SAT-3000-4 Flashcards
1
Q
elliptical
A
ADJ. oval; ambiguous either purposely or because key words have been left out. An elliptical billiard ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an elliptical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear.
2
Q
eloquence
A
N. expressiveness; persuasive speech. The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King’s eloquence. elo¬quentADJ.
3
Q
elucidate
A
V. explain; enlighten. He was called upon to elu¬cidate the disputed points in his article.
4
Q
elusive
A
ADJ. evasive; baffling; hard to grasp. Trying to pin down exactly when the contractors would be finished remodeling the house Nancy was frustrated by their elusive replies. eludeV.
5
Q
emaciated
A
ADJ. thin and wasted. His long period of starva¬tion had left him emaciated.
6
Q
emanate
A
V. issue forth. A strong odor of sulphur emanated from the spring.
7
Q
emancipate
A
V. set free. At first the attempts of the Aboli¬tionists to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well as in the South.
8
Q
embargo
A
N. ban on commerce or other activity. As a result of the embargo trade with the colonies was at a standstill.
9
Q
embark
A
V. commence; go on board a boat or airplane; begin a journey. In devoting herself to the study of gorillas Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life.
10
Q
embed
A
V. enclose; place in something. Tales of actual his¬torical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends.
11
Q
embellish
A
V. adorn; ornament. The costume designer embellished the leading lady’s ball gown with yards and yards of ribbon and lace.
12
Q
embezzlement
A
N. stealing. The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds.
13
Q
embody
A
V. personify; make concrete; incorporate. Cheer¬ing on his rival Mark McGwire’s efforts to break Roger Maris’s home run record Sammy Sosa embodied the spirit of true sportsmanship.
14
Q
embrace
A
V. hug; adopt or espouse; accept readily; encir¬cle; include. Clasping Maid Marian in his arms Robin Hood embraced her lovingly. In joining the outlaws in Sherwood Forest she had openly embraced their cause.
15
Q
embroider
A
V. decorate with needlework; ornament with fancy or fictitious details. For her mother’s birthday Beth embroidered a lovely design on a handkerchief. When asked what made her late getting home Jo embroidered her account with tales of runaway horses and rescuing peo¬ple from a ditch. embroidery N.
16
Q
embroil
A
V. throw into confusion; involve in strife; entangle. He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.
17
Q
embryonic
A
ADJ. undeveloped; rudimentary. The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embry¬onic state; otherwise it may grow to dangerous proportions. emend V. correct; correct by a critic. The critic emended the book by selecting the passages which he thought most appropriate to the text.
18
Q
emendation
A
N. correction of errors; improvement. Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract.
19
Q
eminent
A
ADJ. high; lofty. After his appointment to this emi¬nent position he seldom had time for his former friends.
20
Q
emissary
A
N. agent; messenger. The secretary of state was sent as the president’s special emissary to the conference on disarmament.
21
Q
emollient
A
N. soothing or softening remedy. The nurse applied an emollientto the inflamed area. alsoADJ.
22
Q
empathy
A
N. ability to identify with another’s feelings ideas etc. What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empa¬thy her ability to put herself in her client’s place and feel his emotions as if they were her own. empathizeV.
23
Q
empirical
A
ADJ. based on experience. He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.
24
Q
emulate
A
V. imitate; rival. In a brief essay describe a person you admire someone whose virtues you would like to emulate.
25
enamored
ADJ. in love. Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty.
26
encipher
V. encode; convert a message into code. One of Bond's first lessons was how to encipher the messages he sent to Miss Moneypenny so that none of his other lady friends could decipher them.
27
enclave
N. territory enclosed within an alien land. The Vati¬can is an independent enclave in Italy.
28
encomium
N. high praise; eulogy. Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise.
29
encompass
V. surround. Although we were encompassed by enemy forces we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could withstand a siege until our allies joined us.
30
encroachment
N. /;""/gradual intrusion. The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate.
31
encumber
V. burden. Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage when they take short trips.
32
endearment
N. fond statement. Your gifts and endear¬ments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence.
33
endemic
ADJ. prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country. This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the popula¬tion are at one time or another affected by it.
34
endorse
V. approve; support. Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse. (secondary meaning) endorsement N.
35
enduring
ADJ. lasting; surviving. Keats believed in the enduring power of great art which would outlast its cre¬ators' brief lives.
36
energize
V. invigorate; make forceful and active. Rather than exhausting Maggie dancing energized her.
37
enervate
V. weaken. She was slow to recover from her ill¬ness; even a short walk to the window would enervate her.
38
enfranchise
V. to admit to the rights of citizenship (espe¬cially the right to vote). Although Blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.
39
engage
V. attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront. "Your case has engaged my interest my lord said Holmes. You may engage my services."
40
engaging
ADJ. charming; attractive. Everyone liked Nancy's pleasant manners and engaging personality.
41
engender
V. cause; produce. To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.
42
engross
V. occupy fully. John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call.
43
enhance
V. increase; improve. You can enhance your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice by learning to write well; an excellent essay can enhance any application.
44
enigma
N. puzzle; mystery. "What do women want" asked Dr. Sigmund Freud. Their behavior was an enigma to him.
45
enigmatic
ADJ. obscure; puzzling. Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa.
46
enmity
N. ill will; hatred. At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented the peaceful coexistence of Egypt and Israel.
47
ennui
N. boredom. The monotonous routine of hospital life induced a feeling of ennui that made him moody and irritable.
48
enormity
N. hugeness (in a bad sense). He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused.
49
enrapture
V. please intensely. The audience was enrap¬tured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.
50
ensconce
V. settle comfortably. Now that their children were ensconced safely in the private school the jet-setting parents decided to leave for Europe.
51
ensemble
N. group of (supporting) players; organic unity; costume. As a dancer with the Oakland Ballet Benjamin enjoyed being part of the ensemble. Having acted with one another for well over a decade the cast members have developed a true sense of ensemble: They work together seamlessly. Mitzi wore a charming two-piece ensemble designed by Donna Karan.
52
entail
V. require; necessitate; involve. Building a college¬level vocabulary will entail some work on your part.
53
enterprising
ADJ. full of initiative. By coming up with fresh ways to market the company's products Mike proved him¬self to be an enterprising businessman.
54
enthrall
V. capture; enslave. From the moment he saw her picture he was enthralled by her beauty.
55
entice
V. lure; attract; tempt. She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief.
56
entitlement
N. right to claim something; right to benefits. While Bill was entitled to use a company car while he worked for the firm the company's lawyers questioned his entitlement to the vehicle once he'd quit his job.
57
entity
N. real being. As soon as the Charter was adopted the United Nations became an entity and had to be consid¬ered as a factor in world diplomacy.
58
entomology
N. study of insects. Kent found entomology the most annoying part of his biology course; studying insects bugged him.
59
entourage
N. group of attendants; retinue. Surrounded by the members of his entourage the mayor hurried into city hall shouting a brusque "No comment!" to the reporters lin¬ing the steps.
60
entrance
V. put under a spell; carry away with emotion. Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound.
61
entreat
V. plead; ask earnestly. She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight.
62
entrepreneur
N. businessman; contractor. Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepre¬neurs from trying new fields of business activity.
63
enumerate
V. list; mention one by one. Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws.
64
enunciate
V. speak distinctly. Stop mumbling! How will people understand you if you do not enunciate
65
eon
N. long period of time; an age. It has taken eons for our civilization to develop.
66
ephemeral
ADJ. short-lived; fleeting. The mayfly is an ephemeral creature: its adult life lasts little more than a day.
67
epic
N. long heroic poem or similar work of art. Kuro¬sawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the strug¬gle of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers. alsoADJ.
68
epicure
N. connoisseur of food and drink. Epicures fre¬quent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes. epicureanADJ.
69
epigram
N. witty thought or saying usually short. Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous.
70
epilogue
N. short speech at conclusion of dramatic work. The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.
71
episodic
ADJ. loosely connected; divided into incidents. Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow John found the novel too episodic; he enjoyed individual pas¬sages but had trouble following the work as a whole.
72
epistolary
ADJ. consisting of letters. Mark Harris's Wake Up Stupid! is a modern epistolary novel that uses letters telegrams and newspaper clippings to tell the hero's story. The movie You've Got Mail tells a story using e-mail; does that make it an e-pistolary movie epistle N.
73
epitaph
N. inscription in memory of a dead person. In his will he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tomb¬stone.
74
epithet
N. word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing. So many kings of France were named Charles that you could tell them apart only by their epithets: Charles the Wise was someone far different from Charles the Fat.
75
epitome
N. perfect example or embodiment. Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General in The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman.
76
epoch
N. period of time. The glacial epoch lasted for thou¬sands of years.
77
equable
ADJ. tranquil; steady; uniform. After the hot sum¬mers and cold winters of New England he found the cli¬mate of the West Indies equable and pleasant.
78
equanimity
N. calmness of temperament; composure. Even the inevitable strains of caring for an ailing mother did not disturb Bea's equanimity.
79
equestrian
N. rider on horseback. These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds. alsoADJ.
80
equilibrium
N. balance. After the divorce he needed some time to regain his equilibrium.
81
equine
ADJ. resembling a horse. His long bony face had an equine look to it.
82
equinox
N. period of equal days and nights; the beginning of Spring and Autumn. The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.
83
equitable
ADJ. fair; impartial. I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute one that will be fair and acceptable to both sides.
84
equity
N. fairness; justice. Our courts guarantee equity to all.
85
equivocal
ADJ. ambiguous; intentionally misleading. Rejecting the candidate's equivocal comments on tax reform the reporters pressed him to state clearly where he stood on the issue. equivocateV.
86
equivocate
V. lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth. The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks.
87
erode
V. eat away. The limestone was eroded by the drip¬ping water until only a thin shell remained. erosion N.
88
erotic
ADJ. pertaining to passionate love. The erotic pas¬sages in this novel should be removed as they are merely pornographic.
89
erratic
ADJ. odd; unpredictable. Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic.
90
erroneous
ADJ. mistaken; wrong. I thought my answer was correct but it was erroneous.
91
erudite
ADJ. learned; scholarly. Though his fellow students thought him erudite Paul knew he would have to spend many years in serious study before he could consider him¬self a scholar.
92
escapade
N. prank; flighty conduct. The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man.
93
escapism
N. avoiding reality by diverting oneself with amusements. Before you criticize her constant reading as mere escapism note how greatly her vocabulary has improved since she began spending her days buried in books.
94
eschew
V. avoid. Hoping to present himself to his girlfriend as a totally reformed character he tried to eschew all the vices especially chewing tobacco and drinking bathtub gin.
95
esoteric
ADJ. hard to understand; known only to the cho¬sen few. The New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if you are in the in-crowd you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland you won't.
96
espionage
N. Spying. In order to maintain its power the government developed a system of espionage that pene¬trated every household.
97
espouse
V. adopt; support. She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.
98
esteem
V. respect; value. Jill esteemed Jack's taste in music but she deplored his taste in clothes.
99
estranged
ADJ. separated; alienated. The estranged wife sought a divorce. estrangement N.
100
ethereal
ADJ. light; heavenly; unusually refined. In Shake¬speare's The Tempest the spirit Ariel is an ethereal crea¬ture too airy and unearthly for our mortal world.
101
ethnic
ADJ. relating to races. Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of infor¬mation.
102
ethos
N. underlying character of a culture group etc. Seeing how tenderly ordinary Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos.
103
etymology
N. study of word parts. A knowledge of etymol¬ogy can help you on many English tests: if you know what the roots and prefixes mean you can determine the mean¬ings of unfamiliar words.
104
eulogy
N. expression of praise often on the occasion of someone's death. Instead of delivering a spoken eulogy at Genny's memorial service Jeff sang a song he had written in her honor.
105
euphemism
N. mild expression in place of an unpleasant one. The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."
106
euphonious
ADJ. pleasing in sound. Euphonious even when spoken the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung. euphony. N.
107
euphoria
N. feeling of great happiness and well-being (sometimes exaggerated). Delighted with her SAT scores sure that the university would accept her Allison was filled with euphoria. euphoricADJ.
108
evanescent
ADJ. fleeting; vanishing. Brandon's satisfaction in his new job was evanescent for he immediately began to notice its many drawbacks. evanescence N.
109
evasive
ADJ. not frank; eluding. Your evasive answers con¬vinced the judge that you were withholding important evi¬dence. evadeV.
110
evenhanded
ADJ. impartial; fair. Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers or as recent studies suggest do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females
111
evince
V. show clearly. When he tried to answer the ques¬tions he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter.
112
evocative
ADJ. tending to call up (emotions memories). Scent can be remarkably evocative: the aroma of pipe tobacco evokes the memory of my father; a whiff of talcum powder calls up images of my daughter as a child.
113
ewe
N. female sheep. The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes together with only a handful of rams.
114
exacerbate
V. worsen; embitter. The latest bombing exac¬erbated England's already existing bitterness against the IRA causing the prime minister to break off the peace talks abruptly.
115
exacting
ADJ. extremely demanding. Cleaning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was an exacting task one that demanded extremely meticulous care on the part of the restorers. exaction N.
116
exalt
V. raise in rank or dignity; praise. The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the queen.
117
exasperate
V. vex. Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks.
118
exceptionable
ADJ. objectionable. Do you find the punk rock band Green Day a highly exceptionable thoroughly distasteful group or do you think they are exceptionally tal¬ented performers
119
excerpt
N. selected passage (written or musical). The cin¬ematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film. alsoV.
120
excise
V. cut away; cut out. When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree you not only improve its appear¬ance but also enhance its chances of bearing fruit. exci¬sion. N.
121
exclaim
V. cry out suddenly. "Watson! Behind you!" Holmes exclaimed seeing the assassin hurl himself on his friend.
122
excoriate
V. scold with biting harshness; strip the skin off. Seeing the holes in Bill's new pants his mother furiously excoriated him for ruining his good clothes. The tight starched collar chafed and excoriated his neck rubbing it raw.
123
exculpate
V. clear from blame. He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.
124
execrable
ADJ. very bad. The anecdote was in such exe¬crable taste that it revolted the audience.
125
execute
V. put into effect; carry out. The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a pirouette. (sec¬ondary meaning) execution N.
126
exegesis
N. explanation; interpretation especially of a bib¬lical text. The minister based her sermon on her exegesis of a difficult passage from the book of Job. exegeticalADJ.
127
exemplary
ADJ. /;;()/serving as a model; outstanding. At com¬mencement the dean praised Ellen for her exemplary behavior as class president.
128
exemplify
V. serve as an example of; embody. For a gen¬eration of balletgoers Rudolf Nureyev exemplified the ideal of masculine grace.
129
exempt
ADJ. not subject to a duty obligation. Because of his flat feet Foster was exempt from serving in the armed forces. alsoV.
130
exertion
N. effort; expenditure of much physical work. The exertion spent in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted.
131
exhaustive
ADJ. thorough; comprehensive. We have made an exhaustive study of all published SAT tests and are happy to share our research with you.
132
exhilarating
ADJ. invigorating and refreshing; cheering. Though some of the hikers found tramping through the snow tiring Jeffrey found the walk on the cold crisp day exhilarating.
133
exhort
V. urge. The evangelist exhorted all the sinners in his audience to reform. exhortation N.
134
exhume
V. dig out of the ground; remove from the grave. Could evidence that might identify the serial killer have been buried with his victim To answer this question the police asked the authorities for permission to exhume the victim's body.
135
exigency
N. urgent situation. In this exigency we must look for aid from our allies.
136
exodus
N. departure. The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly noticeable on Friday evenings.
137
exonerate
V. acquit; exculpate. The defense team fever¬ishly sought fresh evidence that might exonerate their client.
138
exorbitant
ADJ. excessive. The people grumbled at his exor¬bitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly.
139
exorcise
V. drive out evil spirits. By incantation and prayer the medicine man sought to exorcise the evil spirits which had taken possession of the young warrior.
140
exotic
ADJ. not native; strange. Because of his exotic headdress he was followed in the streets by small children who laughed at his strange appearance.
141
expansive
ADJ. outgoing and sociable; broad and exten¬sive; able to increase in size. Mr. Fezziwig was in an expan¬sive humor cheerfully urging his guests to join in the Christmas feast. Looking down on his expansive paunch he sighed: if his belly expanded any further he'd need an expansive waistline for his pants.
142
expatriate
N. exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land. Henry James was an American expatriate who settled in England.
143
expedient
ADJ. suitable; practical; politic. A pragmatic politician he was guided by what was expedient rather than by what was ethical. expediency N.
144
expedite
V. hasten. Because we are on a tight schedule we hope you will be able to expedite the delivery of our order. The more expeditious your response is the happier we'll be.
145
expenditure
N. payment or expense; output. When you are operating on an expense account you must keep receipts for all your expenditures. If you don't save your receipts you won't get repaid without the expenditure of a lot of energy arguing with the firm's accountants.
146
expertise
N. specialized knowledge; expert skill. Although she was knowledgeable in a number of fields she was hired for her particular expertise in computer programming.
147
expiate
V. make amends for (a sin). He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the authorities.
148
expletive
N. interjection; profane oath. The sergeant's remarks were filled with expletives that offended the new recruits.
149
explicate
V. explain; interpret; clarify. Harry Levin expli¬cated James Joyce's often bewildering novels with such clarity that even Finnegan's Wake seemed comprehensible to his students.
150
explicit
ADJ. totally clear; definite; outspoken. Don't just hint around that you're dissatisfied: be explicit about what's bugging you.
151
exploit
N. deed or action particularly a brave deed. Raoul Wallenberg was noted for his exploits in rescuing Jews from Hitler's forces.
152
exploit
V. make use of sometimes unjustly. Cesar Chavez fought attempts to exploit migrant farmworkers in California. exploitation N. exploitativeADJ.
153
expository
ADJ. explanatory; serving to explain. The man¬ual that came with my VCR was no masterpiece of exposi¬tory prose: its explanations were so garbled that I couldn't even figure out how to rewind a tape. exposition N.
154
exposure
N. /;()/risk particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open. Exposure to sun and wind had dried out her hair and weathered her face. She looked so changed that she no longer feared exposure as the notorious Irene Adler one¬time antagonist of Sherlock Holmes.
155
expropriate
V. take possession of. He questioned the gov¬ernment's right to expropriate his land to create a wildlife preserve.
156
expunge
V. cancel; remove. If you behave I will expunge this notation from your record.
157
expurgate
V. clean; remove offensive parts of a book. The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be expurgated before it could be used in the classroom.
158
extant
ADJ. still in existence. Although the book is out of print some copies are still extant. Unfortunately all of them are in libraries or private collections; none are for sale.
159
extent
N. degree; magnitude; scope. What is the extentof the patient's injuries If they are not too extensive we can treat him on an outpatient basis.
160
extenuate
V. weaken; mitigate. It is easier for us to extenu¬ate our own shortcomings than those of others.
161
extol
V. praise; glorify. The president extolled the astro¬nauts calling them the pioneers of the Space Age.
162
extort
V. wring from; get money by threats etc. The black¬mailer extorted money from his victim.
163
extradition
N. surrender of prisoner by one state to another. The lawyers opposed the extradition of their client on the grounds that for more than five years he had been a model citizen.
164
extraneous
ADJ. not essential; superfluous. No wonder Ted can't think straight! His mind is so cluttered up with extraneous trivia he can't concentrate on the essentials.
165
extrapolation
N. projection; conjecture. Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday the networks predicted that Bob Dole would be the Republican candidate for the presidency. extrapolateV.
166
extricate
V. free; disentangle. Icebreakers were needed to extricate the trapped whales from the icy floes that closed them in.
167
extrinsic
ADJ. external; not essential; extraneous. A critically acclaimed extrinsic feature of the Chrysler Building is its ornate spire. The judge would not admit the testimony ruling that it was extrinsic to the matter at hand....
168
extrovert
N. person interested mostly in external objects and actions. A good salesman is usually an extrovert who likes to mingle with people.
169
extrude
V. force or push out. Much pressure is required to extrude these plastics.
170
exuberance
N. overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness. I was bowled over by the exuberance of Amy's welcome. What an enthusiastic greeting!
171
exude
V. discharge; give forth. We get maple syrup from the sap that exudes from the trees in early spring. exudation N.
172
exult
V. rejoice. We exulted when our team won the victory.
173
fabricate
V. build; lie. If we fabricate the buildings in this project out of standardized sections we can reduce construction costs considerably. Because of Jack's tendency to fabricate Jill had trouble believing a word he said.
174
facade
N. front (of building); superficial or false appearance. The ornate facade of the church was often photographed by tourists who never bothered to walk around the building to view its other sides. Susan seemed super-confident but that was just a facade she put on to hide her insecurity.
175
facet
N. small plane surface (of a gem); a side. The stone¬cutter decided to improve the rough diamond by providing it with several facets.
176
facetious
ADJ. joking (often inappropriately); humorous. I'm serious about this project; I don't need any facetious smart¬alecky cracks about do-gooder little rich girls.
177
facile
ADJ. easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superfi¬cial. Words came easily to Jonathan: he was a facile speaker and prided himself on being ready to make a speech at a moment's notice.
178
facilitate
V. help bring about; make less difficult. Rest and proper nourishment should facilitate the patient's recovery.
179
facsimile
N. COPY. Many museums sell facsimiles of the works of art on display.
180
faction
N. party; clique; dissension. The quarrels and bick¬ering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.
181
faculty
N. mental or bodily powers; teaching staff. As he grew old Professor Twiggly feared he might lose his facul¬ties and become unfit to teach. However he had tenure: whether or not he was in full possession of his faculties the school couldn't kick him off the faculty.
182
fallacious
ADJ. false; misleading. Paradoxically fallacious reasoning does not always yield erroneous results: even though your logic may be faulty the answer you get may nevertheless be correct. fallacy N.
183
fallible
ADJ. liable to err. I know I am fallible but I feel con¬fident that I am right this time.
184
fallow
ADJ. plowed but not sowed; uncultivated. Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to lie fallow every few years.
185
falter
V. hesitate. When told to dive off the high board she did not falter but proceeded at once.
186
fanaticism
N. excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause. When Islamic fundamentalists demanded the death of Salman Rushdie because his novel questioned their faith world opinion condemned them for their fanati¬cism.
187
fancy
N. notion; whim; inclination. Martin took a fancy to paint his toenails purple. Assuming he would outgrow such fanciful behavior his parents ignored his fancy feet. alsoADJ.
188
fanfare
N. call by bugles or trumpets. The exposition was opened with a fanfare of trumpets and the firing of cannon.
189
farce
N. broad comedy; mockery. Nothing went right; the entire interview degenerated into a farce. farcicalADJ.
190
fastidious
ADJ. difficult to please; squeamish. Bobby was such a fastidious eater that he would eat a sandwich only if his mother first cut off every scrap of crust.
191
fatalism
N. belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control. With fatalism he accepted the hard¬ships that beset him. fatalisticADJ.
192
fathom
V. comprehend; investigate. I find his motives impossible to fathom; in fact I'm totally clueless about what goes on in his mind.
193
fatuous
ADJ. foolish; inane. He is far too intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks.
194
fauna
N. animals of a period or region. The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils.
195
fawning
ADJ. courting favor by cringing and flattering. She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers who hoped to win some favor. fawnV.
196
faze
V. disconcert; dismay. No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager.
197
feasible
ADJ. practical. Is it feasible to build a new stadium for the Yankees on New York's West Side Without addi¬tional funding the project is clearly unrealistic.
198
fecundity
N. fertility; fruitfulness. The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.
199
feign
V. pretend. Lady Macbeth feigned illness although she was actually healthy.
200
feint
N. trick; shift; sham blow. The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his guard. alsoV.
201
felicitous
ADJ. apt; suitably expressed; well chosen. He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to serve as master-of-ceremonies at many a banquet. felicity N.
202
felicity
N. happiness; appropriateness (of a remark choice etc.). She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life.
203
fell
ADJ. cruel; deadly. The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease.
204
fell
V. cut or knock down; bring down (with a missile). Cry¬ing "Timber!" Paul Bunyan felled the mighty redwood tree. Robin Hood loosed his arrow and felled the king's deer.
205
felon
N. person convicted of a grave crime. A convicted felon loses the right to vote.
206
feral
ADJ. not domestic; wild. Abandoned by their owners dogs may revert to their feral state roaming the woods in packs.
207
ferment
N. agitation; commotion. With the breakup of the Soviet Union much of Eastern Europe was in a state of fer¬ment.
208
ferret
V. drive or hunt out of hiding. She ferreted out their secret.
209
fervent
ADJ. ardent; hot. She felt that the fervent praise was excessive and somewhat undeserved.
210
fervid
ADJ. ardent. Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the dangerous mission.
211
fervor
N. glowing ardor; intensity of feeling. At the protest rally the students cheered the strikers and booed the dean with equal fervor.
212
fester
V. rankle; produce irritation or resentment. Joe's insult festered in Anne's mind for days and made her too angry to speak to him.
213
festive
ADJ. joyous; celebratory. Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion.
214
fetid
ADJ. malodorous. The neglected wound became fetid.
215
fetter
V. shackle. The prisoner was fettered to the wall.
216
fiasco
N. total failure. Our ambitious venture ended in a fiasco and we were forced to flee.
217
fickle
ADJ. changeable; faithless. As soon as Romeo saw Juliet he forgot all about his old girlfriend Rosaline. Was Romeo fickle
218
fictitious
ADJ. imaginary. Although this book purports to be a biography of George Washington many of the incidents are fictitious.
219
fidelity
N. loyalty. A dog's fidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal is a favorite household pet.
220
figment
N. invention; imaginary thing. That incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination.
221
figurative
ADJ. not literal but metaphorical; using a figure of speech. "To lose one's marbles" is a figurative expres¬sion; if you're told that Jack has lost his marbles no one expects you to rush out to buy him a replacement set.
222
figurine
N. small ornamental statuette. In The Maltese Fal¬con Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird.
223
filament
N. fine thread or fiber; threadlike structure within a light bulb. A ray of sunlight illuminated the filaments of the spider web turning the web into a net of gold.
224
filch
V. steal. The boys filched apples from the fruit stand.
225
filial
ADJ. pertaining to a son or daughter. Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents.
226
filibuster
V. to block legislation by making long speeches. Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn's political goals we were impressed by his ability to filibuster end¬lessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote.
227
finale
N. conclusion. It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author's message.
228
finesse
N. delicate skill. The finesse and adroitness with which the surgeon wielded her scalpel impressed all the observers in the operating room.
229
finicky
ADJ. too particular; fussy. The little girl was finicky about her food leaving over anything that wasn't to her taste.
230
firebrand
N. hothead: troublemaker. The police tried to keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town.
231
fissure
N. crevice. The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock.
232
fitful
ADJ. spasmodic; intermittent. After several fitful attempts he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic.
233
flabbergasted
ADJ. astounded; astonished; overcome with surprise. In the film Flubber the hero invents a remarkable substance whose amazing properties leave his coworkers flabbergasted. flabbergastV.
234
flaccid
ADJ. flabby. His sedentary life had left him with flac¬cid muscles.
235
flag
V. droop; grow feeble. When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first quarter the home team's spirits flagged. flaggingADJ.
236
flagrant
ADJ. conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous. The governor's appointment of his brother-in-law to the State Supreme Court was a flagrant violation of the state laws against nepotism (favoritism based on kinship).
237
flair
N. talent. She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence.
238
flamboyant
ADJ. ornate. Modern architecture has dis¬carded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and empha¬sizes simplicity of line.
239
flaunt
V. display ostentatiously. Mae West saw nothing wrong with showing off her considerable physical charms saying "Honey if you've got it flaunt it!"
240
fleck
V. spot. Her cheeks flecked with tears were testi¬mony to the hours of weeping.
241
fledgling
ADJ. inexperienced. While it is necessary to pro¬vide these fledgling poets with an opportunity to present their work it is not essential that we admire everything they write. also N.
242
fleece
N. wool coat of a sheep. They shear sheep of their fleece which they then comb into separate strands of wool.
243
fleece
V. rob; plunder. The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance.
244
flick
N. light stroke as with a whip. The horse needed no encouragement; one flick of the whip was all the jockey had to apply to get the animal to run at top speed.
245
flinch
V. hesitate shrink. He did not flinch in the face of danger but fought back bravely.
246
flippant
ADJ. lacking proper seriousness. When Mark told Mona he loved her she dismissed his earnest declaration with a flippant "Oh you say that to all the girls!" flippancy N.
247
flit
V. fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by. Like a bee flitting from flower to flower Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next.
248
floe
N. mass of floating ice. The ship made slow progress as it battered its way through the ice floes.
249
flora
N. plants of a region or era. Because she was a botanist she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert.
250
florid
ADJ. ruddy; reddish; flowery. If you go to Florida and get a sunburn your complexion will look florid.
251
flounder
V. struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or falter. Up to his knees in the bog Floyd floundered about trying to regain his footing. Bewildered by the new software Flo floundered until Jan showed her how to get started.
252
flourish
V. grow well; prosper; decorate with ornaments. The orange trees flourished in the sun.
253
flout
V. reject; mock. The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be curbed.
254
fluctuate
V. waver; shift. The water pressure in our shower fluctuates wildly; you start rinsing yourself off with a trickle and two minutes later a blast of water nearly knocks you down.
255
fluency
N. smoothness of speech. He spoke French with fluency and ease.
256
fluke
N. unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune. When Dou- glas defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke.
257
fluster
V. confuse. The teacher's sudden question flus¬tered him and he stammered his reply.
258
flux
N. flowing; series of changes. While conditions are in such a state of flux I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.
259
fodder
N. coarse food for cattle horses etc. One of Nancy's chores at the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses' stalls.
260
foible
N. weakness; slight fault. We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.
261
foil
N. contrast. In Star Wars dark evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired naive Luke Skywalker.
262
foil
V. defeat; frustrate. In the end Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes.
263
foliage
N. masses of leaves. Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive through New England to admire the colorful fall foliage.
264
foment
V. stir up; instigate. Cheryl's archenemy Heather spread some nasty rumors that fomented trouble in the club. Do you think Cheryl's foe meant to foment such discord
265
foolhardy
ADJ. rash. Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture.
266
fop
N. dandy; man excessively concerned with his clothes. People who dismissed young Mizrahi as a fop felt chagrined when he turned into one of the top fashion designers of his day. foppishADJ.
267
forbearance
N. patience. We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still weak from his illness.
268
ford
N. place where a river can be crossed on foot. Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge David walked a half¬mile downstream until he came to the nearest ford. alsoV.
269
forebears
N. ancestors. Reverence for one's forebears (sometimes referred to as ancestor worship) plays an important part in many Oriental cultures.
270
foreboding
N. premonition of evil. Suspecting no conspira¬cies against him Caesar gently ridiculed his wife's forebod¬ings about the Ides of March.
271
forensic
ADJ. suitable to debate or courts of law. In her best forensic manner the lawyer addressed the jury. foren¬SiCS N.
272
foreshadow
V. give an indication beforehand; portend; pre¬figure. In retrospect political analysts realized that Yeltsin's defiance of the attempted coup foreshadowed his emer¬gence as the dominant figure of the new Russian republic.
273
foresight
N. ability to foresee future happenings; pru¬dence. A wise investor she had the foresight to buy land just before the current real estate boom.
274
forestall
V. prevent by taking action in advance. By setting up a prenuptial agreement the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce.
275
forgo
V. give up; do without. Determined to lose weight for the summer Ida decided to forgo dessert until she could fit into a size eight again.
276
forlorn
ADJ. sad and lonely; wretched. Deserted by her big sisters and her friends the forlorn child sat sadly on the steps awaiting their return.
277
formality
N. ceremonious quality; something done just for form's sake. The president received the visiting heads of state with due formality: flags waving honor guards stand¬ing at attention anthems sounding at full blast. Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you in any way.
278
formidable
ADJ. menacing; threatening. We must not treat the battle lightly for we are facing a formidable foe.
279
forsake
V. desert; abandon; renounce. No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman.
280
forswear
V. renounce; abandon. The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christian¬ity and embrace Islam as the one true faith.
281
forte
N. strong point or special talent. I am not eager to play this rather serious role for my forte is comedy.
282
forthright
ADJ. outspoken; straightforward; frank. Never afraid to call a spade a spade she was perhaps too forthrightto be a successful party politician.
283
fortitude
N. bravery; courage. He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle.
284
fortuitous
ADJ. accidental; by chance. Though he pretended their encounter was fortuitous he'd actually been hanging around her usual haunts for the past two weeks hoping she'd turn up.
285
forum
N. place of assembly to discuss public concerns; meeting for discussion. The film opens with a shot of the ancient Forum in Rome where several senators are discussing the strange new sect known as Christians. At the end of the movie its director presided over a forum examining new fashions in filmmaking.
286
foster
V. rear; encourage. According to the legend Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf who raised the abandoned infants with her own cubs. also ADJ.
287
founder
V. fail completely; sink. After hitting the submerged iceberg the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered.
288
founder
N. person who establishes (an organization business). Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham & Straus department store.
289
fracas
N. brawl melee. The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents.
290
fractious
ADJ. unruly; disobedient; irritable. Bucking and kicking the fractious horse unseated its rider.
291
frail
ADJ. weak. The delicate child seemed too frail to lift the heavy carton. frailty N.
292
franchise
N. right granted by authority; right to vote; business licensed to sell a product in a particular territory. The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine years. For most of American history women lacked the right to vote: not until the early twentieth century was the franchise granted to women. Stan owns a Carvel's ice cream franchise in Chinatown.
293
frantic
ADJ. wild. At the time of the collision many people became frantic with fear.
294
fraternize
V. associate in a friendly way. After the game the members of the two teams fraternized as cheerfully as if they had never been rivals.
295
fraudulent
ADJ. cheating; deceitful. The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading advertising.
296
fraught
ADJ. filled. Since this enterprise is fraught with danger I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks.
297
fray
N. brawl. The three musketeers were in the thick of the fray.
298
frenetic
ADJ. frenzied; frantic. His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan of operation.
299
frenzied
ADJ. madly excited. As soon as they smelled smoke the frenzied animals milled about in their cages.
300
fresco
N. painting on plaster (usually fresh). The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the frescoes by Giotto.
301
fret
V. to be annoyed or vexed. To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead decide to work harder in the future.
302
friction
N. clash in opinion; rubbing against. At this time when harmony is essential we cannot afford to have any friction in our group.
303
frigid
ADJ. intensely cold. Alaska is in the frigid zone.
304
frivolous
ADJ. lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant. Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous lighthearted companionship she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be serious. frivolity N.
305
frolicsome
ADJ. prankish; gay. The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master.
306
frond
N. fern leaf; palm or banana leaf. After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees.
307
frugality
N. thrift; economy. In economically hard times anyone who doesn't learn to practice frugality risks bankruptcy. frugal ADJ.
308
fruition
N. bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization. This building marks the fruition of all our aspirations and years of hard work.
309
frustrate
V. thwart; defeat. We must frustrate this dictator's plan to seize control of the government.
310
fugitive
ADJ. fleeting or transitory; roving. The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind but on the whole it made no lasting impression upon her.
311
fulcrum
N. support on which a lever rests. If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever we may be able to move this boulder.
312
fulsome
ADJ. disgustingly excessive. His fulsome praise of the dictator revolted his listeners.
313
fundamental
V. basic; primary; essential. The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever getting down to addressing the fundamental problem.
314
furlough
N. leave of absence; vacation granted a soldier or civil servant. Dreaming of her loved ones back in the States the young soldier could hardly wait for her upcoming furlough.
315
furor
N. frenzy; great excitement. The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the Stock Exchange.
316
furtive
ADJ. stealthy; sneaky. Noticing the furtive glance the customer gave the diamond bracelet on the counter the jeweler wondered whether he had a potential shoplifter on his hands.
317
fusion
N. union; coalition. The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the election.
318
futile
ADJ. useless; hopeless; ineffectual. It is futile for me to try to get any work done around here while the telephone is ringing every thirty seconds. futility N.
319
gadfly
N. animal-biting fly; an irritating person. Like a gadfly he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty-eight hours everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody.
320
gaffe
N. social blunder. According to Miss Manners to call your husband by your lover's name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake.
321
gainsay
V. deny. She was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report.
322
gait
N. manner of walking or running; speed. The lame man walked with an uneven gait.
323
galaxy
N. large isolated system of stars such as the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities. Science fiction stories speculate about the possible existence of life in other galaxies. The deaths of such famous actors as John Candy and George Burns tells us that the galaxy of Hollywood superstars is rapidly disappearing.
324
gale
N. windstorm; gust of wind; emotional outburst (laughter tears). The Weather Channel warned viewers about a rising gale with winds of up to sixty miles per hour.
325
gall
N. bitterness; nerve. The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.
326
gall
V. annoy; chafe. Their taunts galled him.
327
galleon
N. large sailing ship. The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon the large warship; the British on the smaller and faster pinnace.
328
galvanize
V. stimulate by shock; stir up; revitalize. News that the prince was almost at their door galvanized the ugly stepsisters into a frenzy of combing and primping.
329
gambit
N. opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed. The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because he feared a trap which as yet he could not see. gambol V. skip; leap playfully. Watching children gambol-ing in the park is a pleasant experience. also N.
330
gamely
ADV. bravely; with spirit. Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena.
331
gamut
N. entire range. In this performance the leading lady was able to demonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability.
332
gape
V. open widely; stare open-mouthed. The huge pit gaped before him; if he stumbled he would fall in. Slackjawed in wonder Huck gaped at the huge stalactites hanging down from the ceiling of the limestone cavern.
333
garbled
ADJ. mixed up; jumbled; distorted. A favorite party game involves passing a whispered message from one person to another until by the time it reaches the last player the message is totally garbled.
334
gargantuan
ADJ. huge; enormous. The gargantuan wrestler was terrified of mice.
335
garish
ADJ. over-bright in color; gaudy. She wore a gaudy rhinestone necklace with an excessively garish gold lame dress.
336
garner
V. gather; store up. She hoped to garner the world's literature in one library.
337
garnish
V. decorate. Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato. also N.
338
garrulous
ADJ. loquacious; wordy; talkative. My Uncle Henry can out-talk any three people I know. He is the most garrulous person in Cayuga County. garrulity N.
339
gauche
ADJ. clumsy; coarse and uncouth. Compared to the sophisticated young ladies in their elegant gowns tomboyish Jo felt gauche and out of place.
340
gaudy
ADJ. flashy; showy. The newest Trump skyscraper is typically gaudy covered in gilded panels that gleam in the sun.
341
gaunt
ADJ. lean and angular; barren. His once round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight.
342
gavel
N. hammerlike tool; mallet. "Sold!" cried the auctioneer banging her gavel on the table to indicate she'd accepted the final bid.
343
gawk
V. stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe. The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city.
344
genealogy
N. record of descent; lineage. He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the achievements of his ancestors.
345
generality
N. vague statement. This report is filled with generalities; be more specific in your statements.
346
generate
V. cause; produce; create. In his first days in office President Clinton managed to generate a new mood of optimism; we just hoped he could generate some new jobs.
347
generic
ADJ. characteristic of an entire class or species. Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare time playing fantasy games that she began to think that playing Dungeons & Dragons was a generic trait.
348
genesis
N. beginning; origin. Tracing the genesis of a family is the theme of Roots.
349
geniality
N. cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy. This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor who tries to make everyone happy.
350
genre
N. particular variety of art or literature. Both a short story writer and a poet Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre.
