Remember – to make your learning process more fun you can always unscramble words and find their anagrams as well as solve crossword puzzles.
| Word |
Definition |
| Abhor |
hate |
| Bigot |
narrow-minded, prejudiced person |
| Counterfeit |
fake; false |
| Enfranchise |
give voting rights |
| Hamper |
hinder; obstruct |
| Kindle |
to start a fire |
| Noxious |
harmful; poisonous; lethal |
| Placid |
calm; peaceful |
| Remuneration |
payment for work done |
| Talisman |
lucky charm |
| Abrasive |
rough; coarse; harsh |
| Bilk |
cheat; defraud |
| Covert |
hidden; undercover |
| Engender |
cause |
| Hangar |
storage area (like garage) for a plane |
| Knotty |
complex; difficult to solve |
| Nuance |
something subtle; a fine shade of meaning |
| Plagiarism |
taking credit for someone else’s writing or ideas |
| Renown |
fame |
| Tangent |
going off the main subject |
| Abasement |
humiliation; degradation |
| Billowing |
swelling; fluttering; waving |
| Cower |
recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from |
| Enhance |
improve; make better or clearer |
| Harangue |
noisy, attacking speech |
| Labyrinth |
a maze |
| Nullify |
to counter; make unimportant |
| Plaintiff |
petitioner (in court of law) |
| Replete |
full |
| Tangible |
can be touched |
| Abrogate |
cancel; deny; repeal |
| Blasphemy |
speech which offends religious sentiments |
| Credible |
believable |
| Enigma |
puzzle; mystery |
| Harbingers |
indicators; bringers of warnings |
| Labyrinthine |
complicated; highly convoluted |
| Nuzzle |
cuddle; snuggle |
| Plaudit |
statement giving strong praise |
| Reprehensible |
shameful; very bad |
| Tardy |
slow; late; overdue; delayed |
| Absolution |
forgiveness; pardon; release |
| Blatant |
obvious |
| Creditable |
praiseworthy |
| Ensconce |
establish firmly in a position |
| Hasten |
hurry; accelerate; rush |
| Laceration |
a cut |
| Obdurate |
stubborn |
| Plausible |
can be believed; reasonable |
| Reprieve |
a respite; postponement of a sentence |
| Tawdry |
of little value; gaudy |
| Abstain |
desist; go without; withdraw |
| Blighted |
damaged; destroyed; ruined |
| Credulous |
gullible; ready to believe anything |
| Enshroud |
cover |
| Haughtiness |
arrogance; pride |
| Lachrymose |
tearful; sad |
| Obfuscate |
deliberately make something difficult to understand |
| Plethora |
an excess |
| Repudiate |
shun; eschew |
| Tedium |
boredom |
| Abstemious |
self denying; refraining from indulging |
| Blithe |
free-spirited; carefree |
| Crepuscular |
active at dawn and dusk |
| Enunciation |
clear pronunciation; accent; articulation |
| Headstrong |
stubborn; willful |
| Lackluster |
dull; monotonous; bland |
| Objective |
unbiased; not subjective |
| Pliable |
flexible; not stubborn |
| Rescind |
retract; repeal |
| Temper |
to moderate; soften |
| Abstruse |
difficult to understand; obscure |
| Blunderbuss |
1. ancient weapon (type of gun); 2. a clumsy person |
| Cringe |
recoil; flinch; shy away |
| Envenom |
to cause bitterness and bad feeling |
| Hedonism |
self indulgence; pleasure-seeking |
| Laconic |
using few words; brief; to the point |
| Oblique |
indirect; slanting |
| Plumage |
feathers of a bird |
| Resignation |
acceptance of fate |
| Tenacious |
stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose |
| Accolade |
tribute; honor; praise |
| Bolster |
support; prop up |
| Cryptic |
puzzling; enigmatic |
| Ephemeral |
short-lived |
| Hedonist |
a pleasure seeker |
| Lamentation |
expression of regret or sorrow |
| Obliterate |
destroy; demolish; eradicate |
| Plummet |
fall suddenly and steeply |
| Resolution |
determination |
| Tentative |
not certain |
| Acquiesce |
to agree to; give in to |
| Bombast |
arrogant, pompous language |
| Curtail |
cut short |
| Epicure |
someone who appreciates good food and drink |
| Heed |
listen to |
| Lampoon |
ridicule; spoof |
| Oblivious |
totally unaware |
| Podium |
raised platform |
| Resonant |
echoing |
| Tenuous |
flimsy; not solid |
| Part 2 |
|
| Acrid |
sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes) |
| Boorish |
ill-mannered |
| Cynical |
believing that people act only out of selfish motives |
| Epistle |
a letter (form of communication) |
| Heresy |
against orthodox opinion |
| Lance |
spear; spike; javelin |
| Obscure |
difficult to understand; partially hidden |
| Poignant |
deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions |
| Respite |
a break; intermission |
| Terse |
concise; to the point |
| Acrophobia |
fear of heights |
| Bourgeois |
middle class |
| Debility |
weakness; incapacity |
| Epistolary |
concerned with letters; through correspondence |
| Hiatus |
interruption; pause |
| Languid |
tired; slow |
| Obscured |
hidden; covered; buried |
| Poised |
calm; collected; self-possessed |
| Resplendent |
shining; glowing |
| Therapeutic |
medicinal; curative |
| Acuity |
sharpness (mental or visual) |
| Braggart |
someone who boasts |
| Debunking |
exposing false claims or myths |
| Epitomized |
typified; characterized; personified |
| Hidebound |
rigid in opinions |
| Languish |
decay; fade away; get weaker |
| Obsequious |
servile; submissive |
| Polemical |
causing debate or argument |
| Restorative |
a tonic |
| Thwart |
prevent; frustrate |
| Adamant |
forceful; inflexible |
| Brawny |
muscular |
| Decathlon |
an athletic competition with ten events |
| Equivocate |
speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth |
| Hieroglyphics |
1. picture writing; 2. writing which is difficult to read or enigmatic |
| Larceny |
theft; robbery; stealing |
| Obsession |
a dominating concern |
| Ponderous |
weighty; slow and heavy |
| Retention |
preservation; withholding |
| Timorous |
cowardly; fearful |
| Adroit |
skilful / skillful |
| Brevity |
being brief |
| Decorum |
dignified, correct behavior [ |
| Err |
] |
| Hinder |
make a mistake |
| Largess |
obstruct |
| Obsolete |
generosity |
| Pontificate |
no longer valid |
| Reticent |
speak pompously or dogmatically |
| Tirade |
restrained; holding something back; uncommunicative |
| Adulation |
stream of verbal abuse |
| Bristle |
strong admiration; worship |
| Decoy |
to show irritation |
| Erratic |
lure; trap; trick |
| Histrionic |
wandering; irregular |
| Laud |
theatrical; exaggerated |
| Obstreperous |
praise |
| Portend |
noisy and boisterous |
| Retraction |
foretell |
| Titter |
withdrawal; cancellation of a statement |
| Adversity |
giggle quietly |
| Broach |
hardship |
| Deference |
start to discuss; approach |
| Esoteric |
respect |
| Hoary |
obscure and difficult to understand |
| Lavish |
old |
| Obtuse |
on a grand scale; wasteful |
| Portent |
mentally dull |
| Revere |
a warning sign; omen |
| Tome |
worship |
| Advocate |
large book |
| Brusque |
support |
| Defoliate |
blunt; abrupt |
| Espouse |
cause leaves to fall off |
| Hone |
promote; take up; support |
| Lax |
sharpen; increase; whet |
| Obviate |
careless; not strict |
| Poseur |
avoid; make unnecessary |
| Riddled |
someone who puts on an act |
| Torpid |
full of (usually full of holes) |
| Aesthetic |
inactive; lazy; stagnant |
| Bulwark |
concerning art or beauty |
| Defunct |
fortification; barricade; wall |
| Etymology |
no longer in existence |
| Hyperbole |
the study of word origins |
| Legend |
grossly exaggerated speech |
| Odious |
1. key to map; 2. myth or story |
| Posterity |
hateful |
| Rife |
future generations |
| Torpor |
common |
| Affable |
dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity |
| Bureaucracy |
friendly; social; easygoing |
| Degradation |
officialdom |
| Eulogy |
deprivation; poverty; debasement |
| Hypochondriac |
praise |
| Legion |
a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illnesses |
| Officious |
in large numbers |
| Posthumous |
domineering; intrusive; meddlesome |
| Rigor |
after death |
| Totter |
thoroughness |
| Part 3 |
|
| Alacrity |
eagerness; enthusiasm; quickness |
| Burgeon |
grow; flourish; put forth new shoots |
| Deleterious |
harmful |
| Euphemism |
a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant |
| Hypocritical |
insincere |
| Lethargic |
tired; without energy |
| Ogle |
stare at; observe in an obvious manner |
| Postulate |
hypothesize; propose |
| Robust |
strong; healthy; tough |
| Tractable |
obedient; dutiful; polite |
| Alchemy |
medieval chemistry; attempt to change base metal into gold |
| Burnish |
polish |
| Deliberate |
to think over deeply |
| Euphony |
pleasant sounds |
| Iconoclast |
person who opposes orthodoxy |
| Levity |
flippancy; joking about serious matters |
| Olfactory |
concerned with the sense of smell |
| Potable |
suitable for drinking |
| Rotund |
round |
| Tranquil |
peaceful |
| Alibi |
an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene |
| Buttress |
strengthen; support |
| Delineation |
demarcation; explanation; definition; outlining |
| Evacuate |
vacate; empty; abandon |
| Idiosyncrasy |
a personal peculiarity; something unique to an individual |
| Libertarian |
someone who opposes tyranny |
| Ominous |
threatening |
| Potent |
powerful; compelling; strong |
| Ruminate |
think over something; ponder |
| Transcribe |
copy |
| Allay |
to lessen |
| Byline |
the line that tells you who wrote an article |
| Demur |
hesitate; refuse |
| Exacerbate |
make worse |
| Ignominious |
shameful |
| Liniment |
soothing lotion |
| Omnipotent |
all-powerful |
| Pragmatic |
practical |
| Ruse |
trick; stratagem |
| Transgress |
go astray; disobey; commit a sin |
| Alleviate |
make less severe |
| Cacophony |
discordant loud noises |
| Denounce |
condemn; speak out against |
| Exasperated |
frustrated; annoyed |
| Ignominy |
public shame or disgrace. |
| Lithe |
public shame or disgrace. |
| Omniscient |
flexible; supple |
| Pragmatist |
all-knowing |
| Saccharin |
practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness |
| Transient |
falsely sweet |
| Aloof |
short-lived; ephemeral |
| Cajole |
distant; detached; cold |
| Deplete |
coax |
| Exceptionable |
use up; lessen |
| Illuminate |
very bad (something which we should object to) |
| Livid |
to light up or make clear |
| Onerous |
very angry |
| Preamble |
burdensome; hard to undertake |
| Sacrosanct |
introductory material |
| Traverse |
very holy; inviolable |
| Altruism |
to move across |
| Caldron |
putting others first; being self-sacrificing |
| Deplore |
huge cooking pot |
| Exculpate |
regret |
| Illusory |
free someone from blame; pardon; acquit |
| Lobbyist |
deceptive; false; misleading |
| Onus |
person who tries to persuade someone to support a particular cause |
| Precarious |
burden |
| Sagacious |
unstable; risky |
| Trepidation |
wise |
| Amass |
fear |
| Callow |
accumulate |
| Depravity |
immature |
| Execrable |
moral corruption |
| Immoderate |
very, very bad |
| Lofty |
excessive; extreme |
| Opaque |
snooty; arrogant; haughty |
| Precedent |
does not let light through |
| Sage |
a previous occurrence used as a guide |
| Trinket |
a wise person |
| Ambiguity |
something of little value; knick-knack |
| Candid |
uncertainty; vagueness |
| Deprecate |
frank; honest |
| Exegesis |
criticize; denounce |
| Immutable |
scholarly explanation or interpretation |
| Longevity |
unchanging; permanent |
| Opulent |
long life |
| Precept |
wealthy; rich; magnificent |
| Salacious |
guiding principle |
| Trite |
lecherous; erotic |
| Ambiguous |
unoriginal; dull |
| Candor |
unclear in meaning; can be interpreted in different ways |
| Deride |
frankness; openness |
| Exemplary |
ridicule; make fun of; mock |
| Impartial |
outstandingly good; setting a fine example |
| Loquacious |
unbiased; neutral |
| Ordain |
talkative |
| Precinct |
1. destine; 2. confer holy orders on a priest |
| Sallow |
district of a city |
| Trivial |
yellowish |
| Part 4 |
|
| Ambivalence |
lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided |
| Cantankerous |
bad-tempered; quarrelsome |
| Derogatory |
uncomplimentary |
| Exemplify |
to serve as a good example |
| Impecunious |
having no money |
| Lucid |
clear |
| Ornate |
highly decorated |
| Precipice |
steep slope |
| Salubrious |
health-giving |
| Truant |
shirker; someone absent without permission |
| Ambulatory |
able to walk around (used of hospital patients) |
| Capacious |
spacious |
| Desecrate |
to damage or pollute a holy place |
| Exhaustive |
complete and thorough |
| Impious |
wicked; profane |
| Ludicrous |
ridiculous; silly |
| Orthodox |
conventional |
| Precipitous |
done in a hurry |
| Salutary |
something which teaches you a lesson; beneficial |
| Truncate |
cut short |
| Ameliorate |
make better |
| Capitulate |
surrender; give in to |
| Desecration |
spoiling something holy |
| Exonerates |
acquits; absolves; removes blame |
| Impoverished |
destitute; poor |
| Lukewarm |
1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold |
| Ossify |
1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid |
| Preclude |
prevent or make impossible |
| Sanctimonious |
hypocritically holy |
| Tumult |
uproar; noise |
| Amelioration |
improvement |
| Carping |
constant criticism |
| Desist |
stop; discontinue; cease |
| Exorcism |
getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons) |
| Impromptu |
unrehearsed; spontaneous |
| Lummox |
clumsy person |
| Ostentatious |
showy |
| Precocious |
developing early |
| Sanction |
give approval to |
| Turpitude |
depravity |
| Amiable |
friendly |
| Cartographer |
person who makes maps |
| Despondent |
having no hope; miserable |
| Expatriate |
refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own country |
| Inadvertent |
not intentional |
| Luscious |
juicy; moist; succulent |
| Oust |
push out of a position |
| Predecessor |
one who came before |
| Sanguinary |
bloodthirsty; bloody |
| Tyro |
novice; beginner |
| Amity |
friendship |
| Castigate |
scold strongly |
| Destitution |
hardship; poverty; misery |
| Expedient |
convenient; practical |
| Incantation |
chant; invocation; prayer |
| Lynch |
assassinate; kill; illegal hanging |
| Overt |
obvious; not hidden |
| Predicament |
dilemma; difficult situation |
| Sanguine |
optimistic; cheerful |
| Ubiquitous |
found everywhere; omnipresent |
| Amorphous |
lacking in shape |
| Catharsis |
purging of pent-up emotions |
| Deter |
put off; prevent |
| Expedite |
make faster |
| Incarceration |
putting in prison |
| Machinations |
plots and plans |
| Overwrought |
worked up; in an emotional state |
| Preeminent |
famous; outstanding |
| Sardonic |
mocking |
| Unalloyed |
undiluted; total |
| Analgesic |
medicine to combat pain |
| Caucus |
type of private political meeting |
| Deteriorate |
worsen; decline |
| Exposition |
clear explanation |
| Incessant |
without stopping |
| Maelstrom |
whirlpool; storm in the ocean |
| Palatable |
good to eat; agreeable |
| Prerogative |
right or privilege |
| Savant |
person with knowledge |
| Unctuous |
oily; using excessive flattery |
| Analogous |
comparable |
| Caustic |
burning |
| Detrimental |
harmful |
| Extol |
praise |
| Incipient |
just beginning |
| Magnanimous |
generous; big-hearted |
| Palisade |
fence made of posts |
| Prescient |
having fore-knowledge |
| Scale |
to climb |
| Undermined |
damaged; attacked |
| Anarchy |
chaos; lack of government |
| Cavalcade |
procession of vehicles |
| Devoured |
greedily eaten/consumed |
| Extradite |
deport from one country back to the home country |
| Inclination |
tendency; a leaning toward |
| Magnate |
powerful businessman |
| Palliative |
a remedy that improves but doesn’t cure |
| Presentiment |
a feeling that something might happen |
| Scapegoat |
person on whom blame is placed for faults of others |
| Underscore |
emphasize |
| Part 5 |
|
| Anecdote |
a brief amusing story |
| Celerity |
speed |
| Dexterous |
skilful with hands |
| Extraneous |
irrelevant |
| Incoherent |
not clear |
| Maladroit |
clumsy; unskillful |
| Pallid |
pale |
| Presumptuous |
assuming too much; arrogant |
| Scrupulous |
careful; diligent; painstaking |
| Unequivocal |
clear; obvious |
| Animosity |
hatred; antagonism |
| Censorious |
disapproving; critical |
| Dichotomy |
a division into two parts |
| Extrapolate |
extend; predict on the basis of known data |
| Incongruous |
not fitting in; out of place |
| Malady |
illness |
| Palpable |
easily felt; easily perceived |
| Pretentious |
pompous; self-important |
| Scrutinize |
examine carefully |
| Unfetter |
set free |
| Annex |
a building which is an addition to an existing building |
| Censure |
blame |
| Didactic |
intended to teach; instructive |
| Extrinsic |
irrelevant; on the outside |
| Inconsequential |
unimportant; insignificant; negligible |
| Malediction |
a curse |
| Panacea |
remedy for all ills |
| Prevaricate |
speak misleadingly and evasively |
| Scuttle |
sink |
| Unfrock |
to remove a priest from his position |
| Annex |
take possession of; seize; capture |
| Cerebral |
intellectual |
| Diffident |
lacking confidence |
| Fallacious |
false |
| Inconspicuous |
not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable |
| Malefactor |
a wrong-doer |
| Paradigm |
1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things |
| Pristine |
unspoiled |
| Seminary |
an institution in which priests are trained |
| Unprecedented |
never having happened before |
| Anomaly |
something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity |
| Certitude |
certainty |
| Digress |
wander off the subject |
| Falter |
hesitate; waver |
| Indelible |
cannot be wiped out |
| Malinger |
deliberately avoid work; shirk |
| Paradox |
apparently contradictory statement |
| Proclivity |
tendency towards |
| Sensuous |
appealing to the senses |
| Unscathed |
unharmed; intact; without a scratch |
| Antagonism |
hostility; strong opposition |
| Charlatan |
trickster who claims knowledge he doesn’t have |
| Dike |
dam; embankment |
| Fanatical |
obsessive; fixated |
| Indifferent |
1. neutral; 2. not outstanding |
| Malingerer |
person who deliberately tries to avoid work |
| Paragon |
a perfect example |
| Procrastinate |
delay; put off |
| Sentinel |
guard; sentry |
| Unwitting |
not deliberate; unconscious |
| Antagonistic |
opposed; hostile; aggressive |
| Chary |
wary of; cautious about; reluctant to give |
| Dilatory |
slow; falling behind with one’s work |
| Fanaticism |
passion; excessive devotion |
| Indigenous |
native to a particular area |
| Malleable |
flexible; can be shaped |
| Paramount |
of supreme importance |
| Prodigal |
wasteful; extravagant |
| Sequester |
isolate |
| Upbraid |
scold; tell off; reprimand |
| Antediluvian |
outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned |
| Chastises |
punishes |
| Dilemma |
puzzling situation |
| Fastidious |
overly particular; finicky |
| Indolence |
laziness |
| Mallet |
1. wooden hammer; 2. stick used for polo |
| Parasite |
1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from another |
| Prodigious |
very large |
| Serendipity |
fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery |
| Uproarious |
hilarious; hysterical; very funny |
| Anthology |
a book which is a collection of poems or stories |
| Chicanery |
trickery |
| Dilettante |
person who dabbles in a subject without serious study |
| Fatuous |
silly; foolish |
| Inductee |
novice; beginner |
| Manipulatable |
influencable; controllable |
| Parched |
dried up |
| Profane |
unholy |
| Serene |
calm; peaceful |
| Upshot |
outcome |
| Anthropocentrism |
putting man at the center of one’s philosophy |
| Chimerical |
changeable; unstable |
| Diligent |
hard-working |
| Feasible |
possible and practicable |
| Indulgent |
pampering; satisfying desires |
| Marred |
damaged; spoiled |
| Pariah |
an outcast from society |
| Profanity |
swearing; cursing |
| Serrated |
jagged; saw-like |
| Urbane |
sophisticated; suave |
| Part 6 |
|
| Antiquated |
outdated; old fashioned |
| Choleric |
easily angered |
| Diorama |
model of a scene |
| Fecund |
fertile |
| Inebriation |
drunkenness; intoxication |
| Marshal |
to gather together |
| Parity |
equality |
| Profound |
having deep meaning |
| Servile |
overly submissive; groveling |
| Usurp |
take someone’s position (usually by force) |
| Apathetic |
indifferent; uninterested; lethargic |
| Chronicler |
person who records historical information |
| Dirge |
mournful song |
| Felicitous |
apt |
| Ineffable |
cannot be expressed in words |
| Marsupial |
pouched mammal (like a kangaroo) |
| Parochial |
narrow-minded; concerned only with local matters |
| Profundity |
depth |
| Skeptical |
doubting; not gullible |
| Utilitarian |
useful |
| Apathy |
lack of interest or emotion |
| Circuitous |
indirect |
| Disapprobation |
disapproval |
| Fervor |
passion; enthusiasm |
| Inept |
incompetent; unskilled; useless |
| Martinet |
person who believes in strict discipline |
| Parody |
a mockery; imitation for ridicule; spoof |
| Proletarian |
member of the working class |
| Skirmish |
minor battle |
| Utopian |
a believer in an ideal world |
| Apocryphal |
of doubtful origin |
| Circumlocution |
using too many words; long-windedness |
| Discern |
to distinguish one thing from another |
| Fickle |
unpredictable; whimsical; easily swayed |
| Inertia |
inactivity; lethargy |
| Masochist |
person who intentionally inflicts pain on himself |
| Parry |
ward off; avoid |
| Prolific |
producing a lot |
| Sluggard |
slow-moving; lethargic person |
| Vacillate |
waver; hesitate |
| Appease |
pacify; soothe; calm down; make peace with |
| Circumscribe |
limit |
| Discord |
disagreement |
| Finesse |
skill |
| Inevitable |
cannot be avoided |
| Matriarchy |
society governed by women |
| Parsimonious |
economical; frugal; thrifty |
| Proponents |
promoters; supporters |
| Smelt |
refine an ore |
| Vacuous |
empty; silly; meaningless |
| Apprehensive |
worried; fearful |
| Circumspect |
cautious; considering all sides |
| Discordancy |
cacophony; harshness; jarring |
| Fitful |
not continuous; stopping and starting |
| Inexorable |
relentless |
| Maverick |
a loner |
| Parsimony |
stinginess; frugality; cost-cutting |
| Prosaic |
dull; boring; ordinary |
| Smorgasbord |
a Swedish buffet of cold dishes |
| Vagrant |
person wandering without a home |
| Arable |
can be cultivated |
| Circumvent |
avoid |
| Discrepancy |
something which does not match up; inconsistency |
| Flagrant |
clearly wrong |
| Inexpedient |
not advisable |
| Meager |
in short supply |
| Partisan |
biased; one-sided; committed to one group |
| Proscribe |
forbid |
| Solace |
comfort for grief |
| Vapid |
dull; uninspiring |
| Arbitrary |
random; for no definite reason |
| Clairvoyant |
psychic; mystic |
| Discriminate |
to make a clear distinction; see the difference |
| Flamboyant |
showy; ornate |
| Infallible |
perfect; flawless; cannot make mistakes |
| Meander |
wander from side to side |
| Pathos |
evoking sadness or pity |
| Prosody |
study of versification |
| Solicit |
to ask for; seek |
| Variegated |
multicolored; speckled |
| Arcane |
obscure; known only to a few people |
| Clamor |
shout; scream |
| Discursiveness |
long windedness; indirectness |
| Flaunt |
show off; display in a showy manner |
| Infamous |
famous for something bad |
| Mellow |
soft; melodious; ripe |
| Patron |
one who give support (usually financial) |
| Prostration |
1. lying face down; 2. be overcome with extreme weakness |
| Somnambulist |
sleepwalker |
| Vehemence |
violence; fervor; forcefulness |
| Archaic |
ancient; outdated; old fashioned |
| Clandestine |
secret; covert; stealthy |
| Disdain |
contempt; strong dislike |
| Flippant |
making jokes about serious matters |
| Infer |
deduce; conclude |
| Menagerie |
collection of animals |
| Patronize |
condescend to; behave in an arrogant manner towards |
| Protagonist |
main character in film, book, play etc. |
| Soothsayer |
fortuneteller |
| Vehement |
forceful |
| Part 7 |
|
| Archetype |
classic example of |
| Clemency |
mercy |
| Disinterested |
unbiased |
| Flout |
defy; reject |
| Ingénue |
naïve, unsophisticated person |
| Mendacious |
given to lying |
| Paucity |
shortage |
| Protean |
changeable |
| Sophomoric |
juvenile; immature |
| Venal |
corrupt; can be bribed |
| Archives |
collections of old records; place of storage of old documents |
| Cliché |
overused expression; something unoriginal |
| Disparage |
criticize; belittle |
| Flustered |
worked-up; not calm |
| Ingrate |
ungrateful person |
| Mercenary |
concerned only with money |
| Peccadillo |
minor weakness; trivial offence |
| Protégé |
person under protection of, or guided by another |
| Soporific |
inducing sleep |
| Veneer |
surface coating |
| Articulate |
clear; lucid; eloquent |
| Clientele |
customers |
| Disparity |
an inequality |
| Fly-by-night |
unreliable; disreputable |
| Inimical |
hostile |
| Mercurial |
volatile; changeable |
| Pedant |
person who insists on strict adherence to rules or narrow learning |
| Protocol |
procedure; code of behavior |
| Sparse |
spare; bare; meager |
| Venerate |
revere; worship |
| Artifice |
deception; trickery |
| Coalesce |
come together; merge |
| Dispassionate |
neutral; objective |
| Forensic |
concerned with argument or debate (esp. for legal evidence) |
| Innate |
inherited; inborn |
| Merge |
come together |
| Pedestrian |
common; mundane; banal |
| Provincial |
unsophisticated; narrow-minded |
| Specious |
false |
| Venial |
minor; unimportant |
| Artisan |
craftsman |
| Coddle |
pamper; fuss over; indulge |
| Disseminating |
circulating; broadcasting; spreading (information) |
| Fortitude |
bravery |
| Innocuous |
harmless; inoffensive |
| Metaphorically |
symbolically; figuratively |
| Peerless |
without equal |
| Prudent |
cautious; wise |
| Speckled |
spotted; freckled; dotted |
| Veracity |
truthfulness |
| Ascetic |
without luxuries; severely simple |
| Coercion |
force |
| Diurnal |
active in daytime |
| Fortuitous |
happening by chance |
| Innovate |
create; introduce something new |
| Meticulous |
very careful; painstaking |
| Pejorative |
derogatory |
| Puerile |
childish |
| Sporadic |
not continuous; intermittent |
| Verbose |
talkative; long-winded; rambling |
| Assiduous |
thorough; diligent |
| Cogent |
lucid; well argued |
| Divert |
1. entertain; 2. distract; 3. cause a detour |
| Fractious |
irritable; difficult to control |
| Inscrutable |
mysterious; impenetrable |
| Mettle |
courage; bravery; valor |
| Pellucid |
transparently clear |
| Punctilious |
paying attention to small details |
| Spurious |
false |
| Verbosity |
using too many words |
| Assuage |
to calm |
| Cogitate |
think over something; ponder |
| Docile |
gentle and easily lead |
| Fraudulent |
fake; false |
| Insentient |
unfeeling |
| Milieu |
environment |
| Pensive |
in a thoughtful mood; thinking deeply |
| Purloin |
steal |
| Stagnant |
still; not moving |
| Vertigo |
dizziness |
| Astute |
perceptive; sharp-witted |
| Collage |
picture made from fragments of other pictures |
| Dogmatic |
having stubbornly held opinions |
| Frivolous |
not serious |
| Insipid |
dull; bland; boring |
| Mire |
swamp; muddy ground |
| Penury |
poverty |
| Pusillanimous |
cowardly |
| Staid |
dull; sober; serious |
| Vestigial |
not developed |
| Asylum |
place of refuge or safety |
| Collate |
arrange in order |
| Dolt |
stupid person |
| Frugal |
economical; not wasting anything |
| Instigate |
to start; provoke |
| Misanthrope |
hater of the rest of mankind |
| Perceptive |
observant |
| Pyromania |
compulsion to start fires |
| Stanza |
section of a poem |
| Vignette |
small sketch |
| Part 8 |
|
| Atheist |
person who does not believe in God |
| Colloquial |
local and informal (used of language) |
| Dotard |
foolish old man |
| Furrow |
groove |
| Instigator |
troublemaker; person who entices others to do something |
| Misnomer |
wrong name |
| Percipient |
perceptive; insightful |
| Quaff |
drink down quickly |
| Staunch |
loyal; faithful; dependable |
| Vilification |
blackening someone’s name |
| Atrophy |
waste away from lack of use |
| Collusion |
plotting and planning |
| Drawl |
speak slowly with words running together |
| Furtive |
hidden and secret |
| Insurgent |
a rebel |
| Misogynist |
hater of women |
| Perdition |
damnation |
| Quagmire |
marsh; bog |
| Stereotype |
fixed image |
| Vindicate |
prove right; remove blame |
| Attenuate |
weaken |
| Commandeer |
take possession of |
| Drivel |
nonsense |
| Futile |
useless; hopeless |
| Interminable |
never-ending |
| Misrepresentation |
deliberately deceiving |
| Peremptory |
in a commanding manner |
| Quaint |
picturesque |
| Stevedore |
dockworker |
| Virtuoso |
an accomplished musician |
| Augment |
increase; make bigger |
| Complacent |
self-satisfied; smug |
| Droll |
dryly amusing |
| Galleon |
ancient type of sailing ship |
| Intermittent |
sporadic; irregular |
| Mitigate |
lessen; make less severe |
| Perfidy |
treachery |
| Quandary |
dilemma; puzzle |
| Stifle |
suppress |
| Virulent |
dangerous; harmful |
| Auspicious |
favorable; promising to turn out well |
| Compliant |
easy to control; submissive |
| Drone |
1. monotonous noise |
| Gambol |
; 2. to speak with no emotion |
| Intransigence |
; 3.male bee |
| Modicum |
frolic; leap; bound |
| Perfunctory |
stubbornness |
| Quarantine |
small amount |
| Stoic |
superficial; cursory |
| Vital |
isolation to prevent the spread of disease |
| Austere |
known for fortitude; indifferent to pleasure or pain |
| Concatenate |
essential; alive; important |
| Dubious |
severely plain |
| Garble |
link together |
| Intransigent |
doubtful |
| Momentous |
distort; confuse; muddle |
| Peripatetic |
stubborn; unyielding |
| Quarry |
very important |
| Stoke |
nomadic; moving from place to place |
| Vitriolic |
1. something that is hunted; 2. mine for stone |
| Aversion |
add fuel to; strengthen |
| Concatenation |
corrosive; strongly attacking |
| Dupe |
a dislike of |
| Garish |
linking into chains |
| Intrepid |
to fool someone |
| Monotonous |
gaudy |
| Peripheral |
brave |
| Querulous |
dull; unvarying |
| Stolid |
on the edge; not important |
| Vivacity |
always complaining |
| Balk |
impassive; dull; indifferent |
| Conciliate |
liveliness; animation |
| Dynamic |
hinder and prevent; hesitate over |
| Garner |
to bring together; end a dispute |
| Inveterate |
lively; vibrant; energetic |
| Moratorium |
gather; collect |
| Perjury |
habitual |
| Quirk |
temporary prohibition or halt to activity |
| Stratagem |
telling lies under oath |
| Vivify |
oddity |
| Banal |
plot; plan; trick |
| Concise |
enliven |
| Ebullient |
common; dull |
| Garrulous |
stated in few words |
| Invidious |
very lively; cheerful; jovial; happy |
| Moribund |
talkative |
| Pernicious |
arousing envy |
| Ramble |
on the point of death |
| Strident |
destructive; harmful |
| Vociferous |
wander aimlessly |
| Banality |
loud and harsh |
| Condescend |
noisy; loud in speech |
| Eccentric |
ordinariness; dullness |
| Gaunt |
talk down to |
| Inviolable |
unusual; quirky; odd |
| Morose |
emaciated; bony and angular |
| Persnickety |
cannot be invaded |
| Ramifications |
gloomy; bad tempered |
| Stringent |
fastidious; fussy |
| Volatile |
branches; subdivisions of a complex system; outcomes |
| Part 9 |
|
| Bane |
troublesome influence |
| Condone |
tacitly support; overlook |
| Eclectic |
taking things from different sources |
| Genre |
a category; type |
| Irascible |
easily angered |
| Mundane |
ordinary; worldly |
| Perpetuated |
caused to continue |
| Rancor |
resentment; animosity; bad feeling |
| Strut |
swagger; show off |
| Voluble |
talkative |
| Bard |
poet |
| Condoning |
overlooking; disregarding; ignoring |
| Edifice |
building; structure; construction |
| Germane |
relevant |
| Ire |
anger [ |
| Munificent |
= very angry] |
| Perpetuity |
generous; charitable |
| Rant |
eternity |
| Stupefying |
use bombastic language |
| Voluminous |
astonishing; shocking; stunning into silence |
| Bastion |
very large; spacious |
| Conflagration |
fortress; stronghold |
| Efface |
big fire |
| Germinal |
wipe out; remove all trace of |
| Irksome |
just growing; not developed; immature |
| Mutinous |
annoying; infuriating |
| Personable |
very rebellious |
| Ratify |
attractive |
| Subpoena |
approve; consent |
| Voracious |
summons to court |
| Befuddle |
ravenous |
| Confound |
confuse |
| Effigy |
confuse |
| Gibbering |
a model of a person |
| Ironic |
making meaningless noises |
| Myriad |
satiric; unexpected |
| Perspicacious |
in large numbers |
| Raucous |
insightful; sharp; wise |
| Substantiate |
rough and unpleasant (of sounds) |
| Waive |
give supporting evidence |
| Begrudge |
surrender; give up |
| Congeal |
resent |
| Effusive |
to solidify |
| Glacial |
gushing; demonstrative |
| Irrational |
hostile; unfriendly; cold; icy |
| Navigable |
unreasonable; absurd |
| Perspicacity |
suitable for sailing |
| Raze |
insight |
| Subterfuge |
destroy; demolish; tear down |
| Wane |
a trick |
| Beguile |
grow less |
| Congenital |
mislead; lure |
| Egalitarianism |
present from birth |
| Goad |
belief in equality |
| Irreproachable |
prod; urge |
| Nebulous |
cannot be criticized; perfect |
| Pertinent |
vague |
| Rebuttal |
relevant |
| Subtle |
denial |
| Wary |
not obvious |
| Belabor |
hesitant; cautious |
| Connoisseur |
explain in unnecessary detail |
| Egregious |
person with refined taste and good judgment |
| Grate |
outstandingly, obviously bad |
| Irrevocable |
1. to annoy; aggravate; vex; 2. shred |
| Nefarious |
cannot be cancelled; unchangeable |
| Peruse |
wicked; immoral; disreputable |
| Recant |
read carefully |
| Subversive |
disclaim; retract statement |
| Wax |
rebellious; revolutionary |
| Beleaguer |
to increase; to grow |
| Consecrate |
besiege; attack |
| Egress |
dedicate |
| Gratis |
exit |
| Itinerant |
free of charge; without payment |
| Negate |
nomadic; wandering from place to place |
| Pervasive |
cancel; deny |
| Recapitulate |
spreading everywhere |
| Succinct |
summarize |
| Waylay |
concise |
| Belie |
accost; stop; approach; hinder |
| Consensus |
contradict |
| Eloquent |
general agreement |
| Gratuitous |
fluent and persuasive in speech |
| Jaded |
unwarranted |
| Negligence |
tired; bored; worn out |
| Petrify |
carelessness |
| Receptacle |
1. terrify; 2. turn to stone |
| Suffragist |
container; vessel; holder |
| Weighty |
someone who campaigns for voting rights |
| Belittle |
serious |
| Conspicuous |
to demean |
| Elucidate |
easily seen; prominent |
| Gravity |
make clear |
| Jargon |
seriousness |
| Neologism |
specialized language used by experts |
| Petulant |
newly coined word |
| Recluse |
sulky; peevish |
| Supercilious |
someone who cuts himself off from life |
| Whelp |
proud and haughty |
| Part 10 |
|
| Bellicose |
war-like; aggressive |
| Consummate |
complete; total; supremely good |
| Elusive |
hard to pin down |
| Gregarious |
extroverted; sociable; outgoing |
| Jaundiced |
cynical; pessimistic |
| Nettle |
annoy |
| Phenomenon |
an event or happening (plural: phenomena) |
| Recuperate |
get better after illness |
| Superlative |
extremely good; the best |
| Whet |
sharpen |
| Belligerent |
aggressive; ready to fight |
| Contemporary |
living or happening at the same time |
| Emaciated |
very thin; withered |
| Gritty |
coarse; granular |
| Jaunt |
short pleasure trip |
| Niggardly |
miserly; stingy |
| Philanthropy |
charity; love of mankind |
| Red tape |
formalities; paperwork; official procedure |
| Surly |
grumpy; rude |
| Whimsical |
capricious; changeable |
| Bemoan |
complain about |
| Contrite |
sorry |
| Emancipate |
set free |
| Guffaw |
sudden loud laughter |
| Jeopardize |
put at risk; endanger |
| Nomadic |
wandering from place to place |
| Philistine |
uncultured person |
| Redolent |
smelling of; giving off odors |
| Surreptitious |
secret; sneaky; stealthy |
| Willful |
stubborn |
| Benevolent |
kindly |
| Contrition |
sorrow and repentance |
| Embezzle |
defraud; steal |
| Guile |
cunning; craftiness |
| Jingoistic |
extremely patriotic; nationalistic |
| Nonchalance |
an appearance of indifference; calm and composed |
| Phlegmatic |
calm; imperturbable |
| Redress |
put right something that was wrong |
| Surreptitiously |
secretly; furtively; stealthily |
| Wily |
cunning |
| Benign |
kindly; harmless |
| Contumacious |
stubborn |
| Embroil |
involve in hostility or argument |
| Guileless |
frank; straightforward; honest |
| Jocular |
in a joking manner |
| Nondescript |
having no special features; dull and ordinary |
| Pillage |
plunder |
| Redundant |
unnecessary; superfluous |
| Susceptible |
vulnerable |
| Wispy |
flimsy; frail; delicate |
| Benignity |
compassion; gentleness; fondness |
| Contusion |
a bruise |
| Emerge |
come out; appear |
| Gullibility |
unwariness; trustfulness; being easily fooled |
| Jollity |
gaiety; happiness |
| Nonentity |
a person of no importance; not famous |
| Pinnacle |
topmost point |
| Referendum |
public vote |
| Suspect |
doubtful |
| Wistful |
melancholy; pensive; expressing a longing for |
| Bequeath |
leave something in one’s will to be given after one’s death |
| Conundrum |
a puzzle |
| Emulate |
to imitate something admired |
| Gullible |
easily fooled |
| Jubilant |
ecstatic; delighted; rejoicing |
| Nostalgia |
longing for the past |
| Pious |
very religious |
| Refute |
disprove |
| Sybarite |
lover of luxury |
| Zany |
crazy; wacky |
| Berate |
scold; criticize |
| Conventional |
usual; customary; common |
| Endorse |
give support or approval to |
| Gustatory |
concerned with the sense of taste |
| Judicious |
correct in judgment; wise |
| Notoriety |
infamy; known for wrong doing |
| Pivotal |
of central importance |
| Regale |
entertain |
| Sycophant |
bootlicker; flatterer |
| Zeal |
enthusiasm |
| Beret |
type of cap |
| Corpulent |
fat |
| Endurance |
staying power; patience; stamina |
| Hackneyed |
common and over-used |
| Jurisprudence |
science or study of law |
| Novel |
new; unusual |
| Placate |
pacify; soothe; calm |
| Relegate |
dismiss to a lower position |
| Taciturn |
quiet; saying little |
| Zealot |
fanatic |
| Bestial |
behaving like a beast; brutal |
| Corrugated |
highly folded |
| Enduring |
lasting |
| Hallowed |
worshipped; consecrated |
| Juxtapose |
place next to |
| Novice |
a beginner; tyro |
| Placebo |
harmless medicine with no effect; dummy medicine |
| Remorse |
regret; sorrow; contrition |
| Tactile |
concerned with the sense of touch |
| Zenith |
summit |
