Book16 Flashcards
1
Q
nebula
A
diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy
2
Q
necromancy
A
black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis
3
Q
nefarious
A
very wicked
4
Q
negate
A
cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation
5
Q
negligence
A
neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care
6
Q
negligible
A
so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded
7
Q
nemesis
A
someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis
8
Q
neologism
A
new or newly coined word or phrase
9
Q
neophyte
A
recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant
10
Q
nepotism
A
favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew
11
Q
favoritism
A
display of partiality toward a favored person
12
Q
nether
A
lower; Ex. nether garments/regions
13
Q
nettle
A
irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome
14
Q
nexus
A
connection
15
Q
nib
A
beak(bill); pen point
16
Q
nicety
A
precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties
17
Q
niggardly
A
meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. niggard: stingy person
18
Q
niggle
A
spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling
19
Q
nihilist
A
one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement
20
Q
nip
A
snip off; stop something’s growth or development; bite; make numb with cold; Ex. nip the plan; Ex. A guard dog nipped the postman; Ex. fingers nipped by the extreme chill
21
Q
snip
A
short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors
22
Q
pinch
A
squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; Ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. N: amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger
23
Q
nirvana
A
in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude
24
Q
impersonal
A
not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization
25
nocturnal
done or active at night; Ex. nocturnal animals/raids; CF. nocturne
26
noisome
foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome
27
nomadic
wandering; N. nomad: tribe who migrates from place to place
28
nomenclature
terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things
29
nominal
in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint
30
nonchalance
indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude to his debts
31
noncommittal
neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided
32
nondescript
undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript fellow in a crowd
33
nonentity
person of no importance; nonexistence
34
nonplus
put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more
35
nostalgia
homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic
36
nostrum
questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy)
37
notable
conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important; distinguished; noted
38
notoriety
disrepute; ill fame
39
nova
star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness
40
novelty
something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original
41
novice
beginner
42
noxious
harmful; CF. obnoxious
43
nuance
shade of slight difference in meaning or color; subtle distinction
44
shade
slight difference in degree; nuance; degree of color; Ex. shades of meaning/grey
45
gradation
series of gradual stages; degree in such a progression
46
nubile
marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial
47
nugatory
worthless; futile
48
nullify
make invalid; make null; invalidate
49
numismatist
person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals
50
nuptial
related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials: wedding ceremony
51
nurture
nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something that nourishes; rearing
52
nutrient
nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment
53
nutrition
process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition
54
nutritious
providing nourishment
55
nourish
provide with food necessary for life and growth
56
nourishment
something that nourishes; food
57
oaf
stupid awkward person; CF. elf
58
obdurate
stubborn; refusing to change one's belief
59
obeisance
bow (to show respect and obedience)
60
obelisk
tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid
61
obese
excessively fat; N. obesity
62
obfuscate
confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand
63
obituary
death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ.
64
objective
not influenced by emotions; fair; N: goal; aim
65
obligatory
binding; required; compulsory; V. oblige: constrain; make grateful; do a favor; accommodate
66
oblique
indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference
67
obliterate
destroy completely; wipe out; Ex. obliterate the village
68
oblivion
obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness
69
oblivious
inattentive or unmindful; unaware; wholly absorbed; forgetful(having the habit of forgetting)
70
obloquy
slander; disgrace; infamy
71
obnoxious
offensive; disagreeable; Ex. obnoxious smell
72
obscure
dark; vague; unclear; not well known; Ex. obscure meaning/village; V: darken; cover; make unclear; Ex. obscure the moon/meaning
73
obsequious
slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic
74
slavish
of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original
75
obsequy
funeral ceremony
76
obsessive
related to thinking about something constantly; of an obsession; preoccupying; N. obsession: compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea; compulsive idea; V. obsess: preoccupy the mind of excessively
77
obsidian
black volcanic rock
78
scion
detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant
79
obsolete
outmoded; no longer used
80
obstetrician
physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife
81
obstinate
stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy
82
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable
83
obtrude
push (oneself or one's ideas) forward or intrude; impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others; butt in; stick out or extrude; thrust out; Ex. obtrude A on B; ADJ. obtrusive; N. obtrusion; CF. unobtrusive
84
obtuse
blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding
85
obviate
make unnecessary; get rid of; Ex. obviate the need
86
Occident
the West
87
occlude
shut; close; obstruct; Ex. A blood clot occluded an artery.
88
occult
mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension; CF. mysterious to human ?; OP. bare
89
oculist
physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes
90
odious
arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile
91
odium
detestation; quality of being odious; hatefulness; disrepute (resulting from hateful conduct)
92
odoriferous
giving off an odor
93
odorous
having an odor
94
odyssey
long, eventful, adventurous journey
95
offensive
attacking; insulting; distasteful; V. offend: violate; hurt the feelings of; N. offense: offending; violating of a moral or social code; crime; attack; Ex. first offense
96
offhand
casual; done without prior thought or preparation
97
officious
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy
98
pushy
disagreeably aggressive
99
ogle
look at amorously; make eyes at; Ex. old men ogling young girls
100
olfactory
concerning the sense of smell
101
oligarchy
government by a privileged few
102
ominous
threatening; of an evil omen
103
threat
sign or warning (of coming danger); Ex. threat of rain; V: express a threat; give warning of (something bad); Ex. The cloud threatens rain.
104
omnipotent
all-powerful; having unlimited power
105
omnipresent
universally present; ubiquitous
106
omniscient
all-knowing
107
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
108
onerous
burdensome
109
onomatopoeia
words formed in imitation of natural sounds
110
rustle
make slight sounds like silk moving or being rubbed together
111
onslaught
vicious assault; fierce attack; Ex. unexpected onslaught of the enemy
112
slaughter
killing of animals for food; massacre; V: butcher (animals) for food; kill in large numbers
113
onus
burden; responsibility
114
spare
give; use; refrain from harming; save from experiencing; exempt; Ex. spare me 5 minutes; Ex. Take this money and spare my life; Ex. The emperor was spared the onus; ADJ: kept in reserve; free for other use; unoccupied; Ex. spare time
115
opalescent
iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence
116
opaque
dark; not transparent; N. opacity
117
opiate
medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something that relieves emotions or causes inaction; sleep-producing drug containing opium
118
opportune
timely; well-chosen
119
opportunist
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances; N. opportunism
120
opprobrium
infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous
121
optician
maker and seller of eyeglasses
122
optimist
person who looks on the bright side; N. optimism
123
optimum
most favorable; optimal; N: most favorable condition
124
optional
not compulsory; left to one's choice; N. option: act of choosing; choice; freedom or power to choose; something available as a choice; Ex. have no option; Ex. two options
125
optometrist
one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
126
opulence
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; ADJ. opulent: possessing great wealth; abundant
127
opus
work (esp. musical composition); Ex. magnum opus: masterpiece; CF. opera
128
oracular
of an oracle; prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous; hard to understand; N. oracle: wiser person; prophecy made by an oracle
129
orator
public speaker
130
oratorio
dramatic poem set to music; long musical work with singing but without acting; CF. cantata
131
ordain
decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine; install as a minister, priest, or rabbi; N. ordainment; CF. ordination
132
ordeal
severe trial or affliction; difficult experience; trial(test of patience or endurance); affliction
133
ordinance
decree; authoritative order
134
ordination
ceremony conferring holy orders; ceremony of ordaining a priest
135
orgy
wild drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence in an activity; Ex. orgy of shopping
136
orient
get one's bearings; adjust; make familiar with a situation; orientate
137
orientation
act of finding oneself in society; orienting
138
orifice
mouthlike opening; small opening (esp. to a cavern or passage of the body); CF. mouth
139
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
140
ornithologist
scientific student of birds; N. ornithology: scientific study of birds
141
orthodox
traditional; (of someone) conservative in belief; adhering to an established doctrine
142
orthography
correct spelling; CF. ortho-: straight; correct; Ex. orthodontics
143
oscillate
vibrate pendulumlike; waver
144
osseous
made of bone; bony
145
ossify
change or harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one's ideas
146
ostensible
apparent; appearing as such; professed(pretended); pretended; Ex. ostensible purpose of the expedition
147
apparent
evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement
148
ostentatious
showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious; N. ostentation: showy display
149
ostracize
banish from a group; exclude from public favor; ban; Ex. His friends ostracized him. N. ostracism
150
blackball
vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote
151
oust
expel; drive out; force out; N. ouster: ousting
152
outlandish
bizzare; peculiar; unconventional
153
outmoded
no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned
154
outskirts
fringes; outer borders (as of a city); Ex. outskirts of Boston
155
outspoken
candid; blunt
156
blunt
having a dull edge; abrupt and frank in speech or manner; brusque; V: make or become blunt
157
outstrip
outrun; surpass; outdo
158
outwit
outsmart; defeat by behaving more cleverly
159
ovation
enthusiastic applause
160
overbearing
bossy; domineering and arrogant; decisively important; Ex. overbearing manner/importance; V. overbear: dominate
161
overt
open to view; public; not secret; CF. covert
162
overweening
arrogant; presumptuous
163
overwrought
nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done
164
hysteria
excessive or uncontrollable excitement; N. hysteric: person suffering from hysteria; CF. hysterics: attack of hysteria
165
ovoid
egg-shaped; CF. ovum; CF. ovulate
166
pachyderm
thick-skinned animal
167
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
168
pacify
soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue; bring peace to
169
paean
song of praise or joy; Ex. paeans celebrating the victory
170
painstaking
taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through
171
palatable
agreeable; pleasing to the taste
172
palate
roof of the mouth; sense of the taste
173
palatial
of or suitable for a palace; magnificent
174
paleontology
study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents
175
palette
board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)
176
palimpsest
parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased
177
parchment
writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat
178
pall
become boring; grow tiresome
179
pallet
small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet
180
palliate
ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive (a crime or illness)
181
pallid
pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion
182
palpable
tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder
183
palpitate
throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.
184
throb
(of a heart or machine) beat rapidly or violently; N. Ex. hearthrob: heartbeat; sweetheart
185
paltry
insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash
186
pan
criticize harshly
187
panacea
cure-all; remedy for all diseases
188
panache
flair; manner of doing things without any difficulty (causing admiration); flamboyance; bunch of feathers (on a helmet); Ex. with great panache
189
pandemic
widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people
190
pandemonium
wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; CF. Paradise Lost
191
pander
cater to (the low desires of others)
192
cater
provide food and drink (for); cater to: try to satisfy (desires of a bad kind)
193
panegyric
formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don't deserve such panegyrics.
194
panoramic
denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view; N. panorama: unbroken view of a wide area
195
pantomime
acting without dialogue; V.
196
papyrus
ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
197
parable
short simple story teaching a moral
198
paradigm
model; example that serves as a model; pattern; list of all the inflectional forms of a word
199
paradox
something apparently contradictory in nature (that may nonetheless be true); statement that looks false but is actually correct
200
paragon
model of perfection; Ex. paragon of virtue
