P words Flashcards
pablum
bland or insipid intellectual fare, entertainment, etc.; pap.
pacifist
a person who favors peace
painstaking
careful, taking great pains, meticulous, assiduous, diligent
pall
A morose covering of cloth, smoke, or similar matter; or to become less appealing through familiarity
panegyric
A published speech or published text in praise of something or someone.
panoply
a complete or impressive collection of things
paragon
a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality.
parody
a humorous imitation of a work of art
parsimonious
unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal.
parsimony
extreme stinginess, miserliness
partisan
strongly supporting one party or cause, biased
parvenu
a person of obscure origin who has gained wealth, influence, or celebrity.
pastiche
An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.
patrician
an aristocrat or nobleman
paucity
the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity.
pearlite
a finely laminated mixture of ferrite and cementite present in cast iron and steel, formed by the cooling of austenite.
pecuniary
of, relating to, or consisting of money
pedant
a person who is excessively concerned with minor details and rules or with displaying academic learning.
penchant
liking, inclination, proclivity, predilection
penury
extreme poverty
perceptive
having keen understanding
perfunctory
done with little interest or care, cursory
peripatetic
traveling from place to place, esp. working or based in various places for relatively short periods
peripheral
on or having to do with the outer edge
perspire
give out sweat through the pores of the skin as the result of heat, physical exertion, or stress
pessimism
a tendency to expect the worst
pestilence
a fatal epidemic disease, esp. bubonic plague
petulant
irritable, touchy, irascible
phoenix
(in classical mythology) a unique bird that lived for five or six centuries in the Arabian desert, after this time burning itself on a funeral pyre and rising from the ashes with renewed youth to live through another cycle.
pi
To spill or mix printing type
piccalilli
a relish of chopped vegetables, mustard, and hot spices.
piety
religiousness, devoutness
piki
cornmeal bread in the form of very thin sheets, made by the Hopi Indians of the southwestern US
pilothouse
A part of a plane serving as a shelter for the person at the wheel.
pique
to arouse; to irritate, exasperate, vex
placate
to calm the anger of, appease, mollify, conciliate
plagiarism
the theft of someone else’s ideas
platitude
a dull, overused remark, something banal or hackneyed
plausible
believable, reasonable
plethora
overabundance, excess, copiousness
plucky
Having or showing determined courage in the face of difficulties
pluvial
relating to or characterized by rainfall.
poignant
evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.
pointer
A long thin piece of metal on a scale or dial that moves to indicate a figure or position; or a dog of a breed that, on scenting game, stands rigid looking toward it.
polymath
a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.
polystyrene
a synthetic resin that is a polymer of styrene, used chiefly as lightweight rigid foams and films.
ponderous
slow and clumsy because of great weight.
potboiler
a book, painting, or recording produced merely to make the writer or artist a living by catering to popular taste.
pother
a commotion or fuss.
preclude
to make impossible, prevent
precocious
maturing early (especially mentally)
predilection
preference, liking, inclination, proclivity, penchant
preeminent
superior to all others
presumptuous
overly forward; overly bold
pretender
A person who claims or aspires to a title or position.
preternatural
Beyond what is normal or natural
prevalent
widespread, commonly accepted
previse
Foresee (or predict) an event.
prig
a self-righteously moralistic person who behaves as if superior to others.
pro bono publico
For the public good
proclivity
tendency, leaning, inclination, predilection, penchant
procrustean
Enforcing uniformity or conformity without regard to natural variation or individual value.
prodigal
wasteful with money, extravagant
prodigious
immense; astonishing [don’t confuse with prodigal!]
proficient
skilled, capable, competent
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
profuse
very abundant; giving freely
proliferate
to grow, increase, burgeon, flourish
prominent
important, well-known
propitiating
win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them
provincial
narrow-minded, unsophisticated
prurient
having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters.
psychobiology
the branch of science that deals with the biological basis of behavior and mental phenomena.
puckish
playful, especially in a mischievous way.
pugnacious
eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.
pule
cry querulously or weakly.
pulverize
to demolish
punctilious
showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.
puny
small and weak.
pupa
an insect in its inactive immature form between larva and adult, e.g., a chrysalis.
purloin
steal (something).
pygmy
a member of certain peoples of very short stature in equatorial Africa and parts of Southeast Asia
