vocabulary p-s Flashcards
pacific
calm, peaceful
pacifist
one opposed to war
pacify
to restore calm, bring peace
palatial
like a palace, magnificent
palaver
idle talk
paleontology
study of past geological eras through fossil remains
palette
board for mixing paints; range of colors
palisade
fence made up of stakes
pall (n)
covering that darkens or obscures; coffin
pall (v)
to lose strength or interest
palliate
to make less serious, ease
pallid
lacking color or liveliness
palpable
obvious, real, tangible
palpitation
trembling, shaking, irregular beating
paltry
pitifully small or worthless
panacea
flamboyance, verve
pandemic
spread over a whole area or country
panegyric
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
panoply
impressive array
panorama
broad view; comprehensive picture
paradigm
ideal example, model
paradox
contradiction, incongruity; dilemma, puzzle
paradoxical
self-contradictory but true
paragon
model of excellence or perfection
paramount
supreme, dominant, primary
paraphrase
to reword, usually in simpler terms
parasite
person or animal that lives at another’s expense
parch
to dry or shrivel
pare
to trim
pariah
outcast
parity
equality
parley
discussion, usually between enemies
parochial
of limited scope or outlook, provincial
parody
humorous imitation
parole
conditional release of a prisoner
parry
to ward off or deflect
parsimony
stinginess
partisan (n)
stronger supporter
partisan (adj)
biased in favor of
pastiche
piece of literature or music imitating other works
patent (adj)
obvious, unconcealed
patent (n)
official document giving exclusive right to sell an invention
paternity
fatherhood; descent from father’s ancestors
pathogenic
causing disease
pathos
pity, compassion
patrician
aristocrat
patricide
murder of one’s father
patrimony
inheritance or heritage derived from one’s father
patronize
to condescend to, disparage; to buy from
paucity
scarcity, lack
pauper
very poor person
pavilion
tent or light building used for shelter or exhibitions
peccadillo
minor sin or offense
peculation
theft of money or goods
pedagogue
teacher
pedant
uninspiring, boring academic
pedestrian (adj)
commonplace
pediatrician
doctor specializing in children and their ailments
pediment
triangular gable on a roof or facade
peer (n)
contemporary, equal, match
peerless
unequaled
pejorative
having bad connotations; disparaging
pellucid
transparent; translucent; easily understood
penance
voluntary suffering to repent for a wrong
penchant
inclination
pending (prep)
during, while awaiting
penitent
expressing sorrow for sins or offenses, repentant
pensive
thoughtful
penultimate
next to last
penumbra
partial shadow
penury
extreme poverty
perambulator
baby carriage
percipient
discerning, able to perceive
perdition
complete and utter loss; damnation
peregrinate
to wander from place to place
perennial
present throughout the years; persistent
perfidious
faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
perfunctory
done in a routine way; indifferent
perihelion
point in orbit nearest to the sun
peripatetic
moving from place to place
perjure
to tell a lie under oath
permeable
penetrable
pernicious
very harmful
perpetual
endless, lasting
personification
act of attributing human qualities to objects or abstract qualities
perspicacious
shrewd, astute, keen-witted
pert
lively and bold
pertinacious
persistent, stubborn
pertinent
applicable, appropriate
perturbation
disturbance
perusal
close examination
pervert (v)
to cause to change in immoral way; to misuse
pestilence
epidemic, plague
petulance
rudeness, peevishness
phalanx
massed group of soldiers, people, or things
philanderer
persuer of casual love affairs
philanthropy
love of humanity; generosity to worthy causes
philistine
narrow-minded person, someone lacking appreciation for art or culture
philology
study of words
phlegmatic
calm in temperament; sluggish
phobia
anxiety, horror
phoenix
mythical, immortal bird which lives for 500 years, burns itself to death, and rises from its ashes
phonetics
study of speech sounds
phonic
relating to sound
piety
devoutness
pilfer
to steal
pillage
to loot, especially during a war
pinnacle
peak, highest point of development
pious
dedicated, devout, extremely religious
pique
fleeting feeling of hurt pride
pithy
profound substantial; concise, succinct, to the point
pittance
meager amount or wage
placate
to soothe or pacify
placid
calm
plagiarist
one who steals words or ideas
plaintiff
injured person in a lawsuit
plait
to braid
platitude
stale, overused expression
plebeian
crude, vulgar, low-class
plenitude
abundance, plenty
plethora
excess, overabundance
pliant
pliable, yielding
pluck
to pull strings on musical instrument
plucky
courageous, spunky
plummet
to fall, plunge
pluralistic
including a variety of groups
ply (v)
to use diligently; to engage; to join together
pneumatic
relating to air; worked by compressed air
poach
to steal game or fish; cook in boiling liquid
podium
platform or lectern for orchestra conductors or speakers
poignant
emotionally moving
polar
relating to a geographic pole; exhibiting contrast
polarize
to tend towards opposite extremes
polemic
controversy, argument; verbal attack
politic
shrewd and practical, diplomatic
polyglot
speaker of many languages
ponderous
weighty, heavy, large
pontificate
to speak in a pretentious manner
pore (v)
to study closely or meditatively
porous
full of holes, permeable to liquids
portent
omen
portly
stout, dignified
posit
to put in position; to suggest an idea
posterior
bottom, rear
posterity
future generations; all of a person’s descendants
potable
drinkable
potentate
monarch or ruler with great power
pragmatic
practical; moved by facts rather than abstract ideals
prattle
meaningless, foolish talk
precarious
uncertain
precept
principle; law
precipice
edge, steep overhang
precipitate (adj)
sudden and unexpected
precipitate (v)
to throw down from a height; to cause to happen
precipitous
hasty, quickly, with too little caution
precis
short summary of facts
precision
state of being precise
preclude
to rule out
precocious
unusually advanced at an early age
precursor
forerunner, predecessor
predator
one that preys on others, destroyer, plunderer
predicament
difficult situation
predicate (v)
to found or base on
predictive
relating to prediction, indicative of the future
predilection
preference, liking
predisposition
tendency, inclination
preeminent
celebrated, distinguished
preface
introduction to a book; introductory remarks to a speech
premeditate
to consider, plan beforehand
premonition
forewarning; presentiment
preponderance
majority in number; dominance
prepossessing
attractive, engaging, appealing
preposterous
absurd, illogical
presage
to foretell, indicate in advance
prescient
having foresight
prescribe
to set down a rule; to recommend a treatment
presentiment
premonition, sense of foreboding
prestidigitation
sleight of hand
presumptuous
rude, improperly bold
pretext
excuse, pretended reason
prevalent
widespread
prevaricate
to lie, evade the truth
primeval
ancient, primitive
primordial
original, existing from the beginning
pristine
untouched, uncorrupted
privation
lack of usual necessities or comforts
probity
honesty, high-mindedness
proclivity
tendency, inclination
procrastinator
one who continually and unjustifiably postpones
procure
to obtain
prodigal
wasteful, extravagant, lavish
prodigious
vast, enormous, extraordinary
profane
impure; contrary to religion; sacrilegious
proficient
expert, skilled in a certain subject
profligate
corrupt, degenerate
profuse
lavish, extravagent
progenitor
originator, forefather, ancestor in a direct line
progeny
offspring, children
prognosis
prediction of disease outcome; any prediction
progressive
favoring progress or change; moving forward, going step-by-step
proliferation
propagation, reproduction; enlargement, expansion
prolific
productive, fertile
prologue
introductory section of a literary work or play
promontory
piece of land or rock higher than its surroundings
promulgate
to make known publicly
propensity
inclination, tendency
propinquity
nearness
propitiate
to win over, appease
propitious
favorable, advantageous
proponent
advocate, defender, supporter
prosaic
relating to prose; dull, commonplace
proscribe
to condemn; to forbid, outlaw
prose
ordinary language used in everyday speech
prosecutor
person who initiates a legal action or suit
proselytize
to convert to a particular belief or religion
prostrate
lying face downward, lying flat on ground
protagonist
main character in a play or story, hero
protean
readily assuming different forms or characters
protestation
declaration
protocol
ceremony and manners observed by diplomats
protract
to prolong, draw out, extend
protrusion
something that sticks out
provincial
rustic, unsophisticated, limited in scope
provocation
cause, incitement to act or respond
prowess
bravery, skill
proximity
nearness
proxy
power to act as substitute for another
prude
one who is excessively proper or modest
prudent
careful, cautious
prurient
lustful, exhibiting lewd desires
pry
to intrude into; force open
pseudonym
pen name; fictitious or borrowed name
psychic (adj)
perceptive of non-material, spiritual forces
puerile
childish, immature, silly
pudgy
chubby, overweight
pugilism
boxing
pugnacious
quarrelsome, eager and ready to fight
pulchritude
beauty
pulverize
to pound, crush, or grind into powder; destroy
pummel
to pound, beat
punctilious
careful in observing rules of behavior or ceremony
pungent
strong or sharp in smell or taste
punitive
having to do with punishment
purgation
process of cleansing, purification
purge (v)
to cleanse or free from impurities
puritanical
adhering to a rigid moral code
purport
to profess, suppose, claim
quack (n)
faker; one who falsely claims to have medical skill
quadrilateral
four-sided polygon
quadruped
animal having four feet
quagmire
marsh; difficult situation
qualify
to provide with needed skills; modify, limit
quandary
dilemma, difficulty
quarantine
isolation period, originally 40 days, to prevent spread of disease
quaternary
consisting of or relating to four units or members
quell
to crush or subdue
querulous
inclined to complain, irritable
query (n)
question
quibble
to argue about insignificant and irrelevant details
quicken
to hasten, arouse, excite
quiescence
inactivity, stillness
quintessence
most typical example; concentrated essence
quiver (v)
to shake slightly, tremble, vibrate
quixotic
overly idealistic, impractical
quotidian
occuring daily; commonplace
raconteur
witty, skillful storyteller
radical (adj)
fundamental; drastic
rail (v)
to scold with bitter or abusive language
rally (v)
to assemble; recover, recuperate
ramble (v)
to roam, wander; to babble, digress
ramification
implication, outgrowth, or consequence
ramshackle
likely to collapse
rancid
spoiled, rotten
rancor
bitter hatred
rant
to harangue, rave, forcefully scold
rapport
relationship of trust and respect
rapt
deeply absorbed
rarefy
to make thinner, purer, or more refined
rash (adj)
careless, hasty, reckless
ratify
to approve formally, confirm
ratiocination
methodial, logical reasoning
ration (n)
portion, share
ration (v)
to supply; to restrict consumption of
rational
logical, reasonable
raucous
harsh-sounding; boisterous
ravage
to destroy, devastate
ravenous
extremely hungry
ravine
deep, narrow gorge
raze
to tear down, demolish
reactionary (adj)
marked by extreme conservatism, esp. in politics
rebuff (n)
blunt rejection
rebuke (v)
to reprimand, scold
rebut
to refute by evidence or argument
recalcitrant
resisting authority or control
recant
to retract a statement, opinion, etc
recapitulate
to review with a brief summary
receptive
open to others’ ideas; congenial
reclusive
shut off from the world
recondite
relating to obscure learning; known to only a few
recount (v)
to describe facts or events
recruit (v)
to draft, enlist; to seek to enroll
rectify
to correct
rectitude
moral uprightness
recurrence
repetition
redress (n)
relief from wrong or injury
redundancy
unnecessary repetition
refectory
room where meals are served
reflection
image, likeness; opinion, thought, impression
reform (v)
to change, correct
refract
to deflect sound or light
refuge
escape, shelter
refurbish
to renovate
refute
to contradict, discredit
regimen
government rule; systematic plan
regress
to move backward; revert to an earlier form or state
rehabilitate
to restore to good health or condition; reestablish a person’s good reputation
reiterate
to say again, repeat
rejoinder
response
rejuvenate
to make young again; renew
relegate
to assign to a class, especially an inferior one
relinquish
to renounce or surrender something
relish (v)
to enjoy greatly
remediable
capable of being corrected
remedy (v)
to cure, corect
reminiscence
remembrance of past events
remission
lessening, relaxation
remit
to send (usually money) as payment
remote
distant, isolated
remuneration
pay or reward for work, trouble, etc
renascent
reborn, coming into being again
renegade
traitor, person abandoning a cause
renege
to go back on one’s word
renounce
to give up or reject a right, title, person, etc
renown
fame, widespread acclaim
repast
meal or mealtime
repeal
to revoke or formally withdraw (often a law)
repel
to rebuff, repulse; disgust, offend
repent
to regret a past action
repentant
apologetic, guilty, remorseful
replete
abundantly supplied
replicate
to duplicate, repeat
repose
relaxation, leisure
repress
to restrain or hold in
repression
act of restraining or holding in
reprehensible
blameworthy, disreputable
reprise
repetition, esp of a piece of music
reproach (v)
to find fault with; blame
reprobate
morally unprincipled person
reprove
to criticize or correct
repudiate
to reject as having no authority
repulse
repel, fend off; sicken, disgust
requiem
hymns or religious service for the dead
requite
to return or repay
rescind
to repeal, cancel
residue
remainder, leftover, remnant
resilient
able to recover quickly after illness or bad luck; able to bounce back to shape
resolute
determined; with a clear purpose
resolve (n)
determination, firmness of purpose
resolve (v)
to conclude, determine
resonate
to echo
respire
to breathe
respite
interval of relief
resplendent
splendid, brilliant
restitution
act of compensating for loss or damage
restive
impatient, uneasy, restless
restorative
having the power to renew or revitalize
restrained
controlled, repressed, restricted
resuscitate
to revive, bring back to life
retain
to hold, keep possession of
retard (v)
to slow, hold back
reticent
not speaking freely; reserved
retinue
group of attendants with an important person
retiring
shy, modest, reserved
retort
cutting response
retract
to draw in or take back
retrench
to regroup, reorganize
retrieve
to bring, fetch; reclaim
retroactive
applying to an earlier time
retrograde
having a backward motion or direction
retrospective
looking back to the past
revelry
boisterous festivity
revere
to worship, regard with awe
revert
to backslide, regress
revile
to criticize with harsh language, verbally abuse
revitalize
to renew; give new energy to
revoke
to annul, cancel, call back
revulsion
strong feeling of repugnance or dislike
rhapsody
emotional literary or musical work
rhetoric
persuasive use of language
rhythm
regular pattern or variation of sounds and stresses
ribald
humorous in a vulgar way
riddle (v)
to make many holes in; permeate
rife
widespread, prevalent; abundant
risque
bordering on being inappropriate or indecent
robust
strong and healthy; hardy
rococo
very highly ornamented
root (v)
to dig with a snout (like a pig)
rostrum
stage for public speaking
rotund
round in shape; fat
rue
to regret
ruminate
to contemplate, reflect upon
rustic
rural
saccharine
excessively sweet or sentimental
sacrosanct
extremely sacred; beyond criticism
sagacious
shrewd, wise
salient
prominent or conspicuous
sallow
sickly yellow in color
salubrious
healthful
salutation
greeting
sanction
permission, suport; law; penalty
sanctuary
haven, retreat
sanguine
ruddy; cheerfully optimistic
sardonic
cynical, scornfully mocking
satiate
to satisfy
saunter
to amble; walk in a leisurely manner
savant
learned person
savory
agreeable in taste or smell
scabbard
sheath for sword or dagger
scale (v)
to climb to the top of
scathing
harshly critical; painfully hot
scenario
plot outline; possible situation
scintilla
very small amount
scintillate
to sparkle, flash
scoff
to deride, ridicule
score (n)
notation for a musical composition
score (v)
to make a notch or scratch
scrivener
professional copyist
scrupulous
restrained; careful and precise
scrutiny
careful observation
scurrilous
vulgar, low, indecent
secant
straight line intersecting a curve at two points
secede
to withdraw formally from an organization
secluded
isolated and remote
sectarian
narrow minded; relating to a group or sect
secular
not specifically pertaining to religion
sedentary
inactive, stationary; sluggish
sedition
behavior promoting rebellion
seismology
science of earthquakes
seminal
relating to the beginning or seeds of something
senescent
aging, growing old
sensual
satisfying or gratifying the senses; suggesting sexuality
sententious
having a moralizing tone
sentient
aware, conscious, able to perceive
sequel
anything that follows
sequester
to remove or set apart; put into seclusion
seraphic
angelic, pure, sublime
serendipity
habit of making fortunate discoveries by chance
serenity
calm, peacefulness
serpentine
serpent-like; twisting, winding
serrated
saw-toothed, notched
servile
submissive, obedient
shard
piece of broken glass or pottery
sheepish
timid, meek or bashful
shirk
to avoid a task due to laziness or fear
signify
denote, indicate; symbolize
simian
ape-like; relating to apes
simper
to smirk, smile foolishly
sinecure
well-paying job or office that requires little or no work
singe
to burn slightly, scorch
sinuous
winding; intricate, complex
skeptical
doubtful, questioning
skulk
to move in a stealthy or cautious manner; sneak
slight
to treat as unimportant; insult
slipshod
careless, hasty
sloth
sluggishness, laziness
slough
to discard or shed
slovenly
untidy, messy
sluggard
lazy, inactive person
smelt (v)
to melt metal in order to refine it
snippet
tiny part, tidbit
sobriety
seriousness
sobriquet
nickname
sodden
thoroughly soaked; saturated
sojourn
visit, stay
solace
comfort in distress; consolation
solarium
room or glassed in area exposed to the sun
solecism
grammatical mistake
solicitous
concerned, attentive; eager
solidarity
unity based on common aims or interests
soliloquy
literary or dramatic speech by one character, not addressed to others
solipsism
belief that the self is the only reality
solstice
shortest and longest day of the year
soluble
capable of being solved or dissolved
somber
dark and gloomy; melancholy, dismal
somnambulist
sleepwalker
somnolent
drowsy, sleepy; inducing sleep
sonic
relating to sound
sonorous
producing a full, rich sound
sophist
person good at arguing deviously
sophistry
deceptive reasoning or argumentation
sophomoric
immature and overconfident
soporific
sleepy or tending to cause sleep
sordid
filthy; contemptible and corrupt
sovereign
having supreme power
spartan
austere, severe, grave; simple, bare
spawn
to generate, produce
speculation
contemplation; act of taking business risks for financial gain
speculative
involving assumption; uncertain; theoretical
spontaneous
on the spur of the moment, impulsive
sporadic
infrequent, irregular
