 | Term | Definition |
| |
derelict |
abandoned; negligent |
| |
fracas |
a noisy fight |
| |
improvident |
not preparing for the future; incautious |
| |
lapse |
to decline from a previous level or standard; to come to an end |
| |
inimical |
harmful in effect; hostile |
| |
exposition |
a statement intended to give background information or to explain something difficult |
| |
torpid |
inactive; sluggish; dormant |
| |
foray |
a sudden raid; an initial attempt, esp. outside one's usual field |
| |
transient |
passing with time; remaining only briefly |
| |
amend |
to improve through change or correction |
| |
aural |
perceived by the ear |
| |
banshee |
in Celtic mythology, a female spirit who presages a death by wailing |
| |
cacophony |
a harsh, jarring sound |
| |
dissonant |
harsh and disagreeable in sound |
| |
drone |
to make a continuous, low buzzing or humming sound; to speak monotonously |
| |
dulcet |
pleasant sounding |
| |
reverberate |
to reecho |
| |
stentorian |
extremely loud |
| |
timbre |
the distinguishing quality of a sound |
| |
warble |
to sing with trills or other musical embellishments |
| |
ascertain |
to discover with certainty, as through examination |
| |
criterion |
a measureable value; a standard for judging |
| |
discern |
to perceive and understand so as to make distinctions |
| |
discerning |
demonstrating insight or good taste |
| |
discreet |
careful about what one says or does; prudent |
| |
discrete |
individually distinct or separate |
| |
excrete |
to separate (waste matter) and eliminate from the body |
| |
hypocrisy |
the pretense of having virtues or beliefs that one does not really have |
| |
indiscriminate |
unselective; random; unrestrained |
| |
secrete |
to put or keep in a hiding place; to conceal |
| |
abdomen |
the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis; the belly |
| |
analgesic |
a medication that relieves pain |
| |
carcinogenic |
causing cancer |
| |
cardiac |
relating to the heart |
| |
cauternize |
to burn with a specialized instrument, esp. to stop bleeding |
| |
larynx |
the part of the throat containing vocal cords |
| |
pectoral |
of or located in or on the chest or breast |
| |
pulmonary |
relating to the lungs |
| |
quarantine |
enforced isolation to prevent the spread of disease; to isolate for such purpose |
| |
ulcerous |
having a lesion on the skin or inner mucous membrane |
| |
adhere |
to stick to; to be a firm follower |
| |
agreeable |
pleasing or pleasant; willing or ready to consent |
| |
ambush |
a sudden attack from a concealed position; to make such an attack |
| |
amicable |
showing friendliness or good will |
| |
asset |
a valuable thing, quality, or resource |
| |
authoritative |
of acknowledged accuracy or excellence; highly reliable |
| |
camouflage |
concealment by disguise; to conceal |
| |
complex |
having two or more interrelated parts; not simple |
| |
contrive |
to bring about artificially |
| |
descry |
to catch sight of, esp. something distant or obscure |
| |
dint |
power; effort |
| |
effulgent |
shining forth brilliantly |
| |
emigration |
departure from one country for another |
| |
ensemble |
a group, esp. of performers, working as a unified whole |
| |
estuary |
the part of a river that meets a sea |
| |
filch |
to steal, esp. something of little value |
| |
flounce |
to move in a lively or bouncy manner |
| |
foreboding |
a sense of impending evil, esp. one without definite cause |
| |
forum |
a meeting that invites public participation; a medium for conducting a discussion |
| |
frank |
open and sincere; straightforward |
| |
frantic |
very excited by strong emotion; characterized by rapid and unorganized activity |
| |
gratis |
free of charge |
| |
heritage |
something immaterial, such as a custom, passed from one generation to another |
| |
holocaust |
great or total destruction, esp. by fire; mass killing; genocide |
| |
implode |
to violently collapse inward |
| |
inconsequential |
unimportant |
| |
indignation |
anger aroused by something unjust or evil |
| |
insolvent |
unable to pay debts as they become due |
| |
kiosk |
a small booth from which tickets or newspapers are sold; a column-like structure for posting notices |
| |
lewd |
preoccupied with sex and sexual desire |
| |
lout |
an awkward, stupid person |
| |
marrow |
the soft tissue that fills the cavities of most bones; the innermost, essential part |
| |
maunder |
to talk in a rambling way; to move aimlessly |
| |
metaphysical |
highly abstract or theoretical; lacking physical form |
| |
minutiae |
trivial details |
| |
muckraker |
one who searches for and exposes misconduct in public life |
| |
nudge |
a gentle push; to push gently |
| |
parameter |
one of a set of measurable factors that determine a system's behavior and are varied in an experiment |
| |
payload |
freight; the revenue-carrying part of cargo |
| |
penurious |
extreme or petty unwillingless to spend money |
| |
pert |
trim and stylish in appearance; impudently bold |
| |
plunder |
to rob; to take wrongfully |
| |
prepossessing |
impressing favorably |
| |
principal |
of highest importance; chief |
| |
prohibitive |
forbidding; too great as to discourage purchase or use |
| |
pundit |
a person who gives opinion or commentary; an educated person |
| |
referendum |
direct popular vote on a law or measure of public policy |
| |
robust |
strong and full of health |
| |
rustle |
to move with soft sounds; to steal cattle |
| |
sacrosanct |
very sacred, holy, or inviolable |
| |
schema |
an outline or model, often drawn as a diagram |
| |
sensate |
having physical perception |
| |
spontaneous |
occurring naturally or without forethought |
| |
stultify |
to make absurdly useless, esp. by degrading; to make appear foolish |
| |
sylvan |
characteristic of woods or forests |
| |
unguent |
an ointment for soothing or healing |
| |
visage |
facial feature or expression |
| |
wend |
to go or proceed |
| |
whet |
to sharpen; to make keen |
| |
wily |
full of cunning |
