| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abash | cause to be embarrassed |
| abet | assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing |
| ablution | the ritual washing of a priest's hands or of sacred vessels |
| abnegation | renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation |
| abrogate | revoke formally |
| abstemious | marked by temperance in indulgence |
| abstruse | obscure; profound; difficult to understand |
| abut | border upon; adjoin |
| accede | to agree or express agreement |
| acclivity | an upward slope or grade (as in a road) |
| accolade | a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction |
| accost | approach with an offer of sexual favors |
| accoutre | provide with military equipment |
| actuarial | calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics |
| actuary | someone versed in the collection and interpretation of numerical data (especially someone who uses statistics to calculate insurance premiums) |
| adage | traditional saying; proverb |
| addendum | textual matter that is added onto a publication |
| adjunct | something attached to but holding an inferior position |
| adjuration | a solemn and earnest appeal to someone to do something |
| adjutant | an officer who acts as military assistant to a more senior officer |
| adroit | skillful (or showing skill) in adapting means to ends, quick or skillful or adept in action or thought |
| affable | diffusing warmth and friendliness |
| affidavit | written declaration made under oath |
| agog | highly excited |
| alcove | a small recess opening off a larger room |
| allay | lessen the intensity of or calm |
| allegory | an expressive style that uses fictional characters and events to describe some subject by suggestive resemblances |
| alluvial | pertaining to soil deposits left by running water |
| aloof | remote in manner |
| ambivalence | mixed feelings or emotions |
| anathema | a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication |
| anecdote | short account of an incident (especially a biographical one) |
| animadversion | harsh criticism or disapproval |
| anneal | toughen (steel or glass) by a process of gradually heating and cooling |
| annul | annul by recalling or rescinding |
| anodyne | a medicine used to relieve pain |
| antiquity | an artifact surviving from the past |
| aphasia | inability to use or understand language (spoken or written) because of a brain lesion |
| aphorism | a short pithy instructive saying |
| apiary | a shed containing a number of beehives |
| apogee | a final climactic stage |
| apoplexy | a sudden loss of consciousness resulting when the rupture or occlusion of a blood vessel leads to oxygen lack in the brain |
| apothecary | a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs |
| apothegm | pithy, compact saying |
| apparition | ghost; phantom |
| appellation | identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others |
| apposite | being of striking appropriateness and pertinence |
| appurtenances | equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc. |
| aquiline | curved down like an eagle's beak |
| arcade | a structure composed of a series of arches supported by columns |
| ardor | a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause) |
| argot | a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves) |
| arroyo | a stream or brook |
| artless | characterized by an inability to mask your feelings |
| ascetic | practices self denial as spiritual discipline |
| asinine | complacently or inanely foolish |
| askance | with a side or oblique glance |
| astringent | a drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals |
| astute | wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one's advantage |
| atavism | n. reappearance in a person of a characteristic or quality that has not been seen in his family for many generations |
| atrocity | an act of atrocious cruelty |
| atrocity | (n.) an extremely wicked, brutal, or cruel act; something very bad or unpleasant |
| augury | an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come |
| aureole | an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint |
| auroral | of or relating to the atmospheric phenomenon auroras |
| avarice | extreme greed for material wealth |
| avow | admit openly and bluntly |
| avuncular | like an uncle in kindness or indulgence |
| baroque | elaborate an extensive ornamentation in decorative art and architecture that flourished in Europe in the 17th century |
| badinage | playful, teasing talk |
| baleful | deadly or sinister |
| balk | stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate |
| barrister | a British lawyer who speaks in the higher courts of law |
| bauble | cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing |
| bawdy | lewd or obscene talk or writing |
| beatific | experiencing or bestowing celestial joy |
| bedizen | dress up garishly and tastelessly |
| bedraggle | make wet and dirty, as from rain |
| beeline | the most direct route |
| belabor | explain excessively, assail verbally |
| belie | represent falsely |
| bellicose | having or showing a ready disposition to fight |
| bemoan | regret strongly |
| benison | a spoken blessing |
| bequeath | leave or give by will after one's death |
| bereavement | state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one |
| beset | assail or attack on all sides: "The zebra was beset by leopards" |
| bicameral | composed of two legislative bodies |
| bilious | irritable as if suffering from indigestion |
| bilk | hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of |
| bivouac | temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers |
| blase | uninterested because of frequent exposure or indulgence |
| bludgeon | club; heavy-headed weapon; V. |
| bluster | a swaggering show of courage |
| bode | indicate by signs |
| boon | a desirable state |
| bouillon | a clear seasoned broth |
| bourgeois | a member of the middle class |
| bowdlerize | edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate |
| brackish | slightly salty |
| brandish | To wave, shake, or flourish triumphantly or defiantly, as a sword or spear. |
| bravado | a swaggering show of courage |
| brazen | face with defiance or impudence |
| brook | to tolerate, endure |
| bucolic | a short descriptive poem of rural or pastoral life |
| bugaboo | an imaginary monster used to frighten children |
| bullion | gold or silver in bars or ingots |
| bulwark | a protective structure of stone or concrete |
| burgeon | grow and flourish |
| burlesque | a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way |
| buxom | euphemisms for slightly fat |
| cache | a hidden storage space (for money or provisions or weapons) |
| calligraphy | beautiful handwriting |
| callow | lacking experience of life |
| calumny | an abusive attack on a person's character or good name |
| canard | a deliberately misleading fabrication |
| candor | the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech |
| canker | an ulceration (especially of the lips or lining of the mouth) |
| canter | slow gallop; V. CF. trot |
| capacious | large in capacity |
| caprice | a sudden desire |
| careen | pitching dangerously to one side |
| caricature | a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect |
| carillon | playing a set of bells that are (usually) hung in a tower |
| cascade | a sudden downpour (as of tears or sparks etc) likened to a rain shower |
| cataract | a large waterfall |
| catechism | an elementary book summarizing the principles of a Christian religion |
| catharsis | (psychoanalysis) purging of emotional tensions |
| cathartic | a purging medicine |
| caucus | a closed political meeting |
| cavalcade | a procession of people traveling on horseback |
| cavil | an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections |
| celerity | a rate that is rapid |
| cerebration | the process of thinking (especially thinking carefully) |
| chaffing | bantering; joking |
| chagrin | Keen vexation, annoyance, or mortification, as at one's failures or errors. |
| chalice | cup, grail, usually referring to the cup used for Holy Communion in Christianity |
| chary | characterized by great cautious and wariness |
| chassis | the skeleton of a motor vehicle consisting of a steel frame supported on springs that holds the body and motor |
| churlish | rude and boorish |
| circumlocution | an indirect way of expressing something |
| clairvoyant | perceiving things beyond the natural range of the senses |
| clamber | an awkward climb |
| clangor | a loud resonant repeating noise |
| clientele | customers collectively |
| cloister | a courtyard with covered walks (as in religious institutions) |
| clout | special advantage or influence, strike hard, especially with the fist |
| coda | the closing section of a musical composition |
| codicil | A supplement adding to, revoking, or explaining in the body of a will. |
| coeval | of the same period |
| cogent | powerfully persuasive |
| cognate | a word is cognate with another if both derive from the same word in an ancestral language |
| 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 | the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair) |
| colander | bowl-shaped strainer |
| collate | examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound) |
| comely | very pleasing to the eye |
| comestible | any substance that can be used as food |
| comeuppance | an outcome (good or bad) that is well deserved |
| complicity | guilt as an accomplice in a crime or offense |
| compunction | a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed) |
| concatenate | add by linking or joining so as to form a chain or series |
| conclave | a confidential or secret meeting |
| concomitant | an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another |
| confide | tell in confidence (to a person one trusts); be confident about |
| 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 |
| connubial | of or relating to marriage or to the relationship between a wife and husband |
| consanguinity | related by blood |
| consonance | the property of sounding harmonious |
| construe | make sense of |
| consummate | perfect and complete in every respect |
| contraband | goods whose importation or exportation or possession is prohibited by law |
| contravene | go against, as of rules and laws |
| contumacious | wilfully obstinate |
| contusion | an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration |
| conveyance | the act of transporting something from one location to another |
| coquette | talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions |
| coquette | a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men |
| cordon | 1. a line of police, sentinels, military posts, warships, etc., enclosing or guarding an area. 2-a cord or braid worn for ornament or as a fastening 3-ribbon worn usually diagonally across the breast as a badge of a knightly or honorary order 4-Fortification course of stones at the base of a parapet 5-Architecture-cut-stone riser on a stepped ramp or the like. 6-a fruit tree or shrub trained to grow along a support 7-to surround or blockade with or as with a cordon-The police cordoned off the street. |
| cornice | a molding at the corner between the ceiling and the top of a wall |
| cornucopia | The horn of plenty, symbolizing peace and prosperity. |
| corrugated | shaped into alternating parallel grooves and ridges |
| cozen | cheat or trick |
| crabbed | perversely irritable |
| crestfallen | brought low in spirit |
| crotchety | having a difficult and contrary disposition |
| cynosure | something that strongly attracts attention and admiration |
| dabble | work at in a nonserious fashion; splash around; move noisily in a liquid |
| dally | talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions |
| daunt | cause to lose courage |
| deadpan | wooden; impassive; with no show of feeling; with an expressionless face |
| debunk | expose while ridiculing |
| debutante | a young woman making her first public (professional) appearance in society |
| deciduous | (of plants and shrubs) shedding foliage at the end of the growing season |
| decry | express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. ~ the violence of modern films |
| defray | bear the expenses of |
| defrock | To strip of priestly privileges and functions. |
| deft | skillful in physical movements |
| defunct | dead; no longer in use or existence |
| deign | do something that one considers to be below one's dignity |
| delineate | describe in vivid detail |
| demagogue | an orator who appeals to the passions and prejudices of his audience |
| demotic | of or for the common people |
| demur | (law) a formal objection to an opponent's pleadings |
| demure | affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way |
| denigrate | charge falsely or with malicious intent |
| deprecate | To express disapproval or regret for, with hope for the opposite. |
| depredation | an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding |
| derelict | a ship abandoned on the high seas |
| descry | catch sight of |
| despondent | without or almost without hope |
| desultory | marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose |
| deterrent | something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress |
| dialectical | of or relating to logical disputation |
| diaphanous | so thin as to transmit light |
| diatribe | thunderous verbal attack |
| dichotomy | being twofold |
| didactic | instructive (especially excessively) |
| diffidence | lack of self-confidence |
| dilapidated | Fallen into decay or partial ruin. |
| dilettante | an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge |
| diminution | the statement of a theme in notes of lesser duration (usually half the length of the original) |
| dinghy | a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled |
| diorama | A three-dimensional miniature or life-size scene in which figures, stuffed wildlife, or other objects are arranged in a naturalistic setting against a painted background. |
| dirge | a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person |
| disapprobation | an expression of strong disapproval |
| discrepancy | a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions |
| discursive | (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects |
| disenfranchise | v. To deprive of any right privilege or power |
| disgorge | eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth |
| disparate | fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind |
| disquisition | an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion |
| distrait | having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety |
| divest | reduce or dispose of |
| dowse | use a divining rod in search of underground water or metal |
| doddering | mentally or physically infirm with age |
| doldrums | a state of inactivity (in business or art etc) |
| domicile | (law) the residence where where you have your permanent home or principal establishment and to where, whenever you are absent, you intend to return |
| don | put clothing on one's body |
| dormer | a gabled extension built out from a sloping roof to accommodate a vertical window |
| dote | shower with love |
| droll | comical in an odd or whimsical manner |
| dross | worthless material that should be removed |
| drudgery | hard monotonous routine work |
| duress | forcible restraint, especially unlawfully; coercion by threat; illegal coercion; Ex. a promise made under ___ |
| dyspeptic | irritable as if suffering from indigestion |
| Dysentery | Inflammation of the intestine, especially the colon, possibly caused by ingesting water or food containing chemical irritants, bacteria, protozoa, or parasites, that results in bloody diarrhea |
| ebb | the outward flow of the tide |
| ebullient | joyously unrestrained |
| efface | remove completely from recognition or memory |
| emasculate | [v] to deprive of manhood, to humiliate |
| Effervescence | inner excitement or exuberance, bubbling from fermentation or carbonation |
| effete | marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay |
| effigy | dummy; likeness of a person made of wood, paper, or stone; Ex. burn an ~ of the President |
| effluvium | a foul-smelling outflow or vapor (especially a gaseous waste) |
| effulgent | radiating or as if radiating light |
| egregious | conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible |
| elysian | of such surpassing excellence as to suggest divine inspiration |
| emblazon | To adorn richly with prominent markings; to make illustrious |
| emboss | raise in a relief |
| emetic | a medicine that induces nausea and vomiting |
| emollient | having a softening or soothing effect especially to the skin |
| emolument | compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in the form of wages or fees) |
| enamored | marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness |
| enfranchise | To endow with a privilege, especially with the right to vote. |
| ennui | listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; the feeling of being bored by something tedious |
| ensconce | fix firmly |
| enthrall | hold spellbound |
| epicurean | fond of or adapted to luxury or indulgence in sensual pleasures; having luxurious tastes or habits, esp. in eating and drinking. |
| epistemologist | philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge |
| equable | tranquil; of even calm temper; (of temperature) steady; uniform |
| equinox | either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length |
| equipoise | a state of being equally balanced; equilibrium |
| equitable | implying justice dictated by reason, conscience, and a natural sense of what is fair to all |
| equity | the difference between the market value of a property and the claims held against it |
| equivocal | open to two or more interpretations |
| equivocate | be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information |
| escapade | a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful) |
| ethnology | the branch of anthropology that deals with the division of humankind into races and with their origins and distribution and distinctive characteristics |
| etymology | the study of the sources and development of words |
| eugenic | pertaining to or causing improvement in the offspring produced |
| evanescent | tending to vanish like vapor |
| evocative | serving to bring to mind |
| excoriate | to flay, strip off the skin; to denounce sharply |
| execrable | bad, ugly, hellish - literally "worthy of curses" |
| execrate | curse or declare to be evil or anathema or threaten with divine punishment |
| exegesis | an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible) |
| exhort | urge on or encourage especially by shouts |
| exhume | dig up for reburial or for medical investigation |
| exorcise | expel through adjuration or prayers |
| expatiate | add details, as to an account or idea |
| expatriate | expel from a country |
| expiate | make amends for |
| expletive | profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger |
| expository | serving to expound or set fourth |
| expound | add details, as to an account or idea |
| expropriate | deprive of possessions |
| expunge | to strike or blot out; erase; obliterate |
| extemporaneous | with little or no preparation or forethought |
| extradition | the surrender of an accused or convicted person by one state or country to another (usually under the provisions of a statute or treaty) |
| extrude | form or shape by forcing through an opening |
| exude | release (a liquid) in drops or small quantities |
| facade | a showy misrepresentation intended to conceal something unpleasant |
| facetious | cleverly amusing in tone |
| facile | arrived at without due care or effort |
| facsimile | duplicator that transmits the copy by wire or radio |
| factitious | not produced by natural forces |
| fallacious | based on an incorrect or misleading notion or information |
| fallow | cultivated land that is not seeded for one or more growing seasons |
| farce | a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations |
| fastidious | giving and careful attention to detail |
| fatalism | a philosophical doctrine holding that all events are predetermined in advance for all time and human beings are powerless to change them |
| febrile | of or relating to or characterized by fever |
| feign | make believe with the intent to deceive |
| feint | any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack) |
| felicitous | apt; suitably expressed, well chosen, apropos |
| fetish | excessive or irrational devotion to some activity |
| fetter | a shackle for the ankles or feet |
| fiasco | a sudden and violent collapse |
| fiat | a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge) |
| figment | a contrived or fantastic idea |
| filch | make off with belongings of others |
| filial | relating to or characteristic of or befitting an offspring |
| filibuster | a tactic for delaying or obstructing legislation by making long speeches |
| freebooter | someone who takes spoils or plunder (as in war) |
| filigree | delicate and intricate ornamentation (usually in gold or silver or other fine twisted wire) |
| finesse | subtly skillful handling of a situation |
| firebrand | someone who deliberately foments trouble |
| flaccid | lacking firmness or stiffness |
| fleck | a small contrasting part of something |
| flippant | showing inappropriate levity |
| flit | fly; fly or move lightly or quickly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by; Ex. a bee ~ing from flower to flower |
| floe | a flat mass of ice (smaller than an ice field) floating at sea |
| florid | elaborately or excessively ornamented |
| flotsam | the floating wreckage of a ship |
| flounder | walk with great difficulty |
| flout | treat with contemptuous disregard |
| foible | a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual |
| foist | to force onto another |
| foppish | affecting extreme elegance in dress and manner |
| foray | an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence) |
| foreboding | a feeling of evil to come |
| forlorn | pitiable in circumstances especially through abandonment |
| fracas | noisy quarrel |
| fresco | a durable method of painting on a wall by using watercolors on wet plaster |
| frieze | an architectural ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band between the architrave and the cornice |
| fritter | spend frivolously and unwisely |
| fulminate | berate, vituperate, to thunder out, to explode, |
| furor | a sudden outburst (as of protest) |
| furtive | marked by quiet and caution and secrecy |
| fusillade | rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms |
| gadfly | any of various large flies that annoy livestock |
| gaffe | a socially awkward or tactless act |
| gainsay | take exception to |
| gait | a person's manner of walking |
| gale | a strong wind moving 45-90 knots |
| galvanic | stimulating or stimulated as if by electric shock; startling or convulsive |
| gamut | a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a ~ of emotions" |
| gaunt | very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold |
| gavel | a small mallet used by a presiding officer or a judge |
| gazette | a newspaper or official journal |
| gentry | the most powerful members of a society |
| genuflect | bend the knees and bow in a servile manner |
| gerontocracy | government ruled by old people |
| gerrymander | an act of dividing a voting area so as to give your own party an unfair advantage |
| gibe | an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect |
| gingerly | with extreme care or delicacy |
| girth | stable gear consisting of a band around a horse's belly that holds the saddle in place |
| gloat | malicious satisfaction |
| grate | a frame of iron bars to hold a fire |
| gratis | without payment |
| gratuity | an award (as for meritorious service) given without claim or obligation |
| gregarious | seeking and enjoying the company of others |
| guffaw | a burst of deep loud hearty laughter |
| gusto | vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment |
| hackneyed | repeated too often |
| halcyon | Calm and peaceful; tranquil. |
| hale | exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health |
| hamper | a basket usually with a cover |
| hap | an accidental happening |
| harangue | a loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion |
| harbinger | an indication of the approach of something or someone |
| harping | tiresome dwelling on a subject |
| harrowing | extremely painful |
| headlong | with the head foremost |
| hedonist | someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures |
| hegemony | the domination of one state over its allies |
| helm | steering mechanism for a vessel |
| hermitage | the abode of a hermit |
| heterodox | characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards |
| hew | strike with an axe |
| heyday | the period of greatest prosperity or productivity |
| hiatus | a natural opening or perforation through a bone or a membranous structure |
| hirsute | having or covered with hair |
| homily | a sermon on a moral or religious topic |
| hortatory | giving strong encouragement |
| horticultural | of or relating to the cultivation of plants |
| hubbub | loud confused noise from many sources |
| humdrum | tediously repetitious or lacking in variety |
| hummock | a small natural hill |
| hypercritical | inclined to judge too severely |
| hypochondriac | a patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments |
| hypocritical | professing feelings or virtues one does not have |
| hypothetical | based on hypothesis |
| idiom | an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up |
| iconoclastic | characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions |
| idiosyncrasy | a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual |
| idyllic | excellent and delightful in all respects |
| idyll | a short descriptive poem of rural or pastoral life |
| igneous | produced under conditions involving intense heat |
| ignoble | completely lacking nobility in character or quality or purpose |
| illimitable | without limits in extent or size or quantity |
| imbecility | retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot |
| imbibe | take in, also metaphorically |
| imbroglio | an intricate and confusing interpersonal or political situation |
| immaculate | free from stain or blemish |
| immure | lock up or confine, in or as in a jail |
| impasse | a street with only one way in or out |
| impecunious | not having enough money to pay for necessities |
| impede | hide; retard or obstruct the progress of; block |
| impediment | hindrance; stumbling-block; speech defect preventing clear articulation; Ex. speech ~ |
| impenitent | not penitent or remorseful |
| imperil | pose a threat to |
| imperious | able to deal authoritatively with affairs |
| impetuous | rash, impulsive; violent; hasty; rash; impulsive; without careful thought; Ex. ~ decision |
| impetus | the act of applying force suddenly |
| implicate | impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result |
| implicit | implied though not directly expressed |
| impolitic | not politic |
| imponderable | a factor whose effects cannot be accurately assessed |
| imprecation | the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult) |
| impropriety | The state or quality of being unfit, unseemly, or inappropriate. |
| improvident | not given careful consideration |
| impudence | the trait of being rude and impertinent |
| impugn | attack as false or wrong |
| impuissance | powerlessness revealed by an inability to act |
| inane | complacently or inanely foolish |
| incapacitate | injure permanently |
| incapacitate | to make incapable or unfit; to deprive of capacity |
| incendiary | a bomb that is designed to start fires |
| incense | enrage; infuriate(make furious); make extremely angry; outrage; N: aromatic substance burned to produce a pleasant odor |
| inception | an event that is a beginning |
| incessant | occurring so frequently as to seem ceaseless or uninterrupted |
| inchoate | 1. In an initial or early stage; incipient. 2. Imperfectly formed or developed: |
| incite | provoke or stir up |
| inclement | (adj.): stormy, harsh; severe in attitude or action |
| incognito | without revealing one's identity |
| incoherent | unintelligible; muddled; unable to express one's thoughts in an orderly manner; illogical; lacking cohesion; not coherent |
| incommodious | uncomfortably or inconveniently small |
| incontinent | not having control over urination and defecation |
| incontrovertible | necessarily or demonstrably true |
| incorrigible | impervious to correction by punishment |
| incubus | burden; very worriying problem; mental care; nightmare; male devil; CF. succubus |
| incumbent | the official who holds an office |
| incursion | the act of entering some territory or domain (often in large numbers) |
| indefatigable | showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality |
| indigence | a state of extreme poverty or destitution |
| indignation | a feeling of righteous anger |
| indite | produce a literary work |
| indolent | disinclined to work or exertion |
| indubitable | too obvious to be doubted |
| ineffable | too sacred to be uttered |
| inerrancy | (Christianity) exemption from error |
| influx | the process of flowing in |
| infringe | advance beyond the usual limit |
| ingenue | the role of an innocent artless young woman in a play |
| inimical | not friendly |
| inimitable | defying imitation |
| iniquitous | characterized by iniquity |
| inkling | a slight suggestion or vague understanding |
| innocuous | not injurious to physical or mental health |
| innuendo | an indirect (and usually malicious) implication |
| insalubrious | detrimental to health |
| inscrutable | of an obscure nature |
| insensate | A. 1. Lacking sensation or awareness; inanimate. 2. Unconscious. B. Lacking sensibility; unfeeling: "a predatory, insensate society in which innocence and decency can prove fatal" (Peter S. Prescott). C. 1. Lacking sense or the power to reason. 2. Foolish; witless. |
| insipid | not pleasing to the sense of taste |
| insouciant | marked by blithe unconcern |
| insularity | the state of being isolated or detached |
| insuperable | impossible to surmount |
| insurmountable | impossible to surmount |
| intelligentsia | intellectuals; members of the educated elite (often used derogatorily) |
| interim | the time between one event, process, or period and another |
| interminable | tiresomely long |
| internecine | characterized by bloodshed and carnage for both sides |
| interregnum | the time between two reigns, governments, etc. |
| intransigence | refusing to moderate a position, especially an extreme position; uncompromising |
| inundate | fill or cover completely, usually with water |
| inured | made tough by habitual exposure |
| invective | abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will |
| inveigh | speak against in an impassioned manner |
| junket | a trip taken by an official at public expense |
| jurisprudence | the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do |
| juridical | relating to the administration of justice or the function of a judge |
| juxtapose | place side by side |
| 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. ~ of European history; CF. beautiful |
| ken | range of what one can know or understand |
| kismet | (Islam) the will of Allah |
| knave | a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel |
| knoll | a small natural hill |
| labile | (chemistry, physics, biology) readily undergoing change or breakdown |
| lackadaisical | lacking spirit or liveliness |
| lagoon | a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral |
| laity | everyone except the clergy |
| languid | lacking spirit or liveliness |
| larder | a small storeroom for storing foods or wines |
| lascivious | driven by lust |
| lechery | unrestrained indulgence in sexual activity |
| leonine | of or characteristic of or resembling a lion |
| liaison | a channel for communication between groups |
| limn | make a portrait of |
| Litany | a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation |
| lode | a deposit of valuable ore occurring within definite boundaries separating it from surrounding rocks |
| loll | be lazy or idle |
| loom | (v) to come into view; to apprear in exaggerated form; (n) a machine for weaving The climbers were awestruck to see the peak _________ up before them. The antique _________, once used to make cloth, was on display in the crafts museum. SYN (v) emerge, surface, hover, tower |
| lope | a smooth 3-beat gait |
| lout | an awkward stupid person |
| lucre | the excess of revenues over outlays in a given period of time (including depreciation and other non-cash expenses) |
| lull | a pause during which things are calm or activities are diminished |
| lurid | adjective very vivid in color, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect : ~ food colorings | a pair of ~ shorts. • (of a description) presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms, esp. giving explicit details of crimes or sexual matters : the more ~ details of the massacre were too frightening for the children. |
| luscious | highly pleasing to the taste or smell: ____peaches; richly satisfying to the senses or the mind: the _____style of his poetry; arousing physical, or sexual, desire; voluptuous: a ______figure. |
| macabre | [adj] ghastly, shocking, gruesome, suggesting death or decay |
| macerate | soften, usually by steeping in liquid, and cause to disintegrate as a result |
| Machiavellian | of or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended |
| maculated | spotted or stained |
| madrigal | an unaccompanied partsong for 2 or 3 voices |
| maelstrom | (n) a whirlpool or great size and violence; a situation resmebling a whirlpool in violence and destruction |
| maladroit | clumsy; not skillful; awkward; bungling |
| malady | impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism |
| Malapropism | The usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase'; especially the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in context |
| malapropos | of an inappropriate or incorrectly applied nature |
| malediction | the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult) |
| maleficient | doing evil or harm; harmfully malicious |
| malevolent | wishing or appearing to wish evil to others |
| malfeasance | wrongful conduct by a public official |
| malingerer | someone shirking their duty by feigning illness or incapacity |
| mangy | having many worn or threadbare spots in the nap |
| mange | a persistent and contagious disease of the skin causing inflammation and itching and loss of hair |
| manumit | free from slavery or servitude |
| maudlin | effusively or insincerely emotional |
| mausoleum | a large burial chamber, usually above ground |
| mauve | a moderate purple |
| mawkish | effusively or insincerely emotional |
| mealymouthed | hesitant to state facts or opinions simply and directly as from e.g. timidity or hypocrisy |
| meander | to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course |
| melancholy | a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed |
| mellifluous | pleasing to the ear |
| meretricious | like or relating to a prostitute; "--- relationships" brassy: tastelessly showy; "a flashy car"; "garish colors"; gilded: based on pretense; deceptively pleasing; "the gilded and perfumed but inwardly rotten nobility"; "meretricious praise"; "a meretricious argument" |
| metallurgical | pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. -gy : science that deals with extracting metals from ores; [New Latin metallūrgia, from Greek metallourgos, miner, worker in metals : metallon, a mine, metal + -ourgos, -worker (from ergon, work).] |
| miasma | swamp gas, heavy, vaporous atmosphere |
| microcosm | a miniature model of something |
| miscellany | an anthology of short literary pieces and poems and ballads etc. |
| miscreant | a person without moral scruples |
| misogynist | a misanthrope who dislikes women in particular |
| moratorium | a legally authorized postponement before some obligation must be discharged |
| moribund | on the point of death |
| morose | showing a brooding ill humor |
| mote | (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything |
| Motif | A recurrent image word phrase represented object or action that tends to unify the literary work or that may be elaborated into a more general theme |
| mottled | having spots or patches of color |
| mountebank | a flamboyant deceiver |
| mulct | money extracted as a penalty |
| mulct | defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. ~ the boy of his legacy |
| munificent | very generous |
| mural | a painting that is applied to a wall surface |
| nadir | the point below the observer that is directly opposite the zenith on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected |
| natation | the act or art of swimming |
| neophyte | a new convert being taught the principles of Christianity by a catechist |
| nether | of the underworld |
| nettle | cause annoyance in |
| nicety | conformity with some esthetic standard of correctness or propriety |
| niggardly | petty in giving or spending |
| noisome | causing or able to cause nausea |
| nonchalance | the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care |
| nuance | a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude |
| nubile | suitable for marriage in age and physical development, referring to a female |
| nugatory | of no real value |
| obeisance | the act of obeying |
| obsequious | attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner |
| obsidian | acid or granitic glass |
| Obstetrician | A doctor who specializes in pregnancy, delivering babies, and the care of women after childbirth |
| obstreperous | boisterously and noisily aggressive |
| obtrude | thrust oneself in as if by force |
| occident | the hemisphere that includes North and South America |
| occult | having an import not apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence |
| odyssey | a long wandering and eventful journey |
| ogle | look at with amorous intentions |
| onomatopoeia | The formation or use of words such as buzz or murmur that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. |
| onus | an onerous or difficult concern |
| opalescent | having a play of lustrous rainbow-like colors |
| opaque | not allowing the passage of light; not transparent; hard to understand |
| opulence | wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living |
| oratorio | a musical composition for voices and orchestra based on a religious text |
| orthography | a method of representing the sounds of a language by written or printed symbols |
| ostensible | represented or appearing as such |
| oust | remove and replace |
| overweening | presumptuously arrogant |
| overwrought | deeply agitated especially from emotion |
| paean | (ancient Greece) a hymn of praise (especially one sung in ancient Greece to invoke or thank a deity) |
| palatable | acceptable to the taste or mind |
| palatial | suitable for or like a palace |
| paleontology | the earth science that studies fossil organisms and related remains |
| palimpsest | a manuscript (usually written on papyrus or parchment) on which more than one text has been written with the earlier writing incompletely erased and still visible |
| parchment | skin of a sheep or goat prepared for writing on |
| parchment | skin of a sheep or goat prepared for writing on |
| pall | 1. A cover for a coffin, bier, or tomb. A coffin. 2a v.intr. To become insipid, boring, or wearisome. 2b To have a dulling, wearisome, or boring effect. 2c To become cloyed or satiated. 3a v.tr. To cloy; satiate. 3b To make vapid or wearisome. |
| palliate | lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of |
| palpitate | beat rapidly |
| palpitate | beat rapidly |
| pan | express a totally negative opinion of |
| panache | a feathered plume on a helmet |
| pandemonium | a state of extreme confusion and disorder |
| pander | someone who procures customers for whores (in England they call a pimp a ponce) |
| panegyric | a formal expression of praise |
| panoramic | denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view |
| paramour | a woman who cohabits with an important man |
| paraphernalia | equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport etc. |
| pariah | a person who is rejected (from society or home) |
| parlance | a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language |
| parochial | narrowly restricted in outlook or scope |
| paroxysm | fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst |
| parquet | floor made of wood strips inland in a mosaic like pattern |
| parsimony | extreme stinginess |
| parvenu | a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class |
| pastiche | a musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources |
| pathos | a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow) |
| patina | a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal |
| patois | a regional dialect of a language (especially French) |
| paucity | an insufficient quantity or number |
| pecuniary | relating to or involving money |
| pedagogue | someone who educates young people |
| pedant | a person who pays more attention to formal rules and book learning than they merit |
| pedantic | marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects |
| precinct | a district of a city or town marked out for administrative purposes |
| pejorative | expressing disapproval |
| pellmell | With undue hurry and confusion |
| penance | voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for some wrongdoing |
| perdition | (Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil |
| peregrination | travel (especially by foot) |
| perfidious | tending to betray |
| perigee | The point in the orbit of the moon when it is nearest the earth. |
| peripatetic | a person who walks from place to place |
| perjury | criminal offense of making false statements under oath |
| peroration | (rhetoric) the concluding section of an oration |
| perpetrate | perform an act, usually with a negative connotation |
| perquisite | an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right) |
| personable | (of persons) pleasant in appearance and personality |
| perspicacious | mentally acute or penetratingly discerning |
| perspicuity | clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity |
| pertinacious | stubbornly unyielding |
| peruse | examine or consider with attention and in detail |
| petulant | easily irritated or annoyed |
| pharisaical | excessively or hypocritically pious |
| physiognomy | the human face ('kisser' and 'smiler' and 'mug' are informal terms for 'face' and 'phiz' is British) |
| piebald | having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly |
| piecemeal | one thing at a time |
| pied | having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly |
| pillory | a wooden instrument of punishment on a post with holes for the neck and hands |
| pine | have a desire for something or someone who is not present |
| pinion | wing of a bird, to cut of the wings of a bird, to bind, disable or restrain |
| piquant | having an agreeably pungent taste |
| pique | cause to feel resentment or indignation |
| pittance | an inadequate payment |
| placate | cause to be more favorably inclined |
| plaintive | expressing sorrow |
| platonic | free from physical desire |
| plebeian | of the common people of ancient Rome |
| plebiscite | a vote by the electorate determining public opinion on a question of national importance |
| pliant | capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out |
| plight | a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one |
| plumb | exactly vertical; N: weight on the end of a line; V: examine very carefully or critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding); Ex. ~ the depth of |
| plutocracy | a political system governed by the wealthy people |
| poignancy | a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow) |
| polemic | a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma) |
| polyglot | having a command of or composed in many languages |
| pontifical | proceeding from or ordered by or subject to a pope or the papacy regarded as the successor of the Apostles |
| portend | indicate by signs |
| portly | euphemisms for 'fat' |
| poseur | a person who habitually pretends to be something he is not |
| potentate | a ruler who is unconstrained by law |
| potpourri | a jar of mixed flower petals and spices used as perfume |
| prate | idle or foolish and irrelevant talk |
| prance | to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others |
| preamble | a preliminary introduction to a statute or constitution (usually explaining its purpose) |
| precarious | affording no ease or reassurance |
| precipice | a very steep cliff |
| precept | rule of personal conduct |
| precocious | characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude) |
| predicament | a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one |
| predilection | a predisposition in favor of something |
| preen | dress or groom with elaborate care |
| prehensile | immoderately desirous of acquiring e.g. wealth |
| premonitory | warning of future misfortune |
| preponderance | a superiority in numbers or amount |
| prerogative | a right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right) |
| preternatural | existing outside of or not in accordance with nature |
| pretext | an artful or simulated semblance |
| prevaricate | be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information |
| primogeniture | right of inheritance belongs exclusively to the eldest son |
| privy | a small outbuilding with a bench having holes through which a user can defecate |
| prognosticate | indicate by signs |
| proletarian | a member of the working class (not necessarily employed) |
| prolixity | boring verboseness |
| promontory | a natural elevation (especially a rocky one that juts out into the sea) |
| promulgate | put a law into effect by formal declaration |
| propensity | a natural inclination |
| prophylactic | remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease |
| propinquity | the property of being close together |
| prosaic | not challenging |
| proscenium | the wall that separates the stage from the auditorium in a modern theater |
| proselytize | convert to another faith or religion |
| protean | 1. Readily taking on varied shapes, forms, or meanings. 2. Exhibiting considerable variety or diversity: |
| provenance | where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence |
| proviso | a stipulated condition |
| prowess | a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation |
| prurient | characterized by lust |
| pseudonym | a fictitious name used when the person performs a particular social role |
| puerile | displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity |
| pugilist | someone who fights with his fists for sport |
| pugnacity | a disposition to fight |
| puissant | powerful |
| pulchritude | physical beauty (especially of a woman) |
| pulverize | make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust |
| purported | alleged, claimed, reputed or rumored |
| purveyor | someone who supplies provisions (especially food) |
| pusillanimous | lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution |
| quaff | to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught |
| qualms | uneasy feelings; misgivings; uneasy fears especially about matters of conscience; Ex. I have no ~ about giving this assignment to Helen. |
| quash | put down by force or intimidation |
| queue | (n.) a line of people waiting for something(such as a bus or the opening of a store); (adj.) to form such a line S:(n.) column, file, row, line A:(n.) disorganized crowd |
| quintessence | the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water |
| quip | a witty saying |
| raconteur | (noun) - a person skilled at telling stories or anecdotes. syn: storyteller. ant: none. |
| ragamuffin | a dirty shabbily clothed urchin |
| raiment | especially fine or decorative clothing |
| rakish | marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness |
| ramification | the act of branching out or dividing into branches |
| rampart | an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes |
| ramshackle | (adj)appearing ready to collapse, loose and shaky |
| rapacious | living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey |
| rapport | relation of mutual understanding or trust and agreement between people |
| rarefied | 1. Of, relating to, or interesting to a select group: esoteric. 2. Very high. |
| ratify | approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation |
| ratiocination | logical and methodical reasoning |
| ratiocination | the proposition arrived at by logical reasoning (such as the proposition that must follow from the major and minor premises of a syllogism) |
| reinstate | bring back into original existence, use, function, or position |
| rebus | representation of words in the form of pictures or symbols; puzzle in which pictures or letters stand for words; Ex. ``R U 18'' is a rebus for ``Are you 18''. |
| rebuttal | (law) a pleading by the defendant in reply to a plaintiff's surrejoinder |
| recidivism | habitual relapse into crime |
| reciprocate | alternate the direction of motion of |
| recondite | difficult to penetrate |
| recourse | something or someone turned to for assistance or security |
| recreant | a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc. |
| rectitude | uprightness as a consequence of being honorable and honest |
| recumbent | lying down |
| redolent | having a strong distinctive fragrance |
| refulgent | radiating or as if radiating light |
| regale | provide with choice or abundant food or drink |
| regatta | a meeting for boat races |
| rejoinder | (law) a pleading made by a defendant in response to the plaintiff's replication |
| relegate | assign to a lower position |
| relent | give in, as to influence or pressure |
| relevant | having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue |
| repine | express discontent |
| repository | a facility where things can be deposited for storage or safekeeping |
| reprehensible | bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure |
| Requiem | a Mass celebrated for the dead |
| rescind | To make void, as an act, by the enacting authority or a superior authority. |
| resplendent | having great beauty and splendor |
| restitution | the act of restoring something to its original state |
| resurge | rise again |
| retinue | the group following and attending to some important person |
| revelry | unrestrained merrymaking |
| reverie | an abstracted state of absorption |
| rhapsodize | say (something) with great enthusiasm |
| ribald | humorously vulgar |
| rife | excessively abundant |
| riveting | capable of arousing and holding the attention |
| rococo | fanciful but graceful asymmetric ornamentation in art and architecture that originated in France in the 18th century |
| rout | an overwhelming defeat |
| rubric | a title or heading that is printed in red or in a special type |
| ruddy | having any of numerous bright or strong colors reminiscent of the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies |
| rue | sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment |
| ruminate | reflect deeply on a subject |
| rummage | a thorough search for something (often causing disorder or confusion) |
| ruse | a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture) |
| saccharine | overly sweet |
| sacrosanct | must be kept sacred |
| salacious | characterized by lust |
| salient | having a quality that thrusts itself into attention |
| sallow | any of several Old World shrubby broad-leaved willows having large catkins |
| sanguinary | marked by eagerness to resort to violence and bloodshed |
| sartorial | of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring |
| sate | fill to satisfaction |
| saturnine | gloomy, dark, sullen, morose |
| satyr | one of a class of woodland deities |
| saunter | a leisurely walk (usually in some public place) |
| scanty | short underpants for women or children (usually used in the plural) |
| schism | division of a group into opposing factions |
| scintilla | a sparkling glittering particles |
| Scintillate | to sparkle, either literally or figuratively; 2 : to emit quick flashes as if throwing off sparks : SPARKLE <stars ~ in the sky>; transitive verb : to throw off as a spark or as sparkling flashes <~ witticisms> |
| scruple | an ethical or moral principle that inhibits action |
| seamy | morally degraded |
| sectarian | of or relating to or characteristic of a sect or sects |
| seine | a large fishnet that hangs vertically, with floats at the top and weights at the bottom |
| semblance | picture consisting of a graphic image of a person or thing |
| sepulcher | a chamber that is used as a grave |
| serendipity | good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries |
| serenity | a disposition free from stress or emotion |
| sham | something that is a counterfeit |
| sheaf | a package of several things tied together for carrying or storing |
| shyster | a person (especially a lawyer or politician) who uses unscrupulous or unethical methods |
| simian | relating to or resembling an ape |
| simper | smile affectedly or derisively |
| skittish | unpredictably excitable (especially of horses) |
| skulduggery | verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way |
| skulk | lie in wait, lie in ambush, behave in a sneaky and secretive manner |
| sleight | adroitness in using the hands |
| slipshod | marked by great carelessness |
| slovenly | negligent of neatness especially in dress and person |
| sluice | n. 1. a.An artificial channel for conducting water, with a valve or gate to regulate the flow: sluices connecting a reservoir with irrigated fields. b. A valve or gate used in such a channel; a floodgate: open sluices to flood a dry dock. Also called sluice gate. 2. A body of water impounded behind a floodgate. 3. A sluiceway. 4. A long inclined trough, as for carrying logs or separating gold ore. v., sluiced, sluic·ing, sluic·es. v.tr. 1. To flood or drench with or as if with a flow of released water. 2. To wash with water flowing in a sluice: sluicing sediment for gold. 3. To draw off or let out by a sluice: sluice floodwater. 4. To send (logs, for example) down a sluice. v.intr. To flow out from or as if from a sluice. [Middle English scluse, from Old French escluse, from Late Latin exclūsa, from Latin, feminine past participle of exclūdere, to shut out. See exclude.] |
| smattering | a slight or superficial understanding of a subject |
| sobriety | moderation in or abstinence from alcohol or drugs |
| sojourn | a temporary stay (e.g., as a guest) |
| solace | the comfort you feel when consoled in times of disappointment |
| solder | an alloy (usually of lead and tin) used when melted to join two metal surfaces |
| solecism | a socially awkward or tactless act |
| soliloquy | a (usually long) dramatic speech intended to give the illusion of unspoken reflections |
| solstice | either of the two times of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator |
| somnolent | inclined to or marked by drowsiness |
| sonorous | full and loud and deep |
| sophist | someone whose reasoning is subtle and often specious |
| spangle | adornment consisting of a small piece of shiny material used to decorate clothing |
| spate | the occurrence of a water flow resulting from sudden rain or melting snow |
| spoonerism | accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. ``Let me sew you to your sheet'' for ``Let me show you to your seat''; CF. William Spooner |
| spry | moving quickly and lightly |
| spurious | intended to deceive |
| staccato | marked by or composed of disconnected parts or sounds |
| staid | characterized by dignity and propriety |
| stalwart | adjectiveloyal, reliable, and hardworking : he remained a ~ supporter of the cause.• dated strongly built and sturdy : he was of ~ build. |
| stanch | stop the flow of a liquid |
| stentorian | used of the voice |
| stilted | artificially formal |
| stodgy | excessively conventional and unimaginative and hence dull |
| strew | spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic) |
| stricture | abnormal narrowing of a bodily canal or passageway |
| strident | unpleasantly loud and harsh |
| stultify | deprive of strength or efficiency |
| Stygian | dark and dismal as of the rivers Acheron and Styx in Hades |
| stymie | a thwarting and distressing situation |
| sublimate | the product of vaporization of a solid |
| sublime | change or cause to change directly from a solid into a vapor without first melting |
| sublime | change or cause to change directly from a solid into a vapor without first melting |
| suborn | induce to commit perjury or give false testimony |
| subpoena | a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding |
| subtlety | the quality of being difficult to detect or analyze |
| succor | assistance in time of difficulty |
| suffragist | an advocate of the extension of voting rights (especially to women) |
| suffuse | cause to spread or flush or flood through, over, or across |
| sultry | characterized by oppressive heat and humidity |
| sunder | break apart or in two, using violence |
| sundry | miscellaneous unspecified objects |
| superannuated | discharged as too old for use or work |
| supercilious | expressive of contempt |
| supererogatory | more than is needed, desired, or required |
| supple | make pliant and flexible |
| supposition | a hypothesis that is taken for granted |
| surfeit | eating until excessively full |
| surreptitious | conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods |
| surrogate | a person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others |
| sybarite | a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses |
| sycophant | a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage |
| syllogism | deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises |
| sylvan | a spirit that lives in or frequents the woods |
| synoptic | presenting a summary or general view of a whole |
| tacit | indicated by necessary connotation though not expressed directly |
| taciturn | habitually reserved and uncommunicative |
| tangential | of superficial relevance if any |
| Tantalize | to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach |
| tantamount | Having equal or equivalent value, effect, or import. |
| taut | subjected to great tension |
| tawdry | cheap and shoddy |
| tedium | dullness owing to length or slowness |
| teetotalism | abstaining from alcohol |
| temerity | fearless daring |
| tempestuous | (of the elements) as if showing violent anger |
| tendentious | having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one |
| tenuous | having little substance or significance |
| terse | brief and to the point |
| tessellated | decorated with small pieces of colored glass or stone fitted together |
| testator | a person who makes a will |
| tether | restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal |
| thespian | a theatrical performer |
| thrall | the state of being under the control of another person |
| threadbare | repeated too often |
| throes | violent pangs of suffering |
| throng | a large gathering of people |
| tipple | a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg |
| tirade | a speech of violent denunciation |
| titillate | touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements |
| titular | of or associated with or bearing a title signifying status or function |
| toga | a one-piece cloak worn by men in ancient Rome |
| tonsure | shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order |
| torpor | a state of motor and mental inactivity with a partial suspension of sensibility |
| touchstone | a basis for comparison |
| tout | advertize in strongly positive terms |
| tract | a brief treatise on a subject of interest |
| traduce | speak unfavorably about |
| transcendental | of or characteristic of a system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual about the empirical and material |
| transcendental | of or characteristic of a system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual about the empirical and material |
| transpire | come about, happen, or occur |
| travail | use of physical or mental energy |
| travesty | a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way |
| trenchant | having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect |
| trepidation | a feeling of alarm or dread |
| tribune | the apse of a Christian church that contains the bishop's throne |
| troth | a solemn pledge of fidelity |
| truism | an obvious truth |
| tryst | a secret rendezvous (especially between lovers) |
| tumid | abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas |
| turbid | (of especially liquids) clouded as with sediment |
| tureen | large deep serving dish with a cover |
| turgid | abnormally distended especially by fluids or gas |
| turpitude | a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice |
| tutelage | attention and management implying responsibility for safety |
| tyro | someone new to a field or activity |
| ulterior | lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed (especially being kept in the background or deliberately concealed) |
| umbrage | a feeling of anger caused by being offended |
| unanimity | everyone being of one mind |
| unassailable | without flaws or loopholes |
| uncanny | beyond what is natural |
| unction | anointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual |
| unequivocal | admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding |
| unfeigned | not pretended |
| unfetter | liberate; free from chains; V. unfetter |
| unguent | semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation |
| unmitigated | not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity |
| unsullied | spotlessly clean and fresh |
| upbraid | express criticism towards |
| uxorious | foolishly fond of or submissive to your wife |
| vacuous | devoid of significance or point |
| vagrant | a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of support |
| valedictory | a farewell oration delivered by the most outstanding member of a graduating class |
| valediction | a farewell oration delivered by the most outstanding member of a graduating class |
| vanguard | any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts) |
| variegate | change the appearance of, especially by marking with different colors |
| vaunted | boasted, bragged, highly publicized |
| veer | shift to a clockwise direction |
| venal | capable of being corrupted |
| vendetta | a feud in which members of the opposing parties murder each other |
| veneer | coating consisting of a thin layer of superior wood glued to a base of inferior wood |
| venial | easily excused or forgiven |
| verbiage | the manner in which something is expressed in words |
| verdigris | a green patina that forms on copper or brass or bronze that has been exposed to the air or water for long periods of time |
| verisimilar | appearing to be true or real |
| verisimilitude | the appearance of truth |
| vernal | (adjective) 1. of, relating to, or occuring in the spring 2: fresh of new like the spring (youthful) |
| vertigo | severe dizziness; giddiness |
| verve | an energetic style |
| viable | capable of life or normal growth and development |
| viand | a choice or delicious dish |
| vicarious | occurring in an abnormal part of the body instead of the usual site involved in that function |
| vicar | a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman |
| vicissitude | a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something |
| victuals | a source of materials to nourish the body |
| vie | compete for something |
| vigilante | one who without authority assumes law enforcement powers |
| vignette | a small illustrative sketch (as sometimes placed at the beginning of chapters in books) |
| vintner | someone who makes wine |
| virile | characteristic of a man |
| virile | characteristic of a man |
| virtuoso | someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field |
| viscid | having the properties of glue |
| vise | a holding device attached to a workbench |
| vitiate | corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality |
| vitreous | (of ceramics) having the surface made shiny and nonporous by fusing a vitreous solution to it |
| vitriolic | harsh or corrosive in tone |
| vivisection | the act of operating on living animals (especially in scientific research) |
| vixen | a malicious fierce-tempered woman |
| vixen | a malicious fierce-tempered woman |
| voodoo | a religious cult practiced chiefly in Caribbean countries (especially Haiti) |
| vouchsafe | promise or agree condescendingly, as a special favor |
| voyeur | a viewer who enjoys seeing the sex acts or sex organs of others |
| vulpine | resembling or characteristic of a fox |
| waffle | pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness |
| waggish | witty or joking |
| wan | lacking vitality as from weariness or illness or unhappiness |
| wangle | achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods |
| wanton | reckless, heartless, unjustifialbe, loose in morals; a spoiled, pampered person, one with low morals |
| whet | sharpen by rubbing, as on a whetstone |
| wince | to draw back sudenly, asthough in pain or fear; the act of drawing back in this way/ flinch, shudder, recoil |
| winsome | charming in a childlike or naive way |
| witticism | a message whose ingenuity or verbal skill or incongruity has the power to evoke laughter |
| wont | a pattern of behavior acquired through frequent repetition |
| writ | (law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer |
| yen | have a desire for something or someone who is not present |
| Yeoman | (n.) 1. a petty officer in a navy, having chiefly clerical duties in the U.S. Navy 2. a farmer who cultivates his own land 3. one of a class of lesser freeholders, below the gentry, who cultivated their own land, early admitted in England to political rights 4. a servant, attendant, or subordinate official in a royal or other great household 5. a subordinate or assistant, as of a sheriff or other official or in a craft or trade (adj.) 6. of, pertaining to, composed of, or characteristic of yeomen 7. performed or rendered in a loyal, valiant, useful, or workmanlike manner, esp. in situations that involve a great deal of effort or labor |
| yoke | stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team |
| zealot | a fervent and even militant proponent of something |
| zenith | the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected |
| zephyr | a slight wind (usually refreshing) |
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