P Flashcards
Paean
Song of praise or joy
Pacify
To calm down
Palatable
Pleasant to the taste
Palatial
Magnificent
Paleontology
Study of prehistoric life
Pall
Something that covers or conceals (n); to become wearisome or unpleasant (v)
Palliate
To ease; to lessen
Pallid
Pale; dull
Palpable
Obvious; capable of being touched or felt
Palsy
Muscle paralysis
Paltry
Trivial; worthless
Panacea
A cure-all; an answer for all problems
Panache
Self-confidence; a showy manner
Pandemonium
Wild disorder; confusion
Panegyric
An expression of praise
Pang
A sharp pain
Panoply
Suit of armor; any protective covering
Parable
A simple story giving a moral or religious lesson
Paradigm
A model; an example
Paradox
A statement that seems contradictory, but is probably true
Paragon
A model of excellence or perfection
Paramount
Chief; supreme
Paraphernalia
Personal belongings; equipment
Parched
Dried up; extremely thirsty
Pariah
An outcast
Parity
Equality; similarity
Parley
Discussion; conference
Parlous
Dangerous
Parochial
Local; narrow; limited
Paroxysm
A sudden outburst; a fit
Parry
To avoid something such as a thrust or blow
Parsimonious
Stingy; miserly
Partisan
A strong supporter of a cause
Passé
Old fashioned; out-of-date
Pastoral
Pertaining to the country; rural
Patent
A government protection for an inventor (n); evident or obvious (adj)
Pathos
Pity; deep feeling
Patriarch
An early biblical person regarded as one of the fathers of the human race
Patrician
Aristocratic
Patrimony
Inherited right; heritage
Patronage
The control of power to make appointments to government jobs
Patronize
To be a customer; to talk down to
Paucity
Scarcity; lack
Peccadillo
A minor offense
Pectoral
Pertaining to the chest
Peculate
To steal; to embezzle
Pecuniary
Pertaining to money
Pedantic
Tending to show off ones learning
Pedestrian
One who walks (n); ordinary or dull (adj)
Peerless
Without equal; unmatched
Peevish
Hard to please; irritable
Pejorative
Having a negative effect; insulting
Pellucid
Transparent; clear
Pelt
Skin of a fur-bearing animal (n); to throw things at (v)
Penchant
A strong liking for; an inclination
Penitent
Expressing sorrow for sin or wrongdoing
Penury
Extreme poverty
Peon
Common worker
Perdition
Damnation; ruin; he’ll
Peregrinate
To travel from place to place
Peremptory
Decisive; final; not open to debate
Perennial
Lasting for a long time; perpetual
Perfidious
Deceitful; treacherous; unfaithful
Perforce
Of necessity
Perfunctory
Done without care; routine
Perigee
Point in an orbit nearest to the earth
Perilous
Dangerous; risky
Periphrastic
Said in a roundabout way
Perjury
Making a false statement under oath
Pernicious
Deadly; destructive
Peroration
The concluding part of a speech
Perpetrate
To do something evil; to be guilty of
Perpetuate
To cause to continue
Perquisite
Something additional to regular pay
Perspicacity
Keenness of judgment
Perspicuity
Clearness, as of a statement
Pert
Bold; saucy
Pertinent
Relevant; to the point
Perturb
To unsettle; to disturb
Peruse
To read carefully
Pervade
To spread throughout; to pass through
Perverse
Contrary: cranky
Pervert
To lead astray; to corrupt
Petrify
To turn to rock; to paralyze with fear
Petrology
Study of rocks
Petulant
Irritable; rude
Phalanx
Closely massed body of persons
Phenomenon
Extraordinary person, thing, or event
Philander
To engage in various love affairs
Philately
Stamp collecting
Philippic
A bitter verbal attack
Philistine
Uncultured (adj); common; one who is uncultured or common (noun)
Phlegmatic
Unemotional; cool; not easily excited
Phoenix
A bird that symbolizes immortality
Picaresque
Pertaining to an adventurous wanderer
Piddling
Trifling; petty
Piecemeal
Bit by bit; gradually
Pied
Many-colored; variegated
Piety
Reverence; devotion
Pilgrimage
A journey to a holy place
Pillage
To rob by violence
Pillory
To expose to public ridicule or abuse
Pious
Religious
Piquant
Stimulating to the taste; exciting interest
Pique
To irritate or annoy
Piscine
Of or like a fish
Pitfall
Unexpected difficulty; a trap
Pithy
Concise; to the point
Pittance
Small share or amount
Pivotal
Central; crucial
Placate
To soothe; to calm
Placid
Calm
Plague
A Contagious disease (n); to torment; to trouble (v)
Plaintive
Sorrowful; sad
Platitude
A dull or trite remark
Plaudit
Applause; any expression of approval
Plebeian
Pertaining to a member of the lower classes
Plenary
Full; complete; absolute
Pliant
Easily bent; adaptable
Plight
A sad or dangerous situation
Ploy
A gimmick; a trick
Pluck
To pull at (v); courage (n)
Plumb
To test; to measure
Plunder
To rob; to take by force
Plutocracy
Rule by the wealthy class
Poach
To trespass or steal
Poignant
Keenly distressing; affecting the emotions
Polarize
To separate into opposing groups
Polemic
A controversy or argument
Poltroon
A coward
Polychromatic
Many-colored
Polyglot
Speaking or writing several languages
Polymorphic
Having many forms
Pomp
Brilliant show or display
Ponderous
Heavy; burdensome
Porcine
Of or like a pig
Portentous
Warning; foreshadowing
Portly
Stout; large
Posterity
Future generations
Posthumous
Occurring after death
Postulate
To assume without proof; to take for granted
Potable
Drinkable
Potent
Powerful; strong
Potentate
Ruler; monarch
Potpourri
A mixture
Pragmatic
Practical
Prate
To talk extensively and pointlessly; to babble
Precarious
Uncertain; dangerous; risky
Precede
To be, come, or go before
Precedent
An act that may be used an example in the future
Precept
A rule of conduct
Precipice
Cliff
Precipitate
To bring about an action suddenly
Precipitous
Extremely steep
Précis
Brief summary
Preclude
To prevent; to shut out
Precocious
Prematurely developed
Precursor
A forerunner; predecessor
Predatory
Living by plunder, exploitation, etc.
Predicate
To declare; to assert
Predilection
A liking; preference; inclination
Predispose
To make susceptible
Preeminent
Standing out above all others
Preen
To dress oneself carefully or smartly
Prehensile
Adapted for seizing or grasping something
Prelude
An introduction
Premeditate
To plan beforehand
Premier
First in importance or time
Premise
Statement from which a conclusion is drawn
Preponderance
Superiority in quantity or power; dominance
Prescience
Knowledge of things before they happen
Presentiment
Anticipation, especially of something evil
Presumptuous
Boldly assuming
Pretentious
Showy; putting on airs
Preternatural
Abnormal; beyond what is natural
Pretext
A false reason or motive; an excuse
Prevaricate
To lie
Prim
Formal; proper
Primeval
Of the earliest times or ages
Primogeniture
State of being the firstborn
Primordial
First; original
Primp
To dress up in a fussy way
Prismatic
Many-colored
Pristine
Uncorrupted; in its original state
Privation
Loss or lack of something essential
Privy
Having knowledge of something private or secret
Probe
To investigate; to examine
Probity
Honesty; integrity
Proclivity
Inclination; tendency
Procreate
To beget or produce
Procrustean
Designed to get conformity at any cost
Procure
To obtain; to secure
Prod
To urge; to poke or jab
Prodigal
Wasteful
Prodigious
Enormous; vast
Profane
Showing disrespect for sacred things
Profess
To acknowledge; to admit frankly
Proffer
To offer
Profligate
Shamelessly immoral; extremely wasteful
Profound
Very deep
Profuse
Abundant
Progeny
Descendants
Prognosticate
To predict; to foretell
Proletarian
One who belongs to the working class
Proliferate
To expand; to increase
Prolific
Productive; fertile
Prolix
Tediously long and wordy
Prologue
Introduction
Promenade
A stroll or walk; an area used for walking
Promontory
Piece of land that juts out
Promulgate
To announce; to advocate
Prone
Reclining; lying flat; inclined
Propensity
Inclination; tendency
Prophetic
Predicting
Propinquity
Nearness; closeness
Propitious
Favorable
Proponent
A person who supports a cause or doctrine
Propriety
Conformity; appropriateness
Prosaic
Dull; commonplace; unimaginative
Proscribe
To denounce: exile
Proselyte
A person who has changed from one religion to another; a convert
Prospectus
A report describing a forthcoming project
Prostrate
Lying flat; thrown or fallen to the ground
Protagonist
Main character
Protean
Changeable; variable
Protege
One who has been guided or instructed by another
Prototype
The original; first of its kind; a model
Protract
To draw out: to prolong
Protrude
To stick out; to project
Proverbial
Well-known
Provident
Having foresight
Provincial
Countrified; narrow; limited
Provisional
Temporary
Proviso
A condition; a stipulation
Prowess
Skill; strength; daring
Prude
An overly proper person
Prudence
Caution; good judgment
Prune
To cut off or lop off, such as twigs, branches, or roots
Prurient
Lustful; obscene; lewd
Pseudonym
A fake or assumed name
Psyche
The human soul or spirit
Puerile
Childish; immature
Pugilist
A boxer
Pugnacious
Eager to fight; quarrelsome
Puissant
Powerful; strong
Pulchritude
Beauty
Pulverize
To crush or grind into powder; totally destroy
Pummel
To beat or thrash with the fists
Punctilious
Very exact; precise
Pundit
A learned man; an expert or authority
Pungent
Having a sharp taste or smell; severely critical or sarcastic
Punitive
Pertaining to punishment
Puny
Weak; inferior
Purge
To cleanse: to purify
Puritanical
Strict; rigid; harsh
Purloin
To steal
Purport
To claim to be
Purvey
To furnish; to supply
Pusillanimous
Cowardly; fearful
Putative
Supposed; believed
Putrefy
To rot; to decay
Pyre
A funeral fire in which the corpse is burned
Pyretic
Pertaining to fever
Pyromaniac
One who like to start fires; arsonist
Pyrrhic victory
Success gained at too high a cost
