| Term | Definition |
|---|
| plane | carpenter's tool for smoothing and leveling wood; V. CF. flat |
| verbatim | word for word; in the same words; repeating the actual words exactly |
| flagrant | conspicuously wicked, bad, or offensive; blatant; outrageous |
| impale | pierce (with a sharp point); Ex. impaled by the spear |
| vigor | active strength; energy; enthusiasm; ADJ. vigorous |
| gourmet | connoisseur of food and drink; epicure |
| seethe | be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling; Ex. The nation was seething with discontent. |
| equilibrium | balance of opposing forces; balance of the mind; equanimity |
| inextricable | from which it is impossible to get free; that cannot be untied; Ex. inextricable troubles; Ex. inextricable two histories |
| composure | mental calmness |
| inviolable | secure from corruption, attack, or violation(or profanation); unassailable; Ex. inviolable oath/rights; N. inviolability |
| avid | greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity |
| aureole | sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light |
| holster | leather pistol case (that hangs on a belt around the waist) |
| incline | slope; slant; Ex. steep incline |
| cog | tooth projecting from a wheel |
| apprehensive | fearful; discerning |
| actuate | motivate; activate; cause to act |
| gerontology | study of the sociological phenomena associated with old age |
| bard | poet |
| larder | pantry; place where food is kept |
| cleft | N: split |
| rider | amendment or clause added to a legislative bill |
| jostle | shove; bump; push against (someone) rather roughly; Ex. jostled by the crowds |
| coquette | flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V. |
| exhume | dig out of the ground; remove from a grave |
| crypt | secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room (under a church) |
| resurrect | revive |
| zenith | point directly overhead in the sky; summit; acme; highest point |
| stamina | power of endurance; strength; staying power |
| blurt | utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement |
| extrapolation | projection; conjecture; V. extrapolate: infer (unknown information) from known information |
| vagabond | wanderer (without a permanent home); tramp |
| check | stop motion; curb or restrain |
| sophisticated | worldly wise and urbane; refined; complex; N. sophistication; V. sophisticate |
| solstice | point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator |
| amalgamate | (of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body |
| auspicious | favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices |
| pediatrician | physician specializing in children's diseases; N. pediatrics |
| elucidate | explain; make clear; clarify; enlighten; CF. lucid |
| foolhardy | rash; reckless; foolishly daring |
| title | name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family; Ex. title to the estate |
| fallible | liable to err |
| alimony | payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce |
| hirsute | hairy; having a lot of hair |
| militia | army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers |
| sheaf | bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together |
| rusticate | banish to the country; dwell in the country |
| ardor | heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent |
| sonic | of sound or its speed in air; CF. subsonic, supersonic |
| 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 |
| suborn | persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury); N. subornation |
| pare | cut away the outer covering or skin of (with a knife); trim; Ex. pare apples/expenses |
| misdemeanor | minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing |
| tendentious | promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; Ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; CF. tend: move in a certain direction |
| throes | violent anguish |
| savor | enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality; N: taste or smell; distinctive quality |
| apolitical | having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs |
| emancipate | set free; liberate |
| bovine | cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm |
| expletive | meaningless word; interjection; profane oath; swear-word |
| agape | openmouthed |
| lampoon | ridicule; N: written attack ridiculing or satirizing a person, group, or institution |
| forte | strong point or special talent in a person's character |
| supple | flexible; limber; pliant |
| demerit | fault; bad quality |
| callus | area of thick hard skin |
| defoliate | destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant |
| credence | belief |
| flip | send (something) spinning, often into the air, by striking with a light quick blow; turn over; Ex. flip over |
| prognosis | forecasted course of a disease; prediction; CF. prognostic |
| flounder | struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter (as in water, mud, snow, etc.); proceed in confusion |
| skiff | small light sailboat or rowboat |
| demoniac(demoniacal) | fiendish; cruel; N. demon: evil supernatural being; devil |
| ruse | trick to deceive; stratagem |
| sequester | isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life |
| transgression | violation of a law; sin; V. transgress: go beyond (a limit); violate; do wrong |
| analogous | comparable; similar |
| eclectic | selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources; selecting individual elements from a variety of sources; N. eclecticism |
| mangle | tear or cut to pieces; mutilate or disfigure; Ex. badly mangled bodies |
| buccaneer | pirate |
| placid | peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake |
| inscrutable | difficult to understand; impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious |
| gaudy | flashy; showy |
| pigment | coloring matter (usually powder to be mixed with water or oil) |
| skittish | inconstant; capricious; frivolous; not serious; Ex. charming but skittish young woman; CF. skit |
| precept | practical rule guiding conduct; Ex. mother's precept |
| contumacious | stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court) |
| solace | comfort in sorrow or trouble; consolation; V: comfort or console in time of sorrow or trouble |
| affliction | state of distress; trial; cause of distress or suffering; V. afflict: inflict grievous suffering on |
| introspective | looking within oneself; N. introspection: self-examination |
| contravene | contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention |
| daunt | intimidate; frighten; discourage; dishearten |
| apogee | highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee |
| temperament | characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess; ADJ. temperamental: of temperament; having frequent changes of temper; Ex. temperamental dislike of sports; Ex. temperamental actress |
| misadventure | mischance; ill luck; Ex. death by misadventure |
| 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 |
| plenitude | abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty |
| preposterous | absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous |
| benefactor | gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose |
| suspense | state of being undecided; anxiety or apprehension resulting from uncertainty |
| gobble | eat very quickly |
| unfetter | liberate; free from chains; V. unfetter |
| incarnation | act of assuming a human body and human nature; one who personifies something; personification; Ex. previous ~/reincarnation |
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