 | Term | Definition |
| |
impute |
attribute or ascribe (to another) |
| |
renounce |
give up, cast off, deny a claim (formally) |
| |
reprimand |
to rebuke formally or severely |
| |
requite |
to repay, reward |
| |
segregate |
to separate, set apart |
| |
subjugate |
to bring under control, subdue |
| |
surmount |
to rise above, overcome |
| |
tabulate |
to organize (data) in tables and columns |
| |
traverse |
to move across or pass over |
| |
vilify |
to speak evil of, defame |
| |
intricate |
complicated, complex |
| |
martial |
warlike, military |
| |
negligible |
trifling, unimportant |
| |
obstinate |
stubborn, dogged, not easily subdued |
| |
precarious |
insecure, uncertain |
| |
redundant |
repetitious, unnecessary to the meaning |
| |
requisite |
necessary, indispensable |
| |
servile |
yielding, submissive, befitting low position |
| |
sundry |
various, assorted, diverse |
| |
valiant |
brave, courageous |
| |
anomaly |
an abnormal, irregular fact or occurrence |
| |
apogee |
highest or farthest point (in an orbit); climax |
| |
apocalypse |
vision of future (well-being); revelation |
| |
arson |
act of setting fire(s) purposely |
| |
client |
person for whom a lawyer, accountant, or agency is acting; customer |
| |
hypothesis |
theory; unproved explanation |
| |
incidence |
process of a happening, an occurrence |
| |
initiative |
unprompted action, the first step, enterprise |
| |
litany |
a responsive prayer or religious service |
| |
maxim |
a wise saying, aphorism, proverb |
| |
mosaic |
inlaid art work, design made from bits of glass or stone set in cement |
| |
perquisite |
an extra benefit or remuneration |
| |
complement |
to round out, make complete |
| |
console |
to comfort (a person), make less sad |
| |
consummate |
to bring to fulfillment or completion |
| |
enervate |
weaken, take strength from, debilitate |
| |
exalt |
to lift up, elevate |
| |
perforate |
punch hole(s), pierce |
| |
propagate |
to reproduce, spread abroad |
| |
stipulate |
to specify, include explicitly (in an agreement) |
| |
aegis |
protection, sponsorship |
| |
amazon |
a large strong or athletic woman, a female warrior |
| |
aurora |
the dawn or similar luminosity |
| |
odyssey |
extended journey or wandering |
| |
paean |
song of thanksgiving, joy, praise, triumph |
| |
palladium |
safeguard, something to insure safety |
| |
plutocrat |
a wealthy person, especially one whose wealth means power |
| |
siren |
a bewitching or irresistible woman; fascinating, captivating |
| |
Valhalla |
hall of feasting heroes |
| |
ambrosial |
fragrant, delicious, superior |
| |
Apollonian |
godlike, living by enlightened, aesthetic, intellectual values; harmonious, spiritual |
| |
Dionysian |
living for sensual and material delights |
| |
hermetic |
completely sealed, airtight, hard to understand, relating to the occult or the magical |
| |
procrustean |
taking fanatical or ruthless action to attain conformity |
| |
Promethean |
daring, creative, or heroic on behalf of humanity |
| |
Pyrrhic victory |
a too-costly victory |
| |
Stygian |
dark, gloomy, hellish |
| |
tantalizing |
teasing, tormenting |
| |
terpsichorean |
pertaining to dancing |
| |
titanic |
extremely large, strong, or powerful |
| |
abridge |
to shorten or condense |
| |
acquiesce |
to consent, agree passively |
| |
allude |
to refer to ro mention casually |
| |
constitute |
to form, or make up |
| |
contrive |
to plot, scheme, devise a way |
| |
corroborate |
to verify, confirm, substantiate |
| |
culminate |
to reach the highest point |
| |
depreciate |
to decrease in value, belittle |
| |
dilate |
to expand or enlarge |
| |
discriminate |
to observe differences, make unfair distinctions |
| |
arid |
dry, barren, parched, lifeless |
| |
chronic |
constant, habitual, recurring |
| |
dubious |
doubtful, uncertain, causing doubt |
| |
indulgent |
yielding, lenient, easy-going |
| |
internal |
inside, within (body, country, etc.), inner |
| |
lethal |
deadly, fatal |
| |
livid |
pale, lead-colored, grayish blue |
| |
overt |
open, unconcealed |
| |
senile |
characteristic of old age |
| |
virtual |
almost, for all practical purposes, being something in effect but not actually |
| |
accelerate |
to speed up, increase the speed |
| |
compensate |
to make up for, pay, remunerate |
| |
exaggerate |
to overstate, magnify, inflate |
| |
humiliate |
to lower the self-respect of, mortify |
| |
impale |
to pierce, thrust through |
| |
jeopardize |
to endanger |
| |
perpetrate |
to perform, carry out |
| |
promulgate |
to make known, spread widely |
| |
resuscitate |
to revive, bring back to life |
| |
simulate |
to feign, pretend, imitate |
| |
metaphor |
an implied comparison |
| |
moron |
person of low intelligence, fool |
| |
nonentity |
a person or thing of no importance |
| |
parity |
equality, equivalence |
| |
satellite |
a small body revolving around a larger one; a person, group, nation dependent on a larger one |
| |
scroll |
an ancient rolled manuscript |
| |
simile |
an expressed comparison |
| |
sovereign |
the supreme ruler, monarch |
| |
stratum |
a layer or level |
| |
tenacity |
unyielding firmness |
| |
affinity |
attraction, kinship |
| |
despot |
a ruler with absolute power, a tyrant |
| |
effigy |
image, likeness |
| |
hybrid |
a cross between two varieties |
| |
illusion |
something not what it appears to be |
| |
opulence |
wealth, abundance |
| |
precision |
exactness, accuracy |
| |
proximity |
nearness |
| |
reminiscence |
a calling to mind, recollection |
| |
reprisal |
act of retaliation, especially in war |
| |
adroit |
skillful, clever |
| |
facile |
easily done, moving easily or quickly |
| |
feline |
catlike, sly, stealthy |
| |
mediocre |
average, commonplace |
| |
prodigious |
enormous, marvelous, superhuman |
| |
prosaic |
dull, monotonous, uninteresting |
| |
spontaneous |
arising naturally from within, bubbling up |
| |
subtle |
delicate, artful, requiring acuteness |
| |
transient |
fleeting, short-lived |
| |
austere |
rigorous, stern, severely simple |
| |
avid |
eager, greedy |
| |
capricious |
subject to whims, changeable |
| |
competent |
capable, skillful, well qualified |
| |
diffident |
shy, timid, unassertive |
| |
diminutive |
undersized, small |
| |
formidable |
hard to overcome, causing fear or dread |
| |
inexorable |
unyielding, unrelenting |
| |
inscrutable |
mysterious, unfathomable, beyond comprehension |
| |
inveterate |
habitual, deeply established |
| |
lugubrious |
mournful, doleful, dismal |
| |
melancholy |
gloomy, brooding, sadly thoughtful |
| |
meticulous |
scrupulous about details |
| |
munificent |
very generous, lavish |
| |
opportune |
timely, advantageous, seasonable |
| |
plebeian |
common, ordinary, low-class |
| |
precipitous |
very steep |
| |
precocious |
ahead in development (especially mental); exhibiting exceptionally mature qualities |
| |
pugnacious |
quarrelsome, inclined to fight |
| |
querulous |
fretful, complaining |
| |
punitive |
intended to punish, bringing punishment |
