Manhattan Essential Flashcards
1
Q
Abate
A
(v) Reduce, Diminish, become less in amount or intensity;
2
Q
Abdicate
A
(v) Formally give up the throne (or some other power or responsibility), give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
3
Q
Aberrant
A
markedly different from an accepted norm,
5
Q
Abhor
A
Detest, regard with disgust
6
Q
Abjure
A
Give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially formally or under oath)
7
Q
Abrasive
A
Rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance
8
Q
Abridge
A
Reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting parts throughout while retaining the main idea
9
Q
Abstain
A
Hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy); decline to vote
10
Q
Acme
A
Summit, peak, highest point
11
Q
Activism
A
The practice of pursuing political or other goals through vigorous action, often including protests and demonstrations
12
Q
Adhere
A
Stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or belief
13
Q
Admonish
A
Mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do something
14
Q
Adverse
A
(adj) Opposing, harmful
15
Q
Advocate
A
Speak or argue in favor of (verb); a person who pleads for a cause or on behalf of another person (noun)
16
Q
Aesthetic
A
Concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj); a sense of beauty and taste of a particular time and place (noun)
17
Q
Affable
A
Warm and friendly, pleasant, approachable
18
Q
Affectation
A
Fake behavior (such as in speech or dress) adopted to give a certain impression
19
Q
Aggrandize
A
Make greater; exaggerate
20
Q
aggregate
A
Gather together, amount to (v); constituting a whole made up of constituent parts (adj)
21
Q
Alacrity
A
Cheerful or Speedy willingness
22
Q
Alienate
A
Cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or distant
23
Q
Ambiguous
A
Not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings of interpretations
24
Q
Ambivalent
A
Uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once
25
Q
Analogous
A
Comparable, corresponding in some particular way (making a good analogy)
26
Anarchy
Absence of law or government; chaos, disorder
27
Anoint
Rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred, such as by a ceremony that includes applying oil to someone
28
Anomaly
Deviation from what is common; inconsistency
29
Antagonize
Make hostile or unfriendly
30
Apathy
Not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern
31
Apocryphal
Of questionable authenticity; false
32
Arcane
Known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret
33
Archaic
Characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive
34
Arduous
Very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure
35
Articulate
Using language in a clear, fluent way (adj.); speak distinctly or give clarity to an idea (v)
36
Artifact
Any object made by humans, especially those form an earlier time, such as those excavated bu archeologists
37
Artless
Free of deceit or craftiness, natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude, uncultured
38
Ascertain
Find out with certainty
39
Ascetic
Abstinent or austere in lifestyle; a person who leads an austere and simple life without material pleasures, esp. someone who does this for religious reasons
40
Assuage
Make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm
41
Audacious
Very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way
42
Augment
Make Larger
43
Austere
Severe in manner or appearance; very self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious
44
Autonomous
Self-governing, independent
45
Aver
Declare or affirm with confidence
46
Avid
Enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate; excessively desirous
47
Balk
Refuse to proceed or to do something
48
Base
Morally low, mean, dishonorable; or little or no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit
49
Belie
Contradict or misrepresent
50
Benign
Harmless; favorable; kindle, gentle, or beneficial; not cancerous
51
Bogus
Fake, fraudulent
52
Bolster
Strengthen or support
53
Boor
Rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person a peasant or a country bumpkin
54
Bureaucracy
Govt. characterized be many bureaus and petty administrators or by excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements
55
Burgeon
Grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or shoots (of a plant)
56
Buttress
Support or encourage (v); a support or prop, esp. projecting from and supporting the wall of a building (n)
57
Bygone
Past, former (adj.); that which is in the past (usually plural noun)
58
Cacophony
Harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds
59
Candid
Open, sincere, honest
60
Canonical
Authorized, recognized; pertaining to the canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works
61
Capricious
Acting on impulse, erratic
62
Cartography
Map-making
63
Castigate
Criticize severely; punish in order to correct
64
Catalyst
Causer of change
65
Caustic
Capable of corroding metal or burning the skin; very critical or sarcastic
66
Censure
Strong disapproval or official reprimand (n); to issue such disapproval or reprimand (v)
67
Chauvinism
Fanatical patriotism or blind enthusiasm for military glory; undue or biased devotion to any group, cause, etc.
68
Chronological
Arranged in or relating to time order
69
Clamor
Noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise
70
Clinch
Make final or settle conclusively; to fasten or hold together
71
Coalesce
Come together, unite; fuse together
72
Cogent
Very convincing, logical
73
Commensurate
The same in size, extent, etc., equivalent; proportional
74
Complacent
Self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other bad quality)
75
Complementary
Completing; fitting together well; filling mutual needs
76
Compliant
Obeying, submissive; following the requirements
77
Concede
Give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving up land after losing a war)
78
Conciliatory
Reconciling, appeasing, attempting to make the peace
79
Concur
Approve, agree
80
Condone
Overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless
81
Confer
Consult, compare views; bestow or give
82
Connoisseur
Expert, especially in the fine arts; person or educated, redefined tastes
83
Console
Lessen the suffering or grief of (v); a control panel, or small table or cabinet (n)
84
Consolidate
Unit, combine, solidify make coherent
85
Constrict
Squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom of
86
Construe
interpret or translate
87
Contentious
Controversial; prone to causing arguments, especially gratuitous or petty ones
88
Contextualize
Place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances
89
Conundrum
Riddle, the answer to which involves a play on words; a mystery
90
Converge
Move towards one another or towards a point; unite
91
Conversant
Knowledge about or experienced with
92
Conversely
in opposite way; on the other hand
93
Convoluted
Twisted; very complicated
94
Copious
Plentiful, bountiful
95
Corroborate
Support, add evidence to
96
Cosmopolitan
Belonging to the entire world, at home globally; free from local or national prejudices or attachements
97
Countenance
Facial expression or face (n); approve or tolerate (v)
98
Counterintuitive
Against what one would intuitively expect
99
Counterpoint
Contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art
100
Counterproductive
Defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal
101
Covert
Secret, veiled, undercover
102
Crafty
Cunning, skillful in deception or underhandled schemes
103
Craven
Very cowardly, lacking courage
104
Credibility
Believability, trustworthiness
105
Credulous
Gullible; prone to believing or trusting too easily or without enough evidence
106
Crescendo
Steady increase in force, intensity, or the loudness of a musical passage; a climactic moment or peak
107
Culminate
Reach the highest point or final stage
108
Cynical
Thinking the worst of others' motivations; bitterly pessimistic
109
Daunt
Discourage, dishearten, lessen the courage of
110
Debase
Degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality
111
Debunk
Expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims
112
Decorous
Behaving with propriety and good taste; polite
113
Deem
judge; consider
114
Deface
Vandalize. mar the appearance of
115
Default
Failure to act, neglect (n); fail to fulfill an obligation, especially a financial one (v)
116
Deference
Respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinionj of another
117
Deflect
Cause to curve; turn aside, esp. from a sstraight course; avoid
118
Deleterious
Harmful, unhealthful
119
Delineate
Mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail
120
Denigrate
Belittle, attack the reputation of
121
Denote
Be a name or symbol for
122
Deride
mock. scoff at laugh at contemptuously
123
Derivative
Derived from something else; not original
124
Desiccate
Thoroughly dried up, dehydrated
125
Detached
impartial, disinterested; unconcerned, distant, aloof
126
Deterrent
Something that restrains or discourages
127
Diatribe
Bitter, abusive attack or criticism; rant
128
Didactic
Intended to instruct; teaching , or teaching a moral lessen
129
Digress
Go off-topic when speaking or writing
130
Din
Loud, confused noise, esp. for a long period of time
131
Disabuse
Free someone from a mistake in thinking
132
Discerning
Having good judgement or insight; able to distinguish mentally
133
Discredit
Injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in
134
Discrepancy
Difference or inconsistency
135
Discriminating
Judicious, discerning, having good judgement or insight
136
Disingenuous
Insincere, not genuine
137
Disinterested
Unbiased, impartial; not interested
138
Disjointed
Disconnected, not coherent, jerky; having the joints separated
139
Dismiss
Allow to disperse or leave; fire from a job; put aside or reject, especially after only a brief consideration
140
Dispassionate
Unbiased, not having a selfish or personal motivation; calm, lacking emotion
141
Dispatch
Speed, promptness; send off or deal with in a speedy way
142
Disperse
Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish
143
Disposition
A person's general or natural mood; tendency
144
Disquieting
Disturbing, cause anxiety
145
Disseminate
Scatter, spread about, broadcast
146
Dissent
Disagree or take an opposing view, esp. in relation to a formal body such as a government, political party, or church; such a view
147
Dissonance
Harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony; disagreement
148
Distill
Purify; extract the essential elements of
149
Diverge
Differ, deviate; branch off or turn aside, as from a path
150
Divest
Deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (ant: invest)
151
Divine
Discover through divination or or supernatural means; perceive by insight
152
Document
Support with evidence, cite sources in a detailed way, create documentary evidence of
153
Dogma
A system of principles laid down by an authority; established belief
154
Dormat
Asleep, inactive, on a break
155
Dubious
Doubtfull, questionable, suspect
156
e.g.
For example, such as
157
Eccentric
Peculiar, odd, deviating from the norm esp. in a whimsical way
158
Eclectic
Selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources
159
Eclipse
The obscuring of one thing by another, such as the sun by the moon or a person by a more famous or talented person (n); to obscure, darken, make less important (v)
160
Efficacy
the quality of being able to produce the intended effect
161
Egalitarian
Related to belief in the equality of all people, esp. in political, economic, or social spheres
162
Egregious
Extraordinarily or conspicuously bad; glaring
163
Elated
Very happy, in high spirits
164
Elevate
Raise, lift up; lift the spirits of; move up to a higher rank or status or raise up to a higher spiritual or intellectual plane
165
Elicit
Call forth, bring out, evoke
166
Eloquent
Marked by forceful, fluid, apt speech; expressive, emotionally moving
167
Embellish
Decorate, add ornamentation; enhance (a story) with fictional or fanciful details
168
Eminent
Prominent, distinguished, of high rank
169
Empirical
Coming from, based on, or able to be verified by experience or experimentation; not purely based on theory
170
Emulate
Copy in an attempt to equal or be better than
171
Enervate
Weaken, tire
172
Enhance
Raise to a higher value, desirability, etc.
173
Enigma
Puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person
174
Entitlement
Having the right to certain privileges; believing, sometimes without cause, that one deserves or has a right to certain privileges
175
Enumerate
Count or list; specify one-by-one
176
Ephemeral
Lasting only a short time, fleeting
177
Equitable
Fair, equal, just
178
Erratic
Inconsistent, wandering, having no fixed course
179
Erroneous
Mistaken, in horror; improper, morally incorrect
180
Erudite
Scholarly, knowledgeable; possessing deep, often systematic, knowledge
181
Eschew
Shun, avoid, abstain from
182
Esoteric
Understood by or intended for only a few; secret
183
Estimable
Worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated
184
Eulogy
Speech of praise or written work of praise, esp. a speech given at the funeral
185
Exacerbate
Make worse (more violent, severe, etc.), inflame; irritate or embitter (a person)
186
Exacting
Very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention
187
Exculpate
Clear from guilt or blame
188
Exhaustive
Comprehensive, thorough, exhausting a topic or subject, accounting for all possibilities; draining, tending to exhaust
189
Explicit
Direct, clear, fully revealed; clearly depicting sex or nudity
190
Exponent
Person who expounds or explains; champion, advocate, or representative
191
Extrapolate
Conjecture about an unknown by projecting information about something known; predict by projecting past experience
192
Facetious
Joking, humorous, esp. inappropriately; not serious, concerned with frivolous things
193
Facilitate
Make easier, help the progress of
194
Fallacious
Containing a fallacy, or mistake in logic; logically unsound; deceptive
195
Fanatical
Excessively devoted, enthusiastic, or zealous in a uncritical way
196
Fanciful
Whimsical, capricious; imaginary; freely imaginative rather than based on reason or reality
197
Fathom
Measure the depth of (usually of water)as with a sounding line; penetrate and discover the meaning of, understand
198
Feasible
Possible, logical or likely, suitable
199
Fidelity
Faithfulness, loyalty; strict observance of duty; accuracy in reproducing a sound or image
200
Finesse
Extreme delicacy, subtlety, or diplomacy in handling a sensitive situation or in a performance or skill (n); use tact or diplomacy; employ a deceptive strategy (v)
201
Flag
Get tired, lose enthusiasm hang limply or droop
202
Fleeting
Passing quickly, transitory
203
Figurative
Metaphorical, base don figures of speech; containing many figures of speech (as fancy sounding writing); relayed to portraying human or animal figures
204
Buffer
Something that shields, protects, absorbs shock, or cushions
205
Hedonist
Person devoted to pleasure
206
inasmuch
In like manner, considering that (contradiction of "in as much", generally followed by "as")
207
Incendiary
Setting on fire, pertaining to arson; arousing strife, rebellion, etc.; "inflaming" the senses
208
foment
incite, instigate, stir up, promote the growth of; apple medicated liquid to a body part
209
Foreshadow
Indicate or suggest beforehand, presage
210
Forfeit
Surrender or lose as a result of an error, crime, or failure to fulfill an obligation
211
Fortify
Strengthen, invigorate, encourage
212
Fringe
On the margin, periphery (adj.); the people in a group who hold the most extreme views
213
Frugal
Economical, thrifty, not wasteful with money; inexpensive
214
Futile
Producing no useful result, ineffective, trivial or unimportant
215
Gainsay
Declare false, deny; oppose
216
Garrulous
Talkative, wordy, rambling
217
Gauche
Tactless, lacking social grace, awkward, crude
218
Gawky
Physically awkward (esp. of a tall, skinny person, often used to describe teenagers)
219
Germane
Relevant and appropriate, on-topic
220
Gist
Main idea, essence
221
Glib
Fluent and easy in a way that suggests superficially or insincerity
222
Goosebumps
The "bumps" created by hairs standing up on the skin in response to cold, fear, etc.
223
Gradation
A progression, a process taking place gradually, in stages; one of these stages
224
Gregarious
Social, pertaining to a flock or crowd
225
Guile
Clever deceit, cunning, craftiness
226
Hackneyed
So commonplace as to be stale; not fresh or original
227
Hardy
Bold, brave, capable of withstanding hardship, fatigue, cold, etc.
228
Haven
Harbor or port; refuge, safe place
229
Hearken
Listen, pay attention to
230
Heterogenous
Different in type, incongruous; composed of different types of elements
231
Hierarchy
A ranked series; a classification of people according to rank, ability, etc.; a ruling body
232
Hodgepodge
Mixture of different kinds of things, jumble
233
Homogenous
Of the same kind; uniform throughout
234
Hyperbole
Deliberate exaggeration for effect
235
Idiosyncrasy
Characteristic or habit peculiar to an individual; peculiar quality, quirk
236
Illiberality
Narrow-mindedness, bigotry; strictness or lack of generosity
237
Imminent
Ready to occur, impending
238
Impair
Make worse, weaken
239
Impartial
Unbiased, fair
240
Impede
Hold back, obstruct the progress of
241
Implication
Act of implying or that which is implied; close connection, esp. in a incrimination way
242
Implicit
implied, not stated directly; involbed in the very essence of something, unquestionable
243
Implode
Burst inward
244
Inadvertent
Unintentional; characterized by a lack of attention, careless
245
Incentive
Something that encourages greater action or effort, such as a reward
246
Inchoate
Just begun, underdeveloped, unorganized
247
Incipient
Just beginning; in a very early state
248
Incongruous
Out of place, inappropriate, not harmonious
249
Inconsequential
Insignificant, unimportant; illogical
250
Incorporate
Combine, unite; form a legal corporation; embody, give physical form to
251
Indeterminate
Not fixed or determined, indefinite; vague
252
Indifferent
Not caring, having no interest; unbiased, impartial
253
Inform
Inspire, animate; give substance, essence or context to; be the characteristic quality of
254
Ingenuous
Genuine, sincere, not holding back; naive
255
Ingrained
Deep-rooted, forming part of the very essence; worked into the fiber
256
Inherent
Existing as a permanent, essential quality; intrinsic
257
Innocuous
Harmless, inoffensive
258
Intelligible
Able to be understood, clear
259
intractable
Difficult to control, manage, or manipulate; hard to cure; stuborn
260
Intrepid
Fearless, brave, enduring in the face of adversity
261
Intrinsic
Belonging to the essential nature of a thing
262
Jargon
Vocabulary specific to a group or occupation; convoluted or unintelligible language
263
Jocular
Joking or given to joking all the time; jolly, playful
264
Judicious
Using good judgement; wise, sensible
265
Juncture
Critical point in time, such as a crises or a time when a decision in necessary; a place where two things are joined together
266
Keen
Sharp, piercing; very perceptive or mentally sharp; intense (of a feeling)
267
Kudos
Praise, honor, congratulations
268
Lackluster
Not shiny; dull, mediocre; lacking brilliance or vitality
269
Laconic
Using few words, concise
270
Lament
Mourn; express grief, sorrow, or regret (v); an expression of grief esp. as a song or poem (n)
271
Lampoon
A harsh satire (n); ridicule or satirize (v)
272
Landmark
Object (such as a building) that stands out and can be used to navigate by; a very important place, event, etc.
273
Languid
Drooping from exhaustion. sluggish, slow; lacking in sprit
274
Lassitude
Tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference
275
Laudable
Worthy of praise
276
Lavish
Abundant or giving in abundance; marked by excess (adj.); give very generously (v)
277
Layperson
A person who is not a member of the clergy or not a member of a particular profession (such as medicine, law, etc.)
278
Levity
Lightness (of mind, spirit, or mood) or lack of seriousness, sometimes in an inappropriate way
279
Levy
Collect tax from, wage war on, or enlist for military service (v); act of collecting tax or amount owed, or the drafting of troops into military service (n)
280
Liberal
Favorable to progress or reform; believing in maximum possible individual freedom; tolerant, open-minded; generous(adj.); a person with such beliefs or practices (n)
281
Libertine
Morally or sexually unrestrained personl freethinker (regarding religion)
282
Likewise
Also, in addition to; similarly, in the same way
283
Log
Keep a record of, write down; travel for or at a certain distance or speed (v); a written record (n)
284
Loquacious
Talkative, wordy
285
Lucid
Clear, easy to understand; rational, sane
286
Lull
Soothe or cause to fall asleep (as in lullaby); quite down; make to feel secure, sometimes falsely (v); a period of calm o quite (n)
287
Makeshift
A temporary, often improvised, substitute (n); improvised for temporary use (adj.)
288
Malleable
Able to be bent, shaped, or adapted
289
Maverick
Rebel, individualist, dissenter
290
Mendacious
Lying, habitually dishonest
291
Mercurial
Quickly and unpredictable changing moods; fickle, flighty
292
Metamorphosis
A complete change or transformation (in biology, a change such as a caterpillar becoming a pupa and then a butterfly)
293
Meticulous
Taking extreme care in regards to details; precise, fussy
294
Mitigate
Make less sever; lessen or moderate (damage, gried, pain, etc.)
295
Modest
humble; simple rather than showy; decent (esp. "covering up" in terms of dress); small, limited
296
Molify
Calm or soothe (an angry person); lessen or soften
297
Monotony
Sameness or repetitiousness to the point of being boring; lack variation, uniformity, esp. repetition in sound
298
Moreover
Besides; in addition to what was just stated
299
Mores
Customs, manners, or morals of a particular group
300
Mundane
Common, ordinary, everyday
301
Naive
Simple and unsophisticated, unsuspecting, lacking worldly experience and critical judgement
302
Nascent
Coming into existence, still developing
303
Negate
Deny or refute; make void or cause to be ineffective
304
Net
Remaining after expenses or other factors have been deducted; ultimate (adj.); too bring in as profit, or to catch as in a net (v)
305
Nevertheless or Nonetheless
However, even so, despite that
306
Notoriety
Ill fame; the state of being well known for a disgraceful reason
307
Novel
New, fresh, original
308
Nuance
A subtle difference in tone, meaning, expression, etc.
309
Objective
Factual, related to reality or physical objects; not influenced by emotions, unbiased
310
Obsequious
Servile, very compliant, fawning
311
Obsolete
Out of date, no longer in use
312
Obstinate
Stubborn or hard to control
313
Obviate
Prevent, eliminate, or make unnecessary
314
Occult
The supernatural (n); pertaining to magic, astrology, etc.; mysterious, secret or hidden (adj.); to hide, to shut off from view (v)
315
Offhand
Casual, informal; done without preparation or forethought; rude in a short way, brusque
316
Officious
Excessively eager in giving unwanted advice or intruding where one is not wanted; meddlesome, pushy
317
Offset
Counteract, compensate for (v); a counterbalance(n)
318
Onerous
Burdensome, oppressive, hard to endure
319
Opaque
Not translucent; not allowing light, heat, etc. to pass through; dark, dull, unclear or stupid
320
Optimal or Optimum
Best, most desirable or favorable
321
Orthodox
adhering to a traditional, established faith, or to anything customary or commonly accepted
322
Oscillate
Swing back and forth; waver, change one's mind
323
Outstrip
Surpass, exceed; be larger or better than; leave behind
324
Overshadow
Cast a shadow over, darken; dominate, make to seem less important
325
Paradigm
Model or pattern; worldview, set of shared assumptions, values, etc.
326
Paradox
Contradiction that is actually true
327
Pariah
Social outcast, untouchable
328
Partial
Biased, prejudiced, favoring one over others; having a special liking for something or someone (usually partial to)
329
Partisan
Devoted to a particular group, case, etc.(adj); fervent supported of a group, party, idea, etc. guerrilla fighter(b)
330
Patent
Obvious, apparent, plain to see (adj.); a letter from a govt. guaranteeing an inventor the rights to his or her invention (n)
331
Pathological
Relating to or caused be disease; relating to compulsive bad behavior
332
Patronizing
Condescending, having a superior manner, treating as an inferior
333
Paucity
Scarcity, the state of being small in number
334
Peccadillo
Small sin or fault
335
Pedestrian
Ordinary, dull, commonplace
336
Penchant
Liking or inclination (usually penchant for)
337
Perfidious
Disloyal, treacherous, violating one's trust
338
Peripheral
Relating to or making up an outer boundary or region; not of primary importance, fringe
339
Permeate
Spread or penetrate throughout
340
Pervasive
Tending to spread throughout
341
Philanthropy
Efforts to improve the well-being of humankind, generally through giving money
342
Phone
fake, counterfeit; insincere, not genuine
343
Pious
Devout; religiously reverent and dutiful
344
Pith
Core, essence; significance or weight
345
Placate
Satisfy or calm down (an angry or dissatisfied person), esp. by conciliatory gestures
346
Placid
Peaceful, calm, tranquil
347
Plastic
Able to be shaped or formed; easily influenced
348
Plausible
Believable; having the appearance of truth
349
Plummet
Plunge, fall straight down
350
Polarized
Divided into sharply opposed groups
351
Ponderous
Heavy, bulky and unwieldy; dull. labored
352
Posthumous
Happening or continuing after death
353
Potentate
Ruler, person of great power
354
Pragmatic
Practical; dealing with actual facts
355
Preamble
Introductory statement, preface
356
Precarious
Unstable, insecure, dangerous
357
Precursor
Something that comes before, esp. something that also announces or suggests something on its way
358
Predisposed
Having an inclination or tendency beforehand; subscribe
359
Preempt
Prevent; take the place of, supplant; take before someone else can
360
presumptive
Based on inference or assumption; providing reasonable grounds for belied
361
Presumptuous
Too bold of forward; going beyond that which is proper
362
Pretentious
Claiming or demanding a position of importance or dignity, esp. when unjustified; showing off, creating a deceptive, false show of worth
363
Principled
Having high moral standards
364
Pristine
In an original, pure state; uncorrupted
365
Probity
Honesty, integrity
366
Prodigal
Wasteful, extravagant; giving abundantly, lavish
367
Prodigious
Extraordinarily large, impressive, etc.
368
Profligate
Completely and shamelessly immoral, or extremely wasteful
369
Profound
Very insightful, penetrating deeply into a subject; pervasive, intense, "down to the very bottom"; at the very bottom
370
Profuse
Abundant, extravagant, giving or given freely
371
Prohibitive
Tending to forbid something, or serving to prevent
372
Proliferate
Increase or spread rapidly or excessively
373
Prologue
Introductory part to a book, play, etc.
374
Pronounced
Distinct, strong, clearly indicated
375
Propriety
Conforming to good manners or appropriate behavior
376
Prosaic
Dull, ordinary
377
Proscribe
Prohibit, outlaw; denounce; exile or banish
378
Prospective
Potential, in the future
379
Prudent
Wise in practical matters, carefully providing for the future
380
Pugnacious
Inclined to fight, combative
381
Qualified
Modified, limited, conditional on something else
382
Quandary
Uncertainty or confusion about what to do, dilemma
383
Quibble
Make trivial arguments or criticism, find faults in a petty way, esp. to evade something more important
384
Quotidian
Daily; everyday, ordinary
385
Ranks
Personnel; a group of people considered all together
386
Reap
Harvest, such as by cutting; gather; get as a result of one's effort
387
Recluse
Person who lives in seclusion
388
Refute
Prove to be false
389
Relegate
Send or commit to an inferior place, rank, condition, etc.; exile, banish; assign (task) to someone else
390
Remedial
Providing a remedy, curative; correcting a deficient skill
391
Render
Give, submit, surrender; translate declare
392
Replete
Supplied in abundance, filled gorged (used with with)
393
Reproach
Blame, disgrace (n); criticize, express disappointment in(v)
394
Repudiate
Reject, cast off, deny tat something has authority
395
Requite
Reciprocate, repay, or revenge
396
Rescind
Annul, repeal, make void
397
Resolution
The quality of being firmly determined; resolving to do something; a formal judgement, esp. decided by a vote
398
Resolve
Find a solution to; firmly decide to do something; decide by formal vote(v); firmness of purpose (n)
399
Respectively
In the order given
400
Restive
Impatient or uneasy under the control of another; resisting being controlled
401
Reticent
Not talking much; private (of a person), restrained, reserved
402
Retrospective
Looking to the past or backward; applying to the past, retroactive (adj.); An art exhibit of an artist's work over a long period of time (n)
403
Reverent
Feeling or expressing very deep respect and awe
404
Rhetoric
The art or study of persuasion through speaking or writing; language that is elaborate or pretentious but actually empty, meaning little
405
Rife
Happening frequently, abundant, currently being reported
406
Rudimentary
Elementary, relating to the basics; underdeveloped, primitive
407
Rustic
Relating to country life, unsophisticated; primitive; made of rough wood (adj.); a rural or uncultured person (n)
408
Sacrosanct
Sacred, inviolable, not to be trespassed on or violated; above any criticism
409
Sagacious
Wise; showing good judgement and foresight
410
Salubrious
Healthful, promoting health
411
Sanction
Permission or approval, something that gives support or authority to something else (n); to allow, confirm, ratify (v); OR a legal action by one or more countries against anther country to get it to comply (n); to place sanctions or penalties on (v)
412
Sanguine
Cheerfully optimistic, hopeful; reddish, ruddy (as in rosy-red cheeks indicating health or vitality)
413
Sap
The inner fluid of a plant or any essential body fluid; energy; vitality; a person taken advantage of (n); undermine, weaken, tire out (v)
414
Satiate or Sate
To fully satisfy; to go beyond satisfying to the point of excess (possibly inducing disgust, tiredness, etc.)
415
Saturate
Soak or imbue thoroughly; cause a substance to unite with the greatest possible amount of another substance
416
Savor
Appreciate fully, taste or smell with pleasure
417
Scant
Not enough or barely enough
418
Scathing
Severe, injurious; bitterly harsh or critical (as a remark)
419
Secular
Not religious or holy; pertaining to worldly things
420
Sedulous
Preserving, persistent, diligent in one's efforts
421
Sentient
Conscious; experiencing sensation or perceiving with the senses
422
Simultaneous
At the same time
423
Skeptic
Person inclined to doubting or questioning generally accepted beliefs
424
Skirt
Border, lie along the edge of, go around; evade
425
Slack
Loose, negligent, lazy, weak (adj.); neglect to do one's duties; loosen up, relax (v); period of little work (n)
426
Slew
A large number or quantity
427
Slight
Small, not very important, slender or delicate (adj.); treat as though not very important; snub, ignore(v); an act of treating in this way; a discourtesy (n)
428
Solicitous
Concerned or anxious (about another person), expressing care; eager or desirous; very careful
429
Soporific
Causing sleep; sleepy, drowsy (adj.); something that causes sleep (n)
430
Sound
Measure the depth of (usually of water) as with a sounding line; penetrate and discover the meaning of, understand (usually as sound the depths )
431
Spartan
Very disciplined and stern; frugal, living simply; austere; suggestive or the ancient Spartans
432
Spate
Sudden outpouring or rush; flood
433
Spearhead
Be the leader of
434
Specious
Seemingly true but actually false; deceptively attractive
435
Spectrum
A broad range of nevertheless related qualities or ideas, esp. those that overlap to create a continuous series (as in a color spectrum, where each color blends into the next in a continuous way)
436
Speculate
Contemplate; make a guess or educated guess about; engage in a risky business transaction, gamble
437
Sporadic
Occasional, happening irregularly or in scattered locations
438
Sportive
Playful, merry, joking around, done "in sport" (rather than intended seriously)
439
Standing
Status, rank, reputation (n); existing indefinitely, not movable (adj.)
440
Stark
Complete, total, utter; harsh or grim; extremely simple, severe, blunt, or pain
441
Static
Fixed, not moving or changing, lacking vitality
442
Status quo
Existing state or condition
443
Stingy
Not generous with money, reluctant to spend or give
444
Stoic or stoical
Indifferent to pleasure or pain, enduring without complaint; person indifferent to pleasure or pain (n)
445
Stolid
unemotional, showing little emotion, not easily moved
446
Stymie or stymy
Block, hinder, or thwart (v); an obstacle (n)
447
Subjective
Existing in the mind or relating to one's own thoughts, opinions, emotions, etc.; personal, individual, based on feelings
448
Subside
Sink, settle down, become less active, return to a normal level
449
Substantiate
Support with evidence or proof; give a materiel existence to
450
Succeeding
Coming after or following
451
Supersede
Replace, take the position of, cause to be disregarded as void or obsolete
452
Supplicate
Pray humbly; ask, beg, or seek in a humble way
453
Surfeit
Excess, excessive amount, overindulgence
454
Surmise
Guess, infer, think or make an opinion with incomplete information
455
Sycophant
Servile flatterer, parasitic person who fawns in order to get ahead
456
Synchronous
Happening at the same time; occurring at the same rate and thus happening together repeatedly
457
Table
Lay aside to discuss later, ofter as a way to postpone discussion indefinitely
458
Tacit
Understood without being said; implied, not stated directly; silent
459
Taciturn
Not talking much, reserved; silent, holding back in conversation
460
Tangential
Only slightly relevant, going off topic
461
Temparence
Moderation, self-control, esp. regarding alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total abstinence from alcohol
462
Tenuous
Long and thin, slender; slimsy, having little substance
463
Timely
Well-timed, happening at a suitable time
464
Timorous
Fearful, timid
465
Tirade
Bitter, abusive criticism or verbal attack
466
Torpor
Sluggishness, lethargy, apathy; a period of inactivity
467
Torrid
Very hot, parching, burning; passionate
468
Tractable
Easily controlled or managed, docile; easily shaped or molded
469
Transitory
Temporary, short-lived, not lasting
470
Trifling
Trivial, not very important; so small as to be unimportant; frivolous, shallow
471
Trite
Lacking freshness and originality, lacking effectiveness due to overuse, cliche
472
Ubiquitous
Existing everywhere at the same time
473
Undermine
Weaken, cause to collapse by digging away at the foundation (of a building or an argument ); injure or attack in a secretive or underhanded way
474
Underscore
Emphasize (or, literally, to underline text)
475
Unearth
Dig up, uncover, expose
476
Unequivocal
Unambiguous, clear, absolute; having only one possible meaning
477
Unprecedented
Never before known or seen, without having happened previously
478
Unseemly
Improper, inappropriate, against the rules of taste or politeness
479
Vacilate
Waver in one's mind or opinions, be indecisive
480
Venerate
Revere, regard with deep respect and awe
481
Veracity
Truthfulness, accuracy; habitual adherence to the truth
482
Verbose
Wordy
483
Viable
Capable of living (or growing, developing, etc.); practical, workable
484
Vintage
Related to items of high quality from a previous era, old fashioned antique (adj.); the wine of a particular year (n)
485
Virtual
Existing only in the mind or by means of a computer network; existence in results or in essence but not officially or in name
486
Vituperate
Verbally abuse, rebuke or criticize harshly
487
Volatile
Varying, inconsistent, fleeting; tending to violence, explosive;
488
Warranted
Justified, authorized (warrant can mean to justify or a justification, but can also mean to vouch for or guarantee)
489
Wary
Watchful, motivated by caution, on guard against danger
490
Whereas
While on the contrary, considering that
491
Whimsical
Marked or motivated by whims (odd, fanciful ideas); erratic, unpredictable
492
Wily
Crafty, cunning, characterized by tricks or artifice
493
Zeal
Great fervor or enthusiasm for a cause, person, etc., tireless diligence in furthering that cause; passion, ardor
494
Zenith
High point, culmination
