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SAT Vocabulary > Vocabulary for Reading > Flashcards

Vocabulary for Reading Flashcards

1
Q

Profuse

A

something offered or discharged very plentifully; abundant.
Ex: I offered my profuse apologies.

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2
Q

Apt

A

Appropriate or suitable in the circumstances.
Ex: The theme could not be more apt.
Or
Having a tendency to do something
Ex: He is apt to be swayed by irrational considerations.

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3
Q

Brittle

A

Hard but easy to break.
Ex: Her bones became fragile and brittle.

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4
Q

Nuance

A

A small difference in meaning or a very small detail.
Ex: He was familiar with the nuances of the local dialect.

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5
Q

Craze

A

Something very popular for a short time.
Ex: The new craze for step aerobics.

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6
Q

flourish

A

To grow stronger or healthier.
Ex: A good gardener knows plants flourish only with the right amount of sun and water.

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7
Q

Trivial

A

Something of little value or importance.
Ex: Huge fines were imposed for trivial offences.

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8
Q

Infinitesimal

A

Extremely small
Ex: An infinitesimal pause.

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9
Q

Rife

A

of common occurrence; widespread.
Ex: Male chauvinism was rife in medicine.

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10
Q

Forge

A

Create something strong, enduring or successful.
Ex: The two women forged a close bond.

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11
Q

Beckon

A

Appear attractive or inviting.
Ex: The going is tough and soft options beckon.

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12
Q

Indigenous

A

Originating in a certain area.
Ex: The potato is indigenous to Peru.

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13
Q

Overshadow

A

Appear more prominent or important than something else.
Ex: His competitive nature often overshadows the other qualities.

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14
Q

Peripheral

A

Related to or situated on the edge of something.
Ex: The peripheral areas of Europe.

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15
Q

Lull

A

Calm or send to sleep with soothing sounds.
Ex: The rhythm of the boat lulled her to sleep.
OR
A temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.
Ex: For two days there had been a lull in the fighting.

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16
Q

Strife

A

Anger or bitter disagreement
Ex: Strife within the community.

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17
Q

Inept

A

Having or showing no skill; bad at
Ex: The referee’s inept handling of the match.

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18
Q

Excavate

A

Remove by digging into the ground.
Ex: To make a hole by excavating.

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19
Q

Exacting

A

Making great demands on one’s skill, attention or other resources.
Ex: The exacting standards laid down by the organic food industry.

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20
Q

Overt

A

Not secret or hidden
Ex: An overt act of aggression.

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21
Q

Dwell

A

Live in or at a specified place.
Ex: Groups of people still dwell in these caves.

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22
Q

Erode

A

To be slowly destroyed by wind and rain.
Ex: The cliffs on this coast have been eroded by the sea.

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23
Q

Wane

A

To decrease in power or size.
Ex: Confidence in the dollar waned.

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24
Q

Pseudonym

A

A false name used publicly.
Ex: I wrote under the pseudonym of Evelyn Harvey.

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25
Q

Urbane

A

courteous, sophisticated and polite. Refined in manner.
Ex: The supposedly urbane, restrained English gentleman.

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26
Q

Elective

A

An optional course of study or a class that students can select from among alternatives.

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27
Q

Rebound

A

Recover in value, amount, or strength after a decrease or decline.
Ex: The share index rebounded to show a twenty-point gain.

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28
Q

Irrefutable

A

Impossible to deny or disprove.
Ex: Irrefutable evidence

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29
Q

Offset

A

Counteract something by having an equal and opposite force or effect.
Ex: Donations to charities can be offset against tax.
Or
Place out of line.
Ex: Several places where the ridge was offset at right angles to its length.

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30
Q

Marked

A

Clearly noticeable
Ex: A marked increase in UK sales.

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31
Q

Impetus

A

a cause or reason to start an action
Ex: Before John met Amanda, all his shirts were old and filled with holes, but his desire to impress her gave him the impetus to buy new clothes.

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32
Q

Hamper

A

To slow the progress of or make more difficult.
Ex: The steep incline and hot weather hampered the group’s efforts to reach the top of the hill in time to see the fireworks.

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33
Q

Thwart

A

Prevent someone from accomplishing something.
Ex: He never did anything to thwart his father.

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34
Q

Augment

A

To make something greater by adding to it; increase.
Ex: He augmented his summer income by painting houses.

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35
Q

Accrete

A

to grow by gradual accumulation.
Ex: The collection of art he had accreted was to be sold.

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36
Q

Convene

A

come or bring together for a meeting or activity; assemble.
Ex: He had convened a secret meeting of military personnel.

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37
Q

Despondent

A

In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
Ex: She grew more and more despondent.

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38
Q

Celebrated

A

Greatly admired; renowned.
Ex: A celebrated mathematician.

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39
Q

Seasoned

A

Experienced at doing something.
Ex: Given the manager’s extensive experience, the boss requested that each of her seasoned managers work closely with new hires.

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40
Q

Fastidious

A

Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
Ex: She dressed with fastidious care.

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41
Q

Lavish

A

sumptuously rich, elaborate or luxurious.
Ex: A lavish banquet.

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42
Q

Forgo

A

To decide not to use or have something good.
Ex: Terry had to forgo his summer backpacking trip across Europe in order to save money to fix his car instead.

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43
Q

Baffle

A

Totally bewilder or perplex
Ex: An unexplained occurrence that baffled everyone.

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44
Q

Poised

A

Having a composed and self assured manner.
Ex: Not everyday you saw that poised, competent kid distressed.

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45
Q

Squalor

A

The state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant. Especially as a result of poverty or neglect.
Ex: They live in squalor and disease.

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46
Q

Trifle

A

Treat without seriousness or respect.
Ex: He is not a man to be trifled with.

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47
Q

Insidious

A

Something unpleasant or dangerous that develops gradually without being noticed.
Ex: Sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem.

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48
Q

Inchoate

A

just begun and not so fully formed or developed, rudimentary.
Ex: A still inchoate democracy.

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49
Q

Antithesis

A

A person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else.

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50
Q

Poignant

A

Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret, touching.
Ex: A poignant reminder of the passing of time.

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51
Q

Respite

A

A short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant.
Ex: The refugee encampment will provide some respite from the suffering.

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52
Q

Pry

A

Inquire too closely into a person’s private affairs.
Ex: Sorry, I don’t mean to pry.

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53
Q

Platitude

A

A remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.
Ex: He masks his disdain for her with platitudes about how she should believe in herself more.

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54
Q

Banal/ trite

A

Something lacking in originality, as to be obvious and boring.
Ex: Songs with banal, repeated words.

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55
Q

Mandate

A

An official order or commission to do something.
Ex: A mandate to seek the release of political prisoners.

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56
Q

Ensconced

A

Establish or settle in a comfortable, safe place.
Ex: Agnes ensconced herself in their bedroom.

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57
Q

Impetuous

A

Acting or done quickly and without thought or care.
Ex: She might live to rue this impetuous decision.

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58
Q

Fratricide

A

The killing of one’s brother or sister.
Ex: Cain justifies his fratricide with lethal logic.
OR
The accidental killing of one’s own forces in war.
Ex: The Vietnam War saw fratricide increase because of the close-in jungle fighting.

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59
Q

Bedecked

A

Decorate
Ex: He led us into a room bedecked with gold.

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60
Q

Credence

A

Belief in or acceptance of something as true.
Ex: I’m not prepared to give credence to anonymous complaints

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61
Q

Saccharine

A

Excessively sweet or sentimental.
Ex: Saccharine music

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62
Q

Piquant

A

having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.
Ex: A piquant tartare sauce.
Or
Pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.

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63
Q

Relish

A

Enjoy greatly.
Ex: He was relishing his moment of glory.

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64
Q

Discretion

A

The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offence or revealing confidential information.
Ex: She knew she could rely on his discretion.

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65
Q

Recourse

A

A source of help in a difficult situation.
Ex: Surgery may be the only recourse.

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66
Q

Placate or pacify

A

Make someone less angry or hostile.
Ex: He has tried to placate his critics within the party.

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67
Q

Reprieve

A

Cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
Ex: He accepted the death sentence and refused to appeal for a reprieve.

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68
Q

Stupefy

A

Astonish and shock.
Ex: The amount they spend on clothes would appal their parents and stupefy their grandparents.

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69
Q

Incandescent

A

Full of strong emotion; passionate.
Ex: She felt an incandescent love for life.

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70
Q

Listless

A

lacking energy or enthusiasm.
Ex: I have felt listless all day.

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71
Q

Absolution

A

Formal release from guilt, obligation or punishment.
Ex: Absolution from the sentence.

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72
Q

Poppycock

A

nonsense
Ex: He said I was talking poppycock.

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73
Q

Indignation

A

Anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment.
Ex: The letter filled Lucy with indignation.

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74
Q

Culpable

A

Deserving blame.
Ex: They are both culpable for putting political life on the danger list.

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75
Q

Contrition

A

The state of feeling remorseful and penitent.
Ex: To show contrition for his crime, he offered to do community service.

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76
Q

Peckish

A

Hungry
Ex: I hadn’t eaten and was quite peckish.

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77
Q

Adept

A

Means skilled

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78
Q

Adversary

A

Means opponent

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79
Q

Align(oneself with)

A

To support or adopt the position of

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80
Q

Authentic

A

Means genuine

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81
Q

Centrality

A

State of being central or essential

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82
Q

Complement

A

To complete or perfect

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83
Q

Comprehensive

A

Means wide-ranging

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84
Q

Contingent

A

Means dependent upon

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85
Q

Confer

A

Means to give or grant

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86
Q

Corollary

A

describes a result that is the natural consequence of something else

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87
Q

Contemporary

A

Means current

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88
Q

Displace

A

To force someone or something from its home or habitat

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89
Q

Disposition

A

A person’s inherent qualities of mind and character, personality.

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90
Q

Marginal

A

At the edge or margin OR
minor and unimportant; not central

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91
Q

Mitigate

A

Make something less severe

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92
Q

Solemn

A

something characterized by deep sincerity.
Ex: He swore a solemn oath to keep faith.
OR
something formal and dignified
Ex: A solemn procession.

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93
Q

frivolous

A

Not having any serious purpose or value, flippant
Ex: Frivolous ribbons and lacy frills.

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94
Q

Confound

A

to cause surprise or confusion in someone especially not according with their expectations, amaze
Ex: The inflation figure confounded by economic analysts.

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95
Q

Docile

A

Ready to accept control or instruction, submissive

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96
Q

Precocious

A

developed certain abilities at an earlier age than is usual or expected, advanced
Ex: A precocious solitary boy.

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97
Q

Precarious

A

not securely held in position, dangerously likely to fall.
Ex: A precarious ladder.
OR
Dependent on chance; uncertain
Ex: He made a precarious living as a painter.

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98
Q

Proponents

A

A person who advocates a theory, proposal, or course of action, an advocate
Ex: a strong proponent of the free market and liberal trade policies.

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99
Q

Polemicist

A

A person who engages in controversial debate.
Ex: A brilliant polemicist with an independent critical mind.

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100
Q

Relic

A

An object surviving from an earlier time, especially one of historical interest.
Ex: A museum of railway relics.

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101
Q

Forerunner

A

A person or thing that precedes the coming or development of someone or something else.
Ex: The ice safe was a forerunner of today’s refrigerator.

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102
Q

Subversive

A

seeking or intended to subvert an established system or institution, disruptive
Ex: The government blamed a subversive organization for the riots.

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103
Q

Profound

A

Very great of intense
Ex: Profound feelings of sorrow

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104
Q

Disquiet

A

a feeling of worry or unease, anxiety, worry
Ex: A public unease over animal testing.

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105
Q

Cryptic

A

having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure.
Ex: he found his boss’s utterances too cryptic.

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106
Q

Intimate

A

private and personal.
Ex: intimate details of his sexual encounters.
OR
closely acquainted; familiar.
Ex: Intimate friends

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107
Q

Exult

A

Feel or show triumphant elation or jubilation, rejoice
Ex: Exulting in her escape, Lisa closed the door behind her.

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108
Q

Repose

A

A state of rest, sleep or tranquility.
Ex: In repose her face looked relaxed.

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109
Q

Ablation

A

the ancient past, especially the period of classical and other human civilizations before the Middle Ages
Ex: The great civilizations of antiquity

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110
Q

Obscure

A

Not discovered or known about; uncertain.
Ex: His origins and parentage are obscure.

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111
Q

Esoteric/Arcane

A

Understood by few; mysterious or secret.
Ex: Arcane procedures for electing people.

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112
Q

Tenuous

A

Very weak or slight.
Ex: The tenuous link between interest rates and investment.

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113
Q

Obtrusive

A

Noticeable or prominent in an unwelcome or intrusive way.
Ex: The sofa would be less obtrusive in a paler colour.

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114
Q

Idiomatic

A

Using, containing or denoting expressions that are natural to a native speaker.
Ex: He spoke fluent, idiomatic English.

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115
Q

Dexterous

A

Showing or having skill, especially with the hands.
Ex: A dexterous keyboard player.

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116
Q

Arduous

A

Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.
Ex: An arduous journey.

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117
Q

Expedient

A

Convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral.
Ex: Either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so.

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118
Q

Idiosyncratic

A

Unique to an individual; peculiar or individual; distinctive
Ex: She emerged as one of the great, idiosyncratic talents of the nineties

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119
Q

Seemliness

A

The quality or state of being especially suitable or fitting.

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120
Q

Colloquial

A

Used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.
Ex: Colloquial and everyday language.

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121
Q

Prejudice

A

Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.
Ex: Prejudice against people from different backgrounds.

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122
Q

Abhorrent

A

Inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant.
Ex: Racism was abhorrent to us all.

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123
Q

Tact

A

Skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues, thoughtfulness
Ex: The inspector broke the news to me with tact and consideration.

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124
Q

Vindicate

A

Clear someone of blame or suspicion.
Ex: Hospital staff were vindicated by the inquest verdict.

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125
Q

Vindictive

A

Having or showing a strong desire for revenge.
Ex: The criticism was both vindictive and personalized.

126
Q

Valiant

A

Possessing or showing courage or determination.
Ex: She made a valiant effort to hold her anger in check.

127
Q

Puerile

A

Childishly, silly and immature
Ex: A puerile argument.

128
Q

Imperative

A

of vital importance; crucial
Ex: immediate action was imperative

129
Q

Delectable

A

delicious
Ex: Delectable handmade chocolates.

130
Q

Sycophant

A

A person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage.
Ex: Because he is high-ranking, he’s surrounded by sycophants.

131
Q

Obsequious

A

Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
Ex: They were served by obsequious waiters.

132
Q

Inventive

A

Having the ability to create or design new things or to think originally, creative
Ex: The most inventive composer of his time.

133
Q

Cavalier

A

showing a lack of proper concern; indifferent
Ex: Anne was irritated by his cavalier attitude.

134
Q

Sagely

A

In a profoundly wise manner.
Ex: James nodded sagely to reinforce his point.

135
Q

Eminent

A

famous and respected within a particular sphere, illustrious or distinguished
Ex: One of the world’s most eminent statisticians.

136
Q

Ingenious

A

clever, original, and inventive.
Ex: He was ingenious enough to overcome the limited budget.

137
Q

Detractors

A

a person who belittles someone or something, critic
Ex: The island, say its detractors, has been devoured by development.

138
Q

Disparage

A

regard or represent as being of little worth.
Ex: He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.

139
Q

Fib

A

a small lie that doesn’t cause any harm.
Ex: why did you tell him such a dreadful fib?

140
Q

Unfetter

A

release from a restraining or inhibiting force, to be restrained
Ex: His imagination is unfettered by the laws of logic.

141
Q

Frailty

A

the condition of being weak and delicate.
Ex: The increasing frailty of old age.

142
Q

Facetious

A

treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour; flippant.
Ex: A facetious remark.

143
Q

Chattel

A

a personal possession
Ex:

144
Q

Ordeal

A

a very unpleasant and prolonged experience.
Ex: As a consequence he forced the families through the ordeal of the trial.

145
Q

convalescent

A

Recovering from an illness or medical treatment, recovering
Ex: a convalescent child

146
Q

Peaky

A

Pale from an illness or fatigue, sickly
Ex: You’re looking a bit peaky—a change of scene would do you good.

147
Q

Divulge

A

To make private or sensitive information known, reveal
Ex: I do not want to divulge my plans at the moment.

148
Q

Loathe

A

feel intense dislike or disgust for, detest
Ex: she loathed him on sight.

149
Q

Duplicitous

A

means deceitful
Ex: A duplicitous philanderer.

150
Q

Ruse

A

an action intended to deceive someone; a trick or ploy.
Ex: Emma tried to think of a ruse to get Paul out of the house.

151
Q

Abscond

A

leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to escape from custody or avoid arrest; runaway
Ex: The barman absconded with a week’s takings.

152
Q

Vehement

A

showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense.
Ex: Her voice was low but vehement.

153
Q

Ardent

A

very enthusiastic or passionate.
Ex: An ardent supporter of the cause of education.

154
Q

Behemoth

A

a huge or monstrous creature.

155
Q

Dispense

A

do without or get rid of.
Ex: Let’s dispense with the formalities, shall we?

156
Q

Predilection

A

a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something.
Ex: My predilection for Asian food.

157
Q

Temperance

A

The quality of moderation or self restraint.
Ex: The whole multitude of men lack temperance in their lives, either from ignorance or from want of self-control

158
Q

Cordial

A

warm and friendly
Ex: The atmosphere was cordial and relaxed.
OR
strongly felt, intense
Ex: I earned his cordial loathing.

159
Q

Affable

A

Friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.
Ex: An affable and agreeable companion.

160
Q

Traipse

A

walk or move wearily or reluctantly, trek
Ex: The student had to traipse all over London to attend lectures.

161
Q

Litany

A

A tedious recital or repetitive series.
Ex: A litany of complaints.

162
Q

Menagerie

A

a collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition.
OR
a strange or diverse collection of people or things.

163
Q

Contrive

A

To plan with ingenuity; devise.
Ex: His opponents contrived a cabinet crisis.

164
Q

Haphazard

A

lacking any obvious principle of organization; disorganized
Ex: The music business works in a haphazard fashion.

165
Q

Veracity

A

habitual truthfulness
Ex: Officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story.

166
Q

Illicit

A

forbidden by laws, rules or customs.
Ex: Illicit drugs.

167
Q

Manifest

A

Clear or obvious to the eye or mind.
Ex: Her manifest charm and proven ability.
OR
show (a quality or feeling) by one’s acts or appearance; demonstrate.
Ex: Lizzy manifested signs of severe depression.

168
Q

Savant

A

A very learned or talented person, especially one distinguished in a particular field of science or the arts. An intellectual
Ex: He portrayed himself as a savant and a genius.

169
Q

Egress

A

The action of going out of or leaving a place.
Ex: Direct means of access and egress for passengers.

170
Q

Deign

A

to do something unwillingly and in a way that shows that you think you are too important to do it.
Ex: If she deigns to reply to my letter, I’ll be extremely surprised.

171
Q

Adjunct

A

a thing added to something else as a supplementary rather than an essential part.
Ex: Computer technology is an adjunct to learning.

172
Q

Modicum

A

a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something desirable or valuable.
Ex: His statement had a modicum of truth.

173
Q

Stricken

A

seriously affected by an undesirable condition or unpleasant feeling; troubled
Ex: The pilot landed the stricken aircraft.

174
Q

Implicate

A

show to be involved in a crime.
OR
to imply something
Ex: By stating coffee would keep her awake, Mary implicated that she didn’t want any.

175
Q

Levity

A

a lack of seriousness
Ex: She would not tolerate any levity in the classroom.

176
Q

Solemn

A

serious and without any humor.
Ex: He looked stern and solemn and rarely talked.

177
Q

Flummoxed

A

so confused that you do not know what to do
Ex: Doctor’s were flummoxed by the boy’s symptoms.

178
Q

Copious

A

In large amounts or more than enough.
Ex: A copious blood supply.

179
Q

Gallivant

A

to visit or go to a lot of different places, enjoying yourself and not worrying about other things you should be doing
Ex: Well you won’t be able to go off gallivanting around like this when there’s a baby to be taken care of.

180
Q

Quibble

A

to argue about, or say you disapprove of, something that is not important
Ex: There’s no point quibbling about/over a couple of dollars.

181
Q

Superficial

A

appearing to be true or real only until examined more closely.
Ex: The resemblance between the breeds is superficial
OR
Existing or occurring at or on the surface.
Ex: the building suffered only superficial damage.

182
Q

Facile

A

ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial.
Ex: Facile generalizations.
OR
easily achieved; effortless.
A facile seven-lengths victory.

183
Q

Absolute

A

very great or to the largest degree possible:
Ex: a man of absolute integrity/discretion
OR
true, right, or the same in all situations and not depending on anything else:
Ex: an absolute law/principle/doctrine

184
Q

Negate

A

to make something ineffective; nullify
Ex: Alcohol negates the effects of the drug.

185
Q

Entrench

A

establish (an attitude, habit, or belief) so firmly that change is very difficult or unlikely.
Ex: Ageism is entrenched in our society

186
Q

Entrancing

A

capable of attracting and holding interest; charming.
Ex: an entrancing smile.

187
Q

Prefigure

A

be an early indication or version of (something).
Ex: the Hussite movement prefigured the Reformation.

188
Q

Affinity

A

a natural liking for and understanding of someone or something
Ex: He had a special affinity with horses.

189
Q

Corroborate

A

confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)
Ex: The witness had corroborated the boy’s account of the attack

190
Q

Subsume

A

include or absorb (something) in something else.
Ex: Most of these phenomena can be subsumed under two broad categories.

191
Q

Ascertain

A

find (something) out for certain; make sure of.
Ex: an attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident.

192
Q

Discern

A

Recognize or find out.
Ex: I can discern no difference between the two policies

193
Q

Qualified (other definition that isnt related to certification or meeting requirements for a position)

A

make (a statement or assertion) less absolute; add reservations to or limit
Ex: She felt obliged to qualify her first short answer.

194
Q

Coxcombical

A

a conceited and foolish person.

195
Q

Conceited

A

excessively proud of oneself; vain
Ex: Fred’s so conceited he’d never believe anyone would refuse him.

196
Q
A
197
Q

Chastise

A

Rebuke or reprimand seriously; scold
Ex: He chastised his colleagues for their laziness.

198
Q

Ramification

A

a complex or unwelcome consequence of an action or event.
Ex: Any change is bound to have legal ramifications.

199
Q

Conscientious

A

wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly; diligent or punctilious
Ex: A conscientious man, he took his duties very seriously.

200
Q

Grimaces

A

an ugly, twisted expression on a person’s face, typically expressing disgust, pain, or wry amusement, frown.
Ex: she gave a grimace of pain.

201
Q

Extricable

A

to free or remove from entanglement or difficulty.

202
Q

Fervour

A

intense and passionate feeling.
Ex: He talked with all the fervour of a new convert.

203
Q

Dastardly

A

wicked and cruel
Ex: Pirates and their dastardly.

204
Q

Coy

A

making a pretence of shyness or modesty that is intended to be alluring (typically used of a woman), flirtatious
Ex: She treated him to a coy smile of invitation.
OR
reluctant to give details about something considered as sensitive.
Ex: He is coy about his age.

205
Q

Decadence

A

moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury, luxurious self indulgence.
Ex: He denounced Western decadence.

206
Q

Impugn

A

dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of (a statement or motive); call into question.
Ex: The father does not impugn her capacity as a good mother.

207
Q

Stymie

A

To prevent or hinder the progress of.
Ex: The changes must not be allowed to stymie new medical treatments.

208
Q

Decry

A

Publicly denounce
Ex: They decried human rights abuses.

209
Q

Frisk

A

Skip or leap playfully; frolic
Ex: Spaniels frisked around me.
OR
of a police officer or other official) pass the hands over (someone) in a search for hidden weapons, drugs, or other items.
Ex: He raised his arms to permit the officer to frisk him.

210
Q

Upend

A

Set or turn (something) on its end or upside down.
Ex: She upended a can of soup over the portions.

211
Q

Redact

A

censor or obscure (part of a text) for legal or security purposes.
Ex: a confidential memo which has been redacted from 25 pages to just one paragraph.

212
Q

Predisposed

A

make someone liable or inclined to a specified attitude, action, or condition.
Ex: lack of exercise may predispose an individual to high blood pressure.

213
Q

Embargo

A

an official ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country.
Ex: an embargo on grain sales.

214
Q

Sacrosanct

A

regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with.
Ex: the individual’s right to work has been upheld as sacrosanct.

215
Q

Endearing

A

Inspiring affection.
Ex: An endearing little grin.

216
Q

Megalomaniac

A

someone who has an unnaturally strong wish for power and control, or thinks that they are much more important and powerful than they really are.
Ex: He has been accused of being a megalomaniac.

217
Q

Domicile

A

Treat a specified country as a permanent home, reside or based.
Ex: The tenant is domiciled in the United Kingdom.

218
Q

Commune

A

to get very close to someone or something by exchanging feelings or thoughts.
Ex: Lying naked in the grass, among the trees and birds, he felt he was communing with nature.
OR
A group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities.
Ex: she went to California and joined a commune.

219
Q

Innocuous

A

not harmful or offensive.
Ex: it was an innocuous question.

220
Q

Convoluted

A

extremely complex and difficult to follow.
Ex: the film is let down by a convoluted plot in which nothing really happens.

221
Q

Abjure

A

solemnly renounce (a belief, cause, or claim).
Ex: MPs were urged to abjure their Jacobite allegiance.

222
Q

Dismal

A

causing a mood of gloom or depression, dingy, sombre or dark.
Ex: The dismal weather made the late afternoon seem like evening.

223
Q

Indolence

A

avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness.
Ex: My failure is probably due to my own indolence.

224
Q

Predate

A

exist or occur at a date earlier than (something).
Ex: Here parish boundaries seem clearly to predate Roman roads.

225
Q

Pillage

A

rob a (place) using violence, especially in wartime.
Ex: The abbey was plundered and pillaged.

226
Q

Rustic

A

made in a plain and simple fashion, homespun.
Ex: rustic pottery

227
Q

Treacly

A

excessively sentimental.
Ex: Treacly melodramas

228
Q

Cesspool

A

a disgusting or corrupt place.
Ex: the town is not the cesspool you portrayed.

229
Q

Amiss

A

not quite right; inappropriate or out of place.
Ex: There was something amiss about his calculations.

230
Q

Posterity

A

all future generations of people.
Ex: the victims’ names are recorded for posterity.

231
Q

Heresy or heretical

A

holding an opinion at odds with what is generally accepted.
Ex: I feel a bit heretical saying this, but I think the film has too much action.

232
Q

Recant

A

say that one no longer holds an opinion or belief, especially one considered heretical.
Ex: Heretics were burned if they would not recant.

233
Q

Incursion

A

an invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one.
Ex: Incursions into enemy territory.

234
Q

Fortuitous

A

happening by chance rather than intention.
Ex: The similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous.

235
Q

Misanthrope

A

a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.
Ex: Scrooge wasn’t the mean-spirited misanthrope most of us believe him to be.

236
Q

Disenfranchised

A

deprive (someone) of a right or privilege.
Ex: We strongly oppose any measure which would disenfranchise people from access to legal advice.

237
Q

Propensities

A

an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way.
Ex: His propensity for violence.

238
Q

Enamored

A

have a liking or admiration for
Ex: She was truly enamored of New York

239
Q

Dour

A

relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance.
Ex: A hard, dour, humorless fanatic.

240
Q

Construe

A

interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.
Ex: His words could hardly be construed as an apology.

241
Q

Leering

A

looking or gazing in a lascivious(lecherous) or unpleasant way.
Ex: Every leering eye in the room was on her.

242
Q

Presumptuous

A

failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate; overconfident or overbold.
Ex: I hope I won’t be considered presumptuous if I offer some advice.

243
Q

Futile

A

incapable of producing any useful result; pointless
Ex: a futile attempt to keep fans from mounting the stage.

244
Q

Extricate

A

free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty, disentangle.
Ex: He was trying to extricate himself from official duties.

245
Q

Confluence

A

an act or process of merging.
Ex: A major confluence of the world’s financial markets.

246
Q

Fictitious

A

not real or true; imaginary or fabricated.
Ex: Reports of a deal were dismissed as fictitious by the Minister.

247
Q

Potent

A

having great power, influence, or effect.
Ex: Thrones were potent symbols of authority.

248
Q

Rapacious

A

aggressively greedy or grasping.
Ex: Rapacious landlords.

249
Q

Brazen

A

bold and without shame.
Ex: he went about his illegal business with a brazen assurance.

250
Q

Pilfer

A

steal (things of little value).
Ex: she produced the handful of coins she had managed to pilfer.

251
Q

Quaint

A

attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
Ex: Quaint country cottages.

252
Q

Amalgamation

A

the action, process, or result of combining or uniting.
Ex: The threat of amalgamation with another college.

253
Q

Ostensibly

A

outwardly appearing as such; professed; pretended; basically having a false surface appearance.
Ex: An ostensible cheerfulness concealing sadness.

254
Q

Tantamount

A

equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as or equivalent to something.
Ex: The resignations were tantamount to an admission of guilt.

255
Q

Jejune

A

naive, simplistic, and superficial.
Ex: Their entirely predictable and usually jejune opinions.
OR
(of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting.

256
Q

Fraught

A

filled with or likely to result in (something undesirable).
Ex: Marketing any new product is fraught with danger.
OR
causing or affected by anxiety or stress.
Ex: there was a fraught silence.

257
Q

Repudiate

A

refuse to accept; reject.
Ex: She has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders.

258
Q

Vitriolic

A

filled with bitter criticism or malice; acrimonious
Ex: Vitriolic attacks on the politicians.

259
Q

Virtuous

A

having or showing high moral standards.
Ex: He considered herself very virtuous because she neither drank nor smoked.

260
Q

Decrepit

A

worn out or ruined because of age or neglect.
Ex: a row of decrepit houses.
OR
of a person) elderly and infirm; feeble
Ex: I stay active as I don’t want to be decrepit.

261
Q

Tedium

A

the state or quality of being tedious.
Ex: the tedium of car journeys.

262
Q

Thrall

A

the state of being in someone’s power, or of having great power over someone.
Ex: The town in thrall to a villain.

263
Q

Eviscerate

A

deprive (something) of its essential content.
Ex: myriad little concessions that would eviscerate the project.

264
Q

Disparage

A

regard or represent as being of little worth; belittle
Ex: He never missed an opportunity to disparage his competitors.

265
Q

Arbiter

A

a person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter; a judge basically.
Ex: The Secretary of State is the final arbiter.

266
Q

Git

A

an unpleasant or despicable person.
Ex: That mean old git.

267
Q

Contempt

A

the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration; disrespect
Ex: Pam stared at the girl with total contempt.

268
Q

Reproach

A

express to (someone) one’s disapproval of or disappointment in their actions.
Ex: Critics reproached him for his failure to tackle the deficiency.

269
Q

Deluge

A

a severe flood
Ex: this may be the worst deluge in living memory.
OR
a great quantity of something arriving at the same time.
Ex: a deluge of complaints.

270
Q

Aberration

A

something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected; an anomaly
Ex: they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration

271
Q

Tentative

A

not certain or fixed; provisional.
Ex: a tentative conclusion.
OR
done without confidence; hesitant.
Ex: He eventually tried a few tentative steps round his hospital room.

272
Q

Mar

A

impair the quality or appearance of; spoil
Ex: The violence marred a number of New Year’s celebrations.

273
Q

Petulant

A

childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
Ex: He was moody and petulant.

274
Q

Depraved

A

morally corrupt; wicked.
Ex: He was a depraved lecher.

275
Q

Chastise

A

rebuke or reprimand severely.
Ex: He chastised his colleagues for their laziness.
OR
punish, especially by beating.
Ex: the General cruelly chastised them with a whip.

276
Q

Occult

A

mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, or phenomena.
Ex: a secret society to study alchemy and the occult.
OR
not accompanied by readily discernible signs or symptoms.
Ex: careful palpation sometimes discloses occult spina bifida.

277
Q

latent

A

existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.
Ex: they have a huge reserve of latent talent.

278
Q

Conjecture

A

an opinion or suppostion(conclusion) formed on the basis of incomplete information; guess
Ex: conjectures about the newcomer were many and varied.

279
Q

Penchant

A

a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something.
Ex: He has a penchant for adopting stray dogs

280
Q

Callous

A

showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; heartless
Ex: His callous comments about the murder made me shiver.

281
Q

Phantom

A

a figment of the imagination or ghost.
Ex: He tried to clear the phantoms from his head and grasp reality.

282
Q

Insatiable

A

Impossible to satisfy.
Ex: An insatiable hunger for success.

283
Q

Herald

A

a person or thing viewed as a sign that something is about to happen; an indicator of something
Ex: They considered the first primroses as the herald of spring.

284
Q

Sanctimony

A

the action or practice of acting as if one were morally superior to other people.
Ex: They have no shame and turn on the phony sanctimony.

285
Q

Wench

A

a prostitute

286
Q

Reap my just desserts

A

something bad happens to you that you deserve because of something bad you have done.

287
Q

Gallant

A

brave; heroic.
Ex: she had made gallant efforts to pull herself together.
OR
charmingly attentive and chivalrous to women.
Ex: a gallant gentleman came over and kissed my hand.

288
Q

Derelict

A

in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.
Ex: a derelict Georgian mansion.

289
Q

Accost

A

approach and address (someone) boldly or aggressively.
Ex: reporters accosted him in the street.

290
Q

Wanton

A

deliberate and unprovoked.
Ex: sheer wanton vandalism.
OR
a sexually unrestrained woman.
Ex: She’d behaved like a wanton”

291
Q

Beguile

A

to charm or enchant, often in a deceptive way.
Ex: He beguiled the voters with his good looks.
OR
help (time) pass pleasantly.
Ex: to beguile some of the time they went to the cinema.

292
Q

Trollop

A

a female prostitute.

293
Q

Polarize

A

divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups or sets of opinions or beliefs.
Ex: The cultural sphere has polarized into two competing ideological positions.

294
Q

Moratorium

A

a temporary prohibition of an activity.
Ex: A moratorium on the use of drift nets.

295
Q

Prescient

A

having or showing knowledge of events before they take place; prophetic or predictive
Ex: a prescient warning.

296
Q

Revel in something

A

Take great pleasure in something; be overjoyed and celebrated
Ex: She reveled in her success.

297
Q

Transcend

A

Be or go beyond the range or limits of (a field of activity or conceptual sphere).
Ex: This was an issue transcending the tech space and reaching other corners of society.
OR
Surpass (a person or achievement).
Ex: He doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare”

298
Q

Sweltering

A

uncomfortably hot.
Ex: a sweltering English summer.

299
Q

Assuage

A

make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense; relieve
Ex: the letter assuaged the fears of most members.
OR
satisfy (an appetite or desire).
Ex: an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge.

300
Q

Confide

A

trust (someone) enough to tell them of a secret or private matter; divulge
Ex: He confided in friends that he and his wife planned to separate.

301
Q

Consign

A

deliver (something) to a person’s keeping; entrust
Ex: He consigned three paintings to Sotheby’s.

302
Q

Reprove

A

reprimand (someone); scold, reproach.
Ex: He was reproved for obscenity.

303
Q

Prostrate

A

reduce (someone) to extreme physical weakness.
Ex: She was so prostrated by migraine that she could scarcely totter up the stairs to bed.

304
Q
A
305
Q

Acrimony

A

bitterness or ill feeling; rancour or resentment
Ex: The AGM dissolved into acrimony

306
Q

Infallible

A

incapable of making mistakes or being wrong.
Ex: Doctors are not infallible.

307
Q

Conflate

A

combine (two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, etc.) into one.

308
Q

epicaricacy

A

derive pleasure from the misfortune of another.

309
Q

moribund

A

of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigour.
“the moribund commercial property market”

(of a person) at the point of death.
“on examination she was moribund and dehydrated”

310
Q
A

SAT Vocabulary (1 decks)

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