Book17 Flashcards
parallelism
state of being parallel; similarity; analogy
parallel
similar; analogous; corresponding; N: parallel line; person or thing that is parallel (to another); similarity; Ex. know of no parallel to the case; Ex. without parallel; V: be similar to; make parallel; Ex. Your experience parallels mine; CF. unparalleled
parameter
limit; independent variable; Ex. parameters of the problem; Ex. within the parameters of the budget
paramount
foremost in importance; supreme; CF. para-: beyond; above; Ex. paranormal
paramour
illicit lover
inamorata
woman whom a man loves
paranoia
psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution; N: ADJ: paranoid, paranoiac
paraphernalia
equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; Ex. photographic paraphernalia; CF. married woman’s property exclusive of her dowry
dowry
money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage
paraphrase
restate a passage in one’s own words while retaining thought of author; N: restatement of a text in other words
parasite
animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside
infest
inhabit in numbers large enough to be harmful; Ex. Mice infested the house; Ex. shark-infested waters
parched
extremely dry; very thirsty; V. parch: make or become extremely dry (by exposure to heat)
pariah
social outcast; Ex. Mariah the pariah
outcast
one that has been excluded from a society; ADJ.
parity
equality; close resemblance; CF. disparate
parlance
language; manner of speaking; idiom; Ex. in legal/common parlance
parley
conference (between opponents); CF. speak
parochial
narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes
parish
area in the care of a single priest and served by one main church
outlook
point of view; view from a particular place; expectation for the future; prospect; Ex. outlook on life; Ex. pleasing outlook; Ex. weather outlook
parody
humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty; V.
spoof
parody
takeoff
burlesque; act of leaving the ground
paroxysm
fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst
parquet
floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece
parry
ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N.
ward
administrative division of a city; division in a hospital or prison; incompetent person placed under the protection of a guardian; V: guard; ward off: avert
parsimony
stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious
partial
incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something
partiality
state of being partial; inclination; favorable bias; special fondness; preference
partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla
parvenu
upstart; newly rich person
partition
divide into parts
pass'e
old-fashioned; past the prime
passive
not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; accepting without resistance
pastiche
imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists
pastoral
rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor
patent
obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N.
pathetic
causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
touching
causing a feeling of pity or sympathy; pathetic; V. touch: cause to feel pity or sympathy; ADJ. touched
pathological
pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease
pathos
tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel
patina
green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
varnish
paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. nail varnish; V.
patois
local or provincial dialect
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe
patrician
noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian
patronize
support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. patronage; CF. boycott
paucity
scarcity; dearth
pauper
very poor person
peccadillo
slight offense or fault; CF. sin
swipe
hit with a sweeping motion; N.
pecuniary
pertaining to money
pedagogue
teacher; CF. child leader
pedagogy
teaching; art of education
pedant
scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, or technicalities
pedantic
bookish; showing off learning; marked by an excessive ostentatious concern for book learning; N. pedantry
bookish
fond of books and reading
studious
given to diligent study
pedestrian
ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; Ex. pedestrian prose; N.
precinct
division of a city for election or police purposes; precincts: space that surrounds a building; Ex. precincts of the college
pedigree
ancestry; lineage
pediatrician
physician specializing in children’s diseases; N. pediatrics
peerless
having no equal; incomparable
peer
one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; N. peerage; CF. peeress
pejorative
(of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers ``housewife’’ a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.
pell-mell
in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell
pellucid
transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand
penance
self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one’s sins; CF. penitent
penchant
strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars
pendant(pendent)
hanging down from something; pending; N: ornament (hanging from a necklace etc.)
pending
not yet decided or settled; impending; Ex. pending decision; PREP. while awaiting; until; Ex. delay the decision pending his return
pendulous
hanging; suspended
suspend
cause to stop for a period; interrupt; hold in abeyance; defer; hang from above; exclude for a period from a position; Ex. suspended state; Ex. suspend judgment; Ex. suspended from the team; N. suspension
suspense
state of being undecided; anxiety or apprehension resulting from uncertainty
penitent
repentant; N.
pensive
dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over
penumbra
partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow
penury
extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy