Book18 Flashcards
poignancy
quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick
polarize
split into opposite extremes or camps
polarity
state of having two opposite qualities
polar
of a pole; characterized by opposite extremes; Ex. polar opposites
camp
group sharing a common cause or opinion
polemic
attack or defense of an opinion; controversy or refutation; argument in support of point of view; N. polemics: art of debate or controversy
polemical(polemic)
aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)
politic
prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised
polity
(particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity
polygamist
one who has more than one spouse at a time; CF. bigamy; CF. polyandry
polyglot
speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.
pomposity
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important
ponderous
having great weight; weighty; unwieldy; lacking lightness; dull; Ex. ponderous body/style of writing
pontifical
pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop
pore
study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.
porous
full of pores; like a sieve
interstice
narrow space between things
portend
foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning
soothsayer
one who foretells the future
portly
stout; corpulent
stout
rather fat; strong in body; sturdy; resolute; determined; strong in determination; Ex. stout stick/supporter
poseur
person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose
pose
assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.
posterity
descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior
posthumous
after death (as of child born after father’s death or book published after author’s death); coming or occurring after one’s death; Ex. posthumous fame/novel
postmortem
autopsy; ADJ: occurring after death; of a postmortem
postulate
self-evident truth; something assumed without proof; V: assume the truth of (as a basis of an argument)
posture
assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude
potable
suitable for drinking; drinkable
potent
powerful; convincing; persuasive; greatly influential
potentate
monarch; sovereign
potential
expressing possibility; latent; N: capacity for growth
potion
dose (of liquids); liquid dose
potpourri
heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)
poultice
soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
practicable
feasible
practical
based on experience; of or acquired through practice (rather than theory); useful; Ex. practical man
pragmatic
practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with practical worth or impact of something; Ex. pragmatic test of the skill
pragmatist
practical person; N. pragmatism: pragmatic way of dealing with things
prance
move about in a spirited manner (proudly and confidently)
prate
talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly
prattle
talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate
idle
not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V.
preamble
introductory statement
precarious
unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; Ex. precarious living
precedent
something preceding in time which may be used as an authority or guide for future action; V. precede; CF. unprecedented
precedent
preceding (in time, rank, etc.)
precept
practical rule guiding conduct; Ex. mother’s precept
precipice
cliff; dangerous position; Ex. on the edge of the precipice
brink
edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon
precipitant
something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; OP. solvent
precipitate
hurl downward; throw headlong; hasten; cause to happen sooner; condense and fall as rain or snow; cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution; ADJ. hasty; rash; premature; sudden
precipitous
steep; overhasty; precipitate
pr'ecis
abstract; concise summing up of main points; concise summary of a text
precise
exact
preclude
make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate
precocious
advanced in development; N. precocity
precursor
forerunner; predecessor
predator
predatory animal or bird; predatory person; creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others; ADJ. predatory: living by preying on other organisms; plundering; N. predation
predecessor
former occupant of a post
predetermine
determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly
predicament
difficult situation; tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma
predilection
preference; partiality
predispose
give an inclination toward (in advance); make susceptible to; Ex. predispose people to certain cancer; N. predisposition
preeminent
outstanding; superior
preempt
prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive
preen
make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride; (of a bird) smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak; Ex. preen oneself on; CF. prune
prefatory
introductory; of a preface
prehensile
capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails
prelate
church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop)
prelude
introduction; introductory performance or event; forerunner
premeditate
plan in advance; Ex. premeditated murder
premise
assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based
premonition
forewarning; presentiment; foreboding
premonitory
serving to warn
preponderance
superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant
preposterous
absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous
prerogative
privilege; unquestionable right; CF. ask before
presage
foretell; be a warning or sign of; N: presentiment; foreboding; omen
prescience
ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient
presentiment
premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear
prestige
respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige
presumptuous
going beyond what is right; excessively forward; arrogant; taking liberties
presume
take for granted; assume; act overconfidently; take liberties; presume on/upon: take unfair advantage of (someone’s kindness or connection); N. presumption
pretentious
ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art
pretend
feign; pretend to: claim to possess; make pretensions to; Ex. I don’t pretend to much expertise; N. pretense
pretension
pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.
preternatural
beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces
pretext
excuse
prevail
be widespread; triumph over; gain victory; prevail on: persuade; induce; Ex. Justice has prevailed; Ex. prevail on someone to do something
prevalent
widespread; generally accepted
prevaricate
lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)
prey
target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.
prim
proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
primogeniture
seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)
primordial
existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
primp
groom oneself with care; adorn oneself
pristine
unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition
privation
lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive
privy
secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; Ex. privy chamber government; Ex. be privy to a discussion; CF. private
probe
explore with a probe or tools; investigate; N: slender instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity; device designed to investigate an unknown region; thorough investigation; Ex. space probe
probity
uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility
defalcate
embezzle
problematic
causing a problem; open to doubt; doubtful; unsettled; questionable; Ex. Whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic.
proclivity
inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)
procrastinate
postpone; delay or put off
procurement
obtaining; V. procure: obtain by effort; obtain (a prostitute) for another
prod
poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding
prodigal
wasteful; reckless with money; profuse; Ex. a mind prodigal of ideas; N. prodigality
prodigious
enormous; marvelous; extraordinary; Ex. prodigious amount/memory
prodigy
highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder
profane
violate; desecrate (something holy); treat unworthily; be profane for; ADJ: secular; nonreligious; irreverent for holy things
profligate
wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy
profound
deep; not superficial; complete; Ex. profound thinker/remark/silence/deafness; N. profundity
profusion
great amount; plenty; overabundance; excess; lavish expenditure; Ex. profusion of choices; ADJ. profuse: plentiful; copious; giving or given abundantly; extravagant
progenitor
ancestor
progeny
children; offspring; descendants
prognosis
forecasted course of a disease; prediction; CF. prognostic
prognosticate
predict (according to present indications)
prohibitive
so high as to prohibit purchase or use; tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; prohibiting; inclined to prevent or forbid; Ex. prohibitive tax
projectile
missile; fired or thrown object (such as stone or bullet)
proletarian
member of the working class; blue collar guy; N. proletariat: working class (who have to work for wages)
proliferate
grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation
prolific
producing offspring or fruit in abundance; fertile; fecund; abundantly fruitful; producing abundant works; Ex. prolific writer
prolixity
tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse
prologue
introduction (to a poem or play)
feud
bitter prolonged quarrel (usually between two peoples or families); V. CF. Romeo and Juliet; CF. feudal, feudalism
prolong
lengthen; extend; draw out
prominent
protruding(sticking out); conspicuous; notable; eminent
promiscuous
mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners; irregular, particularly sexually; Ex. promiscuous life/girl; N. promiscuity
promontory
headland
promote
advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; Ex. Milk promotes health; Ex. promote a match/bill; Ex. promote a new product
prompt
cause; urge; provoke; provide a cue (for an actor); ADJ: done without delay; done at the right time; punctual; on time; N: reminder or cue
cue
word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor’s speech or entrance); reminder or hint; V: give a cue to
promulgate
announce; proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication
prone
inclined to; likely to (suffer); prostrate; lying with the front downward; Ex. prone to disease/make mistakes; Ex. accident-prone
propagate
increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas
propellant(propellent)
substance which propels or drives forward (such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel)
propensity
natural inclination
prophetic
of a prophet or prophecy; having to do with predicting the future; N. prophecy; V. prophesy; N. prophet
prophylactic
used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease
propinquity
nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship
propitiate
appease; conciliate; make peaceful; ADJ. propitiatory
propitious
favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; Ex. propitious day/sign
horoscope
diagram of the positions of stars at a given moment (eg. of a person’s birth) used by astrologers
proponent
supporter; backer; opposite of opponent
propound
put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory
propriety
fitness; quality of being proper; correct conduct; conformity to prevailing customs and usages; CF. proprietor, proprietary
usage
act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used
propulsive
driving forward; N. propulsion
prosaic
lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose
proscenium
part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage
proscribe
prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
outlaw
fugitive from the law (excluded from legal protection); V: declare (someone) to be an outlaw; deprive of the protection of the law; declare illegal; Ex. Drinking has been outlawed.
proselytize
(induce someone to) convert to a religion or belief; N. proselyte: new convert to a doctrine or religion
prosody
art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse
metrical
metric; written in the form of poetry; Ex. metrical translation of Homer
meter
arrangement of words in the form of poetry (by accentual rhythm)
prosperity
good fortune and financial success; physical well-being
prosper
become successful (esp. financially); thrive; grow well; Ex. children prospering under his care
prosperous
successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off
prostrate
stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; Ex. prostrating illness; ADJ: lying face down; having lost all strength
protean
able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
prot'eg'e
person receiving protection and support from a patron
protocol
diplomatic etiquette; ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats; first copy of a treaty before its ratification; Ex. Protocol demands that the queen meet him at the airport.
prototype
original work used as a model by others
protract
prolong; lengthen in time; draw out
protrude
stick out; jut; project; Ex. protruding teeth
protuberance
protrusion; swelling; bulge
bulge
protruding part; swelling of a surface; Ex. The apple made a bulge in his pocket; V: swell outward; protrude
provenance
place of origin; origin or source of something; Ex. Gunpowder is of Chinese provenance; CF. come
provender
dry food for livestock; fodder
provident
providing for future needs; displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies; OP. improvident
providence
quality of being provident; divine care; god’s care; Providence: god; Ex. It seemed like providence that the doctor happened to be there; ADJ. providential: of divine providence; fortunate
provincial
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated
provisional
tentative; temporary
proviso
stipulation; condition in an agreement; provision
provision
act of providing; something provided; preparatory measure; provisions: necessary supplies (esp. food); stipulation; condition in an agreement; Ex. According to the provisions of the agreement
provocative
arousing anger or sexual interest; annoying; Ex. provocative in tight jeans; V. provoke: incite to anger; cause (an unpleasant action or feeling); N. provocation
prowess
extraordinary ability; military bravery; Ex. prowess in battle
proximity
nearness; ADJ. proximate
proxy
authorized agent; authority to act for another
prude
excessively modest or proper person (who is easily shocked by improper things, esp. of a sexual nature); N. prudery; ADJ. prudish: excessively concerned with propriety
prudent
cautious; careful; prudential
prune
cut away; trim
prurient
having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire
pry
inquire impertinently (someone else’s private affairs); use leverage to raise or open something; prize; N. pries: tool for prying
prize
pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; Ex. his most prized possession; N: something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship)
pseudonym
pen name; fictitious name assumed by an author; ADJ. pseudonymous
psyche
soul; mind
psychiatrist
doctor who treats mental diseases
psychic
of psyche; mental; of or possessing extraordinary mental powers
psychopathic
pertaining to mental dearrangement; N. psychopath: person with an antisocial personality disorder
psychosis
mental disorder; ADJ. N. psychotic
psychosomatic
of the influence of the mind on the body (esp. with respect to disease)
pterodactyl
extinct flying reptile; CF. wing+finger
puerile
childish; immature; CF. puer: boy
pugilist
boxer; CF. pugilism: boxing
pugnacity
combativeness; disposition to fight; ADJ. pugnacious: (of people) belligerent; combative in nature
puissant
powerful; strong; potent; N. puissance: power
