- ablution: washing
- actuary: someone who advises insurance companies
- acute: (of the senses) sharp; quickly perceptive; keen; penetrating; brief and severe; Ex. acute sense of smell/analysis/pain
- adjoin: be next to
- adjunct: something attached to but holding an inferior position
- adverse: going against; opposing; unfavorable; hostile
- affinity: feeling of kinship; similarity; Ex. strong affinity for her; Ex. many affinities between two languages
- agitate: stir up; disturb
- alliteration: repetition of beginning sound in poetry
- amazon: female warrior
- ambidextrous: capable of using either hand with equal ease
- amiss: wrong; faulty; Ex. something amiss; ADV.
- amorous: moved by sexual love; loving; of sexual love; Ex. amorous advances
- anarchist: person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority
- anemia: condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles; ADJ. anemic
- animated: lively; spirited
- apocryphal: (of a story) widely believed but untrue
- apprehend: arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive; N. apprehension
- ashen: ash-colored; deadly pale
- atone: make amends for; pay for; Ex. atone for
- axiom: self-evident truth requiring no proof
- bantering: joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
- blandishment: flattery
- bloated: (unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air
- bump: hit or knock against with force; N.
- cadaverous: like a corpse; pale
- catholic: (of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes
- cessation: stoppage
- choleric: hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera
- clout: great influence (especially political or social); hard blow with fist
- compunction: remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt
- consign: send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart (for a special purpose); N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee
- contaminate: pollute
- contusion: bruise
- conventional: ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons
- crest: top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird
- demean: disgrace; humiliate; debase in dignity; behave
- despise: look on with scorn; regard as worthless or distasteful; ADJ. despicable: contemptible
- devolve: deputize; pass or be passed to others (power, work, or property); Ex. devolve on/upon/to
- dinghy: small boat (often ship's boat)
- disavowal: denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim
- disquisition: formal systematic inquiry; explanation of the results of a formal inquiry; long formal speech or written report
- disseminate: distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds)
- dissimulate: pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble
- dormant: sleeping; temporarily inactive; lethargic; latent
- dotage: senility; feeblemindedness of old age; Ex. In one's dotage
- dribble: flow or fall in drops; let saliva flow out slowly from the mouth; move a ball; N.
- ego: one's opinion of oneself; self-esteem
- elope: run away secretly with the intention of getting married
- enlist: (cause to) join the armed forces; obtain (help, sympathy, or support)
- erratic: odd; irregular in movement or behavior; unpredictable
- euthanasia: mercy killing
- evince: show clearly
- exceptionable: objectionable; likely to cause dislike; offensive; CF. unexceptionable: entirely acceptable
- executive: person having administrative authority; one branch of government executing laws; ADJ: relating to executing
- existential: pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism
- extraneous: not essential; irrelevant; superfluous; external; coming from the outside; Ex. extraneous details/noise/to the subject
- fancy: imagination (of a whimsical or fantastic nature); capricious liking; V: imagine; be fond of; ADJ. decorative; elaborate
- fashion: give shape to; make; Ex. fashion the pot out of clay
- feasible: practical; able to be carried out; practicable
- felicity: happiness; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.); quality of being felicitous
- figment: invention; something invented; imaginary thing; Ex. figment of your imagination
- finesse: delicate skill; V: handle with finesse
- flashy: showy; gaudy; giving a momentary brilliance
- flourish: grow well; prosper; make sweeping gestures; wave; brandish; Ex. The trees flourished in the sun. N: showy movement or gesture; embellishment or ornamentation (esp. in handwriting)
- flowery: full of flowers; full of ornate expressions
- fluency: smoothness of speech; ADJ. fluent
- foil: contrast; one that by contrast enhances the distinctive characteristics of another
- foment: stir up; incite; instigate; promote the growth of (something evil or unpleasant)
- forgo(forego): give up; do without
- forum: public square of an ancient Roman city; public place for open discussion; court of law
- fuddle: make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused
- fulminate: thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation
- garbled: mixed up; jumbled; distorted; V. garble: mix up or distort (a message) to such an extent as to make misleading or unintelligible
- gargoyle: waterspout carved in grotesque figures on a building
- gnarl: protruding knot on a tree; V.
- graduated: arranged by degrees (of height, difficulty, etc.)
- grim: causing great fear; unrelenting; determined in spite of fear; Ex. grim smile
- gullible: easily deceived
- h: 44
- h: 45
- haphazard: random; by chance; happening in an unplanned manner; Ex. haphazard growth of the town
- harass: annoy by repeated attacks
- heed: pay attention to; N: close attention
- heinous: atrocious; wicked; hatefully bad; Ex. heinous crime
- hermetic: sealed by fusion so as to be airtight; airtight
- homage: honor; tribute; great respect; Ex. pay/do homage to
- hypothetical: based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed; N. hypothesis
- impeccable: faultless
- impenitent: not repentant
- inamorata: woman whom a man loves
- incinerate: burn to ashes
- indecisive: marked by indecision; inconclusive; Ex. indecisive battle
- 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.
- indite: write; compose
- indomitable: unconquerable; unyielding
- inequity: unfairness; ADJ. inequitable
- infidel: unbeliever (with respect to a particular religion)
- iniquitous: wicked; immoral; unrighteous; N. iniquity; Ex. den of iniquity
- innovation: change; something newly introduced; introduction of something new; V. innovate: begin or introduce (something new); be creative; ADJ. innovative
- intrepid: fearless
- laborious: demanding much work or care; tedious
- lavish: liberal; wasteful; generous or wasteful in giving or using; abundant; profuse; great; Ex. decorated lavishly; V. give in abundance
- liet;: CF. feudal, feudalism
- ligneous: like wood
- lunar: pertaining to the moon
- luster: shine; gloss (of a polished surface)
- malfeasance: wrongdoing; misconduct (by a public official)
- malicious: hateful; spiteful; expressing malice; N. malice: desire to harm others; spite
- mat: not shiny; matte; having a dull finish; N: flat piece of material used as a floor covering; V.
- mercenary: motivated solely by money or gain; N.
- mirage: unreal reflection; optical illusion
- mischief: behavior (of children) causing trouble with no serious harm; damage; harm; Ex. mischief to the crops; ADJ. mischievous: causing mischief; playfully troublesome
- mite: very small object or insect-like creature; small coin
- mural: wall painting
- obstreperous: boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable
- outrage: act of extreme violence or viciousness; resentful anger; V: commit an outrage on; produce anger in; ADJ. outrageous: offensive
- palpitate: throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.
- paltry: insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash
- panacea: cure-all; remedy for all diseases
- parallelism: state of being parallel; similarity; analogy
- philanderer: faithless lover; flirt
- pinch: squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; Ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. N: amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger
- piquant: pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help
- placebo: harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
- plethora: excess; overabundance; Ex. a plethora of excuses
- potentate: monarch; sovereign
- potential: expressing possibility; latent; N: capacity for growth
- precedent: preceding (in time, rank, etc.)
- predecessor: former occupant of a post
- presentiment: premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear
- pretend: feign; pretend to: claim to possess; make pretensions to; Ex. I don't pretend to much expertise; N. pretense
- prim: proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
- pristine: unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition
- procrastinate: postpone; delay or put off
- prod: poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding
- prolific: producing offspring or fruit in abundance; fertile; fecund; abundantly fruitful; producing abundant works; Ex. prolific writer
- prong: pointed projecting part
- prop: support placed under or against something; V.
- propagate: increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas
- propinquity: nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship
- prurient: having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire
- quip: taunt; clever sarcastic remark; V.
- raffle: lottery; V: award as a prize in a raffle; Ex. raffle off a new car
- rally: come or bring together; call up or summon (forces, vital powers, etc.); revive or recuperate (after illness or difficulty); N: act of rallying; mass gathering
- rampart: defensive mound of earth
- realm: kingdom; field or sphere; Ex. not within the realms of possibility
- reciprocate: do or give something in return; repay in kind; give or take mutually; interchange; move backwards and forwards; Ex. reciprocate his invitation by inviting him; N. reciprocity: reciprocal relationship; mutual interchange of advantages between two groups; Ex. reciprocity in trading rights
- recourse: resorting to help when in trouble; Ex. without recourse to
- recrimination: countercharges; V. recriminate
- recurrent: occurring again and again
- refute: disprove; prove to be false; N. refutation
- reminiscence: recollection; V. reminisce: recollect the past
- requisite: necessary requirement; something required; ADJ: required; necessary
- rescind: repeal; annul; cancel (a law, decision, or agreement)
- restraint: moderation or self-control; controlling force; restriction
- riddle: pierce with holes; permeate or spread throughout; Ex. The gunman riddled the car with bullets; Ex. The whole report is riddled with errors; N. large sieve (separating earth from stone)
- rigor: severity; Ex. rigors of the Russian winter
- schematic: of a schema or scheme; relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols; N. schema: diagrammatic representation; outline
- score: number of points; written form of a musical composition; reason; group of 20; notch or incision; Ex. full/vocal score; Ex. Don't worry on that score; V: mark with lines or notches; Ex. score the paper to make it easy to fold
- season: enhance the flavor of by adding a spice, etc.; inure; harden; N. seasoning: something used in seasoning
- sedulous: diligent; assiduous; paying attention; N. sedulity
- shackle: chain; fetter; confine with shackles; N.
- Shangri-la: imaginary remote paradise on earth; CF. Lost Horizon
- sinister: evil; ominous
- slacken: slow up; loosen; make or become slack
- sluggish: lazy; slow; inactive; lethargic; CF. slug: nail with no shell
- snivel: complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle; Ex. Don't come back sniveling to me.
- sobriety: moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
- sodden: thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink
- straggle: stray or fall behind (a main group); spread out in a scattered group; Ex. straggling marathon racer; Ex. straggling branch
- strut: supporting bar; CF. airplane wing이나 building 등을 support
- subsequent: following in time or order; later
- subsidy: direct financial aid by government, etc.; V. subsidize: assist with a subsidy
- substantial: of substance; material; solid; essential or fundamental; ample; considerable; well-to-do; wealthy
- suffragist: advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); CF. suffrage
- sumptuous: grand suggesting great expense; lavish; rich; Ex. sumptuous feast
- superimpose: place over something else
- supplicate: petition humbly; pray to grant a favor
- sustain: suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life); Ex. sustain the family/the trapped miners
- tactile: pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
- takeoff: burlesque; act of leaving the ground
- tawny: brownish yellow
- terminal: part that forms the end; railroad or bus station; ADJ. forming an end; ending in death; fatal; Ex. terminal cancer
- thespian: pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress
- torque: twisting force; force producing rotation
- torrent: rushing stream; flood; Ex. The rain fell in torrents.
- traduce: expose to slander
- transcendent: exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing; V. transcend: go beyond; exceed; surpass; N. transcendancy
- travail: strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth
- tread: walk; trample; N: grooved face of a tire; horizontal part of a step
- unfrock: defrock; strip a priest or minister of church authority
- unrequited: not requited; not reciprocated; Ex. unrequited love
- unscathed: unharmed; Ex. escape the accident unscathed
- venture: risk; expose to risk; dare; undertake a risk; N.
- verisimilitude: appearance of truth; quality of appearing to be true or real; likelihood; Ex. verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth
- vernacular: living language (as compared to the official language); language spoken in a country or region; natural style; Ex. lapse into the vernacular
- vulture: carrion-eating birds
- wallow: roll in mud; indulge in; (of a ship) roll in a rough sea; become helpless; Ex. wallow in the mud/luxury
- withhold: refuse to give; hold back; Ex. withholding tax
- wont: (the stated person's) habit or custom; habitual procedure; ADJ. wonted: customary
- wrinkle: small ridge on a smooth surface (face or cloth); V.
- writ: written command issued by a court (telling someone to do or not to do something)
- zany: comic; crazy; N: clown; comical person (given to outlandish behavior)