Word List 34 Flashcards
Palpable (adj)
tangible; easily perceptible
After knee surgery, David noticed a palpable bump or swelling below his knee
Palpable (v)
throb; flutter
As she became excited, her heart began to palpitate more and more erratically
Paltry (adj)
insignificant; petty; trifling This is a paltry sum to pay for such a high-class piece of jewellery
Panacea (n)
cure-all; remedy for all diseases
Panache (n)
flair; flamboyance
Many performers imitated Noel Coward, but few had his panache and sense of style
Pandemonium (n)
wild tumult
When the ships collided in the harbour, pandemonium broke out among the passengers
Pander (n)
cater to the low desires of others
The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon for pandering to the masses’ taste for violence
Panegyric (n)
formal praise
Blushing all the praise heaped upon him by the speakers, the modest hero said “I don’t deserve such panegyrics.”
Parable (n)
short; simple story teaching a moral
Paradigm (m)
model; example; pattern
Paradox (n)
something apparently contradictory in nature
Paragon (n)
model of perfection
Her fellow students disliked Lavinia because Miss Minchin always pointed her out as a paragon of virtue
Paraphernalia (n)
equipment; odds and ends
Her desk was cluttered with paper, pen an ink, dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writing craft
Pariah (n)
social outcast
Parochial (adj)
narrow in outlook; provincial
Paroxysm (n)
fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage
When he heard of his son’s misdeeds, he was seized by a paroxysm of rage
Parry (v)
ward off a blow; deflect
Parsimony (n)
stinginess; excessive frugality
Partisan (adj)
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
The Democrats and Republicans spend their time on partisan struggles
Passe (adj)
old-fashioned
Pastiche (n)
imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing
Pastoral (adj)
rural; related to the country
Pathos (n)
tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings
The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never degenerated into the maudlin or the overly sentimental
Patrician (adj)
noble; aristocratic
We greatly admired her well-bred patrician elegance
Paucity (n)
scarcity
They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made in uneconomical to operate
Pauper (n)
very poor person
She was by no means a pauper
Peccadillo (n)
slight offence
Whenever Huck swiped a cookie from the jar, Miss Watson reacted as if he were guilty of armed robbery, not of some mere peccadillo
Pecuniary (adj)
pertaining to money
Folk-dance teachers work because they love dancing, not because they expect any pecuniary reward
Pedagogue (n)
teacher
He could never be a stuffy pedagogue, his classes were always lively and filled with humour
Pedagogy (n)
teaching; art of education
Pedant (n)
scholar who emphasises book learning or technicalities
So i generally laugh at the grammar pedants who have fits about every intrusive comma or use of slang
Pedantic (adj)
showing off learning; bookish
Leavening her decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Judy was not at all the pedantic legal scholar
Pejorative (adj)
negative in connotation; having a belittling effect
Instead of criticising Clinton’s policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character
Penitent (adj)
repentant
When he realised the enormity of his crime, he became remorseful and penitent
Pensive (adj)
dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative
The pensive lover gazed at the portrait of his beloved and sighed deeply
