SAT-3000-6 Flashcards
1
Q
integrity
A
N. uprightness; wholeness. Lincoln whose per¬sonal integrity has inspired millions fought a civil war to maintain the integrity of the Republic that these United States might remain undivided for all time.
2
Q
intellect
A
N. higher mental powers. He thought college would develop his intellect.
3
Q
intelligentsia
A
N. the intelligent and educated classes [often used derogatorily]. She preferred discussions about sports and politics to the literary conversations of the intelligentsia.
4
Q
intemperate
A
ADJ. immoderate; excessive; extreme. In a temper Tony refused to tone down his intemperate remarks.
5
Q
inter
A
V. bury. They are going to inter the body tomorrow at Broadlawn Cemetery.
6
Q
interim
A
N. meantime. The company will not consider our proposal until next week; in the interim let us proceed as we have in the past.
7
Q
interloper
A
N. intruder; unwanted meddler. The merchant thought of his competitors as interlopers who were stealing away his trade.
8
Q
interment
A
N. burial. Interment will take place in the church cemetery at 2 P.M. Wednesday.
9
Q
interminable
A
ADJ. endless. Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes it seemed interminable to his bored audience.
10
Q
intermittent
A
ADJ. periodic; on and off. The outdoor wed¬ding reception had to be moved indoors to avoid the inter¬mittent showers that fell on and off all afternoon.
11
Q
interrogate
A
V. question closely; cross-examine. Knowing that the Nazis would interrogate him about his background the secret agent invented a cover story that would help him meet their questions.
12
Q
intervene
A
V. come between. When two close friends get into a fight be careful if you try to intervene; they may join forces to gang up on you.
13
Q
intimacy
A
N. closeness often affectionate; privacy; familiar¬ity. In a moment of rare intimacy the mayor allowed the reporters a glimpse of his personal feelings about his fam¬ily. intimateADJ.
14
Q
intimate
A
V. hint; suggest. Was Dick intimating that Jane had bad breath when he asked if she’d like a breath mint
15
Q
intimidate
A
V. frighten. I’ll learn karate and then those big bullies won’t be able to intimidate me any more.
16
Q
intractable
A
ADJ. unruly; stubborn; unyielding. Charlie Brown’s friend Pigpen was intractable: he absolutely refused to take a bath.
17
Q
intransigence
A
N. refusal of any compromise; stubborn¬ness. The negotiating team had not expected such intransi¬gence from the striking workers who rejected any hint of a compromise. intransigentADJ.
18
Q
intrepid
A
ADJ. fearless. For her intrepid conduct nursing the wounded during the war Florence Nightingale was honored by Queen Victoria.
19
Q
intricate
A
ADJ. complex; knotty; tangled. Philip spent many hours designing mazes so intricate that none of his class¬mates could solve them. intricacy N.
20
Q
intrinsic
A
ADJ. essential; inherent; built-in. Although my grandmother’s china has little intrinsic value I shall always cherish it for the memories it evokes.
21
Q
introspective
A
ADJ. looking within oneself. Though young Francis of Assisi led a wild and worldly life even then he had introspective moments during which he examined his soul. introvert N. one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself. In his poetry he reveals that he is an intro¬vert by his intense interest in his own problems. alsoV.
22
Q
intrude
A
V. trespass; enter as an uninvited person. She hes¬itated to intrude on their conversation.
23
Q
intuition
A
N. immediate insight; power of knowing without reasoning. Even though Tony denied that anything was wrong Tina trusted her intuition that something was bother¬ing him. intuitiveADJ.
24
Q
inundate
A
V. overwhelm; flood; submerge. This semester I am inundated with work: You should see the piles of paper¬work flooding my desk. Until the great dam was built the waters of the Nile used to inundate the river valley like clockwork every year.
25
inured
ADJ. accustomed; hardened. She became inured to the Alaskan cold.
26
invalidate
V. weaken; destroy. The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate the will by claiming that the deceased had not been in his right mind when he had signed the document.
27
invasive
ADJ. tending to spread aggressively; intrusive. Giving up our war with the invasive blackberry vines that had taken over the back yard we covered the lawn with concrete. invadeV.
28
invective
N. abuse. He had expected criticism but not the invective that greeted his proposal. inveighV.
29
inverse
ADJ. opposite. There is an inverse ratio between the strength of light and its distance.
30
invert
V. turn upside down or inside out. When he inverted his body in a handstand he felt the blood rush to his head. inveterate ADJ. deep-rooted; habitual. An inveterate smoker Bob cannot seem to break the habit no matter how hard he tries.
31
invidious
ADJ. designed to create ill will or envy. We disre¬garded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was.
32
invigorate
V. energize; stimulate. A quick dip in the pool invigorated Meg and with renewed energy she got back to work.
33
invincible
ADJ. unconquerable. Superman is invincible.
34
inviolable
ADJ. secure from corruption attack or violation; unassailable. Batman considered his oath to keep the peo¬ple of Gotham City inviolable: nothing on earth could make him break this promise.
35
invocation
N. prayer for help; calling upon as a reference or support. The service of Morning Prayer opens with an invocation during which we ask God to hear our prayers.
36
invoke
V. call upon; ask for. She invoked her advisor's aid in filling out her financial aid forms.
37
invulnerable
ADJ. incapable of injury. Achilles was invul¬nerable except in his heel.
38
iota
N. very small quantity. She hadn't an iota of common sense.
39
irascible
ADJ. irritable; easily angered. Miss Minchin's iras¬cible temper intimidated the younger schoolgirls who feared she'd burst into a rage at any moment.
40
irate
ADJ. angry. When John's mother found out he had overdrawn his checking account for the third month in a row she was so irate she could scarcely speak to him.
41
ire
N. anger. The waiter tried unsuccessfully to placate the ire of the diner who had found a cockroach in her soup.
42
iridescent
ADJ. exhibiting rainbowlike colors. She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water.
43
irksome
ADJ. annoying; tedious. He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to perform. irkV.
44
ironic
ADJ. resulting in an unexpected and contrary out¬come. It is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it.
45
irony
N. hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that seem to mean the opposite of what they actually mean. Gradually his listeners began to realize that the excessive praise he was lavishing on his opponent was actually irony he was in fact ridiculing the poor fool.
46
irrational
ADJ. illogical; lacking reason; insane. Many peo¬ple have such an irrational fear of snakes that they panic at the sight of a harmless garter snake.
47
irreconcilable
ADJ. incompatible; not able to be resolved. Because the separated couple were irreconcilable the marriage counselor recommended a divorce.
48
irrefutable
ADJ. indisputable; incontrovertible; undeniable. No matter how hard I tried to find a good comeback for her argument I couldn't think of one: her logic was irrefutable.
49
irrelevant
ADJ. not applicable; unrelated. No matter how irrelevant the patient's mumblings may seem they give us some indications of what he has on his mind.
50
irremediable
ADJ. incurable; uncorrectable. The error she made was irremediable; she could see no way to repair it.
51
irreparable
ADJ. not able to be corrected or repaired. Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have done to her reputation.
52
irrepressible
ADJ. unable to be restrained or held back. My friend Kitty's curiosity was irrepressible: she poked her nose into everybody's business and just laughed when I warned her that curiosity killed the cat.
53
irreproachable
ADJ. blameless; impeccable. Homer's con¬duct at the office party was irreproachable; even Marge didn't have anything bad to say about how he behaved.
54
irresolute
ADJ. uncertain how to act; weak. Once you have made your decision don't waver; a leader should never appear irresolute.
55
irretrievable
ADJ. impossible to recover or regain; irrepara¬ble. The left fielder tried to retrieve the ball but it flew over the fence bounced off a wall and fell into the sewer: it was irretrievable.
56
irreverence
N. lack of proper respect. Some audience members were amused by the irreverence of the come¬dian's jokes about the Pope; others felt offended by his lack of respect for their faith. irreverentADJ.
57
irrevocable
ADJ. unalterable; irreversible. As Sue dropped the "Dear John" letter into the mailbox she suddenly had second thoughts and wanted to take it back but she could not: her action was irrevocable.
58
itinerant
ADJ. wandering; traveling. He was an itinerant peddler and traveled through Pennsylvania and Virginia selling his wares. also N.
59
itinerary
N. plan of a trip. Disliking sudden changes in plans when she traveled abroad Ethel refused to make any alterations in her itinerary.
60
jabber
V. chatter rapidly or unintelligibly. Why does the fel¬low insist on jabbering away in French when I can't under¬stand a word he says
61
jaded
ADJ. fatigued; surfeited. He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite.
62
jargon
N. language used by a special group; technical ter¬minology; gibberish. The computer salesmen at the store used a jargon of their own that we simply couldn't follow; we had no idea what they were jabbering about.
63
jaundiced
ADJ. prejudiced (envious hostile or resentful); yellowed. Because Sue disliked Carolyn she looked at Car¬olyn's paintings with a jaundiced eye calling them formless smears. Newborn infants afflicted with jaundice look slightly yellow: they have jaundiced skin.
64
jaunt
N. trip; short journey. He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City.
65
jaunty
ADJ. lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree. In An American in Paris Gene Kelly sang and danced his way through "Singing in the Rain" in a properly jaunty style.
66
jeopardize
V. endanger; imperil; put at risk. You can't give me a D in chemistry: you'll jeopardize my chances of get¬ting into M.I.T. jeopardy N.
67
jettison
V. throw overboard. In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm the captain had to jettison much of his cargo.
68
jingoist
N. extremely aggressive and militant patriot; warlike chauvinist. Always bellowing "America first! the congressman was such a jingoist you could almost hear the sabers rattling as he marched down the halls. jingoism, N.
69
jocose
ADJ. given to joking. The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a .stand-up" comic.
70
jocular
ADJ. said or done in jest. Although Bill knew the boss hated jokes he couldn't resist making one jocular remark.
71
jollity
N. gaiety; cheerfulness. The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one and old and young alike joined in the gen¬eral jollity.
72
jostle
V. shove; bump. In the subway he was jostled by the crowds.
73
jovial
ADJ. good-natured; merry. A frown seemed out of place on his invariably jovial face.
74
jubilation
N. rejoicing. There was great jubilation when the armistice was announced. jubilantADJ.
75
judicious
ADJ. sound in judgment; wise. At a key moment in his life he made a judicious investment that was the foundation of his later wealth.
76
juncture
N. crisis; joining point. At this critical juncture let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow.
77
junta
N. group of men joined in political intrigue; cabal. As soon as he learned of its existence the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the junta.
78
jurisprudence
N. science of law. He was more a student of jurisprudence than a practitioner of the law.
79
justification
N. good or just reason; defense; excuse. The jury found him guilty of the more serious charge because they could see no possible justification for his actions
80
kaleidoscope
N. tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass etc. pro¬duce interesting symmetrical effects. People found a new source of entertainment while peering through the kaleido¬scope; they found the ever-changing patterns fascinating.
81
kernel
N. central or vital part; whole seed (as of corn). "Watson buried within this tissue of lies there is a kernel of truth; when I find it the mystery will be solved."
82
killjoy
N. grouch; spoilsport. At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until that killjoy John started talking about how bad animal fats were for our health.
83
kindle
V. start a fire; inspire. One of the first things Ben learned in the Boy Scouts was how to kindle a fire by rub¬bing two dry sticks together. Her teacher's praise for her poetry kindled a spark of hope inside Maya.
84
kindred
ADJ. related; belonging to the same family. Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were two kindred spirits. also N.
85
kinetic
ADJ. producing motion. Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest obstacle lies in the devel¬opment of light and efficient storage batteries the source of the kinetic energy needed to propel the vehicle.
86
kleptomaniac
N. person who has a compulsive desire to steal. They discovered that the wealthy customer was a klep¬tomaniac when they caught her stealing some cheap trinkets.
87
knave
N. untrustworthy person; rogue; scoundrel. Any politician nicknamed Tricky Dick clearly has the reputation of a knave. knavery N.
88
knit
V. contract into wrinkles; grow together. Whenever David worries his brow knits in a frown. When he broke his leg he sat around the house all day waiting for the bones to knit.
89
knoll
N. little round hill. Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along a marked path.
90
knotty
ADJ. intricate; difficult; tangled. What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes was simplicity itself.
91
kudos
N. honor; glory; praise. The singer complacently received kudos from his entourage on his performance.
92
laborious
ADJ. demanding much work or care; tedious. In putting together his dictionary of the English language Doctor Johnson undertook a laborious task.
93
labyrinth
N. maze. Hiding from Indian Joe Tom and Becky soon lost themselves in the labyrinth of secret underground caves. labyrinthineADJ.
94
laceration
N. torn ragged wound. The stock car driver needed stitches to close up the lacerations he received in the car crash.
95
lachrymose
ADJ. producing tears. His voice has a lachry¬mose quality more appropriate to a funeral than a class reunion.
96
lackadaisical
ADJ. lacking purpose or zest; halfhearted; languid. Because Gatsby had his mind more on his love life than on his finances he did a very lackadaisical job of man¬aging his money.
97
lackluster
ADJ. dull. We were disappointed by the lacklus¬ter performance.
98
laconic
ADJ. brief and to the point. Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types: strong men of few words.
99
laggard
ADJ. slow; sluggish. The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out orders. lag N.V.
100
lament
V. grieve; express sorrow. Even advocates of the war lamented the loss of so many lives in combat. lamenta¬tion N.
101
lampoon
V. ridicule. This article lampoons the pretensions of some movie moguls. also N.
102
languid
ADJ. weary; sluggish; listless. Her siege of illness left her languid and pallid.
103
languish
V. lose animation; lose strength. Left at Miss Minchin's school for girls while her father went off to war Sarah Crewe refused to languish; instead she hid her grief and actively befriended her less fortunate classmates.
104
languor
N. lassitude; depression. His friends tried to over¬come the languor into which he had fallen by taking him to parties and to the theater.
105
lap
V. take in food or drink with one's tongue; splash gen¬tly. The kitten neatly lapped up her milk. The waves softly lapped against the pier.
106
larceny
N. theft. Because of the prisoner's record the dis¬trict attorney refused to reduce the charge from grand lar¬ceny to petty larceny.
107
larder
N. pantry; place where food is kept. The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to check what snacks his mother had in the larder.
108
largess
N. generous gift. Lady Bountiful distributed largess to the poor.
109
lassitude
N. languor; weariness. After a massage and a long soak in the hot tub I gave in to my growing lassitude and lay down for a nap.
110
latent
ADJ. potential but undeveloped; dormant; hidden. Polaroid pictures are popular at parties because you can see the latent photographic image gradually appear before your eyes.
111
lateral
ADJ. coming from the side. In order to get good plant growth the gardener must pinch off all lateral shoots.
112
latitude
N. freedom from narrow limitations. I think you have permitted your son too much latitude in this matter.
113
laud
V. praise. The NFL lauded Boomer Esiason's efforts to raise money to combat cystic fibrosis. laudable lauda¬toryADJ.
114
lavish
ADJ. liberal; wasteful. The actor's lavish gifts pleased her. alsoV.
115
Iax
ADJ. careless. We dislike restaurants where the service is lax and inattentive.
116
leaven
V. cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven. As bread dough is leavened it puffs up expanding in volume.
117
lechery
N. lustfulness; impurity in thought and deed. In his youth he led a life of lechery and debauchery; he did not mend his ways until middle age. lecherousADJ.
118
leery
ADJ. suspicious; cautious. Don't eat the sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit leery about how fresh the raw fish is.
119
legacy
N. a gift made by a will. Part of my legacy from my parents is an album of family photographs.
120
legend
N. explanatory list of symbols on a map. The leg¬end at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols stood for rest areas along the highway and which stood for public camp sites. (secondary meaning)
121
legerdemain
N. sleight of hand. The magician demon¬strated his renowned legerdemain.
122
leniency
N. mildness; permissiveness. Considering the gravity of the offense we were surprised by the leniency of the sentence.
123
lethal
ADJ. deadly. It is unwise to leave lethal weapons where children may find them.
124
lethargic
ADJ. drowsy; dull. The stuffy room made her lethargic: she felt as if she was about to nod off.
125
levitate
V. float in the air (especially by magical means). As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of his assistant she appeared to rise and levitate about three feet above the table.
126
levity
N. lack of seriousness; lightness. Stop giggling and wriggling around in the pew: such levity is improper in church.
127
levy
V. impose (a fine); collect (a payment). Crying "No taxation without representation the colonists demonstrated against England's power to levy taxes.
128
lewd
ADJ. lustful. They found his lewd stories objectionable.
129
lexicographer
N. compiler of a dictionary. The new dictio¬nary is the work of many lexicographers who spent years compiling and editing the work.
130
lexicon
N. dictionary. I cannot find this word in any lexicon in the library.
131
liability
N. drawback; debts. Her lack of an extensive vocab¬ulary was a liability that she was eventually able to overcome.
132
liaison
N. contact keeping parts of an organization in com¬munication; go-between; secret love affair. As the liaison between the American and British forces during World War II the colonel had to ease tensions between the leaders of the two armies. Romeo's romantic liaison with Juliet ended in tragedy.
133
libel
N. defamatory statement; act of writing something that smears a person's character. If Batman wrote that the Joker was a dirty 'rotten mass-murdering criminal could the Joker sue Batman for libel
134
liberator
N. one who sets free. Simon Bolivar who led the South American colonies in their rebellion against Spanish rule is known as the great liberator. liberateV.
135
libretto
N. text of an opera. The composer of an opera's music is remembered more frequently than the author of its libretto.
136
licentious
ADJ. amoral; lewd and lascivious; unrestrained. Unscrupulously seducing the daughter of his host Don Juan felt no qualms about the immorality of his licentious behavior.
137
lilliputian
ADJ. extremely small. Tiny and delicate the model was built on a lilliputian scale. also N.
138
limber
ADJ. flexible. Hours of ballet classes kept him limber.
139
limerick
N. humorous short verse. The limerick form is the best; its meter is pure anapest. A limerick's fun for most everyone and the word may occur on your test.
140
limpid
ADJ. clear. A limpid stream ran through his property.
141
linchpin
N. something that holds or links various parts together. The linchpin in the district attorney's case was a photograph showing the defendant shaking hands with the hired killer.
142
lineage
N. descent; ancestry. He traced his lineage back to Mayflower days.
143
linger
V. loiter or dawdle; continue or persist. Hoping to see Juliet pass by Romeo lingered outside the Capulet house for hours. Though Mother made stuffed cabbage on Monday the smell lingered around the house for days.
144
linguistic
ADJ. pertaining to language. The modern tourist will encounter very little linguistic difficulty as English has become an almost universal language.
145
liniment
N. ointment; lotion; salve. The trainer carefully applied the liniment to the quarterback's bruise gently rub¬bing it into the skin.
146
lionize
V. treat as a celebrity. She enjoyed being lionized and adored by the public.
147
liquidate
V. settle accounts; clearup. He was able to liqui¬date all his debts in a short period of time.
148
list
V. tilt; lean over. That flagpole should be absolutely vertical; instead it lists to one side. (secondary meaning)
149
listless
ADJ. lacking in spirit or energy. We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were surprised by his list¬less attitude.
150
litany
N. supplicatory prayer. On this solemn day the con¬gregation responded to the prayers of the priest during the litany with fervor and intensity.
151
lithe
ADJ. flexible; supple. Her figure was lithe and willowy.
152
litigation
N. lawsuit. Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to become involved in litigation. litigant N.
153
livid
ADJ. lead-colored; black and blue; enraged. His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.
154
loath
ADJ. reluctant; disinclined. Romeo and Juliet were both loath for him to go.
155
loathe
V. detest. Booing and hissing the audience showed how much they loathed the wicked villain.
156
lofty
ADJ. very high. Though Barbara Jordan's fellow stu¬dents used to tease her about her lofty ambitions she rose to hold one of the highest positions in the land.
157
log
N. record of a voyage or flight; record of day to day activities. "Flogged two seamen today for insubordination" wrote Captain Bligh in the Bounty's log. To see how much work I've accomplished recently just take a look at the number of new files listed on my computer log.
158
loiter
V. hang around; linger. The policeman told him not to loiter in the alley.
159
loll
V. lounge about. They lolled around in their chairs watching television.
160
longevity
N. long life. When he reached ninety the old man was proud of his longevity.
161
loom
V. appear or take shape (usually in an enlarged or distorted form). The shadow of the gallows loomed threat¬eningly above the small boy.
162
lope
V. gallop slowly. As the horses loped along we had an opportunity to admire the ever-changing scenery. loquacious ADJ. talkative. Though our daughter barely says a word to us these days put a phone in her hand and see how loquacious she can be: our phone bills are out of sight! loquacity N.
163
lout
N. clumsy person. That awkward lout dropped my priceless vase!
164
low
V. moo. From the hilltop they could see the herd like ants in the distance; they could barely hear the cattle low.
165
lucid
ADJ. easily understood; clear; intelligible. Ellen makes an excellent teacher: her explanations of technical points are lucid enough for a child to grasp.
166
lucrative
ADJ. profitable. He turned his hobby into a lucra¬tive profession.
167
ludicrous
ADJ. laughable; trifling. Let us be serious; this is not a ludicrous issue.
168
lugubrious
ADJ. mournful. The lugubrious howling of the dogs added to our sadness.
169
lull
N. moment of calm. Not wanting to get wet they waited under the awning for a lull in the rain.
170
lull
V. soothe; cause one to relax one's guard; subside. The mother's gentle song lulled the child to sleep. Malcolm tried to come up with a plausible story to lull his mother's suspicions but she didn't believe a word he said.
171
lumber
V. move heavily or clumsily. Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation the bear lumbered through the woods.
172
luminary
N. celebrity; dignitary. A leading light of the American stage Ethel Barrymore was a theatrical luminary whose name lives on.
173
luminous
ADJ. shining; issuing light. The sun is a luminous body.
174
lummox
N. big clumsy often stupid person. Because he was highly overweight and looked ungainly John Candy often was cast as a slow-witted lummox.
175
lunar
ADJ. pertaining to the moon. Lunar craters can plainly seen with the aid of a small telescope.
176
lunge
V. quick forward dive or reach; thrust. The wide receiver lunged forward to grab the football. With his sword Dartagnan lunged at his adversary.
177
lurid
ADJ. wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome. Do the lurid cover stories in the Enquirer actually attract people to buy that trashy tabloid
178
lurk
V. stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived. "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men The Shadow knows."
179
luscious
ADJ. pleasing to taste or smell. The ripe peach was luscious.
180
luster
N. shine; gloss. The soft luster of the silk in the dim light was pleasing.
181
lustrous
ADJ. shining. Her large and lustrous eyes lent a touch of beauty to an otherwise plain face.
182
luxuriant
ADJ. abundant; rich and splendid; fertile. Lady Godiva was completely covered by her luxuriant hair.
183
machinations
N. evil schemes or plots. Fortunately Bat¬man saw through the wily machinations of the Riddler and saved Gotham City from destruction by the forces of evil.
184
madrigal
N. pastoral song. His program of folk songs included several madrigals which he sang to the accompa¬niment of a lute.
185
maelstrom
N. whirlpool. The canoe was tossed about in the maelstrom.
186
magnanimous
ADJ. generous; great-hearted. Philan¬thropists by definition are magnanimous; misers by defini¬tion are not. Cordelia was too magnanimous to resent her father's unkindness to her; instead she generously forgave him. magnanimity N.
187
magnate
N. /;XX/person of prominence or influence. Growing up in Pittsburgh Annie Dillard was surrounded by the man¬sions of the great steel and coal magnates who set their mark on that city.
188
magnitude
N. greatness; extent. It is difficult to compre¬hend the magnitude of his crime.
189
maim
V. mutilate; injure. The hospital could not take care of all who had been wounded or maimed in the railroad accident.
190
maladroit
ADJ. clumsy; bungling. How maladroit it was of me to mention seeing you out partying last night! From the look on his face I take it that your boyfriend thought you were otherwise occupied.
191
malady
N. illness. A mysterious malady swept the coun¬try filling doctors' offices with feverish purple-spotted patients.
192
malaise
N. uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health. Feeling slightly queasy before going onstage Carol realized that this touch of malaise was merely stage fright.
193
malapropism
N. comic misuse of a word. When Mrs. Mala¬prop accuses Lydia of being "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile she confuses allegory" and "alli¬gator" in a typical malapropism.
194
malcontent
N. person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs. One of the few malcontents in Congress he con¬stantly voiced his objections to the presidential program. alsoADJ.
195
malediction
N. curse. When the magic mirror revealed that Snow White was still alive the wicked queen cried out in rage and uttered dreadful maledictions.
196
malefactor
N. evildoer; criminal. Mighty Mouse will save the day hunting down malefactors and rescuing innocent mice from peril.
197
malevolent
ADJ. wishing evil. lago is a malevolent villain who takes pleasure in ruining Othello.
198
malfeasance
N. wrongdoing. The authorities did not dis¬cover the campaign manager's malfeasance until after he had spent most of the money he had embezzled.
199
malicious
ADJ. hateful; spiteful. Jealous of Cinderella's beauty her malicious stepsisters expressed their spite by forcing her to do menial tasks. malice N.
200
malign
V. speak evil of; bad-mouth; defame. Putting her hands over her ears Rose refused to listen to Betty malign her friend Susan.
201
malignant
ADJ. injurious; tending to cause death; aggres¬sively malevolent. Though many tumors are benign some are malignant growing out of control and endangering the life of the patient.
202
malingerer
N. one who feigns illness to escape duty. The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all malingerers and force them to work. malingerV.
203
malleable
ADJ. capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable. Gold is a malleable metal easily shaped into bracelets and rings. Fagin hoped Oliver was a mal¬leable lad easily shaped into a thief.
204
malodorous
ADJ. foul-smelling. The compost heap was most malodorous in summer.
205
mammal
N. a vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young. Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a mammal.
206
mammoth
ADJ. gigantic; enormous. To try to memorize every word on this vocabulary list would be a mammoth undertak¬ing; take on projects that are more manageable in size.
207
mandate
N. order; charge. In his inaugural address the president stated that he had a mandate from the people to seek an end to social evils such as poverty. alsoV.
208
mandatory
ADJ. obligatory. These instructions are manda¬tory any violation will be severely punished.
209
maniacal
ADJ. raging mad; insane. Though Mr. Rochester had locked his mad wife in the attic he could still hear her maniacal laughter echoing throughout the house.
210
manifest
ADJ. evident; visible; obvious. Digby's embar¬rassment when he met Madonna was manifest: his ears turned bright pink he kept scuffing one shoe in the dirt and he couldn't look her in the eye.
211
manifesto
N. declaration; statement of policy. The Com¬munist Manifesto by Marx and Engels proclaimed the prin¬ciples of modern communism.
212
manipulate v
operate with one's hands; control or play upon (people forces etc.) artfully. Jim Henson understood how to manipulate the Muppets. Madonna understands how to manipulate men (and publicity)....
213
mannered
ADJ. affected; not natural. Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors Gatsby adopted a man¬nered artificial way of speech.
214
marital
ADJ. pertaining to marriage. After the publication of his book on marital affairs he was often consulted by mar¬ried people on the verge of divorce.
215
maritime
ADJ. bordering on the sea; nautical. The Maritime Provinces depend on the sea for their wealth.
216
marked
ADJ. noticeable or pronounced; targeted for vengeance. He walked with a marked limp a souvenir of an old I.R.A. attack. As British ambassador he knew he was a marked man for he knew the Irish Republican Army wanted him dead.
217
marquee
N. canopy above an entrance under which one can take shelter; rooflike shelter above a theater entrance. On stormy days the hotel doorman keeps dry by standing directly beneath the marquee. The title of Arthur Kopit's play Oh Dad Poor Dad Momma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad was too long to fit on the marquee.
218
marred
ADJ. damaged; disfigured. She had to refinish the marred surface of the table. marV.
219
marshal
V. put in order. At a debate tournament extempo¬raneous speakers have only a minute or two to marshal their thoughts before they address their audience.
220
marsupial
N. one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch. The most common marsupial in North America is the opossum.
221
martial
ADJ. warlike. The sound of martial music inspired the young cadet with dreams of military glory.
222
martinet
N. strict disciplinarian. No talking at meals! No mingling with the servants! Miss Minchin was a martinet who insisted that the schoolgirls in her charge observe each regulation to the letter.
223
martyr
N. one who voluntarily suffers death for his or her religion or cause; great sufferer. By burning her at the stake the English made Joan of Arc a martyr for her faith. Mother played the martyr by staying home cleaning the house while the rest of the family went off to the beach.
224
masochist
N. person who enjoys his own pain. The masochist begs "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says "I won't."
225
material
ADJ. made of physical matter; unspiritual; impor¬tant. Probing the mysteries of this material world has always fascinated physicist George Whitesides. Reporters nick¬named Madonna the Material Girl because despite her name she seemed wholly uninterested in spiritual values. Lexy's active participation made a material difference to the success of the fund-raiser.
226
materialism
N. preoccupation with physical comforts and things. By its nature materialism is opposed to idealism for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the body the idealist emphasizes the needs of the soul.
227
maternal
ADJ. motherly. Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.
228
matriarch
N. woman who rules a family or larger social group. The matriarch ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand.
229
matriculate
V. enroll (in college or graduate school). Incoming students formally matriculate at our college in a special ceremony during which they sign the official regis¬ter of students.
230
maudlin
ADJ. effusively sentimental. Whenever a particu¬larly maudlin tearjerker was playing at the movies Marvin would embarrass himself by weeping copiously.
231
maul
V. handle roughly. The rock star was mauled by his over-excited fans.
232
maverick
N. rebel; nonconformist. To the masculine literary establishment George Sand with her insistence on wearing trousers and smoking cigars was clearly a maverick who fought her proper womanly role.
233
mawkish
ADJ. mushy and gushy; icky-sticky sentimental; maudlin. Whenever Gigi and her boyfriend would sigh and get all lovey-dovey her little brother would shout "Yuck!" protesting their mawkish behavior.
234
maxim
N. proverb; a truth pithily stated. Aesop's fables illustrate moral maxims.
235
meager
ADJ. scanty; inadequate. Still hungry after his meager serving of porridge Oliver Twist asked for a sec¬ond helping.
236
meander
V. wind or turn in its course. Needing to stay close to a source of water he followed every twist and turn of the stream as it meandered through the countryside.
237
meddlesome
ADJ. interfering. He felt his marriage was suf¬fering because of his meddlesome mother-in-law.
238
mediate
V. settle a dispute through the services of an out¬sider. King Solomon was asked to mediate a dispute between two women each of whom claimed to be the mother of the same child.
239
mediocre
ADJ. ordinary; commonplace. We were disap¬pointed because he gave a rather mediocre performance in this role.
240
meditation
N. reflection; thought. She reached her deci¬sion only after much meditation.
241
medley
N. mixture. To avoid boring dancers by playing any one tune for too long bands may combine three or four tunes into a medley.
242
meek
ADJ. quiet and obedient; spiritless. Can Lois Lane see through Superman's disguise and spot the superhero hiding behind the guise of meek timorous Clark Kent Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter would dare to defy him by eloping with her suitor.
243
melancholy
ADJ. gloomy; morose; blue. To Eugene stuck in his small town a train whistle was a melancholy sound for it made him think of all the places he would never get to see.
244
mellifluous
ADJ. sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious. Ital¬ian is a mellifluous language especially suited to being sung.
245
membrane
N. thin soft sheet of animal or vegetable tissue. Each individual section of an orange is covered with a thin transparent membrane. membranousADJ.
246
memento
N. token; reminder. Take this book as a memento of your visit.
247
menagerie
N. collection of wild animals. Whenever the children run wild around the house Mom shouts "Calm down! I'm not running a menagerie!"
248
mendacious
ADJ. lying; habitually dishonest. Distrusting Huck from the start Miss Watson assumed he was menda¬cious and refused to believe a word he said.
249
mendicant
N. beggar. "O noble sir give alms to the poor cried Aladdin, playing the mendicant.
250
menial
ADJ. suitable for servants; lowly; mean. Her wicked stepmother forced Cinderella to do menial tasks around the house while her ugly stepsisters lolled around painting their toenails.
251
mentor
N. teacher. During this very trying period she could not have had a better mentor for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding.
252
mercenary
ADJ. interested in money or gain. Andy's every act was prompted by mercenary motives: his first question was always "What's in it for me"
253
mercurial
ADJ. capricious; changing; fickle. Quick as quicksilver to change he was mercurial in nature and there¬fore unreliable.
254
merger
N. combination (of two business corporations). When the firm's president married the director of financial planning the office joke was that it wasn't a marriage it was a merger.
255
mesmerize
V. hypnotize. The incessant drone seemed to mesmerize him and place him in a trance.
256
metallurgical
ADJ. pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores. During the course of his metallurgical research the scientist developed a steel alloy of tremendous strength.
257
metamorphosis
N. change of form; major transformation. The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life. metamorphoseV.
258
metaphor
N. implied comparison. "He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an eagle in flight a metaphor.
259
metaphysical
ADJ. pertaining to speculative philosophy. The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century for many of their images. metaphysics N.
260
methodical
ADJ. systematic. An accountant must be methodical and maintain order among his financial records.
261
meticulous
ADJ. excessively careful; painstaking; scrupu¬lous. Martha Stewart was a meticulous housekeeper fuss¬ing about each and every detail that went into making up her perfect home.
262
metropolis
N. large city. Every evening the terminal is filled with thousands of commuters going from this metropolis to their homes in the suburbs.
263
mettle
N. courage; spirit. When challenged by the other horses in the race the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead.
264
miasma
N. swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence. The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome reeking of decay it was a visible miasma.
265
microcosm
N. small world; the world in miniature. The small village community that Jane Austen depicts serves as a microcosm of English society in her time for in this small world we see all the social classes meeting and mingling.
266
migrant
ADJ. changing its habitat; wandering. These migrant birds return every spring. also N.
267
migratory
ADJ. wandering. The return of the migratory birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring. migrateV.
268
milieu
N. environment; means of expression. Surrounded by smooth preppies and arty bohemians the country boy from Smalltown USA felt out of his milieu. Although he has produced excellent oil paintings and lithographs his proper milieu is watercolor.
269
militant
ADJ. combative; bellicose. Although at this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality one could usually find him adopting a more militant attitude. also N.
270
mimicry
N. imitation. Her gift for mimicry was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater.
271
mincing
ADJ. affectedly dainty. Yum-Yum walked across the stage with mincing steps.
272
minuscule
ADJ. extremely small. Why should I involve myself with a project with so minuscule a chance for success
273
minute
ADJ. extremely small. The twins resembled one another closely; only minute differences set them apart.
274
minutiae
N. petty details. She would have liked to ignore the minutiae of daily living.
275
mirage
N. unreal reflection; optical illusion. The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert.
276
mire
V. entangle; stick in swampy ground. Their rear wheels became mired in mud. also N.
277
mirth
N. merriment; laughter. Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby's mirth improper.
278
misanthrope
N. one who hates mankind. In Gulliver's Travels Swift portrays an image of humanity as vile degraded beasts; for this reason various critics consider him a misanthrope.
279
misapprehension
N. error; misunderstanding. To avoid misapprehension I am going to ask all of you to repeat the instructions I have given.
280
miscellany
N. mixture of writings on various subjects. This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-century prose and poetry.
281
mischance
N. ill luck. By mischance he lost his week's salary.
282
misconception
N. mistaken idea. "Sir you are suffering from a misconception. I do not wish to marry you in the least!"
283
misconstrue
V. interpret incorrectly; misjudge. She took the passage seriously rather than humorously because she misconstrued the author's ironic tone.
284
misdemeanor
N. minor crime. The culprit pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than face trial for a felony.
285
miserly
ADJ. stingy; mean. Transformed by his vision on Christmas Eve mean old Scrooge ceased being miserly and became a generous kind old man.
286
misgivings
N. doubts. Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence with Laertes despite his fore¬boding of evil.
287
mishap
N. accident. With a little care you could have avoided this mishap.
288
misnomer
N. wrong name; incorrect designation. His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname King Eric the Just was a misnomer.
289
misrepresent
V. give a false or incorrect impression often deliberately; serve unsatisfactorily as a representative. In his job application Milton misrepresented his academic background; he was fired when his employers discovered the truth. The reformers accused Senator Gunbucks of mis¬representing his constituents and claimed he took bribes from the NRA.
290
missile
N. object to be thrown or projected. After carefully folding his book report into a paper airplane Beavis threw the missile across the classroom at Butthead. Rocket scien¬tists are building guided missiles; Beavis and Butthead can barely make unguided ones.
291
missive
N. letter. The ambassador received a missive from the secretary of state.
292
mite
N. very small object or creature; small coin. Gnats are annoying mites that sting.
293
mitigate
V. appease; moderate. Nothing Jason did could mitigate Medea's anger; she refused to forgive him for betraying her.
294
mnemonic
ADJ. pertaining to memory. He used mnemonic tricks to master new words.
295
mobile
ADJ. movable; not fixed. The mobile blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today. mobility N.
296
mock
V. ridicule; imitate often in derision. It is unkind to mock anyone; it is stupid to mock anyone significantly big¬ger than you. mockery N.
297
mode
N. prevailing style; manner; way of doing some¬thing. The rock star had to have her hair done in the latest mode: frizzed with occasional moussed spikes for variety. Henry plans to adopt a simpler mode of life: he is going to become a mushroom hunter and live off the land.
298
modicum
N. limited quantity. Although his story is based on a modicum of truth most of the events he describes are fictitious.
299
modulate
V. tone down in intensity; regulate; change from one key to another. Always singing at the top of her lungs the budding Brunhilde never learned to modulate her voice.
300
molecule
N. the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance having all the properties of that substance. In chemistry we study how atoms and molecules react to form new substances.
301
mollify
V. soothe. The airline customer service representa¬tive tried to mollify the angry passenger by offering her a seat in first class.
302
molt
V. shed or cast off hair or feathers. When Molly's canary molted he shed feathers all over the house.
303
molten
ADJ. melted. The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.
304
momentous
ADJ. very important. When Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium they had no idea of the momen¬tous impact their discovery would have upon society.
305
momentum
N. quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus. The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the steep hill.
306
monarchy
N. government under a single ruler. Though England today is a monarchy there is some question whether it will be one in twenty years given the present dis¬content at the prospect of Prince Charles as king.
307
monastic
ADJ. related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns. Withdrawing from the world Thomas Merton joined a contemplative religious order and adopted the monastic life.
308
monetary
ADJ. pertaining to money. Jane held the family purse strings: she made all monetary decisions affecting the household.
309
monochromatic
ADJ. having only one color. Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several colors; some however have a truly monochromatic view of a world all in shades of gray.
310
monolithic
ADJ. solidly uniform; unyielding. Knowing the importance of appearing resolute the patriots sought to present a monolithic front.
311
monosyllabic
ADJ. having only one syllable. No matter what he was asked the taciturn New Englander answered with a monosyllabic "Yep" or "Nope." monosyllable N.
312
monotony
N. sameness leading to boredom. What could be more deadly dull than the monotony of punching num¬bers into a computer hour after hour
313
montage
N. photographic composition combining ele¬ments from different sources. In one early montage Beauchamp brought together pictures of broken man¬nequins and newspaper clippings about the Vietnam War.
314
monumental
ADJ. massive. Writing a dictionary is a monu¬mental task.
315
moodiness
N. fits of depression or gloom. Her recurrent moodiness left her feeling as if she had fallen into a black hole.
316
moratorium
N. legal delay of payment. If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six months I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills.
317
morbid
ADJ. given to unwholesome thought; moody; char¬acteristic of disease. People who come to disaster sites just to peer at the grisly wreckage are indulging their morbid curiosity.
318
mores
N. conventions; moral standards; customs. In America Benazir Bhutto dressed as Western women did; in Pakistan however she followed the mores of her people dressing in traditional veil and robes.
319
moribund
ADJ. dying. Hearst took a moribund failing weekly newspaper and transformed it into one of the liveli¬est most profitable daily papers around.
320
morose
ADJ. ill-humored; sullen; melancholy. Forced to take early retirement Bill acted morose for months; then all of a sudden he shook off his sullen mood and was his usual cheerful self.
321
mortician
N. undertaker. The mortician prepared the corpse for burial.
322
mortify
V. humiliate; punish the flesh. She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to her room in tears.
323
mosaic
N. picture made of colorful small inlaid tiles. The mayor compared the city to a beautiful mosaic made up of people of every race and religion on earth.
324
mote
N. small speck. The tiniest mote in the eye is very painful.
325
motif
N. theme. This simple motif runs throughout the entire score.
326
motley
ADJ. multi-colored; mixed. The jester wore a motley tunic red and green and blue and gold all patched together haphazardly. Captain Ahab had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel: old sea dogs and runaway boys pil¬lars of the church and drunkards even a tattooed islander who terrified the rest of the crew.
327
mottled
ADJ. blotched in coloring; spotted. When old Fal¬staff blushed his face was mottled with embarrassment all pink and purple and red.
328
muddle
V. confuse; mix up. His thoughts were muddled and chaotic. also N.
329
muggy
ADJ. warm and damp. August in New York City is often muggy.
330
multifaceted
ADJ. having many aspects. A multifaceted composer Roger Davidson has recorded original pieces that range from ragtime tangos to choral masses.
331
multifarious
ADJ. varied; greatly diversified. A career woman and mother she was constantly busy with the multi¬farious activities of her daily life.
332
multiform
ADJ. having many forms. Snowflakes are multi¬form but always hexagonal.
333
multilingual
ADJ. having many languages. Because they are bordered by so many countries the Swiss people are multilingual.
334
multiplicity
N. state of being numerous. He was appalled by the multiplicity of details he had to complete before set¬ting out on his mission.
335
mundane
ADJ. worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday. Uninterested in philosophical or spiritual discussions Tom talked only of mundane matters such as the daily weather forecast or the latest basketball results.
336
munificent
ADJ. very generous. Shamelessly fawning over a particularly generous donor the dean kept on referring to her as "our munificent benefactor." munificence N.
337
mural
N. wall painting. The walls of the Chicano Commu¬nity Center are covered with murals painted in the style of Diego Rivera the great Mexican artist.
338
murky
ADJ. dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague. The murky depths of the swamp were so dark that one couldn't tell the vines and branches from the snakes.
339
muse
V. ponder. For a moment he mused about the beauty of the scene but his thoughts soon changed as he recalled his own personal problems. also N.
340
mushroom
V. expand or grow rapidly. Between 1990 and 1999 the population of Silicon Valley mushroomed; with the rapidly increasing demand for housing home prices sky-rocketed as well.
341
musky
ADJ. having the odor of musk. She left a trace of musky perfume behind her.
342
muster
V. gather; assemble. Washington mustered his forces at Trenton. also N.
343
musty
ADJ. stale; spoiled by age. The attic was dark and musty.
344
mutability
N. ability to change in form; fickleness. Going from rags to riches and then back to rags again the bank¬rupt financier was a victim of the mutability of fortune.
345
muted
ADJ. silent; muffled; toned down. Thanks to the thick sound-absorbing walls of the cathedral only muted traffic noise reached the worshippers within.
346
mutinous
ADJ. unruly; rebellious. The captain had to use force to quiet his mutinous crew. mutiny N.
347
myopic
ADJ. nearsighted; lacking foresight. Stumbling into doors despite the coke bottle lenses on his glasses the nearsighted Mr. Magoo is markedly myopic. In playing all summer long and ignoring to store up food for winter the grasshopper in Aesop's fable was myopic as well.
348
myriad
N. very large number. Myriads of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village every twilight. alsoADJ.
349
mystify
V. bewilder purposely. When doctors speak in medical jargon they often mystify their patients who have little knowledge of medical terminology.
350
nadir
N. lowest point. Although few people realized it the Dow-Jones averages had reached their nadir and would soon begin an upward surge.
