gre 1500-2000 Flashcards
gauche
clumsy; boorish (Eg: Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize for making them. )
gaudy
flashy; showy (Eg: Her gaudy taste in clothes apalled us. )
gaunt
lean and angular; barren (Eg: His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight. )
gawk
stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe (Eg: The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city. )
gazette
official publication (Eg: He read the gazettes regularly for announcement of his promotion. )
genealogy
record of descent; lineage (Eg: He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the achievements of his ancestors. )
generality
vague statement (Eg: This report is filled with generalities; you must be more specific in you statements. )
generic
characteristic of an entire class or species (Eg: Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare time playing fantasy games that she )
genesis
beginning; origin (Eg: Tracing the genesis of a family is the theme of “Roots.” )
geniality
cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy (Eg: This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor, who tries to make )
genre
particular variety of art or literature (Eg: Both a short story writer and a poet, Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre. )
genteel
well-bred; elegant (Eg: We are looking for a man with a genteel apperance who can inspire confidence by his cultivated manner. )
gentility
those of gentle birth; refinement (Eg: )
gentry
people of standing; class of people just below nobility (Eg: The local gentry did not welcome the visits of the summer tourists and tried to ignore their presence in the )
genuflect
bend the knee as in worship (Eg: A proud denocrat, he refused to genuflect to any man. )
germane
pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand (Eg: The lawyer objected that the testimony being offered was not germane to the case at hand. )
germinal
pertaining to a germ; creative (Eg: Such an idea is germinal; I am certain that it will influence thinkers and philosophers for many generations. )
germinate
cause to sprout; sprout (Eg: After the seeds germinate and develop their permanent leaves, the plants may be removed from the cold )
gerontocracy
government ruled by old people (Eg: Gulliver visited a gerontocracy in which the young people acted as servants to their elders, all the while )
gerrymander
change in voting district lines in order to favor a political party (Eg: The illogical pattern of the map of this congressional district is proof that the state legislature )
gestate
evolve, as in prenatal growth (Eg: While this scheme was being gestated by the conspirators, they maintained complete silence about their )
gesticulation
motion; gesture (Eg: Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in )
ghastly
horrible (Eg: The murdered man was a ghastly sight. )
gibberish
nonsense; babbling (Eg: Did you hear that foolish boy spouting gibberish about monsters from outer space? )
gibe
mock (Eg: As you gibe at their superstitious beliefs, do you realize that you, too, are guilty of similarly foolish )
giddy
light-hearted; dizzy (Eg: He felt his giddy youth was past. )
gingerly
very carefully (Eg: )
girth
distance around something; circunference (Eg: It took an extra-large cummerbund to fit around Andrew Carnegie’s considerable girth. )
gist
essence (Eg: she was asked to give the gist of the essay in two sentence. )
glacial
like a glacier; extremely cold (Eg: Never a warm person, when offended hugo could seem positively glacial. )
glaring
highly conspicuous; harshly bright (Eg: glaring spelling or grammatical errors in your resume will unfavorably impress potential employers. )
glaze
cover with a thin and shiny surface (Eg: The freezing rain glazed the streets and made driving hazardous. )
glean
gather leavings (Eg: After the crops had been harvested by the machines, the peasants were permitted to glean the wheat left in )
glib
fluent (Eg: He is a glib and articulate speaker. )
glimmer
shine erratically; twinkle (Eg: In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant stars. )
gloat
express evil satisfaction; view malevolently (Eg: As you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do you think of the many victims you have defrauded? )
gloss
over explain away (Eg: No matter how hard he tried to talk around the issue, President Bush could not gloss over the fact that he )
glossary
brief explanation of words used in the text (Eg: I have found the glossary in this book very useful; it has eliminated many trips to the dictionary. )
glossy
smooth and shining (Eg: I want this photograph printed on glossy paper, not matte. )
glower
scowl (Eg: The angry boy glowered at his father. )
glut
overstock; fill to excess (Eg: The many manufacturers glutted the market and could not find purchasers for the many articles they had )
glutinous
sticky; viscous (Eg: Molasses is a glutinous substance. )
glutton
someone who eats too much (Eg: When Mother saw that Bobby had eaten all the cookies, she called him a little glutton. )
gnarled
twisted (Eg: The gnarled oak tree had been a landmark for years and was mentioned in several deeds. )
gnome
dwarf; underground spirit (Eg: In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and inhabitants of subterranean mines. )
goad
urge on (Eg: He was goaded by his friends until he yielded to their wishes. )
gorge
narrow canyon; steep, rocky cleft (Eg: Terrified of heights, George could not bring himself to peer down into the gorge to see the rapids below. )
gorge
stuff oneself (Eg: The gluttonous guest gorged himself with food as though he had not eaten for days. )
gory
bloody (Eg: The audience shuddered as they listened to the details of the gory massacre. )
gossamer
sheer; like cobwebs (Eg: Nylon can be woven into gossaner or thick fabrics. )
gouge
tear out (Eg: In that fight, all the rules were forgotten; the adversaries bit, kicked, and tried to gouge each other’s eyes )
gourmand
epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink (Eg: goumands lack self-restraint; if they enjoy a particular cuisine, they eat far too much of it. )
gourmet
connoisseur of food and drink (Eg: The gourmet stated that this was the best onion soup she had ever tasted. )
graduated
arraged by degree (of height, difficulty, etc.) (Eg: Margaret loved her graduated set of Russian hollow wooden dolls; she spent hours happily putting the )
granary
storehouse for grain (Eg: We have reason to be thankful, for our crops were good and our granaries are full. )
grandeur
impressiveness; stateliness; majesty (Eg: No matter how often he hiked through the mountains, David never failed to be struck by the grandeur of )
grandiloquent
pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language (Eg: The politician could bever speak simply; she was always grandiloquent. )
grandiose
imposing; impressive (Eg: His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first time. )
granulate
form into grains (Eg: Sugar that has been granulated dissolves more readily than lump sugar. )
graphic
pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described (Eg: I was particularly impressed by the graphic presentation of the storm. )
grapple
wrestle; come to grips with (Eg: He grappled with the burglar and overpowered him. )
grate
make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred (Eg: The screams of the quarreling children grated on her nerves. )
gratify
please (Eg: Her parents were gratified by her success. )
gratis
free (Eg: The company offered to give one package gratis to every purchaser of one of their products. )
gratuitous
given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for (Eg: Quit making gratuitous comments about my driving; no one asked you for your opinion. )
gratuity
tip (Eg: Many service employees rely more on gratuities than on salaries for their livelihood. )
gravity
seriousness (Eg: We could tell we were in serious trouble from the gravity of her expression. )
gregarious
sociable (Eg: Typically, party-throwers are gregarious; hermits are not. )
grievance
cause of complaint (Eg: When her supervisor ignored her complaint, she took her grievance to the union. )
grill
question severely (Eg: In violation of the Miranda law, the police grilled the suspect for several hours before reading him his )
grimace
a facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc. (Eg: Even though he remained silent, his grimace indicated his displeasure. )
grisly
ghastly (Eg: She shuddered at the grisly sight. )
grotesque
fantastic; comically hideous (Eg: On Halloween people enjoy wearing groteque costumes. )
grotto
small cavern (Eg: The Blue Grotto in Capri can be entered only by small boats rowed by natives through a natural opening in )
grouse
complain; fuss (Eg: Students traditionally grouse about the abysmal quality of “mystery meat” and similar dornitory food. )
grovel
crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate (Eg: Even though we have been defeated, we do not have to grovel before our conquerors. )
grudging
unwilling; reluctant; stingy (Eg: We received only grudging support from the mayor despite his earlier promises of aid. )
gruel
thin, liquid porridge (Eg: Our daily allotment of gruel made the meal not only monotonous but also unpalatable. )
grueling
exhausting (Eg: The marathon is a grueling race. )
gruesome
grisly (Eg: People screamed when her gruesome appearance was flashed on the screen. )
gruff
rough-mannered (Eg: Although he was blunt and gruff with most people, he was always gentle with children. )
guffaw
boisterous laughter (Eg: The loud guffaws that came from the closed room indicated that the members of the committe had not yet )
guile
deceit; duplicity (Eg: She achieved her high position by guile and treachery. )
guileless
without deceit (Eg: He is naive, simple, and guileless; he cannot be guilty of fraud. )
guise
appearance; costume (Eg: In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder case. )
gullible
easily deceived (Eg: He preyed upon gullible people, who believed his stories of easy wealth. )
gustatory
affecting the sense of taste (Eg: The Thai restaurant offered an unusual gustatory experience for those used in a bland cuisine. )
gusto
enjoyment; enthusiasm (Eg: He accepted the assignment with such gusto that I feel he would have been satisfied with a smaller salary. )
gusty
windy (Eg: The gusty weather made sailing precarious. )
gyroscope
apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc. (Eg: By using a rotating gyroscope, they were able to stabilize the vessel, counteracting the rolling movements )
. - apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc.
(Eg: )
hackles
hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog (Eg: The dog’s hackles rose and he began to growl as the sound of footsteps grew louder. )
hackneyed
commonplace; trite (Eg: The English teacher criticized her story because of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot. )
haggard
wasted away; gaunt (Eg: After his long illness, he was pale and haggard. )
haggle
argue about prices (Eg: I prefer to shop in a store that has a one-price policy because, whenever I haggle with a shopkeeper, I am )
halcyon
calm; peaceful (Eg: In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak attacks and bombings. )
hale
healthy (Eg: After a brief illness, he was soon hale. )
hallowed
blessed; consecrated (Eg: She was laid to rest in hallowed ground. )
hallucination
delusion (Eg: I think you were frightened by a hallucination that you created in you own mind. )
halting
hesitant; faltering (Eg: Novice extemporaneous speakers often talk in a halting fashion as they grope for the right words. )
hamper
obstruct (Eg: The minority party agreed not to hamper the efforts of the leaders to secure a lasting peace. )
hap
chance; luck (Eg: In his poem hap, Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays in our lives. )
haphazard
random; by chance (Eg: His haphazard reading left him unaquainted with the authors of the books. )
hapless
unfortunate (Eg: This hapless creature had never known a moment’s pleasure. )
harangue
long, passionate, and vehement speech (Eg: In her lengthy harangue, the principal berated the offenders. )
harass
annoy by repeated attacks (Eg: When he could not pay his bills as quickly as he had promised, he was harrassed by his creditors. )
harbinger
forerunner (Eg: The crocus is an early harbinger of spring. )
harbor
provide a refuge for; hide (Eg: The church harbored illegal aliens who were political refugees. )
hardy
sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather (Eg: We asked the gardening expert to recommend particularly hardy plants that could withstand our harsh )
harping
tiresome dwelling on a subject (Eg: After he had reminded me several times about what he had done for me I told him to stop his harping on )
harrow
break up ground after plowing; torture (Eg: I don’t want to harrow you at this time by asking you to recall the details of your unpleasant experience. )
harry
harass, annoy, torment; raid (Eg: The guerrilla band harried the enemy nightly. )
hatch
deck opening; lid covering a deck opening (Eg: The latch on the hatch failed to catch, so the hatch remained unlatched. )
haughtiness
pride; arrogance (Eg: I resent his haughtiness because he is no better than we are. )
hazardous
dangerous (Eg: Your occupation is too hazardous for insurance companies to consider your application. )
hazy
slightly obscure (Eg: In hazy weather, you cannot see the top of this mountain. )
headlong
hasty; rash (Eg: The slave seized the unexpected chance to make a headlong dash across the border to freedom. )
headstrong
stubborn; willful; unyielding (Eg: Because she refused to marry the man her parents had chosen for her, everyone scolded Minna and called )
heckler
person who verbally harasses others (Eg: )
hedonism
belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life (Eg: hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human behavior. )
heedless
not noticing; disregarding (Eg: He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was dangerous. )
hegemony
dominance, especially of one nation over others (Eg: As one Eastern European nation after another declared its independence, commentators marveled at the )
heinous
atrocious; hatefully bad (Eg: Hitler’s heinous crimes will never be forgotten. )
herbivorous
grain-eating (Eg: Some herbivorous animals have two stomachs for digesting their food. )
heresy
opinion contrary to popular belief or to accepted religion (Eg: He was threatened with excommunication because his remarks were considered to be pure heresy. )
heretic
person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of the church (Eg: She was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because she was a heretic. )
hermetic
sealed by fusion so as to be airtight (Eg: After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers. )
hermetic
obscure and mysterious; occult (Eg: It is strange to consider that modern chemistry originated in the hermetic teachings of the ancient )
hermitage
home of a hermit (Eg: Even in his remote hermitage he could not escape completely from the world. )
herpetologist
one who studies reptiles (Eg: As a boy, Indiana Jones had a traumatic experience involving snakes; sensibly enough, he studies to be )
heterodox
unorthodox; unconventional (Eg: To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move, Galileo’s theory that the earth circled the sun )
heterogeneous
dissimilar (Eg: In a heterogeneous group, we have an unassorted assemblage, while in a homogeneous group we have )
hew
cut to pieces with ax or sword (Eg: The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their swords. )
heyday
time of greatest success; prime (Eg: In their heyday, the San Francisco Forty-Niners won the Super Bowl two years running. )
hiatus
gap; pause (Eg: Except for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she enrolled in the Peace Corps, Ms. Clements has )
hibernal
wintry (Eg: Bears prepare for their long hibernal sleep by overeating. )
hibernate
sleep throughout the winter (Eg: Bears are one of the many species of animals that hibernate. )
hierarchy
body divided into ranks (Eg: It was difficult to step out of one’s place in this hierarchy. )
hieroglyphic
picture writing (Eg: The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to read the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. )
hilarity
boisterous mirth (Eg: The hilarity is improper on this solemn day of mourning. )
hindmost
furthest behind (Eg: The coward could always be found in the hindmost lines whenever a battle was being waged. )
hindrance
block; obstacle (Eg: Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance to traffic that tow trucks should remove without delay. )
hinterlands
back country (Eg: They seldom had visitors, living as they did way out in the hinderlands. )
hireling
one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously) (Eg: In a matter of such importance, I do not wish to deal with hirelings; I must meet with the chief. )
hirsute
hairy (Eg: He was a hitsute individual with a heavy black beard. )
histrionic
theatrical (Eg: He was proud of his histrionic ability and wanted to paly the role of Hamlet. )
hoard
stockpile; accumulate for future use (Eg: Whenever there are rumors of a food shortage, people are tempted to hoard food. )
hoary
white with age (Eg: The man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70. )
hoax
trick; practical joke (Eg: Embarrassed by the hoax, he reddened and left the room. )
holocaust
destruction by fire (Eg: Citizens of San Francisco remember that the destruction of the city was caused not by the earthquake but )
holster
pistol case (Eg: Even when he was not in uniform, he carried a holster and pistol under his arm. )
homage
honor; tribute (Eg: In her speech she tried to pay homage to a great man. )
homeostasis
tendency of a system to maintain relative stability (Eg: A breakdown of the body’s immune system severely undermines the body’s ability to maintain )
homespun
domestic; made at home (Eg: homespun wit, like homespun cloth, was often coarse and plain. )
homily
sermon; serious warning (Eg: His speeches were always homilies, advising his listeners to repent and reform. )
homogeneous
of the same kind (Eg: Many educators try to put pupils of similar abilities in the same class because they believe that his )
hone
sharpen (Eg: To make shaving easier, he honed his razor with great care. )
hoodwink
deceive; delude (Eg: Having been hoodwinked once by the fast-talking salesman, he was extremely cautious when he went to )
horde
crowd (Eg: Just before Christmas the stores are filled with hordes of shoppers. )
hortatory
encouraging; exhortive (Eg: The crowd listened to his hortatory statements with ever-growing excitement; finally they rushed from the )
horticultural
pertaining to cultivation of gardens (Eg: When he bought his house, he beganto look for flowers and decorative shrubs, and began to read books )
hovel
shack; small, wretched house (Eg: He wondered how poor people could stand living in such a hovel. )
hover
hang about; wait nearby (Eg: The police helicopter hovered above the accident. )
hubbub
confused uproar (Eg: )
hubris
arrogance; excessive self-conceit (Eg: Filled with hubris, Lear refused to heed his friends’ warnings. )
hue
color; aspect (Eg: The aviary contained birds of every possible hue. )
hue
outcry (Eg: When her purse was snatched, she raised such a hue and cry that the thief was captured. )
humane
kind (Eg: His humane and considerate treatment of the unfortunate endeared him to all. )
humdrum
dull; monotonous (Eg: After years of adventure, he could not settle down to a humdrum existence. )
humid
damp (Eg: She could not stand the humid climate and moved to a drier area. )
humility
humbleness of spirit (Eg: He spoke with a humility and lack of pride that impressed his listeners. )
hummock
small hill (Eg: The ascent of the hummock is not difficult and the view from the hilltop is ample reward tor the effort. )
humus
substance formed by decaying vegetable matter (Eg: In order to improve his garden, he spread humus over his lawn and flower beds. )
hurtle
crash; rush (Eg: The runaway train hurtled toward disaster. )
husbandry
frugality; thrift; agriculture (Eg: He accumulated his small fortune by diligence and husbandry. )
hybrid
mongrel; mixed breed (Eg: Mendel’s formula explains the appearance of hybrids and pure species in breeding. )
hydrophobia
fear of water; rabies (Eg: A dog that bites a human being must be observed for symptoms of hydrophobia. )
hyperbole
exaggeration; overstatement (Eg: This salesman is guilty of hyperbole in describing his product; it is wise to discount his claims. )
hypercritical
excessively exacting (Eg: You are hypercritical in your demands for perfection; we all make mistakes. )
hypochondriac
person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness (Eg: The doctor prescribed chocolate pills for his patient who was a hypocondriac. )
hypocritical
pretending to be virtuous; deceiving (Eg: I resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for I know he is interested only in his own advancement. )
hypothetical
based on assumptions or hypotheses (Eg: Why do we have to consider hypothetical cases when we have actual case histories that we may examine? )
ichthyology
study of fish (Eg: Jacques Cousteau’s rpograms about sea life have advanced the cause of ichthyology. )
icon
religious image; idol (Eg: The icons on the walls of the church were painted in the 13th century. )
iconoclastic
attacking cherished traditions (Eg: George Bernard Shaw’s iconoclastic plays often startled more conventional people. )
ideology
ideas of a group of people (Eg: That ideology is dangerous to this country because it embraces undemocratic philosophies. )
idiom
spcial usage in language (Eg: I could not understand their idioms because literal translation made no sense. )
idiosyncrasy
peculiarity; eccentricity (Eg: One of his personal idiosyncrasies was his habit of rinsing all cutlery given him in a restaurant. )
idiosyncratic
private; peculiar to an individual (Eg: Such behavior is idiosyncratic, it is as easily identifiable as a signature. )
idolatry
worship of idols; excessive admiration (Eg: Such idolatry of singers of country music is typical of the excessive enthusiasm of youth. )
idyllic
charmingly carefree; simple (Eg: Far from the city, she led an idyllic existence in her rural retreat. )
igneous
produced by fire; volcanic (Eg: Lava, pumice, and other igneous rocks are found in great abundance around Mount Vesuvius near Naples. )
ignite
kindle; light (Eg: When Desi crooned, “Baby, light my fire,” literal-minded Lucy looked around for some paper to ignite. )
ignoble
of lowly origin; unworthy (Eg: This plan is inspired by ignoble motives and I must, therefore, oppose it. )
ignominious
disgraceful (Eg: The country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed of the day when it would be victorious. )
illicit
illegal (Eg: The defense attorney claimed that the police had entrapped his client; that is, they had elicited the illicit )
illimitable
infinite (Eg: Human beings, having explored the far corners of the earth, are now reaching out into illimitable space. )
illuminate
brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten (Eg: Just as a lamp can illuminate a dark room, a perceptive comment can illuminate a knotty problem. )
illusion
misleading vision (Eg: It is easy to create an optical illusion in which lines of equal length appear different. )
illusive
deceiving (Eg: This is only a mirage; let us not be fooled by its illusive effect. )
illusory
deceptive; not real (Eg: Unfortunately, the costs of running the lemonade stand were so high that Tom’s profits proved illusory. )
imbalance
lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion (Eg: Because of the great imbalance between the number of men and women invited, the dance was )
imbecility
weakness of mind (Eg: I am amazed at the imbecility of the readers of these trashy magazines. )
imbibe
drink in (Eg: The dry soil imbibed the rain quickly. )
imbroglio
complicated situation; perplexity; entanglement (Eg: He was called in to settle the imbroglio but failed to bring harmony into the situation. )
imbue
saturate, fill (Eg: His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with feelings of awe and reverence. )
immaculate
pure; spotless (Eg: The West Point cadets were immaculate as they lined up for inspection. )
imminent
near at hand; impending (Eg: Rosa was such a last-minute worker that she could never start writing a paper till the deadline was )
immobility
state of being immovable (Eg: Modern armies cannot afford the luxury of immobility, as they are vulnerable to attack while standing still. )
immolate
offer as a sacrifice (Eg: The tribal kind offered to immolate his daughter to quiet the angry gods. )
immure
imprison; shut up in confinement (Eg: )
immutable
unchangeable (Eg: Scientists are constantly seeking to discover the immutable laws of nature. )
impair
worsen; diminish in value (Eg: This arrest will impair her reputation in the community. )
impale
pierce (Eg: He was impaled by the spear hurled by his adversary. )
impalpable
imperceptible; intangible (Eg: The ash is so fine that it is impalpable to the touch but it can be seen as a fine layer covering the window )
impasse
predicament from which there is no escape (Eg: In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope. )
impassive
without feeling; not affected by pain (Eg: The Native American has been incorrectly depicted as an impassive individual, undemonstrative and )
impeach
charge with crime in office; indict (Eg: The angry congressman wanted to impeach the President for his misdeeds. )
impeccable
faultless (Eg: He was proud of his impeccable manners. )
impecunious
without money (Eg: Now that he was wealthy, he gladly contributed to funds to assist impecunious and disbled persons. )
impede
hinder; block (Eg: The special prosecutor determined that the Attorney General, though inept, had not intentionally set out to )
impediment
hindrance; stumbling-block (Eg: She had a speech impediment that prevented her from speaking clearly. )
impending
nearing; approaching (Eg: The entire country was saddened by the news of his impending death. )
impenetrable
not able to be pierced or entered (Eg: How could the murderer have gotten into the locked room? To Watson, the mystery, like the room, was )
impenitent
not repentant (Eg: We could see by his brazen attitude that he was impenitent. )
imperial
like an emperor; related to an empire (Eg: When hotel owner Leona Helmsley appeared in ads as Queen Leona standing guard over the Palace Hotel, )
imperiousness
lordliness; domineering manner; arrogance (Eg: His imperiousness indicated that he had long been accustomed to assuming command. )
impermeable
impervious; not permitting passage through its substance (Eg: This new material is impermeable to liquids. )
impertinent
insolent (Eg: I regard your remarks as impertinent and I resent them. )
imperturbable
calm; placid (Eg: Wellington remained imperturbable and in full command of the situation in spite of the hyteria and panic )
impervious
not penetrable; not permitting passage through (Eg: You cannot change their habits for their minds are impervious to reasoning. )
impetuous
violent; hasty; rash (Eg: We tried to curb his impetuous behavior because we felt that in his haste he might offend some people. )
impetus
moving force; incentive; stimulus (Eg: A new federal highway program would create jobs and five added impetus to our economic recovery. )
impiety
irreverence; wickedness (Eg: We must regard your blasphemy as an act of impiety. )
impinge
infringe; touch; collide with (Eg: How could they be married without impinging on one another’s freedom? )
impious
irreverent (Eg: The congregation was offended by her impious remarks. )
implacable
incapable of being pacified (Eg: Madame Defarge was the implacable enemy of the Evremonde family. )
implausible
unlikely; unbelievable (Eg: Though her alibi seened implausible, it in fact turned out to be true. )
implement
put into effect; supply with tools (Eg: The mayor was unwilling to implement the plan until she was sure it had the governor’s backing. )
implication
that which is hinted at or suggested (Eg: If I understand the implications of your remark, you do not trust our captain. )
implicit
understood but not stated (Eg: Jack never told Jill he adored her; he believed his love was implicit in his deeds. )
implore
beg (Eg: He implored her to give him a second chance. )
imply
suggest a meaning not expressed (Eg: Even though your statement does not declare that you are at war with that country, your actions imply that )
impolitic
not wise (Eg: I think it is impolitic to raise this issue at the present time because the public is too angry. )
imponderable
weightless (Eg: I can evaluate the data gathered in this study; the imponderable items are not so easily analyzed. )
import
significance (Eg: I feel that you have not grasped the full import of the message sent tous by the enemy. )
importunate
urging; demanding (Eg: He tried to hide from his importunate creditors until his allowance arrived. )
importune
beg persistently (Eg: Democratic and Republican phone solicitors importuned her for contributions so frequently that she )
imposture
assuming a false identity; masquerade (Eg: She was imprisoned for her imposture of a doctor. )
impotent
weak; ineffective (Eg: Although he wished to break the nicotine habit, he found himself impotent in resisisting the craving for a )
imprecation
curse (Eg: Roused from the bed at what he considered an ungodly hour, Roy muttered imprecations under his breath. )
impregnable
invulnerable (Eg: Until the development of the airplane as a military weapon, the fort was considered impregnable. )
impromptu
without previous preparation (Eg: Her listeners were amazed that such a thorough presentation could be made in an impromptu speech. )
impropriety
state of being inappropriate (Eg: Because of the impropriety of his costume, he was denied entrance into the dining room. )
improvident
thriftless (Eg: He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways and begin to “save for a rainy day.” )
improvise
compose on the spur of the moment (Eg: She would sit at the piano and improvise for hours on themes from Bach and Handel. )
imprudent
lacking caution; injudicious (Eg: It is imprudent to exercise vigorously and become overheated when you are unwell. )
impugn
doubt; challenge; gainsay (Eg: I cannot impugn your honesty without evidence. )
impuissance
powerlessness; feebleness (Eg: The lame duck President was frustrated by his shift from enormous power to relative impuissance. )
impunity
freedom from punishment (Eg: The bully mistreated everyone in the class with impunity for he felt that no one would dare retaliate. )
impute
attribute; ascribe (Eg: If I wished to impute blame to the officers in charge of this program, I would state my feelings definitely )
inadvertently
carelessly; unintentionally; by oversight (Eg: She inadvertently omitted two questions on the examination and mismarked her answer sheet. )
inalienable
not to be taken away; nontransferable (Eg: The Declaration of Independence mentions the inalienable rights that all of us possess. )
inane
silly; senseless (Eg: Such comments are inane because they do not help us solve our program. )
inanimate
lifeless (Eg: she was asked to identify the still and inanimate body. )
inarticulate
speechless; producing indistinct speech (Eg: He became inarticulate with rage and uttered sounds without meaning. )
inaugurate
begin formally; install in office (Eg: The candidate promised that he would inaugurate a new nationwide health care plan as soon as he was )
incandescent
stikingly bright; shining with intense heat (Eg: If you leave on an incandescent light bulb, it quickly grows too hot to touch. )
incantation
singing or chanting of magical formula (Eg: Uttering incantations to make the brew more potent, the witch doctor stirred the liquid in the caldron. )
incapacitate
disable (Eg: During the winter, many people were incapacitated by respiratory ailments. )
incarcerate
imprison (Eg: The warden will incarcerate the felon after conviction. )
incarnate
endowed with flesh; personified (Eg: Your attitude is so fiendish that you must be a devil incarnate. )
incarnation
act of assuming a human body and human nature (Eg: The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a basic tenet of Christian theology. )
incendiary
arsonist (Eg: The fire spread in such an unusual manner that the fire department chiefs were certain that it had been set )
incense
enrage; infuriate (Eg: Unkindness to children incensed her. )
incentive
spur; motive (Eg: Students who dislike school must be given an incentive to learn. )
inception
start; beginning (Eg: She was involved with the project from its inception. )
incessant
uninterrupted (Eg: The crickets kept up an incessant chirping that disturbed our attempts to fall asleep. )
inchoate
recently begun; rudimentary; elementary (Eg: Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass. )
incidence
rate of occurrence; particular occurrence (Eg: Health professionals expressed great concern over the high incidence of infant mortality in major urban )
incidental
not essential; minor (Eg: The scholarship covered his major expenses at college and some of his incidental expenses as well. )
incipient
beginning; in an early stage (Eg: I will go to sleep early for I want to break an incipient cold. )
incisive
cutting; sharp (Eg: His incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our plans. )
incite
arouse to action (Eg: The demogogue incited the mob to take action into its own hands. )
inclement
stormy; unkind (Eg: I like to read a good book in inclement weather. )
incline
slope; slant (Eg: The architect recommended that the nursing home’s ramp be rebuilt because its incline was too steep for )
inclined
tending or leaning toward; bent (Eg: Though I am inclined to be skeptical, the witness’s manner inclines me to believe his story. )
inclusive
tending to include all (Eg: The comedian turned down the invitation to join the Player’s Club, saying any club that would let him in )
incognito
with identity concealed; using an assumed name (Eg: The monarch enjoyed traveling throughthe town incognito and mingling with the populace. )
incoherent
unintelligible; muddled; illogical (Eg: The bereaved father sobbed and stammered, his words becoming almost incoherent in his grief. )
incommodious
not spacious; inconvenient (Eg: In their incommodious quarters, they had to improvise for closet space. )
incompatible
inharmonious (Eg: The married couple argued incessantly and finally decided to separate because they were incompatible. )
incongruity
lack of harmony; absurdity (Eg: The incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire amused the observers. )
inconsequential
insignificant; unimportant (Eg: Brushing off Ali’s apologies for having broken the wine glass, Tamara said, “Don’t worry about it; it’s )
inconsistency
state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or steadiness (Eg: How are lawyers different from agricultural inspectors? Where lawyers check inconsistencies in witnesses’ )
incontinent
lacking self-restraint (Eg: His incontinent behavior off stage shocked many people and they refused to attend the plays and movies )
incontrovertible
indisputable (Eg: We must yield to the incontrovertible evidence that you have presented and free your client. )
incorporate
introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite (Eg: Breaking with precedent, President Truman ordered the military to incorporate blacks into every branch of )
incorporeal
immaterial; without a material body (Eg: We must devote time to the needs of our incorporeal mind as well as our corporeal body. )
incorrigible
uncorrectable (Eg: Though Widow Douglass hoped to reform Huck, Miss Watson pronounced him incorrigible and said he )
incredulity
a tendency to disbelief (Eg: Your incredulity in the face of all the evidence is hard to understand. )
incredulous
withholding belief; skeptical (Eg: )
increment
increase (Eg: The new contract calls for a 10 percent increment in salary for each employee for the next two years. )
incriminate
accuse; serve as evidence against (Eg: The witness’s testimony against the racketeers incriminates some high public officials as well. )
incubate
hatch; scheme (Eg: Inasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off, we shall have to rely on the hens to incubate these eggs. )
incubus
burden; mental care; nightmare (Eg: The incubus of financial worry helped bring on her nervous breakdown. )
incumbent
officeholder (Eg: The newly elected public official received valuable advice from the present incumbent. )
incur
bring upon oneself (Eg: His parents refused to pay any future debts he might incur. )
incursion
temporary invasion (Eg: The nightly incursions and hit-and-run raids of our neighbors across the border tried the patience of the )
indefatigable
tireless (Eg: He was indefatigable in his constant efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross. )
indemnify
make secure against loss; compensate for loss (Eg: The city will indemnify all home owners whose property is spoiled by this project. )
indenture
bind as servant or apprentice to master (Eg: Many immigrants could come to America only after they had indentured themselves for several years. )
indeterminate
uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite (Eg: That interest rates shall rise appears certain; when they will do so, however, remains indeterminate. )
indicative
suggestive; implying (Eg: A lack of appetite may be indicative of a major mental or physical disorder. )
indict
charge (Eg: If the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will go to trial. )
indifferent
unmoved; lacking concern (Eg: Because she felt no desire to marry, she was indifferent to his constant proposals. )
indigence
poverty (Eg: Neither the economists nor the political scientists have found a way to wipe out the inequities of wealth )
indigenous
native (Eg: Tobacco is one of the indigenous plants that the early explorers found in this country. )
indignation
anger ar an injustice (Eg: He felt indignation at the ill-treatment of the helpless animals. )
indignity
offensive or insulting treatment (Eg: Although he seemed to accept cheerfully the indignities heaped upon him, he was inwardly very angry. )
indiscriminate
choosing at random; confused (Eg: She disapproved of her son’s indiscriminate television viewing and decided to restrict him to educational )
indisputable
too certain to be disputed (Eg: In the face of these indisputable statements, I withdraw my complaint. )
indissoluble
permanent (Eg: The indissoluble bonds of marriage are all too often being dissolved. )
indite
write; compose (Eg: Cyrano indited many letters for Christian. )
indolence
laziness (Eg: He outgrew his youthful indolence to become a model of industry and alertness on the job. )
indomitable
unconquerable (Eg: The founders of our country had indomitable willpower. )
indubitably
beyond a doubt (Eg: Because her argument was indubitably valid, the judge accepted it. )
induce
persuade; bring about (Eg: After the quarrel, Tina said nothing could induce her to talk to Tony again. )
inductive
pertaining to induction or preceeding from the specific to the general (Eg: The discovery of the planet Pluto is an excellent example of the results that can be obtained from inductive )
indulgent
humoring; yielding; lenient (Eg: indulgent parents spoil their children by giving in to their every whim. )
inebriety
habitual intoxication (Eg: Because of his inebriety, he was discharged from his position as family chauffeur. )
ineffable
unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech (Eg: Such ineffable joy must be experienced; it cannot be described. )
ineffectual
not effective; weak (Eg: )
ineluctable
irresistable; not to be escaped (Eg: He felt that his fate was ineluctible and refused to make any attempt to improve his lot. )
inept
lacking skill; inadequate; inappropriate (Eg: inept as a carpenter, Ira was all thumbs. )
inequity
unfairness (Eg: In demanding equal pay for equal work, women protest the basic inequity of a system that allots greater )
inerrancy
infallibility (Eg: Jane refused to believe in the pope’s inerrancy, reasoning: “All human beings are capable of error. The )
inertia
state of being inert or indisposed to move (Eg: Our inertia in this matter may prove disastrous; we must move to aid our allies immediately. )
inevitable
unavoidable (Eg: Death and taxes are both inevitable. )
inexorable
relentless; unyielding; implacable (Eg: After listening to the pleas for clemency, the judge was inexorable and gave the convicted man the )
infallible
unerring (Eg: We must remember that none of us is infallible; we all make mistakes. )
infamous
notoriously bad (Eg: Jesse James was an infamous outlaw. )
infantile
childish; infantlike (Eg: When will he outgrow such infantile behavior? )
infer
deduce; conclude (Eg: We must be particularly cautious when we infer that a person is guilty on the basis of circumstantial )
infernal
pertaining to hell; devilish (Eg: They could think of no way to hinder his infernal scheme. )
infidel
unbeliever (Eg: The Saracens made war against tne infidels. )
infiltrate
pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily (Eg: In order to infiltrate enemy lines at night without being seen, the scouts darkened their faces and wore )
infinitesimal
very small (Eg: In the twentieth century, physicists have made their greatest discoveries about the characteristics of )
infirmity
weakness (Eg: Her greatest infirmity was lack of willpower. )
inflated
exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas) (Eg: His claims about the new product were inflated; it did not work as well as he had promised. )
influx
flowing into (Eg: The influx of refugees into the country has taxed the relief agencies severely. )
infraction
violation (Eg: Because of his many infractions of school regulations, he was suspended by the dean. )
infringe
violate; encroach (Eg: I think your machine infringes on my patent and intend to sue. )
ingenious
clever (Eg: He came up with a use for Styrofoam packing balls that was so ingenious that his business school )
ingenuous
naive; young and unsophisticated (Eg: Although she was over forty, the movie star still insisted that she be cast as an ingenuous sweet young )
ingrained
deeply established; firmly rooted (Eg: Try as they would, the missionaries were unable to uproot the ingrained superstitions of the natives. )
ingrate
ungrateful person (Eg: That ingrate Bob sneered at the tie I gave him. )
ingratiate
become popular with (Eg: He tried to ingratiate himself into her parents’ good graces. )
inherent
firmly established by nature or habit (Eg: His inherent love of justice compelled him to come to their aid. )
inhibit
prohibit; restrain (Eg: The child was not inhibited in her responses. )
inimical
unfriendly; hostile (Eg: She felt that they were inimical and were hoping for her downfall. )
inimitable
matchless; not able to be imitated (Eg: We admire Auden for his inimitable use of language; he is one of a kind. )
iniquitous
unjust; wicked (Eg: )
initiate
begin; originate; receive into a group (Eg: The college is about to initiate a program for reducing math anxiety among students. )
injurious
harmful (Eg: Smoking cigarettes can be injurious to your health. )
inkling
hint (Eg: This came as a complete surprise to me as I did not have the slightest inkling of your plans. )
innate
inborn (Eg: His innate talent for music was soon recognized by his parents. )
innocuous
harmless (Eg: Let him drink it; it is innocuous and will have no ill effect. )
innovation
change; introduction of something new (Eg: She loved innovatins just because they were new. )
innuendo
hint; insinuation (Eg: I can defend myself against direct accusations; innuendos and oblique attacks on my character are what )
inopportune
untimely; poorly chosen (Eg: A rock concert is an inopportune setting for a quiet conversation. )
inordinate
unrestrained; excessive (Eg: She had an inordinate fondness for candy. )
inquisitor
questioner (specially harsh); investigator (Eg: Fearing being grilled ruthlessly by the secret police, Marsha faced her inquisitors with trepidation. )
insalubrious
unwholesome; not healthful (Eg: The mosquito-ridden swamp was an insalubrious place, a breeding ground for malarial contagion. )
insatiable
not easily satisfied; greedy (Eg: Welty’s thirst for knowledge was insatiable; she was in the library day and night. )
inscrutable
impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious (Eg: Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards )
insensate
without feeling (Eg: She lay there as insensate as a log. )
insensible
unconscious; unresponsive (Eg: Sherry and I are very different; at times when I would be covered with embarrassment, she seems )
insidious
treacherous; stealthy; sly (Eg: The fifth column is insidious because it works secretly within our territory for our defeat. )
insinuate
hint; imply (Eg: What are you trying to insinuate by that remark? )
insipid
lacking in flavor; dull (Eg: Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid: both lack sparkle. )
insolence
imprudent disrespect; haughtiness (Eg: How dare you treat me so rudely! The manager will hear of you insolence. )
insolvent
bankrupt; lacking money to pay (Eg: When rumors that he was insolvent reached his creditors, they began to press him for payment of the )
insomnia
wakefulness; inability to sleep (Eg: He refused to join us in a midnight cup of coffee because he claimed it gave him insomnia. )
insouciant
indifferent; without concern or care (Eg: Your insouciant attitude at such a critical moment indicates that you do not understand the gravity of the )
instigate
urge; start; provoke (Eg: I am afraid that this statement will instigate a revolt. )
insubordinate
disobedient (Eg: The insubordinate private was confined to the barracks. )
insubstantial
lacking substance; insignificant; frail (Eg: His hopes for a career in acting proved insubstantial; no one would cast him, even in an insubstantial role. )
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation (Eg: The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion of anyuthing foreign. )
insuperable
insurmountable; invincible (Eg: In the face of insuperable difficulties they maintained their courage and will to resist. )
insurgent
rebellious (Eg: We will not discuss reforms until the insurgent troops have returned to their homes. )
insurrection
rebellion; uprising (Eg: Given the current state of affairs in South Africa, an insurrection seems unavoidable. )
intangible
not able to be perceived by touch; vague (Eg: Though the financial benefits of his Oxford post were meager, Lewis was drawn to it by its intangible )
integral
complete; necessary for completeness (Eg: Physical education is an integral part of our curriculum; a sound mind and a sound body are )
integrate
make whole; combine; make into one unit (Eg: She tried to integrate all their activities into one program. )
integrity
uprightness; wholeness (Eg: Lincoln, whose personal integrity has inspired millions, fought a civil war to maintain the integrity of the )
intellect
higher mental powers (Eg: He thought college would develop his intellect. )
intelligentsia
intellectuals; members of the educated elite (Eg: She preferred discussions about sports and politics to the literary conversations of the intelligentsia. )
inter
bury (Eg: They are going to inter the body tomorrow ar Broadlawn Cemetry. )
interdict
prohibit; forbid (Eg: Civilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons if we expect out society to live. )
interim
meantime (Eg: The company will not consider our proposal until next week; in the interim, let us proceed as we have in )
interloper
intruder (Eg: The merchant thought of his competitors as interlopers who were stealing away his trade. )
interminable
endless (Eg: Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes, it seemed interminable to his bored audience. )
intermittent
periodic; on and off (Eg: Our picnic was marred by intermittent rains. )
internecine
mutually destructive (Eg: The rising death toll on both sides indicates the internecine natire of his conflict. )
interpolate
insert between (Eg: She talked so much that I could not interpolate a single remark. )
interregnum
period between two reigns (Eg: Henry VIII desperately sought a male heir because he feared the civil strife that might occur if any )
interrogate
question closely; cross-examine (Eg: Knowing that the Nazis would interrogate him about his background, the secret agent invented a cover )
intervene
come between (Eg: She intervened in the argument between her two sons. )
intimate
hint (Eg: She intimated rather than stated her preferences. )
intimidation
fear (Eg: A ruler who maintains his power by intimidation is bound to develop clandestine resistance. )
intractable
unruly; refractory (Eg: The horse was intractable and refused to enter the starting gate. )
intransigence
state of stubborn unwillingness to compromise (Eg: The intransigence of both parties in the dispute makes an early settlement almost impossible to obtain. )
intrepid
fearless (Eg: For his intrepid conduct in battle, he was promoted. )
intrinsically
essentially; inherently; naturally (Eg: Although my grandmother’s china has intrinsically little value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it )
introspective
looking within oneself (Eg: We all have our introspective moments during which we examine our souls. )
introvert
one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself (Eg: In his poetry, he reveals that he is an introvert by his intense interest in his own problems. )
intrude
trespass; enter as an uninvited person (Eg: She hesitated to intrude on their conversation. )
intuition
power of knowing without reasoning (Eg: She claimed to know the truth by intuition. )
inundate
overflow; flood (Eg: The tremendous waves inundated the town. )
inured
accustomed; hardened (Eg: She became inured to the Alaskan cold. )
invalidate
weaken; destroy (Eg: The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate the will by claiming that the deceased had )
invective
abuse (Eg: He had expected criticism but not the invective that greeted his proposal. )
inveigh
denounce; utter censure or invective (Eg: )
inveigle
lead astray; wheedle (Eg: She was inveigled into joining the club after an initial reluctance. )
inverse
opposite (Eg: There is an inverse ratio between the strength of light and its distance. )
invert
turn upside down or inside out (Eg: When he inverted his body in a hand stand, he felt the blood rush to his head. )
inveterate
deep-rooted; habitual (Eg: She is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the habit. )
invidious
designed to create ill will or envy (Eg: We disregarded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was. )
invincible
unconquerable (Eg: Superman is invincible. )
inviolability
security from being destroyed, corrupted or profaned (Eg: They respected the inviolability of her faith and did not try to change her manner of living. )
invoke
call upon; ask for (Eg: She invoked her advisor’s aid in filling out her financial aid forms. )
invulnerable
incapable of injury (Eg: Achilles was invulnerable except in his heel. )
iota
very small quantity (Eg: She hadn’t an iota of common sense. )
irascible
irritable; easily angered (Eg: Her irascible temper frightened me. )
irate
angry (Eg: When John’s mother found out that he had overthrown his checking account for the third month in a row, )
iridescent
exhibiting rainbowlike colors (Eg: She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water. )
irksome
annoying; tedious (Eg: He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to )
ironic
occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner (Eg: It is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it. )
irony
hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning (Eg: Gradually his listeners began to realize that the excessive praise he was lavishing was merely irony; he was )
irreconsilable
incompatible; not able to be resolved (Eg: Because the separated couple were irreconcilable, the marriage counselor recommended a divorce. )
irrelevant
not applicable; unrelated (Eg: This statement is irrelevant and should be disregarded by the jury. )
irremediable
incurable; uncorrectable (Eg: The error she made was irremediable; she could see no way to repair it. )
irreparable
not able to be corrected or repaired (Eg: Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have done to her reputation. )
irrepressible
unable to be restrained or held back (Eg: Her high spirits were irrepressible. )
irresolute
uncertain how to act; weak (Eg: She had no respect for him because he seemed weak-willed and irresolute. )
irreverent
lacking proper respect (Eg: The worshippers resented her irreverent remarks about their faith. )
irrevocable
unalterable (Eg: Let us not brood over past mistakes since they are irrevocable. )
isotope
varying form of an element (Eg: The study of the isotopes of uranium led to the development of the nuclear bomb. )
isthmus
narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land (Eg: In a magnificent feat of engineering, Goethals and his men cut through the isthmus of Panama in )
itinerant
wandering; traveling (Eg: He was an itinerant peddler and traveled through Pennsylvania and Virginia selling his wares. )
itinerary
plan of a trip (Eg: Before leaving for his first visit to France and England, he discussed his itinerary with people who had )
intersperse
scatter (Eg: The molecules will intersperse throughout the space according to the second law of thermodynamics. )
inquisitive
unduly curious; prying; seeking knowledge (Eg: We need more inquisitive students in this school; lectures are dull. )
jaded
fatigued; surfeited (Eg: He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite. )
jargon
language used by special group; gibberish (Eg: We tried to understand the jargon of the peddlers in the market place but could not find any basis for )
jaundiced
yellowed; prejudiced; envious (Eg: She gazed at the painting with jaundiced eyes; she knew it was better than hers. )
jaunt
trip; short journey (Eg: He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City. )
jaunty
lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree (Eg: In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way throughtthe lighthearted title number in a )
jeopardy
exposure to death or danger (Eg: Legally, one cannot be placed in double jeopardy. )
jettison
throw overboard (Eg: In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the captain had to jettison much of his cargo. )
jingoism
extremely aggressive and militant patriotism (Eg: We must be careful to prevent a spirit of jingoism from spreading at this time. )
jocose
given to joking (Eg: The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a stand-up comic. )
jocular
said or done in jest (Eg: Do not take my jocular remarks seriously. )
jocund
merry (Eg: Santa Claus is always vivacious and jocund. )
jollity
gaiety; cheerfulness (Eg: The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one, and old and young alike joined in the general jollity. )
jostle
shove; bump (Eg: In the subway he was jostled by the crowds. )
jovial
good natured; merry (Eg: A frown seemed out of place on his invariably jovial face. )
jubilation
rejoicing (Eg: There was great jubilitation when the armistice was announced. )
judicious
sound in judgment; wise (Eg: At a key moment in his life, he made a judicious investment that was the foundation of his later wealth. )
juggernaut
irresistible crushin force (Eg: Nothing could survive in the path of the juggernaut. )
juncture
crisis;joining point (Eg: At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow. )
junket
trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense (Eg: Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the Common Market, the )
junta
group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal (Eg: As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the )
jurisprudence
science of law (Eg: He was more a student of jurisprudence than a practitioner of the law. )
juxtapose
place side by side (Eg: Comparison will be easier if you juxtapose the two objects. )
kaleidoscope
tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc., (Eg: produce interesting symmetrical effects )
ken
range of knowledge (Eg: I cannot answer your question since this matter is beyond my ken. )
killjoy
grouch; spoilsport (Eg: At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until that killjoy John started talking about how )
kindle
start a fire; inspire (Eg: Her teacher’s praise kindled a spark a hope inside her. )
kindred
related; similar in nature or character (Eg: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were two kindred spirits. )
kinetic
producing motion (Eg: Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest obstacle lies in the development of light and )
kismet
fate (Eg: kismet is the Arabic word for “fate.” )
kleptomaniac
person who has a compulsive desire to steal (Eg: They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac when they caught her stealing some cheap )
knavery
rascality (Eg: We cannot condone such knavery in public officials. )
knead
mix; work dough (Eg: Her hands grew strong from kneading bread. )
knell
tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell (Eg: “The curfew tolls the knell of parting day.” )
knit
contract into wrinkles (Eg: Whenever David worries, his brow knits in a frown. )
knoll
little, round hill (Eg: Robert Louis Stevenson’s grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and )
knotty
intricate; difficult; tangled (Eg: What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes was simplicity itself. )
kudos
honor; glory; praise (Eg: The singer complacently received kudos on his performance from his entourage. )
labile
likely to change; unstable (Eg: Because the hormonal changes they undergo affect their spirits, adolescents may become emotionally labile )
laborious
demanding much work or care; tedious (Eg: In putting together his dictionary of the English language, Doctor Johnson undertook a laborious task. )
labyrinth
maze (Eg: Tom and Becky were lost in the labyrinth of secret caves. )
lacerate
mangle; tear (Eg: Her body was lacerated in the automobile crash. )
lachrymose
producing tears (Eg: His voice has a lachrymose quality that is more appropriate at a funeral than a class reunion. )
lackadaisical
affectedly languid (Eg: He was lackadaisical and indifferent about his part in the affair. )
lackluster
dull (Eg: We were disappointed by the lackluster performance. )
laconic
brief and to the point (Eg: Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types: strong men of few words. )
laggard
slow; sluggish (Eg: The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out orders. )
