Vocabulary Flashcards
Profligate
Adjective and noun
Opposite of frugal/frugal person
Think: prodigal son
Parsimonious
Opposite of profligate
Extremely frugal, miserly
Calumny
Noun: the act of making a false statement to injure a person’s reputation; slander
Think: tabloids
Ingenious vs ingenuous
Ingenious: clever, original, and inventive
Ingenuous: naive and innocent; genuine; unable to mask feelings
Prevaricate
To speak in an evasive way
Think: politician evading a difficult question
Extant
Still in existence (usually referring to documents)
Demur
To object or show resistance
Laconic
Using very few words
Equivocal
Confusing, ambiguous
Maintain
To assert
Censure
To express strong disapproval
Think: to (c)ensure that a behavior does not occur
Harangue
Noun or a verb
Either a long pompous speech/tirade or deliver a long pompous speech/tirade
Qualify
verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement)
Chris qualified his love for San Francisco, adding he didn’t like the weather there as much as he liked the weather in Los Angeles.
Involved
Complicated and difficult to understand
Venality
Noun: being susceptible to corruption or bribes
Belie
To misrepresent
The smile on her face belies the pain she must feel after the death of her husband
Parochial
narrowly restricted in scope or outlook
Think: parochial schools aka religion
Abjure
Renounce, repudiate, recant, shun
Acme
Summit, peak, highest point
Aggrandize
Make greater, exaggerate
“Luke had aggrandized his credentials so much that he was fired on the spot when it was discovered that he was just a novice.”
Alacrity
Cheerful or speedy willingness
Apocryphal
Of questionable authenticity, false
Assuage
Make milder, relieve, soothe, pacify
Aver
Declare or affirm with confidence
To declare as true
When interviewed, Susan’s friends all averred that she was a trustworthy person
Balk
Refuse to proceed or to do something
Caustic
1) capable of corroding metal or burning the skin
2) very critical or sarcastic
Chauvinism
Fanatical patriotism, undue or biased devotion to any group/cause
Confer
1) consult
2) bestow
Constringe
Cause to shrink
Construe
Interpret
Conversant
Knowledgeable about
Countenance
1) (n) Facial expression or face
2) (v) Approve or tolerate
Craven
Cowardly
Credulous
Gullible, trusting too easily
Debase
Degrade, lower in quality
Default
Failure to act/fulfill an obligation
Delineate
1) Describe in detail
2) Mark outline of
Desiccate
Thoroughly dried up, dehydrated
Diatribe
Bitter anger rant or criticism
Disabuse
Free someone from a mistake in thinking
Discriminating
Discerning, having good judgement or insight
Dissembling
misleading; concealing the truth
Dispatch
1) (v) send off
2) (n) speed, promptness aka
“Need to approach every delivery with dispatch”
Gainsay
- deny or contradict (a fact or statement)
- refute, oppose
Sedition
Incitement of dissent against a government; promoting rebellion by speech or writing
“The federal prosecutor argued that the journalist’s article could be interpreted as an act of sedition since it strongly suggested that the government should be overturned”
Distill
Purify; extract the essential elements of
“Jules, it’s not necessary to read your entire PowerPoint presentation to us. Can you just distill it down to the main point?”
Divest
Deprive or strip of; to sell off holdings
Think: opposite of invest
Divine
1) Discover through divination
2) Of or like a god
3) To perceive by insight (ascertain) aka
“I read online reviews of the spa to divine whether I should go there”
Abeyance
Temporary suspension, inactivity
Occult
1) (adj) supernatural, mysterious, arcane
2) (v) to hide from view, to obscure (aka eclipse)
Blithe
Joyous, merry, excessively carefree
Eloquent
1) Marked by fluid, apt speech
2) Expressive and emotionally moving aka
“when Mom suggested that everyone might enjoy a museum instead of the each, she was met with the children’s eloquent looks of disgust”
Esoteric
Understood or intended for only a few; secret
Estimable
Worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated
Exacting
Very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention
Flag
Get tired, lose enthusiasm; hang limply or droop
Foment
Incite, instigate, stir up; apply medicated liquid to a body part
“The revolutionary group was quietly fomenting a rebellion”
Garrulous
Talkative, wordy, rambling
Gauche
Tactless, lacking social grace, unsophisticated
“Linda kept to herself at her boss’s cocktail party, lest she say something gauche and embarrass herself”
Germane
Relevant and appropriate; on-topic
Hearken
Listen, pay attention to
Bewail vs. bemoan
Bewail: lament
Bemoan: grief or disapproval
Hearken
Listen, pay attention to
Illiberality
Narrow mindedness; strictness/lack of generosity
Inasmuch
Considering that
Inchoate
Just begun, underdeveloped, unorganized
Incipient
Just beginning; in a very early stage
Incorporate
Incarnate (give physical form to; embody); form a legal corporation
Intractable
Difficult to control, manage, manipulate; stubborn
Judicious
Prudent; using good judgment
Keen
1) Sharp, piercing
2) Very perceptive or mentally sharp
3) Intense
4) Wailing or moaning
Langurous
Dreamy relaxation
Indolent
Habitually lazy
Lassitude
Tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference
Encomium
Warm, glowing praise esp. a formal expression of praise
Panegyric
Formal, lofty, or elaborate praise
The mayor extended a panegyric to all of the citizens who were fighting overseas
Levy
Collect tax from, wage war on, enlist for military service (v)
Collection of taxes, waging of war, and enlisting for military service (n)
Libertine
Morally or sexually unrestrained person; free thinking
“Don Juan is a legendary, archetypal libertine whose story has been told by many poets, such as lord Byron”
Maverick
Rebel, individualist, dissenter
Mendacious
Lying, habitually dishonest
Capricious
adj. acting on impulse, erratic; fickle
n. is caprice (inclination to change one’s mind compulsively)
Usually used in a negative way
“It is a postulate of science that the laws of nature are not capricious and that the universe is not chaotic”
“Styles in high fashion seem governed by caprice as much as anything else”
Obviate
Prevent, eliminate; make unnecessary
Officious
Meddlesome, pushy; excessively eager in giving unwanted advice or intruding
Outstrip
Surpass, exceed; be larger or better than
Partisan
(n) or (v)
devoted/devotee to a particular group, cause, etc.
Patent
Blatant, obvious
Pecadillo
Small sin or fault
Ponderous
Heavy; bulky, unwieldy; boring, labored; difficult to make your way through
Potentate
Ruler, person of great power
Preempt
Prevent; take the place of; take before someone else can
“The movie was preempted for the president’s emergency address to the nation”
Presumptive
Do not confuse with presumptuous; based on inference or assumption; providing reasonable grounds for belief
Probity
Honesty; integrity
“No one questioned the probity of the judge being considered for elevation to the US Supreme Court”
Prodigious
Extraordinarily large; impressive
Disperse vs disseminate
Disperse: something that spreads out and disappears
Disseminate: something that spreads out and remains significant
Proscribe
1) Prohibit, outlaw
2) Denounce
3) Exile or banish
Relegate
Send or commit to an inferior place, rank, etc.; exile, banish; assign (a task) to someone
Remedial
1) Providing a remedy, curative
2) Correcting a deficient skill
Render
1) Give, submit, surrender
2) Translate
3) Declare formally
4) Cause to become
Requite
1) Reciprocate
2) Repay
3) Revenge
Sanction
Can be negative or positive (negative connotation usually applies to international actions)
1) Permission or approval, something that gives support or authority to something else
2) Legal action by one or more countries against another country to get it to comply
3) To penalize
Sanguine
1) Cheerfully optimistic, hopeful
2) Reddish, ruddy
Sap
1) Inner fluid of a plant or any essential body fluid
2) Energy, vitality
3) A person taken advantage of
4) Undermine, weaken, tire out
Sedulous
Persevering, persistent, diligent in one’s efforts
“The detective was sedulous in collecting evidence to prove his client’s innocence”
Solicitious
1) Concerned or anxious about another, expressing care
2) Eager or desirous
3) Very careful
Specious
Seemingly true but actually false; deceptively attractive
“The article systematically rebuts the specious argument advanced by the so-called expert in the field”
Speculate
1) Contemplate
2) Engage in a risky business transaction, gamble
Stolid
Stoic
Unemotional, showing little emotion
Supplicate
Ask, beg, or seek in a humble way; pray humbly
Table
Lay aside to discuss later
Torrid
adj. very hot, parching, burning
adj. passionate
Transitory
Temporary, short-lived, not lasting
Unseemly
Improper, inappropriate
Viable
1) Capable of living
2) Practical, workable
Zenith
Acme, pinnacle, culmination
Equivocate
Use unclear language to deceive or avoid committing to a position
Tergiversate
Repeatedly change one’s position; equivocate
Guile
Clever deceit, cunning, craftiness
Hardy
Bold, brave, capable of withstanding hardship
Implicit
1) Implied
2) Involved in the very essence of something, unquestionable
eg. “In such a dangerous situations, it’s important to have a partner you trust implicitly”
Log
1) Keep record of; written record
2) Travel for or at a certain distance or speed
Erroneous
1) Mistaken, in error
2) Improper
3) Morally incorrect
For all
Despite
All but
Essentially
Abeyance
Temporary suspension, hiatus
“The baseball players’s contract negotiations are in abeyance while doctors try to determine whether his injuries will heal in time for the season”
Abscission
Cutting off; sudden termination; separation of parts from a plant or animal
Abscond
Depart suddenly and secretively
Accede
Agree, give consent; assume power
Acidulous
1) Slightly acid or sour
2) Sharp or caustic
Accretion
Gradual increase; an added part or addition
Adumbrate
1) Give a rough outline of
2) foreshadow
3) reveal only partially
4) obscure
Aerie
Dwelling or fortress built on a high place; the nest of a bird of prey
Amalgamate (v)
Blend, merge, unite
Amortize
Gradually pay off debt
Anodyne
Medicine that relieves pain; soothing, relieving pain
Apostate
Person who deserts a party, cause, religion, etc.
Apposite
Apt
Appropriate, suitable, or relevant
Apprise
Inform, give notice to
Think: apprendre (to learn)
Approbation
Praise or approval
v. approbate: to approve
Arrogate
Claim or take presumptuously/without the right to do so
Aseptic
1) Free from germs
2) With little or no emotion
Asperity
1) Rigor, severity
2) Harshness or sharpness of tone
3) Roughness of surface
Aspersions
Slander
Assiduous
Persevering, diligent, constant
Augury
Telling the future, such as through supernatural means
August
Venerable, majestic; inspiring admiration
Avarice
Insatiable greed; miserly desire to hoard wealth
Axiom
Self-evident truth requiring no poof; universally or generally accepted principle
adj. axiomatic (taken for granted)
“Women in non-polygamous societies often express amazement that several women could share one husband without friction, taking it as axiomatic that couples are the norm, and that any departure from it must be wrong”
Baying
Howling in a deep way
Bent
Personal inclination or tendency
“He had a pedantic bent- he was just naturally inclined to correct people’s grammar”
Bevy
Any large group
“The bar owner cringed when a bevy of women in plastic tiaras came in. ‘Another drunken bachelorette party,’ he sighed”
Bifurcate
1) (v) to fork into two branches or divide into two halves
2) (adj) split or forked
Bilk
Cheat or defraud
Blight
1) Disease that kills plants rapidly
2) Any cause of of decay or destruction
3) (v) ruin or cause to wither
Blithe
Joyous, merry; excessively carefree (so as to ignore more important concerns)
Bonhomie
Friendliness, good heartedness
Brandish
Shake, wave, or flourish, as a weapon
Brook
Suffer or tolerate
“I will brook no disobeying of the rules”
Bucolic
Suggesting a peaceful and pleasant view of rural life
Burnish
1) (v) Polish, make smooth and lustrous
2) (n) luster or shine
“The burnish of an Ivy League university”
Canard
Rumor, false or baseless story
“Most politicians do not want to be associated with the old canard that big government in Washington can solve all of America’s problems”
Catholic
Universal, broad-minded
Cloying
Disgustingly or distastefully sweet
Coagulate
Cause a liquid to become solid or semisolid
Coda
Final part of a musical composition; an ending
Coffer
1) chest for storing valuables
2) financial resources, a treasury
Compendium
n. concise but complete summary; a list or collection
“This movie review is unusually compendious–although a scant 500 words, it tells every single thing that happens in the entire film”
“I bought a lightweight poetry compendium containing a few selections each from 30 or so poets thought to represent various styles and eras”
Contumacious
Rebellious; stubbornly disobedient
Convoke
Call together, as to a meeting. Convene
“The dean has convoked this gathering to discuss the Honor Code”
Cosset
To pamper, coddle, treat as a pet
Coterie
a clique
Declaim
Speak in an impassioned, pompous, or oratorical manner
“After a drink of two, Gabe will declaim all night about campaign finance reform–you won’t be able to get a word in edgewise in between all his grandstanding and “expertise”
Cupidity
Greed, great or excessive desire
Declivity
Downward slope
“Not just any declivity can serve as a wheelchair ramp–I’m pretty sure this thing is too steep to pass regulations”
Delimit
Define the boundaries of
Demagogue
A leader who lies and gains power by arousing the passions and especially prejudices of the people
Desultory
Inconsistent, random, sporadic; going off topic
The desultory thoughts running through Mick’s mind prevented him from concentrating on the essay he had to write.
Diaphenous
Sheer, fine, translucent
Dictum
Formal pronouncement; saying or proverb
Dilate
1) Cause to expand
2) To speak or write at length, elaborate upon
Dilatory
Slow, later; procrastinating/stalling for time
Dilettante
Person who takes up an art or activity for amusement only or in a superficial way
Dirge
Funeral or mourning song/poem
“It was supposed to be a wedding march, but when the organism started playing, the reluctant bride thought the song sounded more like a dirge for her former carefree life”
Disparate
Distinct, different
Dissemble
Mislead, put on a false appearance of, conceal the truth
“He won so much money at pool halls by dissembling inexperience”
“Roxanne was used to dissembling in job interviews; when asked about the gap on her resume from 1999-2003, she would say “Oh, I was out of the workforce fulfilling some obligations”–a somewhat misleading way to describe a prison stint”
Dissolution
1) Dissolving
2) Breaking bonds/breaking up a group of people
3) Sinking into extreme vice, degradation
Distend
Swell, expand, stretch, bloat
Dither
1) Act indecisively
2) A state of fear or trembling excitement
Diurnal
1) Occurring every day
2) Happening in the daytime
Doctrinaire
Person who applies doctrine in an impractical or rigid/close-minded way; merely theoretical, impractical, or fanatic about other people accepting one’s idea
Distaff
Female, maternal side of the family
Women or women’s work
A staff that has wool for spinning
Dovetail
Join or fit together
Converge
Droll
Funny in an odd way
Dyspeptic
Grump, pessimistic, irritable
“The dyspeptic professor was so angered by a question from a student who hadn’t done the homework that he actually stomped out of class”
Edify
Uplift, enlighten, instruct or improve in a spiritual or moral way
Effigy
Representation or image of a person, esp. Used to mock a hated person
Think: voodoo doll
Effrontery
Shameless boldness
“Mr. Hou thought his daughter’s boyfriend guilty of the worst effrontery when he asked for her hand in marriage–and, as soon as Mr. Hou gave his blessing, followed up by asking for a job at Mr. Hou’s company”
Egress
n. exit
v. to exit
“It was thought that the prisoner, seeking egress from his cell before the spreading fire consumed it, had managed to slip out between the warping floorboards.”
Encomium
Warm glowing praise
Engender
1) give rise to
2) procreate
Epicure
Person with cultivated, refined taste
Equanimity
Composure, mental or emotional stability. Even-tempered
“Having worked for many years in mental hospitals, her equanimity was unparalleled–you could throw a chair or a bowl of spaghetti at her, and she would just say, ‘Settle down, now”
Think: zen
Ersatz
Artificial, synthetic; inferior substitute
Erstwhile
Former, previous; formerly
Exigent
Requiring immediate attention; excessively demanding
“My boss said she would take me out to lunch and mentor me, but that idea always gets tossed aside in favor of more exigent matters”
Expedient
1) Suitable, proper
2) Effective, often at the expense of ethics or other considerations
“When invited to a wedding you cannot attend, it is expedient to send a gift”
Expurgate
v. censor
“The expurgated version of the album had a more family-friendly rating.”
Extemporaneous
Done without preparation; improvised
“Lost in the jungle, the hikers fashioned an extemporaneous shelter from palm leaves”
Fatuous
Foolish, silly, in a smug or complacent manner
“Sadly, every philosophy class seems to have one person who responds to every discussion, from metaphysics to ethics, with the fatuous question, “But what if we don’t really exist?”
Inculcate
Teach persistently, implant (an idea) in a person
“Parents spend years trying to inculcate morality in their children, constantly teaching and correcting them”
Indigence
Extreme poverty
indigent is the adj form
“The city government has several agencies that provide shelter, food, and other assistance to help relieve indigence”
Inexorable
Relentless, unyielding
“Many people fled Europe in the face of Hitler’s inexorable march across the continent”
Impute
Credit, attribute; lay blame or responsibility for
“The ineffectual CEO was nevertheless a master of public relations–he made sure that all successes were imputed to him, and all of the failures were imputed to others”
Idolatry
1) Idol worship
2) Excessive/unthinking devotion or adoration
Impecunious
Poor, without money
“Having grown up with impecunious parents who would barely keep the electricity on in the house, she was now obsessed with wealth and security”
Hint: pecunia is Latin for money
Imperious
1) Commanding, domineering; arrogant
2) Urgent
“It’s imperious that we discuss the future of this company!”
Impetuous
1) impulsive; hasty and lacking in thought
2) moving forcefully or rapidly; violent
“impetuous winds”
“His impetuous and eager nature led him to take on more projects than he could realistically complete.”
Implacable
1) Relentless
2) Not able to be appeased, calmed, satisfied
“A good detective is absolutely implacable–refusing to give up until the culprit in question is behind bars”
Fervid
1) Very hot
2) Heated in passion/enthusiasm
Fetid
Smelly
Florid
1) Reddish or rosy (healthy-looking)
2) Flowery, showy, or excessively fancy
“The author’s florid prose did not impress the critics, who found her work pretentious”
Flout
v. treat with disdain, demonstrate contempt for, scorn (usually of rules)
“She flouted convention with her bizarre style of dress”
Ford
1) (n) place where a river or body of water is shallow enough to walk/ride vehicle across
2) (v) to cross at such a place
Forestall
Prevent/delay by taking action beforehand
“The mayor called the police before the protest even began in order to forestall rioting”
Fracas
1) Noisy disturbance
2) Fight/brawl
Fractious
Unruly, troublemaking; irritable
Fulminate
Attack verbally in a vehement, thunderous way
“Please don’t bring up anything related to gun control around my family, or my dad will fulminate for hours about his right to bear arms”
Gambol
Frolic
“Watching the children gambol in the park like frisky little lambs, she wondered how they could have so much energy”
Graft
1) Join a part to a larger part where it will live/grow
2) (n) Acquiring money or other benefits through illegal means, esp. by abusing one’s power
“It’s not cool for your boss to pressure you into buying Girl Scout cookies from his daughter. If she were selling something larger, we’d call that graft”
Grandstand
Perform showily in an attempt to impress onlookers
Grouse
1) (v) complain or grumble
2) (n) reason for complaint
“Don’t be offended, but I’ve got a grouse about the way you’re handling this project”
“By the end of the trip, everyone was annoying by Lena’s grousing; the bus ride was too bumpy, the food was too spicy, etc.”
Imprecation
Curse
“The haunted house features a ‘wicked witch’ chanting imprecations at all who pass through”
Impugn
Attack the truth or integrity of
“I hate to impugn the motives of the volunteers, but I think that some of them are here for personal gain, not to help”
Fecund
1) Fruitful, fertile
2) Capable of abundantly producing offspring
Fortuitous
1) Appropriate (apt)
2) Pleasant, fortunate, marked by happiness
Same definition as felicitous
Ingrate
Ungrateful person
Inimical
Hostile, harmful
Iniquity
Injustice, wickedness, sin
(adj form is iniquitous)
NOT same as inequity (lack of equality, fairness)
Insensible
Incapable of feeling; unconscious, unresponsive
Insipid
Dull, stale, lacking taste/interest
Inter
Bury (a dead body) or place in a tomb
“After the funeral, the body will be interred in the cemetery”
Interregnum
1) Time between two reigns or regimes where there is no ruler
2) Any period of freedom from authority
3) Period during which government does not function
4) Break or interruption in a series
Intransigent
Refusing to compromise, inflexible, having extreme attitudes
Inure
Toughen up, accustom or habituate to hardship/pain
Inveigle
Entice, lure, get something by flattery, cleverness, etc.
Investiture
1) Investing
2) Formally giving someone a right or title
“The former dean had her academic robes dry cleaned in preparation for her investiture as university president”
Invidious
Hateful, offensive, injurious
“School bullying has become a serious problem, with ongoing invidious behavior driving students to suicide”
Irascible
Irritable, easily angered
Irresolute
Wavering, not sure how to proceed, not firm in one’s decision making
“The president admonished Congress, saying that although it faced difficult choices it must not be irresolute”
Itinerant
Traveling from place to place, esp. for a job
Jettison
Discard, cast off
Knell
The sound made by a bell for a funeral; any sad sound or signal of a failure, ending
Lachrymose
Tearful, mournful
Largess/largesse
Generosity
Latent
Existing but not visible or active; potential
Leery
Suspicious or wary
Legerdemain
Slight-of-hand
Think: French
Licentious
Sexually unrestrained; immoral; ignoring the rules
Limpid
1) Completely calm
2) Clear, transparent
Lissome
Flexible, supple, agile
Lugubrious
Mournful, gloomy (sometimes in an exaggerated way)
Lurid
1) Gruesome, excessively vivid
2) Sensational, shocking
Machination
Crafty scheme
Maelstrom
1) Chaotic, turbulent situation
2) Violent whirlpool
Malinger
Pretend to be sick
Mannered
Having a peculiar manner, esp. an artificial one
Think: affectation
Martinet
1) Strict disciplinarian
2) Person who adheres to rules extremely closely
Maudlin
Excessively sentimental
“The teacher insisted on taking a maudlin picture with each one of her students every year.”
Mendicant
Beggar
Meretricious
Attractive in a vulgar or flashy way; deceptive
“The singer performed her concert draped in what looked from far away like precious jewels, Up close, though, the fan could see that the accessories were just meretricious plastic, like what little girls buy at the mall”
Metaphysical
1) Concerned with abstract thought
2) Subtle or abstruse
Milieu
Environment, atmosphere
Militate
Have a great effect, weight heavily (usually against)
“While his resume was stellar, his speech impediment militated against his performance in job interviews”
Mirth
Amusement or laughter, merriment
Modicum
A little bit, or limited quality
“In her first five years in Hollywood, she experienced only a modicum of success as an actress, appearing twice in commercials”
Think: moderate
Modish
Stylish, contemporary
Molt
Shed or cast off
Monastic
Quiet, secluded, contemplative, lacking luxuries
Think: austere, ascetic
Albeit
Although, even though
“The village leader was illiterate albeit highly intelligent”
Multifarious
Diverse
Nadir
Lowest point
Think: opposite of apex
Neophyte
Beginner; someone newly converted to a religion
Nettle
Annoy, sting
Noisome
1) Having an extremely offensive odor, disgusting
2) Harmful
Nominal
In name only; trivial
Normative
1) Implying or attempting to establish a norm
2) Expressing value judgments (rightness or wrongness of something) or telling people what to do
Obdurate
1) Stubborn
2) Hardened in wrongdoing
Oblique
1) Slanting or sloping
2) Indirect, evasive, misleading
Occlude
Shut in/off, stop up, close
Opine
Express an opinion
Expatiate
To expand or elaborate on a topic; to discuss or write about at great length
Excogitate
Think through in detail
Opprobrium
Disgrace and disapproval that results from outrageously shameful actions
“Drunk driving deserves opprobrium”
Orotund
1) Rich, full, or clear in speech
2) Bombastic
Ossify
1) Become inflexible in attitudes
2) Become bone or harden like bone
Ostensible
Outwardly appearing; professed, evident, pretended
Overwrought
1) Overly nervous, agitate, or excited
2) Overdone
3) Too ornate, elaborate
Panache
Flair, style; flamboyant or grand way of acting
Panoply
Splendid, wide-ranging, impressive display
Think: pan (all) –> diverse array
Pare
1) Peel or cut off the outer layer
2) Reduce or trim
“She simplified her life by paring commitments from her schedule”
Parley
(n) or (v)
Discussion, negotiation, esp. between enemies
Parry
Skillfully evade, defect or avoid
Pastiche
1) Mix of incongruous parts
2) Artistic work imitating the work of other artists, often satirically
Pathogenic
Capable of causing disease
Pedant
1) Person who pays excessive attention to book learning/rules
2) Person who uses learning to show off
Peddle
1) Give out or disseminate: “I don’t want these people peddling lies to our children”
2) Travel around while selling
3) Sell illegally
Pellucid
1) Transparent, translucent
2) Easy to understand
Penumbra
1) Any area where something “sort of” exists (by implication)
2) Surrounding region, fringe, periphery
3) Outer part of a shadow from an eclipse
Penury
Extreme poverty or scarcity
Insolvent
Unable to meet one’s financial obligations, bankrupt
Opposite is solvent (able to meet financial obligations)
Peregrinate
Travel from place to place, usually on foot
Peripatetic is the noun form (someone who travels from place to place)
Perfunctory
Done superficially, without much care
Peripatetic
Someone who travels from place to place usually on foot
Perspicacious
Having penetrating insight or good discernment
n. is perspicacity (sharp powers of observation)
“The writer’s perspicacity made it easy for her to understand and write about human nature”
Think: perceptive
Phalanx
1) Formation of soldiers carrying shields close together for defense
2) A very close group of people
“To even enter the embassy, the diplomats had to make their way through a phalanx of protestors”
Philistine
Person deficient in or hostile to culture
“She decided her date was an absolute philistine when he said that the Best Picture Oscar should go to Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D”
Phlegmatic
Apathetic, sluggish, not easily made emotional
Think: phlegm–> sticks to your throat, moves slowly
Plutocracy
Rule by the wealthy
Politic
Tactful or diplomatic; pragmatic, shrewd
Polyglot
Speaking or composed of many languages
Precipitate
1) Cause to happen suddenly or prematurely (cause or hasten an event)
“They had been considering a move to Florida for years, but the sudden destruction of their home in a hurricane precipitated their decision to finally make the move”
2) Fling, plunge, or hurl down (think: precipice)
3) (adj): acting with haste or impulse (precipitous also means hasty)
“The officer took precipitate action and wound up making the situation worse”
Precis
Concise summary, abstract
Predilection
Preference, tendency or favorability towards
Preternatural
Exceptional, supernatural
Prolix
Verbose, excessively long and wordy
Propitiate
Appease, placate, attempt to reconcile with
“The ancient Greeks would often attempt to propitiate angry gods by sacrificing animals to them”
Propitious
1) Favorable, giving good signs for the future
2) Kind or forgiving
Complaisant
Eager to please; cheerfully complying
Although France and Germany have a close relationship, neither would consider the other a complaisant ally
Diffuse
1) Spread widely, disseminate
2) Wordy and going off-topic
Discordant
1) Harsh or inharmonious in sound
2) Disagreeing, incongruous
Providential
Lucky, fortunate, relating to divine care
“Every time their religious sister ran out of money, help always arrived! She viewed this as God’s providential hand, but her family members viewed it as their always having to bail her out, and it was getting annoying”
Puerile
Juvenile, immature
“The retiring film critic decried the puerile humor common in so many modern American movies, pointing out that the classic comedies of the ’40s were so much smarter and less reliant on jokes about bodily functions”
Pungent
1) Having a sharp taste or smell
2) Biting, stimulating, sharp
“The new assistant chef received some rather pungent criticism from the head chef for her idea to make feta cheese soup, which the customers found much too pungent”
Pusillanimous
Cowardly, timid
Querulous
Given to complaining, grumbling
Quiescent
Quiet, still, inactive
“After hours of moaning and shaking from his illness, the child finally exhausted himself and grew quiescent”
“Although malignant tumors may remain quiescent for a period of time, they never become benign”
Raconteur
Witty storyteller
Rarefied
1) Lofty, elevated (in a metaphorical way)
2) Exclusive
3) Thin, pure, or less dense (as air at the top of a mountain)
“Among the rarefied ranks of conference attendees, she counted two Nobel Prize Winners”
Recalcitrant
Intractable. Not obedient, hard to manage
“She was no prepared for a roomful of 20 recalcitrant children who wouldn’t even sit down, much less learn the words to ‘Holding Hands around the World’”
Recondite
Not easily understood, hidden, dealing with an obscure topic
“Professor Salazar’s office is full of books, every single one of which is more than 400 years old and written in ancient Greek. He deals in some seriously recondite information
Recrudescent
Revival, breaking out into renewed activity (usually used for the reappearance of disease)
“The recrudescence of his psoriasis came at the worst possible time”
Redound
To have a good or bad effect, esp. as a result of a person’s efforts or actions (usually used with to, on, or upon)
“Cramming vocabulary words probably won’t be very effective, but studying a little every day will redound to your success”
Hint: similar to militate
Refractory
Intractable. Stubbornly disobedient, hard to manage
Refulgent
Shining, radiant
“Her new engagement ring was refulgent. I’ll bet she polished it every night”
Rejoinder
Response or reply, esp. a witty comeback
Rend
1) Tear violently; pull apart, split, or tear away
2) To forcibly take
Repast
A meal; to eat or feast
Repose
The act or state of resting; peacefulness, tranquility; lying dead in a grave
Reprobate
Disreputable or unprincipled person; shameless, depraved
“The police joked that they had so many mug shots of the old reprobate that they could assemble them into a photography book called, ‘Faces of Petty Crime, 1976-2011’”
Ribald
Using or relating to obscene or vulgar humor
Rue
Regret, remorse; to feel regret, remorse
Sardonic
Scornfully or ironically mocking, cynically derisive
Scintilla
A tiny bit or trace, modicum
Scurvy
Contemptible, mean; not admirable
Searchingly
In a searching or penetrating manner; while examining closely or probing for answers
Seraphic
Like an angel; serene, spiritually carried off or transported
Stem
1) To branch out from, originate from
2) To stop, hold back, or limit
Sinecure
A job or position that pays while requiring little or no work
“It’s sort of understood that professors who relocate to campus are rewarded with sinecures for their spouses, whether those spouses have any qualifications or not”
Slake
1) Satisfy
2) Make less active
The way to resolve those two contrasting definitions: if you slake your thirst (satisfy it), your thirst has weakened or gone away
“The teacher’s harsh, demanding attitude soon slake the girls’ enthusiasm for the ballet class”
Sobriquet
A nickname
Solecism
1) Nonstandard use of grammar or words
2) Mistake, esp. in etiquette
“‘I could care less’ is a solecism– what the speaker really means to say is ‘I couldn’t care less’”
Squelch
1) Crush, squash
2) Suppress or silence
3) Walk through ooze or in wet shoes, making a smacking sound
Stentorian
Very loud and powerful (generally of a human voice)
“the football coach shut down the chaos immediately with a stentorian “sit down and shut up!”
Stint
1) Period of time spent doing something
2) To be frugal, to get by on little; to be sparing
“After watching him stint on ketchup, his wife said ‘Honey, seriously, here you can use all you want!”
“Stinting on funding for education strikes many people as shortsighted”
Strategem
1) Military maneuver to deceive or surprise
2) Crafty scheme
Strut
A structural support or brace
“Looking out the window of the small biplane, Elena could see the struts, the vertical connectors between the lower and upper set of wings”
Supposition
Assumption, hypothesis
Sybarite
Person devoted to pleasure and luxury
Symbiosis
Mutually dependent relationship between two organism, groups, etc.
Tendentious
Marked by a strong point of view, biased
Think: if you are tendentious, you are tending towards a particular thing
“It’s hard to become absorbed in the world of a fantasy novel when the author is so tendentious–the planet of Xerxon is clearly meant to mimic the United States, and the author’s politics intrude on the story on every page”
Toady
Obsequious, sycophantic (someone who flatters for self-serving reasons)
Tortuous
1) Complex, not straightforward
2) Twisting, winding, complex
“The children found the tortuous path of the roller coaster both terrifying and exciting”
Travesty
Exaggerated, debased, or grotesque imitations
“The sketch was a pretty good travesty of the election scandal”
Trenchant
1) Forceful, and effective
2) Extremely perceptive
3) Caustic, sharp
“The school’s trenchant new antitruancy policy immediately increased class attendance”
“She would have made excuses for hours had Juan not trenchantly stepped in and asked, ‘you want to quit, right?’”
The experienced CEO offered trenchant criticisms of the young company
Truculent
1) Belligerent
2) Fierce, cruel, savage
Think: truck hitting you
“That guy is too truculent to work in customer service; when the customers are already angry, the last thing this store needs is someone prone to blow up at any moment!”
Turgid
1) Swollen, inflated
2) Metaphorically: overdone, pompous
“His prose was so turgid he used the phrase ‘synchronous repast’ to mean a lunch break”
“He carried the turgid water balloons to the balcony, ready for a splash attack on those below”
Turpitude
Depravity, baseness of character
His turpitude was evidenced by his constant detentions and a three-day stay in a juvenile jail”
Tyro
Beginner
Umbrage
Offense or annoyance (usually as take umbrage, meaning become offended or annoyed
“The executive took umbrage when a coworker suggested that he was good to have around to remind others of ancient history”
Usury
Charging interest on a loan, esp. excessive interest
adj. is usurious
“The consumer advocate’s group complained about the bank’s usurious interest rates”
Vanguard
Leaders or forefront of a trend/movement
“While Google has won the search engine wards, in 1994, Yahoo was on the vanguard of search technology”
Variegated
Varied in color, diverse
Verdant
1) Green, such as with vegetation
2) Young and inexperienced
“The first year associate was a little too verdant to be assigned to the big case”
“Dabir loved the lushness of the verdant forests in rainy Oregon”
Verisimilar
The appearance of being true or real
“The film manages to retain verisimilitude even though the plot is about a bunch of space aliens coming through a wormhole and enslaving humanity”
Vernal
1) Relating to the spring
2) Fresh, youthful
“Almas’s favorite part of gardening was the vernal reawakening that followed a frozen winter”
Vicissitude
Changes or variations over time, esp. from one thing to another
“She pondered the vicissitudes of life– she once had a house full of servants, and now was a maid herself”
“John found inner strength and confronted the vicissitudes of a troubled life admirably”
Think: s”ciss”ors cutting paper, thus changing the shape over time
Vim
Pep, enthusiasm, vitality, lively spirit
“‘I’m old, not dead!” said grandpa, full of vim and ready for his first bungee jump”
Virulent
1) Infectious, poisonous
2) Hateful, bitterly hostile
“Discipline in the classroom is one thing, but the teacher’s virulence towards misbehaving students was enough to get her suspended from teaching”
Viscid
Viscous, thick, adhesive
“Ugh, what did you spill on this floor? It’s too viscid to be absorbed by these paper towels”
Vociferous
Nosily crying out, as in protest
“He has always been a vociferous opponent of the estate tax, appearing on numerous news programs to rail against ‘double taxation’”
Voluble
Easily fluent in regards to speech
“The journalist’s new book is a voluble tome, covering three centuries of history with numerous flowing, almost conversational asides into the scientific discoveries and cultural advances of various time periods”
Wan
1) Unnaturally pale, or showing other indication of sickness
2) Weak, lacking forcefulness
“Juhn’s wan attempt at asking for a raise was easily brushed off by his boss”
Wanton
1) Reckless, vicious, without regard for what is right
2) Sexually unrestrained or excessively luxurious
3) Unjustifiable, deliberately done for no reason at all
“Many hip-hop videos depict a wanton lifestyle that is attractive to some, but unattainable (and possibly illegal!)”
“Kids like to play pranks on Halloween, but driving an SUV into people’s mailboxes isn’t a prank–it’s wanton destruction of property”
Welter
1) (n) confused mass or pile, confusion or turmoil
2) (v) roll around, wallow, writhe
“It said ‘thrift store,’ but inside it was just a welter of used clothing, draped everywhere and even lying in piles”
“By the time the teacher broke up the fight, it was already pretty much over–the loser was weltering on the floor”
“They struggled to keep the sailboat afloat on the weltering sea”
Whet
Stimulate, make keen or eager
To pique one’s interest, curiosity, etc. is to stimulate that emotion
Whitewash
1) Substance used to whiten
2) Deception, covering up of wrongs, errors, etc. (eg. gloss over)
Winnow
Sift, analyze critically, separate the useful part from the worthless part
“We got 120 resumes for this job. It’s going to take me a while just to winnow this down to a reasonable stack of people we want to interview”
Winsome
Charming, esp. in a sweet and innocent way
Yoke
1) A burden or something that oppresses
2) A frame for attaching animals to each other and to a plow
3) To unite together or to burden
“The speaker argued that humanity had traded the yoke of servitude to kings and tyrants for the yoke of consumerism”
Ingratiate
Make an effort to gain favor with
Sapid/sipid
Opposite of insipid
Tasty, agreeably distinct
Luminous
1) Shining, radiant
2) Brilliant or enlightening
Turbid
adj. turbulent
adj. muddy, opaque
adj. in a state of confusion
“The poem captures the restless and turbid state of the soldier’s mind the night before the decisive battle was set to begin”
Unsparing
1) unmerciful, harsh (not sparing any criticism)
2) generous, lavish (not sparing any help or gifts)
“The mother was unsparing in praising her son, so he was in for quite a shock when his new teacher told him his work was substandard”
Vex
1) annoy or bother
2) puzzle or distress
Immutable
Unchangeable
Incarnadine
Blood red or flesh-colored
“The police took the body to the morgue; all that was left at the murder scene was an incarnadine stain on a pillow”
Defatigate
To make tired
Think: opposite of indefatigable
Derivative
Not original; secondary
Feckless
lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible
Punctilious
showing great attention to detail or correct behavior
“The prime minister reminded his staff that they must be punctilious in following protocol”
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure
Hortatory
tending or aiming to exhort
Canny
having or showing shrewdness and good judgment
Bridle
Anything that restrains or curbs
Indemnify
Compensate for harm or loss
Manacle
To hamper, restrain
Rein
As in rein in (not to be confused with reign)
To restrain or control
Vigorous
1) Strong, healthy, full of energy; robust
2) Characterized by involving strength, effort
3) forceful (in terms of language)
Robust
1) strong and healthy; vigorous
2) sturdy in construction
3) able to withstand adverse conditions
Ineffable
Incapable of being described in words
Sublimate
1) to change state of matter between solid and gaseous form without passing through a liquid stage
2) to modify expression of instinctual drive into a socially acceptable form
Propound
To propose or offer for consideration
Precipitous
1) dangerously high or steep
2) done hastily and without care
Necromancy
1) communication with the dead
2) black magic
Entreat
To plead
Internecine
1) mutually destructive
2) characterized by bloodshed
3) relating to intragroup struggle
Advert
To call or direct attention towards (think: opposite of avert)
Extirpate
1) to destroy/annihilate
2) to cut out by the roots
Prone
1) tending to behave in a certain way
2) lying face or front downward
Excoriate
Condemn scathingly
Aseptic
1) Free of pathogens/germs
2) with little or no emotion
Picaresque
Involving clever rogues in episodes of adventure/comedy (eg. Huck Finn)
Type of fiction involving a dishonest but appealing hero
Antipodal
Polar opposite
Pillory
To punish; to hold up for public scorning (like the wooden object with two holes for criminals, by the same name)
Infelicitous
Unfortunate, inappropriate
Overweening
Presumptuously arrogant or conceited; overbearing
“The ancient Greeks believed that overweening pride- what they called hubris- would be punished, eventually, by the gods”
Locution
Style of speaking; particular word/phrase/style used by a person or group
Jocose
Like jocular
Characterized by a joking or humorous manner
Stanch
To cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)
“The doctor’s attempt to stanch the flow of blood eventually succeeded, and the patient’s blood pressure stabilized”
Solder
To weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)
“Harry soldered the bits of scrap metal together to make a pet door”
Demur vs demure
Demur: to object or show reluctance
Demure: modest, shy
Mellifluous
Sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)
“Lucy’s mellifluous voice was noted by her interviewer”
Inveterate
Established, habitual, deep-rooted
Pedagogy
Profession/art of training, teaching, or instructing
Guy
A rope or cord attached to something as a brace
Sallow
Of sickly yellowing complexion
Plangent
Thundering, resounding
“The plangent honking of geese flying overhead jolted me awake”
Macerate
1) to starve 2) to soften by steeping in a liquid
Callow
Immature; lacking maturity or experience
Innervate
Animate, invigorate, give nervous energy to
Epicurean
Characterized by luxury
Hirsute
Hairy, shaggy
Execrate
1) to loathe
2) to curse
3) to denounce, declare abhorent
Sempiternal
Eternal, infinite
Plumb
1) to examine critically, deply
2) to measure the depth
I think she is the only architect working today who has the courage to truly plumb the possibilities of recycled construction materials.
Decadent
1) in a state of decline
2) self-indulgent
Artless
1) simple and natural
2) unable to mask true feelings
3) crudely made, without artistic merit
Without skill or finesse; without guile or deception
Rapacious
Greedy, plundering
Recumbent
Lying down, leaning
Frangible
Fragile
Ebb
1) (v): to decrease, recede
2) (n): a decline
3) (n): outward flow of the tide
Countermand
To annul, cancel, make contrary order
Ebullient
Very enthusiastic, excited
Apogee
The highest point
Alloy
1) (n): a mixture of superior and inferior ingredients
2) (v) to debase by mixing with something inferior
“The heroism one sees nowadays is often alloyed with some degree of self-interest”
Baleful
adj. threatening harm, menacing, having a harmful/destructive effect
“Drug money has had a baleful impact on the country”
“The basilisk’s baleful glare is lethal”
Hallow
To set apart as holy, to sanctify
Unctuous
1) adj. oily, greasy
2) adj. characterized by insincere earnestness (sycophantic, toady)
Arrant
1) Thorough, utter: “what an arrant disaster!”
2) Impudent: not showing due respect for another; impertinent
Vaunt
To boast or brag about
“The head coach warned her players not to vaunt their undefeated record”
Whit
Smallest part or fraction
“The bank robber did not have a whit of self-respect”
Blandish
To coax or influence with flattery
n. blandishment
“Steve blandished her into going out with him”
“Despite the salesperson’s blandishments, Donna did not buy the car”
Peremptory
1) admitting of no contradiction, putting an end to further debate
2) haughty, imperious
“‘Just do it!’ came the peremptory reply”
Delectation
Enjoyment
They played wiffleball for the delectation of it, not for the competition
Fission
The act of separating into parts
“The controversial legislation led to the fission of the administration”
Forbear
To refrain from doing something
Although I know Adam likes to crack jokes, I would have liked him to forbear silliness in such a serious situation
Quail
To shrink with fear
“The puppy quailed at my angry tone”
Frenetic
Frenzied, frantic
Importune
To beg persistently
Kate importuned her father every day to teach her how to sail
Impregnable
Able to withstand attack
“The fortress was surrounded by a moat so as to make it impregnable”
Impudent
Impertinent; disrespectful (not showing due respect)
“The girl was forced to apologize in front of the class for her impudent attitude towards her teachers”
Bedizen
To adorn or dress, usually in a gaudy way
Salacious
Causing sexual desire, lewd, bawdy
Gossamer
adj. delicate, insubstantial, flimsy
The gossamer kite broke in two at the first gust of wind.
Indelible
Impossible to remove or to forget
The memory of that day had become indelible in his mind.
Byzantine
adj. complex, intricate, labyrinthine
The byzantine rules of the card game confused everyone
Inveigh
v. to attack verbally, to deprecate
The protesters were inveighing against government policies
Quaff
To drink deeply
He quaffed the pint in a three hearty gulps
Essay
n. an attempt or trial
v. to test, try, experiment, investigate
My frequent essays at piano playing have only met with failure
Incisive
adj. quick to understand, perceptive
adj. clearly expressed, decisive
The boy’s incisive mind allowed him to excel in all of his classes
Redolent
adj. strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something; evocative of
adj. fragrant
“Their pubs bear names redolent of the monarchy”
“The fraternity house was redolent of stale beer and day-old pizza”
Provident
adj. looking to the future
adj. frugal
Paean
A song or expression of joy/praise
Luxuriant
adj. growing in extreme abundance; lush
adj. luxurious/complexly detailed
Tenacious
adj. sticking strongly to something
adj. having greater than average longevity
adj. stubborn
Torpid
adj. lacking physical or mental energy
The student was torpid and generally uninvolved in discussions, so the teacher had to speak with him about his participation
Abstemious
Moderate, esp. when eating or drinking
“Some research suggests that people with an abstemious lifestyle tend to live longer than people who indulge their appetites”
Adulterate
v. to corrupt or make impure; debase, taint
“Over the last 20 years or so, consumers have increasingly demanded food that is not adulterated with additives”
Ambrosia
n. something delicious; the good of the gods
adj is ambrosial
“The combination of flavors in the Moroccan baked eggplant was pure ambrosia”
“The food critic praised the chef for preparing what he called an ‘ambrosial meal’ “
Antediluvean
Prehistoric
“The teacher showed the class the classic film ‘On the beach,’ but many of the students had trouble appreciating it bc of what one student called its ‘antideluvian black and white film tech’
Apothegm
n. a terse, witty saying
“One of the best-known political apothegms was written by the British historian Lord Acton: ‘Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely’”
Argot
n. jargon
“Writers of crime fiction often use the argot of criminals and detectives to create a realistic atmosphere”
Astringent
adj. harsh, severe
Mate, a popular beverage in South America, is similar to tea but is less astringent and often contains more caffeine
Atavism
n. return of a trait after a period of absence
“Some modern political theorists reject nationalism as a tribal atavism”
Avocation
n. secondary occupation
“Dan became so proficient at his avocation–computer programming–that he is thinking of giving up his job as a teacher to do it full time”
Avuncular
adj. like an uncle, benevolent and tolerant
The anchorman had an avuncular manner that made him one of America’s most trusted personalities
Beatify
adj. to sanctify; to bless; to ascribe a virtue to
“The pope traveled to Portugal to beatify two of the three children who said they saw the appearance of the Virgin Mary”
Behemoth
n. anything very large and powerful
“First IBM, next Microsoft and then Google became the behemoths of the computer industry”
Antipathy
Aversion, loathing
Sundry
adj. various, miscellaneous, separate
“The sundry items at the garage sale ranged from antique to almost brand new”
Reprise
n. repetition of an action
v. to repeat or resume
Harrow
v. to distress, torment
Any talk of layoffs would always leave the entire division harrowed and unable to focus on their work
Subterfuge
n. deception to avoid a consequence/punishment
“Policemen who stop drunk drivers can see right through the subterfuge of hastily chewing a piece of gum”
Controvert
v. to refute, deny the truth of
“Recent experiments seem to controvert the predictions of previous theories”
Hidebound
adj. rigid
“The hidebound rules of organized religion have never appealed to me much”
Chary
adj. very cautious; not giving or spending freely
adj. shy
Joe was chary of his praise for his daughters, but when he did congratulate them, they beamed
Arabesque
n. a complex or ornate design
The kimono was trimmed with an arabesque of tiny yellow curlicues
Picayune
adj. of little value, petty
n. something of little value
“His craftsmanship wasn’t worth a picayune”
“I didn’t want to seem picayune by criticizing”
Ramify
v. to branch out, to be divided
“The dispute ramified as more factions got involved”
Sodden
adj. thoroughly soaked, saturated
“The sodden field makes it difficult for the soccer players to move effective”
Inimitable
adj. incapable of being imitated or duplicated
The Broadway debut was a spellbinding performance thanks mainly to the inimitable stamina of the female lead
Capacious
Having a lot of room
Think: capacity
The capacious living room often impressed their guests
Capitulate
Surrender, give in
“The mother capitulated after hours of tantrums and finally bought her son the toy”
Carp
v. to raise trivial objections, to complain
“She hated when her coworkers carped about the minimal work they had to do”
“The band decided to continue to play in their new style despite the carping of critics who said it was a sell-out to commercial interest”
Chimera
n. fanciful mental illusion
The ability to make easy money is a chimera; it only works until the next economic downturn
Convalesce
v. to recover
After the accident, Tom was told to convalesce for at least two weeks
Despond
v. to become dejected
His campaign team desponded when they heard the official results of the election
Boorish
adj. rude, insensitive
Think: boar
“Many people in the audience were annoyed at the boorish behavior of the two men who talked loudly to each other through the entire movie”
Doggerel
n. poorly constructed verse
adj. comic, burlesque; loose and irregular
The doggerel found in some publications is often a result of lazy editing
Nexus
n. a connected series; a link
n. the center, focus
“a nexus of ideas”
“the nexus between industry and political power”
Promulgate
v. to promote or make widely known
v. to officially announce
“These objectives have to be promulgated within the organization”
“The governor promulgated the new building code by special courier to each of the state’s municipalities”
Dross
n. rubbish, impurity
“There are bargains if you have the patience to sift through the dross”
Epigram
n. a witty saying
“The comedian became famous for his instantly recognizable epigrams and one-liners”
Erudite
adj. having profound knowledge or wisdom
The erudite professor was extremely knowledgeable but difficult to understand in lectures
Evanescent
adj. tending to vanish
The evanescent beauty of cherry blossoms may have inspired the respect for short-lived pleasures evident in the Japanese psyche
Cadge
v. to beg
“An enduring image of the Great Depression in America is the out-of-work man cadging money with the line, ‘Hey, mister, can you spare a dime for a cup of coffee?”
Cant
n. insincere talk; language of a particular group
“Many of the beat artists of the 1950s reacted against what they regarded as the cant of bourgeois society
“Commentators dismissed the speech as the mere cant of someone desperately trying to be reelected”
Captious
adj. faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument
“The pedantic and captious critic seems incapable of appreciating the merits of even the most highly regarded books”
“The English teacher is so pedantic and captious in her marking that her students have become discouraged”
Cataclysm
n. a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
The French Revolution of 1789 was a cataclysm whose effects are still felt today
Categorical
adj. absolute; without exception
“My position is categorical,” the CEO said. “I will not allow this company to be bought out”
“Although incest is categorically forbidden by every state, recent evidence shows that marriage between cousins is no more likely to produce abnormal offspring than ‘normal’ marriages”
Caucus
n. smaller group within an organization
“The workers formed an informal caucus to discuss their difficulties”
Centrifugal
adj. moving away from a center
Think: centrifuge spinning
“As the empire expanded, there was an ever-increasing centrifugal stress as remote colonies sought autonomy”
Centripetal
adj. moving or directed toward a center
“Astronomers calculate that the centripetal force exerted by the Earth’s gravity on the Moon will keep the Moon in orbit around the Earth for billions of years”
Chicanery
n. trickery, fraud
“The governor ordered an audit to investigate alleged financial chicanery”
Chasten
v. to correct by punishment/reproof
v. to restrain or subdue
“The dictator of the small country was chastened by the great power’s show of naval strength in the harbor of his country’s capital city”
Churlish
adj. rude; boorish
“According to the chivalric code, a knight was never supposed to be churlish, especially toward noble ladies, to whom he was supposed to be unfailingly gentle and courteous”
Codify
v. to systematize
n. is codification
The state legislature voted to codify regulations governing banking fraud
Supercilious
adj. haughtily disdainful or contemptuous
adj. behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others
Rectitude
n. moral righteousness
n. the quality of being right
“The priest praised him for his rectitude in the face of temptation”
Glib
adj. fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow
“The politician annoyed many journalists with his glib responses”
Compuction
n. uneasiness caused by guilt
“One of the main goals of military training is to train soldiers to kill without compunction”
Concomitant
adj. existing concurrently
“It appears that bureaucracies are today a necessary evil, a concomitant of modern society”
Congenial
adj. opposite of inimical: suitable to
adj. similar in tastes/habits, friendly
“The physicist has expressed his awe at how congenial the universe is to intelligent life”
Contiguous
Touching, neighboring; connection w/o a break
“The landlord had the abandoned house contiguous to his house torn down”
Continence
n. self control, abstinence
Think: incontinence as lack of control
Convivial
Friendly, sociable
“One of the jobs of an ambassador is to provide a convivial atmosphere for diplomats to meet”
Coquette
A woman who flirts
Covetous
The adj form of to covet: desiring something owned by another
Cozen
v. to mislead by trick or fraud; deceive
“The sales pitch cozens potential customers by omitting the fact that the product has been superseded by far superior products available at the same price”
Demotic
adj. pertaining to people; popular or colloquial
“The professor never watches movies which he calls ‘demotic entertainment for the semiliterate’”
Denizen
n. inhabitant; regular visitor
“The US Census Bureau collects information about the denizens of the US”
Desuetude
n. state of disuse
“NASA is considering a plan to refurbish booster rockets from the Apollo Program that have fallen into desuetude”
Discretion
n. quality of showing self-restrain
(also: circumspection, freedom to act on one’s own)
“In 19th century Britain gentlemen were expected to behave with discretion”
Distrait
adj. inattentive, preoccupied, distracted
“The chairperson because distrait because his secretary was not sitting in her usual position”
Effete
adj. depleted of vitality (weak, ineffectual)
adj. mannered, affected
“It is interesting to observe how some traditions remain strong, while others gradually become effete”
Entomology
The scientific study of insects
Equable
adj. steady, unvarying, serene
Think: equanimity
“Throughout the crisis the president remained equable”
Etiology
Causes or origins
“The etiology of mental illness is complex because of the diversity of factors that contribute to many disorders”
Etymology
Origin and history of a word
Evince
v. to show plainly, to indicate
“The student’s response to the teacher’s question evinced his ignorance of the subject”
Execrable
adj. abhorrent
“When folk artists started using rock instruments, many traditionalists considered it an execrable travesty”
Exhort
To urge by strong appeals
“The principal exhorted the students to study hard for the final exams”
Exigency
Crisis, urgent requirements
“Astronauts must be prepared for exigencies such as damage to their spacecraft’s life support system”
Expatriate
v. or n. to send into exile
Think: expat
“People seeking asylum in another country are sometimes expatriated”
Expiate
To atone for
“The pilgrims undertook their long journey to expiate their sins”
Expository
Explanatory
Factotum
n. a person who does all sorts of work; a handyman
“The general’s aide-de-camp functions as the general’s factotum”
Fetter
v. to bind, confine
“He refused to be fettered by the conventions of society”
Fiat
Arbitrary order; authorization
“The dictator rules almost entirely by fiat”
Forbearance
n. patience
“The governor urged the people of the state to show forbearance during the crisis”
Forswear
v. renounce, repudiate
“Peace activists are working to get governments to forswear the use of nuclear weapons”
Founder
v. to sink; fail; collapse
“The negotiations foundered when agreement could not be reached on the central issue”
Heterodox
adj. unorthodox; not widely accepted
“The theologian’s heterodox conclusions were censured by the church”
Igneous
Produced by fire; volcanic
“The presence of igneous rocks on the beach suggests the occurrence of volcanic explosions millions of years ago”
Imbroglio
n. complicated situation; an entanglement
“The president warned Congress that the United States should not become involved in the diplomatic imbroglio”
Impinge
v. to strike
v. to encroach
v. have an effect, esp. a negative one
“Chimpanzees are territorial; individuals that are not members of a group impinging on the territory of that group are normally met with aggression”
Incursion
n. sudden invasion
“During an ice age, the polar ice caps make incursions into regions that are temperate at other times”
Ineluctable
adj. not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable
“No one can escape the ineluctable truth that every creature that is born will one day die”
Insouciant
adj. indifferent; lacking concern or care
“Considering the gravity of the situation, Nancy’s colleagues could not understand her insouciant attitude”
Insuperable
adj. insurmountable; unconquerable
“Attempts to develop an antiballistic missile system have met with limited success because of the almost insuperable difficulties presented by the speed of the approaching warhead”
Interdict
v. to forbid; prohibit; to confront and halt the activities, advance, or entry of
“Under US law interdicted goods can be seized by customs officials”
“Military intelligence officers played a major role in interdicting spies attempting to pass top-secret intelligence to the enemy”
Interpolate
v. to insert; change by adding new words or material
“Scholars disagree on whether the text is entirely the work of the original author or contains passages interpolated by later writers”
Fidelity
n. exact correspondence
n. faithfulness
Froward
adj. stubbornly contrary; obstinately disobedient
“The teacher had no choice but to send the froward child to the vice-principal for disciplining”
Fulsome
- adj. complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree*
adj. of large size or quantity; generous or abundant
“The actor was embarrassed by the fulsome praise he received after winning the Academy Award for best actor”
Halcyon
adj. calm and peaceful; happy; golden; prosperous
“The movie evokes the halcyon years immediately after World War II when America was at peace and the economy was booming”
Jaundiced
adj. affected by envy, resentment, or hostility
“Norman’s experience as an infantryman during the war has given him a jaundiced view of human nature”
Junta
a military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force
Labile
adj. likely to change
Blood pressure in human beings is, to varying degrees, labile”
Lambaste
v. to thrash verbally or physically
“The critic lambasted the movie in her column, calling it ‘the most insipid, jejune film made in our generation’ “
Lilliputian
adj. extremely small
Limn
v. to draw; describe
“The artist based his painting on a sketch he had limned several years earlier”
Literati
n. scholarly or learned persons
Loquatious
adj. talkative
Lucre
n. money or profits
“Many religions regard the pursuit of lucre for what it can do to help others as laudable”
Lustrous
Shining
Magnanimity
n. generosity, nobility
Mettle
n. courage; endurance
“In many cultures, young men are expected to test their mettle by performing difficult and dangerous tasks”
Minatory
adj. threatening; menacing
“The student stood silent as the teacher scolded him, her hand making minatory gestures”
Nonplussed
adj. bewildered
“The members of the football were nonplussed by the presence of a female reporter in the locker room”
Nostrum
n. medicine or remedy of doubtful effectiveness
“Although there are many nostrums urged on obese consumers, the only effective remedy for this condition is prosaic but nonetheless valid: eat less and exercise more”
Nugatory
adj. trifling; of no value or importance; useless
“The historian has a knack for focusing on information that appears nugatory but that, upon examination, illuminates the central issue”
Obsequy
n. funeral ceremony
Ornithologist
n. scientist who studies birds
Paleontology
n. study of past geological eras through fossil remains
Patois
n. a regional dialect; nonstandard speech; jargon
“In Singapore the lingua franca is increasingly becoming Singapore English, widely regarded as a patois”
Physiognomy
n. facial features
Piquant
adj. appealingly stimulating; attractive
“Many of the guests enjoyed the piquant barbecue sauce but others found it too spicy for their taste”
Pique
n. fleeting feeling of hurt pride
“Sally left the restaurant in a fit of pique after her date called to say he couldn’t come because he was working late”
v. to provoke or arouse
“The geologist’s curiosity was piqued by the unusual appearance of the rock formation”
Plaintive
adj. melancholy, mournful
“After the battle all that could be heard was the plaintive cries of women who had lost their husbands”
Prate
v. to talk idly; chatter
“The ‘talk radio’ program allows people to call in and prate about their pet peeves”
Precept
n. principle; law
“A good precept to follow in writing is to avoid redundancies”
Prehensile
adj. capable of grasping
“Prehensile tails help many arboreal animals to find and eat food as they move through the trees”
Primordial
adj. original; existing from the beginning
“Scholars are divided as to whether polytheism represents a degeneration from a primordial monotheism, or was a precursor to a more sophisticated view, monotheism”
Quail
v. to cower; lose heart
“The defendant quailed when the judge entered the room to announce the sentence”
Quagmire
n. marsh
n. difficult situation
“The federal government’s antitrust suit in the 1990s against Microsoft created a legal quagmire”
Quorum
n. number of members necessary to conduct a meeting
“Unable to obtain a quorum, leaders of the majority party had no choice but to postpone the vote on the legislation”
Raiment
n. clothing
“It took two hours for the princess’ handmaidens to help her put on her splendid raiment for her coronation as queen”
Redoubtable
adj. formidable; arousing fear; worthy of respect
“As a result of winning 95% of her cases, the prosecutor has earned a reputation as a redoubtable attorney?”
Remonstrate
v. to object or protest
“Minority members of the committee remonstrated with the majority members, saying that the proposal was unjust”
Repine
v. fret; complain
“The president told the congressional representative he should stop repining over the lost opportunity and join the majority in exploring new ones”
Riposte
n. a retaliatory action or retort
“The commander decided that the enemy attack must be countered with a quick riposte”
“The talk show host is always ready with a clever riposte to the barbs of her guests”
Salubrious
adj. healthful
“The salubrious effects of exercise on both physical and mental health have been well documented”
“Many people from the Midwest retire to Arizona because of the salubrious climate”
Salutary
adj. expecting an improvement; favorable to health
“Advocates of Prohibition believed that it would have a salutary effect on people who enjoyed drinking alcoholic beverages”
“Universal education is the most salutary feature of the spirit of enlightenment”
Sartorial
adj. pertaining to tailors
“Off-screen, the glamorous actress; sartorial style runs more to jeans and T-shirts than to elaborate gowns”
Saturnine
adj. gloomy
“When the long list of casualties from the battle were announced, the mood in the room was saturnine”
Sensuous
adj. relating to the senses; operating through the senses
Sidereal
adj. relating to the stars
“The science fiction novel describes a sidereal adventure”
Simian
adj. apelike; relating to apes
Sinuous
adj. winding; intricate; complex
“The students had trouble following the philosopher’s sinuous line of reasoning”
Spendthrift
n. person who spends money recklessly, profligate
Stricture
n. something that restrains; negative criticism
“As professionals, lawyers are expected to abide by a set of ethical strictures in their practice of the law”
Strident
adj. loud
adj. harsh, unpleasantly noisy
“They sat silently in the room, listening to the telephone’s strident ringing”
Stultify
v. to impair or reduce to uselessness
“The professor of education believes that overreliance on rote learning stultifies students’ creativity”
Stygian
adj. dark and gloomy; hellish
“The news that the country was being invaded plunged it into a stygian gloom”
Subsume
v. to include; incorporate
“The philosopher described his work as an attempt to arrive at a final generalization that will subsume all previous generalizations about the nature of logic”
Succor
n. relief; help in time of distress or want
“The woman was accused of providing succor to the enemy in the form of food and medical help”
Supine
adj. lying on the back; marked by lethargy
“The captured robbery suspects were held supine on the floor”
Syllogism
adj. form of deductive reasoning
“The following syllogism is often taught: if a=b and b=c then a=c”
Tautology
n. unnecessary repetition
Taxonomy
n. science of classification
Tumid
adj. swollen; distended
synonym is turgid
“The prose of writers discussing lofty subjects sometimes becomes tumid”
“The river banks were tumid from the spring rain.”
Tutelary
adj. serving as a guardian or protector
“Most of the people of ancient Rome believed in the existence of tutelary spirits”
Valedictory
adj. pertaining to a farewell
Vitiate
v. to impair the quality of; to corrupt; make inoperative
“Unfortunately, one error in the study’s methodology vitiates the entire body of work”
“The tear in the painting vitiated its overall appeal and halved its appraisal cost.”
Vituperative
adj. using harsh, abusive censure
“The young music critic’s vituperative comments aroused the wrath of nearly every serious composer”
Leaven
v. to have an enlivening or lightening influence
“The few jokes he threw in did nothing to leaven his grim sermon.”
Thinked: leavened bread
Mores
n. the accepted customs of a particular group
“She went against the mores of her community when she decided to keep her maiden name.”
Morphology
n. the study of form or structure
Crucible
n. a severe test
Scruple
n. conscience
Spurious
adj. intending to deceive
adj. not valid or genuine
The tabloid writers made up spurious accusations against the young actor.
Condign
adj. deserved, adequate
“Though I believe I am compassionate, I will not hesitate to mete out a condign punishment to wrongdoers.”
Mettlesome
not to be confused with meddlesome
adj. courageous
n is mettle
Contravene
v. to violate, or to conflict with a rule or principle
“Until recently, Americans could not visit that country without contravening federal law.”
Obloquy
n. abusive language; damage to one’s reputation
“The president earned obloquy for his tax hikes.”
Abrade
v. to erode or rub away
“The statue’s hand was abraded from all of the tourists rubbing it for luck.”
Adroit
adj. skillful, competent
“The boy scout was an adroit survivalist and so managed to cling to life until a rescue team arrived”
Adulate
v. to give excessive praise
noun is adulation
Petrous
n. rock hard, stony
“The skull of the fetus has not yet become petrous; in fact, it is still translucent to x-rays at this stage”
Tautology
n. a statement that is trivially true; unnecessary repetition
It is no help to anybody when you spout tautologies like “Whatever will be will be”.
Consequential
adj. important
adj. self-important
“I am not prepared to accept such consequential airs from a journalist 20 years my junior”
Gull
v. to fool or deceive
“They gulled Akiko so well that she walked right into her own surprise party without suspecting a thing.”
Think: someone who is gullible is easily gulled
Rebus
n. a riddle in which words are represented by pictures
Factious
adj. inclined to make arguments, divisive, contentious
“Many networks purposely select factious personalities to appear in their reality T.V. shows in the hopes that their bickering will attract viewers.”
Epithet
n. a characterizing phrase
n. a disparaging word or phrase
Eg. “Richard the Lion-Hearted” or “Lyin Ted”
Jejune
adj. uninteresting, dull
adj. immature
adj. lacking in nutrition
“It may be said that her verse is jejune, but I happen to find a sage sensibility in her later poems.”
Effluence
n. the act of flowing out
n. something that flows out
“An effluence of people from the stadium crowded the streets.”
Ambulatory
adj. of walking, adapted for walking
“The ambulatory excursion drew few people because of the poor weather.”
Rigamarole
n. an extremely tedious and complicated process
“The rigmarole I am subjected to every time I visit the DMV would be funny were it not so depressing.”
Abrogate
v. to abolish or annul by authority
“The court ruling abrogated his rights to any profits.”
Natty
adj. trim, neat, or tidy
“She was a natty dresser, with never a seam out of place.”
Sentinel
n. one who keeps guard
v. to watch over
“The sentinel at the city gates watched over the city.”
Reconnoiter
v. to engage in reconnaissance, to make a preliminary inspection of
“We sent him to reconnoiter the party before we arrived, in case it turned out to be a dud”.
Plenipotentiary
adj. representing a country or other body with complete authority to act as its proxy
“The ambassador is plenipotentiary; he does not need to consult with his home country to sign accords on its behalf.”
Fastness
n. a safe, fortified place
The guerrillas retreated to their mountain fastness in order to regroup and consolidate their battered forces.
Bellwether
n. an indicator, esp. one that predicts future outcomes
“The Midwest is considered a bellwether for the political tide of the nation, since trends often become apparent there sooner than in other states.”
Camarilla
n. a group of counselors to a leader, esp. ones who plot or connive
“The dictator was obsessed with the possibility of foreign attack, but it was his own disgruntled camarilla of aides who did him in in the end.”
Obdurate
adj. stubborn; inflexible and unyielding
adj. emotionally cold; not compassionate
“Even when the witness began to cry, the accused remained obdurate and detached.”
Discomfit
v. to unsettle
v. to upset or prevent from succeeding
“The presence of the victim’s family at the trial discomfited the accused.”
Temerity
n. reckless boldness
“The temerity of the pirate crew cost them their ship.”
Depredate
v. to plunder, pillage, destroy
v. to exploit
“The Vikings depredated the whole valley.”
Genuflect
v. to bend knee to ground (as in worship)
v. to grovel
“The king’s subjects genuflected when he entered the room.”
Wend
v. to go, proceed, walk
“We wended our way through the market.”
Pelagic
adj. relating to open seas rather than waters adjacent to land
“The pelagic organism was only found in the deepest part of the ocean.”
Aphorism
n. a tersely phrased truth or opinion; adage; epigram
n. a brief statement of principle; or general truth
“The children had finally learned the meaning of the aphorism ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it too’.”
Purloin
v. to steal
“The manipulative thief purloined the diamonds after gaining the confidence of their location.”
Protean
adj. readily assuming different forms or characters
“Fans regarded the protean actress as capable of playing any role.”
Denouement
n. an outcome or solution to a complex series of events
“Though public interest slackened after the arsonist was caught, the denouement of the case was just as interesting as the manhunt that had preceded it.”
Apoplectic
adj. furious; enraged; overcome with anger
adj. relating to a stroke
“When Jim found out he was fired, he apoplectically stormed out of the office.”
Simper
v. to say with a coy smile; to smirk
“Dave simpered a feeble attempt at an apology.”
Miscegenation
n. any mixture or hybrid
“The school cafeteria served an obscure miscegenation of ingredients as meatloaf.”
Covey
n. a family of partridges
n. a small group
“Outside the classroom was a covey of giggling schoolgirls.”
Supine
adj. inactive, lying on one’s back apathetically
adj. morally slack
“The officials exhibited a supine acceptance of corruption.”
Pied
adj. containing patches of two or more colors, usually in blotches
“The jester’s pied coat was stitched together from scraps of blue and red fabric.”
Obstreperous
adj. unruly, noisy, loudly stubborn
“The obstreperous two-year-old cried the entire train ride.”
Ambit
n. the extent, boundary or scope of something
“Though I find her actions reprehensible, she was acting within the ambit of the law and so my hands are tied.”
Sophistry
n. fallacious reasoning; faulty, although plausible, logic
~similar to specious
“The students were quickly convinced by the professor’s sophistry and did not inquire further.”
Perspicuity
n. clarity or perceptiveness in speech, thought, or writing
“The perspicuity of the writing made a complicated topic easy for all to understand.”
Enjoin
v. to command or direct an action with authority
v. to prohibit or forbid an action
“The captain enjoined his men to respect the local laws while on shore leave.”
Extenuate
v. to lessen the magnitude or seriousness of; to mitigate
“The prisoner’s illness may extenuate the conditions of his captivity, but it shall not lead me to order his early release.”
Pertinacious
adj. holding tenaciously to a belief
adj. stubbornly unyielding
“Her pertinacious devotion to the debunked theory led her to be marginalized in the scientific community.”
Recreant
adj. unfaithful, disloyal to belief or principle
adj. cowardly or craven
n. one who is a coward, unfaithful, or disloyal
The recreant knight ran from the battle.
Adduce
v. to offer as proof in an argument
“Seth adduced several recent studies in support of his hypothesis.”
Scotch
v. decisively put an end to
Perquisite
aka perk
Inscrutable
adj. impossible to understand or interpret
think: scrutiny
Windfall
n. a piece of unexpected good fortune
Ecumenical
n. friendly relations between different religions
Exiguous
adj. very small in size or amount
Fealty
n. a feudal tenant’s or vassal’s sworn loyalty to a lord
Flagitous
adj. criminal; villanous
Think: flagrant
Pleonastic
adj. redundancy; a redundant word or expression
Mephitic
adj. foul smelling
Obsequy vs obloquy
Obsequy: funeral ceremony
Obloquy: abusive language; damage to one’s reputation
Innvervate vs. enervate
Innervate: animate, invigorate, give nervous energy to
Enervate: cause (someone) to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken.
Inveigh vs. inveigle
Inveigh: speak or write about (something) with great hostility
Inveigle: persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery
Astringent vs stringent
Astringent: harsh, severe (tone)
Stringent: strict, precise, and exacting
Centripetal vs. centrifugal
Centripetal: moving towards the center
Centrifugal: moving away from the center
Expatriate vs expatiate vs expiate
Expatriate: v. or n. to send into exile
Expatiate: to expand or elaborate on a topic; to discuss or write about at great length
Expiate: to atone for
Repaste vs. repose
Repaste: meal
Repose: the act or state of resting; peacefulness, tranquility; lying dead in a grave
Forbear vs forswear
Forbear: to refrain from doing something
Forswear: to renounce, repudiate
