GRE Wordlist, Barron's, h-l
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636 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 habitat | natural home of a plant or animal; CF. habitation |
| habituate | accustom or familiarize; addict |
| hackles | hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog; Ex. make someone's hackles rise |
| hackneyed | commonplace; trite |
| haggard | wasted away; gaunt; Ex. haggard faces of the rescued miners |
| haggle | argue about prices (in an attempt to bargain) |
| hail | frozen rain drop; V: salute or greet; precipitate hail |
| halcyon | calm; peaceful; Ex. halcyon days |
| hale | healthy |
| halfhearted | exhibiting little interest or enthusiasm |
| 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 |
| hamper | obstruct; prevent the free movement of; |
| handsome | large in quantity; generous; Ex. handsome reward |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| hazard | venture; put in danger; risk; Ex. hazard a guess; N: possible source of danger |
| hazardous | dangerous |
| hazy | slightly obscure; misty; unclear; N. haze: light mist or smoke; confused state of mind |
| headfirst | moving with the head leading; headlong |
| headlong | hasty; rash; headfirst; ADV. |
| headstrong | willful; stubborn; unyielding; determined to have one's own way; CF. no 'excessive' |
| healthful | conducive to good health; Ex. healthful mountain air |
| healthy | possessing good health; healthful |
| 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 |
| heed | pay attention to; N: close attention |
| heedless | not noticing; disregarding |
| hegemony | dominance especially of one nation over others |
| heinous | atrocious; wicked; hatefully bad; Ex. heinous crime |
| helm | steering wheel of a ship; position of control |
| hem | surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N. |
| herald | messenger; sign of something to come; V: announce; proclaim; Ex. unheralded researcher |
| herbivorous | grain-eating; CF. herbivore |
| herd | group of animals; crowd; one who looks after a herd; Ex. shepherd/goatherd; Ex. herd instinct; Ex. herdsman; V: come together in a herd; look after a herd; Ex. herd cattle |
| hereafter | life after death |
| heresy | opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion; ADJ. heretical; CF. heretic |
| hermetic | concerning alchemy or magic; obscure and mysterious; occult |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| hide | skin of an animal |
| hideous | repulsive to the sight; ugly; repugnant; Ex. hideous face/scream |
| hierarchy | arrangement by rank or standing; authoritarian body divided into ranks; body of persons having authority |
| hieroglyphic | picture writing; ADJ. |
| high-flown | highly pretentious or inflated |
| hilarity | boisterous mirth(merriment; laughter); ADJ. hilarious: full of laughter |
| hindmost | furthest behind; farthest to the rear |
| hindrance | block; obstacle; V. hinder |
| hindsight | understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened |
| 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 |
| historic | important in history; Ex. historic battle |
| historical | connected with history; based on events in history (whether regarded as important or not) |
| histrionic | theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior |
| hive | box for bees; V: cause to go in a hive |
| 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 |
| homely | not good-looking; unattractive |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| horoscope | diagram of the positions of stars at a given moment (eg. of a person's birth) used by astrologers |
| 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 |
| hostage | person who is kept as a prisoner by an enemy so that the other side will do what the enemy demands |
| hostility | unfriendliness; hatred; enmity; ADJ. hostile |
| hothead | person who does things too quickly without thinking; ADJ. hotheaded |
| hovel | shack; small wretched house |
| 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 |
| hull | husk; dry outer covering of a seed; frame or body of a ship |
| humane | marked by kindness or consideration; kind and compassionate; humanitarian |
| humanitarian | one devoted to the promotion of human welfare; CF. humanism |
| 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 |
| humdrum | dull; monotonous |
| humid | damp; N. humidity |
| humility | humbleness of spirit |
| hummock | small hill; hillock |
| 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 |
| humus | substance or rich soil formed by decaying vegetable matter; CF. soil |
| hurl | throw forcefully; shout out violently |
| 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 |
| hut | crude dwelling; shack |
| hybrid | mongrel; mixed breed; V. hybridize |
| hydrophobia | fear of water; rabies |
| 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) |
| hypnosis | induced sleeping state; ADJ. hypnotic; V. hypnotize |
| 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 |
| hysteria | excessive or uncontrollable excitement; N. hysteric: person suffering from hysteria; CF. hysterics: attack of hysteria |
| 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 |
| idle | not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V. |
| idolatry | worship of idols; excessive admiration or devotion; ADJ. idolatrous |
| 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 |
| idyllic | charmingly carefree; simple and happy; Ex. idyllic scene |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| impart | grant a share of; make known; Ex. news to impart |
| impartial | not biased; fair; N. impartiality |
| impassable | not able to be traveled or crossed |
| impasse | predicament(dangerous condition) from which there is no escape; situation allowing for no further progress |
| impassioned | (of speech) filled with passion; fervent |
| 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 |
| impecunious | without money |
| impede | hide; retard or obstruct the progress of; block |
| 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 |
| impersonal | not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization |
| impertinent | insolent; rude; not pertinent; N. impertinence |
| imperturbable | unshakably calm; placid |
| 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 | v. ask or beg earnestly; beseech |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| impotent | weak; ineffective; lacking in physical strength or power |
| impoverish | make poor; deprive of natural strength or something important; Ex. impoverished soil |
| 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 |
| inalienable | not to be taken away; nontransferable; Ex. inalienable rights |
| inamorata | woman whom a man loves |
| inane | silly; senseless; Ex. inane remarks; N. inanity |
| inanimate | lifeless; not animate |
| inarticulate | speechless; producing indistinct speech; not articulate; not expressing oneself clearly |
| inasmuch_as | since; owing to the fact that |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| incident | event; event that causes a crisis |
| incidental | not essential; minor; N: something incidental |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| indecision | irresolution; inability to make up one's mind |
| indecisive | marked by indecision; inconclusive; Ex. indecisive battle |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| indoctrinate | cause to accept a doctrine without questioning it; Ex. indoctrinated with mindless anti-communism |
| 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 |
| induct | place formally in office; install; admit as a member; initiate; N. induction: inducting; process of deriving general principles from particular facts |
| inductive | pertaining to induction or proceeding from the specific to the general |
| indulge | yield to; gratify; allow oneself a special pleasure; Ex. indulge one's every whim/a child/in a big cigarette; N. indulgence |
| indulgent | humoring; yielding; lenient; showing indulgence |
| industrious | diligent; hard-working; N. industry |
| inebriate | make drunk; intoxicate; N. intoxicated person |
| inebriated | habitually intoxicated; drunk; N. inebriety |
| 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 |
| inestimable | impossible to estimate; (apprec) invaluable; of immeasurable worth |
| inevitable | unavoidable |
| inexorable | relentless; unyielding; implacable; not capable of being changed by entreaty or efforts; Ex. inexorable price rises |
| inextricable | from which it is impossible to get free; that cannot be untied; Ex. inextricable troubles; Ex. inextricable two histories |
| 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 |
| infest | inhabit in numbers large enough to be harmful; Ex. Mice infested the house; Ex. shark-infested waters |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| ingenue | ing\'enue; young innocent girl |
| ingenuous | naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated; candid |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| inquisitive | eager for knowledge; unduly curious |
| inquisitor | questioner (especially harsh); investigator; person making an inquisition |
| inroad | hostile invasion; advance that lessens the quantity or difficulty of something; Ex. The long illness made serious inroads on his savings; CF. raid |
| insalubrious | unwholesome; not healthful; Ex. insalubrious place |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| intellect | higher mental powers; person of great intellectual ability |
| intelligentsia | intellectuals; members of the educated elite (often used derogatorily) |
| inter | bury; N. interment |
| interdict | prohibit; forbid; N. |
| interim | meantime; Ex. in the interim; ADJ. taking place during an interim; Ex. interim paper |
| interjection | exclamation; Ex. ``Ouch'' |
| interloper | intruder; one who interferes |
| intermediary | intermediate; acting as a mediator; N: mediator; go-between |
| 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 |
| interstice | narrow space between things |
| 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 |
| intolerant | not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; CF. tolerant; CF. tolerate |
| intoxicate | make drunk; stimulate or excite; Ex. intoxicated by all the money he might win |
| intractable | unruly; difficult to manage; Ex. intractable problem/child |
| intransigence | refusal of any compromise; stubbornness; ADJ. intransigent: uncompromising |
| intrepid | fearless |
| intrigue | make secret plans; plot; arouse the curiosity of; N: secret scheme; plot; secret love affair |
| 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 |
| inured | accustomed; hardened; Ex. inured to the Alaskan cold; V. inure: make used to something undesirable; harden; CF. unfeeling |
| 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 |
| invalidate | weaken; destroy; make invalid; nullify |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| jab | poke abruptly with something sharp; punch with short blows |
| jabber | chatter rapidly or unintelligibly |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| jaundiced | yellowed; prejudiced (envious, hostile, or resentful) from long and disappointing experience of human affairs; Ex. with a jaundiced eye |
| 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 |
| jest | playful remark or act; V. act or speak playfully |
| jetsam | things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship) |
| 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 |
| jocund | merry |
| jollity | gaiety; cheerfulness; ADJ. jolly: merry; gay |
| jostle | shove; bump; push against (someone) rather roughly; Ex. jostled by the crowds |
| jovial | good-natured; merry; cheerful |
| jubilation | rejoicing; great joy |
| judiciary | judicial branch of government |
| judicious | sound on judgment; wise |
| jug | pitcher; container for holding liquids |
| juggernaut | irresistible crushing force; overwhelming advancing force that crushes everything in its path |
| jumble | mix in a confused way |
| juncture | crisis; point in time; joining point; joint; act of joining |
| junket | trip especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense |
| junta | group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal; group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power (by force) |
| juridical | of the law and its administration; CF. judicial: of courts of law; CF. judiciary |
| jurisdiction | right and power to apply the law; authority |
| jurisprudence | science of law |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| knack | special talent; art |
| 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 |
| kneel | go down on one's knee(s) |
| knell | tolling of a bell especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell; V. |
| 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. |
| knoll | little round hill; hillock |
| knotty | intricate; difficult; tangled; CF. knot |
| kudos | honor; glory; acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement |
| labile | likely to change; unstable; Ex. emotionally labile; N. lability |
| laborious | demanding much work or care; tedious |
| labyrinth | maze |
| 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 |
| laceration | torn ragged wound; V. lacerate: tear (the skin as with broken glass); wound |
| lachrymose | producing tears; tearful |
| lackadaisical | lacking interest or effort; lacking purpose or zest; lazy; halfhearted; languid |
| lackluster | lacking luster(shine; gloss); dull |
| laconic | brief and to the point; using few words; terse |
| lag | move or develop more slowly; straggle; Ex. lag behind the rest; N. |
| laggard | slow; sluggish; N: one who lags; straggler |
| 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 |
| lament | grieve; express sorrow; N. lamentation |
| lampoon | ridicule; N: written attack ridiculing or satirizing a person, group, or institution |
| lance | pierce with a lance; cut into; N: spearlike weapon |
| lancet | small surgical tool for making incisions |
| 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 |
| lassitude | languor; weariness; listlessness |
| latch | fastening or lock consisting of a movable bar that fits into a notch; V: close with a latch |
| 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 |
| layman | man who is not a cleric; man who is nonprofessional |
| leash | restraining rope fastened to the collar of an animal (to control it); Ex. a dog on a leash |
| leave-taking | farewell or departure |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| legacy | gift made by a will; something handed down from an ancestor |
| legato | (of music) played smoothly |
| legend | explanatory list of symbols on a map |
| legerdemain | sleight(dexterity) of hand; CF. light of hand |
| legislature | legislating branch of government; CF. legislate: make laws |
| leniency | mildness; permissiveness; ADJ. lenient: not severe in judgment or punishment |
| 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 |
| libidinous | lustful |
| libido | psychic and emotional energy or urges behind human activity; sexual desire |
| libretto | text of an opera or oratorio; CF. book |
| license | official or legal permission; latitude of action or speech; excessive freedom that causes harm or damage; V. |
| licentious | amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained |
| 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 |
| limn | draw; outline; describe; CF. line ? |
| limp | walk lamely; ADJ: lacking firmness; weak |
| limpid | crystal clear |
| lineage | descent; ancestry |
| lineaments | features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; CF. line |
| linger | loiter or dawdle; be slow in leaving; delay going; continue or persist; be slow to disappear; Ex. The smell lingered for days. |
| 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 |
| litigation | lawsuit; N. litigant: one party in a lawsuit; V. litigate |
| litotes | understatement for emphasis; Ex. ``not bad(=pretty good)'' |
| litter | waste material thrown away (as bits of paper scattered untidily); V: cover untidily with scattered litter |
| 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) |
| loft | room or space under the roof; attic |
| lofty | very high |
| 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 |
| longevity | long life; long duration |
| lookout | act of keeping watch; high place commanding a wide view; person who keeps watch |
| 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 |
| lope | gallop slowly |
| lopsided | heavier or larger on one side than the other; Ex. lopsided way of walking |
| loquacious | talkative; N. loquacity |
| lot | object used in making a determination at random; fate; piece of land |
| lottery | contest in which winners are selected in a drawing of lots |
| lounge | stand, sit, or lie in a lazy, relaxed way |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| 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 |
| luscious | pleasing to taste or smell; delicious |
| lush | (of a plant or grass) growing very well |
| lust | intense sexual desire; intense eagerness; V. |
| 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 |
| luxuriate | take pleasure in great comfort |
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