 | Term | Definition |
| |
cynosure |
object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor |
| |
cynical |
skeptical or distrustful of human motives; N. cynicism; CF. cynic: person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness |
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curtail |
shorten; reduce |
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cursory |
casual; hastily done with little attention to detail |
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cursive |
flowing; running; having the successive letters joined |
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curmudgeon |
churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person |
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curator |
superintendent; manager |
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cupidity |
greed ; CF. cupid; CF. Cupid |
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cumulative |
growing by addition; accumulative |
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cumbersome |
heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform |
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culvert |
artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road |
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culpable |
deserving blame; blameworthy |
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culmination |
highest point; climax; V. culminate in: reach the highest point in; end in; Ex. a series of minor clashes culminating in war |
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cull |
pick out from others ; reject; select; collect ; N. |
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culinary |
relating to cooking or kitchen |
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cuisine |
style of cooking; Ex. French cuisine |
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cubicle |
small chamber used for sleeping or work |
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cryptic |
mysterious; hidden; secret |
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crypt |
secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room |
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crux |
essential or main point; Ex. the crux of the problem; ADJ. crucial: of deciding importance |
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crotchety |
eccentric; odd; whimsical; bad-tempered; N. crotchet: odd or whimsical notion |
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crone |
hag; ugly old woman |
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criteria |
standards used in judging; CF. criterion |
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cringe |
shrink back as if in fear; cower |
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crevice |
crack; fissure |
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crestfallen |
dejected; dispirited |
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crescendo |
increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent |
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creed |
system of religious or ethical belief |
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credulity |
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete; ADJ. credulous |
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credo |
creed |
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credence |
belief |
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craven |
cowardly |
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crass |
very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior |
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crabbed |
sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting |
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cozen |
cheat; hoodwink; swindle |
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coy |
shy ; showing a lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer |
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cower |
shrink quivering as from fear; cringe |
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cow |
terrorize; intimidate |
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covetous |
avaricious; desirous of ; V. covet: desire eagerly |
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covert |
secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt |
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covenant |
binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise |
| |
courier |
messenger |
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couple |
join; unite; OP. uncouple |
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coup |
highly successful action or sudden attack; coup d"etat; CF. coup de grace: deathblow or shot which kills |
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counterpart |
thing that completes another; things very much alike; thing that has the same purpose in a different system |
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countermand |
cancel; revoke |
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countenance |
approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance |
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coterie |
group that meets socially; select circle; close group of people with shared interests |
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cosmic |
pertaining to the universe; vast |
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corrugated |
wrinkled; ridged |
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corrosive |
eating away by chemicals or disease; fierce |
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corrode |
destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action |
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corroborate |
confirm; support; strengthen |
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correlation |
mutual relationship |
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corpulent |
very fat; N. corpulence |
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corporeal |
bodily ; of a bodily form; material; tangible |
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corollary |
natural consequence |
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cornucopia |
horn overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance; horn of plenty |
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cornice |
projecting molding on building |
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cordon |
extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress; V. |
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cordial |
warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt; Ex. cordial welcome |
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coquette |
flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V. |
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copious |
plentiful |
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convoluted |
coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain |
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convoke |
call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation |
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convivial |
pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial |
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conviction |
judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief |
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conveyance |
vehicle; transfer; act of conveying; Ex. public conveyance |
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convex |
curving outward |
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convert |
one who has adopted a different religion or opinion; V: change into another form; adopt a particular religion or belief |
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converse |
opposite; ADJ. |
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conversant |
familiar with; having knowledge of |
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converge |
approach; tend to meet; come together |
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conventional |
ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons |
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convention |
social or moral custom; established practice; formal meeting; international agreement |
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convene |
come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council |
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conundrum |
riddle; difficult problem |
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contusion |
bruise |
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contumacious |
stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority |
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controvert |
oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy |
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contrived |
unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived. |
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contrite |
penitent; repentant; N. contrition |
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contravene |
contradict; oppose; violate ; N. contravention |
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contraband |
illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods; ADJ. |
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contortions |
twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist |
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contingent |
dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency |
| |
continence |
self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel functions; ADJ. continent |
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contiguous |
adjacent to; touching upon |
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context |
writings preceding and following the passage quoted; circumstance in which an event occurs |
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contest |
dispute; argue about the rightness of; compete for; try to win; Ex. contest the election results; Ex. contest a seat in Parliament; N. |
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contentious |
quarrelsome; controversial; likely to cause arguments |
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contention |
assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition |
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contend |
struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly |
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contempt |
scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible |
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contaminate |
pollute |
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contagion |
infection ; ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air |
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consummate |
complete; V. |
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construe |
explain; interpret; Ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; CF. misconstrue |
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constraint |
restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison |
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constituent |
supporter; voter; member of a constituency; component |
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conspiracy |
treacherous plot; secret plan against the law |
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consort |
associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife |
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consonance |
harmony; agreement |
| |
consolidation |
unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen |
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console |
lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort; allay the sorrow of; N. consolation |
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consistency |
absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; Ex. consistency of thick cream; CF. viscous |
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consign |
send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart ; N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee |
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conservatory |
school of the fine arts ; glass-enclosed area; CF. conservancy |
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consequential |
self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent |
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consensus |
general agreement; opinion reached by a group |
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consecrate |
dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred; Ex. consecrate one's life to helping the poor |
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conscript |
draftee; person forced into military service; V. |
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conscientious |
scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker |
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consanguinity |
kinship; relationship by birth |
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connubial |
pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state |
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connotation |
suggested or implied meaning of an expression; V. connote |
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connoisseur |
person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. ; a lover of an art |
| |
connivance |
pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign ignorance ; cooperate secretly in an illegal action; conspire |
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conjure |
cause to appear by magic; summon by magical power; practice magic ; evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat. |
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conjugal |
pertaining to marriage |
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conjecture |
surmise; guess; V. |
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conifer |
pine tree ; cone-bearing tree; ADJ. coniferous; CF. deciduous; CF. evergreen |
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congruent |
in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous |
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congruence |
correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity |
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conglomeration |
mass of material sticking together |
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congenital |
existing at birth |
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congenial |
pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather |
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congeal |
freeze; coagulate |
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confound |
confuse; puzzle |
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conformity |
harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformance |
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confluence |
flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together |
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conflagration |
great fire |
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confiscate |
seize; take possession of by official order ; commandeer |
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confine |
shut in an enclosed space; restrict; keep within limits; N. confinement |
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confidant |
trusted friend |
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conduit |
aqueduct; passageway for fluids |
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conducive |
helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards |
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condone |
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse |
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condole |
express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow |
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condiments |
seasonings; spices |
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condign |
adequate; severe and well deserved |
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condescend |
bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior |
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concurrent |
happening at the same time; in agreement |
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concur |
agree; coincide; happen at the same time |
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concord |
harmony; accord |
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concomitant |
that which accompanies; Ex. Deafness is a frequent concomitant of old age; ADJ: existing or happening together with something else |
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concoct |
prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction |
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conclusive |
decisive; ending all debate |
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conclave |
private secret meeting |
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concise |
brief and compact |
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conciliatory |
reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings |
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concession |
an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil concessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire |
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concerted |
mutually agreed on; done together by agreement; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together |
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conception |
beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization; V. conceive: form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant; CF. inception |
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concentric |
having a common center |
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conceit |
vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one's own value; extravagant metaphor |
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concede |
admit; acknowledge as being true ; yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal |
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concave |
hollow; curved inwards; OP. convex |
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concatenate |
link as in a chain |
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compute |
reckon; calculate |
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compunction |
remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt |
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compromise |
adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the interests or reputation of; put into danger, disrepute, or a dishonorable position; Ex. compromise one's principle; N. |
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comprise |
include; consist of |
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compress |
force into less space; squeeze; contract; put into fewer words; N: thick mass of cloth pressed to part of the body to stop bleeding or swelling, reduce fever, etc. |
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comprehensive |
broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive |
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compound |
combine; produce by combining; increase; make worse by adding to or increasing; exacerbate; Ex. compound an error; ADJ: consisting of two or more parts; N: combination of two or more parts; area enclosed by a wall containing a group of buildings; Ex. factory compound; CF. complex |
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composure |
mental calmness |
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comport |
bear one's self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment |
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component |
element; ingredient |
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complicity |
participation; involvement |
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compliant |
readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; conforming to requirements |
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compliance |
conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply |
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complementary |
serving to complete something |
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complement |
complete; consummate; make perfect; N. |
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complaisant |
trying to please; obliging; willing to please others |
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complacency |
self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent |
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compile |
assemble; gather; accumulate; make from facts and information found in various places; Ex. compile a dictionary |
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compilation |
listing of information in tabular or book form; compiling |
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compensatory |
making up for; repaying |
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compendium |
brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious |
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compelling |
overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel |
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compatible |
harmonious; in harmony with; able to exist together |
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compact |
agreement; contract; ADJ: tightly packed; firm; brief; concise; Ex. compact statement |
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communal |
held in common; public; of a group of people; of a commune |
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commodious |
spacious and comfortable |
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commiserate |
feel or express pity or sympathy for |
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commensurate |
equal in extent; of the same size |
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commemorative |
remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp |
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commandeer |
take for military use without needing permission or giving payment; draft for military purposes |
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comity |
courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations |
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comeuppance |
deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke |
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comestible |
something fit to be eaten |
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comely |
attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance |
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combustible |
easily burned; N. CF. combustion |
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comatose |
in a coma; extremely sleepy |
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colossus |
gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance |
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colossal |
huge |
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collusion |
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude |
| |
colloquy |
informal discussion; conversation |
| |
colloquial |
pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression |
| |
collation |
a light meal; collating |
| |
collateral |
security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; descended from the same person but through different sons or daughters |
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collate |
examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order |
| |
collage |
work of art put together from fragments |
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collaborate |
work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy |
| |
colander |
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining |
| |
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 |
| |
coin |
make coins; invent or fabricate ; N. coinage: word or phrase recently invented |
| |
coiffure |
hairstyle |
| |
cohorts |
group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander |
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cohesion |
tendency to keep together |
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cohere |
stick together |
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cohabit |
live together |
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cognizance |
knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware |
| |
cognitive |
having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing |
| |
cognate |
having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N. |
| |
cogitate |
think over; ponder |
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cogent |
convincing |
| |
cog |
tooth projecting from a wheel |
| |
coeval |
living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age |
| |
coercion |
use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce |
| |
codify |
arrange as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs |
| |
codicil |
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will |
| |
coddle |
treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs |
| |
coda |
concluding section of a musical or literary composition |
| |
coalition |
partnership; league; union of separate political parties |
| |
coalesce |
combine; fuse; N. coalescence |
| |
coagulate |
congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant |
| |
cloying |
distasteful ; excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess |
| |
clout |
great influence ; hard blow with fist |
| |
cloister |
monastery or convent |
| |
clique |
small exclusive group of people |
| |
clime |
climate |
| |
climactic |
relating to the highest point; N. climax; CF. climatic |
| |
clientele |
body of customers |
| |
cliche |
phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. cliched |
| |
clemency |
disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement |
| |
cleft |
split |
| |
cleave |
split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to; N. cleavage; ADJ. cloven |
| |
clavicle |
collarbone |
| |
claustrophobia |
fear of being locked in |
| |
clarion |
shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times |
| |
clapper |
striker of a bell |
| |
clangor |
loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging |
| |
clandestine |
secret |
| |
clamor |
loud continuous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous |
| |
clamber |
climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble |
| |
clairvoyant |
having foresight; fortune teller; N. clairvoyance |
| |
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 |
| |
cite |
quote; commend; Ex. cited for bravery in an official record |
| |
citadel |
fortress |
| |
cistern |
reservoir or water tank |
| |
circumvent |
outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around |
| |
circumspect |
prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought |
| |
circumscribe |
limit; confine; draw a line around |
| |
circumlocution |
indirect or roundabout expression |
| |
circuitous |
roundabout |
| |
circlet |
small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc. |
| |
cipher |
nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V. |
| |
ciliated |
having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash |
| |
churlish |
boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo |
| |
chronicle |
report; record |
| |
chronic |
long established as a disease |
| |
chortle |
chuckle with delight; N. |
| |
choreography |
art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances |
| |
choleric |
hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera |
| |
chivalrous |
courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry |
| |
chisel |
swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting |
| |
chimerical |
fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature |
| |
chide |
scold; rebuke |
| |
chicanery |
trickery; deception |
| |
cherubic |
angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order |
| |
checkered |
marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortune; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares |
| |
check |
stop motion; curb or restrain |
| |
chauvinist |
blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin |
| |
chastise |
punish as by beating; criticize severely |
| |
chasten |
discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate |
| |
chaste |
morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple ; not highly decorated; austere |
| |
chassis |
framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached |
| |
chasm |
abyss; very deep crack |
| |
chase |
ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch |
| |
chary |
cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold |
| |
charlatan |
quack; pretender to knowledge |
| |
charisma |
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism |
| |
chaotic |
in utter disorder |
| |
champion |
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly |
| |
chameleon |
lizard that changes color in different situations |
| |
chalice |
goblet; consecrated cup |
| |
chagrin |
annoyance and disappointment; vexation |
| |
chaffing |
bantering; joking |
| |
chaff |
worthless products of an endeavor; husk separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff |
| |
chafe |
warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N. |
| |
cession |
yielding to another; ceding |
| |
cessation |
stoppage |
| |
certitude |
certainty |
| |
ceremonious |
marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy |
| |
cerebration |
thought; working of the brain |
| |
cerebral |
pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum |
| |
centurion |
Roman army officer |
| |
centripetal |
tending toward the center |
| |
centrifuge |
machine that separates substances by whirling them |
| |
centrifugal |
radiating; departing from the center |
| |
centigrade |
denoting a widely used temperature scale |
| |
centaur |
mythical figure, half man and half horse |
| |
censure |
blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval |
| |
censorious |
severely critical |
| |
censor |
overseer of morals ; person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V. |
| |
celibate |
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy |
| |
celestial |
heavenly |
| |
celerity |
speed; rapidity |
| |
cede |
yield to ; surrender formally; N. cession |
| |
cavil |
quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily |
| |
cavalier |
casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight |
| |
cavalcade |
procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry |
| |
cauterize |
burn with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection |
| |
caustic |
burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless |
| |
causal |
implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality |
| |
caulk |
make watertight |
| |
caucus |
private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston |
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catholic |
universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes |
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cathartic |
purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ. |
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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 |
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categorical |
without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute |
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catechism |
book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize |
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catcall |
shout of disapproval or displeasure ; boo; V. |
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catastrophe |
calamity ; disaster |
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cataract |
great waterfall; eye abnormality |
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catapult |
slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult |
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catalyst |
agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis |
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cataclysm |
deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change |
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casualty |
serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle |
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castigation |
punishment; severe criticism or disapproval |
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caste |
one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige |
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cascade |
small waterfall |
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cartographer |
map-maker |
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carrion |
rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture |
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carping |
petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble |
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carousal |
drunken revel; V. carouse |
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carnivorous |
meat-eating; N. carnivore; CF. herbivore |
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carnal |
fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body |
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carnage |
destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals |
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carillon |
a set of bells capable of being played |
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caricature |
distortion; burlesque |
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careen |
lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger |
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cardiologist |
doctor specializing in ailments of the heart |
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cardinal |
chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather than order |
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carcinogenic |
causing cancer; N. carcinogen |
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carat |
unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold |
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carapace |
shell covering the back |
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carafe |
glass water bottle; decanter |
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captious |
faultfinding; too critical |
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caption |
title; chapter heading; text under illustration |
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capricious |
unpredictable; fickle |
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caprice |
whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause |
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capitulate |
surrender; give up all resistance |
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capillary |
having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender; Ex. capillary attraction; N: very fine hairlike tube; CF. capillarity |
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capacity |
mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president |
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capacious |
spacious |
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canvass |
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N. |
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canto |
division of a long poem |
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canter |
slow gallop; V. CF. trot |
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