Word List 26 Flashcards
oscillate
to vary between opposing beliefs, feelings, or theories
osmosis
a process of absorption or diffusion suggestive of the flow of osmotic motion; especially, a usually effortless often unconscious assimilation
e.g. She seems to learn languages by osmosis.
osseous
consisting of bone, resembling bone; bony
ossify
to change into bone
to become hardened or conventional and opposed to change
e.g. a young man who began to ossify right after college
ostensible
intended for display; open to view
being such in appearance; plausible rather than demonstrably true or real
e.g. the ostensible purpose for the trip
The ostensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get him to the surprise party.
ostentation
excessive display; pretentiousness
e.g. He write simply and clearly and without ostentation.
ostracize
to exile by ostracism
to exclude from a group by common consent
e.g. The other girls ostracized her because of the way she dressed.
ostrich
one who attempts to avoid danger of difficulty by refusing to face it
other-directed
directed in thought and action primarily by external norms rather by one’s own scales of values
oust
to remove from or dispossess of; to take away; bar, remove
to take the place of; supplant
e.g. The rebels ousted the dictator from power.
Large national banks are ousting local banks in many communities.
outgrowth
a process or product of growing out
consequence, by-product
e.g. an outgrowth of hair
A predictable outgrowth of the suburb’s ever growing population will be the need for more schools.
outmaneuver
to overcome an opponent by artful, clever maneuvering
outmoded
not being in style
no longer acceptable, current, or usable
e.g. outmoded computers that can be recycled
outmoded customs
outset
beginning, start
e.g. There have been problems with the project from the outset.
outshine
to shine brighter than; to excel in splendor or showiness
outdo, surpass
e.g. The trumpeter outshines all of his fellow band members.
outstrip
to go faster or farther than
to get ahead of
e.g. The new hotel outstrips all other hotels in the area in size and luxury.
The fullback outstripped the defenders and scored a touchdown.
ovation
an expression or demonstration of popular acclaim especially by enthusiastic applause
e.g. a warm ovation
received a standing ovation for masterly performance
overbearing
tending to overwhelm; overpowering
decisively important; dominant
harshly and haughtily arrogant
overhaul
to examine thoroughly
repair; to renovate, remake, revise, or renew thoroughly
to haul or drag over
overtake
e.g. They had to overhaul the original plans.
Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program.
overreach
to reach above or beyond; overtop
to defeat (oneself) by seeking to do or gain too much
to get the better of especially in dealing and bargaining and typically by unscrupulous or crafty methods
e.g. The company overreached itself and ran out of money after one year.
override
to ride over or across; trample
to prevail over; dominate
to set aside; annul
e.g. Congress overrode the President’s veto.
Don’t let anger override common sense.
overriding
chief, principal
e.g. an overriding concern
The weather is the overriding factor in deciding whether to cancel the picnic.
overshadow
to cast a shadow over
to exceed in importance; outweigh
e.g. The pitcher’s outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team.
overstate
to state in too strong terms; exaggerate
e.g. overstated his qualifications
overt
open to view; manifest
e.g. overt hostility
overthrow
overturn, upset
to cause the downfall of; bring down, defeat
overture
an initiative toward agreement or action; proposal
something introductory; prelude
the orchestral introduction to a musical dramatic work
e.g. The government has made a significant peace overture by opening the door to negotiation.
The parade down Main Street served as the overture for a weekend of fun and festivities.
overturn
to cause to turn over; upset
invalidate, destroy
reverse
e.g. The dog overturned the bowl.
The truck went off the road and overturned several times.
The court overturns his conviction.
overwrought
extremely excited; agitated
elaborated to excess; overdone
e.g. become overwrought on hearing the bad news
written in a florid, overwrought style
rankle
to cause anger, irritation, or deep bitterness
to feel anger or irritation
e.g. The joke about her family rankled her.
padding
soft material used to cover a hard surface in order to make it more comfortable
unnecessary words used to make a speech or writing longer
e.g. These shoes have extra padding in the heel.
If you remove the padding from his speech, you can see that he offers no new ideas.
paean
a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph
a work that praises or honors its subject; encomium, tribute
pagan
an unconverted member of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of the Bible; heathen
one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods; an irreligious or hedonistic person
e.g. The Spanish conquistadors regarded the native people of the lands that they conquered as pagans who were uncivilized and inherently inferior.
pageant
a mere show; pretense
an ostentatious display
show, exhibition
e.g. annual Christmas pageant
painstaking
taking pains; expending, showing, or involving diligent care and effort
e.g. The book describes the election process in painstaking detail.
palate
the roof of the mouth separating the mouth from the nasal cavity
a usually intellectual taste or liking
the sense of taste
e.g. Korean food adapted for the American palate
She’s been working hard on a menu that will please the palates of all her guests.
palatable
agreeable to the palate or taste
agreeable or acceptable to the mind
e.g. a less than palatable beer
I did not find the idea of moving again very palatable.
palatial
of, relating to, or being a palace
suitable to a palace; magnificent
palette
a thin board or tablet that a painter holds and mixes pigments on
the set of colors used on palette
a comparable range, quality, or use of available elements
e.g. a rich palette of tones and timbres
a palette of flavors
pall
to lose strength or effectiveness
to lose in interest or attraction
dwindle
something (such as a cloud of smoke) that covers a place and makes it dark; a feeling of gloom
a square of linen that is used for covering a coffin
e.g. His humor began to pall on us.
Our enthusiasm soon palled.
a pall of thick black smoke
A persistent pall of distrust has overtaken this administration and will remain until the president resigns.
The absence cast a pall over the celebration.
palliate
to reduce the violence of; also, to ease without curing the underlying disease
to cover by excuses and apologies
to moderate the intensity of
e.g. treatments that can palliate the painful symptoms of the disease
Don’t try to palliate your constant lying by claiming that everybody lies.
trying to palliate the boredom
pallid
deficient in color; wan
lacking sparkle or liveliness; dull
e.g. a pallid countenance
The movie is a pallid version of the classic novel.
palmy
marked by prosperity; flourishing
abounding in or bearing palms
e.g. the palmy days of the British drama
a palmy suburb with lots of new homes and shopping malls
palpable
capable of being touched or felt; tangible
easily understood; noticeable
easily perceptible by the mind; manifest
e.g. a palpable sense of relief
a palpable difference
palpate
to examine by touch especially medically
e.g. The doctor palpated his ribs to see if there was any tenderness.
palter
to act insincerely or deceitfully; equivocate
haggle, chaffer, bargain
e.g. Others might falter on the way; might palter with the truth; might parlay with the enemy.
the double-faced prevaricator who deals in words that palter in a double sense
paltry
inferior, trashy
mean, despicable
trivial
meager, measly
e.g. a paltry, underhanded scheme to get someone fired
The hotel’s shabby, outdated exercise room was its paltry attempt at a health spa.
a paltry donation/excuse/trick
pan
to criticize severely
e.g. The show was panned.
panacea
a remedy for all ills or difficulties; cure-all
e.g. The law will improve the lives of local farmers, but its is no panacea.
panache
an ornamental tuft (as of feathers) especially on a helmet
dash or flamboyance in style and action; verve
e.g. She played the role of hostess with great panache.
pandemic
occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an exceptionally high proportion of the population
such disease
epidemic
affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals at the same time
excessively prevalent
contagious
characterized by very widespread growth or extent
an outbreak of an epidemic disease
an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development
e.g. epidemic laughter
The practice has reached epidemic proportions.
an epidemic of bankruptcies
pandemonium
a wild uproar; tumult
panegyric
a eulogistic oration or writing; also, formal or elaborate praise
e.g. a panegyric on the centennial of the Nobel laureate’s birth
pang
a brief piercing spasm of pain
a sharp attack of mental anguish
e.g. those hunger pangs that strike you in the middle of the afternoon
pangs of remorse
pantomime
a way of expressing information or telling a story without words by using body movements and facial expressions
e.g. In the game of charades, one player uses pantomime to represent a word or phrase that the other players have to try to guess.
pantry
a room or closet used for storage or from which food is brought the table a room (as in a hotel or hospital) for preparation of foods on order
e.g. Homemade jams and pickles are stored in a separate pantry off the kitchen.
papyrus
a tall plant that is like grass and that grows in marshes especially in Egypt
paper made from papyrus that was used in ancient times
a piece of paper made from papyrus that has writing on it
parable
example; especially, a usually short fictitious story that illustrate a moral attitude or a religious principle
e.g. a parable about the importance of forgiveness
paradigm
example, pattern; especially, an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype
e.g. a new study that challenges the current evolutionary paradigm
paradox
something (such as a situation) that is made up of two opposite things and that seems impossible but is actually true or possible
someone who does two things that seem to be opposite to each other or who has opposite qualities
a statement that seems to say two opposite things but that may be true
e.g. It is a paradox that computers need maintenance so often, since they are meant to save people time.
As an actor, he is a paradox - he loves being in the public eye but also deeply values and protects his privacy.
paragon
a model of excellence or perfection
e.g. a paragon of virtue
travesty
a burlesque translation or literary or artistic imitation usually grotesquely incongruous in style, treatment, or subject matter
a debased, distorted, or grossly inferior imitation
e.g. It is a travesty and a tragedy that so many people would be denied the right to vote.
The trial was a travesty of justice.
paramount
superior to all others; supreme
e.g. Maintaining the secrecy of the agreement is of paramount importance.
paraphrase
a restatement of a text, passage, or work giving the meaning in another form
the use or process of paraphrasing in studying or teaching composition
also
e.g. not a paraphrase but a direct quote
simply a paraphrase of what’s in the textbook
Could you paraphrase your diagnosis of my medical condition, using simpler language?
parch
to toast under dry heat
to shrivel with heat
to try or shrivel with cold
e.g. The heat has really parched my throat.
The hot desert sun had parched the land.
parchment
the skin of a sheep or goat prepared for writing
strong, tough, and often somewhat translucent paper made to resemble parchment
a parchment manuscript; also, an academic diploma
perch
a resting place or vantage point; seat
a prominent position
to alight, settle, or rest on a perch, a height, or a precarious spot
e.g. his new perch as president
pigeons perching on the roof
pare
to trim off an outside, excess, or irregular part of
to diminish or reduce by or as if by paring
e.g. pare apples/nails
pare expenses
The novel was pared down to 200 pages.
pariah
a member of a low caste of southern India
one that is despised or rejected; outcast
e.g. He’s a talented player but his angry outbursts have made him a pariah in the sport of baseball.
parity
the quality or state or being equal or equivalent
the property of an integer with respect to being odd or even
parka
a hooded fur pullover garment for arctic wear
a usually lined fabric outerwear pullover or jacket
parlance
speech; especially, formal debate or parley
manner or mode of speech; idiom
paroxysm
a fit, attack, or sudden increase or recurrence of symptoms (as of a disease); convulsion
a sudden violent emotion or action; outburst
e.g. a paroxysm of coughing
a paroxysm of rage
parquet
to furnish with a floor of parquet
a patterned wood surface (as flooring or paneling); especially, one made of parquetry
the main floor of a theater; specifically, the part from the front of the state to the parquet circle
tourniquet
a device (as a band of rubber) that checks bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels
parry
to ward off a weapon or blow
to evade or turn aside something
also
e.g. He parried the thrust of his opponent’s sword.
She cleverly parried the reporters’ questions.
tarry
to delay or be tardy in acting or doing
to linger in expectation; wait
to abide or stay in or at a place
stay, sojourn
e.g. a fable about the tarry of two Americans in a Scottish village
parse
to resolve (as a sentence) into component parts of speech and describe them grammatically to examine in a minute way; analyze critically
e.g. having trouble parsing explanations for dwindling market sales
parsimony
the quality or being careful with money or resources; thrift
the quality or state of being stingy
e.g. The charity was surprised by the parsimony of some larger corporations.
Her parsimony was so extreme that she’d walk five miles to the store to save a few cents on gas.
particular
a specific detail or piece of information
e.g. They wanted to know the facts down to every particular.
a bill of particulars for the care he received in the hospital
particularize
to state in detail; specify
to go into details
e.g. My lawyer advised me to particularize all my complaints against my landlord.
partisan
a firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person; especially, one exhibiting blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance
pastel
a paste made of powdered pigment ranging from pale to deep colors and used for making crayons; also, a crayon made of such paste
a drawing in pastel
a light literary sketch
any of various pale or light colors
e.g. a collection of pastels
The room is painted in a pastel shade of blue.
pastiche
a literary, artistic, musical, or architecture work that imitates the style of previous work; also, such stylistic imitation
a musical, literary, or artistic composition made up of selections from different works; potpourri
hodgepodge
e.g. His earlier building designs were pastiches based on classical forms.
The research paper was essentially a pastiche made up of passages from different sources.
pastoral
of or relating to the countryside; not urban
pleasingly peaceful and innocent; idyllic
e.g. a house situated in a charming pastoral setting
patent
open to public inspection
affording free passage; unobstructed
readily visible or intelligible
patina
a usually green film formed naturally on copper and bronze by long exposure or artificially and often valued aesthetically for its color
a beautiful covering or exterior
a superficial covering or exterior
e.g. Although the winery is brand-new, it has been constructed and decorated to give it a patina of old-world quaintness.
patrician
a person of high birth; aristocrat
a person of breeding and cultivation
patrimony
an estate inherited from one’s father or ancestor
anything derived from one’s father or ancestors; heritage
e.g. These historic landmarks are an important part of our cultural patrimony.
patronize
to act as patron of; provide aid or support for
to adopt an air of condescension toward; treat haughtily or coolly
to be a frequent or regular customer or client of
e.g. The family patronizes the arts.
He hated being patronized and pitied by those who didn’t believe his story.
paucity
smallness of number; fewness
smallness of quantity; dearth
e.g. a paucity of useful answers to the problem of traffic congestion at rush hour
slew
to turn about a fixed point
to cause to skid; veer
a large number
e.g. He slewed the telescope three degrees south.
slew a car around a turn
a slew of work to do on this project
paunchy
having a potbelly
e.g. Not surprisingly, the new Hollywood biopic casts a young, athletically trim actor in the role of the paunchy balding artist.
pauper
a person destitute of means except such as are derived from charity
a very poor person
peak
to grow thin or sickly
to dwindle away
e.g. peak and pine
peccadillo
a slight offense
peccant
guilty of a moral offense; sinning
violating a principle or rule; faulty
pedagogue
teacher, schoolmaster; especially, a dull, formal, or pedantic teacher
e.g. a pedagogue whose classroom lessons consisted entirely of reading directly from the textbook in a monotone
pedagogy
the art, science, or profession of teaching
pedant
one who makes a show of knowledge
one who is unimaginative or who unduly emphasizes minutae in the presentation or use of knowledge
pedestal
n. the support or foot of an upright structure
base, foundation
a position of esteem
