SAT-3000-8 Flashcards
1
Q
presentiment
A
N. feeling something will happen; anticipa¬tory fear; premonition. Saying goodbye at the airport Jack had a sudden presentiment that this was the last time he would see Jill.
2
Q
prestige
A
N. impression produced by achievements or repu¬tation. Many students want to go to Harvard College not for the education offered but for the prestige of Harvard’s name.
3
Q
presumptuous
A
ADJ. overconfident; impertinently bold; tak¬ing liberties. Matilda thought it was somewhat presumptu¬ous of the young man to have addressed her without first having been introduced. Perhaps manners were freer here in the New World.
4
Q
pretentious
A
ADJ. ostentatious; pompous; making unjusti¬fied claims; overly ambitious. None of the other prize win¬ners are wearing their medals; isn’t it a bit pretentious of you to wear yours
5
Q
preternatural
A
ADJ. beyond what is normal in nature. Mal¬colm’s mother’s total ability to tell when he was lying struck him as almost preternatural.
6
Q
pretext
A
N. excuse. He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his aunt.
7
Q
prevail
A
V. induce; triumph over. He tried to prevail on her to type his essay for him.
8
Q
prevalent
A
ADJ. widespread; generally accepted. A radical committed to social change Reed had no patience with the conservative views prevalent in the America of his day.
9
Q
prevaricate
A
V. lie. Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard such a statement as a “white lie.”
10
Q
prey
A
N. target of a hunt; victim. In Stalking the Wild Asparagus Euell Gibbons has as his prey not wild beasts but wild plants. alsoV.
11
Q
prim
A
ADJ. very precise and formal; exceedingly proper. Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire of the young lady and the inappropriate clothing worn by her escort.
12
Q
primordial
A
ADJ. existing at the beginning (of time); rudi¬mentary. The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.
13
Q
primp
A
V. groom oneself with care; adorn oneself. The groom stood by idly while his nervous bride-to-be primped one last time before the mirror.
14
Q
pristine
A
ADJ. characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled. This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.
15
Q
privation
A
N. hardship; want. In his youth he knew hunger and privation.
16
Q
probe
A
V. explore with tools. The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it. also N.
17
Q
problematic
A
ADJ. doubtful; unsettled; questionable; per¬plexing. Given the way building costs have exceeded esti¬mates for the job whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic.
18
Q
proclivity
A
N. inclination; natural tendency. Watching the two-year-old voluntarily put away his toys I was amazed by his proclivityfor neatness.
19
Q
procrastinate
A
V. postpone; delay or put off. Looking at four years of receipts and checks he still had to sort through Bob was truly sorry he had procrastinated for so long and not finished filing his taxes long ago.
20
Q
prod
A
V. poke; stir up; urge. If you prod him hard enough he’ll eventually clean his room.
21
Q
prodigal
A
ADJ. wasteful; reckless with money. Don’t be so prodigal spending my money; when you’ve earned some money yourself you can waste it as much as you want! also N.
22
Q
prodigious
A
ADJ. marvelous; enormous. Watching the champion weight lifter heave the weighty barbell to shoul¬der height and then boost it overhead we marveled at his prodigious strength.
23
Q
prodigy
A
N. marvel; highly gifted child. Menuhin was a prodigy performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old.
24
Q
profane
A
V. violate; desecrate; treat unworthily. The mem¬bers of the mysterious Far Eastern cult sought to kill the British explorer because he had profaned the sanctity of their holy goblet by using it as an ashtray. alsoADJ.
25
profligate
ADJ. dissipated; wasteful; wildly immoral. Although surrounded by wild and profligate companions she nevertheless managed to retain some sense of decency.
26
profound
ADJ. deep; not superficial; complete. Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker. profundity N.
27
profusion
N. overabundance; lavish expenditure; excess. Freddy was so overwhelmed by the profusion of choices on the menu that he knocked over his wine glass and soaked his host. He made profuse apologies to his host the waiter the bus boy the people at the next table and the attendant handing out paper towels.
28
progenitor
N. ancestor. The Roth family whose progeni¬tors emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth cen¬tury settled in Peru Illinois.
29
progeny
N. children; offspring. He was proud of his prog¬eny in general but regarded George as the most promising of all his children.
30
prognosis
N. forecasted course of a disease; prediction. If the doctor's prognosis is correct the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.
31
projectile
N. missile. Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the form of stones or of highly explo¬sive shells.
32
proletarian
N. member of the working class; blue collar person. "Workers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains" is addressed to proletarians not preppies. So is Blue Collar Holler. proletariat N.
33
proliferation
N. rapid growth; spread; multiplication. Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage the proliferation of countless get-rich-quick schemes. proliferateV.
34
prolific
ADJ. abundantly fruitful. My editors must assume I'm a prolific writer: they expect me to revise six books this year!
35
prolixity
N. tedious wordiness; verbosity. A writer who suf¬fers from prolixity tells his readers everything they never wanted to know about his subject (or were too bored to ask). prolixADJ.
36
prologue
N. introduction (to a poem or play). In the pro¬logue to Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare introduces the audience to the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets.
37
prolong
V. make longer; draw out; lengthen. In their deter¬mination to discover ways to prolong human life doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.
38
prominent
ADJ. conspicuous; notable; sticking out. Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him look like the big-eared character in Mad comics
39
promiscuous
ADJ. mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular particularly sexually. In the opera La Boheme we get a picture of the promiscuous life led by the young artists of Paris.
40
promontory
N. headland. They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.
41
promote
V. help to flourish; advance in rank; publicize. Founder of the Children's Defense Fund Marian Wright Edelman ceaselessly promotes the welfare of young people everywhere. 0
42
prompt
V. cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor. Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you're on a diet
43
promulgate
V. proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication. When Moses came down from the mountain top all set to promulgate God's commandments he freaked out on discovering his followers worshipping a golden calf.
44
prone
ADJ. inclined to; prostrate. She was prone to sudden fits of anger during which she would lie prone on the floor screaming and kicking her heels.
45
propagate
V. multiply; spread. Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary environments it is important to keep hospital rooms clean.
46
propellants
N. substances that propel or drive forward. The development of our missile program has forced our sci¬entists to seek more powerful propellants.
47
propensity
N. natural inclination. Convinced of his own tal¬ent Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others.
48
prophetic
ADJ. foretelling the future. I have no magical prophetic powers; when I predict what will happen I base my predictions on common sense. prophesyV.
49
propinquity
N. nearness; kinship. Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity; they were more than relatives they were true friends.
50
propitiate
V. appease. The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods.
51
propitious
ADJ. favorable; fortunate; advantageous. Chloe consulted her horoscope to see whether Tuesday would be a propitious day to dump her boyfriend.
52
proponent
N. supporter; backer; opposite of opponent. In the Senate proponents of the universal health care mea¬sure lobbied to gain additional support for the controversial legislation.
53
propound
V. put forth for analysis. In your discussion you have propounded several questions; let us consider each one separately.
54
propriety
N. fitness; correct conduct. Miss Manners coun¬sels her readers so that they may behave with due propriety in any social situation and not embarrass themselves.
55
propulsive
ADJ. driving forward. The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-driven plane.
56
prosaic
ADJ. dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual. Though the ad writers came up with an original way to pub¬licize the product the head office rejected it for a more pro¬saic ordinary slogan.
57
proscribe
V. ostracize; banish; outlaw. Antony Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar.
58
proselytize
V. convert to a religion or belief. In these inter¬faith meetings there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of view.
59
prosperity
N. good fortune; financial success; physical well-being. Promising to stay together "for richer for poorer the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike.
60
prostrate
V. stretch out full on ground. He prostrated him¬self before the idol. alsoADJ.
61
protean
ADJ. versatile; able to take on many shapes. A remarkably protean actor Alec Guinness could take on any role.
62
protégé
N. person receiving protection and support from a patron. Born with an independent spirit Cyrano de Berg¬erac refused to be a protégé of Cardinal Richelieu.
63
protocol
N. diplomatic etiquette. We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests.
64
prototype
N. original work used as a model by others. The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype of the elaborate machines in use today.
65
protract
V. prolong. Seeking to delay the union members' vote the management team tried to protract the negotia¬tions endlessly.
66
protrude
V. stick out. His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves. protrusion N.
67
protuberance
N. protrusion; bulge. A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor that develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath and that bulges beneath the skin forming a protuberance.
68
provident
ADJ. displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies. In his usual provident manner he had insured himself against this type of loss.
69
provincial
ADJ. pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated. As provincial governor Sir Henry adminis¬tered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada. Caught up in local problems out of touch with London news he became sadly provincial.
70
provisional
ADJ. tentative. Kim's acceptance as an Ameri¬can Express card holder was provisional: before issuing her a card American Express wanted to check her employment record and credit history.
71
provocative
ADJ. arousing anger or interest; annoying. In a typically provocative act the bully kicked sand into the weaker man's face.
72
provoke
V. stir to anger; cause retaliation. In order to pre¬vent a sudden outbreak of hostilities we must not provoke our foe. provocation N; provocativeADJ.
73
prowess
N. extraordinary ability; military bravery. Perform¬ing triple axels and double lutzes at the age of six the young figure skater was world famous for her prowess on the ice.
74
proximity
N. nearness. Blind people sometimes develop a compensatory ability to sense the proximity of objects around them.
75
proxy
N. authorized agent. Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in my absence.
76
prude
N. excessively modest person. The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes prudishADJ.
77
prudent
ADJ. cautious; careful. A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy. prudence N.
78
prune
V. cut away; trim. With the help of her editor she was able to prune her overlong manuscript into publishable form.
79
prurient
ADJ. having or causing lustful thoughts and desires. Aroused by his prurient impulses the dirty old man leered at the sweet young thing and offered to give her a sample of his "prowess."
80
pseudonym
N. pen name. Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain.
81
psyche
N. soul; mind. It is difficult to delve into the psyche of a human being.
82
pterodactyl
N. extinct flying reptile. The remains of ptero¬dactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.
83
puerile
ADJ. childish. His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends.
84
pugilist
N. boxer. The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali.
85
pugnacity
N. combativeness; disposition to fight. "Put up your dukes!" he cried making a fist to show his pugnacity. pugnaciousADJ.
86
pulchritude
N. beauty; comeliness. I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss America from this collection of female pulchritude.
87
pulverize
V. crush or grind into dust. Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew Michael first pulverized them into a fine powder.
88
pummel
V. beat or pound with fists. Swinging wildly Pam pummeled her brother around the head and shoulders.
89
punctilious
ADJ. laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; minutely attentive to fine points (perhaps too much so). Percy is punctilious about observing the rules of eti¬quette whenever Miss Manners invites him to stay. punctil¬iousness.N.
90
pundit
N. authority on a subject; learned person; expert. Some authors who write about SAT I as if they are pundits actually know very little about the test.
91
pungent
ADJ. stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic. The pungent odor of ripe Limburger cheese appealed to Simone but made Stanley gag.
92
punitive
ADJ. punishing. He asked for punitive measures against the offender.
93
puny
ADJ. insignificant; tiny; weak. Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile.
94
purchase
N. firm grasp or footing. The mountaineer strug¬gled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock. (sec¬ondary meaning)
95
purge
V. remove or get rid of something unwanted; free from blame or guilt; cleanse or purify. When the Communist government purged the party to get rid of members sus¬pected of capitalist sympathies they sent the disloyal mem¬bers to labor camps in Siberia.
96
purported
ADJ. alleged; claimed; reputed or rumored. The purported Satanists sacrificing live roosters in the park turned out to be a party of Shriners holding a chicken barbecue.
97
purse
V. pucker; contract into wrinkles. Miss Watson pursed her lips to show her disapproval of Huck's bedrag¬gled appearance.
98
purveyor
N. furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer. As purveyor of rare wines and viands he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell.
99
pusillanimous
ADJ. cowardly; fainthearted. You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during this dispute.
100
putrid
ADJ. foul; rotten; decayed. The gangrenous condi¬tion of the wound was indicated by the putrid smell when the bandages were removed. putrescence N.
101
pyromaniac
N. person with an insane desire to set things on fire. The detectives searched the area for the pyroma¬niac who had set these costly fires.
102
quack
N. charlatan; impostor. Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he cannot cure you.
103
quadruped
N. four-footed animal. Most mammals are quadrupeds.
104
quaff
V. drink with relish. As we quaffed our ale we lis¬tened to the lively songs of the students in the tavern.
105
quagmire
N. soft wet boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself. Up to her knees in mud Myra wondered how on earth she was going to extricate herself from this quagmire.
106
quail
V. cower; lose heart. The Cowardly Lion was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger.
107
quaint
ADJ. odd; old-fashioned; picturesque. Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric.
108
qualified
ADJ. limited; restricted. Unable to give the candi¬date full support the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement. (secondary meaning)
109
qualms
N. misgivings; uneasy fears especially about mat¬ters of conscience. I have no qualms about giving this assignment to Helen; I know she will handle it admirably.
110
quandary
N. dilemma. When both Harvard and Stanford accepted Laura she was in a quandary as to which school she should attend.
111
quarantine
N. isolation of person or ship to prevent spread of infection. We will have to place this house under quaran¬tine until we determine the exact nature of the disease. alsoV.
112
quarry
N. Victim; object of a hunt. The police closed in on their quarry.
113
quarry
V. dig into. They quarried blocks of marble out of the hillside. also N.
114
quay
N. dock; landing place. Because of the captain's carelessness the ship crashed into the quay.
115
queasy
ADJ. easily nauseated; squeamish. Remember that great chase movie the one with the carsick passenger That's right: Queasy Rider!
116
quell
V. extinguish; put down; quiet. Miss Minchin's demeanor was so stern and forbidding that she could quell any unrest among her students with one intimidating glance.
117
quench
V. douse or extinguish; assuage or satisfy. No matter how much water the hiker drank she could not quench her thirst.
118
querulous
ADJ. fretful; whining. Even the most agreeable toddlers can begin to act querulous if they miss their nap.
119
query
N. inquiry; question. In her column "Ask Beth the columnist invites young readers to send her their queries about life and love.
120
quibble
N. minor objection or complaint. Aside from a few hundred teensy-weensy quibbles about the set the script the actors the director the costumes the lighting and the props the hypercritical critic loved the play. alsoV.
121
quiescent
ADJ. at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive. After the great eruption fear of Mount Etna was great; people did not return to cultivate its rich hillside lands until the volcano had been quiescent for a full two years. quiescence N.
122
quietude
N. tranquility. He was impressed by the air of qui¬etude and peace that pervaded the valley.
123
quintessence
N. purest and highest embodiment. Noel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit.
124
quip
N. taunt. You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments. alsoV.
125
quirk
N. startling twist; caprice. By a quirk of fate he found himself working for the man whom he had discharged years before.
126
quiver
V. tremble; shake. The bird dog's nose twitched and his whiskers quivered as he strained eagerly against the leash. also N.
127
quiver
N. case for arrows. Robin Hood reached back and plucked one last arrow from his quiver. (secondary meaning)
128
quixotic
ADJ. idealistic but impractical. Constantly coming up with quixotic unworkable schemes to save the world Simon has his heart in the right place but his head some-where in the clouds.
129
quizzical
ADJ. teasing; bantering; mocking; curious. When the skinny teenager tripped over his own feet stepping into the bullpen Coach raised one quizzical eyebrow shook his head and said "Okay kid. You're here let's see what you've got."
130
quorum
N. number of members necessary to conduct a meeting. The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a quorum was present.
131
rabid
ADJ. like a fanatic; furious. He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.
132
raconteur
N. storyteller. My father was a gifted raconteur with an unlimited supply of anecdotes.
133
rail
V. scold; rant. You may rail at him all you want; you will never change him.
134
raiment
N. clothing. "How can I go to the ball" asked Cin¬derella. "I have no raiment fit to wear."
135
rally
V. call up or summon (forces vital powers etc.); revive or recuperate. Washington quickly rallied his troops to fight off the British attack. The patient had been sinking throughout the night but at dawn she rallied and made a complete recovery.
136
ramble
V. wander aimlessly (physically or mentally). Lis¬tening to the teacher ramble Judy wondered whether he'd ever get to his point.
137
ramification
N. branching out; subdivision. We must exam¬ine all the ramifications of this problem.
138
ramify
V. divide into branches or subdivisions. When the plant begins to ramify it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches.
139
ramp
N. slope; inclined plane. The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move easily from room to room and floor to floor.
140
rampant
ADJ. growing in profusion; unrestrained. The ram¬pant weeds in the garden choked the flowers until they died.
141
ramshackle
ADJ. rickety; falling apart. The boys propped up the ramshackle clubhouse with a couple of boards.
142
rancid
ADJ. having the odor of stale fat. A rancid odor filled the ship's galley and nauseated the crew.
143
rancor
N. bitterness; hatred. Thirty years after the war she could not let go of the past but was still consumed with ran¬cor against the foe.
144
random
ADJ. without definite purpose plan or aim; hap¬hazard. Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all win¬ners were chosen at random people had their suspicions when the grand prize went to the sponsor's brother-in-law.
145
rankle
V. irritate; fester. The memory of having been jilted rankled him for years.
146
rant
V. rave; talk excitedly; scold; make a grandiloquent speech. When he heard that I'd totaled the family car Dad began to rant at me like a complete madman.
147
rapacious
ADJ. excessively greedy; predatory. The rapa¬cious brigands stripped the villagers of all their posses¬sions. rapacity N.
148
rapport
N. emotional closeness; harmony. In team teach¬ing it is important that all teachers in the group have good rapport with one another.
149
rapt
ADJ. absorbed; enchanted. Caught up in the wonder of the storyteller's tale the rapt listeners sat motionless hanging on his every word.
150
rarefied
ADJ. made less dense (of a gas]. The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere. rarefyV.
151
raspy
ADJ. grating; harsh. The sergeant's raspy voice grated on the recruits' ears.
152
ratify
V. approve formally; confirm; verify. Party leaders doubted that they had enough votes in both houses of Con¬gress to ratify the constitutional amendment.
153
ratiocination
N. reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises. While Watson was a man of average intelli¬gence Holmes was a genius whose gift for ratiocination made him a superb detective.
154
rationale
N. fundamental reason or justification; grounds for an action. Her need to have someplace to hang her ear¬ring collection was Dora's rationale for piercing fifteen holes in each ear.
155
rationalize
V. give a plausible reason for an action in place of a true less admirable one; offer an excuse. When David told gabby Gabrielle he couldn't give her a ride to the dance because he had no room in the car he was rational¬izing; actually he couldn't stand being cooped up in a car with anyone who talked as much as she did.
156
raucous
ADJ. harsh and shrill; disorderly and boisterous. The raucous crowd of New Year's Eve revelers got progres¬sively noisier as midnight drew near.
157
rave
N. overwhelmingly favorable review. Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about most contemporary plays his review of All in the Timing was a total rave.
158
ravel
V. fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle. A single thread pulled loose and the entire scarf started to ravel.
159
ravenous
ADJ. extremely hungry. The ravenous dog upset several garbage pails in its search for food.
160
raze
V. destroy completely. Spelling is important: to raise a building is to put it up; to raze a building is to tear it down.
161
reactionary
ADJ. recoiling from progress; politically ultra¬conservative. Opposing the use of English in worship ser¬vices reactionary forces in the church fought to reinstate the mass in Latin.
162
realm
N. kingdom; field or sphere. In the animal realm the lion is the king of beasts.
163
reaper
N. one who harvests grain. Death the Grim Reaper cuts down mortal men and women just as a farmer cuts down the ripened grain. reapV.
164
rebuff
V. snub; beat back. She rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed. also N.
165
rebuke
V. scold harshly; criticize severely. No matter how sharply Miss Watson rebuked Huck for his misconduct he never talked back but just stood there like a stump. also N.
166
rebuttal
N. refutation; response with contrary evidence. The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up his case sure that she could answer his arguments in her rebuttal.
167
recalcitrant
ADJ. obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly. Which animal do you think is more recalci¬trant a pig or a mule
168
recant
V. disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error. Those who can keep true to their faith; those who can't recant. Hoping to make Joan of Arc recant her sworn testimony her English captors tried to convince her that her visions had been sent to her by the Devil.
169
recapitulate
V. summarize. Let us recapitulate what has been said thus far before going ahead.
170
recast
V. reconstruct (a sentence story etc.); fashion again. Let me recast this sentence in terms your feeble brain can grasp: in words of one syllable you are a fool.
171
receptive
ADJ. quick or willing to receive ideas sugges¬tions etc. Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a receptive audience for Tom's tales of buried treasure and piracy.
172
recession
N. withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity. The slow recession of the flood waters created problems for the crews working to restore power to the area. recedeV.
173
recidivism
N. habitual return to crime. Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high rate of recidivism; the number of men serving second and third terms in prison indicates the failure of prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.
174
recipient
N. receiver. Although he had been the recipient of many favors he was not grateful to his benefactor.
175
reciprocal
ADJ. mutual; exchangeable; interacting. The two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement.
176
reciprocate
V. repay in kind. If they attack us we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb their territory. reci¬procity N.
177
recluse
N. hermit; loner. Disappointed in love Miss Emily became a recluse; she shut herself away in her empty man¬sion and refused to see another living soul. reclusiveADJ.
178
reconcile
V. correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel. Each month when we try to reconcile our checkbook with the bank statement we quarrel. However despite these monthly lovers' quarrels we always manage to reconcile.
179
reconnaissance
N. survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoi¬tering. If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your reconnaissance capture them for questioning.
180
recount
V. narrate or tell; count over again. A born story¬teller my father loved to recount anecdotes about his early years in New York.
181
recourse
N. resorting to help when in trouble. The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid.
182
recrimination
N. countercharges. Loud and angry recrimi¬nations were her answer to his accusations.
183
rectify
V. set right; correct. You had better send a check to rectify your account before American Express cancels your credit card.
184
rectitude
N. uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judg¬ment. The Eagle Scout was a model of rectitude.
185
recumbent
ADJ. reclining; lying down completely or in part. The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a recumbent position.
186
recuperate
V. recover. The doctors were worried because the patient did not recuperate as rapidly as they had expected.
187
recurrent
ADJ. occurring again and again. Richard's recurrent asthma attacks disturbed us and we consulted a physician.
188
redolent
ADJ. fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor. Even though it is February the air is redolent of spring.
189
redoubtable
ADJ. formidable; causing fear. During the Cold War period neighboring countries tried not to offend the Russians because they could be redoubtable foes.
190
redress
N. remedy; compensation. Do you mean to tell me that I can get no redress for my injuries also v.
191
redundant
ADJ. superfluous; repetitious; excessivejy wordy. The bottle of wine I brought to Bob's was certainly redundant how was I to know Bob owned a winery In your essay you repeat several points unnecessarily; try to be less redundant in the future. redundancy N.
192
reek
V. emit (odor). The room reeked with stale tobacco smoke. also N.
193
refraction
N. bending of a ray of light. When you look at a stick inserted in water it looks bent because of the refrac¬tion of the light by the water.
194
refractory
ADJ. stubborn; unmanageable. The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.
195
refrain
V. abstain from; resist. Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus Sol could never refrain from joining in on the refrain.
196
refurbish
V. renovate; make bright by polishing. The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; we had to refurbish our belongings.
197
refute
V. disprove. The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the prosecution's sole witness. refutation N.
198
regal
ADJ. royal. Prince Albert had a regal manner.
199
regale
V. entertain. John regaled us with tales of his adventures in Africa.
200
regime
N. method or system of government. When the French mention the Old Regime they refer to the govern¬ment existing before the revolution.
201
regimen
N. prescribed diet and habits. I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict regimen.
202
rehabilitate
V. restore to proper condition. We must reha¬bilitate those whom we send to prison.
203
reimburse
V. repay. Let me know what you have spent and I will reimburse you.
204
reiterate
V. repeat. He reiterated the warning to make sure everyone understood it.
205
rejoinder
N. retort; comeback; reply. When someone has been rude to me I find it particularly satisfying to come up with a quick rejoinder.
206
rejuvenate
V. make young again. The charlatan claimed that his elixir would rejuvenate the aged and weary.
207
relegate
V. banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign. After Ralph dropped his second tray of drinks that week the manager swiftly relegated him to a minor post cleaning up behind the bar.
208
relent
V. give in. When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry Robert Browning Elizabeth Barrett eloped with her suitor. relentlessADJ.
209
relevant
ADJ. pertinent; referring to the case in hand. How relevant Virginia Woolf's essays are to women writers today! It's as if Woolf in the 1930s foresaw our current literary struggles. relevancy N.
210
relic
N. surviving remnant; memento. Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient relics out of the country. Mike keeps his photos of his trip to Egypt in a box with other relics of his travels.
211
relinquish
V. give up something with reluctance; yield. Denise never realized how hard it would be for her to relinquish her newborn son to the care of his adoptive par¬ents. Once you get used to fringe benefits like expense account meals and a company car it's very hard to relin¬quish them.
212
relish
V. savor; enjoy. Watching Peter enthusiastically chow down I thought "Now there's a man who relishes a good dinner!" also N.
213
remediable
ADJ. reparable. Let us be grateful that the damage is remediable.
214
remedial
ADJ. curative; corrective. Because he was a slow reader he decided to take a course in remedial reading.
215
reminiscence
N. recollection. Her reminiscences of her experiences are so fascinating that she ought to write a book.
216
remiss
ADJ. negligent. The guard was accused of being remiss in his duty when the prisoner escaped.
217
remission
N. temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of a debt; forgiveness or pardon. Though the senator had been treated for cancer his symptoms were in remission and he was considered fit enough to handle the strains of a presidential race.
218
remnant
N. remainder. I suggest that you wait until the store places the remnants of these goods on sale.
219
remonstrance
N. protest; objection. The authorities were deaf to the pastor's remonstrances about the lack of police protection in the area. remonstrateV.
220
remorse
N. guilt; self-reproach. The murderer felt no remorse for his crime.
221
remunerative
ADJ. compensating; rewarding. I find my new work so remunerative that I may not return to my previ¬ous employment. remuneration N.
222
rend
V. split; tear apart. In his grief he tried to rend his garments. rent N.
223
render
V. deliver; provide; represent. He rendered aid to the needy and indigent.
224
rendition
N. translation; artistic interpretation of a song etc. The audience cheered enthusiastically as she com¬pleted her rendition of the aria.
225
renegade
N. deserter; traitor. Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians his fellow offi¬cers considered the hero of Dances with Wolves a rene¬gade. alsoADJ.
226
renege
V. deny; go back on. He reneged on paying off his debt.
227
renounce
V. abandon; disown; repudiate. Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a witch Joan of Arc refused to renounce her belief that her voices came from God. renunciation N.
228
renovate
V. restore to good condition; renew. They claim that they can renovate worn shoes so that they look like new ones.
229
renown
N. fame. For many years an unheralded researcher Barbara McClintock gained international renown when she won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. renownedADJ.
230
rent
N. rip; split. Kit did an excellent job of mending the rent in the lining of her coat.
231
reparable
ADJ. capable of being repaired. Fortunately the damages we suffered in the accident were reparable and our car looks brand new.
232
reparation
N. amends; compensation. At the peace con¬ference the defeated country promised to pay reparations to the victors.
233
repast
N. meal; feast; banquet. The caterers prepared a delicious repast for Fred and Judy's wedding day.
234
repeal
V. revoke; annul. What would the effect on our soci¬ety be if we decriminalized drug use by repealing the laws against the possession and sale of narcotics
235
repel
V. drive away; disgust. At first the Beast's ferocious appearance repelled Beauty but she came to love the ten¬der heart hidden behind that beastly exterior.
236
repellent
ADJ. driving away; unattractive. Mosquitoes find the odor so repellent that they leave any spot where this liq¬uid has been sprayed. also N.
237
repercussion
N. rebound; reverberation; reaction. I am afraid that this unfortunate incident will have serious reper¬cussions.
238
repertoire
N. list of works of music drama etc. a per¬former is prepared to present. The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its repertoire for the follow-ing season.
239
replenish
V. fill up again. Before she could take another backpacking trip Carla had to replenish her stock of freeze-dried foods.
240
replete
ADJ. filled to the brim or to the point of being stuffed; abundantly supplied. The movie star's memoir was replete with juicy details about the love life of half of Hollywood.
241
replica
N. copy. Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of Independence in the classroom or in the auditorium
242
replicate
V. reproduce; duplicate. Because he had always wanted a palace Donald decided to replicate the Tai Mahal in miniature on his estate.
243
repository
N. storehouse. Libraries are repositories of the world's best thoughts.
244
reprehensible
ADJ. deserving blame. Shocked by the viciousness of the bombing politicians of every party uni¬formly condemned the terrorists' reprehensible deed.
245
repress
V. restrain; crush; oppress. Anne's parents tried to curb her impetuosity without repressing her boundless high spirits.
246
reprieve
N. temporary stay. During the twenty-four-hour reprieve the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent. alsoV.
247
reprimand
V. reprove severely; rebuke. Every time Ermen¬garde made a mistake in class she was afraid that Miss Minchin would reprimand her and tell her father how badly she was doing in school. also N.
248
reprisal
N. retaliation. I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may undertake.
249
reprise
N. musical repetition; repeat performance; recur¬rent action. We enjoyed the soprano's solo in Act I so much that we were delighted by its reprise in the finale.
250
reproach
V. express disapproval or disappointment. He never could do anything wrong without imagining how the look on his mother's face would reproach him afterwards. reproachfulADJ.
251
reprobate
N. person hardened in sin devoid of a sense of decency. I cannot understand why he has so many admir¬ers if he is the reprobate you say he is.
252
reprove
V. censure; rebuke. The principal severely reproved the students whenever they talked in the halls.
253
repudiate
V. disown; disavow. On separating from Tony Tina announced that she would repudiate all debts incurred by her soon-to-be ex-husband.
254
repugnant
ADJ. loathsome; hateful. She found the snake repugnant and looked on it with loathing and fear.
255
repulsion
N. distaste; act of driving back. Hating blood¬shed she viewed war with repulsion. Even defensive bat¬tles distressed her for the repulsion of enemy forces is never accomplished bloodlessly.
256
reputable
ADJ. respectable. If you want to buy antiques look for a reputable dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as genuine antiques.
257
reputed
ADJ. supposed. Though he is the reputed father of the child no one can be sure. repute N.
258
requiem
N. mass for the dead; dirge. They played Mozart's Requiem at the funeral.
259
requisite
N. necessary requirement. Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a language as a requisite for admission.
260
requite
V. repay; revenge. The wretch requited his bene¬factors by betraying them.
261
rescind
V. cancel. Because of the public outcry against the new taxes the senator proposed a bill to rescind the unpopular financial measure.
262
resentment
N. indignation; bitterness; displeasure. Not wanting to appear a sore loser Bill tried to hide his resent¬ment of Barry's success.
263
reserve
N. self-control; formal but distant manner. Although some girls were attracted by Mark's air of reserve Judy was put off by it for she felt his aloofness indicated a lack of openness. reservedADJ.
264
residue
N. remainder; balance. In his will he requested that after payment of debts taxes and funeral expenses the residue be given to his wife. residualADJ.
265
resigned
ADJ. accepting one's fate; unresisting; patiently submissive. Resigned to his downtrodden existence Bob Cratchit was too meek to protest Scrooge's bullying. resig¬nation N.
266
resilient
ADJ. elastic; having the power of springing back. Highly resilient steel makes excellent bedsprings. resilience N.
267
resolution
N. determination; resolve. Nothing could shake his resolution that his children would get the best education that money could buy. resoluteADJ.
268
resolve
N. determination; firmness of purpose. How dare you question my resolve to take up sky-diving! Of course I haven't changed my mind!
269
resolve
V. decide; settle; solve. Holmes resolved to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute between Irene Adler and the king.
270
resonant
ADJ. echoing; resounding; deep and full in sound. The deep resonant voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes him particularly effective when he appears on stage.
271
respiration
N. breathing; exhalation. The doctor found that the patient's years of smoking had adversely affected both his lung capacity and his rate of respiration.
272
respite
N. interval of relief; time for rest; delay in punish¬ment. After working nonstop on this project for three straight months. I need a respite! For David the two weeks vaca¬tioning in New Zealand were a delightful respite from the pressures of his job.
273
resplendent
ADJ. dazzling; glorious; brilliant. While all the adults were commenting how glorious the emperor looked in his resplendent new clothes one little boy was heard to say "But he's naked!"
274
responsiveness
N. state of reacting readily to appeals orders etc. The audience cheered and applauded delight¬ing the performers by its responsiveness.
275
restitution
N. reparation; indemnification. He offered to make restitution for the window broken by his son.
276
restive
ADJ. restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting con¬trol. Waiting impatiently in line to see Santa Claus even the best-behaved children grow restive and start to fidget.
277
restraint
N. moderation or self-control; controlling force; restriction. Control yourself. young lady! Show some restraint!
278
resumption
N. taking up again; recommencement. During summer break Don had not realized how much he missed university life: at the resumption of classes however he felt marked excitement and pleasure. resumeV.
279
resurge
V. rise again; flow to and fro. It was startling to see the spirit of nationalism resurge as the Soviet Union disinte¬grated into a loose federation of ethnic and national groups. resurgence N.
280
retain
V. keep; employ. Fighting to retain his seat in Con¬gress Senator Foghorn retained a new manager to head his reelection campaign.
281
retaliation
N. repayment in kind (usually for bad treat¬ment). Because everyone knew the Princeton Band had stolen Brown's mascot the whole Princeton student body expected some sort of retaliation from Brown. retaliateV.
282
retentive
ADJ. holding; having a good memory. The pupil did not need to spend much time studying for he had a retentive mind and remembered all he read.
283
reticence
N. reserve; uncommunicativeness; inclination to silence. Fearing his competitors might get advance word about his plans from talkative staff members Hughes pre¬ferred reticence from his employees to loquacity. reticentADJ.
284
retinue
N. following; attendants. The queen's retinue fol¬lowed her down the aisle.
285
retiring
ADJ. modest; shy. Given Susan's retiring personal¬ity no one expected her to take up public speaking; sur¬prisingly enough she became a star of the school debate team
286
retort
N. quick sharp reply. Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut she was always ready with a quick retort. alsoV.
287
retract
V. withdraw; take back. When I saw how Fred and his fraternity brothers had trashed the frat house I decided to retract my offer to let them use our summer cottage for the weekend. retraction N.
288
retrench
V. cut down; economize. In order to be able to afford to send their children to college they would have to retrench. retrenchment N.
289
retribution
N. vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses. The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact retribution from the sinners.
290
retrieve
V. recover; find and bring in. The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to retrieve the game killed by the hunter.
291
retroactive
ADJ. of a law that dates back to a period before its enactment. Because the law was retroactive to the first of the year we found she was eligible for the pension.
292
retrograde
V. go backwards; degenerate. instead of advancing our civilization seems to have retrograded in ethics and culture. alsoADJ.
293
retrospective
ADJ. looking back on the past. The Museum of Graphic Arts is holding a retrospective showing of the paintings of Michael Whelan over the past two decades.
294
revelry
N. boisterous merrymaking. New Year's Eve is a night of revelry
295
reverent
ADJ. respectful; worshipful. Though I bow my head in church and recite the prayers sometimes I don't feel properly reverent. revereV.
296
reverie
N. daydream; musing. He was awakened from his reverie by the teacher's question.
297
revert
V. relapse; backslide; turn back to. Most of the time Andy seemed sensitive and mature but occasionally he would revert to his smart-alecky macho adolescent self.
298
revile
V. attack with abusive language; vilify. Though most of his contemporaries reviled Captain Kidd as a notorious bloody-handed pirate some of his fellow merchant-cap¬tains believed him innocent of his alleged crimes.
299
revoke
V. cancel; retract. Repeat offenders who continue to drive under the influence of alcohol face having their dri¬ver's licenses permanently revoked.
300
revulsion
N. sudden violent change of feeling; reaction. Many people in this country who admired dictatorships underwent a revulsion when they realized what Hitler and Mussolini were trying to do.
301
rhapsodize
V. to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthu¬siastic manner. She greatly enjoyed her Hawaiian vacation and rhapsodized about it for weeks.
302
rhetoric
N. art of effective communication; insincere lan¬guage. All writers by necessity must be skilled in rhetoric.
303
rhetorical
ADJ. pertaining to effective communication; insincere in language. To win his audience; the speaker used every rhetorical trick in the book.
304
ribald
ADJ. wanton; profane. He sang a ribald song that offended many of the more prudish listeners.
305
riddle
V. pierce with holes; permeate or spread through¬out. With his machine gun Tracy riddled the car with bullets till it looked like a slice of Swiss cheese. During the proof¬readers' strike the newspaper was riddled with typos.
306
rider
N. amendment or clause added to a legislative bill. Senator Foghorn said he would support Senator Filibuster's tax reform bill only if Filibuster agreed to add an antipollu-tion riderto the bill.
307
rife
ADJ. abundant; current. In the face of the many rumors of scandal which are rife at the moment it is best to remain silent.
308
rift
N. opening; break. The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city through a rift in the clouds.
309
rig
V. fix or manipulate. The ward boss was able to rig the election by bribing people to stuff the ballot boxes with bal¬lots marked in his candidate's favor.
310
rigid
ADJ. stiff and unyielding; strict; hard and unbending. By living with a man to whom she was not married George Eliot broke Victorian society's most rigid rule of respectable behavior.
311
rigor
N. severity. Many settlers could not stand the rigors of the New England winters.
312
rigorous
ADJ. severe; harsh; demanding; exact. Disliked by his superiors the officer candidate in An Officer and a Gen¬tleman endured an extremely rigorous training program.
313
rile
V. vex; irritate; muddy. Red had a hair-trigger temper: he was an easy man to rile.
314
riveting
ADJ. absorbing; engrossing. The reviewer described Byatt's novel Possession as a riveting tale one so absorbing that he had finished it in a single night.
315
rivulet
N. small stream. As the rains continued the small trickle of water running down the hillside grew into a rivulet that threatened to wash away a portion of the slope.
316
robust
ADJ. vigorous; strong. After pumping iron and tak¬ing karate for six months the little old lady was so robust that she could break a plank with her fist.
317
roil
V. to make liquids murky by stirring up sediment. Be careful when you pour not to roil the wine; if you stir up the sediment you'll destroy the flavor.
318
roster
N. list. They print the roster of players in the sea¬son's program.
319
rostrum
N. platform for speech-making; pulpit. The crowd murmured angrily and indicated that they did not care to lis¬ten to the speaker who was approaching the rostrum.
320
rote
N. repetition. He recited the passage by rote and gave no indication he understood what he was saying.
321
rotundity
N. roundness; sonorousness of speech. Wash¬ington Irving emphasized the rotundity of the governor by describing his height and circumference.
322
rousing
ADJ. lively; stirring. "And now let's have a rousing welcome for TV's own Roseanne Barr who'll lead us in a rousing rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner."'
323
rout
V. stampede; drive out. The reinforcements were able to rout the enemy. also N.
324
rubble
N. broken fragments. Ten years after World War II some of the rubble left by enemy bombings could still be seen.
325
ruddy
ADJ. reddish; healthy-looking. Santa Claus's ruddy cheeks nicely complement Rudolph the Reindeer's bright red nose.
326
rudimentary
ADJ. not developed; elementary; crude. Although my grandmother's English vocabulary was limited to a few rudimentary phrases she always could make her¬self understood.
327
rue
V. regret; lament; mourn. Tina rued the night she met Tony and wondered how she ever fell for such a jerk. ruefulADJ.
328
ruffian
N. bully; scoundrel. The ruffians threw stones at the police.
329
ruminate
V. chew over and over (mentally or like cows physically); mull over; ponder. Unable to digest quickly the baffling events of the day Reuben ruminated about them till four in the morning.
330
rummage
V. ransack; thoroughly search. When we rum¬maged through the trunks in the attic we found many sou¬venirs of our childhood days. also N.
331
ruse
N. trick; stratagem. You will not be able to fool your friends with such an obvious ruse.
332
rustic
ADJ. pertaining to country people; uncouth. The backwoodsman looked out of place in his rustic attire.
333
ruthless
ADJ. pitiless; cruel. Captain Hook was a danger¬ous ruthless villain who would stop at nothing to destroy Peter Pan.
334
saboteur
N. one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property. Members of the Resistance acted as saboteurs blowing up train lines to prevent supplies from reaching the Nazi army.
335
saccharine
ADJ. cloyingly sweet. She tried to ingratiate herself speaking sweetly and smiling a saccharine smile.
336
sacrilegious
ADJ. desecrating; profane. His stealing of the altar cloth was a very sacrilegious act.
337
sacrosanct
ADJ. most sacred; inviolable. The brash insur¬ance salesman invaded the sacrosanct privacy of the office of the president of the company.
338
sadistic
ADJ. inclined to cruelty. If we are to improve condi- tions in this prison we must first get rid of the sadistic warden.
339
saga
N. Scandinavian myth; any legend. This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.
340
Sagacious
ADJ. perceptive; shrewd; having insight. My father was a sagacious judge of character: he could spot a phony a mile away. sagacity N.
341
sage
N. person celebrated for wisdom. Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet Sandy was possessed with a burning desire to con¬sult the legendary sage. alsoADJ.
342
salacious
ADJ. lascivious; lustful. Chaucer's monk is not pious but salacious. a teller of lewd tales and ribald jests.
343
salient
ADJ. prominent. One of the salient features of that newspaper is its excellent editorial page.
344
salubrious
ADJ. healthful. Many people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of the country during the months of August and September.
345
salutary
ADJ. tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy as he became a model student.
346
salvage
V. rescue from loss. All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed. also N.
347
salvo
N. discharge of firearms; military salute. The boom of the enemy's opening salvo made the petrified private jump.
348
sanctimonious
ADJ. displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness. You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are devout.
349
sanction
V. approve; ratify. Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my daughter to such a worth¬less young man.
350
sanctuary
N. refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place. The tiny attic was Helen's sanctuary to which she fled when she had to get away from the rest of her family.
