 | Term | Definition |
| |
factious |
adj. causing disagreement - syn: belligerent; contentious - ant: cooperative; united |
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ignoble |
adj. dishonorable; shameful - syn: despicable; base - ant: noble; glorious |
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boor |
n. a rude or impolite person - syn: buffoon; clown - ant: sophisticate |
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aegis |
n. a shield; protection - syn: backing |
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perspicacity |
n. keenness of judgment - syn: perceptiveness - ant: stupidity; ignorance |
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fervent |
adj. eager; earnest - syn: burning; passionate - ant: apathetic |
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rectify |
v. to correct; to make right - syn: remedy; resolve |
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enervate |
v. to weaken - syn: devitalize; exhaust - ant: energize; strengthen |
| |
besiege |
v. to overwhelm; to surround and attack |
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ephemeral |
adj. lasting only a brief time; short-lived - syn: transient; fleeting - ant: permanent |
| |
altruism |
n. a concern for others; generosity - syn: unselfishness; magnanimity - ant: selfishness; egoism |
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carrion |
n. decaying flesh |
| |
erotic |
adj. pertaining to sexual love |
| |
amorphous |
adj. shapeless, formless, vague |
| |
opulent |
adj. rich, luxurious; wealthy |
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impotent |
adj. powerless; lacking strength - syn: ineffective; helpless - ant: potent; powerful |
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antithesis |
n. an exact opposite; an opposite extreme - syn: converse - ant: same |
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maelstrom |
n. whirlpool; turbulence; agitated state of mind |
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emendation |
n. a correction - syn. improvement; amendment |
| |
chagrin |
n. embarrassment; a complete loss of courage |
| |
bauble |
n. a showy but useless thing - syn: trinket |
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diaphanous |
adj. very sheer and light - syn: transparent; gossamer - ant: opaque |
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labyrinth |
n. a complicated network of winding passages; a maze |
| |
gloat |
v. to look at or think about with great satisfaction - syn: revel; crow |
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impediment |
n. a barrier; obstruction - syn: obstacle; hindrance - ant: aid |
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bestial |
adj. savage; brutal - syn: brutish; vile; cruel - ant: humane; kind |
| |
effete |
adj. worn out; barren - syn: exhausted; spent and sterile - ant: vital; vigorous |
| |
shard |
n. a fragment |
| |
bland |
adj. mild; tasteless; dull - syn: smooth; agreeable - ant: exciting; thrilling |
| |
nihilism |
n. a total rejection of established laws |
| |
pedestrian |
adj. ordinary or dull - syn: commonplace; mediocre - ant: imaginative; compelling |
| |
bona fide |
adj. in good faith - syn: legitimate; genuine - ant: fraudulent; phony |
| |
adventitious |
adj. accidental; nonessential - syn: incidental |
| |
fecund |
adj. fertile; productive - syn: prolific - ant: sterile |
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deviate |
v. to turn aside from a course; to stray - syn: digress |
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obfuscate |
v. to confuse; to bewilder - syn: muddle; obscure - ant: clarify; elucidate |
| |
impale |
v. to pierce with a sharp stake through the body |
| |
extenuate |
v. to lessen seriousness by providing partial excuses |
| |
parochial |
adj. local; narrow; limited - syn: provincial; narrow-minded - ant: universal; catholic |
| |
glower |
v. to stare angrily - syn: frown; scowl - ant: grin |
| |
edify |
v. improve someone morally |
| |
ambiguous |
adj. open to more than one interpretation - syn: unclear; uncertain; vague - ant: explicit; definite |
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cataclysm |
n. a violent change - syn: disaster; catastrophe - ant: triumph; boon |
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optimum |
adj. best; most favorable; ideal |
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importune |
v. to ask persistently; to beg - syn: appeal; badger |
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celibate |
adj. abstaining from intercourse; unmarried |
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fortuitous |
adj. happening by chance or accident - syn: accidental; unexpected - ant: premeditated; intentional |
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recapitulate |
v. to summarize; to repeat briefly |
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perfunctory |
adj. done without care; in a routine fashion - syn: indifferent; offhand - ant: diligent; attentive |
| |
baroque |
adj. overly decorated - syn: ornate - ant: simple |
| |
hedonism |
n. pursuit of pleasure, especially of the senses |
| |
obloquy |
n. strong disapproval; a bad reputation resulting from public criticism - syn: censure; rebuke - ant: acclaim; praise |
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debacle |
n. a complete failure; a total collapse - syn: calamity; catastrophe - ant: success; triumph |
| |
quasi- |
adj. resembling; seeming; half |
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besmirch |
v. to make dirty; to stain - syn: soil; sully; smear - ant: cleanse |
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imperative |
adj. extremely necessary; vitally important |
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sacrosanct |
adj. extremely holy - syn: divine; angelic |
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sadistic |
adj. deriving pleasure from inflicting pain on others - syn: barbarous; perverse - ant: civilized; humane |
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demeanor |
n. behavior; manner of conducting oneself - syn: deportment |
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facetious |
adj. comical; jocular; flippant - syn: joking; witty: jocose - ant: solemn; serious |
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fop |
n. an excessively fashion-conscious man - syn: dandy |
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imprecation |
n. a curse - syn: condemnation; anathema - ant: blessing |
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non sequitur |
n. something that does not logically follow - syn: fallacy; misconception |
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sanguine |
adj. cheerful; optimistic |
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bowdlerize |
v. to remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etc. - syn: censor |
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impair |
v. to weaken; to cause to become worse - syn: damage; deteriorate - ant: enhance |
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panegyric |
n. an expression of praise - syn: tribute; extolment - ant: denunciation |
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quandary |
n. a puzzling situation; a dilemma - syn: predicament |
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ebullient |
adj. enthusiastic - syn: exuberant; lively - ant: dejected; dispirited |
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deference |
n. respect; consideration |
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carnal |
adj. relating to physical appetite, especially sexual - syn: erotic - ant: chaste; modest |
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nebulous |
adj. hazy; vague; uncertain - syn: cloudy; indistinct; obscure - ant: distinct; precise |
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rakish |
adj. dashingly stylish and confident - syn: dapper; jaunty - ant: slovenly; disheveled |
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elegy |
n. a sad or mournful poem - syn: dirge; lament |
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pedantic |
adj. tending to show off one's learning - syn: bookish |
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antipathy |
n. an intense dislike - syn: aversion - ant: affinity |
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elucidate |
v. to make clear - syn: explain; clarify - ant: obscure |
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imminent |
adj. likely to happen; threatening - syn: impending; approaching - ant: distant; delayed |
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banal |
adj. common, ordinary - syn: trivial; insipid - ant: original; fresh |
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obdurate |
adj. stubborn; hardhearted - syn: inflexible; obstinate - ant: compliant; amenable |
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peruse |
v. to read carefully; scrutinize |
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bedlam |
n. a noisy uproar; a scene of wild confusion - syn: mayhem; chaos |
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affluence |
n. wealth; richness - syn: fortune |
| |
scurrilous |
adj. coarsely abusive; vulgar - syn: indecent - ant: respectable |
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parody |
n. a work which imitates another in a ridiculous manner - syn: caricature; burlesque; lampoon |
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sedulous |
adj. hard working; diligent - syn: studious; assiduous - ant: lazy; lax |
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onerous |
adj. burdensome; heavy; hard to endure - syn: crushing; distressing |
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amoral |
adj. lacking a sense of right and wrong - syn: corrupt; evil - ant: innocent; virtuous |
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eschew |
v. to keep away from; to avoid; to shun - ant: embrace; welcome |
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denouement |
n. an outcome; result - syn: conclusion |
| |
adroit |
adj. skillful; clever - syn: dexterous; apt - ant: clumsy ; awkward |
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macroscopic |
adj. visible to the naked eye - ant: microscopic |
| |
fatuous |
adj. foolish; inane - syn: silly - ant: sensible; wise |
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bovine |
adj. pertaining to cows or cattle |
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ferret |
v. to search or drive out |
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affectation |
n. a phony attitude; pose - syn: insincerity; sham - ant: sincerity; genuineness |
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knell |
n. a sound made by a bell, often rung slowly for a death or funeral |
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dichotomy |
n. a division into two parts |
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callow |
adj. young and inexperienced - syn: immature - ant: mature; sophisticated |
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laconic |
adj. using few words; short; concise - syn: pithy; taciturn - ant: verbose; loquacious |
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quiddity |
n. an essential quality - syn: essence |
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patent |
adj. evident or obvious - syn: indisputable; apparent |
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peccadillo |
n. a minor offense; a misdeed |
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sagacious |
adj. wise; having keen perception and sound judgment - syn: shrewd; intelligent - ant: obtuse; fatuous |
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rationalize |
v. to make an excuse for - syn: justify |
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deride |
v. to ridicule; to mock - syn: scorn - ant: praise |
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censure |
v. to criticize sharply - syn: condemn; reproach - ant: praise; applaud |
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gambol |
v. to frolic; to romp about playfully - syn: play; caper; rollick |
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immolate |
v. to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire |
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recondite |
adj. difficult to understand; profound |
| |
martinet |
n. a strict disciplinarian; taskmaster |
| |
quagmire |
n. a swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation |
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gibe |
v. to scoff; to ridicule - syn: jeer; taunt; sneer - ant: compliment; praise |
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agape |
adj. open-mouthed; surprised; agog - syn: astonished |
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carcinogen |
n. causing cancer |
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olfactory |
adj. pertaining to smell |
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imperious |
adj. domineering; haughty - syn: overbearing; arrogant; masterful - ant: servile; submissive |
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grotesque |
adj. absurd; distorted |
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neologism |
n. a new word or expression - syn: coinage |
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hackneyed |
adj. commonplace; overused - syn: trite; banal - ant: fresh; imaginitive |
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machination |
n. an evil design or plan - syn: scheme; plot |
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pejorative |
adj. having a negative effect; insulting - syn: disparaging; derogatory - ant: complimentary |
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harbinger |
n. an omen or sign - syn: warning; portent |
| |
nubile |
adj. suitable for marriage in age and physical development, referring to a female |
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sapient |
adj. wise; full of knowledge - syn: sagacious - ant: fatuous; inane |
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chimerical |
adj. imaginary; fantastic - syn: absurd; illusionary - ant: practical |
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masochist |
n. one who enjoys his or her own pain and suffering |
| |
finesse |
n. diplomacy; tact; artful management - syn: skill; cunning - ant: tactlessness |
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heterogeneous |
adj. different; dissimilar - syn: diverse; varied - ant: homogeneous; similar |
| |
eclectic |
adj. choosing from various sources - syn: selective - ant: narrow |
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grandiose |
adj. impressive; showy; magnificent - syn: stately; imposing - ant: humble |
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raiment |
n. clothing; garments |
| |
blanch |
v. to whiten; to make pale |
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hybrid |
n. anything of mixed origin |
| |
idiosyncrasy |
n. a peculiar personality trait - syn: eccentricity; quirk |
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idolatry |
n. excessive or blind adoration; worship of an object |
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adulterate |
v. to make impure; to contaminate - syn: taint; corrupt - ant: refine; refined |
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emanate |
v. to come forth; to send forth - syn: rise; emerge |
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garish |
adj. tastelessly gaudy - syn: showy; glaring; flashy - ant: sedate; conservative |
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immutable |
adj. unchangeable; fixed - syn: enduring - ant: flexible; changeable |
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diadem |
n. a crown |
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bucolic |
adj. pertaining to the countryside; rural; rustic - syn: pastoral - ant: urban |
| |
redolent |
adj. having a pleasant odor; suggestive or evocative - syn: aromatic - ant: acrid |
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impecunious |
adj. without money; penniless - syn: destitute; indigent - ant: affluent; prosperous |
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sedition |
n. rebellion or resistance against the government - syn: treachery; disloyalty |
| |
defile |
v. to pollute; to corrupt |
| |
gratuitous |
adj. unnecessary or uncalled for |
| |
onus |
n. a burden; a responsibility - syn: obligation |
| |
impious |
adj. disrespectful toward God - syn: irreligious; profane - ant: devout; pious |
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caveat |
n. a warning - syn: admonition; caution |
| |
elixir |
n. a supposed remedy for all ailments - syn: medicine; panacea |
| |
desiccated |
adj. dried up |
| |
cessation |
n. a stopping; a discontinuance - syn: ceasing; end - ant: beginning; commencement |
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juxtapose |
v. to place side-by-side for comparison - syn: measure; examine |
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kinetic |
adj. pertaining to motion |
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garrulous |
adj. talkative - syn: loquacious; verbose - ant: taciturn |
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fetish |
n. an object that receives respect or devotion - syn: charm; talisman |
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scintillate |
v. to sparkle; to twinkle; to sparkle intellectually |
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lachrymose |
adj. tearful, weepy |
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fissure |
n. an opening; a groove; a split |
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epitome |
n. a typical example - syn: embodiment; archetype |
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languid |
adj. sluggish; drooping from weakness - syn: listless; feeble; drooping - ant: robust; vigorous |
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delineate |
v. to describe, to depict |
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legerdemain |
n. sleight of hand; deception |
| |
libertine |
n. one who leads an immoral life - syn: hedonist; glutton; epicurean |
| |
halcyon |
adj. calm; pleasant - syn: tranquil; unruffled - ant: troubled; tumultuous |
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fastidious |
adj. hard to please; fussy - syn: meticulous; exacting - ant: casual; lax |
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badinage |
n. playful, teasing talk - syn: chaff; joshing |
| |
malapropism |
n. a word humorously misused |
| |
garner |
v. to gather; to acquire - syn: harvest |
| |
kismet |
n. destiny; fate; fortune (one's lot in life) |
| |
hegira |
n. flight; escape |
| |
paradigm |
n. a model; an example |
| |
debauchery |
n. corruption; self-indulgence - syn: excess; dissipation |
| |
milieu |
n. environment; setting |
| |
regress |
v. to move backward |
| |
bilious |
adj. bad tempered; cross |
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necromancy |
n. magic, especially that practiced by witches - syn: black magic; conjuring |
| |
gumption |
n. courage and initiative; common sense - syn: enterprise; aggressiveness; drive |
| |
blandishment |
n. flattery - syn: overpraise; bootlicking |
| |
nirvana |
n. a condition of great peace or happiness |
| |
salutary |
adj. healthful; wholesome - syn: beneficial - ant. pernicious |
| |
despicable |
adj. contemptible; hateful - syn: vile; base - ant: laudable; worthy |
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harlequin |
n. a clown |
| |
empathy |
n. an understanding of another's feelings - syn: appreciation; compassion |
| |
brevity |
n. briefness; short duration - syn: terseness; conciseness - ant: lengthiness |
| |
savant |
n. a person of extensive learning; an eminent scholar |
| |
obsequious |
adj. excessively submissive or overly attentive - syn: servile; fawning - ant: domineering; haughty |
| |
redundant |
adj. repetitious; using more words than needed - syn: wordy; excessive; unnecessary - ant: essential |
| |
offal |
n. garbage; waste parts |
| |
hoi polloi |
n. the common people; the masses |
| |
sentient |
adj. conscious; capable of feeling or perceiving - syn: alert; alive; cognizant |
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impinge |
v. to encroach; to trespass - syn: infringe; intrude |
| |
cataract |
n. a large waterfall |
| |
animosity |
n. hatred - syn: ill-will; hostility - ant: friendliness; congeniality |
| |
bombast |
n. impressive but meaningless language |
| |
orthography |
n. correct spelling |
| |
paleontology |
n. a science dealing with prehistoric life, through the study of fossils |
| |
recoil |
v. to retreat; to draw back |
| |
panache |
n. self-confidence; a showy manner - syn: charisma; spirit |
| |
saturnine |
adj. gloomy; sluggish - syn: sullen; morose - ant: genial |
| |
endemic |
adj. confined to a particular country or area - syn: native; indigenous - ant: alien; foreign |
| |
mendacious |
adj. lying; false; deceitful - syn: duplicitous - ant: truthful |
| |
obviate |
v. to prevent; to get around - syn: circumvent |
| |
paroxysm |
n. a sudden outburst; a fit - syn: outburst; commotion |
| |
aggrandize |
v. (1) to increase the range of; to expand - syn: enlarge; augment; enrich - ant: decrease; diminish (2) to make appear larger - syn: exaggerate; embellish - ant: belittle; devalue |
| |
deign |
v. to lower oneself before an inferior - syn: stoop; condescend |
| |
flaunt |
v. to show off - syn: boast; exhibit - ant: conceal |
| |
shibboleth |
n. a word or pronunciation that distinguishes someone as of a particular group |
| |
elicit |
v. to draw forth; to call forth - syn: evoke; extract - ant: cover; suppress |
| |
orifice |
mouth; opening |
| |
hallow |
to make holy |
| |
perdition |
damnation; ruin; hell |
| |
chaff |
worthless matter |
| |
aesthetic |
pertaining to beauty |
| |
empirical |
based on practical experience rather than theory |
| |
germane |
relevant; fitting |
| |
hermetic |
tightly sealed |
| |
meretricious |
attractive in a cheap, flashy way |
| |
querulous |
complaining; grumbling |
| |
flaccid |
flabby |
| |
hospice |
a shelter for travelers, orphans, or the ill or destitute |
| |
egregious |
remarkably bad; outrageous |
| |
ratiocinate |
to reason; to think |
| |
foment |
to stir up; to incite |
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