GRE Deck 11 Flashcards
abate
subside or moderate
abeyance
suspended action
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
acrimonious
stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner; N. acrimony: bitter ill-natured animosity in speech or behavior
adhere
stick fast; be a devotd follower; N. adhesion: adhering; devotion; loyality
adherent
supporter; follower
advocacy
support; active pleading on behalf of someone or something
aggregate
sum; total; ADJ. V: gather into a mass or whole; accumulate; add up to; Ex. aggregate 100 dollars
agitate
stir up; disturb
alimentary
supplying nourishment
allege
state without proof
allegory
story, play, or picture in which characters are used as symbols; fable
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes or opinions
anesthetic
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness; N. anesthesia
anthropologist
student of the history and science of humankind
antiseptic
substance that prevents infection in a wound; ADJ.
apex
tip; summit; climax; highest point
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness caused by too much blood in the brain
appurtenances
subordinate possessions; something added to a more important thing
archaeology
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
arsenal
storage place for military equipment
asinine
stupid; Ex. asinine remarks
assert
state strongly or positively; demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc.); make a claim to (by forceful action); Ex. assert one’s independence
attest
testify; bear witness
aureole
sun’s corona; halo; bright circle of light
authoritarian
subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another’s will; Ex. authoritarian regime/father
avenge
take vengence for something or on behalf of someone; Ex. They avenged his death by burning the village; Ex. He swore to avenge his brother; Ex. They avenged themselves on their enemy.
awful
terrible; very bad
Bacchanalia
the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
badinage
teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
balk
stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
barterer
trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
bauble
trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
besiege
surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually
bigotry
stubborn intolerance
bilious
suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
bilk
swindle; cheat
billowing
swelling out in waves; surging
bivouac
temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed
blowhard
talkative boaster; braggart
bolster
support; reinforce
brand
trademark; mark burned on the hide of an animal; mark burned into the flesh of criminals; mark of disgrace; V: mark with a brand; give a lasting bad name; stigmatize; Ex. The press branded him a liar.
bravado
swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery
brindled
tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
brook
tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream
buffet
strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that’s been set
buffoon
stupid person; clown
bulwark
strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
buttress
support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress
cadet
student at a military school
cantata
story set to music to be sung by a chorus (shorter than an oratorio)
capitulate
surrender; give up all resistance
caption
title; chapter heading; text under illustration
centripetal
tending toward the center
cerebration
thought; working of the brain
cessation
stoppage
champion
support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
check
stop motion; curb or restrain
chicanery
trickery; deception
chisel
swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting
clap
strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; Ex. clap the thief in jail; N: clapping; loud or explosive sound; CF. applause
clapper
striker (tongue) of a bell
coddle
treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs
codicil
supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
cog
tooth projecting from a wheel
cogitate
think over; ponder
cohere
stick together
cohesion
tendency to keep together
coincidence
the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental
commandeer
take (private property) for military use without needing permission or giving payment; draft for military purposes
compassion
sympathy for the suffering of others; ADJ. compassionate
concomitant
that which accompanies; Ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; ADJ: existing or happening together with something else
confide
tell in confidence (to a person one trusts); be confident about
conjecture
surmise; guess; V.
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an expression; V. connote
conspiracy
treacherous plot; secret plan against the law (by two or more people)
conspire
take part in a conspiracy; (of events) work together; combine; Ex. Events conspired to produce great difficulties.
constituent
supporter; voter; member of a constituency; component
contend
struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly
contumacious
stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court)
counterpart
thing that completes another; things very much alike; thing that has the same purpose in a different system
cow
terrorize; intimidate
creed
system of religious or ethical belief
crest
top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird
cuisine
style of cooking; Ex. French cuisine
curator
superintendent; manager (in charge of a museum or a library)
d'eb\^acle
sudden disastrous downfall or defeat; complete disaster
dally
trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time
daze
stun as with a blow or shock; bemuse; benumb; N.
defrock
strip a priest or minister of church authority; unfrock
deposition
testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning
devise
think up; invent; plan; bequeath; N: bequest
diligence
steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
disdain
treat with scorn or contempt
disgorge
surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge
dismantle
take apart; disassemble
distract
take (one’s attention) off something; upset emotionally; make anxious; ADJ. distracted
divest
strip (as of clothes); deprive (as of rights); dispossess; N. divestiture(divestment)
doctrine
teachings in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught; dogma; tenet; ADJ. doctrinal
doff
take off; OP. don
dour
sullen; gloomy; stubborn
drastic
strong; violent and severe; Ex. drastic changes/measures
drone
talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee; N.
dulcet
sweet sounding; pleasing to the ear; melodious
dyspeptic
suffering from indigestion; N. dyspepsia: indigestion; difficulty in digesting food
eddy
swirling current of water, air, etc.; V.
egotism
tendency to speak or write of oneself excessively; conceit; self-importance
emaciated
thin and wasted (from hunger or illness)
embezzlement
taking for one’s own use in violation of trust; stealing (of money placed in one’s care)
embroil
throw into confusion; involve in strife, dispute, or quarrel; entangle; CF. imbroglio
emetic
substance causing vomiting; ADJ.
encircle
surround
enclave
territory enclosed within an alien land
encompass
surround; include; Ex. His activities encompass publishing and computers.
engulf
surround and swallow up
entomology
study of insects
equable
tranquil; of even calm temper; (of temperature) steady; uniform
ethnology
study of humankind; study of the different races of human beings; CF. anthropology
etymology
study of word parts; study of the origins of words
euphony
sweet sound; ADJ. euphonious
evocative
tending to call up (emotions, memories)
exchequer
treasury; Ex. Chancellor of the exchequer
expatiate
talk at length; speak or write in detail
expedient
suitable (for a particular purpose although not necessarily morally correct); practical; politic(prudent); N: something expedient
explicit
totally clear; definite; outspoken
expropriate
take possession of (often for public use and without payment)
extradition
surrender of prisoner by one state to another; Ex. extradition treaty; V. extradite
far-fetched
too improbable to be believed; implausible; Ex. far-fetched story
fathomless
too deep to be measured or understood; unfathomable
feint
trick; shift; sham blow; feigned attack to draw away defensive action; V.
fiasco
total failure; CF. bottle
filch
steal (things of small value)
finicky
too particular; fussy; difficult to please; too concerned with unimportant details or quality; Ex. finicky about her food
finish
surface texture; completeness of execution
fit
sudden outburst of an illness or feeling; convulsion caused by epilepsy
flair
talent
flay
strip off skin; plunder; remove the skin from; criticize harshly
flounder
struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter (as in water, mud, snow, etc.); proceed in confusion
foment
stir up; incite; instigate; promote the growth of (something evil or unpleasant)
forensic
suitable to debate or courts of law; of or used in legal proceedings and the tracking of criminals; Ex. forensic science/medicine
forte
strong point or special talent in a person’s character
forthright
straightforward; direct; frank
frugality
thrift; economy; ADJ. frugal: practicing economy; costing little; inexpensive
frustrate
thwart; defeat; prevent from accomplishing a purpose
fulcrum
support on which a lever rests or pivots
fulminate
thunder; explode; issue a severe denunciation
furtive
stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky; Ex. furtive glance
galvanize
stimulate or shock by an electric current; stimulate by shock; shock into action; stir up; coat with rust-resistant zinc by using electricity
gentility
those of gentle birth; high social class; refinement; quality of being genteel
gerontology
study of the sociological phenomena associated with old age
glutinous
sticky; viscous; gluey
gorge
stuff oneself (with food); glut; CF. gorgeous: dazzlingly beautiful
gouge
tear out; cut out (as if with a gouge); Ex. gouge his eyes out; N: chisel for cutting out hollow areas in wood
granary
storehouse for grain
gratuity
tip
gross
total; fragrant; clearly wrong; (of people’s behavior) coarse; corpulent; Ex. gross insolence/behavior; V: earn as a total amount; N: 12 dozens
gruel
thin liquid porridge
gull
trick; deceive; hoodwink; N: person who is easily tricked; dupe
gust
strong abrupt rush of wind; V. CF. bluster
harping
tiresome dwelling on a subject; V. harp: dwell on(think or speak a lot about) tediously
helm
steering wheel of a ship; position of control
hem
surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N.
heyday
time of greatest success or power; prime
histrionic
theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional; affected; of actors or acting; N. histrionics: histrionic behavior
hoard
stockpile; accumulate for future use; N: supply stored for future use
hoax
trick which makes someone take action; practical joke; Ex. hoax mail; V.
homeostasis
tendency of a system or organism to maintain relative stability or internal equilibrium; CF. homeo-: constant; Ex. homeotherm
humus
substance or rich soil formed by decaying vegetable matter; CF. soil
hurl
throw forcefully; shout out violently
ichthyology
study of fish; CF. ichthyo-: fish
ideology
system of ideas characteristic of a group or culture
imply
suggest a meaning not expressed; signify
improvident
thriftless; not providing for the future
incandescent
strikingly bright; shining with intense heat; emitting visible light when heated; Ex. incandescent light bulb; CF. candle
inclement
stormy; unkind; unmerciful; CF. clement
inclined
tending or leaning toward; bent; V. incline: slant; dispose; be disposed; tend
inclusive
tending to include all; all-inclusive; Ex. inclusive charge
incredulity
tendency to disbelief
inculcate
teach (ideas or principles); instill
incursion
temporary invasion; CF. excursion: short journey
indefatigable
tireless; untiring; showing no sign of getting tired
indicative
suggestive; implying; serving to indicate
indignity
treatment or situation that causes shame or loss of dignity, respect; offensive or insulting treatment; humiliating or degrading treatment; Ex. I suffered the indignity of having to say that in front of them.
indisputable
too certain to be disputed; beyond doubt
insidious
treacherous; stealthy; sly; working or spreading harmfully in a stealthy manner; Ex. insidious spreading of dry rot
jaded
tired or uninterested by surfeit; fatigued; surfeited; worn out; wearied; Ex. jaded appetite
jaunt
trip; short journey
jetsam
things thrown from a ship (to lighten the ship)
jettison
throw overboard (from a ship or plane)
junket
trip especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense
knell
tolling of a bell especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell; V.
laceration
torn ragged wound; V. lacerate: tear (the skin as with broken glass); wound
lap
take in food or drink with one’s tongue; splash gently; Ex. waves lapping the shore; N: front area from the waist to the knees of a seated person
larceny
theft; Ex. petit larceny
libretto
text of an opera or oratorio; CF. book
lionize
treat (a person) as a celebrity
list
tilt (as of a ship); lean over (to one side)
litany
supplicatory prayer; prayer in which the priest calls out and the people replies in the same words
loquacious
talkative; N. loquacity
lurk
stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived
luxuriate
take pleasure in great comfort
makeshift
temporary expedient or substitute (in the case of urgent need); Ex. makeshift shelter
malignant
tending to cause death; highly injurious; aggressively malevolent; Ex. malignant tumor
maneuver(manoeuver)
strategic military or naval movement (done for training purposes); carefully planned process; stratagem; V: carry out a military maneuver; use maneuvers in gaining an end
mangle
tear or cut to pieces; mutilate or disfigure; Ex. badly mangled bodies
martinet
strict disciplinarian; person who demands total obedience to rules and orders; CF. Jean Martinet
meek
submissive; patient and long-suffering
memento
token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit
menace
threat; V: threaten
menial
suitable for servants; lowly; mean; N: someone who does menial work (esp. servant in a house)
methodical
systematic; N. method: systematic method of procedure
miasma
swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence
millennium
thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity
miserly
stingy; mean
modulate
tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; Ex. modulate from E to G
molecule
the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance
motif
theme; recurrent thematic element in a musical or literary work; single or repeated pattern; figure
natation
swimming
nomenclature
terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things
nurse
suckle; take care of (as a nurse); bear in mind; Ex. nursing mother; Ex. nurse a hope/grudge against someone
oaf
stupid awkward person; CF. elf
obdurate
stubborn; refusing to change one’s belief
obelisk
tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid
obstinate
stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy
Occident
the West
ominous
threatening; of an evil omen
opportune
timely; well-chosen
orthodox
traditional; (of someone) conservative in belief; adhering to an established doctrine
overthrow
topple; N.
pachyderm
thick-skinned animal
painstaking
taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through
paleontology
study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents
palpable
tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder
palpitate
throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.
pang
sudden sharp feeling of pain
parsimony
stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious
pathos
tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel
patronize
support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. patronage; CF. boycott
pedagogue
teacher; CF. child leader
pedagogy
teaching; art of education
peddle
travel about selling (wares); CF. foot
pedestal
support or base as for a pillar or statue
pellucid
transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand
penchant
strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars
penology
study of prison management and criminal rehabilitation
percussion
striking one object against another sharply; Ex. percussion instrument; N: striking together of two bodies; sound caused by percussion
perfidious
treacherous; disloyal; N. perfidy: treachery
permeable
that can be permeated; penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through; V. permeate: spread or flow throughout; charge
pertinent
suitable; to the point; relevant
pestle
tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar
petulant
touchy; peevish; ill-tempered
philology
study of language or words
phoenix
symbol of immortality or rebirth; Ex. phoenix rising from its ashes
pilfer
steal things of small value; filch; snitch
plagiarize
steal another’s ideas or writings and pass them off as one’s own; Ex. ideas plagiarized from my article; N. plagiarism; CF. kidnap
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous
ploy
strategem to gain an advantage; tactic; Ex. management ploy
pore
study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.
portly
stout; corpulent
potable
suitable for drinking; drinkable
prate
talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly
prattle
talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate
precipitous
steep; overhasty; precipitate
preponderance
superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant
presume
take for granted; assume; act overconfidently; take liberties; presume on/upon: take unfair advantage of (someone’s kindness or connection); N. presumption
prey
target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.
prolixity
tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse
prop
support placed under or against something; V.
propellant(propellent)
substance which propels or drives forward (such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel)
proponent
supporter; backer; opposite of opponent
prosperous
successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off
prostrate
stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; Ex. prostrating illness; ADJ: lying face down; having lost all strength
protrude
stick out; jut; project; Ex. protruding teeth
provisional
tentative; temporary
proviso
stipulation; condition in an agreement; provision
pulsate
throb; beat regularly; vibrate regularly
pungent
stinging; acrid; sharp in taste or smell; (of speech or writing) caustic; N. pungency
puny
tiny; weak; insignificant
putative
supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such; Ex. putative father of the child
queer
strange; eccentric; deviating from the normal
quell
suppress; put an end to; put down forcibly; extinguish; quiet; Ex. ``Army Quells Rebellion’’ in newspaper; CF. kill
quietude
tranquillity; calmness
quip
taunt; clever sarcastic remark; V.
quirk
sudden sharp turn or twist; startling twist; caprice; idiosyncrasy; peculiarity of behavior; Ex. by a quirk of fate
quisling
traitor who aids invaders; CF. Vidkun Quisling
quiver
tremble; shake; N.
raconteur
story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill
reactionary
strongly opposed to social or political change; opposing progress; politically ultraconservative; N. OP. radical
recapitulate
summarize
reconnaissance
survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering; V. reconnoiter: make a preliminary inspection of (esp. to gather military information)
redundant
superfluous; more than is necessary; verbose; excessively wordy; repetitious
relic
surviving remnant (from an extinct culture); memento; keepsake; relics: corpse; Ex. ancient relics; Ex. relics of his travel; Ex. His relics are buried at X.
reminiscent
suggestive of something (in the past); of reminiscence
remission
temporary moderation (of disease symptoms); remitting of a debt or punishment; cancelation of a debt; pardon; Ex. The disease went into remission; Ex. Christians pray for the remission of sins.
remit
transmit (money) in payment; free someone from a debt or punishment
rent
tear made by rending; rip; split
repository
storehouse
reputed
supposed; Ex. reputed father of the child; V. repute: consider; N. repute: reputation; esteem
respite
time for rest; interval of relief; delay in punishment; reprieve
responsiveness
state of reacting readily to appeals, orders, etc.; ADJ. responsive: readily reacting; Ex. responsive to treatment
resumption
taking up again; recommencement; V. resume: begin or take up again; take or occupy again; Ex. Kindly resume your seats.
retroactive
taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax); (of a law) having effect on the past as well as the future
revulsion
sudden strong feeling of disgust; sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction; Ex. revulsion from the scenes of torture
rip
tear or be torn quickly and violently; Ex. The sail ripped under the force of the wind; N.
robust
strong; vigorous
rubric
title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol
ruse
trick to deceive; stratagem
salutary
tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome; Ex. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy; CF. health
saunter
stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; N.
scaffold
temporary platform for workers (to work at heights above the ground); bracing framework; platform for execution
scheme
systematic plan; plot; clever dishonest plan; orderly arrangement of elements; Ex. health insurance scheme; Ex. a scheme to escape taxes; Ex. a color scheme; Ex. a story with no scheme; V: contrive a scheme
scintilla
trace; minute amount; shred; least bit; Ex. There is not a scintilla of truth; CF. spark
scuffle
struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry; N. CF. scuffling twins ?
self-righteous
sure of one’s own righteousness; moralistic
sentimental
swayed by sentiment; appealing to the sentiments
sepulcher
tomb; V: place in a sepulcher; ADJ. sepulchral
sidetrack
switch (a railroad car) to a siding; divert from a main issue; N. CF. siding: short section of railroad track connected by switches with a main track
sodden
thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink
sojourn
temporary stay; V: stay for a time
soliloquy
talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
solvent
substance that dissolves another; ADJ: capable of dissolving another substance
sophist
teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument
spate
sudden flood or rush; Ex. spate of accidents
stamp
step on heavily (so as to crush or extinguish); put an end to; imprint or impress with a mark, design, or seal; shape with a die; characterize; Ex. machine stamping out car bodies; Ex. newspaper stamping him as a liar; N. stamping; implement used to stamp; impression stamped; mark; Ex. Her remarks bear the stamp of truth.
stampede
sudden frenzied rush (of panic-stricken animals or people); V: participate in or cause stampede; Ex. stampede before the price rises
stanch
stop or check flow of blood; Ex. stanch the gushing wound
steadfast
steadily loyal; unswerving; steady
stem
stop or check (the flow of); Ex. stem the bleeding from the slashed artery; N: main axis of a plant; stalk
stench
strong foul odor; reek; stink
stifle
suppress; extinguish; inhibit; smother or suffocate
stigma
token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful
stink
stench; V: emit a strong foul odor
stint
supply; allotted amount of work; assigned portion of work; limitation; Ex. two-year stint in the army; Ex. without stint
stoic
stoical; impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; N. CF. stoicism
stoke
stir up a fire or furnace; feed plentifully
straggle
stray or fall behind (a main group); spread out in a scattered group; Ex. straggling marathon racer; Ex. straggling branch
strut
supporting bar; CF. airplane wingÀÌÂÂ_ª building µîÀ» support
stumble
trip and almost fall; proceed unsteadily; act falteringly; N.
stupefy
stun; make numb (as with a drug); amaze
sturdy
strong and firm (in the body)
stymie
thwart; present an obstacle; stump
subaltern
subordinate
substantiate
support (a claim) with evidence; establish with evidence; verify
substantive
substantial; essential; pertaining to the substance; substantial; considerable; Ex. substantive issues
subterfuge
stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion; Ex. resort to a harmless subterfuge
subversive
tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ?
supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
supplant
take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace
surrogate
substitute; person or thing used in place of another; Ex. surrogate mother; ADJ.
sustain
suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life); Ex. sustain the family/the trapped miners
sustenance
sustaining; means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment; something that maintains life; food
suture
stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing; V: sew together a wound
swathe
swath; wrap around; bandage; Ex. one’s head swathed in bandages
sway
swing from side to side; influence (someone) to change one’s opinion; N.
tantalize
tease; excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach; torture with disappointment; CF. Tantalus: Greek mythological figure
tatter
torn piece of cloth; ADJ. tattered: (of clothes) old and torn; (of a person) dressed in old torn clothes
taut
tight; strained; tense; ready; OP. slack
tempestuous
stormy; violent; impassioned; N. tempest: violent storm
tension
stretching; condition of being stretched; mental strain; strained relationship between groups or people
tenuous
thin; slim; rare
terminology
terms used in a science or art; study of nomenclature
tertiary
third in order or rank
tether
tie (an animal) with a rope or tether; N: rope or chain to which an animal is tied; limit of one’s endurance; Ex. the end of one’s tether
throttle
strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; N: valve that regulates the flow; CF. throat ?
tickle
touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please
tithe
tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); V: pay a tithe
titillate
tickle; excite pleasantly; Ex. not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it
toss
throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something
touchstone
stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard
trample
step heavily with the feet; crush under the feet
transient
staying for a short time; momentary; temporary; N: one that is transient
transitory
transient; impermanent; fleeting; N. transitoriness
transmute
transform; change; convert to something different
transport
strong emotion; rapture; Ex. in a transport/transports of; V: move to strong emotion; enrapture
travail
strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth
trek
travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey
tremor
trembling; slight quiver (as of the earth or from nervous agitation)
tremulous
trembling; wavering
tribulation
suffering; ordeal; distress; trial
tribute
tax levied by a ruler; payment made by one nation to another in acknowledgment of submission; mark of respect (such as praise or gift); Ex. pay tribute to
trident
three-pronged spear
trivia
trifles; unimportant matters
turbulence
state of violent agitation; ADJ. turbulent: violently agitated or disturbed
turgid
swollen; distended (as from liquid)
turncoat
traitor
uncanny
strange; mysterious; Ex. uncanny knack
unction
the act of anointing with oil; Ex. extreme unction
understate
state with less truth than seems warranted by the facts; Ex. He understated the seriousness of the crime; N. understatement; OP. overstate
unfaltering
steadfast; firm; not changing
unimpeachable
that cannot be impeached; beyond doubt or question; blameless and exemplary
urbane
suave; refined in manner; elegant
veneer
thin surface layer (of good quality wood, glued to a base of inferior material); cover; surface show; fa\c{c}ade; V.
vertex
summit; highest point; PL. vertices
vestige
trace; remains; Ex. vestiges of some ancient religion
vulnerable
susceptible to wounds or attack; N. vulnerability
wake
trail of ship or other object through water; path of something that has gone before; Ex. hunger followed in the wake of the war
wanderlust
strong longing to travel
weary
tired after long work; V.
wrongheaded
stubbornly wrong
