Instructions: Save the words as a text file and then download them onto your PV. To find a word juist use Search option. 1. abbreviate shorten Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech. 2. abate subside or moderate Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate. 3. abortive unsuccessful; fruitless We had to abandon our abortive attempts. 4. absolute complete; totally unlimited; certain Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch, he did not want to behead his unfaithful wife without absolute evidence of her infidelity. 5. abstract theoretical; not concrete; non-representational To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal. 6. abusive coarsely insulting; physically harmful An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physically. 7. accelerate move faster In our science class, we learn how falling bodies accelerate. 8. accessible easy to approach; obtainable We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot. 9. accessory additional object; useful but not essential thing She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress. 10. abscond depart secretly and hide The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found. 11. aberrant abnormal or deviant Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment. 12. abeyance suspended action The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival. 13. adamant hard, inflexible He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer. 14. adulterate make impure by mixing with baser substances It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer. 15. adversity poverty, misfortune We must learn to meet adversity gracefully. 16. abase lower; degrade; humiliate Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to abase herself. 17. abash embarrass He was not at all abashed by her open admiration. 18. abdicate renounce; give up When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world. 19. abet assist, usually in doing something wrong She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned. 20. abject wretched; lacking pride On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind. 21. abjure renounce upon oath He abjured his allegiance to the king. 22. ablution washing His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath." 23. abnegation renunciation; self-sacrifice Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom. 24. abominate loathe; hate Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he abominated the custom. 25. abrasive rubbing away; tending to grind down Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience. 26. abrogate abolish He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor. 27. absolve pardon (an offense) The father confessor absolved him of his sins. 28. abstain refrain; withhold from participation After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance, he decided to abstain from drinking while he trained for the race. 29. abut border upon; adjoin Where our estates abut, we must build a fence. 30. abysmal bottomless His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance. 31. accede agree If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands. 32. acclimate adjust to climate or environment One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments. 33. acclivity sharp upslope of a hill The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear. 34. accolade award of merit In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is the highest accolade. 35. accord agreement She was in complete accord with the verdict. 36. accost approach and speak first to a person When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me. 37. accoutre equip The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply 38. accretion growth; increase The accretion of wealth marked the family's rise in power. 39. accrue come about by addition You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum. 40. acidulous slightly sour; sharp; caustic James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks. 41. acme peak; pinnacle; highest point Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim. 42. acquiesce assent; agree passively Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made. 43. acquittal deliverance from a charge His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty. 44. acrid sharp; bitterly pungent The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired. 45. acrimonious stinging, caustic His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience. 46. actuarial calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago. 47. actuate motivate I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily. 48. acuity sharpness In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses. 49. acumen mental keenness His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed. 50. adage wise saying; proverb There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money. 51. addendum addition; appendix to book Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but thought it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literary criticism. 52. addle muddle; drive crazy This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone. 53. adherent supporter; follower In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherent quietly deserted him. 54. adjunct something attached to but holding an inferior position I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal. 55. adjuration solemn urging Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses' testimony. 56. adjutant staff officer assisting the commander; assistant Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions. 57. admonish warn; reprove He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways. 58. adorn decorate Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple. 59. adroit skillful His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his employers. 60. adulation flattery; admiration The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men. 61. advent arrival Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached them. 62. adventitious accidental; casual He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate. 63. adversary opponent; enemy Batman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of his wicked adversary, the Joker. 64. adverse unfavorable; hostile adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business. 65. advert refer to Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important. 66. advocate urge; plead for The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves. 67. aegis shield; defense Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms. 68. affable courteous Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable individual and could be reached by anyone with a complaint. 69. affected artificial; pretended His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him before his promotion. 70. affidavit written statement made under oath The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit. 71. affiliation joining; associating with His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he soon disagreed with his colleagues. 72. affinity kinship She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains. 73. affirmation positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath Despite Tom's affirmation of innocence, Aunt Polly still suspected he had eaten the pie. 74. affix attach or add on; fasten First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal. 75. affluence abundance; wealth Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life. 76. affront insult; offend Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was affronted by Vidal's offensive behavior. 77. agape openmouthed She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo. 78. agenda items of business at a meeting We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there was very little time for the meeting. 79. agglomeration collection; heap It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip. 80. aggrandize increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in international affairs without considering the wishes of Congress. 81. aggregate sum; total The aggregate wealth of this country is staggering to the imagination. 82. aghast horrified He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host. 83. agility nimbleness The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience. 84. agitate stir up; disturb Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob. 85. agnostic one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god or any ultimate reality The agnostic demanded proof before she would accept the statement of the minister. 86. agog highly excited; intensely curious We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery. 87. agrarian pertaining to land or its cultivation As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually losing its agrarian traditions. 88. alacrity cheerful promptness He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master. 89. alchemy medieval chemistry The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy. 90. alcove nook; recess Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple. 91. alias an assumed name John Smith's alias was Bob Jones. 92. alienate make hostile; separate Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had complete faith in each other. 93. alimentary supplying nourishment The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there. 94. alimony payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him $500 a month in alimony. 95. allay calm; pacify The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled. 96. allege state without proof It is alleged that she had worked for the enemy. 97. allegory story in which characters are used as symbols; fable Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul. 98. alleviate relieve This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs. 99. alliteration repetition of beginning sound in poetry "The furrow followed free" is an example of alliteration. 100. alloy mixture as of metals alloy of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal. 101. allude refer indirectly Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him. 102. allure entice; attract allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef. 103. allusion indirect reference the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin. 104. alluvial pertaining to soil deposits left by running water The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile. 105. aloof apart; reserved Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed. 106. aloft upward The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging. 107. altercation noisy quarrel Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered. 108. altruistic unselfishly generous; concerned for others In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths, Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed. 109. amalgamate combine; unite in one body The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body. 110. amass collect The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible. 111. amazon female warrior Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and aggressive women as amazons. 112. ambidextrous capable of using either hand with equal ease A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous. 113. ambience environment; atmosphere She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience. 114. ambiguous unclear or doubtful in meaning His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take. 115. ambivalence the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings. 116. amble moving at an easy pace When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble. 117. ambrosia food of the gods ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who ate it. 118. ambulatory able to walk He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not confined to his bed. 119. ameliorate improve Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums. 120. amenable readily managed; willing to be led He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors. 121. amend correct; change, generally for the better Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States. 122. amenities convenient features; courtesies In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler -- fax machines, modems, a health club -- the hotel offers the services of a butler versed in social amenities. 123. amiable agreeable; lovable His amiable disposition pleased all who had dealings with him. 124. amicable friendly The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words. 125. amiss wrong; faulty Seeing her frown, he wondered if anything were amiss. 126. amity friendship Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity. 127. amnesia loss of memory Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself. 128. amnesty pardon When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in prison. 129. amoral non-moral The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he should not be classified as immoral. 130. amorous moved by sexual love; loving Don Juan was known for his amorous adventures. 131. amorphous shapeless; vague; indeterminate John was subject to panic attacks that left him prey to vague, amorphous fears: he knew he was terrified, but could neither define nor explain the cause of his terror. 132. amphibian able to live both on land and in water Frogs are classified as amphibian. 133. amphitheater oval building with tiers of seats The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators. 134. ample abundant He had ample opportunity to dispose of his loot before his police caught up with him. 135. amplify enlarge Her attempts to amplify her remarks were drowned out by the jeers of the audience. 136. amputate cut off part of body; prune When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent the spread of cancer, he did not let the loss of his leg keep him from participating in sports. 137. amok in a state of rage The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in the department store. 138. amulet charm; talisman Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her. 139. anachronism something or someone misplaced in time Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar's time. 140. analgesic causing insensitivity to pain The analgesic qualities of his lotion will provide temporary relief. 141. analogous comparable She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that we do the same. 142. analogy similarity; parallelism Your analogy is not a good one because the two situations are not similar. 143. anarchist person who rebels against the established order Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist. 144. anarchy absence of governing body; state of disorder The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy. 145. anathema solemn curse; someone or something that is despised He heaped anathema upon his foe. 146. anathematize curse The high priest anathematized the heretic. 147. anchor secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place. 148. ancillary serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own. 149. anecdote short account of an amusing or interesting event Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform, President Raegan told anecdotes about poor people who became wealthy despite their impoverished backgrounds. 150. anemia condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia. 151. anesthetic substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep. 152. anguish acute pain; extreme suffering Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families. 153. angular sharp-cornered; stiff in manner His features, though angular, were curiously attractive. 154. animadversion critical remark He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true. 155. animated lively Her animated expression indicated a keenness of intellect. 156. animosity active enmity He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power. 157. animus hostile feeling or intent The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks. 158. annals records; history In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements. 159. anneal reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking. 160. annihilate destroy The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population. 161. annotate comment; make explanatory notes In the appendix to the novel, the critic sought to annotate many of the more esoteric references. 162. annuity yearly allowance The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably without working. 163. annul make void The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage. 164. anodyne drug that relieves pain; opiate His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it. 165. anoint consecrate The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king of Israel. 166. anomalous abnormal; irregular He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that he despised. 167. anomaly irregularity A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly. 168. anonymity state of being nameless; anonymousness The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by name; the dean readily agreed to respect his anonymity. 169. antagonistic hostile; opposed Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge. 170. antecede precede The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century. 171. antecedents preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss Havisham had a few questions about the young man's birth and antecedents. 172. antediluvian antiquated; ancient The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years. 173. anthropoid manlike The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals. 174. anthropologist student of the history and science of humankind Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area. 175. anthropomorphic having human form or characteristics Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics. 176. anticlimax letdown in thought or emotion After the fine performance in the first act, the rest of the play was an anticlimax. 177. antipathy aversion; dislike His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends. 178. antiquated obsolete; outdated Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use. 179. antiseptic substance that prevents infection It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how slight or insignificant. 180. antithesis contrast; direct opposite of or to This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength. 181. anvil iron block used in hammering out metals After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith picked it up with his tongs and set it on the anvil. 182. apathetic indifferent He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did not care to fight against them. 183. apathy lack of caring; indifference A firm believer in democratic government, she could not understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote. 184. ape imitate or mimic He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school. 185. aperture opening; hole She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room. 186. apex tip; summit; climax He was at the apex of his career. 187. aphasia loss of speech due to injury or illness After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently. 188. aphorism pithy maxim An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or scientific. 189. apiary a place where bees are kept Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary, he was very seldom stung by a bee. 190. aplomb poise; composure Wellington's nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers. 191. apocalyptic prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises. 192. apocryphal untrue; made up To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city. 193. apogee highest point When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee. 194. apoplexy stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy. 195. apostate one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate. 196. apothecary druggist In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills. 197. apothegm pithy, compact saying Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings. 198. apotheosis deification; glorification The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted to the rank of a god. 199. appal dismay; shock We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails. 200. apparition ghost; phantom Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him. 201. appease pacify; soothe We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies, we encourage them to make additional demands. 202. appellation name; title He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct appellation. 203. append attach I shall append this chart to my report. 204. application diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application. 205. apposite appropriate; fitting He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion. 206. appraise estimate the value of It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless. 207. appreciate be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks ave her, whose value appreciated considerably over the years. 208. apprehend arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long. 209. apprehensive fearful; discerning His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness. 210. apprise inform When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he decided to postpone his trip. 211. approbation approval Wanting her parents' regard, she looked for some sign of their approbation. 212. appropriate acquire; take possession of for one's own use The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indians' use. 213. appurtenances subordinate possessions He bought the estate and all its appurtenances. 214. apropos with reference to; regarding I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent. 215. aptitude fitness; talent The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow. 216. aquiline curved, hooked He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak of the eagle. 217. arable fit for plowing The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the valuable topsoil. 218. arbiter person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers. 219. arbitrary unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some arbitrary calls. 220. arbitrate act as judge She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union and the management. 221. arboretum place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and some particularly fine sycamores. 222. arcade a covered passageway, usually lined with shops The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain. 223. arcane secret; mysterious What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist. 224. archaeology study of artifacts and relics of early mankind The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins. 225. archaic antiquated "Methinks," "thee," and "thou" are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary. 226. archetype prototype; primitive pattern The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey. 227. archipelago group of closely located islands When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them. 228. archives public records; place where public records are kept These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the future. 229. ardor heat; passion; zeal Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators were busily making posters and handing out flyers, inspired by her ardent enthusiasm for the cause. 230. arduous hard; strenuous Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy. 231. argot slang In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride." 232. aria operatic solo At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma. 233. arid dry; barren The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment. 234. aristocracy hereditary nobility; privileged class Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy: 235. armada fleet of warships Queen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast. 236. aromatic fragrant Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe. 237. arraign charge in court; indict After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court. 238. array marshal; draw up in order His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him. 239. array clothe; adorn She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening. 240. arrears being in debt He was in arrears with his payments on the car. 241. arrogance pride, haughtiness The arrogance of the nobility was resented by the middle class. 242. arroyo gully Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed. 243. articulate effective; distinct Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers. 244. artifacts products of primitive culture Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to no conclusion. 245. artifice deception; trickery The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might. 246. artisan a manually skilled worker Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture. 247. artless without guile; open and honest Red Riding Hood's artless comment, "Grandma, what big eyes you have!" indicates the child's innocent surprises at her "grandmother's" changed appearance. 248. ascendancy controlling influence President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over Philippines. 249. ascetic practicing self-denial; austere The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led by the monks. 250. asceticism doctrine of self-denial We find asceticism practiced in many monastries. 251. ascribe refer; attribute; assign I can ascribe no motive for her acts. 252. asceptic preventing infection; having a cleansing effect Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions. 253. ashen ash-colored; deadly pale Her face was ashen with fear. 254. asinine stupid Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration. 255. askance with a sideways or indirect look Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn. 256. askew crookedly; slanted; at an angle When he placed his hat askew upon his head, his observers laughed. 257. asperity sharpness (of temper) These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed. 258. aspersion slanderous remark Do not cast aspersions on her character. 259. aspirant seeker after position or status Although I am as aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses. 260. aspiration noble ambition Youth's aspirations should be as lofty as the stars. 261. assail assault He was assailed with questions after his lecture. 262. assay analyze; evaluate When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein. 263. assent agree; accept It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request. 264. assert state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition of (rights, claims, etc). When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfew, her parents Asserted themselves, telling her that if she didn't get home by nine o'clock she would be grounded for the week. 265. assessment estimation; appraisal I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South Africa. 266. assiduous diligent It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was satisfied with his portrait of his son. 267. assimilate absorb; cause to become homogenous The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries will always be a source of pride. 268. assuage ease; lessen(pain) Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering. 269. assumption something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her Assumption of power. 270. assurance promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence When Gutherie gave Guiness his assurance that rehearsals were going well, he spoke with such assurance that Guiness was convinced. 271. asteroid small planet asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction magazines. 272. astigmatism eye defect that prevents proper focus As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses. 273. astral relating to the stars She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed. 274. astringent binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult. 275. astronomical enormously large or extensive The government seemed willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development. 276. astute wise; shrewd That was a very astute observation. 277. asunder into parts; apart Their points of view are poles asunder. 278. asylum place of refuge or shelter; protection The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land. 279. asymmetric not identical on both sides of a dividing central line Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other, William's face had a particularly asymmetric appearance. 280. atavism resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished great care on their small plots of soil. 281. atheistic denying the existence of God His atheistic remarks shocked the religious worshippers. 282. atone make amends for; pay for He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime. 283. atrocity brutal deed In time of war, many atrocities are committed by invading armies. 284. atrophy wasting away Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs. 285. attenuate make thin; weaken By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines. 286. attest testify; bear witness Having served as a member of a grand jury, I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement. 287. attribute essential quality His outstanding attribute was his kindness. 288. attribute ascribe; explain I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents. 289. attrition gradual wearing down They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-out attack. 290. audacious daring; bold Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom and escaped Darth Vader's troops. 291. audit examination of accounts When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier. 292. augment increase How can we hope to augment our forces when our allies are deserting us? 293. augury omen; prophecy He interpreted the departures of the birds as an augury of evil. 294. august impressive; majestic Visiting the palace at Versailes, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself. 295. aureole sun's corona; halo Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols around their heads. 296. auroral pertaining to the aurora borealis The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening. 297. auspicious favoring success With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment to set sail. 298. austere strict, stern His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities. 299. austerity sternness; severity; lack of luxuries The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new justices, who were a strict and solemn group. 300. authenticate prove genuine An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh painting, distinguishing it from its imitation. 301. authoritarian favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to obey the dictates of the authoritarian regime. 302. authoritative having the weight of authority; dictatorial We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative. 303. autocrat monarch with supreme power He ran his office like an autocrat, giving no one else any authority. 304. automaton mechanism that imitates actions of humans Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, writers were creating stories of automation who could outperform humans. 305. autonomous self-governing This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother country. 306. autopsy examination of a dead body; postmortem The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death. 307. auxiliary offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power station. 308. avarice greed for wealth King Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries. 309. aver state confidently I wish to aver that I am certain of success. 310. averse reluctant He was averse to revealing the sources of his information. 311. aversion firm dislike Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another. 312. avert prevent; turn away She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway. 313. aviary enclosure for birds The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds. 314. avid greedy; eager for He was avid for learning and read everything he could get. 315. avocation secondary or minor occupation His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrated on his avocation. 316. avow declare openly I must avow that I am innocent. 317. avuncular like an uncle Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings. 318. awe solemn wonder The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the Grand Canyon. 319. awl pointed tool used for piercing She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she had bought. 320. awry distorted; crooked He held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught cold in his neck during the night. 321. axiom self-evident truth requiring no proof Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry, he must accept certain principles or axioms. 322. azure sky blue azure skies are indicative of good weather. 1. babble chatter idly The little girl babbled about her doll. 2. bacchanalian drunken Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy. 3. badger pester; annoy She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls. 4. badinage teasing conversation Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage. 5. baffle frustrate; perplex The new code baffled the enemy agents. 6. bait harass; tease The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them. 7. baleful menacing; deadly Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge. 8. balk stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area. 9. balk foil When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt. 10. ballast heavy substance used to add stability or weight The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel. 11. balm something that relieves pain Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. 12. balmy mild; fragrant A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast. 13. banal hackneyed; commonplace; trite His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal. 14. bandy discuss lightly; exchange blows or words The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference. 15. bane cause of ruin Lack of public transportation is the bane of urban life. 16. bantering good-naturedly ridiculing They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm. 17. barb sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish. 18. bard poet The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy. 19. barefaced shameless; bold; unconcealed Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness. 20. baroque highly ornate Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing. 21. barrage barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons. 22. barrister counselor-at-law Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing. 23. barterer trader The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs. 24. bask luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep. 25. bastion stronghold; something seen as a source of protection The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could protect them from the guerrila raids. 26. bate let down; restrain Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity. 27. bauble trinket; trifle The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag. 28. bawdy indecent; obscene She took offense at his bawdy remarks. 29. beatific giving bliss; blissful The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy. 30. beatitude blessedness; state of bliss Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude. 31. bedizen dress with vulgar finery The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes. 32. bedraggle wet thoroughly We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing. 33. befuddle confuse thoroughly His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further. 34. beget father; produce; give rise to One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another. 35. begrudge resent I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending meetings. 36. beguile amuse; delude; cheat I beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire. 37. behemoth huge creature; something of monstrous size or power Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth." 38. beholden obligated; indebted Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept this favor. 39. behoove be suited to; be incumbent upon In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and await the instructions of our superiors. 40. belabor explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring his point. 41. belated delayed He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of his friend and explained that he had just learned of her husband's untimely death. 42. beleaguer besiege As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more subdued as the citizens began their long wait for outside assitance. 43. belie contradict; give a false impression His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity. 44. belittle disparage; depreciate Parents should not belittle their children's early attempts at drawing, but should encourage their efforts. 45. bellicose warlike His bellicose disposition alienated his friends. 46. belligerent quarrelsome Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and tried to pick fights with strangers. 47. bemused confused; lost in thought; preoccupied Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her face. 48. benediction blessing The appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a benediction. 49. benefactor gift giver; patron Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor and gave him a benediction. 50. beneficent kindly; doing good The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money and left himself with nothing. 51. beneficiary person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish. 52. benevolent generous; charitable His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him. 53. benign kindly; favorable; not malignant The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward friend and stranger alike. 54. benison blessing Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world. 55. bent determined; natural talent or inclination bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high finance. 56. bequeath leave to someone by means of a will; hand down In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest meant a great deal to the boy. 57. berate scold strongly He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness. 58. bereavement state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement. 59. bereft deprived of; lacking The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds. 60. berserk frenzied Angered, he went berserk and began to wreck the room. 61. beset harass; trouble Many problems beset the American public school system. 62. besmirch soil, defile The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the reputations of every member of the society. 63. bestial beastlike; brutal; inhuman The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of prisoners of war. 64. bestow confer He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero. 65. betroth become engaged to marry The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised their friends who had not suspected any romance. 66. bevy large group The movie actor was surrounded by a bevy of startlets. 67. bicameral two-chambered, as a legislative body The United States Congress is a bicameral body. 68. bicker quarrel The children bickered morning, noon, and night, exasperating their parents. 69. biennial every two years The group held biennial meetings instead of annual ones. 70. bifurcated divided into two branches; forked With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot. 71. bigotry stubborn intolerance Brought up in a democratic atmosphere, student was shocked by the bigotry and narrowness expressed by several of his classmates. 72. bilious suffering from indigestion; irritable His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant about his difficulties. 73. bilk swindle; cheat The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies. 74. bivouac temporary encampment While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars. 75. bizarre fantastic; violently contrasting The plot of the novel was too bizarre to be believed. 76. blanch bleach; whiten Although age had blanched his hair, he was still vigorous and energetic. 77. bland soothing; mild She used a bland ointment for her sunburn. 78. blandishment flattery Despite the salesperson's blandishments, the customer did not buy the outfit. 79. blase bored with pleasure or dissipation Your blase attitude gives your students an erroneous impression of the joys of scholarship. 80. blasphemous profane; impious The people in the room were shocked by his his blasphemous language. 81. blatant extremely obvious; loudly offensive Caught in a blatant lie, the scoundrel had only one regret: he wished that he had lied more subtly. 82. bleak cold; cheerless The Aleutian Islands are bleak military outposts. 83. blighted suffering from a disease; destroyed The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed from the air. 84. blithe gay; joyous; careless Shelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit" because of its happy song. 85. bloated swollen or puffed as with water or air Her bloated stomach came from drinking so much water. 86. blowhard talkative boaster After all Sol's talk about his big show business connections led nowhere, Sally decided he was just another blowhard. 87. bludgeon club; heavy-headed weapon His walking stick served him as a bludgeon on many occasions. 88. bluff pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff Claire thought Lord Byron's boast that he would swim the Hellespont was just a bluff, she was astounded when he dove from the high bluff into the waters below. 89. blunder error The criminal's fatal blunder led to his capture. 90. blurt utter impulsively Before she could stop him, he blurted out the news. 91. bode foreshadow; portend The gloomy skies and the sulfurious odors from the mineral springs seemed to bode evil to those who settled in the area. 92. bogus counterfeit; not authentic The police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty-dollar bills. 93. boisterous violent; rough; noisy The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them. 94. bolster support; reinforce The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their arguments. 95. bombast pompous, inflated language Filled with bombast, the orator's speech left the audience more impressed with his pomposity than with his logic. 96. boon blessing; benefit The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs were a boon to the whole community. 97. boorish rude; insensitive Though Mr. Potts constantly interrupted his wife, she ignored his boorish behavior, for she had lost hope of teaching him courtesy. 98. bouillon clear beef soup The cup of bouillon served by the stewards was welcomed by those who had been chilled by the cold ocean breezes. 99. bountiful generous; showing bounty She distributed gifts in a bountiful and gracious manner. 100. bourgeois middle class The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois, who resented the aristocracy. 101. bovine cowlike; placid and dull Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine calm. 102. bowdlerize expurgate After the film editors had bowdlerized the language in the script, the motion picture's rating was changed from "R" to "PG." 103. brackish somewhat saline He found the only wells in the area were brackish; drinking the water made him nauseous. 104. braggadocio boasting He was disliked because his manner was always full of braggadocio. 105. braggart boaster Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her accomplishments speak for themselves. 106. bravado swagger; assumed air of defiance The bravado of the young criminal disappeared when he was confronted by the victims of his brutal attack. 107. brawn muscular strength; sturdiness It takes brawn to become a champion weight-lifter. 108. brazen insolent Her brazen contempt for authority angered the officials. 109. breach breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap They found a breach in the enemy's fortifications and penetrated their lines. 110. breadth width; extent We were impressed by the breadth of her knowledge. 111. brevity conciseness brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you are charged for every word. 112. brindled tawny or grayish with streaks or spots He was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were brindled; he had hoped for animals of uniform color. 113. bristling rising like bristles; showing irritation The dog stood there, bristling with anger. 114. brittle easily broken; difficult My employer's brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her. 115. broach open up He did not even try to broach the subject of poetry. 116. brocade rich, figured fabric The sofa was covered with expensive brocade. 117. brochure pamphlet This brochure on farming was issued by the Department of Agriculture. 118. brooch ornamental clasp She treasured the brooch because it was an heirloom. 119. brook tolerate; endure The dean would brook no interference with his disciplinary actions. 120. browbeat bully; intimidate Billy resisted Ted's attempts to browbeat him into handing over his lunch money. 121. brusque blunt; abrupt She was offended by his brusque reply. 122. bucolic rustic; pastoral The meadow was the scene of bucolic gaiety. 123. buffoonery clowning John Candy's buffoonery in Uncle Buck was hilarious. 124. bugaboo bugbear; object of baseless terror If we become frightened by such bugaboos, we are no wiser than the birds who fear scarecrows. 125. bullion gold and silver in the form of bars Much bullion is stored in the vaults at Fort Knox. 126. bulwark earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion. 127. bungle spoil by clumsy behavior I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one else to send. 128. bureaucracy government by bureaus Many people fear that the constant introduction of federal agencies will create a government by bureaucracy. 129. burgeon grow forth; send out buds In the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty that is to come. 130. burlesque give an imitation that ridicules In his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary. 131. burly husky; muscular The burly mover lifted the packing crate with ease. 132. burnish make shiny by rubbing; polish The maid burnished the brass fixtures until they reflected the lamplight. 133. buttress support; prop up Just as architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying buttresses, debates buttress their arguments with facts. 134. buxom full-bosomed; plump; jolly High fashion models usually are slender rather than buxom. 1. cabal small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests The cabal was defeated when its scheme was discovered. 2. cache hiding place The detectives followed the suspects until he led them to the cache where he had stored his loot. 3. cacophony discord Some people seem to enjoy the cacophony of an orchestra that is tuning up. 4. cadaver corpse In some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers. 5. cadaverous like a corpse; pale From his cadaverous appearance, we could see how the disease had ravaged him. 6. cadence rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat Marching down the road, the troops sang out, following the cadence set by the sergeant. 7. cajole coax; wheedle I will not be cajoled into granting your wish. 8. calamity disaster; misery As news of the calamity spread, offers of relief poured in to the stricken community. 9. caliber ability; capacity A man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks. 10. calligraphy beautiful writing; excellent penmanship As we examine ancient manuscripts, we became impressed with the calligraphy of the scribes. 11. callous hardened; unfeeling He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards. 12. callow youthful; immature In that youthful movement, the leaders were only a little less callow than their immature followers. 13. calorific heat-producing Coal is much more calorific than green wood. 14. calumny malicious misrepresentation He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the calumny that his foes heaped upon him. 15. camaraderie good-fellowship What he loved best about his job was the sense of camaraderie he and his co-workers shared. 16. cameo shell or jewel carved in relief Tourists are advised not to purchase cameos from the street peddlers of Rome who sell poor specimens of the carver's art. 17. canard unfounded rumor It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base canard. 18. candor frankness The candor and simplicity of his speech impressed all, it was all clear he held nothing back. 19. canine related to dogs; doglike Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population. 20. canker any ulcerous sore; any evil Poverty is a canker in the body politic; it must be cured. 21. canny shrewd; thrifty The canny Scotsman was more than a match for the swindlers. 22. cant pious phraseology; jargon of criminals Angry that the president had slashed the education budget, we dismissed his speech on the importance of education as mere cant. 23. cantankerous ill-humored; irritable Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a cantankerous patient. 24. cantata story set to music, to be sung by a chorus The choral society sang the new cantata composed by its leader. 25. canter slow gallop Because the racehorse had outdistanced its competition so easily, the reporter wrote that the race was won in a canter. 26. canto division of a long poem Dante's poetic masterpiece The Divine Comedy is divided into cantos. 27. canvass determine or seek opinions, votes, etc. After canvassing the sentiments of his constituents, the congressman was confident that he represented the majority opinion of his district. 28. capacious spacious In the capacious areas of the railroad terminal, thousands of travelers lingered while waiting for their train. 29. capillary having a very fine bore The changes in surface tension of liquids in capillary vessels is of special interest to physicists. 30. capitulate surrender The enemy was warned to capitulate or face annihilation. 31. caprice whim She was an unpredictable creature, acting on caprice, never taking thought of the consequences. 32. capricious fickle; incalculable The storm was capricious and changed course constantly. 33. caption title; chapter heading; text under illustration I find the captions that accompany these cartoons very clever and humorous. 34. captious faultfinding His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering constructive suggestions. 35. carafe glass water bottle With each dinner, the patron receives a carafe of red or white wine. 36. carapace shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc) At the children's zoo, Richard perched on top of the giant turtle's hard carapace as it slowly made its way around the enclosure. 37. carat unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of gold He gave her a diamond that weighed three carats and was mounted in an eighteen-carat gold band. 38. carcinogenic causing cancer Many supposedly harmless substances have been revealed to be carcinogenic. 39. cardinal chief If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read. 40. careen lurch; sway from side to side The taxicab careened wildly as it rounded the corner. 41. caricature distortion; burlesque The caricatures he drew always emphasized personal weaknesses of the people he burlesqued. 42. carillon set of bells capable of being played The carillon in the bell tower of the Coca-Cola pavilion at the New York World's Fair provided musical entertainment every hour. 43. carnage destruction of life The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the responsibilities of our statesmen. 44. carnal fleshly The public was more interested in carnal pleasures than in spiritual matters. 45. carnivorous meat-eating The lion is a carnivorous animal. 46. carousal drunken revel The party degenerated into an ugly carousal. 47. carping petty criticism; fault-finding Welcoming constructive criticism, Lexy appreciated her editor's comments, finding them free of carping. 48. carrion rotting flesh of a dead body Buzzards are nature's scavengers; they eat the carrion left behind by other predators. 49. cartographer map-maker Though not a professional cartographer, Tolkien was able to construct a map of the fictional world. 50. cascade small waterfall We could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we made detours around each of them to avoid getting wet. 51. caste one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society, social stratification; prestige The differences created by caste in India must be wiped out if true democracy is to prevail in that country. 52. castigation punishment; severe criticism Sensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear castigation that she found in certain reviews. 53. casualty serious or fatal accident The number of automotive casualties on this holiday weekend was high. 54. cataclysm deluge; upheaval A cataclysm such as the French Revolution affects all countries. 55. catalyst agent that brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged Many chemical reactions cannot take place without the presence of a catalyst. 56. catapult slingshot; hurling machine Airplanes are sometimes launched from battleships by catapults. 57. cataract great waterfall; eye abnormality She gazed with awe at the mighty cataract known as Niagara Falls. 58. catastrophe calamity The Johnstown flood was a catastrophe. 59. catechism book for religious instruction; instruction by question and answer He taught by engaging his pupils in a catechism until they gave him the correct answer. 60. categorical without exceptions; unqualified; absolute Though the captain claimed he was never, never sick at sea, he finally qualified his categorical denial; he was hardly ever sick at sea. 61. catharsis purging or cleansing of any passage of the body Aristotle maintained that tragedy created a catharsis by purging the soul of base concepts. 62. cathartic purgative Some drugs act as laxatives when taken in small doses but act as cathartics when taken in much larger doses. 63. catholic universal; wide-ranging liberal He was extremely catholic in his taste and read everything he could find in the library. 64. caucus private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy At the opening of Congress the members of the Democratic Party held a caucus to elect the majority leader of the House and the party whip. 65. caulk to make watertight (by plugging seams) When water from the shower leaked into the basement, we knew it was time to caulk the tiles at the edges of the shower stall. 66. causal implying a cause-and-effect relationship The psychologist maintained there was a causal relationship between the nature of one's early childhood experiences and one's adult personality. 67. caustic burning; sarcastically biting The critic's caustic remarks angered the hapless actors who were the subjects of his sarcasm. 68. cauterize burn with hot iron or caustic In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound. 69. cavalcade procession; parade As described by Chaucer, the cavalcade of Canterbury pilgrims was motley group. 70. cavalier casual and offhand; arrogant Sensitive about having her ideas taken lightly, Marcia felt insulted by Mark's cavalier dismissal of her suggestion. 71. cavil make frivolous objections I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil about unimportant details. 72. cede transfer; yield title to I intend to cede this property to the city. 73. celerity speed; rapidity Hamlet resented his mother's celerity in remarrying within a month after his father's death. 74. celestial heavenly She spoke of the celestial joys that awaited virtuous souls in the hereafter. 75. celibate abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried Though the late Havelock Ellis wrote extensively about sexual customs and was considered an expert in such matters, recent studies maintain he was celibate throughout his life. 76. censor overseer of morals; person who eliminates inappropriate matter Soldiers dislike having their mail read by a censor but understand the need for this precaution. 77. censorious critical censorious people delight in casting blame. 78. censure blame; criticize He was censured for his inappropriate behavior. 79. centaur mythical figure, half man and half horse I was particularly impressed by the statue of the centaur in the Roman Hall of the museum. 80. centigrade denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius) On the centigrade thermometer, the freezing point of water is zero degrees. 81. centrifugal radiating; departing from the center Many automatic drying machines remove excess moisture from clothing by centrifugal force. 82. centrifuge machine that separates substances by whirling them At the dairy, we employ a centrifuge to separate cream from milk. 83. centripetal tending toward the center Does centripetal force or the force of gravity bring orbiting bodies to the earth's surface? 84. centurion Roman army officer Because he was in command of a company of one hundred soldiers, he was called a centurion. 85. cerebral pertaining to the brain or intellect The content of philosophical works is cerebral in nature and requires much thought. 86. cerebration thought Mathematics problems sometimes require much cerebration. 87. ceremonious marked by formality Ordinary dress would be in appropriate at so ceremonious an affair. 88. cessation stopping The workers threatened a cessation of all activities if their demands were not met. 89. cession yielding to another; ceding The cession of Alaska to the United States is discussed in this chapter. 90. chafe warm by rubbing The collar chafed his neck. 91. chaff worthless products of an endeavor When you separate the wheat from the chaff, be sure you throw out the chaff. 92. chaffing bantering; joking Sometimes his flippant and chaffing remarks annoy us. 93. chagrin vexation; disappointment Her refusal to go with us filled us with chagrin. 94. chalice goblet; consecrated cup In a small room adjoining the cathedral, many ornately decorated chalices made by the most famous European goldsmiths were on display. 95. chameleon lizard that changes color in different situations Like the chameleon, he assumed the political coloration of every group he met. 96. champion support militantly Martin Luther King, Jr., won the Nobel Peace Prize because he championed the oppressed in their struggle for equality. 97. chaotic in utter disorder He tried to bring order into the chaotic state of affairs. 98. charisma divine gift; great popular charm or appeal Political commentators have deplored the importance of a candidate's charisma in these days of television campaigning. 99. charlatan quack; pretender to knowledge When they realized that the Wizard didn't know how to get them back to Kansas, Dorothy and her friends were sure they'd been duped by a charlatan. 100. chary cautious; sparing or restrained about giving A prudent, thrifty New Englander, DeWitt was as chary of investing money in junk bonds as he was chary of paying people unnecessary compliments. 101. chase ornament a metal surface by indenting With his hammer, he carefully chased an intricate design onto the surface of the chalice. 102. chasm abyss They could not see the bottom of the chasm. 103. chassis framework and working parts of an automobile Examining the car after the accident, the owner discovered that the body had been ruined but that the chassis was unharmed. 104. chaste pure Her chaste and decorous garb was appropriately selected for the solemnity of the occasion. 105. chasten discipline; punish in order to correct Whom God loves, God chastens. 106. chastise punish I must chastise you for this offense. 107. chauvinist blindly devoted patriot A chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his country, no matter how flagrant they may be. 108. check stop motion; curb or restrain Thrusting out her arm, Grandma checked Bobby's lunge at his sister. "Young man," she said, "you'd better check your temper." 109. checkered marked by changes in fortune During his checkered career he had lived in palatial mansions and in dreary boardinghouses. 110. cherubic angelic; innocent-looking With her cheerful smile and rosy cheeks, she was a particularly cherubic child. 111. chicanery trickery Your deceitful tactics in this case are indications of chicanery. 112. chide scold Grandma began to chide Steven for his lying. 113. chimerical fantastic; highly imaginative Poe's chimerical stories are sometimes too morbid for reading in bed. 114. chivalrous courteous; faithful; brave chivalrous behavior involves noble words and good deeds. 115. choleric hot-tempered His flushed, angry face indicated a choleric nature. 116. choreography art of dancing Martha Graham introduced a form of choreography that seemed awkward and alien to those who had been brought up on classic ballet. 117. chronic long established, as a disease The doctors were finally able to attribute his chronic headaches and nausea to traces of formaldehyde gas in his apartment. 118. chronicle report; record (in chronological order) The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle the latest escapades of the socially prominent celebrities. 119. churlish boorish; rude Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed never to invite him again. 120. ciliated having minute hairs The paramecium is a ciliated, one-celled animal. 121. cipher nonentity; worthless person or thing She claimed her ex-husband was a total cipher and wondered why she had ever married him. 122. cipher secret code Lacking his code book, the spy was unable to decode the message sent to him in cipher. 123. circlet small ring; band This tiny circlet is very costly because it is set with precious stones. 124. circuitous roundabout Because of the traffic congestion on the main highways, she took a circuitous route. 125. circumlocution indirect or roundabout expression He was afraid to call spade a spade and resorted to circumlocutions to avoid direct reference to his subject. 126. circumscribe limit; confine Although I do not wish to circumscribe your activities, I must insist that you complete this assignment before you start anything else. 127. circumspect prudent; cautious Investigating before acting, she tried always to be circumspect. 128. circumvent outwit; baffle In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make two preliminary attacks in other sections before starting our major campaign. 129. citadel fortress The citadel overlooked the city like a protecting angel. 130. cite quote; commend She could cite passages in the Bible from memory. 131. civil having to do with citizens or the state; courteous and polite Although internal Revenue Service agents are civil servants, they are not always civil to suspected tax evaders. 132. clairvoyant having foresight; fortuneteller Cassandra's clairvoyant warning was not heeded by the Trojans. 133. clamber climb by crawling She clambered over the wall. 134. clamor noise The clamor of the children at play outside made it impossible for her to take a nap. 135. clandestine secret After avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had a clandestine meeting. 136. clangor loud, resounding noise The blacksmith was accustomed to the clangor of hammers on steel. 137. clapper striker (tongue) of a bell Wishing to be undisturbed by the bell, Dale wound his scarf around the clapper to muffle its striking. 138. clarion shrill, trumpetlike sound We woke to the clarion to muffle its striking. 139. claustrophobia fear of being locked in His fellow classmates laughed at his claustrophobia and often threatened to lock him in his room. 140. clavicle collarbone Even though he wore shoulder pads, the football player broke his clavicle during a practice scrimmage. 141. cleave split asunder The lightening cleaves the tree in two. 142. cleft split Erosion caused a cleft in the huge boulder. 143. clemency disposition ot be lenient; mildness, as of the weather The lawyer was pleased when the case was sent to Judge Smith's chambers because Smith was noted for her clemency toward first offenders. 144. cliche phrase culled in meaning by repetition High school compositions are often marred by such cliches as "strong as an ox." 145. clientele body of customers The rock club attracted a young, stylish clientele. 146. climactic relating to the highest point When he reached the climactic portions of the book, he could not stop reading. 147. clime region; climate His doctors advised him to move to a milder clime. 148. clique small, exclusive group She charged that a clique had assumed control of school affairs. 149. cloister monastery or convent The nuns lived in the cloister. 150. clout great influence (especially political or social) Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club. 151. cloying distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception. 152. coagulate thicken; congeal; clot Even after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will continue to coagulate as it stands. 153. coalesce combine; fuse The brooks coalesce into one large river. 154. coda concluding section of a musical or literary composition The piece concluded with a distinctive coda that strikingly brought together various motifs. 155. coddle treat gently; pamper Don't coddle the children to much; they need a taste of discipline. 156. codicil supplement to the body of a will This codicil was drawn up five years after the writing of the original will. 157. codify arrange (laws, rules) as a code; classify We need to take the varying rules and regulations of the different health agencies and codify them into a national health code. 158. coercion use of force They forced him to obey, but only by great coercion. 159. coeval living at the same time as; contemporary coeval with the dinosaur, the pterodactyl flourished during the Mesozoic era. 160. cog tooth projecting from a wheel A bicycle chain moves through a series of cogs in order to propel the bike. 161. cogent convincing She presented cogent arguments to the jury. 162. cogitate think over cogitate on this problem; the solution will come. 163. cognate related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature The English word "mother" cognate to the Latin word "mater," whose influence is visible in the words "maternal" and "maternity." 164. cognitive having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental precesses Though Jack was emotionally immature, his cognitive development was admirable; he was very advanced intellectually. 165. cognizance knowledge During the election campaign, the two candidates were kept in full cognizance of the international situation. 166. cohere stick together Solids have a greater tendency to cohere than liquids. 167. cohesion tendency to keep together A firm believer in the maxim "Divide and conquer," the emperor, by lies and trickery, sought to disrupt the cohesion ofthe free nations. 168. cohorts armed band Caesar and his Roman cohorts conquered almost all of the known world. 169. coiffure hairstyle You can make a statement with your choice of coiffure: in the 60's many African-Americans affirmed their racial heritage by wearing their hair in Afros. 170. coincident occurring at the same time Some people find the coincident events in Hardy's novels annoyingly improbable. 171. colander utensil with perforated bottom used for straining Before serving the spaghetti, place it in a colander to drain it. 172. collaborate work together Two writers collaborated in preparing this book. 173. collage work of art put together from fragments Scraps of cloth, paper doilies, and old photographs all went into her collage. 174. collate examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order They collated the newly found manuscripts to determine their age. 175. collateral security given for loan The sum you wish to borrow is so large that it must be secured by collateral. 176. collation a light meal Tea sandwiches and cookies were offered at the collation. 177. colloquial pertaining to conversational or common speech Your use of colloquial expressions in a formal essay such as the one you have presented spoils the effect you hope to achieve. 178. colloquy informal discussion I enjoy our colloquies but I sometimes wish that they could be made more formal and more searching. 179. collusion conspiring in a fraudulent scheme The swindlers were found guilty of collusion. 180. colossal huge Radio City Music Hall has a colossal stage. 181. colossus gigantic statue The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, bronze statue of the sun god that dominated the harbor of the Greek seaport, was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 182. comatose in a coma; extremely sleepy The long-winded orator soon had his audience in a comatose state. 183. combustible easily burned After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire commissioner ordered that all combustible materials be kept in safe containers. 184. comely attractive; agreeable I would rather have a poor and comely wife than a rich and homely one. 185. comestible something fit to be eaten The roast turkey and other comestibles, the wines, and the excellent service made this Thanksgiving dinner particularly memorable. 186. comeuppance rebuke; deserts After his earlier rudeness, we were delighted to see him get his comeuppance. 187. comity courtesy; civility A spirit of comity should exist among nations. 188. commandeer to draft for military purposes; to take for public use The policeman commandeered the first car that approached and ordered the driver to go to the nearest hospital. 189. commemorative remembering; honoring The new commemorative stamp honors the late Martin Luther King, Jr. 190. commensurate equal in extent Your reward will be commensurate with your effort. 191. commiserate feel or express pity or sympathy for Her friends commiserated with the widow. 192. commodious spacious and comfortable After sleeping in a small roadside cabins, they found their hotel suite commodious. 193. communal held in common; of a group of people When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing their communal property. 194. compact agreement; contract The signers of the Mayflower Compact were establishing a form of government. 195. compact tightly packed; firm; brief His short, compact body was better suited to wrestling than to basketball. 196. compatible harmonious; in harmony with They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over unimportant matters. 197. compelling overpowering; irresistible in effect The prosecutor presented a well-reasoned case, but the defense attorney's compelling arguments for leniency won over the jury. 198. compendium brief, comprehensive summary This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount of new material being developed in this field. 199. compensatory making up for; repaying Can a compensatory education program make up for the inadequate schooling he received in earlier years? 200. compilation listing of statistical information in tabular or book form The compilation of available scholarships serves a very valuable purpose. 201. complacent self-satisfied There was a complacent look on his face as he examined his paintings. 202. complaisant trying to please; obliging The courtier obeyed the king's orders in a complaisant manner. 203. complement complete; consummate; make perfect The waiter recommended a glass of port to complement the cheese. 204. compliance conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield The design for the new school had to be in compliance with the local building code. 205. compliant yielding He was compliant and ready to go along with his friends' desires. 206. complicity participation; involvement You cannot keep your complicity in this affair secret very long; you would be wise to admit your involvement immediately. 207. component element; ingredient I wish all the components of my stereo system were working at the same time. 208. comport bear one's self; behave He comported himself with great dignity. 209. composure mental calmness Even the latest work crisis failed to shake her composure. 210. compound combine; constitute; pay interest; increase The makers of the popular cold remedy compounded a nasal decongestant with an antihistamine. 211. comprehensive thorough; inclusive This book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math skills for the SAT. 212. compress close; squeeze; contract She compressed the package under her arm. 213. comprise include; consist of If the District of Columbia were to be granted a statehood, the United States of America would comprise fifty-onestates, not just fifty. 214. compromise adjust; endanger the interests or reputation of Your presence at the scene of the dispute compromises our claim to neutrality in this matter. 215. compunction remorse The judge was especially severe in this sentencing because he felt that the criminal had shown no compunction for his heinous crime. 216. compute reckon; calculate He failed to compute the interest, so his bank balance was not accurate. 217. concatenate link as in a chain It is difficult to understand how these events could concatenate as they did without outside assistance. 218. concave hollow The back-packers found partial shelter from the storm by huddling against the concave wall of the cliff. 219. concede admit; hield Despite all the evidence Monica had assembled, Mark refused to concede that she was right. 220. conceit whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor He was an entertaining companion, always expressing himself in amusing conceits and witty turns of phrase. 221. concentric having a common center The target was made of concentric circles. 222. conception beginning; forming of a idea At the first conception of the work, he was consulted. 223. concerted mutually agreed on; done together The girl scouts in the troop made a concerted effort to raise funds for their annual outing, and emitted a concerted sigh when their leader announced that they had reached their goal. 224. concession an act of yielding Before they could reach an agreement, both sides had to make certain concessions. 225. conciliatory reconciling; soothing She was still angry despite his conciliatory words. 226. concise brief and compact When you define a new word, be concise; the shorter the definition, the easier it is to remember. 227. conclave private meeting He was present at all their conclaves as an unofficial observer. 228. conclusive decisive; ending all debate When the stolen books turned up in John's locker, we finally had conclusive evidence of the identity of the mysterious thief. 229. concoct prepare by combining; make up in concert How did the inventive chef ever concoct such strange dish? 230. concomitant that which accompanies Culture is not always a concomitant of wealth. 231. concord harmony Watching Tweediedum and Tweedledee battle, Alice wondered why the two brothers could not manage to life in concord. 232. concur agree Did you concur with the decision of the court or did you find it unfair? 233. concurrent happening at the same time In America, the colonists were resisting the demands of the mother contry; at the concurrent moment in France, the middle class was sowing the seeds of rebellion. 234. condescend bestow courtesies with a superior air The king condescended to grant an audience to the friends of the condemned man. 235. condign adequate; deservedly severe The public approved the condign punishment for the crime. 236. condiments seasonings; spices Spanish food is full of condiments. 237. condole express sympathetic sorrow His friends gathered to condole with him over his loss. 238. condone overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse Unlike Widow Douglass, who condoned Huck's minor offenses, Miss Watson did nothing but scold. 239. conducive helpful; contributive Rest and proper diet are conducive to good health. 240. conduit aqueduct; passageway for fluids Water was brought to the army in the desert by an improvised conduit from the adjoining mountain. 241. confidant trusted friend He had no confidants with whom he could discuss his problems at home. 242. confiscate seize; commandeer The army confiscated all available supplies of uranium. 243. conflagration great fire In the conflagration that followed the 1906 earthquake, much of San Francisco was destroyed. 244. confluence flowing together; crowd They built the city at the confluence of two rivers. 245. conformity harmony; agreement In conformity with our rules and regulations, I am calling a meeting of our organization. 246. confound confuse; puzzle No mystery could confound Sherlock Holmes for long. 247. congeal freeze; coagulate His blood congealed in his veins as he saw the dread monster rush toward him. 248. congenial pleasant; friendly My father loved to go out for a meal with congenial companions. 249. congenital existing at birth His congenital deformity disturbed his parents. 250. conglomeration mass of material sticking together In such a conglomeration of miscellaneous statistics, it was impossible to find a single area of analysis. 251. congruence correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship The student demonstrated the congruence of the two triangles by using the hypotenuse-arm theorem. 252. conifer pine tree; cone-bearing tree According to geologists, the conifers were the first plants to bear flowers. 253. conjecture surmise; guess I will end all your conjectures; I admit I am guilty as charged. 254. conjugal pertaining to marriage Their dreams of conjugal bliss were shattered as soon as their temperaments clashed. 255. conjure summon a devil; proactive magic; imagine; invent He conjured up an image of a reformed city and had the voters completely under his spell. 256. connivance pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher. 257. connoisseur person competent to act as judge of art, ect.; a lover of an art She had developed into a connoisseur of fine china. 258. connotation suggested or implied meaning of an expression Foreigners frequently are unaware of the connotations of the words they use. 259. connubial pertaining to maffige or the matrimonial state In his telegram, he wished the newlyweds a lifetime of connubial bliss. 260. consanguinity kinship The lawsuit developed into a test of the consanguinity of the claimant to the estate. 261. conscientious scrupulous; careful A conscientious editor checked every definition for its accuracy. 262. conscript draftee; person forced into military service Did Rambo volunteer to fight in Vietnam, or was he a conscript, drafted against his will? 263. consecrate dedicate; sanctify We shall consecrate our lives to this noble purpose. 264. consensus general agreement The consensus indicates that we are opposed to entering into this pact. 265. consequential pompous; self-important Convinced of his own importance, the actor strutted about the dressing room with a consequential air. 266. conservatory school of the fine arts (especiallymusic or drama) A gifted violinist, Marya was selected to study at the conservatory. 267. consign deliver officially; entrust; set apart The court consigned the child to her paternal grandmother's care. 268. consistency absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree of thickness Holmes judged puddings and explanations on their consistency; he liked his puddings without lumps and his explanations without improbabilities. 269. console lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort When her father died, Marius did his best to console Cosette. 270. consonance harmony; agreement Her agitation seemed out of consonance with her usual calm. 271. consort associate with We frequently judge people by the company with whom they consort. 272. consort husband or wife The search for a consort for the young Queen Victoria ended happily. 273. conspiracy treacherous plot Brutus and Cassius joined in the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar. 274. constituent supporter The congressman received hundreds of letters from angry constituents after the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass. 275. constraint compulsion; repression of feelings There was a feeling of constraint in the room because no one dared to criticize the speaker. 276. construe explain; interpret If I construe your remarks correctly, you disagree with the theory already advanced. 277. consummate complete I have never seem anyone who makes as many stupid errors as you do; you must be a consummate idiot. 278. contagion infection Fearing contagion, they took drastic steps to prevent the spread of the disease. 279. contaminate pollute The sewage system of the city so contaminated the water that swimming was forbidden. 280. contempt scorn; disdain Even if you feel superior to others, it is unwise to show your contempt for them. 281. contend struggle; compete; assert earnestly In Revolt of the Black Athlete, sociologist Harry Edwards contends that young black athletes have been exploited by some college recruiters. 282. contentious quarrelsome We heard loud and contentious noises in the next room. 283. contest dispute The defeated candidate attempted to contest the election results. 284. context writings preceding and following the passage quoted Because these lines are taken out of context, they do not convey the message the author intended. 285. contiguous adjacent to; touching upon The two countries are contiguous for a few miles; then they are separated by the gulf. 286. continence self-restraint; sexual chastity She vowed to lead a life of continence. 287. contingent conditional The continuation of this contract is contingent on the quality of your first output. 288. contortions twistings; distortions As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the patient became more violent and demonstrated how much pain she was enduring. 289. contraband illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods The coast guard tries to prevent contraband in U.S. waters. 290. contravene contradict; oppose: infringe on or transgress Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter Elizabeth to contravene his will by eloping with Robert Browning. 291. contrite penitent Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed sentence. 292. contrived forced; artificial; not spontaneous Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws; James made a few contrived attempts at conversation and then retreated into silence. 293. controvert oppose with arguments; contradict To controvert your theory will require much time but it is essential that we disprove it. 294. contumacious disobedient; resisting authority The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police. 295. contusion bruise She was treated for contusions and abrasions. 296. conundrum riddle; difficult problem During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain the children. 297. convene assemble Because much is needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in special session by January 15. 298. convention social or moral custom; established practice Flying in the face of convention, George Sand (Amandine Dudevant) shocked her contemporaries by taking lovers and wearing men's clothes. 299. conventional ordinary; typical His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his wife's eccentric family. 300. converge come together Marchers converged on Washington for the great Save Our Cities-Save Our Children March. 301. conversant familiar with The lawyer is conversant with all the evidence. 302. converse opposite The inevitable converse of peace is not war but annihilation. 303. convert one who has adopted a different religion or opinion On his trip to Japan, though the President spoke at length about the merits of American automobiles, he made few converts to his beliefs. 304. convex curving outward He polished the convex lens of his telescope. 305. conveyance vehicle; transfer During the transit strike, commuters used various kinds of conveyances. 306. conviction strongly held belief Nothing could shake his conviction that she was innocent. 307. convivial festive; gay; characterized by joviality The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their college songs. 308. convoke call together Congress was convoked at the outbreak of the emergency. 309. convoluted coiled around; involved; intricate His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow a it intelligently. 310. copious plentiful She had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal. 311. coquette flirt Because she refused to give him an answer to his proposal of marriage, he called her a coquette. 312. cordial gracious; heartfelt Our hosts greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a hearty hug. 313. cordon extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress The police cordon was so tight that the criminals could not leave the area. 314. cornice projecting molding on building (usually above columns) Because the stones forming the cornice had been loosened by the storms, the police closed the building until repairs could be made. 315. cornucopia horn overflowing wiht fruit and grain; symbol of abundance The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of knowledge for the entire family. 316. corollary consequence; accompaniment Brotherly love is a complex emotion, with a sibling rivalry its natural corollary. 317. corporeal bodily; material He was not a churchgoer; he was interested only in corporeal matters. 318. corpulent very fat The corpulent man resolved to reduce. 319. correlation mutual relationship He sought to determine the correlation that existed between ability in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises. 320. corroborate confirm Unless we find a witness to corroborate your evidence, it will not stand up in court. 321. corrosive eating away by chemicals or disease Stainless steel is able to withstand the effects of corrosive chemicals. 322. corrugated wrinkled; ridged She wished she could smooth away the wrinkles from his corrugated brow. 323. cosmic pertaining to the universe; vast cosmic rays derive their name from the fact that they bombard the earth's atmosphere from outer space. 324. coterie group that meets socially; select circle After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coteri that lunched daily at the hotel. 325. countenance approve; tolerate He refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part. 326. countenance face Whe Jose saw his newborn daughter, a proud smile spread across his countenance. 327. countermand cancel; revoke The general countermand the orders issued in his absence. 328. counterpart a thing that completes another; things very much alike Night and day are counterparts. 329. coup highly successful action or sudden attack As the news of his coup spread throughout Wall Street, his fellow brokers dropped by to congratulate him. 330. couple join; unite The Flying Karamazovs couple expert juggling and amateur joking in their nightclub act. 331. courier messenger The publisher sent a special courier to pick up the manuscript. 332. covenant agreement We must comply with the terms of the covenant. 333. covert secret; hidden; implied She could understand the covert threat in the letter. 334. covetous avaricious; eagerly desirous of The child was covetous by nature and wanted to take the toys belonging to his classmates. 335. cow terrorize; intimidate The little boy was so cowed by the hulking bully that he gave up his lunch money without a word of protest. 336. cower shrink quivering, as from fear The frightened child cowered in the corner of the room. 337. coy shy; modest; coquettish She was coy in her answers to his offer. 338. cozen cheat; hoodwink; swindle He was the kind of individual who would cozen his friends in a cheap card game but remain eminently ethical in all his business dealings. 339. crabbed sour; peevish The children avoided the crabbed old man because he scolded them when they made noise. 340. crass very unrefined; grossly insensible The philosophers deplored the crass commercialism. 341. craven cowardly When he saw the enemy troops advancing, he had a craven impulse to run for his life. 342. credence belief Do not place any credence in his promises. 343. credo creed I believe we may best describe his credo by saying that it approximates the Goldren Rule. 344. credulity belief on slight evidence The witch doctor took advantage of the credulity of the superstitious natives. 345. creed system of religious or ethical belief In any loyal American's creed, love of democracy must be emphasized. 346. crescendo increase in the volume or intensity, as in a musical passage; climax The overture suddenly changed from a quiet pastoral theme to a crescendo featuring blaring trumpets and clashing cymbols. 347. crestfallen dejected; dispirited We were surprised at his reaction to the failure of his project; instead of being crestfallen, he was busily engaged in planning new activities. 348. crevice crack; fissure The mountain climbers found footholds in the tiny crevices in the mountainside. 349. cringe shrink back, as if in fear The dog cringed, expecting a blow. 350. criteria standards used in judging What criteria did you use when you selected this essay as the prize winner? 351. crone hag The toothless crone frightened us when she smiled. 352. crotchety eccentric; whimsical Although he was reputed to be a crochety old gentleman, I found his ideas substantially sound and sensible. 353. crux crucial point This is the crux of the entire problem. 354. crypt secret recess or vault usually used for burial Until recently only bodies of rulers and leading statesmen were interred in this crypt. 355. cryptic mysterious; hidden; secret His cryptic remarks could not be interpreted. 356. cubicle small chamberused for sleeping After his many hours of intensive study in the library he retired to his cubicle. 357. cuisine style of cooking French cuisine is noted for its use of sauces and wines. 358. culinary relating to cooking Many chefs attribute their culinary skill to the wise use of spices. 359. cull pick out; reject Every month the farmer culls the nonplaying hens from his flock and sells them to the local butcher. 360. culmination attainment of highest point His inauguration as President of the United States marked the culmination of his political career. 361. culpable deserving blame Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are equally culpable. 362. culvert artificial channel for water If we build a culvert under the road at this point, we will reduce the possibility of the road at this point, we will reduce the possibility of the road's being flooded during the rainy season. 363. cumbersome heavy; hard to manage He was burdened down with cumbersome parcels. 364. cumulative growing by addition Vocabulary building is a cumulative process: as you go through your flash cards, you will add new words to your vocabulary, one by one. 365. cupidity greed The defeated people could not satisfy the cupidity of the conquerors, who demanded excessive tribute. 366. curator superintendent; manager The members of the board of trustees of the museum expected the new curator to plan events and exhibitions that would make the museum more popular. 367. curmudgeon churlish, miserly individual Although he was regarded by many as a curmudgeon, a few of us were aware of the many kindnesses and acts of charity that he secretly performed. 368. cursive flowing, running In normal writing we run our letters together in cursive form; in printing, we separate the letters. 369. cursory casual; hastily done A cursory examination of the ruins indicates the possibility of arson; a more extensive study should be undertaken. 370. curtail shorten; reduce During the coal shortage, we must curtail our use of this vital commodity. 371. cynical skeptical or distrustful of human motives cynical at all times, he was suspicious of all altruistic actions of others. 372. cynosure object of general attention As soon as the movie star entered the room, she became the cynosure of all eyes. 373. consternation anxiety, dismay Lincoln is famous for saying that the consternations during the civil war had left him decrepit. 374. casual accidental; not regular or permanent; careless; informal It can be argued that physical laws can be casual as well as inveterate, since it is based on an induction. 1. dais raised platform for guests of honor When he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from the people who had come to honor him. 2. dally trifle with; procrastinate Laertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could only dally with her affections. 3. dank damp The walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy. 4. dapper neat and trim In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of place. 5. dappled spotted The sunlight filtering though the screens created a dappled effect on the wall. 6. daub smear (as with paint) From the way he daubed his paint on the canvas, I could tell he knew nothing of oils. 7. daunt intimidate Your threats cannot daunt me. 8. dauntless bold Despite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless soldier volunteered for the assignment. 9. dawdle loiter; waste time Inasmuch as we must meet a deadline, do not dawdle over this work. 10. deadlock standstill; stalemate The negotiations had reached a deadlock. 11. deadpan wooden; impassive We wanted to see how long he could maintain his deadpan expression. 12. dearth scarcity The dearth of skilled labor compelled the employers to open trade schools. 13. debacle breaking up; downfall This debacle in the government can only result in anarchy. 14. debase reduce to lower state Do not debase youself by becoming maudlin. 15. debauch corrupt; make intemperate A vicious newspaper can debauch public ideals. 16. debilitate weaken; enfeeble Overindulgence debilitates character as well as physical stamina. 17. debonair friendly; aiming to please The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner. 18. debris rubble A full year after the earthquake in Mexico City, workers were still carting away the debris. 19. debunk expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule Pointing out that he conhsistently had voted afainst strenghtening antipollution legislation, reporters debunked the candidate's claim that he was a fervent environmentalist. 20. debutante yound woman making formal entrance into society As a debutante, she was often mentioned in the society columns of the newspapers. 21. decadence decay The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd literature of the period. 22. decant pour off gently Be sure to decant this wine before serving it. 23. decapitate behead They did not hang Lady Jane Grey; they decapitated her. 24. decelerate slow down Seeing the emergency blinkers in the road ahead, he decelerated quickly. 25. deciduous falling off, as of leaves The oak is a deciduous tree. 26. decimate kill, usually one out of ten We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents than we do in war. 27. decipher decode I could not decipher the doctor's handwriting. 28. declivity downward slope The children loved to ski down the declivity. 29. decollete having a low-cut neckline Fashion decrees that evening gowns be decollete this season; bare shoulders are again the vogue. 30. decomposition decay Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police were able to identify the murdered man. 31. decorum propriety; seemliness Shocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class for its lack of decorum. 32. decoy lure or bait The wild ducks were not fooled by the decoy. 33. decrepitude state of collagse caused by illness or old age I was unprepared for the state of decrepitude in which I had found my old friend; he seemed to have aged twenty years in six months. 34. decry express strong disapproval of ; disparage The founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, strongly decries the lack of financial and moral support for children in America today. 35. deducible derived byreasoning If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible. 36. deface mar; disfigure If you deface a library book, you will have to pay a hefty fine. 37. defamation harming a person's reputation Such defamation of character may result in a slander suit. 38. default failure to do As a result of her husband's failure to appear in court, she was granted a divorce by default. 39. defeatist resigned to defeat; accepting defeat as a natural outcome If you maintain your defeatist attitude, you will never succeed. 40. defection desertion The children, who had made him an idol, were hurt most by his defection from our cause. 41. deference courteous regard for another's wish In deference to his desires, the employers granted him a holiday. 42. defile pollute; profane The hoodlums defiled the church with their scurrilous writing. 43. definitive most reliable or complee Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln may be regarded as the definitive work on the life of the Great Emancipator. 44. deflect turn aside His life was saved when his cigarette case deflected the bullet. 45. defoliate destroy leaves In Vietnam the army made extensive use of chemical agents to defoliate the woodlands. 46. defray provide ofr the payment of Her employer offered to defray the costs of her postgraduate education. 47. defrock to strip a priest or minister of church authority We knew the minister had violated church regulations, but we had not realized his offense was serious enough to cause him to be defrocked. 48. deft neat; skillful The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop. 49. defunct dead; no longer in use or existence The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct corporation. 50. degenerate become worse; deteriorate As the fight dragged on, the champion's style degenerated until he could barely keep on his feet. 51. degraded lowered in rank; debased The degraded wretch spoke only of his past glories and honors. 52. dehydrate remove water from; dry out Vigorous dancing quickly dehydrates the body; between dances, be sure to drink more water than normal. 53. deify turn into a god; idolize Admire the rock star all you want; just don't deify him. 54. deign condescend He felt that he would debase himself if he deigned to answer his critics. 55. delete erase; strike out If you delete this paragraph, the composition will have more appeal. 56. deleterious harmful Workers in nuclear research must avoid the deleterious effects of radioactive substances. 57. deliberate consider; ponder; unhurried Offered the new job, she asked for time to deliberate before she made her decision. 58. delineate portray He is weakest when he attempts to delineate character. 59. delirium mental disorder marked by confusion The drunkard in his delirium saw strange animals. 60. delta flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river His dissertation discussed the effect of intermittent flooding on the fertility of the Nile delta. 61. delude deceive Do not delude yourself into believing that he will relent. 62. deluge flood; rush When we advertised the position, we received a deluge of applications. 63. delusion false belief; hallucination This scheme is a snare and a delusion. 64. delusive deceptive; raising vain hopes Do not raise your hopes on the basis of his delusive promises. 65. delve dig; investigate delving into old books and manuscripts is part of a researcher's job. 66. demagogue person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader He was accused of being a demogogue because he made promises that aroused futile hopes in his listeners. 67. demean degrade; humiliate He felt that he would demean himself if he replied to the scurrilous letter. 68. demeanor behavior; bearing His sober demeanor quieted the noisy revelers. 69. demented insane She became increasingly demented and had to be hospitalized. 70. demise death Upon the demise of the dictator, a bitter dispute about succession to power developed. 71. demographic related to population balance In conducting a survey, one should take into account demographic trends in the region. 72. demolition destruction One of the major aims of the air force was the complete demolition of all means of transportation by the bombing of rail lines and the terminals. 73. demoniac fiendish The Spanish Inquisition devised many demoniac means of torture. 74. demotic pertaining to the people He lamented the passing of aristocratic society and maintained that a demotic society would lower the nation's standards. 75. demur delay; object To demur at this time will only worsen the already serious situation; now is the time for action. 76. demure grave; serius; coy She was demure and reserved. 77. denigrate blacken All attempts to denigrate the character of our late President have failed; the people still love him and cherish his memory. 78. denizen inhabitant of Ghosts are denizens of the land of the dead who return to earth. 79. denotation meaning; distinguishing by name A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a word; frequently, it will always give us its connotation. 80. denouement outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other literary work The play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to sophisticated theatergoers as early as the middle of the first act. 81. denounce condemn; critcize The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust. 82. depict portray In this book, the author depicts the slave owners as kind and benevolent masters. 83. deplete reduce; exhaust We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we order replacements. 84. deplore regret Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I defend your right to express yourself freely. 85. deploy move troops so that the battle line is extended at the expense of depth The general ordered the battalion to deploy in order to meet the offensive of the enemy. 86. depose dethrone; remove form office The army attempted to depose the king and set up a military government. 87. deposition testimony under oath He made his deposition in the judge's chamber. 88. depravity corruption; wickedness The depravity of the tyrant's behavior shocked us all. 89. deprecate express disapproval of; protest against; belittle A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first names. 90. depreciate lessen in value If you neglect this properly, it will depreciate. 91. depredation plundering After the depredations of the invaders, the people were penniless. 92. deranged insane He had to be institutionalized because he was deranged. 93. derelict neglectful of duty; abandoned The corporal who fell asleep while on watch was thrown into the guardhouse for being derelic in his duty. 94. deride scoff at The people derided his grandiose schemes. 95. derision ridicule They greeted his proposal with derision and refused to consider it seriously. 96. derivative unoriginal; obtained from another source Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own voice. 97. dermatologist one who studies the skin and its diseases I advise you to consult a dermatologist about your acne. 98. derogatory expressing a low opinion I resent your derogatory remarks. 99. descry catch sight of In the distance, we could barely descry the enemy vessels. 100. desecrate profane; violate the sanctity of The soldiers desecrated the temple. 101. desiccate dry up A tour of this smokehouse will give you an idea of how the pioneers used to desiccate food in order to preserve it. 102. desolate rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake The bandits desolated the countryside, burning farms and carrying off the harvest. 103. desperado reckless outlaw Butch Cassidy was a bold desperado with a price on his head. 104. despicable contemptible Your despicable remarks call for no reply. 105. despise scorn I despise your attempts at a reconciliation at this time and refuse to meet you. 106. despoil plunder If you do not yield, I am afraid the enemy will despoil the countryside. 107. despondent depressed; gloomy To the dismay of his parents, he became more and more depondent every day. 108. despotism tyranny The people rebelled against the despotism of the king. 109. destitute extremely poor The costs of the father's illness left the family destitute. 110. desultory aimless; haphazard; digressing at random In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of reading straight through the dictionary; to him reading was purposeful, not desultory. 111. detached emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with her patients' perssonal lives. 112. determinate having a fixed order of procedure; invariable At the royal wedding, the procession of the nobles followed a determinate order of precedence. 113. deterrent something that discourages; hindrance Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to potential killers? 114. detonation explosion The detonation of the bomb could be heard miles away. 115. detraction slandering; aspersion He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader. 116. detrimental harmful; damaging Your acceptance of her support will ultimately prove detrimental rather than helpful to your cause. 117. deviate turn away from Do not deviate from the truth; you must face the facts. 118. devious going astray; erratic Your devious behavior in this matter puzzles me since you are usually direct and straightforward. 119. devoid lacking He was devoid of any personal desire for gain in his endeavor to secure improvement in the community. 120. devolve deputize; pass to others It devolved upon us, the survivors, to arrange peace terms with the enemy. 121. devotee enthusiastic follower A devotee of the opera, he bought season tickets every year. 122. devout pious The devout man prayed daily. 123. dexterous skillful The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow his movements as he performed his tricks. 124. diabolical devilish This scheme is so diabolical that I must reject it. 125. diadem crown The king's diadem was on display at the museum. 126. dialectic art of debate I am not skilled in dialectic and therefore, cannot answer your arguments as forcefully as I wish. 127. diaphanous sheer; transparent They saw the burglar clearly through the diaphanous curtain. 128. diatribe bitter scolding; invective During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he remained calm and self-controlled. 129. dichotomy branching into two parts The dichotomy of our legislative system provides us with many safeguards. 130. dictum arthoritative and weighty statement She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group. 131. didactic teaching; instructional; preaching or moralizing The didactic qualities of his poetry overshadow its literary qualities; the lesson he teaches is more memorable than the lines. 132. die device for stamping or impressing; mold In coining pennies, workers at the old mint squeezed sheets of softened copper between two dies. 133. diffidence shyness You must overcome your diffidence if you intend to become a salesperson. 134. diffusion wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas Your composition suffers from a diffusion of ideas; try to be more compact. 135. digression wandering away from the subject Nobody minded when Professor Renoir's lectures wandered away from their offical theme; his digressions were always more fascinating than the topic of the day. 136. dilapidated ruined because of neglect We felt that the dilapidated building needed several coats of paint. 137. dilate expand In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate. 138. dilatory delaying Your dilatory tactics may compel me to cancel the contract. 139. dilemma problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives In this dilemma, he knew no one to whom he could turn for advice. 140. dilettante aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler He was not serious in his painting; he was rather a dilettante. 141. diligence steadiness of effort; persisten hard work Her employers were greatly impressed by her diligence and offered her a partnership in the firm. 142. dilute make less concentrated; reduce in strength She preferred her coffee diluted with milk. 143. diminution lessening; reduction in size The blockaders hoped to achieve victory as soon as the diminution of the enemy's supplies became serious. 144. din continued loud noise The din of the jackhammers outside the classroom window drowned out the lecturer's voice. 145. dinghy small boat (often ship's boat) In the film Lifeboat, an ill-assorted group of passengers from a sunken ocean liner are marooned at sea in a dinghy. 146. dingy dull; not fresh; cheerless Refusing to be depressed by her dingy studio apartment, Bea spent the weekend polishing the floors and windows and hanging bright posters on the walls. 147. dint means; effort By dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to control the raging forest fire. 148. diorama like-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history Because they dramatically pose actual stuffed animals against realistic painted landscapes, the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History particularly impress high school biology students. 149. dire disastrous People ignored her dire predictions of an approaching depression. 150. dirge lament with music The funeral dirge stirred us to tears. 151. disabuse correct a false impression; undeceive I will attempt to diabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent. 152. disaffected disloyal Once the most loyal of Gorbachev's supporters, Shverdnaze found himself becoming increasingly disaffected. 153. disapprobation disapproval; condemnation The conservative father viewed his daughter's radical boyfriend with disapprobation. 154. disarray a disorderly or untidy state After the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray. 155. disavowal denial; disclaiming His disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury. 156. disband dissolve; disperse The chess club disbanded after its disastrous initial season. 157. disburse pay out When you disburse money on the company's behalf, be sure to get a receipt. 158. discernible distinguishable; perceivable The ships in the harbor were not discernible in the fog. 159. discerning mentally quick and observant; having insight Because he was considered the most discerning member of the firm, he was assigned the most difficult cases. 160. disclaim disown; renounce claim to If I grant you this previlege, will you disclaim all other rights? 161. disclose reveal Although competitors offered him bribes, he refused to disclose any information about his company's forthcoming product. 162. discombobulated confused; discomposed The novice square dancer became so discombobulated that he wandered into wrong set. 163. discomfit put to rout; defeat; disconcert This ruse will discomfit the enemy. 164. disconcert confuse; upset; embarrass The lawyer was disconcerted by the evidence produced by her adversary. 165. disconcolate sad The death of his wife left him disconsolate. 166. discordant inharmonious; conflicting She tried to unite the discordant factions. 167. discount disregard Be prepared to discount what he has to say about his ex-wife. 168. discourse formal disscussion; conversation The young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hear the philosophical discourse of Socrates and his followers. 169. discredit defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve The campaign was highly negative in tone; each candidate tried to discredit the other. 170. discrepancy lack of consistency; difference The police noticed some discrepancies in his description of the crime and did not believe him. 171. discrete separate; unconnected The universe is composed of discrete bodies. 172. discretion prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances Use your discretion in this matter and do not discuss it with anyone. 173. discrimination ability to see differences; prejudice They feared he lacked sufficient discrimination to judge complex works of modern art. 174. discursive digressing; rambling They were annoyed and bored by her discursive remarks. 175. disdain treat with scorn or contempt You make enemies of all you disdain. 176. disembark go ashore; unload cargo from a ship Before the passengers could disembark, they had to pick up their passports from the ship's purser. 177. disenfranchise deprive of a civil right The imposition if the poll tax effectively disenfranchised poor Southern blacks, who lost their right to vote. 178. disengage uncouple; separate; disconnect A standard movie routine involves the hero's desperate attempt to disengage a railroad car from a moving train. 179. disfigure mar the appearance of; spoil An ugly frown disfigured his normally pleasant face. 180. disgorge surrender something; efect; vomit Unwilling to disgorge the cash he had stolen from the pension fund, the embezzler tried to run away. 181. disgruntle make discontented The passengers were disgruntled by the numerous delays. 182. dishearten discourage His failure to pass the bar exam disheartened him. 183. disheveled untidy Your disheveled appearance will hurt your chances in this interview. 184. disinclination unwilingness Some mornings I feel a great disinclination to get out of bed. 185. disingenuous not naive; sophisticated Although he was young, his remarks indicated that he was disingenous. 186. disinter dig up; unearth They disinterred the body and held an autopsy. 187. disinterested unprejudiced The only disinterested person in the room was the judge. 188. disjointed disconnected His remarks were so disjointed that we could not follow his reasoning. 189. dislodge remove (forcible) Thrusting her fist up under the choking man's lower ribs, Margaret used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food caught in this throat. 190. dismantle take apart When the show closed, they dismantled the scenery before restoring it. 191. dismember cut into small parts When the Austrian Empire was dismembered, several new countries were established. 192. dismiss eliminate from consideration; reject Believing in John's love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful. 193. disparage belittle Do not disparage anyone's contribution; these little gifts add up to large sums. 194. disparate basically different; unrelated It is difficult, if not impossible, to organize these disparate elements into a coherent whole. 195. disparity difference; condition of inequality The disparity in their ages made no difference at all. 196. dispassionate calm; impartial In a dispassionate analysis of the problem, he carefully examined the causes of the conflict and proceeded to suggest suitable remedies. 197. dispatch speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed Young Napoleon defeated the enemy with all possible dispatch; he then sent a dispatch to headquarters, informing his commander of the great victory. 198. dispel scatter; drive away; cause to vanish The bright sunlight eventually dispelled the morning mist. 199. disperse scatter The police fired tear gas into crowd to disperse the protesters. 200. dispirited lacking in spirit The coach used all the tricks at his command to buoy up the enthusiasm of his team, which I had become dispirited at the loss of the star player. 201. disport amuse The popularity of Florida as a winter resort is constantly increasing; each year, thousands more disport themselves at Miami and Palm Beach. 202. disputatious argumentative; fond of argument People avoided discussing contemporary problems with him because of his disputatious manner. 203. disquisition a formal systematic inquiry; an explanation of the results of a formal inquiry In his disquisition, he outlined the steps he had taken in reaching his conclusions. 204. dissection analysis; cutting apart in order to examine The dissection of frogs on the laboratory is particularly unpleasant to some students. 205. dissemble disguise; pretend Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking modern dance, we all knew there not to dance but to meet girls. 206. disseminate scatter (like seeds) The invention of the radio helped propagandists to disseminate their favorite doctrines very easily. 207. dissent disagree In a landmark Supreme Court decision, Justice Marshall dissented from the majority opinion. 208. dissertation formal essay In order to earn a graduate degree from many of our universities, a candidate is frequently required to prepare a dissertation on some scholarly subject. 209. dissident dissenting; rebellious In the purge that followed the student demonstrations at Tianamen Square, the government hunted down the dissident students and their supporters. 210. dissimulate pretend; conceal by feigning She tried to dissimulate her grief by her exuberant attitude. 211. dissipate squander The young man quickly dissipated his inheritance and was soon broke. 212. dissolution disintegration; looseness in morals The profligacy and dissolution of life in Caligula's Rome appall some historians. 213. dissonance discord Some contemporary musicians deliberately use dissonance to achieve certain effects. 214. dissuade advise against He could not dissuade his friend from joining the conspirators. 215. distant reserved or aloof; cold in manner His distant greeting made me feel unwelcome from the start. 216. distend expand;swell out I can tell when he is under stress by the way the veins distend on his forehead. 217. distill purify; refine; concentrate A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills thoughts into quips. 218. distortion twisting out of shape It is difficult to believe the newspaper accounts of this event because of the distortions and exaggerations of the reporters. 219. distrait absentminded Because of his concentration on the problem, the professor often appeared distrait and unconcerned about routine. 220. distraught upset; distracted by anxiety The distraught parents frantically searched the ravine for their lost child. 221. diurnal daily A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for example, must be milked regularly. 222. diva operatic singer; prima donna Although world famous as a diva, she did not indulge in fits of temerament. 223. diverge vary; go in different directionsfrom the same point The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub. 224. divergent differing; deviating The two witnesses presented the jury with remarkably divergent accounts of the same epipode. 225. diverse differing in some characteristics; various There are diverse ways of approaching this problem. 226. diversion act of turning aside; pastime After studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work. 227. diversity variety; dissimilitude The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels of ability are being served. 228. divest strip; deprive He was divested of his power to act and could no longer govern. 229. divine perceive intuitively; foresee the future Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly's ability to divine when he was not telling the truth. 230. divulge reveal I will not tell you this news because I am sure you will divulge it prematurely. 231. docile obedient; easily managed As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, snarling beast. 232. docket program asfor trial; book where such entries are made The case of Smith v. Jones was entered in the docket for July 15. 233. doctrinaire unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy. 234. document provide written evidence She kept all the receipts from her business trip in order to document her expenses for the firm. 235. doddering shaky; infirm from old age Although he is not as yet a doddering and senile old man, his ideas and opinions no longer can merit the respect we gave them years ago. 236. doff take off A gentleman used to doff his hat to a lady. 237. dogged determined;stubborn Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert's long, dogged pursuit of the criminal Jean Valjean. 238. doggerel poorverse Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in her work, most of her writing is mere doggerel. 239. dogmatic positive; arbitrary Do not be so dogmatic about that statement; it can be easily refuted. 240. doldrums blues; listlessness; slack period Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was over, she found herself in the doldrums. 241. dolorous sorrowfrl He found the dolorous lamentations of the bereaved family emotionally disturbing and he left as quickly as he could. 242. dolt stupid person I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find myself addressing a pack of dolts. 243. domicile home Althoughhis legal domicile was in New York City, his work kept him away from his residence for many years. 244. domineer rule over tyrannically Students prefer teachers who guide, not ones who domineer. 245. don put on When Clark Kent had to don his Superman outfit, he changed clothes in a convenient phone booth. 246. dormant sleeping; lethargic; torpid Sometimes dormant talents in our friends surprise those of us who never realize how gifted our acquaintances really are. 247. dormer window projecting from roof In remodeling the attic into a bedroom, we decided that we needed to put in dormers to provide sufficient ventilation for the new room. 248. dorsal relating to the back of an animal A shark may be identified by its dorsal fin, which projects above the surface of the ocean. 249. dossier file of documents on a subject Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier. 250. dotage senility In his dotage, the old man bored us with long tales of events in his childhood. 251. dote be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline Not only grandmothers bore you with stories about their brilliant grandchildren; grandfathers dote on the littel rascals, too. 252. dour sullen; stubborn The man was dour abd taciturn. 253. douse plunge into water; drench; extinguish They doused each other with hoses and balloons. 254. dowdy slovenly; untidy She tried to change her dowdy image by buying a fashionable new wardrobe. 255. downcast disheartened; sad Cheerful and optimistic by nature, Beth was never downcast despite the difficulties she faced. 256. drab dull; lacking color; cheerless The Dutch woman's drab winter coat contrasted with the distinctive, colorful native costume she wore beneath it. 257. dregs sediment; worthless residue David poured the wine carefully to avoid stirring up the dregs. 258. droll queer and amusing He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always entertaining. 259. drone idle person; male bee Content to let his wife support him, the would-be writer was in reality nothing but a drone. 260. drone talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee On a gorgeous day, who wants to be stuck in a classroom listening to the teacher drone? 261. dross waste matter; worhtless impurities Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal from the dross. 262. drudgery menial work Cinderella's fairy godmother rescued her from a life of drudgery. 263. dubious doubtful He has the dubious distinction of being the lowest man in his class. 264. ductility malleability; flexibility; ability to be drawn out Copper wire has many industrial uses because of its extreme ductility. 265. dulcet sweet sounding The dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon drowned out by the roar of traffic passing our motel. 266. dupe someone easily fooled While the gullible Watson often was made a dupe by unscrupulous parties, Sherlock Holmes was far more difficult to fool. 267. deplicity double-dealing; hypocrisy People were shocked and dismayed when they learned of his duplicity in this affair, as he had always seemed honest and straightforward. 268. duress forcible restraint, especially unlawfully The hostages were held under duress until the prisoners' demands were met. 269. dutiful respectful; obedient The dutiful child grew up to be a conscientious adult aware of his civic obligations. 270. dwindle shrink; reduce They spent so much money that their funds dwindled to nothing. 271. dynamic active; efficient A dynamic government is necessary to meet the demands of a changing society. 272. dyspeptic suffering from indigestion All the talk about rich food made him feel dyspeptic. 1. earthy unrefined; coarse His earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in the audience. 2. ebb recede; lessen His fortunes began to ebb during the recession. 3. ebullient showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm His ebullient nature could not be repressed. 4. eccentric odd; whimsical; irregular The comet passed close by the earth in its eccentric orbit. 5. eccentricity oddity; idiosyncrasy Some of his friends tried to account for his rudeness to strangers as the eccentricity of genius. 6. ecclesiastic pertaining to the church The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit. 7. eclectic selective; composed of elements drawn from disparate sources His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from widely divergent periods, strikingly juxtaposed to create a unique color. 8. eclipse darken; extinguish; surpass The new stock market high eclipsed the previous record set in 1985. 9. ecologist person concerned with the interrelationship between living organisms and their environment The ecologist was concerned that the new dam would upset the natural balance of the creatures living in Glen Canyon. 10. economy efficiency or conciseness in using something Reading the epigrams of Pope, I admire the economy of his verse: in few words he conveys worlds of meaning. 11. ecstasy rapture, joy; any overpowering emotion The announcement that the war had ended brought on an ecstasy that resulted in many uncontrolled celebrations. 12. eddy swirling current of water, air, etc. The water in the tide pool was still, except for an occasional eddy. 13. edify instruct; correct morally Although his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened. 14. eerie weird In that eerie setting, it was easy to believe in ghosts and other supernatural beings. 15. efface rub out The coin had been handled so many times that its data had been effaced. 16. effectual efficient If we are to succeed, we must seek effectual means of securing our goals. 17. effeminate having womanly traits His voice was high-pitched and effeminate. 18. effervescence inner excitement; exuberance Nothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself. 19. effete worn out; exhausted; barren The literature of the age reflected the effete condition of the writers; no new ideas were forthcoming. 20. efficacy power to produce desired effect The efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage. 21. effigy dummy The mob showed its irritation by hanging the judge in effigy. 22. effluvium noxious smell Air pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons in the air are hazards to life. 23. effrontery shameless boldness She had the effrontery to insult the guest. 24. effusion pouring forth The critics objected to her literary effusion because it was too flowery. 25. effusive pouring forth; gushing Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to irritate them. 26. egoism excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others His egoism prevented him from seeing the needs of his colleagues. 27. egotism conceit; vanity She thought so much of herself that we found her egotism unwarranted and irritating. 28. egregious notorious; conspicuously bad; shocking She was an egregious liar; we all knew better than to believe a word she said. 29. egress exit Barnum's sign "To the Egress" fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and instead found themselves in the street. 30. ejaculation exclamation He could not repress an ejaculation of surprise when he heard the news. 31. elaboration addition of details; intricacy Tell what happened simply, without any elaboration. 32. elated overjoyed; in high spirits Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie Blair was clearly elated by her Olympic victory. 33. elegy poem or song expressing lamentation On the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy "Lycidas." 34. elicit draw out by discussion The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot. 35. elixir cure-all; something invigorating The news of her chance to go abroad acted on her like an elixir. 36. ellipsis omission of words from a text Sometimes an ellipsis can lead to a dangling modifier, as in the sentence "Once dressed, you should refrigerate the potato salad. 37. elliptical oval; ambiguous, either purposely or because key words have been left out An elliptical billiad ball wobbles because it is not perfectly round; an elliptical remark baffles because it is not perfectly clear. 38. eloquence expressiveness; persuasive speech The crowds were stirred by Martin Luther King's eloquence. 39. elucidate explain; enlighten He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article. 40. elusive evasive; baffling; hard to grasp His elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends who supported him financially. 41. elysian relating to paradise; blissful An afternoon sail on the bay was for her an elysian journey. 42. emaciated thin and wasted His long period of starvation had left him emaciated. 43. emanate issue forth A strong odor of sulfur emanated from the spring. 44. emancipate set free At first, the attempts of the Abolitioninst to emancipate the slaves were unpopular in New England as well as in the South. 45. embargo ban on commerce or other activity As a result of the embargo, trade with colonies was at a standstill. 46. embark commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to cost her her life. 47. embed enclose; place in something Tales of actual historical figures like King Alfred have become embedded in legends. 48. embellish adorn My mother-in-law's stories about her journey from Russia made us laugh because she embellished the bare facts of her travels with humourous acecdotes. 49. embezzlement stealing The bank teller confessed his embezzlement of the funds. 50. embroil throw into confusion He became embroiled in the heated discussion when he tried to arbitrate the dispute. 51. embryonic undeveloped; rudimentary The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated while it is still in an embryonic state; otherwise, it may grow to dangerous proportions. 52. emend correct, usually a text The critic emended the book by retranslating several passages. 53. emendation correction of errors; improvement Please initial all the emendations you have made in this contract. 54. emetic substance causing vomiting The use of an emetic like mustard is useful in cases of poisoning. 55. eminent high; lofty After his appointment to this emiment position, he seldom had time for his former friends. 56. emissary agent; messenger The secretary of State was sent as the President's special emissary to the conference on disarmament. 57. emollient soothing or softening remedy He applied an emollient to the inflamed area. 58. emolument salary; compensation In addition to the emolument this position offers, you must consider the social prestige it carries with it. 59. empathy ability to identify with another's feelings, ideas, etc What made Ann such a fine counselor was her empathy, her ability to put herself in her client's place and feel his emotions as if they were her own. 60. empirical based on experience He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data. 61. emulate rival; imitate As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish. 62. enamored in love Narcissus became enamored of his own beauty. 63. enclave territory enclosed within an alien land The Vatican is an independent enclave in Italy. 64. encomiastic praising; eulogistic Some critics believe that his encomiastic statements about Napoleon were inspired by his desire for material advancement rather than by an honest belief in the Emperor's genius. 65. encomium high praise; eulogy Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his supporters, Tolkien felt unworthy of such high praise. 66. encompass surround Although we were encompassed by enemy forces, we were cheerful for we were well stocked and could withstand a siege until our allies joined us. 67. encroachment gradual intrusion The encroachment of the factories upon the neighborhood lowered the value of the real estate. 68. encumber burden Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage, when they take short trips. 69. endearment fond word or act Your gifts and endearments cannot make me forget your earlier insolence. 70. endemic prevailinig among a specific group of people or in a specific are or country This disease is endemic in this part of the world; more than 80 percent of the population are at one time or another affected by it. 71. endorse approve; support Everyone waited to see which one of the rival candidates for the city council the mayor would endorse. 72. endue provide with some quality; endow He was endued with a lion's courage. 73. enduring lasting; surviving Keats believed in the enduring power of great art, which outlast its creator's brief lives. 74. energize invigorate; make forceful and active Rather than exhausting Maggie, dancing energized her. 75. enervate weaken She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window evervated her. 76. enfranchise admit to the rights of citizenship (especially the right to vote) Although blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War, women did not receive the right to vote until 1920. 77. engage attract; hire; pledge oneself; confront "Your case has engaged my interest, my lord," said Holmes, "You many engage my services." 78. engender cause; produce To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child. 79. engross occupy fully John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not hear his mother call. 80. enhance advance; improve Your chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced if you take some more courses in evening school. 81. enigma puzzle Depite all attempts to decipher the code, it remained an enigma. 82. enigmatic obscure; puzzling Many have sought to fathom the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa. 83. enjoin command; order; forbid The owners of the company asked the court to enjoin the union from picketing the plant. 84. enmity ill will; hatred At Camp David President Carter labored to bring an end to the enmity that prevented Egypt and Israel from living in peace. 85. ennui boredom The monotonous routine of hopital life induced a feeling of ennui which made him moody and irritable. 86. enormity hugeness (in a bad sense) He did not realize the enormity of his crime until he saw what suffering he had caused. 87. enrapture please intensely The audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration. 88. ensconce settle comfortably The parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave for Europe. 89. ensue follow The evils that ensued were the direct result of the miscalculations of the leaders. 90. enthrall capture; enslave From the moment he saw her picture, he was enthralled by her beauty. 91. entice lure; attract; tempt She always tried to entice her baby brother into mischief. 92. entity real being As soon as the charter was adopted, the United Nations became an entity and had to be considered as a factor in world diplomacy. 93. entomology study of insects I found entomology the least interesting part of my course in biology; studying insects bored me. 94. entrance put under a spell; carry away with emotion Shafts of sunlight on a wall could entrance her and leave her spellbound. 95. entreat plead; ask earnestly She entreated her father to let her stay out till midnight. 96. entree entrance; a way in Because of his wealth and social position, he had entree into the most exclusive circles. 97. entrepreneur businessperson; contractor Opponents of our present tax program argue that it discourages entrepreneurs from trying new fields of business activity. 98. enumerate list; mention one by one Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson enumerated his many flaws. 99. enunciate speak distinctly How will people understand you if you do not enunciate? 100. environ enclose; surround Paris was environed by a wall 101. eon long period of time; an age It has taken eons for our civilization to develop. 102. epaulet ornament worn on the shoulder (of a uniform, etc.) The shoulder loops on Sam Spade's trench coat are the nonmilitary counterparts of the fringed epaulets on George Washington's uniform. 103. ephemeral short-lived; fleeting The mayfly is an ephemeral creature. 104. epic long heroic poem, novel, or similar work of art Kurosawa's film Seven Samurai is an epic portraying the struggle of seven warriors to destroy a band of robbers. 105. epicure connoisseur of food and drink epicures frequent this restaurant because it features exotic wines and dishes. 106. epigram witty thought or saying, usually short Poor Richard's epigrams made Benjamin Franklin famous. 107. epilogue short speech at conclusion of dramatic work The audience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue. 108. episodic loosely connected Though he tried to follow the plot of Gravity's Rainbow, John found the novel too episodic. 109. epistemologist philosopher who studies the nature of knowledge "What is more important, a knowledge of nature of the nature of knowledge?" the epistemologist asked the naturalist. 110. epitaph inscription in memory of a dead person In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone. 111. epithet word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing So many kings of France were named Charles that modern students need epithets to tell them apart: Charles the Wise, for example, was someone far different from Charles the Fat. 112. epitome perfect example or embodiment Singing "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" in The Pirates of Penzance, Major-General Stanley proclaimed himself the epitome of an officer and a gentleman. 113. epoch period of time The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years. 114. equable tranquil; steady; uniform After the hot summers and cold winters of New England, he found the climate of the West Indies equable and pleasant. 115. equanimity calmness of temperament In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor. 116. equestrian rider on horseback These paths in the park are reserved for equestrians and their steeds. 117. equilibrium balance After the divorce, he needed some time to regain his equilibrium. 118. equine resembling a horse His long, bony face had an equine look to it. 119. equinox period of equal days and nights; the beginning of spring and autumn The vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms. 120. equipoise balance; balancing force; equilibrium The high-wire acrobat used his pole as an equipose to overcome the swaying caused by the wind. 121. equitable fair; impartial I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute, one which will be fair and acceptable to both sides. 122. equity fairness; justice Our courts guarantee equity to all. 123. equivocal doubtful; ambiguous Macbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches. 124. equivocate lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks. 125. erode eat away The limestone was eroded by the dripping water 126. erotic pertaining to passionate love The erotic passages in this novel should be removed as they are merely pornographic. 127. errant wandering Many a charming tale has been written about the knights-errant who helped the weak and punished the guilty during the Age of Chivalry. 128. erratic odd; unpredictable Investors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic. 129. erroneous mistaken; wrong I thought my answer was correct, but it was erroneous. 130. erudite learned; scholarly His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions which were unfamiliar to most readers. 131. escapade prank; flighty conduct The headmaster could not regard this latest escapade as a boyish joke and expelled the young man. 132. eschew avoid He tried to eschew all display of temper. 133. esoteric hard to understand; known only to the chosen few New Yorker short stories often include esoteric allusions to obscure people and events: the implication is if you are in the in-crowd, you'll get the reference; if you come from Cleveland, you won't. 134. espionage spying In order to maintain its power, the government developed a system of espionage that penetrated every hosehold. 135. espouse adopt; support She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause. 136. esteem repect; value; judge I esteem Ezra Pound both for his exciting poetry and for his acute comments on literature. 137. estranged separated; alienated The estranged wife sought a divorce. 138. ethereal light; heavenly; fine Visitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate charm. 139. ethnic relating to races Intolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of information. 140. ethnology study of mankind Sociology is one aspect of the science of ethnology. 141. ethos underlying character of a culture, group, etc. Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of how greatly children were valued in the Spanish ethos. 142. etymology study of word parts A knowledge of etymology can help you on many English tests. 143. eugenic pertaining to the improvement of race It is easier to apply eugenic principles to the raising of racehorses or prize cattle than t the development of human beings. 144. eulogistic praising To everyone's surprise, the speech was eulogistic rather than critical in tone. 145. eulogy praise All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by his enemies. 146. euphemism mild expression in place of an unpleasant one The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died." 147. euphony sweet sound Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung. 148. euphoria feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-being "Jill's been on cloud nine ever since Jacj asked her out," said Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria. 149. euthanasia mercy killing Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill patients who wish to die. 150. evanescent fleeting; vanishing For a brief moment, the entire skyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the sunset. 151. evasive not frank; eluding Your evasive answers convinced the judge that you were witholding important evidence. 152. evince show clearly When he tried to answer the questions, he evinced his ignorance of the subject matter. 153. evenhanded impartial; fair Do men and women receive evenhanded treatment from their teachers, or, as recent studies suggest, do teachers pay more attention to male students than to females? 154. evoke call forth He evoked much criticism by his hostile manner. 155. ewe female sheep The flock of sheep was made up of dozens of ewes, together with only a handful of rams. 156. exacerbate worsen; embitter This latest arrest will exacerbate the already existing discontent of the people and enrage them. 157. exacting extremely demanding The colonies rebelled against the exacting financial claims of the mother country. 158. exalt raise in rank or dignity; praise The actor Alec Guinness was exalted to the rank of knighthood by the Queen; he now is known as Sir Alec Guinness. 159. exasperate vex Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks. 160. excerpt selected passage (written or musical) The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film. 161. exchequer treasury He had been Chancellor of the exchequer before his promotion to the office he now holds. 162. excise cut away; cut out When you excise the dead and dying limbs of a tree, you not only improve its appearance but also enhance its chances of bearing fruit. 163. excoriate flay; abrade These shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and create blisters. 164. exculpate clear from blame He was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed. 165. execrable very bad The anecdote was in execrable taste and shocked the audience. 166. execrate curse; express abhorrence for The world execrates the memory of Hitler and hopes that genocide will never again be the policy of any nation. 167. execute put into effect; carry out The choreographer wanted to see how well she could execute a pirouette. 168. exegesis explanation, especially of biblical passages I can follow your exegesis of this passage to a limited degree; some of your reasoning eludes me. 169. exemplary serving as a model; outstanding Her exemplary behavior was praised at commencement. 170. exemplify show by example; furnish an example Three-time winner of the Super Bowl, Joe Montana exemplifies the ideal quarterback. 171. exertion effort; expenditure of much physical work The exertion involved in unscrewing the rusty bolt left her exhausted. 172. exhort urge The evangelist will exhort all sinners in his audience to reform. 173. exhume dig out of the ground; remove from a grave Because of the rumor that he had been poisoned, his body was exhumed in order that an autopsy might be performed. 174. exigency urgent situation In this exigency, we must look for aid from our allies. 175. exiguous small; minute Grass grew there, an exiguous outcropping among the rocks. 176. existential pertaining to existence; pertaining to the philosophy of existentialism To the existential philosopher, human reason is inadequate to explain an irrational, meaningless universe. 177. exodus departure The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was particularly noticeable on Friday evenings. 178. exonerate acquit; exculpate I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you. 179. exorbitant excessive The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paid them because he had a monopoly. 180. exorcise drive our evil spirits By incantation and prayer, the medicine man sought to exorcise the evil spirits that had taken possession of the young warrior. 181. exotic not native; strange Because of his exotic headdress, he was followed in the streets by small children who laughed at his strange appearance. 182. expatiate talk at length At this time, please give us a brief resume of your work; we shall permit you to expatiate later. 183. expatriate exile; someone who has withdrawn from his native land Henry James was an American expatriate who settled in England. 184. expedient suitable; practical; politic A pragmatic politician, he was guided by what was expedient rather than by what was ethical. 185. expedite hasten We hope you will be able to expedite delivery because of our tight schedule. 186. expertise specialized knowledge; expert skill Although she was knowledgeable in a number of fields, she was hired for her particular expertise in computer programming. 187. expiate make amends for (a sin) He tried to expiate his crimes by a full confession to the authorities. 188. expletive interjection; profane oath The sergeant's remarks were filled with expletives that offended the new recruits. 189. explicate explain; interpret; clarify Harry Levin explicated James Joyce's novels with such clarity that even Finnegan's Wake seemed comprehensible to his students. 190. explicit totally clear; definite; outspoken Don't just hint around that you're dissatisfied: be explicit about what's bugging you. 191. exploit deed or action, particularly a brave deed Raoul Wallenberg was noted for his exploits in rescuing Jews from Hitler's forces. 192. exploit make use of, sometimes unjustly Caesar Chavez fought attempts to exploit migrant farmworkers in California. 193. expository explanatory; serving to explain The mannual that came with my VCR was no masterpiece of expository prose: its explanations were so garbled that I couldn't even figure out how to rewind a tape. 194. expostulation protest; remonstrance Despite the teacher's scoldings and expostulations, the class remained unruly. 195. exposure risk, particularly of being exposed to disease or to the elements; unmasking; act of laying something open Exposure to sun and wind had dried out her hair and weathered her face. 196. expunge cancel; remove If you behave, I will expunge this notation from your record. 197. expurgate clean; remove offensive parts of a book The editors felt that certain passages in the book had to be expurgated before it could be used in the classroom. 198. extant still in existence Although the authorities suppressed the book, many copies are extant and may be purchased at exorbitant prices. 199. extemporaneous not planned; impromtu Because his extemporaneous remarks were misinterpreted, he decided to write all his speeches in advance. 200. extenuate weaken; mitigate It is easier for us to extenuate our own shortcomings than those of others. 201. extirpate root up The Salem witch trials were a misguided attempt to extirpate superstition and heresy. 202. extol praise; glorify The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age. 203. extort wring from; get money by threats, etc. The blackmailer extorted money from his victim. 204. extradition surrender of prisoner by one state to another The lawyers opposed the extradition of their client on the grounds that for more than five years he had been a model citizen. 205. extraneous not essential; external Do not pad your paper with extraneous matters; stick to essential items only. 206. extrapolation projection; conjecture Based on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday, the networks predicted that George Bush would be the Republican candidate for the presidency. 207. extricate free; disentangle He found that he could not extricate himself from the trap. 208. extrinsic external; not inherent; foreign Do not be fooled by extrinsic causes. We must look for the intrinsic reason. 209. extrovert person interested mostly in external objects and actions A good salesperson in usually an extrovert, who likes to mingle with people. 210. extrude force or push out Much pressure is required to extrude these plastics. 211. exuberant abundant; effusive; lavish His speeches were famous for his exuberant language and vivid imagery. 212. exude discharge; give forth The maple syrup is obtained from the sap that the trees exude in early spring. 213. exult rejoice We exulted when our team won the victory. 1. fabricate build; lie Because of the child's tendency to fabricate, we had trouble believing her. 2. facade front of the building The facade of the church had often been photographed by tourists because it was more interesting than the rear. 3. facet small plane surface (of a gem); a side The stonecutter decided to improve the rough diamond by providing it with several facets. 4. facetious humorous; jocular Your facetious remarks are not appropriate at this serious moment. 5. facile easy; expert Because he was a facile speaker, he never refused a request to address an organization. 6. facilitate make less difficult He tried to facilitate repayment of the loan by getting a part-time job. 7. facsimilie copy Many museums sell facsimilies of the works of art on display. 8. faction party; clique; dissension The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members. 9. factious inclined to form factions; causing dissension. Your statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now exists. 10. factitous artificial; sham Hollywood actresses often create factitious tears by using glycerine. 11. factotum handyman; person who does all kinds of work Although we had hired him as a messenger, we soon began to use him as a general factotum around the office. 12. faculty mental or bodily powers; teaching staff As he grew old, he feared he might lose his faculties and become useless to his employer. 13. fallacious misleading Your reasoning must be fallacious because it leads to a ridiculous answer. 14. fallible liable to err I know I am fallible, but I feel confident that I am right this time. 15. fallow plowed but sowed; uncultivated Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit land to le fallow every few years. 16. falter hesitate When told to dive off the high board, she did not falter, but proceeded at once. 17. fanaticism excessive zeal The leader of the group was held responsible even though he could not control the fanaticism of his followers. 18. fancied imagined; unreal You are resenting fancied insults. No one has ever said such things about you. 19. fancier breeder or dealer of animals The dog fancier exhibited her prize collie at the annual Kennel Club show. 20. fanciful whimsical; visionary This is a fanciful scheme because it does not consider the facts. 21. fanfare call by bugles or trumpets; showy display The exposition was opened with fanfare of trumpets and the firing of cannon. 22. fantastic unreal; grotesque; whimsical Your fears are fantastic because no such animal as you have described exists. 23. farce broad comedy; mockery Nothing went right; the entire interview degenerated into a farce. 24. fastidious difficult to please; squeamish The waitresses disliked serving him dinner because of his very fastidious taste. 25. fatalism belief that events are determined by forces beyond one's control With fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset him. 26. fathom comprehend; investigate I find his motives impossible to fathom. 27. fatuous foolish; inane He is far too intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks. 28. fauna animals of a period or region The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils. 29. fawning courting favor by cringing and flattering She was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers who had hoped to win some favor. 30. faze disconcert; dismay No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager. 31. feasible practical This is an entirely feasible proposal. I suggest we adopt it. 32. febrile feverish In his febrile condition, he was subject to nightmares and hallucinations. 33. fecundity fertility; fruitfulness The fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems. 34. feign pretend Lady Macbeth feigned illness in the courtyard although she was actually healthy. 35. feint trick; shift; sham blow The boxer was fooled by his opponent's feint and dropped his guard. 36. felicitous apt; suitably expressed; well chosen He was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to serve as master-of-ceremonies at many banquet. 37. felicity happines; appropriateness (of a remark, choice, etc.) She wrote a note to the newlyweds wishing them great felicity in their wedded life. 38. fell cruel; deadly The newspapers told of the tragic spread of the fell disease 39. felon person convicted of a grave crime A convicted felon loses the right to vote 40. ferment agitation; commotion With the breakup of the Soviet Union, much of Eastern Europe was in a state of ferment. 41. ferret drive or hunt out of hiding She was ferreted out their secret. 42. fervent ardent; hot She felt that the fervent praise was excessive and somewhat undeserved. 43. fervid ardent Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the dangerous mission. 44. fervor glowing ardor Their kiss was full of the fervor of first love. 45. fester generate pus When her finger began to fester, the doctor lanced it and removed the splinter that had caused the pus to form. 46. fester rankle, produce irritation or resentment Joe's insult festered in Anne's mind for days, and made her too angry to speak to him. 47. festive joyous; celebratory Their wedding in the park was a festive occasion. 48. fete honor at a festival The returning hero was feted at a community supper and dance. 49. fetid malodorous The neglected wound became fetid. 50. fetter shackle The prisoner was fettered to the wall. 51. fiasco total failure Our ambitious venture ended in a fiasco and we were forced to flee. 52. fiat command I cannot accept government by fiat; I feel that I must be consulted. 53. fickle changeable; faithless He discovered his supposedly faithful girlfriend was fickle 54. fictitious imaginary Although this book purports to be a biography of George Washington, many of the incidents are fictitious. 55. fidelity loyalty A dog's fidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal is a favorite household pet. 56. figment invention; imaginary thing That incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination. 57. figurative not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of speech "To lose one's marbles" is a figurative expression; if you're told Jack has lost his marbles, no one expects you to rush out to buy him a replacement set. 58. figurine small ornamental statuette In the Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade was hired to trace the missing figurine of a black bird. 59. filch steal The boys filched apples from the fruit stand. 60. filial pertaining to a son or daughter Many children forget their filial obligations and disregard the wishes of their parents. 61. filibuster block legislation by making long speeches Even though we disapproved of Senator Foghorn's political goals, we were impressed by his ability to filibuster endlessly to keep an issue from coming to a vote. 62. filigree delicate, lacelike metalwork The pendant with gold filigree that she wore round her neck trembled with each breath she took. 63. finale conclusion It is not until we reach the finale of this play that we can understand the author's message. 64. finesse delicate skill The finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room. 65. finicky too particular; fussy The old lady was finicky about her food and ate very little. 66. finite limited It is difficult for humanity with its finite existence to grasp the infinite. 67. firebrand hothead; troublemaker The police triedto keep track of all the local firebrands when the President came to town. 68. fissure crevice The mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock. 69. fitful spasmodic; intermittent After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone the start of the project until he felt more energetic. 70. flaccid flabby His sedentary life had left him with flaccid muscles. 71. flag droop; grow feeble When the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first period, the home team's spirits flagged. 72. flagrant conspicuously wicked We cannot condone such flagrant violations of the rules. 73. flail thresh grain by hand; strike or slap; toss about In medieval times, warriors flailed their foe with a metal ball attached to a handle. 74. flair talent She has an uncanny flair for discovering new artists before the public has become aware of their existence. 75. flamboyant ornate Modern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line. 76. flaunt display ostentatiously She is not the one of those actresses who flaunt their physical charms; she can act. 77. flay strip off skin; plunder The criminal was condemned to be flayed alive. 78. fleck spot Her cheeks flecked with tears, were testimony to the hours of weeping. 79. fledgling inexperienced While it is necessary to provide these fledgling poets with an opportunity to present their work, it is not essential that we admire everything they write. 80. fleece wool coat of a sheep They shear sheep of their fleece, which they then comb into separate strands of wool. 81. fleece rob; plunder The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance. 82. flick light stroke as with a whip The horse needed no encouragement; only one flick of the whip was all the jockey had to apply to get the animal to run at top speed. 83. flinch hesitate; shrink He did not flinch in the face of danger but fought back bravely. 84. flippancy trifling gaiety Your flippancy at this serious moment is offensive. 85. flit fly; dart lightly; pass swiftly by Like a bee flitting from flower to flower, Rose flitted from one boyfriend to the next. 86. floe mass of floating ice The ship made slow progress as it battered its way through the ice floes. 87. flora plants of a region or era Because she was a botanist, she spent most of her time studying the flora of the desert. 88. florid flowery; ruddy His complexion was even more florid than usual because of his anger. 89. flotsam drifting wreckage Beachcombers eke out a living by salvaging the flotsam and jetsam of the sea. 90. flourish grow well; prosper; make sweeping gestures The orange trees flourished in the sun. 91. flout reject; mock The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be curbed. 92. fluctuation wavering Meteorologists watch the fluctuations of the barometer in order to predict the weather. 93. fluency smoothness of speech He spoke French with fluency and ease. 94. fluke unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune When Douglass defeated Tyson for the heavyweight championship, some sportscasters dismissed his victory as a fluke. 95. fluster confuse The teacher's sudden question flustered him and he stammered his reply. 96. fluted having vertical parallel grooves (as in a pillar) All that remained of the ancient building were the fluted columns. 97. flux flowing; series of changes While conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair. 98. fodder coarse food for cattle, horses etc. One of Nancy's chores ar the ranch was to put fresh supplies of fodder in the horses' stalls. 99. foible weakness; slight fault We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect. 100. foil contrast In "Star Wars," dark, evil Darth Vader is a perfect foil for fair-haired, naive Luke Skywalker. 101. foil defeat; frustrate In the end, Skywalker is able to foil Vader's diabolical schemes. 102. foist insert improperly; palm off I will not permit you to foist such ridiculous ideas upon the membership of this group. 103. foliage masses of leaves Every autumn before the leaves fell he promised himself he would drive though the New England to admire the colorful fall foliage. 104. foment stir up; instigate This report will foment disssension in the club. 105. foolhardy rash Don't be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced people before undertaking this venture. 106. foppish vain about dress and appearance He tried to imitate the foppish manner of the young men of the court. 107. foray raid The company staged a midnight foray against the enemy outpost. 108. forberance patience We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still weak from his illness. 109. ford place where a river can be crossed on foot Rather than risk using the shaky rope bridge, David walked a half-mile downstream until he came to the neartest ford. 110. forebears ancestors Reverence for one's forebears (sometimes referred to as ancestor worship) plays an important part in many Oriental cultures. 111. foreboding premonition of evil Caeser ridiculed his wife's foreboding about the Ides of March. 112. forensic suitable to debate or courts of law In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury. 113. foreshadow give an indication beforehand; portend; prefigure In retrospect, political analysts realized that Yeltsin's defiance of the attempted coup foreshadowed his emergence as the dominant figure of the new Russian republic. 114. foresight ability to foresee future happenings; prudence A wise investor, she had the foresight to buy land just before the current real estate boom. 115. forestall prevent by taking action in advance By setting up a prenuptial agreement, the prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in the event of a divorce. 116. forgo give up; do without Determined to lose weight for the summer, Ida decided to forgo dessert until she could fit into a size eight again. 117. formality adherence to established rules or procedures Signing this petition is a mere formality; it does not obligate you in any way. 118. formidable menacing; threatening We must not treat the battle lightly for we are facing a formidable foe. 119. forsake desert; abandon; renounce No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and children and run off with another woman. 120. forswear renounce; abandon The captured knight could escape death only if he agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam as the one true faith. 121. forte strong point or special talent I am not eager to play this rather seious role, for my forte is comedy. 122. forthright straightforward; direct; frank I prefer Jill's forthright approach to Jack's tendency to beat around the bush. 123. fortitude bravery; courage He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle. 124. fortuitous accidental; by chance There is no connection between these two events; their timing is entirely fortuitous. 125. foster rear; encourage According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf that raised the abandoned infants as her own. 126. founder fail completely; sink After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered. 127. founder person who establishes (an organization, business) Among those drowned when the Titanic sank was the founder of the Abraham & Straus chain. 128. fracas brawl; melee The military police stopped the fracas in the bar and arrested the belligerents. 129. fractious unruly The fractious horse unseated its rider. 130. frailty weakness The doctor prescribed vitamin and mineral supplements for the sick old woman because of her frailty. 131. franchise right granted by authority The city issued a franchise to the company to operate surface transit lines on the streets for ninety-nine years. 132. frantic wild At the time of the collision, many people became frantic with fear. 133. fraudulent cheating; deceitful The government seeks to prevent fraudulent and misleading advertising. 134. fraught filled Since this enterprise is fraught with danger, I will ask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks. 135. fray brawl The three musketeers were in the thick of fray. 136. frenetic frenzied; frantic His frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan of operation. 137. frenzied madly excited As soon as they smelled smoke, the frenzied animals milled about in their cages. 138. fresco painting in plaste (usually fresh) The cathedral is visited by many tourists who wish to admire the frescoes by Glotto. 139. fret to be annonyed or vexed To fret over your poor grades is foolish; instead, decide to work harder in the future. 140. friction clash in opinion; rubbing against At this time when harmony is essential, we cannot afford to have any friction in our group. 141. frieze ornamental band on a wall The frieze of the church was adorned with sculpture. 142. frigid intensely cold Alaska is in the frigid zone. 143. fritter waste He could not apply himself to any task and frittered away his time in idle conversation. 144. frivolous lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant Though Nancy enjoyed Bill's frivolous, lighthearted companionship, she sometimes wondered whether he could ever be serious. 145. frolicsome prankish; gay The frolicsome puppy tried to lick the face of its master. 146. frond fern leaf; palm or banana leaf After the storm the beach was littered with the fronds of palm trees. 147. fructify bear fruit This peach tree should fructify in three years. 148. frugality thrift; economy In these economically difficult days businesses must practice frugality or risk bankruptcy. 149. fruition bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization This building marks the fruition of all our aspirations and years of hard work. 150. fugitive fleeting or transitory; roving The film brought a few fugitive images to her mind, but on the whole it made no lasting impression upon her. 151. fulcrum support on which a lever rests If we use this stone as a fulcrum and the crowbar as a lever, we may be able to move this boulder. 152. fulminate thunder; explode The people against whom she fulminated were innocent of any wrongdoing. 153. fulsome disgustingly excessive His fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed his listeners. 154. functionary official As his case was transferred from one functionary to another, he began to despair of ever reaching a settlement. 155. fundamental basic; primary; essential The committee discussed all sorts of side issues without ever getting down to addressing the fundamental problem. 156. funereal sad; solemn I fail to understand why there is such a funereal atmosphere; we have lost a battle, not a war. 157. furor frenzy; great excitement The story of her embezzlement of the funds created a furor on the stock exchange. 158. furtive stealthy; sneaky The boy gave a furtive look at his classmate's test paper. 159. fusilade simultaneous firing or outburs (of missiles, questions, etc.) Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture concludes with a thunderous fusilade of cannon fire. 160. fusion union; coalition The opponents of the political party in power organized a fusion of disgruntled groups and became an important element in the election. 161. futile ineffective; fruitless Why waste your time on futile pursuits? 162. feckless feeble, ineffective; unthinking, irresponsible Einstein was noted for his extraordinary inspirations; on the other hand, he was noted for being feckless in his daily chores. 1. gadfly animal-biting fly; an irritating person Like a gadfly, he irritated all the guests at the hotel; within forty eight hours, everyone regarded him as an annoying busybody. 2. gaffe social blunder According to Miss Manners, to call your husband by your lover's name is worse than a mere gaffe; it is a tactical mistake. 3. gainsay deny She was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report. 4. gait manner of walking or running; speed The lame man walked with an uneven gait. 5. galaxy the Milky Way; any collection of brilliant personalities The deaths of such famous actors as Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy, and Marlene Dietrich demonstrate that the galaxy of Hollywood superstars is rapidly disppearing. 6. gall bitterness; nerve The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall. 7. gall annoy; chafe Their taunts galled him. 8. galleon large sailing ship The Spaniards pinned their hopes on the galleon, the large warship; the British, on the smaller and faster pinnace. 9. galvanize stimulate by shock; stir up The entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. 10. gambit opening in chess in which a piece is sacrificed The player was afraid to accept his opponent's gambit because he feared a trap which as yet he could not see. 11. gambol skip; leap playfully Watching children gamboling in the park is a pleasant experience 12. gamely in a spirited manner; with courage Because he had fought gamely against a much superior boxer, the crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the arena. 13. gamut entire range In this performance, the leading lady was able to demonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability. 14. gape open widely The huge pit gaped before him; if he stumbled, he would fall in. 15. garbled mixed up; jumbled; distorted A favorite party game involves passing a whispered message from one person to another; by the time it reaches the last player, the message has become totally garbled. 16. gargantuan huge; enormous The gargantuan wrestler was terrified of mice. 17. gargolye waterspout carved in groteque figures on a building The gargoyles adorning the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris are amusing in their grotesqueness. 18. garish gaudy She wore a garish rhinestone necklace. 19. garner gather; store up She hoped to garner the world's literature in one library. 20. garnish decorate Parsley was used to garnish the boiled potato. 21. garrulity talkativeness The man who married a dumb wife asked the doctor to make him deaf because of his wife's garrulity after her cure. 22. garrulous excessively talkative, especially about unimportant subjects; loquacious; wordy Many club members avoided the company of the garrulous junior executive because his contant chatter bored them to tears. 23. gastronomy science of preparing and serving good food One of the by-products of his trip to Europe was his interest in gastronomy; he enjoyed preparing and serving foreign dishes to his friends. 24. gauche clumsy; boorish Such remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize for making them. 25. gaudy flashy; showy Her gaudy taste in clothes apalled us. 26. gaunt lean and angular; barren His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after he had lost weight. 27. gawk stare foolishly; look in open-mouthed awe The country boy gawked at the skyscrapers and neon lights of the big city. 28. gazette official publication He read the gazettes regularly for announcement of his promotion. 29. genealogy record of descent; lineage He was proud of his genealogy and constantly referred to the achievements of his ancestors. 30. generality vague statement This report is filled with generalities; you must be more specific in you statements. 31. generic characteristic of an entire class or species Sue knew so many computer programmers who spent their spare time playing fantasy games that she began to think that playing Dungeon & Dragons was a generic trait. 32. genesis beginning; origin Tracing the genesis of a family is the theme of "Roots." 33. geniality cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy This restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor, who tries to make everyone happy. 34. genre particular variety of art or literature Both a short story writer and a poet, Langston Hughes proved himself equally skilled in either genre. 35. genteel well-bred; elegant We are looking for a man with a genteel apperance who can inspire confidence by his cultivated manner. 36. gentility those of gentle birth; refinement Her family was proud of its gentility and elegance. 37. gentry people of standing; class of people just below nobility The local gentry did not welcome the visits of the summer tourists and tried to ignore their presence in the community. 38. genuflect bend the knee as in worship A proud denocrat, he refused to genuflect to any man. 39. germane pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand The lawyer objected that the testimony being offered was not germane to the case at hand. 40. germinal pertaining to a germ; creative Such an idea is germinal; I am certain that it will influence thinkers and philosophers for many generations. 41. germinate cause to sprout; sprout After the seeds germinate and develop their permanent leaves, the plants may be removed from the cold frames and transplanted to the garden. 42. gerontocracy government ruled by old people Gulliver visited a gerontocracy in which the young people acted as servants to their elders, all the while dreaming of the day they would be old enough to have servants of their own. 43. gerrymander change in voting district lines in order to favor a political party The illogical pattern of the map of this congressional district is proof that the state legislature gerrymandered this area in order to favor the majority party. 44. gestate evolve, as in prenatal growth While this scheme was being gestated by the conspirators, they maintained complete silence about their intentions. 45. gesticulation motion; gesture Operatic performers are trained to make exaggerated gesticulations because of the large auditoriums in whic they appear. 46. ghastly horrible The murdered man was a ghastly sight. 47. gibberish nonsense; babbling Did you hear that foolish boy spouting gibberish about monsters from outer space? 48. gibe mock As you gibe at their superstitious beliefs, do you realize that you, too, are guilty of similarly foolish thoughts? 49. giddy light-hearted; dizzy He felt his giddy youth was past. 50. gingerly very carefully To separate egg whites, first crack the egg gingerly. 51. girth distance around something; circunference It took an extra-large cummerbund to fit around Andrew Carnegie's considerable girth. 52. gist essence she was asked to give the gist of the essay in two sentence. 53. glacial like a glacier; extremely cold Never a warm person, when offended hugo could seem positively glacial. 54. glaring highly conspicuous; harshly bright glaring spelling or grammatical errors in your resume will unfavorably impress potential employers. 55. glaze cover with a thin and shiny surface The freezing rain glazed the streets and made driving hazardous. 56. glean gather leavings After the crops had been harvested by the machines, the peasants were permitted to glean the wheat left in the fields. 57. glib fluent He is a glib and articulate speaker. 58. glimmer shine erratically; twinkle In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant stars. 59. gloat express evil satisfaction; view malevolently As you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do you think of the many victims you have defrauded? 60. gloss over explain away No matter how hard he tried to talk around the issue, President Bush could not gloss over the fact that he had raised the taxes after all. 61. glossary brief explanation of words used in the text I have found the glossary in this book very useful; it has eliminated many trips to the dictionary. 62. glossy smooth and shining I want this photograph printed on glossy paper, not matte. 63. glower scowl The angry boy glowered at his father. 64. glut overstock; fill to excess The many manufacturers glutted the market and could not find purchasers for the many articles they had produced. 65. glutinous sticky; viscous Molasses is a glutinous substance. 66. glutton someone who eats too much When Mother saw that Bobby had eaten all the cookies, she called him a little glutton. 67. gnarled twisted The gnarled oak tree had been a landmark for years and was mentioned in several deeds. 68. gnome dwarf; underground spirit In medieval mythology, gnomes were the special guardians and inhabitants of subterranean mines. 69. goad urge on He was goaded by his friends until he yielded to their wishes. 70. gorge narrow canyon; steep, rocky cleft Terrified of heights, George could not bring himself to peer down into the gorge to see the rapids below. 71. gorge stuff oneself The gluttonous guest gorged himself with food as though he had not eaten for days. 72. gory bloody The audience shuddered as they listened to the details of the gory massacre. 73. gossamer sheer; like cobwebs Nylon can be woven into gossaner or thick fabrics. 74. gouge tear out In that fight, all the rules were forgotten; the adversaries bit, kicked, and tried to gouge each other's eyes out. 75. gourmand epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure in food and drink goumands lack self-restraint; if they enjoy a particular cuisine, they eat far too much of it. 76. gourmet connoisseur of food and drink The gourmet stated that this was the best onion soup she had ever tasted. 77. graduated arraged by degree (of height, difficulty, etc.) Margaret loved her graduated set of Russian hollow wooden dolls; she spent hours happily putting the smaller dolls into their larger counterparts. 78. granary storehouse for grain We have reason to be thankful, for our crops were good and our granaries are full. 79. grandeur impressiveness; stateliness; majesty No matter how often he hiked through the mountains, David never failed to be struck by the grandeur of the Sierra Nevada range. 80. grandiloquent pompous; bombastic; using high-sounding language The politician could bever speak simply; she was always grandiloquent. 81. grandiose imposing; impressive His grandiose manner impressed those who met him for the first time. 82. granulate form into grains Sugar that has been granulated dissolves more readily than lump sugar. 83. graphic pertaining to the art of delineating; vividly described I was particularly impressed by the graphic presentation of the storm. 84. grapple wrestle; come to grips with He grappled with the burglar and overpowered him. 85. grate make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect; shred The screams of the quarreling children grated on her nerves. 86. gratify please Her parents were gratified by her success. 87. gratis free The company offered to give one package gratis to every purchaser of one of their products. 88. gratuitous given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for Quit making gratuitous comments about my driving; no one asked you for your opinion. 89. gratuity tip Many service employees rely more on gratuities than on salaries for their livelihood. 90. gravity seriousness We could tell we were in serious trouble from the gravity of her expression. 91. gregarious sociable Typically, party-throwers are gregarious; hermits are not. 92. grievance cause of complaint When her supervisor ignored her complaint, she took her grievance to the union. 93. grill question severely In violation of the Miranda law, the police grilled the suspect for several hours before reading him his rights. 94. grimace a facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc. Even though he remained silent, his grimace indicated his displeasure. 95. grisly ghastly She shuddered at the grisly sight. 96. grotesque fantastic; comically hideous On Halloween people enjoy wearing groteque costumes. 97. grotto small cavern The Blue Grotto in Capri can be entered only by small boats rowed by natives through a natural opening in the rocks. 98. grouse complain; fuss Students traditionally grouse about the abysmal quality of "mystery meat" and similar dornitory food. 99. grovel crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate Even though we have been defeated, we do not have to grovel before our conquerors. 100. grudging unwilling; reluctant; stingy We received only grudging support from the mayor despite his earlier promises of aid. 101. gruel thin, liquid porridge Our daily allotment of gruel made the meal not only monotonous but also unpalatable. 102. grueling exhausting The marathon is a grueling race. 103. gruesome grisly People screamed when her gruesome appearance was flashed on the screen. 104. gruff rough-mannered Although he was blunt and gruff with most people, he was always gentle with children. 105. guffaw boisterous laughter The loud guffaws that came from the closed room indicated that the members of the committe had not yet settled down to a serious business. 106. guile deceit; duplicity She achieved her high position by guile and treachery. 107. guileless without deceit He is naive, simple, and guileless; he cannot be guilty of fraud. 108. guise appearance; costume In the guise of a plumber, the detective investigated the murder case. 109. gullible easily deceived He preyed upon gullible people, who believed his stories of easy wealth. 110. gustatory affecting the sense of taste The Thai restaurant offered an unusual gustatory experience for those used in a bland cuisine. 111. gusto enjoyment; enthusiasm He accepted the assignment with such gusto that I feel he would have been satisfied with a smaller salary. 112. gusty windy The gusty weather made sailing precarious. 113. gyroscope apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc. By using a rotating gyroscope, they were able to stabilize the vessel, counteracting the rolling movements of the sea. 114. - apparatus used to maintain balance, ascertain direction, etc. 1. hackles hairs on back and neck, especially of a dog The dog's hackles rose and he began to growl as the sound of footsteps grew louder. 2. hackneyed commonplace; trite The English teacher criticized her story because of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot. 3. haggard wasted away; gaunt After his long illness, he was pale and haggard. 4. haggle argue about prices I prefer to shop in a store that has a one-price policy because, whenever I haggle with a shopkeeper, I am never certain that I paid a fair price for the articles I purchased. 5. halcyon calm; peaceful In those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak attacks and bombings. 6. hale healthy After a brief illness, he was soon hale. 7. hallowed blessed; consecrated She was laid to rest in hallowed ground. 8. hallucination delusion I think you were frightened by a hallucination that you created in you own mind. 9. halting hesitant; faltering Novice extemporaneous speakers often talk in a halting fashion as they grope for the right words. 10. hamper obstruct The minority party agreed not to hamper the efforts of the leaders to secure a lasting peace. 11. hap chance; luck In his poem hap, Thomas Hardy objects to the part chance plays in our lives. 12. haphazard random; by chance His haphazard reading left him unaquainted with the authors of the books. 13. hapless unfortunate This hapless creature had never known a moment's pleasure. 14. harangue long, passionate, and vehement speech In her lengthy harangue, the principal berated the offenders. 15. harass annoy by repeated attacks When he could not pay his bills as quickly as he had promised, he was harrassed by his creditors. 16. harbinger forerunner The crocus is an early harbinger of spring. 17. harbor provide a refuge for; hide The church harbored illegal aliens who were political refugees. 18. hardy sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather We asked the gardening expert to recommend particularly hardy plants that could withstand our harsh New England winters. 19. harping tiresome dwelling on a subject After he had reminded me several times about what he had done for me I told him to stop his harping on my indebtedness to him. 20. harrow break up ground after plowing; torture I don't want to harrow you at this time by asking you to recall the details of your unpleasant experience. 21. harry harass, annoy, torment; raid The guerrilla band harried the enemy nightly. 22. hatch deck opening; lid covering a deck opening The latch on the hatch failed to catch, so the hatch remained unlatched. 23. haughtiness pride; arrogance I resent his haughtiness because he is no better than we are. 24. hazardous dangerous Your occupation is too hazardous for insurance companies to consider your application. 25. hazy slightly obscure In hazy weather, you cannot see the top of this mountain. 26. headlong hasty; rash The slave seized the unexpected chance to make a headlong dash across the border to freedom. 27. headstrong stubborn; willful; unyielding Because she refused to marry the man her parents had chosen for her, everyone scolded Minna and called her a foolish, headstrong girl. 28. heckler person who verbally harasses others The heckler kept interrupting the speaker with rude remarks. 29. hedonism belief that pleasure is the sole aim in life hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human behavior. 30. heedless not noticing; disregarding He drove on, heedless of the warnings that the road was dangerous. 31. hegemony dominance, especially of one nation over others As one Eastern European nation after another declared its independence, commentators marveled at the sudden breakdown of the once monolithic Soviet hegemony. 32. heinous atrocious; hatefully bad Hitler's heinous crimes will never be forgotten. 33. herbivorous grain-eating Some herbivorous animals have two stomachs for digesting their food. 34. heresy opinion contrary to popular belief or to accepted religion He was threatened with excommunication because his remarks were considered to be pure heresy. 35. heretic person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of the church She was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because she was a heretic. 36. hermetic sealed by fusion so as to be airtight After these bandages are sterilized, they are placed in hermetic containers. 37. hermetic obscure and mysterious; occult It is strange to consider that modern chemistry originated in the hermetic teachings of the ancient alchemists. 38. hermitage home of a hermit Even in his remote hermitage he could not escape completely from the world. 39. herpetologist one who studies reptiles As a boy, Indiana Jones had a traumatic experience involving snakes; sensibly enough, he studies to be archaeologist, not a herpetologist. 40. heterodox unorthodox; unconventional To those who upheld the belief that the earth did not move, Galileo's theory that the earth circled the sun was disturbingly heterodox. 41. heterogeneous dissimilar In a heterogeneous group, we have an unassorted assemblage, while in a homogeneous group we have people or things that have common traits. 42. hew cut to pieces with ax or sword The cavalry rushed into melee and hewed the enemy with their swords. 43. heyday time of greatest success; prime In their heyday, the San Francisco Forty-Niners won the Super Bowl two years running. 44. hiatus gap; pause Except for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she enrolled in the Peace Corps, Ms. Clements has devoted herself to her medical career. 45. hibernal wintry Bears prepare for their long hibernal sleep by overeating. 46. hibernate sleep throughout the winter Bears are one of the many species of animals that hibernate. 47. hierarchy body divided into ranks It was difficult to step out of one's place in this hierarchy. 48. hieroglyphic picture writing The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars to read the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. 49. hilarity boisterous mirth The hilarity is improper on this solemn day of mourning. 50. hindmost furthest behind The coward could always be found in the hindmost lines whenever a battle was being waged. 51. hindrance block; obstacle Stalled cars along the highway are a hindrance to traffic that tow trucks should remove without delay. 52. hinterlands back country They seldom had visitors, living as they did way out in the hinderlands. 53. hireling one who serves for hire (usually used contemptuously) In a matter of such importance, I do not wish to deal with hirelings; I must meet with the chief. 54. hirsute hairy He was a hitsute individual with a heavy black beard. 55. histrionic theatrical He was proud of his histrionic ability and wanted to paly the role of Hamlet. 56. hoard stockpile; accumulate for future use Whenever there are rumors of a food shortage, people are tempted to hoard food. 57. hoary white with age The man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70. 58. hoax trick; practical joke Embarrassed by the hoax, he reddened and left the room. 59. holocaust destruction by fire Citizens of San Francisco remember that the destruction of the city was caused not by the earthquake but by the holocaust that followed. 60. holster pistol case Even when he was not in uniform, he carried a holster and pistol under his arm. 61. homage honor; tribute In her speech she tried to pay homage to a great man. 62. homeostasis tendency of a system to maintain relative stability A breakdown of the body's immune system severely undermines the body's ability to maintain homeostasis. 63. homespun domestic; made at home homespun wit, like homespun cloth, was often coarse and plain. 64. homily sermon; serious warning His speeches were always homilies, advising his listeners to repent and reform. 65. homogeneous of the same kind Many educators try to put pupils of similar abilities in the same class because they believe that his homogeneous grouping is advisable. 66. hone sharpen To make shaving easier, he honed his razor with great care. 67. hoodwink deceive; delude Having been hoodwinked once by the fast-talking salesman, he was extremely cautious when he went to purchase a used car. 68. horde crowd Just before Christmas the stores are filled with hordes of shoppers. 69. hortatory encouraging; exhortive The crowd listened to his hortatory statements with ever-growing excitement; finally they rushed from the hall to carry to his suggestions. 70. horticultural pertaining to cultivation of gardens When he bought his house, he beganto look for flowers and decorative shrubs, and began to read books dealing with horticultural matters. 71. hovel shack; small, wretched house He wondered how poor people could stand living in such a hovel. 72. hover hang about; wait nearby The police helicopter hovered above the accident. 73. hubbub confused uproar The marketplace was a scene of hubbub and excitement. 74. hubris arrogance; excessive self-conceit Filled with hubris, Lear refused to heed his friends' warnings. 75. hue color; aspect The aviary contained birds of every possible hue. 76. hue outcry When her purse was snatched, she raised such a hue and cry that the thief was captured. 77. humane kind His humane and considerate treatment of the unfortunate endeared him to all. 78. humdrum dull; monotonous After years of adventure, he could not settle down to a humdrum existence. 79. humid damp She could not stand the humid climate and moved to a drier area. 80. humility humbleness of spirit He spoke with a humility and lack of pride that impressed his listeners. 81. hummock small hill The ascent of the hummock is not difficult and the view from the hilltop is ample reward tor the effort. 82. humus substance formed by decaying vegetable matter In order to improve his garden, he spread humus over his lawn and flower beds. 83. hurtle crash; rush The runaway train hurtled toward disaster. 84. husbandry frugality; thrift; agriculture He accumulated his small fortune by diligence and husbandry. 85. hybrid mongrel; mixed breed Mendel's formula explains the appearance of hybrids and pure species in breeding. 86. hydrophobia fear of water; rabies A dog that bites a human being must be observed for symptoms of hydrophobia. 87. hyperbole exaggeration; overstatement This salesman is guilty of hyperbole in describing his product; it is wise to discount his claims. 88. hypercritical excessively exacting You are hypercritical in your demands for perfection; we all make mistakes. 89. hypochondriac person unduly worried about his health; worrier without cause about illness The doctor prescribed chocolate pills for his patient who was a hypocondriac. 90. hypocritical pretending to be virtuous; deceiving I resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for I know he is interested only in his own advancement. 91. hypothetical based on assumptions or hypotheses Why do we have to consider hypothetical cases when we have actual case histories that we may examine? 1. ichthyology study of fish Jacques Cousteau's rpograms about sea life have advanced the cause of ichthyology. 2. icon religious image; idol The icons on the walls of the church were painted in the 13th century. 3. iconoclastic attacking cherished traditions George Bernard Shaw's iconoclastic plays often startled more conventional people. 4. ideology ideas of a group of people That ideology is dangerous to this country because it embraces undemocratic philosophies. 5. idiom spcial usage in language I could not understand their idioms because literal translation made no sense. 6. idiosyncrasy peculiarity; eccentricity One of his personal idiosyncrasies was his habit of rinsing all cutlery given him in a restaurant. 7. idiosyncratic private; peculiar to an individual Such behavior is idiosyncratic, it is as easily identifiable as a signature. 8. idolatry worship of idols; excessive admiration Such idolatry of singers of country music is typical of the excessive enthusiasm of youth. 9. idyllic charmingly carefree; simple Far from the city, she led an idyllic existence in her rural retreat. 10. igneous produced by fire; volcanic Lava, pumice, and other igneous rocks are found in great abundance around Mount Vesuvius near Naples. 11. ignite kindle; light When Desi crooned, "Baby, light my fire," literal-minded Lucy looked around for some paper to ignite. 12. ignoble of lowly origin; unworthy This plan is inspired by ignoble motives and I must, therefore, oppose it. 13. ignominious disgraceful The country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed of the day when it would be victorious. 14. illicit illegal The defense attorney claimed that the police had entrapped his client; that is, they had elicited the illicit action of which they now accuse of him. 15. illimitable infinite Human beings, having explored the far corners of the earth, are now reaching out into illimitable space. 16. illuminate brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten Just as a lamp can illuminate a dark room, a perceptive comment can illuminate a knotty problem. 17. illusion misleading vision It is easy to create an optical illusion in which lines of equal length appear different. 18. illusive deceiving This is only a mirage; let us not be fooled by its illusive effect. 19. illusory deceptive; not real Unfortunately, the costs of running the lemonade stand were so high that Tom's profits proved illusory. 20. imbalance lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion Because of the great imbalance between the number of men and women invited, the dance was unsuccessful. 21. imbecility weakness of mind I am amazed at the imbecility of the readers of these trashy magazines. 22. imbibe drink in The dry soil imbibed the rain quickly. 23. imbroglio complicated situation; perplexity; entanglement He was called in to settle the imbroglio but failed to bring harmony into the situation. 24. imbue saturate, fill His visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with feelings of awe and reverence. 25. immaculate pure; spotless The West Point cadets were immaculate as they lined up for inspection. 26. imminent near at hand; impending Rosa was such a last-minute worker that she could never start writing a paper till the deadline was imminent. 27. immobility state of being immovable Modern armies cannot afford the luxury of immobility, as they are vulnerable to attack while standing still. 28. immolate offer as a sacrifice The tribal kind offered to immolate his daughter to quiet the angry gods. 29. immure imprison; shut up in confinement For the two weeks before the examination, the student immureed himself in his room and concentrated upon his studies. 30. immutable unchangeable Scientists are constantly seeking to discover the immutable laws of nature. 31. impair worsen; diminish in value This arrest will impair her reputation in the community. 32. impale pierce He was impaled by the spear hurled by his adversary. 33. impalpable imperceptible; intangible The ash is so fine that it is impalpable to the touch but it can be seen as a fine layer covering the window ledge. 34. impasse predicament from which there is no escape In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope. 35. impassive without feeling; not affected by pain The Native American has been incorrectly depicted as an impassive individual, undemonstrative and stoical. 36. impeach charge with crime in office; indict The angry congressman wanted to impeach the President for his misdeeds. 37. impeccable faultless He was proud of his impeccable manners. 38. impecunious without money Now that he was wealthy, he gladly contributed to funds to assist impecunious and disbled persons. 39. impede hinder; block The special prosecutor determined that the Attorney General, though inept, had not intentionally set out to impede the progress of the investigation. 40. impediment hindrance; stumbling-block She had a speech impediment that prevented her from speaking clearly. 41. impending nearing; approaching The entire country was saddened by the news of his impending death. 42. impenetrable not able to be pierced or entered How could the murderer have gotten into the locked room? To Watson, the mystery, like the room, was impenetrable. 43. impenitent not repentant We could see by his brazen attitude that he was impenitent. 44. imperial like an emperor; related to an empire When hotel owner Leona Helmsley appeared in ads as Queen Leona standing guard over the Palace Hotel, her critics mocked her imperial fancies. 45. imperiousness lordliness; domineering manner; arrogance His imperiousness indicated that he had long been accustomed to assuming command. 46. impermeable impervious; not permitting passage through its substance This new material is impermeable to liquids. 47. impertinent insolent I regard your remarks as impertinent and I resent them. 48. imperturbable calm; placid Wellington remained imperturbable and in full command of the situation in spite of the hyteria and panic all around him. 49. impervious not penetrable; not permitting passage through You cannot change their habits for their minds are impervious to reasoning. 50. impetuous violent; hasty; rash We tried to curb his impetuous behavior because we felt that in his haste he might offend some people. 51. impetus moving force; incentive; stimulus A new federal highway program would create jobs and five added impetus to our economic recovery. 52. impiety irreverence; wickedness We must regard your blasphemy as an act of impiety. 53. impinge infringe; touch; collide with How could they be married without impinging on one another's freedom? 54. impious irreverent The congregation was offended by her impious remarks. 55. implacable incapable of being pacified Madame Defarge was the implacable enemy of the Evremonde family. 56. implausible unlikely; unbelievable Though her alibi seened implausible, it in fact turned out to be true. 57. implement put into effect; supply with tools The mayor was unwilling to implement the plan until she was sure it had the governor's backing. 58. implication that which is hinted at or suggested If I understand the implications of your remark, you do not trust our captain. 59. implicit understood but not stated Jack never told Jill he adored her; he believed his love was implicit in his deeds. 60. implore beg He implored her to give him a second chance. 61. imply suggest a meaning not expressed Even though your statement does not declare that you are at war with that country, your actions imply that that is the actual situation. 62. impolitic not wise I think it is impolitic to raise this issue at the present time because the public is too angry. 63. imponderable weightless I can evaluate the data gathered in this study; the imponderable items are not so easily analyzed. 64. import significance I feel that you have not grasped the full import of the message sent tous by the enemy. 65. importunate urging; demanding He tried to hide from his importunate creditors until his allowance arrived. 66. importune beg persistently Democratic and Republican phone solicitors importuned her for contributions so frequently that she decided to give nothing to either party. 67. imposture assuming a false identity; masquerade She was imprisoned for her imposture of a doctor. 68. impotent weak; ineffective Although he wished to break the nicotine habit, he found himself impotent in resisisting the craving for a cigarette. 69. imprecation curse Roused from the bed at what he considered an ungodly hour, Roy muttered imprecations under his breath. 70. impregnable invulnerable Until the development of the airplane as a military weapon, the fort was considered impregnable. 71. impromptu without previous preparation Her listeners were amazed that such a thorough presentation could be made in an impromptu speech. 72. impropriety state of being inappropriate Because of the impropriety of his costume, he was denied entrance into the dining room. 73. improvident thriftless He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways and begin to "save for a rainy day." 74. improvise compose on the spur of the moment She would sit at the piano and improvise for hours on themes from Bach and Handel. 75. imprudent lacking caution; injudicious It is imprudent to exercise vigorously and become overheated when you are unwell. 76. impugn doubt; challenge; gainsay I cannot impugn your honesty without evidence. 77. impuissance powerlessness; feebleness The lame duck President was frustrated by his shift from enormous power to relative impuissance. 78. impunity freedom from punishment The bully mistreated everyone in the class with impunity for he felt that no one would dare retaliate. 79. impute attribute; ascribe If I wished to impute blame to the officers in charge of this program, I would state my feelings definitely and immediately. 80. inadvertently carelessly; unintentionally; by oversight She inadvertently omitted two questions on the examination and mismarked her answer sheet. 81. inalienable not to be taken away; nontransferable The Declaration of Independence mentions the inalienable rights that all of us possess. 82. inane silly; senseless Such comments are inane because they do not help us solve our program. 83. inanimate lifeless she was asked to identify the still and inanimate body. 84. inarticulate speechless; producing indistinct speech He became inarticulate with rage and uttered sounds without meaning. 85. inaugurate begin formally; install in office The candidate promised that he would inaugurate a new nationwide health care plan as soon as he was inaugurated as president. 86. incandescent stikingly bright; shining with intense heat If you leave on an incandescent light bulb, it quickly grows too hot to touch. 87. incantation singing or chanting of magical formula Uttering incantations to make the brew more potent, the witch doctor stirred the liquid in the caldron. 88. incapacitate disable During the winter, many people were incapacitated by respiratory ailments. 89. incarcerate imprison The warden will incarcerate the felon after conviction. 90. incarnate endowed with flesh; personified Your attitude is so fiendish that you must be a devil incarnate. 91. incarnation act of assuming a human body and human nature The incarnation of Jesus Christ is a basic tenet of Christian theology. 92. incendiary arsonist The fire spread in such an unusual manner that the fire department chiefs were certain that it had been set by an incendiary. 93. incense enrage; infuriate Unkindness to children incensed her. 94. incentive spur; motive Students who dislike school must be given an incentive to learn. 95. inception start; beginning She was involved with the project from its inception. 96. incessant uninterrupted The crickets kept up an incessant chirping that disturbed our attempts to fall asleep. 97. inchoate recently begun; rudimentary; elementary Before the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass. 98. incidence rate of occurrence; particular occurrence Health professionals expressed great concern over the high incidence of infant mortality in major urban areas. 99. incidental not essential; minor The scholarship covered his major expenses at college and some of his incidental expenses as well. 100. incipient beginning; in an early stage I will go to sleep early for I want to break an incipient cold. 101. incisive cutting; sharp His incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our plans. 102. incite arouse to action The demogogue incited the mob to take action into its own hands. 103. inclement stormy; unkind I like to read a good book in inclement weather. 104. incline slope; slant The architect recommended that the nursing home's ramp be rebuilt because its incline was too steep for wheelchairs. 105. inclined tending or leaning toward; bent Though I am inclined to be skeptical, the witness's manner inclines me to believe his story. 106. inclusive tending to include all The comedian turned down the invitation to join the Player's Club, saying any club that would let him in was too inclusive for him. 107. incognito with identity concealed; using an assumed name The monarch enjoyed traveling throughthe town incognito and mingling with the populace. 108. incoherent unintelligible; muddled; illogical The bereaved father sobbed and stammered, his words becoming almost incoherent in his grief. 109. incommodious not spacious; inconvenient In their incommodious quarters, they had to improvise for closet space. 110. incompatible inharmonious The married couple argued incessantly and finally decided to separate because they were incompatible. 111. incongruity lack of harmony; absurdity The incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire amused the observers. 112. inconsequential insignificant; unimportant Brushing off Ali's apologies for having broken the wine glass, Tamara said, "Don't worry about it; it's inconsequential." 113. inconsistency state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or steadiness How are lawyers different from agricultural inspectors? Where lawyers check inconsistencies in witnesses' statements, agricultural inspectors check inconsistencies in Grade A eggs. 114. incontinent lacking self-restraint His incontinent behavior off stage shocked many people and they refused to attend the plays and movies in which he appeared. 115. incontrovertible indisputable We must yield to the incontrovertible evidence that you have presented and free your client. 116. incorporate introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite Breaking with precedent, President Truman ordered the military to incorporate blacks into every branch of the armed services. 117. incorporeal immaterial; without a material body We must devote time to the needs of our incorporeal mind as well as our corporeal body. 118. incorrigible uncorrectable Though Widow Douglass hoped to reform Huck, Miss Watson pronounced him incorrigible and said he would come to no good end. 119. incredulity a tendency to disbelief Your incredulity in the face of all the evidence is hard to understand. 120. incredulous withholding belief; skeptical When Jack claimed he hadn't eaten the jelly doughnut, Jill took an incredulous look at his smeared face and laughed. 121. increment increase The new contract calls for a 10 percent increment in salary for each employee for the next two years. 122. incriminate accuse; serve as evidence against The witness's testimony against the racketeers incriminates some high public officials as well. 123. incubate hatch; scheme Inasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off, we shall have to rely on the hens to incubate these eggs. 124. incubus burden; mental care; nightmare The incubus of financial worry helped bring on her nervous breakdown. 125. incumbent officeholder The newly elected public official received valuable advice from the present incumbent. 126. incur bring upon oneself His parents refused to pay any future debts he might incur. 127. incursion temporary invasion The nightly incursions and hit-and-run raids of our neighbors across the border tried the patience of the country to the point where we decided to retaliate in force. 128. indefatigable tireless He was indefatigable in his constant efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross. 129. indemnify make secure against loss; compensate for loss The city will indemnify all home owners whose property is spoiled by this project. 130. indenture bind as servant or apprentice to master Many immigrants could come to America only after they had indentured themselves for several years. 131. indeterminate uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite That interest rates shall rise appears certain; when they will do so, however, remains indeterminate. 132. indicative suggestive; implying A lack of appetite may be indicative of a major mental or physical disorder. 133. indict charge If the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will go to trial. 134. indifferent unmoved; lacking concern Because she felt no desire to marry, she was indifferent to his constant proposals. 135. indigence poverty Neither the economists nor the political scientists have found a way to wipe out the inequities of wealth and eliminate indigence from our society. 136. indigenous native Tobacco is one of the indigenous plants that the early explorers found in this country. 137. indignation anger ar an injustice He felt indignation at the ill-treatment of the helpless animals. 138. indignity offensive or insulting treatment Although he seemed to accept cheerfully the indignities heaped upon him, he was inwardly very angry. 139. indiscriminate choosing at random; confused She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing and decided to restrict him to educational programs. 140. indisputable too certain to be disputed In the face of these indisputable statements, I withdraw my complaint. 141. indissoluble permanent The indissoluble bonds of marriage are all too often being dissolved. 142. indite write; compose Cyrano indited many letters for Christian. 143. indolence laziness He outgrew his youthful indolence to become a model of industry and alertness on the job. 144. indomitable unconquerable The founders of our country had indomitable willpower. 145. indubitably beyond a doubt Because her argument was indubitably valid, the judge accepted it. 146. induce persuade; bring about After the quarrel, Tina said nothing could induce her to talk to Tony again. 147. inductive pertaining to induction or preceeding from the specific to the general The discovery of the planet Pluto is an excellent example of the results that can be obtained from inductive reasoning. 148. indulgent humoring; yielding; lenient indulgent parents spoil their children by giving in to their every whim. 149. inebriety habitual intoxication Because of his inebriety, he was discharged from his position as family chauffeur. 150. ineffable unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech Such ineffable joy must be experienced; it cannot be described. 151. ineffectual not effective; weak Because the candidate failed to get across his message to the public, his campaign was ineffectual. 152. ineluctable irresistable; not to be escaped He felt that his fate was ineluctible and refused to make any attempt to improve his lot. 153. inept lacking skill; inadequate; inappropriate inept as a carpenter, Ira was all thumbs. 154. inequity unfairness In demanding equal pay for equal work, women protest the basic inequity of a system that allots greater financial rewards to men. 155. inerrancy infallibility Jane refused to believe in the pope's inerrancy, reasoning: "All human beings are capable of error. The pope is a human being. Therefore, he pope is capable of error. 156. inertia state of being inert or indisposed to move Our inertia in this matter may prove disastrous; we must move to aid our allies immediately. 157. inevitable unavoidable Death and taxes are both inevitable. 158. inexorable relentless; unyielding; implacable After listening to the pleas for clemency, the judge was inexorable and gave the convicted man the maximum punishment allowed by law. 159. infallible unerring We must remember that none of us is infallible; we all make mistakes. 160. infamous notoriously bad Jesse James was an infamous outlaw. 161. infantile childish; infantlike When will he outgrow such infantile behavior? 162. infer deduce; conclude We must be particularly cautious when we infer that a person is guilty on the basis of circumstantial evidence. 163. infernal pertaining to hell; devilish They could think of no way to hinder his infernal scheme. 164. infidel unbeliever The Saracens made war against tne infidels. 165. infiltrate pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily In order to infiltrate enemy lines at night without being seen, the scouts darkened their faces and wore black coveralls. 166. infinitesimal very small In the twentieth century, physicists have made their greatest discoveries about the characteristics of infinitesimal objects like the atom and its parts. 167. infirmity weakness Her greatest infirmity was lack of willpower. 168. inflated exaggerated; pompous; enlarged (with air or gas) His claims about the new product were inflated; it did not work as well as he had promised. 169. influx flowing into The influx of refugees into the country has taxed the relief agencies severely. 170. infraction violation Because of his many infractions of school regulations, he was suspended by the dean. 171. infringe violate; encroach I think your machine infringes on my patent and intend to sue. 172. ingenious clever He came up with a use for Styrofoam packing balls that was so ingenious that his business school professors declared it was marketable. 173. ingenuous naive; young and unsophisticated Although she was over forty, the movie star still insisted that she be cast as an ingenuous sweet young thing. 174. ingrained deeply established; firmly rooted Try as they would, the missionaries were unable to uproot the ingrained superstitions of the natives. 175. ingrate ungrateful person That ingrate Bob sneered at the tie I gave him. 176. ingratiate become popular with He tried to ingratiate himself into her parents' good graces. 177. inherent firmly established by nature or habit His inherent love of justice compelled him to come to their aid. 178. inhibit prohibit; restrain The child was not inhibited in her responses. 179. inimical unfriendly; hostile She felt that they were inimical and were hoping for her downfall. 180. inimitable matchless; not able to be imitated We admire Auden for his inimitable use of language; he is one of a kind. 181. iniquitous unjust; wicked I cannot approve of the iniquitous methods you used to gain your present position. 182. initiate begin; originate; receive into a group The college is about to initiate a program for reducing math anxiety among students. 183. injurious harmful Smoking cigarettes can be injurious to your health. 184. inkling hint This came as a complete surprise to me as I did not have the slightest inkling of your plans. 185. innate inborn His innate talent for music was soon recognized by his parents. 186. innocuous harmless Let him drink it; it is innocuous and will have no ill effect. 187. innovation change; introduction of something new She loved innovatins just because they were new. 188. innuendo hint; insinuation I can defend myself against direct accusations; innuendos and oblique attacks on my character are what trouble me. 189. inopportune untimely; poorly chosen A rock concert is an inopportune setting for a quiet conversation. 190. inordinate unrestrained; excessive She had an inordinate fondness for candy. 191. inquisitor questioner (specially harsh); investigator Fearing being grilled ruthlessly by the secret police, Marsha faced her inquisitors with trepidation. 192. insalubrious unwholesome; not healthful The mosquito-ridden swamp was an insalubrious place, a breeding ground for malarial contagion. 193. insatiable not easily satisfied; greedy Welty's thirst for knowledge was insatiable; she was in the library day and night. 194. inscrutable impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious Experienced poker players try to keep their expressions inscrutable, hiding their reactions to the cards behind a so-called poker face. 195. insensate without feeling She lay there as insensate as a log. 196. insensible unconscious; unresponsive Sherry and I are very different; at times when I would be covered with embarrassment, she seems insensible to shame. 197. insidious treacherous; stealthy; sly The fifth column is insidious because it works secretly within our territory for our defeat. 198. insinuate hint; imply What are you trying to insinuate by that remark? 199. insipid lacking in flavor; dull Flat prose and flat ginger ale are equally insipid: both lack sparkle. 200. insolence imprudent disrespect; haughtiness How dare you treat me so rudely! The manager will hear of you insolence. 201. insolvent bankrupt; lacking money to pay When rumors that he was insolvent reached his creditors, they began to press him for payment of the money due them. 202. insomnia wakefulness; inability to sleep He refused to join us in a midnight cup of coffee because he claimed it gave him insomnia. 203. insouciant indifferent; without concern or care Your insouciant attitude at such a critical moment indicates that you do not understand the gravity of the situation. 204. instigate urge; start; provoke I am afraid that this statement will instigate a revolt. 205. insubordinate disobedient The insubordinate private was confined to the barracks. 206. insubstantial lacking substance; insignificant; frail His hopes for a career in acting proved insubstantial; no one would cast him, even in an insubstantial role. 207. insularity narrow-mindedness; isolation The insularity of the islanders manifested itself in their suspicion of anyuthing foreign. 208. insuperable insurmountable; invincible In the face of insuperable difficulties they maintained their courage and will to resist. 209. insurgent rebellious We will not discuss reforms until the insurgent troops have returned to their homes. 210. insurrection rebellion; uprising Given the current state of affairs in South Africa, an insurrection seems unavoidable. 211. intangible not able to be perceived by touch; vague Though the financial benefits of his Oxford post were meager, Lewis was drawn to it by its intangible rewards: prestige, intellectual freedom, the fellowship of his peers. 212. integral complete; necessary for completeness Physical education is an integral part of our curriculum; a sound mind and a sound body are complementary. 213. integrate make whole; combine; make into one unit She tried to integrate all their activities into one program. 214. integrity uprightness; wholeness Lincoln, whose personal integrity has inspired millions, fought a civil war to maintain the integrity of the republic, that these United States might remain undivided for all time. 215. intellect higher mental powers He thought college would develop his intellect. 216. intelligentsia intellectuals; members of the educated elite She preferred discussions about sports and politics to the literary conversations of the intelligentsia. 217. inter bury They are going to inter the body tomorrow ar Broadlawn Cemetry. 218. interdict prohibit; forbid Civilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons if we expect out society to live. 219. interim meantime The company will not consider our proposal until next week; in the interim, let us proceed as we have in the past. 220. interloper intruder The merchant thought of his competitors as interlopers who were stealing away his trade. 221. interminable endless Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes, it seemed interminable to his bored audience. 222. intermittent periodic; on and off Our picnic was marred by intermittent rains. 223. internecine mutually destructive The rising death toll on both sides indicates the internecine natire of his conflict. 224. interpolate insert between She talked so much that I could not interpolate a single remark. 225. interregnum period between two reigns Henry VIII desperately sought a male heir because he feared the civil strife that might occur if any prolonged interregum succeeded his death. 226. interrogate question closely; cross-examine Knowing that the Nazis would interrogate him about his background, the secret agent invented a cover story that would help him meet their quesions. 227. intervene come between She intervened in the argument between her two sons. 228. intimate hint She intimated rather than stated her preferences. 229. intimidation fear A ruler who maintains his power by intimidation is bound to develop clandestine resistance. 230. intractable unruly; refractory The horse was intractable and refused to enter the starting gate. 231. intransigence state of stubborn unwillingness to compromise The intransigence of both parties in the dispute makes an early settlement almost impossible to obtain. 232. intrepid fearless For his intrepid conduct in battle, he was promoted. 233. intrinsically essentially; inherently; naturally Although my grandmother's china has intrinsically little value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it evokes. 234. introspective looking within oneself We all have our introspective moments during which we examine our souls. 235. introvert one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself In his poetry, he reveals that he is an introvert by his intense interest in his own problems. 236. intrude trespass; enter as an uninvited person She hesitated to intrude on their conversation. 237. intuition power of knowing without reasoning She claimed to know the truth by intuition. 238. inundate overflow; flood The tremendous waves inundated the town. 239. inured accustomed; hardened She became inured to the Alaskan cold. 240. invalidate weaken; destroy The relatives who received little or nothing sought to invalidate the will by claiming that the deceased had not been in his right mind when he signed the document. 241. invective abuse He had expected criticism but not the invective that greeted his proposal. 242. inveigh denounce; utter censure or invective He inveighed against the demagoguery of the previous speaker and urged that the audience reject his philosophy as dangerous. 243. inveigle lead astray; wheedle She was inveigled into joining the club after an initial reluctance. 244. inverse opposite There is an inverse ratio between the strength of light and its distance. 245. invert turn upside down or inside out When he inverted his body in a hand stand, he felt the blood rush to his head. 246. inveterate deep-rooted; habitual She is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the habit. 247. invidious designed to create ill will or envy We disregarded her invidious remarks because we realized how jealous she was. 248. invincible unconquerable Superman is invincible. 249. inviolability security from being destroyed, corrupted or profaned They respected the inviolability of her faith and did not try to change her manner of living. 250. invoke call upon; ask for She invoked her advisor's aid in filling out her financial aid forms. 251. invulnerable incapable of injury Achilles was invulnerable except in his heel. 252. iota very small quantity She hadn't an iota of common sense. 253. irascible irritable; easily angered Her irascible temper frightened me. 254. irate angry When John's mother found out that he had overthrown his checking account for the third month in a row, she was so irate that she could scarcely speak to him. 255. iridescent exhibiting rainbowlike colors She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that floated on the surface of the water. 256. irksome annoying; tedious He found working on the assembly line irksome because of the monotony of the operation he had to perform. 257. ironic occurring in an unexpected and contrary manner It is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it. 258. irony hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that convey a meaning opposite to the literal meaning Gradually his listeners began to realize that the excessive praise he was lavishing was merely irony; he was actually denouncing his opponent. 259. irreconsilable incompatible; not able to be resolved Because the separated couple were irreconcilable, the marriage counselor recommended a divorce. 260. irrelevant not applicable; unrelated This statement is irrelevant and should be disregarded by the jury. 261. irremediable incurable; uncorrectable The error she made was irremediable; she could see no way to repair it. 262. irreparable not able to be corrected or repaired Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have done to her reputation. 263. irrepressible unable to be restrained or held back Her high spirits were irrepressible. 264. irresolute uncertain how to act; weak She had no respect for him because he seemed weak-willed and irresolute. 265. irreverent lacking proper respect The worshippers resented her irreverent remarks about their faith. 266. irrevocable unalterable Let us not brood over past mistakes since they are irrevocable. 267. isotope varying form of an element The study of the isotopes of uranium led to the development of the nuclear bomb. 268. isthmus narrow neck of land connecting two larger bodies of land In a magnificent feat of engineering, Goethals and his men cut through the isthmus of Panama in constructing the Panama Canal. 269. itinerant wandering; traveling He was an itinerant peddler and traveled through Pennsylvania and Virginia selling his wares. 270. itinerary plan of a trip Before leaving for his first visit to France and England, he discussed his itinerary with people who had been there and with his travel agent. 271. intersperse scatter The molecules will intersperse throughout the space according to the second law of thermodynamics. 272. inquisitive unduly curious; prying; seeking knowledge We need more inquisitive students in this school; lectures are dull. 1. jaded fatigued; surfeited He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite. 2. jargon language used by special group; gibberish We tried to understand the jargon of the peddlers in the market place but could not find any basis for comprehension. 3. jaundiced yellowed; prejudiced; envious She gazed at the painting with jaundiced eyes; she knew it was better than hers. 4. jaunt trip; short journey He took a quick jaunt to Atlantic City. 5. jaunty lighthearted; animated; easy and carefree In Singing in the Rain, Gene Kelly sang and danced his way throughtthe lighthearted title number in a properly jaunty style. 6. jeopardy exposure to death or danger Legally, one cannot be placed in double jeopardy. 7. jettison throw overboard In order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the captain had to jettison much of his cargo. 8. jingoism extremely aggressive and militant patriotism We must be careful to prevent a spirit of jingoism from spreading at this time. 9. jocose given to joking The salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a stand-up comic. 10. jocular said or done in jest Do not take my jocular remarks seriously. 11. jocund merry Santa Claus is always vivacious and jocund. 12. jollity gaiety; cheerfulness The festive Christmas dinner was a merry one, and old and young alike joined in the general jollity. 13. jostle shove; bump In the subway he was jostled by the crowds. 14. jovial good natured; merry A frown seemed out of place on his invariably jovial face. 15. jubilation rejoicing There was great jubilitation when the armistice was announced. 16. judicious sound in judgment; wise At a key moment in his life, he made a judicious investment that was the foundation of his later wealth. 17. juggernaut irresistible crushin force Nothing could survive in the path of the juggernaut. 18. juncture crisis;joining point At this critical juncture, let us think carefully before determining the course we shall follow. 19. junket trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the Common Market, the opposition claimed that her trip was merely a political junket. 20. junta group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the junta. 21. jurisprudence science of law He was more a student of jurisprudence than a practitioner of the law. 22. juxtapose place side by side Comparison will be easier if you juxtapose the two objects. 1. kaleidoscope tube in which patterns made by the reflection in mirrors of colored pieces of glass, etc., produce interesting symmetrical effects People found a new source of entertainment while peering through the kaleidoscope; they found the ever-changing patterns fascinating. 2. ken range of knowledge I cannot answer your question since this matter is beyond my ken. 3. killjoy grouch; spoilsport At breakfast we had all been enjoying our bacon and eggs until that killjoy John started talking about how bad animal fats and cholesterol were for our health. 4. kindle start a fire; inspire Her teacher's praise kindled a spark a hope inside her. 5. kindred related; similar in nature or character Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were two kindred spirits. 6. kinetic producing motion Designers of the electric automobile find that their greatest obstacle lies in the development of light and efficient storage batteries, the source of the kinetic energy needed to propel the vehicle. 7. kismet fate kismet is the Arabic word for "fate." 8. kleptomaniac person who has a compulsive desire to steal They discovered that the wealthy customer was a kleptomaniac when they caught her stealing some cheap trinkets. 9. knavery rascality We cannot condone such knavery in public officials. 10. knead mix; work dough Her hands grew strong from kneading bread. 11. knell tolling of a bell, especially to indicate a funeral, disaster, etc.; sound of the funeral bell "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day." 12. knit contract into wrinkles Whenever David worries, his brow knits in a frown. 13. knoll little, round hill Robert Louis Stevenson's grave is on a knoll in Samoa; to reach the grave site, you must climb uphill and walk a short distance along a marked path. 14. knotty intricate; difficult; tangled What to Watson had been a knotty problem to Sherlock Holmes was simplicity itself. 15. kudos honor; glory; praise The singer complacently received kudos on his performance from his entourage. 1. labile likely to change; unstable Because the hormonal changes they undergo affect their spirits, adolescents may become emotionally labile and experience sudden shifts of mood. 2. laborious demanding much work or care; tedious In putting together his dictionary of the English language, Doctor Johnson undertook a laborious task. 3. labyrinth maze Tom and Becky were lost in the labyrinth of secret caves. 4. lacerate mangle; tear Her body was lacerated in the automobile crash. 5. lachrymose producing tears His voice has a lachrymose quality that is more appropriate at a funeral than a class reunion. 6. lackadaisical affectedly languid He was lackadaisical and indifferent about his part in the affair. 7. lackluster dull We were disappointed by the lackluster performance. 8. laconic brief and to the point Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types: strong men of few words. 9. laggard slow; sluggish The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out orders. 10. lagoon shallow body of water near a sea; lake They enjoyed their swim in the calm lagoon. 11. laity laypersons; persons not connected with the clergy The laity does not always understand the clergy's problems. 12. lambaste beat; thrash verbally or physically It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his opponent, tearing into him mercilessly. 13. lament grieve; express sorrow Even advocates of the war lamented the loss of so many lives in combat. 14. lampoon ridicule This article lampoons the pretensions of some movie moguls. 15. languid weary; sluggish; listless Her siege of illness left her languid and pallid. 16. languish lose animation; lose strength In stories, lovelorn damsels used to languish and pine away. 17. languor lassitude; depression His friends tried to overcome the languor into which he had fallen by taking him to parties and to the theater. 18. lank long and thin lank, gaunt, Abraham Lincoln was a striking figure. 19. larceny theft Because of the prisoner's record, the district attorney refused to reduce the charge from grand larceny to petit larceny. 20. larder pantry; place where food is kept The first thing Bill did on returning home from school was to check what snacks his mother had in the larder. 21. largess generous gift Lady Bountiful distributed largess to the poor. 22. lascivious lustful Because they might arouse lascivious impulses in their readers, the lewd books were banned by the clergy. 23. lassitude languor; weariness The hot, tropical weather created a feeling of lassitude and encouraged drowsiness. 24. latent dormant; hidden Her latent talent was discovered by accident. 25. lateral coming from the side In order to get good plant growth, the gardener must pinch off all lateral shoots. 26. latitude freedom from narrow limitations I think you have permitted your son too much latitude in this matter. 27. laudable praiseworthy; commendable His laudable deeds will be remarked by all whom he aided. 28. laudatory expressing praise The critics' laudatory comments helped to make her a star. 29. lavish liberal; wasteful The actor's lavish gifts pleased her. 30. lax careless We dislike restaurants where the service is lax and inattentive. 31. leaven cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven As bread dough is leavened, it puffs up, expanding in volume. 32. lechery gross lewdness; lustfulness In his youth he led a life of lechery and debauchery; he did not mend his ways until middle age. 33. lectern reading desk The chaplain delivered his sermon from a hastily improvised lectern. 34. leery suspicious; cautious Don't eat sushi at this restaurant; I'm a bit leery about how fresh it is. 35. leeway room to move; margin When you set a deadline, allow a little leeway. 36. legacy a gift made by a will Part of my legacy from my parents is an album of family photographs. 37. legend explanatory list of symbols on a map The legend at the bottom of the map made it clear which symbols stood for rest areas along the highway and which stood for public camp sites. 38. legerdemain sleight of hand The magician demonstrated his renowned legerdemain. 39. leniency mildness; permissiveness Considering the gravity of the offense, we were surprised by the leniency of the sentence. 40. leonine like a lion He was leonine in his rage. 41. lethal deadly It is unwise to leave lethal weapons where children may find them. 42. lethargic drowsy; dull The stuffy room made her lethargic; she felt as if she was about to nod off. 43. levee earthen or stone embankment to prevent flooding As the river rose and threatened to overflow the levee, emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls with sandbags. 44. levitate float in the air (especially by magical means) As the magician passed his hands over the recumbent body of his assistant, she appeared to rise and levitate about three feet above the table. 45. levity lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity Stop giggling abd wriggling around in the pew; such levity is improper in church. 46. levy impose (a fine); collect (a payment) Crying "No taxation withouth representation," the colonists demonstrated against England's power to levy taxes. 47. lewd lustful They found his lewd stories objectionable. 48. lexicographer compiler of a dictionary The new dictionary is the work of many lexicographers who spent years compiling and editing the work. 49. lexicon dictionary I cannot find this word in any lexicon in the library. 50. liability drawback; debts Her lack of an extensive vocabulary was a liability that she was able to overcome. 51. liaison officer who acts as go-between for two armies; intermediary As the liason, he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two armies. 52. libelous defamatory; injurious to the good name of a person He sued the newspaper because of its libelous story. 53. libertine debauched person, roue Although she was aware of his reputation as a libertine, she felt she could reform him and help him break his dissolute way of life. 54. libidinous lustful They objected to his libidinous behavior. 55. libido emotional urges behind human activity The psychiatrist maintained that suppression of the libido often resulted in maladjustment and neuroses. 56. libretto text of an opera The composer of an opera's music is remembered more frequently than the author of its libretto. 57. licentious wanton; lewd; dissolute The licentious monarch helped bring about his country's downfall. 58. lien legal claim on a property There was a delay before Ralph could take possession of his late uncle's home; apparently, another claimant had a lien upon the estate. 59. ligneous like wood Petrified wood may be ligneous in appearance, but it is stonelike in composition. 60. lilliputian extremely small Tiny and delicate, the model was built on a lilliputian scale. 61. limber flexible Hours of ballet classes kept him limber. 62. limbo region near heaven or hell where certain souls are kept Among the divisions of Hell are Purgatory and limbo. 63. limn draw; outline; describe Parodoxically, the more realistic the details this artist chooses, the better able to limn her fantastic, other-worldly landscapes. 64. limpid clear A limpid stream ran through his property. 65. lineage descent; ancestry He traced his lineage back to Mayflower days. 66. lineaments features, especially of the face She quickly sketched the lineaments of his face. 67. linguistic pertaining to language The modern tourist will encounter very little linguistic difficulty as English has become an almost universal language. 68. lionize treat as a celebrity She enjoyed being lionized and adored by the public. 69. liquidate settle accounts; clear up He was able to liquidate all his debts in short period of time. 70. list tilt; lean over That flagpole should be absolutely vertical; instead, it lists to one side. 71. listless lacking in spirit or energy We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were surprised by his listless attitude. 72. litany supplicatory prayer On this solemn day, the congregation responded to the prayers of the priest during the litany with fervor and intensity. 73. lithe flexible; supple Her figure was lithe and willowy. 74. litigation lawsuit Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to start litigation. 75. litotes understatement for emphasis To say, "He little realizes," when we mean that he does not realize at all, is an example of the kind of understatement we call litotes. 76. livid lead-coloredl; black and blue; ashen; enraged His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy. 77. loath averse; reluctant They were both loath for him to go. 78. loathe detest We loathed the wicked villain. 79. lode metal-bearing vein If this lode that we have discovered extends for any distance, we have found a fortune. 80. lofty very high They used to tease him about his lofty ambitions. 81. loiter hang around; linger The policeman told him not to loiter in the alley. 82. loll lounge about They lolled around in their chairs watching television. 83. longevity long life When he reached ninety, the old man was proud of his longevity. 84. lope gallop slowly As the horses loped along, we had an opportunity to admire the ever-changing scenery. 85. loquacious talkative She is very loquacious and can speak on the telephone for hours. 86. lout clumsy person The delivery boy is an awkward lout. 87. low moo From the hilltop, they could see the herd like ants in the distance; they could barely hear the cattle low. 88. lucid easily understood; clear; intelligible Her explanation was lucid enought for a child to grasp. 89. lucrative profitable He turned his hobby into a lucrative profession. 90. lucre money Preferring lucre to undying fame, he wrote stories of popular appeal. 91. ludicrous laughable; trifling Let us be serious; this is not a ludicrous issue. 92. lugubrious mournful The lugabrious howling of the dogs added to our sadness. 93. lull moment of calm Not wanting to get wet, they waited under the awning for a lull in the rain. 94. lumber move heavily of clumsily Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation, the bear lumbered through the woods. 95. lumen unit of light energy (one candle's worth) In buying light bulbs, she checked not only their power, as measured in watts, but their brightness, as measured in lumens. 96. luminary celebrity; dignitary A leading light of the American stage, Ethel Barrymore was a theatrical luminary whose name lives on. 97. luminous shining; issuing light The sun is a luminous body. 98. lunar pertaining to the moon lunar craters can be plainly seen with the aid of a small telescope. 99. lurid wild; sensational The lurid stories he told shocked his listeners. 100. lurk stealthily lie in waiting; slink; exist unperceived "Who knows what evils lurk in the hearts of men? The shadow knows." 101. luscious pleasing to taste or smell The ripe peach was luscious. 102. luster shine; gloss The soft luster of the silk in the dim light was pleasing. 103. lustrous shining Her large and lustrous eyes gave a touch of beauty to an otherwise drab face. 104. luxuriant fertile; abundant; ornate Farming was easy in this luxuriant soil. 105. laxative facilitating evacuation of the bowels The effect of the constipation medicine is laxative; it empties the bowels. 1. macabre gruesome; grisly The city morgue is a macabre spot for the uninitiated. 2. mace ceremonial staff; clublike medieval weapon The Grand Marshal of the parade raised his mace to signal that it was time for the procession to begin. 3. macerate soften by soaking in liquid; waste away The strawberries had been soaking in the champagn for so long that they had begun to macerate: they literally fell apart at the touch of a spoon. 4. machiavellian crafty; double-dealing I do not think he will be a good embassador because he is not accustomed to the machiavellian maneuverings of foreign diplomats. 5. machinations schemes I can see through your wily machinations. 6. maculated spotted; stained Instead of writing that Gorbachev had a birthmark on his forehead, the pompous young poet sang of the former premier's maculated brow. 7. madrigal pastoral song His program of folk songs included several madrigals which he sang to the accompaniment of a lute. 8. maelstrom whirlpool The canoe was tossed about in the maelstrom. 9. magisterial authoritative; imperious The learned doctor laid down the law to his patient in a magisterial tone of voice. 10. magnanimity generosity Noted for his magnanimity, philanthropist Eugene Lang donated millions to charity. 11. magnate person of prominence or influence The steel magnate decided to devote more time to city politics. 12. magniloquent boastful, pompous In their stories of the trial, the reporters ridiculed the magniloquent speeches of the defense attorney. 13. magnitude greatness; extent It is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of his crime. 14. maim mutilate; injure The hospital could not take care of all who had been mangled or maimed in the railroad accident. 15. maladroit clumsy; bungling In his usual maladroit way, he managed to upset the cart and spill the food. 16. malaise uneasiness; distress She felt a sudden vague malaise when she heard sounds at the door. 17. malapropism comic misuse of a word When Mrs. Malaprop criticizes Lydia for being "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile," she confuses "allegory" and "allegator" in a typical malapropism. 18. malcontent person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs He was one of the few malcontents in the Congress; he constantly voiced his objections to the Presidential program. 19. malediction curse The witch uttered maledictions against her captors. 20. malefactor criminal We must try to bring these malefactors to justice. 21. malevolent wishing evil We must thwart his malevolent schemes. 22. malfeasance wrongdoing The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's malfeasance until after he had spent most of the money he had embezzled. 23. malicious dictated by hatred or spite The malicious neighbor spread the gossip. 24. malign speak evil of; defame Because of her hatred of the family, she maligns all who are friendly to them. 25. malignant having an evil influence; virulent This is a malignant disease; we must have to use drastic measures to stop its spread. 26. malingerer one who feigns illness to escape duty The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all malingerers and force them to work. 27. malleable capable of being shaped by pounding Gold is a malleable metal. 28. malodorous foul-smelling The component heap was most malodorous in summer. 29. mammal vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a mammal. 30. mammoth gigantic The mammoth corporations of the twentieth century are a mixed blessing 31. manacle restrain; handcuff The police immediately manacled the prisoner so he could not escape. 32. mandate order; charge In his inaugural address, the President stated that he had a mandate from the people to seek an end to social evils such as poverty and poor housing. 33. mandatory obligatory These instructions are mandatory; any violation will be severely punished. 34. mangy shabby; wretched We finally thew out the mangy rug that the dog had destroyed. 35. maniacal raving mad His maniacal laughter frightened us. 36. manifest understandable; clear His evil intentions were manifest and yet we could not stop him. 37. manifestation outward demonstration; indication Mozart's early attraction to the harsichord was the first manifestation of his pronounced musical bent. 38. manifesto declaration; statement of policy The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels proclaimed the principles of modern communism. 39. manifold numerous; varied I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate your manifold kindnesses. 40. manipulate operate with the hands; control or change by artful means How do you manipulate these puppets? 41. mannered affected; not natural Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors, Gatsby adopted a mannered, artificial way of speech. 42. manumit emancipate; free from bondage Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit their slaves and thus put an end to the evil slavery in the country. 43. marital pertaining to marriage After the publication of his book on marital affairs, he was often consulted by married people on the verge of divorce. 44. maritime bordering on the sea; nautical The maritime Provinces depend on the sea for their wealth. 45. marked noticeable; targeted for vengeance He walked with a marked limp, a souvenir of an old IRA attack. As British ambassador, he knew he was a marked man. 46. marred damaged; disfigured She had to refinish the marred surface of the table. 47. marshal put in order At a debate tournament, extemporaneous speakers have only a minute or two to marshal their thoughts before addressing their audience. 48. marsupial one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch The most common marsupial in North America is the opposum. 49. martial warlike The sound of marital music was always inspiring to the young poet. 50. martinet strict disciplinarian The commanding officer was a martinet who observed each regulation to the ltter. 51. masochist person who enjoys his own pain The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I won't." 52. masticate chew We must masticate our food carefully and slowly in order to avoid digestive disorders. 53. materialism preoccupation with physical comforts and things By its nature, materialism is opposed to idealism, for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the body, the idealist emphasizes the needs of the soul. 54. maternal motherly Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless. 55. matriarch woman who rules a family or larger social group The matriarch ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand. 56. martrix point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die Some historians claim the Nile Valley was the matrix of the Western civilization. 57. maudlin effusively sentimental I do not like such maudlin pictures. I call them tearjerkers. 58. maul handle roughly The rock star was mauled by his overexcited fans. 59. mausoleum monumental tomb His body was placed in the family mausolem. 60. mauve pale purple The mauve tint in the lilac bush was another indication that spring had finally arrived. 61. maverick rebel; nonconformist To the masculine literary establishment, George Sand with her insistence on wearing trousers and smoking cigars was clearly a maverick who fought her proper womanly role. 62. mawkish sickening; insipid Your mawkish sighs fill me with disgust. 63. maxim proverb; a truth pithily stated Aesop's fables illustrate moral maxims. 64. mayhem injury to the body The riot was marked not only by mayhem, with its attendant loss of life and limb, but also by arson and pillage. 65. meager scanty; inadequate His salary was far too meager for him to afford to buy a new car. 66. mealymouthed indirect speech; hypocritical; evasive Rather than tell Jill directly what he disliked, Jack made a few mealymouthed comments and tried to change the subject. 67. meander to wind or turn in its course It is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it meanders through the countryside. 68. meddlesome interfering He felt his marriage was suffering because of his meddlesome mother-in-law. 69. mediate settle a dispute through the services of an outsider Let us mediate out differences rather than engage in a costly strike. 70. mediocre ordinary; commonplace We were disappointed because he gave a rather mediocre performance in this role. 71. meditation reflection; thought She reached her decision only after much meditation. 72. medley mixture The band played a medley of Gershwin tunes. 73. meek submissive; patient and long-suffering Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter would dare to defy him by eloping with her suitor. 74. megalomania mania for doing grandiose things Developers who spend millions trying to build the world's tallest skyscraper suffer from megalomania. 75. melee fight The captain tried to ascertain the cause of the melee that had broken out among the crew members. 76. mellifluous flowing smoothly; smooth Italian is a mellifluous language. 77. memento token; reminder Take this book as a memento of your visit. 78. memorialize commemorate Let us memorialize his great contribution by dedicating this library in his honor. 79. mendacious lying; false He was pathological liar, and his friends learned to discount his mendacious stories. 80. mendicant beggar From the moment we left the ship, we were surrounded by mendicants and peddlers. 81. menial suitable for sevants; low I cannot understand why a person of your ability and talent should engage in such menial activities. 82. mentor counselor; teacher During this very trying period, she could not have had a better mentor, for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding. 83. mercantile concerning trade I am more interested in the opportunites available in the mercantile field than I am in those in the legal profession. 84. mercenary motivated solely by money or gain "I'm not in this war because I get my kicks waving flags," said the mercenary soldier. "I'm in it for the dough." 85. mercurial fickle; changing He was of a mercurial temperament and therefore unpredictable. 86. meretricious flashy; tawdry; falsely attractive Her jewels were inexpensive but not meretricious. 87. merger combination (of two business corporations) When the firm's president married the director of financial planning, the office joke was that it wasn't a marriage, it was a merger. 88. mesmerize hypnotize The incessant drone seemed to mesmerize him and place him in a trance. 89. metallurgical pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores During the course of his metallurgical research, the scientist developed a steel alloy of tremendous strength. 90. metamorphosis change of form The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life. 91. metaphor implied comparison "He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an eagle in flight," is a metaphor. 92. metaphysical pertaining to speculative philosophy The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century for many of their images. 93. mete measure; distribute He tried to be impartial in his efforts to mete out justice. 94. meteoric swift; momentarily brilliant We all wondered at his meteoric rise to fame. 95. methodical systematic An accountant must be methodical and maintain order among his financial records. 96. meticulous excessively careful He was meticulous in checking his accounts and never made mistakes. 97. metropolis large city Every evening this terminal is filled with the thousands of commuters who are going from this metropolis to their homes in the suburbs. 98. mettle courage; spirit When challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead. 99. miasma swamp gas; heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome, reeking of decay, it was a visible miasma. 100. microcosm small world In the microcosm of our rural village, we find illustrations of all the evils that beset the universe. 101. migrant changing its habitat; wandering These migrant birds return every spring. 102. migratory wandering The return of the migratory birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring. 103. milieu environment; means of expression His milieu is watercolors, although he has produced excellent oil paintings and lithographs. 104. militant combative; bellicose Althoughat this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality, one could usually find him adopting a more militant attitude. 105. militate work against Your record of lateness and absence will militate against your chances of promotion. 106. millenium thousand-year period; period of happiness and prosperity I do not expect the milennium to come during my lifetime. 107. mimicry imitation Her gift for mimicry was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater. 108. minatory menacing; threatening Jabbing a minatory forefinger at Dorothy, the Wicked Witch cried, "I'll get you, and your little dog, too!" 109. mincing affectedly dainty Yum-Yum walked across the stage with mincing steps. 110. minion a servile dependent He was always accompanied by several of his minions because he enjoyed their subservience and flattery. 111. minuscule extremely small Why should I involve myself with a project with so minuscule a chance for success? 112. minute extremely small The twins resembled one another closely; only minute differences set them apart. 113. minutiae petty details She would have liked to ignore the minutiae of daily living. 114. mirage unreal reflection; optical illusion The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert. 115. mire entangle; stick in swampy ground Their rear wheels became mired in mud. 116. mirth merriment; laughter Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby's mirth improper. 117. misadventure mischance; ill luck The young explorer met death by misadventure. 118. misanthrope one who hates mankind We thought the hermit was a miantrope because he shunned our society. 119. misapprehension error; misunderstanding To avoid msapprehension, I am going to ask all of you to repeat the instructions I have given. 120. miscellany mixture of writings on various subjects This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-century prose and poetry. 121. mischance ill luck By mischance, he lost his week's salary. 122. misconstrue interpret incorrectly; misjudge She took the passage seriously rather than humourously because she misconstrued the author's ironic tone. 123. miscreant wretch; villain His kindness to the miscreant amazed all of us who had expected to hear severe punishment pronounced. 124. misdemeanor minor crime The culprit pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than face trial for a felony. 125. miserly stingy; mean The miserly old man hoarded his coins not out of prudence but out of greed. 126. misgivings doubts Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence with Laertes despite his foreboding of evil. 127. mishap accident With a little care you could have avoided this mishap. 128. misnomer wrong name; incorrect designation His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname, King Eric the Just, was a misnomer. 129. misogamy hatred of marriage He remained a bachelor not because of misogamy but because of ill fate: his fiancee died before the wedding. 130. misogynist hater of women She accused him of being a misogynist because he had been a bachelor all his life. 131. missile object to be thrown or projected Scientists are experimenting with guided missiles. 132. missive letter The ambassador received a missive from the Secretary of State. 133. mite very small object or creature; small coin Gnats are annoying mites that sing. 134. mitigate appease Nothing he did could mitigate her wrath; she was unforgiving. 135. mnemonic pertaining to memory He used mnemonic tricks to master new words. 136. mobile movable; not fixed The mobile blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today. 137. mode prevailing style She was not used to their lavish mode of living. 138. modicum limited quantity Although his story is based on a modicum of truth, most of the events he describes are fictitious. 139. modish fashionable She always discarded all garments that were no longer modish. 140. modulation toning down; changing from one key to another When we she spoke, it was with quiet modulation of voice. 141. mogul powerful person The oil moguls made great profits when the price of gasoline rose. 142. molecule the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance In chemistry, we study how atoms and molcules react to form new substances. 143. mollify soothe We tried to mollify the hysterical child by promising her many gifts. 144. mollycoddle pamper; indulge excessively Don't mollycoddle the boy, Maud! You'll spoil him. 145. molt shed or cast off hair or feathers The male robin molted in the spring. 146. molten melted The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius. 147. momentous very important On this momentous occasion, we must be very solemn. 148. momentum quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the steep hill. 149. monarchy government under a single hereditary ruler with varying degrees of power England today remains a monarchy. 150. monastic related to monks Wanting to live a religious life, he took his monastic vows. 151. monetary pertaining to money Jane held the family purse strings: she made all monetary decisions affecting the household. 152. monochromatic having only one color Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several colors; some, however, have a truly monochromatic view of a world all in shades of gray. 153. monolithic solidly uniform; unyielding Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the patriots sought to present a monolithic front. 154. monotheism belief in one God Abraham was the first to proclaim his belief in monotheism. 155. monotony sameness leading to boredom He took a clerical job, but soon grew to hate the monotony of his daily routine. 156. monumental massive Writing a dictionary is a monumental task. 157. moodiness fits of depression or gloom We could not discover the cause of her recurrent moodiness. 158. moratorium legal delay of payment If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six months, I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills. 159. morbid given to unwholesome thought; gloomy These morbid speculations are dangerous; we must lighten our spirits by emphasizing more pleasant matters. 160. mordant biting; sarcastic; stinging Actors feared the critic's mordant pen. 161. mores customs The mores of Mexico are those of Spain with some modifications. 162. moribund at the point of death The doctors called the family to the bedside of the moribund patient. 163. morose ill-humored; sullen When we first meet Hamlet, we find him morose and depressed. 164. mortician undertaker The mortician prepared the corpse for burial. 165. mortify humiliate; punish the flesh She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to her room in tears. 166. mosaic picture made of smell, colorful inlaid tiles The mayor compared the ciry to a beautiful mosaic made up of people of every race and religion on earth. 167. mote small speck The tiniest mote in the eye is very painful. 168. motif theme This simple motif runs throughout the score. 169. motility ability to move spontaneously Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest. 170. motley parti-colored; mixed The captain had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel. 171. mottled spotted When he blushed, his face took on a mottled hue. 172. mountebank charlatan; boastful pretender The patent medicine man was a mountebank. 173. muddle confuse; mix up His thoughts were muddled and chaotic. 174. muggy warm and damp August in New York City is often muggy. 175. mulct defraud a person of something The lawyer was accused of trying to mulct the boy of his legacy. 176. multifarious varied; greatly diversified A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the multifarious activities of her daily life. 177. multiform having many forms Snowflakes are multiform but always hexagonal. 178. multilingual having many languages Because they are bordered by so many countries, the Swiss people are multilingual. 179. multiplicity state of being numerous He was appalled by the multuplicity of details he had to complete before setting out on his mission. 180. mundane worldly as opposed to spiritual He was concerned only with mundane matters, especially the daily stock market quotations. 181. munificent very generous The munificent gift was presented to the bride by her rich uncle. 182. murkiness darkness; gloom The murkiness and fog of the waterfront that evening depressed me. 183. muse ponder For a moment he mused about the beauty of the scene, but his thought soon changed as he recalled his own personal problems. 184. musky having the odor of musk She left a trace of musky perfume behind her. 185. muster gather; assemble Washington mustered his forces at Trenton. 186. musty stale; spoiled by age The attic was dark and musty. 187. mutable changing in form; fickle His opinion were mutable and easily influenced by anyone who had any powers of persuasion. 188. muted silent; muffled; toned down In the funeral parlor, the mourners' voices had a muted quality. 189. mutilate maim The torturer threatened to mutilate his victim. 190. mutinous unruly; rebellious The captain had to use force to quiet his mutinous crew. 191. myopic nearsighted In thinking only of your present needs and ignoring the future, you are being rather myopic. 192. myriad very large number myriads of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village every twilight. 193. mutter murmur or grumble The child muttered at the doll. 194. millinery person who makes or sells women's hats The millinery displayed fashionable hats in the street where many women passed by. 1. nadir lowest point Although few people realized it, the Dow-Jones averages had reached their nadir and would soon begin an upward surge. 2. naivete quality of being unsophisticated I cannot believe that such naivete is unassumed in a person of her age and experience. 3. narcissist conceited person A narcissist is his own best friend. 4. narrative related to telling a story A born teller of tales, Olsen used her impressive narrative skills to advantage in her story "I Stand Here Ironing." 5. nascent incipient; coming into being If we could identify these revolutionary movements in their nascent state, we would be able to eliminate serious trouble in later years. 6. natation swimming The Red Cross emphasizes the need for courses in natation. 7. natty neatly or smartly dresssed Priding himself on being a natty dresser, the gangster Bugsy Siegel collected a wardrobe of imported suits and ties. 8. nauseate cause to become sick; fill with disgust The foul smells began to nauseate him. 9. nautical pertaining to ships or navigation The Maritime Museum contains many models of clipper ships, logbooks, anchors and many other items of a nautical nature. 10. nebulous vague; hazy; cloudy She had only a nebulous memory of her grandmother's face. 11. necromancy black magic; dealings with the dead Because he was able to perform feats of necromancy, the natives thought he was in league with the devil. 12. nefarious very wicked He was universally feared because of his many nefarious deeds. 13. negation denial I must accept his argument since you have been unable to present any negation of his evidence. 14. negligence carelessness negligence can prove costly near complicated machinery. 15. negligible so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded Because the damage to his car had been negligible, Michael decided he wouldn't bother to report the matter to his insurance company. 16. nemesis revenging agent Captain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis. 17. neologism new or newly coined word or phrase As we invent new techniques and professions, we must also invent neologisms such as "microcomputer" and "astronaut" to describe them. 18. neophyte recent convert; beginner This monuntain slope contains slides that will challenge esperts as well as neophytes. 19. nepotism favoritism (to a relative) John left his position with the company because he felt that advancement was based on nepotism rather than ability. 20. nether lower Tradition locates hell in the nether regions. 21. nettle annoy; vex Do not let him nettle you with his sarcastic remarks. 22. nexus connection I fail to see the nexus that binds these two widely separated events. 23. nib beak; pen point The nibs of fountain pens often become clotted and corroded. 24. nicety precision; minute distinction I cannot distinguish between such niceties of reasoning. 25. niggardly meanly stingy; parsimonious The niggardly pittance the widow receives from the government cannot keep her from poverty. 26. niggle spend too much time on minor points; carp Let's not niggle over details. 27. nihilism denial of traditional values; total skepticism nihilism holds that existence has no meaning. 28. nirvana Buddihist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude Despite his desire to achieve nirvana, the young Buddhist found that even the buzzing of a fly could distract him from his meditation. 29. nocturnal done at night Mr. Jones obtained a watchdog to prevent the nocturnal raids on his chicken coops. 30. noisome foul smelling; unwholesome I never could stand the noisome atmosphere surrounding the slaughter houses. 31. nomadic wandering Several nomadic tribes of Indians would hunt in this area each year. 32. nomenclature terminology; system of names She struggled to master scientific nomenclature. 33. nominal in name only; trifling He offered to drive her to the airport for only a nominal fee. 34. nonchalance indifference; lack of interest Few people could understand how he could listen to the news of the tragedy with such nonchalance; the mahority regarded him as callous and unsympathetic. 35. noncommittal neutral; unpledged; undecided We were annoyed by his noncommittal reply for we had been led to expect definite assurances of his approval. 36. nondescript undistinctive; ordinary The private detective was a short, nondescript fellow with no ourstanding features, the sort of person one would never notice in a crowd. 37. nonentity person of no importance; nonexistence Don't dismiss John as a nonentity; in his quiet way, he's very important to the firm. 38. nonplus bring to a halt by confusion; perplex Jack's uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill, leaving her uncertain how to react. 39. nostalgia homesickness; longing for the past The first settlers found so much work to do that they had little time for nostalgia. 40. nostrum questionable medicine No quack selling nostrums is going to cheat me. 41. notoriety disrepute; ill fame To the starlet, any publicity was good publicity: if she couldn't have a good reputation, she'd settle for notoriety. 42. novelty something new; newness The computer is no longer a novelty around the office. 43. novice beginner Even a novice can do good work if he follows these simple directions. 44. noxious harmful We must trace the source of these noxious gases before they asphyxiate us. 45. nuance shade of difference in meaning or color The unskilled eye of the layperson has difficulty in dicerning the nuances of color in the paintings. 46. nubile marrigeable Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, was worried about finding suitable husbands for her five nubile daughters. 47. nugatory futile; worthless This agreement is nugatory for no court will enforce it. 48. nullify to make invalid Once the contract was nullified, it no longer had any legal force. 49. numismatist person who collects coins The numismatist had a splendid collection of antique coins. 50. nuptial related to marriage Their nuptial ceremony was performed in Golden Gate Park. 51. nurture nourish; educate; foster The head Start program attempts to nurture prekindergarten children so that they will do well when they enter public school. 52. nutrient nourishing substance As a budding nutritionist, Kim has learned to design diets that contain foods rich in important basic nutrients. 1. oaf stupid, awkward person He called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy oaf. 2. obdurate stubborn He was obdurate in his refusal to listen to our complaints. 3. obeisance bow She made an obeisance as the king and queen entered the room. 4. obelisk tall column tapering and ending in a pyramid Cleopatra's Needle is an obelisk in New York City's Central Park. 5. obese excessively fat It is advisable that obese people try to lose weight. 6. obfuscate confuse; muddle Do not obfuscate the issues by dragging in irrelevant arguments. 7. obituary dealth notice I first learned of her death when I read the obituary in the newspaper. 8. objective not influenced by emotions; fair Even though he was her son, she tried to be objective about his behavior. 9. objective goal; aim A degree in medicine was her ultimate objective. 10. obligatory binding; required It is obligatory that books borrowed from the library be returned within two weeks. 11. oblique slanting; deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line The sergeant ordered the men to march "oblique right." 12. obliterate destroy completely The tidal wave obliterated several island villages. 13. oblivion forgetfulness Her work had fallen into a state of oblivion; no one bothered to read them. 14. obloquy slander; disgrace; infamy I resent the obloquy that you are casting upon my reputation. 15. obnoxious offensive I find your behavior obnoxious; please mend your ways. 16. obscure dark; vague; unclear Even after I read the poem a fourth time, its meaning was still obscure. 17. obscure darken; make unclear At times he seemed purposely to obscure his meaning, preferring mystery to clarity. 18. obsequious slavishly attentive; servile; sycophantic Helen valued people who behaved as if they respected themselves; nothing irritated her more than an excessively obsequious waiter or a fawning salesclerk. 19. obsequy funeral ceremony Hundreads paid their last respects at his obsequies. 20. obsession fixed idea; continued brooding This obsession with the supernatural has made him unpopular with his neighbors. 21. obsidian clak volcanic rock The deposits of obsidian on the mountain slopes were an indiacation that volcano had erupted in ancient times. 22. obsolete outmoded "Hip" is an obsolete expression; it went out with love beads and tie-dye shirts. 23. obstetrician physician specializing in delivery of babies Unlike midwives, who care for women giving birth at home, obstetricians generally work in a hospital setting. 24. obstinate stubborn We tried to persuade him to give up smoking, but he was obstinate and refused to change. 25. obstreperous boisterous; noisy The crowd became obstreperous and shouted their disapproval of the proposals made by the speaker. 26. obtrusive pushing forward I found her a very obstrusive person, constantly seeking the center of the stage. 27. obtuse blunt; stupid Because he was so obtuse, he could not follow the teacher's reasoning and asked foolish questions. 28. obviate make unnecessary; get rid of I hope this contribution will obviate any need for further collections of funds. 29. occident the West It will take occident to understand the ways and customs of the orient. 30. occlude shut; close A blood clot occluded an artery to the heart. 31. occult mysterious; secret; supernatural The occult rites of the organization were revealed only to members. 32. oculist physician who specialized in treatment of the eyes In many states, an oculist is the only one who may apply medicinal drops to the eyes for the purpose of examining them. 33. odious hateful I find the task of punishing you most odious. 34. odium repugnance; dislike I cannot express the odium I feel at your heinous actions. 35. odoriferous giving off an odor The odoriferous spices stimulated her jaded appetite. 36. odorous having an odor This variety of hybrid tea rose is more odorous than the one you have in your garden. 37. odyssey long, evenful journey The refugee's journey from Cambodia was a terrifying odyssey. 38. offensive attacking; insulting; distasteful Getting into street brawls is no minor offense for professional boxers, who are required by law to restrict their offensive impulses to the ring. 39. offhand casual; done without prior thought Expecting to be treated with due propriety by her costs, Great-Aunt Maud was offended by their offhand manner. 40. officious meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services After her long flight, Jill just wanted to nap, but the officious bellboy was intent on showing her all the special features of the deluxe suite. 41. ogle glance coquettishly at; make eyes at Sitting for hours at the sidewalk cafe, the old gentleman would oggle the young girls and recall his youthful romances. 42. olfactory concerning the sense of smell The olfactory organ is the nose. 43. oligarchy government by a few The feudal oligarchy was supplanted by an autocracy. 44. ominous threatening Those clouds are ominous; they suggest that a severe storm is on the way. 45. omnipotent all-powerful The monarch regarded himself as omnipotent and responsible to no one for his acts. 46. omnipresent universally present; ubiquitous On Christmas Eve, Santa Claus is omnipotent. 47. omniscient all-knowing I do not pretend to be omniscient, but I am positive about this fact. 48. omnivorous eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything Some animals, including humans, are omnivorous and eat both meat and vegetables; others are either carnivorous or herbivorous. 49. onerous burdensome He asked for an assistant because his work load was too onerous. 50. onomatopoeia words formed in imitation of natural sounds Words like "rustle" and "gargle" are illustrations of onomatopoeia. 51. onslaught vicious assault We suffered many casualties during unexpected onslaght of the enemy troops. 52. onus burden; responsibility The emperor was spared the onus of signing the surrender papers; instead, he relegated the assignment to his generals. 53. opalescent iridescent The Ancient Mariner admired the opalescent sheen on the water. 54. opaque dark; not transparent The opaque window kept the sunlight out of the room. 55. opiate sleep producer; deadener of pain By such opiates, she made the people forget their difficulties and accept their unpleasant circumstances. 56. opportune timely; well chosen You have come at an opportune moment for I need a new secretary. 57. opportunist individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances Forget about ethics! He's such an opportunist that he'll vote in favor of any deal that will give him a break. 58. opprobrium infamy; vilification He refused to defend himself against the slander and opprobrium hurled against him by the newspapers; he preferred to rely on his record. 59. optician maker and seller of eyeglasses The patient took the prescription given him by his oculist to the optician. 60. optimist person who looks on the bright side The pessimist says the glass is half-empty; the optimist says it is half-full. 61. optimum most favorable If you wait for the optimum moment to act, you may never begin your project . 62. optional not compulsory; left to one's choice I was impressed by the range of optional accessories for my microcomputer that were available. 63. optometrist one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects Although an optometrist is qualified to treat many eye disorders, she may not use medicinesor surgery in her examinations. 64. opulence extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took Cinderella's breath away. 65. opus work Although many critics hailed his Fifth Symphony, he did not regard it as his major opus. 66. oracular foretelling; mysterious Oedipus could not understand the oracular warning he received. 67. oratorio dramatic poem set to music The Glee Club decided to present an oratorio during their recital. 68. ordain command; arrange; consecrate The king ordained that no foreigner should be allowed to enter the city. 69. ordeal severe trial or affliction Terry Anderson spoke movingly of his long ordeal as a hostage in Lebanon. 70. ordinance decree Passing a red light is a violation of a city ordinance. 71. ordination ceremony conferring holy orders The candidate for ordination had to meet with the bishop and the diocean officers before being judged ready to be ordained a deacon. 72. orient get one's bearings; adjust Philip spent his first day in Denver orienting himself to the city. 73. orientation act of finding oneself in society Freshman orientation provides the incoming students with an opportunity to learn about their new environment and their place in it. 74. orifice mouthlike opening; small opening The Howe Caverns were discovered when someone observed that a cold wind was issuing from an orifice in the hillside. 75. ornate excessively or elaborately decorated Furniture of the Baroque period can be recognized by its ornate carvings. 76. ornithologist scientific student of birds Auduborn's drawings of American bird life have been of interest not only to the ornithologists but also to the general public. 77. orthodox traditional; conservative in belief Faced with a problem, he preferred to take an orthodox approach rather than shock anyone. 78. orthography correct spelling Many of us find English orthography difficult to master because so many of our words are written phonetically. 79. oscillate vibrate pendulumlike; waver It is interesting to note how public opinion oscillates between the extremes of optimism and pessimism. 80. osseus made of bone; bony The hollow "soft spot" found at the top of the infant's skull gradually closes as new osseus tissue fills in the gap. 81. ossify change or harden into bone When he called his opponent a "bonehead," he implied that his adversary's brain had ossified and that he was not capable of clear thinking. 82. ostensible apparent; professed; pretended Although the ostensible purpose of this expedition is to discover new lands, we are really interested in finding new markets for our products. 83. ostentatious showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention Trump's latest casino in Atlantic City is the most ostentatious gambling place in the East: it easily outglitters its competitors. 84. ostracize exclude from public favor; ban As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection with the criminals, his friends began to ostracize him. 85. oust expel; drive out The world wondered if Aquino would be able to oust Marcos from office. 86. outlandish bizzare; peculiar; unconventional The eccentric professor who engages in markedly outlandish behavior is a stock figure in novels with an academic setting. 87. outmoded no longer stylish; old-fahioned Unconcerned about keeping in style, Lenore was perfectly happy to wear outmoded clothes as long as they were clean and unfrayed. 88. outskirts fringes; outer borders Living outskirts of Boston, Sarah sometimes felt as if she were cut off from the cultural heart of the city. 89. outspoken candid; blunt The candidate was too outspoken to be a successful politician; he had not yet learned to weigh his words carefully. 90. outrtip surpass; outdo Jesse Owens easily outstripped his competitors to win the gold metal at the Olympic Games. 91. outwit outsmart; trick By disguising himself as an old woman, Holmes was able to outwit his pursuers and escape capture. 92. ovation enthusiastic applause When Placido Domingo came on stage in the first act of La Boheme, he was greeted by a tremendous ovation. 93. overbearing bossy; arrogant; decisively important Certain of her own importance and of the unimportance of everyone else, Lady Bracknell was intolerably overbearing in manner. "In choosing a husband," she said, "good birth is of overbearing importance; compared to that, neither wealth nor talent signifie 94. overt open to view According to the United States Constitution, a person must commit an overt act before he may be tried for treason. 95. overweening presumptuous; arrogant His overweening pride in his accomplishments was not justified. 96. overwrought extremely agitated; hysterical When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too overwrought to work and had to leave the office early. 97. ovoid egg-shaped At Easter she had to cut out hundreds of brightly colored ovoid shapes. 98. overhaul thoroughly examine the condition of and repair if necessary It is necessary for the engineers of NASA to overhaul the rocket everyday; otherwise, an incident similar to that of Challenger accident might happen. 1. pachyderm thick-skinned animal The elephant is probably the best-known pachyderm. 2. pacifist one opposed to force; antimilitarist The pacifists urged that we reduce our military budget and recall our troops stationed overseas. 3. pacify soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify them. 4. paean song of praise or joy paeans celebrating the victory filled the air. 5. painstaking showing hard work; taking great care The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking efforts on the part of our research staff. 6. palatable agreeable; pleasing to the taste Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were palatable to me. 7. palatial magnificent He proudly showed us through his palatial home. 8. paleontology study of prehistoric life The professor of paleontology had a superb collection of fossils. 9. palette board on which a painter mixes pigments At the present time, art supply stores are selling a paper palette that may be discarded after use. 10. palimpsest parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased Using chemical reagents, scientists have been able to restore the original writings on many palimpsests. 11. pall grow tiresome The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep. 12. pallet small, poor bed The weary traveler went to sleep on his straw pallet. 13. palliate ease pain; make less severe or offensive If we cannot cure this disease at present, we can, at least try to palliate the symptoms. 14. pallid pale; wan Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion. 15. palpable tangible; easily perceptible I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable blunder. 16. palpitate throb; flutter As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and more erratically. 17. paltry insignificant; petty This is a paltry sum to pay for such a masterpiece. 18. pan criticize harshly Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously. 19. panacea cure-all; remedy for all diseases There is no easy panacea that will solve our complicated international situation. 20. panache flair; flamboyance Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style. 21. pandemic widespread; affecting the majority of people They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions. 22. pandemonium wild tumult When the ships collided in the harbor, pandemonium broke out among the passengers. 23. pander cater to the low desires of others The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of pandering to the masses' taste of violence. 24. panegyric formal praise The modest hero blushed to hear the speakers delivering panegyrics about his valorous act. 25. panoramic denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view On a clear day, from the top of the World Trade Center you can get a panoramic view of New York City and neighboring stretches of New Jersey and Long Island. 26. pantomime acting without dialogue Because he worked in pantomime, the clown could be understood wherever he appeared. 27. papyrus ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on papyrus. 28. parable short, simple story teaching a moral Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this parable teaches. 29. paradigm model; example; pattern Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-response experiment in behavioal psychology. 30. paradox statement that looks false but is actually correct; a contradictory statement Wordworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of paradox. 31. paragon model of perfection The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing him out as a paragon of virtue. 32. parallelism state of being parallel; similarity There is a striking parallelism between the twins. 33. parameter limit; independent variable We need to define the parameters of the problem. 34. paramount foremost in importance; supreme Proper nutrition and hygiene are of paramount importance in adolescent development and growth. 35. paramour illicit lover She sought a divorce on the grounds that her husband had a paramour in another town. 36. paranoia psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution Suffering from paranois, he claimed everyone was out to get him; ironically, his claim was accurate; even paranoids have enemies. 37. paraphernalia equipment; odds and ends His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writing craft. 38. paraphrase restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article. 39. parasite animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant The tapeworm is an example of the kind of parasite that may infest the human body. 40. parched extremely dry; very thirsty The parched desert landscape seemed hostile to life. 41. pariah social outcast I am not a pariah to be shunned and ostracized. 42. parity equality; close resemblance I find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the parity between the two illustrations. 43. parlance language; idiom All this legal parlance confuses me; I need an interpreter. 44. parley conference The peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce. 45. parochial narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial. 46. parody humorous imitation; travesty We enjoyed the clever parodies of popular songs that the chorus sang. 47. paroxysm fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage When he heared of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a paroxysm of rage. 48. parquet floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosic-like pattern. In laying the floor, the carpenters combined redwood and oak in an elegant parquet. 49. parry ward off a blow He was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to parry his opponent's thrusts. 50. parsimonious stingy; excessively frugal His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries. 51. partial incomplete In this issue we have published only a partial list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge everyone. 52. partial biased; having a liking for something I am extremely partial to chocolate eclairs. 53. partiality inclination; bias As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid any evidence of partiality when I award the prize. 54. partisan one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party On certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a partisan stand. 55. passe old-fashioned; past the prime Her style is passe and reminiscent of the Victorian era. 56. passive not active; acted upon Mahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue a program of passive resistance as he felt that it was more effective than violence and acts of terrorism. 57. pastiche imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing We cannot even say that her music is a pastiche of this or that composer; it is rather, reminiscent of many musicians. 58. pastoral rural In these stories of pastoral life, we find an understanding of the daily tasks of country folk. 59. patent open for the public to read; obvious It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth. 60. pathetic causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished his pathetic tale about the orphaned boy. 61. pathological pertaining to disease As we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must not overlook the psychological elements. 62. pathos tender to 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. 63. patina green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist. 64. patois local or provincial dialect His years of study of the language at the university did not enable him to understand the patois of the natives. 65. patriarch father and ruler of a family or tribe In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the patriarch. 66. patrician noble; aristocratic We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance 67. patronize support; act superior toward Experts in a field sometimes appear to patronize people who are less knowledgeable of the subject. 68. paucity scarcity They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate. 69. pauper very poor person Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was by no means a pauper. 70. peccadillo slight offense If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they are mere peccadilloes rather than major crimes. 71. pecuniary pertaining to money I never expected a pecuniary reward for my work in this activity. 72. pedagogue teacher He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always lively and filled with humor. 73. pedagogy teaching; art of education Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in pedagogy, it took years before her teaching techniques became common practice in American schools. 74. pedant scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher as a pedant rather than a scholar. 75. pedantic showing off learning; bookish Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Walker was not at all pedantic legal scholar. 76. pedestrian ordinary; unimaginative Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian prose. 77. pediatrician physician specializing in children's diseases. The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child's ailment. 78. pejorative negative in connotation; having a belittling effect. Instead of criticizing Clinton's policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character. 79. pellmell in confusion; disorderly The excited students dashed pellmell into the stadium to celebrate the victory. 80. pellucid transparent; limpid; easy to understand After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable. 81. penance self-imposed punishment for sin The Ancient Mariner said, "I have penance done and penance more will do," to atone for the sin of killing the albatross. 82. penchant strong inclination; liking He had a strong penchant for sculpture and owned many statues. 83. pendant hanging down from something Her pendant earrings glistened in the light. 84. pendant ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.) The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and pendant engraved with the school's motto. 85. pendulous hanging; suspended The pendulous chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were about to fall from the ceiling. 86. penitent repentant When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became remorseful and penitent. 87. pensive dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness The pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then sighed. 88. penumbra partial shadow (in an eclipse) During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a lighter area, which is the penumbra. 89. penurious stingy; parsimonious He was a penurious man, averse to spending money even for the necessities of life. 90. penury extreme poverty When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his days in penury. 91. peon landless agricultural worker; bond servant The land reformers sought to liberate the peons and establish them as independent farmers. 92. perceptive insightful; aware; wise Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her blind sports: she could never see flaws in the work of her friends. 93. percussion striking one object against another sharply The drum is a percussion instrument. 94. perdition damnation; complete ruin Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to eternal perdition. 95. peregrination journey Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo. 96. peremptory demanding and leaving no choice From Jack's peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he would not give up until she let him in. 97. perennial something long-lasting Tese plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years. 98. perifidious treacherous; disloyal When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious friend. 99. perforate pierce; put a hole through Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate the plastic safety seal that covers the cap. 100. perfunctory superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm The auditor's perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked many errors. 101. perigee point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon was launched as the moon approached its perigee. 102. perimeter outer boundary To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of the four sides. 103. peripatetic walking about; moving The peripatetic school of philosophy derives its name from the fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils while discussing philosophy with them. 104. peripheral marginal; outer We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city. 105. periphery edge, especially of a round surface He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of his vision. 106. perjury false testimony while under oath When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was indicted for perjury. 107. permeable porous; allowing passage through Glass is permeable to light. 108. pernicious very destructive, harmful He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and susceptible minds. 109. peroration conclusion of an oration The peroration was largely hortatory and brought the audience to its feet clamoring for action at its close. 110. perpetrate commit an offense Only an insane person could perpetrate such a horrible crime. 111. perpetual everlasting Ponce de Leon hoped to find perpetual youth. 112. perquisite any gain above stipulated salary The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates. 113. personable attractive The man I am seeking to fill this position must be personable since he will be representing us before the public. 114. perspicacious having insight; penetrating; astute The brillant lawyer was known for his perspicacious deductions. 115. perspicuity clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity One of the outstanding features of this book is the perspicuity of its author; her meaning is always clear. 116. perspicuous plainly expressed Her perspicuous comments eliminated all posibility of misinterpretation. 117. pert impertinent; forward I think your pert and impudent remarks call for an apology. 118. pertinacious stubborn; persistent He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit. 119. pertinent suitable; to the point The lawyer wanted to know all the pertinent details. 120. perturb disturb greatly I am afraid this news will perturb him and cause him grief. 121. perusal reading I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid perusal of this document. 122. pervasive spread throughout Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothbals that clung to them. 123. perverse stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh of his victims. 124. perversion corruption; turning from right to wrong Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not understand his perversion. 125. pessimism belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there is little reason for your pessimism. 126. pestilential causing plague; baneful People were afraid to explore the pestilential swap. 127. pestle tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug with his pestle, young George could tell that his employer was agitated about something. 128. petrify turn to stone His sudden and unexpected appearance seemed to petrify her. 129. petty trivial; unimportant; very small She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too minor to state. 130. petulant touchy; peevish The feverish patient was petulant and restless. 131. pharisaical pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical Walter Lippmann has pointed out that moralists who do not attempt to explain the moral code they advocate are often regarded as pharisaical and ignored. 132. phenomena observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the course of these experiments. 133. philanderer faithless lover; flirt Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman, Jack assured Jill he was no philanderer. 134. philanthropist lover of mankind; doer of good As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and benefactor of the needy. 135. philatelist stamp-collector When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was inspired to become a philatelist. 136. philistine narrow-minded person, uncultured and exculsively interested in material gain We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too many philistines among us. 137. philology study of language The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an international language. 138. phlegmatic calm; not easily disturbed The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies. 139. phobia morbid fear Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real phobia. 140. physiognomy face He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person's character by studying his physiognomy. 141. physiological pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its physiological aspects but also its psychological elements. 142. piebald of different colors; motled; spotted You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the only piebald horse running. 143. pied variegated; multicolored The pied piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore. 144. piety devoutness; reverence for God Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true sprit of piety. 145. pigment coloring matter Van Gogh mixed various pigments with linseed oil to create his paints. 146. pillage plunder The enemy pillaged the quiet village and left it in ruins. 147. pillory punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule Even though he was mocked and pilloried, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs. 148. pine languish, decline; long for, yearn Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff but loving grandfather. 149. pinion restrain They pinioned his arms against his body but left his legs free so that he could move about. 150. pinnacle peak We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow. 151. pious devout The pious parents gave their children a religious upbringing. 152. piquant pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating The piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal. 153. pique irritation; resentment She showed her pique by her refusal to appear with the other contestants at the end of the contest. 154. piscatorial pertaining to fishing He spent many happy hours at the lake in his piscatorial activities. 155. pithy concise; meaty I enjoy reading his essays because they are always compact and pithy. 156. pittance a small allowance or wage He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of revenue. 157. pivotal central; critical De Klerk's decision to set Nelson Mandela free was pivotal; without Mandela's release, there was no possibility that the African National Cogress would entertain talks with the South African government. 158. placate pacify; conciliate The teacher tried to placate the angry mother. 159. placebo harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received only placebos. 160. placid peaceful; calm After his vacation in this placid section, he felt soothed and rested. 161. plagiarize steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own The editor could tell that the writer had plagiarized parts of the article; he could recognize whole paragraphs from the original source. 162. plaintive mournful The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call 163. plasticity ability to be molded When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable. 164. platitude trite remark; commonplace statement The platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people perceived how trite his remarks were. 165. platonic purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the professor maintained he had only a platonic interest in the women involved. 166. plauditory approving; applauding The theatrical company reprinted the plauditory comments of the critics in its advertisement. 167. plausible having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious Even though your argument is plausible, I still would like to have more proof. 168. plebeian common; pertaining to the common people His speeches were aimed at the plebeian minds and emotions; they disgusted the more refined. 169. plenary complete; full The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new contract with the employers. 170. plenitude abundance; completeness Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and pickles we had preserved during the summer. 171. plethora excess; overabundance She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings. 172. pliable flexible; yielding; adaptable In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead pipes with new, pliable copper tubing. 173. pliant flexible; easily influenced Catherine's disposition was pliant; she was like putty in her suitor's hands. 174. pluck courage Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by the boy's pluck in trying to rescue the archeological treasure they had stolen. 175. plumb vertical Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from the ceiling as a guide. 176. plummet fall sharply Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the rise in interest rates. 177. plutocracy society ruled by the wealthy From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think our society is a plutocracy rather than a democracy. 178. podiatrist doctor who treats ailments of the feet He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches. 179. podium pedestal; raised platform The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the podium. 180. poignancy quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and child, the social worker was touched by the poignancy of the scene. 181. polarize split into opposite extremes or camps The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and anti-abortion camps. 182. polemic controversy; argument in support of point of view Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party's policy. 183. politic expedient; prudent; well devised Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it politic to refuse the offer. 184. polity form of government of nation or state Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens. 185. polygamist one who has more than one spouse at a time He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed complaints about him. 186. polyglot speaking several languages New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands of immigrants who settle there. 187. pomposity self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt Although the commencement speaker had some good things to say, we had to laugh at his pomposity and general air of parading his own dignity. 188. ponderous weighty; unwieldy His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always ponderous. 189. pontifical pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was destined for a high pontifical office. 190. pore study industriously; ponder; scrutinize Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours poring over her anatomy text. 191. porous full of pores; like a sieve Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready passage of water and air. 192. portend foretell; presage The king did not know what these omens might portend and asked his soothsayers to interpret them. 193. portent sign; omen; forewarning He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil. 194. portly stout; corpulent The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as portly rather than fat. 195. poseur person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others Some thought Dali was a brillant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur. 196. posterity descendants; future generations We hope to leave a better world to posterity. 197. posthumous after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death) The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last novel that they recognized his great talent. 198. postulate self-evident truth We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further. 199. posture assume an affected pose; act artificially No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended to be. 200. potable suitable for drinking The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of making sea water potable. 201. potent powerful; persuasive; greatly influential The jury was swayed by the highly potent testimony of the crime's sole eyewitness. 202. potentate monarch; sovereign The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne. 203. potential expressing possibility; latent The juvenile delinquent is a potential murderer. 204. potion dose (of liquid) Tristan and Lsolde drink a love potion in the first act of the opera. 205. potpourri heterogeneous mixture; medley He offered a potpourri of folk songs from many lands. 206. poultice soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body He was advised to apply a flaxseed poultice to the inflammation. 207. practicable feasible The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and agreed to undertake the project. 208. practical based on experience; useful He was a practical man, opposed to theory 209. pragmatic practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic test of the value of my conversational French class. 210. pragmatist practical person No pragmatist enjoys becoming involved in a game that he can never win 211. prate speak foolishly; boast idly Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves. 212. prattle babble The children prattle endlessly about their new toys. 213. preamble introductory statement In the preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth. 214. precarious uncertain; risky I think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its purchase. 215. precedent something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action This decision sets a precedent for future cases of a similar nature. 216. precedent preceding in time, rank, etc. Our discussions, precedent to this event, certainly did not give you any reason to believe that we would adopt your proposal. 217. precept practical rule guiding conduct "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile precept. 218. precipice cliff; dangerous position Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of a precipice. 219. precipitate headlong; rash Do not be precipitate in this matter; investigate further. 220. precipitate throw headlong; hasten The removal of American political support appeared to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos regime. 221. precipitous steep; overhasty This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well. 222. precise exact If you don't give me precise directions and a map, I'll never find your place. 223. preclude make impossible; eliminate This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you. 224. precocious advanced in development By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious. 225. precursor forerunner Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics consider them precursors of the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics. 226. predatory plundering The hawk is a predatory bird. 227. predecessor former occupant of a post I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late predecessor in this office. 228. predilection partiality; preference Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had a predilection for watercolors. 229. preeminent outstanding; superior The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent surgeon in the field to perform the operation. 230. preempt head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself; supplant Hoping to preempt any attempts by the opposition to make educational reform a hot political issue, the candidate set out her own plan to revitalize the public schools. 231. preen make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her shining hair, she couldn't help preening herself on her good looks. 232. prefactory introductory The chairman made a few prefactory remarks before he called on the first speaker. 233. prehensile capable of grasping or holding Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their prehensile tails in traveling through the trees. 234. prelate church dignitary The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates visited the Russian Orthodox seminary. 235. prelude introduction; forerunner I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious attacks. 236. premeditate plan in advance She had premeditated the murder for months, reading about common poisons and buying weed killer that contained arsenic. 237. premise assumption; postulate Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty premise, his opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes in his logic. 238. premonition forewarning We ignored these premonitions of disaster because they appeared to be based on childish fears. 239. premonitory serving to warn You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these premonitory chest pains. 240. preponderance superiority of power, quantity, etc. The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of strength of the government forces by engaging in guerrilla tactics. 241. preposterous absurd; ridiculous When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled, we all thought, "What a preposterous excuse!" 242. prerogative privilege; unquestionable right The President cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the legislative branch of government. 243. presage foretell The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery of the corpse in the desert. 244. prescience ability to foretell the future Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take prescience for me to foresee problems in our future trade relations with Japan. 245. presentiment premonition; foreboding Hamlet felt a presentiment about his meeting with Laertes. 246. prestige impression produced by achievements or reputation The wealthy man sought to obtain social prestige by contributing to popular charities. 247. presumptous arrogant; taking liberties It seems presumptous for one so relatively new to the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading experts. 248. pretentious ostentatious; ambitious I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry out such a pretentious program. 249. preternatural beyond that which is normal in nature John's mother's total ability to tell when he was lying struck him as almost preternatural. 250. pretext excuse He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his aunt. 251. prevail induce; triumph over He tried to prevail on her to type his essays for him. 252. prevalent widespread; generally accepted A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with the conservative views prevalent in the America of his day. 253. prevaricate lie Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard the statement as a "white lie." 254. prey target of a hunt; victim In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey not wild beasts but wild plants. 255. prim very precise and formal; exceedingly proper Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire of the young lady and the inappropriate clothing worn by her escort. 256. primogeniture seniority by birth By virtue of primogeniture, in some cultures the first-born child has many privileges denied his brothers and sisters. 257. primordial existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors. 258. primp dress or groom oneself with care She primps for hours before a dance. 259. pristine characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness. 260. privation hardship; want In his youth, he knew hunger and privation. 261. privy secret; hidden; not public We do not care for privy chamber of government. 262. probe explore with tools The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it. 263. probity uprightness; incorruptibility Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all. 264. problematic perplexing; unsettled: questionable Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains problematic. 265. proclivity inclination; natural tendency The cross old lady has a proclivity to grumble. 266. procrastinate postpone; delay It is wise not to procrastinate; otherwise, we find ourselves bogged down in a mass of work that should have been finished long ago. 267. procurement obtaining The personnel department handles the procurement of new employees. 268. prod poke; stir up; urge If you prod him hard enough, he'll eventually clean his room. 269. prodigal wasteful; reckless with money The prodigal son squandered his inheritance. 270. prodigious enormous; marvelous He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate. 271. prodigy highly gifted child; marvel Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old. 272. profane violate; desecrate Tourists are urged not to profane the sanctity of holy places by wearing improper garb. 273. profilgate dissipated; wasteful; licentious In this profilgate company, she lost all sense of decency. 274. profound deep; not superficial; complete Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker. 275. profusion lavish expenditure; overabundant condition Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as at the wedding feast. 276. progenitor ancestor The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth century, settled in Peru, Illinois. 277. progeny children; offspring He was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most promising of all his children. 278. prognosis forecasted course of a disease; prediction If the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours. 279. prognosticate predict I prognosticate disaster unless we change our wasteful ways. 280. projectile missile Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the form of stones or of highly explosive shells. 281. proletarian member of the working class The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the proletarians of a voice in government. 282. proliferate grow rapidly; spread; multiply Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-rich-quick schemes to proliferate 283. prolific abundantly fruitful She was a prolific writer who produced as many as three books a year. 284. prolix verbose; drawn out Her prolix arguments irritated and bored the jury. 285. prolong extend; draw out; lengthen In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones. 286. prominent conspicuous; notable; protruding Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him resemble the big-eared character in Mad comics? 287. promiscuous mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly sexually In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the promiscuous life led by the young artists of Paris. 288. promontory headland They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore. 289. prompt cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you're on a diet? 290. promulgate make known by official proclamation or publication As soon as the Civil Service Commission promulgates the names of the successful candidates, we shall begin to hire members of our staff. 291. prone inclined to; prostrate She was prone to sudden fits of anger. 292. propagate multiply; spread Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms clean. 293. propellant substance that propels or drives forward The development of our missile program has forced our scientists to seek more powerful propellants. 294. propensity natural inclination Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others. 295. prophetic having to do with predicting the future In interpreting Pharaoh's prophetic dream, Joseph said that the seven fat cows eaten by the seven lean cows represented seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. 296. prophylactic used to prevent disease Despite all prophylactic measures introduced by the authorities, the epidemic raged until cool weather set in. 297. propinquity nearness; kinship Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity: they were more than relatives; they were true friends. 298. propitiate appease The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods. 299. propitious favorable; kindly I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good time. 300. proponent person who supports or proposes (an idea) After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original proponents didn't want to vote in its favor. 301. propound put forth for analysis In you discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us consider each one separately. 302. propriety fitness; correct conduct I want you to behave at this dinner with propriety; don't embarass me. 303. propulsive driving forward The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-driven plane. 304. prosaic dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative campaign to publicize the company's newest product, the head office rejected it for a more prosaic, down-to-earth approach. 305. proscenium part of stage in front of curtain In the theater-in-the-round there can be no proscenium or proscenium arch. 306. proscribe ostracize; banish; outlaw Antony, Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar. 307. proselytize induce someone to convert to religion or belief In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of view. 308. prosody the art of versification This book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary as well as samples of the various verse forms. 309. prosperity good fortune; financial success; physical well-being Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike. 310. prostrate stretch out full on ground He prostrated himself before the idol. 311. protean versatile; able to take on many forms A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any role. 312. protocol diplomatic etiquette We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests. 313. prototype original work used as a model by others The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype of the elaborate machines in use today. 314. protract prolong Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations endlessly, but the union representatives saw through their strategy. 315. protrude stick out His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves. 316. protuberance protrusion; bulge A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a protuberance. 317. provenance origin or source of something I am not interested in its provenance; I am more concerned with its usefulness than with its source. 318. provender dry food; fodder I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of provender for the cattle. 319. provident displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss. 320. provincial pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada. 321. provisional tentative The appointment is provisional; only on the approval of the board of directors will it be made permanent. 322. proviso stipulation I am ready to accept your proposal with the two proviso that you meet your obligations within the next two weeks. 323. provoke stir up anger; cause retaliation In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not provoke our foe. 324. proximity nearness The deer sensed the hunter's proximity and bounded away. 325. proxy authorized agent Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in my absence. 326. prude excessively modest or proper person The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes. 327. prudent cautious; careful A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy. 328. prune cut away; trim With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her manuscript into publishable form. 329. pseudonym pen name Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain. 330. psychiatrist a doctor who treats mental diseases A psychiatrist often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made. 331. psychopathic pertaining to mental derangement The psychopathic patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a diseased brain. 332. psychosis mental disorder We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient's repressed desires if we hope to combat this psychosis. 333. pterodactyl extinct flying reptile The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet. 334. puerile childish His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends. 335. pugilist boxer The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali. 336. pugnacious combative; disposed to fight As a child he was pugnacious and fought with everyone. 337. puissant powerful; strong; potent We must keep his friendship for he will make a puissant ally. 338. pulchritude beauty; comeliness I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss America from this collection of female pulchritude. 339. pulmonary pertaining to the lungs In his researches on pulmonary diseases, he discovered many facts about the lungs of animals and human beings. 340. pulsate throb We could see the blood vessels in his temple pulsate as he became more angry. 341. pulverize crush or grind into very small particles Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first pulverized them into a fine powder. 342. pummel beat The severity with which he was pummeled was indicated by the bruises he displayed on his head and face. 343. punctilious laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise We must be punctilious in our planning of this affair, for any error may be regarded as a personal affront. 344. pundit learned Hindu; any learned person; authority on a subject Even though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is actually rather ignorant about this topic. 345. pungency sharpness; stinging quality The pungency of the cigarette smoke made me cough. 346. punitive punishing He asked for punitive measures against the offender. 347. puny insignificant; tiny; weak Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile. 348. purchase firm grasp or footing The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock. 349. purgatory place of spiritual expiation In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his comrades. 350. purge clean by removing impurities; clear of changes If you are to be purged of the charge of contempt of Congress, you must be willing to answer the questions previously asked. 351. purport intention; meaning If the purport of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you succeeded admirably. 352. purveyor furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell. 353. pusillanimous cowardly; fainthearted You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during this dispute. 354. putative supposed; reputed Although there are some doubts, the putative author of this work is Massinger. 355. putrid foul; rotten; decayed The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the putrid smell when the bandages were removed. 356. pyromaniac person with an insane desire to set things on fire The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had set these costly fires. 357. pyre heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse. The mortician put pyre on the corpse before burning a corpse. 358. pest troublesome or annoying person He was a pest; always bothering people. 359. prohibitive extremely high (of prices etc.) The super computer's price was prohibitive. 1. quack charlatan; impostor Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this quack; he cannot cure you. 2. quadruped four-footed animal Most mammals are quadrupeds. 3. quaff drink with relish As we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern. 4. quagmire soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was going to extricate herself from this quagmire. 5. quail cower; lose heart He was afraid that he would quail in the face of danger. 6. quaint odd; old-fashioned; picturesque Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language marked her as an eccentric. 7. qualified limited; restricted Unable to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement. 8. qualms misgivings His qualms of conscience had become so great that he decided to abandon his plans. 9. quandary dilemma When the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he was in a quandary as to which one he should attend. 10. quarantine isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection We will have to place this house under quarantine until we determine the nature of the disease. 11. quarry victim; object of a hunt The police closed in on their quarry. 12. quarry dig into They quarried blocks of marble out of the hillside. 13. quash subdue; crush; squash The authorities acted quickly to quash the student rebellion, sending in tanks to cow the demonstrators. 14. quay dock; landing place Because of the captain's carelessness, the ship crashed into the quay. 15. queasy easily nauseated; squeamish As the ship left the harbor, he became queasy and thought that he was going to suffer from seasickness. 16. quell put down; quiet The police used fire hoses and teat gas to quell the rioters. 17. querulous fretful; whining His classmates were repelled by his querulous and complaining statements. 18. queue line They stood patiently in the queue outside the movie theatre. 19. quibble equivocate; play on words Do not quibble; I want a straightforward and definite answer. 20. quiescent at rest; dormant After this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescent for twenty-four hours. 21. quietude tranquillity He was impressed by the air of quietude and peace that pervaded the valley. 22. quintessence purest and highest embodiment Noel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit. 23. quip taunt You are unpopular because you are too free with your quips and sarcastic comments. 24. quirk startling twise; caprice By a quirk of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he had discharged years before. 25. quisling traitor who aids invaders In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the quislings who betrayed their own people and served in the puppet governments established by the Nazis. 26. quiver case for arrows Robin Hood reached back and plucked one last arrow from his quiver. 27. quixotic idealistic but impractical His head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these quixotic schemes. 28. quizzical bantering; comical; humorously serious Will Rogers' quizzical remarks endeared him to his audiences. 29. quorum number of members necessary to conduct a meeting The senator asked for a roll call to determine whether a quorum was present. 30. quotidian daily; commonplace; customary To Philip, each new day of his internship was filled with excitement; he could not dismiss his rounds as merely quotidian routine. 1. rabid like a fanatic; furious He was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park. 2. raconteur story-teller My father was a gifted raconteur with an unlimited supply of anecdotes. 3. ragamuffin person wearing tattered clothes He felt sorry for the ragamuffin who was begging for food and gave him money to buy a meal. 4. rail scold; rant You may rail at him all you want; you will never change him. 5. raiment clothing "How can I go to the ball?" asked Cinderella. "I have no raiment fit to wear." 6. rakish stylish; sporty He wore his hat at a rakish and jaunty angle. 7. ramble wander aimlessly (physically or mentally) Listening to the teacher ramble, Judy wondered whether he'd ever get to his point. 8. ramification branching out; subdivision We must examine all the ramifications of this problem. 9. ramify divide into branches or subdivisions When the plant begins to ramify, it is advisable to nip off most of the new branches. 10. ramp slope; inclined plane The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move easily from room to room and floor to floor. 11. rampant rearing up on hind legs; unrestrained The rampant weeds in the garden killed all the flowers that had been planted in the spring. 12. rampart defensive mound on earth "From the ramparts we watched" as the fighting continued. 13. ramshackle rickety; falling apart The boys propped up the ramshackle clubhouse with a couple of boards. 14. rancid having the odor of stale fat A rancid odor filled the ship's galley and nauseated the crew. 15. rancor bitterness; hatred Let us forget out rancor and cooperate in this new endeavor. 16. random without definite purpose, plan, or aim; haphazard Although the sponsor of the raffle claimed all winners were chosen at random, people had their suspicions when the grand prize went to the sponsor's brother-in-law. 17. rankle irritate; fester The memory of having been jilted rankled him for years. 18. rant rave; speak bombastically As we heard him rant on the platform, we could not understand his strange popularity with many people. 19. rapacious excessively grasping; plundering Hawks and other rapacious birds prey on variety of small animals. 20. rapport emotional closeness; harmony In team teaching, it is important that all teachers in the group have good rapport with one another. 21. rarefied made less dense [of a gas] The mountain climbers had difficulty breathing in the rarefied atmosphere. 22. raspy grating; harsh The sergeant's raspy voice grated on the recruits' ears. 23. ratify approve formally; verify Before the treaty could go into effect, it had to be ratified by the president. 24. ratiocination reasoning; act of drawing conclusions from premises While Watson was a man of average intelligence, Holmes was a genius, whose gift for ratiocination made him a superb detective. 25. rationalization bringing into conformity with reason All attempts at rationalization at this time are doomed to failure; tempers and emotions run too high for intelligent thought to prevail. 26. rationalize reason; justify an improper act Do not try to rationalize your behavior by blaming your companions. 27. raucous harsh and shrill His raucous laughter irritated me and grated on my ears. 28. ravage plunder; despoil The marauding army ravaged the countryside. 29. rave overwhelmingly favorable review Though critic John Simon seldom has a good word to say about contemporary plays, his review of All in the Timing was a total rave. 30. ravel fall apart into tangles; unravel or untwist; entangle A sigle thread pulled loose, and the entire scarf started to ravel. 31. ravenous extremely hungry The revenous dog upset several garbage pails in its search for food. 32. ravine narrow valley with steep sides Steeper than a gully, less precipitous than a canyon, a ravine is, like them, the product of years of erosion. 33. raze destroy completely The owners intend to raze the hotel and erect an office building on the site. 34. reactionary recoiling from progress; retrograde His program was reactionary since it sought to abolish many of the social reforms instituted by the previous administration. 35. realm kingdom; sphere The realm of possibilities for the new invention was endless. 36. reaper one who harvests grain Death, the Grim Reaper, cuts down men and women, just as a farmer cuts down the ripened grain. 37. rebate discount We offer a rebate of ten percent to those who pay cash. 38. rebuff snub; beat back She rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed. 39. rebus puzzle in which pictures stand for words A coven of witches beside a tree is a possible rebus for the town Coventry. 40. rebuttal refutation; response with contrary evidence The defense lawyer confidently listened to the prosecutor sum up his case, sure that she could answer his arguments in her rebuttal. 41. recalcitrant obstinately stubborn Donkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant of animals. 42. recant repudiate; withdraw previous statement Unless you recant your confession, you will be punished severely. 43. recapitulate summarize Let us recapitulate what has been said thus far before going ahead. 44. receptive quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc. Adventure-loving Huck Finn proved a receptive audience for Tom's tales of buried treasure and piracy. 45. recession withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity The slow recession of the flood waters created problems for the crews working to restore power to the area. 46. recidivism habitual return to crime Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high rate of recidivism; the number of persons serving second and third terms indicates the failure of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates. 47. recipient receiver Although he had been the recipient of many favors, he was not grateful to his benefactor. 48. reciprocal mutual; exchangeable; interacting The two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement. 49. reciprocate repay in kind If they attack us, we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb their territory. 50. recluse hermit The recluse lived in a hut in the forest. 51. reconcile correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a quarrel Every time we try to reconcile our checkbook with the bank statement, we quarrel. However, despite these monthly lovers' quarrels, we always manage to reconcile. 52. recondite abstruse; profound; secret He read many recondite books in order to obtain the material for the scholarly thesis. 53. reconnaissance survey of enemy by soldiers; reconnoitering If you encounter any enemy soldiers during your reconnaissance, capture them for questioning. 54. recount narrate or tell; count over again About to recount the latest adventure of Sherlock Holmes, Watson lost track of exactly how many cases Holmes had solved and refused to begin his tale until he'd recounted them one by one. 55. recourse resorting to help when in trouble The boy's only recourse was to appeal to his father for aid. 56. recrimination countercharges Loud and angry recriminations were her answer to his accusations. 57. rectify correct I want to rectify my error before it is too late. 58. rectitude uprightness He was renowned for his rectitude and integrity. 59. recumbent reclining; lying down completely or in part The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a recumbent position. 60. recuperate recover The doctors were worried because the patient did not recuperate as rapidly as they had expected. 61. recurrent occurring again and again These recurrent attacks disturbed us and we consulted a physician. 62. redolent fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor Even though it is February, the air is redolent of spring. 63. redoubtable formidable; causing fear During the Cold War period, neighboring countries tried not to offend the Russians because they could be redoubtable foes. 64. redress remedy; compensation Do you mean to tell me that I can get no redress for my injuries? 65. redundant superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitious Your composition is redundant; you can easily reduce its length. 66. reek emit (odor) The room reeked with stale tobacco smoke. 67. refectory dining hall In this huge refectory, we can feed the entire student body at one sitting. 68. refraction bending of a ray of light When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks bent because of the refraction of the light by the water. 69. refractory stubborn; unmanageable The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey. 70. refrain v. abstain from; resist n. chorus Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Sol could never refrain from joining in on the refrain. 71. refurbish renovate; make bright by polishing The flood left a deposit of mud on everything; it was necessary to refurbish our belongings. 72. refute disprove The defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the prosecution's only witness. 73. regal royal Prince Albert had a regal manner. 74. regale entertain John regaled us with tales of his adventures in Africa. 75. regatta boat or yacht race Many boating enthusiasts followed the regatta in their own yachts. 76. regeneration spiritual rebirth Modern penologists strive for the regeneration of the prisoners. 77. regicide murder of a king or queen The beheading of Mary Queen of Scots was an act of regicide. 78. regime method or system of government When a Frenchman mentions the Old Regime, he refers to the government existing before the revolution. 79. regimen prescribed diet and habits I doubt whether the results warrant our living under such a strict regimen. 80. rehabilitate restore to proper condition We must rehabilitate those whom we send to prison. 81. reimburse repay Let me know what you have spent and I will reimburse you. 82. reiterate repeat He reiterated the warning to make sure everyone understood it. 83. rejoinder retort; comeback; reply When someone has been rude to me, I find it particularly satisfying to come up with a quick rejoinder. 84. rejuvenate make young again The charlatan claimed that his elixir would rejuvenate the aged and weary. 85. relegate banish; consign to inferior position If we relegate these experts to minor posts because of their political persuasions, we shall lose their valuable services. 86. relent give in When her stern father would not relent and allow her to marry Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with her suitor. 87. relevant pertinent; referring to the case in hand Teri was impressed by how relevant Virginia Woolf's remarks were to her as a woman writer; it was as if Woolf had been writing with Teri's situation in mind. 88. relic surviving remnant; memento Egypt's Department of Antiquities prohibits tourists from taking mummies and other ancient relics out of the country. 89. relinquish abandon I will relinquish my claims to this property if you promise to retain my employees. 90. relish savor; enjoy I relish a good joke as much as anyone else. 91. remediable reparable Let us be grateful that the damage is remediable. 92. reminiscence recollection Her reminiscences of her experiences are so fascinating that she ought to write a book. 93. remiss negligent He was accused of being remiss in his duty when the prisoner escaped. 94. remission temporary moderation of disease symptoms; cancellation of a debt; forgiveness or pardon Though Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his symptoms were in remission, and he was considered fit to handle the strains of a Presidential race. 95. remnant remainder I suggest that you wait until the store places the remnants of these goods on sale. 96. remonstrance protest; objection The authorities were deaf to the pastor's remonstrances about the lack of police protection in the area. 97. remorse guilt; self-reproach The murderer felt no remorse for his crime. 98. remunerative compensating; rewarding I find my new work so renumerative that I may not return to my previous employment. 99. rend split; tear apart In his grief, he tried to rend his garments. 100. render deliver; provide; represent He rendered aid to the needy and indigent. 101. rendezvous meeting place The two fleets met at the rendezvous at the appointed time. 102. rendition translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc. The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her rendition of the aria. 103. renegade deserter; traitor Because he had abandoned his post and joined forces with the Indians, his fellow officers considered the hero of Dances with Wolves a renegade. 104. renege deny; go back on He reneged on paying off his debt. 105. renounce abandon; disown; repudiate Even though she knew she would be burned at the stake as a witch, Joan of Arc refused to renounce her belief that her voices came from God. 106. renovate restore to good condition; renew They claim that they can renovate worn shoes so that they look like new ones. 107. renown fame For many years an unheralded researcher, Barbara McClintock gained international renown when she won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. 108. rent tear or rip; split The conflict over abortion threatens to split our nation, creating a rent in the social fabric that will be difficult to mend. 109. reparable capable of being repaired Fortunately, the damages we suffered in the accident were reparable and our car looks brand new. 110. reparation amends; compensation At the peace conference, the defeated country promised to pay reparations to the victors. 111. repartee clever reply He was famous for his witty repartee and his sarcasm. 112. repeal revoke; annul What would the effect on our society be if we decriminalized drug use by repealing the laws against the possession and sale of narcotics? 113. repellent driving away; unattractive Mosquitoes find the odor so repellent that they leave any spot where this liquid has been sprayed. 114. repercussion rebound; reverberation; reaction I am afraid that this event will have serious repercussions. 115. repertoire list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present The opera company decided to include Madame Butterfly in its repertoire for the following season. 116. repine fret; complain There is no sense repining over the work you have left undone. 117. replenish fill up again Before she could take another backpacking trip, Carla had to replenish her stock of freeze-dried foods. 118. replete filled to capacity; abundantly supplied The book is replete with humorous situations. 119. replica copy Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of Independence in the classroom or in the auditorium? 120. replicate reproduce; duplicate To the chagrin of the scientists, they were unable to replicate the results of their controversial experiment. 121. repository storehouse Libraries are repositories of the world's best thoughts. 122. reprehensible deserving blame Your vicious conduct in this situation is reprehensible. 123. repress restrain; crush; oppress Anne's parents tried to curb her impetuosity without repressing her boundless high spirits. 124. reprieve temporary stay During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent. 125. reprimand reprove severely I am afraid that my parents will reprimand me when I show them my report card. 126. reprisal retaliation I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals the enemy may undertake. 127. reprise recurrent action; musical repetition; repeat performance At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one skirmish that exhausted Colonel Audly; rather it was the cumulative effect of the constant reprises that left him spent. 128. reproach blame; censure I want my work to be above reproach and without error 129. reprobate person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency I cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the reprobate you say he is. 130. reprobation severe disapproval The students showed their reprobation of his act by refusing to talk with him. 131. reprove censure; rebuke The principal reproved the students when they became unruly in the auditorium. 132. repudiate disown; disavow He announced that he would repudiate all debts incurred by his wife. 133. repugnance loathing She looked at the snake with repugnance. 134. repulsion act of driving back; distaste The repulsion of the enemy forces was not accomplished bloodlessly; many of the defenders were wounded in driving the enemy back. 135. reputable respectable If you want to buy antiques, look for a reputable dealer; far too many dealers today pass off fakes as genuine antiques. 136. reputed supposed He is the reputed father of the child. 137. requiem mass for the dead; dirge They played Mozart's Requiem at the funeral. 138. requisite necessary requirement Many colleges state that a student must offer three years of a language as a requisite for admission. 139. requite repay; revenge The wretch requited his benefactors by betraying them. 140. rescind cancel Because of public resentment, the king had to rescind his order. 141. reserve self-control; formal but distant manner Although some girls were attracted by Mark's reserve, Judy was put off by it, for she felt his aloofness indicated a lack of openness. 142. residue remainder; balance In his will, he requested that after payment of debts, taxes, and funeral expenses, the residue be given to his wife. 143. resignation patient submissiveness; statement that one is quitting a job If Bob Cratchit had not accepted Scrooge's bullying with timid resignation, he might have gotten up the nerve to hand in his resignation. 144. resilient elastic; having the power of springing back Highly resilient, steel makes excellent bedsprings. 145. resolution determination Nothing could shake his resolution to succeed despite all difficulties. 146. resolve determination Nothing could shake his resolve that his children would get the best education that money could buy. 147. resolve decide; settle; solve Homes resolved to travel to Bohemia to resolve the dispute between Irene Adler and the King. 148. resonant echoing; resounding; deep and full in sound The deep, resonant voice of the actor James Earl Jones makes him particulary effective when he appears on stage. 149. respiration breathing; exhalation The doctor found that the patient's years of smoking had adversely affected both his lung capacity and his rate of respiration. 150. respite delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest The judge granted the condemned man a respite to enable his attorneys to file an appeal. 151. resplendent brilliant; lustrous The toreador wore a resplendent costume called a suit of lights. 152. responsiveness state of reacting readily to appeals, order, etc. The audience cheered and applauded, delighting the performers by its responsiveness. 153. restitution reparation; indemnification He offered to make restitution for the window broken by his son. 154. restive restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control Waiting impatiently in the line to see Santa Claus, even the best-behaved children grow restive and start to fidget. 155. restraint controlling force She dreamt of living an independent life, free of all restraints. 156. resumption taking up again; recommencement During the summer break, Don had not realized how much he missed university life: at the resumption of classes, however, he felt marked excitement and pleasure. 157. resurgent rising again after defeat, etc. The resurgent nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery after total defeat. 158. resuscitate revive The lifeguard tried to resuscitate the drowned child by applying artificial respiration. 159. retain keep; employ Fighting to retain his seat in Congress, Senator Foghorn retained a new manager to head his reelection campaign. 160. retaliate repay in kind (usually for bad treatment) Fear that we will retaliate immediately deters our foe from attacking us. 161. retentive holding; having a good memory The pupil did not need to spend much time in study as he had a retentive mind. 162. reticent reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence Hughes preferred reticent employees to loquacious ones, noting that the formers' dislike of idle chatter might ensure their discretion about his affairs. 163. retinue following; attendants The queen's retinue followed her down the aisle. 164. retiring modest; shy Given Susan't retiring personality, no one expected her to take up public speaking; surprisingly enough, she became a star of the school debate team. 165. retort quick, sharp reply Even when it was advisable for her to keep her mouth shut, she was always ready with a retort. 166. retraction withdrawal He dropped his libel suit after the newspaper published a retraction of its statement. 167. retrench cut down; economize If they were to be able to send their children to college, they would have to retrench. 168. retribution vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses The evangelist maintained that an angry deity would exact retribution from the sinners. 169. retrieve recover; find and bring in The dog was intelligent and quickly learned to retrieve the game killed by the hunter. 170. retroactive taking effect before its enactment (as a law) or imposition (as a tax) Because the new pension law was retroactive to the first of the year, even though Martha had retired in February she was eligible for the pension. 171. retrograde go backwards; degenerate Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have retrograded in ethics and culture. 172. retrospective looking back on the past It is only when we become retrospective that we can appreciate the tremendous advances made during this century. 173. revelry boisterous merrymaking New Year's Eve is a night of revelry. 174. reverberate echo; resound The entire valley reverberated with the sound of the church bells. 175. reverent respectful His reverent attitude was appropriate in a house of worship. 176. reverie daydream; musing He was awakened from his reverie by the teacher's question. 177. revile slander; vilify He was avoided by all who feared that he would revile and abuse them if they displeased him. 178. revoke cancel; retract Repeat offenders who continue to drive under the influence of alcohol face having their driver's licenses permanently revoked. 179. revulsion sudden violent change of feeling; negative reaction Many people in this country who admired dictatorships underwent a revulsion when they realized what Hitler and Mussolini were trying to do. 180. rhapsodize to speak or write in an exaggeratedly enthusiastic manner She greatly enjoyed her Hawaiian vacation and rhapsodized about it for weeks. 181. rhetoric art of effective communication; insincere or grandiloquent language All writers, by necessity, must be skilled in rhetoric. 182. ribald wanton; profane He sang a ribald song that offended many of the more prudish listeners. 183. rider amendment or clause added to a legislative bill Senator Foghorn said he would support Senator Filibuster's tax reform bill only if Filibuster agreed to add an antipollution rider to the bill. 184. rife abundant; current In the face of the many rumors of scandal, which are rife at the moment, it is best to remain silent. 185. rift opening; break The plane was lost in the stormy sky until the pilot saw the city through a rift in the clouds. 186. rig fix or manipulate The ward boss was able to rig the election by bribing people to stuff the ballot boxes with ballots marked in his candidate's favor. 187. rigid stiff and unyielding; strict; hard and unbending By living with a man to whom she was not married, George Eliot broke Victorian society's most rigid rule of respectable behavior. 188. rigor severity Many settlers could not stand the rigors of the New England winters. 189. rile vex; irritate; muddy Red had a hair-trigger temper: he was an easy man to rile. 190. riveting absorbing; engrossing The reviewer described Byatt's novel Possession as a riveting tale: absorbed in the story, he had finished it in a single evening. 191. rivulet small stream As the rains continued, the trickle of water running down the hillside grew into a rivulet that threatened to wash away a portion of the slope. 192. robust vigorous; strong The candidate for the football team had a robust physique. 193. rococo ornate; highly decorated The rococo style in furniture and architecture, marked by scrollwork and excessive decoration, flourished during the middle of the eighteenth century. 194. roil to make liquids murky by stirring up sediment; to disturb Be careful when you pour not to roil the wine; if you stir up the sediment you'll destroy the flavor. 195. roseate rosy; optimistic I am afraid you will have to alter your roseate views in the light of the distressing news that has just arrived. 196. roster list They print the roster of players in the season's program. 197. rostrum platform for speech-making; pulpit The crowd murmured angrily and indicated that they did not care to listen to the speaker who was approaching the rostrum. 198. rote repetition He recited the passage by rote and gave no indication he understood what he was saying. 199. rotunda circular building or hall covered with a dome His body lay in state in the rotunda of the Capitol. 200. rotundity roundness; sonorousness of speech Washington Irving emphasized the rotundity of the governor by describing his height and circumference. 201. rousing lively; stirring "And now, let's have a rousing welcome for TV's own Roseanne Arnold, who'll lead us in a rousing rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'" 202. rout stampede; drive out The reinforcements were able to rout the enemy 203. rubble fragments Ten years after World War II, some of the rubble left by enemy bombings could still be seen. 204. rubric title or heading (in red print); directions for religious ceremony; protocol In ordaining the new priests, the bishop carefully observed all the rubrics for the ordination service. 205. ruddy reddish; healthy-looking His ruddy features indicated that he had spent much time in the open. 206. rudimentary not developed; elementary His dancing was limited to a few rudimentary steps. 207. rueful regretful; sorrowful; dejected The artist has captured the sadness of childhood in his portrait of the boy with the rueful countenance. 208. ruffian bully; scoundrel The ruffians threw stones at the police. 209. ruminate chew the cud; ponder We cannot afford to wait while you ruminate upon these plans. 210. rummage ransack; thoroughly search When we rummaged through the trunks in the attic, we found many souvenirs of our childhood days. 211. runic mysterious; set down in an ancient alphabet Tolkien's use of Old English words and inscriptions in the runic alphabet give The Lord of the Rings its atmosphere of antiquity. 212. ruse trick; stratagem You will not be able to fool your friends with such an obvious ruse. 213. rustic pertaining to country people; uncouth The backwoodsman looked out place in his rustic attire. 214. rusticate banish to the country; dwell in the country I like city life so much that I can never understand how people can rusticate in the suburbs. 215. ruthless pitiless The escaped convict was a dangerous and ruthless murderer. 216. relapse fall back or sink again The economy relapsed into a depression from the peak. 1. saboteur one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property Members of the Resistance acted as saboteurs, blowing up train lines to prevent supplies from reaching the Nazi army. 2. saccharine cloyingly sweet She tried to ingratiate herself, speaking sweetly and smiling a saccharine smile. 3. sacrilegious desecrating; profane His stealing of the altar cloth was a very sacrilegious act. 4. sacrosanct most sacred; inviolable The brash insurance salesman invaded the sacrosanct privacy of the office of the president of the company. 5. sadistic inclined to cruelty If we are to improve conditions in this prison, we must first get rid of the sadistic warden. 6. saga Scandinavian myth; any legend This is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it. 7. sagacious keen; shrewd; having insight He is much too sagacious to be fooled by a trick like that. 8. sage person celebrated for wisdom Hearing tales of a mysterious Master of All Knowledge who lived in the hills of Tibet, Sandy was possessed with a burning desire to consult the legendary sage. 9. salacious lascivious; lustful Chaucer's monk is not pious but salacious, a teller of lewd tales and ribald jests. 10. salient prominent One of the salient features of that newspaper is its excellent editorial page. 11. saline salty The slightly saline taste of this mineral water is pleasant. 12. sallow yellowish; sickly in color We were disturbed by his sallow complexion, which was due to jaundice. 13. salubrious healthful Many people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of the country during the months of August and September. 14. salutary tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy, as he became a model student. 15. salvage rescue from loss All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed. 16. sanctimonious displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness You do not have to be so sanctimonious to prove that you are devout. 17. sanction approve; ratify Nothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my daughter to such a worthless young man. 18. sanguinary bloody The battle of lwo Jina was unexpectedly sanguinary with many casualties. 19. sanguine cheerful; hopeful Let us not be too sanguine about the outcome; something could go wrong. 20. sap diminish; undermine The element kryptonite had an unhealthy effect on Superman: it sapped his strength. 21. sarcasm scornful remarks, stinging rebuke His feelings were hurt by the sarcasm of his supposed friends. 22. sardonic disdainful; sarcastic; cynical The sardonic humor of nightclub comedians who satirize or ridicule patrons in the audience strikes some people as amusing and others as rude. 23. sartorial pertaining to tailors He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his attire as he was for his acting. 24. sate satisfy to the full; cloy Its hunger sated, the lion dozed. 25. satellite small body revolving around a larger one During the first few years of the Space Age, hundreds of satellites were launched by Russia and the United States. 26. satiate surfeit; satisfy fully The guests, having eaten until they were satiated, now listened inattentively to the speakers. 27. satire form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack vice and folly Gulliver's Travels, which is regarded by many as a tale for children, is actually a bitter satire attacking human folly. 28. satirical mocking The humor of cartoonists Gary Trudeau often is satirical; though the comments of the Doonesbury characters, Trudeau ridicules political corruption and folly. 29. saturate soak Their clothes were saturated by the rain. 30. saturnine gloomy Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks. 31. satyr half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus, portrayed as wanton and cunning He was like a satyr in his lustful conduct. 32. saunter stroll slowly As we sauntered through the park, we stopped frequently to admire the spring flowers. 33. savant scholar Our faculty includes many worldfamous savants. 34. savor enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality Relishing his triumph, Costner especially savored the chagrin of the critics who had predicted his failure. 35. savory tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable Julia Child's recipes enable amateur chefs to create savory delicacies for their guests. 36. scabbard case for a sword blade; sheath The drill master told the recruit to wipe the blood from his sword before slipping it back into the scabbard. 37. scad a great quantity Refusing Dave's offer to lend him a shirt, Phil replied, "No, thanks: I've got scads of clothes." 38. scaffold temporary platform for workers; bracing framework; platform for execution Before painting the house, the workers put up a scaffold to allow them to work on the second story. 39. scale climb up; ascend To locate a book on the top shelf of the stacks, Lee had to scale an exceptionally rickety ladder. 40. scanty meager; insufficient Thinking his helping of food was scanty, Oliver Twist asked for more. 41. scapegoat someone who bears the blame for others After the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for scapegoats on whom they could cast the blame. 42. scavenge hunt through discarded materials for usable items; search, especially for food If you need car parts that the dealers no longer stock, try scavenging for odd bits and pieces at the auto wreckers' yards. 43. scenario plot outline; screenplay; opera libretto Scaramouche startled the other actors in the commedia troupe when he suddenly departed from their customary scenario and began to improvise. 44. schematic relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols In working out the solution to an analytical logic question, you may find it helpful to construct a simple schematic diagram illustrating the relationships between the items of information given in the question. 45. schism division; split Let us not widen the schism by further bickering. 46. scintilla shred; least bit You have not produced a scintilla of evidence to support your argument. 47. scintillate sparkle; flash I enjoy her dinner parties because the food is excellent and the conversation scintillates. 48. scoff mock; ridicule He scoffed at dentists until he had his first toothache. 49. scotch stamp out; thwart; hinder Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had stolen her best friend's fiance. 50. scourge lash; whip; severe punishment They feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge. 51. scruple fret about; hesitate, for ethical reasons Fearing that her husband had become involved in an affair, she did not scruple to read his diary. 52. scrupulous conscientious; extremely thorough I can recommend him for a position of responsibility for I have found him a very scrupulous young man. 53. scrutinize examine closely and critically Searching for flaws, the sergeant scrutinized every detail of the private's uniform. 54. scuffle struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry. The twins briefly scuffled, wrestling to see which of them would get the toy. When their big brother yelled, "Let go of my Gameboy!" they scuffled off down the hall. 55. scurrilous obscene; indecent Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue. 56. scurry move briskly The White Rabbit had to scurry to get to his appointment on time. 57. scurvy despicable; contemptible Peter Pan sneered at Captain Hook and his scurvy crew. 58. scuttle sink The sailors decided to scuttle their vessel rather than surrender it to the enemy. 59. seamy sordid; unwholesome In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to expose his wife and children to the seamy side of his life as the son of a Mafia don. 60. sear char or burn; brand Accidentally brushing against the hot grill, she seared her hand badly. 61. seasoned experienced Though pleased with her new batch of rookies, the basketball coach wished she had a few more seasoned players on the team. 62. secession withdrawal The secession of the Southern states provided Lincoln with his first major problem after his inauguration. 63. seclusion isolation; solitude One moment she loved crowds; the next, she sought seclusion. 64. secrete hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism. The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its nest; the pancreas secretes insulin in the islets of Langerhans. 65. sectarian narrow-minded; limited in scope As university chaplain, she sought to address universal religious issues and not limit herself to mere sectarian concerns. 66. secular worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporal The church leaders decided not interfere in secular matters. 67. sedate composed; grave The parents were worried because they felt their son was too quiet and sedate. 68. sedentary requiring sitting Because he had a sedentary occupation, he decided to visit a gymnasium weekly. 69. sedition resistance to authority; insubordination His words, though not treasonous in themselves, were calculated to arouse thoughts of sedition. 70. sedulous diligent The young woman was so sedulous that she received a commendation for her hard work. 71. seedy run-down; decrepit; disreputable I would rather stay in dormitory lodgings in a decent youth hostel than have a room of my own in a seedy downtown hotel. 72. seemly proper; appropriate Lady Bracknell did not think it was seemly for Ernest to lack a proper family; no baby abandoned on a doorstep could grow up to marry her daughter. 73. seep ooze; trickle During the rainstorm, water seeped through the crack in the basement wall and damaged the floor boards. 74. seethe be disturbed; boil The nation was seething with discontent as the nobleman continued their arrogant ways. 75. seine net for catching fish When the shad run during the spring, you may see fishermen with seines along the banks of our coastal rivers. 76. seismic pertaining to earthquakes The Richter scale is a measurement of seismic disturbances. 77. semblance outward appearance; guise Although this book has a semblance of wisdom and scholarship, a careful examination will reveal many errors and omissions. 78. seminal germinal; influencing future developments; related to seed or semen Although Freud has generally been regarded as a seminal thinker who shaped the course of psychology, his psychoanalytic methods have come under attack recently. 79. seminary school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women Sure of his priestly vocation, Terrence planned to pursue his theological training at the local Roman Catholic seminary. 80. senility old age; feeble mindedness of old age Most of the decisions are being made by the junior members of the company because of the senility of the president. 81. sensual devoted to the pleasures of the senses; carnal; voluptous I cannot understand what caused him to drop his sensual way of life and become so ascetic. 82. sensuous pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses He was stimulated by the sights, sounds and smells about him; he was enjoying his sensuous experience. 83. sententious terse; concise; aphoristic After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his sententious style particulary pleasing. 84. sentinel sentry; lookout Though camped in enemy territory, Bledsoe ignored the elementary precaution of posting sentinels around the encampment. 85. septic putrid; producing putrefaction The hospital was in such a filthy state that we were afraid that many of the patients would suffer from septic poisoning. 86. sepulcher tomb Annabel Lee was buried in a sepulcher by the sea. 87. sequester retire from public life; segregate; seclude Although he had hoped for a long time to sequester himself in a small community, he never was able to drop his busy round of activities in the city. 88. sere parched; dry After the unseasonably dry winter the Berkeley hills looked dusty and sere. 89. serendipity gift for finding valuable or desirable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck Many scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity: Newton was not sitting there thinking about gravity when the apple dropped on his head. 90. serenity calmness; placidity The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a tremendous explosion. 91. serpentine winding; twisting The car swerved at every curve in the serpentine road. 92. serrated having a sawtoothed edge The beech tree is one of many plants that have serrated leaves. 93. servile slavish; cringing Constantly fawning on his employer, humble Uriah Heap was a servile creature. 94. servitude slavery; compulsory labor Born a slave, Douglass resented his wife of servitude and plotted to escape to the North. 95. severance division; partition; separation The severance of church and state is a basic principle of our government. 96. severity harshness; plainness The newspapers disapproved of the severity of the sentence. 97. sextant navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and longitude Given a clear night, with the aid of his sextant and compass, he could keep the ship safely on course. 98. shackle chain; fetter The criminal's ankles were shackled to prevent his escape. 99. sham pretend He shammed sickness to get out of going to school. 100. shambles slaughterhouse; scene of carnage By the time the police arrived, the room was a shambles. 101. shard fragment, generally of pottery The archaeologist assigned several students the task of reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards he had brought back from the expedition. 102. sheaf bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together The lawyer picked up a sheaf of papers as he rose to question the witness. 103. sheathe place into a case As soon as he recognized the approaching men, he sheathed his dagger and hailed them as friends. 104. sherbet flavored dessert ice I prefer raspberry sherbet to ice cream since it is less fattening. 105. shimmer glimmer intermittently The moonlight shimmered on the water as the moon broke through the clouds for a moment. 106. shirk avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger Brian has a strong sense of duty; he would never shirk any responsibility. 107. shoddy sham; not genuine; inferior You will never get the public to buy such shoddy material. 108. shrew scolding woman No one wanted to marry Shakespeare's Kate because she was a shrew. 109. shrewd clever; astute A shrewd investor, he took clever advantage of the fluctuations of the stock market. 110. shun keep away from Cherishing his solitude, the recluse shunned the company of other human beings. 111. shunt turn aside; divert; sidetrack If the switchman failed to shunt the Silver Streak onto a side track, the train would plow right into Union Station. 112. shyster lawyer using questionable methods. On L.A. Law, respectable attorney Brackman was horrified to learn that his newly discovered half brother was a cheap shyster. 113. sibling brother or sister We may not enjoy being siblings, but we cannot forget that we still belong to the same family. 114. sibylline prophetic; oracular Until their destruction by fire in 83 B.C., the sibylline books were often consulted by the Romans. 115. sidereal relating to the stars Although hampered by optical and mechanical flaws, the orbiting Hubble space telescope has relayed extraordinary images of distant sidereal bodies. 116. silt sediment deposited by running water The harbor channel must be dredged annually to remove the silt. 117. simian monkeylike Lemurs are nocturnal mammals and have many simian characteristics, although they are less intelligent than monkeys. 118. simile comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as "My love is like a red, red rose" is a simile. 119. simper smirk; smile affectedly Complimented on her appearance, Stella self-consciously simpered. 120. simplistic oversimplified Though Jack's solution dealt adequately with one aspect of the problem, it was simplistic in failing to consider various complicating factors that might arise. 121. simulate feign He simulated insanity in order to avoid punishment for his crime. 122. sinecure well-paid position with little responsibility My job is no sinecure; I work long hours and have much responsibility. 123. sinewy tough; strong and firm The steak was too sinewy to chew 124. singular unique; extraordinary; odd Though the young man tried to understand Father William's singular behavior, he still found it odd that the old man incessantly stood on his head. 125. sinister evil We must defeat the sinister forces that seek our downfall. 126. sinuous winding; bending in and out; not morally honest The snake moved in a sinuous manner. 127. skeptic doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view. In this matter, I am a skeptic; I want proof. 128. skiff small, light sailboat or rowboat Tom dreamed of owning an ocean-going yacht but had to settle for a skiff he could sail in the bay. 129. skimp provide scantily; live very economically They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to make their limited supplies last the winter. 130. skinflint miser The old skinflint refused to give her a raise. 131. skirmish minor fight Custer's troops expected they might run into a skirmish or two on maneuvers; they did not expect to face a major battle. 132. skittish lively; frisky She is as skittish as a kitten playing with a piece of string. 133. skulduggery dishonest behavior The investigation into municipal corruption turned up new instances of skulduggery daily. 134. skulk move furtively and secretly He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in order to avoid meeting any of his former friends. 135. slacken slow up; loosen As they passed the finish line, the runners slackened their pace. 136. slag residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter The blast furnace had a special opening at the bottom to allow the workers to remove the worthless slag. 137. slake quench; sate When we reached the oasis, we were able to slake our thirst. 138. slander defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements Unless you can prove your allegations, your remarks constitute slander. 139. slapdash haphazard; careless; sloppy From the number of typos and misspellings I've found on it, it's clear that Mario proofread the report in a remarkably slapdash fashion. 140. sleazy flimsy; unsubstantial This is a sleazy fabric; it will not wear well. 141. sleeper something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable Unnoticed by the critics at its publication, the eventual Pulitzer Prize winner was a classic sleeper. 142. sleight dexterity The magician amazed the audience with his sleight of hand. 143. slight insult to one's dignity; snub Hypersensitive and ready to take offense at any discourtesy, Bertha was always on the lookout for real or imaginary slights. 144. slither slip or slide During the recent ice storm, many people slithered down this hill as they walked to the station. 145. sloth laziness Such sloth in a young person is deplorable; go to work! 146. sloth slow-moving tree-dwelling mammal Note how well the somewhat greenish coat of the sloth enables it to blend in with its arboreal surroundings. 147. slough cast off Each spring, the snake sloughs off its skin. 148. slovenly untidy; slipshod Such slovenly work habits will never produce good products. 149. sluggard lazy person "You are a sluggard, a drone, a parasite," the angry father shouted at his lazy son. 150. sluggish slow; lazy; lethargic After two nights without sleep, she felt sluggish and incapable of exertion. 151. sluice artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water In times of drought, this sluice enables farmers to obtain water for irrigation. 152. slur insult to one's character or reputation; slander Polls revealed that the front-runner's standing had been damaged by the slurs and innuendoes circulated by his opponent's staff. 153. smattering slight knowledge I don't know whether it is better to be ignorant of a subject or to have a mere smattering of information about it. 154. smirk conceited smile Wipe that smirk off your face! 155. smolder burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into flame. 156. snicker half-stifled laugh The boy could not suppress a snicker when the teacher sat on the tack. 157. snivel run at the nose; snuffle; whine Don't you come sniveling to me complaining about your big brother. 158. sobriety moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness Neither drunkards nor comics are noted for sobriety. 159. sodden soaked; dull, as if from drink He set his sodden overcoat near the radiator to dry. 160. sojourn temporary stay After his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for the colder climate of his native New England home. 161. solace comfort in trouble I hope you will find solace in the thought that all of us share your loss. 162. solder repair or make whole by using a metal alloy The plumber fixed the leak in the pipes by soldering a couple of joints from which water had been oozing. 163. solecism construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically I must give this paper a failing mark because it contains many solecisms. 164. solemnity seriousness; gravity The minister was concerned that nothing should disturb the solemnity of the marriage service. 165. solicit request earnestly; seek Knowing she needed to have a solid majority for the budget to pass, the mayor telephoned all the members of the city council to solicit their votes. 166. solicitous worried, concerned The employer was very solicitous about the health of her employees as replacements were difficult to get. 167. soliloquy talking to oneself The soliloquy is a device used by the dramatist to reveal a character's innermost thoughts and emotions. 168. solstice point at which the sun is farthest from the equator The winter solstice usually occurs on December 21. 169. solvent able to pay all debts By dint of very frugal living, he was finally able to become solvent and avoid bankruptcy proceedings. 170. somatic pertaining to the body; physical Why do you ignore the spiritual aspects and emphasize only the corporeal and the somatic ones? 171. somber gloomy; depressing From the doctor's grim expression, I could tell he had somber news. 172. somnambulist sleepwalker The most famous somnambulist in literature is Lady Macbeth; her monologue in the sleepwalking scene is one of the highlights of Shakespeare's play. 173. somnolent half asleep The heavy meal and the overheated room made us all somnolent and indifferent to the speaker. 174. sonorous resonant His sonorous voice resounded through the hall. 175. sophist teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning You are using all the devices of a sophist in trying to prove your case; your argument is specious. 176. sophistication artificiality; unnaturalness; act of employing sophistry in reasoning Sophistication is an acquired characteristic, found more frequently among city dwellers than among residents of rural areas. 177. sophistry seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to overwhelm his audience with a flood of sophistries. 178. sophomoric immature; shallow Your sophomoric remarks are a sign of your youth and indicate that you have not given much thought to the problem. 179. soporific sleep producing I do not need a sedative when I listen to one of his soporific speeches. 180. sordid filthy; base; vile The social worker was angered by the sordid housing provided for the homeless. 181. spangle small metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation The thousands of spangles on her dress sparkled in the glare of the stage lights. 182. spartan lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined Looking over the bare, unheated room with its hard cot, he wondered what he was doing in such spartan quarters. Only his spartan sense of duty kept him at his post. 183. spasmodic fitful; periodic The spasmodic coughing in the auditorium annoyed the performers. 184. spat squabble; minor dispute What had started out as a mere spat escalated into a full-blown argument. 185. spate sudden flood I am worried about the possibility of a spate if the rains do not diminish soon. 186. spatial relating to space It is difficult to visualize the spatial extent of our universe. 187. spatula broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing The manufacturers of this frying pan recommended the use of a rubber spatula to avoid scratching the specially treated surface. 188. spawn lay eggs Fish ladders had to be built in the dams to assist the salmon returning to spawn in their native streams. 189. specious seemingly reasonable but incorrect Let us not be misled by such specious arguments. 190. spectral ghostly We were frightened by the spectral glow that filled the room. 191. spectrum colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism The visible portion of the spectrum includes red at one end and violet at the other. 192. spendthrift someone who wastes money Easy access to credit encourages people to turn into spendthrifts who shop till they drop. 193. sphinx-like enigmatic; mysterious The Mona Lisa's sphinx-like expression has puzzled art lovers for centuries. 194. splice fasten together; unite Before you splice two strips of tape together, be sure to line them up evenly. 195. spontaneity impulsiveness; absence of premeditation What I liked best about Dale's parties was their spontaneity: a couple of friends would drop by, someone would pull out a fiddle or guitar, and before you knew it the party would be in full swing. 196. spoonerism accidental transposition of sounds in sucessive words When the radio announcer introduced the President as Hoobert Herver, he was guilty of spoonerism. 197. sporadic occurring irregularly Although there are still sporadic outbursts of shooting in the streets, the rebellion is essentially over. 198. sportive playful Such a sportive attitude is surprising in a person as serious as you usually are. 199. spruce neat and trim Every button buttoned, tie firmly in place, young Alex Keaton looked spruce and tidy for his job interview at the bank. 200. spry vigorously active; nimble She was eighty years old, yet still spry and alert. 201. spurious false; counterfeit; forged; illogical The hero of Jonathan Gash's mystery novels is an antique dealer who gives the reader advice on how to tell spurious antiques from the real things. 202. spurn reject; scorn The heroine spurned the villain's advances. 203. squabble minor quarrel; bickering Children invariably get involved in petty squabbles; wise parents know when to interfere and when to let the children work things out on their own. 204. squalid dirty; neglected; poor It is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid neighborhood. 205. squander waste The prodigal son squandered the family estate. 206. squat stocky; short and thick Tolkien's hobbits are somewhat squat, sturdy little creatures, fond of good ale, good music, and good food. 207. staccato played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt, sharp sound His staccato speech reminded one of the sound of a machine gun. 208. stagnant motionless; stale; dull The stagnant water was a breeding ground for disease 209. staid sober; sedate Her conduct during the funeral ceremony was staid and solemn. 210. stalemate deadlock Negotiations between the union and the employers have reached a stalemate; neither side is willing to budge from previously stated positions. 211. stalwart strong, brawny; steadfast His consistent support of the party has proved that he is a stalwart and loyal member. 212. stamina strength; staying power I doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the marathon race. 213. stanch check flow of blood It is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we attend to the other injuries. 214. stanza division of a poem Do you know the last stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner"? 215. static unchanging; lacking development Nothing had changed at home; things were static there 216. statute law We have many statutes in our law books which should be repealed. 217. statutory created by statute or legislative action The judicial courts review and try statutory crimes. 218. steadfast loyal; unswerving Penelope was steadfast in her affections, faithfully waiting for Ulysses to return from his wanderings. 219. stealth slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his way toward the enemy camp with great stealth. 220. steep soak; saturate Be sure to steep the fabric in the dye bath for the full time prescribed. 221. stellar pertaining to the stars He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance. 222. stem check the flow The paramedic used a tourniquet to stem the bleeding from the slashed artery. 223. stemfrom arise from Milton's problems in school stemmed from his poor study habits. 224. stentorian extremely loud The town crier had stentorian voice. 225. streotyped oversimplified; lacking individuality; seen as a type My chief objection to the book is that the characters are stereotyped; they come across as ethnic caricatures, not as real people with individual quirks, fears, and dreams. 226. stickler perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right The Internal Revenue Service agent was a stickler for accuracy; no approximations or rough estimates would satisfy him. 227. stifle suppress; extinguish; inhibit Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up trying to stifle her yawns. 228. stigma token of disgrace; brand I do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely. 229. stilted bombastic; stiffly pompous His stilted rhetoric did not impress the college audience; they were immune to bombastic utterances. 230. stint be thrifty; set limits "Spare no expense," the bride's father said, refusing to stint on the wedding arrangements. 231. stint supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of work He performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly. 232. stipend pay for services There is a nominal stipend for this position. 233. stipple paint or draw with dots Seurat carefully stippled dabs of pure color on the canvas, juxtaposing dots of blue and yellow that the viewer's eye would interpret as green. 234. stipulate make express conditions, specify Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe, the president stipulated that NATO teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases. 235. stodgy stuffy; boringly conservative For a young person, Winston seems remarkably stodgy: you'd expect someone of his age to have a little more life. 236. stoic person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain The doctor called her patient a stoic because he had borne the pain of the examination without whimpering. 237. stoke stir up a fire; feed plentifully As a Scout, Marisa learned how to light a fire, how to stoke it if it started to die down, and how to extinguish it completely. 238. stolidity dullness; impassivenss The earthquake shattered his usual stolidity; trembling, he crouched on the no longer stable ground. 239. stratified divided into classes; arranged into strata As the economic gap between the rich and the poor increased, Roman society grew increasingly stratified. 240. stratum layer of earth's surface; layer of society Unless we alleviate conditions in the lowest stratum of our society, we may expect grumbling and revolt. 241. strew spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will strew rose petals along the aisle. 242. striated marked with parallel bands; grooved The glacier left many striated rocks. 243. stricture critical comments; severe and adverse criticism His strictures on the author's style are prejudiced and unwarranted. 244. strident loud and harsh She scolded him in a strident voice 245. stringent binding; rigid I think these regulations are too stringent. 246. strut pompous walk His strut as he marched about the parade ground revealed him for what he was: a pompous buffoon. 247. strut supporting bar The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced. 248. studied unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful Given Jill's previous slights, Jack felt that the omission of his name from the guest list was a studied insult. 249. stultify cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; frustrate or hinder His long hours in the blacking factory left young Dickens numb and incurious, as if the menial labor had stultified his mind. 250. stupefy make numb; stun; amaze Disapproving of drugs in general, Laura refused to take sleeping pills or any other medicine that might stupefy her. 251. stupor state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness In his stupor, the addict was unaware of the events taking place around him. 252. stymie present an obstacle; stump The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the robbery investigation. 253. suavity urbanity; polish He is particulary good in roles that require suavity and sophistication. 254. subaltern subordinate The captain treated his subalterns as though they were children rather than commissioned officers. 255. subjective occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal Your analysis is highly subjective; you have permitted your emotions and your opinions to color your thinking. 256. subjugate conquer; bring under control It is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations. 257. sublimate refine; purify We must strive to sublimate these desires and emotions into worthwhile activities. 258. sublime exalted; noble; uplifting Mother Teresa has been honored for her sublime deeds. 259. subliminal below the threshold We may not be aware of the subliminal influences that affect our thinking. 260. submissive yielding; timid Crushed by his authoritarian father, Will had no defiance left in him; he was totally submissive in the face of authority. 261. suborn persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury) In the Godfather, the mobsters used bribery and threats to suborn the witnesses against Don Michael Corleone. 262. subpoena writ summoning a witness to appear The prosecutor's office was ready to serve a subpoena on the reluctant witness. 263. subsequent following; later In subsequent lessons, we shall take up more difficult problems. 264. subservient behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious He was proud and dignified; he refused to be subservient to anyone. 265. subside settle down; descend; grow quiet The doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside. 266. subsidiary subordinate; secondary This information may be used as subsidiary evidence but is not sufficient by itself to prove your argument. 267. subsidy direct financial aid by government, etc. Without this subsidy, American ship operators would not be able to compete in world markets. 268. subsistence existence; means of support; livelihood In those days of inflated prices, my salary provided mere subsistence. 269. substantiate verify; support I intend to substantiate my statement by producing witnesses. 270. substantive essential; pertaining to the substance Although the delegates were aware of the importance of the problem, they could not agree on the substantive issues. 271. subsume include; encompass Does the general theory of relativity contradict Newtonian physics, or is Newton's law of gravity subsumed into Einstein's larger scheme? 272. subterfuge pretense; evasion As soon as we realized that you had won our support by a subterfuge we withdrew our endorsement of your candidacy. 273. subtlety nicety; cunning; guile; delicacy The subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his audience. 274. subversive tending to overthrow; destructive At first glance, the notion that Styrofoam cups may actually be more ecologically sound than paper cups strikes most environmentalists as subversive. 275. succinct brief; terse; compact His remarks are always succinct and pointed. 276. succor aid; assistance; relief We shall be ever grateful for the succor our country gave us when we were in need. 277. succulent juicy; full of richness To some people, Florida citrus fruits are more succulent than those from California. 278. succumb yield; give in; die I succumb to temptation whenever it comes my way. 279. suffragist advocate of voting rights (for women) In recognition of her efforts to win the vote for women, Congress authorized coining a silver dollar honoring the suffragist Susan B. Anthony. 280. suffuse spread over A blush suffused her cheeks when we teased her about her love affair. 281. sully tarnish; soil He felt that it was beneath his dignity to sully his hands in such menial labor. 282. sultry sweltering He could not adjust himself to the sultry climate of the tropics. 283. summation act of finding the total, summary In his summation, the lawyer emphasized the testimony given by the two witnesses. 284. sumptuous lavish; rich I cannot recall when I have had such a sumptuous Thanksgiving feast. 285. sunder separate; part Northern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously sundered. 286. sundry various; several My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the newspapers about your behavior. 287. superannuated retired or disqualified because of age The superannuated man was indignant because he felt that he could still perform a good day's work. 288. supercilious contemptuous; haughty I prefer Jill's modesty to Jack's supercilious and arrogant attitude. 289. supererogatory superfluous; more than needed or demanded We have more than enough witnesses to corroborate your statement; to present any more would be supererogatory. 290. superficial trivial; shallow Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of the problem, I cannot give you more than a passing grade. 291. superfluous excessive; overabundant, unnecessary Please try not to include so many superfluous details in your report; just give me the bare facts. 292. superimpose place over something else Your attempt to superimpose another agency in this field will merely increase the bureaucratic nature of our government. 293. supernumerary person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra His first appearance on the stage was as a supernumerary in a Shakespearean tragedy. 294. supersede cause to be set aside; replace This regulation will supersede all previous rules. 295. supine lying on back The defeated pugilist lay supine on the canvas. 296. supplant replace; usurp Corazon Aquino supplanted Ferdinand Marcos as president of the Philippines. 297. supple flexible; pliant The angler found a supple limb and used it as a fishing rod. 298. suppliant entreating; beseeching He could not resist the dog's suppliant whimpering, and he gave it some food. 299. supplicate petition humbly; pray to grant a favor We supplicate Your Majesty to grant him amnesty. 300. supposition hypothesis; surmise I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he would be discreet. 301. supposititious assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical I find no similarity between your supposititious illustration and the problem we are facing. 302. surfeit satiate; stuff; indulge to excess in anything Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabundance of holiday treats. 303. surly rude; cross Because of his surly attitude, many people avoided his company. 304. surmise guess I surmise that he will be late for this meeting. 305. surmount overcome He had to surmount many obstacles in order to succeed. 306. surpass exceed Her SAT scores surpassed out expectations. 307. surreptitious secret News of their surreptitious meeting gradually leaked out. 308. surrogate substitute For a fatherless child, a male teacher may become a father surrogate. 309. surveillance watching; guarding The FBI kept the house under constant surveillance in the hope of capturing all the criminals at one time. 310. susceptible impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance, as to a disease He was a very susceptible young man, and so his parents worried that he might fall into bad company. 311. sustain experience; support; nourish He sustained such a severe injury that the doctors feared he would be unable to work to sustain his growing family. 312. sustenance means of support, food, nourishment In the tropics, the natives find sustenance easy to obtain because of all the fruit trees. 313. suture stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing We will remove the sutures as soon as the wound heals. 314. swarthy dark; dusky Despite the stereotype, not all Italians are swarthy; many are fair and blond. 315. swathe wrap around; bandage When I visited him in the hospital, I found him swathed in bandages. 316. swelter be oppressed by heat I am going to buy an air conditioning unit for my apartment as I do not intend to swelter through another hot and humid summer. 317. swerve deviate; turn aside sharply The car swerved wildly as the driver struggled to regain control of the wheel. 318. swill drink greedily Singing, "Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum," Long John Silver and his fellow pirates swilled their grog. 319. swindler cheat She was gullible and trusting, an easy victim for the first swindler who came along. 320. sybarite lover of luxury Rich people are not always sybarites; some of them have little taste for a life of luxury. 321. sycophant servile flatterer The king enjoyed the servile compliments and attentions of the sycophants in his retinue. 322. syllogism logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; I cannot accept its conclusion. 323. sylvan pertaining to the woods; rustic His paintings of nymphs in sylvan backgrounds were criticized as oversentimental. 324. symbiosis interdependent relationship (between groups, species), often mutually beneficial Both the crocodile bird and the crocodile derive benefit from their symbiosis; pecking away at food particles embedded in the crocodile's teeth, the bird derives nourishment; the crocodile, meanwhile, derives proper dental hygiene. 325. symmetry arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity The addition of a second tower will give this edifice the symmetry that it now lacks. 326. synchronous similary timed; simultaneous with We have many examples of scientists in different parts of the world who have made synchronous discoveries. 327. synoptic providing a general overview; summary The professor turned to the latest issue of Dissertation Abstracts for a synoptic account of what was new in the field. 328. synthesis combining parts into a whole Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next problem is to plan its synthesis in the laboratory. 329. synthetic artificial; resulting from synthesis During the twentieth century, many synthetic products have replaced the natural products. 330. sedative calming drug or influence It is dangerous to drive after taking the sedative; it brings drowsiness. 331. stygian literary dark The stygian room reminded him of an empty space. 1. tacit understood; not put into words We have a tacit agreement based on only a handshake. 2. taciturn habitually silent; talking a little New Englanders are reputedly taciturn people. 3. tactile pertaining to the organs or sense of touch His callused hands had lost their tactile sensitivity. 4. tainted contaminated; corrupt Health authorities are always trying to prevent the sale and use of tainted food. 5. talisman charm She wore the talisman to ward off evil. 6. talon claw of bird The falconer wore a leather gauntlet to avoid being clawed by the hawk's talons. 7. tangential peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing Despite Clark's attempts to distract her with tangential remarks, Lois kept on coming back to her main question: why couldn't he come out to dinner with Superman and her? 8. tangible able to be touched; real; palpable Although Tom did not own a house, he had several tangible assets--a car, a television, a PC--that he could sell if he needed cash. 9. tanner person who turns animal hides into leather Using a solution of tanbark, the tanner treated the cowhide, transforming it into supple leather. 10. tantalize tease; torture with disappointment Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother with candy; he knew the boy was forbidden to have it. 11. tantamount equal Your ignoring their pathetic condition is tantamount to the murder. 12. tantrum fit of petulance; caprice The child learned that he could have almost anything if he went into tantrums. 13. taper candle He lit the taper on the windowsill. 14. tarantula venomous spider We need an antitoxin to counteract the bite of the tarantula. 15. tarry delay; dawdle We can't tarry if we want to get to the airport on time. 16. taut tight; ready The captain maintained that he ran a taut ship. 17. tautological needlessly repetitious In the sentence "It was visible to the eye," the phrase "to the eye" is tautological. 18. tawdry cheap and gaudy He won a few tawdry trinkets in Coney Island. 19. taxonomist specialist in classifying (animals, etc.) Dental patterns often enable the taxonomist to distinguish members of one rodent species from those of another. 20. tedium boredom; weariness We hope this radio will help overcome the tedium of your stay in the hospital. 21. temerity boldness; rashness Do you have the temerity to argue with me? 22. temper moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) Not even her supervisor's grumpiness could temper Nancy's enthusiasm for her new job. 23. temperament characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess Although the twins look alike, they differ markedly in temperament: Tod is calm, but Rod is excitable. 24. temperate restrained; self-controlled Noted for his temperate appetite, he seldom gained weight. 25. tempo speed of music I find the conductor's tempo too slow for such a brilliant piece of music. 26. temporal not lasting forever; limited by time; secular At one time in our history, temporal rulers assumed that they had been given their thrones by divine right. 27. temporize avoid committing oneself; gain time I cannot permit you to temporize any longer; I must have a definite answer today. 28. tenacious holding fast I had to struggle to break his tenacious hold on my arm. 29. tenacity firmness; persistency; adhesiveness It is extremely difficult to overcome the tenacity of a habit such as smoking. 30. tendentious having an aim; biased; designed to further a cause The editorials in this periodical are tendentious rather than truth-seeking. 31. tender offer; extend Although no formal changes had been made against him, in the wake of the recent scandal the mayor felt he should tender his resignation. 32. tenet doctrine; dogma The agnostic did not accept the tenets of their faith. 33. tensile capable of being stretched Mountain climbers must know the tensile strength of their ropes. 34. tentative provisional; experimental Your tentative plans sound plausible; let me know when the final details are worked out. 35. tenuous thin; rare; slim The allegiance of our allies is held by rather tenuous ties; let us hope they will remain loyal. 36. tenure holding of an office; time during which such an office is held He was permanent tenure in this position and cannot be fired. 37. tepid lukewarm During the summer, I like to take a tepid bath, not a hot one. 38. terminate to bring to an end When his contract was terminated unexpectedly, he desperately needed a new job. 39. terminology terms used in a science or art The special terminology developed by some authorities in the field has done more to confuse laypersons than to enlighten them. 40. terminus last stop of railroad After we reached the railroad terminus, we continued our journey into the wilderness on saddle horses. 41. terrestrial on or relating to the earth We have been able to explore the terrestrial regions much more thoroughly than the aquatic or celestial regions. 42. terse concise; abrupt; pithy I admire his terse style of writing; he comes directly to the point. 43. tertiary third He is so thorough that he analyzes tertiary causes where other writers are content with primary and secondary reasons. 44. tesselated inlaid; mosaic I recall seeing a table with a tesselated top of bits of stone and glass in a very interesting pattern. 45. testator maker of a will The attorney called in his secretary and his partner to witness the signature of the testator. 46. testy irritable; short-tempered My advice is to avoid discussing this problem with him today as he is rather testy and may shout at you. 47. tether tie with a rope Before we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevent their wandering off during the night. 48. thematic relating to a unifying motif or idea Those who think of Moby Dick as a simple adventure story about whaling miss is underlying thematic import. 49. theocracy government of a community by religious leaders Some Pilgrims favored the establishment of a theocracy in New England. 50. theoretical not practical or applied; hypothetical Bob was better at applied engineering and computer programming than he was at theoretical physics and math. While I can still think of some theoretical objections to your plan, you've convinced me of its basic soundness. 51. therapeutic curative Now better known for its racetrack, Saratoga Springs first gained attention for the therapeutic qualities of its famous "healing waters." 52. thermal pertaining to heat The natives discovered that the host springs gave excellent thermal baths and began to develop their community as a health resort. 53. thespian pertaining to drama Her success in the school play convinced her she was destined for a thespian career. 54. thrall slave; bondage The captured soldier was held in thrall by the conquering army. 55. thrifty careful about money; economical A thrifty shopper compares prices before making major purchases. 56. thrive prosper; flourish Despite the impact of recession on the restaurant trade, Philip's cafe thrived. 57. throes violent anguish The throes of despair can be as devastating as the spasms accompanying physical pain. 58. throng crowd Throngs of shoppers jammed the aisles. 59. throttle strangle The criminal tried to throttle the old man with his bare hands. 60. thwart baffle; frustrate He felt that everyone was trying to thwart his plans and prevent his success. 61. tightwad excessively frugal person; miser Jill called Jack a tightwad because he never picked up the check. 62. tilter handle used to move the boat's rudder (to steer) Fearing the wind might shift suddenly and capsize the skiff, Tom kept one hand on the tilter at all times. 63. timbre quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument We identify the instrument producing a musical sound by its timbre. 64. timidity lack of self-confidence or courage If you are to succeed as a salesperson, you must first lose your timidity and fear of failure. 65. timorous fearful; demonstrating fear His timorous manner betrayed the fear he felt at the moment. 66. tipple drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently He found that his most enjoyable evenings occurred when he tippled with his friends at the local pub. 67. tirade extended scolding; denunciation Long before he had finished his tirade, we were sufficiently aware of the seriousness of our misconduct. 68. titanic gigantic titanic waves beat aginst the shore during the hurricane. 69. tithe tax of one-tenth Because he was an agnostic, he refused to pay his tithes to the clergy. 70. titillate tickle I am here not to titillate my audience but to enlighten it. 71. title right or claim to possession; mark of rank; name (of a book, film, etc.) Though the penniless Duke of Ragwort no longer held title to the family estate, he still retained his title as head of one of England's oldest families. 72. titter nervous laugh Her aunt's constant titter nearly drove her mad. 73. titular having the title of an office without the obligations Although he was the titular head of the company, the real decisions were made by his general manager. 74. toady servile flatterer; yes man Never tell the boss anything he doesn't wish to hear: he doesn't want an independent adviser, he just wants a toady. 75. toga Roman outer robe Marc Antony pointed to the slashes in Caesar's toga. 76. tome large volume He spent much time in the libraries poring over ancient tomes. 77. tonsure shaving of the head, especially by person entering religious orders His tonsure, even more than his monastic garb, indicated that he was a member of the religious order. 78. topography physical features of a region Before the generals gave the order to attack, they ordered a complete study of the topography of the region. 79. torpor lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy Nothing seemed to arouse him from his torpor; he had wholly surrendered himself to lethargy. 80. torque twisting force; force producing rotation With her wrench she applied sufficient torque to the nut the loosen it. 81. torrent rushing stream; flood Day after day of heavy rain saturated the hillside until the water ran downhill in torrents. 82. torso trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk This torso, found in the ruins of Pompeii, is now on exhibition in the museum in Naples. 83. tortuous winding; full of curves Because this road is so tortuous, it is unwise to go faster than twenty miles an hour on it. 84. touchstone stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion What touchstone can be used to measure the character of a person? 85. touchy sensitive; irascible Do not discuss this phase of the problem as he is very touchy about it. 86. tout publicize; praise excessively I lost confidence in my broker after he touted some junk bonds that turned out to be a bad investment. 87. toxic poisonous We must seek an antidote for whatever toxic substance he has eaten. 88. tract pamphlet; a region of indefinite size The King granted William Penn a tract of land in the New World. 89. tractable docile You will find the children in this school very tractable and willing to learn. 90. traduce expose to slander His opponents tried to traduce the candidate's reputation by spreading rumors about his past. 91. trajectory path taken by a projectile The police tried to locate the spot from which the assassin had fired the fatal shot by tracing the trajectory of the bullet. 92. tranquillity calmness; peace After the commotion and excitement of the city, I appreciate the tranquillity of these fields and forests. 93. transcend exceed; surpass This accomplishment transcends all our previous efforts. 94. transcribe copy When you transcribe your notes, please send a copy to Mr.Smith and keep the original for our files. 95. transgression violation of a law; sin Forgive us our transgressions; we know not what we do. 96. transient momentary; temporary; staying for a short time Lexy's joy at finding the perfect Christmas gift for Phil was transient; she still had to find presents for the cousins and Uncle Bob. Located near the airport, this hotel caters to the largely transient trade. 97. transition going from one state of action to another During the period of transition from oil heat to gas heat, the furnace will have to be shut off. 98. transitoriness impermanence Conscious that all things pass, the psalmist relates the transitoriness of happiness and fame. 99. translucent partly transparent We could not recognize the people in the next room because of the translucent curtains that separated us. 100. transmute change; convert to something different He was unable to transmute his dreams into actualities. 101. transparent permitting to light to pass through freely; easily detected Your scheme is so transparent that it will fool no one. 102. transpire be revealed; happen When Austen writes the sentence "It had just transpired that he had left gaming debts behind him," her meaning is not that the debts had just been incurred, but the the shocking news had just leaked out. 103. transport strong emotion Margo was a creature of extremes, at one moment in transports of joy over a vivid sunset, at another moment in transports of grief over a dying bird. 104. trappings outward decorations; ornaments He loved the trappings of success: the limousines, the stock options, the company jet. 105. traumatic pertaining to an injury caused by violence In his nightmares, he kept on recalling the traumatic experience of being wounded in battle. 106. travail painful labor How long do you think a man can endure such travail and degradation without rebelling? 107. traverse go through or across When you traverse this field, be careful of the bull. 108. travesty comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a travesty of justice. 109. treatise article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly He is preparing a treatise on the Elizabethan playwrights for his graduate degree. 110. trek travel; journey The tribe made their trek further north that summer in search of game. 111. tremor trembling; slight quiver She had a nervous tremor in her right hand. 112. tremulous trembling; wavering She was tremulous more from excitement than from fear. 113. trenchant cutting; keen I am afraid of his trenchant wit for it is so often sarcastic. 114. trepidation fear; trembling agitation We must face the enemy without trepidation if we are to win this battle. 115. tribulation distress; suffering After all the trials and tribulations we have gone through, we need this rest. 116. tribunal court of justice The decision of the tribunal was final and the prisoner was sentenced to death. 117. tribute tax levied by a ruler; mark of respect The colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreign despot. 118. trident three-pronged spear Neptune is usually depicted as rising from the sea, carrying his trident on his shoulder. 119. trigger set off John is touchy today; say one word wrong and you'll trigger an explosion. 120. trilogy group of three works Romain Rolland's novel Jean Christophe was first published as a trilogy. 121. trinket knickknack; bauble Whenever she traveled abroad, Ethel would pick up costume jewelry and other trinkets as souvenirs. 122. trite hackneyed; commonplace Thr trite and predictable situations in many television programs alienate many viewers. 123. trivia trifles; unimportant matters Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects and feature trivia. 124. troth pledge of good faith especially in betrothal He gave her his troth and vowed to cherish her always. 125. trough container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.) The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in the trough. The surfer rode her board, coasting along in the trough between two waves. 126. truculence agressiveness; ferocity Tynan's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general tone of truculence. 127. truism self-evident truth Many a truism is well expressed in a proverb. 128. truncate cut the top off The top of the cone that has been truncated in a plane parallel to its base is a circle. 129. tryst meeting The lovers kept their tryst even though they realized their danger. 130. tumid swollen; pompous; bombastic I especially dislike his tumid style; I prefer writing which is less swollen and bombastic. 131. tumult commotion; riot; noise She could not make herself heard over the tumult of the mob. 132. tundra rolling, treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America Despite the cold, many geologists are trying to discover valuable mineral deposits in the tundra. 133. turbid muddy; having the sediment disturbed The water was turbid after the children had waded through it. 134. turbulence state of violent agitation We were frightened by the turbulence of the ocean during the storm. 135. tureen deep dish for serving soup The waiters brought the soup to the tables in silver tureens. 136. turgid swollen; distended The turgid river threatened to overflow the levees and flood the contryside. 137. turmoil confusion; strife Conscious he had sinned, he was in a state of spiritual turmoil. 138. turncoat traitor The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist; the Americans considered him a turncoat. 139. turpitude depravity A visitor may be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral turpitude. 140. tutelage guardianship; training Under the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso. 141. tutelary protective; pertaining to a guardianship I am acting in my tutelary capacity when I refuse to grant you permission to leave the campus. 142. tycoon wealthy leader John D. Rockefeller was a prominent tycoon. 143. tyranny oppression; cruel government Frederick Douglass fought against the tyranny of slavery throughout his entire life. 144. tyro beginner; novice For a mere tyro, you have produced some marvelous results. 145. timid easily frightened; apprehensive He was timid and cowardish; always backing up at daunting situations. 146. tonic invigorating medicine The tonic water invigorated her, contrary to the enervating effect of the alcohol. 147. toil work laboriously; make slow painful progress You must toil through 3500 words list in order to achieve a high score on GRE. 1. ubiquitous being everywhere; omnipresent That Christmas "The Little Drummer Boy" seemed ubiquitous: Justin heard the tune everywhere he went. 2. ulterior situated beyond; unstated and often questionable You must have an ulterior motive for your behavior, since there is no obvious reason for it. 3. ultimate final; not susceptible to further analysis Scientists are searching for the ultimate truths. 4. ultimatum last demand; warning Since they have ignored our ultimatum, our only recourse is to declare war. 5. umbrage resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult She took umbrage at his remarks and stormed away in a huff. 6. unanimity complete agreement We were surprised by the unanimity with which our proposals were accepted by the different groups. 7. unassuaged unsatisfied; not soothed Her anger is unassuaged by your apology. 8. unassuming modest He is so unassuming that some people fail to realize how great a man he really is. 9. unbridled violent She had a sudden fit of unbridled rage. 10. uncanny strange; mysterious You have the uncanny knack of reading my innermost thoughts. 11. unconscionable unscrupulous; excessive She found the load shark's demands unconscionable and impossible to meet. 12. uncouth outlandish; clumsy; boorish Most biographers portray Lincoln as an uncouth and ungainly young man. 13. unction the act of anointing with oil The anointing with oil of a person near death is called extreme unction. 14. unctous oily; bland; insincerely suave Uriah Heep disguised his nefarious actions by unctuous protestations of his "'umility." 15. undermine weaken; sap The recent corruption scandals have undermined many people's faith in the city government. 16. underscore emphasize Adressing the jogging class, Kim underscored the importance to runners of good nutrition. 17. undulate move with a wavelike motion The flag undulated in the breeze. 18. unearth dig up When they unearthed the city, the archeologists found many relics of an ancient civilization. 19. unearthly not earthly; weird There is an unearthly atmosphere in her work that amazes the casual observer. 20. unequivocal plain; obvious My answer to your proposal is an unequivocal and absolute "No." 21. unerringly infallibly My teacher unerringly pounced on the one typographical error in my essay. 22. unfaltering steadfast She approached the guillotine with unfaltering steps. 23. unfeigned genuine; real She turned so pale that I am sure her surprise was unfeigned. 24. unfettered liberated; freed from chains Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage despaired that he would ever be unfettered. 25. unfledged immature It is hard for an unfledged writer to find a sympathetic publisher. 26. unfrock to strip a priest or minister of church authority To disbar a lawyer, to unfrock a priest, to suspend a doctor's license to practice--these are extreme steps that the authorities should take only after careful consideration. 27. ungainly awkward He is an ungainly young man; he trips over everything. 28. unguent ointment Apply this unguent to the sore muscles before retiring. 29. uniformity sameness; consistency; monotony After a while, the uniformity of TV situation comedies becomes boring. 30. unilateral one-sided This legislation is unilateral since it binds only one party in the controversy. 31. unimpeachable blameless and exemplary Her conduct in office was unimpeachable and her record is spotless. 32. uninhibited unrepressed The congregation was shocked by her uninhibited laughter during the sermon. 33. unintimidating unfrightening Though Phil had expected to feel overawed when he met Joe Montana, he found the experience unintimidating and relaxing. 34. unique without an equal; single in kind You have the unique distinction of being the first student whom I have had to fail in this course. 35. unison unity of pitch; complete accord The choir sang in unison. 36. universal characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere At first, no one shared Christopher's opinions; his theory that the world was round was met with universal disdain. 37. unkempt disheveled; with uncared-for appearance The beggar was dirty and unkempt. 38. unobtrusive inconspicuous; not blatant The secret service agents in charge of protecting the President tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. 39. unprecedented novel; unparalleled Margaret Mitchell's book Gone with the Wind was an unprecedented success. 40. unprepossessing unattractive During adolescence many attractive young people somehow acquire the false notion that their appearance is unprepossessing. 41. unravel disentangle; solve With equal ease Miss Marple unraveled tangled balls of yarn and baffling murder mysteries. 42. unrequited not reciprocated Suffering the pangs of unrequited love, Olivia rebukes Cesario for his hard-heartedness. 43. unruly disobedient; lawless The only way to curb this unruly mob is to use tear gas. 44. unsavory distasteful; morally offensive People with unsavory reputations should not be allowed to work with young children. 45. unscathed unharmed They prayed he would come back from the war unscathed. 46. unseemly unbecoming; indecent Your levity is unseemly at this time of mourning. 47. unsightly ugly Although James was an experienced emergency room nurse, he occasionally became queasy when faced with a particularly unsightly injury. 48. unsullied untarnished I am happy that my reputation is unsullied. 49. untenable unsupportable I find your theory untenable and must reject it. 50. untoward unfortunate; annoying Untoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion. 51. unwarranted unjustified; groundless; undeserved We could not understand Martin's unwarranted rudeness to his mother's guests. 52. unwieldy awkward; cumbersome; unmanageable The large carton was so unwieldy that the movers had trouble getting it up the stairs. 53. unwitting unintentional; not knowing She was the unwitting tool of the swindlers 54. unwonted unaccustomed He hesitated to assume the unwonted role of master of ceremonies at the dinner. 55. upbraid scold; reproach I must upbraid him for his unruly behavior. 56. uproarious marked by commotion; extremely funny; very noisy The uproarious comedy hit Home Alone featured Macaulay Culkin, whose mugging and comic antics provoked gales of uproarious laughter from audiences coast to coast. 57. upshot outcome The upshot of the rematch was that the former champion proved that he still possessed all the skills of his youth. 58. urbane suave; refined; elegant The courtier was urbane and sophisticated 59. urchin mischievous child (usually a boy) Get out! This store is no place for grubby urchins! 60. ursine bearlike; pertaining to a bear Because of its ursine appearance, the great panda has been identified with the bears; actually, it is closely related to the raccoon. 61. usurp seize power; supplant The revolution ended when the victorious rebel leader usurped the throne. 62. usury lending money at illegal rates of interest The loan shark was found guilty of usury. 63. utopia imaginary land with perfect social and political system Shangri-la was the name of James Hilton's Tibetan utopia. 64. uxorious excessively devoted to one's wife His friends laughed at him because he was so uxorious and submissive to his wife's desires. 65. undergird strengthen the base of Whereas relativity theory undermined the Newtonian mechanics, cosmology was undergirded by it. 1. vacillate waver; fluctuate Uncertain which suitor she ought to marry, the princess vacillated, saying now one, now the other. 2. vacuous empty; lacking in ideas; stupid The candidate's vacuous remarks annoyed the audience, who had hoped to hear more than empty platitudes 3. vagabond wanderer; tramp In summer, college students wander the roads of Europe like carefree vagabonds. 4. vagary caprice; whim She followed every vagary of fashion. 5. vagrant stray; random He tried to study, but could not collect his vagrant thoughts. 6. vagrant homeless wanderer Because he was a stranger in town with no visible means of support, Martin feared he would be jailed as a vagrant. 7. vainglorious boastful; excessively conceited She was a vainglorious and arrogant individual. 8. valedictory pertaining to farewell I found the valedictory address too long; leave-taking should be brief. 9. valid logically convincing; sound; legally acceptable You're going to have to come up with a better argument if you want to convince me that your reasoning is valid. 10. validate confirm; ratify I will not publish my findings until I validate my results. 11. valor bravery He received the Medal of Honor for his valor in battle. 12. vampire ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living Children were afraid to go to sleep at night because of the many legends of vampires. 13. vanguard forerunners; advance forces We are the vanguard of a tremendous army that is following us. 14. vantage position giving an advantage They fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any other point of vantage they could find. 15. vapid insipid; inane She delivered an uninspired and vapid address. 16. variegated many-colored Without her glasses, Gretchen saw the fields of tulips as a variegated blur. 17. vassal in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord The lord demanded that his vassals contribute more to his military campaign. 18. vaunted boasted; bragged; highly publicized This much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapsed. 19. veer change in direction After what seemed an eternity, the wind veered to the east and the storm abated. 20. vegetate live in a monotonous way I do not understand how you can vegetate in this quiet village after the adventurous life you have led. 21. vehement impetuous; with marked vigor He spoke with vehement eloquence in defense of his client. 22. velocity speed The train went by at considerable velocity. 23. venal capable of being bribed The venal policeman accepted the bribe offered him by the speeding motorist whom he had stopped. 24. vendetta blood feud The rival mobs engaged in a bitter vendetta. 25. vendor seller The fruit vendor sold her wares from a stall on the sidewalk. 26. veneer thin layer; cover Casual acquaintances were deceived by his veneer of sophistication and failed to recognize his fundamental shallowness. 27. venerable deserving high respect We do not mean to be disrespectful when we refuse to follow the advice of our venerable leader. 28. venerate revere In China, the people venerate their ancestors. 29. venial forgivable; trivial We may regard a hugry man's stealing as a venial crime. 30. venison the meat of a deer The hunters dined on venison. 31. vent small opening; outlet The wine did not flow because the air vent in the barrel was clogged. 32. vent express; utter He vented his wrath on his class. 33. ventral abdominal We shall now examine the ventral plates of this serpent, not the dorsal side. 34. ventriloquist someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing This ventriloquist does an act in which she has a conversation with a wooden dummy. 35. venturesome bold A group of venturesome women were the first to scale Mt.Annapurna. 36. venue location The attorney asked for a change of venue; he thought his client would do better if the trial were held in a less conservative county. 37. veracious truthful I can recommend him for this position because I have always found him veracious and reliable. 38. veracity truthfulness Trying to prove Hill a liar, Senator Spector repeatedly questioned her veracity. 39. verbalize put into words I know you don't like to talk about these things, but please try to verbalize your feelings. 40. verbatim word for word He repeated the message verbatim. 41. verbiage pompous array of words After we had waded through all the verbiage, we discovered that the writer had said very little. 42. verbose wordy This article is too verbose; we must edit it. 43. verdant green; lush in vegetation Monet's paintings of the verdant meadows were symphonies in green. 44. verdigris green coating on copper which has been exposed to the weather Despite all attempts to protect the statue from the elements, it became coated with verdigris. 45. verge border; edge Madame Curie knew she was on the verge of discovering the secrets of radioactive elements. 46. verisimilitude appearance of truth; likelihood Critics praised her for the verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth. She was completely believable. 47. verity truth; reality The four verities were revealed to Buddha during his long meditation. 48. vernacular living language; natural style Cut out those old-fashioned "thee's" and "thou's" and write in the vernacular. 49. vernal pertaining to spring We may expect vernal showers all during the month of April. 50. versatile having many talents; capable of working in many fields He was a versatile athlete; at college he had earned varsity letters in baseball, football, and track. 51. vertex summit Let us drop a perpendicular line from the vertex of the triangle to the base. 52. vertigo dizziness We test potential plane pilots for susceptibility to spells of vertigo. 53. verve enthusiasm; liveliness She approached her studies with such verve that it was impossible for her to do poorly. 54. vestige trace; remains We discovered vestiges of early Indian life in the cave. 55. vex annoy; distress Please try not to vex your mother; she is doing the best she can. 56. viable capable of maintaining life; practicable; workable The infant, though prematurely born, is viable and has a good chance to survive. 57. viand food There was a variety of viands at the feast. 58. vicarious acting as a substitute; done by a deputy Many people get a vicarious thrill at the movies by imagining they are the characters on the screen. 59. vicissitude change of fortune Humbled by life's vicissitudes, the last emperor of China worked as a lowly gardener in the palace over which he had once ruled. 60. victuals food I am very happy to be able to provide you with these victuals; I know you are hungry. 61. vie contend; compete Politicians vie with one another, competing for donations and votes. 62. vigilance watchfulness Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. 63. vigor active strength Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had the vigor of a man in his prime. 64. vignette picture; short literary sketch The New Yorker published her latest vignette. 65. vilify slander She is a liar and is always trying to vilify my reputation. 66. vindicate clear of charges I hope to vindicate my client and return him to society as a free man. 67. vindictive revengeful She was very vindictive and never forgave an injury. 68. vintner winemaker; seller of wine The poet wondered what the vintners could buy that would be half as precious as the wine they sold. 69. viper poisonous snake The habitat of the horned viper, a particularly venomous snake, is in sandy regions like the Sahara or the Sinai peninsula. 70. virile manly I do not accept the premise that a man is virile only when he is belligerent. 71. virtual in essence; for practical purposes She is a virtual financial wizard when it comes to money matters. 72. virtue goodness; moral excellence; good quality A virtue carried to extremes can turn into something resembling vice; humility, for example, can degenerate into servility and spinelessness. 73. virtuoso highly skilled artist The child prodigy Yehudi Menuhin grew into a virtuoso whose virtuosity on the violin thrilled millions. 74. virulent extremely poisonous The virus is highly virulent and has made many of us ill for days. 75. virus disease communicator The doctors are looking for a specific medicine to control this virus. 76. visage face; appearance The stern visage of the judge indicated that she had decided to impose a severe penalty. 77. visceral felt in one's inner organs She disliked the visceral sensations she had whenever she rode the roller coaster. 78. viscid adhesive; gluey The trunk of the maple tree was viscid with sap. 79. viscous sticky, gluey Melted tar is a viscous substance. 80. vise tool for holding work in place Before filling its edges, the keysmith took the blank key and fixed it firmly between the jaws of a vise. 81. visionary produced by imagination; fanciful; mystical She was given to visionary schemes that never materialized. 82. vital vibrant and lively; critical; living, breathing The vital, highly energetic first aid instructor stressed that it was vital in examining accident victims to note their vital signs. 83. vitiate spoil the effect of; make inoperative Fraud will vitiate the contract. 84. vitreous pertaining to or resembling glass Although this plastic has many vitreous qualties such as transparency, it is unbreakable. 85. vitriolic corrosive; sarcastic Such vitriolic criticism is uncalled for. 86. vituperative abusive; scolding He became more vituperative as he realized that we were not going to grant him his wish. 87. vivacious lively or animated; sprightly She had always been vivacious and sparkling. 88. vivisection act of dissecting living animals The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals opposed vivisection and deplored the practice of using animals in scientific experiments. 89. vixen female fox; ill-tempered woman Aware that she was right once again, he lost his temper and called her a shrew and a vixen. 90. vociferous clamorous; noisy The crowd grew vociferous in its anger and threatened to take the law into its own hands. 91. vogue popular fashion Jeans became the vogue on many college campuses. 92. volatile changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly The political climate today is extremely volatile: no one can predict what the electorate will do next. 93. volition act of making a conscious choice She selected this dress of her own volition. 94. voluble fluent; glib She was a voluble speaker, always ready to talk. 95. voluminous bulky; large Despite her family burdens, she kept up a voluminous correspondence with her friends. 96. voluptuous gratifying the senses The nobility during the Renaissance led voluptuous lives. 97. voracious ravenous The wolf is a voracious animal, its hunger never satisfied. 98. vortex whirlwind; whirlpool; center of turbulence; predicament into which one is inexorably plunged Sucked into the vortex of the tornado, Dorothy and Toto were carried from Kansas to Oz. 99. vouchsafe grant condescendingly; guarantee I can safely vouchsafe you fair return on your investment. 100. voyeur Peeping Jill called Jack a voyeur when she caught him aiming his binoculars at a bedroom window of the house next door. 101. vulnerable susceptible to wounds Achilles was vulnerable only in his heel. 102. vulpine like a fox; crafty She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain vulpine intelligence. 1. waffle speak equivocally about an issue When asked directly about the governor's involvement in the savings and loan scandal, the press secretary waffled, talking all around the issue. 2. waft moved gently by wind or waves Daydreaming, he gazed at the leaves that wafted past his window. 3. waggish mischievous; humorous; tricky He was a prankster who, unfortunately, often overlooked the damage he could cause with his waggish tricks. 4. waif homeless child or animal Although he already had eight cats, he could not resist adopting yet another feline waif. 5. waive give up temporarily; yield I will waive my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision. 6. wallow roll in; indulge in; become helpless The hippopotamus loves to wallow in the mud. 7. wan having a pale or sickly color; pallid Suckling asked, "Why so pale and wan, fond lover?" 8. wane grow gradually smaller From now until December 21, the winter solstice, the hours of daylight will wane. 9. wangle wiggle out; fake She tried to wangle an invitation to the party. 10. wanton unrestrained; willfully malicious; unchaste Pointing to the stack of bills, Sheldon criticized Sarah for her wanton expenditures. In response, Sara accused Sheldon of making an unfounded, wanton attack. 11. warble sing; babble Every morning the birds warbled outside her window. 12. warrant justify; authorize Before the judge issues the injunction, you must convince her this action is warranted. 13. warranty guarantee; assurance by seller The purchaser of this automobile is protected by the manufacturer's warranty that he will replace any defective part for five years or 50,000 miles. 14. warren tunnels in which rabbits live; crowded conditions in which people live The tenement was a veritable warren, packed with people too poor to live elsewhere. 15. wary very cautious The spies grew wary as they approached the sentry. 16. wastrel profligate He was denounced as a wastrel who had dissipated his inheritance. 17. wax increase; grow With proper handling, his fortunes waxed and he became rich. 18. waylay ambush; lie in wait They agreed to waylay their victim as he passed through the dark alley going home. 19. wean accustom a baby not to nurse; give up a cherished activity He decided he would wean himself away from eating junk food and stick to fruits and vegetables. 20. weather endure the effects of weather or other forces He weathered the changes in his personal life with difficulty, as he had no one in whom to confide. 21. welt mark from beating or whipping The evidence of child abuse was very clear; Jennifer's small body was covered with welts and bruises. 22. welter turmoil; bewildering jumble The existing welter of overlapping federal and state proclaims cries out for immediate reform. 23. welter wallow At the height of the battle, the casualties were so numerous that the victims weltered in their blood while waiting for medical attention. 24. wheedle cajole; coax; deceive by flattery She knows she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her father. 25. whelp young wolf, dog, tiger, etc. This collie whelp won't do for breeding, but he'd make a fine pet. 26. whet sharpen; stimulate The odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be ravenous by the time the meal is served. 27. whiff puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); hint The slightest whiff of Old Spice cologne brought memories of George to her mind. 28. whimsical capricious; fanciful He dismissed his generous gift to his college as a sentimental fancy, an old man's whimsical gesture. 29. whinny neigh like a horse When he laughed through his nose, it sounded as if he whinnied. 30. whit smallest speck There is not a whit of intelligence or understanding in your observations. 31. whittle pare; cut off bits As a present for Aunt Polly, Tom whittled some clothespins out of a chunk of wood. 32. whorl ring of leaves around stem; ring Identification by fingerprints is based on the difference in shape and number of whorls on the fingers. 33. willful intentional; headstrong Donald had planned to kill his wife for months; clearly, her death was a case of deliberate, willful murder, not a crime of passion committed by a hasty, willful youth unable to foresee the consequences of his deeds. 34. wily cunning; artful She is as wily as a fox in avoiding trouble. 35. wince shrink back; flinch The screech of the chalk on the blackboard made her wince. 36. windfall fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event This huge tax refund is quite a windfall. 37. winnow sift; separate good parts from bad This test will winnow out the students who study from those who don't bother. 38. winsome agreeable; gracious; engaging By her winsome manner, she made herself liked by everyone who met her. 39. wispy thin; slight; barely discernible Worried about preserving his few wispy tufts of hair, Walter carefully massaged his scalp and applied hair restorer every night. 40. wistful vaguely longing; sadly pensive With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue headed back to her room to study for her exam. 41. withdrawn introverted; remote Rebuffed by his colleagues, the initially outgoing young researcher became increasingly withdrawn. 42. wither shrivel; decay Cut flowers are beautiful for a day, but all too soon they wither. 43. witless foolish; idiotic Such witless and fatuous statements will create the impression that you are an ignorant individual. 44. witticism witty saying; facetious remark What you regard as witticisms are often offensive to sensitive people. 45. wizardry sorcery; magic Merlin amazed the knights with his wizardry. 46. wizened withered; shriveled The wizened old man in the home for the aged was still active and energetic. 47. wont custom; habitual procedure As was his wont, he jogged two miles every morning before going to work. 48. worldly engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual You must leave your worldly goods behind you when you go to meet your Maker. 49. wrangle quarrel; obtain through arguing; herd cattle They wrangled over their inheritance. 50. wrath anger; fury She turned to him, full of wrath, and said, "What makes you think I'll accept lower pay for this job than you get?" 51. wreak inflict I am afraid he will wreak his vengeance on the innocent as well as the guilty. 52. wrench pull; strain; twist She wrenched free of her attacker and landed a powerful kick to his kneecap. 53. wrest pull away; take by violence With only ten seconds left to play, our team wrested victory from their grasp. 54. writ written command issued by a court The hero of Leonard's novel is a process server who invents unorthodox ways of serving writs on reluctant parties. 55. writhe squirm, twist He was writhing in pain, desperate for the drug his body required. 56. wry twisted; with a humorous twist We enjoy Dorothy Parker's verse for its wry wit. 1. xenophobia fear or hatred of foreigners When the refugee arrived in America, he was unprepared for the xenophobia he found there. 2. yen longing; urge She had a yen to get away and live on her own for a while. 3. yeoman man owing small estate; middle-class farmer It was not the aristocrat but the yeoman who determined the nation's policies. 4. yield amount produced; crop; income on investment An experienced farmer can estimate the annual yield of his acres with surprising accuracy. 5. yield give in; surrender The wounded knight refused to yield to his foe. 6. yoke join together, unite I don't wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we were cattle pulling a plow. 7. yokel country bumpkin At school, his classmates regarded him as a yokel and laughed at his rustic mannerisms. 8. yore time past He dreamed of the elegant homes of yore, but gave no thought to their inelegant plumbing. 9. zany crazy; comic I can watch the Marx brothers' zany antics for hours. 10. zeal eager enthusiasm Wang's zeal was contagious; soon all his fellow students were busily making posters, inspired by his ardent enthusiasm for the cause. 11. zealot fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal It is good to have a few zealots in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious. 12. zenith point directly overhead in the sky; summit When the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset. 13. zephyr gentle breeze; west wind When these zephyrs blow, it is good to be in an open boat under a full sail. copyright 2000 Vaibhav Jain www.oocities.org/stupor21