| A | B |
|---|
| allure | n. The power to attract or charm. |
| antiquity | n. 1. The ancient world, expecially before the Middle Ages. 2. The quality of a great age. |
| antiquities | n. Valuable objects from ancient times. |
| appraise | v. 1. To estimate the value of. 2. To form a judgement of; to evaluate. |
| cleave | v. 1. To cling to or be faithful to. 2. To split with force or a sharp instrument. |
| depreciate | v. 1. To make or become less in value. 2. To represent as of little value; to belittle. |
| facet | n. 1. Any of the many small, flat surfaces on a precious stone made by cutting. 2. One of many sides or aspects fo something. |
| facsimile | n. An exact copy. |
| impervious | adj. 1. Incapable of being penetrated. 2. Not affected or disturbed by. |
| nondescript | adj. Hard to describe because of a lack of distinctive qualities or features. |
| quandary | n. A state of being in doubt about what to do. |
| repose | v. 1. To lie at rest. 2. To place (power etc) in some person or group. n. A state of rest or relaxation |
| scintillate | v. 1. To flash or sparkle. 2. To be lively and witty. |
| scrutinize | v. To examine with great care. |
| scrutiny | n. Close examination. |
| synthetic | adj. Not naturally produced; made by artificial processes. |
| transmute | v. To change the form or appearance of. |
| bewail (verb) (1) | to express deep regret or sorrow over |
| destitute (adj) (1) | 1. without resources or possessions 2. lacking; devoid |
| detract (verb) (1) | to take away from the value, beauty or importance of |
| detractor (noun) (1) | a person who criticizes the value, beauty or importance of sm/thg |
| emancipate (verb) (1) | to set free from slavery; to liberate |
| emancipation (noun) (1) | the condition of being liberated |
| extol (verb) (1) | to praise highly |
| flamboyant (adj) (1) | excessively showy; unrestrained |
| impetus (noun) (1) | 1. a driving force that causes action; 2. increased activity resulting from a driving force |
| insuperable (adj) (1) | incapable of being overcome or defeated |
| intermittent (adj) (1) | not continuous; happening at intervals |
| maxim (noun) (1) | a general truth or rule of conduct; a short saying |
| obligatory (adj) (1) | required or demanded |
| plumb (verb) (1) | 1. to measure the depth of water; 2. to reach the deepest part; 3. to understand by examining closely; to solve |
| plumb (adj) (1) | straight up and down; vertical |
| vagabond (noun) (1) | a person who wanders from place to place |
| visage (noun) (1) | a face, especially one that epxresses feelings |
| wheedle (verb) (1) | to coax or gain by using sly persuasion or insincere praise |
| amputate | v. To cut off a body part, especially by surgery |
| aptitude | n. A natural talent |
| beneficiary | n. One who benefits or gains an advantage from something. |
| boon | n. A welcome gift or blessing. |
| commiserate | v. To feel or express sorrow or compassion for; to sympathize. |
| garner | v. To collect or gather; to acquire or obtain. |
| gratis | adj. Without payment; free of charge. |
| incapacitate | v. To make helpless or incapable. |
| inception | n. The beginning of an action or process. |
| magnanimous | adj. Generous, unselfish, or forgiving. |
| myriad | n. A very large number. adj. Very many |
| practicable | adj. 1. Capable of being done; feasible. 2. Useable |
| remunerate | v. To pay or reward. |
| solicit | v. To ask for in a formal way. |
| trite | adj. Used so much that it is no longer fresh or new. |
| alacrity (noun) (2) | 1. promptness in responding; 2. eagerness |
| array (noun) (2) | 1. a large group of people or things; 2. an orderly arrangement or display |
| array (verb) (2) | 1. to place in order; 2. to dress up |
| deduce (verb) (2) | to draw a conclusion from given facts |
| encumber (verb) (2) | 1. to weigh down or burden; 2. to impede the action of |
| fraught with (adj) (2) | full of or accompanied by |
| haphazard (adj) (2) | marked by lack of plan, order or direction |
| incontrovertible (adj) (2) | impossible to dispute; unquestionable |
| inexplicable (adj) (2) | hard to explain or impossible to understand |
| ingenious (adj) (2) | marked by imagination, resourcefulness, or cleverness |
| laggard (noun) (2) | one who falls behind others because of moving slowly or loitering; a straggler |
| sustenance (noun) (2) | nourishment; food needed to live |
| torrid (adj) (2) | 1. intensely hot and dry; 2. burning with passion |
| ubiquitous (adj) (2) | appearing in large numbers or in many different places |
| zenith (noun) (2) | 1. the highest point; the peak 2. the point in the sky directly above the observer |
| allude to (verb) (3) | to refer to in an indirect way |
| allusion (noun) (3) | reference in literature to another work |
| consecrate (verb) (3) | 1. to set apart as holy; 2. to dedicate to a cause; to devote |
| disseminate (verb) (3) | to scatter or spread widely |
| dote on/upon (verb) (3) | to show excessive fondness for |
| exhort (verb) (3) | to urge strongly; to warn or appeal |
| exhortation (noun) (3) | the act or practice of exorting |
| feckless (adj) (3) | careless or irresponsible |
| implicate (verb) (3) | to show to be involved with something dishonest or illegal |
| lament (verb) (3) | to feel or express grief |
| lament or lamentation (noun) (3) | an expression of sorrow or grief in the form of a poem or song |
| monetary (adj) (3) | relating to money or currency |
| pensive (adj) (3) | deep in thought; dreamily thoughtful |
| pomp (noun) (3) | a showy or dignified display |
| stilted (adj) (3) | artificially stiff or formal in manner |
| subjugate (verb) (3) | to bring under control; to conquer |
| trauma (noun) (3) | 1. a severe bodily injury; 2. emotional shock |
| traumatic (adj) (3) | emotionally shocking effect |
| wanton (adj) (3) | 1. ignoring what is right; 2. excessive or unrestrained; 3. playful or frolicsome |
| adage (noun) (4) | an old saying that has come to be accepted as true; a proverb |
| camaraderie (noun) (4) | good will and warm feelings among friends |
| contend (verb) (4) | 1. to struggle with 2. to maintain or assert |
| contention (noun) (4) | 1. a struggle or conflict; 2. a point made in an argument |
| extraneous (adj) (4) | not necessary; irrelevant |
| hubbub (noun) (4) | noisy confusion; uproar |
| meander (verb) (4) | 1. to follow a winding course; 2. to wander aimlessly |
| odoriferous (adj) (4) | having or giving off a smell |
| paraphernalia (noun) (4) | 1. personal belongings 2. equipment associated with a particular activity |
| punctilious (adj) (4) | careful of and attention to details--esp. re: good manners and behavior |
| recuperate (verb) (4) | to regain health and strength |
| regale (verb) (4) | to entertain or delight |
| sedentary (adj) (4) | doing or requiring a lot of sitting |
| Spartan (adj) (4) | marked by simplicity or lack of luxury |
| temporal (adj) (4) | related to everyday world as opposed to the spiritual or eternal |
| wry (adj) (4) | 1. turned or bent to one side in distaste or humor; 2. amusing in a quiet but sharp way |
| callow (adj) | young and inexperienced; immature |
| contemporary (noun) | a person living during the same period as another |
| contemporary (adj) | existing or occurring at the same time |
| cynical (adj) | doubtful of the sincerity of others' motives; skeptical |
| cynic (noun) | a skeptical person |
| despot (noun) | a ruler with absolute power or tyrannical control over a group of people |
| despotic (adj) | having tyrannical control over others |
| enunciate (verb) | 1. to pronounce clearly; 2. to state or announce |
| impediment (noun) | anything that gets in the way; an obstacle |
| impoverish (verb) | 1. to make poor; 2. to take away |
| indolent (adj) | indulging in ease; avoiding exertion; lazy |
| indolence (noun) | laziness |
| sagacious (adj) | showing sound judgment; wise |
| sagacity (noun) | wisdom |
| secular (adj) | worldly; not connected with a church or religion |
| speculate (verb) | 1. to think about or make guesses; 2. to engage in a risky business venture |
| strife (noun) | conflict or struggle |
| venerate (verb) | to show great respect for |
| voracious (adj) | 1. ravenous; desiring and eating a large amount of food; 2. very eager |
| wane (verb) | to get smaller, dimmer, or wearker; to near an end |
| apropos (adj.) | fitting the occasion; suitable or apt |
| ascendancy (noun) | controlling influence; domination |
| assess (verb) | to analyze and determine the nature, value or importance of |
| assessment (noun) | analysis |
| aver (verb) | to declare positively; to state as the truth |
| concede (verb) | 1. to admit to be true, often reluctantly. 2. to grant or to let have |
| deficient (adj) | lacking in something |
| deficiency (noun) | a lacking |
| dogma (noun) | an unproven principle or belief held to be true |
| dogmatic (adj) | overly positive and assertive about something that cannot be proved |
| embody (verb) | 1. to put an idea into a form that can be seen. 2. to make part of a system; incorporate |
| impart (verb) | 1. to make known; disclose. 2. to bestow |
| oratory (noun) | the art of public speaking |
| orator (noun) | a public speaker |
| oratorical (adj) | (adj form) public speaking-type |
| propagate (verb) | 1. to reproduce. 2. to cause to reproduce. 3. to foster the spread of |
| propagation (noun) | the spread or reproduction of something |
| proponent (noun) | someone who proposes or supports an idea; an advocate |
| rudimentary (adj) | 1. not yet fully developed. 2. elementary. |
| sojourn (noun) | a visit or temporary stay |
| sojourner (noun) | person who makes a visit or stays temporarily |
| vociferous (adj) | making one's feelings known in a loud way |
| amorous (adj) | Expressing love or the state of being in love |
| belittle (verb) | To present or speak of as unimportant or of little value |
| censure (verb) | To blame or find fault with |
| deem (verb) | To consider; to believe |
| divulge (verb) | To make known something secret; to reveal |
| exorbitant (adj) | Exceeding normal bounds; greater or more than seems reasonable |
| expostulate (verb) | To argue earnestly with another in an attempt to dissuade |
| fateful (adj) | Having great or significant consequences |
| ingrate (noun) | An ungrateful person |
| injunction (noun) | An order or command |
| moribund (adj) | Close to death; in a dying state |
| motif (noun) | 1. A theme or idea in a work of art or literature that is developed or repeated. 2. A figure or design repeated in the decoration of something i.e. building or textile |
| subsidize (verb) | To support by giving financial aid |
| subsidy (noun) | A grant of money, often provided by a government to a group or individual |
| sumptuous (adj) | Extravagantly splendid or costly; luxurious |
| voluble (adj) | Characterized by a ready flow of words; talkative |
| adroit (adj) | Clever at dealing with difficult situations; adept; skillful |
| affront (verb) | to insult or to offend deliberately |
| affront (noun) | A deliberate insult or offensive act |
| avocation (noun) | An activity pursued for pleasure; a hobby |
| crusade (noun) | A prolonged, impassioned struggle for what is believed to be a just cause |
| crusade (verb) | To engage in such a struggle |
| definitive (adj) | Supplying a final answer; conclusive |
| demeanor (noun) | behaving; bearing |
| erudite (adj) | Having or demonstrating extensive knowledge; learned |
| erudition (noun) | demonstration of extensive knowledge |
| induct (verb) | To install in office, sometimes with a formal ceremony |
| induction (noun) | Admittance to a society or to military service |
| lapse (verb) | 1. To fall or slip from a certain level of conduct or accomplishment 2. To come to an end; to expire |
| lapse (noun) | 1. A minor mistake; a slip 2. A pause or interval |
| militant (adj) | Ready to fight, especially for a cause |
| militant (noun) | One who is ready to fight for a cause |
| pariah (noun) | A social outcast |
| prodigy (noun) | 1. A person who shows remarkable talent at an early age 2. An amazing or extraordinary thing or event |
| protege (noun) | One whose training or career is helped along by another |
| raucous (adj) | 1. Rough and unpleasant to the ear 2. Boisterous and disorderly |
| tacit (adj) | Expressed without words; implied |
