gre 2500-3000 Flashcards
pathological
pertaining to disease (Eg: As we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must not overlook the psychological elements. )
pathos
tender to sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings. (Eg: The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never degenerated into the maudlin or the overly )
patina
green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting (Eg: Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist. )
patois
local or provincial dialect (Eg: His years of study of the language at the university did not enable him to understand the patois of the )
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe (Eg: In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the patriarch. )
patrician
noble; aristocratic (Eg: We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance )
patronize
support; act superior toward (Eg: Experts in a field sometimes appear to patronize people who are less knowledgeable of the subject. )
paucity
scarcity (Eg: They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate. )
pauper
very poor person (Eg: Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was by no means a pauper. )
peccadillo
slight offense (Eg: If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they are mere peccadilloes rather than major )
pecuniary
pertaining to money (Eg: I never expected a pecuniary reward for my work in this activity. )
pedagogue
teacher (Eg: He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always lively and filled with humor. )
pedagogy
teaching; art of education (Eg: Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in pedagogy, it took years before her teaching )
pedant
scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities (Eg: Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher as a pedant rather than a scholar. )
pedantic
showing off learning; bookish (Eg: Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Walker was not at all pedantic legal )
pedestrian
ordinary; unimaginative (Eg: Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian prose. )
pediatrician
physician specializing in children’s diseases. (Eg: The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child’s ailment. )
pejorative
negative in connotation; having a belittling effect. (Eg: Instead of criticizing Clinton’s policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character. )
pellmell
in confusion; disorderly (Eg: The excited students dashed pellmell into the stadium to celebrate the victory. )
pellucid
transparent; limpid; easy to understand (Eg: After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable. )
penance
self-imposed punishment for sin (Eg: The Ancient Mariner said, “I have penance done and penance more will do,” to atone for the sin of killing )
penchant
strong inclination; liking (Eg: He had a strong penchant for sculpture and owned many statues. )
pendant
hanging down from something (Eg: Her pendant earrings glistened in the light. )
pendant
ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.) (Eg: The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and pendant engraved with the school’s motto. )
pendulous
hanging; suspended (Eg: The pendulous chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were about to fall from the ceiling. )
penitent
repentant (Eg: When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became remorseful and penitent. )
pensive
dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness (Eg: The pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then sighed. )
penumbra
partial shadow (in an eclipse) (Eg: During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a lighter area, which is the penumbra. )
penurious
stingy; parsimonious (Eg: He was a penurious man, averse to spending money even for the necessities of life. )
penury
extreme poverty (Eg: When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his days in penury. )
peon
landless agricultural worker; bond servant (Eg: The land reformers sought to liberate the peons and establish them as independent farmers. )
perceptive
insightful; aware; wise (Eg: Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her blind sports: she could never see flaws in the )
percussion
striking one object against another sharply (Eg: The drum is a percussion instrument. )
perdition
damnation; complete ruin (Eg: Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to eternal perdition. )
peregrination
journey (Eg: Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo. )
peremptory
demanding and leaving no choice (Eg: From Jack’s peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he would not give up until she let him in. )
perennial
something long-lasting (Eg: Tese plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years. )
perifidious
treacherous; disloyal (Eg: When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious friend. )
perforate
pierce; put a hole through (Eg: Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate the plastic safety seal that covers the cap. )
perfunctory
superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm (Eg: The auditor’s perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked many errors. )
perigee
point of moon’s orbit when it is nearest the earth (Eg: The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon was launched as the moon approached )
perimeter
outer boundary (Eg: To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of the four sides. )
peripatetic
walking about; moving (Eg: The peripatetic school of philosophy derives its name from the fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils )
peripheral
marginal; outer (Eg: We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of )
periphery
edge, especially of a round surface (Eg: He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of his vision. )
perjury
false testimony while under oath (Eg: When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was indicted for perjury. )
permeable
porous; allowing passage through (Eg: Glass is permeable to light. )
pernicious
very destructive, harmful (Eg: He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and susceptible minds. )
peroration
conclusion of an oration (Eg: The peroration was largely hortatory and brought the audience to its feet clamoring for action at its close. )
perpetrate
commit an offense (Eg: Only an insane person could perpetrate such a horrible crime. )
perpetual
everlasting (Eg: Ponce de Leon hoped to find perpetual youth. )
perquisite
any gain above stipulated salary (Eg: The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates. )
personable
attractive (Eg: The man I am seeking to fill this position must be personable since he will be representing us before the )
perspicacious
having insight; penetrating; astute (Eg: The brillant lawyer was known for his perspicacious deductions. )
perspicuity
clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity (Eg: One of the outstanding features of this book is the perspicuity of its author; her meaning is always clear. )
perspicuous
plainly expressed (Eg: Her perspicuous comments eliminated all posibility of misinterpretation. )
pert
impertinent; forward (Eg: I think your pert and impudent remarks call for an apology. )
pertinacious
stubborn; persistent (Eg: He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit. )
pertinent
suitable; to the point (Eg: The lawyer wanted to know all the pertinent details. )
perturb
disturb greatly (Eg: I am afraid this news will perturb him and cause him grief. )
perusal
reading (Eg: I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid perusal of this document. )
pervasive
spread throughout (Eg: Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothbals that )
perverse
stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable (Eg: When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh of his victims. )
perversion
corruption; turning from right to wrong (Eg: Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not understand his perversion. )
pessimism
belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess (Eg: The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there is little reason for your pessimism. )
pestilential
causing plague; baneful (Eg: People were afraid to explore the pestilential swap. )
pestle
tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl (Eg: From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug with his pestle, young George could tell )
petrify
turn to stone (Eg: His sudden and unexpected appearance seemed to petrify her. )
petty
trivial; unimportant; very small (Eg: She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too )
petulant
touchy; peevish (Eg: The feverish patient was petulant and restless. )
pharisaical
pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; (Eg: hypocritical )
phenomena
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation (Eg: We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the course of these experiments. )
philanderer
faithless lover; flirt (Eg: Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman, Jack assured Jill he was no philanderer. )
philanthropist
lover of mankind; doer of good (Eg: As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and benefactor of the needy. )
philatelist
stamp-collector (Eg: When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was inspired to become a philatelist. )
philistine
narrow-minded person, uncultured and exculsively interested in material gain (Eg: We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too many philistines among us. )
philology
study of language (Eg: The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an international language. )
phlegmatic
calm; not easily disturbed (Eg: The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies. )
phobia
morbid fear (Eg: Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real phobia. )
physiognomy
face (Eg: He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person’s character by studying his physiognomy. )
physiological
pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms (Eg: To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its physiological aspects but also its )
piebald
of different colors; motled; spotted (Eg: You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the only piebald horse running. )
pied
variegated; multicolored (Eg: The pied piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore. )
piety
devoutness; reverence for God (Eg: Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true sprit of piety. )
pigment
coloring matter (Eg: Van Gogh mixed various pigments with linseed oil to create his paints. )
pillage
plunder (Eg: )
pillory
punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule (Eg: Even though he was mocked and pilloried, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs. )
pine
languish, decline; long for, yearn (Eg: Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff )
pinion
restrain (Eg: They pinioned his arms against his body but left his legs free so that he could move about. )
pinnacle
peak (Eg: We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow. )
pious
devout (Eg: The pious parents gave their children a religious upbringing. )
piquant
pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating (Eg: The piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal. )
pique
irritation; resentment (Eg: She showed her pique by her refusal to appear with the other contestants at the end of the contest. )
piscatorial
pertaining to fishing (Eg: He spent many happy hours at the lake in his piscatorial activities. )
pithy
concise; meaty (Eg: I enjoy reading his essays because they are always compact and pithy. )
pittance
a small allowance or wage (Eg: He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of )
pivotal
central; critical (Eg: De Klerk’s decision to set Nelson Mandela free was pivotal; without Mandela’s release, there was no )
placate
pacify; conciliate (Eg: The teacher tried to placate the angry mother. )
placebo
harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill (Eg: In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received )
placid
peaceful; calm (Eg: After his vacation in this placid section, he felt soothed and rested. )
plagiarize
steal another’s ideas and pass them off as one’s own (Eg: )
plaintive
mournful (Eg: The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call )
plasticity
ability to be molded (Eg: When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable. )
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement (Eg: The platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people )
platonic
purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire (Eg: Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the professor maintained he had only a )
plauditory
approving; applauding (Eg: The theatrical company reprinted the plauditory comments of the critics in its advertisement. )
plausible
having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious (Eg: Even though your argument is plausible, I still would like to have more proof. )
plebeian
common; pertaining to the common people (Eg: His speeches were aimed at the plebeian minds and emotions; they disgusted the more refined. )
plenary
complete; full (Eg: The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new contract with the employers. )
plenitude
abundance; completeness (Eg: Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and pickles we had preserved during the summer. )
plethora
excess; overabundance (Eg: She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings. )
pliable
flexible; yielding; adaptable (Eg: In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead pipes with new, pliable copper tubing. )
pliant
flexible; easily influenced (Eg: Catherine’s disposition was pliant; she was like putty in her suitor’s hands. )
pluck
courage (Eg: Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by the boy’s pluck in trying to rescue the )
plumb
vertical (Eg: Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from the ceiling as a guide. )
plummet
fall sharply (Eg: )
plutocracy
society ruled by the wealthy (Eg: From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think our society is a plutocracy rather than a )
podiatrist
doctor who treats ailments of the feet (Eg: He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches. )
podium
pedestal; raised platform (Eg: The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the podium. )
poignancy
quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion (Eg: Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and child, the social worker was touched by the )
polarize
split into opposite extremes or camps (Eg: The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and anti-abortion camps. )
polemic
controversy; argument in support of point of view (Eg: Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party’s policy. )
politic
expedient; prudent; well devised (Eg: Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it politic to refuse the offer. )
polity
form of government of nation or state (Eg: Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens. )
polygamist
one who has more than one spouse at a time (Eg: He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed complaints about him. )
polyglot
speaking several languages (Eg: New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands of immigrants who settle there. )
pomposity
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt (Eg: Although the commencement speaker had some good things to say, we had to laugh at his pomposity and )
ponderous
weighty; unwieldy (Eg: His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always ponderous. )
pontifical
pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious (Eg: From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was )
pore
study industriously; ponder; scrutinize (Eg: Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours poring over her anatomy text. )
porous
full of pores; like a sieve (Eg: )
portend
foretell; presage (Eg: The king did not know what these omens might portend and asked his soothsayers to interpret them. )
portent
sign; omen; forewarning (Eg: He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil. )
portly
stout; corpulent (Eg: The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as portly rather than fat. )
poseur
person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others (Eg: Some thought Dali was a brillant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur. )
posterity
descendants; future generations (Eg: We hope to leave a better world to posterity. )
posthumous
after death (as of child born after father’s death or book published after author’s death) (Eg: The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last )
postulate
self-evident truth (Eg: We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further. )
posture
assume an affected pose; act artificially (Eg: No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended )
potable
suitable for drinking (Eg: The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of )
potent
powerful; persuasive; greatly influential (Eg: The jury was swayed by the highly potent testimony of the crime’s sole eyewitness. )
potentate
monarch; sovereign (Eg: The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne. )
potential
expressing possibility; latent (Eg: The juvenile delinquent is a potential murderer. )
potion
dose (of liquid) (Eg: Tristan and Lsolde drink a love potion in the first act of the opera. )
potpourri
heterogeneous mixture; medley (Eg: He offered a potpourri of folk songs from many lands. )
poultice
soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body (Eg: He was advised to apply a flaxseed poultice to the inflammation. )
practicable
feasible (Eg: The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and agreed to undertake the project. )
practical
based on experience; useful (Eg: He was a practical man, opposed to theory )
pragmatic
practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of (Eg: something )
pragmatist
practical person (Eg: No pragmatist enjoys becoming involved in a game that he can never win )
prate
speak foolishly; boast idly (Eg: Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves. )
prattle
babble (Eg: The children prattle endlessly about their new toys. )
preamble
introductory statement (Eg: In the preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth. )
precarious
uncertain; risky (Eg: I think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its purchase. )
precedent
something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action (Eg: This decision sets a precedent for future cases of a similar nature. )
precedent
preceding in time, rank, etc. (Eg: Our discussions, precedent to this event, certainly did not give you any reason to believe that we would )
precept
practical rule guiding conduct (Eg: “Love thy neighbor as thyself” is a worthwhile precept. )
precipice
cliff; dangerous position (Eg: Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of a precipice. )
precipitate
headlong; rash (Eg: Do not be precipitate in this matter; investigate further. )
precipitate
throw headlong; hasten (Eg: The removal of American political support appeared to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos )
precipitous
steep; overhasty (Eg: This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as )
precise
exact (Eg: If you don’t give me precise directions and a map, I’ll never find your place. )
preclude
make impossible; eliminate (Eg: This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you. )
precocious
advanced in development (Eg: By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious. )
precursor
forerunner (Eg: Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics )
predatory
plundering (Eg: The hawk is a predatory bird. )
predecessor
former occupant of a post (Eg: I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late predecessor in this office. )
predilection
partiality; preference (Eg: Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had a predilection for watercolors. )
preeminent
outstanding; superior (Eg: The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent surgeon in the field to perform the )
preempt
head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself; supplant (Eg: Hoping to preempt any attempts by the opposition to make educational reform a hot political issue, the )
preen
make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction (Eg: As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her shining hair, she couldn’t help preening herself )
prefactory
introductory (Eg: The chairman made a few prefactory remarks before he called on the first speaker. )
prehensile
capable of grasping or holding (Eg: Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their prehensile tails in traveling through the trees. )
prelate
church dignitary (Eg: The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates visited the Russian Orthodox seminary. )
prelude
introduction; forerunner (Eg: I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious attacks. )
premeditate
plan in advance (Eg: )
premise
assumption; postulate (Eg: Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty premise, his opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes )
premonition
forewarning (Eg: We ignored these premonitions of disaster because they appeared to be based on childish fears. )
premonitory
serving to warn (Eg: You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these premonitory chest pains. )
preponderance
superiority of power, quantity, etc. (Eg: The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of strength of the government forces by engaging in )
preposterous
absurd; ridiculous (Eg: When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn’t inhaled, )
prerogative
privilege; unquestionable right (Eg: The President cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the legislative branch of government. )
presage
foretell (Eg: The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery of the corpse in the desert. )
prescience
ability to foretell the future (Eg: Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take prescience for me to foresee problems in our )
presentiment
premonition; foreboding (Eg: Hamlet felt a presentiment about his meeting with Laertes. )
prestige
impression produced by achievements or reputation (Eg: The wealthy man sought to obtain social prestige by contributing to popular charities. )
presumptous
arrogant; taking liberties (Eg: It seems presumptous for one so relatively new to the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading )
pretentious
ostentatious; ambitious (Eg: I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry out such a pretentious program. )
preternatural
beyond that which is normal in nature (Eg: John’s mother’s total ability to tell when he was lying struck him as almost preternatural. )
pretext
excuse (Eg: He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his aunt. )
prevail
induce; triumph over (Eg: He tried to prevail on her to type his essays for him. )
prevalent
widespread; generally accepted (Eg: A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with the conservative views prevalent in the )
prevaricate
lie (Eg: Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard the statement as a “white )
prey
target of a hunt; victim (Eg: In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey not wild beasts but wild plants. )
prim
very precise and formal; exceedingly proper (Eg: Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire of the young lady and the inappropriate )
primogeniture
seniority by birth (Eg: By virtue of primogeniture, in some cultures the first-born child has many privileges denied his brothers )
primordial
existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary (Eg: The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors. )
primp
dress or groom oneself with care (Eg: She primps for hours before a dance. )
pristine
characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled (Eg: This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness. )
privation
hardship; want (Eg: In his youth, he knew hunger and privation. )
privy
secret; hidden; not public (Eg: We do not care for privy chamber of government. )
probe
explore with tools (Eg: The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it. )
probity
uprightness; incorruptibility (Eg: Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all. )
problematic
perplexing; unsettled: questionable (Eg: Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains )
proclivity
inclination; natural tendency (Eg: )
procrastinate
postpone; delay (Eg: It is wise not to procrastinate; otherwise, we find ourselves bogged down in a mass of work that should )
procurement
obtaining (Eg: The personnel department handles the procurement of new employees. )
prod
poke; stir up; urge (Eg: If you prod him hard enough, he’ll eventually clean his room. )
prodigal
wasteful; reckless with money (Eg: The prodigal son squandered his inheritance. )
prodigious
enormous; marvelous (Eg: He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate. )
prodigy
highly gifted child; marvel (Eg: Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old. )
profane
violate; desecrate (Eg: Tourists are urged not to profane the sanctity of holy places by wearing improper garb. )
profilgate
dissipated; wasteful; licentious (Eg: In this profilgate company, she lost all sense of decency. )
profound
deep; not superficial; complete (Eg: Freud’s remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound )
profusion
lavish expenditure; overabundant condition (Eg: Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as at the wedding feast. )
progenitor
ancestor (Eg: The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth century, settled in )
progeny
children; offspring (Eg: He was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most promising of all his children. )
prognosis
forecasted course of a disease; prediction (Eg: If the doctor’s prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours. )
prognosticate
predict (Eg: I prognosticate disaster unless we change our wasteful ways. )
projectile
missile (Eg: Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the form of stones or of highly explosive shells. )
proletarian
member of the working class (Eg: The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the )
proliferate
grow rapidly; spread; multiply (Eg: Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-rich-quick schemes to proliferate )
prolific
abundantly fruitful (Eg: She was a prolific writer who produced as many as three books a year. )
prolix
verbose; drawn out (Eg: Her prolix arguments irritated and bored the jury. )
prolong
extend; draw out; lengthen (Eg: In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer )
prominent
conspicuous; notable; protruding (Eg: Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles’s prominent ears make him resemble the big-eared character in )
promiscuous
mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly sexually (Eg: In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the promiscuous life led by the young artists of Paris. )
promontory
headland (Eg: They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore. )
prompt
cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor (Eg: Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you’re on a diet? )
promulgate
make known by official proclamation or publication (Eg: As soon as the Civil Service Commission promulgates the names of the successful candidates, we shall )
prone
inclined to; prostrate (Eg: She was prone to sudden fits of anger. )
propagate
multiply; spread (Eg: Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms )
propellant
substance that propels or drives forward (Eg: The development of our missile program has forced our scientists to seek more powerful propellants. )
propensity
natural inclination (Eg: Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others. )
prophetic
having to do with predicting the future (Eg: )
prophylactic
used to prevent disease (Eg: Despite all prophylactic measures introduced by the authorities, the epidemic raged until cool weather set )
propinquity
nearness; kinship (Eg: Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity: they were more than )
propitiate
appease (Eg: The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods. )
propitious
favorable; kindly (Eg: I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good )
proponent
person who supports or proposes (an idea) (Eg: After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original proponents didn’t want to )
propound
put forth for analysis (Eg: In you discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us consider each one separately. )
propriety
fitness; correct conduct (Eg: I want you to behave at this dinner with propriety; don’t embarass me. )
propulsive
driving forward (Eg: The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-driven plane. )
prosaic
dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual (Eg: Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative campaign to publicize the company’s newest )
proscenium
part of stage in front of curtain (Eg: In the theater-in-the-round there can be no proscenium or proscenium arch. )
proscribe
ostracize; banish; outlaw (Eg: Antony, Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar. )
proselytize
induce someone to convert to religion or belief (Eg: In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of view. )
prosody
the art of versification (Eg: This book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary as well as samples of the various verse forms. )
prosperity
good fortune; financial success; physical well-being (Eg: Promising to stay together “for richer, for poorer,” the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in )
prostrate
stretch out full on ground (Eg: He prostrated himself before the idol. )
protean
versatile; able to take on many forms (Eg: A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any role. )
protocol
diplomatic etiquette (Eg: We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests. )
prototype
original work used as a model by others (Eg: The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype of the elaborate machines in use today. )
protract
prolong (Eg: Seeking to delay the union members’ vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations )
protrude
stick out (Eg: His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves. )
protuberance
protrusion; bulge (Eg: A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that develops near a joint membrane or tendon )
provenance
origin or source of something (Eg: I am not interested in its provenance; I am more concerned with its usefulness than with its source. )
provender
dry food; fodder (Eg: I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of provender for the cattle. )
provident
displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies (Eg: In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss. )
provincial
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated (Eg: As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen’s law in his remote corner of Canada. )
provisional
tentative (Eg: The appointment is provisional; only on the approval of the board of directors will it be made permanent. )
proviso
stipulation (Eg: I am ready to accept your proposal with the two proviso that you meet your obligations within the next )
provoke
stir up anger; cause retaliation (Eg: In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not provoke our foe. )
proximity
nearness (Eg: The deer sensed the hunter’s proximity and bounded away. )
proxy
authorized agent (Eg: Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in my absence. )
prude
excessively modest or proper person (Eg: The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes. )
prudent
cautious; careful (Eg: A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy. )
prune
cut away; trim (Eg: With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her manuscript into publishable form. )
pseudonym
pen name (Eg: Samuel Clemens’ pseudonym was Mark Twain. )
psychiatrist
a doctor who treats mental diseases (Eg: A psychiatrist often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made. )
psychopathic
pertaining to mental derangement (Eg: The psychopathic patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a )
psychosis
mental disorder (Eg: We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient’s repressed desires if we hope to combat this psychosis. )
pterodactyl
extinct flying reptile (Eg: The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet. )
puerile
childish (Eg: His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends. )
pugilist
boxer (Eg: The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali. )
pugnacious
combative; disposed to fight (Eg: As a child he was pugnacious and fought with everyone. )
puissant
powerful; strong; potent (Eg: We must keep his friendship for he will make a puissant ally. )
pulchritude
beauty; comeliness (Eg: I do not envy the judges who have to select this year’s Miss America from this collection of female )
pulmonary
pertaining to the lungs (Eg: In his researches on pulmonary diseases, he discovered many facts about the lungs of animals and human )
pulsate
throb (Eg: We could see the blood vessels in his temple pulsate as he became more angry. )
pulverize
crush or grind into very small particles (Eg: Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first pulverized them into a fine powder. )
pummel
beat (Eg: The severity with which he was pummeled was indicated by the bruises he displayed on his head and face. )
punctilious
laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise (Eg: We must be punctilious in our planning of this affair, for any error may be regarded as a personal affront. )
pundit
learned Hindu; any learned person; authority on a subject (Eg: Even though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is actually rather ignorant about this topic. )
pungency
sharpness; stinging quality (Eg: The pungency of the cigarette smoke made me cough. )
punitive
punishing (Eg: He asked for punitive measures against the offender. )
puny
insignificant; tiny; weak (Eg: Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile. )
purchase
firm grasp or footing (Eg: The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock. )
purgatory
place of spiritual expiation (Eg: In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his comrades. )
purge
clean by removing impurities; clear of changes (Eg: If you are to be purged of the charge of contempt of Congress, you must be willing to answer the )
purport
intention; meaning (Eg: If the purport of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you succeeded admirably. )
purveyor
furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer (Eg: As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new )
pusillanimous
cowardly; fainthearted (Eg: You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during this dispute. )
putative
supposed; reputed (Eg: Although there are some doubts, the putative author of this work is Massinger. )
putrid
foul; rotten; decayed (Eg: The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the putrid smell when the bandages were )
pyromaniac
person with an insane desire to set things on fire (Eg: The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had set these costly fires. )
pyre
heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse. (Eg: The mortician put pyre on the corpse before burning a corpse. )
pest
troublesome or annoying person (Eg: He was a pest; always bothering people. )
prohibitive
extremely high (of prices etc.) (Eg: The super computer’s price was prohibitive. )
quack
charlatan; impostor (Eg: Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he cannot cure you. )
quadruped
four-footed animal (Eg: Most mammals are quadrupeds. )
quaff
drink with relish (Eg: As we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern. )
quagmire
soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself (Eg: Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was going to extricate herself from this )
quail
cower; lose heart (Eg: He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger. )
quaint
odd; old-fashioned; picturesque (Eg: Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric. )
qualified
limited; restricted (Eg: Unable to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement. )
qualms
misgivings (Eg: His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans. )
quandary
dilemma (Eg: When the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he was in a quandary as to which one he )
quarantine
isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection (Eg: )
quarry
victim; object of a hunt (Eg: The police closed in on their quarry. )
quarry
dig into (Eg: They quarried blocks of marble out of the hillside. )
quash
subdue; crush; squash (Eg: The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion, sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators. )
quay
dock; landing place (Eg: Because of the captain’s carelessness, the ship crashed into the quay. )
queasy
easily nauseated; squeamish (Eg: As the ship left the harbor, he became queasy and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness. )
quell
put down; quiet (Eg: The police used fire hoses and teat gas to quell the rioters. )
querulous
fretful; whining (Eg: His classmates were repelled by his querulous and complaining statements. )
queue
line (Eg: They stood patiently in the queue outside the movie theatre. )
quibble
equivocate; play on words (Eg: Do not quibble; I want a straightforward and definite answer. )
quiescent
at rest; dormant (Eg: After this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescent for twenty-four hours. )
quietude
tranquillity (Eg: He was impressed by the air of quietude and peace that pervaded the valley. )
quintessence
purest and highest embodiment (Eg: Noel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit. )
quip
taunt (Eg: You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments. )
quirk
startling twise; caprice (Eg: By a quirk of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he had discharged years before. )
quisling
traitor who aids invaders (Eg: In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the quislings who betrayed their own people and served in )
quiver
case for arrows (Eg: )
quixotic
idealistic but impractical (Eg: His head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these quixotic schemes. )
quizzical
bantering; comical; humorously serious (Eg: Will Rogers’ quizzical remarks endeared him to his audiences. )
quorum
number of members necessary to conduct a meeting (Eg: The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a quorum was present. )
quotidian
daily; commonplace; customary (Eg: To Philip, each new day of his internship was filled with excitement; he could not dismiss his rounds as )
rabid
like a fanatic; furious (Eg: He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park. )
raconteur
story-teller (Eg: My father was a gifted raconteur with an unlimited supply of anecdotes. )
ragamuffin
person wearing tattered clothes (Eg: He felt sorry for the ragamuffin who was begging for food and gave him money to buy a meal. )
rail
scold; rant (Eg: You may rail at him all you want; you will never change him. )
raiment
clothing (Eg: “How can I go to the ball?” asked Cinderella. “I have no raiment fit to wear.” )
rakish
stylish; sporty (Eg: He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle. )
ramble
wander aimlessly (physically or mentally) (Eg: Listening to the teacher ramble, Judy wondered whether he’d ever get to his point. )
ramification
branching out; subdivision (Eg: We must examine all the ramifications of this problem. )
ramify
divide into branches or subdivisions (Eg: When the plant begins to ramify, it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches. )
ramp
slope; inclined plane (Eg: The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move )
rampant
rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained (Eg: The rampant weeds in the garden killed all the flowers that had been planted in the spring. )
rampart
defensive mound on earth (Eg: “From the ramparts we watched” as the fighting continued. )
ramshackle
rickety; falling apart (Eg: The boys propped up the ramshackle clubhouse with a couple of boards. )
rancid
having the odor of stale fat (Eg: A rancid odor filled the ship’s galley and nauseated the crew. )
rancor
bitterness; hatred (Eg: Let us forget out rancor and cooperate in this new endeavor. )
random
without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard (Eg: Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all winners were chosen at random, people had their suspicions )
rankle
irritate; fester (Eg: The memory of having been jilted rankled him for years. )
rant
rave; speak bombastically (Eg: As we heard him rant on the platform, we could not understand his strange popularity with many people. )
rapacious
excessively grasping; plundering (Eg: Hawks and other rapacious birds prey on variety of small animals. )
rapport
emotional closeness; harmony (Eg: In team teaching, it is important that all teachers in the group have good rapport with one another. )
rarefied
made less dense [of a gas] (Eg: The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere. )
raspy
grating; harsh (Eg: The sergeant’s raspy voice grated on the recruits’ ears. )
ratify
approve formally; verify (Eg: Before the treaty could go into effect, it had to be ratified by the president. )
ratiocination
reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises (Eg: While Watson was a man of average intelligence, Holmes was a genius, whose gift for ratiocination made )
rationalization
bringing into conformity with reason (Eg: All attempts at rationalization at this time are doomed to failure; tempers and emotions run too high for )
rationalize
reason; justify an improper act (Eg: Do not try to rationalize your behavior by blaming your companions. )
raucous
harsh and shrill (Eg: His raucous laughter irritated me and grated on my ears. )
ravage
plunder; despoil (Eg: The marauding army ravaged the countryside. )
rave
overwhelmingly favorable review (Eg: Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about contemporary plays, his review of All in )
ravel
fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle (Eg: A sigle thread pulled loose, and the entire scarf started to ravel. )
ravenous
extremely hungry (Eg: The revenous dog upset several garbage pails in its search for food. )
ravine
narrow valley with steep sides (Eg: Steeper than a gully, less precipitous than a canyon, a ravine is, like them, the product of years of erosion. )
raze
destroy completely (Eg: The owners intend to raze the hotel and erect an office building on the site. )
reactionary
recoiling from progress; retrograde (Eg: His program was reactionary since it sought to abolish many of the social reforms instituted by the )
realm
kingdom; sphere (Eg: The realm of possibilities for the new invention was endless. )
reaper
one who harvests grain (Eg: Death, the Grim Reaper, cuts down men and women, just as a farmer cuts down the ripened grain. )
rebate
discount (Eg: We offer a rebate of ten percent to those who pay cash. )
rebuff
snub; beat back (Eg: She rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed. )
rebus
puzzle in which pictures stand for words (Eg: A coven of witches beside a tree is a possible rebus for the town Coventry. )
rebuttal
refutation; response with contrary evidence (Eg: The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up his case, sure that she could answer his )
recalcitrant
obstinately stubborn (Eg: Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant of animals. )
recant
repudiate; withdraw previous statement (Eg: Unless you recant your confession, you will be punished severely. )
recapitulate
summarize (Eg: Let us recapitulate what has been said thus far before going ahead. )
receptive
quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc. (Eg: Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a receptive audience for Tom’s tales of buried treasure and piracy. )
recession
withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity (Eg: The slow recession of the flood waters created problems for the crews working to restore power to the )
recidivism
habitual return to crime (Eg: Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high rate of recidivism; the number of persons )
recipient
receiver (Eg: Although he had been the recipient of many favors, he was not grateful to his benefactor. )
reciprocal
mutual; exchangeable; interacting (Eg: The two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement. )
reciprocate
repay in kind (Eg: If they attack us, we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb their territory. )
recluse
hermit (Eg: The recluse lived in a hut in the forest. )
reconcile
correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel (Eg: Every time we try to reconcile our checkbook with the bank statement, we quarrel. However, despite these )
recondite
abstruse; profound; secret (Eg: He read many recondite books in order to obtain the material for the scholarly thesis. )
reconnaissance
survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering (Eg: If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your reconnaissance, capture them for questioning. )
recount
narrate or tell; count over again (Eg: About to recount the latest adventure of Sherlock Holmes, Watson lost track of exactly how many cases )
recourse
resorting to help when in trouble (Eg: The boy’s only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid. )
recrimination
countercharges (Eg: Loud and angry recriminations were her answer to his accusations. )
rectify
correct (Eg: I want to rectify my error before it is too late. )
rectitude
uprightness (Eg: He was renowned for his rectitude and integrity. )
recumbent
reclining; lying down completely or in part (Eg: The command “AT EASE” does not permit you to take a recumbent position. )
recuperate
recover (Eg: The doctors were worried because the patient did not recuperate as rapidly as they had expected. )
recurrent
occurring again and again (Eg: These recurrent attacks disturbed us and we consulted a physician. )
redolent
fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor (Eg: Even though it is February, the air is redolent of spring. )
redoubtable
formidable; causing fear (Eg: During the Cold War period, neighboring countries tried not to offend the Russians because they could be )
redress
remedy; compensation (Eg: Do you mean to tell me that I can get no redress for my injuries? )
redundant
superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious (Eg: Your composition is redundant; you can easily reduce its length. )
reek
emit (odor) (Eg: The room reeked with stale tobacco smoke. )
refectory
dining hall (Eg: In this huge refectory, we can feed the entire student body at one sitting. )
refraction
bending of a ray of light (Eg: When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks bent because of the refraction of the light by the water. )
refractory
stubborn; unmanageable (Eg: The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey. )
refrain
v. abstain from; resist n. chorus (Eg: Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Sol could never refrain from joining in on the refrain. )
refurbish
renovate; make bright by polishing (Eg: The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; it was necessary to refurbish our belongings. )
refute
disprove (Eg: The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the )
regal
royal (Eg: Prince Albert had a regal manner. )
regale
entertain (Eg: John regaled us with tales of his adventures in Africa. )
regatta
boat or yacht race (Eg: Many boating enthusiasts followed the regatta in their own yachts. )
regeneration
spiritual rebirth (Eg: Modern penologists strive for the regeneration of the prisoners. )
regicide
murder of a king or queen (Eg: The beheading of Mary Queen of Scots was an act of regicide. )
regime
method or system of government (Eg: When a Frenchman mentions the Old Regime, he refers to the government existing before the revolution. )
regimen
prescribed diet and habits (Eg: I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict regimen. )
rehabilitate
restore to proper condition (Eg: We must rehabilitate those whom we send to prison. )
reimburse
repay (Eg: Let me know what you have spent and I will reimburse you. )
reiterate
repeat (Eg: He reiterated the warning to make sure everyone understood it. )
rejoinder
retort; comeback; reply (Eg: When someone has been rude to me, I find it particularly satisfying to come up with a quick rejoinder. )
rejuvenate
make young again (Eg: The charlatan claimed that his elixir would rejuvenate the aged and weary. )
relegate
banish; consign to inferior position (Eg: If we relegate these experts to minor posts because of their political persuasions, we shall lose their )
relent
give in (Eg: When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped )
relevant
pertinent; referring to the case in hand (Eg: )
relic
surviving remnant; memento (Eg: Egypt’s Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient relics out of )
relinquish
abandon (Eg: I will relinquish my claims to this property if you promise to retain my employees. )
relish
savor; enjoy (Eg: I relish a good joke as much as anyone else. )
remediable
reparable (Eg: Let us be grateful that the damage is remediable. )
reminiscence
recollection (Eg: Her reminiscences of her experiences are so fascinating that she ought to write a book. )
remiss
negligent (Eg: He was accused of being remiss in his duty when the prisoner escaped. )
remission
temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of a debt; forgiveness or pardon (Eg: Though Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his symptoms were in remission, and he was )
remnant
remainder (Eg: I suggest that you wait until the store places the remnants of these goods on sale. )
remonstrance
protest; objection (Eg: The authorities were deaf to the pastor’s remonstrances about the lack of police protection in the area. )
remorse
guilt; self-reproach (Eg: The murderer felt no remorse for his crime. )
remunerative
compensating; rewarding (Eg: I find my new work so renumerative that I may not return to my previous employment. )
rend
split; tear apart (Eg: In his grief, he tried to rend his garments. )
render
deliver; provide; represent (Eg: He rendered aid to the needy and indigent. )
rendezvous
meeting place (Eg: The two fleets met at the rendezvous at the appointed time. )
rendition
translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc. (Eg: The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her rendition of the aria. )
renegade
deserter; traitor (Eg: Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians, his fellow officers considered the )
renege
deny; go back on (Eg: He reneged on paying off his debt. )
renounce
abandon; disown; repudiate (Eg: Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a witch, Joan of Arc refused to renounce her )
renovate
restore to good condition; renew (Eg: They claim that they can renovate worn shoes so that they look like new ones. )
renown
fame (Eg: For many years an unheralded researcher, Barbara McClintock gained international renown when she won )
rent
tear or rip; split (Eg: The conflict over abortion threatens to split our nation, creating a rent in the social fabric that will be )
reparable
capable of being repaired (Eg: Fortunately, the damages we suffered in the accident were reparable and our car looks brand new. )
reparation
amends; compensation (Eg: At the peace conference, the defeated country promised to pay reparations to the victors. )
repartee
clever reply (Eg: He was famous for his witty repartee and his sarcasm. )
repeal
revoke; annul (Eg: What would the effect on our society be if we decriminalized drug use by repealing the laws against the )
repellent
driving away; unattractive (Eg: Mosquitoes find the odor so repellent that they leave any spot where this liquid has been sprayed. )
repercussion
rebound; reverberation; reaction (Eg: I am afraid that this event will have serious repercussions. )
repertoire
list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present (Eg: The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its repertoire for the following season. )
repine
fret; complain (Eg: There is no sense repining over the work you have left undone. )
replenish
fill up again (Eg: )
replete
filled to capacity; abundantly supplied (Eg: The book is replete with humorous situations. )
replica
copy (Eg: Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of Independence in the classroom or in the )
replicate
reproduce; duplicate (Eg: To the chagrin of the scientists, they were unable to replicate the results of their controversial experiment. )
repository
storehouse (Eg: Libraries are repositories of the world’s best thoughts. )
reprehensible
deserving blame (Eg: Your vicious conduct in this situation is reprehensible. )
repress
restrain; crush; oppress (Eg: Anne’s parents tried to curb her impetuosity without repressing her boundless high spirits. )
reprieve
temporary stay (Eg: During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent. )
reprimand
reprove severely (Eg: I am afraid that my parents will reprimand me when I show them my report card. )
reprisal
retaliation (Eg: I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may undertake. )
reprise
recurrent action; musical repetition; repeat performance (Eg: At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one skirmish that exhausted Colonel Audly; rather it was the )
reproach
blame; censure (Eg: I want my work to be above reproach and without error )
reprobate
person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency (Eg: I cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the reprobate you say he is. )
reprobation
severe disapproval (Eg: The students showed their reprobation of his act by refusing to talk with him. )
reprove
censure; rebuke (Eg: The principal reproved the students when they became unruly in the auditorium. )
repudiate
disown; disavow (Eg: He announced that he would repudiate all debts incurred by his wife. )
repugnance
loathing (Eg: She looked at the snake with repugnance. )
repulsion
act of driving back; distaste (Eg: The repulsion of the enemy forces was not accomplished bloodlessly; many of the defenders were )
reputable
respectable (Eg: If you want to buy antiques, look for a reputable dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as )
reputed
supposed (Eg: He is the reputed father of the child. )
requiem
mass for the dead; dirge (Eg: They played Mozart’s Requiem at the funeral. )
requisite
necessary requirement (Eg: Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a language as a requisite for admission. )
requite
repay; revenge (Eg: The wretch requited his benefactors by betraying them. )
rescind
cancel (Eg: Because of public resentment, the king had to rescind his order. )
reserve
self-control; formal but distant manner (Eg: Although some girls were attracted by Mark’s reserve, Judy was put off by it, for she felt his aloofness )
residue
remainder; balance (Eg: In his will, he requested that after payment of debts, taxes, and funeral expenses, the residue be given to his )
resignation
patient submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job (Eg: If Bob Cratchit had not accepted Scrooge’s bullying with timid resignation, he might have gotten up the )
resilient
elastic; having the power of springing back (Eg: Highly resilient, steel makes excellent bedsprings. )
resolution
determination (Eg: Nothing could shake his resolution to succeed despite all difficulties. )
resolve
determination (Eg: Nothing could shake his resolve that his children would get the best education that money could buy. )
resolve
decide; settle; solve (Eg: Homes resolved to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute between Irene Adler and the King. )
resonant
echoing; resounding; deep and full in sound (Eg: The deep, resonant voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes him particulary effective when he appears )
respiration
breathing; exhalation (Eg: The doctor found that the patient’s years of smoking had adversely affected both his lung capacity and his )
respite
delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest (Eg: The judge granted the condemned man a respite to enable his attorneys to file an appeal. )
resplendent
brilliant; lustrous (Eg: The toreador wore a resplendent costume called a suit of lights. )
responsiveness
state of reacting readily to appeals, order, etc. (Eg: The audience cheered and applauded, delighting the performers by its responsiveness. )
restitution
reparation; indemnification (Eg: He offered to make restitution for the window broken by his son. )
restive
restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control (Eg: Waiting impatiently in the line to see Santa Claus, even the best-behaved children grow restive and start to )
restraint
controlling force (Eg: She dreamt of living an independent life, free of all restraints. )
resumption
taking up again; recommencement (Eg: During the summer break, Don had not realized how much he missed university life: at the resumption of )
resurgent
rising again after defeat, etc. (Eg: The resurgent nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery after total defeat. )
resuscitate
revive (Eg: The lifeguard tried to resuscitate the drowned child by applying artificial respiration. )
retain
keep; employ (Eg: Fighting to retain his seat in Congress, Senator Foghorn retained a new manager to head his reelection )
retaliate
repay in kind (usually for bad treatment) (Eg: Fear that we will retaliate immediately deters our foe from attacking us. )
retentive
holding; having a good memory (Eg: The pupil did not need to spend much time in study as he had a retentive mind. )
reticent
reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence (Eg: )
retinue
following; attendants (Eg: The queen’s retinue followed her down the aisle. )
retiring
modest; shy (Eg: Given Susan’t retiring personality, no one expected her to take up public speaking; surprisingly enough, she )
retort
quick, sharp reply (Eg: Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut, she was always ready with a retort. )
retraction
withdrawal (Eg: He dropped his libel suit after the newspaper published a retraction of its statement. )
retrench
cut down; economize (Eg: If they were to be able to send their children to college, they would have to retrench. )
retribution
vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses (Eg: The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact retribution from the sinners. )
retrieve
recover; find and bring in (Eg: The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to retrieve the game killed by the hunter. )
retroactive
taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax) (Eg: Because the new pension law was retroactive to the first of the year, even though Martha had retired in )
retrograde
go backwards; degenerate (Eg: Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have retrograded in ethics and culture. )
