gre high frequency words

Word List Title Vocabulary Wizard 6.7 (Vocabulary Wizard) ¨Ï1995-2005 Prosigner 10/07/24 PM01:59 page 1/51

1 ABASE v. a<ad(=to)+bas(=lower)make someone lower in rank, position, character, etc.; lower; humiliateIt is written in the Bible that "whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted, and he that shall exalt himself shall be abased ."; His refusal to abase himself in the eyes of his followers irritated the king, who wanted to humiliate him.

2 ABDICATE v. ab(=off)+dic(=say, proclaim)formally give up an office or a duty; give up the throne; renounce; give upWe will not allow you to abdicate your responsibilities as a leading citizen of this community.; Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.

3 ABERRANT a. abnormal or deviantGiven the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment.

4 ABEYANCE n. bey(=gape)condition of not being in force or in use for a time; suspended actionThe case is being held in abeyance until furtherevidence can be found.; The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.

5 ABHOR v. ab(=away, from , intensive)+hor(=shudder)hate something very much; detestI wouldn't say that I abhor housework, but I must admit that I avoid it whenever I can.; She abhorred all forms of bigotry.

6 ABJURE v. renounce upon oathHe abjured his allegiance to the king.

7 ABNEGATION n. repudiation; self-sacrificeNo act of abnegation was more pronounced thanhis refusal of any rewards for his discovery.

8 ABOMINATE v. loathe; hateMoses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he abominated the custom.

9 ABROGATE v. ab(=away)+rog(=ask)abolish laws, customs, etc.No one, however powerful of intellectually dominant, can abrogate the basic moral laws on which civilization rests.; He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.

10 ABSCOND v. abs<ab(=from , away)+cond(=hide)go away suddenly and hide; depart secretly and hideHow can you accuse me of absconding with all your brilliant ideas when you have never had an original idea in your life!; The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found.

11 ABSOLVE v. ab(=from)+solv/solu(=loosen)declare someone free from guilt or punishment; pardon an offenseThe jury may have found him not guilty, but the "court of public opinion" will never absolve him of responsibility for the crime.; The father confessor absolved him of his sins.

12 ABSTEMIOUS a. abs<ab(=away, from)+tem<tom(=cut)not eating and drinking too much; frugal; temperate; sparing in dringk, etc.He was so abstemious that he extended his self-control even to his beloved music, and listened to records no more than an hour each day.; The drunkards mocked him because of his abstemious habits.

13 ABSTINENCE n. restraint from eating or drinkingThe doctor recommended total abstinence from salted foods.

14 ABSTRUSE a. abs<ab(=intensive, away)+trus(=thrust)deep in meaning; difficult to understand; obscure; profound; difficult to understandHe tried to conceal his lack of true scholarship and intellectual depth by making use of unnecessarily abstruse language.; She read abstruse works in philosophy.

15 ABYSMAL a. bottomlessHis arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.

16 ACCOLADE n. ac<ad(=to, near)+col(=neck)bestowed of a knighthood by a tap on the shoulder with the flat of a sword; praise; approval; award of meritCritics who bestow their accolades too easily may gain some quick popularity, but they will soon lose credibility and influence over their readers.; In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is the highestaccolade.

17 ACCOMPLICE n. ac<ad(=near)+com(=together)+plic(=fold)a person who helps another in a wrong act; partner in crimeI am sorry to have to tell you that I was an accomplice in the practical joke that caused youso much pain.; Because he had provided the criminal with the lethal weapon, he was arrested as an accomplice in the murder.

18 ACCRETION n. growth; increaseThe accretion of wealth marked the family's rise in power.

19 ACCRUE v. ac<ad(=to, add)+cru<cre(=grow, increase)come as a natural growth or development; comeas a natural increase especially of money; come about by additionI am convinced that some substantial advantages will accrue to me if I complete my college education.; You must pay the interest which has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.

20 ACERBIC a. sour or bitter in taste; harsh or corrosive in tone

21 ACERBITY n. bitterness of speech and temperThe meeting of the United Nations Assembly was marked with such acerbity that little hope of reaching any useful settlement of the problem could be held.


22 ACQUIESCE v. ac<ad(=to, intensive)+qui(=quiet)+esc(=becoming)give consent silently; assent; agree passivelyAlthough we really don't agree with mother's musical tastes, we decided to acquiesce to her appeal.; Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made.

23 ACRIMONY n. sharpness or bitterness of speeech or temper

24 ADAMANT a. hard; inflexibleHe was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer.

25 ADDLE a. rotten; muddled; crazyThis addle-headed plan is so preposterous that it does not deserve any consideration.

26 ADJURE v. request solemnlyI must abjure you to consider this matter carefully as it is of utmost importance to all of us.

27 ADULATE v. flatter in an obsequious manner

28 ADULATION n. flattery; admirationHe thrived on the adulation of his henchmen.

29 ADULTERATE v. ad(=to, add)+ulter<alter(=other)make something poorer in quality by adding something improper; make impure by mixing with baser substancesDo you really believe that the academic curriculum will be adulterated if courses like driver education and consumer science are introduced?; It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.

30 ADVERSARY n. opponent; enemyBatman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of his wicked adversary the Jaker.

31 ADVOCATE n.v. ad(=to)+voc(=call)a person who advocates; barrister; speak in favor of something; urge; plead forThe Fund for Animals was a strong advocate ofthe campaign to save dolphins from death in the nets of the tuna fleet.; The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves.

32 AESTHETIC a. artistic; dealing with or capable off appreciation of the beautifulBecause of his aesthetic nature, he was emotionally disturbed by ugly things.

33 AGGREGATE a. sum; totalThe aggregate wealth of this country is staggering to the imagination.

34 AGHAST a. filled with fear and surprise; horrifiedShe was aghast at the sudden attack.; He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host.

35 AGRARIAN a. pertaining to land or its cultivationThe country is gradually losing its agrarian occupation and turning more and more to an industrial point of view.

36 ALACRITY n. cheerful promptnessHe demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master.

37 ALCHEMY n. medieval chemistryThe changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy.

38 ALLEGORY n. story in which characters are used as symbols; fable"Pilgrim's Progress" is an allegory of the temptations and victories of man's soul.

39 ALLEVIATE v. al<ad(=to, add)+lev(=light, lift)make pain or suffering less or easier to bear; relieveThe only truly effective way to alleviate the poverty of underdeveloped third-world nations is to help increase their capacity to produce wealth.; This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs.

40 ALLOCATE v. assignEven though the Red Cross had allocated a large sum for the relief of the sufferers o the disaster, many people perished.

41 ALLOY n. a mixture as of metalsAlloys of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal.

42 ALLUSION n. indirect referenceThe allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.

43 ALOOF a.e. remote in manner; apart; reservedHe remained aloof from their quarrel.; apathetic, impassive, indifferent; reserved, reticent, taciturn

44 ALTERCATION n. alter(=other)+ca(=s.e.)+tion(=that which)quarrel or noisy argument; wordy quarrelWhat began as a "minor quarrel" grew into an altercation and then into an ugly fight.; Throughout the entire altercation, not one sensible word was uttered.

45 ALTRUISTIC a. altru<alter(=other)+ist(=person who)+ic(=nature of)considering the well-being and happines of others first,unselfish; unselfishly generous; concerned for othersWhat good are altruistic principles if no real attempt is made to help people by putting them into practice?; In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships for hundres of economically disadvantage youths, Engene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed.

46 AMALGAMATE v. combine; unite in one bodyThe unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.


47 AMASS v. collect, pile or heap upHe would later amass a fortune from the small investment.; The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.

48 AMBIGUOUS a. amb<ambi(=around, both)+ig(=drive)+u(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)having more than one meaning; of uncertain meaning or intention; doubtful in meaningThe word presently may mean "right now"or "at a future time".Therefor, to say "I will do that presently" must be considered an ambiguous statement.; His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take.

49 AMBIVALENCE n. val(=worth,strength)the state of having either or both of two contrary or similar values, meanings, etc.; the state of having contradictory or conflicitng emotional attitudesThe atrocity shook him out of his ambivalence .; Torn between loving her parents one minute andhating them the next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings.

50 AMELIORATE v. improveMany social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums.

51 AMIABLE a. am(=love, friendly)+i(=s.e.)+able(=capable of)good-tempered; kind-hearted; easy and pleasantto talk to; agreeable; lovableHe is so skillful in dealing with people that he can seem amiable even when he is refusing to give them what they want.; His amiable disposition pleased all who had dealings with him.

52 AMORPHOUS a. a<an(=not, without)+morph(=form)having no definite shape or form; shapelessThe musical composition, with no melodic pattern and no well-defined structure of development, seemed amorphous to my ear.; She was frightened by the amorphous mass which had floated in from the sea.

53 ANACHRONISM n. chron(=time,age)mistake in dating something; something out of date now or in a description of past events; an error involving time in a storySlavery is a sheer anachronism in the modern age.; The reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism.

54 ANAGRAM n. gram(=write)word made by changing the order of the letters in another word"Ulatf" is an anagram for "fault"

55 ANALOGOUS a. log(=speech)similar or parallel; comparableA bird's wing is analogous to a plane's wing.; She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that we do the same.

56 ANARCHY n. an(=not, without)+arch(=govern, government)absence of government or control; disorder; confusion; absence of governing body; state of disorderThere is a vast difference between democracy, under which everyone has duties as well as privileges, and anarchy under which no one has any fixed obligations.; The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.

57 ANATHEMA n. them(=put,place)formal declaration of the church, excommunicating somebody or condemning something as evil; solemn curseThe church pronounced anathema against the wilful heretic.; He heaped anathema upon his foe.

58 ANHYDROUS a. withered

59 ANNIHILATE v. an<ad(=to, near)+nihil(=nothing)destroy completely; put an end toWith their bigger, faster, more experienced players, they simply annihilated our team by 56 to 7.; The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilatethe entire population.

60 ANOMALOUS a. abnormal; irregularHe was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures which he despised.

61 ANONYMOUS a. an(=not, without)+onym(=name, word)without a name, or with a name that is not made known; having no nameAlthough we cannot mention her name, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the anonymous donor who gave this generous gift to our Building Fund.; He tried to ascertain the identity of the writer of the anonymous letter.

62 ANTAGONISM n. active resistanceDespite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge.

63 ANTIPATHY n. anti(=against, opposite)+path(=feel)+y(=that which)strong and decided dislike; aversion; dislikeYou are in deep trouble if you combine a strong taste for high living with an equally strong antipathy for hard work.; His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends.

64 ANTISEPTIC n.a. sept(=rotten)chemical substance preventing infection; preventing infection; substance that prevents infectionHe bathed the wound with an antiseptic.; It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how alight or insignificant.


65 APATHY n. a<an(=not, without)+path(=feel, suffer)absence of sympathy or interest; indifference; lack of caring; indifferenceHer moods seem to go from one extreme to the other-from deepest apathy to unlimited enthusiasm.; A firm believer in democratic government, she could not understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote.

66 APOCALYPTIC a. prophetic; pertaining to revelationsHis apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises.

67 APOCRYPHAL a. cryph<cryptrelating to the apocryphal; not genuine; not genuine; shamMany tales of the old West are apocryphal .; Her apocryphal tears misled no one.

68 APOSTATE n. st<a>(=stand)one who abandons his faith; one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefsHe became an apostate when he left the church.; Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate.

69 APOTHEOSIS n. theo(=God)deification; release from earthly life; deification; glorificationSome tyrants believed that they had apotheosis during medieval age.; The apotheosis of a Roman emperor was designed to insure his eternal greatness.

70 APPEASE v. ap<ad(=to)+peas<pac(=peace)quiet an angry person, etc.; satisfy in appetite; yield to the demands of someone; pacify; sootheIn ancient times, people sacrified animals , and even human beings, to appease the gods.; We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies, we encourage them to make additional demands.

71 APPREHENSIVE a. ap<ad(=to, near)+prehens(=take)fearful about something that might happen; quickto understand; perceptive; fearful; discerningThose students who have been doing their work all term need not feel apprehensive about the final examination.; His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness.

72 APPROBATION n. ap<ad(=to)+prob(=try, test, good)approval; sanctionPopularity polls seem to be based on the mistaken idea that the basic task of a political leader is to win immediate approbation from thepeople.; She looked for some sign of approbation from her parents.

73 APPROPRIATE a.v. acquire; take possession of for one`s own useThe ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the lndians` use.

74 ARBITER n. a person with power to decide a dispute; judgeAs an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers.

75 ARBITRARY a. ar(=to)+bit<bat(=go)+r(=s.e.)+ary(=relating to)based on opinion or impulse only, not on reason;dictatorial; using despotic power; fixed or decided; despoticMr. Ruggles claimed that the policewoman had been arbitrary in giving him a parking ticket while ignoring other cars on the street.; Any arbitrary action on your part will be resented by the members of the board whom you do not consult.

76 ARDUOUS a. hard; strenuousHer arduous efforts had sapped her energy.

77 ARID a. dry; barrenThe cactus has adapted to survive in an arid environment.

78 ARMADA n. fleet of warshipsQueen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast.

79 ARROGANT a. unduly or excessively proud, as of wealth, station, learning, etc

80 ARROGATE v. ar<ad(=to, add)+rog(=ask)claim or seize without right; attribute unjustly; claim without reasonable groundsThe United States Constitution is uniquely designed to provide protection against individuals and bodies which might seek to arrogate undue power to themselves.; I am afraid that the manner in which he arrogates power to himself indicates that he is willing to ignore Constitutional limitations.

81 ARTIFICE n. deception; trickeryThe Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might.

82 ASCETIC a. practicing self-denial; austereThe wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led by the monks.

83 ASKANCE a.e. with suspicion; with a sideway or indirect lookThe old woman looked askance at their short shirts.; Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.

84 ASSAY v. analyze; evaluateWhen they assayed the ore, they found that theyhad discovered a very rich vein.

85 ASSIDUOUS a. as<ad(=to, intensive)+sid(=sit)working steadily, diligent; eagerly attentiveWhat he lacks in skill, he makes up in assiduous attention to every last detail and requirement of the job.; He worked assiduously at this task for weeks before he felt satisfied withhis results.

86 ASSUAGE v. ease; lessen painYour messages of cheer should assuage her suffering.


87 ASTUTE a. wise; shrewdThat was a very astute observation. I shall heed it.

88 ATROPHY n.v. a<an(=not, without)+troph(=nourishment)wasting away of the body or of a moral quality; cause atrophy in or waste awayMedical experts state that almost every case of muscle and tissue atrophy is the result of changes in cell nutrition, disease, or prolonged disuse.; Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs.

89 ATTENUATE v. at<ad(=to, intensive)+tenu(=thin)make thin or slender; weaken; make thin; weakenWe must not allow passion for justice to be attenuated to mere halfhearted good will.; By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines.

90 AUDACIOUS a. daring; boldAudiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom and escaped Darth vader`s troops.

91 AUGMENT v. aug(=increase)make or become greater, increaseHe will augment his income by tending bar at night.; How can we hope to augment our forces when our allies are deserting us?

92 AUSPICIOUS a. au<avi(=bird)+spic(=look)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)showing signs or promising good fortune, favorable; favoring successSince everything had gone so smoothly, we felt that the campaign to elect Ellen captain was off to an auspicious deginning.; With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment to set sail.

93 AUSTERE a. strict; sternHis austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities.

94 AUTHENTIC a. hen(=perpare,achieve)genuine, not fictitious; reliable, trustworthyYou cannot contest the authentic will.

95 AUTONOMOUS a. nom(=law)self-governing; freeA federal system makes provision for local government with considerable autonomous authority.; This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother country.

96 AVARICE n. greediness for wealthKing Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries.

97 AVER v. a<ad(=to)+ver(=true)declare as true; assert; affirm; state confidentlyWhwn they offered to help him, he proudly averred that he could handle the situation entirely on his own.; I wish to aver that I am certain of success.

98 AVIARY n. enclosure for birdsThe aviary at the zoo held nearly 300birds.

99 AWRY a. distorted; crookedHe held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught cold in his neck during the night.

100 AXIOM n. self-evident truth requiring no proofBefore a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry, he must accept certain principles or axioms.

101 AZURE a. sky blueAzure skies are indicative of good weather.

102 BALEFUL a. deadly; destructiveThe drought was a baleful omen.

103 BALLAST n. heavy substance used to add stability or weightThe 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.

104 BANAL a. ban(=prohibition, control)+al(=nature of)commonplace; trite; hackneyed; commonplace; triteIn this moment of grief, the conventional expressions of sympathy which I had consideredso banal were surprisingly comforting.; His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal.

105 BANE n. cause of ruinLack of public transportation is the bane of urbanlife.

106 BAROQUE a. highly ornateThey found the baroque architecture amusing.

107 BAUBLE n. trinket; trifleThe child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag.

108 BEATIFIC a. giving bliss; blissfulThe beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy.

109 BEATIFY v. to make supremely happy

110 BEDIZEN v. dress with vulgar fineryThe witch doctors were bedizened in all their gaudiest costumes.

111 BEGET v. father; produce; give rise toOne good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another.

112 BEHOLDEN a. obligated; indebtedSince I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept this favor.


113 BEHOOVE v. suited to; incumbent uponIn this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and await the instructions of our superiors.

114 BELIE v. give a wrong or untrue idea of; fail to justify or beequal to what is hoped for or promised; contradict; give a false impressionHer behavior belied her story.; His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.

115 BELLICOSE a. warlikeHis bellicose disposition alienated his friends.

116 BENEFACTOR n. fact(=do,make)person who has given financial help to a school, hospital, or charitable institution; gift gver; patronThe benefactor was generous to the school.; Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor andgave him gifts.

117 BENEFICENT a. bene(=good)+fic(=do, make)+i(=s.e.) +ent(=having the quality of)doing good; kind; kindly; doning goodShe is known and loved throughout the community for her many beneficent acts in behalf of all types of unfortunates.; The overly generous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gabe away all his money and left himself with nothing.

118 BENEVOLENT a. bene(=good)+vol(=will)+ent(=having the quality of)doing or inclined to do good; kindly; charitable; generous; charitableNo one doubts the benevolent intentions of the program for community improvement, but it was ruined by mismanagement.; His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.

119 BENIGN a. gn<gen(=birth)kind, gentle; mild; not dangerous; kindly; favorable; not malignantThe red evening sky was a benign omen.; The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward friend and stranger alike.

120 BERATE v. scold sharply; scold stronglyHe began to berate tyrants.; He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness.

121 BEREAVE v. rob; leave sad by taking awayIllness bereaved the family of their father.

122 BEREAVEMENT n. state of being deprived of something valuable or belovedHis friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.

123 BEREFT a. deprived; deprived of; lackingDivorce left him bereft of family or home.; The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds.

124 BESEECH v. ask earnestly or urgentlyHe beseeched forgiveness for his folly.

125 BESMIRCH v. soil; defileThe scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the reputations of every member of thesociety.

126 BESTIAL a. beastlike; brutalWe must suppress our bestial desires and work for peaceful and civilized ends.

127 BETROTH v. engage a waman in contract of marriage; become engaged to marryThe couple was betrothed and planned to marry during the summer.; The announcement that had become betrothed surprised their friends who had not suspected any romance.

128 BIENNIAL n.a. enni(=year)plant that lives two years; occuring every two yearsThe biennial pansy flowered in the second year.;The group held biennial meeting instead of annual ones.

129 BILGE n.v. where the sides of the vessel curve in to form the bottom; cause to leak (as of vessels); take inwater at the bilge

130 BLANDISHMENT n. flatteryDespite the salesperson's blandishments, the customer did not buy the outfit.

131 BLASPHEMOUS a. profane; impiousThe people in the room were shocked by his blasphemous language.

132 BLATANT a. loudly offensiveI regard your remarks as blatant and ill-mannered.

133 BLIGHTED a. suffering from a disease; destroyedThe extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed from the air.

134 BLITHE a. gay; joyousShelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit" because of its happy song.

135 BODE v. foreshadow; portendThe gloomy skies and the sulphurous odors fromthe mineral spring seemed to bode evil to those who settled in the area.

136 BOLSTER v. support; prop upI do not intend to bolster your hopes with false reports of outside assistance; the truth is that wemust face the enemy alone.

137 BOMBASTIC a. pompous; using inflated languageThe orator's bombastic manner left the audienceunimpressed.


138 BOORISH a. of or like a boor; rude; clownishBecause of his boorish behavior, which people find offensive, he is seldom invited to parties.; Your boorish remarks to the driver of the other car were not warranted by the situation and served merely to enrage him.

139 BREACH n. breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gapThey found a breach in the enemy's fortificationsand penetrated their lines.

140 BREVITY n. brev(=short)+ity(=that which)shortness of statements, human life and other nonmaterial things; concisenessShakespeare expressed the tragic brevity of lifeby comparing it to a candle that must soon go out.; Brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you are charged for every word.

141 BRINDLED a. tawny or grayish with streaks or spotsHe was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were brindled; he had hoped for animals of a uniform color.

142 BROACH v. open upHe did not even try to broach the subject of poetry.

143 BROOK v. tolerate; endureThe dean would brook no interference with his disciplinary actions.(secondary meaning)

144 BRUIT v. tell or spread rumors

145 BRUSQUE a. blunt; abruptShe was offended by his brusque replay.

146 BUCOLIC a. rustic; pastoralThe meadow was the scene of bucolic gaiety.

147 BUMPTIOUS a. self-assertiveHis classmates called him a show-off because ofhis bumptious airs.

148 BURGEON v. grow forth; send out budsIn the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty that is to come.

149 BURLESQUE v. give an imitation that ridiculesIn his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary.

150 BURNISH v. make shiny by rubbing; polishThey burnished the metal until it reflected the lamplight.

151 BUTTRESS n. support or propThe huge cathedral walls were supported by flying buttresses.

152 CABAL n. small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interestsThe cabal was defeated when their scheme was discovered.

153 CACHE n. hiding placeThe detectives followed the suspect until he led them to the cache where he had stored his loot.

154 CACOPHONY n. discordSome people seem to enjoy the cacophony of an orchestra that is turning up.

155 CADAVER n. corpseIn some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers.

156 CAJOLE v. coax; wheedleI will not be cajoled into granting you your wish.

157 CALCIFY v. become impregnated with calcium salts; turn intolime; become calcified; convert into lime

158 CALIBER n. ability; capacityA man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks.

159 CALK n.v. a metal cleat on the bottom front of a horseshoe to prevent slipping; provide with calks; seal with caulking; injure with a calk

160 CALLOW a. unfledged; youthfulIn that youthful movement, the leaders were onlya little less callow than their immature followers.

161 CALUMNIATE v. slanderShakespeare wrote that love and friendship were subject to envious and calumniating time.

162 CALUMNY n. malicious misrepresentation; slanderHe could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the calumny that his foes heaped upon him.

163 CANARD n. unfounded rumor; exaggerated reportIt is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base canard.

164 CANDID a. straightforwardI want your candid opinion.

165 CAPITULATE v. cap(=head)+itul(=s.e.)+ate(=make)surrender on stated conditionCompletely surrounded at Yorktown by American and French forces, Cornwallis had no choice but to capitulate .; The enemy was warned to capitulate or face annihilation.

166 CAPRICIOUS a. flickle; incalculableThe storm was capricious and changed course constantly.

167 CAPTIOUS a. capt(=take)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)finding fault or making protests especially about unimportant points; faultfindingHe dismissed all of my carefully formulated criticisms with the casual rejoinder that I was being "unreasonably captious ".; His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering constructive suggestions.


168 CARNAGE n. carn(=flesh)+age(=collective)killing of many people; destruction of lifeThe carnage caused on our streets and highways each year by careless driving has become a major national scandal.; The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the responsibilities of our statesmen.

169 CARTE BLANCHE n. unlimited authority or freedomUse your own discretion in this matter; I give youcarte blanche.

170 CASCADE n. small waterfallWe could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we made detours around each of them to avoid getting wet.

171 CASTIGATE v. cast(=pure)+ig(=drive)+ate(=make)punish severely with blows or by criticizingIn Gulliver's Travels and other books, Jonathan Swift castigated the human race for its follies and wickedness.; Sensitive seven to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear the castigation which she found in certain reviews.

172 CASTIGATION n. punishment; severe criticismSensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear the castigation which she found in certain reviews.

173 CATACLYSM n. clysm(=wash)sudden and violent change; deluge; upheavalA cataclysm such as the French Revolution affects all countries.

174 CATALYST n. lys(=to loose)a combination which starts a reaction; agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unchangedMany chemical reactions cannot take place without the presence of a catalyst .; Many chemical reactions cannot take place without thepresence of a catalyst.

175 CATHARSIS n. hars(=pure)outlet for strong emotion; emptying of the bowels; purging or cleansing of any passage of the bodyAristotle maintained that tragedy created a catharsis by purging the soul of base concepts.

176 CAUSTIC a. caust(=burn)+ic(=nature of)able to burn or destroy by chemical action; acrid;sarcastic; burning; sarcastically bitingIf any of the caustic material gets on your clothing, wash it off immediately with lukewarm water to prevent it from eating away the fabric.; The critic's caustic remarks angered the haplessactors who were the subjects of his sarcasm.

177 CAVIL v. make frivolous objectionsI respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike theway you cavil about unimportant details.

178 CELIBATE a. unmarried; abstaining from sexual intercourseThe perennial bachelor vowed to remain celibate.

179 CENSOR n. overseer of marals; person who reads to eliminate inappropriate remarSoldiers dislike having their mail read by a censor but understand the need for this precaution.

180 CENSURE n.v. blame; criticizeHe was censured for his inappropriate behavior.

181 CESSATION n. stoppingThe workers threatened a cessation of all activities if their demands were not met.

182 CHAFE v. warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbingThe collar chafed his neck.

183 CHAFF n. worthless products of an endeavorWhen you separate the wheat from the chaff, be sure you throw out the chaff.

184 CHAGRIN n. vexation; disappointmentHer refusal to go with us filled us with chagrin.

185 CHARISMA n. divine gift; great popular charm or appeal of a political leaderPolitical commentators have deplored the importance of a candidate's charisma in these days of television campaigning.

186 CHARLATAN n. quack; pretender to knowledgeBecause he was unable to substantiate his claimthat he had found a cure for the dread disease, he was called a charlatan by his colleagues.

187 CHASTE a. pureHer chaste and decorous garb was appropriatelyselected for the solemnity of the occasion.

188 CHASTEN v. discipline; punish in order to correctWhom God loves, God chastens.

189 CHAUVINIST n. blindly devoted patriotA chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his country, no matter how flagrant they may be.

190 CHOLERIC a. hot-temperedHis flushed, angry face indicated a choleric nature.

191 CHRONICLE v. report; record (in chronological order)The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle the latest escapades of the socially prominent celebrities.

192 CHRONOLOGY n. the science that treats of computation of time,or of investigation and arrangement of events


193 CIRCUMLOCUTION n. locut(=say)roundabout way of speaking; roundabout expression; indirect or roundabout expressionThe circumlocution "the game ended with a score that was not in our favor" should be replaced by "we lost the game".; He was afraid to call a spade a spade and resorted to circumlocutions to avoid direct reference to his subject.

194 CIRCUMVENT v. vent(=come)prevent a plan from being carried out, frustrate; outwit; baffleThey tried to circumvent the official red tape.; In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make twopreliminary attacks in other sections before starting our major campaign.

195 CLANDESTINE a. secretAfter avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had a clandestine meeting.

196 COAGULATE v. thicken; congeal; clotEnen after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will continue to coagulate as it stands.

197 COALESCE v. combine; fuseThe brooks coalesce into one large river.

198 CODA n. concluding section of a musical or literary compositionThe piece concluded with a distinctive coda that strikingly brought together various motifs.

199 CODICIL n. supplement to the body of a willThis codicil was drawn up five years after the writing of the original will.

200 COGENT a. co(=together)+g<ag(=drive, do)having a powerful appeal to the mind; convincingWe found her criticism of our conduct unpleasant, but we had to admit that her remarks were cogent and to the point.; She presented cogent arguments to the jury.

201 COGNIZANCE n. knowledgeDuring the election campaign, the two candidates were kept in full cognizance of the international situation.

202 COGNIZANT a. co<con(=thoroughly)+gn<gno(=know)+iz(=s.e.) +ant(=having the quality of)having knowledge or being fully aware ofLike many people who are completely wrapped up in themselves, he seems not to be cognizant that he is hurting the feelings of his own friends.

203 COHESION n. force which keeps parts togetherIn order to preserve our cohesion, we must not let minor differences interfere with our major purposes.

204 COHORT n. a company of companions or supporters; a bandof warriors (originally a unit of a Roman Legion)

205 COLLABORATE v. col<con(=with)+labor(=work)work in partnership, especially in literature and art; work treasonably especially with enemy forces occupying one's country; work togetherAll those who collaborated with the enemy in the hope of gaining special favors will be punished severely.; Two writer collaborated in preparing this book.

206 COLLOQUIAL a. pertaining to conversational or common speechYou use of colloquial expressions in a formal essay such as the one you have presented spoils the effect you hope to achieve.

207 COLLUSION n. col<con(=together)+lus/lud(=laugh, play)secret agreement for an unlawful or evil purpose; conspiring in a fraudulent schemeThe gambler's prediction of the scores of the games proved so incredibly accurate that we begin to suspect some form of collusion .; The swindlers were found guilty of collusion.

208 COLTISH a. given to merry frolicking

209 COMPATIBLE a. com<con(=together)+pat(=feel, suffer)in accord with; able to live together in harmony; suited to; harmonious; in harmony withDo you think that your unwillingness to study foreign language is compatible with your ambition to get a job in the Foreign Service?; They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over unimportant matters.

210 COMPENDIUM n. com<con(=with)+pend(=hang, weigh)concise and comprehensive account; summary; brief comprehensive summaryOn the basis of his many years of experience as a school administrator, he had prepared an invaluable compendium of all the mistakes likely to be made by a young teacher.; This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount of new material being developed in this field.

211 COMPLACENT a. self-satisfiedThere was a complacent look on his face as he examined his paintings.

212 COMPLIANT a. com<con(=thoroughly)+pli(=fill)ready or disposed to comply; yieldingBecause she is usually so compliant , we were all surprised when she said firmly that she didn't like our plans and wouldn't accept them.; He wascompliant and ready to conform to the pattern set by his friends.

213 COMPORT v. bear one's self; behaveHe comported himself with great dignity.

214 COMPREHENSIVE a. thorough; inclusiveThis book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math skills for the SAT.

215 CONCILIATORY a. reconciling; soothingShe was still angry despite his conciliatory words.


216 CONCISE a. con(=intensive)+cis(=cut)brief; giving much information in few words; briefand compactIn spite of the vast number of details in the United States Constitution, the document is remarkably concise .; The essay was concise and explicit.

217 CONCLAVE n. private meetingHe was present at all their conclaves as an unofficial observer.

218 CONDESCEND v. con(=together)+de(=down)+scend(=climb)do something that one's rank, merits, abilities, etc. do not require one to do; lower oneself; behave graciously, but in a way that shows one'sfeeling of superiority; bestow courtesies with a superior airIf, as they say, they find those people so vulgar and unpleasant, why do they condescend to associate with them?; The king condescended togrant an audience to the friends of the condemned man.

219 CONDONE v. con(=intensive, completely)+don(=give)overlook or forgive an offence; overlook; forgiveI do not entirely condone his misconduct, but I can understand, to a degree, why he behaved as he did.; We cannot condone your recent criminal cooperation with the gamblers.

220 CONGLOMERATIONn. mass of material sticking togetherIn such a conglomeration of miscellaneous statistics, it was impossible to find a single area of analysis.

221 CONJOIN v. to unite

222 CONJURE v. summon a devil; practice magic; inagine; inventHe conjured up an image of a reformed city and had the cotters completely under his spell.

223 CONNIVANCE n. pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistanceWith the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher.

224 CONNOISSEUR n. con(=thoroughly)+n<gn<gno(=know)person with good judgement on matters in whichtaste is needed; expert; person competent to actas a judge of art, etc; a lover of an artAfter spending the summer behind the soda fountain at the Sweet Shop, I think I can fairly describe myself as a connoisseur of banana splits and milk shakes.; She had developed into a connoisseur of fine china.

225 CONSECRATE v. con(=together)+secr<sacr(=holy)make sacred; devote something to a special purpose; dedicate; sanctifyAs we move into the third century of our nation's life, we should consecrate ourselves anew to the ideals of human freedom.; We shall consecrate our lives to this noble purpose.

226 CONSENSUS n. con(=with)+sens(=feel)general agreement of opinion, feeling, etc.; collective opinionAs we learned to understand each other's needsand aspirations, a sort of unspoken consensus developed that enabled us to work together harmoniously.; The consensus indicates that we are opposed to entering into this pact.

227 CONSEQUENTIAL a. pompous; self-importantConvinced of his own importance, the actor stutted about the dressing room with a consequential air.

228 CONSORT v. associate withWe frequently judge people by the company withwhom they consort.

229 CONSUMMATION n. the act of bringing to completion or fruition

230 CONTEMN v. regard with contempt; disregardI will not tolerate those who contemn the sincere efforts of this group.

231 CONTENTIOUS a. quarrelsomeWe heard loud and contentious noises in the next room.

232 CONTRAVENE v. ven(=come)go against a law, a custom, etc.; attack a statement, a principle, etc.; contradict; infringe onBy invading the neutral nation, the doctator contravened his earlier pledge to guarantee its independence.; I will not attempt to contravene your argument for it does not affect the situation.

233 CONTRITE a. con(=intensive, together)+trit(=rub)filled with deep sorrow for wrongdoing; penitentIf you had paid some attention to my warning in the first place, ther would be no need for you to be contrite now.; Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed sentence.

234 CONTUMACIOUS a. con(=intensive)+tum(=swell)resisting authority; obstinate and disobedient; disobedient; resisting authorityThe situation was rapidly becoming intolerable because the new supervisor found the employees to be not merely uncooperative but positively contumacious .; The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police.

235 CONTUSION n. bruiseShe was treated for contusions and abrasions.

236 CONUNDRUM n. riddle; difficult problemDuring the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain the children.

237 CONVENTIONAL a. ordinary; typicalHis conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his wife's eccentric family.


238 CONVERGE v. con(=together)+verg(=turn, bend)come towards each other and meet at a point; come togetherAt first, the two candidates were in disagreementon every issue, but as the campaign went on, their opinions seemed to converge .; Marchers converged on Washington for the great Peace March.

239 CONVOLUTED a. coiled around; involved; intricateHis argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow it intelligently.

240 COPIOUS a. plentifulShe had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal.

241 CORRELATION n. mutual relationshipHe sought to determine the correlation that existed between ability in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises.

242 CORROBORATE v. cor<con(=intensive)+robor(=strength)give support or certainty to a statement, belief, theory, etc.; confirmAll the available evidence corroborates my theory that the theft was planned by someone familiar with the layout of the house.; Unless we find a witness to corroborate your evidence, it will not stand up in court.

243 COUNTENANCE n.v. coun<con(=together)+ten(=hold)face, including its appearance and expression; support; give support, approval, or encouragement to; approve; tolerateOne of the sure signs of a government that is notfree and democratic is that the people on power will not countenance any criticism of their acts.; He refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part.

244 COVENANT n.v. co<con(=together)+ven(=come)formed agreement that is legally bindingTwice in the 20th century, the nations of the world have entered into a covenant to cooperate in safegurading international peace and in seeking a better life for all peoples.; We must comply with the terms of the covenant.

245 COWER v. shrink quivering, as from fearThe frightened child cowered in the corner of theroom.

246 COY a. shy; modest; coquettishShe was coy in her answers to his offer.

247 CRASS a. very unrefined; grossly insensibleThe philosophers deplored the crass commercialism.

248 CRAVEN a. cowardlyHer craven behavior in running away from the enemy at this critical period was criticized by her comrades.

249 CREDULITY n. belief on slight evidenceThe witch doctor took advantage of the credulity of the superstitious natives.

250 CRITERIA n. standards used in judgingWhat criteria did you use when you selected this essay as the prizewinner?

251 CULPABLE a. culp(=blame, fault)+able(=capable of)blameworthy,deserving punishment; deserving blameWhat do you think of the concept that when a crime is committed, society is often as culpable as the criminal?; Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are equally culpable.

252 CUPIDITY n. greedThe defeated people could not satisfy the cupidity of the conquerors, who demanded excessive tribute.

253 CURSORY a. curs(=run)+ory(=relating to)quick; hurried; done without attention to details; casual; hastily done"I was so pressed for time that I couldn't give thelengthy report more than a cursory reading", the busy executive confessed.; A cursory examination of the ruins indicates the possibility of arson; a more extensive study should be undertaken.

254 CYNIC n. one who is skeptical or distrustful of human motivesCynical at all times, he was suspicious of all altruistic actions of others.

255 CYNICAL a. exhibiting moral skepticism

256 DAIS n. raised platform for guests of honorWhen he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from the people who had come to honor him.

257 DALLY v. triffle with; procrastinateLaertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could only dally with her affections.

258 DANK a. dampThe walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy.

259 DAUNT v. intimidateYour threats cannot daunt me.

260 DAUNTLESS a. boldDespite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless soldier volunteered for the assignment.

261 DEARTH n. scarcityThe dearth of skilled labor compelled the employers to open trade schools.

262 DEBACLE n. breaking up; downfallThis debacle in the government can only result in anarchy.


263 DEBASE v. de(=down, intensive)+bas(=bottom, lower)make lower or poorer in value, quality, character,etc.; reduce to lower stateBy concentrating on persoanl gain, he has debased both himself and the high office to which he was elected.; Do not debase yourself by becoming maudlin.

264 DEBAUCH v. corrupt; make intemperateA vicious newspaper con debauch public ideals.

265 DEBAUCHERY n. a wild gathering involving excessive drinking andpromiscuity

266 DEBILITATE v. de(=reverse)+bilit(=strong)+ate(=make)make weak; weaken; enfeebleThe historian explained that luxury and self-indulgence debilitated the Roman people and led to the fall of the empire.; Overindulgencedebilitates character as well as physical stamina.

267 DEBONAIR a. friendly; aiming to pleaseThe debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner.

268 DECADENCE n. de(=down)+cad(=fall)falling to a lower level in morals, art, literature, etc. especially after a period at a high level; decayHis definition of decadence is simply anything that differs from the standards and customs that he is accustomed to.; The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd literature of the period.

269 DECIDUOUS a. falling of as of leavesThe oak is a deciduous tree,

270 DECOROUS a. properShocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class for its lack of decorum.

271 DECORUM n. decorousShocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class for its lack of decorum.

272 DECRY v. disparageDo not attempt to increase your stature by decrying the efforts of your opponents.

273 DEFAMATION n. de(=down)+fam<fa(=say)harm that is given to one's reputation; slander; harming a person's reputationLacking a positive program of his own, he hopedto gain the support of the voters by defamation of the other candidates.; Such defamation of character may result in a slander suit.

274 DEFERENCE n. de(=down)+fer(=carry)the act of obeying the judgement or opinion of another; great respect; courteous regard for another's wishAlthough I felt that he was wrong in his sweepingcriticism, I accepted it silently in deference to his age and prefessional standing.; In deference to his desires the employers granted him a holiday.

275 DEFUNCT a. de(=off, from)+funct(=perform)dead; extinct; dead; no longer in use or existenceAlthough many of the formalities of etiquette of earlier days are now generally disregarded, the basic principles of courtesy are never defunct .; The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct corporation.; The lawyers sought ot examine the books of the defunct corporation.

276 DEIGN v. condescendHe felt that he would debase himself if he deigned to answer his critics.

277 DELETERIOUS a. harmfulWorkers in nuclear research must avoid the deleterious effects of radioactive substances.

278 DELINEATE v. de(=intensive)+lin(=line)show by drawing or by describing; portray delineationI can't provide all the details at this time, but I willtry to delineate the mainfeatures of my plan for reorganizing the student government.; He is a powerful storyteller, but he is weakest when he attempts to delineate characer.

279 DELUSION n. false belief; hallucinationThis scheme is a snare and a delusion.

280 DEMUR v. delay; objectDo not demur at my request.

281 DENIGRATE v. blackenAll attempts to denigrate the character of our latePresident have failed; the people still love him and cherish his memory.

282 DENOUEMENT n. outcome; final development of the plot of a playThe play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to sophisticated theatergoers as early as the middle of the first act.

283 DEPICT v. de(=intensive)+pict(=paint)show something with a picture; describe something in words; portrayShe has gained success as a writer who knows how to depict in a lifelike way the hopes, fears, and problems of young people today.; In this book, the author depicts the slave owners as kind and benevolent masters.

284 DEPOSITION n. testimony under oathHe made his deposition in the judge's chamber.

285 DEPRECATE v. de(=off, from)+prec(=pray)feel and express disapproval of; disapprove regretfullyThe whole history of social reform demonstrates how much easier it is to deprecate evils than to take effective action against them.; I must deprecate your attitude and hope that you will change your mind.


286 DEPREDATION n. de(=intensive)+pred(=plunder)destruction or pillaging of property; plunderingThe depredations of the terrible disease could be seen only too clearly in her extreme emaciation and feebleness.; After the depredations of the invaders, the people were penniless.

287 DERELICT n.a. de(=intensive)+re(=back)+lict(=leave)ship abandoned at sea; worthless person; person who neglects his duty; abandoned; deserted and left to fall into ruin; failing in one's dutyIn every large city, there is a neighborhood that serves as a refuge for derelicts who have failedto come to terms with society.; The corporal whofell asleep while on watch was thrown into the guard house for being derelict in his duty.

288 DERISION n. ridiculeThey greeted his proposal with derision and refused to consider it seriously.

289 DERIVATIVE a. unoriginal; derived from another sourceAlthough her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own voice.

290 DEROGATORY a. de(=down)+rog(=ask)tending to damage or take away from one's credit, etc.; insulting; expressing a low opinionThe public will not readily accept an intensive investigation designed to turn up derogatory information about so popular a figure.; I resent your derogatory remarks.

291 DESCANT v. discuss fullyHe was willing to descant upon any topic of conversation, even when he knew very little about the subject under discussion.

292 DESECRATE v. de(=down)+secr<sacr(=holy)treat a holy thing without respect; profane; violate the sanctity ofThey desecrated the memory of Lincoln by involving his name in defense of such a racist policy.; The soldiers desecrated the temple.

293 DESICCATE v. dry upA tour of this smokehouse will give you an of how the pioneers used to desiccate food in orderto preserve it.

294 DESPOIL v. plunderIf you do not yield, I am afraid the enemy will despoil the countryside.

295 DESPOTISM n. tyrannyThe people rebelled against the despotism of the king.

296 DESUETUDE n. disused conditionThe machinery in the idle factory was in a state of desuetude.

297 DESULTORY a. aimless; jumping aroundThe animal's desultory behavior indicated that they had no awareness of their predicament.

298 DETACHED a. emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferentA psychoanalyst must maintain a detached pointof view and stay uninvolved with her patient's personal lives. (secondary meaning)

299 DETERRENT n. something that discourages; hindranceDoes the threat of capital punishment serve as adeterrent to potential killers?

300 DETRACTION n. slandering; aspersionHe is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader.

301 DEVOID a. de(=intensive)+void(=empty)completely without; lackingHe delivered a simple, low-key speech, completely devoid of fancy language or emotional appeals.; He was devoid of any personal desire for gain in his endeavor to secure improvement in the community.

302 DEXTEROUS a. skillfulThe magician was so dexterous that we could not follow him as he performed his tricks.

303 DIAPHANOUS a. phan(=show,appear); dia(=through)+phan(=show, appear)+ous(=having the quality of)transparent, translucent; sheer; transparentHer diaphanous grown seemed part of the moonlight.; Corot painted poetic and diaphanous landscapes, in which even solid objects seemed to be suffused with light and movement.; They saw the burglar clearly through the diaphanous curtain.

304 DIATRIBE n. bitter scolding; invectiveDuring the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he remained calm and self-controlled.

305 DICHOTOMY n. di(=two)+cho(=into)+tom(=cut)+y(=that which)division into two parts, groups. or classes, especially when there are sharply distinguished or opposed; branching into two partsThere are very few world problems that can be understood in terms of a simple dichotomyomy of right and wrong.; The dichotomy of our legislative system provides us with many safeguards.

306 DIFFIDENCE n. shynessYou must overcome your diffidence of you intendto become a salesperson.

307 DIFFUSION n. wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gasYour composition suffers from a diffusion of ideas; try to be more compact.

308 DIGRESS v. di<dis(=apart)+gres (=go, step)turn or wander away from the main pointMy criticism is not that you digressed from your main theme, but rather that you abandoned it altogether.


309 DILAPIDATED a. di<dis(=apart)+lapid(=stone)falling to pieces; ruined; shabby; ruined becauseof neglectBeneath the dilapidated body of the getaway car,there was a powerful finely tuned motor,capable of reaching high speeds.; We felt that the dilapidated building needed several coats of paint.

310 DILATORY a. delayingYour dilatory tactics may compel me to cancel the contract.

311 DILETTANTE n. aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabblerHe was not serious in his painting; he was rathera dilettante.

312 DINT n. means; effortBy dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to place the raging forest fire under control.

313 DISABUSE v. dis(=not)+ab(=away)+us(=use)free someone from false ideas and mistakes; correct a false impression; undeceiveAlthough she is well into middle age, my Aunt Sally seems unable to disabuse herself of the idea that she is still a teenager.; I will attempt to disabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent.

314 DISARRAY n. a disorderly or untidy stateAfter the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray.

315 DISAVOW v. dis(=not)+a<ad(=to)+vow<voc(=call)deny belief, approval or knowledge; refuseThe prisoner attempted to disavow his confession on the grounds that he had not been informed of his legal rights by the district attorney.

316 DISAVOWAL n. denial; disclaimingHis disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury.

317 DISCERNING a. mentally quick and observant; having insightBecause he was considered the most discerningmember of the firm, he was assigned the most difficult cases.

318 DISCOMBOBULATEDa. having self-possession upset; thrown into confusion

319 DISCOMFIT v. dis(=not)+com<con(=thoroughly)+fit(=make, do)frustrate the plans or expectations of; make someone uneasy or confused; put to rout; defeat; disconcertIf you go to the interview well-prepared and in the right frame of mind, there will be no need for you to feel discomfited by even the most probing questions.; This ruse will discomfit the enemy.

320 DISCORDANT a. dis(=apart)+cord(=heart)not in agreement; not harmonious; harsh; inharmonious; conflictingThe two leaders are trying to form an alliance, but their respective programs are so discordant that it will be hard for them to work together.; She tried to unite the discordant factions.

321 DISCOURSE n. formal discussion; conversationThe young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hearthe philosophicla discourse of Scorates and his followers.

322 DISCREPANCY n. dis(=apart)+crep(=rattle)difference; absence of agreement; lack of consistency; differenceWith all the deductions,there is a discrepancy of 40 dollars between my official salary and my weekly paycheck.; The police noticed som discrepancies in his description of the crime and did not believe him.

323 DISCRETE a. separate; unconnectedThe universe is composed of discrete bodies.

324 DISDAIN n.v. dis(=not)+dain<dign(=worthy)contempt; scorn; look on with contempt; think it dishonorable to do something; be too proud; treat with scorn or contemptOnly a foolish snob would show such disdain for anyone who doesn't belong to a country club.; You make enemies of all you disdain.

325 DISINGENUOUS a. dis(=not)+in(=in)+gen(=birth)insincere; not straightforward; not naive; sophisticatedWhat disappointed me waas not so much your failure to complete the job but your disingenuous efforts to avoid all responsibility for the failure.; Although he was young, his remarks indicated that he was disingenuous.

326 DISINTERESTED a. dis(=not)+inter(=between)+est(=to be)not influenced by personal feelings or interests; fair; indifferent; unprejudicedSince Tom is both smart and disinterested , I think he is the perfect person to decide which of us is right in this long and bitter quarrel.; The only disinterested person in the room was the judge.

327 DISJOINTED a. disconnectedHis remarks were so disjointed that we could notfollow his reasoning.

328 DISPARAGE v. dis(=not)+par(=equal)say that someone or something is of small value or importance; speak ill of; belittleThere must be a serious flaw in the character of a girl who makes it habit to disparage the abilities of her best friends.; Do not disparage anyone's contribution; these little gifts add up to large sums.

329 DISPARATE a. basically different; unrelatedIt is difficult, if not impossible, to organize these disparate elements into a coherent whole.


330 DISPARITY n. dis(=not)+par(=equal)inequality; difference; difference; condition of inequalityI never cease to wonder at the disparity between what men aspire to do and what they are equipped to do by natural endowment and training.; The disparity in their ages made no difference at all.

331 DISPERSE v. di<dis(=away, apart)+spers(=strew)scatter <something> in all directioms; routHer bright, optimistic manner did much to disperse the atmosphere of gloom that had settled over the meeting.; The police fired tear gas into the crowd to disperse the protesters.

332 DISSEMBLE v. dis(=not)+sembl(=same)hide one's feeling, intentions, etc.; disguise; disguise; pretendWhen she went into her all too familiar act of the uncomplaining martyr, I could not dissemble my annoyance.; Even though you are trying to dissemble your motive in joining this group, we can see through your pretense.

333 DISSEMINATE v. dis(=apart)+semin(=seed)distribute or spread widely ideas, doctrines, etc.; scatter like seedsPerhaps he did not originate that vicious rumor, but he certainly shares the responsibility for having disseminated it.; The invention of the radio has helped propagandists to disseminate their favorite doctrines very easily.

334 DISSOLUTION n. disintegration; looseness in moralsThe profligacy and dissolution of life in Caligula'sRome appall some historians.

335 DISSONANCE n. discordSome contemporary musician deliberately use dissonance to achieve certain effects.

336 DISTILL v. purify; refine; concentrateA moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills thoughts into quips.

337 DIVERGE v. verg(=lean)get farther apart from a point or from each other as they progress; turn off; deviate; vary; go in different directions from the same pointThe spoken of the wheel diverge from the hub.; The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.

338 DIVERSE a. differing in some characteristics; variousThere are diverse ways of approaching this problem.

339 DIVERSION n. act of turning aside; pastimeAfter studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work.

340 DIVERSITY n.v. di(=apart)+vers(=turn)remarkable difference; variety; variety; dissimilitudeShe is never bored,because she has great diversity of interests,ranging from folk dancing to mathematics.; The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels of ability are being cared for.

341 DIVESTITURE n. an order to an offending party to rid itself of property; it has the purpose of depriving the defendant of the gains of wrongful behavior

342 DIVULGE v. di<dis(=apart, away)+vulg(=people)make known something secret; revealA person accused of a crime is not obliged to divulge anything that might tend to incriminate him.; I will not tell you this news because I am sure you will divulge it prematurely.

343 DOCILE a. doc(=teach)+ile(=capable of)easily trained or controlled; obedient; easily managedThe young man who seemed so quiet and docile turned out to be very well-informed and tohave strong opinions of his own.; As docile as heseems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, snarling beast.

344 DOGGEREL n. poor verseAlthough we find occasional snatches of genuinepoetry in her work, most of her writing is mere doggerel.

345 DOGMATIC a. positive; arbitraryDo not be so dogmatic about that statement; it can be easily refuted.

346 DORMANT a. dorm(=sleep)+ant(=having the quality of)in a state of inactivity but awaiting development or activity; sleeping; lethargic; torpidSo long as the local government lacks the necessary funds, this worthwhile project will have to remain dormant .; Sometimes dormant talents in our friends surprise those of us who never realized how gifted our acquaintances really are.

347 DOTING a. extravagantly or foolishly loving and indulgent

348 DOUGHTY a. courageousMany folk tales have sprung up a bout this doughty pioneer who opened up the New World for his followers.

349 DOWDY a. slovenly; untidyShe tried to change her dowdy image by buying a new fashionable wardrobe.

350 DREGS n. sediment; worthless residueThe dregs of society may be observed in this slum area of the city.

351 DROLL a. queer and amusingHe was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always entertaining.

352 DROSS n. waste matter; worthless impuritiesMany methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal from the dross.

353 DUBIOUS a. doubtfulHe has the dubious distinction of being the lowest man in his class.


354 DUCTILITY n. malleability; flexibility; ability to be drawn outCopper wire has many industrial uses because of its extreme ductility.

355 DULCET a. sweet soundingThe dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon drowned out by the roar of traffic passing our motel.

356 DURESS n. forcible restraint, especially unlawfullyThe hostages were held under duress until the prisoners' demands were met.

357 EARTHY a. unrefined; coarseHis earthy remarks often embarrassed the women in his audience.

358 EBULLIENT a. e<ex(=out, up)+bul (=bubble, seal)bubbling, boiling; overflowing with enthusiaism,high spirits, etc.; exuberant; showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasmEven before they said a word, I could tell from their ebullient mood that our team had won.; His ebullient nature could not be repressed; he was always exuberant.

359 ECCENTRIC n.a. odd; whimsical; irregularThe comet passed close by the earth in its eccentric orbit.

360 ECCLESIASTIC a. pertaining to the churchThe minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and walked to the pulpit.

361 ECLECTIC a. ec<ex(=out)+lect(=choose)selecting from various systems, doctrines, or sources; composed of material gathered from various sources, systems, etc.; a person who uses eclectic methods in philosophy, science, or art; selective; composed of elements drawn fromdisparate sourcesEclectic school of art are typical of period when there is little original inspiration or bold experimenting.; His style of interior decoration was eclectic: bits and pieces of furnishings from widely divergent periods, strikingly juxtaposed tocreate a unique decor.

362 ECONOMICAL a. using the minimum of time or resources necessary for effectiveness; of or relating to an economy, the system of production and management of material wealth

363 ECONOMY n. the system of production and distribution and consumption; the efficient use of resources; frugality in the expenditure of money or resources

364 EDIFY v. instruct; correct morallyAlthough his purpose was to edify and not to entertain his audience, many of his listeners were amused and not enlightened.

365 EDUCE v. draw forth; elicitShe could not educe a principle that would encompass all the data.

366 EFFACE v. ef<ex(=out)+fac(=face)³µ´á; rub or wipe out; obliterate; make indistinct; rub outIf only I could efface the memory of the look of shock and disappointment on my mother's face!;The coin had been handled so many times that its date had been effaced.

367 EFFEMINATE a. having womanly traitsHis voice was high-pitched and effeminate.

368 EFFERVESCENCE n. inner excitement; exuberanceNothing depressed her for long; her natural effervescence soon reasserted itself.

369 EFFICACY n. power to produce desired effectThe efficacy of this drug depends on the regularity of the dosage.

370 EFFIGY n. ef<ex(=out)+fig(=form)representation of a person in wood, stone, etc.; dummyDetermined to discredit the fallen leader, the opposition speakers presented a picture od him that was no more than a grotesque effigy for the mob to deride.; The mob showed its irritationby hanging the judge in effigy.

371 EFFLUVIUM n. noxious smellAir pollution has become a serious problem in our major cities; the effluvium and the poisons inthe air are hazards to life

372 EFFRONTERY n. ef<ex(=out)+front(=forehead)impudence; shameless boldnessFor her to accuse me being selfish after I have sacrificed so much to further her career is sheer effrontery .; She had the effrontery to insult the guest.

373 EFFUSIVE a. ef<ex(=out)+fus(=pour)expressing excessive emotion in an unrestrained manner; pouring out; overflowing; pouring forth; gushingNot until later did I realize that their effusive expressions of interest in our welfare were insincere and self-serving.; Her effusive manner of greeting her friends finally began to irritate them.

374 EGREGIOUS a. e<ex(=out)+greg(=flock, mob)remarkably bad; outstanding, used for someone or something bad; flagrant; gross; shockingWhen the results of her mistakes became obvious, she gained a well-deserved reputation for being an egregious blunder.; She was an egregious liar and we could never believe her.

375 EGRESS n. exitBarnum's sing "To the Egress" fooled many people who thought they were going to see an animal and instead found themselves in the street.

376 ELEGY n. poem or song expressing lamentationOn the death of Edward King, Milton composed the elegy "Lycidas."


377 ELICIT v. e<ex(=out)+lic(=entice, permit)draw out; evoke; draw out by discussionMs. Mizote is so accomplished a teacher that she can elicit some degree of interest and attention from even the most withdrawn children.; The detectives tried to elicit where he had hidden his loot.

378 ELUCIDATE v. e<ex(=out)+luc(=light)explain; make clear; throw light on a problem, or difficulty; explain; enlightenI am waiting for you to elucidate those strage remarks about the background of my family tree!; He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points in his article.

379 ELUSIVE a. evasive; baffling; hard to graspHis elusive dreams of wealth were costly to those of his friends who supported him financially.

380 EMANATE v. e<ex(=out)+man(=flow, stay)come out; issue; issue forthYou may be sure that any directive that emanates from her office will be clear, precise, and wokable.; A strong odor of sulphur emanated from the spring.

381 EMBELLISH v. em<en(=make)+bel (=beautiful)make beautiful; decorate; make a story, etc. more interesting; adornAs the news traveled from person to person, it became embellished with so many fanciful details that we found it impossible to tell what had actually happened.; His handwriting was embellished with flourishes.

382 EMINENCE n. an elevated position with respect to rank, place, character, condition, etc

383 EMPATHY n. em<en(=in)+path(=feel, suffer)projecting oneself into and so fully understanding, and losing one's identity in a work of art or other object of contemplation; sharing another person's feelingsSo strong is my empathy with the poems of Robert Frost and I often feel as though I could have written them myself.

384 EMPIRICAL a. em<en(=in)+pir<per(=try out)relying on observation and experiment, not on theory; relying or based on practical experience; based on experienceHe has no confidence in magical formulas that will solve all our social problems overnight; the whole bent of his thinking is practical and empirical .; He distrusted hunches and intuitive flashes; he placed his reliance entirely on empirical data.

385 EMULATE v. rival; imitateAs long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish.

386 ENAMORED a. in loveNarcissus became enamored of his own beauty.

387 ENCROACH v. en(=in)+croach<croch(=hook, bend)go beyond what is right or natural or desirableThe rights guranteed us by the Constitution do not permit you to encroach on the rights of others.

388 ENCUMBER v. en(=in)+cumb(=lean, lie)get in the way of; be a burden to; choke upYou will never be able to complete this hike if you encumber yourself with so much "essntial equipment".; Some people encumber themselves with too much luggage when they take short trips.

389 ENDEMIC a. prevailing among a specific group of people or ina specific areaThis 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.

390 ENDUE v. provide with some quality; endowHe was endued with a lion's courage.

391 ENERVATE a.v. e<ex(=out)+nerv(=nerve)deprive of strength, force, vigor, etc.; weaken physically, mentally, or morally ;; weakenedThe vigor of his opponent's attack enervated the young politician.; She was slow to recover from her illness; even a short walk to the window left her enervated.

392 ENFETTER v. restrain with fetters; constrain; make a slave;

393 ENFRANCHISE v. to admit to the rights of citizenship(especially theright to vote)Although Blacks were enfranchised shortly after the Civil War, women did not receive the right to vote until 1920.

394 ENGENDER v. en(=make)+gen(=birth, creation)bring about; cause; produceJohn F. Kennedy warned us that governments which make no effort at peaceable reform may engender social unrest that will make violent revolution inevitable.; To receive praise for real accomplishments engenders self-confidence in a child.

395 ENHANCE v. advance; improveYour chances for promotion in this department will be enhanced if you take some more courses in evening school.

396 ENIGMA n. puzzleDespite all attempts to decipher the code, it remained an enigma.

397 ENNUI n. boredomThe monotonous routine of hospital life induced a feeling of ennui which made him moody and irritable.

398 ENRAPTURE v. please intenselyThe audience was enraptured by the freshness of the voices and the excellent orchestration.


399 ENSCONCE v. settle comfortablyThe parents thought that their children were ensconced safely in the private school and decided to leave for Europe.

400 EPHEMERAL a. ep<epi(=upon)+hemer(=day)+al(=nature of)living for a very short time; trasitory; short-lived; fleetingLooking at a lovely young girl, I feel a certain sense of sadness because I realize how ephemeral physical beauty is.; The mayfly is an ephemeral creature.

401 EPILOGUE n. log(=speech)peroration, <opp.> prologue; last part of a literary work; short speech at conclusion of dramatic workNo epilogue for your play needs no excuse.; Theaudience was so disappointed in the play that many did not remain to hear the epilogue.

402 EPIPHANY n. any appearance or bodily manifestation of a deity

403 EPISODIC a. loosely connectedThough he tried to follow the plot of "Gravity's Rainbow," John found the novel too episodic.

404 EPITAPH n. taph(=tomb)an inscription on a gravestone; inscription in memory of a dead personThe professor wrote his own epitaph before he died.; In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted placed on his tombstone.

405 EPITOME n. tom(=cut)summary, digest; something which shows, on a small scale, the characteristics of something much larger; summary; concise abstractHis sonnet was the epitome of all love poems.; This final book is the epitome of all his previous books.

406 EQUANIMITY n. equ(=equal, same)+anim(=mind, life, breath) +ity(=state)calmness of mind or temper; calmness of temperamentTo bear evils with equanimity doesn't mean thatyou should make no effort to correct them.; In his later years, he could look upon the foolishness of the world with equanimity and humor.

407 EQUINOX n. period of equal days and nights; the beginning ofSpring and AutumnThe vernal equinox is usually marked by heavy rainstorms.

408 EQUIPOISE n. balance; balancing force; equilivriumThe high wire acrobat used his pole as an equipoise to overcome the swaying caused by the wind.

409 EQUIVOCAL a. doubtful; ambiguousMacbeth was misled by the equivocal statements of the witches.

410 EQUIVOCATE v. equ(=equal, same)+i(=s.e.)+voc(=call, voice)+ate(=make)use vague expressions; lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truthAlthough she tried to equivocate , we insisted on a simple "yes" or "no" answer.; The audience saw through his attempts to equivocate on the subject under discussion and ridiculed his remarks.

411 ERRATIC a. odd; unpredictableInvestors become anxious when the stock market appears erratic.

412 ERUDITE a. e<ex(=out)+rud(=crude)having or showing a wide knowledge gained from reading; learned; learned; scholarlyLucy finally completed her erudite term paper, in which she quoted from more than a hundred sources, including ones in several foreign languages.; His erudite writing was difficult to read because of the many allusions which were unfamiliar to most readers.

413 ESCHEW v. avoidHe tried to eschew all display of temper.

414 ESOTERIC a. known only to the chosen fewThose students who had access to his esoteric discussions were impressed by the breadth of his knowledge.

415 ESTRANGED a. separatedThe estranged wife sought a divorce.

416 ETHEREAL a. light; heavenly; fineVisitors were impressed by her ethereal beauty, her delicate charm.

417 ETHNIC a. relating to racesIntolerance between ethnic groups is deplorable and usually is based on lack of information.

418 EULOGY n. log(=speech)tribute; high praiseHis brother delivered the eulogy at the funeral.; All the eulogies of his friends could not remove the sting of the calumny heaped upon him by hisenemies.

419 EUPHEMISM n. phe(=say)use of other mild, vague and indirect words or phrases in place of what is required by truth or accuracy; mild expression in place of an unpleasant one"John" is a euphemism for the toilet.; The expression "he passed away" is a euphemism for "he died."

420 EUPHONY n. phon(=sound)a pleasant sound; sweet soundThe psalm is enjoyed for its euphony as much as its content.; Noted for its euphony even when it is spoken, the Italian language is particularly pleasing to the ear when sung.


421 EUPHORIA n. phor(=carry)sense of well-being; elation; feeling of exaggerated (or unfounded) well-beingHe was full of euphoria after the birth.; "Jill`s been on cloud nine ever since Jack asked her out, " said Betty, dismissing her friend's euphoria.

422 EVANESCENT a. e<ex(=out, intensive)+van(=empty)+esc(=becoming)tending to fade from sight; soon going from the memory; ephemeral; fleeting; vanishingSure, it's great to be a big-league ballplayer but bear in mind that the years of stardom are brief and evanescent .; For a brief moment, the entireskyline was bathed in an orange-red hue in the evanescent rays of the sunset.

423 EVOKE v. e<ex(=out, up)+vok/voc(=call)call forth or summon a spirit, etc.; draw forth or elicit a particular mental image, reaction, etc.That old song never fails to evoke memories of our wonderful summer vacations at the lake.; Heevoked much criticism by his hostile manner.

424 EXCORIATE v. flay; abradeThese shoes are so ill-fitting that they will excoriate the feet and create blisters.

425 EXCULPATE v. clear from blameHe was exculpated of the crime when the real criminal confessed.

426 EXEMPLARY a. ex(=out)+em<empt(=take)serving as an example or a warning; serving as a model; outstandingAlthough most of us cannnot hope to match her idealism, we may regard her noble life as inspiring and exemplary .; Her exemplary behavior was praised at Commencement.

427 EXHUME v. dig out of the ground; remove from a graveBecause of the rumor that he had been poisoned, his body was exhumed in order that an autopsy might be performed.

428 EXIGENCY n. ex(=out)+ig(=drive)a situation demanding urgent action or attention;urgent situationOnly my family's situation of extreme exigency could have led me to humble myself by asking him for help.; In this exigency, we must look for aid from our allies.

429 EXONERATE v. ex(=out)+oner(=burden)+ate(=make)relieve of a burden, obligation, etc.; free from a charge or the imputation of guilt, exculpate; acquit; exculpateThe story of his unhappy childhood aroused our sympathy but did not exonerate him from the charge of criminal assault on aged ladies.; I am sure this letter naming the actual culprit will exonerate you.

430 EXORBITANT a. ex(=out)+orb(=track, circle)going beyond what is reasonable, just, proper, usual,etc.; excessiveYes, it's pretty dress, and I know that you're eager to have it for the Junior Prom, but don't you think the price is little exorbitant ?; The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but paidthem because he had a monopoly.

431 EXOTIC a. exo(=outside)+t(=s.e.)+ic(=nature of)introduced from another country; foreign or unusual style; striking or pleasing because colorful or unusual; not native; strangeHas it occured to you that the exotic foods that we eat only on special occasions are part of the everyday diet in other parts of the world?; Because of his exotic headdress, he was followed in the streets by small children who laughed at his strange appearance.

432 EXPEDIENT n.a. ex(=out)+ped(=foot)an expedient thing; likely to be useful or helpful for a purpose; advantageous though contrary to principle; auitable; practical; politicCut off from all supplies, the soldiers had to use various expedients to keep their equipment in working order.; A prgmatic politician, he was guided by what was expedient rather than by what was ethical.

433 EXPEDITE v. ex(=out)+ped(=foot)help the progress of; speed up business, etc.The new computerized referral system will greatly expedite the processing of complaints by customers.

434 EXPOSITION n. ex(=out)+pos(=put)an exhibition of art, industrial products,etc; explaining something in detailAn essay on Good Driving Habits calls not for "witty" or "colorful" writing but for clear, orderly exposition of specific facts and ideas.

435 EXPOSITORY a. pertaining to a formal presentation

436 EXPUNGE v. cancel; removeIf you behave, I will expunge this notation from your record.

437 EXTOL v. ex(=out, up)+tol(=raise, support)praise highly; praise; glorifyExtolling the people who have done so much to help humanity is fine, but it is no substitute for trying to make contribution of your own.; The astronauts were extolled as the pioneers of the Space Age.

438 EXTRAPOLATION n. projection; conjectureBased on their extrapolation from the results of the primaries on Super Tuesday, the net works predicted that George Bush would be the Republican candidate for the presidency.

439 EXTRICABLE a. capable of being extricated

440 EXUBERANT a. abundant; effusive; lavishHis speeches were famous for his exuberant language and vivid imagery.


441 EXUDE v. discharge; give forthThe maple syrup is obtained from the sap that exudes from the trees in early spring.

442 FACADE n. front of the buildingThe facade of the church had often been photographed by tourists because it was more interesting than the rear.

443 FACETIOUS a. humorous; jocularYour facetious remarks are not appropriate at this serious moment.

444 FACILITATE v. make less difficultHe tried to facilitate matters at home by getting apart-time job.

445 FACTION n. party; clique; dissensionThe quarrels and bickering of the two factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.

446 FACTIOUS a. inclined to form factions; causing dissensionYour statement is factious and will upset the harmony that now exists.

447 FALLACIOUS a. misleadingYour reasoning must be fallacious because it leads to a ridiculous answer.

448 FALLIBLE a. fal (=err)+ible(=capable of)liable to errorThere is an old saying that pencils are made with erasers because everyone is fallible .; I know I am fallible, but I feel confident that I am right this time.

449 FANATIC n.a. a religious zealot

450 FASTIDIOUS a. difficult to please; squeamishThe waitresses disliked serving him dinner because of his very fastidious taste.

451 FATHOM v. comprehend; investigateI find his motives impossible to fathom.

452 FATUOUS a. foolish; inaneHe is far to intelligent to utter such fatuous remarks.

453 FAWNING a. courting favor by cringing and flatteringShe was constantly surrounded by a group of fawning admirers who hoped to win some favor.

454 FEALTY n. loyalty; faithfulnessThe feudal lord demanded fealty of his vassals.

455 FEASIBLE a. practicalThis is an entirely feasible proposal. I suggest we adopt it.

456 FECUND a. capable of producing offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive

457 FECUNDITY n. fertility; fruitfulnessThe fecundity of his mind is illustrated by the many vivid images in his poems.

458 FEIGN v. pretendLady Macbeth feigned illness in the courtyard although she was actually healthy.

459 FELICITOUS a. apt; suitably expressed; well chosenHe was famous for his felicitous remarks and was called upon to serve as master-of-ceremonies at many a banquet.

460 FERMENT n. agitation; commotionThe entire country was in a state of ferment.

461 FERRET v. drive or hunt out of hidingShe ferreted out their secret.

462 FERVID a. ardentHer fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to undertake the dangerous mission.

463 FERVOR n. glowing ardorTheir kiss was full of the fervor of first love.

464 FESTER v. generate pusWhen her finger began to fester, the doctor lanced it and removed the splinter which had caused the pus to form.

465 FETISH n. object supposed to possess magical powers; an object of special devotThe native wore a fetish around his neck to wardoff evil spirits.

466 FETTER v. shackleThe prisoner was fettered to the wall.

467 FIAT n. commandI cannot accept government by fiat; I feel that I must be consulted.

468 FICKLE a. often changing; not constant; changeable; faithlessThe taste of the public is so fickle that a TV performer who is a big hit one season may be out of a job the next.; He discovered she was fickle and went out with many men.

469 FIDELITY n. fid(=trust)+el(=s.e.)+ity(=act)faithful devotion to duty or to one's obligations orvows, loyalty, faithfulness; accuracy, exactnessAlthough I don't agree with all her ideas, I must admire her unshakable fidelity to them.; A dog'sfidelity to its owner is one of the reasons why that animal is a favorite household pet.

470 FIGMENT n. invention; imaginary thingThat incident never took place; it is a figment of your imagination.

471 FINESSE n. delicate skillThe finesse and adroitness of the surgeon impressed the observers in the operating room.


472 FINITE a. limitedIt is difficult for humanity with its finite existence to grasp the infinite.

473 FISSURE n. creviceThe mountain climbers secured footholds in tiny fissures in the rock.

474 FLACCID a. flabbyHis sedentary life had left him with flaccid muscles.

475 FLAG v. drop; grow feebleWhen the opposing hockey team scored its third goal only minutes into the first quarter, the hometeam's spirits flagged.

476 FLAMBOYANT a. ornateModern architecture has discarded the flamboyant trimming on buildings and emphasizes simplicity of line.

477 FLEDGLING n.a. young bird just able to fly; young inexperienced personLike a fledgling about to leave the nest for the first time, our youngest son is preparing to spendhis first summer away from home.; 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.

478 FLIPPANCY n. trifling gaietyYour flippancy at this serious moment is offensive.

479 FLIPPANT a. having a light, pert, trifling disposition

480 FLOUT v. reject; mockThe headstrong youth flouted all authority; he refused to be curbed.

481 FLUENCY n. smoothness of speechHe spoke French with fluency and ease.

482 FLUX n. flowing; series of changesWhile conditions are in such a state of flux, I do not wish to commit myself too deeply in this affair.

483 FOIBLE n. weakness; slight faultWe can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is perfect.

484 FOMENT v. stir up; instigateThis report will foment dissension in the club.

485 FORAY n. raidThe company staged a midnight foray against the enemy outpost.

486 FORBEARANCE n. patience, self-controlHer forbearance during the depression was inspiring.; We must use forbearance in dealing with him because he is still weak from his illness.

487 FORENSIC a. suitable to debate or courts of lawIn her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed the jury.

488 FORESTALL v. stall(=to put)upset somebody or his plans by doing something unexpectedly early; buy up; do something first and so prevent another from doing it; prevent by taking action in advanceWe trid to forestall the threatened foreclosure.; By setting up a prenuptial agreement, tne prospective bride and groom hoped to forestall any potential arguments about money in tne event of a divorce.

489 FORTITUDE n. fort(=strong)calm courage in the face of pain, danger, or difficulty; bravery; courageThe nurses displayed unwavering fortitude during the epidemic.; He was awarded the medal for his fortitude in the battle.

490 FORTUITOUS a. accidental; by chanceThere is no connection between these two events; their timing is entirely fortuitous.

491 FOSTER v. rear; encourageAccording to the legend, Romulus and Remus were fostered by a she-wolf.

492 FRACTIOUS a. fract(=break)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having the qualityof)irritable, peevish, bad-tempered; unrulyWe had many talented players, but the fractious behavior of a few individuls impaired our team spirit and led to a losing season.; The fractious horse unseated its rider.

493 FRAUGHT a. filledSince this enterprise is fraught with danger, I willask for volunteers who are willing to assume the risks.

494 FRENETIC a. frenzied; franticHis frenetic activities convinced us that he had no organized plan of operation.

495 FRUGALITY n. thriftIn these difficult days, we must live with frugality or our money will be gone.

496 FULMINATE v. thunder; explodeThe people against whom she fulminated were innocent of any wrongdoing.

497 FULSOME a. disgustingly excessiveHis fulsome praise of the dictator annoyed his listeners.

498 FURTIVE a. stealthyThe boy gave a furtive look at his classmate's test paper.

499 FUSTIAN a. pompous; bombasticSeveral in the audience were deceived by his fustian style; they mistook pomposity for erudition.


500 GAFFE n. social blunderAccording to Miss Manners, to call your husbandby your lover's name is worse than a mere gaffe;it is a tactical mistake

501 GAINSAY v. denyShe was too honest to gainsay the truth of the report.

502 GALVANIZE v. stimulate by shock; stir upThe entire nation was galvanized into strong military activity by the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

503 GAMUT n. entire rangeIn this performance, the leading lady was able todemonstrate the complete gamut of her acting ability.

504 GARBLED a. mixed up; based on false or unfair selectionThe garbled report confused many readers who were not familiar with the facts.

505 GARISH a. gaudyShe wore a garish rhinestone necklace.

506 GARNER v. gather; store upShe hoped to garner the world's literature in one library.

507 GARRULITY n. talkativenessThe man who married a dumb wife asked the doctor to make him deaf because of his wife's garrulity after her cure.

508 GARRULOUS a. loquacious; wordyMany members avoided the company of the garrulous old gentleman because his constant chatter on trivial matters bored them.

509 GAUCHE a. clumsy; boorishSuch remarks are gauche and out of place; you should apologize for making them.

510 GAUNTLET n. leather gloveNow that we have been challenged, we must take up the gauntlet and meet our adversary fearlessly.

511 GENIAL a. gen(=birth)+i(=s.e.)+al(=nature of)favorable to growth; mild; warm; kindly,sympathetic; sociableJerry is not the most genial person in the world,but in his own way he is at least trying to be friendly.

512 GENIALITY n. cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathyThis restaurant is famous and popular because of the geniality of the proprietor who tries to make everyone happy.

513 GENRE n. style of art illustrating scenes of common lifeHis painting of fisher folk at their daily tasks is anexcellent illustration of genre art.

514 GERMANE a. pertinent; bearing upon the case at handThe lawyer objected that the testimony being offered was not germane to the case at hand.

515 GERMINATE v. cause to sprout; sproutAfter the seeds germinate and develop their permanent leaves, the plants may be removed from the cold frames and transplanted to the garden.

516 GERRYMANDER v. change voting district lines in order to favor a political partyThe 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.

517 GIBBER v. speak foolishlyThe demented man gibbered incoherently.

518 GIST n. essenceShe was asked to give the gist of the essay in two sentences.

519 GLIB a. fluentHe is glib and articulate speaker.

520 GLOAT v. express evil satisfaction; view malevolentlyAs you gloat over your ill-gotten wealth, do you thing o the many victims your have defrauded?

521 GLUT v. overstock; fill to excessThe many manufacturers glutted the market and could not find purchasers for the many articles they had produced.

522 GLUTTON n. a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess; wolverine of northern Eurasia

523 GNARLED a. twistedThe gnarled oak tree had been a landmark for years and was mentioned in several deeds.

524 GOAD v. urge onHe was goaded by his friends until he yielded to their wishes.

525 GOSSAMER a. sheer; like cobwebsNylon can be woven into gossamer or thick fabrics.

526 GOURMAND n. epicure; person who takes excessive pleasure infood and drinkThe gourmand liked the French cuisine.

527 GRADUATED a. arranged by degrees (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.

528 GRANDIOSE a. imposing; impressiveHis grandiose manner impressed those who methim for the first time.


529 GRATUITOUS a. grat(=thank, pleasing)+uit(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)given, obtained, or done without payment; done, or given without good reason; uncalled; given freely; unwarrantedSince you've never seen me play tennis, your assumption that you can beat me is quite gratuitous .; I resent your gratuitous remarks because no one asked for them.

530 GREGARIOUS a. greg(=flock, mob)+ari(=s.e.)+ous(=full, many)living in groups or societies; liking the company of others; sociableIf, as sociologists tell us, human beings are naturally gregarious , why am I sitting here all bymyself on this beautiful spring evening?; She was not gregarious and preferred to be alone most of the time.

531 GRISLY a. causing horror or terror, ghastlyThe mangled bodies of the victims told their own grisly story of what had happened.; She shuddered at the frisly sight.

532 GROUSE v. complain; fussStudents traditionally grouse about the abysmal quality of "mystery meat" and similar dormitory food.

533 GROVEL v. crawl or creep on gound; remain prostrateEven though we have been defeated, we do not have to grovel before our conquerors.

534 GUFFAW n. boisterous laughterThe loud guffaw that came from the closed roomindicated that the members of the committee had not yet settled down to serious business.

535 GUILE n. deceit; duplicityShe achieved her high position by guile and treachery.

536 GUILELESS a. without deceitHe is naive, simple, and guileless; he cannot be guilty of fraud.

537 GUISE n. appearance; costumeIn the guise of a blumber, the detective investigated the murder case.

538 GULLIBLE a. easily deeivedHe preyed upon gullible people, who believed his stories of easy wealth.

539 HACKNEYED a. commonplace; triteThe English teacher criticized her story because of its hackneyed and unoriginal plot.

540 HAGGARD a. wasted away; gauntAfter his long illness, he was pale and haggard.

541 HALCYON a. calm; peacefulIn those halcyon days, people were not worried about sneak attacks and bombings.

542 HALLOWED a. blessed; consecratedShe was laid to rest in hallowed ground.

543 HAMPER v. obstructThe minority party agreed not to hamper the efforts of the leaders to secure a lasting peace.

544 HAPHAZARD a. random; by chanceHis haphazard reading left him unacquainted with the authors of the books.

545 HAPLESS a. unfortunateThis hapless creature had never known a moment's pleasure.

546 HARANGUE n. noisy speechInher lengthy harangue, the principal berated theoffenders.

547 HARASS v. to annoy by repeated attacksWhen he could not pay his bills as quickly as he had promised, he was harassed by his creditors.

548 HAUGHTY a. having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy

549 HEDONISM n. hedon(=pleasure)belief that pleasure is the chief good; belief that pleasure is the sole aim in lifeA culture devoted to hedonism is in danger of becoming soft.; hedonism and asceticism are opposing philosophies of human behavior.

550 HEDONISTIC a. devoted to pleasure

551 HERETIC n. person who maintains opinions contrary to the doctrines of the churchShe was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because she was a heretic.

552 HERMETIC a. obcure and mysterious; occultIt is strange to consider that modern chemistry originated in the hermetic teachings of the ancient alchemists.

553 HIATUS n. gap; pauseExcept for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she enrolled in the peace Corps, Ms. Clements has devoted herself to her medical career.

554 HIERARCHY n. hier(=holy)+arch(=govern, rule)+y(=that which)organization with grades of authority from lowestto highest; group of persons in authority; group of bishops of a country; body divided into ranksA superintendent is at the head of the hierarchy of educators responsible for the schooling of our children and young people.; It was difficult to step out of one's place in this hierarchy.

555 HIRSUTE a. hairyHe was a hirsute individual with a heavy black beard.


556 HOARY a. white with ageThe man was hoary and wrinkled when he was 70.; The man was hoary and wrinked when he was 70.

557 HOMEOSTASIS n. tendency of a system to maintain relative stabilityA breakdown of the body's immune system severely undermines the body's ability to maintain homeostasis.

558 HOMILY n. sermon; serious warningHis speeches were always homilies, advising hislisteners to repent and reform.

559 HOMOGENEOUS a. gen(=birth,kind)of the same kindThe immigrants added diversity to the homogeneous neighborhood.; Educators try to put pupils of similar abilities into classes because they believe that this homogeneous grouping is advisable.

560 HONE v. sharpenTo make shaving easier, he honed his razor withgreat care.

561 HUMILITY n. humbleness of spiritHe spoke with a humility and lack of pride that impressed his listeners.

562 HYBRID n. mongrel; mixed breedMendel's formula explains the appearance of hybrids and pure species in breeding.

563 HYPERBOLE n. bol(=throw)exaggerated statement made for effect and not intended to be taken literally; exaggeration; overstatementIt was hyperbole to say felt heavy as a moose.; This salesman is guilty of hyperbole in describing his product; it is wise to discount his claims.

564 HYPOCRITICAL a. pretending to be virtuous; deceivingI resent his hypocritical posing as a friend for I know he is interested only in his own advancement.

565 HYPOTHETICAL a. hypo(=under)+thet(=put)+ical(=nature of)having the nature of a hypothesis or a based on hypothesis; based on assumptions or hypothesesBy reference to hypothetical cases, you may beable to clarify the difference between "murder" and "manslaughter" for the law students.; Why do we have to consider hypothetical cases whenwe have actual case histories which we may examine?

566 ICONOCLAST n. an image-breaker; someone who tries to destroytraditional ideas or institutions

567 ICONOCLASTIC a. attacking cherished traditionsGeorge Bernard Shaw's iconoclastic plays often startled more conventional people.

568 IDEOLOGY n. ideas of a group peopleThat ideology is dangerous to this country because it embraces undemocratic philosophies.

569 IDIOSYNCRASY n. peculiarity; eccentricityOne of his personal idiosyncrasies was his habit of rinsing all cutlery given him in a restaurant.

570 IDYLLIC a. excellent and delightful in all respects; suggestive of an idyll; charmingly simple and serene

571 IGNEOUS a. produced by fire; volcanicLavam pumice, and other igneous rocks are found in great abundance around Mount Vesuvius near Naples.

572 IGNOBLE a. i<in(=not)+gno(=know)of low character; mean; of low birth; of lowly origin; unworthyFar from being ignoble , his failure after making a valiant effort may serve as an inspiration to young people.; this plan is inspired by ignoble motives and I must, therefore, oppose it.

573 IGNOMINIOUS a. i<in(=not)+gno(=know)bringing contempt, disgrace, shame; dishonorable; disgracefulCan you imagine anything more ignominious than standing there on the stage, before hundreds of people, utterly unable to remember the next line!; The country smarted under the ignominious defeat and dreamed of the day when it would be victorious.

574 IMBROGLIO n. a complicated situation; perplexity; entanglementHe was called in to untangle the imbroglio but failed to bring harmony to the situation.

575 IMBUE v. saturate; fillHis visits to the famous Gothic cathedrals imbued him with feelings of awe and reverence.

576 IMMACULATE a. im<in(=not)+macul(=stain, spot)pure; faultless; without a spot or stain; perfectly clean; right in every detail; pure; spotlessGeorge Washington's immaculate reputation asa dedicated patriot has been an inspiration to many generations of Americans.; The West Point cadets were immaculate as they line d up for inspection.

577 IMMINENT a. im<in(=on)+min(=hang, project)impending; likely to happen without delay; impending; near at handWhen the outbreak of the war seemed imminent, hte tourists rushed home.; The imminent battle will soon determine our success or failure in this conflict.

578 IMMOLATE v. im<in(=on)+mol(=grain, heap, grind)kill as an offering; sacrifice one thing to another; offer as a sacrificeWhat a shock it was for her to discover the unworthiness of the cause for which she had immolated her youth, her talents, and her hopesof happiness.; The tribal king offered to immolatehis daughter to quiet the angry gods.


579 IMMUNE a. exemptHe was fortunately immune from the disease and could take care of the sick.

580 IMMUTABLE a. im<in(=not)+mut(=change)that cannot be changed; unchangeableThe institution of our society, far from being immutable , are in the process of change at this very moment.; Scientists are constantly seeking to discover the immutable laws of nature.

581 IMPAIR v. im<in(=not)+pair<par(=equal)damage; make worse or less, weaker; worsen; diminish in valueAre you suggesting that the mere fact that he is below averge height wuold impair his ability to serve as class president.; This arrest will impair her reputation in the community.

582 IMPALE v. pierceHe was impaled by the spear hurled by his adversary.

583 IMPASSE n. im<in(=not)+pas (=stride, step)blind alley; place or position from which there is no way out; deadlock; predicament from which there is no escapeFor a long time we lived in the illusion that "everything would come out all right", but inevitably we arrived at the impasse where we had to face realities and make painful decisions.;In this impasse, all turned to prayer as their last hope.

584 IMPASSIVE a. im<in(=not)+pas (=feel, suffer)showing no sign of feeling; unmoved; without feeling; not affected by painPsychologists tell us that people who seem to beunusually impassive are often the ones most likely to lose emotional control of themselves in times of stress.; The American Indian has been incorrectly depicted as an impassive individual, undemonstrative and stoical.

585 IMPEDE v. hinder; blockThe special prosecutor determined that the Attorney General, though inept, had not intentionally set out to impede the progress of the investigation.

586 IMPENITENT a. not repentantWe could see by his brazen attitude that he was impenitent.

587 IMPERIOUS a. im<in(=in, intensive)+per<par(=arrange)commanding; haughty; arrogant; urgent; domineeringHis tone of voice was so imperious that I wasn'tsure if he was asking me for a loan or demanding payment of tribute.; His imperiousness indicated that he had long been accustomed to assuming command.

588 IMPERVIOUS a. im<in(=not)+per(=through)+vi<via(=road, way)not allowing water, etc. to pass through; not moved or influenced by; not penetrable; not permitting passage throughHis parents tried to encourage an interest in literature, music and art, but he seemed to impervious to such influences.; You cannot change their habits for their minds are impervious to reasoning.

589 IMPETUOUS a. violent; hasty; rashWe tried to curb his impetuous behavior because we felt that in his haste he might offendsome people.

590 IMPIETY n. irreverence; wickednessWe must regard your blasphemy as an act of impiety.

591 IMPLACABLE a. im<in(=not)+plac(=soothe, peace, please)that cannot be appeased; relentless; incapable of being pacifiedAs he watched his house go up in flames, he feltthat he was the victim of an implacable fate.; Madame Defarge was the implacable enemy of the Evermonde family.

592 IMPLEMENT n.v. im<in(=in)+ple(=fill)tool or instrument for working with; carry an undertaking, agreement, promise into effect; suppy what is needed; furnish with toolsIn your training course for dental assistant, you will become familiar with many of the implements that dentists use.; I am unwilling to implement this plan until I have assurances that it has the full approval of your officials.

593 IMPLICATION n. that which is hinted at or suggestedIf I understand the implications of your remark, you do not trust our captain.

594 IMPLICIT a. understood but not statedIt is implicit that you will come to our aid if we areattacked.

595 IMPOLITIC a. not wiseI think it is impolitic to raise this issue at the present time because the public is too angry.

596 IMPRECATE v. curse; pray that evil will befallTo imprecate Hitler's atrocities is not enough; wemust insure against any future practice of genocide.

597 IMPRECATION n. a curse

598 IMPROMPTU n.a. im<in(=not)+pro(=before)+mpt<empt(=take)improvisation; an promptu speech,performance,etc.; without preparation or advance thought; without previous preparationFar from being impromptu , all those jokes and wisecracks you hear on TV talk shows are usually prepared by professional gag writers andare carefully rehearshed.; Her listeners were amazed that such a thorough presentation couldbe made in an impromptu speech.


599 IMPROVIDENT a. im<in(=not)+pro(=before, forth)+vid(=look)not looking to future needs; wasteful; thriftlessIt is a commonplace of human experience that most improvident young people do not become aware of their folly until they are no longer young.; He was constantly being warned to mend his improvident ways and begin to "save for a rainy day."

600 IMPRUDENT a. lacking caution; injudiciousIt is imprudent to exercise vigorously and become overheated when you are unwell.

601 IMPUGN v. im<in(=on, against)+pugn(=fight)attack by argument or criticism,express doubt about a statement,act,quality,etc.; doubt; challenge; gainsayIt is not for me to impugn his motives, but how could anyone except an overambitious scoundrel have misted his friends in that way?; I cannot impugn your honesty without evidence.

602 IMPUTATION n. charge; repraochYou cannot ignore the imputations in his speech that you are the guilty party.

603 INARTICULATE a. speechless; producing indistinct speechHe became inarticulate with rage and uttered sounds without meaning.

604 INCARCERATE v. imprisonThe warden will incarcerate the felon after conviction.

605 INCESSANT a. in(=not)+ces (=go)continuous; not stopping; often repeated; uninterruptedHIs feverish and incessant activity cannot hide the fact that he dosen't know what he is doing.; The crickets kept up an incessant chirping whichdisturbed our attempts to fall asleep.

606 INCHOATE a. recently begun; rudimentary; elementaryBefore the Creation, the world was an inchoate mass.

607 INCISIVE a. in(=in, into)+cis(=cut)sharp and cutting; acute; clear-cut; cutting; sharpIn the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln asked a few incisive question that showed up the fatal weaknesses in his opponent's position.; His incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our plans.

608 INCOGNITO a.e. in(=not)+co<con(=thoroughly)+gn<gno(=know)concealed under a disguised identity; with an assumed name; with one's name, identity, etc. concealed; with identity concealed; using an assumed nameSince her face is well known to movie fans all over the world, there would be no point in her traveling incognito .; The monarch enjoyed traveling through the town incognito and mingling with the populace.

609 INCOHERENT a. not logically coordinated, as to parts, elements, or details

610 INCOMMODIOUS a. not spaciousIn their incommodious quarters, they had to improvise for closet space.

611 INCOMPATIBLE a. inharmoniousThe married couple argued incessantly and finally decided to separate because they were incompatible.

612 INCONGRUITY n. lack of harmony; absurdityThe incongruity of his wearing sneakers with formal attire amused the observers.

613 INCORPOREAL a. immaterial; without a material bodyWe must devote time to the needs of our incorporeal mind as well as our corporeal body.

614 INCORRIGIBLE a. in(=not)+cor<con(=together)+rig<rect(=straight)that cannt be corrected, improved, or reformed beacause firmly established as a bad habit; uncorrectableHe has deceived me so many times that I am forced to the conclusion that he is simply an incorrigible liar.; Because he was an incorrigiblecriminal, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

615 INCUBATE v. hatch; schemeInasmuch as our supply of electricity is cut off, we shall have to rely on the hens to incubate these eggs.

616 INCULCATE v. in(=in, on)+culc<calc(=tread)impress upon the mind by frequent repetition or persistent urging; teachBefore we start out to inculcate certain principles in young people, let's be very sure thatthese principles are truly desirable for them and their society.; In an effort to inculcate religious devotion, the officials ordered that the school day begin with the singing of a hymn.

617 INCURSION n. temporary invasionThe 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.

618 INDEFATIGABILITY n. tireless determination

619 INDEFATIGABLE a. tirelessHe was indefatigable in his constant efforts to raise funds for the Red Cross.

620 INDEMNIFY v. make secure against loss; compensate for lossThe city will indemnify all home owners whose property is spoiled by this project.

621 INDICT v. chargeIf the grand jury indicts the suspect, he will go to trial.

622 INDIGENCE n. poverty, indigentNeither the economists nor the political scientisishave found a way to wipe out the inequities of wealth and eliminate indigence from our society.


623 INDIGENOUS a. indi(=within)+gen(=birth)+ous(=having the quality of)native or beloning naturallyFor many years, there was a tendnecy in the part of American and Europeans to ignore the highly developed indigenous cultures of the peoples of Africa.; Tobacco is one of the indigenous plants which the early explorers found in this country.

624 INDIGNANT a. having such anger and scorn as is aroused by meanness or wickedness

625 INDISCRIMINATE a. in(=not)+dis(=apart)+crimin(=separate, guilty,crime)acting without care or taste; choosing at random;confusedThe furnishings in his apartment are supposed to be "original" and "colorful", but I think they arean indiscriminate collection of junk.; She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing and decided to restrict him to educational programs.

626 INDOLENCE n. lazinessHe outgrew his youthful indolence to become a model of industry and alertness on the job.

627 INDOLENT a. habitually inactive or idle

628 INDOMITABLE a. in(=not)+domit(=tame)+able(=capable of)unyielding; that cannot be subdued or conquered; unconquerableBy 1781, George Washington's green recruits of a few years earlier had beed forged into an indomitable army.; The founders of our country had indomitable willpower.

629 INDUBITABLY a. beyond a doubtBecause her argument was indubitably valid, thejudge accepted it.

630 INDULGENT a. in(=to)+dulg(=yield)+ent(=having the quality of)inclined to indulge; lenient or kind, often to excess; humoring; yielding; lenientJudge Burnham has a reputation for being indulgent but not when confronting a teenager charged with reckless driving.; An indulgent parent may spoil a child by creating an artificial atmosphere of leniency.

631 INELUCTABLE a. in(=not)+e<ex(=out)+luct(=struggle)that cannot be escaped from; irresistible; not to be escapedLetting the grim facts speak for themselves, the speaker explained quietly the ineluctable tragedy that results from drug abuse.; He felt that his fate was ineluctable and refused to make any attempt to improve his lot.

632 INEPT a. in(=not)+ept<apt(=fit)not suitable to the purpose; wrong in a foolish and awkward way; unsuited; absurd; incompetentYou may criticize the roads and the lights, but the fact is that most automobile accidents are caused simply by inept drives.; The constant turmoil in the office proved that she was an ineptadministrator.

633 INEQUITY n. unfairnessIn demanding equal pay for equal work, women protest the basic inequity of a system that allots grater financial rewards to men.

634 INERT a. lacking independent power to move; not activeThis experiment can be repeated with any inert object, for example, a rock or a piece of wood.

635 INERTIA n. state of being inert or indisposed to moveOur inertia in this matter may prove disastrous; we must move to aid our allies immediately.

636 INFAMOUS a. in(=not)+fam<fa(=say)disgraceful; having a bad reputation; wicked; notoriously badFor some years Benedict Arnold served heroically in the American Revolution, but then he disgraced his name for all time by an infamous act of treason.; Jesse James was an infamous outlaw.

637 INFER v. in(=in)+fer(=carry)reach an opinion from facts or reasoning; deduce; concludeAm I to infer from your statement that there would be no point in further negotiation?; We must be particularly cautious when we infer that a person is guilty on the basis of circumstantial evidence.

638 INGENUOUS a. in(=in)+gen(=birth, creation)frank; open; innocent; natural; naive; young; unsophisticatedCan you be so ingenuous that you don't realize she is paying us all those phony compliments to get something out of us?; These remarks indicate that you are ingenuous and unaware of life's harsher realities.

639 INGRATIATE v. in(=in)+grat(=thank, pleasing, favor)bring oneself into favor,especially in order to gain an adventage; flatter; become popular withHow can we have any respect for people who tryto ingratiate themselves by offering flattery and favors?; He tried to ingratiate himself into her parents' good graces.

640 INHERENT a. firmly established by nature or habitHis inherent love of justice compelled him to come to their aid.

641 INIMICAL a. in(=not)+im<am(=love)hostile; harmful; unfriendly; hostileWe shall oppose any changes in the labor code that appear inimical to the health and safety of workers.; She felt that they were inimical and were hoping for her downfall.

642 INIQUITOUS a. unjust; wickedI cannot approve of the iniquitous methods you used to gain your present position.


643 INNATE a. in(=in)+nat(=to be born)existing naturally rather than acquired; existing as an inherent attribute; inbornOnly when we tried to carry out the plan did its innate defects become evident to us.; His innatetalent for music was soon recognized by his parents.

644 INNOCUOUS a. in(=not)+noc(=harm)causing no harm; harmlessThe tough leadership we need in these troubled times will not come from uncertain and innocuous personalities.; Let him drink it; it is innocuous and will have no ill effect.

645 INNOVATE v. to introduce or strive to introduce new things

646 INNUENDO n. hint; insinuationI resent the innuendos in your statement more than the statement itself.

647 INORDINATE a. in(=not)+ordin(=order)not properly restrained or controlled; excessive; immoderate; unrestrained; excessiveSince the townspeople felt that the fee asked by the Pied Piper was inordinate they decided to pay him nothing at all.; She had an inordinate fondness for candy.

648 INSALUBRIOUS a. detrimental to health

649 INSALUBRITY n. the quality of being insalubrious and debilitating

650 INSCRUTABLE a. in(=not)+scrut(=examine)mysterious; that cannot be understood or known;incomprehensible; not to be discoveredI tried to make some sense out of the strange orders he had given us, but his plan and purpose remained utterly inscrutable .; I fail to understand the reasons for your outlandish behavior; your motives are inscrutable.

651 INSENSIBLE a. unconscious; unresponsiveSherry and I are very different; at iomes when I would be covered with embarrassment, she seems insensible to shame.

652 INSIPID a. tasteless; dullI am bored by your insipid talk.

653 INSOLVENT a. backrupt; lacking money to payWhen rumors that he was insolvent reached his creditors, they began to press him rer payment of the money due them.

654 INSOUCIANT a. indifferent; without concern or careYour insouciant attitude at such a critical moment indicates that you do not understand the gravity of the situation.

655 INSULARITY n. narrow-mindedness; isolationThe insularity of the islanders manifested itself intheir suspicion of anything foreign.

656 INTEMPERANCE n. immoderate action or indulgence, as of the appetites

657 INTERDICT v. prohibit; forbidCivilized nations must interdict the use of nuclear weapons of we expect our society to live.

658 INTERMITTENT a. inter(=between)+mit(=send)stopping and starting again at intervals; periodic;on and offYou cannot hope to make good at this job by exerting intermittent efforts; you must do your best every day and every hour of the day.; Our picnic was marred by intermittent rains.

659 INTRACTABLE a. in(=not)+tract(=draw)unruly or stubborn; not easily controlled or dealt with; unruly; refractoryAfter repeated efforts to appeal to his "better" nature had proved completely fruitless, I decidedthat he was utterly intractable .; The horse was intractable and refused to enter the starting gate.

660 INTRANSIGENCE n. state of stubborn unwillingness to compromiseThe intransigence of both parties in the dispute makes an early settlement almost impossible to obtain.

661 INTRANSIGENT n.a. in(=not)+trans(=across)+ig(=drive)a person who is intransigent; uncompromising, especially in politics; refusing any compromiseI am proud to have it said of me that I am stubborn and intransigent when genuine moral issues are involved.; The strike settlement has collapsed because both sides are intransigent.

662 INTREPID a. in(=not)+trep<trem(=fear)fearless; boldDespite the threats made against his life, the intrepid prosecutor was able to obtain a conviction of the corrupt officials.; For his intrepid conduct in battle, he was promoted.

663 INTRINSICALLY e. essentially; inherently; naturally; intrinsicAlthough my grandmother's china has intrinsically little value, I shall always cherish it for the memories it evokes.

664 INURED a. accustomed; hardenedShe became inured to the Alaskan cold.

665 INVECTIVE n. in(=in, into, to, against)+vect<veh(=carry)abuse language; curses; violent expressionsInstead of facts and logic, he uaed rhetoricaltricks and slashing invective to attack his opponent.; He had expected criticism but not the invective which greeted his proposal.

666 INVEIGH v. denounce; utter censure or invectiveHe inveighed against the demagoguery of the previous speaker and urged that the audience reject his philosophy as dangerous.

667 INVEIGLE v. lead astray; wheedleShe was inveigled into joining the club after an initial reluctance.

668 IRASCIBLE a. irritable; easily angeredHer irascible temper frightened me.


669 IRONIC a. resulting in an unexpected and contray mannerIt is ironic that his success came when he least wanted it.

670 IRREPARABLE a. ir<in(=not)+re(=again)+par(=arrange)that cannot be repaired, mended, remedied, restored, etc.; not able to be corrected or repairedA practical diplomat must proceed on the assumption that no conflict of ideas or interests between nations, no matter how serious, is actually irreparable .; Your apology cannot atone for the irreparable damage you have doneto her reputation.

671 ITINERARY n. plan of a tripBefore leaving for his first visit to France and England, he discussed his itinerary with people who had been there and with his travel agent.

672 JADED a. fatigued; surfeitedHe looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded appetite.

673 JEOPARDY n. exposure to death or dangerShe cannot be placed in double jeopardy.

674 JETTISON v. throw overboardIn order to enable the ship to ride safely through the storm, the captain had to jettison much of hiscargo.

675 JOCOSE a. giving to jokingThe salesman was so jocose that many of his customers suggested that he become a "stand-up" comic.

676 JOCUND a. merrySanta Claus is always vivacious and jocund.

677 JUDICIOUS a. jud(=judge)+ici(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)showing or having good sense; wise; determinedby sound judgmentBy careful planning and judicious investsments,he increased greatly the fortune his parents had left him.; At a key moment in his life, he made a judicious investment that was thefoundation of his later wealth.

678 KEN n. range of knowledgeI cannot answer your question since this matter is beyond my ken.

679 KINSHIP n. a close connection marked by community of interests or similarity in nature or character; stateof relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption

680 KITH n. familiar friendsHe always helped both his kith and kin

681 KNAVERY n. rascalityWe cannot condone such knavery in public officials.

682 LABYRINTH n. mazeTom and betty were lost in the labyrinth of secretcaves.

683 LACERATE v. mangle; tearHer body was lacerated in the automobile crash.

684 LACHRYMOSE a. producing tearsHis voice has a lachrymose quality which is more appropriate at a funeral than a class reunion.

685 LACONIC a. brief and to the pointMany of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types; strong men of few words.

686 LAGGARD a. slow; sluggishThe sailor had been taught not to be laggard in carrying out orders.

687 LAMBENT a. flickering; softly radiantThey sat quietly before the lambent glow of the fireplace.

688 LAMENT v. to express sorrowAcross the nation and around the world, people lamented the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

689 LANGUID a. weary; sluggish; listlessHer siege of illness left her languid and pallid.

690 LASCIVIOUS a. lustfulThe lascivious books were banned by the clergy.

691 LASSITUDE n. lass(=weary)tiredness; state of being uninterested in things; languor; wearinessSometimes we feel lassitude on a hot summer day.; The hot, tropical weather created a feeling of lassitude and encouraged drowsiness.

692 LATENCY n. the state of being dormant

693 LATENT a. lat(=carry, bear)+ent(=having the quality of)present but not yet active, developed or visible; dormant; hiddenIt is up to us to get rid of any latent prejudices that we may still hold against members of other races and nationalities.; Her latent talent was discovered by accident.

694 LAUDATORY a. expressing praiseThe critics' laudatory comments helped to make her a star.

695 LAX a. carelessWe dislike restaurants where the service is lax and inattentive.

696 LECHEROUS a. impure in thought and act; lustful; unchasteHe is a lecherous and wicked old man.


697 LETHAL a. deadlyIt is unwise to leave lethal weapons where children may find them.

698 LETHARGIC a. drowsy; dullThe stuffy room made her lethargic.

699 LEVEE n. earthen or stone embankment to prevent floodingAs the river rose and theratened to overflow the levee, emergency workers rushed to reinforce the walls with sandbags.

700 LEVITY n. lev(=light, lift)+ity(=act)tendnecy to treat serious matters without respect; lack of seriousness; lightnessAlthough the students made jokes about the coming exams, we knew that beneath the levity they were quite worried.; Such levity is improper on this serious occasion.

701 LEWD a. lustfulThey found his lewd stories objectionable.

702 LIAISON n. li<lig(=bind)+ai(=s.e.)+son<sion(=act)connection, linkage between two separate groups; illicit sexual relationship; officer who actsas go-between for two armiesBecause the Pacific theater in World War II involved amphibious warfare, one of the great problems was to maintain effective liaisions among the land, sea, and air forces.; As the liaison, he had to avoid offending the leaders of the two armies.

703 LIBERTINE n. debauched person; roueAlthough she was aware of his reputation as a libertine, she felt she could reform him and help him break his dissolute way of life.

704 LICENTIOUS a. wanton; lewd; dissoluteThe licentious monarch helped bring about his country's downfall.

705 LIGNEOUS a. like woodPetrified wood may be ligneous in appearance, but it is stone-like in composition.

706 LIONIZE v. treat as a celebrityShe enjoyed being lionized and adored by the public.

707 LITHE a. flexible; suppleHer figure was lithe and willowy.

708 LITIGATE v. to cause to become the subject-matter of a suitatlaw

709 LITIGATION n. lawsuitTry to settle this amicably; I do not want to start litigation.

710 LIVID a. lead-colored; black and blue; enragedHis face was so livid with rage that we were afraid that he might have an attack of apoplexy.

711 LOQUACIOUS a. loqu(=say)+aci(=s.e.)+ous(=many, full)talkative,fond of talkingThere is an old folk tradition that women are more loquacious than men, but all the men I know do their full share of talking.; She is very loquacious and can speak on the telephone for hours.

712 LOUT n. clumsy personThe delivery boy is an awkward lout.

713 LOUTISH a. ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance

714 LUCENT a. shining; brightThe moon's lucent rays silvered the river.

715 LUCID a. luc(=light)clear; lucent; bright; easily understoodAnd the scientific method of fearless thought, exhaustively lucid statement, and exhaustively criticized planning, which has given him these asyet uncontrollable powers, gives him also the hope of controlling these powers.; His explanation was lucid and to the point.

716 LUCRATIVE a. profitableHe turned his hobby into a lucrative profession.

717 LUGUBRIOUS a. mournfulThe lugubrious howling of the dogs added to oursadness.

718 LUMINOUS a. lumin(=light)+ous(=full, many)giving out light; bright; clear; easily understood; shining; issuing lightHis luminous intelligence has helped to guide the nation during a time of confusion and darkness.; The sun is a luminous body.

719 LURID a. wild; sensationalThe lurid stories he told shocked his listeners.

720 LUSTROUS a. shiningHer large and lustrous eyes gave a touch of beauty to a otherwise drab face.

721 MACERATE v. waste awayCancer macerated his body.

722 MAGNANIMITY n. extremely liberal generosity of spirit

723 MAGNANIMOUS a. magn(=great)+anim(=mind)+ous(=having the quality of)having generosity; generousChurchill told his countrymen to be resolute in war,defiant in defeat,and magnanimous in victory.; The philanthropist was most magnanimous.

724 MAGNATE n. person of prominence or influenceThe steel magnate decided to devote more time to city politics.


725 MALADROIT a. mal(=bad)+a(=to)+droit<rect(=straight, right)not adroit; clumsy; tactless; clumsy; bunglingSteiner's effort to settle the differences between the two factions were so maladroit that what had begun as a rift became a yawning chasm.; In his usual maladroit way, he managed to upsetthe cart and spill the food.

726 MALEDICTION n. male<mal(=bad)+dict(=say)curse; prayer to God that someone or somthing may be destroyed, hurt, etcBlows with cudgels and missiles may fracture myskeletal structure, but maledictions will leave me unscathed.; The witch uttered maledictions against her captors.

727 MALEFACTOR n. male<mal(=bad)+fact(=do, make)wrongdoer or criminalShortly after the crime, the malefactor was apprehended and turned over to the police.; We must try to bring these malefactors to justice.

728 MALICIOUS a. dictated by hatred or spiteThe malicious neighbor spread the gossip.

729 MALIGN v. speak evil of; defameBecause of her hatred of the family, she malignsall who are friendly to them.

730 MALLEABLE a. capable of being shaped by poundingGold is a malleable metal.

731 MANDATORY n.a. mand(=order)+at(=s.e.)+ory(=relating to)person or state to whom a mandate has been given; of a command; compulsory, obligatoryIn this state, attendance at school is mandatory for children between the ages of six and seventeen.; These instructions are mandatory; any violation will be severly punished.

732 MANIFEST a.v. understandable; clearHis evil intentions were manifest and yet we could not stop him.

733 MARAUDER n. raider; intruderThe sounding of the alarm frightened the marauders.

734 MAUDLIN a. effusively sentimentalI do not like such maudlin pictures. I call them tearjerkers.

735 MAVERICK n. rebel; nonconformistTo 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.

736 MEANDER v. to wind or turn in its courseIt is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it meanders through the countryside.

737 MELLIFLUOUS a. mel (=honey)+i(=s.e.)+flu(=flow)+ous(=havingthe quality of)sweet-sounding, smooth-flowing; flowing smoothly; smoothSaid Churchill to the British people after the Munich agreement:We must reject these mellifluous assurances of 'peace in our time' and realize that we have sustained a crushing defeat.; Italian is a mellifluous language.

738 MENDACIOUS a. lying; falseHe was a pathological liar, and his friends learned to discount his mendacious stories.

739 MENDICANT n. beggarFrom the moment we left the ship, we were surrounded by mendicants and peddlers.

740 MENTOR n. teacherDuring this very trying period, she could not have had a better mentor, for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding.

741 MERCENARY n.a. merc(=trade)+en(=s.e.)+ary(=relating to)soldier hired for pay to serve in a foreign army; working only for money or other reward; inspired by love of money; interested in money or gainOf course she wants to make money from her books! That doesn't mean that she's mercenary and indifferent to doing good work.; I am certain that your action was prompted by mercenary motives.

742 MERCURIAL a. fickle; changingHe was of a mercurial temperament and therefore unpredictable.

743 MERETRICIOUS a. flashy; tawdryHer jewels were inexpensive but not meretricious.

744 METAMORPHOSE v. change completely the nature of something

745 METAMORPHOSIS n. morph(=form)change of form or character, eg. by natural growth or developmentThe metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life.; Themetamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typicalof many such changes in animal life.

746 METICULOUS a. excessively carefulHe was meticulous in checking his accounts andnever made mistakes.

747 METTLE n. courage; spiritWhen challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead.

748 MIEN n. demeanor; bearingShe had the gracious mien of a queen.

749 MINION n. a servile dependentHe was always accompanied by several of his minions because he enjoyed their subservience and flattery.


750 MISANTHROPE n. anthrop(=man)hater of mankind; person who avoids society; one who hates mankindThe misanthrope chose to live alone.; We thought the hermit was a misanthrope because he shunned our society.

751 MISANTHROPY n. anthrop(=man)hatred of mankindHe forgot his misanthropy when he fell in love.

752 MITE n. very small object or creature; small coinGnats are annoying mites that sting.

753 MITIGATE v. appeaseNothing he did could mitigate her wrath; she wasunforgiving.

754 MNEMONIC a. pertaining to memoryHe used mnemonic tricks to master new words.

755 MODULATE v. mod(=fit)+ul(=s.e.)+ate(=make)regulate; change the voice; vary the frequency, amplitude or phase of a wavesIn spite of my extreme terror, I made every effort to modulate my voice and speak calmly.

756 MOLLIFY v. sootheWe tried to mollify the hysterical child by promising her many gifts.

757 MOLTEN a. in a melted and therefore very hot state; made ofmetal that has been melted and castThe workers carefully ladled the molten iron into the bell-shaped mold.; The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.

758 MOOT a. debatableOur tariff policy is a moot subject.

759 MORDANT a. mord<mors(=bite)+ant(=having the quality of)biting; sarcastic; biting; sarcastic; stingingI noticed with approval that his mordant remarks were intended to deflate the pompous and unmask the hypocritical.; Actors feared the critic's mordant pen.

760 MOROSE a. ill-humored; sullenWhen we first meet Hamlet, we find him morose and depressed.

761 MOTIF n. themeThis simple motif runs throughout the entire score.

762 MOTILITY n. ability to move spontaneouslyCertain organisms exhibit remarkable motility; motile spores, for example, may travel for miles before coming to rest.

763 MULTIFARIOUS a. fa<fac(=make)varied, diversified; varied; greatly diversifiedThe actor has appeared in multifarious roles.; A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the multifarious activities of her daily life.

764 MUNDANE a. mund(=world)worldly; dull, ordinary; worldly as opposed to spiritualHe devoted himself to the spiritual needs of his followers, and left to his aides such mundane tasks as providing food and shelter.; He was concerned only with mundane matters, especially the daily stock market quotations.

765 MUNIFICENT a. mun(=gift, service)+i(=s.e.)+fic(=make, do) +ent(=having the quality of)extremely generous; large in amount or splendidin quality; very generousMy sad story is that after working for three hours in the hot sun cleaning up the yard, I received the munificent sum of 1 dollar 75 cents.; The munificent gift was presented to the bride by her rich uncle.

766 MUTINOUS a. unruly; rebelliousThe captain had to use force to quiet his mutinous crew.

767 MYRIAD n. very large numberMyriads of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village every twilight.

768 NEFARIOUS a. very wickedhe was universally feared because of his many nefarious deeds.

769 NEMESIS n. revenging agentCaptain Bligh vowed to be Christian's nemesis.

770 NEOPHYTE n. phyt(=to plant)person who has newly been converted to some belief or religion; beginner; recent convert; beginnerAfter her novel's success she was no longer considered a neophyte .; This mountain slope contains slides that will challenge experts as wellas neophytes.

771 NETTLE v. sting oneself with nettles; make rather angry; annoy; annoy; vexI regret that Nancy was nettled by my unfavorable review of her short story, but I had to express my opinion honestly.; Do not let him nettle you with his sarcastic remarks.

772 NEXUS n. connectionI fail to see the nexus which binds these two widely separated events.

773 NOSTALGIC a. unhappy at being away and longing for familiar things or persons

774 NOSTRUM n. questionable medicineNo quack selling nostrums is going to cheat me.


775 NOTORIOUS a. not(=know)+ori(=s.e.)+ous(=many, full)widly known for something bad; outstandingly bad; unfavorably knownHe is notorious for his habit of taking small loans from friends and then conveniently forgetting about them.; Captain Kidd was notorious pirate.

776 NOXIOUS a. harmfulWe must trace the source of these noxious gases before they asphyxiate us.

777 NUGATORY a. futile; worthlessThis agreement is nugatory for no court will enforce it.

778 NULLIFY v. to make invalidOnce the contract was nullified, it no longer had any legal force.

779 OAF n. stupid, awkward personHe called the unfortunate waiter a clumsy oaf.

780 OBDURATE a. ob(=intensive)+dur(=last)stubborn, obstinate, inflexibleIn spite of all our efforts to appeal to whatever human sympathics the kidnappers might have, they remainded obdurate .; He was obdurate in his refusal to listen to our complaints.; He was obdurate in his refusal to our complaints.

781 OBEISANCE n. ob(=intensive)+eis<aud(=hear)deep bow of respect or homage; homage; obedience, submissionThe Bible tells us that visitors to the court of Solomon, the great Hebrew king, willingly did obeisance unto him.; She made an obeisance as the king and queen entered the room.

782 OBFUSCATE v. ob(=upon, over)+fusc(=dark) +ate(=make)darken or obscure the mind; bewilder; confuse; muddlePlease do not try to obfuscate your responsibility in this matter by irrelevent criticisms of other people.; Do not obfuscate the issues by dragging in irrelevant arguments.

783 OBJURGATE v. scold; rebuke severelyI am afraid he will objurgate us publicly for this offense.

784 OBLITERATE v. ob(=against)+liter(=letter)rub, or blot out; remove all signs of; destroy; destroy completelyI am willing to forgive you, but I can never obliterate from my mind the memory of your dishonesty.; The tidal wave obliterated several island villages.

785 OBLOQUY n. ob(=against)+loqu(=say)bad words spoken of a person or thing; ill repute;disgrade; slander; disgrace; infamyI knew that if I ran for public office, I would be exposed to severe criticism, but I never expected such a flood of obloquy .; I resent the obloquy that you are casting upon my reputation.

786 OBSEQUIOUS a. ob(=in the way)+sequ(=follow)too eager to obey or advantage; showing excessive respect from hope of reward or advantage; slavishly attentive; servile; sycophanticDuring imperial times, the Roman Senate was little more than a collection of obsequious yes men, intent on preserving their own lives by gratifying the Emperor's every whim.; Nothing is more disgusting to me than the obsequious demeanor of the people who wait upon you.

787 OBSOLETE a. outmodedThat word is obsolete; do not use it.

788 OBTRUDE v. ob(=in the way, intensive)+trud/trus(=thrust)push oneself, one's opinions, etc. forward when unwanted; force oneself upon others; push into prominenceWe were eager to be favorably impressed, but as he continued to speak, the one fact that obtruded itself on all of us was his utter incapacity for the office.; The other members of the group object to the manner in which you obtrude your opinions into matters of no concernto you.

789 OBVIATE v. ob(=away)+vi<via(=carry, way)get rid of; clear away; prevent by effective measures; make unnecessary; get rid ofA compromise agreement reached in the judge'schambers would obviate the need for a long, costly lawsuit.; I hope this contribution will obviate any need for further collections of funds.

790 OCCULT a. oc<ob(=intensive)+cul<cel(=hide)hidden; secret; mysterious; supernatural; magical; mysterious; secret; supernaturalThere is evidence which proves that many persons supposed to have occult powers have either been clever frauds or the victims of self-deception.; The occult rites of the organization were revealed only to members.

791 ODIOUS a. hatefulI find the task of punishing you most odious.

792 OFFICIOUS a. of<ob(=in the way)+fic(=do, make)very fond of giving unwelcome services or advice; meddlesome; excessively trying to pleaseAnd there was good old Dan, shouting orders, handing out papers, and generally making an officious nuisance of himself!; Browning informs us that the Duke resented the bough of cherries some officious fool brought to please the Duchess.

793 OLIGARCHY n. government by a fewThe feudal oligarchy was supplanted by an autocracy.

794 OMINOUS a. threateningThese clouds are ominous; they portend a severe storm.


795 OMNISCIENT a. sci(=know); omni(=all)+sci(=know)+ent(=having the quality of)all knowing, having unlimited authority; knowing all; having complete or infinite knowledge; all-knowingWhen her prediction came true, we referred to her as the omniscient Sarah.; I do not pretend tobe omniscient, but I am positive about this fact.

796 OPALESCENT a. iridescentThe Ancient Mariner admired the opalescent sheen on the water.

797 OPAQUE a. dark; not transparentThe opaque window kept the sunlight out of the room.

798 OPPROBRIOUS a. disgracefulI find your conduct so opprobrious that I must exclude you from classes.

799 OPULENCE n. opul(=wealth)wealth, abundanceVistors from Europe are amazed at the opulence of this country.; Visitors from Europe are amazed and impressed by the opulence of this country.

800 ORNATE a. orn(=decorate)+ate(=having the quality of)richly ornamented; full of flowery language; not simple in style or vocabulary; excessively decorated; highly decoratedHe has a very ornate writing style, using many unusual words, figures of speech, and involved constructions.; Furniture of the Baroque period can be recognized by its ornate carvings.

801 OSCILLATE v. vibrate pendulumlike; waverIt is interesting to note how public opinion oscillates between the extremes of optimism andpessimism.

802 OSSIFY v. change or harden into boneWhen he called his opponent a "bonehead," he implied that his adversary's brain had ossified and that he was not capable of clear thinking.

803 OSTENSIBLE a. os<ob(=over, against)+tens(=stretch)put forward in an attempt to hide the real reason;apparent; pretended; apparent; professed; pretendedExperience revealed, somewhat to our surprise, that the candidate's ostensible reason for officewere also his real reasons.; Although the ostensible purpose of this expedition is to discover new lands, we are really interested finding new markets for our products.

804 OSTENTATIOUS a. os<ob(=against, over)+tent(=stretch)done for unnecessary display; liking to attract notice; showy; pretentiousIsn't it rather ostentatious to wear a Phi Beta kappa key on a chain around your neck?; The real hero is modest, never ostentatious.

805 OSTRACIZE v. ostrac(=shell)shut out from society; refuse to meet, talk to, etc.; exclude from public favor; banThe ancient Greeks ostracized a dangerous citizen by public vote.; As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection with the criminals, his friends began to ostracize him.

806 PALATIAL a. magnificentHe proudly showed us through his palatial home.

807 PALINDROME n. a word or phrase that reads the same backward as forward

808 PALLIATE v. ease pain; make less guilty of offensiveDoctors must palliate that which they cannot cure.

809 PALLID a. pale; wanBecause his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.

810 PALPABLE a. palp(=touch)+able(=capable of)that can be felt or touched; clear to the mind; tangible; easily perceptibleNutritionists emphasize that there is a palpable difference between "eating to live" and "living to eat".; I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable blunder.

811 PALTRY a. insignificant; pettyThis is a paltry sum to pay for such a masterpiece.

812 PANDEMONIUM n. demon(=demon)wild and noisy disorder; wild tumultThe station was pandemonium at rush hour.; When feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.

813 PANEGYRIC n. pan(=all)+egyr(=bring together)+ic(=nature of)a formal speech or writing praising a person or event; high or hyperbolic praise,laudation; formalpraiseInstead of mouthing empty panegyrics to the Bill of Rights, let's strive to make it a reality in everyday life.; The modest hero blushed as he listened to the panegyrics uttered by the speakers about his valorous act.

814 PARADIGM n. model; example; patternPavlov`s experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-response experiment in behavioral psychology.

815 PARADOX n. para(=beside, apart from)+dox(=opinion)statement that seems to say something oppositeto common sense or the truth, but which may contain a truth; statement that looks false but is actually correctAt sometime in our lives, all of us discover the truth of the ancient paradox that by giving freelyto others, we gain more for ourselves.; Wordsworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of paradox.


816 PARAGON n. para(=beside)+gon(=compare, test, angle)a model or pattern of perfection or excellence; model of perfectionMy parents set up my older brother as such a paragon that I despaired of ever being able to follow in his footstep.; The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing to him as a paragon of virtue.

817 PARALLEL a. to cause to correspond or lie in the same direction and equidistant in all partsNobody can parallel him in ability.

818 PARALLELISM n. par<para(=beside, side by side)+al (=other)the state of never meeting because always at the same distance from each other; similarity; state of being parallel; similarityIt may be doubted whether there is any exact parallelism between muscular strength and hairiness.; There is a striking parallelism between the twins.

819 PARAPET n. low wall at edge of roof or balconyThe best way to attack the soldiers fighting behind the parapets on the roof is by bombardment from the air.

820 PARAPHERNALIA n. equipment; odds and endsHis desk was cluttered with paper, pen , ink, dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writing craft.

821 PARIAH n. social outcastI am not a pariah to be shunned and ostracized.

822 PARITY n. equality; close resemblanceI find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the parity between the two illustrations.

823 PARLEY n. conferenceThe peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce.

824 PARRY v. ward off a blowHe was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to parry his opponent's thrusts.

825 PARSIMONIOUS a. stingy; excessively frugalHis parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries.

826 PARTISAN a. one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a partyOn certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a partisan stand.

827 PASSIVE a. not active; acted uponMahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue aprogram of passive resistance as he felt that it was more effective than violence and acts of terrorism.

828 PATHOLOGICAL a. pertaining to diseaseAs we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must not overlook the psychologicalelements.

829 PATHOLOGY n. path(=disease)science of diseasesPlant pathology studies the disease of plants.

830 PAUCITY n. scarcityThey closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate.

831 PECULATE v. steal; embezzleHer peculations were not discovered until the auditors found discrepancies in the financial statements.

832 PECUNIARY a. pertaining to moneyI never expected a pecuniary reward for my workin this activity.

833 PEDAGOGUE n. teacher; dull and formal teacherHe could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always lively and filled with humor.

834 PEDAGOGY n. teaching; art of educationThough Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in pedagogy, it took years before herteaching techniques were common practice in American schools.

835 PEDANTIC a. showing off learning; bookishWhat you say is pedantic and reveals an unfamiliarity with the realities of life.

836 PELLUCID a. transparent; limpid; easy to understandAfter reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable.

837 PENCHANT n. strong inclination; likingHe had a strong penchant for sculpture and owned many statues.

838 PENSIVE a. dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadnessThe pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then sighed.

839 PENURY n. extreme povertyWe find much penury and suffering in this slum area.

840 PERCEPTIVE a. having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernmenta word or phrase that reads the same backward as forward

841 PERCUSSION n. striking one object against another sharplyThe drum is a percussion instrument.

842 PERDITION n. damnation; complete ruinHe was damned to eternal perdition.


843 PEREMPTORY a. per(=intensive)+empt(=take)not to be disobeyed or questioned; dogmatic; insisting upon obedience; imperious; demandingand leaving no choiceAlthough I had no objection to proposal as such, I so resented the perremptory tone in which he spoke to me that I refused to cooperate.; I resentyour peremptory attitude.

844 PERENNIAL n.a. per(=through, throughout)+enn<an (=year)perennial plant; continuing throughout the whole year; lasting for a very long time; living for more than two yearsSince we do not want to replace our plantings every year, we favor perennials over annuals.; These plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years.

845 PERFIDIOUS a. per(=through, falsely)+fid(=trust)faithless; treacherous; basely falseHis intense greed and lack of confidence in our good faith turned him into a perfidious associate who sold our formulas to the competitors.; Your perfidious gossip is malicious and dangerous.

846 PERFUNCTORY a. per(=falsely)+funct(=perform)done as a duty or routine but without care or interest; doing things without concern or solicitude; superficial; listless; not thoroughPerhaps we were so overjoyed that the great man actually condescended to give us a perfunctory nod as we passed by.; He overlooked many weaknesses when he inspected the factory in his perfunctory manner.

847 PERIPHERAL a. pher(=carry)of external boundary or surface; marginal; outerThe disease impaired her peripheral vision.; We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of a great city.

848 PERJURY n. per(=falsely)+jur(=swear, law)the act of making a false statement after taking an oath to tell the truth; wilful false statement; false testimony while under oathShe may have given wrong information in court, but this was an honest mistake and certainly does not make her guilty of perjury .; When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was indicted for perjury.

849 PERMEABLE a. porous; allowing passage throughGlass is permeable to light.

850 PERNICIOUS a. per(=through, thoroughly)+nic<noc(=harm, kill)injurious; harmful; fatal; very destructiveThe more we studied the drug problem, the more we became aware of its pernicious influence on the American people today.; He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and susceptible minds.

851 PERPETUAL a. per(=through, throughout)+pet(=seek, strive)never-ending; going on for a long time or withoutstopping; continual; often repeated; everlastingPresidents, congressmen, and other officials come and go, but the principles of democracy and freedom on which our government rests are perpetual .; Ponce de Leon hoped to find perpetual youth.

852 PERQUISITE n. any gain above stipulated salaryThe perquisites attached to this job make it evenmore attractive than the salary indicates.

853 PERTINENT a. suitable; to the pointThe lawyer wanted to know all the pertinent details.

854 PERUSE v. per(=intensive)+us(=use)read carefullyIf you want to learn to play backgammon, I suggest that you begin by perusing a summary of the rules.

855 PERVASIVE a. thoroughly penetrating or permeating

856 PETULANT a. touchy; peevishThe feverish patient was petulant and restless.

857 PHILANTHROPY n. voluntary promotion of human welfare; active humanitarianism

858 PHLEGMATIC a. calm; not easily disturbedThe nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person.

859 PIED a. variegated; multicoloredThe Pied Piper of Hamelin got his name from themulticolored clothing he wore.

860 PIETY n. devoutness; reverence for GodLiving her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true spirit of piety.

861 PINIONED a. (of birds) especially having the flight feathers; bound fast especially having the arms restrained

862 PINNACLE n. pin(=dom)tall, pointed ornament built on to a roof or buttress; high, slender mountain peak; highest pointIt is a sobering thought that when one has reached the pinnacle of a mountain, there is nowhere to go but down.; We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.

863 PIOUS a. devoutThe pious parents gave their children a religious upbringing.

864 PIQUANT a. pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulatingThe piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal.


865 PITTANCE n. a small allowance or wageHe could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of revenue.

866 PLACATE v. plac(=peace)+ate(=make)soothe; pacify; pacify; conciliateSome historians believe that if the British government had made a sincere effort to placate the colonists, the American Revolution might never have occurred.; The teacher tried to placate the angry mother.

867 PLACID a. peaceful; calmAfter his vacation in this placid section, he felt soothed and rested.

868 PLATITUDE n. trite remark; commonplace statementThe platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people perceived how trite his remarks were.

869 PLATONIC a. purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desireAccused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the professor maintained he had only a platonic interest in the women involved.

870 PLENARY a. plen(=fill)+ary(=relating to)unlimited; absolute; attended by all who have a right to attend; complete; fullSitting before the fire, puffing his pipe, after an excellent meal, he was in a state of plenary contentment.; The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new contract with the employers.

871 PLETHORA n. excess; overabundanceShe offered a plethora of reasons for her shortcomings.

872 PLUMB a. checking perpendicularity; verticalBefore hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from the ceiling as a guide.

873 POLEMIC n. controversy; argument in support of point of viewHer essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party's policy.

874 POMMEL v. beatThe severity with which he was pommeled was indicated by the bruises he displayed on his head and face.

875 PORTEND v. foretell; presageThe king did not know what these omens might portend and asked his soothsayers to interpret them.

876 POTABLE a. suitable for drinkingThe recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive researchin ways of making sea water potable.

877 PRAGMATIC a. prag<pract(=do, business)+mat(=s.e.)+ic(=nature of)treating things in a matter-of-fact or pratical way;practical; concerned with practical valuesWhat point is there in dwelling on far-ranging theories when we are faced with a pragmatic problem of actual survival?; This test should provide us with a pragmatic analysis of the valueof this course.

878 PRATE v. speak foolishly; boast idlyLet us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves.

879 PRATTLE v. babbleThe little girl prattled endlessly about her dolls.

880 PRECARIOUS a. uncertain; riskyI think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its purchase.

881 PRECEPT n. pre(=before)+cept(=take)moral instruction; practical rule guiding conductI intend to be guided by the simple precepts that have proved their value over long periods ofhuman experience.; "Love they neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile precept.

882 PRECIPITATE a.v. throw headlong; hasten; headlong; rashDo not be precipitate in this matter; investigate further.; The removal of American political support appears to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos regime.

883 PRECLUDE v. pre(=before)+clud(=shut)prevent; make impossible in advance; make impossible; eliminateThe fact that he was found guilty of a felony many years ago doesn't preclude his running for mayor.; This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that Iam working for you.

884 PRECOCIOUS a. pre(=before)+coc(=to mature, cook)having developed certain faculties earlier than isnormal; developed ahead of timeFar from being precocious as a small child, the great Albert Einstein was actually somewhat slow in learning to talk.; By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious.

885 PRECURSOR n. pre(=before)+curs(=run)harbringer; forerunner; sign; a predecessor as inofficeExperience has shown that an increse in housing construction is the precursor of a general economic upturn.; Gray and burns were precursors of the Romantic Movement in Englishliterature.

886 PREEN v. clean with one's bill, of birds; pride or congratulate (oneself) for an achievement


887 PREFATORY a. pre(=before)+fa(=say)of a preface, introductoryWe knew that we were in for a stormy session when her prefatory remarks referred to "some surprising fact that have come to my attention."; The chairman made a few prefatory remarks before he called on the first speaker.

888 PREPONDERATE v. be superior in power; outweighI feel confident that the forces of justice will preponderate eventually in this dispute.

889 PREROGATIVE n. pre(=before)+rog(=ask)a right or previlege that belongs to a person, class, etc. according to rank or position; privilege; unquestionable rightAnyone who thinks that is still a gentleman's prerogative to ask a lady to dance didn't attend our Senior Prom.; The president cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the legislative branch of government.

890 PRESUMPTUOUS a. arrogant; taking libertiesIt seems presumptuous for one so relatively newto the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading experts.

891 PRETENTIOUS a. pre(=before)+tent(=stretch)claiming great merit or importance; ostentatious; ambitiousSince he is well known to be a multy-millionaire, it seems almost pretentious of him, in an inverted sense, to drive around in a small, battered, inexpensive car.; I do not feel that yourlimited resources will permit you to carry out such a pretentious program.

892 PREVARICATE v. pre(=before)+varic(=straddle)+ate(=make)make untrue or partly untrue statements, try to evade telling the whole truth; lieThe more he tried to protect himself by prevaricating , the more he became entrapped inhis own web of deception and dishonesty.; Somepeople believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard the statement as a "white lie."

893 PRISTINE a. characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiledThis area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.

894 PRIVY a. secret; hidden; not publicWe do not care for privy chamber government.

895 PROBITY n. prob(=test, good, proper)+ity(=nature)uprightness of character, integrity, sincerity; uprightness; incorruptibilityEven the most relentless and searching investigations by or political opponents could uncover no evidence that challenged our reputation for complete probity .; Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all.

896 PROBLEMATIC a. perplexing; unsettled; questionableGiven the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains problematic.

897 PRODIGAL a. prod<pro(=forth)+ig(=drive)wasteful; too free in giving or spending; abundant; wasteful; reckless with moneyIt will take us months of strict economizing to make up for that one prodigal shopping spree.; The prodigal son squandered his inheritance.

898 PRODIGIOUS a. prod<pro(=before)+ig<ag(=saying)enormous; surprisingly great; beyond what is ordinary; wonderful; marvelous; enormousCan you imagine what a prodigious amount of research was needed for a book such as Sandburg's biography of Lincoln?; He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate.

899 PRODIGY n. highly gifted child; marvelMenuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old.

900 PROFLIGATE n.a. pro(=forward)+flig(=drive)+ate(=make)profligate person; shamelessly immoral; reckless, extravagant; dissipated; wasteful; licentiousHe was so profligate with his inheritance that he consumed in a few years the fortune it had taken his parents a lifetime to accumulate.; In this profligate company, she lost all sense of decency.

901 PROFUSION n. lavish expenditure; overabundant conditionSeldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as at the wedding feast.

902 PROGENY n. children; offspringHe was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most promising of all his children.

903 PROGNOSIS n. forecasted course of a disease; predictionIf the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.

904 PROLIFIC a. pro(=forth)+l<al(=nourish)producing many young or much fruit; turning out many products of the mind; fruitfl; abounding; abundantly fruitfulIn spite of his long and prolific career, his reputation today rests entirely on one great play.; She was a prolific writer and wrote as many as three books a year.

905 PROPAGATE v. multiply; spreadI am sure disease must propagate in such unsanitary and crowded areas.

906 PROPENSITY n. pro(=forth)+pens(=hang, weigh)a natural inclination or tendencyYour propensity for spending more than you can affird will lead to only one result-bankruptcy!;I dislike your propensity to belittle every contribution she makes to our organization.

907 PROPINQUITY n. nearness; kinshipTheir relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity; they were more than relatives; they were true friends.


908 PROPITIATE v. pro(=before)+pit<pet(=seek)+i(=s.e.) +ate(=make)do something to take away the anger of; appeaseThose religious ceremonies are intended to protect the tribe against disasters by propitiating the gods who control natural phenomena.; The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods.

909 PROPITIOUS a. pro(=before, forward)+pit<pet(=seek)favorable; well-disposed; kindlyWhen I entered his office and observed that he seemed to be in a good mood, I felt that this might be a propitious time to ask for a rise.; I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a goodtime.

910 PROSAIC a. commonplace; dullI do not like this author because he is so unimaginative and prosaic.

911 PROSCRIBE v. pro(=before)+scrib(=write)forbid someone to do something; put outside theprotection of the law; force someone to go away;ostracize; banish; outlawLaws against slander and libel have their place, but they must never be used to proscribe criticism of public officials.; Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar.

912 PROSELYTIZE v. convert to a religion or beliefIn these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all pointsof view.

913 PROTOCOL n. col(=glue)first ro original draft of an agreement, signed by these making it; code of behavior, etiquette as practiced on diplomatic occasions; diplomatic etiquetteForeign service officers and their spouse must learn the rules of protocol .; We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests.

914 PROVIDENT a. displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergenciesIn his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.

915 PROVISO n. stipulationI am ready to accept your proposal with the proviso that you meet your obligations within the next two weeks.

916 PROVOCATIVE a. serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy; exciting sexual desire

917 PSEUDONYM n. onym(=name)name taken, especially by author, instead of his real name; pen nameHe used a woman's psudonym for the Gothic romance.; Samuel Clemen's pseudonym was Mark Twain.

918 PUERILE a. childishHis puerile pranks sometimes offended his moremature friends.

919 PUNDIT n. learned Hindu; any learned man; authority on a subjectEven though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is actually rather ignorant about this topic.

920 PUNGENCY n. sharpness; stinging qualitythe pungency of the cigarette smoke mademe cough.

921 PUNGENT a. stinging; causticThe pungency of the cigarette smoke made me cough.

922 PURLOIN v. stealIn the story, "The Purloined Letter," Poe points out that the best hiding place is often the most obvious place.

923 PURVIEW n. pur<pro(=forth)+view(=look)range of operation or activity; range of sight or understanding; the body and scope of an act or billUnder the American system of personal liberty, there are many aspects of everyday living that do not come under the purview of any governmental authority.; The sociological implications of these inventions are beyond the purview of this book.

924 QUAFF v. drink with relishAs we quaffed our ale, we listened to the gay songs of the students in the tavern.

925 QUAGMIRE n. bog; marshOur soldiers who served in Vietnam will never forget the drudgery of marching through the quagmires of the delta country.

926 QUALIFIED a. limited; restrictedUnble to give the candidate full support, the mayor gave him only a qualified endorsement.

927 QUALIFY v. to endow or furnish with requisite ability, character, knowledge, skill, or possessionsShe is well qualified for teaching music.

928 QUALM n. a fit of nausea

929 QUANDARY n. dilemmaWhen the two colleges to which he had applied accepted him, he was in a quandary as to which one he should attend.

930 QUIESCENT a. at rest; dormantAfter this geyser erupts, it will remain quiescent for twenty-four hours.

931 QUINTESSENCE n. purest and highest embodimentNoel Coward displayed the quintessence of wit.


932 QUIRK n. startling twist; capriceBy a quirk of fate, he found himself working for the man whom he had discharged years before.

933 QUIXOTIC a. idealistic but impracticalHis head is in the clouds; he is constantly presenting these quixotic schemes.

934 QUIZZICAL a. bantering; comical; humorously seriousWill Rogers' quizzical remarks endeared him to his audiences.

935 RABID a. like a fanatic; furiousHe was a rabid follower of the Dodgers and watched them play whenever he could go to the ball park.

936 RAMIFICATION n. branching out; subdivisionWe must examine all the ramifications of this problem.

937 RAMPANT a. rearing up on hind legs; unrestrainedThe rampant weeds in the garden killed all the flowers which had been planted in the spring.

938 RAMPART n. defensive mound of earth"From the ramparts we watched" as the fighting continued.

939 RANCID a. having the odor of stale fatA rancid odor filled the ship's galley.

940 RANCOR n. bitterness; hatredLet us forget our rancor and cooperate in this new endeavor.

941 RANT v. rave; speak bombasticallyAs we heard him rant on the platform, we could not understand his strange popularity with many people.

942 RATIONALIZE v. reason; justify an improper actDo not try to rationalize your behavior by blaming your companions.

943 RAUCOUS a. harsh and shrillHis raucous laughter irritated me and grated on my ears.

944 RAZE v. destroy completelyThe owners intended to raze the hotel and erect an office building on the site.

945 REALM n. kingdom; sphereThe realm of possibilities for the new invention was endless.

946 REBUFF v. snub; beat backShe rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had been snubbed.

947 RECALCITRANT a. obstinately stubbornDonkeys are reputed to be the most recalcitrant of animals.

948 RECANT v. re(=back, away)+cant(=sing)withdraw or renounce beliefs, statement, etc. in a formal or public manner; repudiate; withdraw previous statementWhat a mockery it is for intellectuals, terrorized by a dictatorship, to recant publicly the ideas and ideals on which they have based their lives!;Unless you recant your confession, you will be punished severely.

949 RECESSION n. withdrawl; retreatThe recession of the troops from the combat area was completed in an orderly manner.

950 RECIDIVISM n. habitual return to crimePrison reformers in the United States are disturbed by the high rate of recidivism; the number of men serving second and third terms in prison indicates the failure of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.

951 RECIPROCAL a. mutual; exchangeable; interactingThe two nations signed a reciprocal trade agreement.

952 RECIPROCATE v. re(=back)+ci(=s.e.)+pro(=forward)+c(=s.e.) +ate(=make)give and recieve, each to and from each; cause to move backwards and forwards in a straight line; repay in kindCan you blame me for being bitter when a supposed friend reciprocated my confidence with betrayal and slander?; If they attack us, we shall be compelled to reciprocate and bomb theirterritory.

953 RECLUSE n.a. re(=back)+clus(=shut)person who lives alone and avoids other people;shut away from the world; hermitDo you understand how someone can live as a recluse even in the midst of a great city?; The recluse lived in a hut in the forest.

954 RECONDITE a. abstruse; profound; secretHe read many recondite books in order to obtainthe material for his scholarly thesis.

955 RECUMBENT a. re(=back)+cumb(=lie)lying down; idle; reclining; lying down completelyor in partComfortably recumbent in the shade of the elm tree, I watched the eager candidates for the football team in their hard, sweaty workout.; The command "AT EASE" does not permit you to take a recumbent position.

956 RECUSANT n. person who refuses to complyIn that religious community, the recusant was shunned as a pariah.

957 REDOLENT a. red<re(=intensive)+ol(=smell)having a strong smell; reminiscent; fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odorEven today after so many years, I find that an ordinary chocolate bar is redolent of long Saturday afternoons spent watching double features at the Bijou Theater.; Even though it is February, the air is redolent of spring.


958 REDOUBTABLE a. re(=intensive)+doub<dob(=uncertain)to be feared; formidable; formidable; causing fearShe is such a redoubtable foe of the trite phrase that her students tremble lest her wrath descend on them for using an overworked expression.; The neighboring countries tried not to offend the Russians because they could be redoubtable foes.

959 REDUNDANT a. red<re(=back, again)+und(=wave)superfluous; superfluous; excessively wordy; repetitiousWhen he demanded that I immediately "return back" the money I owed him, I found him not merely unpleasant but redundant .; Your composition is redundant; you can easily reduce its length.

960 REFRACTORY a. re(=again)+fract(=break)resisting control, discipline, etc. wilful; not yielding to treatment; hard to melt, fuse or work; stubborn; unmanageableSince they had always been reasonably well-behaved, I was taken completely unawares by their refractory behavior.; The refractory horse was eliminated from the race when he refused to obey the jockey.

961 REFUTE v. disproveThe defense called several respectable witnesses who were able to refute the false testimony of the prosecution's only witness.

962 REGAL a. reg(=rule)+al(=nature of)of a king,royal; characteristic of a king,splendid,stately,magnificent,etc.The "big shot" behaving with almost regal dignity turned out to be Johnny Novak, my classmate from the 5th grade.; Prince Albert hada regal manner.

963 REITERATE v. re(=again)+it(=go)say or do again several times; repeatWhat a bore to hear the same silly advertising slogans reiterated endlessly on TV programs!; Ishall reiterate this message until all have understood it.

964 RELEGATE v. re(=back)+leg(=send)send someone to a lower position or grade; hand over a matter for decision or carrying out; banish; consign to inferior positionWhen Mr. Kummer saw my pathetically inept efforts to prepare a banana split, I was relegated to the ranks of the unemployed.; If werelegate these experienced people to positions of unimportance because of their political persuasions, we shall lose the services of valuably trained personnel.

965 RELEVANT a. re(=again)+lev(=lift, light)closely connected with what is happening, being discussed, done, etc.; to the pointThe defense attorney has told you about the defendant's unhappy childhood, but how is this relevant to the question of innocence or guilt?

966 RELINQUISH v. abandonI will relinquish my claims to this property if you promise to retain my employees.

967 REMINISCENCE n. recollectionHer reminiscences of her experiences are so fascination that she ought to write a book.

968 REMONSTRATE v. re(=again, against)+monstr(=show)say or plead in protest, objection, complaints, etc.Since he seems to have no moral standards whatsoever, it would probably be futile to remonstrate with him about his outrageous behavior.; I must remonstrate about the lack of police protection in this area.

969 RENASCENCE n. the revival of learning and culture

970 RENAISSANCE n. the revival of letters, and then of art, which marks the transition from medieval to modern time

971 RENDER v. ren<re(=back)+der<dit(=give)cause someone or something to be or become; give in return or exchange; present, send in; givea performance of; express in another languge; deliver; provide; representThat monologue about the pretty young teacher on her first day in shcool rendered me helpless with laughter.; He rendered aid to the needy andindigent.

972 RENDITION n. translation; artistic interpretation of a song, etc.The audience cheered enthusiastically as she completed her rendition of the aria.

973 REPERTOIRE n. list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer isprepared to preseThe opera company decided to include "Madame Butterfly" in its repertoire for the following season.

974 REPLICA n. re(=again)+plic(=fold)a reproduction or copy of a work of art, especially a copy by the maker of the original; facsimileInstead of working so hard to prepare replicas of famous works of art, why don't you try to creatsomething original?; Are you going to hang this replica of the Declaration of independence in theclassroom or in the auditorium?

975 REPREHEND v. express strong disapproval of

976 REPREHENSIBLE a. re(=back, against)+prehens(=take)deserving to be blamed; deserving blameI don't know which was more reprehensible -making improper use of the money or lying about it later.; Your vicious conduct in this situation is reprehensible.

977 REPRIEVE n.v. re(=back)+priev<prehend(=take)postponement or remission of punishment, especially by death; delay or respite; postpone or delay punishment; give relief for a short time from danger, trouble, etc.; temporary stayOnly by admitting your fault and trying to make up for the damage you have done can you obtain a reprieve from the pangs of conscience.; During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers sought to make the stay of execution permanent.


978 REPROBATE n. person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decencyI cannot understand why he has so many admirers if he is the reprobate you say he is.

979 REPUDIATE v. re(=back, away)+pud(=ashamed)disown; say that one will have nothing more to do with; refuse to accept or acknowledge; refuseto pay an obligation or dept; disown; disavowTo limit the free expression of unpopular ideas isto repudiate the basic siprit of the Bill of Rights.; He announced that he would repudiate all debts incurred by his wife.

980 REPUGNANT a. re(=back, against)+pugn(=fight)distasteful; causing a feeling of dislike or oppositionThe expression of satisfaction that come over his face when he talks of the failure of other people is highly repugnant to me.

981 RESCIND v. re(=back, away)+scind(=cut)repeal, annul, or cancel a law, contract, etc.Because of the incidents that occurred during hazing week, the school may rescind the rules that allow fraternity initiations.; Because of publicresentment, the king had to rescind his order.

982 RESIGNED a. unresisting; patiently submissiveBob Cratchit was too resigned to his downtrodden existence to protest when Scroogebullied him.

983 RESOLUTION n. re(=intensive)+solu<solv(=loosen)fixed determination; formal expression of opinionby a legislative body or a public meeting; solution of a doubt, question, discord, etc.; process of separating into constituentsIn our campaign to solve the energy problem, wemust depend on the understanding, patriotism, and resolution of the American people.; Nothing could shake his resolution to succed despite all difficuties.

984 RESOLVE n.v. determinationNothing coold shake his resolve that his childrenwould get the best education that money could buy.

985 RESONANT a. echoing; resounding; possessing resonanceHis resonant voice was particularly pleasing.

986 RESPITE n. re(=back, away)+spi(=look)time of relief or rest from toil, suffering, anything unpleasant; postponement or delay permitted in the suffering of or the discharge of an obligation;reprieve; delay in punishment; interval of relief; restAfter we had been playing our best rock records for several hours, mother entered the room and begged for some respite .; The judge granted the condemned man a respite to enable his attorneys to file an appeal.

987 RESPLENDENT a. re(=intensive)+splend(=shine)very bright; splendid; brilliant; lustrousThe talents which had seemed so resplendent in their youth now struk us as unimpressive and even pathetic.; The toreador wore a resplendent costume.

988 RESURGENT a. rising again after defeat, etc.The resurgent nation surprised everyone by its quick recovery after total defeat.

989 RETICENT a. re(=intensive)+tic<tac(=silent)not saying all that is known or felt; in the habit of saving little; reserved; uncommunicative, inclined to silenceWhy should he be so talkative about most thingsbut so reticent about his own personal background.; Hughes preferred reticent employees to loquacious ones, noting that the formers' dislike of idle chatter might ensure discretion about his affairs.

990 RETROACTION n.

991 REVERENT a. respectfulHis reverent attitude was appropriate in a house of worship.

992 REVERIE n. daydream; musingHe was awakened from his reverie by the teacher's question.

993 REVILE v. re(=back)+vil(=cheap)swear at, abuse; slander; vilifyInstead of recognizing that he caused his own failure, he continues to revile all the people whowere "unfair" to him.; He was avoided by all who feared that he would revile and abuse them if they displeased him.

994 RHETORICAL a. pertaining to effective communication; insincere in languageTo win his audience, the speaker used every rhetorical trick in the book.

995 RIBALD a. wanton; profaneHe sang a ribald song that offended many of the more prudish listeners.

996 RIGOR n. severityMany settlers could not stand the rigors of the New England winters.

997 RISIBLE a. inclined to laugh; ludicrousHis remarks were so risible that the audience howled with laughter.

998 RIVET n.v. circular rounded protuberance (as on a vault or shield or belt); focus one's attention on something; fasten with a rivet or rivets

999 RIVETING a. capable of arousing and holding the attention

1000 ROSEATE a. rosy; optimisticI am afraid you will have to alter your roseate views in the light of the distressing news that hasjust arrived.

1001 ROTE n. repetitionHe recited the passage by rote and gave no indication he understood what he was saying.


1002 ROTUNDITY n. roundness; sonorousness of speechWashington Irving emphasized the rotundity of the governor by describing his height and circumference.

1003 RUDIMENTARY a. not developed; elementaryHis dancing was limited to a few rudimentary steps.

1004 RUMINATE v. chew the cud; ponderWe cannot afford to wait while you ruminate upon these plans.

1005 RUMMAGE v. ransack; thoroughly searchWhen we rummaged through the trunks in the attic, we found many souvenirs of our childhood days.

1006 SAGA n. scandinavian myth; any legendThis is a saga of the sea and the men who risk their lives on it.

1007 SAGACIOUS a. keen; shrewd; having insightHe is much too sagacious to be fooled by a trick like that.

1008 SALIENT n.a. sal(=leap, salt)+i(=s.e.)+ent(=having the quality of)salient angle; forward wedge driven into the enemy's battle front; outstanding, prominent, easily noticed; pointing outwardsThe long Allied struggle to push back the salient that the Nazis had created in Belgium in 1944 ispopularly known as "The Battle of the Bulge."; One of the salient features of that newspaper is its excellent editorial page.

1009 SALUBRIOUS a. healthfulMany people with hay fever move to more salubrious sections of the country during the months of August and September.

1010 SALUTATORY n. the opening oration at the commemcement in American colleges

1011 SALVAGE n.v. salv(=safe)+age(=act)the rescue of a ship and cargo at sea from peril such as fire, shipwreck, etc.; cargo, property, or ship saved; payment given to those who save property; <saving of> waste material that can be used again after being processed; save from loss, fire, wreck, etc.; rescue from lossIs it too much to expect that I will be able to salvage a few shreds of self-respect from my humiliating failure?; All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.

1012 SANCTION v. approve; ratifyNothing will convince me to sanction the engagement of my daughter to such a worthless young man.

1013 SANGUINE a. sangu(=blood)hopeful; optimistic; having a red complexion; cheerful; hopefulThe nurse changed his sanguine bandage.; Letus not be too sanguine about the outcome; something could go wrong.

1014 SAPID a. savory; tasty; relishableThis chef has the knack of making most foods more sapid and appealing.

1015 SARDONIC a. disdainful; sarcastic; cynicalThe sardonic humor of nightclub comedians whosatirize or ridicule patrons in the audience strikessome people as amusing and others as rude.

1016 SATIRIC a. resembling poetry, in which vice, incapacity,or corruption is held up to ridicule

1017 SATURATE v. soakTheir clothes were saturated by the rain.

1018 SATURNINE a. gloomyDo not be misled by his saturnine countenance; he is not as gloomy as he looks.

1019 SAUNTER v. stroll slowlyas we sauntered through the park, we stopped frequently to admire the spring flowers.

1020 SAVANT n. scholarOur faculty includes many world-famous savants.

1021 SAVOR v. have a distinctive flavor, smell, or qualityI think your choice of a successor savor of favoritism.

1022 SCAPEGOAT n. someone who bears the blame for othersAfter the Challenger disaster, NASA searched for scapegoats on whom they could cast te blame.

1023 SCHISM n. division; splitLet us not widen the schism by further bickering.

1024 SCOURGE n. lash; whip; severe punishmentThey feared the plague and regarded it as a deadly scourge.

1025 SCRUPULOUS a. conscientious; extremely thoroughI can recommend him for a position of responsibility for I have found him a very scrupulous young man.

1026 SCURRILOUS a. obscene; indecentYour scurrilous remarks are especially offensive because they are untrue.

1027 SECULAR a. worldly; not pertaining to church matters; temporalThe church leaders decided not o interfere in secular matters.


1028 SEDENTARY a. sed(=sit)+ent(=quality)+ary(=relating to)done sitting down at a desk, etc.; spending muchof thier time seated; requiring sittingDuring the war, soldiers assigned to desk jobs were sometimes called sarcastically the "chairbound infantry" or "the sedentary commandos".; Because he had a sedentary occupation, he decided to visit a gymnasium weekly.

1029 SEDULOUS a. diligentThe young woman was so sedulous that she received a commendation for her hard work.

1030 SEETHE v. be disturbed; boilThe nation was seething with discontent as the noblemen continued their arrogant ways.

1031 SERENDIPITY n. gift for finding valuable things not searched forMany scientific discoveries are a matter of serendipity.

1032 SERRATED a. having a sawtoothed edgeThe beech tree is one of many plants that have serrated leaves.

1033 SERVILE a. serv(=serve)+ile(=capable of)of or like a slave; lacking in the spirit of independence; obsequious; slavish; cringingA President needs people who will tell him frankly when they think he is wrong, rather than just offer servile approval of everything he says.; Uriah Heep was a very servile individual.

1034 SHARD n. fragment, generally of potteryThe archaeologist assigned several students thetask of reassembling earthenware vessels from the shards he had brought back from the expedition.

1035 SHOAL n. shallow placeThe ship was stranded on a shoal and had to be pulled off by tugs.

1036 SHODDY a. of poor quality; made to seem better than it is; sham; not genuine; inferiorThe record player looked impressive, but its construction was so shoddy that within a few months it seemed to be falling apart.; You will never get the public to buy such shoddy material.

1037 SINUOUS a. winding; bending in and out; not morally honestThe snake moved in a sinuous manner.

1038 SKEPTIC n. doubterIn this matter, I am a skeptic; I want proof.

1039 SKULK v. move furtively and secretlyHe skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city in order to avoid meeting anyof his former friends.

1040 SLOTH n. laziness; slow-moving tree dwelling mammalNote how well the somewhat greenish coat of the sloth enables it to blend in with its arboreal surrounding.(secondary meaning); Such sloth in a young person is deplorable; go to work!

1041 SLOVENLY a. of or like a sloven; untidy; careless in work habitsIsn't it strange that a young woman who will spend hours making sure that she looks "just right" for a date is often so slovenly at other times?; Such slovenly work habits will never produce good products.

1042 SOJOURN n. temporary stayAfter his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for her colder climate of his native New England home.

1043 SOLICIT v. make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently; make amorous advances towards; offer one's body for sex in return for money

1044 SOLILOQUY n. talking to oneselfThe soliloquy is a device by the dramatist to reveal a character's innermost thoughts and emotions.

1045 SOPHISTRY n. seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoningInstead of advancing valid arguments, he tried tooverwhelm his audience with a flood of sophistries.

1046 SOPORIFIC n. sleep producerI do not need a sedative when I listen to one of his soporific speeches.

1047 SORDID a. filthy; base; vileThe social worker was angered by the sordid housing provided for the homeless.

1048 SPECIOUS a. spec(=look)+i(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)seeming right or true, but not really so; seemingly reasonable but incorrectWe are mostly likely to fall victim to specious reasoning when we have an emotional desire to believe what we are being told.; Let us not be misled by such specious arguments.

1049 SPENDTHRIFT n. someone who spends money prodigallyRecklessly wasteful

1050 SPLENETIC a. spiteful; irritable; peevishPeople shunned him because of his splenetic temper.

1051 SPORADIC a. occurring irregularlyAlthough there are sporadic outbursts of shooting, we may report that the major rebellion has been defeated.

1052 SPURIOUS a. false; counterfeitShe tried to pay the check with a spurious ten-dollar bill.


1053 SQUALID a. dirty; neglected; poorIt is easy to see how crime can breed in such a squalid neighborhood.

1054 STAGNANT a. motionless; stale; dullThe stagnant water was a breeding ground for disease.

1055 STAID a. sober; sedateHer conduct during the funeral ceremony was staid and solemn.

1056 STAMINA n. strength; staying powerI doubt that she has the stamina to run the full distance of the marathon race.

1057 STANCH v. check flow of bloodIt is imperative that we stanch the gushing wound before we attend to the other injuries.

1058 STERILE a. having no reproductive power

1059 STIGMA n. token of disgrace; brandI do not attach any stigma to the fact that you were accused of this crime; the fact that you were acquitted clears you completely.

1060 STIGMATIZE v. stig(=to prick, to mark)describe somebody scornfully; brand; mark as wickedHave we reached the stage where anyone who refuses to go along with the majority opinion is tobe stigmatized as a malcontent and a radical?; I do not want to stigmatize this young offender for life by sending her to prison.

1061 STINT n. supply; allotted amount; assigned portion of workHe performed his daily stint cheerfully and willingly.

1062 STIPEND n. pay for servicesThere is a nominal stipend for this position.

1063 STIPULATE v. stip(=press together)+ul(=s.e.)+ate(=make)state or put forward as a necessary condition; insist upon as part of an agreement; make express conditions; specifyIf the contract was framed by a good lawyer, it will stipulate exactly when, where, and how payment is to be made.; Before agreeing to reduce American military forces in Europe, the president stipulated that NATO teams be allowed to inspect Soviet bases.

1064 STOIC n. person who is indifferent to pleasure or painThe doctor called her patient a stoic because he had borne the pain of the examination without whimpering.

1065 STOLID a. dull; impassiveThe earthquake shattered his usual stolidity; trembling, he crouched on the no longer stable ground.

1066 STRIATED a. marked with parallel bandsThe glacier left many striated rocks.

1067 STRIDENT a. loud and harshShe scolded him in a strident voice.

1068 STRUT n. pompous walk; supporting barHis strut as he marched about the parade ground revealed him for what he was : a pompous buffoon.; The engineer calculated that the strut supporting the rafter needed to be reinforced.

1069 STUPOR n. stup(=dumb-struck)almost unconscious condition caused by shock, drugs, alcohol, etc.; state of apathy; daze; lack of awarenessThe pain-killer kept him in a dreamlike stupor .; In his stupor, the addict was unaware of the events taking place around him.

1070 STYMIE v. present an obstacle; stumpThe detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the robbery investigation.

1071 SUAVE a. smooth; blandHe is particularly good in roles that require suavity and sophistication.

1072 SUBJUGATE v. conquer; bring under controlIt is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are interested only in establishing peaceful relations.

1073 SUBSIDE v. settle down; descend; grow quietThe doctor assured us that the fever would eventually subside.

1074 SUBSIDIARY n.a. sub(=under)+sid(=sit)subsidiary company; serving as a help or support but not of first importance; subordinate; secondaryThe responsibility to the general public on the part of these corporations and their subsidiaries is not lessened by the fact that they pay heavy taxes.; This information may be used as subsidiary evidence but is not sufficient by itself to prove your argument.

1075 SUBSTANTIATE v. verify; supportI intend to substantiate my statement by producing witness.

1076 SUBSTANTIVE a. essential; pertaining to the substanceAlthough the delegates were aware of the importance of the problem, they could not agree on the substantive issues.

1077 SUBTLETY n. nicety; cunning; guile; delicacyThe subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his audience.


1078 SUCCINCT a. suc<sub(=under, precisely)+cinct(=gird, bind)terse; expressed briefly and clearly; brief; terse; compactThe reporter gave the rewrite man a succinct account of what had happened, and the city editor had it expanded into a feature story.; His remarks are always succinct and pointed.

1079 SUCCOR n. aid; assistance; reliefWe shall be ever grateful for the succor you country gave us when we were in need.

1080 SUFFUSE v. spread overA blush suffused her cheeks when we teased her about her love affair.

1081 SULLEN a. showing a brooding ill humor; darkened by clouds

1082 SUMPTUOUS a. sumpt(=take, use, waste)+u(=s.e.)+ous(=full, many)costly, luxurious; magnificent, splendid; lavish; richWhat a chang-from a college dormitory to the sumptuous accommodations of a big-city luxury hotel!; I cannot recall when I have had such a sumptuous thanksgiving feast.

1083 SUNDER v. separate; partNorthern and southern Ireland are politically and religiously sundered.

1084 SUNDRY a. various; severalMy suspicions were aroused when I read sundry items in the newspapers about your behavior.

1085 SUPERFLUOUS a. excessive; overabundant; unnecessaryPlease try not to include so many superfluous details in your report; just give me the bare facts.

1086 SUPPLANT v. sup<sub(=under, in place of)+plant(=plant)take the place of ; take the place of someone, especially after getting him out of office; replace;usurpI know that love is fickle, but I never expected to be supplnted in her affections by a crumb like Danny Orr.; Ferdinand Marcos was supplanted by Corazon Aquino as president of the Philippines.

1087 SUPPLIANT a. entreating; beseechingHe could not resist the dog's suppliant whimpering, and he gave it some food.

1088 SUPPOSITION n. sup<sub(=under)+pos(=put)supposing; guess; hypothesis; hypothesis; surmiseYou may be right in your belief that Jan won't let us use her car, but remember that this is still only a supposition .; I based my decision to confide in him on the supposition that he would be discreet.

1089 SURFEIT n.v. sur(=over, excessive)+feit<fect(=do, make)too much of anything, especially food and drink; [cause to]take too much of anything; cloy; overfeedI have had my surfeit of excuses and evasions; now I want action!; I am surfeited with the sentimentality of the average motion picture film.

1090 SURMISE n.v. sur(=over)+mis(=send)guess; conjectureI offered that explanation as a mere surmise , but to my surprise, it was generally accepted as an established truth.; I surmise that he will be late for this meeting.

1091 SURREPTITIOUS a. sur<sub(=under)+rep<rap(=take)done,got made, etc.in a secret,stealthy way,clandestineIf, as they claim, they were not aware of the illegal character of their undertaking, why did they plan it in a surreptitious way.; News of their surreptitious meeting gradually leaked out.

1092 SWATHE v. wrap around; bandageWhen I visited him in the hospital, I found him swathed in bandages.

1093 SYCOPHANT n. a servile flatterer, especially of those in authority or influence

1094 SYLLOGISM n. log(=speech)a formal argument with a major and minor premise and a conclusion; logical formula utilizing a major premise, a minor premise and a conc"All Romans are Italians, all Italians are Europeans; therefore, all Romans are Europeans" is an example of a syllogism .; There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; I cannot accept the conclusion.

1095 SYNTHESIS n. thes(=to place)a combination of parts to form a whole; combining parts into a wholeThis bill is a synthesis of the work of several senators.; Now that we have succeeded in isolating this drug, our next problem is to plan itssynthesis in the laboratory.

1096 TACIT a. understood; not put into wordsWe have a tacit agreement based on only a handshake.

1097 TACITURN a. habitually silent; talking littleNew Englanders are reputedly taciturn people

1098 TANTALIZE v. tantal(=<King> Tantalus)keep just out of reach something that somebody desires; raise hopes that cannot be realized; tease; torture with disappointmentHow can you be so cruel as to tantalize the poor dog by offering him tidbits that you will never let him have?; Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother.

1099 TAUT a. tight; readyThe captain maintained that he ran a taut ship.


1100 TAWDRY a. cheap and gaudyHe won a few tawdry trinkets in Coney Island.

1101 TEEM v. to be full to overflowing

1102 TEMERITY n. boldness; rashnessDo you have the temerity to argue with me?

1103 TEMPERAMENT n. temper(=stretch)person's disposition or natureWe do not, indeed, know the exact relationship of our physical to our mental being, the extent to which our bodily condition causes our temperament or the exact process by which the brain makes the intangible thing called thought.

1104 TENACIOUS a. holding fastI had to struggle to break his tenacious hold on my arm.

1105 TENACITY n. firmness; persistency; adhesivenessIt is extremely difficult to overcome the tenacity of a habit such as smoking

1106 TENET n. doctrine; dogmaThe agnostic did not accept the tenets of their faith.

1107 TEPID a. lukewarmDuring the summer, I like to take a tepid bath, not a hot one.

1108 TERMAGANT n. shrew; scolding, brawling woman"The Taming of the Shrew" is one of many stories of the methods used in changing a termagant into a demure lady.

1109 TERRESTRIAL a. on the earthWe have been able to explore the terrestrial regions much more thoroughly than the aquatic or celestial regions.

1110 TERSE a. concise; abrupt; pithyI admire his terse style of writing; he comes directly to the point.

1111 TETHER v. tie with a ropeBefore we went to sleep, we tethered the horses to prevents their wandering off during the night.

1112 THRALL n. slave; bondageThe captured soldier was held in thrall by the conquering army.

1113 THROE n. extreme struggling anguish

1114 THWART v. baffle; frustrateHe felt that everyone was trying to thwart his plans and prevent his success.

1115 TIMBRE n. quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrumentWe identify the instrument producing a musical sound by its timbre.

1116 TIMOROUS a. fearful; demonstrating fearHis timorous manner betrayed the fear he felt at the moment.

1117 TORPID a. dormant; dull; lethargicThe torpid bear had just come out of his cave after his long hibernation.

1118 TORPOR n. lethargy; sluggishness; dormancyNothing seemed to arouse him from his torpor; he had wholly surrendered himself to lethargy.

1119 TORQUE n. twisiting force; force producing rotationWith her wrench she applied sufficient torque to the nut to loosen it.

1120 TORTUROUS a. marked by extreme suffering

1121 TOXIC a. poisonousWe must seek an antidote for whatever toxic substance he has eaten.

1122 TRACTABLE a. docileYou will find the children in this school very tractable and willing to learn.

1123 TRADUCE v. tra<trans(=over, across)+duc(=lead)say untrue or malicious things about; slander; expose to slanderIt is one thing to oppose him vigorously in the election; it is quite another to traduce his character and his record.; His opponents tried to traduce the candidate's reputation by spreading rumors about his past.

1124 TRANSGRESSION n. violation of a law; sinForgive us our transgressions; we know not whatwe do.

1125 TRANSITORY a. existing for a short time only

1126 TRANSMUTE v. trans(=intensive)+mut(=change)change the shape, nature or substance of; change; convert to something differentThe task of education, said the speaker, is to transmute the primitive selfishness of the child into socially useful modes of behavior.; He was unable to transmute his dreams into actualities.

1127 TRANSPIRE v. tran<trans(=through)+spir(=breathe)give off moisture or pass off vapor; become public or come to be known; exhale; become known; happenIn spite of all our efforts to keep the meeting secret, news of our conclusions transpired .; In spite of all our efforts to keep the meeting a secret, news of our conclusions transpired.

1128 TRAVAIL n. painful laborHow long do you think a man can endure such travail and degradation without rebelling?


1129 TRAVESTY n.v. tra<trans(=over, across)+vest(=dress)any treatment that makes a serious work seem ridiculous; imitation or description of something; comical parody; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculousSince she knew in advance whom she would choose for each role, the so-called "try-outs" for the play were no more than a travesty .; The ridiculous decision the jury has arrived at is a travesty of justice.

1130 TREK v. travel; migrateThe tribe made their trek further north that summer in search of game.

1131 TRENCHANT a. trench(=cut)+ant(=having the quality of)sharp; keen, penetrating, incisive; clear-cut, distinct; cutting; keenAfter the Senator's trenchant analysis, each of us should have a clear idea of what is involved and where we stand on the issue.; I am afraid of his trenchant wit for it is so often sarcastic.

1132 TREPIDATION n. fear; trembling agitationWe must face the enemy without trepidation if we are to win this battle.

1133 TRIBUNAL n. place of judgment; court of justiceThe prisoner appeared before the tribunal for sentencing.; The decision of the tribunal was final and the prisoner was sentenced to death.

1134 TRIBUTE n. tax levied by a ruler; mark of respectThe colonists refused to pay tribute to a foreign despot.

1135 TRITE a. hackneyed; commonplaceThe trite and predictable situations in many television programs alienate many viewers.

1136 TROTH n. pledge of good faith especially in betrothalHe gave her his troth and vowed he would cherish her always.

1137 TRUCULENCE n. aggressiveness; ferocityTynan's reviews were noted for their caustic attacks and general tone of truculence.

1138 TUMID a. swollen; pompous; bombasticI especially dislike his tumid style; I prefer writingwhich is less swollen and bombastic.

1139 TUMULT n. commotion; riot; noiseShe could not make herself heard over the tumult of the mob.

1140 TURBID a. muddy; having the sediment disturbedThe water was turbid after the children had waded through it.

1141 TURBULENCE n. state of violent agitationWe were frightened by the turbulence of the ocean during the storm.

1142 TURPITUDE n. turp(=vile)wickedness, depravityShe was charged with moral turpitude .; A visitormay be denied admittance to this country if she has been guilty of moral turpitude.

1143 TUTELAGE n. guardianship; trainingUnder the tutelage of such masters of the instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.

1144 UBIQUITOUS a. being everywhere; omnipresentYou must be ubiquitous for I meet you wherever I go.

1145 ULTERIOR a. beyond what is first seen or said; situated beyond; situated beyond; unstatedHis ulterior motive was not clear even to himself.; You must have an ulterior motive for your behavior, since there is no obvious reason for it.

1146 UMBRAGE n. resentment; anger; sense of injury or insultShe took umbrage at his remarks and stormed away in a huff.

1147 UNCANNY a. unnatural, mysterious, weird; strange; mysteriousWe listened to an uncanny sense of direction.; You have the uncanny knack of reading my innermost thoughts.

1148 UNCOUTH a. rough, awkward, not cultured; outlandish; clumsy; boorishThe handsome young man was surprisingly uncouth at dinner.; Most biographers portray Lincoln as an uncouth and ungainly young man.

1149 UNEQUIVOCAL a. equ(=same,voc(=call,voice)clear, having one only possible meaning; plain; obviousShe won his unequivocal support.; My answer toyour proposal is an unequivocal and absolute "No."

1150 UNFEIGNED a. genuine; realShe turned so pale that I am sure her surprise was unfeigned.

1151 UNRULY a. not easily controlled; disorderly; disobedient; lawlessThe unruly child was expelled from school.; The only way to curb this unruly mob is to use tear gas.

1152 UNTOWARD a. unfortunate; annoyingUntoward circumstances prevent me from being with you on this festive occasion.

1153 UNWONTED a. unaccustomedHe hesitated assume the unwonted role of master of ceremonies at the dinner.

1154 URBANE a. suave; refined; elegantthe courtier was urbane and sophisticated.


1155 USURY n. lending money at illegal rates of interestThe loan shark was found guilty of usury.

1156 UXORICIDE n.

1157 VACILLATION n. fluctuation; waveringHis vacillation when confronted with a problem annoyed all of us who had to wait until he made his decision.

1158 VACUOUS a. empty; inaneThe vacuous remarks of the politician annoyed the audience, who had hoped to hear more than empty platitudes.

1159 VAGARY n. caprice; whimShe followed every vagary of fashion.

1160 VANTAGE n. position giving an advantageThey fired upon the enemy from behind trees, walls and any other point of vantage they could find.

1161 VAUNT n.v. extravagant self-praise; extravagant self-praise

1162 VAUNTED a. boasted; bragged; highly publicizedThis much vaunted project proved a disappointment when it collapsed.

1163 VEHEMENT a. impetuous; with marked vigorHe objected vehemently to a vote taking place inthe absence of a quorum.

1164 VENAL a. capable of being bribedThe venal policeman accepted the bribe offered him by the speeding motorist whom he had stopped.

1165 VENEER n. thin layer; coverCasual acquaintances were deceived by his veneer of sophistication and failed to recognize his fundamental shallowness.

1166 VENERATE v. revereIn China, the people venerate their ancestors.

1167 VERACIOUS a. truthfulI can recommend him for this position because I have always found him veracious and reliable.

1168 VERBIAGE n. verb(=word)+i(=s.e.)+age(=collective)unnecessary words for the expression of an idea, etc.; pompous array of wordsThat book has an interesting plot, but the author has practically smothered it in endless pages of unnecessary verbiage .; After we had waded through all the verbiage, we discovered that the writer had said very little.

1169 VERBOSE a. wordyThis article is too verbose; we must edit it.

1170 VERITY n. truth; realityThe four verities were revealed to Buddha duringhis long meditation.

1171 VERNACULAR n. the language of one's country

1172 VERSATILE a. vers(=turn)+at(=s.e.)+ile(=capable of)interested in and clever at many different things; having various uses; having many talents; capable of working in many fieldsLeonardo da Vinci was a versatile genius who excelled in many different fields of art and science.; He was a versatile athlete; at college he had earned varsity letters in baseball, football, and track.

1173 VERTIGO n. dizzinessWe test potential plane pilots for susceptibility to spells of vertigo.

1174 VESTIGE n. trace; remainsWe discovered vestiges of early Indian life in thecave.

1175 VEX v. annoy; distressPlease try not to vex your mother; she is doing the best she can.

1176 VIABLE a. capable of maintaining lifeThe infant, though prematurely born, is viable and has a good chance to survive.

1177 VICARIOUS a. acting as a substitute; done by a deputyMany people get a vicarious thrill at he movies by imagining they are the characters on the screen.

1178 VICISSITUDE n. vicis(=change)change, especially in somebody's fortunes; change of fortuneThe vicissitude of life may suddenly make a millionaire poor.; I am accustomed to life's vicissitudes, having experienced poverty and wealth, sickness and health, and failure and success.

1179 VIE v. contend; competeWhen we vie with each other for his approval, we are merely weakening ourselves and strengthening him.

1180 VIGILANCE n. vigil/livelywatchfulness, keeping watchConstant vigilance is necessary in order to avoid accidents in driving.; Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

1181 VILIFY v. slanderShe is a liar and is always trying to vilify my reputation.


1182 VINDICATE v. vin(=force)+dic(=say)+ate(=make)prove the justice, truth, validity, etc. of; clear of chargesMy faith in that seemingly "ordinary" young girl was vindicated many years later when she wonthe Pulitzer Prize in fiction.; I hope to vindicate my client and return him to society as a free man.

1183 VIRILE a. manlyI do not accept the premise that a man is virile only when he is belligerent.

1184 VIRTUOSO n. highly skilled artistHeifetz is a violin virtuoso.

1185 VIRULENT a. extremely poisonousThe virus is highly virulent and has made many of us ill for days.

1186 VISAGE n. face; appearanceThe stern visage of the judge indicated that she had decided to impose a severe penalty.

1187 VISCOUS a. sticky; glueyMelted tar is a viscous substance.

1188 VISIONARY n.a. vis(=look)+ion(=state)+ary(=relating to)visionary person; existing only in a vision or the imagination; unpractical; fanciful; produced by imagination; fanciful; mysticalTo the enthusiasm and dedication of the typical visionary he added the cool, realistic judgment of the practical business executive.; She was given to visionary schemes which never materialized.

1189 VITRIOLIC a. corrosive; sarcasticSuch vitriolic criticism is uncalled for.

1190 VIVACIOUS a. viv(=live, life)+aci(=s.e.)+ous(=having the quality of)lively,high-spirited,gay; animated; gayHer manner of speaking is so vivacious that even commonplace remarks semm to suggest charm and excitement.; She had always been vivacious and sparkling.

1191 VOCIFEROUS a. voc(=call, voice)+i(=s.e.)+fer(=carry)+ous(=having the quality of)noisy,yelling; clamorousAt lunchtime,the room rang with the vociferous debates between the Cincinnati and Cleveland fans.; The crowd grew vociferous in its anger and threatened to take the law into its own hands.

1192 VOGUE n. popular fashionJeans became the vogue on many college campuses.

1193 VOLATILE a. evaporating rapidly; lighthearted; mercurialEthly chloride is a very volatile liquid.

1194 VOLITION n. vol(=will)+i(=s.e.)+tion(=that which)the act of exercising one's will, the power of willing; act of making a conscious choiceAlthough she emphasizes that she was the helpless victim of bad luck, one can recognize the effects of her own volition in bringing about her own downfall.; She selected this dress of herown volition

1195 VOLUBLE a. volu(=roll)+ble<able(=capable of)loquacious; able to talk very quickly and easily; fluent; rotating; fluent; glibHis answer at the press conference was rambling and voluble while giving practically no information.; She was a voluble speaker, always ready to talk.

1196 VORACIOUS a. vor(=eat)+aci(=s.e.)+ous(=many, full)devouring or eager to devour large puantities of food; very greedy or eager in some desire or persuit; insatiable; ravenousHas antone ever measured how many hours of TV time are needed to satisfy a small boy's voracious appetite for Westerns?; the wolf is a voracious animal, its hunger never satisfied.

1197 VOUCHSAFE v. grant condescendingly; guaranteeVouchsafe me a visit. Mr. Johnson vouchsafed to attend our party.

1198 VULNERABLE a. susceptible to woundsAchilles was vulnerable only in his heel.

1199 WAIVE v. give up temporarily; yieldI will waive my rights in this matter in order to expedite our reaching a proper decision.

1200 WAN a. having a pale or sickly color; pallidSuckling asked, "Why so pale and wan, fond lover?"

1201 WANE v. grow gradually smallerFrom now until December 21, the winter solstice,the hours of daylight will wane.

1202 WANTON a. unruly; unchaste; excessiveHis wanton, drunken ways cost him many friends.

1203 WELTER n.v. wallow; turmoil; bewildering jumbleAt the height of the battle, the casualties were sonumerous that the victims weltered in their bloodwhile waiting for medical attention.; The existing welter of overlapping federal and state programscries out for immediate reform.

1204 WHEEDLE v. cajole; coax; deceive by flatteryShe know she can wheedle almost anything she wants from her father.

1205 WHET v. sharpen; stimulateThe odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be ravenous by the time the meal is served.

1206 WHIMSICAL a. capricious; fanciful; quaint"Peter Pan" is a whimsical play.


1207 WILY a. cunning; artfulShe is as wily as a fox in avoiding trouble.

1208 WINSOME a. attractive; pleasing, bright; agreeable; gracious; engagingMarie is not particularly pretty, but her sparkling personality and high spirits make her extremely winsome .; By her winsome manner, she made herself liked by everyone who met her.

1209 WIZENED a. withered; shriveledThe wizened old man in the home for the aged was still active and energetic.

1210 WREAK v. inflictI am afraid he will wreak his wrath on the innocent as well as the guilty.

1211 WREST v. pull away; take by violenceWith only ten seconds left to play, our team wrested victory from their grasp.

1212 ZEALOT n. fanatic; person who shows excessive zealIt is good to have a few zealots in our group for their enthusiasm is contagious.

1213 ZENITH n. point directly overhead in the sky; summitWhen the sun was at its zenith, the glare was not as strong as at sunrise and sunset.

1214 ZEPHYR n. gentle breeze; west windWhen these zephyrs blow; it is good to be in an open boat under a full sail.

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