abate to reduce in amount, degree or intensity; to lessen.

. The plant considered new pollution abatement technology to reduce their environmental liabilities. aberrant deviated from the normal or expected course. The professors aberrant behavior was making it difficult for the class to meet at the same time or place every week. abhor To detest. I abhor studying for the SATs. abridge to reduce the length of; condense, especially a text. Tolstoys War and Peace, is too long to read, I suggest the abridged version. abstruse difficult to understand. The politicians arguments were so abstruse and technical that no one else knew what they meant. accord an agreement (or) exercising free choice. No one pressured me, I signed up for ballet lessons on my own accord. adamant impervious to pleas or reasoning, unyielding. She was adamant that the car be red, she didnt care how much it cost. admonish to reprove, warn, or caution gently but earnestly. Children must be admonished for neglecting their chores. adulate to fawn over; to excessively praise. We were surprised to witness her adulatory behavior when she met her favorite actor. adverse acting or serving to oppose, antagonistic (or) unfavorable, harmful. 1) Dons book received adverse criticism from jealous critics. 2) The adverse circumstances of the arctic made survival a daily challenge. aerate to expose to fresh air. After keeping the house closed all winter, the family opened the windows and aerated the house on the first day of spring. aesthetic relating to beauty or being artistic. The play was an aesthetic success even if no one bought any tickets. affable easy or pleasant to speak to, amiable.

alleviate To make more bearable, to lighten. The patient asked for Tylenol to alleviate his pain. altruism unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness. He is the most altruistic person I know, he sold all of his belongings and gave the proceeds away to charity. allusion an indirect reference to something; mentioning or hinting an event, text, person or place without using its name. Everyone knew that the president was alluding to his predecessor when he used the phrase, lack of morals. amalgamate to unite into a whole. The amalgamation of her slides with music produced a multimedia extravagance of her vacation. ambiguous doubtful or uncertain. We didnt know if he would attend the meeting or not since his answer was ambiguous. ambivalence having conflicting feelings. He was ambivalent about buying a lottery ticket because he didnt want to encourage gambling yet thought the $100 million jackpot was extremely tempting. ameliorate to make better or improve. He got a second job in order to ameliorate their dire financial situation. amorphous without definite shape or form. An amoeba is typically amorphous. anarchist one who is against a government ruler. libertarian one who is in favor of individual rights instead of state control. pacifist one against war or violence as a means of solving disputes. populist a person against power being concentrated in the hands of government, corporations, or the rich. analgesic a medication that reduces or eliminates pain. Bruce took an analgesic when his headache would not go away. analogy an inference that if two things are alike in some aspects, they must be alike in others. One could make an analogy between a computer and the way the human brain works. androgynous sexless.

Some mannequins have neither male nor female characteristics, they are androgynous. anecdote a short account of an interesting or humorous incident. Ellen was an excellent conversationalist, she always offered anecdotes that fit the topic and were colorful and humorous. anesthetic something that causes total or partial loss of physical sensation. Before surgery, the patient was administered an anesthetic so he wouldnt feel any pain. antibiotic a substance, such as penicillin, that destroys or inhibits the growth of microorganisms. After testing positive for strep throat, he had to take an antibiotic for two weeks. antidote an agent that counteracts a poison. After the rattlesnake bit him, he quickly gave himself an antidote to counteract the vipers venom. antipathy strong repugnance; an intense hatred or dislike for. His greatest antipathy were dogs, he could not stand the sight of them. apathetic lack of emotion or concern. The comic knew he faced an apathetic audience when even his best routine failed to win any applause. appease to satisfy or relieve; to pacify. The members of the caravan appeased their thirst at the oasis during their trek through the desert. apt - well suited, appropriate (or) liable to, likely to (or) quick to learn or understand. 1) This land is apt for a peach orchard. 2) The river is apt to flood. 3) He is an apt student. arboreal relating to trees. aquatic relating to water. sylvan relating to woods; wooded. terrestrial relating to Earth or her inhabitants. arcane known to only a few; esoteric. Many professionals use arcane terminology to keep ordinary people from understanding relatively simple concepts. archaic no longer current; antiquated. Many archaic laws remain on the books even though they are no longer applicable.

archetype an ideal example or original model after which other similar things are patterned. archipelago a large group of islands. astral of or resembling the stars. astute shrewd; exercising keen awareness or judgment. An astute renter always reads the fine print on a lease before signing it. atrium central area in a building, usually with a skylight. After being confined to their small cubicles all morning, the office workers enjoyed eating lunch in the sunny atrium. auditory relating to the sense of hearing. gustatory relating to the sense of taste. olfactory relating to the sense of smell. tactile relating to the sense of touch. visual relating to the sense of sight. augment To make or become greater in size, extent or quantity; increase. The man underwent chin-augmentation surgery to fix his weak jaw-line. august venerable; inspiring awe. The servants bowed whenever they were in the august presence of their monarch. autonomous not controlled by others; independent. Self-governing. The partitioning of India and Pakistan resulted in two autonomous states. avant-garde a group active in the invention and application of new techniques in a given field, especially in the arts. Joseph considered his scenes of water lilies to be rather avant-garde, but he really just copied techniques used by the Impressionists. aversion intense dislike or hatred. Since he is lactose intolerant, he developed an aversion to milk. assiduous constant or diligent in application. The assiduous workers attendance was perfect. audacious adventurous, daring. The audacious explorers wanted to hike the mountains on the moon. avian relating to birds.

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bovine relating to cows. canine relating to dogs. equine relating to horses. feline relating to cats. ovine relating to sheep. porcine relating to pigs. banal completely ordinary or commonplace; trite. When asked how hard he worked, he gave a banal reply when he said that he was as busy as a bee. belie to contradict. Their laughter belied their inward grief. blithe carefree and lighthearted. brouhaha an uproar or hubbub. A brouhaha developed in the line when the arena sold out of tickets for the concert. buffoon a ludicrous or bumbling person; a fool. Instead of a serious orator, he came off as a buffoon when he stumbled around stage and mumbled his lines. buttress something that supports or reinforces. The student buttressed her analysis of the poem with several examples from the text. cacophony jarring discordant sound. There was a cacophony of horns when the first car didnt move immediately when the traffic light changed. cadence a balanced, rhythmic flow, as in poetry or marching. Listening to the cadence of her poetry reading was very soothing. cajole to urge with gentle repeated appeals, flattery, or teasing. I cant believe you let that salesman cajole you into the most expensive model. callous toughened, insensitive. The man callously ignored the childs pleas for help. calumny a false statement deliberately made to injure another persons reputation; slander. The politician was upset when he heard the calumny coming from his opponents mouth. canonize to declare a person a saint; to glorify. Her friends wanted to canonize her after she helped them all move in the pouring rain. cantankerous ill-tempered and quarrelsome.

Belinda hated visiting her cantankerous grandmother every Sunday. capacious able to hold a large amount; roomy, spacious. His backpack for school was quite capacious. He was able to fit all of his textbooks in it. capricious impulsive, unpredictable. It was a capricious winter storm that dumped twenty inches of snow on the city. caricature a representation in which the subjects distinctive features or peculiarities are exaggerated for comic effect or mockery. Political cartoonists love to caricature President Clinton, exaggerating his chin to mammoth proportions. cartographer mapmaker. The cartographer added the new data from the satellites to his maps of North America. castigate to chastise or criticize severely. He castigated her for her insensitive remarks about his mother. catholic universal; general. She did not prefer the food from any one country, she was rather catholic in her tastes. cavalier haughty; carefree and nonchalant. He had a rather cavalier attitude towards the suffering of others and only did things for himself. cerebral of the brain, i.e. intellectual rather than emotional. He had a cerebral approach to the problem and refused to let his emotions get involved. chasm a deep opening in the earth, a gorge (or) a great disparity, as of opinion or beliefs. A deep chasm was building between the Puritan settlers and their Anglican neighbors based on growing differences in their religious beliefs. chauvinist one who has a prejudiced belief in the superiority of ones own group. chronology sequence of events according to time. The detective put together a chronology of the crime and realized the suspect could not have been at two places at the same time. clairvoyant a person who has the power to see objects or events that cannot be perceived by the senses.

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The clairvoyant was able to read the newspaper even though it was in another room. coagulation formation of a soft semisolid or solid mass. Fortunately his blood began to coagulate after he accidentally cut himself with the knife. collude to act together secretly to achieve a fraudulent, illegal or deceitful purpose; to conspire. The executives of competing car manufacturers were arrested for colluding to keep auto prices artificially high. complacent content with self-satisfaction; without concern. The producer had become complacent after years of success and his films became sloppy and unappealing. conceit an unduly high opinion of oneself. He thought he was so handsome that he could date anyone. Unfortunately, all of the girls found him to be conceited. concordant harmonious, agreeing. He expressed views that were concordant with his background in education. conflagration a large fire. conflate to bring together; meld or fuse. In adapting the novel, the screenwriter conflated two characters into one. congeal to solidify. The water congealed after we added the powdered gelatin mix. congruous harmonious; suitable together. connotation something suggested in addition to the literal meaning. Internet stocks used to have a connotation of riches beyond ones wildest dreams. contaminate impure or unclean due to contact or exposure. The highway was contaminated with oil after the tractor trailer accidentally turned over on it. contentious quarrelsome; argumentative. The overly contentious lawyer was lucky that the judge never charged him with contempt. corroborate to strengthen or support with evidence.

Franks wife corroborated his alibi by proving he was with her that night. credulous gullible. cryptic having a hidden meaning. The new lease is written without any cryptic words. crystallize to give a definite or permanent form to. After finishing the novel, he tried to crystallize his thoughts by immediately writing them down. curator one who manages or oversees a museum or other collection. cursory performed with haste and scant attention to detail. He revised his term paper with little more than a cursory glance, and consequently missed many errors. cynicism an attitude of jaded negativity. He had a rather cynical view of the world and didnt think that people would help others unless there was something in it for them. daunt to intimidate or discourage. dearth a scarce supply or lack of something. After the severe drought, there was a dearth because there wasnt any water for the crops. debacle A sudden disastrous collapse, downfall, or defeat. The football game was an absolute debacle for State, who threw in the towel after only the 2nd quarter. debase to lower in character, quality or value; degrade. Wills reputation was debased by his accuser. dogmatic marked by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproven principles; dictatorial. deify to make a god of; to worship; to exalt. She tended to deify her teachers even though they didnt know much. deleterious harmful; injurious. Most doctors agree on the deleterious effects of smoking. diminutive Extremely small in size. Tiny. Her diminutive feet were too small to fit in the hiking boots. denigrate attack the reputation of; defame. The critics of the project denigrated any efforts we took to gain support.

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deride to speak or treat with contemptuous mirth [gladness]. Phil relished the opportunity to deride his enemy Rob after he missed a free throw to lose the basketball game. descant an ornamental musical melody played above a theme (or) a discussion or discourse on a particular theme or subject. Children will descant for hours on a simple topic like the nature of strawberries. despot a ruler with absolute power; a tyrant. didactic intending to instruct. dilatory tending to delay. He was rather dilatory in his work habits, if he showed up for work at all. dilettante a dabbler in an art or a field of knowledge; an amateur. It was obvious he was not a professional, as one could tell by looking at his dilettantish efforts at painting. disconsolate hopelessly sad, extremely dejected. Sally was disconsolate upon news of her mothers death. discordant lack of agreement; a harsh mingling of sounds. discreet having or showing prudence and self-restraint in speech and behavior. discrete individually distinct; separate. disparage to speak in a slighting way; belittle. She disparaged her students efforts on the science fair project, calling it haphazard and inconclusive. dissemble to disguise the real nature of something. He didnt want to be disturbed by the talkative children so he dissembled sleep. dissonance a harsh, disagreeable combination of sounds; discord. Despite his best efforts at comprehension, modern music remained a dissonance to him. divulge to make known. She was angry with me for divulging her secret. dubious fraught with uncertainty; undecided. Questionable.

Even though the accountants advised against it, the president insisted on taking the dubious deductions. duplicity deliberate deceptiveness in behavior or speech. edifice a building, especially a large building. The new library is an imposing edifice with its tall columns and many stories. emigrate to leave one country in order to settle in another. Many people emigrated from Europe during World War II. emollient softening and soothing, especially to the skin. The mediator tried to ease the tension in the remove like an emollient. empathy Identification with and understanding of anothers situation or feelings. I can empathize with her because I too was hurt in a car accident. endemic prevalent to a particular area or people. There are many diseases endemic to the tropics. enervating to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of. enmity deep-seated, often mutual hatred. Enmity during the civil war made rebuilding the relationship between north and south difficult. entomology the study of insects. enunciate to pronounce with clarity, articulate. I asked the Jen to enunciate when on the phone, it is difficult to understand her mumbling. epilogue a short summary at the end of a written work. prologue an introduction or preface. epistle a letter, especially a long, formal one. epitomize to be a typical example of; embody. His behavior when he didnt get his way epitomized the behavior of a spoiled brat. epitaph an inscription on a tombstone. equanimity even-tempered; calm and composed. He maintained equanimity in the face of danger.

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erroneous Incorrect or mistaken. The student reached an erroneous conclusion when he decided that frogs were not amphibians. esoteric intended for or understood by few; secret. The esoteric meeting was held by the secret society at midnight in a private location. estrange to make hostile, unsympathetic, or indifferent; alienate. Many say that she estranged her coworker by going over his head to the boss. eulogy a speech praising someone who has died. Despite his grief, he delivered a thoughtful eulogy at his fathers funeral. euphoric a feeling of great happiness or well being. When she found out that she was admitted to college, she felt completely euphoric. expeditious acting or done with speed and efficiently. Unlike the county judge who took months to deliver a verdict, he was known for his expeditious treatment of cases. expiate to atone or make amends for. extol to praise highly. Since she didnt like to cook, she extolled his cooking so he would do it more. exuberant high-spirited; lively; growing abundantly. The child was exuberant when her parents told her that they were going to vacation at an amusement park. frigid extremely cold. It was a frigid day when the temperature dropped below freezing. fallacy a false idea; a deceit. fatalism the doctrine that all events are determined by fate and are therefore unalterable. feign to represent falsely, to pretend. Rich feigned a asthma attack in order to escape geometry class. feudalism a political and economic system of medieval Europe by which a landowner granted land to a vassal in exchange for homage and military service. foible a minor weakness or failing of character. frenetic wildly excited or active; frantic; frenzied.

After the car accident, he had a frenetic look in his eyes as he tried to recover. fricassee poultry or meat cut up and stewed in a gravy. fulsome offensively flattering or insincere. The new guy in the office was always sucking up to the boss with fulsome, annoying comments. gargantuan of immense size; gigantic. He was hungry so he made himself a gargantuan sandwich. gaudy showy in a tasteless or vulgar way. She wore sparkly rings on her fingers that could only be described as gaudy. genealogy the study of ones ancestry; a family tree. She took up genealogy to research her familys history prior to when her grandparents arrived in the United States. genteel refined in manner, well-bred and polite. gesticulate to make gestures while speaking, especially with hands. The teacher was known for his habit of gesticulation, waving his hands in wild circles to aid his explanation of philosophy. hackneyed overused, trite. Athletes are famous for their unoriginal, hackneyed expressions like, I just wanted to get out there and give 110 percent. hapless luckless, unfortunate. The hapless boy fell into the swimming pool with his new shoes on. hedonism pursuit of or devotion to pleasure. gregarious sociable. He was a gregarious person who avoided solitude. hallmark indicating quality or excellence. An engaging plot and interesting characters are hallmarks of a good novel. heretic one who holds unorthodox opinions. hierarchy a grading or ranking of people or things by rank or ability. She ranked honesty first in her hierarchy of values. hysterical marked by excessive or uncontrollable emotion, such as fear or panic.

The woman was so hysterical after the car-jacking, she could not even speak to the police. imperial of or relating to an empire, emperor, or empress. All Imperial Swans living in England are the property of the Crown. incisive penetrating, clear and sharp. Dans incisive analysis got right to the heart of the pollution problem. inclination a tendency or disposition toward something. Despite my reputation as a good guy who volunteers for the community, I am inclined to be a bad dude. iconoclast one who attacks traditional ideas or institutions; a radical. Those who first thought the Earth was round instead of flat were the iconoclasts of their day. idiosyncrasy a structural or behavior peculiarity; eccentricity. Herbert was an odd man with many idiosyncrasies such as sleeping upside down. idiom an expression having meaning that cannot be derived from the individual meanings of its words Dont count your chickens until theyve hatched or hand over fist immutable not subject to change. It is an immutable fact that earth is not flat. ineffable incapable of being expressed; unspeakable. In many religions, the name of God is ineffable, it is taboo to say It aloud. innocuous harmless. They thought that the raccoon was just an innocuous pest until it infected their dog with rabies. insolent Disrespectfully arrogant, rude. The insolent student insulted his teachers abilities. insuperable impossible to overcome; insurmountable. Faced with the insuperable odds, he decided to forfeit the game. interstice a gap, space or time between things. homogeneous referring to things similar or uniform in nature.

heterogeneous consisting of dissimilar elements or parts; a mix. hubris overbearing pride; arrogance. Hulk Hogans downfall was his hubris. When turned his back to his competitor to gloat to the crowd, he was hit from behind with a folding chair. indelible impossible to remove, erase or wash away. The spanking he received left an indelible memory, he would never use indelible marker on his mothers furniture again. indignation Anger aroused by something unjust or mean. York bristled with indignation on having to serve his surrender to Washington, who he considered his unequal. infinite having no boundaries or limits; immeasurably great or large. infinitesimal immeasurably or incalculably small. An atom has a width that is infinitesimal. impetuous impulsive. He was known for his impetuous acts such as hugging strangers randomly on the street. impugn to challenge or fight against; to attack as false. The political candidates impugned each others record as the election approached. inanimate lacking the qualities of a living organism. A rock is an inanimate object. incandescent shining brilliantly or brightly. The incandescent glow of the aurora borealis that I saw in Alaska was something I will never forget. incongruous lacking in harmony; incompatible. Inappropriate. He told a joke incongruous with polite company. inexorable relentless. The bounty hunter was inexorable, she never stopped until she captured her man. ingenious clever or inventive; imaginative. ingenuous artless; lacking in cunning or guile. innate possessed at birth; inherent. Johns understanding of the laws of mechanics was innate, he never had to take a course or read a book on it. innovative new or creative.

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His innovative ideas in the field of quantum physics led to a method of time travel. intemperate lack of control, especially in the consumption of alcoholic beverages; excessive. They lived in an intemperate climate, it was prone to heat and humidity in the summer and bitter cold in the winter. insidious intending to entrap; treacherous. The insidious disease looked simply like a skin rash, but was lethal if not treated promptly. insinuate to enter into imperceptibly. The water easily insinuated itself into the cracks of the rock. insipid not tasty (or) lacking interest; dull. After a week in the hospital, he grew weary of the insipid food. intransigent uncompromising. The mediator was unable to broker an agreement because one side had intransigent views that would not be swayed. irony the use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; an incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs. Rain on your wedding day is not ironic, its unfortunate. If you pray for rain to end to a drought that is killing your crops, and they are subsequently washed away by a flood, that is ironic. inundate to flood or overwhelm. My first day at work, I was inundated with sales information. invective harsh and insulting language used to attack and denounce. The judge wrote an invective condemnation of the criminals at their sentencing. invocation The act of appealing to a higher power for help or inspiration. During the harvest festival, the islanders held an invocation to ask the Gods for an end to the famine. jaded worn out, weary; cynically callous. The rants of the jaded man left me weary and depressed. juxtapose to place side by side. The painter juxtaposed bright colors with paler tones. languid lacking energy or vitality; weak. It was a languid day; too hot to do anything but sit in the shade and relax.

latent having potential but not evident or active. He had a latent talent for playing basketball, he had always enjoyed playing but didnt show great skill until he reached college. laudatory expressing or conferring praise. Her efforts at brokering the peace settlement were laudatory, even if they ultimately proved to be unsuccessful. levee an embankment raised to prevent a river from overflowing. The Mississippi River has several levees built around it to prevent flooding from springtime rains. licentious lacking moral restraint, especially sexual. When the naval recruits where put in to port after months at sea, their officer warned them against licentious behavior. limerick a humorous or nonsensical verse with 5 lines. loquacious very talkative. Julia discovered that her new neighbors were very loquacious, they liked to come over in the evenings and talk until midnight. lowing mooing; sound made by cattle. The cattle were lowing in the field during the heavy thunderstorm. lucid easily understood, clear-minded, rational. When the man was sober, he gave a lucid explanation of the events. luminary a body that gives off light (or) a notable person with their field. Jane Goodall is considered a luminary among biologists for her studies of primate behavior. manifest clearly apparent in sight or understanding, obvious (or) to show. martial of or relating to the military. The military usurped the elected government and declared martial law. monotony repetitiously boring (or) of one tone; unvarying. He finally broke the monotony of his breakfast routine by eating eggs instead of cereal. malevolent having or exhibiting ill will; malicious. Darth Vader was a malevolent character.

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mendicant a beggar. The mendicant held out his cup at the bus station, hoping for some alms. mercurial quick and changeable in temperament; volatile. Due to his mercurial temper, we could never be certain how he would react to bad news. meticulous extremely or excessively careful or precise. After being interrogated by the IRS, she was meticulous in the preparation of income taxes. milieu The setting or environment. In the milieu of 18th century Latin-America, sexism was quite acceptable. missive a written message. Sylvia contacted the reclusive author with a missive since it was known that the author hated to use the telephone. mitigate to moderate; to lessen. He mitigated his grief after the death of his parents by attempting to get back to his daily routines and work. morbid of or caused by disease (or) gruesome, grisly. morose melancholy, gloomy, sad. mundane of or concerned with the ordinary. Dont bother me with mundane details, just tell me the important stuff. multiplicity - a large number. Instead of reaching a consensus, the committee provided a multiplicity of opinions. muse a source of inspiration (or) to think about at great length. He mused about the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. myopic shortsighted, either in vision or thinking; narrow-minded. The ministers tariff policy was myopic in that it did not consider the impact it would have on the nations tax revenue. narcissistic excessive love or admiration for oneself; conceit. The narcissistic man could not tear himself away from his image in the mirror. nascent coming into existence; emergent.

nebulous cloudy, misty or hazy; vague. nefarious infamous due to being very wicked. The nefarious killer was on the run for several months while the police tracked him down. negligible trifling; not worth considering. The level of error was so negligible that it was discounted. nemesis an unbeatable foe; the source of a downfall or ruin. Complete faith in others is my nemesis. nimble quick and clever in movement or thought. His nimble fingers moved quickly over the piano keys. nomad a wanderer; a person with no fixed home who moves from place to place. nonchalant seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent. He accepted the award nonchalantly, as if it didnt matter to win a Nobel prize. nullify to invalidate. To counteract the force or effectiveness of. The contract was nullified when the project ran out of funds. obnoxious very objectionable; odious. She could not stand her obnoxious brother and had to constantly ban her brother from her room. obscure Dim, dark, out of sight (or) ambiguous or vague. The village was hidden in an obscure location, at the bottom of a deep valley covered by fog. obstinate Stubbornly adhering to an attitude or course of action (or) difficult to manage, control or subdue. The idealist obstinately refused to pledge allegiance to the new government. obstreperous noisily and stubbornly defiant. The obstreperous boys never seemed to tire of playing loudly in the swimming pool. occlude to close or shut off. The patient suffered a heart attack because of an occluded artery. officious overly eager in offering unwanted services or advise.

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When ever he had friends over, his little brother became an officious pest, trying a little too hard to be cool with the older kids. omnipotent all-powerful. omnipresent present everywhere; ubiquitous. omniscient all-knowing. Some say that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. orthodoxy what is commonly accepted or customary. ostensible representing or appearing as such; apparent. He gave lots of money to the hospital for the ostensible purpose of charity, but he really wanted the good press coverage. placate to allay the anger of; appease. Martha placated the irate child with a lullaby. plagiarize to pass off anothers ideas as ones own. polemics the art or practice of debate or controversy. Politicians are always tied up in polemics, spending more time arguing than anything else. panacea a cure-all. He drank the elixir hoping it was a panacea for all his ills. paragon a model of excellence or perfection. The fashion designers line of womenswear served as a paragon for those looking for comfortable clothing. parch to make or become extremely dry, especially by exposure to heat. The desert ground was parched because it hadnt rained in over nine months. parochial narrowly restricted in scope or outlook; provincial. It was difficult to reach an accord due to the parochial attitudes of the participants, they only sought after their own interests and refused to compromise. parsimony unusual or excessive frugality; stinginess. His parsimony was so extreme that he reused the lining of cereal boxes to wrap his sandwiches. partisan a strong supporter of a particular party or issue (or) a guerrilla. patriarchy a social system in which the father is the head of the family. Not all societies are patriarchal, in many groups, women dominate family resources and decision making.

pedagogical related to teaching or education. The pedagogue instructed the children in how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. pellucid transparent or translucent, i.e. clear. Very clear in style or meaning. The pellucid water of the melted snow dripped slowly off the cliff face. perfidy deliberate breach of faith; treachery. The spys perfidy was complete when he sold secrets to the enemy. perjure to lie under oath. When the prosecuting attorney questioned him on the stand, he was forced to commit perjury in order to keep from confessing to the crime. perspicuous easy to understand; lucid. He wrote perspicuous directions to his house so we didnt get lost. peruse to read or examine, especially with great care. He perused the contract carefully before signing it. pillage to rob of goods by force; plunder. The pirates pillaged the city after they invaded. placebo an inactive substance used as a control in an experiment. In order to test the effectiveness of the new drug, some participants received the drug and some received a placebo. polyglot one who can speak, read, and write several languages. The experienced traveler had no trouble hiking throughout Europe because he was a polyglot and was able to ask the natives for directions. portent an indication of something about to occur; an omen. He looked for clouds in the sky as a portent that it was going to rain. pragmatic Concerned with actual events and facts, practical. Bob was a pragmatist, he wasnt concerned with theories, instead he looked for a simple solution and got the job done. precept a rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct.

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precipitate impetuous; reckless. To hurl downward. To cause to happen suddenly. To rain or snow. precipitous resembling a precipice [cliff]; steep. preclude To make impossible; prevent. The annual soccer game was precluded by the blizzard. precocious marked by unusually early development or maturity. The precocious child was able to read before entering kindergarten. prejudice an adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand without knowledge of the facts. presumptuous going beyond what is right or proper, excessively forward. Behavior based on overconfidence or arrogance. It was presumptuous for Ed to think that his roommate should do his laundry because he owned a Yacht. prime number a positive number only divisible by itself and one, with the exception of the number 1. pristine remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted. They drank the pristine water that came directly from a mountain glacier. proselytize to convert a person from one faith to another. proclivity a natural inclination or predilection. He has a natural proclivity towards exaggeration, always maintaining that no one is as good as he is. prodigy a marvel or wonder with rare or exceptional abilities. He was a child prodigy, he was able to play the piano after only a few hours of instruction. prosaic straightforward; lacking in imagination. pseudonym A fictitious name assumed by an author; a pen name. punctilious precisely observing formalities and etiquette. When the queen visited her modest home, the usually informal mother suddenly became as punctilious as a royal maid. pundit a learned person, an authority. Chris Matthews is media pundit known for his knowledge of politics.

putrid decomposed and foul-smelling; vile or corrupt. The putrid smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen made them all ill. quandary a state of uncertainty. He was in a quandary about what to do first his math or science homework. quantify to determine or express the quantity [number] of. Oprah refused to quantify her age, I think she is 50 years old. quintessence the pure, highly concentrated essence of something. The principal seemed to be the quintessence of evil when he made schoolchildren walk to school in three feet of snow. quip a witty, often sarcastic remark. The audience loved the comedians quips and urged him on with more applause. quizzical suggesting puzzlement; questioning. It was clear that he did not understand the question because he had a quizzical expression on his face. rancor bitter, long-lasting resentment; enmity. The worker was filled with rancor after losing his job. reap to harvest a crop; to obtain as a result of effort. The inventor reaped a large profit from the sale of his patent. rebuff to reject bluntly. I attempted to apologize, but he rebuffed my efforts. recapitulate to repeat in a more concise form; to summarize. redundant needlessly repetitive; verbose. The editor deleted the redundant paragraphs in the manuscript. refute to prove false. relinquish to give up, surrender or abandon. Dan relinquished his title as president of the company when the scandal came out. repertoire the stock of songs, plays, or other works that a player or company has prepared to perform (or) the range of skills, aptitudes, or accomplishments of a person.

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The musician had an impressive repertoire of songs and could cover almost any tune that the audience requested. repudiate to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; to reject the validity of. He repudiated the accusations that his political opponent leveled against him. residue the remainder of something after removal of part of it. After washing the plate, there was a residue of dish soap on the edge. retroactive referring to a period before enactment. The budget was retroactive to January 1st even though it was passed in February. rhetoric language that is pretentious or insincere. rhetorical question a question to which no answer is expected. rudimentary being in the earliest stages of development; elementary, incipient. Humans have a rudimentary tail that never developed into anything useful. sacrilegious grossly irreverent. In some religions, it is sacrilegious to enter the place of worship while wearing shoes. sacrosanct inviolably sacred. salutary Beneficial, wholesome, especially in matters relating to health. Doctors have long understood the salutary effect of exercise. sanguine cheerful or optimistic; reddish in color. After running, the track star often had a sanguine complexion. sarcasm a cutting remark often intending to hurt. He shouted at the opposing team sarcastically in order to try to rattle them. satire an artistic work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit. scrupulous conscientious, painstaking (or) having principles. Compared to the craftsmen who did shoddy work, John was a scrupulous carpenter who took pride in his work. scurrilous vulgar, abusive.

shroud a cloth used to wrap a body for burial; something that conceals, protects, or screens. The harbor was blanketed in a shroud of fog. skepticism a doubting or questioning attitude. Mary expressed her skepticism when I claimed to have finished my homework. solipsism the philosophical theory that the self is the only reality; egoism. solvent able to meet financial obligations; a liquid capable of dissolving in other liquids. After paying off his credit card bills and saving some cash he obtained a financially solvent position. smug self-satisfied or complacent. He had the smug look of someone who just finished the test before everyone else and had all the correct answers. soporific sleep inducing. Studying in analogies has a soporific effect, it puts me right to sleep. spate a sudden outpouring. There was a spate of music from the radio when he clicked it on. specious deceptively attractive; seemingly true but actually false. He filed a specious claim in court after the traffic accident, claiming that he received major injuries when he was really fine. spurious Lacking authenticity or validity; false. The spurious evidence was barred from the case by the judge after it was shown to have been falsified. squatter a person illegally living on public land. The police tried to move the squatters out of the condemned buildings. stenographer a person who takes notes in shorthand. The courtroom stenographer transcribed the days testimony. stolid impassive, unemotional. His face showed nothing but stolid indifference even after learning that he received an A on his final exam. stringent severe, constricted or tight. In order to combat theft, the company had stringent rules for refunds of merchandise. squander to spend or use extravagantly; to waste.

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He squandered his substantial inheritance on CDs of his favorite musician. subterfuge a deceptive stratagem or device. His calling in sick when he was well was a small subterfuge. substantiate To support with proof or evidence. The victims claims where substantiated by a witness. superficial shallow; concerned with surface appearances only, or related to the surface. She received a superficial bruise when she tripped and fell. superfluous beyond what is required. He tried to delete superfluous words as he edited the manuscript. supplant to take the place of; supercede. After the election, the new government supplanted the old administration by appointing new people. surmount to overcome or conquer. After a long hike, the expedition members surmounted the top of Everest. surreptitious secret, stealthy. During the boring assembly, he snuck a surreptitious glance at his watch. succinct brief or clear in expression, consice. She gave a succinct speech, talking for only five minutes but making her point. sycophant a person who tries to win favor by flattering influential people. The sycophant shamelessly praised his boss in order to get a raise and a promotion. symbiosis a close association between two or more different organisms, especially when mutually beneficial. Sharks and remoras live in symbiosis sharks get a parasite-free skin and remoras get a free ride. synergy a working together so that the combined effect of two items is greater than the sum of the individual parts. synthesis the process of combining separate parts to make a whole. Water is a synthesis of hydrogen and oxygen. talismanic relating to something that is believed to have magic powers.

She wore a talismanic amulet around her neck that she believed gave her good health. tawdry gaudy and cheap; shameful, indecent. tedium boredom; monotony. To relieve the tedium, he sought adventure wherever he could find it. tenuous long and slender; flimsy. When he came home late, he had a tenuous excuse for his parents. tenacious stubbornly holding together or to a belief. The tenacious lint continued to cling to the dryer vent. tirade an angry speech; a diatribe. The homeowner launched into an angry tirade when he discovered that his neighbor cut down the apple tree. touchstone a test of authenticity or value; a standard. Waking up to a sunny day in their new house became the touchstone by which all subsequent days were judged. toxic poisonous. toxin a poisonous substance. tractable easily managed or controlled. After working with the wild horses for many months, the cowboy found the horses tractable enough. tramp to walk heavily (or) one who wanders aimlessly. The gardener was annoyed when the children tramped through his flowerbeds. translucent partially transparent. She enjoyed watching the sun diffuse through the translucent panes of the stained glass window. trepidation Dread, anticipation. Mark squirmed with trepidation as he pondered how he would explain the suspension to his father. trove a hidden treasure. They discovered a trove of gold coins in the attic of their old house. truculent disposed to fight, pugnacious. turpitude depravity; baseness. She was shocked by the moral turpitude she saw on the television show and wrote to the station to complain.

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tyranny - a government in which one ruler [the tyrant] is vested with absolute power; often characterized by excessive cruelty and severity. Saddam Hussein is considered a tyrant. unequivocal open to no doubt or misunderstanding; clear. In a clear and unhesitating voice, the man gave his unequivocal response, No! unpalatable not agreeable to the taste or not acceptable to the mind or sensibilities. Trapped in the snare, he faced an unpalatable decision. He could either cut off his leg or slowly bleed to death. urbane polite and refined in manner; suave. usurp to seize and hold by force without legal authority. General Franco violently usurped control of the Spanish government from the fledgling democracy. utopian excellent or ideal, but visionary. He wanted peace and love for all, but realized it was a utopian ideal. veneer a thin surface layer. Her fake smile supported a veneer of friendliness. verbatim word for word. The secretary gave her boss a verbatim transcript of the conference call. verbose using more words than is necessary; wordy. verisimilitude something that appears to be true or real. It was an unconvincing argument that had an appearance of verisimilitude. vignette a brief literary or dramatic sketch. Instead of watching the entire play, the critics attempted to base their opinions by watching a series of vignettes. virulent bitterly hostile or antagonistic; extremely infectious. The outbreak of bubonic plague was made more virulent due to unsanitary living conditions. viscous having a relatively high resistance to flow. Molasses is a viscous material, it sticks to the spoon instead of flowing. vitiate to corrupt or invalidate. Nothing vitiated her beauty, not even a scar she had on her forehead.

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