 | Term | Definition |
| |
amalgamate |
to mix, combine, merge |
| |
amortize |
to diminsh by installment payments |
| |
apocryphal |
not genuine, fictional |
| |
apotheosis |
glorification, glorified ideal |
| |
heyday |
stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success |
| |
approbation |
praise, official approval |
| |
atrophy |
to waste away, to wither from disuse, degeneration |
| |
augury |
prophecy, prediction of events |
| |
bastion |
fortification, stronghold; haven, asylum |
| |
bequeath |
to give or leave through a will, to hand down |
| |
bilk |
to cheat , defraud, dupe |
| |
cadence |
rhythmic flow of poetry; marching beat |
| |
chagrin |
shame, embarrassment, humiliation |
| |
chicanery |
trickery, fraud, deception |
| |
choleric |
easily angered, short-tempered |
| |
collusion |
collaboration, complicity, conspiracy |
| |
compunction |
feeling of uneasiness caused by guilt or regret |
| |
consonant |
consistent with, agrees with |
| |
construe |
to interpret or explain |
| |
continence |
self-control |
| |
corporeal |
tangible, material |
| |
epiphany |
a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality |
| |
corpulence |
obesity, fatness |
| |
corroborate |
to confirm, verify |
| |
cosset |
to pamper, spoil |
| |
cupidity |
greed, avarice |
| |
cursory |
hastily done, superficial |
| |
deciduous |
ephemeral, temporary; losing leaves in the fall |
| |
deluge |
to submerge, overwhelm, flood |
| |
demur |
to express doubts or objections |
| |
depravity |
sinfulness, moral corruption |
| |
desiccate |
to dry completely, dehydrate |
| |
desultory |
at random, rambling; unmethodical |
| |
diaphanous |
allowing light to show through; delicate |
| |
disseminate |
to spread far and wide |
| |
divine |
to foretell or know by inspiration |
| |
droll |
amusing in a wry, subtle way |
| |
dulcet |
pleasant sounding, soothing to the ear |
| |
dyspeptic |
gloomy and irritable, suffering from indigestion |
| |
effigy |
stuffed doll, likeness of a person |
| |
effrontery |
impudent boldness; audacity |
| |
effulgent |
brilliantly shining |
| |
endemic |
belonging to a particular area, indigenous |
| |
ennui |
boredom |
| |
ensconce |
to settle comfortably into a place |
| |
epicure |
a person w/ refined taste in cuisine |
| |
ethereal |
not earthly, spiritual |
| |
ethos |
belief or character of a group |
| |
evince |
to show clearly, signify |
| |
execrable |
utterly detestable, abhorrent |
| |
exhort |
to convince; to urge or incite by strong appeals |
| |
expiate |
to atone, to make amends |
| |
expurgate |
to censor |
| |
fatuous |
stupid, foolish, absurd, ludicrous |
| |
fecund |
fertile, fruitful, productive |
| |
fetter |
to bind, chain, confine, handcuff |
| |
flaccid |
limp, weak |
| |
foible |
minor weakness or character flaw |
| |
founder |
to sink, to fall helplessly |
| |
gambol |
to dance or skip around playfully |
| |
invective |
verbal abuse |
| |
lachrymose |
tearful |
| |
limpid |
clear, transparent, lucid |
| |
lugubrious |
sorrowful, mournful |
| |
mettle |
courageousness, endurance |
| |
noisome |
stinking, putrid |
| |
onerous |
burdensome |
| |
ostensible |
apparent, supposed |
| |
palaver |
idle talk, chit-chat |
| |
palliate |
to make less serious, assuage, mitigate |
| |
panoply |
large variety, impressive array |
| |
parley |
discussion, usually between enemies |
| |
parochial |
of limited scope or outlook, provincial |
| |
pastiche |
spoof, piece of literature or music imitating other works |
| |
paucity |
scarcity, lack |
| |
peccadillo |
minor sin or offense |
| |
perdition |
complete and utter loss, damnation, abyss |
| |
pittance |
meager amount or wage |
| |
pontificate |
to speak in a pretentious mannar |
| |
privation |
lack of usual necessities or comforts; deprivation; poverty |
| |
probity |
honesty, high-mindedness, rectitude |
| |
profligate |
corrupt, shamelessly immoral, degenerate |
| |
proselytize |
to convert to a particular belief or religion |
| |
protean |
readily assuming differnt forms or characters, versatile |
| |
pulchritude |
beauty |
| |
quotidian |
occurring daily, commonplace |
| |
retinue |
group of attendants w/ an important person |
| |
revelry |
boisterous festivity |
| |
ribald |
humorous in a vulgar way |
| |
ruminate |
to contemplate, reflect upon |
| |
scintilla |
a trace/very small amount, spark, speck |
| |
iota |
scintilla, mote |
| |
scintillate |
to sparkle, flash |
| |
scurrilous |
vulgar, low, indecent |
| |
sectarian |
narrow-minded, relating to a group or sect |
| |
sentient |
aware, conscious |
| |
simper |
to smirk, to smile foolishly |
| |
sinuous |
winding, intricate, complex |
| |
solipsism |
belief that oneself is the only reality; egoistic |
| |
trenchant |
acute, sharp, incisive |
| |
umbrage |
offense, resentment |
| |
vapid |
dull, tasteless |
| |
vicissitude |
change or variation, ups and downs, inconsistency |
| |
vitriolic |
burning, caustic |
| |
whet |
to sharpen, to stimulate |
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace