| A | B |
|---|
| pedestal | the base supporting a column, lamp, statue, etc. |
| repeal | to revoke or withdraw officially or formally |
| comely | attractive or pleasing in appearance; pretty; handsome |
| engross | to occupy completely |
| refuse | garbage |
| lackadaisical | showing lack of interest or spirit |
| disheveled | disarranged; untidy; rumpled |
| fop | a man who is preoccupied with his clothes and manners |
| deviate | to depart from the norm |
| become | to be appropriate or suitable to; to look good with |
| posit | to assume as a fact or principle |
| heterogenous | not similar; very different; mixed together |
| bolster | to support or strengthen |
| convene | to bring together |
| degenerate | to decline to an inferior state, often in mental or moral quality |
| blanket | applying to all conditions or instances |
| superlative | excellent; of the highest quality |
| caveat | a warning |
| mélange | a mixture; a hodgepodge |
| implore | to ask for urgently; to beg |
| impending | about to happen |
| scintillate | to give off sparks; to be animated or brilliant |
| chary | very cautious |
| acme | the highest point, as of perfection |
| ravine | a deep, narrow gorge, especially one worn down with running water |
| wince | to flinch in pain or fear |
| frugal | careful in spending money or resources |
| rift | a break in friendly relations |
| meager | lacking in quantity or vigor; scanty |
| homogenous | uniform; of the same kind |
| revel | to delight, to enjoy (used with "in") |
| perennial | lasting through the years |
| transcend | to exceed; to go beyond or above the limits |
| demure | coy; modest; reserved |
| retrospect | the consideration of past events |
| genocide | killing of a whole national or ethnic group |
| svelte | slender and graceful in outline |
| recluse | one who hides from the world |
| discern | to perceive and understand so as to make distinctions |
| lenient | inclined not to be strict |
| buoy | to keep afloat; to raise the spirits of |
| ostracize | to shun |
| primp | to dress or groom with careful attention to detail |
| matrix | a surrounding substance within which something else originates or is contained |
| milestone | an important event |
| convalesce | to recover from illness; to recuperate |
| subside | to settle down |
| draconian | extremely harsh and severe |
| recapitulate | to summarize; to paraphrase |
| filament | a fine wire or thread |
| remonstrate | to make objections |
| tender | to offer formally; a legal offer; something, esp. money, offered in payment |
| coerce | to force by threat or intimidation |
| best | to defeat |
| generic | without a trademark; general |
| dynasty | a succession of rulers or people in power from the same family |
| prodigal | exceedingly or recklessly wasteful |
| engender | to beget; to cause; to promote |
| abdicate | to willingly give up the position of king, queen, etc.; to choose not to fulfill a role or duty |
| futile | having no useful result |
| thwart | to prevent or frustrate |
| congenial | suited to one's needs or nature; friendly; sympathetic |
| obsequious | showing too great a willingness to serve or obey |
| sarcasm | harsh, often ironic ridicule, intended to hurt |
| quip | a remark or reply that is witty or sarcastic |
| flower | to reach the best or most vigorous stage |
| resent | to feel hostility because of a perceived insult or injury |
| usurp | to take over by force (e.g., property or rights) without legal authority |
| boisterous | noisy and wild; unruly |
| fleet | moving swiftly |
| gaudy | characterized by tasteless or showy colors |
| hirsute | having excessive body hair |
| heed | to pay attention to |
| precipitous | resembling a cliff; extremely steep |
| convoluted | intricate; complicated |
| piquant | agreeably pungent or sharp in taste; tart; agreeably stimulating or interesting |
| preposterous | absurd; ridiculous; senseless; irrational |
| duplicity | deception; deceitfulness; double-dealing |
| skittish | nervous; easily frightened |
| prototype | the original model; someone or something that serves to illustrate the typical qualities of a class |
| bedlam | any place or condition of noise and confusion |
| grotesque | strangely or absurdly distorted |
| surrogate | a substitute |
| equilibrium | a state of balance or equality between opposing forces |
| troupe | a group of touring actors, singers, or performers |
| voracious | devouring; extremely hungry |
| obviate | to stop from occurring; to prevent or make unnecessary |
| extol | to praise highly and lavishly |
| elucidate | to make something clear; to clarify |
| slovenly | careless about one's appearance |
| chic | smartly elegant in style and manner |
| perfunctory | done without care or interest or merely as a form or routine |
| atavistic | reverting to past traits, esp. to traits absent for a long time |
| plausible | appearing worthy of belief or trust |
| vogue | prevailing fashion |
| skirmish | a minor conflict |
| mundane | typical of this world; commonplace |
| punitive | inflicting or intending to inflict punishment |
| warren | an enclosed space in which rabbits breed or are numerous; any place that is crowded like a rabbit warren |
| dapper | neat and trim in appearance |
| vigilant | alert and watchful, esp. for what is dangerous |
| banal | dull or stale; commonplace |
| zenith | maximum; the highest point |
| courier | a messenger, usually carrying news or packages |
| meddlesome | interfering; bothersome |
| cultivate | to promote growth, to nurture |
| bulwark | a wall or enbankment used for a defensive fortification; something serving as a defense or safeguard, often figurative |
| cognition | the process of knowing; perception |
| disperse | to scatter in different directions |
| skulk | to lurk; to move secretly |
| zeal | intense passion or enthusiasm |
| waver | to be uncertain of something; to sway |
| circumscribe | to define the limits of |
| couch | to phrase in a particular way |
| inept | without skill; absurd or foolish |
| deluge | a great flood |
| bequeath | to pass down to; to hand down, esp. in a will |
| resilient | able to recover quickly (e.g., from bending or illness) |
| shade | a small variation, a nuance; a small amount |
| restitution | compensation for a loss |
| homely | unattractive, plain looking |
| maverick | one who rebels; a nonconformist; an individualist |
| vex | to disturb; to distress |
| skeptical | tending to question or doubt |
| chide | to scold |
| serene | calm and peaceful |
| exuberant | lively, happy, and full of good spirits |
| procrastinate | to delay; to put off |
| cliché | an overused expression |
| scurry | to move with light running steps |
| acronym | a word created by initials |
| apt | appropriate; having a natural tendency |
| mettle | courage; strength of character |
| deplete | to gradually use up (resources, strength, etc.) |
| plucky | showing courage in unfavorable circumstances |
| capricious | erratic; tending to change abruptly |
| negligible | of little value or importance |
| protean | easily taking on different forms |
| ecstasy | state of overwhelming joy; rapture |
| repertoire | the range of pieces an artist is prepared to perform |
| retort | to reply, esp. in a quick or witty manner |
| stymie | to obstruct; to stump |
| extemporaneous | done with little or no preparation |
| facetious | playfully humorous |
| formidable | inspiring fear or dread |
| cursory | superficially done; performed rapidly |
| propitious | presenting favorable circumstances |
| tantalize | to torment or tease by showing something desirable while keeping it out of reach |
| anomaly | a departure from the regular pattern |
| ad hoc | for a specific purpose and no other; improvised |
| anonymous | having an unknown or unacknowledged name |
| quell | to ease; to calm down |
| nominate | to propose as a candidate for an office |
| ephemeral | lasting for a short time; fleeting |
| onomatopoeia | a word or phrase that imitates the sounds associated with the object or action they refer to (e.g., "woof" or "meow") |
| respite | temporary relief |
| lummox | a clumsy person |
| pilfer | to steal a small amount |
| parochial | restricted; limited; narrow; local |
| transient | passing with time; remaining only briefly |
| pristine | remaining in a pure state |
| repartee | a quick, witty reply; a series of such replies |
| motif | a recurring subject or theme, especially in a work of art or literature |
| natal | relating to birth |
| matriarch | a woman who rules a family or clan; a highly respected woman who is a mother |
| procure | to obtain or acquire |
| instigate | to stir up or arouse |
| erratic | inconsistent, unpredictable |
| agile | quick and easy in movement; mentally alert |
| figurehead | a person with apparent but no real authority |
| jingoism | an extreme patriotism |
| nomenclature | a specialized list of terms, words, or names |
| brazen | showing shameless, insolent boldness; made of brass |
| rivet | to fasten or hold securely |
| juggernaut | a terrible, irresistible force |
| loquacious | very talkative |
| avant-garde | a group active in inventing and applying new techniques, esp. in the arts |
| etiquette | the forms of behavior of polite society |
| uncanny | strangely unsettling, as if of supernatural origin |
| flank | the side |
| audacious | fearlessly, often recklessly bold; insolent |
| sedate | calm; quiet |
| tribulation | great misery or distress |
| nuance | variation of meaning; subtlety |
| provincial | limited in perspective; unsophisticated |
| indolent | lazy |
| ignominy | shame; dishonor |
| secede | to withdraw formally from an alliance or membership |
| peer | a person or thing of the same rank |
| fluster | to make nervous or upset |
| meretricious | attracting attention in a vulgar way |
| subsist | to maintain life |
| marquee | a sign over the entrance to a public building |
| gauche | socially awkward |
| temerity | willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets people |
| hegemony | strong influence; domination |
| mandate | a command; an order |
| ensue | to happen subsequently |
| regal | kingly |
| temper | to bring down in tone; to moderate; to soften |
| impudent | rude, shameless |
| misnomer | a name wrongly applied to a person or object |
| nadir | the lowest point; the bottom |
| monolithic | massive, solid, and uniform in appearance |
| timorous | full of fear |
| hermetic | completely sealed, especially from entry or escape of air |
| nebulous | unclear, vague |
| foolhardy | reckless; bold without judgement |
| cajole | to attempt to persuade with flattery or insincere talk |
| voluble | talkative |
| clairvoyant | having the supposed power to see objects or events that cannot be perceived by the senses |
| predicament | a troublesome or embarrassing situation |
| rhetoric | persuasive or artful use of language |
| rouse | to wake or provoke |
| recumbent | lying down in a position of comfort |
| amiable | friendly and agreeable; sociable |
| précis | a concise summary of a text |
| seminal | original and inspiring futher similar efforts |
| neophyte | a beginner; an immature person who is learning |
| emit | to send forth; to give out |
| amuck | frenzied, esp. violently |
| impart | to give a portion of; to make known |
| urbane | sophisticated |
| vigorous | energetic |
| itinerant | traveling from place to place, esp. for work |
| onus | an unpleasant task of duty; a burden or obligation |
| exacerbate | to make more violent, bitter, or severe |
| forage | to search for food or provisions |
| eclectic | composed of materials from various sources |
| enormity | great wickedness; an evil act |
| intricate | elaborately detailed |
| apprehension | worry or unease |
| plaintive | expressing sorrow |
| ramification | a development or consequence resulting from a course of action |
| supersede | to replace |
| valiant | courageous, brave, as in battle |
| windfall | unexpected good fortune |
| berserk | dangerously destructive; frenzied |
| undulate | to move in a wave-like motion |
| rebuff | to refuse someone; to reject an offer |
| commiserate | to express sympathy |
| intrepid | bold; fearless |
| baroque | fantastically over-decorated; gaudily ornate |
| falter | to hesitate or stumble |
| surmount | to overcome (e.g., an obstacle); to climb to the top of |
| histrionic | overly dramatic, theatric |
| gallant | brave and noble |
| epidemic | rapid spread or growth, esp. of disease or things metaphorically seen as diseases |
| impassive | not feeling emotion; not showing emotion |
| nominal | appearing in name only; negligible or of low amount |
| primeval | relating to the beginning of the first world ages |
| quack | an untrained person who pretends to be a physician and dispenses medical advice and treatment |
| vernacular | informal speech; native language |
| scoff | to make fun of; to ridicule |
| consort | companion, often in marriage |
| aesthetic | relating to beauty |
| appropriate | to set apart for a specific use; to take possession of, often without permission |
| dogma | a specific set of ideas or beliefs, esp. religious or asserted to be absolutely true |
| augment | to make greater, in size, extent, or quantity |
| ambiguous | having more than one possible interpretation |
| resolve | to decide; to bring into focus |
| toxic | poisonous; dangerous |
| dissemble | to deceive or conceal; to hide one's motives; to simulate |
| phlegmatic | having a calm, sluggish temperament; unemotional |
| brisk | quick in manner or movement; energetic |
| obscure | lacking light; dim; dark |
| mammoth | very large; of clumsy or unwieldy size |
| rear | to raise children |
| polemic | a controversial argument, esp. attacking a particular opinion |
| stem | to stop; to restrain |
| contentious | always ready to argue; quarrelsome |
| onerous | burdensome, hard to bear |
| heresy | deviation from church doctrine or from an established belief |
| mesmerize | to hypnotize or spellbind |
| implausible | difficult to believe |
| lugubrious | sad or mournful, esp. in a way that seems exaggerated or ridiculous |
| derive | to obtain from a specified source |
| warp | to distort, as a twist or bend |
| melancholy | sad, esp. a lingering or habitual state of mind |
| haphazard | mere chance; accident |
| extraneous | not an essential part of; unimportant |
| idiosyncrasy | a particular, peculiar, or eccentric trait |
| sanguine | optimistic, cheerful |
| conspire | to plan secretly together |
| culpable | deserving blame or punishment |
| metamorphosis | a transformation, as by magic; a marked change in appearance or function |
| saturate | to soak or fill to capacity |
| feisty | irritable; quarrelsome; full of spirit |
| clandestine | done in secret, esp. to conceal something improper |
| blunder | to move carelessly |
| choleric | easily angered; bad-tempered |
| parrot | to blindly repeat or copy |
| decree | to order with the force of law; an official order |
| segue | an easy, effective, or uninterrupted transition |
| disclose | to reveal |
| stigma | a sign of disgrace; a mark that lowers a reputation |
| miser | a greedy person who hoards money, even at the expense of personal discomfort |
| concede | to acknowledge as true |
| ineffable | incapable of being expressed |
| boycott | to refuse to buy, sell, or use |
| maxim | a short saying expressing a general principle |
| earshot | the distance within which a sound can be heard |
| apex | the highest point |
| bizarre | very odd in manner; grotesque; strange |
| regimen | a set of rules, usually followed for therapeutic effect |
| bowdlerize | to censor, esp. prudishly |
| flamboyant | extravagant; showy |
| symbiotic | involving a close relationship of mutual dependence |
| coin | to devise a new word or phrase |
| odyssey | a long, adventurous journey |
| solemn | serious; grave |
| guerrilla | a member of an outnumbered military force, relying on surprise and harassment to win |
| balm | anything healing or soothing |
| belie | to picture falsely; to contradict |
| sect | a small group, esp. religious, united by a specific set of beliefs |
| rail | to speak bitterly or reproachly |
| abridge | to reduce in scope |
| ebb | to fall back or recede; to decline |
| anecdote | a brief story, often humorous |
| saturnine | of a gloomy temperament |
| confide | to tell something in secret |
| edible | able to be eaten |
| mentor | a counselor or teacher |
| prolific | producing a lot |
| imperative | impossible to deter or evade; urgently necessary |
| dovetail | to combine or interlock into a unified whole |
| ulterior | lying beyond what is evident, revealed, or claimed |
| hoax | an act meant to trick or fool |
| mire | a swamp or bog |
| confound | to mix up or lump together indiscriminately; to confuse |
| gratuitous | unnecessary or inappropriate |
| clique | exclusive group of people |
| kindle | to set on fire; ignite |
| expedition | a journey undertaken for a specific reason, such as for war or exploration; speed in doing something |
| cynical | distrusting others from a sense that everyone's motives are selfish |
| benefactor | one who helps and supports others |
| evacuate | remove the contents of; to discharge; to withdraw |
| bilious | bad-tempered; cross |
| scale | to climb |
| insouciant | calm and untroubled; carefree; indifferent |
| complexion | general character or appearance; natural appearance of the skin, esp. the face |
| sweltering | oppressively hot and humid |
| ruminate | to ponder at length |
| bar | to keep out; exlude |
| delegate | to entrust to another person; a person authorized to act as the representative of another |
| undermine | to weaken |
| stamina | resistance to fatigue or hardship; endurance |
| subterfuge | a sneaky or devious method for avoiding difficulty or unpleasantness |
| pedantic | putting unnecessary stress on minor or purely academic knowledge |
| jaundice | prejudice; bias; a yellowish discoloratin of the skin |
| quixotic | foolishly idealistic; extravagantly chivalrous |
| persist | to continue despite difficulty |
| hiatus | an interruption in activity or progress |
| translucent | letting light through, but no visual details |
| eminent | outstanding, distinguished, towering above others |
| prominent | noticeable; widely known |
| pique | to arouse (interest, curiosity, etc.); to irritate |
| inherent | included as an essential part; intrinsic |
| bow | forward part of a ship; prow |
| exorbitant | excessive |
| arbitrary | determined by chance or individual preference, not by reason, necessity or principle |
| relish | to enjoy |
| abhor | to detest; to shrink from in disgust |
| chronology | arrangement of events in time |
| glower | to frown; to glare with anger |
| effigy | a representation of a person or group used esp. to demonstrate hatred |
| nimble | fast and light in motion |
| chauvinism | unreasoning and boastful devotion to one's country or sex |
| mausoleum | a huge tomb |
| speculate | to think about the various aspects of a subject, esp. so as to make a prediction |
| shibboleth | a custom or phrase distinctive of a particular group, class, etc. |
| unkempt | sloppy; mess; unclean |
| narcissistic | excessive interest in one's own appearance, comfort, importance, etc. |
| culminate | to reach the highest point |
| hue | a shade of color |
| complaisant | showing a desire to please; cheerfully obliging |
| impalpable | that which cannot be felt by touching; not easily understood |
| purvey | to supply |
| dearth | scarcity or lack |
| dictator | a person exercising absolute power |
| foment | to stir up negative feelings, esp. those that lead to violent action |
| antediluvian | very old; outdated |
| glut | an oversupply |
| fastidious | not easy to please; very critical or discriminating |
| caliber | degree of worth or value |
| tacit | unspoken but understood; silent |
| grovel | to beg; to lower oneself to please another |
| inexorable | not able to be persuaded; unyielding; unalterable |
| complacent | too pleased with oneself; self-satisfied |
| heinous | extremely wicked; abominable |
| sentinel | one who keeps watch |
| evanescent | fading from sight; transient |
| dual | composed of two parts |
| diurnal | daily; occurring during during the daytime |
| indict | to formally accuse of criminal activity |
| attrition | gradual reduction |
| morbid | gruesome; awful |
| cordial | warm and friendly; hearty |
| dissipate | to scatter; to spend wastefully |
| exotic | unfamiliar or strikingly different; from far away places of the world |
| brooch | large, decorative pin |
| stoic | apparently indifferent to joy grief, pleasure, or pain |
| turgid | swollen, as from fluid; excessively ornate or complex in style |
| interdict | to forbid or stop the activities or entry of |
| toddle | to walk with short, unsteady steps, like a child |
| commensurate | equal in proportion; having the same size, duration, etc. |
| vindicate | to clear of blame with supporting arguments or proof |
| malicious | spiteful |
| lurid | causing shock or horror; tastelessly vivid; glowing like fire through a haze |
| raconteur | one who tells stories with skill |
| chronicle | a recording of events in order of time |
| scour | to wash by scrubbing vigorously |
| dwindle | to decrease gradually until little remains |
| initiate | to begin |
| demagogue | a leader who obtains power by appealing to the emotions and passions of the people |
| penitent | feeling regret |
| impugn | challenge; call into question |
| flounder | to proceed with clumsiness and confusion |
| patronize | to sponsor or support; to be kind or helpful in a snobbish way, as if dealing with an inferior |
| esteem | high regard; respect; to regard highly |
| vicarious | felt as if one were taking part in the experiences of another |
| benign | kindly; creating a favorable influence; (in medicine) not dangerous to one's health |
| incumbent | necessary or obligatory; a person who currently holds a particular position |
| predilection | a preference |
| fraternal | showing comradeship; brotherly |
| temporal | relating to time |
| hone | to sharpen; to make more effective |
| momentous | of extreme importance |
| hyperbole | exaggeration |
| estrange | to make hostile or indifferent, usually between two persons |
| grimace | a facial expression that shows disapproval or pain; to make such an expression |
| sanctuary | a holy place; a place of refuge |
| imminent | impending; threatening; likely to happen |
| adverse | opposed, difficult |
| anachronism | something not belonging to a certain time period |
| fractious | disruptive or irritable |
| decor | a decorative style or scheme, as of a room |
| revert | to return to a former condition |
| mercurial | easily changeable; erratic |
| surreptitious | done secretly, often of something unseemly or unethical |
| emblematic | symbolic, representative of more |
| jurisdiction | the extent of authority or control; the right and power to interpret and apply the law |
| crony | a long-time friend or close companion |
| quaint | odd, esp. in an old-fashioned way |
| poignant | sharply painful to the feelings |
| advent | a coming or an arrival, esp. of something very important |
| vain | not producing the desired outcome; worthless; proud or conceited |
| dissent | to disagree |
| maim | to cripple; mutilate; disable |
| abide | to tolerate |
| ovation | enthusiastic and lengthy applause |
| serendipity | unexpected gift or discovery |
| debonair | easy and carefree in manner |
| stanch | to stop the flow of something |
| dictum | an authoritative, often formal, pronouncement |
| refuge | a shelter or sanctuary |
| deity | a god |
| remunerate | to pay or compensate |
| reek | to give off a strong, unpleasant odor; to be pervaded wth something unpleasant |
| dispense | to administer; to distribute; "dispense with": to do without |
| profound | very deep; penetrating beyond the superficial |
| chronic | continuing for a long time; recurrent |
| disprited | sad |
| goad | a long stick used to prod animals; something used to urge on; to prod or urge, as if with a pointed stick |
| devour | to eat up greedily |
| diction | word choice in speech or writing; degree of clarity in speaking |
| broach | to raise for discussion |
| discrete | individually distinct or seperate |
| affable | friendly; easy to talk to |
| stark | not ornamented; plain; absolute |
| expedite | to speed up |
| fiat | an authoritative order; an arbitrary decree |
| averse | opposed, reluctant; repelled |
| contempt | a feeling that something is low or disgusting |
| haven | a safe place |
| plethora | an excessive amount |
| desultory | lacking a plan or purpose; unmethodical |
| manifesto | a public declaration of principles, often political |
| interloper | one who interferes with the affairs of others; a meddler |
| consecrate | to make or set apart as sacred |
| nemesis | one who inflicts justified or great punishment; a source of harm or ruin |
| testy | irritable; touchy |
| mitigate | to improve by lessening the severity of |
| preclude | to make impossible; to prevent the occurence of |
| freelance | without long-term commitment to any employer |
| avert | to turn away |
| duel | a prearranged combat between two persons |
| extradite | to deliver someone (e.g., a fugitive) to the authority of another government or jurisdiction |
| entail | to have as a necessary result |
| intimate | to make known subtly; to hint |
| pulverize | to crush; to grind into powder or dust |
| disposition | personality; temperament |
| jargon | the specialized terminology of a profession; incoherent speech |
| sparse | thinly spread or distributed; not dense or crowded |
| turbid | cloudy, muddy; in a state of turmoil |
| contemporary | of the same time or period |
| benediction | blessing |
| temporize | to act evasively in order to gain time |
| manifold | of many kinds; numerous and varied |
| staunch | strongly loyal |
