| A | B |
|---|
| attest | v. To declare or be evidence of something as true, genuine, or accurate. |
| axiom | n. A statement or principle that requires no proof because its truth is obvious. |
| churlish | adj. Lacking good manners; rude, impolite. |
| concoct | v. To make up, prepare, or invent. |
| derivative | n. Something that grows out of or results from an earlier form or condition. adj. Based on what has gone before; lacking originality. |
| differentiate | v. 1. To see the difference; to distinguish. 2. To be or make different. |
| disparage | v. To criticize in a nagative, disrespectful manner. |
| dissipate | v. 1. To break up and spread out so thinly as to disappear; to scatter or be scattered. 2. To spend or use foolishly. |
| esoteric | adj. Not generally known or understood; familiar to only a relatively small number of people. |
| olfactory | adj. Relating to the sense of smell. |
| plethora | n. Too great a number; an excess. |
| refurbish | v. To make like new; to renovate |
| secrete | v. 1. To produce and give off. 2. To place so as to be hidden from view; to conceal. |
| vagary | n. (usually plural) A departure from the normal, expected course; a whim or unpredictable action. |
| volatile | adj. 1. Evaporating quickly. 2. Changing readily; explosive; unpredictable. |
| curtail (verb) (3) | to cut short or reduce |
| discriminate (verb) (3) | 1. to make or recognize clear distinctions; 2. to treat in a less or more favorable way. |
| discrimination (noun) (3) | 1. the recognizing of clear distinctions; 2. the act of being for or against a person or thing on the basis of the group or category rather than according to actual merit; 3. the act of making fine distinctions; good or refined taste |
| espionage (noun) (3) | the act of spying, especially a government spy obtaining secrets of another government |
| inalienable (adj) (3) | not able to be taken or given away |
| incarcerate (verb) (3) | to confine or put in prison |
| indignity (noun) (3) | an insult to one's pride; offensive or humiliating treatment |
| indiscriminate (adj) (3) | not marked by careful distinctions; haphazard |
| infamous (adj) (3) | 1. having a very bad reputation; notorious; 2. disgraceful, vicious |
| infamy (noun) (3) | evil fame or bad reputation |
| intercede (verb) (3) | to act or plead on another's behalf; to try to smooth the differences between two parties |
| malign (verb) (3) | to say negative and unfair things about; slander |
| malign (adj) (3) | evil; showing ill will |
| perpetrate (verb) (3) | to commit (a crime or other antisocial act) |
| perpetrator (noun) (3) | a person who commits a crime |
| rampant (adj) (3) | threateningly wild, without restraint or control; widespread |
| rancor (noun) (3) | a deep, long-held feeling of hatred or bitterness |
| reparation (noun) (3) | 1. a mending or repair; 2. (plural) a making up or payment for a wrong or damage done, especially re: war |
| smattering (noun) (3) | 1. a superficial, scattered knowledge; 2. a small amount |
| accolade (noun) (4) | an expression of approval or respect for special merit; an award |
| adamant (adj) (4) | not yielding; firm |
| adulate (verb) (4) | to flatter or admire excessively; to idolize |
| adulation (noun) (4) | flattery or excessive admiration |
| altercation (noun) (4) | a loud and determined dispute; a noisy quarrel |
| annals (noun) (4) | a historical record of events, often arranged in a yearly sequence |
| assiduous (adj) (4) | diligent and persistent |
| chary (adj) (4) | exercising caution; hesitant |
| clique (noun) (4) | a small, exclusive group; a group held together by like interests or purpose |
| decrepit (adj) (4) | worn-out with use; broken-down. |
| endow (verb) (4) | to provide with a quality, a thing, or a gift of money |
| ephemeral (adj) (4) | lasting a very short time |
| ingratiate (verb) (4) | to work to gain the favor of someone |
| pantheon (noun) (4) | a group of people held in high esteem for their great achievements |
| perverse (adj) (4) | 1. turned away from what is right; wicked. 2. stubbornly opposing what is right or reasonable; obstinate |
| perversity (noun) (4) | the quality or state of being unreasonable, obstinate or wicked |
| tutelage (noun) (4) | instruction, protection, or guardianship |
| acrimony (noun) | bitterness or sharpness of temper, manner, or speech; hostility |
| acrimonious (adj) | hostile; bitter |
| affinity (noun) | attraction for someone or something with which one feels a closeness or kinship |
| ambivalent (adj) | having mixed, often opposing, feelings about something or someone; indecisive |
| ambivalence (noun) | indecisiveness; mixed feelings |
| cessation (noun) | a stopping, either final or temporary |
| emaciated (adj) | very thin or wasted away, especially from lack of nourishment; scrawny |
| enclave (noun) | a distinct region or community enclosed within a larger territory |
| engender (verb) | to bring into being, to produce |
| exacerbate (verb) | to make more severe, bitter or violent |
| illicit (adj) | not allowed, improper, or unlawful |
| indigenous (adj) | naturally living or growing in a certain area; native |
| inexorable (adj) | not to be persuaded, stopped, or moved by entreaty or plea; relentless |
| infatuated (adj) | filled with excessive, shallow, or foolish love or desire |
| infatuation (noun) | feeling of shallow love or desire |
| insatiable (adj) | never satisfied; greedy |
| poignant (adj) | painfully moving, affecting, or touching |
| proselytize (verb) | to convert someone to a faith, belief, or cause |
| elicit (verb) | to bring or draw out |
| ameliorate (verb) | to make better; to become better; to improve |
| baleful (adj) | expressing hatred or evil; harmful, ominous |
| berate (verb) | to criticize vigorously; to scold vehemently |
| circumvent (verb) | to avoid through craftiness |
| compunction (noun) | a feeling of uneasiness or anxiety caused by guilt |
| condone (verb) | to overlook or accept without punishment; to pardon or excuse |
| diminutive (adj) | very small; tiny |
| euphemism (noun) | a polite term used to avoid directly naming something offensive (e.g., "passed away" for "die") |
| expendable (adj) | able to be used up and then discarded or replaced |
| heresy (noun) | the expression of shocking or unacceptable views |
| heretical (adj) | shocking, unacceptable |
| infirmity (noun) | physical or mental weakness or defect |
| infirm (noun) | weak or feeble |
| infirmary (noun) | place (like a hospital) to treat the weak or feeble or ill |
| profane (verb) | to treat with scorn or irreverence |
| profane (adj) | 1. disrespectful of sacred things 2. not connected with religion; worldly |
| profanity (noun) | disrespectful, rude talk (or swearing) |
| recompense (verb) | to pay or compensate |
| recompense (noun) | a payment; a compensation |
| repast (noun) | food and drink; a meal |
| servitude (noun) | a lack of freedom; forced labor |
| castigate (verb) | To punish by criticizing sharply; to berate |
| colloquial (adj) | Characterized by informal language |
| colloquialism (noun) | informal language |
| epitaph (noun) | The words carved on a tombstone in memory of the deceased |
| exodus (noun) | A mass departure |
| inter (verb) | To put in a grave; to bury |
| interment (noun) | a place where person is held (possibly in prison-like quarters) |
| lacerate (verb) | To tear or cut roughly |
| laceration (noun) | A cut or tear |
| largesse (noun) | The act of giving generously; gifts |
| obituary (noun) | Notice of someone's death, such as in a newspaper, usually with a brief summary of the person's life |
| omnivorous (adj) | 1. Eating all kinds of food, including both animal and vegetable food 2. Taking in everything available |
| permeate (verb) | To spread throughout; to pass through |
| rendition (noun) | An interpretation or translation; a performance |
| resurgence (noun) | A rising again to life, use, acceptance, or prominence; a revival |
| stereotype (noun) | A generalization that is used to characterize a person without acknowledging individual differences |
| stereotype (verb) | To make judgements that ignore individual differences |
| stipend (noun) | A regular and fixed amount of pay for work done or to help cover living or work expenses |
| subservient (adj) | Serving or acting in a subordinate manner; servile |
| adjacent (adj) | Near or next to; adjoining |
| beset (verb) | 1. To surround or to attact repeatedly 2. To trouble or weigh down |
| cede (verb) | To give up or transfer, especially by treaty or formal agreement |
| circuitous (adj) | Roundabout; indirect |
| desultory (adj) | Proceeding or carried out in an aimless or random way |
| galvanize (verb) | To excite or arouse action |
| implement (noun) | A tool or instrument |
| implement (verb) | To carry out |
| inconsequential (adj) | Lacking importance or worth; unable to make an impact; trivial |
| magnitude (noun) | Greatness of size, power, or influence |
| materialize (verb) | 1. To become real or actual 2. To appear in physicial form, especially suddenly |
| muster (noun) | A gathering, usually of military forces |
| muster (verb) | To summon or call forth; to gather |
| prohibitive (adj) | Serving to restrain action or discourage use of |
| reminisce (verb) | To think or talk about one's past |
| reminiscence (noun) | The act of remembering; a recollection |
| reminiscent (adj) | Suggestive of something else |
| vanguard (noun) | Leading or forward position in a movement |
| visionary (noun) | A person who is given to ideas that are not currently realistic; a dreamer |
| visionary (adj) | Able to see what might be accomplished in the future |
| cautionary | adj. Offering or serving as a warning. |
| constrain | v. To confine, inhibit, or hold back by force or necessity. |
| constraint | n. A restriction or limitation |
| flotilla | n. A fleet of boats or small ships. |
| gossamer | n. 1. Thin, sheer fabric resembling gauze. 2. A fine, filmy substance made of strands of cobweb. adj. As light and delicate as a cobweb. |
| ignominious | adj. Marked by, deserving, or causing shame or disgrace. |
| incur | v. To bring upon oneself something undesirable, such as debt. |
| liquidate | v. 1. To settle the affairs of a business, to convert into cash. 2. To get rid of; to kill or destroy. |
| magnate | n. An important, often wealthy, person prominent in a large industry or business. |
| misnomer | n. A name that does not fit. |
| onerous | adj. Burdensome; oppressive. |
| pandemonium | n. A state or place of great confusion or uproar. |
| quixotic | adj. Romantic and idealistic, but impractical. |
| tenacious | adj. Holding fast; persistent in adhering to something valued or habitual. |
| vestige | n. A trace of something that once was present. |
| zephyr | n. A light, gentle breeze. |
| asperity (noun) (1) | 1. sharpness or harshness of manner; 2. roughness of surface; unevenness |
| bane (noun) (1) | a person or thing that destroys or causes harm |
| baneful (adj) (1) | causing destruction or ruin |
| doleful (adj) (1) | mournful or full of sorrow; causing grief |
| extrovert (noun) (1) | a person whose attention is focused on others and on what is going on around him/her rather than on his/her own feelings |
| introvert (noun) (1) | a person who turns his/her attention inward, focusing on his/her own feelings and thoughts |
| garish (adj) (1) | excessively bright and flashy; tastlessly glaring |
| hierarchy (noun) (1) | a group or system in which positions of power are ranked--usually from lowest to highest |
| imbue (verb) (1) | to fill completely with a feeling or idea; to inspire |
| instigate (verb) (1) | to stir up or urge on; to provoke |
| penchant (noun) (1) | a strong attachment or leaning |
| rambunctious (adj) (1) | behaving in a wild and unruly manner |
| repertoire (noun) (1) | a list of pieces an actor, musician, etc. is ready to perform; the skills or accomplishments of a person or group |
| rudiments (noun) (1) | 1. basic principles or skills 2. an undeveloped or beginning stage |
| undermine (verb) (1) | to weaken or ruin by degrees |
| unremitting (adj) (1) | not stopping or slowing down; constant |
| adjudicate (verb) (2) | to hear and decide judicially; to judge |
| adjudicator (noun) (2) | a person who judges (to settle a dispute) |
| centennial (noun--American usage) (2) | 100th anniversary or celebration |
| centenary (noun--British usage) (2) | 100th anniversary or celebration |
| countenance (noun) (2) | 1. a person's face; the expression on a person's face; 2. support or approval |
| countenance (verb) (2) | to support or approve; to tolerate |
| disgruntle (verb) (2) | to make dissatisfied; to put in a bad mood |
| equilibrium (noun) (2) | a state of balance |
| expedite (verb) (2) | to speed up a process; to facilitate |
| expeditious (adj) (2) | with great speed; quick and efficient |
| gird (verb) (2) | 1. to encircle, bind or surround; 2. to get ready for action; to brace |
| gratuitous (adj) (2) | 1. not called for; unnecessary; 2. without charge; free |
| illusory (adj) (2) | unreal or imagined; deceiving |
| implacable (adj) (2) | incapable of being placated, soothed, or significantly changed; relentless. |
| luminary (noun) (2) | 1. a source of light (e.g., sun, moon); 2. a person well-known for his/her achievements; a celebrity |
| manifesto (noun) (2) | a public statement explaining the intentions, motives, or views of an individual or group |
| mesmerize (verb) (2) | to fascinate or hypnotize |
| precedent (noun) (2) | an act or statement that may serve as an example or justification for a later one |
| spurious (adj) (2) | not genuine; false |
