| abase | lower; degrade; humiliate; make humble; make (oneself) lose self-respect |
| n abash | embarrass |
| n abate | subside or moderate |
| abbreviate | shorten |
| abdicate | renounce; give up (position, right, or responsibility) |
| aberrant | abnormal or deviant |
| aberration | deviation from the normal; mental disorder |
| n abet | assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage |
| n abeyance | suspended action |
| abhor | detest; hate |
| abject | (of a condition) wretched; as low as possible; lacking pride; very humble; showing lack of self-respect; Ex. abject apology |
| abjure | renounce upon oath |
| ablution | washing |
| abnegation | renunciation; self-sacrifice; self-abnegation |
| abolish | cancel; put an end to |
| abominate | loathe; hate |
| abominable | detestable; extremely unpleasant |
| aboriginal | being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native; indigenous; N. aborigine |
| abortive | unsuccessful; fruitless |
| abrasive | rubbing away; tending to grind down |
| abridge | condense or shorten |
| abrogate | abolish |
| n abscission | cutting off; separation |
| abscond | depart secretly and hide |
| absolute | complete; totally unlimited; having complete power; certain; not relative; Ex. absolute honesty/ruler; CF. absolutism |
| absolve | pardon (an offense) |
| abstain | refrain; withhold from participation; intentionally not use one's vote; ±â±ÇÇÏ´Ù |
| abstemious | sparing in eating and drinking; temperate |
| abstinence | restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking; CF. abstention: act of abstaining from vote |
| abstract | theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational |
| abstruse | obscure; profound; difficult to understand |
| abusive | coarsely insulting; physically harmful |
| n abut | border upon; adjoin |
| abysmal | bottomless |
| abyss | enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit |
| academic | related to a school; not practical or directly useful |
| accede | agree |
| accelerate | move faster |
| accessible | easy to approach; obtainable |
| accessory | additional object; useful but not essential thing |
| acclaim | applaud; praise; greet with great approval; announce with great approval; Ex. The new drung has been acclaimed as the most important discoveries for years; N: strong expression of approval and praise |
| acclimate | adjust to climate or environment; adapt |
| n acclivity | sharp upslope of a hill; OP. declivity |
| accolade | award of merit; strong praise and approval |
| accommodate | oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt; make enough space for; ADJ. accommodative; CF. accomodating: helpful and obliging |
| accomplice | partner in crime |
| accord | agreement |
| accost | approach and speak first to a person |
| n accoutre | equip; N. accoutrement |
| accretion | growth or increase in size by gradual addition; growth; increase; increase by natural growth; Ex. towers and other accretions of the castle; V. accrete |
| accrue | come to one as a gain; accumulate over time; come about by addition; Ex. benefits that accrue from scientific research; Ex. interest accruing in a bank account; N. accrual |
| n acerbity | bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic: bitter; acrid (in taste, manner, or tone) |
| n acetic | vinegary |
| n acidulous | slightly sour (in taste or manner); sharp; caustic |
| acknowledge | recognize; admit |
| n acme | peak; pinnacle; highest point |
| acoustics | science of sound; quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in |
| acquiesce | assent; agree passively; comply without protest |
| acquittal | deliverance from a charge; V. acquit: free from a charge or accusation; discharge from a duty; conduct (oneself) in a specified manner |
| n acrid | bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent |
| n acrimonious | stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior |
| acrophobia | fear of heights |
| actuarial | calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics |
| actuary | someone who advises insurance companies |
| n actuate | motivate; activate; cause to act |
| acuity | sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing) |
| acumen | mental keenness; sharpness of judgment; ability to judge quickly and well; Ex. business acumen |
| acute | (of the senses) sharp; quickly perceptive; keen; penetrating; brief and severe; Ex. acute sense of smell/analysis/pain |
| n adage | wise saying; proverb |
| s proverb | adage; someone or something well known for notoriety; ADJ. proverbial: of a proverb; widely known; ADV. proverbially |
| adamant | hard; inflexible |
| adapt | make or become suitable for a specific use; alter; modify; adjust; N. adaptation: act of adapting; composition recast into a new form; Ex. The play is an adaption of a short novel. |
| n addendum | addition; appendix to book; something that is added (as at the end of a speech or book) |
| addiction | compulsive habitual need |
| n addle | make or become confused; muddle; drive crazy; become rotten (egg) |
| address | direct a speech to; speak to; deal with or discuss; direct one's efforts or attention to; make with a destination; N: formal speech |
| adept | expert at; very skilled |
| adhere | stick fast; be a devotd follower; N. adhesion: adhering; devotion; loyality |
| adherent | supporter; follower |
| adjacent | adjoining; neighboring; close by |
| adjunct | something attached to but holding an inferior position |
| adjuration | solemn urging; V. adjure: entreat earnestly; enjoin solemnly |
| n adjutant | staff officer assisting the commander; assistant |
| admonish | warn or speak to with gentle disapproval; reprove |
| adorn | decorate |
| adroit | skillful (in using mind or hand) |
| adulation | flattery; admiration that is more than is necessary or deserved |
| adulterate | make impure or of poorer quality by adding inferior or tainted(contaminated) substances |
| advent | arrival |
| adventitious | accidental; casual; happening by chance |
| adversary | opponent; enemy |
| adverse | going against; opposing; unfavorable; hostile |
| adversity | great hardship or affliction; misfortune; calamitous event |
| n advert | refer |
| advocacy | support; active pleading on behalf of someone or something |
| advocate | speak in favor of; support (an idea or plan); urge; plead for |
| n aegis | shield; protection; defense |
| n aerie(aery,eyrie,eyry) | nest of a large bird of prey |
| aesthetic | artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful (of a person or building); CF. aesthete; CF. aesthetics |
| affable | easily approachable; easy to talk to; warmly friendly |
| affected | artificial; pretended |
| affidavit | written statement made under oath (for use as proof in a court of law) |
| affiliation | joining; associating with |
| affinity | feeling of kinship; similarity; Ex. strong affinity for her; Ex. many affinities between two languages |
| affirmation | positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath; V. affirm; ADJ. affirmative; CF. affirmative action: positive discrimination |
| affliction | state of distress; trial; cause of distress or suffering; V. afflict: inflict grievous suffering on |
| affluence | abundance; wealth |
| affront | insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect; V: insult or hurt the feelings of intentionally |
| n agape | openmouthed |
| n agenda | items of business at a meeting |
| n agglomeration | collection; heap; V. agglomerate: gather into a rounded mass; N. aggolmeate: jumbled mass; heap |
| aggrandize | make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honor; N. aggrandizement |
| aggregate | sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars |
| aghast | filled with great surprise or fear; horrified |
| agility | nimbleness; ability to move quickly |
| agitate | stir up; disturb |
| agnostic | one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality |
| n agog | highly excited; intensely curious |
| agrarian | pertaining to land or its cultivation; Ex. agrarian reform |
| alacrity | cheerful promptness without reluctance |
| alchemy | medieval chemistry |
| n alcove | nook; recess |
| alias | an assumed name esp. by a criminal (usually to mislead people); ADV. alias |
| alienate | make unfriendly or hostile; estrange; separate; change the ownership of |
| alimentary | supplying nourishment |
| n alimony | payments made regularly to an ex-spouse after divorce |
| allay | calm; pacify |
| allege | state without proof |
| allegiance | loyalty |
| n allegory | story, play, or picture in which characters are used as symbols; fable |
| alleviate | relieve (pain) |
| alliteration | repetition of beginning sound in poetry |
| allocate | assign; set apart for a particular purpose |
| alloy | mixture as of metals; something added that lowers in value or purity; V: mix; make less pure; lower in value or quality; spoil; CF. unalloyed: not in mixture with other maetals; pure; complete; unqualified; Ex. unalloyed happiness |
| allude | refer indirectly; N. allusion: indirect reference |
| allure | entice; attract; tempt |
| s siren | apparatus for making sounds; womanlike creature |
| alluvial | pertaining to soil deposits left by running water |
| n aloof | apart; not open in one's relationship with other people; reserved; ADV. |
| n aloft | upward; high up in the air |
| altercation | noisy quarrel |
| altruistic | unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altiruism: unselfish concern for the welfare of others; unselfishness; OP. egoism |
| n amalgamate | (of societies or groups) combine; unite in one body |
| n amalgam | combination of different things; mixture of metals (containing mercury) used for filling holes in teeth |
| n amass | collect (gradually, in a very large amount) |
| amazon | female warrior |
| ambidextrous | capable of using either hand with equal ease |
| ambience | environment; atmosphere; Ex. restraurant with a pleasant ambience; ADJ. ambient: completely surrounding; Ex. ambient temperature |
| ambiguous | unclear or doubtful in meaning; having more than one possible interpretation |
| ambivalence | the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions |
| amble | walking at an easy unhurried pace; V: walk slowly and aimlessly |
| n ambrosia | food of the gods |
| s nectar | drink of the gods; sweet liquid collected by bees |
| ambulatory | able to walk |
| ameliorate | improve |
| amenable | obedient; compliant; readily managed; responsive; willing to be led; answerable or accountable legally; responsible; able to be tested by; Ex. amenable to sensible suggestions; Ex. He is very amenable; Ex. amenable to the usual tests |
| amend | correct; change ; generally for the better |
| amenities | convenient features that helps to make life pleasant; social courtesies |
| amiable | agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly |
| amicable | peaceful; politely friendly; not quarrelsome; Ex. amicable settlement |
| n amiss | wrong; faulty; Ex. something amiss; ADV. |
| amity | friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations |
| amnesia | loss of memory |
| amnesty | pardon (allowed by government to political criminals) |
| amoral | nonmoral; having no understanding of right and wrong |
| amorous | moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances |
| amorphous | formless; lacking shape or definition |
| amphibian | able to live both on land and in water; N. |
| amphitheater | oval building with tiers of seats; CF. arena |
| n ample | enough; abundant; spacious; large in size; Ex. ample opportunity/garden; N. amplitude: quality of being ample; abundance; largeness of space |
| amplify | increase in size or effect; expand; broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger; Ex. amplify one's remarks with a graph |
| n amputate | cut off part of body; prune (a limb) |
| n amok(amuck) | in a state of rage; Ex. run amok |
| n amulet | charm; talisman; an object worn believed to protect against evil, bad luck |
| anachronism | an error involving time in a story; something or someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic |
| n analgesic | causing insensitivity to pain; N. |
| s analgesia | condition of being unable to feel pain |
| analogous | comparable; similar |
| analogy | similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things |
| anarchist | person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority |
| anarchy | absence of governing body; state of disorder |
| n anathema | solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse; V. anathematize |
| ancestry | family descent; ADJ. ancestral |
| anchor | secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place; N. anchorage |
| ancillary | serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary; N. |
| anecdote | short story of an amusing or interesting event |
| anemia | condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic |
| anesthetic | substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia |
| anguish | acute pain; extreme suffering |
| angular | sharp-cornered; having an angle; not rounded (body); bony; lean; gaunt; stiff in manner |
| animadversion | critical remark; V. animadvert: comment critically with disapproval |
| animated | lively; spirited |
| animosity | active enmity |
| n animus | hostile feeling or intent; animosity; hostility; disposition |
| annals | records arranged in yearly parts; history |
| anneal | reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling (metal or glass) |
| annex | attach; add to a large thing; take possession of; incorporate (territory) into a larger existing political unit (by force); N: building added to a large one |
| annihilate | destroy |
| annotate | comment; make explanatory notes |
| annuity | yearly allowance |
| annul | make void |
| s elope | run away secretly with the intention of getting married |
| n anodyne | drug that relieves pain or trouble; ÁøÅëÁ¦; opiate; ADJ. Ex. anodyne statement |
| anoint | consecrate; put oil on (in a religious ceremony) |
| anomalous | abnormal; irregular |
| anomaly | irregularity |
| anonymity | state of being nameless; anonymousness; ADJ. anonymous |
| antagonism | hostility; active opposition; V. antagonize: cause to become an enemy; N. antagonist: person who is opposed to another; opponent; adversary; principal character in oppostion to the protagonist |
| antecede | precede |
| antecedents | preceding events that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background |
| antediluvian | antiquated; extremely ancient |
| n anthem | song of praise or patriotism; Ex. national anthem |
| n anthology | book of literary selections by various authors; CF. omnibus |
| anthropoid | manlike; resembling a human being; N. |
| anthropologist | student of the history and science of humankind |
| anthropomorphic | having human form or characteristics |
| anticlimax | letdown in thought or emotion; something unexciting, ordinary, or disappointing coming after something important or exciting |
| antidote | remedy to counteract a poison or disease; Ex. antidote to the economic troubles |
| antipathy | aversion; dislike or opposition |
| n antiquated | obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated |
| antiseptic | substance that prevents infection in a wound; ADJ. |
| antithesis | contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetic or antithetical |
| n anvil | iron block used in hammering out metals |
| apathy | lack of caring; indifference; lack of concern or interest in important matters; Ex. He was sunk in apathy after his failure; ADJ. apathetic |
| n ape | imitate or mimic (a person's behavior or manner) |
| n aperture | opening; hole; adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light |
| n apex | tip; summit; climax; highest point |
| aphasia | loss of speech due to injury or illness |
| aphorism | pithy maxim or saying; ADJ. aphoristic |
| n apiary | a place where bees are kept |
| s hive | box for bees; V: cause to go in a hive |
| s apiculture | bee-keeping |
| s apiarist | person who keeps bees |
| n aplomb | poise; composure in difficult situations; assurance; self-confidence |
| s poise | good judgment with composure; balance; V: place in a carefully balanced position |
| apocalyptic | prophetic; pertaining to revelations especially of disaster; N. apocalypse |
| n apocryphal | (of a story) widely believed but untrue |
| apogee | highest point; the point farthest from the earth; OP. perigee |
| n apolitical | having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs |
| n apologist | one who writes in defense of a cause or institution; N. apologia |
| n apoplexy | stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain |
| n apostate | one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs; N. apostasy |
| n apothecary | druggist; pharmacist |
| n apothegm(apophthegm) | pithy, compact saying |
| n apotheosis | elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something |
| appall | dismay; shock deeply |
| apparition | ghost; phantom |
| appease | pacify or soothe; Ex. appease a crying baby; N. appeasement |
| n appellation | name; title |
| append | attach |
| n application | diligent attention; diligence; V. apply oneself |
| apposite | appropriate; fitting |
| appraise | estimate value of; N. appraisal |
| appreciate | be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of; ADJ. appreciable: enough to be felt; Ex. appreciable difference |
| apprehend | arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive; N. apprehension |
| n apprehensive | fearful; discerning |
| apprise | inform |
| approbation | approval |
| appropriate | acquire; take possession of for one's own use without permission; set aside for a particular purpose; allocate; CF. misappropriate |
| n appurtenances | subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing |
| n apropos | with reference to; regarding; Ex. remarks apropos (of) the present situation; ADJ. ADV. |
| aptitude | fitness; talent |
| n aquiline | curved; hooked; of or like an eagle; Ex. aquiline nose |
| n arable | fit for growing crops; Ex. arable land |
| arbiter | person with power to decide a matter in dispute; judge who is in a position ot make influential judgments; Ex. supreme arbiter of fashion in beachware |
| arbitrary | unreasonable or capricious; random; tyrannical; Ex. arbitrary ruler |
| arbitrate | act as judge (at the request of both sides) |
| n arboretum | place where different trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited |
| s arboreal | of or living in trees |
| arcade | a covered passageway usually lined with shops |
| arcane | esoteric; secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated; Ex. arcane ritual; Ex. arcane process closed to the uninitiated listener |
| archaeology | study of artifacts and relics of early mankind |
| n archaic | antiquated; no longer used; belonging to the past; N. |
| n archetype | prototype; primitive pattern |
| arch- | chief; first; Ex. archbishop |
| n archipelago | group of closely located islands |
| n archives | public records; place where public records are kept |
| ardor | heat; passion; zeal; ADJ. ardent |
| n arduous | hard; strenuous; Ex. arduous work |
| n argot | slang; speech spoken by only a small group of people |
| aria | operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio |
| n arid | (of land) dry; barren; unproductive |
| aristocracy | hereditary nobility; privileged class; government by nobility; N. aristocrat |
| armada | fleet of warships |
| aromatic | fragrant; having a sweet smell; N. aroma: strong pleasant smell |
| arraign | charge in court; indict |
| n array | marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order; clothe splendidly; adorn; N: fine clothes; ordered group; Ex. in battle array |
| arrears | being in debt; money that should have been paid; work that should have been done |
| n arrhythmic | lacking rhythm or regularity; N. arrhythmia |
| arrogance | pride; haughtiness; ADJ. arrogant: unpleasantly self-important (with a strong confidence in one's own importance and a lack of respect for other people) |
| n arroyo | gully; narrow channel formed by rainwater |
| s artery | blood-vessel; CF. vein |
| articulate | effective; distinct; expressing ideas clearly; having clear sounds; having joints; Ex. articulate speech; V: express thoughts and feeling clearly; pronounce clearly; unite by joints |
| arsenal | storage place for military equipment |
| artifacts | object made by human beings, either hand-made or mass-produced |
| n artifice | deception; trickery |
| artisan | a manually skilled worker |
| n artless | without guile; open and honest |
| ascendancy | controlling influence; position of controlling influence; CF. in the ascendant |
| ascertain | find out for certain; make certain |
| ascetic | practicing self-denial; avoiding physical pleasures and comforts; austere; Ex. ascetic life of Buddhist monks; N. asceticism |
| ascribe | refer; attribute; assign |
| aseptic | preventing infection; having a cleansing effect |
| n ashen | ash-colored; deadly pale |
| n asinine | stupid; Ex. asinine remarks |
| n askance | with a sideways or indirect look (with disapproval or distruct); Ex. look askance at |
| n askew | crookedly; slanted; at an angle |
| asperity | sharpness; roughness; severity (of temper or weather); Ex. asperities of a Russian winter |
| aspersion | slanderous remark; Ex. cast aspersions on |
| aspirant | seeker after position or status |
| aspire | seek to attain (position or status); long for; Ex. aspire to become president; Ex. aspire to/after the leadership |
| assail | assault |
| n assay | analyze (to discover what materials are present); evaluate (soil or ore) |
| assent | agree; accept; N. assessment |
| n assert | state strongly or positively; demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.); make a claim to (by forceful action); Ex. assert one's independence |
| assiduous | diligent |
| assimilate | absorb; take (food) into the body and digest it; understand (knowledge) completely and be able to use properly; cause to become homogeneous (the people of a country or race in the wasy of behaving or thinking) |
| assuage | mak less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) |
| assumption | something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of; Ex. her assumption of power; V. assume |
| s regent | a person who governs in place of a ruler who is ill, absent, or still a child; ADJ. Ex. the Prince regent |
| assurance | firm statement that something is certainly true; promise or pledge; certainty; confidence in one's own ability; self-confidence; Ex. In spite of all his assurances, he did not come back; Ex. assurance of his loyalty; Ex. The teacher lacked assurance in fron of his class; V. assure; tell firmly with confidence; ensure; make (something) certain to heappen; make (someone) feel sure; give confidence to; ADJ. assured: self-assured; confident in one's own ability; showing certainty |
| asteroid | small planet |
| n astigmatism | eye defect which prevents proper focus; OP. stigmatism |
| n astral | relating to the stars |
| astringent | binding; causing contraction (stopping bleeding); harsh or severe; stringent; Ex. astringent criticism |
| astronomical | enormously large or extensive |
| astute | wise; shrewd; keen; seeing quickly something that is to one's advantage |
| n asunder | into parts; apart; V. sunder |
| asylum | place of refuge or shelter; protection (religious or political) |
| asymmetric | not identical on both sides of a dividing central line |
| n atavism | resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback; ADJ. atavistic |
| atheistic | denying the existence of God; N. atheism |
| atone | make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for |
| atrocity | brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious |
| atrophy | wasting away; V: weaken and lose flesh and muscle (through lack of blood or lack of use) |
| attentive | alert and watchful; listening carefully; paying attention; considerate; thoughtful; politely helpful; Ex. attentive audience; Ex. He was attentive to the old lady; N. attentions: act of courtesy and consideration |
| attenuate | make thin; weaken |
| attest | testify; bear witness |
| attribute | essential quality; V: ascribe; explain |
| attrition | rubbing away by friction; gradual decrease in numbers or strength; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment; Ex. a war of attrition |
| n atypical | not normal; not typical |
| audacious | daring; bold; N. audacity |
| audit | examination of accounts of a business; official examination; V. |
| augment | increase; add to |
| n augury | omen; prophecy; sign of coming events; V. augur: predict; foretell; be a sign of (something in future) |
| august | impressive; majestic |
| n aureole | sun's corona; halo; bright circle of light |
| n auroral | pertaining to the aurora borealis; CF. aurora australis |
| auspicious | favoring success; giving signs of future success; Cf. auspices |
| austere | forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment; severely simple and unornamented; Ex. a monk's austere life; Ex. austere grandeur of the cathedral; N. austerity |
| authenticate | prove genuine |
| authoritarian | subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will; Ex. authoritarian regime/father |
| authoritative | having the weight of authority; regarded as providing knowledge that can be trusted; reliable; peremptory and dictatorial; Ex. authoritative dictionary/manner; CF. definitive |
| autocratic | having absolute unchecked power; dictatorial; N. autocrat, autocracy |
| automaton | mechanism that imitates actions of humans; machine that works by itself |
| autonomous | self-governing; N. autonomy |
| autopsy | examination of a dead body; postmortem; V. |
| auxiliary | offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary; N: helper; assistant |
| avalanche | great mass of falling snow and ice |
| avarice | greediness for wealth |
| avenge | take vengence for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy. |
| aver | state confidently; declare as true |
| averse | reluctant; disinclined; not liking or opposed; Ex. averse to cats/doing the house work |
| aversion | firm dislike |
| avert | prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought); Ex. An accident was averted by his quick thinking; Ex. She averted her eyes from the terrible sight. |
| aviary | enclosure for birds; large cage |
| n avid | greedy; extremely eager for; Ex. avid learner; N. avidity |
| avocation | secondary or minor occupation |
| avow | declare openly; N. avowal |
| avuncular | of or like an uncle |
| awe | solemn wonder; feeling of respect mixed with wonder and fear; V: fill with awe; ADJ. awesome |
| s awful | terrible; very bad |
| n awl | pointed tool used for piercing |
| n awry | distorted; crooked; bent; Ex. Our plans have gone awry. |
| axiom | self-evident truth requiring no proof |
| n azure | sky blue |
| n babble | chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N. |
| n bacchanalian | drunken |
| s bacchanal | noisy party with a lot of drinking |
| s Bacchanalia | the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus |
| n badger | pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal |
| n badinage | teasing conversation; banter; joking talk |
| baffle | frustrate; perplex |
| n bait | harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals |
| n baleful | evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look |
| n balk | stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate |
| n ballast | heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast |
| n balm | something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees |
| s pang | sudden sharp feeling of pain |
| n balmy | soft and mild (of air); fragrant |
| banal | hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed |
| n bandy | discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with |
| bane | posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous |
| bantering | joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter |
| barb | sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark |
| n bard | poet |
| n barefaced | shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie |
| s unregenerate | making no attempt to change one's bad practices |
| n baroque | highly ornate |
| barrage | barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism |
| barrister | counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar |
| s solicitor | lawyer in the lower court of law |
| barterer | trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money |
| n bask | luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth |
| s luxuriate | take pleasure in great comfort |
| n bastion | stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism |
| n bate | let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate |
| n bauble | trinket; cheap jewel; trifle |
| n bawdy | indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd |
| n beatific | giving or showing bliss; blissful |
| s bliss | complete happiness; ADJ. blissful |
| n beatitude | blessedness; state of great happiness |
| s mystic | of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism |
| n bedizen | dress with vulgar finery |
| s finery | beautiful clothes for a special occasion |
| n bedraggle | wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled |
| n beeline | direct quick route |
| n befuddle | confuse thoroughly |
| s fuddle | make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused |
| beget | father; become the father of; produce; give rise to |
| n begrudge | envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldn't begrudge him his success. |
| s grudge | deep feeling of dislike; Ex. grudge fight; V. |
| n beguile | deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile |
| n behemoth | huge creature; something of monstrous size or power |
| n beholden | obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude |
| n behoove(behove) | be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do. |
| n belabor | harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically |
| n belated | delayed |
| n beleaguer | besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset |
| n belie | contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure. |
| belittle | disparage; depreciate |
| bellicose | warlike |
| belligerent | quarrelsome |
| n bemoan | lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of |
| n bemused | confused; lost in thought; preoccupied |
| benediction | blessing |
| benefactor | gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose |
| beneficent | kindly; doing good |
| beneficial | helpful; useful; advantageous |
| beneficiary | person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will |
| n benefit | advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits |
| benevolent | generous; charitable; having a wish to do good |
| benign | kindly; favorable; not malignant (disease); Ex. benign tumor |
| benison | blessing |
| bent | determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination |
| bequeath | leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest |
| n berate | scold strongly |
| n bereavement | state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft |
| n bereaved | deprived of (someone beloved through death) |
| n bereft | deprived of (something valuable); lacking |
| n berserk | mad with violent anger; frenzied; madly excited |
| beseech | beg; plead with |
| n beset | harass or trouble from all directions; hem in |
| s hem | surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N. |
| besiege | surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually |
| n besmirch | soil; defile; make dirty |
| n bestial | beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel |
| bestow | confer |
| n betoken | signify; indicate; be a sign of |
| s token | outward sign; Ex. a token of our gratitude |
| n betray | be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety. |
| n betroth | become engaged to marry |
| n bevy | large group; Ex. a bevy of starlets |
| bicameral | two-chambered as a legislative body |
| bicker | quarrel |
| biennial | every two years |
| n bifurcated | divided into two branches; forked |
| n bigotry | stubborn intolerance |
| s bigot | one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics) |
| s intolerant | not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; CF. tolerant; CF. tolerate |
| n bilious | suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated |
| n bilk | swindle; cheat |
| n billowing | swelling out in waves; surging |
| s billow | large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows |
| s swell | long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V. |
| s surge | powerful movement of or like a wave; V. |
| n bivouac | temporary encampment; camp without tents; V. |
| bizarre | fantastic; violently contrasting; noticeably odd; strikingly unconventional |
| n blanch | bleach; whiten; make white or pale |
| n bland | soothing or mild (food); agreeable; causing no trouble or offence |
| n blandishment | flattery |
| n blare | loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light |
| s screech | unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek; V. |
| s dazzle | make blind with a sudden intense light; amaze; fill with wonder |
| n blas\'e | bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored |
| n blasphemy | irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege |
| n blatant | extremely (offensively) obvious; loudly offensive; Ex. blatant lie; N. blatancy |
| n bleak | cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing |
| n blighted | suffering from a disease; destroyed |
| s blight | plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy |
| n blithe(blithesome) | gay; joyous |
| n bloated | (unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air |
| n blowhard | talkative boaster; braggart |
| n bludgeon | club; heavy-headed weapon; V. |
| n bluff | pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ: rough but good-natured |
| blunder | error; stupid mistake |
| n blurt | utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement |
| n bluster | blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale |
| s bully | one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; V. |
| bode | foreshadow; portend |
| bogus | counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview |
| n bohemian | unconventional (in an artistic way) |
| boisterous | violent; rough; noisy |
| n bolster | support; reinforce |
| n bolt | door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric; large roll of cloth; V: dash or dart off; fasten (a door); gobble down |
| s dart | move or throw suddenly and quickly |
| s gobble | eat very quickly |
| n bombardment | attack (as with missiles or bombs); V. bombard |
| n bombastic | pompous; using inflated language |
| s bombast | grandiloquent, pompous speech |
| n boon | blessing; benefit; something very helpful |
| n boorish | rude; insensitive |
| s boor | rude, insensitive person |
| n bouillon | clear beef (or meat) soup |
| n bountiful | generous; graciously generous; showing bounty |
| s gracious | kind in a generous way (to someone less important) |
| bourgeois | middle class; selfishly materialistic; too interested in material possessions |
| bovine | cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm |
| n bowdlerize | expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler |
| n brackish | somewhat saline |
| n braggadocio | boasting |
| s brag | boast |
| n braggart | boaster; bragger |
| n brandish | wave around (a weapon); flourish |
| n bravado | swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery |
| s swagger | walk or behave with an over-confident manner |
| n brawn | human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness |
| s brawny | muscular; having well-developed muscles |
| s sturdy | strong and firm (in the body) |
| n brazen | insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence |
| s brawl | noisy quarrel |
| n breach | breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening; V. |
| breadth | width; extent |
| brevity | conciseness; shortness of duration |
| n brindled | tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals) |
| s tawny | brownish yellow |
| n bristling | rising like bristles; showing irritation |
| s bristle | short stiff hair; V: (hair or fur) stand up stiffly |
| n brittle | hard but easily broken; difficult; unstable; Ex. brittle situation |
| n broach | introduce as a subject; moot; open up |
| n brocade | rich, figured(patterned) fabric |
| brochure | pamphlet |
| n brooch | ornamental clasp; pin |
| s clasp | hold firmly within arms |
| n brook | tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream |
| n browbeat | bully; intimidate |
| n browse | graze; feed on growing grass; skim or glance at casually |
| s graze | (of an animal) feed on growing grass; cause (an animal) to feed on grass; scrape (esp. the skin) or touch lightly in passing; brush; Ex. We can't graze the cattle till summer; N: surface wound |
| s skim | read or glance through quickly; touch lightly in passing; brush; remove from the surface of a liquid |
| n brunt | main impact or shock (of an attack or blow); Ex. brunt of the argument |
| n brusque | blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice |
| n buccaneer | pirate |
| n bucolic | rustic; pastoral |
| n buffet | strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that's been set |
| s slap | hit quickly with the flat part of the hand; N. CF. smack |
| n buffoonery | clowning |
| s buffoon | stupid person; clown |
| s clown | act stupidly; play the fool; N. |
| n bugaboo | bugbear; object of baseless terror |
| n bullion | gold and silver in the form of bars |
| n bulwark | strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends |
| n bungle | mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior |
| s botch | mismanage; blow |
| buoyant | able to float; cheerful and optimistic; N. buoyancy; Ex. buoyancy of wood/water/American market |
| bureaucracy | overregulated administrative system marked by red tape; ADJ. bureaucratic |
| n burgeon | grow rapidly; grow forth; send out buds; Ex. burgeoning computer industry; CF. bludgeon |
| n burlesque | give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly |
| n burnish | make shiny by rubbing; polish |
| n buttress | support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress |
| s prop | support placed under or against something; V. |
| n buxom | full-bosomed; plump; jolly |
| s plump | pleasantly fat; nicely rounded |
| n cabal | small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests |
| cache | hiding place; V. |
| cacophonous | discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds |
| cadaver | corpse; dead human body |
| cadaverous | like a corpse; pale |
| n cadence | rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm |
| n cajole | persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle |
| s coax | persuade by flattery |
| calamity | disaster; misery |
| calculated | deliberately planned; likely |
| n caldron(cauldron) | large kettle |
| n caliber | ability; quality; diameter of the inside of a round cylinder; Ex. work of very high caliber |
| calligraphy | beautiful writing; excellent penmanship |
| n callous | hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the sufferings of others; unkind |
| s callus | area of thick hard skin |
| n callow | youthful; immature; inexperienced |
| n calorific | heat-producing; N. calorie |
| calumny | malicious misrepresentation; slander |
| n camaraderie | good-fellowship; CF. comrade |
| n cameo | shell or jewel carved in relief; star's special appearance in a minor role in a film |
| n canard | unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report |
| n candor | frankness; open honesty; ADJ. candid |
| n canine | related to dogs; doglike |
| n canker | any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer |
| s ulcer | sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; Ex. stomach ulcer; ADJ. ulcerous; V. ulcerate |
| n canny | shrewd in money matters; thrifty |
| n cant | insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people |
| cantankerous | ill-humored; irritable |
| n cantata | story set to music to be sung by a chorus (shorter than an oratorio) |
| n canter | slow gallop; V. CF. trot |
| n canto | division of a long poem |
| n canvass | determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N. |
| capacious | spacious |
| n capacity | mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president |
| n capillary | having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender; Ex. capillary attraction; N: very fine hairlike tube; CF. capillarity |
| n capitulate | surrender; give up all resistance |
| caprice | whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause |
| capricious | unpredictable; fickle |
| caption | title; chapter heading; text under illustration |
| n captious | faultfinding; too critical |
| n carafe | glass water bottle; decanter |
| n carapace | shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.) |
| n carat(karat) | unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold |
| n carcinogenic | causing cancer; N. carcinogen |
| n cardinal | chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather thatn order |
| cardiologist | doctor specializing in ailments of the heart |
| n careen | lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger |
| s career | rush wildly; go at full speed |
| s sway | swing from side to side; influence (someone) to change one's opinion; N. |
| caricature | distortion; burlesque |
| carillon | a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played |
| carnage | destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals |
| carnal | fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body |
| carnivorous | meat-eating; N. carnivore; CF. herbivore |
| n carousal | drunken revel; V. carouse |
| n carping | petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble |
| n carrion | rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture |
| n cartographer | map-maker |
| cascade | small waterfall |
| n caste | one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige |
| castigation | punishment; severe criticism or disapproval |
| casualty | serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle |
| s casual | happening by chance; irregular; occasional; informal; showing or feeling little interest; Ex. casual reader/labor/remark |
| n cataclysm | deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change |
| n catalyst | agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis |
| catapult | slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult |
| s hurl | throw forcefully; shout out violently |
| n cataract | great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight) |
| catastrophe | calamity ; disaster |
| n catcall | shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V. |
| n catechism | book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize |
| categorical | without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute |
| s qualify | reach a necessary standard; limit the meaning of something stated |
| catharsis | purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art |
| cathartic | purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ. |
| n catholic | (of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes |
| n caucus | private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston |
| n caulk(calk) | make watertight (by blocking up cracks as in a ship) |
| causal | implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality |
| caustic | burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless |
| n cauterize | burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection |
| n cavalcade | procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry |
| n cavalier | casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight |
| n cavil | quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily |
| n cede | yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession |
| celerity | speed; rapidity |
| celestial | heavenly |
| s hereafter | life after death |
| s afterlife | life after death; later part of one's life |
| n celibate | abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy |
| censor | (in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V. |
| n censorious | severely critical |
| censure | blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval |
| centaur | mythical figure, half man and half horse |
| centigrade | denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius) |
| centrifugal | radiating; departing from the center |
| centrifuge | machine that separates substances by whirling them |
| centripetal | tending toward the center |
| centurion | Roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers) |
| cerebral | pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum |
| cerebration | thought; working of the brain |
| n ceremonious | marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy |
| s unceremonious | not done politely without due formalities |
| n certitude | certainty |
| cessation | stoppage |
| n cession | yielding to another; ceding |
| n chafe | warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N. |
| n chaff | worthless products of an endeavor; husk(outer seed cover) separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff |
| n chaffing | bantering; joking |
| n chagrin | annoyance and disappointment; vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride) |
| n chalice | goblet; consecrated cup |
| chameleon | lizard that changes color in different situations |
| champion | support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.) |
| s championship | position of champion; defense or support; competition held to determine a champion |
| chaotic | in utter disorder |
| charisma | divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism |
| n charlatan | quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine) |
| n chary | cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold |
| n chase | ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch |
| chasm | abyss; very deep crack |
| n chassis | framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached |
| chaste | morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere |
| n chasten | discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate |
| n chastise | punish as by beating; criticize severely |
| chauvinist | blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin |
| check | stop motion; curb or restrain |
| n checkered(chequered) | marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortuene; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares |
| n cherubic | angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order |
| n chicanery | trickery; deception |
| n chide | scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong) |
| n chimerical | fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature |
| n chisel | swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting |
| s chip | lose a small piece from the surface or edge; N: small piece broken off something; CF. French fry; Potato chip/crisp |
| chivalrous | courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry |
| n choleric | hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera |
| n choreography | art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances |
| s chore | daily domestic task (such as cleaning, cooking, and shopping); unpleasant task |
| n chortle | chuckle with delight; N. |
| s chuckle | laugh quietly |
| chronic | long established as a disease |
| chronicle | report; record (in chronological order) |
| n churlish | boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo |
| n ciliated | having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash |
| cipher | nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V. |
| circlet | small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc. (worn on the head, arms, or neck as decoration) |
| circuitous | roundabout |
| s circuit | closed circular line around an area; circumference; regularly repeated journey from place to place |
| circumlocution | indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly) |
| circumscribe | limit; confine; draw a line around |
| n circumspect | prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought |
| circumvent | outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around |
| n cistern | reservoir or water tank |
| citadel | fortress |
| cite | quote; commend; Ex. cited for bravery in an official record |
| civil | having to do with citizens; not military or religious; courteous and polite; Ex. married in a civil ceremony; Ex. civil strife/disorder/law; N. civility; CF. civic |
| clairvoyant | having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance |
| s hindsight | understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened |
| n clamber | climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble |
| clamor | loud continous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express (a demand) continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous |
| clandestine | secret |
| s chaperon | older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman |
| n clangor | loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging |
| n clapper | striker (tongue) of a bell |
| s clap | strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; Ex. clap the thief in jail; N: clapping; loud or explosive sound; CF. applause |
| n clarion | shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times |
| claustrophobia | fear of being locked in |
| n clavicle | collarbone |
| s scrimmage | disorderly fight between two or more people |
| cleave | split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to; N. cleavage; ADJ. cloven |
| n cleft | N: split |
| n clemency | disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement |
| clich\'e | phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. clich\'ed |
| s bromide | platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement |
| n clientele | body of customers |
| climactic | relating to the highest point; N. climax; CF. climatic |
| n clime | climate |
| n clique | small exclusive group of people |
| cloister | monastery or convent |
| n clout | great influence (especially political or social); hard blow with fist |
| cloying | distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess |
| n coagulate | congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant |
| s clot | half-solid lump formed from a liquid (or blood); V. |
| s pudding | hot sweet dish |
| coalesce | combine; fuse; N. coalescence |
| coalition | partnership; league; union of separate political parties |
| n coda | concluding section of a musical or literary composition |
| n coddle | treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs |
| n codicil | supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will |
| codify | arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs |
| coercion | use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce |
| n coeval | living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age |
| n cog | tooth projecting from a wheel |
| cogent | convincing |
| cogitate | think over; ponder |
| cognate | having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N. |
| cognitive | having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing |
| cognizance | knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware |
| n cohabit | live together |
| cohere | stick together |
| cohesion | tendency to keep together |
| n 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) |
| n coiffure | hairstyle |
| coin | make coins; invent or fabricate (a word or phrase); N. coinage: word or phrase recently invented |
| coincidence | the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental |
| n colander | utensil with perforated bottom used for straining |
| collaborate | work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy |
| n collage | work of art put together from fragments |
| s scrap | small bit or fragment; discarded waste material; fight; Ex. a scrap of paper/cloth; V: break into parts for disposal; discard as worthless; fight; quarrel |
| s scraps | leftover food |
| s scrappy | quarrelsome |
| collate | examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound) |
| collateral | security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; descended from the same person but through different sons or daughters |
| n collation | a light meal; collating |
| colloquial | pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression |
| colloquy | informal discussion; conversation |
| collusion | conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude |
| colossal | huge |
| colossus | gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance |
| n comatose | in a coma; extremely sleepy |
| s coma | deep prolonged unconsciousness caused by disease, poison, or a severe blow |
| combustible | easily burned; N. CF. combustion |
| comely | attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance |
| s homely | not good-looking; unattractive |