Abasement

humiliation; degradation
Abate
reduce in intensity
Aberration
deviation from the normal
Abeyance
Temporary cessation or suspension
abhor
hate
Abjure
renounce; swear to refrain from something
Abraded
worn away; eroded [abrade (v); abrasion (n)]
Abrasion
1. damage to skin caused by scraping; 2. process of scraping or rubbing [abrade (v)]
Abrasive
rough; coarse; harsh
Abrogate
abolish
Abscission
cutting; process causing leaves to fall off
Absolution
Forgiveness; pardon; release
Abstain
desist; go without; withdraw
Abstemious
self denying; refraining from indulging
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure
abut
adjoin; border
Abysmal
very deep; very bad
Accolade
tribute; honor; praise
Accretion
accumulation of matter; growth produced by adding from the outside
Acolyte
disciple; follower or attendant
Acquiesce
to agree to; give in to
Acrid
sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes)
Acrophobia
Fear of heights
Acuity
sharpness (mental or visual)
Adamant
Hard; inflexible
Admonitory
scolding [admonition (n)]
Adroit
skilful
Adulation
strong admiration; worship
Adumbrate
outline; indicate
Adversity
hardship
Advocate
support
Aesthetic
concerning art of beauty
Affable
friendly; social; easygoing
Agog
Highly excited
Aisle
corridor; passageway (esp. between rows of seats)
Alacrity
quickness; enthusiasm; eagerness
Alchemy
Medieval chemistry
Alibi
an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene
Allay
to lessen
Alleviate
make less severe
Alleviated
made less severe [alleviation (n); alleviate (v)]
Allure
1. attraction (n); 2. to attract (v)
Aloof
distant; detached; cold
Altruism
putting others first; being self-sacrificing
Amalgamate
join; consolidate [amalgamation (n)]
Amass
accumulate
Ambidextrous
able to use both left and right hands equally well
Ambiguity
uncertainty; vagueness
ambiguous
unclear in meaning
Ambivalence
lack of clarity; wavering; the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
Ambulatory
able to walk around
Ameliorate
make better
Amelioration
improvement
Amiable
friendly
Amity
friendship
Amorphous
lacking in shape
Amortize
pay off a debt in installments
Anachronistic
occurring in the wrong time period [anachronism (n)]
Analgesic
medicine to combat pain
Analogous
comparable
Analogue
1. something similar; 2. output proportional to input (engineering)
Anarchy
chaos; lack of government
Anecdote
a brief amusing story
Animosity
hatred; antagonism
Annex (v)
take possession of; seize; capture
Annex
a building which is an addition to an existing building
Anodized
electroplated; coated with thin layer of metal
Anomaly
something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity
Antagonism
hostility; strong opposition
Antagonistic
opposed; hostile; aggressive
Antediluvian
outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned
Anthology
a book which is a collection of poems or stories
Anthropocentrism
putting man at the center of one's philosophy
Antipathy
hatred
Antiquated
outdated; old fashioned
Apathetic
indifferent; uninterested; lethargic
Apathy
lack of interest or emotion
Aphoristic
expressed tersely [aphorism (n) = short statement; maxim]
Apocryphal
untrue; made up
Apostrophe
1. punctuation mark; 2. appeal to someone not present (a figure of speech)
Appease
pacify; soothe; calm down; make peace with
Apposite
fitting; suitable
Apprehension
slight fear; sense of something unfavorable
Apprehensive
worried; fearful
Approbation
approval [opp. disapprobation]
Arable
can be cultivated
Arbitrary
random; for no definite reason
Arbitrator
mediator; person appointed to judge a dispute [arbitrate (v)]
Arboreal
living in trees; concerned with trees
Arcane
obscure; known only to a few people
Archaic
ancient; outdated; old fashioned
Archetype
prototype; primitive pattern; classic example of
Archives
collections of old records; place of storage of old documents
arduous
hard
Armada
fleet of ships
Arresting
attracting attention; striking
Arson
deliberate, criminal starting of fires
Articulate
clear; lucid; eloquent
Artifice
deception; trickery
Artisan
craftsman
Artless
without effort; without trickery; simple
Ascetic
without luxuries; severely simple
Asperity
using harsh or critical tone [Aspertion]
Assay
1. try; 2. assess purity
Assiduous
thorough; diligent
Assuage
to calm
Astute
perceptive; sharp-witted
Asylum
place of refuge or safety
Atavism
A reappearance of an earlier characteristic
Atheist
person who does not believe in God
Atonement
making amends for sin or crime [atone (v)]
Atrophy
waste away from lack of use
Attenuate
Make thin; weaken
Augment
increase; make bigger
Augury
prediction, looking for omens [auger (v)]
Auspicious
favorable; promising to turn out well
Austere
severely plain
avaricious
greedy for money
Aver
affirm; verify
Aversion
Firm dislike
Baleful
evil
Balk
hinder and prevent; hesitate over
Balm
soothing ointment or anything soothing [balmy (a)]
Banal
common; dull
Banality
ordinariness; dullness
Bane
troublesome influence; curse
bard
poet
Barrage
extended gunfire to cover an attack; dam across river; deluge of information etc.
Bastion
fortress; stronghold
Befuddle
confuse
Begrudge
resent
Beguile
mislead; lure
Belabor
explain in unnecessary detail; To work at or to absurd length
Beleaguer
besiege; attack
Belie
contradict; give a false impression
Belittle
to demean
Bellicose
war-like; aggressive
Belligerent
aggressive; ready to fight
Bemoan
lament; Regret strongly
Benevolent
kindly
Benign
kindly; harmless
Benignity
compassion; gentleness; fondness
Bent (n)
inclination; aptitude
Bequeath
leave something in one's will to be given after one's death
Berate
scold; criticize
Beret
type of cap
Bestial
behaving like a beast; brutal
bigot
narrow-minded, prejudiced person
Bilk
cheat; defraud
Billowing
Swelling; fluttering; waving
Blandishment
words used to coax or flatter [blandish (v)]
Blasphemy
speech which offends religious sentiments
Blatant
obvious
Blighted
damaged; destroyed; ruined
Blithe
free-spirited; carefree
Blowhard
boastful person
Blunderbuss
ancient weapon (type of gun); a clumsy person
Bolster
support; prop up; reinforce
Bombast
arrogant, pompous language
Boor
ill-mannered person [boorish (a)]
Boorish
ill-mannered
bourgeois
middle class
Boycott
refuse to have dealings with
Braggart
someone who boasts
Brawny
muscular
Brevity
being brief
Bristle
to show irritation; React in an offended or angry manner
Broach
start to discuss; approach
Brook
1. small stream; 2. tolerate
Brusque
blunt; abrupt
Bulwark
fortification; barricade; wall
Bureaucracy
officialdom
Burgeon
grow; flourish
Burlesque
1. comic play; 2. lampoon
burnish
polish
Buttress
strengthen; support
Byline
the line that tells your who wrote an article
Cacophony
discordant loud noises
Cadge
get by begging
Cajole
coax
Caldron
huge cooking pot
Calibrate
mark an accurate scale on a device
callow
immature
Candid
frank; honest
Candor
frankness; openness
Canonical
orthodox [canon (n) = set of accepted works]
Cant
insincere talk
Cantankerous
bad-tempered; quarrelsome
Capacious
spacious
Capitulate
surrender; give in to
Caprices
whimsies; fancies
Cardinal
1. high ranking church official; 2. major, important
Caret
punctuation mark signifying omission
Caricature
ridicule (v); cartoon intended to ridicule (n)
Carping
constant criticism; fault-finding
Carrion
dead flesh; carcasses
Cartographer
person who makes maps
Castigate
scold strongly
Cataclysmic
Severely destructive
Catharsis
purging or cleansing of any passage of the body
Caucus
type of private political meeting
Caulk
treat with substance such as tar to make water-tight
Caustic
burning
Cavalcade
procession of vehicles
Celerity
speed
Censorious
disapproving; critical
Censure
blame
Centrifuge
device to separate substances by spinning them at high speed
Centurion
roman soldier (commander of a company of 100 soldiers)
cerebral
intellectual
Certitude
Certainty
Chantey
type of song sung by sailors
Charlatan
trickster who claims knowledge he doesn't have
Chary
cautious; sparing or restrained about giving
Chastises
punishes; castigates
Chauvinist
someone excessively patriotic [chauvinism (n)]
Chicanery
trickery
Chimerical
changeable; unstable
Choleric
irascible; easily angered
Chorales
simple hymns
Chronic
long lasting (often used for diseases in which case the opposite is acute)
Chronicler
person who records historical information
Churlishness
rudeness; ill-mannered behavior
Circuitous
indirect
Circumlocution
using too many words; long-windedness
Circumscribe
limit
Circumspect
cautious; considering all sides
Circumvent
avoid
Clairvoyant
psychic; mystic
Clamor
shout; scream
Clandestine
secret; covert; stealthy
clemency
mercy
Cliché
overused expression; something unoriginal
Clientele
customers
Cloistered
isolated
Cloture
closure; terminating a debate by voting
Coalesce
come together; merge
Coda
piece of music at the end of a musical work; finale; final part of document
Coddle
pamper; fuss over; indulge
Coerce
force [coercion (n); coercing (a)]
Coercion
force
Cogent
convincing; well argued
Cogitate
ponder
Cognitive
concerned with thinking or perceiving [cognition (n)]
Colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
Collage
picture made from fragments of other pictures
Collate
arrange in order
Colloquial
local and informal (used of language)
Collusion
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme; plotting and planning
Comeliness
beauty; prettiness [comely (a)]
Commandeer
to draft for military purposes; to take for public use
Commensurate
equal in significance
Commingle
mix
Complacent
self-satisfied; smug
Complaisance
compliancy; flexibility; willingness to please [complaisant (a)]
Compliant
easy to control; submissive
Compromised
1. damaged or put in doubt (esp. of reputation); 2. reached an agreement by giving up part of a
claim
Concatenate
ling together
Concatenation
linking into chains
Conciliate
to bring together; end a dispute
Concise
stated in few words
Condescend
talk down to
Condescension
talking down to someone [condescending (a)]
Condone
tacitly support; overlook; forgive
Condoning
overlooking; disregarding; ignoring
Conflagration
big fire
Confound
confuse
Congeal
to solidify
Congenital
present from birth
Congruent
matching [congruency (n)]
Conniving
collusive; cunning; scheming [connive (v)]
Connoisseur
person with refined taste and good judgment
Conscript
1. person enlisted compulsorily into the armed forces; 2. (v) to enlist compulsorily
Consecrate
Dedicate; sanctify
Consensus
General agreement
Conspicuous
Obvious to the eye or mind; easily seen; prominent
Consternation
worry and concern
Consummate
complete; total; supremely good
Contemporary
living or happening at the same time
Contentious
causing argument [contention (n); contend (v)]
Contiguous
adjacent; touching; abutting [contiguity (n)]
Contrite
remorseful; penitent; repentant
Contrition
sorrow and repentance
Contumacious
stubborn; insubordinate
Contusion
a bruise
Conundrum
a puzzle
Conventional
usual; customary; common
Cornucopia
symbol (horn filled with fruit etc.) denoting natural abundance
Corpulent
fat
Corroborate
give supporting evidence [corroboration (n)]
Corrugated
highly folded
Coterie
clique; small group with common interests
Counterfeit
fake; false
Covert
hidden; undercover
Cower
recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from
Credible
believable
Creditable
praiseworthy
Credulous
gullible; ready to believe anything
Crepuscular
Like twilight; dim, active at dawn and dusk
Cringe
recoil; flinch; shy away
Cryptic
puzzling; enigmatic
Culpability
guilt [culpable = blameworthy]
Cumbersome
bulky; difficult to carry [encumber = to burden]
Curmudgeon
A crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas
Curtail
cut short
Cynical
believing that people act only out of selfish motives
Daguerreotype
A photograph made by an early photographic process
Dally
waste time; flirt
Damp
(used of vibration) reduce in extent
Dawdler
laggard; slow person who falls behind others [dawdle (v)]
Debacle
disaster
Debilitating
weakening [debilitate (v)]
Debility
lack of ability; weakness; incapacity
Debunking
exposing false claims or myths; mythbusters
Decathlon
an athletic competition with ten events
Decimate
kill or destroy a large part of (originally one tenth)
Decorum
propriety; correct behavior
Decoy
lure; trap; trick
Deference
respect
Deferential
showing respect [deference (n); defer (v)]
Defoliate
cause leaves to fall off
Defunct
no longer in existence; dead
Degradation
poverty; debasement
Deign
condescend
deleterious
harmful
Deliberate
1. slow (a); 2. to think over (v); 3. on purpose (a)
Deliberate
to think over deeply; consider; ponder
Delineation
explanation; definition; outlining
Demagogue
mob leader (who appeals to base instincts) [demagogy/demagoguery (n)]
Demur
hesitate; refuse
Demur
object; hesitate to accept
Denigrate
decry; criticize; belittle
Denounce
condemn; speak out against
Deplete
use up; lessen
Deplore
regret
Depravity
moral corruption
Deprecate
criticize; denounce
Deride
ridicule; make fun of; mock
Derision
ridicule
Derogatory
uncomplimentary
Descry
to see (esp. at a distance); catch sight of
Desecrate
to damage or pollute a holy place
Desecration
spoiling something holy
Desist
stop; discontinue; cease
Despondent
depressed; gloomy
Destitution
hardship; poverty; misery
Desultory
aimless; inconsistent in effort
Deter
put off; prevent
Deteriorate
worsen; decline
Detrimental
harmful
Devoured
greedily eaten or consumed
Dexterity
skill, esp. with hands [dexterous (a)]
Dexterous
skilful with hands
Diaphanous
transparent; thin and delicate
Diatribe
tirade; violent denunciation; stream of criticism
Dichotomy
a division into two parts
Didactic
intended to teach; instructive
Diffident
lacking confidence
Digress
wander off the subject
Dike
dam; embankment
Dilatory
slow; falling behind with one's work
Dilemma
puzzling situation
Dilettante
aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler
Dilettantism
dabbling esp. in the arts [dilettante (n) = person who dabbles]
diligent
hard-working
Diorama
model of a scene; panorama
Dirge
mournful song
Disabuse
Free somebody (from an erroneous belief)
disapprobation
disapproval
Disarm
1. take away weapons; 2. win over to one's side [disarming (a)]
Discern
to distinguish one thing from another; Detect with the senses
Discernment
judgment; perceptiveness
Discord
disagreement
Discordance
cacophony; harshness; jarring
Discountenance
disallow
Discrepancy
something which does not match up; inconsistency
Discrete
separate; discontinuous (not to be confused with
discreet
prudent; diplomatic]
Discriminate
to make a clear distinction; see the difference
discursive
digressing; rambling
Disdain
contempt; strong dislike
Disingenuous
naïve
Disinter
dig up
disinterested
unbiased
Disparage
criticize; belittle
Disparity
an inequality; difference
Dispassionate
neutral; objective
Dispatch
1. send (v); 2. speed; celerity (n)
Dissemble
avoid the truth
Disseminating
circulating; broadcasting; spreading (information)
Dissident
person who disagrees
Dissonance
discord; disagreement
Diurnal
active in daytime; daily
Divert
1. entertain; 2. distract; 3. cause a detour
Divest
remove; take off
Docile
gentle and easily lead; obedient; easily managed
Doff
take off (esp. of a hat)
Dogmatic
having stubbornly held opinions
Dolt
stupid person
Don
put on (esp. of clothes)
Dormancy
state of inactivity
Dotard
foolish old man; retard
Dote
be excessively fond of
Drabness
dullness
Drawl
speak slowly with words running together
Drivel
nonsense
Droll
dryly amusing
Drone
1. monotonous noise (n); 2. to speak with no emotion (v); 3.male bee
Dross
something worthless; impurities left after refining
dubious
doubtful
Dupe
to fool someone
Duplicity
cunning; deception; double dealing
Dynamic
lively; vibrant; energetic
Ebullient
very lively; cheerful; jovial; happy
Eccentric
unusual; quirky; odd
Eclectic
taking things from different sources
Eddy
circular current
Edifice
building; structure; construction
Efface
wipe out; remove all trace of
Efficacy
effectiveness
Effigy
A model of a person (especially in the form of sculpture)
Effrontery
daring; audacity (has a negative connotation)
Effusive
gushing; demonstrative
Egalitarianism
belief in equality
Egregious
outstandingly, obviously bad
egress
exit
Elaborate
1. complex and detailed (a); 2. to expand on (v)
Elegy
poem concerned with death; praise of a dead person
Ellipsis
omission of essential words
Eloquent
fluent and persuasive in speech
Elucidate
make clear (lucid)
Elusive
evasive; baffling; hard to grasp
Emaciated
very thin; withered
Emancipate
set free
Embezzle
steal
Emboss
decorate with a raised design
Embroil
involve in hostility or argument
Emerge
come out; appear
Emollient
softening (a); something which softens (n)
Empirical
found by experiment or practice
Emulate
to imitate something admired
Encomium
praise
Endorse
give support or approval to
Endow
give gift; provide with money etc.
Endurance
staying power; patience; stamina
Enduring
lasting
enervate
weaken
Enfranchise
give voting rights
Engender
cause, produce
Engendering
causing; bringing into being [engender (v)]
Enhance
improve; make better or clearer
Enigma
puzzle
Enigmatic
puzzling
Enlist
1. sign up for the army; 2. obtain
Ensconce
establish firmly in a position, settle comfortably
Enshroud
cover
Enunciation
clear pronunciation; accent; articulation
Envenom
to cause bitterness and bad feeling
Epaulet
shoulder decoration
ephemeral
short-lived
Epicure
someone who appreciates good food and drink
Epigram
short, witty saying
Epistemology
theory of knowledge; philosophy
Epistle
a letter (form of communication)
Epistolary
concerned with letters; through correspondence
Epithet
phrase used as a label or to express the essential nature of
Epitomized
typified; characterized; personified
Equivocal
ambiguous; open to interpretation [equivocate (v), equivocation (n)]
Equivocate
speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth
Equivocation
speaking ambiguously [equivocate (v), equivocal (a)]
Err
make a mistake
Errant
1. Wandering; 2. wrong; 3. straying from accepted standards
Erratic
wandering; irregular
Erudition
learning; scholarly knowledge [erudite (a)]
Eschew
shun; avoid
Esoteric
obscure and difficult to understand
Esoterica
Secrets known only to an initiated minority
Espouse
promote; support
etymology
the study of word origins
Eulogy
praise
Euphemism
a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant
Euphony
pleasant sound
Evacuate
vacate; abandon
Evanescent
short-lived [evanescence (n)]
exacerbate
make worse
Exacerbated
made worse [exacerbate (v); exacerbation (n)]
Exact (v)
to demand; extort
Exasperated
frustrated; annoyed
Exceptionable
very bad (something which we should object to)
Exculpate
free someone from blame; pardon; acquit
Execrable
very very bad
Exegesis
scholarly explanation or interpretation
Exemplar
model type [exemplary (a)]
Exemplary
setting a fine example; outstandingly good
Exemplify
to serve as a good example
Exhaustive
complete and thorough
Exigency
emergency
Exonerates
acquits; absolves; removes blame
Exorcism
getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons)
Expatiate
elaborate
Expatriate
refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own country
Expedient
convenient; practical
Expedite
make faster
Expiate
atone; make amends for
Exposition
clear explanation
Expostulate
argue
Extant
still in existence (opposite of extinct)
Extemporize
speak without preparation or rehearsal [extemporaneous (a)]
Extirpate
wipe out totally; exterminate; eradicate
Extirpation
wiping out; complete destruction [extirpate (v)]
extol
praise
Extradite
deport from one country back to the home country
Extraneous
irrelevant
Extrapolate
extend; predict on the basis of known data
Extrinsic
irrelevant; on the outside
Fabricated
made up; false; manufactured [fabricate (v); fabrication(n)]
Facade
1. front elevation of building, 2. false appearance or demeanor
Facetious
not intended to be taken seriously
Faddish
Intensely fashionable for a short time
Fallacious
FALSE
Fallacy
wrong idea [fallacious (a)]
Fallible
capable of making mistakes [fallibility (n)]
Fallow
Left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season
Falter
hesitate; waver
Falters
hesitates
Fanatical
obsessive; fixated
Fanaticism
passion; excessive devotion
Fastidious
overly particular; finicky; difficult to please; squeamish
Fatuous
silly; foolish
Fawn
behave in a sycophantic way; grovel [fawning (a)]
Feasible
possible and practicable
Feckless
feeble; helpless; lacking in initiative
Fecund
fertile
Feint
pretended attack; a move intended to deceive
Felicitous
apt
Ferrous
concerned with iron or its compounds
Fervent
Passionate
Fervid
ardent; fervent; passionate
Fervor
passion; enthusiasm
Fickle
unpredictable; whimsical; easily swayed
Figurehead
symbol of power; nominal leader
Filibuster
delaying tactics
Finesse
skill
Fitful
not continuous; stopping and starting
Flag
to lose energy; to signal
Flagrant
conspicuously wicked; clearly wrong
Flail
1. tool used to thresh grain; 2. to thresh (separate grain from chaff); 3. to wave arms about wildly
Flamboyant
showy; ornate
Flaunt
ostentate
Fledge
Grow feathers; Decorate with feathers; Feed, care for, and rear young birds for flight
Flippant
making jokes about serious matters; levity
Flout
defy; reject
Flustered
perturbed; rattled
Fly-by-night
unreliable; disreputable
Foible
idiosyncrasy; quirk; minor weakness
Foment
1. stir up; 2. bathe with hot liquids (medical)
Foolhardy
reckless
Foppish
behaving or dressing like a dandy; excessively concerned with fashion
Forage
search for food
Forbearing
tolerant [forbear (v); forbearance (n)]
Forensic
Used or applied in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
Foreshadowed
indicated a future event [foreshadow (v)]
Fortitude
bravery
Fortuitous
happening by chance
Fracas
Noisy quarrel
Fractious
irritable; difficult to control
Fraudulent
fake; false
Frieze
decorative border
Fringe
1. decorative border with tassels (n); 2. to form an edge (v)
Frivolous
flippant
Froward
stubborn; wayward; disobedient
Frugal
economical; not wasting anything
Fulminate
1. attack loudly in words; denounce thunderously; 2. explode noisily
Furrow
A long shallow trench in the ground; groove
Furtive
hidden and secret
Fusillade
long burst of gunfire
Futile
useless; hopeless
Gaffe
social blunder; social mistake
Gainsay
contradict
Gall
1. bitterness (bad feeling); 2. confidence; 3. abnormal growth on a plant
Galleon
ancient type of sailing ship
Gambit
opening move; transaction
Gambol
skip; leap playfully
Garble
distort; confuse; muddle
Garish
gaudy
Garner
gather; collect
Garrulous
talkative
Gaucherie
awkwardness [gauche (a)]
Gaunt
bony and angular; emaciated
Gavel
judge's hammer
Genre
a category; type
Germane
Relevant and appropriate
Germinal
just growing; not developed; immature
Gerontocracy
A political system governed by old men
Gibbering
making meaningless noises
Gist
essence; main point
Glacial
hostile; unfriendly; cold; icy
Glib
slick; superficial esp. in speech
Goad
prod; urge
Gossamer
delicate; filmy; like gauze
Gouge
cut or dig out
Grate
(v) 1. to annoy; aggravate; vex; 2. shred
Gratis
free of charge; without payment
Gratuitous
given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for
Gravity
seriousness
Gregarious
extroverted; sociable; outgoing
Gregariousness
sociability; liking for crowds [gregarious (a)]
Gritty
coarse; granular
Guffaw
sudden loud laughter
Guile
cunning; craftiness
Guileless
frank; straightforward; honest
Gullibility
being easily fooled
Gullible
easily fooled
Gustatory
concerned with the sense of taste
Hack
1. chop roughly; 2. person who writes to earn money, 3. hired horse
Hackneyed
common and over-used
Halcyon
peaceful and happy; calm (esp. of summer weather)
Hallow
respect; worship
Hallowed
worshipped; consecrated
Hamper
hinder; obstruct
hangar
storage area (like garage) for a plane
Hapless
Unlucky
Harangue
noisy, attacking speech
Harbingers
Indicators; Bringers of warnings
Hasten
hurry; accelerate; rush
Haughtiness
arrogance; pride
Hawser
thick rope or cable
Headstrong
stubborn; willful
Hedonism
self indulgence; pleasure-seeking
Hedonist
a pleasure seeker
Heed
listen to
Hegemony
political domination; complete authority
Heresy
against orthodox opinion
heterodox
unorthodox
Hiatus
interruption; pause
Hidebound
rigid in opinions
Hieroglyphics
1. picture writing; 2. writing which is difficult to read or enigmatic
Hinder
obstruct
Histrionic
theatrical; exaggerated
Hoary
old
Homiletics
art of preaching and giving sermons
Homogeneity
evenness; uniformity
Hone
sharpen; increase; whet
Hortatory
encouraging; exhorting
Hyperbole
exaggeration [hyperbolic (a)]
Hyperbole
grossly exaggerated speech; exaggeration; overstatement
Hypochondriac
a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illness
Hypocritical
insincere
Iconoclast
person who opposes orthodoxy; Someone who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions
Idiosyncrasy
a personal peculiarity; something unique to an individual
Idyll
story or incident in peaceful or ideal setting [idyllic (a)]
Ignominious
shameful
Ignominy
Shame
Illuminate
to light up or make clear
Illusory
deceptive; false; misleading
Immoderate
excessive; extreme
Immutable
unchanging; permanent
Impartial
unbiased; neutral
Impecunious
having no money
Impeding
hindering
Imperative
must be obeyed
Imperturbability
quality of being calm and not easily disturbed [imperturbable (a)]
Impious
wicked; profane
Importune
beg; solicit [importunate (a)]
Impoverished
destitute; poor
Improbity
lack of honesty or integrity
Impromptu
unrehearsed; spontaneous
Impropriety
inappropriate behavior
Impugn
challenge; question someone's honor etc.
Impugned
challenged; called into question
Inadvertent
not intentional
Incantation
chant; invocation; prayer
Incarceration
putting in prison
Incessant
without stopping
Inchoate
recently begun; rudimentary; elementary; undeveloped
Incipient
just beginning
Incise
cut into [incision (n); incisive (a)]
inclination
tendency; a leaning toward
Incoherent
not clear; unintelligible; muddled; illogical
Incongruous
not fitting in; out of place
Inconsequential
unimportant; insignificant; negligible
Inconspicuous
not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable
Incubus
nightmarish thing
Incumbents
occupiers of a job or position
Indecorous
unseemly; inappropriate (of behavior)
Indelible
cannot be wiped out
Indicted
accused (of crime)
Indifferent
1. neutral; 2. not outstanding
Indigence
extreme poverty or destitution
Indigenous
native to a particular area
Indigent
poor; needy
indolence
laziness
Inductee
novice; beginner
Indulgent
pampering; satisfying desires; Tolerant or lenient
Inebriation
drunkenness; intoxication
Ineffable
cannot be expressed in words
Inefficacious
ineffective
Inept
incompetent; unskilled; useless
Inerrancy
infallibility; inability to make mistakes [inerrant (a)]
Inertia
inactivity; lethargy
Inevitable
cannot be avoided
Inexorable
relentless; implacable
Inexpedient
not advisable
Infallible
perfect; flawless; cannot make mistakes
Infamous
famous for something bad
Infer
deduce; conclude
ingrate
ungrateful person
Ingénue
naïve, unsophisticated person
Inimical
hostile
Iniquitous
evil; unjust [iniquity (n)]
Innate
inherited; inborn
Innocuous
harmless; inoffensive
Innovate
create; introduce something new
Inscrutability
The quality of being impossible to investigate
Inscrutable
mysterious; impenetrable
Insentient
unfeeling; lacking the power of feeling
Insipid
dull; bland; boring
Instigate
to start; provoke
Instigator
troublemaker; person who entices others to do something
insurgent
a rebel
Intangible
cannot be touched; abstract [intangibility (n)]
Intelligible
can be understood
Intemperate
excessive; immoderate [intemperance (n)]
Interminable
never-ending
Intermittent
sporadic; irregular
Interregnum
interval between reigns or governments; interim
Intractability
stubbornness; resistance [intractable (a)]
Intransigence
stubbornness
Intransigent
stubborn; unyielding
Intrepid
brave
Inured
hardened; habituated
Inveigle
coax; cajole; wheedle; entice
Inveterate
deep-rooted; habitual
Invidious
arousing envy; designed to create ill will or envy
Inviolable
cannot be invaded
Irascible
easily angered; choleric; hot tempered
Ire
anger [irate (a) = very angry]
Irksome
annoying; infuriating
Ironclad
cannot be altered; firm
Ironic
satiric; unexpected
Irrational
unreasonable; absurd
Irreproachable
cannot be criticized; perfect
Irrevocable
cannot be cancelled; unchangeable
Itinerant
nomadic; wandering from place to place
Jaded
tired; bored; worn out
Jamb
door post
Jargon
specialized language used by experts
Jaundiced
cynical; pessimistic
Jaunt
short pleasure trip
Jeopardize
put at risk; endanger
Jibe
agree with; complement; match up with (in British usage jibe means mock)
Jingoistic
extremely patriotic; nationalistic
Jockeying
maneuvering; struggling to get ahead of others [jockey (v)]
Jocular
in a joking manner
Jollity
gaiety; happiness
Jubilant
ecstatic; delighted; rejoicing
Judicious
correct in judgment; wise
Jurisprudence
science or study of law
Juxtapose
place next to
kindle
to start a fire
knotty
complex; difficult to solve
Labile
changing rapidly; unstable
Labyrinth
a maze
Labyrinthine
complicated; highly convoluted
Laceration
a cut, wound
Lachrymose
tearful; sad
Lackluster
dull; monotonous; bland
Laconic
using few words; brief; to the point
Lacuna
gap; missing part [plural = lacunae]
Lambaste
attack verbally; reprimand
Lamentation
expression of regret or sorrow
Lampoon
ridicule; spoof
Lance
spear; spike; javelin
Languid
tired; slow
Languish
decay; fade away; get weaker
Larceny
theft; robbery; stealing
Largess
generosity; generous gift
Lassitude
lack of energy; weariness
Latent
hidden; real but undeveloped
laud
praise
Lavish
wasteful; on a grand scale
Lax
careless; not strict
Leaven
to make light; modify; cause bread to rise using yeast etc.
Legend
Key to map; myth or story
Legion
in large numbers
Lethargic
tired; without energy
Levee
1. raised bank of a river; 2. morning reception held by a monarch
Levity
flippancy; lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity; joking about serious matter
Libertarian
someone who opposes tyranny
Libertine
Unrestrained by convention or morality
Lien
right to sell property held as a security; legal hold on job etc.
Limerick
short amusing poem
Limpid
clear
Liniment
soothing lotion
Lint
fluff; soft material used to cover wounds
List (v)
1. to lean to one side; 2. to write in order
Lithe
flexible; supple
Liturgy
form of worship
Livid
very angry
Lobbyist
person who tries to persuade someone to support a particular cause
Lofty
arrogant; haughty
Loll
laze around; hang out (when used of the tongue)
Longevity
long life
Lope
run with long strides
Loquacious
talkative
Lucid
clear
Ludicrous
ridiculous; silly
Lugubrious
sad; gloomy
Lukewarm
1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold
Lumber
Move heavily or clumsily; timber (wood)
Luminary
eminent person; notable
Lummox
clumsy person
Luscious
juicy; moist; succulent
Lynch
assassinate; kill; illegal hanging
Macerate
chop into tiny pieces
Machinations
schemes; plots and plans
Maculated
spotted
Maelstrom
whirlpool; storm in the ocean
Magnanimous
generous; big-hearted
Magnate
powerful businessman
Maladroit
clumsy; unskillful
Malady
Illness
Malapropism
The unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar
Malediction
a curse
Malefactor
a wrong-doer
Malevolent
having evil intensions
Malign
malevolent; slander
Malinger
deliberately avoid work; shirk
Malingerer
person who deliberately tries to avoid work
Malleable
flexible; can be shaped
Mallet
1. wooden hammer; 2. stick used for polo
Manipulatable
influencable; controllable
Manipulative
scheming
Mannered
stylized; pretentious
Marred
damaged; spoiled
Marshal
to gather together
Marsupial
pouched mammal (like a kangaroo)
Martinet
person who believes in strict discipline
Masochist
person who intentionally inflicts pain on himself
Matriarchy
society governed by women
Maudlin
sad; sentimental; inclined to weep
Maverick
rebel; nonconformist; a loner
Meager
in short supply
Meander
wander from side to side; A bend or curve, as in a stream or river
Mellow
soft; melodious; ripe
Menagerie
collection of animals
Mendacious
lying; false
Mercenary
concerned only with money or gain
Mercurial
volatile; changeable
Meretricious
falsely attractive; tawdry
Merge
come together
Metaphorically
symbolically; figuratively
Meticulous
very careful; painstaking
Mettle
courage; bravery; valor
Mettlesome
spirited [mettle (n)]
Milieu
environment
Milk
to squeeze; obtain by application of pressure
Millinery
Shop selling women's hats
Minatory
threatening
Mince
1. chop into small pieces; 2. walk with tiny steps, 3. speak in an affected manner
Minion
underling; servant
Minutiae
small details
Mire
swamp; muddy ground
Misanthrope
hater of the rest of mankind
Misconstrue
Interpret in the wrong way
misnomer
wrong name
Misogynist
hater of women
Misrepresentation
deliberately deceiving
Mitigate
lessen; make less severe
Mitigation
making less severe [mitigate (v)]
Modest
1. bashful; unpretentious; 2. not excessive
modicum
small amount
Momentous
Very important
Monolithic
united in purpose; forming a single unit
Monotonous
dull; unvarying
Moralistic
concerned with morals [moralize (v)]
Moratorium
temporary prohibition or halt to activity
Moribund
on the point of death
Morose
gloomy; bad tempered
Mundane
ordinary; worldly
Munificent
generous; charitable
Muse
1. think; meditate (v); 2. a source of inspiration (n) [in mythology, a goddess who gives
inspiration]
Mutinous
very rebellious
Myriad
in large numbers
Nadir
lowest point
Nascent
emerging; newly formed
Natty
neat; dapper; smart
Navigable
suitable for sailing
Nebulous
vague
Nefarious
wicked; immoral; disreputable
Negate
cancel; deny
Negligence
carelessness
Neologism
newly coined word;
Neophyte
new convert; tyro
nettle
annoy
Nexus
connection
Niggardly
miserly; stingy
Noisome
disgusting
Nomadic
wandering from place to place
Nonchalance
an appearance of indifference; calm and composed
Nondescript
having no special features; dull and ordinary
Nonentity
a person of no importance; not famous
Nonplussed
confused
Nostalgia
longing for the past
Nostrum
panacea
Notoriety
infamy; known for wrong doing
Novel
new; unusual
Novice
a beginner; tyro
Noxious
Harmful; Poisonous; Lethal
Nuance
shade of difference in meaning or color, something subtle; a fine shade of meaning
Nugatory
of minor significance; futile
Nullify
to counter; make unimportant
Nuzzle
cuddle; snuggle
Obdurate
stubborn
Obfuscate
deliberately make something difficult to understand
Objective
unbiased; not subjective
Obligate
compulsory
Oblique
indirect; slanting
Obliterate
destroy; demolish; eradicate
Oblivious
totally unaware
Obscure
difficult to understand; partially hidden
Obscured
hidden; covered; buried
Obsequious
servile; submissive
Obsession
a dominating concern
Obsolete
no longer valid
Obstreperous
noisy and boisterous
Obtuse
mentally dull
Obviate
avoid; make unnecessary
Occluded
obscured; blocked
Odious
hateful
Odometer
instrument to measure distance covered
Officious
domineering; intrusive; meddlesome
Ogle
stare at; observe in an obvious manner
Olfactory
concerned with the sense of smell
Ominous
Threatening
Omnipotent
All-powerful
Omniscient
all-knowing
Onerous
burdensome; hard to believe
Onus
burden
Opaque
not clear
Opprobrious
expressing great scorn [opprobrium (n)]
Opulent
wealthy; rich; magnificent
Orate
speak in a pompous manner
Ordain
destine; confer holy order on a priest; command
Ornate
highly decorated
Orthodox
conventional
Ossified
turned to bone; become rigid [ossification (n)]
Ossify
1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid
ostentatious
showy
Ostracism
shunning; social isolation [ostracize (v)]
Oust
push out of a position
Overt
obvious; not hidden
Overwrought
extremely agitated; hysterical
Paean
praise; tribute (esp. in song)
Palatable
good to eat; agreeable
Palisade
ence made of posts (AOE)
Palliative
a remedy that improves but doesn't cure
Pallid
pale
Palpable
easily felt; easily perceived
Palpate
Examine (a body part) by palpation; feel
Panacea
remedy for all ills
Panegyric
eulogy
Papyrus
material used for writing on before paper was invented
Paradigm
1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things
Paradox
apparently contradictory statement
Paragon
a perfect example
Paramount
to supreme importance
Paranoia
mental state characterized by delusions or excessive fear
Parasite
1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from another
parched
dried up
Parenthesis
remarks deviating from the main point [parentheses are round brackets in punctuation]
Pariah
an outcast from society
Parity
equality; close resemblance
Parochial
narrow-minded; concerned only with local matters
Parody
a mockery; imitation for ridicule; spoof
Parry
ward off; avoid
Parsimonious
economical; frugal; thrifty
Parsimony
stinginess; frugality; cost-cutting
Partiality
bias
Partisan
biased; one-sided; committed to one group
Pastiche
work (usually artistic) which imitates, or is composed of parts taken from varied sources
Pathos
evoking sadness or pity
Patron
one who give support (usually financial)
Patronize
1. to talk down to; condescend; 2. to be a customer of
Patronize
condescend to; behave in an arrogant manner towards
Paucity
shortage; dearth
Peccadillo
slight offense
Pedagogy
science of education; teaching
Pedant
scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities
Pedantic
over-insistent on matters of book-learning [pedant (n)]
Pedestrian
common; mundane; banal
Peer
1. an equal; 2. to stare at; 3. nobleman
Peerless
without equal
Pejorative
derogatory
Pellucid
transparently clear
Penchant
inclination; leaning; tendency; predilection
Pensive
pondering
penury
poverty
Perceptive
observant
Percipient
perceptive; insightful
Perdition
damnation; complete ruin
Peremptory
in a commanding manner
Perennial
long-lasting
Perfidy
treachery
Perfunctory
superficial; cursory; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm
Peripatetic
nomadic; moving from place to place
Peripheral
on the edge; not important
Perjury
telling lies under oath
Pernicious
destructive; harmful
Perpetuated
caused to continue
Perpetuity
eternity
Persnickety
overly conceited or arrogant
personable
attractive
Personification
1. represent something as a person; 2. a concrete example of .
Perspicacious
insightful; sharp; wise
Perspicacity
insight; sound judgement
Pertain
be relevant to [pertinent (a)]
Pertinent
relevant
Peruse
read carefully
Pervasive
spreading everywhere
 Ready to learn        Ready to review
Petrify
1. terrify; 2. turn to stone
Petulant
irritable; touchy; peevish
Phenomenology
branch of science concerned with things as they are perceived; not directly derived from theory
Phenomenon
an event or happening (plural: phenomena)
Philanthropy
charity; love of mankind
Philistine
uncultured person
Phlegmatic
calm; imperturbable
Picayune
insignificant; of little value; trivial
Pied
multicolored
Pillage
plunder
Pine
1. type of evergreen tree; 2. grieve
Pinnacle
topmost point
Pious
very religious
Pique
1. annoyance (n); 2. to stimulate interest; to annoy (v)
Pith
center; soft part of stem; essence
Pivotal
of central importance
Placate
pacify; soothe; calm
Placebo
harmless medicine with no effect; dummy medicine
Placid
calm; peaceful
Plagiarism
taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas
Plaintiff
petitioner (in court of law), complainant
Plaintive
sad; mournful
Plaque
1. surface deposit on teeth or in artery etc.; 2. decorative plate or sign
Platitude
A trite or obvious remark
Plaudit
Statement giving strong praise
Plausibility
believability [plausible (a)]
Plausible
can be believed; reasonable
Plethora
an excess
Pliable
flexible; not stubborn
Plodding
walking slowly and heavily; uninspired
Pluck (n)
courage
Plumage
Feathers of a bird
Plumb
measure depth of (v); exact (a. slang)
Plummet
fall suddenly and steeply
Podium
raised platform
Poignant
deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions
Poised
calm; collected; self-possessed
Polemical
causing debate or argument
Ponderous
weighty; slow and heavy
Pontificate
speak pompously or dogmatically
portend
foretell
Portent
a warning sign; omen
Poseur
person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others
Posterity
future generations
Posthumous
After death
Postulate
hypothesize; propose
Posture (v)
Behave affectedly or unnaturally in order to impress others
Potable
suitable for drinking
Potent
powerful; compelling; strong
Pragmatic
practical
Pragmatist
practical person
Prattle
mindless talk
Preamble
introductory material
Precarious
Uncertain; risky
Precedent
a previous occurrence used as a guide
Precept
guiding principle; practical rule guiding conduct
Precinct
district of a city
Precipice
steep slope
Precipitate
1. hurried (a); 2. insoluble product of a reaction in chemistry (n), 3. to instigate or speed up an
action (v)
Precipitous
done in a hurry
Preclude
prevent or make impossible; eliminate
Precocious
developing early
Predecessor
one who came before
Predicament
dilemma; difficult situation
Predilection
preference
Preeminent
outstanding; superior
Prerogative
right or privilege
Presage
forewarn of; indicate; Indicate by signs
Prescience
foreknowledge
Prescient
having fore-knowledge
Presentiment
a feeling that something might happen
Presumptuous
assuming too much; arrogant
Pretension
assumed attitude of superiority; arrogance
Pretentious
ostentatious; ambitious
Preternatural
unnatural; abnormal
Prevaricate
speak misleadingly and evasively
Primordial
present from the beginning of time
pristine
unspoiled
Probity
uprightness; honesty
Proclivity
Inclination; natural tendency
Procrastinate
delay; put off
Prodigal
wasteful; extravagant
Prodigious
very large
Profane
unholy
Profanity
Vulgar or irreverent speech or action
Profound
deep; not superficial; complete
Profundity
depth
Prohibitive
1. prohibiting; 2. exorbitantly expensive
proletarian
member of the working class
Proliferate
grow and spread [proliferation (n)]
Prolific
producing a lot; abundantly fruitful
Prolixity
Boring verbosity
Prominent
1. eminent; 2. protruding; 3. obvious
Prone
1. vulnerable to; 2. horizontal
Propensity
tendency; inclination
Propitiate
appease
Proponents
promoters; supporters
Prosaic
dull; boring; ordinary
Proscribe
forbid
Prosody
study of versification
Prostration
stretch out full on ground; lying face down; 2. be overcome with extreme weakness
Protagonist
main character in film, book, play etc.
Protean
changeable
Protocol
procedure; code of behavior
Protégé
person under protection of, or guided by another
Provincial
Pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
Proximate
immediate; nearest
Prudence
caution; wisdom
Prudent
cautious; wise
Prudish
Exaggeratedly proper
Prune
1. to trim; 2. a dried plum
Psychosis
severe mental disorder
Puerile
childish
Pugnacious
aggressive, ready to fight [pugnacity (n)]
Puissance
Power to influence or coerce
Punctilious
meticulous; paying attention to small details
Pundit
expert
Purchase
1. grip; 2. buy
Purist
conservative; one who insists on correct forms of language etc.
purloin
steal
pusillanimous
cowardly
Pyre
ceremonial fire
Pyromania
compulsion to start fires
Quack
charlatan; fake
Quaff
drink down quickly
Quagmire
marsh; bog
Quaint
odd; old-fashioned; picturesque
Qualm
hesitation or fear
Quandary
dilemma; puzzle
Quarantine
isolation to prevent the spread of disease
Quarry
1. something that is hunted; 2. mine for stone
Quell
suppress
Querulous
always complaining
Quibble
1. (v) to argue about minor matters; to play on words when finding fault; 2. (n) a minor verbal
point in an argument
Quintessential
most typical; the perfect example of [quintessence(n)]
Quirk
oddity
Quisling
traitor
Quixotic
impractically idealistic
Quotidian
daily; routine
Raconteur
story-teller
Ramble
wander aimlessly
Ramifications
branches; subdivisions of a complex system; outcomes
Rancor
Bitterness; hatred
Rant
use bombastic language
Rarefy
make less dense [rarefaction (n)]
Ratify
approve; consent
Raucous
rough and unpleasant (of sounds)
Raze
destroy; demolish; tear down
Ready
(used of wit) quick
Rebus
puzzle in which pictures give clues
Rebuttal
denial
Recant
abjure; repudiate
Recapitulate
Summarize
Receptacle
container; vessel; holder
Recluse
hermit; someone who cuts himself off from life
Recondite
obscure
Reconnaissance
examination or survey conducted in advance [reconnoiter (v)]
Recumbent
Lying down; in a position of comfort or rest
Recuperate
recover; get better after illness
Red tape
formalities; paperwork; official procedure
Redolent
noticeably odorous; smelling of; giving off odors
Redress
compensate; put right something that was wrong
Redundant
unnecessary; superfluous
Referendum
public vote
Refulgent
glowing; radiant
Refute
disprove
Regale
entertain
Rekindle
relight; revive
Relegate
dismiss to a lower position
Remorse
regret; sorrow; contrition
Remuneration
Payment for work done
Renege
Fail to fulfill a promise or obligation
Renown
fame
Rent
torn (past participle of the verb to rend)
Repine
Express discontent
replete
full
Reprehensible
Shameful, very bad
Reprieve
a respite; postponement of a sentence; Relieve temporarily
Reproof
scolding; criticism [reprove (v)]
Repudiate
shun; eschew; ban
Rescind
retract; repeal
Resignation
acceptance of fate
Resilience
resistance; ability to spring back [resilience (a)]
Resolution
determination
Resolve
firmness (n)
Resonant
echoing
Respite
delay in punishment; interval of relief; rest;a break; intermission
Resplendent
shining; glowing
Restorative
a tonic
Resuscitation
revival from unconsciousness [resuscitate (v)]
Retention
preservation; withholding
Reticent
reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence
Retraction
withdrawal; cancellation of a statement
Revere
worship
Riddled
damaged throughout by numerous perforations or holes
Rife
common
Rigor
thoroughness
Riveting
fascinating [to rivet literally means to fix metal plates using metal pins]
Robust
strong; healthy; tough
Roster
list of names
Rotund
round
Rue
regret [rueful (a)]
Ruminate
think over something; ponder
Runic
mysterious; magical
Ruse
trick; stratagem
Saccharin
falsely sweet
Sacrosanct
very holy; inviolable
Sagacious
wise
Sage
a wise person
Salacious
erotic; lascivious; lustful
Sallow
yellowish
Salubrious
healthful
Salutary
tending to improve; beneficial
Sanctimonious
hypocritically holy
Sanction
give approval to
Sanguinary
bloodthirsty; bloody
Sanguine
optimistic; cheerful
Sap
1. liquid inside plants (n); 2. to drain; to undermine (v); 3. a fool (n)
Sardonic
mocking
Sate
satisfy
Satiate
satisfy; fill completely [satiable (a); satiation (n)]
Savant
person with knowledge
Savor
enjoy
Saw
1. tool for cutting; 2. wise saying
Scabbard
cover for a sword
Scale
to climb up; ascend
Scapegoat
person on whom blame is placed for faults of others
Score
written form of music (n)
Scotch (v)
to prevent; stop; disable
Scrupulous
careful; diligent; painstaking
Scrutinize
examine carefully
Scurvy
1. disease due to lack of vitamin C; 2. contemptible; rascally
Scuttle
sink
Secure
1. to fix firmly; 2. to obtain
Sedulity
thoroughness; perseverance [sedulous (a)]
Sedulous
Marked by care and persistent effort; assiduous
Seemly
appropriate (of behavior); decorous
Seine
type of fishing net
Seminal
Containing seeds of later development; formative
Seminary
an institution in which priests are trained
Sensuous
appealing to the senses
Sentinel
guard; sentry
Sequester
isolate; retire from public life; segregate; seclude
Sere
withered; old
Serendipity
fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery; gift for finding valuable or desirable things by
accident; accidental good fortune or luck
Serene
calm; peaceful
Serrated
jagged; saw-like
Serration
jagged edge
Servile
overly submissive; groveling; obsequious; sycophantic
Shard
fragment of pottery
Shirk
avoid (esp. work)
Sibyl
prophetess; fortuneteller
Sidereal
relating to the stars
Sinecure
An office that involves minimal duties
Sinewy
brawny
Sinistral
left-handed (or counterclockwise) [dextral - right handed]
Skeptical
doubting; not gullible
Skiff
small boat
Skirmish
minor battle; A minor short-term fight
Slew
glut; excess
Slight
A deliberate discourteous act; disrespect
Sluggard
slow-moving; lethargic person
Smelt
refine an ore
Smorgasbord
a Swedish buffet of cold dishes
Solace
comfort for grief
Solicit
to ask for; seek
Solicitous
kindly; expressing care and concern
Soliloquy
solo speech
Somatic
concerned with the body
Somnambulist
sleepwalker
Soothsayer
fortuneteller
Sophomoric
juvenile; immature
Soporific
inducing sleep
Sparse
thinly diffused; Not dense
Specious
false (note --- don't mix up with spacious)
Speckled
spotted; freckled; dotted
Sporadic
not continuous; intermittent
Spurious
FALSE
Squalid
dirty and demeaning
Stagnant
still; not moving
Staid
dull; sober; serious
Stanch
Stop the flow of a liquid
Stanza
section of a poem
Statute
law [statutory (a)]
Staunch
loyal; faithful; dependable
Steep
(v) to soak in water
Stereotype
A conventional or formulaic conception or image; fixed image
Stevedore
dockworker
Stickler
one who is strict about rules or details
Stifle
suppress
Stinting
holding back; limiting the supply (of supplies/money etc.) [stint (v)]
Stipple
cover with dots of paint etc.
Stipulate
specify [stipulation (n)]
Stoic
person who is indifferent to pleasure or pain
Stoke
add fuel to; strengthen
Stolid
impassive; dull; indifferent
Stomach
to tolerate
Stratagem
plot; plan; trick
Strident
Loud and harsh
Stringent
strict or severe
Strut
1. supporting rod (n); 2. to walk in an arrogant manner; show off (v)
Strut
swagger; show off; pompous walk
Stupefying
astonishing; shocking; stunning into silence
Stygian
very dark; hellish
Subliminal
below the threshold of consciousness
Suborn
bribe
Subpoena
summons to court
Substantiate
give supporting evidence
Subterfuge
a trick; Something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity
Subtle
not obvious
Subversive
rebellious; revolutionary
succinct
concise
Suffragist
someone who campaigns for voting rights
Sullied
made dirty or impure [opposite unsullied; sully (v)]
Supercilious
proud and haughty
Superlative
extremely good; the best
Supine
Lying face upward
Supplicant
person who requests or begs for something [supplicate (v)]
Surly
grumpy; rude
Surreptitious
secret; sneaky; stealthy
Surreptitiously
secretly; furtively; stealthily
Susceptible
vulnerable
Suspect
doubtful
Sybarite
Lover of luxury
Sycophant
bootlicker; flatterer
Syllogism
type of logical reasoning; Deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two
premises
Symphony
type of musical composition
Synapse
junction between two nerve cells
Syncopation
type of musical rhythm with missed beats
Table
(v) put down for future discussion
Taciturn
quiet; saying little
Tactile
concerned with the sense of touch
Talisman
lucky charm
Talon
long pointed nail or claw
Tamp
to plug; press loose matter down tightly (e.g. pack explosives into a hole)
Tangent
going off the main subject, touching
Tangible
Can be touched
Tardy
slow, retard, late, overdue, delayed
Tare
1. weed; 2. allowance made for container when weighing
Tarnished
made dull; spoil (reputation)
Taunt
mock; tease
Tawdry
of little value; gaudy; Tastelessly showy
Tedium
boredom
Teetotalism
total abstinence from alcoho
Temper
to moderate; soften
Temperate
moderate
Tempers
moderates
Tenacious
stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose
Tendentious
dogmatic; biased
Tender
to offer
Tentative
not certain
Tenuous
flimsy; not solid; thin; rare; slim
Terse
concise; to the point
Testiness
irritability; irascibility [testy (a)]
Therapeutic
medicinal; curative
Throwback
exhibiting primitive, or ancestral, traits; A reappearance of an earlier characteristic
Thwart
prevent; frustrate
Timorous
cowardly; fearful
Tirade
stream of verbal abuse
Titter
giggle quietly
Toady
sycophant; flatterer
Tome
large book
Torpid
inactive; lazy; stagnant
Torpor
dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity
Torrid
hot and steamy
Tortuous
indirect; winding
Totter
walk unsteadily
Touting
advertising; supporting [tout (v)]
Toy
to play with
Tractable
obedient; dutiful; polite
Tranquil
peaceful
Transcendental
supernatural; going beyond normal experience [transcendent (a)]
transcribe
copy
Transgress
go astray; disobey; commit a sin
Transient
short-lived; ephemeral
Traverse
to move across
Travesty
parody; ridiculous error
Trepidation
fear
Trilogy
set of three (literary works etc.); tetralogy = set of four
Trinket
something of little value; knick-knack
Trite
unoriginal; dull
trivial
unimportant
Truant
Absent without permission
Truncate
cut short; curtail
Tumult
uproar; noise
Turpitude
depravity; corruption
Tutelary
serving as a guardian [tutelage (n)]
Tyro
novice; beginner
Ubiquitous
found everywhere; omnipresent
Umbrage
1. shadow; 2. offence; sense of injury; A feeling of anger caused by being offended
Unalloyed
undiluted; total
Unctuous
oily; using excessive flattery
Undercutting
offering a lower price; undermining
Undergird
support; strengthen
Undermine
Destroy property or hinder normal operations
Undermined
damaged; attacked
Underscore
Emphasize
Underwrite
give guarantee; insure
Unequivocal
clear; obvious
Unfettered
set free; Not bound by shackles and chains
Unfrock
to remove a priest from his position
Unprecedented
never having happened before
Unprepossessing
unattractive
Unscathed
unharmed; intact; without a scratch
Untoward
unexpected
Unwitting
not deliberate; unconscious
Upbraid
scold; tell off; reprimand
Uproarious
hilarious; hysterical; very funny
Upshot
outcome
Urbane
sophisticated; suave; polished
Usurp
take someone's position (usually by force)
Usury
lending money at high interest rates
Utilitarian
useful
Utopian
a believer in an ideal world
Vacillate
waver; hesitate
Vacuous
empty; silly; meaningless
Vagary
something unaccountable; freak
Vagrant
person wandering without a home
Vapid
dull; uninspiring
Variegated
multicolored; speckled
Vehemence
violence; fervor; forcefulness
Vehement
forceful
Venal
corrupt; can be bribed
Veneer
surface coating
Venerate
revere; worship
Veneration
worship; respect [venerable (a), venerate (v)]
Venial
minor; unimportant
Venturing
Proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers; risking
Veracious
true [veracity (n)]
Veracity
Truthfulness
Verbiage
excessive or meaningless wordiness
Verbose
talkative; long-winded; rambling
Verbosity
using too many words
Verisimilar
Appearing to be true or real
Veritable
true; genuine [verity (n)]
Vertigo
dizziness; a feeling that you are about to fall
Vestigial
not developed
Vicissitude
unexpected change in fortune or circumstances
Vignette
small sketch
Vilification
Slanderous defamation; abuse
Vindicate
prove right; remove blame
Virtuosity
skill, expertise [virtuoso (n); virtuosi (n.pl)]
Virtuoso
an accomplished musician
Virulent
dangerous; harmful
Vital
essential; alive; important
Vitiate
weaken; sap energy
Vitriolic
corrosive; strongly attacking
Vituperate
Spread negative information about
Vivacity
liveliness; animation
Vivify
enliven
Vociferous
noisy; loud in speech; clamorous
Volatile
dangerously unstable; evaporates easily
Volubility
excessive talkativeness [voluble (a)]
Voluble
talkative; loquacious
Voluminous
very large; spacious
Voracious
ravenous
Vulpine
like a fox [compare with bovine (cow-like); porcine (pig-like), etc.] .
Waffle
talk nonsense
Waft
drift smoothly (v); whiff; smell (n)
Wag (n)
a witty person
Waive
surrender; give up
Wane
grow less
Wary
hesitant; cautious
Wax
to increase; to grow
Waylay
ambush; lie in wait
Weighty
serious
Whelp
young dog
Whet
sharpen
Whimsical
capricious; changeable
Whittle
1. carve with knife; 2. reduce step by step
Willful
stubborn
Wily
cunning
Wispy
flimsy; frail; delicate
Wistful
melancholy; pensive; expressing a longing for
Wry
1. twisted or bent to one side; 2. dryly humorous
Xenophobe
Someone who fears or hates foreigners
Zany
crazy; wacky
Zeal
enthusiasm
Zealot
fanatic
Zenith
summit