Part 1 Flashcards
Abate (v.)
To subside, to reduce
Abash (v.)
To make ashamed, to embarass
Abdicate (v.)
To step down from a position of power or responsibility
Aberration (n.)
Something not typical, a deviation from the standard
Abhor (n.)
To detest
Abject (a.)
Hopeless
Abnegate (v.)
To reject, to renounce
Abortive (a.)
Unsuccessful
Abridge (v.)
To shorten, to condense
Absolute (a.)
Total, unlimited, perfect
Absolve (v.)
To forgive or to free from blame, to free from an obligation
Abstinent (a.)
Abstaining, voluntarily not doing something, especially something pleasant that is bad for you or has a bad reputation
Abstract (a.)
Theoretical, impersonal
Abstruse (a.)
Hard to understand
Abysmal (a.)
Extremely hopeless or wretched, bottomless
Accolade (n.)
An award, an honor
Accost (v.)
To approach and speak to someone
Acerbic (a.)
Bitter, sour, severe
Acquisce (v.)
To comply passively, to accept, to assent, to agree
Acrid (a.)
Harsh ; like acid
Acrimonious (a.)
Full of spite, bitter, nasty
Acumen (n.)
Keenness of judgment, mental sharpness
Acute (a.)
Sharp, shrewd
Adamant (a.)
Unyielding, completely inflexible
Address (v.)
To speak to, to direct one’s attention to
Adherent (n.)
Follower, supporter, believer
Admonish (v.)
To scold gently, to warn
Adroit (a.)
Skillfull, dexterous
Adulation (n.)
Wild or excessive admiration, flattery
Adulterate (v.)
To contaminate, to make impure
Adverse (a.)
Unfavorable, antagonistic
Aesthetic (a.)
Artistic
Affable (a.)
Easy to talk to, friendly
Affectation (n.)
Unnatural or artificial behavior
Affinity (n.)
Sympathy, attraction, kinship, similarity
Agenda (n.)
Program, the things to be done
Aggregate (n.)
Sum total
Agnostic (n.)
One who believes that the existence of a god can be neither proven nor disproved
Agrarian (a.)
Relating to the management or farming of land
Alacrity (n.)
Cheerful eagerness or readiness
Allege (v.)
To assert without proof
Alleviate (v.)
To relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely
Allocate (v.)
To distribute, to assign, to allot
Ally (n.)
A combination of two or more things, usually metal
Allusion (n.)
An indirect reference
Aloof (a.)
Uninvolved, standing off
Altruism (n.)
Selflessness, generosity
Ambience (n.)
Atmosphere, mood, feeling
Ambiguous (a.)
Unclear in meaning, confusing
Ambivalent (a.)
Undecided, neutral, wishy-washy
Ameliorate (v.)
To make better or more tolerable
Amenable (a.)
Obedient, agreeable
Amenity (n.)
Pleasantness, attractive or comfortable feature
Amiable (a.)
Friendly, agreeable
Amnesty (n.)
An official pardon for a group of people who have violated a law or policy
Amoral (a.)
Lacking a sense of right and wrong
Amorous (a.)
Feeling loving, especially in a sexual sense
Amorphous (a.)
Shapeless
Anachronism (n.)
Something out of place in time or history, an incongruity
Analogy (n.)
Similarity
Anarchy (n.)
Lawlessness, disorder
Anecdote (n.)
A short account of a humurous or revealing incident
Anguish (n.)
Agonizing physical or mental pain
Animosity (n.)
Resentment, hostility, ill will
Anomaly (n.)
An aberration, an irregularity, a deviation
Antecedent (n.)
Someone or something that went before
Antipathy (n.)
Firm dislike
Antithesis (n.)
The direct opposite
Apartheid (n.)
The abhorrent policy of racial segregation and oppression in the Republic of South Africa
Apathy (n.)
Lack or interest or feeling
Aphorism (n.)
A brief, often witty saying
Apocalypse (n.)
A prophetic revelation, especially one concerning the end of the world
Apocryphal (a.)
Of dubious authenticity
Apotheosis (n.)
Elevation to divine status, the perfect example of something
Appease (v.)
To soothe, to pacify by giving in to
Appreciate (v.)
To increase in value
Apprehensive (a.)
Worried, anxious
Approbation (n.)
Approval, praise
Appropriate (v.)
To take without permission
Aptitude (n.)
Capacity for learning, natural ability
Arbiter (n.)
A judge, one who decides
Arbitrary (a.)
Random, capricious
Arcane (a.)
Mysterious, know only to a select few
Archaic (a.)
Extremely old, ancient
Archetype (n.)
An original model or pattern
Ardent (a.)
Fervent
Arduous (a.)
Hard, difficult
Aristocratic (a.)
Noble birth
Artful
Crafty, wily, sly
Artifice (n.)
A clever trick, cunning
Ascendancy (n.)
Supremacy, domination
Ascetic (a.)
Hermitlike, practicing self-denial
Assiduous (a.)
Hardworking
Assimilate (v.)
To take in, to absorb
Assuage (v.)
To soothe, to pacify
Astute (a.)
Shrewd, keen in judgment
Attrition (n.)
Gradual wearing away, weakening, or loss
Audacity (n.)
Boldness, reckless daring
Augment (v.)
To increase, to make bigger
Auspicious (a.)
Favorable, pointing to a good result
Austere (a.)
Unadorned, forbidding, without excess
Autocratic (a.)
Ruling with absolute authority
Autonomous (a.)
Acting independently
Avarice (n.)
Greed, excessive love of riches
Avow (v.)
To claim, to admit
Avuncular (a.)
Like a nice uncle
Awry (a.)
Off course, twisted to one side
Axiom (n.)
A self-evident rule of truth, a widely accepted saying
Banal (a.)
Unoriginal, ordinary
Bane (n.)
Poison, torment, cause of harm
Bastion (n.)
Stronghold, fortress, fortified place
Beget (v.)
To give birth, to create
Belabor (v.)
To go over repeatedly or to an absurd extent
Beleaguer (v.)
To surround, to besiege
Belie (v.)
To give a false impression of, to contradict
Belittle (v.)
To put someone down
Belligerent (a.)
Combative, quarrelsome
Bemused (a.)
Confused, bewildered
Benefactor (n.)
One who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation
Benevolent (a.)
Generous, kind
Benign (a.)
Gentle, not harmful
Bequest (n.)
Something left to someone in a will
Bereaved (a.)
Deprived or left desolate, especially through death
Beset (v.)
To harass, to surround
Blasphemy (n.)
Irreverence, an insult to something held sacred, profanity
Blatant (a.)
Unpleasantly or offensively noisy, glaring
Blithe (a.)
Carefree, cheerful
Bourgeois (n.)
Middle class
Bovine (a.)
Cowlike, stupid and slow
Brevity (n.)
Briefness
Broach (v.)
To open up a subject for discussion, often a delicate subject
Bucolic (a.)
Charming rural, rustic, country like
Bureaucracy (n.)
A system of government administration consisting of numerous bureaus or offices.
Burgeon (v.)
To expand, to flourish
Burlesque (n.)
A ludicrous, mocking, or exaggerated imitation
Cacophony (n.)
Harsh- sounding mixture of words, voices, or sounds
Cadence (n.)
Rhythm, the rise and fall of sounds
Cajole (v.)
To persuade someone to do something he or she doesn’t want to do
Callow (a.)
Immature
Candor (n.)
Truthfulness, sincere honesty
Capitalism (n.)
Free enterprise
Capitulate (v.)
To surrender, to give up or give in
Capricious (a.)
Unpredictable, likely to change at any moment
Caricature (n.)
A portrait or description that is purposely distorted or exaggerated, often to prove some about its subject
Castigate (v.)
To criticize severely, to chastise
Catalyst (n.)
Something that changes the rate of chemical reaction without itself being changed
Categorical (a.)
Unconditional, absolute
Catharsis (n.)
Purification that brings emotional relief or renewal
Catholic (a.)
Universal, embracing everything
Caustic (a.)
Like acid, corrosive
Celibacy (n.)
Abstinence from sex
Censure (n.)
To condemn severely for doing something bad
Cerebral (a.)
Brainy, intellectually refined
Chagrin (n.)
Humiliation, embarassed disappointment
Charisma (n.)
A magical-seeming ability to attract followers or inspire people
Charlatan (n.)
Fraud, quack, con man
Chasm (n.)
A deep, gaping hole, a gorge
Chastise (v.)
To inflict punishment on, to discipline
Chicanery (n.)
Trickery, deceitfulness, artifice
Chimera (n.)
An illusion, a foolish fancy
Choleric (a.)
Hot-tempered, quick to anger
Chronic (a.)
Constant, lasting a long time
Chronicle (v.)
A record of events in order or time, a history
Circuitous (a.)
Roundabout, not following the direct path
Circumlocution (n.)
An indirect expression
Circumscribe (v.)
To set the limits, to define
Circumspect (a.)
Cautious
Circumvent (v.)
To frustrate as though by surrounding
Civil (a.)
Polite, civilized, courteous
Clemency (n.)
Mercy, mildness, forgiveness
Cliche (a.)
An overused saying or idea
Clique (n.)
An exclusive group bound together by some shared quality or interest
Coalesce (v.)
To come together as one
Coerce (v.)
To force someone to do or not to do something
Cogent (a.)
Powerfully convincing
Cognitive (a.)
Dealing with how we know the world around us through our senses, mental
Coherent (a.)
Holding together, making sense
Colloquial (a.)
Conversational, informal in language
Collusion (n.)
Conspiracy, secret cooperation
Commensurate (a.)
Equal, proportionate
Compelling (a.)
Forceful, causing to yield
Compendium (n.)
A summary, an abridgment
Complacent (a.)
Self-satisfied
Complement (n.)
To complete or fill up
Complicity (n.)
Participation in wrongdoing
Comprehensive (a.)
Covering or including everything
Comprise (v.) + of
To consist of
Conciliatory (a.)
Making peace, attempting to resolve a dispute through goodwill
Concise (a.)
Brief and to the points, succinct
Concord (n.)
Harmony, agreement
Concurrent (a.)
Happening at the same time, parallel
Condescend (v.)
To stoop to someone else’s level, usually in an offensive way
Condone (v.)
To overlook, to permit to happen
Conductive (a.)
Promoting
Confluence (n.)
A flowing together
Congenial (a.)
Agreeably suitable, pleasant
Congenital (a.)
Innate
Conjecture (n.)
To guess
Conjure (v.)
To summon or bring into being as if by magic
Connoisseur (n.)
An expert
Consecrate (v.)
To make a declare sacred
Consensus (n.)
Unanimity or general agreement
Consonant (a.)
Harmonious, in agreement
Construe (v.)
To interpret
Consummate (a.)
Perfect, supremely skillfull
Contentious (a.)
Argumentative, quarrelsome
Contiguous (a.)
Side by side, adjoining
Contingent (a.)
Dependent possible
Contrite (a.)
Admitting guilt ; especially feeling remorseful
Contrived (a.)
Artificial, Labored
Conventional (a.)
Common, customary, unexceptional
Convivial (a.)
Fond of partying, festive
Copious (a.)
Abundant, Plentiful
Corollary (n.)
Something that follows, a natural consequence
Corroborate (v.)
To confirm, to back up with evidence
Cosmopolitan (a.)
At home in many places or situations, internationally sophisticated
Countenance (n.)
Face facial expression, especially an encouraging one
Coup (n.)
A brilliant victory or accomplishment, the violent overthrow of a government by a small internal group
Covenant (n.)
A solemn agreement, a contract, a pledge
Covert (a.)
Secret, hidden
Covet (v.)
To wish for enviously
Credulous (a.)
Eager to believe, gullible
Criterion (n.)
Standard, basis for judgment
Cryptic (a.)
Mysterious, mystifying
Culinary (a.)
Relating to cooking or the kitchen
Culminate (v.)
To climax, to reach full effect
Culpable (a.)
Deserving blame, guilty
Cursory (a.)
Hasty, superficial
Curtail (v.)
To shorten, to cut short
Cynic (n.)
One who deeply distrusts human nature, one who believes humans are motivated only by selfishness
Cognizant (a.)
Aware, conscious