; dogma; tenet; ADJ. doctrinal |
| indoctrinate | cause to accept a doctrine without questioning it; Ex. indoctrinated with mindless anti-communism |
| document | provide written evidence (for a claim); record with documents; N. |
| doddering | shaky; infirm from old age; V. dodder |
| merit | deserve; ADJ. meritorious: deserving reward or praise |
| doff | take off; OP. don |
| dogged | determined; stubborn; stubbornly persevering; tenacious; Ex. Inspector Javert's dogged pursuit of Jean Valjean |
| persevere | continue steadily in spite of difficulties |
| doggerel | poor verse |
| dogmatic | opinionated; holding stubbornly to one's opinion; arbitrary; doctrinal |
| doldrums | blues; listlessness(lack of spirit or energy); slack(inactive) period; period of stagnation; ocean area near the equator where ships cannot move because there is no wind; Ex. in the doldrums |
| blues | state of depression or melancholy; style of slow, mournful music (evolved from southern Black American songs) |
| dolorous | sorrowful; N. dolor |
| dolt | slow-thinking stupid person; CF. dull |
| domicile | home; V. ADJ. domiciled: having one's domicile; Ex. He is domiciled in Britain. |
| domineer | rule over tyrannically |
| dominate | control; rule; enjoy a commanding position in; overlook from a height; |
| dominant | exercising the most influence; high and easily seen; stronger than the other part of a system; not recessive |
| don | put on; OP. doff |
| outfit | clothing or equipment for a special purpose; Ex. cowboy outfit |
| dormant | sleeping; temporarily inactive; lethargic; latent |
| dormer | window projecting upright from roof; CF. sleeping room |
| dorsal | relating to the back of an animal; Ex. dorsal fin |
| dossier | file of documents on a subject or person; file; CF. bundle of papers labeled on the back |
| dotage | senility; feeblemindedness of old age; Ex. In one's dotage |
| dote | be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline |
| dour | sullen; gloomy; stubborn |
| sullen | silently showing ill humor or resentment; dark; gloomy |
| brood | sit on in order to hatch; think deeply or worry anxiously; N: the young of certain animals; group of young birds hatched at one time |
| douse | plunge into water or liquid; dip; immerse; drench; wet throughly; extinguish; throw water over; dowse |
| dowdy | untidy (of a woman or clothes); slovenly; dressed in an unattractive way; shabby; CF. unattractive woman |
| downcast | disheartened; dejected; sad; directed downward |
| drab | dull; lacking color; cheerless ; Ex. drab coat/life |
| draconian | extremely severe; Ex. draconian punishment; CF. Draco: Athenian politician |
| dregs | sediment in a liquid; lees; worthless residue |
| drivel | nonsense; foolishness; V: talk nonsense |
| nonsense | speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior or language; Ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to fail |
| dribble | flow or fall in drops; let saliva flow out slowly from the mouth; move a ball; N. |
| drip | fall or let fall in drops; shed drops; N: action or sound of falling in drops; liquid that falls in drops |
| trickle | flow in drops or in a thin stream; N. |
| droll | queer and amusing |
| queer | strange; eccentric; deviating from the normal |
| drone | idle person who lives on other people's work; male bee |
| drone | talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee; N. |
| murmur | low, indistinct, continuous sound; V. CF. mumble |
| dross | waste matter; worthless impurities |
| drudgery | hard unpleasant work; menial work |
| drudge | do drudgery; N: person who drudges |
| dubious | questionable; (of something) causing doubt; (of someone) filled with doubt; N. dubiety |
| ductile | malleable; pliable; (of metals) easily pulled into shape; flexible; (of someone) easily influenced or controlled |
| dulcet | sweet sounding; pleasing to the ear; melodious |
| dumbfound(dumfound) | astonish (making dumb); ADJ. dumbfounded, dumfounded, dumbstruck |
| dupe | someone easily fooled or deceived; V: deceive |
| duplicity | double-dealing; hypocrisy; being dishonest and deceitful; ADJ. duplicitous |
| duration | length of time something lasts |
| duress | forcible restraint, especially unlawfully; coercion by threat; illegal coercion; Ex. a promise made under duress |
| dutiful(duteous) | (of people or their behavior) respectful; obedient (filled with a sense of duty) |
| dwindle | shrink; reduce gradually |
| dynamic | energetic; vigorously active |
| dynamo | generator for producing electricity; energetic person |
| dyspeptic | suffering from indigestion; N. dyspepsia: indigestion; difficulty in digesting food |
| dys- | abnormal; impaired |
| dyslexia | word blindness; learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to read |
| dysentery | inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract |
| earthy | unrefined; coarse; of earth; Ex. earthy remarks; OP. ethereal |
| earthly | of this earth; terrestrial; worldly; not divine; possible; Ex. no earthly reason |
| ebb | (of the tide) recede; lessen; diminish; N. OP. flow: rise of tide |
| ebullient | showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm; boiling; N. ebullience; N. ebullition: state of boiling |
| eccentric | irregular; odd; unconventional; whimsical; bizarre; not concentric |
| eccentricity | oddity; idiosyncrasy |
| ecclesiastic | ecclesiastical; pertaining to the church; N: minister; priest; cleric; clergyman |
| chapel | small church (in a prison, college, or hospital) |
| chaplain | clergyman attached to a chapel |
| padre | chaplain (in the armed forces) |
| eclectic | selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources; selecting individual elements from a variety of sources; N. eclecticism |
| selective | careful in choosing; having an effect only on certain things; not general; Ex. eclectic weed killer |
| eclipse | darken; extinguish; outshine; surpass; cause an eclipse |
| ecliptic | path of the sun and the planets |
| ecologist | person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment; person concerned with the detrimental effects of human civilization on the environment; CF. ecology |
| ecosystem | ecological community together with its environment |
| economy | efficiency or conciseness in using something; thrifty management of resources |
| ecstasy | rapture; very strong feeling of joy and happiness; any overpowering emotion; ADJ. ecstatic: causing or experiencing ecstasy |
| rapture | great joy and delight; ecstasy; ADJ. rapturous |
| eddy | swirling current of water, air, etc.; V. |
| edict | decree (especially one issued by a sovereign); official command |
| sovereign | ruler in a monarchy; ADJ: (of a country) independent and self-governing; having supreme power; supreme; excellent |
| sovereignty | complete independence and self-government (of a country); supremacy of authority; power to govern |
| edify | instruct; correct morally |
| edifice | building (of imposing size) |
| eerie | weird; causing fear because strange |
| efface | rub out; remove the surface of |
| effectual | able to produce a desired effect; valid |
| effective | effectual; producing a strong response; striking; in operation; in effect; Ex. effective speech/photograph |
| effectuate | effect; produce; achieve; Ex. effectuate a reconciliation |
| effeminate | having womanly traits |
| emasculate | weaken; castrate |
| castrate | remove the sex organs (of a male animal or person) |
| effervescence | inner excitement or exuberance; showing high spirits; emitting bubbles forming inside; bubbling from fermentation or carbonation; ADJ. effervescent; V. effervesce |
| effete | having lost one's original power; barren; worn out; exhausted |
| efficacy | power to produce desired effect; ADJ. efficacious: effectual |
| effigy | dummy; likeness of a person made of wood, paper, or stone; Ex. burn an effigy of the President |
| dummy | imitation of a real object used as a substitute; effigy |
| effluvium | noxious(harmful) smell |
| effrontery | rudeness without any sense of shame; shameless boldness; presumptousness; nerve; cheek |
| effulgent | shining brightly; brilliant |
| effusion | pouring forth; unrestrained outpouring of feeling; V. effuse: pour out; ADJ. effusive: pouring forth; gushing |
| gush | (of liquid) pour out in large quantities from a hole; make an excessive display of feeling (without true feeling); Ex. Blood gushed from the wound. |
| egoism | excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others; selfishness; ADJ. egoistic, egoistical |
| ego | one's opinion of oneself; self-esteem |
| egotistical | egotistic; excessively self-centered(egocentric); self-important; conceited |
| egotism | tendency to speak or write of oneself excessively; conceit; self-importance |
| egregious | notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking |
| egress | exit; opening for going out; act of going out; OP. ingress |
| ejaculation | exclamation; abrupt ejection (to discharge sperm); V. ejaculate |
| elaboration | addition of details; intricacy |
| elaborate | work out carefully; add more detail or information; ADJ. |
| elated | filled with excited joy and pride; overjoyed; in high spirits; joyful and proud; Ex. elated crowd; V. elate; N. elation |
| elegy | poem or song expressing lamentation (for the dead); ADJ. elegiacal, elegiac |
| elicit | draw out fact or information (by discussion or from someone) |
| elixir | cure-all; panacea; something invigorating |
| ellipsis | omission of words from a text; mark used to indicate an omission (when the meaning can be understood without them); PL. ellipses |
| elliptical | elliptic; oval; of an ellipse; containing an ellipsis; ambiguous either purposely or because key words have been left out |
| eloquence | expressiveness; persuasive speech; ADJ. eloquent: movingly expressive; expressing ideas well so that the hearers can be influeneced |
| elucidate | explain; make clear; clarify; enlighten; CF. lucid |
| elusive | evasive; not frank; baffling; hard to grasp, catch, or understand; V. elude: escape from; escape the understanding or grasp of; Ex. elude the hunter; Ex. His name eludes me. |
| elysian | relating to paradise; blissful |
| Elysium | place or condition of bliss |
| emaciated | thin and wasted (from hunger or illness) |
| emanate | issue forth; come out |
| emancipate | set free; liberate |
| embargo | ban on commerce or other activity |
| embark | commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey |
| embed(imbed) | enclose; place in something; fix firmly in a surrounding mass |
| embellish | adorn; ornament; enhance as a story (by adding fictitious details) |
| embezzlement | taking for one's own use in violation of trust; stealing (of money placed in one's care) |
| emblazon | ornament richly (a shield or flag); N. emblazonment |
| embody | give a bodily form to; incorporate; include |
| emboss | produce a design in raised relief; decorate with a raised design |
| embrace | hug; clasp with the arms; adopt or espouse; accept readily; encircle; include; Ex. embrace the cause/socialism; Ex. all-embracing; CF. brace; CF. bracelet |
| encircle | surround |
| embroider | decorate with needlework; ornament (a story) with fancy or fictitious details; embellish |
| embroil | throw into confusion; involve in strife, dispute, or quarrel; entangle; CF. imbroglio |
| embryonic | undeveloped; rudimentary; N. embryo: organism in the early stage of development |
| emend | correct (usually a text); N. emendation: correction of errors; improvement |
| emetic | substance causing vomiting; ADJ. |
| eminent | rising above others; high; lofty; distinguished; Ex. eminent position |
| emissary | agent (sent on a mission to represent another); messenger |
| emollient | soothing or softening remedy (for the skin); ADJ. |
| emolument | salary; payment for an office; compensation |
| empathy | ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc.; identification with and understanding of another's feelings; V. empathize; CF. sympathy |
| compassion | sympathy for the suffering of others; ADJ. compassionate |
| empirical | based on experience |
| emulate | imitate; rival; try to equal or excel (through imitation) |
| enamored | in love; Ex. enamored of his own beauty; V. enamor: inspire with love |
| encipher | encode; convert a message into code; put into cipher |
| enclave | territory enclosed within an alien land |
| encomiastic | praising; eulogistic; N. encomium: very high praise; eulogy |
| encompass | surround; include; Ex. His activities encompass publishing and computers. |
| encroachment | gradual intrusion; Ex. I resent all these encroachments on my valuable time; V. encroach: take another's possessions or right gradually or stealthily; intrude; Ex. encroach on/upon |
| encumber | burden; N. encumbrance |
| endearment | fond word or act; expression of affection |
| endear | make beloved; Ex. endear her to everyone; ADJ. dear: loved; cherished; high-priced |
| endemic | prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country; peculiar to a particular region or people; CF. pandemic |
| endorse | approve; support; write one's signature on the back of; N. endorsement; CF. dorsal |
| endue | provide with some quality; endow |
| enduring | lasting; surviving; V. endure: bear (pain or suffering) for a long time; remain alive (in spite of difficulties); last; survive |
| energize | invigorate; give energy to; make forceful and active |
| enervate | weaken; take away energy from |
| enfranchise | admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote); CF. franchise |
| engage | attract; employ; hire; pledge oneself; confront; fight; enter into confliction; interlock; lock together; participate; N. engagement: agreement to marry; arrangement to meet someone or to do something; battle |
| engaging | charming; attractive |
| engaged | employed; busy; betrothed; involved in conflict |
| engender | cause; produce; give rise to |
| engross | occupy fully; absorb |
| enhance | increase; make greater (as in value, reputation, or usefulness); improve |
| enigma | puzzle; mystery; ADJ. enigmatic: obscure; puzzling |
| puzzle | baffle or confuse by a difficult problem; ponder over a problem in an effort to solve; clarify or solve by reasoning; Ex. puzzle out the answer; N. |
| enjoin | command; order; forbid |
| enmity | ill will; hatred; hostility |
| ennui | boredom; listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; CF. annoy |
| enormity | hugeness (in a bad sense); excessive wickedness; Ex. enormity of the crime; ADJ. enormous |
| enrapture | please intensely; fill with rapture and delight |
| ensconce | settle comfortably; place comfortably (in a secure place) |
| ensue | follow (as a result) |
| entail | make necessary; require; necessitate; involve; limit the inheritance of (property) to a specified succession of heirs; Ex. entail A on/upon B |
| enterprising | full of initiative; showing enterprise |
| enterprise | willingness to take new ventures; initiative; business organization; plan (that is difficult or daring); Ex. their latest enterprise to sail round the world in a small boat |
| enthrall | capture; enslave; captivate; hold the complete attention of (as if magic); hold spellbound |
| entice | lure; persuade to do (something wrong); attract; tempt |
| mischief | behavior (of children) causing trouble with no serious harm; damage; harm; Ex. mischief to the crops; ADJ. mischievous: causing mischief; playfully troublesome |
| entity | real being |
| entomology | study of insects |
| entrance | put under a spell(condition caused by magical power); carry away(fill with strong feeling) with emotion; put into a trance; fill with delight |
| trance | hypnotic state; ecstatic state; detachment from one's physical surrounding (as in contemplation or daydreaming); CF. transition |
| hypnosis | induced sleeping state; ADJ. hypnotic; V. hypnotize |
| entreat | plead; ask earnestly |
| entree(entr\'ee) | entrance; a way in; right to enter; main dish of a meal; Ex. entree into the exclusive circle |
| entrepreneur | businessperson (who assumes the risk of a business venture); contractor; ADJ. entrepreneurial |
| enumerate | list; mention one by one |
| enunciate | announce; proclaim; utter or speak, especially distinctly; pronounce clearly; articulate; Ex. This theory was first enunciated by him. |
| environ | enclose; surround; N. environs: surrounding area (as of a city) |
| eon(aeon) | long period of time; an age; longest division of geologic time containing two or more eras |
| epaulet(epaulette) | ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.) |
| fringe | decorative edge of hanging threads; edge |
| ephemeral | short-lived; fleeting |
| fleet | fast; rapid; N. ADJ. fleeting: passing quickly; ephemeral |
| epic | long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art (celebrating the feats of a hero); ADJ: (of stories or events) resembling an epic; grand |
| epicure | connoisseur of food and drink; gourmet; ADJ. epicurean; CF. Epicurus |
| Epicurean | believing that pleasure is good and suffering is bad and should be avoided; N. |
| epigram | witty thought or saying, usually short |
| epilogue | short speech at conclusion of dramatic work |
| episodic | (of a story or play) loosely connected; made up of separate and loosely connected parts; N. episode: incident in the course of an experience |
| epistemologist | philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge; N. epistemology |
| epitaph | inscription in memory of a dead person (as on a tombstone) |
| epithet | word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing; descriptive phrase to characterize a person (often contemptous) |
| epitome | perfect example or embodiment; brief summary; Ex. epitome of good manners; V. epitomize: make an epitome of; be an epitome of; embody |
| epoch | period of time |
| equable | tranquil; of even calm temper; (of temperature) steady; uniform |
| equanimity | calmness of temperament; composure |
| equestrian | rider on horseback; ADJ. |
| equilibrium | balance of opposing forces; balance of the mind; equanimity |
| equine | resembling a horse; Ex. equine face |
| equinox | period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn; Ex. vernal/autumnal equinox; ADJ. equinoctial |
| equipoise | balance; balancing force; equilibrium |
| equitable | fair; impartial; OP. inequitable |
| equity | fairness; justice; OP. inequity |
| equivocal | (of words or statements) ambiguous; intentionally misleading; (of behavior) questionable; OP. unequivocal |
| equivocate | use equivocal language to deceive people; lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth; N. equivocation |
| erode | eat away; wear away gradually by abrasion; Ex. The sea erodes the rocks. |
| erotic | pertaining to passionate love or sexual love |
| errant | wandering (esp. in search of adventure); straying from proper moral standards; Ex. knight-errant |
| erratic | odd; irregular in movement or behavior; unpredictable |
| erroneous | mistaken; wrong; incorrect |
| erudite | (of a person or book) learned; full of learning; scholarly; N. erudition |
| scholarly | full of learning; erudite; like a scholar; Ex. scholarly journal |
| escapade | prank; flighty conduct; reckless adventure that disobeys rules |
| prank | mischievous trick |
| flighty | (esp. of a woman's behavior) capricious; often changing, esp. from one lover to another; impulsive |
| eschew | avoid habitually; Ex. eschew alcoholic drinks |
| esoteric | hard to understand; known only to the chosen few, esp. initiates; N. esoterica |
| espionage | spying |
| espouse | adopt; support (an idea or aim); marry; N. espousal |
| esteem | respect; value; judge; N. |
| estimable | (of a person) worthy of esteem; admirable; deserving esteem; possible to estimate |
| inestimable | impossible to estimate; (apprec) invaluable; of immeasurable worth |
| estranged | separated; alienated; V. estrange: alienate (people in a family); N. estrangement |
| ethereal | like a spirit or fairy; unearthly light; heavenly; unusually refined; Ex. She has an ethereal beauty; CF. ether: upper air |
| airy | of air; high in the air; lofty; immaterial; unreal |
| ethnic | relating to races |
| ethnology | study of humankind; study of the different races of human beings; CF. anthropology |
| ethos | underlying character of a culture, group, etc.; character or ideas peculiar to a specific person, group, or culture; Ex. the company ethos |
| etymology | study of word parts; study of the origins of words |
| eugenic | pertaining to the improvement of race; N. eugenics: study of hereditary improvement of the human race |
| eulogistic | praising; full of eulogy |
| eulogy | expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death; V. eulogize |
| euphemism | mild expression in place of an unpleasant one; ADJ. euphemistic |
| euphony | sweet sound; ADJ. euphonious |
| euphoria | feeling of exaggerated or unfounded(ungrounded; baseless) well-being; feeling of great happiness or well-being (when unreasonable); ADJ. euphoriaric |
| euthanasia | mercy killing |
| evanescent | fleeting; vanishing; soon disappearing; V. evanesce |
| evasive | not frank; trying to hide the truth; eluding; evading; V. evade: avoid (a duty or responsibility) or escape from by deceit |
| evince | show clearly |
| evenhanded | impartial; fair |
| evocative | tending to call up (emotions, memories) |
| evoke | call forth (memory or feeling); Ex. That old film evoked memories of my childhood; N. evocation |
| ewe | female sheep |
| ram | male sheep; V. strike or drive against with a heavy impact |
| exacerbate | worsen; aggravate; embitter |
| embitter | make bitter; fill with painful or bitter feelings; make sad and angry; Ex. He was embittered by many disappointments. |
| exacting | extremely demanding; Ex. exacting standard of safety |
| exact | demand and obtain by force; Ex. exact a promise from him; N. exaction |
| exalt | raise in rank or dignity; praise highly; inspire; Ex. exalt the imagination; ADJ. exalted; N. exaltation |
| exasperate | vex; annoy or make angry (by testing the patience) |
| exceptionable | objectionable; likely to cause dislike; offensive; CF. unexceptionable: entirely acceptable |
| except | exclude; N. exception: objection; exclusion; ADJ. exceptional: unusual; of unusually high quality |
| excerpt | selected passage (written or musical) taken from a longer work; V. |
| exchequer | treasury; Ex. Chancellor of the exchequer |
| chancellor | legal official of high rank; CF. chancellery(chancellory): position of a chancellor |
| treasure | keep as precious; cherish |
| excise | cut away; cut out; N: government tax on good produced and used inside a country; N. excision |
| exclaim | cry out suddenly; N. exclamation; ADJ. exclamatory |
| excoriate | scold with biting harshness; censure strongly; strip the skin off |
| exculpate | clear from blame or guilt |
| execrable | very bad; detestable |
| execrate | curse; express abhorrence for; detest |
| execute | put into effect; carry out; kill as a lawful punishment; N. execution |
| executor | person designated to execute the terms of a will; |
| executioner | person administering capital punishment |
| executive | person having administrative authority; one branch of government executing laws; ADJ: relating to executing |
| legislature | legislating branch of government; CF. legislate: make laws |
| judiciary | judicial branch of government |
| exegesis | explanation, especially of biblical(of the bible) passages |
| exemplary | serving as a model; outstanding; Ex. exemplary punishment/behavior; N. exemplar: typical example; model |
| exemplify | show by example; furnish an example; serve as an example of; Ex. His pictures exemplify that sort of painting. |
| exempt | not subject to a duty or obligation; free from a duty; V. |
| exertion | effort; expenditure of much physical work; V. exert oneself: make a great effort |
| exhale | breathe out; OP. inhale |
| exhilarating | invigorating and refreshing; cheering; V. exhilarate: make cheerful and excited; Ex. exhilarated by the ride in the sports car |
| exhort | urge (by strong argument or advice); Ex. The general exhorted his men to fight bravely; N. exhortation |
| urge | drive or force forward (by causing impulses); drive to take action; impel; entreat earnestly; Ex. urge horses; N: impulse that prompts action |
| urgent | compelling immediate action; pressing; persistent; importunate; Ex. urgent in his demands |
| exhume | dig out of the ground; remove from a grave |
| coroner | public official who investigates any death thought to be of other than natural causes |
| exigency | urgent situation; ADJ. exigent |
| exiguous | small in amount; minute |
| existential | pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism |
| exodus | departure (of a large number of people) |
| exonerate | acquit; exculpate; free from blame or guilt |
| exorbitant | (of costs or demands) excessive; exceeding reasonable bounds |
| exorcise | drive out evil spirits |
| exotic | not native; from another part of the world; strange; intriguingly unusual; Ex. exotic flower/dress |
| intrigue | make secret plans; plot; arouse the curiosity of; N: secret scheme; plot; secret love affair |
| expansive | (of a person) outgoing and sociable; broad and extensive; able to increase in size |
| outgoing | sociable; eager to mix socially with others |
| expatiate | talk at length; speak or write in detail |
| expatriate | exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land; V: exile; banish; leave one's country |
| expedient | suitable (for a particular purpose although not necessarily morally correct); practical; politic(prudent); N: something expedient |
| expedite | hasten; make go faster |
| expeditious | done with speed; quick; N. expedition |
| expenditure | payment or expense; expending; something expended; output; Ex. receipt for the expenditure; Ex. expenditure of all the energy |
| expertise | specialized knowledge (in a particular field); expert skill |
| expiate | make amends for (a sin) |
| expletive | meaningless word; interjection; profane oath; swear-word |
| interjection | exclamation; Ex. ``Ouch'' |
| swear | vow; promise; use profane oaths; use offensive words |
| swear-word | word considered offensive; Ex. ``bloody'' |
| oath | solemn promise; blasphemous use of sacred words to express strong feelings; swear-word; Ex. ``For Christ's sake'' |
| explicate | explain in detail; interpret; clarify; CF. explicable |
| explicit | totally clear; definite; outspoken |
| exploit | brave and successful act; deed or action, particularly a brave deed; CF. crossing the Atlantic ocean |
| exploit | make use of, sometimes unjustly; N. exploitation |
| expository | explanatory; serving to explain; N. exposition: explaining; exhibition |
| expostulation | protest; remonstrance; reasoning with someone to correct or dissuade; V. expostulate |
| exposure | risk, particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open; Ex. exposure of governmental corruption |
| expound | explain |
| expropriate | take possession of (often for public use and without payment) |
| expunge | cancel; remove a word or name (from a book or list); erase |
| expurgate | clean; remove offensive parts of a book |
| extant | (of something written or painted) still in existence |
| extemporaneous | not planned; impromptu; extempore |
| extenuate | weaken; mitigate; lessen the seriousness of (bad behavior) |
| extirpate | root up; uproot; destroy completely |
| extol | praise very highly; glorify |
| extort | wring from; get money by threats, etc.; obtain by force or threats; CF. extortionate: exorbitant |
| wring | twist (to extract liquid); extract by twisting; wrench painfully (necks or hands) |
| extradition | surrender of prisoner by one state to another; Ex. extradition treaty; V. extradite |
| extraneous | not essential; irrelevant; superfluous; external; coming from the outside; Ex. extraneous details/noise/to the subject |
| extrapolation | projection; conjecture; V. extrapolate: infer (unknown information) from known information |
| extricate | free from an entanglement or difficulty; disentangle |
| inextricable | from which it is impossible to get free; that cannot be untied; Ex. inextricable troubles; Ex. inextricable two histories |
| extrinsic | external; not essential or inherent; extraneous; OP. intrinsic |
| extrovert | person interested mostly in external objects and actions |
| mingle | mix together in close association |
| extrude | force or push out; thrust out; shape (plastic or metal) by forcing through a die |
| exuberance | overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness; ADJ. exuberant: high-spirited and lively; growing abundantly and strongly |
| glow | shine brightly without a flame (as of eyes or metals); show redness and heat (in the face) after hard work or because of strong feelings; N: light produced by a heated body; brilliance of a color |
| exude | flow out slowly; discharge (gradually); give forth; N. exudation |
| ooze | (of a thick liquid) pass or flow slowly; N: mud or thick liquid as at the bottom of a river |
| exult | rejoice |
| fabricate | build; lie; make up (a story) in order to deceive; Ex. fabricate the whole story; CF. fabric: underlying structure; Ex. fabric of society |
| facade(fa\c{c}ade) | front or face (of building); superficial or false appearance |
| facet | small plane surface (of a gem(precious stone)); a side |
| facetious | joking (often inappropriately); unserious; humorous |
| facile | easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial; not deep; Ex. facile solution to a complex problem; Ex. facile speaker; N. facility: ability to do something easily and well; ease in doing resulting from skill or aptitude; something that facilitates an action; amenity; Ex. with great facility |
| facilitate | help bring about; make less difficult |
| facsimile | copy |
| faction | party; clique (within a large group); dissension |
| dissension | disagreement of opinions causing strife within a group |
| factious | inclined to form factions; causing dissension |
| factitious | artificial; produced artificially; sham; false; Ex. factitious tears |
| factotum | handyman; person who does all kinds of work; CF. do everything |
| faculty | mental or bodily powers; teaching staff |
| fallacious | false; based on a fallacy; misleading; N. fallacy: false idea or notion; false reasoning; Ex. popular fallacy; Ex. fallacy of the argument |
| fallible | liable to err |
| falsify | make (something written) false by changing |
| fallow | (of land) plowed but not sowed (to improve the quality); uncultivated |
| sow | plant or scatter seed |
| falter | hesitate; weaken in purpose or action; walk or move unsteadily through weakness; N. |
| stumble | trip and almost fall; proceed unsteadily; act falteringly; N. |
| fanaticism | excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause; N. fanatic; ADJ. fanatic |
| fancied | imagined; unreal |
| fancier | breeder or dealer of animals; one who has a special interest, as for raising specific plant or animal |
| fanciful | whimsical; visionary; imaginary; produced by imagination; Ex. fanciful scheme |
| fancy | imagination (of a whimsical or fantastic nature); capricious liking; V: imagine; be fond of; ADJ. decorative; elaborate |
| fanfare | call by bugles or trumpets; showy display; spectacular public display |
| farce | broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; ADJ. farcical |
| fastidious | difficult to please; squeamish; fussy; finicky |
| squeamish | easily shocked or sickened by unpleasant things; fastidious; Ex. A nurse should not be squeamish. |
| fatalism | belief that events are determined by forces or fates beyond one's control; ADJ. fatalistic; CF. fatal: causing death |
| fathom | comprehend; investigate; determine the depth of; N. unit of measurement for the depth of water |
| fathomless | too deep to be measured or understood; unfathomable |
| fatuous | smugly and unconsciously foolish; inane; silly; N. fatuity, fatuousness |
| fauna | animals of a period or region; CF. flora |
| fawning | courting favor by cringing and flattering; V. fawn: exhibit affection as a dog; seek favor or attention by obsequiousness |
| court | attempt to gain; seek; woo; risk; behave so as to invite; attempt to gain the favor of by attention; Ex. court disaster |
| faze | disconcert; dismay; embarrass |
| feasible | practical; able to be carried out; practicable |
| febrile | feverish |
| fecundity | fertility; fruitfulness; ADJ. fecund: very productive of crops or young |
| fertile | producing many young, fruits, or seeds; (of land) producing good crops; V. fertilize |
| fruitful | producing results; profitable; prolific; producing in abundance |
| feign | pretend |
| feint | trick; shift; sham blow; feigned attack to draw away defensive action; V. |
| shift | change position or place; exchange (one thing) for another; change in direction or position; Ex. shift the stolen goods; N. group of workers which takes turns with other groups; working period of such a group |
| felicitous | (of a word or remark) apt; suitably expressed; well chosen |
| felicity | happiness; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.); quality of being felicitous |
| feline | of a member of the cat family; N. |
| fell | cruel; (of a disease) deadly |
| fell | cut or knock down (a tree or a person); bring down (with a missile) |
| felon | person convicted of a grave crime; CF. felony: serious crime |
| feral | (of an animal) not domestic; wild |
| ferment | agitation; commotion(noisy and excited activity); unrest (of a political kind); V. produce by fermentation; undergo fermentation; cause (a state of trouble) |
| fermentation | chemical reaction that splits complex organic compounds; unrest; agitation |
| ferret | drive or hunt out of hiding; hunt with ferrets; drive out (as from a hiding place); expel; uncover or discover by searching; Ex. ferret out the secret; N. small fierce animal which catches rats and rabbits by going into their holes |
| fervent | ardent; zealous; hot |
| fervid | ardent; zealous; hot |
| impassioned | (of speech) filled with passion; fervent |
| fervor | glowing ardor; intensity of feeling; quality of being fervent or fervid; zeal; intense heat |
| fester | rankle; produce irritation or resentment; (of a cut or wound) generate pus or rot; Ex. His insult festered in my mind for days. |
| festive | joyous; celebratory; relating to a feast or festival |
| fete(f\^ete) | honor at a festival; celebrate or honor with a feast; N. (outdoor) festival or feast; CF. feast |
| fetid(foetid) | malodorous; foul |
| foul | very bad or disagreeable; very dirty; Ex. foul smell/flavor/temper/language/air/deed/weather/means; N. act against the rules; V. make or become foul; commit a foul |
| fetish(fetich) | object believed to have spiritual powers; object of excessive attention or reverence; CF. fetishism |
| fetter | shackle; restrict the freedom of; N. chain or shackle for the foot of a prisoner; CF. foot |
| fiasco | total failure; CF. bottle |
| fiat | command; arbitrary order; Ex. presidential fiat; CF. let it be done |
| fickle | changeable (in affections or friendship); faithless |
| fictitious | imaginary; non-existent; purposely invented to deceive; untrue; Ex. fictitious name/boyfriend; CF. fictional |
| fidelity | loyalty; accuracy |
| figment | invention; something invented; imaginary thing; Ex. figment of your imagination |
| figurative | not literal but metaphorical; using a figure(impression) of speech |
| figure | written symbols; number; amount represented in numbers; outline or silhouette of a thing or human body; person (well-known); impression; diagram; pattern; group in a dance; Ex. figure of speech; V. calculate with numbers; adorn with figures; appear; consider; Ex. My name did not figure in the list. |
| figurine | small ornamental statuette(very small statue) |
| filch | steal (things of small value) |
| pilfer | steal things of small value; filch; snitch |
| filial | pertaining to or befitting a son or daughter; Ex. filial respect |
| filibuster | block legislation or prevent action in a lawmaking body by making very slow long speeches; N; freebooter |
| freebooter | pirate or plunderer who makes war in order to grow rich |
| bust | piece of sculpture showing a person's head, shoulders, and upper chest; V: break up; arrest; Ex. crimebuster |
| filigree | delicate ornamental lacelike metalwork |
| lace | cord used to draw and tie together two opposite edges (as of a shoe); delicate fabric made of fine threads; V: draw together by tying a lace |
| filing | particle removed by a file |
| finale | conclusion; concluding part |
| finesse | delicate skill; V: handle with finesse |
| finicky | too particular; fussy; difficult to please; too concerned with unimportant details or quality; Ex. finicky about her food |
| fussy | fastidious; finicky; easily upset |
| fuss: | trouble or worry over trifles; make nervous; pay too much attention to; N: needless concern or worry (about a trivial thing); anxious nervous condition; display of attention; Ex. make a fuss over the baby |
| finite | limited |
| firebrand | piece of burning wood; hothead; troublemaker; person who stirs up trouble |
| hothead | person who does things too quickly without thinking; ADJ. hotheaded |
| fissure | crevice; crack |
| fitful | spasmodic; intermittent; irregular |
| fit | sudden outburst of an illness or feeling; convulsion caused by epilepsy |
| flaccid | flabby; lacking firmness; weak; Ex. flaccid muscles |
| limp | walk lamely; ADJ: lacking firmness; weak |
| flag | droop; grow feeble; decline in vigor or strength; ADJ. flagging; CF. unflagging |
| droop | bend or hang downward; become weakened; Ex. His shoulders drooped with tiredness; N. |
| flagrant | conspicuously wicked, bad, or offensive; blatant; outrageous |
| outrage | act of extreme violence or viciousness; resentful anger; V: commit an outrage on; produce anger in; ADJ. outrageous: offensive |
| flail | beat with or as if with a flail; move wildly; thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about; N: threshing tool consisting of a stick swinging from the end of a long handle |
| thresh | beat (cereal plants) with a machine or flail to separate the grains from the straw |
| toss | throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something |
| flair | talent |
| flamboyant | ornate; highly elaborate; richly colored; ostentatious; showy; CF. flame |
| flaunt | display ostentatiously; Ex. ``Honey, if you've got it, flaunt it !'' |
| flay | strip off skin; plunder; remove the skin from; criticize harshly |
| fleck | spot; mark with flecks; N: small mark or spot |
| fledgling(fledgeling) | inexperienced; N: young bird that has acquired wing feathers and is learning to fly; inexperienced person |
| fleece | wool coat of a sheep; V: shear the fleece from; rob by a trick; swindle; plunder |
| shear | remove (fleece or hair) by cutting; remove the hair or fleece from; cut with or as if with shears; N: shears; pair of scissors |
| trickster | person who cheats people |
| flick | light stroke as with a whip; V: move with a light quick blow; strike with a light quick blow (as from a whip); Ex. flick the switch |
| flicker | burn unsteadily or fitfully; move waveringly; N: flickering movement or light; brief sensation; Ex. flicker of excitement |
| flutter | (of a bird with large wings) wave (the wings) lightly, rapidly, and irregularly; vibrate rapidly or erratically; fly by waving quickly; flitter; N. |
| flinch | hesitate; shrink back (in fear of something unpleasant); Ex. She did not flinch in the face of danger. |
| flippant | lacking proper seriousness; Ex. flippant remarks about death; N. flippancy |
| flip | send (something) spinning, often into the air, by striking with a light quick blow; turn over; Ex. flip over |
| flit | fly; fly or move lightly or quickly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by; Ex. a bee flitting from flower to flower |
| floe | flat mass of floating ice |
| flora | plants of a region or era |
| florescence | condition or period of flowering |
| florid | ruddy; (of a complexion) reddish; flowery; very ornate; CF. rose |
| flush | redden; blush; flow suddenly and abundantly; wash out by a rapid brief flow of water; N: reddish tinge; blush; brief rush; rush of strong feeling; Ex. flush of pride; ADJ: having surfaces in the same plane; even; blushing |
| blush | become red in the face (from embarrassment or shame); become red or rosy; N. |
| tinge | give a slight degree of a color or quality to; N: slight degree of a color or quality; Ex. tinged with grey/jealousy |
| tint | slight degree of color; V: give a tint to |
| flowery | full of flowers; full of ornate expressions |
| flotsam | drifting wreckage |
| jetsam | things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship) |
| flounder | struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter (as in water, mud, snow, etc.); proceed in confusion |
| thrash | beat with a whip or flail; defeat utterly; talk about thoroughly in order to find the answer; move wildly or violently; Ex. The fishes thrashed about in the net. |
| flourish | grow well; prosper; make sweeping gestures; wave; brandish; Ex. The trees flourished in the sun. N: showy movement or gesture; embellishment or ornamentation (esp. in handwriting) |
| flout | reject; mock; show contempt for; scorn; Ex. flout the rules |
| curb | chain or strap used with a bit to restrain a horse; something that checks; V: check; restrain |
| fluctuate | waver; shift; rise and fall as if in waves; change or vary irregularly |
| fluency | smoothness of speech; ADJ. fluent |
| fluke | unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune; accidental stroke of good luck; ADJ. fluky |
| fluster | confuse; make nervous and confused; N. |
| fluted | having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar); V. flute: make long parallel inward curves in; N. flute: long rounded groove incised on the shaft of a column |
| groove | long narrow channel made in a surface to guide the movement of something; Ex. groove of the record |
| stammer | speak with involuntarily pauses or repetitions |
| flux | flowing; series of changes; fluctuation; Ex. in a state of flux |
| fodder | coarse food for cattle, horses, etc.; feed for livestock; CF. food |
| foible | small weakness of character; slight fault; CF. feeble |
| foil | contrast; one that by contrast enhances the distinctive characteristics of another |
| foil | defeat; frustrate; prevent from being successful; thwart; CF. fail |
| foist | insert improperly; impose upon another by coercion; palm off; pass off as genuine or worthy; CF. fist |
| palm | conceal in the palm of the hand; palm off: pass off; Ex. palm off some bad oranges onto the lady/the painting as a real Renoir |
| pass_off | present falsely; represent falsely to be |
| foliage | masses of leaves; CF. defoliate |
| foment | stir up; incite; instigate; promote the growth of (something evil or unpleasant) |
| foolhardy | rash; reckless; foolishly daring |
| foppish | vain about dress and appearance; N. fop: man who takes too much interest in his clothes and appearance |
| foray | raid; sudden raid or military advance; V. |
| forbearance | patience; forgiveness; V. forbear: refrain from (in a generous and forgiving way); be patient; Ex. forbear to send him to prison |
| ford | place where a river can be crossed on foot; V. |
| forebears(forbears) | ancestors |
| foreboding | premonition of evil; feeling of coming evil; V. forebode: be a warning of (something unpleasant) |
| forensic | suitable to debate or courts of law; of or used in legal proceedings and the tracking of criminals; Ex. forensic science/medicine |
| forum | public square of an ancient Roman city; public place for open discussion; court of law |
| foreshadow | give an indication beforehand; be a sign of (what is coming); portend; prefigure |
| prefigure | be a sign of; foreshadow |
| forerunner | predecessor; one that comes before and indicates the approach of another |
| foresight | ability to foresee future happenings; prudence in providing for the future |
| forestall | prevent by taking action in advance |
| nuptial | of marriage or the wedding ceremony; N; nuptials; wedding ceremony |
| forfeit | something surrendered as punishment for a crime or breach of contract; V: lose as a forfeit; N. forfeiture |
| forge | counterfeit; reproduce fraudulently; form by heating in a forge and hammering into shape; move with a sudden increase of speed or power; Ex. forged ahead in the last two years; N: furnace where metals are heated |
| forgo(forego) | give up; do without |
| forlorn | sad and lonely; wretched; desolate |
| formality | ceremonious quality; ceremonious adherence to rules; something done just for form's sake; Ex. mere formality |
| formidable | menacing; arousing fear; threatening; difficult to defeat; Ex. formidable foe/question |
| menace | threat; V: threaten |
| forsake | desert; abandon; renounce |
| forswear | renounce under oath; abandon; make a solemn promise to give up; CF. abjure |
| forte | strong point or special talent in a person's character |
| forthright | straightforward; direct; frank |
| forthcoming | happening in the near future; ready; willing to help; Ex. No answer was forthcoming. |
| fortitude | bravery; courage; strength of mind |
| fortuitous | accidental; by chance; N. fortuity |
| foster | rear; bring up (for a certain period only); encourage; promote the development of (feelings or ideas); Ex. help foster friendly relations; ADJ: giving parental care although not related by blood; Ex. foster parents |
| founder | fail completely; sink; CF. flounder |
| founder | person who establishes (an organization or business) |
| fracas | brawl(noisy quarrel or fight) in which a number of people take part; melee |
| fractious | unruly; peevish; cranky; bad-tempered; Ex. fractious horse |
| frail | weak; N. frailty |
| franchise | right or privilege granted by authority; right to vote; license to sell a product in a particular territory |
| frantic | wild; distraught as from fear or worry; Ex. frantic with fear |
| fraudulent | cheating; deceitful; Ex. fraudulent means; N. fraud: deception; swindle |
| fraught | filled (with something unpleasant); full; Ex. fraught with danger and difficulties; CF. freight |
| fray | brawl; fight; V: wear away or unravel by rubbing; have loose threads developing; cause to become worn out (a person's temper or nerves); CF. rub |
| frenetic(phrenetic) | frenzied; frantic |
| frenzied | madly excited; N. frenzy: violent wild excitement |
| fresco | painting on wet plaster (usually fresh) |
| paste | smooth viscous mixture as of flour(powder made by crushing grain) and water (used as an adhesive); V: cause to adhere by applying paste |
| pastry | paste of flour and water (eaten when baked) |
| plaster | paste that hardens to a smooth solid and is used for coating walls; V. |
| fret | be annoyed or vexed; Ex. fret over your poor grades; N: irritation of mind; ADJ. fretful |
| friction | clash or conflict in opinion; rubbing against |
| frieze | ornamental horizontal band on a wall |
| frigid | intensely cold; cold in manner; Ex. frigid zone |
| fritter | waste (time or money on unimportant things) |
| frivolous | lacking in seriousness; flippant; self-indulgently carefree; unworthy of serious attention; relatively unimportant; trivial |
| self-indulgence | excessive indulgence of one's own desire |
| carefree | free from worries; having no problems |
| frolicsome | prankish; gay; playful; merry; frisky |
| frolic | play and jump about happily; frisk; Ex. frolicking young lambs |
| frond | fern leaf; palm or banana leaf |
| litter | waste material thrown away (as bits of paper scattered untidily); V: cover untidily with scattered litter |
| fructify | bear fruit; produce fruit |
| frugality | thrift; economy; ADJ. frugal: practicing economy; costing little; inexpensive |
| fruition | bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization; Ex. come to/be brought to fruition |
| frustrate | thwart; defeat; prevent from accomplishing a purpose |
| fugitive | fleeting or transitory; lasting only a short time; roving(wandering); running away or fleeing as from the law; N: one who flees; Ex. fugitives at large |
| fulcrum | support on which a lever rests or pivots |
| fulminate | thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation |
| fulsome | disgustingly excessive; offensively flattering; Ex. fulsome praise/expressions of admire |
| fumble | move the fingers and hands awkwardly (in search of something); mishandle or drop a ball that is in play; bungle; botch; spoil by mishandling; N. |
| functionary | official (who performs a particular function) |
| functional | made for practical use only (without decoration); functioning; Ex. functional modern furniture; CF. functionalism |
| fundamental | basic; primary; essential |
| funereal | sad; solemn; suitable for a funeral |
| furor | frenzy; great anger and excitement; CF. fury |
| furtive | stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky; Ex. furtive glance |
| sneak | move, give, or take in a quiet, stealthy way; N: one who sneaks; ADJ. sneaky |
| underhand(underhanded) | done slyly and secretly (being dishonest) |
| sly | clever in deceiving; secretive; not telling one's intentions |
| fusillade | simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.) |
| fusion | union; coalition; V. fuse |
| futile | seless; hopeless; ineffectual |
| gadfly | animal-biting fly; irritating person |
| gaffe | social blunder |
| gainsay | deny |
| gait | manner of walking or running; speed |
| galaxy | large isolated system of stars, such as the Milky Way; collection of brilliant personalities |
| gale | windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughters, tears); Ex. gale of laughter |
| gall | bitterness of feeling; nerve; effrontery; 淬馏(bile); CF. gall bladder |
| gall | annoy; exasperate; chafe; N: skin sore caused by rubbing (as on the skin of a horse); exasperation |
| galleon | large three-masted sailing ship |
| galley | low ship with sails (rowed along by slaves) |
| clipper | sailing vessel built for great speed |
| pinnace | small boat |
| clip | cut off with shears; fasten; N: something clipped off (as a short extract from film); clasp or fastener |
| galvanize | stimulate or shock by an electric current; stimulate by shock; shock into action; stir up; coat with rust-resistant zinc by using electricity |
| galvanic | of the production of electricity by the action of an acid on a metal; having the effect of an electric shock; Ex. galvanic cell; galvanic effect; CF. Luigi Galvani |
| gambit | opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed; action made to produce a future advantage |
| ploy | strategem to gain an advantage; tactic; Ex. management ploy |
| gambol | romp; skip about; leap about playfully; frolic; N. |
| romp | play or frolic boisterously; gambol; N. |
| zest | outer skin of an orange used for giving a special taste to food; spice; interest; flavor; spirited enjoyment; Ex. add a certain zest to the affair; Ex. zest for life |
| gamely | in a spirited manner; with courage; Ex. fight gamely against a superior boxer; ADJ. game |
| gamut | entire range |
| gape | open widely; open the mouth wide; stare wonderingly with the mouth open; CF. agape |
| garbled | mixed up; jumbled; distorted; V. garble: mix up or distort (a message) to such an extent as to make misleading or unintelligible |
| jumble | mix in a confused way |
| gargantuan | huge; enormous; gigantic; CF. the hero of Gargantua and Pantagruel |
| gargoyle | waterspout carved in grotesque figures on a building |
| garish | overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy |
| trim | make neat or tidy by clipping; reduce by removing what is unnecessary; ornament; decorate (round the edges); Ex. trim the cost; Ex. jacket trimmed with fur; N. ADJ: tidy; in good order |
| garner | gather; store up; amass |
| garnish | decorate; add a garnish to; decorate (food or drink) with small items such as lemon slices; N. |
| garrulous | loquacious; wordy; talkative; N. garrulity |
| gastronomy | art and science of preparing and serving good food; CF. gastronome |
| gauche | clumsy (in social behavior); coarse and uncouth |
| gaudy | flashy; showy |
| flashy | showy; gaudy; giving a momentary brilliance |
| gild | cover with a thin layer of gold |
| gaunt | lean and angular; thin and bony; emaciated; barren |
| gavel | hammerlike tool; mallet(wooden hammer) used by a presiding officer or an auctioneer; V. |
| bid | command; utter (a greeting); offer as a price; N: offer of a price; amount offered; earnest effort to gain something; Ex. bid for freedom |
| gawk | stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe |
| gazette | official periodical publication; newspaper |
| genealogy | record of descent; lineage; ancestry; study of ancestry |
| generality | vague statement; general statement which is not detailed; quality of being general; greater part; most; Ex. generality of people |
| generate | cause; produce; create |
| generic | characteristic of an entire class or species; of a genus |
| genus | division of animals or plants, below a family and above a species |
| genesis | beginning; origin |
| geniality | cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy; ADJ. genial: cheerful and good-tempered |
| genre | particular variety of art or literature |
| genteel | well-bred; elegant; striving to convey an appearance of refinement; Ex. genteel poverty |
| gentility | those of gentle birth; high social class; refinement; quality of being genteel |
| breed | produce young; rear; bring up; produce (an undesirable condition); N: kind or sort of animal or plant |
| crossbreed | hybridize; N: hybrid; CF. interbreed; CF. inbreed |
| well-bred | of good upbringing; well-mannered and refined |
| gentry | people of standing(rank or position); people of good family or high social position; class of people just below nobility |
| gentle | kindly; soft; mild; of good family |
| genuflect | bend the knee as in worship |
| germane | pertinent; bearing upon(having connection with) the case at hand; appropriate |
| germinal | pertaining to a germ; creative; Ex. germinal idea |
| germ | earliest form of an organism; seed or bud; something that may develop into something larger or more important; microbe |
| germinate | cause to sprout; sprout |
| sprout | begin to grow; give off shoots or buds; N: new growth on a plant; shoot |
| shoot | new growth from a plant |
| gerontocracy | government ruled by old people |
| gerontology | study of the sociological phenomena associated with old age |
| geriatrics | medical treatment and care of old age |
| gerrymander | change voting district lines in order to favor a political party; N. CF. Elbridge Gerry + (sala)mander |
| gestate | evolve as in prenatal growth; N. gestation: period of development from conception until birth |
| natal | connected with birth; CF. prenatal; CF. postnatal |
| gesticulation | motion; gesture; V. gesticulate: make gestures (while speaking) |
| ghastly | horrible; terrifying; resembling ghosts; CF. aghast |
| gibberish | nonsense; nonsensical or unintelligible talk or writing; babbling |
| gibe | mock; make jeering remarks; N: jeering remarks |
| giddy | light-hearted; not serious; frivolous; dizzy; causing dizziness; Ex. giddy youth; Ex. giddy climb/height |
| gingerly | very carefully; ADJ. |
| girth | distance around something; circumference |
| gist | essence; main point; substance |
| glacial | like a glacier; of an ice age; extremely cold; Ex. glacial epoch; CF. iceberg |
| glaring | (of something bad) highly conspicuous; harshly bright; shining intensely and blindingly |
| glare | shine intensely and blindingly; stare fixedly and angrily; N. |
| glaze | cover with a thin and shiny surface; apply a glaze to; N: thin, smooth, shiny coating (as for pottery); Ex. unglazed pottery |
| glean | gather leavings; gather grain left behind by reapers; gather bit by bit (facts or information) often with difficulty |
| glib | fluent (with insincerity or superficiality); facile; slick |
| slick | make smooth or glossy; N: smooth surface; Ex. oil slick; ADJ: smooth; glossy; deftly executed; adroit; glib |
| sleek | smooth and shining (as from good health); V. |
| glimmer | shine erratically; twinkle; N: dim or unsteady light; faint indication; Ex. glimmer of hope |
| glitter | shine brightly with flashing points of light; Ex. glittering diamond ring; N: sparkling light; attractiveness; glamor; Ex. glitter of the sun on the waves |
| glamor | compelling charm; ADJ. glamorous |
| gloat | express evil satisfaction; look at or think about with evil satisfaction; view malevolently; Ex. The thief gloated over the stolen jewels. |
| gloss_over | explain away with the intention of deceiving or hiding faults |
| gloss | brief explanation note or translation of a difficult expression; V. |
| glossary | brief explanation of words used in the text |
| glossy | smooth and shining; N. gloss: shiny brightness on a surface; superficially attractive appearance; Ex. gloss of good manners |
| mat | not shiny; matte; having a dull finish; N: flat piece of material used as a floor covering; V. |
| finish | surface texture; completeness of execution |
| finished | properly made and complete; Ex. finished product/performance |
| glower | scowl; glare; look or stare angrily |
| scowl | frown angrily; N: angry frown |
| glut | overstock; fill beyond capacity (with food); fill to excess; N: oversupply |
| glutinous | sticky; viscous; gluey |
| glutton | someone who eats too much; ADJ. gluttonous: given to gluttony; greedy; CF. gluttony: habit of eating too much |
| gnarled | twisted |
| gnarl | protruding knot on a tree; V. |
| gnome | dwarf; underground spirit who guards treasure hoards |
| goad | urge on; drive with a goad; cause (someone) to do something by continued annoyance; Ex. They goaded him into doing it by saying he was a coward; N: sharp-pointed stick for driving cattle; stimulus; CF. annoy continually |
| gorge | narrow canyon; steep rocky cleft; ravine (made by a stream which runs through it) |
| gorge | stuff oneself (with food); glut; CF. gorgeous: dazzlingly beautiful |
| gory | bloody; N. gore: blood (from a wound) |
| shudder | shake uncontrollably; tremble; V. |
| gossamer | sheer; very light; like cobwebs; N: soft and sheer fabric; cobweb |
| sheer | pure; thin and transparent; very steep |
| gouge | tear out; cut out (as if with a gouge); Ex. gouge his eyes out; N: chisel for cutting out hollow areas in wood |
| gouge | overcharge (with high price); extort from; Ex. gouge the public; CF. usury |
| gourmand | epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink |
| gourmet | connoisseur of food and drink; epicure |
| graduated | arranged by degrees (of height, difficulty, etc.) |
| graduate | arrange into categories or grades; divide into marked intervals (for use in measurement); Ex. graduated ruler |
| granary | storehouse for grain |
| grandeur | impressiveness; stateliness; majesty |
| stately | formal; ceremonious; grand in style or size; majestic |
| grandiloquent | (of a person or speech) using high sounding or important-sounding language; pompous; bombastic |
| grandiose | affectedly grand; pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated; impressive; great in size or scope; grand; Ex. grandiose ideas |
| high-flown | highly pretentious or inflated |
| matin\'ee(matinee) | dramatic or musical performance given in the afternoon |
| granulate | form into grains or granules; N. granule: grain or particle |
| graphic | pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described |
| vivid | (of light or color) bright and distinct; evoking lifelike mental images; Ex. vivid red hair/description |
| graphite | black form of carbon used in lead pencils |
| grapple | wrestle; come to grips with; take hold of and struggle with; Ex. grapple with the burglar |
| grate | make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred by rubbing against a rough surface; Ex. grated cheese N: framework of metal bars to hold fuel in a fireplace |
| gratify | please; satisfy; Ex. gratify a desire |
| gratis | free; without charge; ADJ. |
| gratuitous | given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for; done without good reason; Ex. gratuitous comment |
| gratuity | tip |
| gravity | seriousness; ADJ. grave |
| gregarious | sociable; (of an animal) tending to form a group |
| grievance | cause of complaint; complaint |
| grill | question severely; cook on a grill; broil; N: cooking surface of parallel metal bars |
| broil | cook by direct heat; N. |
| grim | causing great fear; unrelenting; determined in spite of fear; Ex. grim smile |
| grimace | facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc; V. |
| grisly | ghastly; horrifying; Ex. grisly remains of the bodies |
| groom | man employed to take care of horses; V: make neat and trim; clean and brush (an animal) |
| grotesque | fantastic; comically hideous; strange and unnatural (causing fear or amusement) |
| hideous | repulsive to the sight; ugly; repugnant; Ex. hideous face/scream |
| grotto | small cavern |
| grouse | complain; fuss; grumble; grouch; N: plump chickenlike game bird |
| grumble | complain; mutter discontentedly; grouch; N. |
| mutter | utter (complaining words) indistinctly in low tones |
| rumble | make or move with a deep rolling sound (as thunder or stomach) |
| grovel | crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate; behave in a servile manner |
| grudging | unwilling; reluctant; stingy(giving reluctantly) |
| gruel | thin liquid porridge |
| porridge | soft food made by boiling oatmeal |
| oatmeal | crushed oats used for making porridge |
| grueling | exhausting; Ex. grueling marathon race |
| gruesome | grisly; horrible |
| gruff | rough-mannered; (of a voice) rough; hoarse |
| grunt | utter a deep guttural sound (as a pig does); N. |
| guffaw | boisterous laughter; V. |
| guile | deceit; duplicity; wiliness; cunning; Ex. persuade her by guile |
| cunning | clever in deceiving; sly; N: cleverness in deceiving; deceit |
| guileless | without deceit |
| guise | outward appearance; costume; Ex. in a new guise |
| gull | trick; deceive; hoodwink; N: person who is easily tricked; dupe |
| gullible | easily deceived |
| gustatory | affecting or relating to the sense of taste |
| gusto | eager enjoyment; zest; enthusiasm |
| gusty | windy |
| gust | strong abrupt rush of wind; V. CF. bluster |
| guy | cable or chain attached to something that needs to be braced or steadied; CF. guide |
| topple | become unsteady and fall down |
| overthrow | topple; N. |
| overturn | turn over; capsize; topple |
| capsize | (of a boat) turn over |
| gyroscope | apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc. |
| habituate | accustom or familiarize; addict |
| hackles | hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog; Ex. make someone's hackles rise |
| growl | low, guttural, menacing sound (as of a dog) |
| hackneyed | commonplace; trite |
| haggard | wasted away; gaunt; Ex. haggard faces of the rescued miners |
| haggle | argue about prices (in an attempt to bargain) |
| halcyon | calm; peaceful; Ex. halcyon days |
| hale | healthy |
| hail | frozen rain drop; V: salute or greet; precipitate hail |
| hallowed | blessed; consecrated; Ex. hallowed ground; V. hallow: set apart as holy |
| hallucination | delusion; false idea; false perception of objects with a compelling sense of their reality; objects so perceived; V. hallucinate; ADJ. hallucinatory |
| halting | hesitant; faltering; not fluent; Ex. halting steps/voice; V. halt: proceed or act with uncertainty; falter; hesitate; waver; stop |
| waver | move or swing back and forth; be uncertain or unsteady in decision or movement; Ex. wavering between accepting and refusing |
| hamper | obstruct; prevent the free movement of; N: 侥丰前捞唱 狼汗 殿阑 淬绰 官备聪 |
| hap | chance; luck |
| haphazard | random; by chance; happening in an unplanned manner; Ex. haphazard growth of the town |
| hapless | unfortunate; luckless |
| harangue | long, passionate, and vehement speech; V. |
| harass | annoy by repeated attacks |
| harbinger | forerunner (which foreshadows what is to come) |
| harbor | give protection (by giving food and shelter); provide a refuge for; hide; keep in mind (thoughts or feelings); Ex. harbor a grudge/criminal; N: place of shelter; refuge |
| habitat | natural home of a plant or animal; CF. habitation |
| hardy | (of people or animals) sturdy; robust; (of plants) able to stand inclement(stormy) weather |
| harping | tiresome dwelling on a subject; V. harp: dwell on(think or speak a lot about) tediously |
| harrowing | agonizing; distressing; traumatic; V. harrow: break up and level (soil) with a harrow; inflict great distress on; agonize; N: farming machine to break up the earth |
| harry | harass, annoy, torment (by repeated attacks); raid |
| hatch | deck opening; lid covering a deck opening; V: emerge from an egg; produce (young) from an egg |
| latch | fastening or lock consisting of a movable bar that fits into a notch; V: close with a latch |
| notch | V-shaped cut in a surface; V. |
| haughtiness | pride; arrogance; ADJ. haughty |
| haunt | (of a spirit) visit (a place); come to mind continually; visit (a place) regularly; frequent; Ex. haunted house; Ex. haunted by his last words; N: place much frequented |
| haven | place of safety; refuge; harbor; Ex. tax haven |
| havoc | widespread damage; disorder; chaos |
| hazardous | dangerous |
| hazard | venture; put in danger; risk; Ex. hazard a guess; N: possible source of danger |
| hazy | slightly obscure; misty; unclear; N. haze: light mist or smoke; confused state of mind |
| headlong | hasty; rash; headfirst; ADV. |
| headfirst | moving with the head leading; headlong |
| headstrong | willful; stubborn; unyielding; determined to have one's own way; CF. no 'excessive' |
| heckler | person who verbally harasses others; V. heckle: verbally harass as with gibes (by interrupting a speaker or speech) |
| hedonist | one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life; CF. hedonism: practice of living one's life purely for pleasure |
| heedless | not noticing; disregarding |
| heed | pay attention to; N: close attention |
| hegemony | dominance especially of one nation over others |
| heinous | atrocious; wicked; hatefully bad; Ex. heinous crime |
| gross | total; fragrant; clearly wrong; (of people's behavior) coarse; corpulent; Ex. gross insolence/behavior; V: earn as a total amount; N: 12 dozens |
| helm | steering wheel of a ship; position of control |
| herbivorous | grain-eating; CF. herbivore |
| heresy | opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion; ADJ. heretical; CF. heretic |
| hermetic | sealed by fusion so as to be airtight; airtight |
| hermetic | concerning alchemy or magic; obscure and mysterious; occult |
| sterile | incapable of producing young; free from microorganism; V. sterilize |
| hermitage | home of a hermit |
| herpetologist | one who studies reptiles; CF. herpetology: branch of zoology that deals with reptiles and amphibians |
| heterodox | (of beliefs) against accepted opinion; unorthodox; unconventional |
| heterogeneous | dissimilar; mixed; not homogeneous; consisting of dissimilar elements or plants |
| hew | cut to pieces with ax or sword; chop; N. |
| heyday | time of greatest success or power; prime |
| prime | period of ideal or peak condition; earliest or beginning stage; Ex. in the prime of life; Ex. prime of the year(spring); ADJ: first in importance or rank; first; V: make ready; prepare |
| primary | first in rank or importance; principal; earliest in time; Ex. primary stages; N. CF. first |
| primal | first in rank or importance; being first in time; original; Ex. man's primal innocence |
| primate | group of mammals including humans |
| hiatus | gap; pause; gap or interruption in space or time; break |
| hibernal | wintry; wintery; of or like winter |
| hibernate | sleep throughout the winter; N. hibernation |
| hierarchy | arrangement by rank or standing; authoritarian body divided into ranks; body of persons having authority |
| totem | animal, plant, or natural object serving as a symbol of a clan or family; representation of this; Ex. totem pole |
| hieroglyphic | picture writing; ADJ. |
| hilarity | boisterous mirth(merriment; laughter); ADJ. hilarious: full of laughter |
| hindmost | furthest behind; farthest to the rear |
| wage | begin and continue (a war) |
| hindrance | block; obstacle; V. hinder |
| hinterlands | back country; inner part of a country; OP. foreland |
| hireling | one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously); one who works solely for compensation; Ex. hireling politician |
| hirsute | hairy; having a lot of hair |
| histrionic | theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior |
| historic | important in history; Ex. historic battle |
| historical | connected with history; based on events in history (whether regarded as important or not) |
| hoard | stockpile; accumulate for future use; N: supply stored for future use |
| hoary | white with age |
| hoax | trick which makes someone take action; practical joke; Ex. hoax mail; V. |
| holocaust | destruction by fire; CF. burnt whole; CF. Holocaust |
| holster | leather pistol case (that hangs on a belt around the waist) |
| homage | honor; tribute; great respect; Ex. pay/do homage to |
| homeostasis | tendency of a system or organism to maintain relative stability or internal equilibrium; CF. homeo-: constant; Ex. homeotherm |
| homespun | domestic; made at home; spun or woven at home; simple and ordinary; Ex. homespun philosophy |
| spin | rotate swiftly; make (thread) by twisting (cotton, wool, etc.); N. |
| homily | sermon; tedious moralizing lecture; serious warning; ADJ. homiletic |
| homogeneous | of the same kind; uniform in composition throughout |
| hone | sharpen (a tool); N: whetstone for sharpening a tool |
| hoodwink | deceive; delude |
| horde | crowd; swarm |
| swarm | large group of insects moving in a mass; crowd of people or animals; V: move in a crowd or mass |
| hortatory | encouraging; exhortive; marked by exhortation; CF. exhort |
| horticultural | pertaining to cultivation of gardens; N. horticulture: science or art of cultivating fruits, vegetables, or ornamental plants; CF. agriculture: science or art of farming or growing crops |
| hostility | unfriendliness; hatred; enmity; ADJ. hostile |
| hovel | shack; small wretched house |
| hut | crude dwelling; shack |
| shack | crude cabin |
| shed | small roofed structure for storage and shelter; V: pour forth; lose by natural process; repel without allowing penetration; radiate; cast; Ex. shed tears/light/water/skin/leaves |
| hover | hang about; (of birds or aircraft) stay in the air in one place; (of people) wait nearby; stay around one place; waver; be in an uncertain state |
| hubbub | confused uproar; loud noise; din |
| hubris | arrogance; excessive self-conceit |
| hue | color; aspect; Ex. opinions of every hue |
| hue_and_cry | outcry; loud cry or clamor; strong protest; Ex. hue and cry against the new rule |
| humane | marked by kindness or consideration; kind and compassionate; humanitarian |
| humanitarian | one devoted to the promotion of human welfare; CF. humanism |
| humdrum | dull; monotonous |
| humid | damp; N. humidity |
| humility | humbleness of spirit |
| humble | of low rank or position; modest; having a low opinion of oneself and a high opinion of others; unassuming; not proud; V. humiliate: make humble; cause to feel ashamed or to lose the respect of others |
| hummock | small hill; hillock |
| humus | substance or rich soil formed by decaying vegetable matter; CF. soil |
| hurtle | crash; rush; move with great speed; Ex. hurtling runaway train |
| husband | use sparingly; conserve; save; Ex. husband one's energy; CF. house holder |
| husbandry | frugality; thrift; economy; agriculture; farming; Ex. animal husbandry; CF. husbandman |
| hybrid | mongrel; mixed breed; V. hybridize |
| mongrel | plant or animal (esp. a dog) of mixed breed; ADJ. |
| pedigree | line of ancestors; ancestry; lineage; ADJ. (of an animal) descended from of a chosen family; Ex. pedigree dog; CF. crane's foot |
| hydrophobia | fear of water; rabies |
| rabies | disease passed on by the bite of an infected animal (causing madness and death) |
| hygiene | science and practice of the promotion and preservation of health; ADJ. hygienic: showing careful attention to cleanness (to prevent disease); Ex. hygienic condition |
| hyperbole | exaggeration; overstatement; ADJ. hyperbolic: of hyperbole; of a hyperbola |
| hypercritical | excessively exacting; too critical (without noticing good qualities) |
| hypochondriac | person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness; ADJ. CF. hypochondria: neurosis that one is or is becoming ill; CF. abdomen |
| hypocritical | pretending to be virtuous; deceiving; N. hypocrisy: profession of beliefs one does not possess; CF. hypocrite |
| hypothetical | based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed; N. hypothesis |
| ichthyology | study of fish; CF. ichthyo-: fish |
| icon(ikon) | religious image; idol; image or representation |
| iconoclastic | attacking cherished traditions; N. iconoclast: one who attacks traditional ideas; one who destroys sacred images |
| ideology | system of ideas characteristic of a group or culture |
| idiom | expression whose meaning as a whole differs from the meanings of its individual words; distinctive style (of expression); Ex. idiom of the modern popular music; ADJ. idiomatic |
| idiosyncrasy | individual trait usually odd in nature; behavioral peculiarity; eccentricity; attitude, behavior, or opinion peculiar to a person; anything highly individual or eccentric; ADJ. idiosyncratic |
| idolatry | worship of idols; excessive admiration or devotion; ADJ. idolatrous |
| idyllic | charmingly carefree; simple and happy; Ex. idyllic scene |
| idyll(idyl) | short poem idealizing rural life; simple happy period of life (in the country); scene from such a time; Ex. idyll of two young lovers |
| igneous | produced by fire; of fire; volcanic; (of rocks) formed from lava; Ex. igneous meteorite |
| ignite | kindle; light; catch fire or set fire to |
| ignoble | unworthy; not noble; dishonorable; Ex. ignoble deed |
| ignominy | deep disgrace; shame or dishonor; ADJ. ignominious; Ex. ignominous defeat |
| illicit | illegal |
| illimitable | infinite; limitless |
| illuminate | brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten; enable to understand; Ex. illuminating remarks |
| illusion | misleading vision or visual image; false idea or belief; CF. delusion |
| illusive | deceiving; based on illusion; causing illusion; deceptive |
| illusory | illusive; deceptive; not real |
| imbalance | lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion |
| disproportion | lack of proportion (between the parts); ADJ. disproportionate |
| imbecility | weakness of mind; state of being an imbecile; N. imbecile: stupid person; fool |
| imbibe | drink in |
| imbroglio | complicated situation (as in a play); painful or complex misunderstanding (as in a play); entanglement; confused mass (as of papers); V. embroil |
| imbue | saturate(soak thoroughly); fill; Ex. imbue someone with feelings |
| immaculate | spotless; flawless; absolutely clean |
| tenant | one that pays rent to use property owned by another |
| tenancy | possession of land or building by rent; period of a tenant's occupancy |
| imminent | impending; near at hand |
| immobility | state of being immovable |
| immolate | offer or kill as a sacrifice (by fire) |
| immune | resistant to; free or exempt from; N. immunity |
| immure | imprison; shut up in confinement; CF. wall |
| immutable | unchangeable |
| impair | injure; hurt; damage |
| impale | pierce (with a sharp point); Ex. impaled by the spear |
| impalpable | imperceptible(not easily understood); intangible; OP. palpable: tangible; easily perceptible |
| impartial | not biased; fair; N. impartiality |
| impart | grant a share of; make known; Ex. news to impart |
| impassable | not able to be traveled or crossed |
| impasse | predicament(dangerous condition) from which there is no escape; situation allowing for no further progress |
| impassive | without feeling; expressionless; imperturbable; stoical; Ex. impassive face |
| impeach | charge (a public official) with crime in office; raise doubts about; indict; Ex. impeach a witness's credibility |
| impeccable | faultless |
| credential | evidence concerning one's authority; written proof of a person's position; Ex. The new ambassador presented his credentials to the court. |
| impecunious | without money |
| impede | hide; retard or obstruct the progress of; block |
| retard | delay (in development); ADJ. retarded: (as of a child) slower in development |
| impediment | hindrance; stumbling-block; speech defect preventing clear articulation; Ex. speech impediment |
| impel | drive or force onward; drive to take action; urge to action |
| impending | nearing; approaching; about to happen |
| impenetrable | not able to be pierced or entered; beyond understanding; impossible to understand; Ex. impenetrable mystery |
| impenitent | not repentant |
| imperative | absolutely necessary; that must be done; critically important; expressing command; Ex. It is imperative that; N: something that must be done |
| imperceptible | unnoticeable; impossible to perceive; undetectable |
| imperial | like an emperor; related to an empire; CF. imperialism |
| imperil | put in danger |
| imperious | domineering; too commanding; haughty; CF. imperial/emperor |
| impermeable | impervious; not permitting passage through its substance; impossible to permeate |
| impertinent | insolent; rude; not pertinent; N. impertinence |
| imperturbable | unshakably calm; placid |
| collected | composed; calm; self-possessed |
| impervious | impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed; incapable of being affected (in one's opinions); Ex. impervious to water/criticism |
| impetuous | violent; hasty; rash; impulsive; without careful thought; Ex. impetuous decision |
| impetus | moving force; momentum; force of a moving body; incentive; stimulus; impulse |
| impiety | irreverence; lack of respect for God or piety |
| impinge | infringe; encroach; influence; touch; collide with; Ex. The effects are impinging on every aspect of our lives. |
| impious | irreverent |
| implacable | incapable of being pacified; impossible to appease; Ex. implacable enemy |
| implausible | unlikely (to be true); unbelievable; Ex. implausible alibi |
| implement | put into effect; enforce; carry out; supply with tools; Ex. implement the plan/suggestion; N: tool or instrument |
| implicate | incriminate; involve incriminatingly; show to be involved (in a crime); Ex. implicate someone in the crime |
| implication | something hinted at or suggested; implying; implicating |
| implicit | understood but not stated; implied; unquestioning and complete; Ex. implicit trust |
| implode | burst inward; CF. vaccum tube |
| implore | beg |
| imply | suggest a meaning not expressed; signify |
| impolitic | not wise; not expedient; not politic |
| imponderable | weightless; that cannot undergo precise evaluation; CF. pound |
| import | significance; importance; meaning |
| significant | expressing a meaning; important; Ex. significant smile; N. significance: importance; meaning; V. signify: denote; mean; signal; make known; matter; be significant |
| importunate | urging; always demanding; troublesomely urgent or persistent |
| importune | beg persistently; make repeated requests (in an annoying way) |
| imposture | assuming a false identity; masquerade; CF. impostor |
| masquerade | wear a mask or disguise; pretend; N: costume party or ball at which masks are worn; pretense; disguise |
| impotent | weak; ineffective; lacking in physical strength or power |
| crave | desire; want intensely |
| imprecation | curse; swearword |
| impregnable | invulnerable; impossible to capture or enter by force; Ex. impregnable fort/argument; CF. take |
| impregnate | make pregnant; fill thoroughly; saturate |
| impromptu | without previous preparation; off the cuff(end of a sleeve); on the spur of the moment |
| impropriety | improperness; unsuitableness |
| improvident | thriftless; not providing for the future |
| improvise | compose on the spur of the moment |
| imprudent | lacking caution; not prudent; injudicious |
| impudence | impertinence; insolence |
| impugn | dispute or contradict (often in an insulting way); attack as false or questionable; challenge; gainsay; CF. fight |
| impuissance | powerlessness; feebleness |
| impunity | freedom from punishment or harm; CF. punish |
| impute | attribute; ascribe; charge; N. imputation |
| inadvertently | unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly |
| oversee | watch over and direct; supervise; N. oversight: unintentional failure to notice or do something; supervision |
| inalienable | not to be taken away; nontransferable; Ex. inalienable rights |
| inane | silly; senseless; Ex. inane remarks; N. inanity |
| inanimate | lifeless; not animate |
| inarticulate | speechless; producing indistinct speech; not articulate; not expressing oneself clearly |
| speechless | unable for the moment to speak (because of strong feeling); Ex. speechless with anger |
| inaugurate | begin formally; install in office; induct into office by a formal ceremony; N. inauguration; ADJ. inaugural |
| incandescent | strikingly bright; shining with intense heat; emitting visible light when heated; Ex. incandescent light bulb; CF. candle |
| incantation | singing or chanting of magic spells; magical formula; (the saying of) words used in magic; CF. enchant |
| chant | tune(melody) in which a number of words are sung on the same note; V: sing (a chant); utter (a slogan) in the manner of a chant |
| charm | quality of pleasing; amulet; action or formula thought to have magical power; spell; V: attract; cast a spell on; bewitch |
| bewitch | cast a spell over; captivate completely |
| recite | repeat aloud (something learned); describe; Ex. recite his complaints; N. recitation |
| recital | act of reciting publicly; detailed account; performance of music or dance (by a solo performer) |
| incapacitate | disable; N. incapacity: lack of capacity |
| incarcerate | imprison |
| incarnate | endowed with flesh; invested with bodily form; personified; Ex. devil incarnate; V: give bodily form to; embody |
| incarnation | act of assuming a human body and human nature; one who personifies something; personification; Ex. previous incarnation/reincarnation |
| personify | represent (an inanimate object) as a person; be the embodiment or perfect example of; Ex. She is evil/patience personified; N. personification |
| incendiary | arsonist; ADJ: causing fire; of arson; Ex. incendiary bomb |
| incense | enrage; infuriate(make furious); make extremely angry; outrage; N: aromatic substance burned to produce a pleasant odor |
| incentive | spur; motive; something which encourages one to greater activity |
| inception | start; beginning |
| incessant | uninterrupted; unceasing |
| inchoate | (of desire, wish, plan) recently begun; not explicit; at the beginning of development; rudimentary; elementary; Ex. inchoate mass |
| incidence | rate of occurrence; particular occurrence; Ex. high incidence of infant mortality |
| incidental | not essential; minor; N: something incidental |
| incident | event; event that causes a crisis |
| incinerate | burn to ashes |
| incipient | beginning; in an early stage |
| incisive | (appreciatively) cutting; sharp; Ex. incisive remarks; V. incise: make a cut into |
| incite | arouse to action; goad; motivate; induce to exist; Ex. incite a riot/the crowd to rebellion |
| inclement | stormy; unkind; unmerciful; CF. clement |
| incline | slope; slant; Ex. steep incline |
| inclined | tending or leaning toward; bent; V. incline: slant; dispose; be disposed; tend |
| tend | have a tendency; take care of; minister; serve at; apply one's attention; attend |
| inclusive | tending to include all; all-inclusive; Ex. inclusive charge |
| incognito | with identity concealed; using an assumed name; ADJ. |
| incoherent | unintelligible; muddled; unable to express one's thoughts in an orderly manner; illogical; lacking cohesion; not coherent |
| incommodious | not spacious; inconvenient |
| incompatible | inharmonious; N. incompatibility |
| incongruity | lack of harmony; absurdity; ADJ. incongruous: lacking in harmony; inappropriate |
| attire | clothe; N: clothing; array; apparel |
| inconsequential | insignificant; unimportant |
| inconsistency | state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or steadiness; ADJ. inconsistent: displaying a lack of consistency; erratic; contradictory; incompatible |
| incontinent | lacking self-restraint; not continent; licentious |
| incontrovertible | indisputable; impossible to dispute; not open to question; unquestionable |
| incorporate | introduce something into a larger whole; include; embody; give material form to; ADJ. |
| incorporeal | without a material body; insubstantial |
| incorrigible | uncorrectable |
| incredulity | tendency to disbelief |
| incredulous | withholding belief; skeptical; showing disbelief |
| increment | increase |
| incriminate | accuse of or implicate in a crime; serve as evidence against; cause to seem or make guilty of a crime; Ex. incriminating evidence |
| incrustation | hard coating or crust; V. incrust: encrust; cover with a crust |
| incubate | hatch; warm (eggs) with the body to promote hatching; maintain at optimal environment conditions for development; be holding in one's body an infection which is going to develop into a disease; N. incubation; CF. incubation:disease |
| inasmuch_as | since; owing to the fact that |
| incubus | burden; very worriying problem; mental care; nightmare; male devil; CF. succubus |
| inculcate | teach (ideas or principles); instill |
| incumbent | obligatory; imposed as an obligation; currently holding an office; N: person who holds an office |
| incur | bring upon oneself |
| incursion | temporary invasion; CF. excursion: short journey |
| inroad | hostile invasion; advance that lessens the quantity or difficulty of something; Ex. The long illness made serious inroads on his savings; CF. raid |
| indefatigable | tireless; untiring; showing no sign of getting tired |
| indelible | not able to be erased |
| indemnify | make secure against damage or loss; compensate for damage or loss; CF. make uninjured |
| indentation | notch; deep recess; V. indent; CF. tooth |
| indenture | bind as servant or apprentice to master; bind by indenture; N: contract binding one party into the service of another for a specified time (as between an apprentice and his master) |
| indeterminate | uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite |
| indicative | suggestive; implying; serving to indicate |
| indices | signs; indications; Ex. indices of a student's potential; CF. index: something that reveals or indicates; sign; Ex. cost-of-living index |
| indict | charge; N. indictment |
| indifferent | unmoved or unconcerned by; having no interest in; mediocre; neither good nor bad |
| indigence | poverty |
| indigenous | native; Ex. plant indigenous to the New World |
| indigent | poor; destitute |
| indignation | anger at an injustice; Ex. righteous indignation; ADJ. indignant |
| righteous | morally upright; just |
| rightful | legally correct; Ex. rightful owner |
| indignity | treatment or situation that causes shame or loss of dignity, respect; offensive or insulting treatment; humiliating or degrading treatment; Ex. I suffered the indignity of having to say that in front of them. |
| indiscriminate | choosing at random; confused; not based on careful distinctions |
| indisputable | too certain to be disputed; beyond doubt |
| indissoluble | permanent; impossible to dissolve or disintegrate |
| indite | write; compose |
| indolent | lazy |
| indomitable | unconquerable; unyielding |
| indubitable | unable to be doubted; which cannot be doubted; unquestionable |
| induce | persuade; lead to do something; bring about; N. inducement |
| inductive | pertaining to induction or proceeding from the specific to the general |
| induct | place formally in office; install; admit as a member; initiate; N. induction: inducting; process of deriving general principles from particular facts |
| indulgent | humoring; yielding; lenient; showing indulgence |
| indulge | yield to; gratify; allow oneself a special pleasure; Ex. indulge one's every whim/a child/in a big cigarette; N. indulgence |
| humor | indulge; comply with the wishes of; N. quality that makes something amusing; state of mind; mood; Ex. in a bad humor; Ex. out of humor |
| industrious | diligent; hard-working; N. industry |
| inebriated | habitually intoxicated; drunk; N. inebriety |
| inebriate | make drunk; intoxicate; N. intoxicated person |
| intoxicate | make drunk; stimulate or excite; Ex. intoxicated by all the money he might win |
| ineffable | unutterable; not to be uttered; taboo; that cannot be expressed in speech; indescribable; unspeakable; inexpressible; Ex. ineffable name/joy |
| ineffectual | not effective; not having a desired effect; weak |
| ineluctable | irresistible; not to be escaped; unavoidable |
| inept | unsuited; inappropriate; lacking skill; incompetent; CF. inapt: (of statements or ideas) inappropriate |
| inequity | unfairness; ADJ. inequitable |
| inerrancy | infallibility |
| inert | inactive; lacking power to move; unable to move or act; Ex. chemically inert; N. inertia: state of being inert; force which keeps a thing in the position or state |
| inevitable | unavoidable |
| inexorable | relentless; unyielding; implacable; not capable of being changed by entreaty or efforts; Ex. inexorable price rises |
| infallible | unerring; never making mistakes |
| infamous | notoriously bad; notorious; well known for being bad; Ex. infamous behavior; N: infamy: infamous act; evil fame or reputation |
| infantile | childish; infantlike |
| infer | deduce; conclude; N. inference |
| infernal | pertaining to hell; devilish; N. inferno: place of fiery heat or destruction |
| infidel | unbeliever (with respect to a particular religion) |
| infiltrate | pass into or through; penetrate or enter (an organization) sneakily; Ex. infiltrate the troops into enemy territory; CF. infiltrator |
| penetrate | enter into; pierce; permeate; see through; grasp the inner significance of; understand |
| infinitesimal | very small |
| infirmity | weakness |
| inflated | exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas) |
| influx | flowing into |
| infraction | violation (of a rule or regulation); breach |
| infringe | violate (a law); encroach (the right of another person) |
| ingenious | marked by inventive skill; clever; resourceful; N. ingenuity |
| resourceful | clever and imaginative (in dealing with difficult situations); N. resource, resourcefulness |
| ingenuous | naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated; candid |
| ingenue | ing\'enue; young innocent girl |
| ingrained | deeply established; firmly rooted; Ex. ingrained dirt/prejudice |
| ingrate | ungrateful person (not expressing thanks) |
| ingratiate | become popular with; bring (oneself) in favor of another; Ex. ingratiate himself with the boss |
| inherent | firmly established by nature or habit; intrinsic |
| inhibit | restrain; prohibit; retard or prevent; N. inhibition |
| inhibited | (of a person) unable to express what one really feels |
| uninhibited | having no inhibitions; free in behavior and feelings |
| inimical | (of someone) unfriendly; hostile; (of something) harmful; detrimental; CF. enemy |
| inimitable | matchless; not able to be imitated |
| iniquitous | wicked; immoral; unrighteous; N. iniquity; Ex. den of iniquity |
| initiate | begin; originate; receive into a group; introduce to a new field or activity; Ex. initiate someone into the mysteries of a secret religion; N: one who has been initiated |
| injurious | harmful; causing injury |
| inkling | hint; slight indication |
| innate | inborn |
| innocuous | harmless |
| innovation | change; something newly introduced; introduction of something new; V. innovate: begin or introduce (something new); be creative; ADJ. innovative |
| innuendo | indirect or subtle (derogatory) hint; insinuation; Ex. sexual innuendo |
| inopportune | untimely; inappropriate or ill-timed; poorly chosen |
| inordinate | beyond reasonable limits; unrestrained; excessive; Ex. inordinate demands |
| inquisitor | questioner (especially harsh); investigator; person making an inquisition |
| inquisitive | eager for knowledge; unduly curious |
| insalubrious | unwholesome; not healthful; Ex. insalubrious place |
| healthful | conducive to good health; Ex. healthful mountain air |
| healthy | possessing good health; healthful |
| wholesome | conducive to mental or physical health; healthful |
| insatiable | not easily satisfied; unquenchable; Ex. insatiable appetite |
| inscrutable | difficult to understand; impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious |
| insensate | without feeling; lacking sense; foolish |
| insensible | unconscious; unresponsive; insensitive; unaware; imperceptible; Ex. insensible of his danger/to pain; Ex. insensible change; CF. not the opposite of sensible |
| insidious | treacherous; stealthy; sly; working or spreading harmfully in a stealthy manner; Ex. insidious spreading of dry rot |
| insightful | discerning; perceptive |
| insinuate | hint; imply; suggest indirectly; creep in; introduce or insert (oneself) by artful means; Ex. insinuate himself into the boss's favor; CF. ingratiate |
| creep | move with body close to the ground; move stealthily or slowly; N. |
| artful | exhibiting art or skill; deceitful; cunning; CF. artifice |
| insipid | lacking in flavor; lacking interest; dull; Ex. insipid food/character |
| insolence | impudent disrespect; haughtiness; ADJ. insolent; CF. haughty + rude |
| insolvent | bankrupt; lacking money to pay; N. insolvency |
| insomnia | wakefulness; inability to sleep |
| insouciant | without concern or care; unconcerned; indifferent |
| instigate | start; urge; provoke; incite; Ex. instigate a search/quarrel |
| insubordination | disobedience; rebelliousness; ADJ. insubordinate |
| insubstantial | lacking substance; insignificant; frail; immaterial |
| insularity | narrow-mindedness; isolation; ADJ. insular: of an island; isolated; narrow-minded; CF. peninsula |
| insuperable | insurmountable; unbeatable; Ex. insuperable difficulties |
| odds | chances; probability; disagreement; Ex. The odds are that it will rain. Ex. at odds with |
| insurgent | rebellious; N. |
| insurmountable | overwhelming; unbeatable; insuperable |
| insurrection | rebellion; uprising |
| intangible | not able to be perceived by touch; vague |
| integral | complete; necessary for completeness; Ex. integral part |
| integrate | make whole; combine; make into one unit |
| integrity | honesty; uprightness; wholeness; state of being whole and undivided; completeness |
| upright | (sitting or standing) straight up; honest; moral |
| intellect | higher mental powers; person of great intellectual ability |
| intelligentsia | intellectuals; members of the educated elite (often used derogatorily) |
| inter | bury; N. interment |
| cemetery | place for burying the dead |
| interdict | prohibit; forbid; N. |
| interim | meantime; Ex. in the interim; ADJ. taking place during an interim; Ex. interim paper |
| interloper | intruder; one who interferes |
| interminable | endless |
| intermittent | periodic; on and off; stopping and starting at intervals |
| internecine | mutually destructive |
| interpolate | insert between |
| interregnum | period between two successive reigns or governments |
| interrogate | question closely; cross-examine; cross-question |
| intervene | come between; interfere; Ex. intervened to prevent a fight; N. intervention |
| intimate | hint; suggest; imply; ADJ: marked by close relationship; familiar; private; personal; Ex. intimate knowledge/thoughts in the diary; N: close friend or confidant; CF. intimacy |
| intimidate | frighten; N. intimidation |
| intractable | unruly; difficult to manage; Ex. intractable problem/child |
| intransigence | refusal of any compromise; stubbornness; ADJ. intransigent: uncompromising |
| intrepid | fearless |
| intrinsic | essential; inherent; built-in |
| introspective | looking within oneself; N. introspection: self-examination |
| introvert | one who is introspective or inclined to think more about oneself; ADJ. introverted |
| intrude | put or force in without being asked; trespass; enter as an uninvited person; Ex. intrude one's own opinion into the report; CF. thrust in |
| intuition | immediate insight; power of knowing without reasoning; ADJ. intuitive; V. intuit: know by intuition |
| inundate | flood; overflow; submerge; cover completely; Ex. inundated with work |
| overwhelm | (of water) cover completely; defeat completely by much greater force; Ex. overwhelmed by grief |
| submerge | place under water; dip; go under water; cover completely (as with water); Ex. submerged in work |
| engulf | surround and swallow up |
| inured | accustomed; hardened; Ex. inured to the Alaskan cold; V. inure: make used to something undesirable; harden; CF. unfeeling |
| invalidate | weaken; destroy; make invalid; nullify |
| invalid | one incapacitated(disabled) by a chronic illness; ADJ: incapacitated by illness; not valid; null; V: allow to leave (a military force) because of ill-health |
| invective | abuse |
| inveigh | denounce; utter censure or invective; Ex. inveigh against the evils of drink |
| inveigle | deceive; lead astray by deception; wheedle(cajole); Ex. inveigle her into joining the club; CF. interest dishonestly |
| inverse | opposite |
| invert | turn upside down or inside out; reverse the position or condition of |
| inveterate | deep-rooted; habitual; CF. grow old |
| invidious | designed to create ill will or envy; tending to rouse ill will or envy; Ex. invidious comparison |
| invincible | unconquerable |
| inviolable | secure from corruption, attack, or violation(or profanation); unassailable; Ex. inviolable oath/rights; N. inviolability |
| invocation | prayer for help (used in invoking); calling upon as a reference or support; act of invoking |
| invoke | call and bring into use (a right or law); call on/upon (a higher power or god) for help; ask for; beg for; conjure (a spirit); Ex. invoke the veto power; Ex. invoke one's advisor/God |
| invulnerable | incapable of injury; impossible to damage or injure |
| iota | very small quantity |
| irascible | irritable; easily angered |
| irate | angry; CF. ire: anger; wrath |
| iridescent | exhibiting rainbowlike colors; Ex. iridescent oil slick; N. iridescence |
| irksome | annoying; tedious; V. irk: annoy |
| ironic | expressing irony; occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner |
| irony | hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that seem to mean the opposite of what they actually mean; use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning |
| irreconcilable | impossible to reconcile; incompatible; not able to be resolved |
| irrefutable | indisputable; incontrovertible; undeniable |
| irrelevant | not applicable; unrelated |
| irremediable | incurable; uncorrectable; impossible to remedy |
| irreparable | not able to be corrected or repaired; impossible to repair |
| irrepressible | unable to be restrained or held back; impossible to hold back |
| irreproachable | beyond reproach; blameless; impeccable; Ex. irreproachable conduct |
| irresolute | uncertain how to act; weak; lacking in resolution; indecisive; N. irresolution |
| indecisive | marked by indecision; inconclusive; Ex. indecisive battle |
| indecision | irresolution; inability to make up one's mind |
| irretrievable | impossible to recover or regain; CF. retrieve |
| irreverence | lack of proper respect or reverence; ADJ. irreverent |
| irrevocable | unalterable; irreversible; impossible to revoke |
| isotope | varying from of an element |
| isthmus | narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land |
| itinerant | wandering; traveling from place to place (to perform work); Ex. itinerant preacher |
| itinerary | plan of a trip; record of a trip |
| jabber | chatter rapidly or unintelligibly |
| jab | poke abruptly with something sharp; punch with short blows |
| jaded | tired or uninterested by surfeit; fatigued; surfeited; worn out; wearied; Ex. jaded appetite |
| jargon | language used by special group; technical terminology; gibberish; nonsensical or incoherent talk |
| jaundiced | yellowed; prejudiced (envious, hostile, or resentful) from long and disappointing experience of human affairs; Ex. with a jaundiced eye |
| jaundice | medical condition in which the skin, the white part of the eyes, etc. turn yellow; V: affect with jaundice; affect with prejudice, envy, or hostility; bias |
| jaunt | trip; short journey |
| jaunty | cheerful and pleased with life; lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree; dapper in appearance; Ex. jaunty person/hat |
| jeopardize | endanger; imperil; put at risk; N. jeopardy: danger |
| jettison | throw overboard (from a ship or plane) |
| jibe | agree; be in harmony with; gibe |
| jingoist | extremely aggressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist; N. jingoism: extreme nationalism |
| jocose | given to(having a tendency of) joking |
| jocular | said or done in jest or playfully; marked by joking |
| jest | playful remark or act; V. act or speak playfully |
| jocund | merry |
| jollity | gaiety; cheerfulness; ADJ. jolly: merry; gay |
| jostle | shove; bump; push against (someone) rather roughly; Ex. jostled by the crowds |
| shove | push forward; push roughly; Ex. pushing and shoving to get on the bus; N. |
| bump | hit or knock against with force; N. |
| jovial | good-natured; merry; cheerful |
| jubilation | rejoicing; great joy |
| judicious | sound on judgment; wise |
| juggernaut | irresistible crushing force; overwhelming advancing force that crushes everything in its path |
| jug | pitcher; container for holding liquids |
| juncture | crisis; point in time; joining point; joint; act of joining |
| junket | trip especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense |
| unta | group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal; group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power (by force) |
| jurisprudence | science of law |
| jurisdiction | right and power to apply the law; authority |
| juridical | of the law and its administration; CF. judicial: of courts of law; CF. judiciary |
| juxtapose | place side by side; CF. next |
| kaleidoscope | tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc. produce interesting symmetrical effects; series of changing events; Ex. kaleidoscope of European history; CF. beautiful |
| ken | range of knowledge; Ex. beyond one's ken |
| kernel | central or vital part; core; whole seed (as of corn) |
| killjoy | grouch; spoilsport; one who intentionally spoils the pleasure of others |
| grouch | bad-tempered complaint; person who keeps complaining; V: complain; grumble |
| spoilsport | one who spoils the pleasure of others |
| kindle | start a fire; ignite; inspire; arouse |
| kindred | related; belonging to the same group; similar in nature or character; Ex. kindred languages; N: relative; kin; kinship |
| kinetic | producing motion; of motion |
| kismet | fate; destiny; Ex. Kismet is the Arabic word for fate. |
| kleptomaniac | person who has a compulsive desire to steal |
| knave | untrustworthy person; rogue; scoundrel; jack; N. knavery |
| knead | mix; work dough; mix and work into a uniform mass (with the hands); Ex. knead dough |
| knell | tolling of a bell especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell; V. |
| toll | sound (a large bell) slowly at regular intervals; N: sound of a bell; fixed tax or charge |
| curfew | regulation requiring all people to leave the streets at stated times; signal (as a bell) announcing the hour of a curfew |
| knit | contract into wrinkles; grow together; join together closely; make (a fabric or garment) by interwining yarn or thread; Ex. knit the brow; Ex. The bones should knit together in a few weeks. |
| crochet | make (a piece of needlework) by looping thread with a hooked needle; N. CF. crotchet |
| knoll | little round hill; hillock |
| knotty | intricate; difficult; tangled; CF. knot |
| kudos | honor; glory; acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement |
| entourage | group of attendants; retinue; CF. surround |
| labile | likely to change; unstable; Ex. emotionally labile; N. lability |
| laborious | demanding much work or care; tedious |
| labyrinth | maze |
| laceration | torn ragged wound; V. lacerate: tear (the skin as with broken glass); wound |
| rip | tear or be torn quickly and violently; Ex. The sail ripped under the force of the wind; N. |
| rag | scrap of cloth; ADJ. ragged: old and torn; seeming unfinished and imperfect; Ex. ragged debut/performance |
| lachrymose | producing tears; tearful |
| lackadaisical | lacking interest or effort; lacking purpose or zest; lazy; halfhearted; languid |
| halfhearted | exhibiting little interest or enthusiasm |
| lackluster | lacking luster(shine; gloss); dull |
| laconic | brief and to the point; using few words; terse |
| laggard | slow; sluggish; N: one who lags; straggler |
| lag | move or develop more slowly; straggle; Ex. lag behind the rest; N. |
| straggle | stray or fall behind (a main group); spread out in a scattered group; Ex. straggling marathon racer; Ex. straggling branch |
| lagoon | shallow body of water or lake near a sea; lake separated from a sea by sandbars or coral reefs |
| laity | laypersons; laymen; persons not connected with the clergy |
| layman | man who is not a cleric; man who is nonprofessional |
| lament | grieve; express sorrow; N. lamentation |
| lampoon | ridicule; N: written attack ridiculing or satirizing a person, group, or institution |
| lancet | small surgical tool for making incisions |
| lance | pierce with a lance; cut into; N: spearlike weapon |
| languid | lacking energy or vitality; weary; sluggish; listless |
| languish | lose animation or strength |
| languor | lack of physical or mental energy; lassitude; depression |
| lank | long and thin; Ex. Lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln |
| lap | take in food or drink with one's tongue; splash gently; Ex. waves lapping the shore; N: front area from the waist to the knees of a seated person |
| larceny | theft; Ex. petit larceny |
| larder | pantry; place where food is kept |
| largess | generous gift (given to people who do not have enough) |
| lascivious | lustful |
| lust | intense sexual desire; intense eagerness; V. |
| lassitude | languor; weariness; listlessness |
| latent | present but not yet noticeable or active; dormant; hidden; N. latency; CF. potential |
| lateral | of or coming from the side |
| latitude | freedom from narrow limitations |
| laud | praise; N. ADJ. laudable: praiseworthy; ADJ. laudatory: expressing praise |
| lavish | liberal; wasteful; generous or wasteful in giving or using; abundant; profuse; great; Ex. decorated lavishly; V. give in abundance |
| lax | careless; negligent; not paying enough attention; Ex. lax service |
| leaven | add leaven to; cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven; N: agent, such as yeast, that causes dough to rise (by fermentation); element that lightens or enlivens |
| enliven | make lively or spirited; animate |
| lechery | gross lewdness; lustfulness; ADJ. lecherous; N. lecher: lecherous man |
| lectern | reading desk or stand for a public speaker |
| leery | (of someone) suspicious; wary; cautious |
| leeway | room to move; margin; latitude; Ex. leeway for the deadline |
| margin | border; room; allowance beyond what is needed; Ex. margin of safety |
| marginal | of a margin; barely within a limit; Ex. marginal effect/writing ability |
| legacy | gift made by a will; something handed down from an ancestor |
| legend | explanatory list of symbols on a map |
| legerdemain | sleight(dexterity) of hand; CF. light of hand |
| leniency | mildness; permissiveness; ADJ. lenient: not severe in judgment or punishment |
| permissive | allowing much freedom; lenient; Ex. permissive society |
| leonine | like a lion |
| lethal | deadly |
| lethargic | drowsy; dull; N. lethargy: state of sluggishness and inactivity |
| levee | earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding; CF. raise |
| levitate | rise and float in the air (especially by magical means); CF. light |
| levity | lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity; lightness of manner |
| levy | impose (a fine); collect (a payment); impose or collect (a tax); Ex. levy a tax on tobacco |
| lewd | lustful |
| lexicographer | compiler of a dictionary; CF. lexicography: work of compiling a dictionary |
| lexicon | dictionary |
| liability | drawback; handicap; debts; obligation; responsibility; condition of being liable; ADJ. liable: likely; responsible (for paying) |
| liaison | contact that keeps parties in communication; communication between groups; one that maintains communication; go-between; secret love affair; V. liaise: keep a connection |
| libel | defamatory written statement; act of writing something that smears a person's character; V. ADJ. libelous |
| libertine | debauched person; dissolute or licentious person; rou\'e; CF. free |
| rou\'e | lecherous man |
| libidinous | lustful |
| libido | psychic and emotional energy or urges behind human activity; sexual desire |
| libretto | text of an opera or oratorio; CF. book |
| licentious | amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained |
| license | official or legal permission; latitude of action or speech; excessive freedom that causes harm or damage; V. |
| lien | legal claim or right on a property |
| ligneous | like wood |
| lilliputian | extremely small; CF. Lilliput in Gulliver's Travels |
| limber | flexible; supple; pliable; V. |
| limbo | region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept; prison (slang); Ex. Purgatory and Limbo |
| abode | dwelling place; home |
| abide | dwell; abide by: comply with; put up with; tolerate; Ex. abide by the rules; Ex. I can't abide rude people. |
| limn | draw; outline; describe; CF. line ? |
| limpid | crystal clear |
| lineage | descent; ancestry |
| lineaments | features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; CF. line |
| feature | distinctive part of the faces (as the eyes or mouth); features: overall appearance of the face; prominent or distinctive quality; prominent article; film; V: make prominent |
| linger | loiter or dawdle; be slow in leaving; delay going; continue or persist; be slow to disappear; Ex. The smell lingered for days. |
| persist | continue in existence; last; continue in a course of action in spite of opposition; Ex. persist in/with something; ADJ. persistent |
| linguistic | pertaining to language |
| lionize | treat (a person) as a celebrity |
| liquidate | settle accounts; pay off (a debt); clear up; eliminate; kill or abolish |
| list | tilt (as of a ship); lean over (to one side) |
| listless | lacking in spirit or energy; languid |
| litany | supplicatory prayer; prayer in which the priest calls out and the people replies in the same words |
| lithe | flexible; supple; CF. limber |
| willowy | flexible; pliant; slender; CF. willow |
| litigation | lawsuit; N. litigant: one party in a lawsuit; V. litigate |
| litotes | understatement for emphasis; Ex. ``not bad(=pretty good)'' |
| understate | state with less truth than seems warranted by the facts; Ex. He understated the seriousness of the crime; N. understatement; OP. overstate |
| livid | lead-colored; black and blue (as from a bruise); ashen; enraged; extremely angry |
| loath | reluctant; unwilling; disinclined; Ex. Romeo and Juliet were both loath for him to go. |
| loathe | detest; ADJ. loathsome: arousing loathing; offensive; Ex. loathsome smell |
| lode | metal-bearing vein(long deposit of an ore) |
| lofty | very high |
| loft | room or space under the roof; attic |
| log | record of a voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities; section of a trunk; V. |
| loiter | hang about/around; stand idly about; linger |
| loll | lounge about |
| lounge | stand, sit, or lie in a lazy, relaxed way |
| longevity | long life; long duration |
| loom | appear or take shape (usually in an enlarged, indistinct, or distorted form); Ex. The shadow of the gallows loomed threateningly. N: apparatus for making thread into cloth |
| gallows | framework from which a noose is suspended (used for execution by hanging) |
| noose | loop formed in a rope |
| lope | gallop slowly |
| loquacious | talkative; N. loquacity |
| lout | clumsy person; ADJ. loutish; CF. from countrysides ? |
| low | moo; make the sound of a cow |
| lubricate | apply a lubricant to; N. lubricant: substance that reduces friction |
| lucid | easily understood; clear; intelligible; N. lucidity |
| lucrative | profitable; producing wealth |
| lucre | money; profit; Ex. filthy lucre |
| filth | dirty matter; ADJ. filthy |
| ludicrous | laughable; ridiculous; trifling |
| lugubrious | mournful; sorrowful |
| lull | moment of calm; period of reduced activity; Ex. a lull in the rain; V: cause to become less active; cause to sleep or rest; Ex. lull the opponents into a false sense of security; CF. lullaby |
| lumber | move heavily or clumsily; Ex. The bear lumbered through the woods; N: timber |
| lumen | unit of light energy (one candle's worth) |
| luminary | celebrity (in a specific field); dignitary; object that gives light (as a celestial body) |
| dignitary | person of high rank or position |
| luminous | shining (esp. in the dark); issuing light; Ex. luminous paint/road signs |
| lunar | pertaining to the moon |
| lunatic | insane; Ex. lunatic asylum |
| lurid | wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome; horrible; Ex. lurid details of the murder |
| lurk | stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived |
| slink | move furtively; ADJ. slinky: stealthy; furtive; sneaky (as in ambush) |
| luscious | pleasing to taste or smell; delicious |
| luster | shine; gloss (of a polished surface) |
| lustrous | shining; brilliant; Ex. lustrous hair |
| luxuriant | abundant; growing healthily and in large amounts; excessively ornate; rich and splendid; fertile; Ex. luxuriant forests/prose; CF. luxurious, luxuriate |
| macabre | gruesome; grisly; ghastly; CF. of death |
| morgue | mortuary; place where bodies are kept before burial or cremation |
| cremate | incinerate (a corpse); N. crematory, crematorium |
| mace | ceremonial staff used as a symbol of authority; clublike medieval weapon |
| macerate | soften by soaking in liquid; waste away; Ex. macerate powdered wood to make paper |
| Machiavellian | crafty; double-dealing; of the political doctrine of Machiavelli, which holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing political power |
| machinations | evil schemes or plots; schemes or plots to achieve an evil end; V. machinate |
| maculated | spotted; stained; CF. immaculate |
| madrigal | pastoral song; song for several singers without instruments |
| maelstrom | violent whirlpool; violent or tublent situation; CF. stream |
| magisterial | authoritative; imperious; commanding; of a magistrate; Ex. magisterial study of Roman law; Ex. magisterial manner |
| magistrate | official with power to administer the law |
| magnanimity | generosity; ADJ. magnanimous: generous |
| magnate | person of prominence or influence; powerful or influential person (in business or industry); Ex. oil magnate |
| magniloquent | boastful; pompous |
| magnitude | greatness (in size or extent); extent |
| maim | mutilate; injure lastingly; disable; cripple; Ex. maimed for life |
| mangle | tear or cut to pieces; mutilate or disfigure; Ex. badly mangled bodies |
| maladroit | clumsy; not skillful; awkward; bungling |
| malady | illness |
| malaise | uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health (without any particular pain or appearance of disease) |
| malapropism | comic misuse of a word; CF. Mrs. Malaprop |
| malapropos | inappropriate; ADV. |
| malcontent | person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented |
| malediction | curse |
| malefactor | evildoer; criminal |
| maleficient | doing evil; N. maleficience |
| malevolent | wishing evil; exhibiting ill will; N. malevolence |
| malfeasance | wrongdoing; misconduct (by a public official) |
| malicious | hateful; spiteful; expressing malice; N. malice: desire to harm others; spite |
| malign | speak evil of; bad-mouth(criticize spitefully); defame; ADJ: harmful; Ex. malign influence |
| malignant | tending to cause death; highly injurious; aggressively malevolent; Ex. malignant tumor |
| malingerer | one who feigns illness to escape duty; V. malinger: feign illness to avoid work |
| malleable | (of a metal) capable of being shaped by pounding(beating); pliable; (of someone) impressionable(easily influenced); easily controlled; tractable |
| malodorous | foul-smelling |
| compost | mixture of decaying organic matter used as fertilizer; V: put or make compost |
| mammal | vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young |
| vertebrate | having a backbone or spinal column; N: group of animals having a segmented spinal column |
| suckle | give or take milk at the breast or udder |
| nurse | suckle; take care of (as a nurse); bear in mind; Ex. nursing mother; Ex. nurse a hope/grudge against someone |
| mammoth | gigantic; enormous |
| manacle | restrain; handcuff; N. |
| mandate | order; charge; authoritative command; power to govern another country; power to given to a government; region under administration; V: give a mandate to; place under a mandate; Ex. mandated territory |
| mandatory | obligatory; compulsory; of a mandate |
| mangy | shabby; wretched; suffering from mange; of bad appearance |
| mange | skin disease (esp. of domestic animals) marked by loss of hair |
| maniacal | raging mad; insane; N. maniac: insane person; CF. mania: disorder of the mind; intense enthusiasm |
| manifest | evident; visible; obvious; V: show plainly |
| manifestation | outward demonstration; manifesting; indication of the presence of something; Ex. manifestation of his pronounced musical bent |
| pronounced | distinct; very noticeable; Ex. pronounced limp |
| manifesto | public declaration of principles; statement of policy |
| manifold | many in number or kind; numerous; varied |
| manipulate | operate with one's hands; control or play upon (people, forces, etc.) artfully; maneuver; Ex. how to manipulate publicity and men; ADJ. manipulative |
| mannered | affected; not natural; Ex. mannered way of speech |
| mannerism | distinctive behavioral trait; affected style in art (according to a set of styles) |
| manumit | emancipate; free from slavery or bondage |
| marital | pertaining to marriage |
| maritime | bordering on(adjacent to) the sea; nautical; of the ships or the sea; Ex. Maritime Provinces |
| marked | noticeable; targeted for vengeance or attack; Ex. marked improvement/man |
| marred | damaged; disfigured; V. mar: spoil; disfigure |
| marshal | put in order; guide ceremoniously to the correct place; Ex. marshal the children into the museum; N: military officer; official |
| enlist | (cause to) join the armed forces; obtain (help, sympathy, or support) |
| marsupial | one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch(pocket of skin or leather); CF. kangaroo, opossum, wombat |
| martial | warlike; of war; Ex. martial art/law |
| cadet | student at a military school |
| martinet | strict disciplinarian; person who demands total obedience to rules and orders; CF. Jean Martinet |
| martyr | one who voluntarily suffers death for his or her religion or cause; great sufferer; Ex. martyr to his rheumatism |
| masochist | person who enjoys his own pain; CF. masochism |
| masticate | chew |
| materialism | preoccupation with physical comforts and things; excessive regard for worldly concerns (rather than spiritual matters) |
| maternal | motherly; N. maternity: motherhood |
| matriarch | woman who rules a family or larger social group |
| matriculate | enroll (in college or graduate school); CF. matrix |
| matrix | point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die; Ex. the matrix of Western civilization |
| maudlin | effusively sentimental |
| sentimental | swayed by sentiment; appealing to the sentiments |
| maul | handle roughly; batter; injure by beating; Ex. mauled by his overexcited fans; N: heavy long-handled hammer |
| mausoleum | monumental tomb; large stately tomb; CF. Mausolos |
| mauve | pale purple |
| maverick | rebel; nonconformist (in a group) |
| mawkish | mushy(sentimental) and gushy; icky-sticky sentimental; excessively and objectionably sentimental |
| maxim | proverb; truth pithily stated |
| mayhem | injury to body; crime of willfully maiming or crippling a person; violent disorder; Ex. mayhem in the zoo; CF. maim |
| meager | scanty; inadequate |
| mealymouthed | indirect in speech (when something unpleasant must be said); hypocritical; evasive |
| meander | wind or turn in its course; follow a winding or turning course; move aimlessly and idly |
| meddlesome | interfering; V. meddle: interfere |
| mediate | settle a dispute through the services of an outsider; act as an intermediary; produce by mediating; Ex. mediate a cease-fire |
| intermediary | intermediate; acting as a mediator; N: mediator; go-between |
| mediocre | ordinary; commonplace; neither good nor bad |
| meditation | reflection; thought; V. meditate |
| medium | element that is a creature's natural environment; nutrient setting in which microorganisms are cultivated; appropriate occupation or means of expression; channel of communication; compromise; middle position between extremes; intervening substance through which something else is transmitted |
| medley | mixture |
| meek | submissive; patient and long-suffering |
| suitor | man who is courting a woman |
| megalomania | mania for doing grandiose things; mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or importance |
| melancholy | gloomy; morose; blue; N. ADJ. melancholic; CF. melancholia |
| blue | gloomy; depressed |
| melee | fight |
| mellifluous | (of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune |
| memento | token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit |
| memorialize | commemorate |
| memorial | something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to honor the memory of a person or event; ADJ: commemorative |
| menagerie | collection of wild animals on exhibition; zoo |
| mendacious | lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity |
| mendicant | beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar |
| alms | money or goods given to the poor |
| menial | suitable for servants; lowly; mean; N: someone who does menial work (esp. servant in a house) |
| mentor | counselor; teacher |
| mercantile | concerning trade or merchants |
| mercenary | motivated solely by money or gain; N. |
| mercurial | capricious; quick and changing; fickle; containing the element mercury; Ex. mercurial temper; CF. mood |
| quicksilver | mercury |
| meretricious | flashy; tawdry; attractive on the surface but of no real value; Ex. metericious argument/jewel; CF. prostitute |
| vulgar | of the common people; deficient in refinement; not refined; coarse; Ex. vulgar display of wealth; N. vulgarism: vulgarity; crudely indecent word; CF. vulgarian: vulgar person; boor; lout |
| merger | combination (of two business corporations); act of merging |
| mesmerize | hypnotize; N. mesmerism; CF. Franz Mesmer |
| metallurgical | pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores |
| metamorphosis | change of form; Ex. metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly; V. metamorphose: change by metamorphosis |
| metaphor | implied comparison; CF. simile |
| soar | rise or fly high in the air; Ex. The rocket soared into the sky. |
| metaphysical | pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality |
| mete | measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment |
| meteoric | like a meteor; swift; momentarily brilliant; Ex. meteoric rise to fame; N. meteor |
| methodical | systematic; N. method: systematic method of procedure |
| meticulous | excessively careful (with great attention to detail); painstaking; scrupulous |
| metropolis | large city |
| mettle | courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome |
| miasma | swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence |
| swamp | wetland; marsh; V: flood; overwhelm; drench in with liquid |
| microcosm | small representative world; world in miniature; Ex. microcosm of English society |
| s miniature | small model; small painting; ADJ: small |
| migrant | changing its habitat; wandering; Ex. migrant birds/workers; N: one that migrates |
| migratory | wandering; V. migrate: move from one region and settle in another; move periodically from one region to another |
| milieu | social environment; means of expression; Ex. feel out of one's milieu; Ex. His proper milieu is watercolor. |
| militant | combative; bellicose; N. |
| militate | work against; Ex. militate against the chances of promotion; CF. serve as a soldier |
| militia | army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers |
| millennium | thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity |
| mimicry | imitation |
| mime | pantomime(act without dialogue); mimicry; mimer; V: mimic; pantomime |
| minatory | menacing; threatening |
| mincing | affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; Ex. The actor minced across the stage; CF. mincemeat; CF. mincer |
| dainty | delicate; delicately beautiful; fastidious; not easy to please; Ex. dainty movement/dress |
| exquisite | delicate; very finely made; extremely beautiful; Ex. exquisite piece of jewelry |
| choice | delicate; of very fine quality |
| minion | servile dependent; obsequious follower |
| minuscule(miniscule) | extremely small |
| minute | extremely small; CF. minutes: official record of the proceedings at a meeting |
| minutiae | petty or trivial details; CF. minutia |
| mirage | unreal reflection; optical illusion |
| mire | entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; N: bog; deep mud; Ex. sucked deeper into the mire |
| mirth | merriment; laughter |
| misadventure | mischance; ill luck; Ex. death by misadventure |
| misanthrope | one who hates mankind; misanthropist |
| vile | despicable; unpleasant; disgusting; Ex. vile slander |
| misapprehension | error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend |
| miscellany | mixture of writings on various subjects; collection of various items |
| miscellaneous | made up of a variety of parts |
| mischance | ill luck |
| misconstrue | interpret incorrectly; misinterpret; misjudge |
| miscreant | wretch; wrongdoer; villain; Ex. kindness to the miscreant; CF. believe |
| wretch | miserable person; bad or despicable person; ADJ. wretched: miserable; bad; contemptible; vile |
| misdemeanor | minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing |
| misconduct | immoral behavior; bad management; V. |
| miserly | stingy; mean |
| misgivings | doubts |
| mishap | unfortunate accident |
| misnomer | wrong or improper name; incorrect designation |
| misogamy | hatred of marriage |
| misogynist | hater of woman; CF. misogyny |
| missile | object to be thrown or projected |
| missive | letter; written statement; CF. sent |
| mite | very small object or insect-like creature; small coin |
| mitigate | appease; moderate; make or become less in force or intensity |
| mnemonic | pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid |
| mobile | movable; not fixed; N. mobility |
| mock | ridicule; deride; imitate often in derision |
| mode | prevailing style; current fashion; manner; way of doing something; Ex. in the latest mode; Ex. simple mode of life |
| modicum | limited quantity; small amount; Ex. He does not have a modicum of sense; CF. moderate |
| modish | fashionable; conforming to the current fashion |
| modulate | tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; Ex. modulate from E to G |
| mogul | powerful person; Ex. oil moguls; CF. Mogol, Moghul; CF. Mongolian |
| molecule | the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance |
| mollify | soothe an angry person |
| mollycoddle | pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively |
| molt(moult) | periodically shed or cast off hairs or feathers (for replacement by a new growth) |
| molten | melted; Ex. molten lava |
| momentous | very important; N. moment; CF. momentary |
| momentum | quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus; moving force |
| monarchy | government under a single ruler |
| monastic | related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns |
| monetary | pertaining to money |
| monochromatic | having only one color |
| monochrome | painting in only one color; ADJ. |
| monogram | design composed of one or more initials of a name; V. |
| monograph | scholarly article |
| monolithic | solidly uniform; unchangeable; unyielding; N. monolith: large block of stone |
| monotheism | belief in one God |
| monotony | sameness leading to boredom; monotonousness; ADJ. monotonous; CF. monotone |
| monumental | massive; impressively large; built as a monument |
| moodiness | fits of depression or gloom; ADJ. moody: given to changeable moods; subject to periods of depression; gloomy CF. mood: state of mind or emotion |
| moratorium | legal delay of payment or action; Ex. declare moratorium on the building of new houses |
| morbid | given to unwholesome or unhealthy thought; moody; characteristic of disease; Ex. morbid curiosity; N. morbidity; CF. disease |
| mordant | biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit |
| mores | conventions; moral standards; moral customs |
| moribund | dying; at the point of death; CF. death |
| morose | ill-humored; sullen; sullenly melancholy |
| mortician | undertaker; CF. death |
| undertaker | funeral director; one whose business is to arrange burials |
| mortify | humiliate by embarassing excessively; shame; punish the flesh; discipline (one's body) by self-denial; Ex. mortified by her blunder; Ex. mortify the flesh; CF. cause to die |
| mosaic | picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ. |
| mote | small speck (esp. of dust) |
| speck | small piece or mark; Ex. speck of dust in the eye |
| motif | theme; recurrent thematic element in a musical or literary work; single or repeated pattern; figure |
| motility | ability to move spontaneously; ADJ. motile: moving spontaneously |
| motley | multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts) |
| motto | brief statement used to express a principle |
| mottled | blotched in coloring; spotted; Ex. mottled face; V. mottle: mark with blotches of different colors |
| blotch | spot; blot; CF. blot+botch |
| blemish | mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of; N: flaw or defect (that spoils perfection); Ex. blemishes in the crystal; CF. unblemished |
| mountebank | charlatan; boastful pretender |
| peddle | travel about selling (wares); CF. foot |
| muddle | confuse; mix up confusedly; N: state of confusion |
| muggy | (of weather) warm and damp |
| mulct | defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. mulct the boy of his legacy |
| multifarious | varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities |
| multiform | having many forms |
| multilingual | having many languages; fluent in several languages |
| multiplicity | state of being numerous or multiple; large number; Ex. multiplicity of details; ADJ. multiple: of more than one element |
| mundane | worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday; of the ordinary; Ex. mundane existence; CF. world |
| munificent | very generous in giving; Ex. munificent benefactor; N. munificience |
| mural | wall painting |
| murky | dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague; Ex. murky night/fog; N. murk: partial or complete darkness; gloom |
| muse | ponder at length; N: source of inspiration (esp. of a poet) |
| musky | having the odor of musk; N. musk: odorous substance secreted by an Asian deer |
| muster | gather; assemble (troops); Ex. muster up one's strength for the ordeal; N. |
| musty | stale (in odor or taste); spoiled by age; CF. moist |
| mutablility | ability to change in form; fickleness; ADJ. mutable: able to change; fickle; CF. mutate; CF. mutant |
| muted | silent; muffled; toned down; Ex. muted traffic noise |
| mute | silent; without speech; not pronounced; unable to speak; N: one who is incapable of speech; V: soften the sound, color, shade of |
| mutilate | maim; injure lastingly; deprive of a limb or an essential part |
| mutinous | unruly; rebellious; Ex. mutinous teenagers; N. mutiny: open rebellion; CF. mutineer |
| myopic | nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia |
| myriad | very large number; ADJ. CF. ten thousand |
| nadir | lowest point; point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite the zenith |
| naivet\'e(naivety) | quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; ADJ. naive(na\"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous |
| narcissist | conceited person; N. narcissism; CF. narcissus |
| narrative | related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration |
| nascent | incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music |
| natation | swimming |
| natty | neatly or smartly dressed; dapper; smart; Ex. natty dresser |
| smart | intelligent; quick and energetic; fashionable; Ex. smart pace/restaurant; V: cause or feel a sharp pain; N: smarting pain |
| nauseate | cause to become sick; fill with disgust; fill nausea |
| nausea | feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; CF. seasickness |
| nauseous | causing nausea; feeling nausea |
| nautical | pertaining to ships or navigation |
| navigable | (of a body of water) wide and deep enough to allow ships to pass through; (of a ship or aircraft) able to be steered |
| nebulous | vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal |
| nebula | diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy |
| necromancy | black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis |
| nefarious | very wicked |
| negate | cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation |
| negligence | neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care |
| negligible | so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded |
| nemesis | someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis |
| neologism | new or newly coined word or phrase |
| neophyte | recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant |
| nepotism | favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew |
| favoritism | display of partiality toward a favored person |
| nether | lower; Ex. nether garments/regions |
| nettle | irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome |
| nexus | connection |
| nib | beak(bill); pen point |
| nicety | precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties |
| niggardly | meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. niggard: stingy person |
| niggle | spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling |
| nihilist | one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement |
| 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 |
| snip | short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors |
| pinch | squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; Ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. N: amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger |
| nirvana | in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude |
| impersonal | not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization |
| nocturnal | done or active at night; Ex. nocturnal animals/raids; CF. nocturne |
| noisome | foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome |
| nomadic | wandering; N. nomad: tribe who migrates from place to place |
| nomenclature | terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things |
| nominal | in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint |
| nonchalance | indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude to his debts |
| noncommittal | neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided |
| nondescript | undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript fellow in a crowd |
| nonentity | person of no importance; nonexistence |
| nonplus | put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more |
| nostalgia | homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic |
| nostrum | questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy) |
| notable | conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important; distinguished; noted |
| notoriety | disrepute; ill fame |
| nova | star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness |
| novelty | something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original |
| novice | beginner |
| noxious | harmful; CF. obnoxious |
| nuance | shade of slight difference in meaning or color; subtle distinction |
| shade | slight difference in degree; nuance; degree of color; Ex. shades of meaning/grey |
| gradation | series of gradual stages; degree in such a progression |
| nubile | marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial |
| nugatory | worthless; futile |
| nullify | make invalid; make null; invalidate |
| numismatist | person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals |
| nuptial | related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials: wedding ceremony |
| nurture | nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something that nourishes; rearing |
| nutrient | nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment |
| nutrition | process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition |
| nutritious | providing nourishment |
| nourish | provide with food necessary for life and growth |
| nourishment | something that nourishes; food |
| oaf | stupid awkward person; CF. elf |
| obdurate | stubborn; refusing to change one's belief |
| obeisance | bow (to show respect and obedience) |
| obelisk | tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid |
| obese | excessively fat; N. obesity |
| obfuscate | confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand |
| obituary | death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ. |
| objective | not influenced by emotions; fair; N: goal; aim |
| obligatory | binding; required; compulsory; V. oblige: constrain; make grateful; do a favor; accommodate |
| oblique | indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference |
| obliterate | destroy completely; wipe out; Ex. obliterate the village |
| oblivion | obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness |
| oblivious | inattentive or unmindful; unaware; wholly absorbed; forgetful(having the habit of forgetting) |
| obloquy | slander; disgrace; infamy |
| obnoxious | offensive; disagreeable; Ex. obnoxious smell |
| obscure | dark; vague; unclear; not well known; Ex. obscure meaning/village; V: darken; cover; make unclear; Ex. obscure the moon/meaning |
| obsequious | slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic |
| slavish | of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original |
| obsequy | funeral ceremony |
| obsessive | related to thinking about something constantly; of an obsession; preoccupying; N. obsession: compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea; compulsive idea; V. obsess: preoccupy the mind of excessively |
| obsidian | black volcanic rock |
| scion | detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant |
| obsolete | outmoded; no longer used |
| obstetrician | physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife |
| obstinate | stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy |
| obstreperous | boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable |
| obtrude | push (oneself or one's ideas) forward or intrude; impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others; butt in; stick out or extrude; thrust out; Ex. obtrude A on B; ADJ. obtrusive; N. obtrusion; CF. unobtrusive |
| obtuse | blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding |
| obviate | make unnecessary; get rid of; Ex. obviate the need |
| Occident | the West |
| occlude | shut; close; obstruct; Ex. A blood clot occluded an artery. |
| occult | mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension; CF. mysterious to human ?; OP. bare |
| oculist | physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes |
| odious | arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile |
| odium | detestation; quality of being odious; hatefulness; disrepute (resulting from hateful conduct) |
| odoriferous | giving off an odor |
| odorous | having an odor |
| odyssey | long, eventful, adventurous journey |
| offensive | attacking; insulting; distasteful; V. offend: violate; hurt the feelings of; N. offense: offending; violating of a moral or social code; crime; attack; Ex. first offense |
| offhand | casual; done without prior thought or preparation |
| officious | meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy |
| pushy | disagreeably aggressive |
| ogle | look at amorously; make eyes at; Ex. old men ogling young girls |
| olfactory | concerning the sense of smell |
| oligarchy | government by a privileged few |
| ominous | threatening; of an evil omen |
| threat | sign or warning (of coming danger); Ex. threat of rain; V: express a threat; give warning of (something bad); Ex. The cloud threatens rain. |
| omnipotent | all-powerful; having unlimited power |
| omnipresent | universally present; ubiquitous |
| omniscient | all-knowing |
| omnivorous | eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything |
| onerous | burdensome |
| onomatopoeia | words formed in imitation of natural sounds |
| rustle | make slight sounds like silk moving or being rubbed together |
| onslaught | vicious assault; fierce attack; Ex. unexpected onslaught of the enemy |
| slaughter | killing of animals for food; massacre; V: butcher (animals) for food; kill in large numbers |
| onus | burden; responsibility |
| spare | give; use; refrain from harming; save from experiencing; exempt; Ex. spare me 5 minutes; Ex. Take this money and spare my life; Ex. The emperor was spared the onus; ADJ: kept in reserve; free for other use; unoccupied; Ex. spare time |
| opalescent | iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence |
| opaque | dark; not transparent; N. opacity |
| opiate | medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something that relieves emotions or causes inaction; sleep-producing drug containing opium |
| opportune | timely; well-chosen |
| opportunist | individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances; N. opportunism |
| opprobrium | infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous |
| optician | maker and seller of eyeglasses |
| optimist | person who looks on the bright side; N. optimism |
| optimum | most favorable; optimal; N: most favorable condition |
| optional | not compulsory; left to one's choice; N. option: act of choosing; choice; freedom or power to choose; something available as a choice; Ex. have no option; Ex. two options |
| optometrist | one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects |
| opulence | extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; ADJ. opulent: possessing great wealth; abundant |
| opus | work (esp. musical composition); Ex. magnum opus: masterpiece; CF. opera |
| oracular | of an oracle; prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous; hard to understand; N. oracle: wiser person; prophecy made by an oracle |
| orator | public speaker |
| oratorio | dramatic poem set to music; long musical work with singing but without acting; CF. cantata |
| ordain | decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine; install as a minister, priest, or rabbi; N. ordainment; CF. ordination |
| ordeal | severe trial or affliction; difficult experience; trial(test of patience or endurance); affliction |
| ordinance | decree; authoritative order |
| ordination | ceremony conferring holy orders; ceremony of ordaining a priest |
| orgy | wild drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence in an activity; Ex. orgy of shopping |
| orient | get one's bearings; adjust; make familiar with a situation; orientate |
| orientation | act of finding oneself in society; orienting |
| orifice | mouthlike opening; small opening (esp. to a cavern or passage of the body); CF. mouth |
| ornate | excessively or elaborately decorated |
| ornithologist | scientific student of birds; N. ornithology: scientific study of birds |
| orthodox | traditional; (of someone) conservative in belief; adhering to an established doctrine |
| orthography | correct spelling; CF. ortho-: straight; correct; Ex. orthodontics |
| oscillate | vibrate pendulumlike; waver |
| osseous | made of bone; bony |
| ossify | change or harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one's ideas |
| ostensible | apparent; appearing as such; professed(pretended); pretended; Ex. ostensible purpose of the expedition |
| apparent | evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement |
| ostentatious | showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious; N. ostentation: showy display |
| ostracize | banish from a group; exclude from public favor; ban; Ex. His friends ostracized him. N. ostracism |
| blackball | vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote |
| oust | expel; drive out; force out; N. ouster: ousting |
| outlandish | bizzare; peculiar; unconventional |
| outmoded | no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned |
| outskirts | fringes; outer borders (as of a city); Ex. outskirts of Boston |
| outspoken | candid; blunt |
| blunt | having a dull edge; abrupt and frank in speech or manner; brusque; V: make or become blunt |
| outstrip | outrun; surpass; outdo |
| outwit | outsmart; defeat by behaving more cleverly |
| n ovation | enthusiastic applause |
| overbearing | bossy; domineering and arrogant; decisively important; Ex. overbearing manner/importance; V. overbear: dominate |
| overt | open to view; public; not secret; CF. covert |
| overweening | arrogant; presumptuous |
| overwrought | nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done |
| hysteria | excessive or uncontrollable excitement; N. hysteric: person suffering from hysteria; CF. hysterics: attack of hysteria |
| ovoid | egg-shaped; CF. ovum; CF. ovulate |
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