Top Words Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Abate

A

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

As the hurricane’s force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Abscond

A

to leave secretly

The patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Abstain

A

to choose not to do something

She ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Abyss

A

an extremely deep hole

The submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart the previously unseen depths.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Adulterate

A

to make impure

The chef made his ketchup last longer by ADULTERATING it with water.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Advocate

A

to speak in favor of

The vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Aesthetic

A

concerning the appreciation of beauty

Followers of the AESTHETIC Movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Aggrandize

A

to increase in power, influence, and reputation

The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Alleviate

A

to make more bearable

Taking aspirin helps ALLEVIATE a headache.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Amalgamate

A

to combine; to mix together

Giant Industries AMALGAMATED with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Ambiguous

A

doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

The directions she gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Ameliorate

A

to make better; to improve

The doctor was able to AMELIORATE the patient’s suffering using painkillers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Anachronism

A

something out of place in time

The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases like groovy and far out that had not been popular for years.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Analogous

A

similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

In the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to the mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent “clockmaker.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Anomaly

A

deviation from what is normal

Albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Antagonize

A

to annoy or provoke to anger

The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Antipathy

A

extreme dislike

The ANTIPATHY between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Apathy

A

lack of interest or emotion

The APATHY of voters is so great that less then half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Arbitrate

A

to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Archaic

A

ancient; old-fashioned

Her ARCHAIC Commodore computer could not run the latest software.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Ardor

A

intense and passionate feeling

Bishop’s ARDOR for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hundson Valley.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Articulate

A

able to speak clearly and expressively

She is such and ARTICULATE defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Assuage

A

to make something unpleasant less severe

Serena used aspirin to ASSUAGE her pounding headache.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Attenuate

A

to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

The Bill of Rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of governments to change laws at will.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Audacious

A

fearless and daring

Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Austere

A

severe of stern in appearance; undecorated

The last of decoration makes military barracks seem AUSTERE to the civilian eye.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Banal

A

predictable, cliched, boring

He used BANAL phrases like “have a nice day” or “another day, another dollar.”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Bolster

A

to support; to prop up

The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Sasquatch was in the area.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Bombastic

A

pompous in speech and manner

The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly BOMBASTIC; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Cacophony

A

harsh, jarring noise

The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable CACOPHONY as they tried to tune their instruments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Candid

A

impartial and honest in speech

The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID and unpretentious.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Capricious

A

changing one’s mind quickly and often

Queen Elizabeth I was quite CAPRICIOUS;her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Castigate

A

to punish or criticize harshly

Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore CASTIGATE perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Catalyst

A

something that brings about a change in something else

The imposition of harsh taxes was the CATALYST that finally brought on the revolution.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Caustic

A

biting in wit

Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for CAUSTIC wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Chaos

A

great disorder of confusion

In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from CHAOS.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Chauvinist

A

someone prejudice in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male CHAUVINISTS.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Chicanery

A

deceptions by means of craft of guile

Dishonest used car sales people often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Cogent

A

convincing and well reasoned

Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Condone

A

to overlook, pardon, or disregard

Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Convoluted

A

intricate and complicated

Although any people bought “A Brief History of Time,” few could follow its CONVOLUTED ideas and theories.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Corroborate

A

to provide supporting evidence

Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness’s testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim’s apartment.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Credulous

A

too trusting; gullible

Although some four-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds believe in him.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Crescendo

A

steadily increasing volume or force

The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school bus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Decorum

A

appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a visit to the palace.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Deference

A

respect, courtesy

The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost DEFERENCE.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Deride

A

to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

The awkward child was often DERIDED by his “cooler” peers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Desiccate

A

to dry out thoroughly

After a few weeks of lying in the desert’s baking sands, the cow’s carcass became completely DESICCATED.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Desultory

A

jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

Diane had a DESULTORY academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Diatribe

A

an abusive, condemnatory speech

The trucker bellowed a DIATRIBE at the other driver who had cut him off.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Diffident

A

lacking self-confidence

Steve’s DIFFIDENT manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Dilate

A

to make larger; to expand

When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes DILATE to let in more light.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Dilatory

A

intended to delay

The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Dilettante

A

someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

Jerry’s friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have anew jobs and hobbies every week.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Dirge

A

a funeral hymn or mournful speech

Melville wrote the poem “A DIRGE for James McPherson” for the funeral of a Union general who was killed 1864.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Disabuse

A

to set right; to free from error

Galileo’s observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Discern

A

to perceive; to recognize

It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Disparate

A

fundamentally different; entirely unlike

Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are DISPARATE.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Dissemble

A

to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer-he admitted the deed and tor up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

Dissonance

A

a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds

Cognitive DISSONANCE is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Dogma

A

a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

Linus’s central DOGMA was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Dogmatic

A

dictatorial in one’s opinions

The dictator was DOGMATIC-he, and only he, was right.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Dupe

A

to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing as a lady rabbit.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

Eclectic

A

selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

Budapest’s architecture is an ECLECTIC mix of Eastern and Western styles.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

Efficacy

A

effectiveness

The EFFICACY of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

Elegy

A

a sorrowful poem or speech

Although Thomas Gray’s “ELEGY Written in a Country Churchyard” is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

Eloquent

A

persuasive and moving, especially in speech

The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its ELOQUENT words.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

Emulate

A

to copy; to try to equal or excel

The graduate student sought to EMULATE his professor in every way, coping not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Enervate

A

to reduce in strength

The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Engender

A

to produce, cause, or bring about

His fear and hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

Enigma

A

a puzzle, a mystery

Speaking in riddles and dressed in old rags, the artist gained a reputation as something of an ENIGMA.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

Enumerate

A

to count, list, or itemize

Moses retuned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were ENUMERATED.

73
Q

Ephemeral

A

lasting a short time

The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies’ average life span is a matter of hours.

74
Q

Equivocate

A

to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

When faced with criticism of her policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED and left all parties thinking she agreed with team.

75
Q

Erratic

A

wandering and unpredictable

The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of ERRATIC turns that surprised the audience.

76
Q

Erudite

A

learned, scholarly, bookish

The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUDITE, well-published individuals in the field.

77
Q

Esoteric

A

known or understood by only a few

Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ESOTERIC world of particle physics.

78
Q

Estimable

A

admirable

Most people consider it ESTIMABLE that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India.

79
Q

Eulogy

A

speech in praise of someone

His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievements and talents.

80
Q

Euphemism

A

unse of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

The funeral director preferred to use the EUPHEMISM “sleeping” instead of the word “dead”.

81
Q

Exacerbate

A

to make worse

It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only EXACERBATE the problem.

82
Q

Exculpate

A

to clear from blame; prove innocent

The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to EXCULPATE those who are innocent.

83
Q

Exigent

A

urgent; requiring immediate action

The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was EXIGENT to stop the source of the bleeding.

84
Q

Exonerate

A

to clear of blame

The fugitive was EXONERATED when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.

85
Q

Explicit

A

clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

The owners of the house left a list of EXPLICIT instruction detailing their house-sitter’s duites, including a schedule for watering the house plants.

86
Q

Fanatical

A

acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

The stormtroopers were FANATICAL in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him.

87
Q

Fawn

A

to grovel

The understudy FAWNED over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent bais.

88
Q

Fervid

A

intensely emotional; feverish

The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.

89
Q

Florid

A

excessively decorate or embellished

The palace had been decorated in a FLORID style; every surface had been carved and gilded.

90
Q

Foment

A

to arouse or incite

The protester tried to FOMENT feeling against the was through their speeches and demonstrations.

91
Q

Frugality

A

a tendency to be thrifty or cheap

Scrooge McDucks’s FRUGALITY was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money.

92
Q

Garrulous

A

tending to talk a lot

The GARRULOUS parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking.

93
Q

Guile

A

deceit or trickery

Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy.

94
Q

Gullible

A

easily deceived

The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information.

95
Q

Homogenous

A

of a similar kind

The class was fairly HOMOGENOUS, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors.

96
Q

Iconoclast

A

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as ICONOCLAST.

97
Q

Imperturbable

A

not capable of being disturbed

The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that was seemed IMPERTURBABLE, even when faced with the wildest tantrums.

98
Q

Impervious

A

quick to act without thinking

It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS, since much thought should be given to all the possible options.

99
Q

Implacable

A

unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained appear in an INCHOATE him in his earliest writing.

100
Q

Inchoate

A

not fully formed; disorganized

The ideas expressed in Nietzsche’s mature work also appear in an INCHOATE form in his earliest writing.

101
Q

Ingenuous

A

showing innocence or childlike simplicity

She was so INGENUOUS that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city.

102
Q

Inimical

A

hostile, unfriendly

Even though the children had grown up together, they were INIMICAL to each other at school.

103
Q

Innocuous

A

harmless

Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are INNOCUOUS and pose no danger to humans.

104
Q

Insipid

A

lacking interest or flavor

The critic claimed that the painting was INSIPID, containing no interesting qualities at all.

105
Q

Intransigent

A

uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled

The professor was INTRANSIGENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.

106
Q

Inundate

A

to overwhelm; to cover with water

The tidal wave INUNDATED Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water.

107
Q

Irascible

A

easily made angry

Attila the Hun’s IRASCIBLE and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives.

108
Q

Laconic

A

using few words

She was a LACONIC poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible.

109
Q

Lament

A

to express sorrow; to grieve

The children continued to LAMENT the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise.

110
Q

Laud

A

to give praise; to glorify

Parades and fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels.

111
Q

Lavish

A

to give unsparingly; extremely generous or extravagant

She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that it soon became overweight and spoiled.

112
Q

Lethargic

A

acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner

The clerk was so LETHARGIC that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him.

113
Q

Loquacious

A

talkative

She was naturally LOQUACIOUS, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking.

114
Q

Lucid

A

clear and easily understood

The explanations were written in a simple and LUCID manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned.

115
Q

Luminous

A

bright, brilliant, glowing

The park was bathed in LUMINOUS sunshine, which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors.

116
Q

Malinger

A

to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill

A common way to avoid the draft was by MALINGERING-pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the Army.

117
Q

Malleable

A

capable of being shaped

Gold is the most MALLEABLE or precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape.

118
Q

Metaphor

A

a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol

The METAPHOR “a sea of turtles” suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.

119
Q

Meticulous

A

extremely careful about details

To find all the clues at the crime scene, the investigators METICULOUSLY examined every inch of the area.

120
Q

Misanthrope

A

a person who dislikes others

The character Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol” is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.

121
Q

Mitigate

A

to soften; to lessen

A judge may MITIGATE a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need.

122
Q

Mollify

A

to calm or make less severe

Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would MOLLIFY them.

123
Q

Monotony

A

lack of variation

The MONOTONY of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy.

124
Q

Naive

A

lacking sophistication or experience

Having never traveled before, the elementary school students were more NAIVE than their high school counterparts on the field trip.

125
Q

Obdurate

A

hardened in feeling, resistant to persuasion

The president was completely OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuasion wold change his mind.

126
Q

Obsequious

A

overly submissive and eager to please

The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor’s tie and agree with him on every issue.

127
Q

Obstinate

A

stubborn, unyielding

The OBSTINATE child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked.

128
Q

Obviate

A

to prevent; to make unnecessary

The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge.

129
Q

Occlude

A

to stop up; to prevent the passage of

A shadow is thrown across the earth’s surface during a solar eclipse,when the light from the sun is OCCLUDED by the moon.

130
Q

Onerous

A

troublesome and oppressive; burdensome

The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it.

131
Q

Opaque

A

impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light

The heavy buildup of dirt and grime on windows almost made them OPAQUE.

132
Q

Opprobrium

A

public disgrace

After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter OPPROBRIUM.

133
Q

Ostentation

A

excessive showiness

The OSTENTATION of the Sun King’s court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.

134
Q

Paradox

A

a contradiction of dilemma

It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.

135
Q

Paragon

A

model of excellence or prefection

She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be; honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.

136
Q

Pedenat

A

someone who shows off learning

The graduate instructor’s tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT.

137
Q

Perfidious

A

willing to betray one’s trust

The actress’s PERIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist.

138
Q

Perfunctory

A

done in a routine way; indifferent

The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a PERFUNCTORY smile.

139
Q

Permeate

A

to penetrate

This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to PERMEATE stains and dissolve them in minutes.

140
Q

Philanthropy

A

charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness

New York’s Metropolitan Meseum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum.

141
Q

Placate

A

to soothe or pacify

The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by saying “Nice Doggy,” and offering it a treat.

142
Q

Plastic

A

able to molded,altered, or bent

The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes.

143
Q

Plethora

A

excess

Assuming that more was better, the defendant affered the judge a PLETHORA of excess.

144
Q

Pragmatic

A

practical as opposed to idealistic

While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, PRAGMATIC gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them.

145
Q

Precipitate

A

to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation

Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each other only two months, friends and family members expected such a PRECIPITATE marriage to end in divorce.

146
Q

Prevaricate

A

to lie or deviate from the truth

Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.

147
Q

Pristine

A

fresh and clean; uncorrupted

Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the acrcheological site was still PRISTINE when researchers arrived.

148
Q

Prodigal

A

lavish, wasteful

The PRODIGAL son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure.

149
Q

Proliferate

A

to increase in number quickly

Although she only kept two guinea pigs initially, they PROLIFERATED to such an extent that she soon had dozens.

150
Q

Propitiate

A

to conciliate; to appease

The management PROPITAITED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.

151
Q

Propriety

A

correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs

The aristocracy maintained a high level of PROPRIETY, adhering to even the most minor social rules.

151
Q

Prudence

A

wisdom, caution, or restraint

The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her resume.

152
Q

Pungent

A

sharp and irritating to the senses

The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT.

153
Q

Quiescent

A

motionless

Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.

154
Q

Rarefy

A

to make thinner or sparser

Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too this to breathe.

155
Q

Repudiate

A

to reject the validity of

The old women’s claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them.

156
Q

Reticent

A

silent, reserved

Physically small and RETICENT in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting.

157
Q

Rhetoric

A

effective writing or speaking

Lincoln’s talent for RHETORIC was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address.

158
Q

Satiate

A

to satisfy fully or overindulge

His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could SATIATE it.

159
Q

Soporific

A

causing sleep or lethargy

The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater.

160
Q

Specious

A

deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious

The student’s SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.

161
Q

Stigma

A

to mark of shame or discredit

In the “Scarlet Letter,” Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public STIGMA for her adultery.

162
Q

Stolid

A

unemotional; lacking sensitivity

The prisoner appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge’s harsh sentence.

163
Q

Sublime

A

lofty or grand

The music was so SUBLIME that it transformed the rude surroundings into a specal place.

164
Q

Tacit

A

done without using words

Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a TACIT agreement had been made about shich course of action to take.

165
Q

Taciturn

A

silent, not talkative

The clerk’s TACITURN nature earned him the nickname “Silent Bob.”

166
Q

Tirade

A

long, harsh speech or verbal attack

Observers were shocked at the manager’s TIRADE over such a minor mistake.

167
Q

Torpor

A

extreme mental and physical sluggishness

After surgery, the patient experienced TORPOR until the anesthesia wore off.

168
Q

Transitory

A

temporary, lasting a brief time

The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.

169
Q

Vacillate

A

to sway physically; to be indecisive

The customer held up the line as he VACILLATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream.

170
Q

Venerate

A

to respect deeply

In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to elders’ wisdom and experience.

171
Q

Veracity

A

filled with truth and accuracy

She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events.

172
Q

Verbose

A

wordy

The professor’s answer was so VERBOSE that his student forgot what the original question had been.

173
Q

Vex

A

to annoy

The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor’s loud music.

174
Q

Volatile

A

easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive

His VOLATILE personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything.

175
Q

Waver

A

to fluctuate between choices

If you WAVER too long before making a decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your first choice.

176
Q

Whimsical

A

acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable

The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets.

177
Q

Zeal

A

passion, excitement

She brought her typical ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members.