SAT-3000-9 Flashcards
1
Q
sanguine
A
ADJ. cheerful; hopeful. Let us not be too san¬guine about the outcome; something could go wrong.
2
Q
sap
A
V. diminish; undermine. The element kryptonite has an unhealthy effect on Superman: it saps his strength.
3
Q
sarcasm
A
N. scornful remarks; stinging rebuke. Though Ralph pretended to ignore the mocking comments of his supposed friends their sarcasm wounded him deeply.
4
Q
sardonic
A
ADJ. disdainful; sarcastic; cynical. The sardonic humor of nightclub comedians who satirize or ridicule patrons in the audience strikes some people as amusing and others as rude.
5
Q
sartorial
A
ADJ. pertaining to tailors. He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he was for his acting.
6
Q
sate
A
V. satisfy to the full; cloy. Its hunger sated. the lion dozed.
7
Q
satellite
A
N. small body revolving around a larger one. Dur¬ing the first few years of the Space Age hundreds of satel¬lites were launched by Russia and the United States.
8
Q
satiate
A
V. satisfy fully. Having stuffed themselves until they were satiated the guests were so full they were ready for a nap.
9
Q
satire
A
N. form of literature in which irony sarcasm and ridicule are employed to attack vice and folly. Gulliver’s Travels which is regarded by many as a tale for children is actually a bitter satire attacking man’s folly.
10
Q
satirical
A
ADJ. mocking. The humor of cartoonist Gary Trudeau often is satirical; through the comments of the Doonesbury characters Trudeau ridicules political corrup¬tion and folly.
11
Q
saturate
A
V. soak thoroughly. Saturate your sponge with water until it can’t hold any more.
12
Q
saturnine
A
ADJ. gloomy. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks.
13
Q
saunter
A
V. stroll slowly. As we sauntered through the park we stopped frequently to admire the spring flowers.
14
Q
savant
A
N. scholar. Our faculty includes many world¬famous savants.
15
Q
savor
A
V. enjoy; have a distinctive flavor smell or quality. Relishing his triumph the actor especially savored the cha¬grin of the critics who had predicted his failure.
16
Q
savory
A
ADJ. tasty; pleasing attractive or agreeable. Julia Child’s recipes enable amateur chefs to create savory deli¬cacies for their guests.
17
Q
scabbard
A
N. case for a sword blade; sheath. The drill mas¬ter told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard.
18
Q
scad
A
N. a great quantity. Refusing Dave’s offer to lend him a shirt Phil replied “No thanks I’ve got scads of clothes.”
19
Q
scaffold
A
N. temporary platform for workers; bracing frame¬work; platform for execution. Before painting the house the workers put up a scaffold to allow them to work on the sec¬ond story.
20
Q
scale
A
V. climb up; ascend. In order to locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks Lee had to scale an exceptionally rickety ladder.
21
Q
scamp
A
N. rascal. Despite his mischievous behavior Mal¬colm was such an engaging scamp that his mother almost lacked the heart to punish him.
22
Q
scanty
A
ADJ. meager; insufficient. Thinking his helping of food was scanty Oliver Twist asked for more.
23
Q
scapegoat
A
N. someone who bears the blame for others. After the Challenger disaster NASA searched for scape¬goats on whom they could cast the blame.
24
Q
scavenge
A
V. hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search especially for food. If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock try scavenging for odd bits and pieces at the auto wreckers’ yards. scavenger N.
25
scenario
N. plot outline; screenplay; opera libretto. Scara¬mouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe when he suddenly departed from their customary scenario and began to improvise.
26
schematic
ADJ. relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols. In working out the solution to this logic puzzle you may find it helpful to construct a simple schematic diagram outlining the order of events.
27
schism
N. division; split. Let us not widen the schism by further bickering.
28
scintillate
V. sparkle; flash. I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the conversation scintil¬lates.
29
scoff
V. mock; ridicule. He scoffed at dentists until he had his first toothache.
30
scourge
N. lash; whip; severe punishment. They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge. alsoV.
31
scruple
V. fret about; hesitate for ethical reasons. Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair she did not scruple to read his diary. also N.
32
scrupulous
ADJ. conscientious; extremely thorough. Though Alfred is scrupulous in fulfilling his duties at work he is less conscientious about his obligations to his family and friends.
33
scrutinize
V. examine closely and critically. Searching for flaws the sergeant scrutinized every detail of the private's uniform.
34
scuffle
V. struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry. The twins briefly scuffled wrestling to see which of them would get the toy. When their big brother yelled "Let go of my Gameboy!" they scuffled off down the hall. scurrilous ADJ. obscene; indecent. Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.
35
scurry
V. move briskly. The White Rabbit had to scurry to get to his appointment on time.
36
scurvy
ADJ. despicable; contemptible. Peter Pan sneered at Captain Hook and his scurvy crew.
37
scuttle
V. scurry; run with short rapid steps. The bug scut¬tled rapidly across the floor.
38
scuttle
V. sink. The sailors decided to scuttle their vessel rather than surrender it to the enemy.
39
seamy
ADJ. sordid; unwholesome. In The Godfather Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife and chil¬dren to the seamy side of his life as the son of a Mafia don. sear V. char or burn; brand. Accidentally brushing against the hot grill she seared her hand badly.
40
seasoned
ADJ. experienced. Though pleased with her new batch of rookies the basketball coach wished she had a few more seasoned players on the team.
41
secession
N. withdrawal. The secession of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his first major problem after his inauguration. secedeV.
42
seclusion
N. isolation; solitude. One moment she loved crowds; the next she sought seclusion. secludeV.
43
secrete
V. hide away; produce and release a substance into an organism. The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans. sect N. separate religious body; faction. As university chaplain she sought to address universal religious issues and not limit herself to concerns of any one sect.
44
sectarian
ADJ. relating to a religious faction or subgroup; narrow-minded; limited. Far from being broad-minded the religious leader was intolerant of new ideas paying atten¬tion only to purely sectarian interests. sect. N.
45
secular
ADJ. worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal. The church leaders decided not to interfere in secular matters.
46
sedate
ADJ. composed; grave. The parents were worried because they felt their son was too quiet and sedate.
47
sedentary
ADJ. requiring sitting. Disliking the effect of her sedentary occupation on her figure Stacy decided to work out at the gym every other day.
48
sedition
N. resistance to authority; insubordination. His words though not treasonous in themselves were calcu¬lated to arouse thoughts of sedition.
49
sedulous
ADJ. diligent; hardworking. After weeks of patient and sedulous labor we completed our detailed analysis of every published SAT examination.
50
seedy
ADJ. run-down; decrepit; disreputable. I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel than have a room of my own in a seedy downtown hotel.
51
seemly
ADJ. proper; appropriate. Lady Bracknell did not think it was seemly for Ernest to lack a proper family: no baby abandoned on a doorstep could grow up to be a fit match for her daughter.
52
seep
V. ooze; trickle. During the rainstorm water seeped through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards. seepage N.
53
seethe
V. be disturbed; boil. The nation was seething with discontent as the noblemen continued their arrogant ways.
54
seismic
ADJ. pertaining to earthquakes. The Richter scale is a measurement of seismic disturbances.
55
seminary
N. school for training future ministers; academy for young women. Sure of his priestly vocation Terrence planned to pursue his theological training at the local Roman Catholic seminary.
56
sensual
ADJ. devoted to the pleasures of the senses; car¬nal; voluptuous. I cannot understand what caused him to abandon his sensual way of life and become so ascetic.
57
sententious
ADJ. terse; concise; aphoristic. After reading so many redundant speeches I find his sententious style particularly pleasing.
58
sentinel
N. sentry; lookout. Though camped in enemy terri¬tory Bledsoe ignored the elementary precaution of posting sentinels around the encampment.
59
sequester
V. isolate; retire from public life; segregate; seclude. Banished from his kingdom the wizard Prospero sequestered himself on a desert island. To prevent the jurors from hearing news broadcasts about the case the judge decided to sequester the jury.
60
serendipity
N. gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck. Many scien¬tific discoveries are a matter of serendipity. Newton was not sitting under a tree thinking about gravity when the apple dropped on his head.
61
serenity
N. calmness; placidity. The sound of air raid sirens pierced the serenity of the quiet village of Pearl Harbor. serpentine ADJ. winding; twisting. The car swerved at every curve in the serpentine road.
62
serrated
ADJ. having a sawtoothed edge. The beech tree is one of many plants that have serrated leaves.
63
servile
ADJ. slavish; cringing. Constantly fawning on his employer humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature.
64
servitude
N. slavery; compulsory labor. Born a slave Fred¬erick Douglass resented his life of servitude and plotted to escape to the North.
65
sever
V. cut; separate. The released prisoner wanted to begin a new life and sever all connections with his criminal past. Dr. Guillotin invented a machine that could neatly sever an aristocratic head from its equally aristocratic body. Unfortu¬nately he couldn't collect any severance pay. severance N.
66
severity
N. harshness; intensity; sternness; austerity. The severity of Jane's migraine attack was so great that she took to her bed for a week.
67
shackle
V. chain; fetter. The criminal's ankles were shack¬led to prevent his escape. also N.
68
sham
V. pretend. He shammed sickness to get out of going to school. also N.
69
shambles
N. wreck; mess. After the hurricane the Car¬olina coast was a shambles. After the New Year's Eve party the apartment was a shambles.
70
shard
N. fragment generally of pottery. The archaeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling earth¬enware vessels from the shards he had brought back from the expedition.
71
sheaf
N. bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together. The lawyer picked up a sheaf of papers as he rose to question the witness.
72
shear
V. cut or clip (hair fleece); strip of something. You may not care to cut a sheep's hair but Sarah shears sheep for Little Bo Peep.
73
sheathe
V. place into a case. As soon as he recognized the approaching men he sheathed his dagger and hailed them as friends.
74
sheer
ADJ. very thin or transparent; very steep; absolute. Wearing nothing but an almost sheer robe Delilah draped herself against the sheer temple wall. Beholding her Sam¬son was overcome by her sheer beauty. Then she sheared his hair.
75
shimmer
V. glimmer intermittently. The moonlight shim¬mered on the water as the moon broke through the clouds for a moment. also N.
76
shirk
V. avoid (responsibility work etc.); malinger. Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any responsibility.
77
shoddy
ADJ. sham; not genuine; inferior. You will never get the public to buy such shoddy material.
78
shrewd
ADJ. clever; astute. A shrewd investor he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of the stock market.
79
shroud
V. hide from view; wrap for burial. Fog shrouded Dracula's castle hiding the ruined tower beneath sheets of mist.
80
shun
V. keep away from. Cherishing his solitude the recluse shunned the company of other human beings.
81
shyster
N. lawyer using questionable methods. On L.A. Law Brackman is horrified to learn that his newly-discov¬ered half brother is nothing but a cheap shyster.
82
sibling
N. brother or sister. We may not enjoy being sib¬lings but we cannot forget that we still belong to the same family.
83
simian
ADJ. monkeylike. Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many simian characteristics although they are less intelligent than monkeys.
84
simile
N. comparison of one thing with another using the word like or as. "My love is like a red red rose" is a simile.
85
simper
V. smirk; smile affectedly. Complimented on her appearance Stella self-consciously simpered.
86
Simplistic
ADJ. oversimplified. Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem it was simplistic in failing to consider various complications that might arise.
87
simulate
V. feign. He simulated insanity in order to avoid punishment for his crime.
88
sinecure
N. well-paid position with little responsibility. My job is no sinecure; I work long hours and have much responsibility.
89
sinewy
ADJ. tough; strong and firm. The steak was too sinewy to chew.
90
singular
ADJ. unique; extraordinary; odd. Though the young man tried to understand Father William's singular behavior he still found it odd that the old man incessantly stood on his head. singularity N.
91
sinister
ADJ. evil. We must defeat the sinister forces that seek our downfall.
92
sinuous
ADJ. winding; bending in and out; not morally hon¬est. The snake moved in a sinuous manner.
93
skeptic
N. doubter; person who suspends judgment until the evidence supporting a point of view has been exam¬ined. I am a skeptic about the new health plan; I want some proof that it can work. skepticism N.
94
skiff
N. small light sailboat or rowboat. Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a skiff he could sail in the bay.
95
skimp
V. provide scantily; live very economically. They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to make their limited supplies last the winter.
96
skinflint
N. stingy person; miser. Scrooge was an ungener¬ous old skinflint until he reformed his ways and became a notable philanthropist.
97
skirmish
N. minor fight. Custer's troops expected they might run into a skirmish or two on maneuvers; they did not expect to face a major battle. alsoV.
98
skulk
V. move furtively and secretly. He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in order to avoid meeting any of his former friends.
99
slacken
V. slow up; loosen. As they passed the finish line the runners slackened their pace.
100
slag
N. residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter. The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless slag.
101
slake
V. quench; sate. When we reached the oasis we were able to slake our thirst.
102
slander
N. defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements. Considering the negative comments politicians make about each other it's a wonder that more of them aren't sued for slander. alsoV.
103
slapdash
ADJ. haphazard; careless; sloppy. From the number of typos and misspellings I've found in it it's clear that Mario proofread the report in a remarkably slapdash fashion.
104
sleeper
N. something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable. Unnoticed by the critics at its publication the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic sleeper.
105
sleight
N. dexterity. The magician amazed the audience with his sleight of hand.
106
slight
N. insult to one's dignity; snub. Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy Bertha was always on the lookout for real or imaginary slights. alsoV.
107
slipshod
ADJ. untidy or slovenly; shabby. As a master craftsman the carpenter prided himself on not doing slip¬shod work.
108
slither
V. slip or slide. During the recent ice storm many people slithered down this hill as they walked to the station.
109
slothful
ADJ. lazy. Lying idly on the sofa while others worked Reggie denied he was slothful: "I just supervise better lying down."
110
slough
V. cast off. Each spring the snake sloughs off its skin.
111
slovenly
ADJ. untidy; careless in work habits. Unshaven sitting around in his bathrobe all afternoon Gus didn't seem to care about the slovenly appearance he presented. The dark ring around the bathtub and the spider webs hanging from the beams proved what a slovenly housekeeper she was.
112
sluggard
N. lazy person. "You are a sluggard a drone a parasite the angry father shouted at his lazy son.
113
sluggish
ADJ. Slow; lazy; lethargic. After two nights without sleep she felt sluggish and incapable of exertion.
114
slur
V. speak indistinctly; mumble. When Sol has too much to drink he starts to slur his words: "Washamatter Cansh you undershtand what I shay"
115
slur
N. insult to one's character or reputation; slander. Polls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been badly damaged by the slurs and innuendoes circulated by his opponent's staff. also V. (secondary meaning)
116
smelt
V. melt or blend ores changing their chemical com¬position. The furnaceman smelts tin with copper to create a special alloy used in making bells.
117
smirk
N. conceited smile. Wipe that smirk off your face! alsoV.
118
smolder
V. burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment. The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into flame.
119
snicker
N. half-stifled laugh. The boy could not suppress a snicker when the teacher sat on the tack. alsoV.
120
snivel
V. run at the nose; snuffle; whine. Don't you come sniveling to me complaining about your big brother. sobriety N. moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness. Neither falling-down drunks nor stand-up comics are noted for sobriety. soberADJ.
121
sodden
ADJ. soaked; dull as if from drink. He set his sod¬den overcoat near the radiator to dry.
122
sojourn
N. temporary stay. After his sojourn in Florida he began to long for the colder climate of his native New Eng¬land home.
123
solace
N. comfort in trouble. I hope you will find solace in the thought that all of us share your loss.
124
solder
V. repair or make whole by using a metal alloy. The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by soldering a couple of joints from which water had been oozing.
125
solecism
N. construction that is flagrantly incorrect gram¬matically. I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many solecisms.
126
solemnity
N. seriousness; gravity. The minister was con¬cerned that nothing should disturb the solemnity of the mar¬riage service. solemnADJ.
127
solicit
V. request earnestly; seek. Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to pass the mayor tele¬phoned all the members of the city council to solicit their votes.
128
solicitous
ADJ. worried; concerned. The employer was very solicitous about the health of her employees as replace¬ments were difficult to get.
129
soliloquy
N. talking to oneself. The soliloquy is a device used by the dramatist to reveal a character's innermost thoughts and emotions.
130
solitude
N. state of being alone; seclusion. Much depends on how much you like your own company. What to one per¬son seems fearful isolation to another is blessed solitude.
131
soluble
ADJ. able to be dissolved; able to be explained. Sugar is soluble in water; put a sugar cube in water and it will quickly dissolve.
132
solvent
ADJ. able to pay all debts. By dint of very frugal liv¬ing he was finally able to become solvent and avoid bank¬ruptcy proceedings.
133
somber
ADJ. gloomy; depressing; dark; drab. From the doctor's grim expression I could tell he had somber news. Dull brown and charcoal gray are pretty somber colors; can't you wear something bright
134
somnambulist
N. sleepwalker. The most famous somnam¬bulist in literature is Lady Macbeth; her monologue in the sleepwalking scene is one of the highlights of Shake¬speare's play.
135
somnolent
ADJ. half asleep. The heavy meal and the over¬heated room made us all somnolent and indifferent to the speaker.
136
sonorous
ADJ. resonant. His sonorous voice resounded through the hall.
137
sophisticated
ADJ. worldly-wise and urbane; complex. When Sophie makes wisecracks she thinks she sounds sophisticated but instead she sounds sophomoric. The new IBM laptop with the butterfly keyboard and the built-in quadspeed FAX modem is a pretty sophisticated machine.
138
sophistry
N. seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning. Instead of advancing valid arguments he tried to over¬whelm his audience with a flood of sophistries.
139
sophomoric
ADJ. immature; half-baked like a sophomore. Even if you're only a freshman it's no compliment to be told your humor is sophomoric. The humor in Dumb and Dumber is sophomoric at best.
140
soporific
ADJ. sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness. Pro¬fessor Pringle's lectures were so soporific that even he fell asleep in class. also N.
141
sordid
ADJ. filthy; base; vile. The social worker was angered by the sordid housing provided for the homeless.
142
sovereign
ADJ. efficacious; supreme or paramount; self¬governing. Professor Pennywhistle claimed his panacea was a sovereign cure for all chronic complaints. In medi-cine the sovereign task of the doctor is to do no harm. Rebelling against the mother country the onetime colony now proclaimed itself a sovereign state. also N.
143
spangle
N. small metallic piece sewn to clothing for orna¬mentation. The thousands of spangles on her dress sparkled in the glare of the stage lights.
144
sparse
ADJ. not thick; thinly scattered; scanty. No matter how carefully Albert combed his hair to make it look as full as possible it still looked sparse.
145
spartan
ADJ. avoiding luxury and comfort; sternly disci¬plined. Looking over the bare unheated room with its hard cot he wondered what he was doing in such spartan quar¬ters. Only his spartan sense of duty kept him at his post.
146
spasmodic
ADJ. fitful; periodic. The spasmodic coughing in the auditorium annoyed the performers.
147
spat
N. squabble; minor dispute. What had started out as a mere spat escalated into a full-blown argument.
148
spate
N. sudden flood or strong outburst; a large number or amount. After the spate of angry words that came pour¬ing out of him Mary was sure they would never be recon¬ciled.
149
spatial
ADJ. relating to space. NASA is engaged in an ongoing program of spatial exploration. When Jay says he's studying spatial relations that doesn't mean he has rela¬tives in outer space.
150
spatula
N. broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing. The manufacturers of this frying pan recommend the use of a rubber spatula to avoid scratching the specially treated surface.
151
spawn
V. lay eggs. Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon returning to spawn in their native streams. also N.
152
specious
ADJ. seemingly reasonable but incorrect; mis¬leading (often intentionally). To claim that because houses and birds both have wings both can fly is extremely spe¬cious reasoning.
153
spectrum
N. colored band produced when beam of light passes through a prism. The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end and violet at the other.
154
spendthrift
N. someone who wastes money. Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into spendthrifts who shop till they drop.
155
sphinx-like
ADJ. enigmatic; mysterious. The Mona Lisa's sphinx-like expression has intrigued and mystified art lovers for centuries.
156
splice
V. fasten together; unite. Before you splice two strips of tape together be sure to line them up evenly. also N.
157
spontaneity
N. lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint. When Anne and Amy met Amy impulsively hugged her new colleague but Anne drew back unpre¬pared for such spontaneity. The cast over-rehearsed the play so much that the eventual performance lacked any spontaneity. spontaneousADJ.
158
sporadic
ADJ. occurring irregularly. Although you can still hear sporadic outbursts of laughter and singing outside the big Halloween parade has passed; the party's over till next year.
159
sportive
ADJ. playful. Such a sportive attitude is surprising in a person as serious as you usually are.
160
spry
ADJ. vigorously active; nimble. She was eighty years old yet still spry and alert.
161
spurious
ADJ. false; counterfeit; forged; illogical. The antique dealer hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels gives the reader tips on how to tell spurious antiques from the real thing. Natasha's claim to be the lost heir of the Romanoffs was spurious: the only thing Russian about her was the vodka she drank!
162
spurn
V. reject; scorn. The heroine spurned the villain's advances.
163
squabble
N. minor quarrel; bickering. Children invariably get involved in petty squabbles; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let the children work things out on their own.
164
squalor
N. filth; degradation; dirty neglected state. Rusted broken-down cars in its yard trash piled up on the porch tar paper peeling from the roof the shack was the picture of squalor. squalidADJ.
165
squander
V. waste. If you squander your allowance on candy and comic books you won't have any money left to buy the new box of crayons you want.
166
squat
ADJ. stocky; short and thick. Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat squat sturdy little creatures fond of good ale good music and good mushrooms.
167
staccato
ADJ. played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound. His staccato speech reminded one of the sound of a machine gun.
168
stagnant
ADJ. motionless; stale; dull. Mosquitoes com¬monly breed in ponds of stagnant water. Mike's career was stagnant; it wasn't going anywhere and neither was he! stagnateV.
169
staid
ADJ. sober; sedate. Her conduct during the funeral ceremony was staid and solemn.
170
stalemate
N. deadlock. Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a stalemate; neither side is willing to budge from previously stated positions.
171
stalwart
ADJ. strong brawny; steadfast. His consistent support of the party has proved that he is a stalwart and loyal member. also N.
172
stamina
N. strength; staying power. I doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the marathon race.
173
stanch
V. check flow of blood. It is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we attend to the other injuries.
174
stanza
N. division of a poem. Do you know the last stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner"
175
static
ADJ. unchanging; lacking development. Why watch chess on TV I like watching a game with action not some¬thing static where nothing seems to be going on.
176
statute
N. law enacted by the legislature. The statute of limitations sets the limits on how long you have to take legal action in specific cases.
177
steadfast
ADJ. loyal; unswerving. Penelope was steadfast in her affections faithfully waiting for Ulysses to return from his wanderings.
178
stealth
N. slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness. Fearing detection by the sentries on duty the scout inched his way toward the enemy camp with great stealth.
179
steep
V. soak; saturate. Be sure to steep the fabric in the dyebath for the full time prescribed.
180
stellar
ADJ. pertaining to the stars. He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance.
181
stem
V. check the flow. The paramedic used a tourniquet to stem the bleeding from the slashed artery.
182
stem from
V. arise from. Milton's problems in school stemmed from his poor study habits.
183
stereotype
N. fixed and unvarying representation; stan¬dardized mental picture often reflecting prejudice. Critics object to the character of Jim in The Adventures of Huckle-berry Finn because he seems to reflect the stereotype of the happy ignorant slave.
184
stifle
V. suppress; extinguish; inhibit. Halfway through the boring lecture Laura gave up trying to stifle her yawns.
185
stigma
N. token of disgrace; brand. I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely.
186
stigmatize
V. brand; mark as wicked. I do not want to stig¬matize this young offender for life by sending her to prison.
187
stilted
ADJ. bombastic; inflated. His stilted rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they were immune to bom¬bastic utterances.
188
stint
N. supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work. He performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly. alsoV.
189
stint
V. be thrifty; set limits. "Spare no expense the bride's father said, refusing to stint on the wedding arrange¬ments.
190
stipend
N. pay for services. There is a nominal stipend for this position.
191
stipulate
V. make express conditions; specify. Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe the president stipulated that NATO inspection teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.
192
stodgy
ADJ. stuffy; boringly conservative. For a young per¬son Winston seems remarkably stodgy: you'd expect someone his age to show a little more life.
193
Stoic
ADJ. impassive; unmoved by joy or grief. I wasn't par¬ticularly stoic when I had my flu shot; I squealed like a stuck pig. also N.
194
stoke
V. stir up a fire; feed plentifully. As a Scout Marisa learned how to light a fire how to stoke it if it started to die down and how to extinguish it completely.
195
stolid
ADJ. dull; impassive. The earthquake shattered Stu¬art's usual stolid demeanor; trembling he crouched on the no longer stable ground.
196
stratagem
N. deceptive scheme. We saw through his clever stratagem.
197
stratify
V. divide into classes; be arranged into strata. As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased Roman society grew increasingly stratified.
198
stratum
N. layer of earth's surface; layer of society. Unless we alleviate conditions in the lowest stratum of our society we may expect grumbling and revolt.
199
strew
V. spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter. Preceding the bride to the altar the flower girl will strew rose petals along the aisle.
200
striated
ADJ. marked with parallel bands; grooved. The glacier left many striated rocks. striateV.
201
stricture
N. restriction; adverse criticism. Huck regularly disobeyed Miss Watson's rules and strictures upon his behavior: he wouldn't wear shoes no matter what she said.
202
strident
ADJ. loud and harsh; insistent. Whenever Sue became angry she tried not to raise her voice; she had no desire to appear strident.
203
stringent
ADJ. binding; rigid. I think these regulations are too stringent.
204
strut
N. pompous walk; swagger. Looking at his self¬important strut as he swaggered about the parade ground I could tell Colonel Blimp thought highly of himself. alsoV.
205
strut
N. supporting bar. The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced. (sec¬ondary meaning)
206
studied
ADJ. not spontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful. Given Jill's previous slights Jack felt that the omission of his name from the guest list was a studied insult.
207
stultify
V. cause to appear or become stupid or inconsis¬tent; frustrate or hinder. His long hours in the blacking fac¬tory left young Dickens numb and incurious as if the menial labor had stultified his brain.
208
stupefy
V. make numb; stun; amaze. Disapproving of drugs in general Laura refused to take sleeping pills or any other medicine that might stupefy her. stupefaction N.
209
stupor
N. state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness. In his stupor the addict was unaware of the events taking place around him.
210
stymie
V. present an obstacle; stump. The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the robbery inves¬tigation. also N.
211
suavity
N. banity; polish. The elegant actor is particularly good in roles that require suavity and sophistication.
212
subdued
ADJ. less intense; quieter. Bob liked the subdued lighting at the restaurant because he thought it was roman¬tic. I just thought it was dimly lit.
213
subjective
ADJ. occurring or taking place within the subject; unreal. Your analysis is highly subjective; you have permit¬ted your emotions and your opinions to color your thinking.
214
subjugate
V. conquer; bring under control. It is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations.
215
sublime
ADJ. exalted or noble and uplifting; utter. Lucy was in awe of Desi's sublime musicianship while he was in awe of her sublime naiveté.
216
subliminal
ADJ. below the threshold. We may not be aware of the subliminal influences that affect our thinking.
217
submissive
ADJ. yielding; timid. When he refused to permit Elizabeth to marry her poet Mr. Barrett expected her to be properly submissive; instead she eloped!
218
subordinate
ADJ. occupying a lower rank; inferior; submis¬sive. Bishop Proudie's wife expected all the subordinate clergy to behave with great deference to the wife of their superior.
219
suborn
V. persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury). In The Godfather the mobsters used bribery and threats to suborn the witnesses against Don Michael Cor¬leone.
220
subpoena
N. writ summoning a witness to appear. The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a subpoena on the reluctant witness. alsoV.
221
subsequent
ADJ. following; later. In subsequent lessons we shall take up more difficult problems.
222
subservient
ADJ. behaving like a slave; servile; obse¬quious. He was proud and dignified; he refused to be sub¬servient to anyone.
223
subside
V. settle down; descend; grow quiet. The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside.
224
subsidiary
ADJ. subordinate; secondary. This information may be used as subsidiary evidence but is not sufficient by itself to prove your argument. also N.
225
subsidy
N. direct financial aid by government etc. Without this subsidy American ship operators would not be able to compete in world markets.
226
subsistence
N. existence; means of support; livelihood. In these days of inflated prices my salary provides a mere subsistence.
227
substantial
ADJ. ample; solid; in essentials. The generous scholarship represented a substantial sum of money.
228
substantiate
V. establish by evidence; verify; support. These endorsements from satisfied customers substantiate our claim that Barron's How to Prepare for the SAT I is the best SAT-prep book on the market.
229
substantive
ADJ. essential; pertaining to the substance. Although the delegates were aware of the importance of the problem they could not agree on the substantive issues.
230
subterfuge
N. pretense; evasion. As soon as we realized that you had won our support by a subterfuge we withdrew our endorsement of your candidacy.
231
subtlety
N. perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy. Never obvious she expressed herself with such subtlety that her remarks went right over the heads of most of her audience. subtleADJ.
232
subversive
ADJ. tending to overthrow; destructive. At first glance the notion that styrofoam cups may actually be more ecologically sound than paper cups strikes most envi¬ronmentalists as subversive.
233
succinct
ADJ. brief; terse; compact. Don't bore your audi ence with excess verbiage: be succinct.
234
succor
V. aid; assist; comfort. If you believe that con man has come here to succor you in your hour of need you're an even bigger sucker than I thought. also N.
235
succulent
ADJ. juicy; full of richness. To some people Florida citrus fruits are more succulent than those from Cali¬fornia. also N.
236
succumb
V. yield; give in; die. I succumb to temptation whenever I see chocolate.
237
suffragist
N. advocate of voting rights (for women). In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women Con¬gress authorized coining a silver dollar honoring the suf¬fragistSusan B. Anthony
238
sully
V. tarnish; soil. He felt that it was beneath his dignity to sully his hands in such menial labor.
239
sultry
ADJ. sweltering. He could not adjust himself to the sultryclimate of the tropics.
240
summation
N. act of finding the total; summary. In his summation the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by the two witnesses.
241
summit
N. utmost height or pinnacle; highest point (of a mountain etc.) The summit of the amateur mountain climber's aspirations was someday to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
242
sumptuous
ADJ. lavish; rich. I cannot recall when I have had such a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast.
243
sunder
V. separate; part. Northern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously sundered.
244
supercilious
ADJ. arrogant; condescending; patronizing. The supercilious headwaiter sneered at customers whom he thought did not fit in at a restaurant catering to an ultra¬fashionable crowd.
245
superficial
ADJ. trivial; shallow. Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem I cannot give you more than a passing grade.
246
superfluous
ADJ. unnecessary; excessive; overabundant. Betsy lacked the heart to tell June that the wedding present she brought was superfluous; she and Bob had already received five toasters. Please try not to include so many superfluous details in your report; just give me the facts. superfluity N.
247
superimpose
V. place over something else. Your attempt to superimpose another agency in this field will merely increase the bureaucratic nature of our government.
248
supersede
V. cause to be set aside; replace; make obso¬lete. The new bulk mailing postal regulation supersedes the old one. If you continue to follow the old regulation your bulk mailing will be returned to you.
249
supplant
V. replace; usurp. Bolingbroke later to be known as King Henry IV fought to supplant his cousin Richard III as King of England.
250
supple
ADJ. flexible; pliant. Years of yoga exercises made Grace's body supple.
251
supplicate
V. petition humbly; pray to grant a favor. We supplicate Your Majesty to grant him amnesty.
252
supposition
N. hypothesis; the act of supposing. I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he would be discreet. supposeV.
253
suppress
V. stifle; overwhelm; subdue; inhibit. Too polite to laugh in anyone's face Roy did his best to suppress his amusement at Ed's inane remark.
254
surfeit
V. satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything. Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabun¬dance of holiday treats. also N.
255
surly
ADJ. rude; cross. Because of his surly attitude many people avoided his company.
256
surmise
V. guess. I surmise that he will be late for this meeting. also N.
257
surmount
V. overcome. Could Helen Keller blind and deaf since childhood surmount her physical disabilities and lead a productive life
258
surpass
V. exceed. Her SAT I scores surpassed our expectations.
259
surreptitious
ADJ. secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden. Hoping to discover where his mom had hidden the Christmas pre¬sents Timmy took a surreptitious peek into the master bed¬room closet.
260
surrogate
N. substitute. For a fatherless child a male teacher may become a father surrogate.
261
surveillance
N. watching; guarding. The FBI kept the house under constant surveillance in the hope of capturing all the criminals at one time
262
susceptible
ADJ. impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance as to a disease; receptive to. Said the patent medicine man to his very susceptible customer: "Buy this new miracle drug and you will no longer be sus¬ceptible to the common cold."
263
sustain
V. experience; support; nourish. He sustained such a severe injury that the doctors feared he would be unable to work to sustain his growing family.
264
sustenance
N. means of support food nourishment. In the tropics the natives find sustenance easy to obtain due to all the fruit trees.
265
suture
N. stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing. We will remove the sutures as soon as the wound heals. alsoV.
266
swagger
V. behave arrogantly or pompously; strut or walk proudly. The conquering hero didn't simply stride down the street; he swaggered. also N.
267
swarm
N. dense moving crowd; large group of honey¬bees. At the height of the city hall scandals a constant swarm of reporters followed the mayor everywhere. alsoV.
268
swarthy
ADJ. dark; dusky. Despite the stereotypes not all Italians are swarthy many are fair and blond.
269
swathe
V. wrap around; bandage. When I visited him in the hospital I found him swathed in bandages.
270
swelter
V. be oppressed by heat. I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I do not intend to swelter through another hot and humid summer.
271
swerve
V. deviate; turn aside sharply. The car swerved wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel.
272
swill
V. drink greedily. Singing "Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum Long John Silver and his fellow pirates swilled their grog.
273
swindler
N. cheat. She was gullible and trusting an easy victim for the first swindler who came along.
274
sybarite
N. lover of luxury. Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury.
275
sycophant
N. servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man. Fed up with the toadies and flunkies who made up his entourage the star cried "Get out all of you! I'm sick of sycophants!" sycophancy N.
276
symbiosis
N. interdependent relationship (between groups species) often mutually beneficial. Both the croco¬dile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their symbio¬sis: pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth the bird receives nourishment; the croco¬dile meanwhile receives proper dental hygiene. symbioticADJ.
277
symmetry
N. arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity. Something lopsided by definition lacks symmetry.
278
synoptic
ADJ. providing a general overview; summary. The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts for a synoptic account of what was new in the field. synop-SiS N.
279
synthesis
N. combining parts into a whole. Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug our next problem is to plan its synthesis in the laboratory. synthesizeV.
280
table
V. set aside a resolution or proposal for future con¬sideration. Because we seem unable to agree on this issue at the moment let us table the motion for now and come back to it at a later date.
281
tacit
ADJ. understood; not put into words. We have a tacit agreement based on only a handshake.
282
taciturn
ADJ. habitually silent; talking little. The stereotypi¬cal cowboy is a taciturn soul answering lengthy questions with a "Yep" or "Nope."
283
tactile
ADJ. pertaining to the organs or sense of touch. His callused hands had lost their tactile sensitivity.
284
taint
V. contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad. One speck of dirt on your utensils may contain enough germs to taint an entire batch of preserves.
285
talisman
N. charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune. Joe believed the carved pendant he found in Vietnam served him as a talisman and brought him safely through the war.
286
talon
N. claw of bird. The falconer wore a leather gauntlet to avoid being clawed by the hawk's talons.
287
tangential
ADJ. peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing. Despite Clark's attempts to distract her with tan¬gential remarks Lois kept on coming back to her main question: why couldn't he come out to dinner with Super¬man and her
288
tangible
ADJ. able to be touched; real; palpable. Although Tom did not own a house he had several tangible assets-a car a television a PC-that he could sell if he needed cash.
289
tanner
N. person who turns animal hides into leather. Using a solution of tanbark the tannertreated the cowhide transforming it into supple leather.
290
tantalize
V. tease; torture with disappointment. Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother with candy; he knew the boy was forbidden to have it.
291
tantamount
ADJ. equivalent in effect or value. Though Rudy claimed his wife was off visiting friends his shriek of horror when she walked into the room was tantamount to a confession that he believed she was dead.
292
tantrum
N. fit of petulance; caprice. The child learned that he could have almost anything if he had a tantrum.
293
tarantula
N. venomous spider. We need an antitoxin to counteract the bite of the tarantula.
294
tarry
V. delay; dawdle. We can't tarry if we want to get to the airport on time.
295
taut
ADJ. tight; ready. The captain maintained that he ran a taut ship.
296
tautological
ADJ. needlessly repetitious. In the sentence "It was visible to the eye " the phrase "to the eye" is tautological.
297
tautology
N. unnecessary repetition. "Joyful happiness" is an illustration of tautology.
298
tawdry
ADJ. cheap and gaudy. He won a few tawdry trin¬kets in Coney Island.
299
tedious
ADJ. boring; tiring. The repetitious nature of work on the assembly line made Martin's job very tedious. tedium N.
300
temerity
N. boldness; rashness. Do you have the temerity to argue with me
301
temper
V. moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel). Not even her supervisor's grumpiness could temper Nancy's enthusiasm for her new job.
302
temperament
N. characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess. Although the twins look alike they differ markedly in temperament: Todd is calm but Rod is excitable.
303
temperate
ADJ. restrained; self-controlled; moderate in respect to temperature. Try to be temperate in your eating this holiday season; if you control your appetite you won't gain too much weight.
304
tempestuous
ADJ. stormy; impassioned; violent. Racket¬throwing tennis star John McEnroe was famed for his dis¬plays of tempestuous temperament.
305
tempo
N. speed of music. I find the band's tempo too slow for such a lively dance.
306
temporal
ADJ. not lasting forever; limited by time; secular. At onetime in our history temporal rulers assumed that they had been given their thrones by divine right.
307
temporize
V. avoid commiting oneself; gain time. I cannot permit you to temporize any longer; I must have a definite answer today.
308
tenacious
ADJ. holding fast. I had to struggle to break his tenacious hold on my arm.
309
tenacity
N. firmness; persistence. Jean Valjean could not believe the tenacity of Inspector Javert. Here all Valjean had done was to steal a loaf of bread and the inspector had pursued him doggedly for twenty years!
310
tendentious
ADJ. having an aim; biased; designed to fur¬ther a cause. The editorials in this periodical are tenden¬tious rather than truth-seeking.
311
tender
V. offer; extend. Although no formal charges had been made against him in the wake of the recent scandal the mayor felt he should tender his resignation.
312
tenet
N. doctrine; dogma. The agnostic did not accept the tenets of their faith.
313
tensile
ADJ. capable of being stretched. Mountain climbers must know the tensile strength of their ropes. tentative ADJ. hesitant; not fully worked out or developed; experimental; not definite or positive. Unsure of his wel¬come at the Christmas party Scrooge took a tentative step into his nephew's drawing room.
314
tenuous
ADJ. thin; rare; slim. The allegiance of our allies is held by rather tenuous ties.
315
tenure
N. holding of an office; time during which such an office is held. He has permanent tenure in this position and cannot be fired.
316
tepid
ADJ. lukewarm. During the summer I like to take a tepid bath not a hot one.
317
termination
N. end. Though the time for termination of the project was near we still had a lot of work to finish before we shut up shop. terminateV.
318
terminology
N. terms used in a science or art. The special terminology developed by some authorities in the field has done more to confuse the layman than to enlighten him. terminus N. last stop of railroad. After we reached the rail¬road terminus we continued our journey into the wilderness on saddle horses.
319
terrestrial
ADJ. earthly (as opposed to celestial); pertaining to the land. In many science fiction films alien invaders from outer space plan to destroy all terrestrial life.
320
terse
ADJ. concise; abrupt; pithy. There is a fine line between speech that is terse and to the point and speech that is too abrupt.
321
testy
ADJ. irritable; short-tempered. My advice is to avoid discussing this problem with him today as he is rather testy and may shout at you.
322
tether
V. tie with a rope. Before we went to sleep we teth¬ered the horses to prevent their wandering off during the night.
323
thematic
ADJ. relating to a unifying motif or idea. Those who think of Moby Dick as a simple adventure story about whaling miss its underlying thematic import.
324
theocracy
N. government run by religious leaders. Though some Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower favored the establish¬ment of a theocracy in New England many of their fellow voyagers preferred a nonreligious form of government.
325
theoretical
ADJ. not practical or applied; hypothetical. Bob was better at applied engineering and computer program¬ming than he was at theoretical physics and math. While I can still think of some theoretical objections to your plan you've convinced me of its basic soundness.
326
therapeutic
ADJ. curative. Now better known for its race¬track Saratoga Springs first gained attention for the thera¬peutic qualities of its famous "healing waters." therapy N.
327
thermal
ADJ. pertaining to heat. The natives discovered that the hot springs made excellent thermal baths and began to develop their community as a health resort. also N.
328
thespian
ADJ. pertaining to drama. Her success in the school play convinced her she was destined for a thespian career. also N.
329
threadbare
ADJ. worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor. The poor adjunct professor hid the threadbare spots on his jacket by sewing leather patches on his sleeves.
330
thrifty
ADJ. careful about money; economical. A thrifty shopper compares prices before making major purchases.
331
thrive
V. prosper; flourish. Despite the impact of the reces¬sion on the restaurant trade Philip's cafe thrived.
332
throes
N. violent anguish. The throes of despair can be as devastating as the spasms accompanying physical pain.
333
throng
N. crowd. Throngs of shoppers jammed the aisles. alsoV.
334
thwart
V. baffle; frustrate. He felt that everyone was trying to thwart his plans and prevent his success.
335
tightwad
N. excessively frugal person; miser. Jill called Jack a tightwad because he never picked up the check.
336
tiller
N. handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer). Fearing the wind might shift suddenly and capsize the skiff Tom kept one hand on the tiller at all times.
337
timidity
N. lack of self-confidence or courage. If you are to succeed as a salesman you must first lose your timidity and fear of failure.
338
timorous
ADJ. fearful; demonstrating fear. His timorous manner betrayed the fear he felt at the moment.
339
tirade
N. extended scolding; denunciation; harangue. Every time the boss holds a meeting he goes into a lengthy tirade scolding us for everything from tardiness to padding our expenses.
340
titanic
ADJ. gigantic. Titanic waves beat against the majes¬tic S.S. Titanic driving it against the concealed iceberg.
341
title
N. right or claim to possession; mark of rank; name (of a book film etc.). Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held title to the family estate he still retained his title as head of one of England's oldest families.
342
titter
N. nervous laugh. Her aunt's constant titter nearly drove her mad. alsoV.
343
titular
ADJ. nominal holding of title without obligations. Although he was the titular head of the company the real decisions were made by his general manager.
344
toady
N. servile flatterer; yes man. Never tell the boss any¬thing he doesn't wish to hear: he doesn't want an indepen¬dent adviser he just wants a toady. alsoV.
345
tome
N. large volume. He spent much time in the libraries poring over ancient tomes.
346
tonic
ADJ. invigorating; refreshing. The tart homemade ginger ale had a tonic effect on Kit: she perked right up. also N.
347
topography
N. physical features of a region. Before the generals gave the order to attack they ordered a complete study of the topography of the region.
348
torpor
N. lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy. Throughout the winter nothing aroused the bear from his torpor: he would not emerge from hibernation until spring. torpidADJ.
349
torrent
N. rushing stream; flood. Day after day of heavy rain saturated the hillside until the water ran downhill in tor¬rents. torrentialADJ.
350
torrid
ADJ. passionate; hot or scorching. Harlequin Romances publish torrid tales of love affairs some set in torrid climates.
