SAT-3000-1 Flashcards
1
Q
abase
A
V. lower; humiliate. Defeated Queen Zenobia was forced to abase herself before the conquering Romans who made her march in chains before the emperor in the procession celebrating his triumph. abasement N.
2
Q
abash
A
V. embarrass. He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.
3
Q
abate
A
V. subside; decrease lessen. Rather than leaving immediately they waited for the storm to abate. abate¬ment N.
4
Q
abbreviate
A
V. shorten. Because we were running out of time the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.
5
Q
abdicate
A
V. renounce; give up. When Edward VIII abdi¬cated the British throne to marry the woman he loved he surprised the entire world.
6
Q
abduction
A
N. kidnapping. The movie Ransom describes the attempts to rescue a multimillionaire’s son after the child’s abduction by kidnappers. abductV.
7
Q
aberrant
A
N. abnormal or deviant. Given the aberrant nature of the data we doubted the validity of the entire experiment. also N.
8
Q
abet
A
V. aid usually in doing something wrong; encourage. She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
9
Q
abeyance
A
N. suspended action. The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.
10
Q
abhor
A
V. detest; hate. She abhorred all forms of bigotry. abhorrence N.
11
Q
abject
A
ADJ. wretched; lacking pride. On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty huddling in door¬ways to find shelter from the wind.
12
Q
abjure
A
V. renounce upon oath. He abjured his allegiance to the king. abjuration N.
13
Q
ablution
A
N. washing. His daily ablutions were accompa¬nied by loud noises that he humorously labeled “Opera in the Bath.”
14
Q
abnegation
A
N. repudiation; self-sacrifice. No act of abne¬gation was more pronounced than his refusal of any rewards for his discovery.
15
Q
abolish
A
V. cancel; put an end to. The president of the col¬lege refused to abolish the physical education requirement. abolition N.
16
Q
abominable
A
ADJ. detestable; extremely unpleasant; very bad. Mary liked John until she learned he was dating Susan; then she called him an abominable young man with abominable taste in women.
17
Q
aboriginal
A
ADJ. N. being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native. Her studies of the primitive art forms of the aboriginal Indians were widely reported in the scientific journals. aborigines N.
18
Q
abortive
A
ADJ. unsuccessful; fruitless. Attacked by armed troops the Chinese students had to abandon their abortive attempt to democratize Beijing peacefully. abortV.
19
Q
abrade
A
V. wear away by friction; scrape; erode. The sharp rocks abraded the skin on her legs so she put iodine on her abrasions.
20
Q
abrasive
A
ADJ. rubbing away; tending to grind down. Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish abrasive remarks can wear away a listener’s patience. abradeV.
21
Q
abridge
A
V. condense or shorten. Because the publishers felt the public wanted a shorter version of War and Peace they proceeded to abridge the novel.
22
Q
abrogate
A
ADJ. abolish. He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.
23
Q
abscond
A
V. depart secretly and hide. The teller who absconded with the bonds went uncaptured until someone recognized him from his photograph on “America’s Most Wanted.”
24
Q
absolute
A
ADJ. complete; totally unlimited; certain. Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch he did not want to behead his unfaithful wife without absolute evidence of her infidelity.
25
absolve
V. pardon (an offense). The father confessor absolved him of his sins. absolution N.
26
absorb
V. assimilate or incorporate; suck or drink up; wholly engage. During the nineteenth century America absorbed hordes of immigrants turning them into productive citizens. Can Huggies diapers absorb more liquid than Pampers can This question does not absorb me; instead it bores me. absorption N.
27
abstain
V. refrain; hold oneself back voluntarily from an action or practice. After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance he decided to abstain from drink-ing while he trained for the race. abstinence N.
28
abstemious
ADJ. sparing in eating and drinking; temper¬ate. Concerned whether her vegetarian son's abstemious diet provided him with sufficient protein the worried mother pressed food on him.
29
abstinence
N. restraint from eating or drinking. The doctor recommended total abstinence from salted foods. abstainV.
30
abstract
ADJ. theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresenta¬tional. To him hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal.
31
abstruse
ADJ. obscure; profound; difficult to understand. She carries around abstruse works of philosophy not because she understands them but because she wants her friends to think she does.
32
abundant
ADJ. plentiful; possessing riches or resources. At his immigration interview Ivan listed his abundant rea¬sons for coming to America: the hope of religious freedom the prospect of employment the promise of a more abun¬dant life.
33
abusive
ADJ. coarsely insulting; physically harmful. An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physi¬cally.
34
abut
V. border upon; adjoin. Where our estates abut we must build a fence.
35
abysmal
ADJ. bottomless. His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.
36
abyss
N. enormous chasm; vast bottomless pit. Darth Vader seized the evil emperor and hurled him down into the abyss
37
academic
ADJ. related to a school; not practical or directly useful. The dean's talk about reforming the college admis¬sions system was only an academic discussion: we knew little if anything would change.
38
accede
V. agree. If I accede to this demand for blackmail I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands.
39
accelerate
V. move faster. In our science class we learn how falling bodies accelerate.
40
accentuate
V. emphasize; stress. If you accentuate the pos¬itive and eliminate the negative you may wind up with an overoptimistic view of the world.
41
accessible
ADJ. easy to approach; obtainable. We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot.
42
accessory
N. additional object; useful but not essential thing. She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress. alsoADJ.
43
acclaim
V. applaud; announce with great approval. The NBC sportscasters acclaimed every American victory in the Olympics and decried every American defeat. also N.
44
acclimate
V. adjust to climate. One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travelers to acclimate them¬selves to their new and often strange environments.
45
acclivity
N. sharp upslope of a hill. The car would not go up the acclivity in high gear.
46
accolade
N. award of merit. In Hollywood an "Oscar" is the highest accolade.
47
accommodate
V. oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt. Mitch always did everything possible to accommodate his elderly relatives from driving them to medical appointments to helping them with paperwork. (secondary meaning)
48
accomplice
N. partner in crime. Because he had provided the criminal with the lethal weapon he was arrested as an accomplice in the murder.
49
accord
N. agreement. She was in complete accord with the verdict.
50
accost
V. approach and speak first to a person. When the two young men accosted me I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me.
51
accoutre
V. equip. The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply. accoutre¬ments N.
52
accretion
N. growth; increase. The accretion of wealth marked the family's rise in power.
53
accrue
V. come about by addition. You must pay the inter¬est that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum. accrual N.
54
acerbity
N. bitterness of speech and temper. The meeting of the United Nations General Assembly was marked with such acerbity that informed sources held out little hope of reaching any useful settlement of the problem. acerbicADJ.
55
acetic
ADJ. vinegary. The salad had an exceedingly acetic flavor.
56
acidulous
ADJ. slightly sour; sharp caustic. James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
57
acknowledge
V. recognize; admit. Although I acknowl¬edge that the Beatles' tunes sound pretty dated today I still prefer them to the "gangsta rap" songs my brothers play.
58
acme
N. top; pinnacle. His success in this role marked the acme of his career as an actor.
59
acoustics
N. science of sound; quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in. Carnegie Hall is liked by music lovers because of its fine acoustics.
60
acquiesce
V. assent; agree without protesting. Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made. acquiescence N.; acquiescentADJ.
61
acquire
V. obtain; get. Frederick Douglass was deter¬mined to acquire an education despite his master's efforts to prevent his doing so.
62
acquittal
N. deliverance from a charge. His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty. acquitV.
63
acrid
ADJ. sharp; bitterly pungent. The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.
64
acrimonious
ADJ. bitter in words or manner. The candidate attacked his opponent in highly acrimonious terms. acri¬mony
65
acrophobia
N. fear of heights. A born salesman he could convince someone with a bad case of acrophobia to sign up for a life membership in a sky-diving club.
66
actuarial
ADJ. calculating; pertaining to insurance statis¬tics. According to recent actuarial tables life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago.
67
actuate
V. motivate. I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.
68
acuity
N. sharpness. In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him and he needed glasses.
69
acumen
N. mental keenness. His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed.
70
acute
ADJ. quickly perceptive; keen; brief and severe. The acute young doctor realized immediately that the gradual deterioration of her patient's once acute hearing was due to a chronic illness not an acute one.
71
adage
N. wise saying; proverb. There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.
72
adamant
ADJ. hard; inflexible. Bronson played the part of a revenge-driven man adamant in his determination to pun¬ish the criminals who destroyed his family. adamancy N.
73
adapt
V. alter; modify. Some species of animals have become extinct because they could not adapt to a chang¬ing environment.
74
addendum
N. an addition or supplement. As an adden¬dum to the minutes let me point out that Susan moved to appoint Kathy and Arthur to the finance committee.
75
addiction
N. compulsive habitual need. His addiction to drugs caused his friends much grief.
76
addle
V. muddle; drive crazy; become rotten. This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. addledADJ.
77
address
V. direct a speech to; deal with or discuss. Due to address the convention in July Brown planned to address the issue of low-income housing in his speech.
78
adept
ADJ. expert at. She was adept at the fine art of irritat¬ing people. also N.
79
adhere
V. stick fast. I will adhere to this opinion until proof that I am wrong is presented. adhesion N.
80
adherent
N. supporter; follower. In the wake of the scan¬dal the senator's one-time adherents quickly deserted him.
81
adjacent
ADJ. adjoining; neighboring; close by. Philip's best friend Jason lived only four houses down the block close but not immediately adjacent.
82
adjunct
N. something added on or attached (generally nonessential or inferior). Although I don't absolutely need a second computer I plan to buy a laptop to serve as an adjunct to my desktop model.
83
admonish
V. warn; reprove. He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways. admonition N.
84
admonition
N. warning. After the student protesters repeatedly rejected Chairman Deng's admonitions the gov¬ernment issued an ultimatum: either the students would end the demonstration at once or the soldiers would fire on the crowd.
85
adorn
V. decorate. Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple. adornment N.
86
adroit
ADJ. skillful. His adroit handling of the delicate situa¬tion pleased his employers.
87
adulation
N. flattery; admiration. The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes men. adulateV.
88
adulterate
V. make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances. It is a crime to adulterate foods without inform¬ing the buyer; when consumers learned that Beech-Nut had adulterated their apple juice by mixing it with water they protested vigorously.
89
advent
N. arrival. Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached them.
90
adventitious
ADJ. accidental; casual. He found this adven¬titious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate.
91
adversary
N. opponent. The young wrestler struggled to defeat his adversary.
92
adverse
ADJ. unfavorable; hostile. The recession had a highly adverse effect on Father's investment portfolio: he lost so much money that he could no longer afford the but¬ler and the upstairs maid. adversity N.
93
adversity
N. poverty; misfortune. We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.
94
advocacy
N. support; active pleading on something's behalf. No threats could dissuade Bishop Desmond Tutu from his advocacy of the human rights of black South Africans.
95
advocate
V. urge; plead for. The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves. also N.
96
aerie
N. nest of a large bird of prey (eagle hawk). The mother eagle swooped down on the unwitting rabbit and bore it off to her aerie high in the Rocky Mountains.
97
aesthetic
ADJ. artistic; dealing with or capable of apprecia¬tion of the beautiful. The beauty of Tiffany's stained glass appealed to Esther's aesthetic sense. aesthete N.
98
affable
ADJ. easily approachable; warmly friendly. Accus¬tomed to cold aloof supervisors Nicholas was amazed at how affable his new employer was.
99
affected
ADJ. artificial; pretended; assumed in order to impress. His affected mannerisms-his "Harvard" accent his air of boredom his use of obscure foreign words¬bugged us: he acted as if he thought he was too good for his old high school friends. affectation N.
100
affidavit
N. written statement made under oath. The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit.
101
affiliation
N. joining; associating with. His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he soon disagreed with his colleagues.
102
affinity
N. kinship. She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains.
103
affirmation
N. positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath. Despite Tom's affirmations of innocence Aunt Polly still suspected he had eaten the pie.
104
affix
V. fasten; attach; add on. First the registrar had to affix her signature to the license; then she had to affix her official seal.
105
affliction
N. state of distress; cause of suffering. Even in the midst of her affliction Elizabeth tried to keep up the spirits of those around her.
106
affluence
N. abundance; wealth. Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life.
107
affront
N. insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect. When Mrs. Proudie was not seated beside the Archdeacon at the head table she took it as a personal affront and refused to speak to her hosts for a week. alsoV.
108
aftermath
N. consequences; outcome; upshot. People around the world wondered what the aftermath of China's violent suppression of the student protests would be.
109
agenda
N. items of business at a meeting. We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there was very little time for the meeting.
110
agent
N. means or instrument; personal representative; per¬son acting in an official capacity. °I will be the agent of America's destruction proclaimed the beady-eyed villain, whose agent had gotten him the role. With his face, he could never have played the part of the hero, a heroic F.B.I. agent.
111
agglomeration
N. collection; heap. It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had col¬lected on her trip.
112
aggrandize
V. increase or intensify. The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in international affairs without considering the wishes of Congress.
113
aggregate
V. gather; accumulate. Before the Wall Street scandals dealers in so-called junk bonds managed to aggregate great wealth in short periods of time. aggrega¬tion N.
114
aggressor
N. attacker. Before you punish both boys for fighting see whether you can determine which one was the aggressor.
115
aghast
ADJ. horrified. He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host.
116
agility
N. nimbleness. The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience.
117
agitate
V. stir up; disturb. Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob.
118
agnostic
N. one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality. Agnostics say we can neither prove nor disprove the existence of god; we simply just can't know. alsoADJ.
119
agrarian
ADJ. pertaining to land or its cultivation. The country is gradually losing its agrarian occupation and turn¬ing more and more to an industrial point of view.
120
alacrity
N. cheerful promptness. Phil and Dave were raring to get off to the mountains; they packed up their ski gear and climbed into the van with alacrity.
121
alchemy
N. medieval chemistry. The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy. alchemist N.
122
alcove
N. nook; small recessed section of a room. Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.
123
alias
N. an assumed name. John Smith's alias was Bob Jones. also ADV.
124
alienate
V. make hostile; separate. Her attempts to alien¬ate the two friends failed because they had complete faith in each other.
125
alimentary
ADJ. supplying nourishment. The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there. When asked for the name of the digestive tract Sherlock Holmes replied "Alimentary my dear Watson."
126
alimony
N. payment by a husband to his divorced wife (or vice versa). Mrs. Jones was awarded $200 monthly alimony by the court when she was divorced from her husband.
127
allay
V. calm; pacify. The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been con¬trolled.
128
allege
V. state without proof. Although it is alleged that she has worked for the enemy she denies the allegation and legally we can take no action against her without proof. allegation N.
129
allegiance
N. loyalty. Not even a term in prison could shake Lech Walesa's allegiance to Solidarity the Polish trade union he had helped to found.
130
allegory
N. story in which characters are used as symbols; fable. Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of man's soul. allegoricalADJ.
131
alleviate
V. relieve. This should alleviate the pain; if it does not we shall have to use stronger drugs.
132
alliteration
N. repetition of beginning sound in poetry. "The furrow followed free" is an example of alliteration.
133
allocate
V. assign. Even though the Red Cross had allo¬cated a large sum for the relief of the sufferers of the disas¬ter many people perished.
134
alloy
N. a mixture as of metals. Alloys of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal.
135
alloy
V. mix; make less pure; lessen or moderate. Our delight at the Yankees' victory was alloyed by our concern for Dwight Gooden who injured his pitching arm in the game.
136
allude
V. refer indirectly. Try not to mention divorce in Jack's presence because he will think you are alluding to his marital problems with Jill.
137
allure
V. entice; attract. Allured by the song of the sirens the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef. also N.
138
allusion
N. indirect reference. When Amanda said to the ticket scalper "One hundred bucks What do you want a pound of flesh she was making an allusion to Shake¬speare's Merchant of Venice.
139
aloft
ADV. upward. The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging. To get into a loft bed you have to climb aloft.
140
aloof
ADJ. apart; reserved. Shy by nature she remained aloof while all the rest conversed.
141
altercation
N. noisy quarrel; heated dispute. In that hot¬tempered household no meal ever came to a peaceful con¬clusion; the inevitable altercation might even end in blows.
142
altruistic
ADJ. unselfishly generous; concerned for others. In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships for hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed. altruism N.
143
amalgamate
V. combine; unite in one body. The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.
144
amass
V. collect. The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.
145
ambidextrous
ADJ. capable of using either hand with equal ease. A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.
146
ambience
N. environment; atmosphere. She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience.
147
ambiguous
ADJ. unclear or doubtful in meaning. His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take. ambiguity N.
148
ambivalence
N. the state of having contradictory or con¬flicting emotional attitudes. Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings. ambivalentADJ.
149
amble
N. moving at an easy pace. When she first mounted the horse she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble. alsoV.
150
ambulatory
ADJ. able to walk; not bedridden. Juan was a highly ambulatory patient; not only did he refuse to be con¬fined to bed but he insisted on riding his skateboard up and down the halls.
151
ameliorate
V. improve. Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums.
152
amenable
ADJ. readily managed; willing to be led. He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors.
153
amend
V. correct; change generally for the better. Hoping to amend his condition he left Vietnam for the United States.
154
amenities
N. convenient features; courtesies. In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler-fax machines modems a health club-the hotel offers the ser¬vices of a butler versed in the social amenities.
155
amiable
ADJ. agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly. In Little Women Beth is the amiable daughter whose loving disposi¬tion endears her to all who know her.
156
amicable
ADJ. politely friendly; not quarrelsome. Beth's sis¬ter Jo is the hot-tempered tomboy who has a hard time maintaining amicable relations with those around her. Jo's quarrel with her friend Laurie finally reaches an amicable settlement but not because Jo turns amiable overnight.
157
amiss
ADJ. wrong; faulty. Seeing her frown he wondered if anything were amiss. also ADV.
158
amity
N. friendship. Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity.
159
amnesia
N. loss of memory. Because she was suffering from amnesia the police could not get the young girl to identify herself.
160
amnesty
N. pardon. When his first child was born the king granted amnesty to all in prison.
161
amoral
ADJ. nonmoral. The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he cannot tell right from wrong. The immoral per¬son can tell right from wrong; he chooses to do something he knows is wrong.
162
amorous
ADJ. moved by sexual love; loving. "Love them and leave them" was the motto of the amorous Don Juan.
163
amorphous
ADJ. formless; lacking shape or definition. As soon as we have decided on our itinerary we shall send you a copy; right now our plans are still amorphous.
164
amphibian
ADJ. able to live both on land and in water. Frogs are classified as amphibian. also N.
165
amphitheater
N. oval building with tiers of seats. The spec¬tators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.
166
ample
ADJ. abundant. Bond had ample opportunity to escape. Why did he let us catch him
167
amplify
V. broaden or clarify by expanding; intensify; make stronger. Charlie Brown tried to amplify his remarks but he was drowned out by jeers from the audience. Lucy was smarter: she used a loudspeaker to amplify her voice.
168
amputate
V. cut off part of body; prune. When the doctors had to amputate the young man's leg to prevent the spread of cancer he did not let the loss of a limb keep him from participating in sports.
169
amulet
N. charm; talisman. Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her.
170
anachronistic
ADJ. having an error involving time in a story. The reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is anachronistic: clocks did not exist in Caesar's time. anachronism N.
171
analgesic
ADJ. causing insensitivity to pain. The analgesic qualities of this lotion will provide temporary relief.
172
analogous
ADJ. comparable. She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that we do the same.
173
analogy
N. similarity; parallelism. A well-known analogy compares the body's immune system with an army whose defending troops are the lymphocytes or white blood cells.
174
anarchist
N. person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority. Denying she was an anarchist Katya maintained she wished only to make changes in our government not to destroy it entirely. anarchy N.
175
anarchy
N. absence of governing body; state of disorder. The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.
176
anathema
N. solemn curse; someone or something regarded as a curse. The Ayatolla Khomeini heaped anath¬ema upon "the Great Satan that is, the United States. To the Ayatolla, America and the West were anathema; he loathed the democratic nations, cursing them in his dying words. anathematize,V.
177
ancestry
N. family descent. David can trace his ancestry as far back as the seventeenth century when one of his ancestors was a court trumpeter somewhere in Germany. ancestralADJ.
178
anchor
V. secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place. We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place. anchorage N.
179
ancillary
ADJ. serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary. In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplex¬ing case on his own. also N.
180
anecdote
N. short account of an amusing or interesting event. Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform President Reagan told anecdotes about poor people who became wealthy despite their impoverished back¬grounds.
181
anemia
N. condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles. The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia. anemicADJ.
182
anesthetic
N. substance that removes sensation with or with¬out loss of consciousness. His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep. anesthesia N.
183
anguish
N. acute pain; extreme suffering. Visiting the site of the explosion the governor wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families.
184
angular
ADJ. sharp-cornered; stiff in manner. Mr. Spock's features though angular were curiously attractive in a Vul¬can way.
185
animated
ADJ. lively; spirited. Jim Carrey's facial expres¬sions are highly animated: when he played Ace Ventura he looked practically rubber-faced.
186
animosity
N. active enmity. He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power.
187
animus
N. hostile feeling or intent. The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.
188
annals
N. records; history. In the annals of this period we find no mention of democratic movements.
189
annex
V. attach; take possession of. Mexico objected to the United States' attempts to annex the territory that later became the state of Texas.
190
annihilate
V. destroy. The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population.
191
annotate
V. comment; make explanatory notes. In the appendix to the novel the editor sought to annotate many of the author's more esoteric references.
192
annuity
N. yearly allowance. The annuity he setup with the insurance company supplements his social security bene¬fits so that he can live very comfortably without working.
193
annul
v. make void. The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage.
194
anoint
V. consecrate. The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil crowning him king of Israel.
195
anomalous
ADJ. abnormal; irregular. He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures which he despised.
196
*anomaly
N. irregularity. A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly.
197
anonymity
N. state of being nameless; anonymousness. The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by name; the dean readily agreed to respect his anonymity.
198
anonymous
ADJ. having no name. She tried to ascertain the identity of the writer of the anonymous letter.
199
antagonism
N. hostility; active resistance. Barry showed his antagonism toward his new stepmother by ignoring her whenever she tried talking to him. antagonisticADJ.
200
antecede
V. precede. The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century.
201
antecedents
N. preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; ancestors or early background. Susi Bechhofer's ignorance of her Jewish background had its antecedents in the chaos of World War II. Smuggled out of Germany and adopted by a Christian family she knew nothing of her birth and antecedents until she was reunited with her family in 1989.
202
antediluvian
ADJ. antiquated; extremely ancient. Looking at his great-aunt's antique furniture which must have been clut¬tering up her attic since the time of Noah's flood the young heir exclaimed "Heavens! How positively antediluvian!"
203
anthem
N. song of praise or patriotism. Let us now all join in singing the national anthem.
204
anthology
N. book of literary selections by various authors. This anthology of science fiction was compiled by the late Isaac Asimov. anthologizeV.
205
anthropocentric
ADJ. regarding human beings as the cen¬ter of the universe. Without considering any evidence that might challenge his anthropocentric viewpoint Hector cate¬gorically maintained that dolphins could not be as intelligent as men. anthropocentrism N.
206
anthropoid
ADJ. manlike. The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals. also N.
207
anthropologist
N. a student of the history and science of mankind. Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric man in this area.
208
anthropomorphic
ADJ. having human form or characteris¬tics. Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomor¬phic characteristics. anthropomorphism N.
209
anticlimax
N. letdown in thought or emotion. After the fine performance in the first act the rest of the play was an anti¬climax. anticlimacticADJ.
210
antidote
N. medicine to counteract a poison or disease. When Marge's child accidentally swallowed some cleaning fluid the local poison control hotline instructed Marge how to administer the antidote.
211
antipathy
N. aversion; dislike. Tom's extreme antipathy for disputes keeps him from getting into arguments with his temperamental wife. Noise in any form is antipathetic to him. Among his other antipathies are honking cars boom boxes and heavy metal rock.
212
antiquated
ADJ. old-fashioned; obsolete. Philip had grown so accustomed to editing his papers on word processors that he thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use.
213
antiseptic
N. substance that prevents infection. It is advis¬able to apply an antiseptic to any wound no matter how slight or insignificant. alsoADJ.
214
antithesis
N. contrast; direct opposite of or to. This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for and he fought it with all his strength.
215
apathy
N. lack of caring; indifference. A firm believer in democratic government she could not understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote. apatheticADJ.
216
ape
V. imitate or mimic. He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school.
217
aperture
N. opening; hole. She discovered a small aper¬ture in the wall through which the insects had entered the room.
218
apex
N. tip; summit; climax. He was at the apex of his career: he had climbed to the top of the heap.
219
aphasia
N. loss of speech due to injury or illness. After the automobile accident the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble inco¬herently.
220
aphorism
N. pithy maxim. An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or scientific. "The proper study of mankind is man" is an aphorism. "There's no smoke without a fire" is an adage. aphoristicADJ.
221
apiary
N. a place where bees are kept. Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary he was very seldom stung by a bee.
222
aplomb
N. poise; assurance. Gwen's aplomb in handling potentially embarrassing moments was legendary around the office; when one of her clients broke a piece of her best crystal she coolly picked up her own goblet and hurled it into the fireplace.
223
apocalyptic
ADJ. prophetic; pertaining to revelations. The crowd jeered at the street preacher's apocalyptic predictions of doom. The Apocalypse or Book of Revelations of Saint John prophesies the end of the world as we know it and fore¬tells marvels and prodigies that signal the coming doom.
224
apocryphal
ADJ. untrue; made up. To impress his friends Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city.
225
apogee
N. highest point. When the moon in its orbit is far¬thest away from the earth it is at its apogee.
226
apolitical
ADJ. having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs. It was hard to remain apolitical during the Vietnam War; even people who generally ignored public issues felt they had to take political stands.
227
apologist
N. one who writes in defense of a cause or insti¬tution. Rather than act as an apologist for the current regime in Beijing and defend its brutal actions the young diplomat decided to defect to the West.
228
apostate
N. one who abandons his religious faith or politi¬cal beliefs. Because he switched from one party to another his former friends shunned him as an apostate. apostasy N.
229
apotheosis
N. elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something. The apotheosis of a Roman emperor was designed to insure his eternal greatness: people would worship at his altar forever. The hero of the musical How to Succeed in Business ... was the apotheosis of yuppieness: he was the perfect upwardly-bound young man on the make.
230
appall
V. dismay; shock. We were appalled by the horrify¬ing conditions in the city's jails.
231
apparatus
N. equipment. Firefighters use specialized apparatus to fight fires.
232
apparition
N. ghost; phantom. On the castle battlements an apparition materialized and spoke to Hamlet warning him of his uncle's treachery. In Ghostbusters hordes of apparitions materialized only to be dematerialized by the specialized apparatus wielded by Bill Murray.
233
appease
V. pacify or soothe; relieve. Tom and Jody tried to appease the crying baby by offering him one toy after another but he would not calm down until they appeased his hunger by giving him a bottle.
234
appellation
N. name; title. Macbeth was startled when the witches greeted him with an incorrect appellation. Why did they call him Thane of Cawdor he wondered when the holder of that title still lived
235
append
V. attach. When you append a bibliography to a text you have just created an appendix.
236
application
N. diligent attention. Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence Aunt Polly praised him for his application to the task. apply V. (secondary meaning)
237
apposite
ADJ. appropriate; fitting. He was always able to find the apposite phrase the correct expression for every occasion.
238
appraise
V. estimate value of. It is difficult to appraise the value of old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless. appraisal N.
239
appreciate
V. be thankful for; increase in worth; be thor¬oughly conscious of. Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks gave her which appreciated in value considerably over the years.
240
apprehend
V. arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive. The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.
241
apprehension
N. fear. His nervous glances at the passersby on the deserted street revealed his apprehension.
242
apprenticeship
N. time spent as a novice learning a trade from a skilled worker. As a child Pip had thought it would be wonderful to work as Joe's apprentice; now he hated his apprenticeship and scorned the blacksmith's trade.
243
apprise
V. inform. When he was apprised of the danger¬ous weather conditions he decided to postpone his trip.
244
approbation
N. approval. She looked for some sign of approbation from her parents hoping her good grades would please them.
245
appropriate
V. acquire; take possession of for one's own use. The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indians' use.
246
apropos
PREP. with reference to; regarding. I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and perti¬nent. also ADJ. and ADV.
247
aptitude
N. fitness; talent. The counselor gave him an apti¬tude test before advising him about the career he should follow.
248
aquatic
ADJ. pertaining to water. Paul enjoyed aquatic sports such as scuba diving and snorkeling.
249
aquiline
ADJ. curved hooked. He can be recognized by his aquiline nose curved like the beak of the eagle.
250
arable
ADJ. fit for growing crops. The first settlers wrote home glowing reports of the New World praising its vast acres of arable land ready for the plow.
251
arbiter
N. a person with power to decide a dispute; judge. As an arbiter in labor disputes she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers.
252
arbitrary
ADJ. capricious; randomly chosen; tyrannical. Tom's arbitrary dismissal angered him; his boss had no rea¬son to fire him. He threw an arbitrary assortment of clothes into his suitcase and headed off not caring where he went.
253
arbitrator
N. judge. Because the negotiating teams had been unable to reach a contract settlement an outside arbi¬trator was called upon to mediate the dispute between union and management. arbitration N.
254
arboretum
N. place where different tree varieties are exhibited. Walking along the tree-lined paths of the arbore¬tum Rita noted poplars firs and some particularly fine sycamores.
255
arcade
N. a covered passageway usually lined with shops. The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain.
256
arcane
ADJ. secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated. Secret brotherhoods surround themselves with arcane ritu¬als and trappings to mystify outsiders. So do doctors. Con¬sider the arcane terminology they use and the impression they try to give that what is arcane to us is obvious to them.
257
archaeology
N. study of artifacts and relics of early mankind. The professor of archaeology headed an expedi¬tion to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins.
258
archaic
ADJ. antiquated. "Methinks thee and thou" are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary.
259
archetype
N. prototype; primitive pattern. The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now con¬nect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey.
260
archipelago
N. group of closely located islands. When Gauguin looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas he longed to visit them.
261
archives
N. public records; place where public records are kept. These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the future.
262
ardent
ADJ. intense; passionate; zealous. Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators were busily making posters and handing out flyers inspired by her ardent enthusiasm for the cause. ardor N.
263
arduous
ADJ. hard; strenuous. Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy.
264
aria
N. operatic solo. At her Metropolitan Opera audition Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma.
265
arid
ADJ. dry; barren. The cactus has adapted to survive in an arid environment.
266
aristocracy
N. hereditary nobility; privileged class. Ameri¬cans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy. we say all men are created equal but we describe particularly outstanding people as natural aristocrats.
267
armada
N. fleet of warships. Queen Elizabeth's navy defeated the mighty armada that threatened the English coast.
268
aromatic
ADJ. fragrant. Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe.
269
arousal
N. awakening; provocation (of a response). On arousal Papa was always grumpy as a bear. The children tiptoed around the house fearing they would arouse his anger by waking him up.
270
arraign
V. charge in court; indict. After his indictment by the Grand Jury the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court.
271
array
V. marshal; draw up in order. His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him. also N.
272
array
V. clothe; adorn. She liked to watch her mother array herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening. also N.
273
arrears
N. being in debt. He was in arrears with his pay¬ments on the car.
274
arrest
V. stop or slow down; catch someone's attention. Slipping the trapeze artist plunged from the heights until a safety net luckily arrested his fall. This near-disaster arrested the crowd's attention.
275
arrogance
N. pride; haughtiness. Convinced that Emma thought she was better than anyone else in the class Ed rebuked her for her arrogance.
276
arroyo
N. gully. Until the heavy rains of the past spring this arroyo had been a dry bed.
277
arsenal
N. storage place for military equipment. People are forbidden to smoke in the arsenal for fear that a stray spark might setoff the munitions stored there.
278
articulate
ADJ. effective; distinct. Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers. alsoV.
279
artifact
N. object made by human beings either hand¬made or mass-produced. Archaeologists debated the sig¬nificance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor but came to no conclusion about the culture they rep¬resented.
280
artifice
N. deception; trickery. The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effec¬tive than military might.
281
artisan
N. manually skilled worker; craftsman as opposed to artist. A noted artisan Arturo was known for the fine craftsmanship of his inlaid cabinets.
282
artless
ADJ. without guile; open and honest. Sophisticated and cynical Jack could not believe Jill was as artless and naive as she appeared to be.
283
ascendancy
N. controlling influence; domination. Leaders of religious cults maintain ascendancy over their followers by methods that can verge on brainwashing.
284
ascertain
V. find out for certain. Please ascertain her pre¬sent address.
285
ascetic
ADJ. practicing self-denial; austere. The wealthy self-indulgent young man felt oddly drawn to the strict ascetic life led by members of some monastic orders. also N.
286
ascribe
V. refer; attribute; assign. I can ascribe no motive for her acts.
287
aseptic
ADJ. preventing infection; having a cleansing effect. Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced aseptic conditions.
288
ashen
ADJ. ash-colored. Her face was ashen with fear.
289
asinine
ADJ. stupid. Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration.
290
askance
ADJ. with a sideways or indirect look. Looking askance at her questioner she displayed her scorn.
291
askew
ADJ. crookedly; slanted; at an angle. When he placed his hat askew upon his head his observers laughed.
292
asperity
N. sharpness (of temper). These remarks spoken with asperity stung the boys to whom they had been directed.
293
aspirant
N. seeker after position or status. Although I am an aspirant for public office I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses. alsoADJ.
294
aspire
V. seek to attain; long for. Because he aspired to a career in professional sports Philip enrolled in a graduate program in sports management. aspiration N.
295
assail
V. assault. He was assailed with questions after his lecture.
296
assay
V. analyze; evaluate. When they assayed the ore they found that they had discovered a very rich vein. also N.
297
assent
V. agree; accept. It gives me great pleasure to assentto your request.
298
assert
V. declare or state with confidence; put oneself for¬ward boldly. Malcolm asserted that if Reese quit acting like a wimp and asserted himself a bit more he'd improve his chances of getting a date. assertion N.
299
assessment
N. evaluation; judgment. Your SAT I score plays a part in the admission committee's assessment of you as an applicant.
300
assiduous
ADJ. diligent. He was assiduous working at this task for weeks before he felt satisfied with his results. assiduity N.
301
assimilate
V. absorb; cause to become homogeneous. The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries will always be a source of pride to Americans. The immigrants eagerly assimilated new ideas and customs; they soaked them up the way plants soak up water.
302
*assuage
V. /();();/ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger). Jilted by Jane Dick tried to assuage his heartache by indulging in ice cream. One gallon later he had assuaged his appetite but not his grief.
303
assumption
N. something taken for granted; taking over or taking possession of. The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her assump¬tion of power. assumeV.
304
assurance
N. promise or pledge; certainty; self-confi¬dence. When Guthrie gave Guinness his assurance that rehearsals were going well he spoke with such assurance that Guinness felt relieved. assureV.
305
asteroid
N. small planet. Asteroids have become common¬place to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction magazines.
306
astigmatism
N. eye defect that prevents proper focus. As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses.
307
astral
ADJ. relating to the stars. She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed.
308
astringent
ADJ. binding; causing contraction. The astrin¬gent quality of the unsweetened lemon juice made swallow¬ing difficult. also N.
309
astronomical
ADJ. enormously large or extensive. The gov¬ernment seems willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development.
310
astute
ADJ. wise; shrewd; keen. The painter was an astute observer noticing every tiny detail of her model's appear¬ance and knowing exactly how important each one was.
311
asunder ADV. into parts; apart. A fierce quarrel split the partnership asunder: the two partners finally sundered their connections because their points of view were poles asunder.
...
312
asylum
N. place of refuge or shelter; protection. The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land.
313
asymmetric
ADJ. not identical on both sides of a dividing central line. Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other William's face had a particularly asymmetric appearance.
314
atavism
N. resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; deformity returning after passage of two or more generations. The doctors ascribed the child's deformity to an atavism.
315
atheistic
ADJ. denying the existence of God. His atheistic remarks shocked the religious worshippers.
316
atlas
N. a bound volume of maps charts or tables. Embar¬rassed at being unable to distinguish Slovenia from Slova¬kia George W. finally consulted an atlas.
317
atone
V. make amends for; pay for. He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime.
318
atrocity
N. brutal deed. In time of war many atrocities are committed by invading armies.
319
*atrophy
N. wasting away. Polio victims need physiother¬apy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs. alsoV.
320
attain
V. achieve or accomplish; gain. The scarecrow sought to attain one goal: he wished to obtain a brain.
321
attentive
ADJ. alert and watchful; considerate; thoughtful. Spellbound the attentive audience watched the final game of the tennis match never taking their eyes from the ball. A cold wind sprang up; Stan's attentive daughter slipped a sweater over his shoulders without distracting his attention from the game.
322
attenuate
V. make thin; weaken. By withdrawing their forces the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines.
323
attest
V. testify bear witness. Having served as a member of the Grand Jury I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement.
324
attribute
N. essential quality. His outstanding attribute was his kindness.
325
attribute
V. ascribe; explain. I attribute her success in sci¬ence to the encouragement she received from her parents.
326
attrition
N. gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work force without firing employees; wearing away of opposition by means of harassment. In the 1960s urban churches suffered from attrition as members moved from the cities to the suburbs. Rather than fire staff members church leaders followed a policy of attrition allowing elderly workers to retire without replacing them.
327
atypical
ADJ. not normal. The child psychiatrist reassured Mrs. Keaton that playing doctor was not atypical behavior for a child of young Alex's age. "Yes she replied, but not charging for house calls!"
328
audacious
ADJ. daring; bold. Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious death¬defying leap to freedom escaping Darth Vader's troops. audacity N.
329
audit
N. examination of accounts. When the bank examin¬ers arrived to hold their annual audit they discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier. alsoV.
330
auditory
ADJ. pertaining to the sense of hearing. Audrey suf¬fered from auditory hallucinations: she thought Elvis was speaking to her from the Great Beyond.
331
augment
V. increase; add to. Armies augment their forces by calling up reinforcements; teachers augment their salaries by taking odd jobs.
332
augury
N. omen; prophecy. He interpreted the departure of the birds as an augury of evil. augurV.
333
august
ADJ. impressive; majestic. Visiting the palace at Versailles she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself.
334
aureole
N. sun's corona; halo. Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureoles around their heads.
335
auroral
ADJ. pertaining to the aurora borealis. The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening.
336
auspicious
ADJ. favoring success. With favorable weather conditions it was an auspicious moment to set sail. Thomas however had doubts about sailing: a paranoid he became suspicious whenever conditions seemed auspicious.
337
austere
ADJ. forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unor¬namented. The headmaster's austere demeanor tended to scare off the more timid students who never visited his study willingly. The room reflected the man austere and bare like a monk's cell with no touches of luxury to moder¬ate its austerity.
338
authenticate
V. prove genuine. An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh painting distinguishing it from its imitation.
339
authoritarian
ADJ. subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will. The leaders of the authoritarian regime ordered the suppression of the democ¬ratic protest movement. After years of submitting to the will of her authoritarian father Elizabeth Barrett ran away from home with the poet Robert Browning.
340
authoritative
ADJ. having the weight of authority; peremp¬tory and dictatorial. Impressed by the young researcher's well-documented presentation we accepted her analysis of the experiment as authoritative.
341
autocratic
ADJ. having absolute unchecked power; dicta¬torial. Someone accustomed to exercising authority may become autocratic if his or her power is unchecked. Dicta¬tors by definition are autocrats. Bosses who dictate behav¬ior as well as letters can be autocrats too.
342
automaton
N. mechanism that imitates actions of humans. Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots writers were presenting stories of automatons who could outperform men.
343
autonomous
ADJ. self-governing. Although the University of California at Berkeley is just one part of the state univer¬sity system in many ways Cal Berkeley is autonomous for it runs several programs that are not subject to outside con¬trol. autonomy N.
344
autopsy
N. examination of a dead body; post-mortem. The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. alsoV.
345
auxiliary
ADJ. helper additional or subsidiary. To prepare for the emergency they built an auxiliary power station. also N.
346
avalanche
N. great mass of falling snow and ice. The park ranger warned the skiers to stay on the main trails where they would be in no danger of being buried beneath a sud¬den avalanche.
347
*avarice
N. greediness for wealth. King Midas is a perfect example of avarice for he was so greedy that he wished everything he touched would turn to gold.
348
avenge
V. take vengeance for something (or on behalf of someone). Hamlet vowed he would avenge his father's mur¬der and punish Claudius for his horrible crime.
349
averse
ADJ. reluctant; disinclined. The reporter was averse to revealing the sources of his information.
350
aversion
N. firm dislike. Bert had an aversion to yuppies; Alex had an aversion to punks. Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another.
