| A | B |
|---|
| absolve | pardon (an offense) |
| abstract | theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational |
| accessible | easy to approach |
| accomodate | provide lodgings; oblige or help someone |
| acknowledge | recognize or admit |
| acrimony | bitterness of words or manner |
| adverse | unfavorable; hostile |
| aesthetic | artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful |
| affable | easily approachable; warmly friendly |
| affinity | kinship; attraction to |
| affluence | wealth; prosperity; abundance |
| alleviate | relieve; lessen |
| altruistic | unselfishly generous; concerned for others |
| ambiguous | unclear or doubtful in meaning |
| ambivalence | having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes |
| amenable | readily managed; willing to give in; agreeable; submissive |
| ample | abundant |
| antagonism | hostility; active resistance |
| antiquated | obsolete; outdated |
| apathy | lack of caring; indifference |
| apprehension | fear; discernment; capture |
| apprenticeship | time spent as a novice learning a trade from a skilled worker |
| appropriate (adj) | fitting or suitable; pertinent |
| appropriate (v) | acquire; take possession of for one's own use; set aside for a special purpose |
| aristocracy | hereditary nobility; privileged class |
| arrogance | pride; haughtiness |
| aspire | seek to attain; long for |
| assert | state strongly or positively; insist on or demand recognition of |
| assumption | something taken for granted; taking over or taking possession of |
| attain | reach or accomplish; gain |
| authentic | genuine |
| autonomous | self-governing |
| aversion | firm dislike |
| beneficial | helpful; advantageous; useful |
| benevolent | charitable; generous |
| benign | kindly; favorable; not malignant |
| betray | be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly) |
| brittle | easily broken; difficult |
| buoyant | able to float; cheerful and optimistic |
| candor | frankness; open honesty |
| captivate | charm; fascinate |
| caricature | distortion; burlesque |
| censor | inspector overseeing public morals; official who prevents publication of offensive material |
| charlatan | quack; pretender to knowledge |
| chronicle | report; record (in chronological order) |
| circumspect | prudent; cautious |
| cite | quote; refer to; commend |
| cliche | phrase dulled in meaning by repetition |
| coalesce | combine; fuse |
| compliance | readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements |
| component | element; ingredient |
| compromise | adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the interests or reputation of |
| condone | overlook voluntarily; forgive; supply tacit approval |
| confirm | corroborate; verify; support |
| conformity | agreement or compliance; actions in agreement with prevailing social customs |
| congenial | pleasant; friendly |
| consistency | harmony of parts; dependability; uniformity; degree of thickness |
| console | lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort |
| consolidation | unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger |
| contentious | quarrelsome |
| convention | social or moral custom; established practice |
| corrosion | destruction by chemical action |
| curtail | shorten; reduce |
| cynical | skeptical or distrustful of human motives |
| dawdle | loiter; waste time |
| defamation | harming a person's reputation |
| defiance | opposition; willingness to resist |
| degenerate | become worse; deteriorate |
| demean | degrade; humiliate |
| denounce | condemn; criticize |
| depict | portray |
| deplete | reduce; exhaust |
| deplore | regret strongly; express grief over |
| derision | ridicule; mockery |
| derivative | unoriginal; derived from another source |
| detached | emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent |
| deterrent | something that discourages; hindrance |
| didactic | teaching; instructional |
| digression | wandering away from the subject |
| discernible | distinguishable; perceivable |
| disclaimer | denial of a legal claim or right; disavowal |
| disclose | reveal |
| discord | lack of harmony; conflict |
| disinterested | unprejudiced |
| dismiss | put away from consideration; reject |
| disparage | belittle |
| disparate | basically different; unrelated |
| dispel | scatter; cause to vanish |
| disperse | scatter |
| dissent | disagree |
| dissipate | squander; waste; scatter |
| distinction | honor; contract; discrimination |
| divulge | reveal |
| docile | obedient; easily managed |
| doctrine | teachings, in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught |
| dogmatic | opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal |
| eclipse | darken; extinguish; surpass |
| elated | overjoyed; in high spirits |
| elusive | evasive; baffling; hard to grasp |
| embellish | adorn |
| endorse | approve; support |
| enhance | increase; improve |
| enigma | puzzle; mystery |
| enumerate | list; mention one by one |
| erode | eat away |
| erratic | odd; unpredictable |
| esoteric | hard to understand; known only to the chosen few |
| erroneous | mistaken; wrong |
| espouse | adopt; support |
| esteem | respect; value |
| excerpt | selected passage |
| exemplary | serving as a model; outstanding |
| expedite | hasten |
| exploit (n) | deed or action, particularly a brave deed |
| facilitate | help bring about; make less difficult |
| fallacious | false; misleading |
| farce | broad comedy; mockery |
| fastidious | difficult to please; squeamish |
| feasible | practical |
| flippant | lacking proper seriousness |
| forthright | outspoken; frank |
| frail | weak |
| futile | useless; hopeless; ineffectual |
| garrulous | loquacious; wordy; talkative |
| generate | cause; produce; create |
| gluttonous | greedy for food |
| gratify | please |
| gregarious | sociable |
| hamper | obstruct |
| heed | pay attention to; consider |
| hindrance | obstacle; block |
| hostility | unfriendliness; hatred |
| hypocritical | pretending to be virtuous; deceiving |
| hypothetical | based on assumptions or hypothesis; supposed |
| iconoclastic | attacking cherished traditions |
| immutable | unchangeable |
| impair | injure; hurt |
| impede | hinder; block; delay |
| imperceptible | unnoticeable; undetectable |
| implacable | incapable of being pacified |
| implement | put into effect; supply with tools |
| implication | something hinted at or suggested |
| incongruity | lack of harmony; absurdity |
| inconsequential | insignficant; unimportant |
| inconsistency | state of being self-contradictory; lack of uniformity or steadiness |
| incorporate | introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite |
| indict | charge |
| indifferent | unmoved or unconcerned by; mediocre |
| induce | persuade; bring about |
| industrious | diligent; hard-working |
| inept | lacking skill; unsuited; incompetent |
| infallible | unerring; faultless |
| ingenious | clever; resourceful |
| ingenuous | naive and trusting; young; unsophisticated |
| ingrate | ungrateful person |
| inherent | firmly established by nature or habit |
| initiate | begin; originate; receive into a group |
| innate | inborn |
| innocuous | harmless |
| inscrutable | impenetrable; not readily understood; mysterious |
| insightful | discerning; perceptive |
| intangible | not able to be perceived by the senses; vague |
| intricacy | complexity; knottiness |
| irony | hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that seem to mean the opposite of what they actually mean |
| larceny | theft |
| loathe | detest |
| malice | hatred; spite |
| meek | quiet and obedient; spiritless |
| meticulous | excessively careful; painstakingly scrupulous |
| misconception | misunderstanding; misinterpretation |
| misrepresent | give a false or incorrect impression, usually intentionally |
| mock | ridicule; imitate, often in derision |
| monarchy | government under a single ruler |
| monotony | sameness leading to boredom |
| mutability | ability to change in form; fickleness |
| naivete | quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility |
| nocturnal | relating to, occurring, or active in the night |
| nostalgia | homesickness; longing for the past |
| notorious | disreputable; widely known; scandalous |
| nurture | nourish; educate; foster |
| obnoxious | offensive; objectionable |
| obscure (adj) | dark; vague; unclear |
| obscure (v) | darken; make unclear |
| opaque | not transparent; penetrable by light only |
| optimist | person who looks on the good side |
| outmoded | no longer stylish; old-fashioned |
| pacifist | one opposed to force; antimilitarist |
| pacify | soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue |
| paradox | something apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct |
| patronize | support; act superior toward; be a customer of |
| pedantic | showing off learning; bookish |
| perjury | false testimony while under oath |
| perpetual | everlasting |
| pervasive | pervading; spread throughout every part |
| pessimism | belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess |
| petulant | touchy; peevish |
| phenomena | observable facts or events |
| philanthropist | lover of mankind; doer of good |
| plagiarize | steal another's words or ideas and pass them off as one's own |
| potency | power; effectiveness; influence |
| pragmatic | practical (as opp. to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something |
| precedent | something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action |
| predator | creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others |
| premise | assumption; postulate |
| premonition | forewarning |
| prevail | triumph; predominate; prove superior in strength, power, or influence; be current |
| prey | target of a hunt; victim |
| profound | deep; not superficial; complete |
| proliferation | rapid growth; spread; multiplication |
| prolific | abundantly fruitful |
| prologue | introduction (to a poem or a play) |
| prominent | conspicuous; notable; sticking out |
| promote | help to flourish; advance in rank; publicize |
| prophetic | foretelling the future |
| prosperity | good fortune; financial success; physical well-being |
| provocative | arousing anger or interest; annoying |
| prudent | cautious; careful |
| random | without definite plan, purpose, or aim; haphazard |
| recluse | hermit, loner |
| refute | disprove |
| relinquish | give up something with reluctance; yield |
| renown | fame |
| repudiate | disown; disavow |
| reserved | self-controlled; careful in expressing oneself |
| resolution | determination |
| resolve | decide; settle; solve |
| restraint | moderation or self-control; controlling force; restriction |
| retain | keep; employ |
| reticent | reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to be silent |
| reverent | respectful; worshipful |
| ruthless | pitiless; cruel |
| satirize | mock |
| scrutinize | examine closely and critically |
| seclusion | isolation; solitude |
| serenity | calmness; placidity |
| sever | cut; separate |
| severity | harshness; intensity; austerity; rigidity |
| singular | unique; extraordinary; odd |
| skeptical | doubting |
| stratagem | deceptive scheme |
| subdued | less intense; quieter |
| superficial | trivial; shallow |
| superfluous | excessive; unnecessary |
| suppress | crush; subdue; inhibit |
| surpass | exceed |
| suspend | defer or postpone; expel or eject; halt or discontinue; hang from above |
| sustain | experience; support; nourish |
| symmetry | arrangement of parts so balance is obtained; congruity |
| synthesis | combining parts into a whole |
| taciturn | habitually silent; talking little |
| tedious | boring; tiring |
| temperament | characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess |
| termination | end |
| thwart | baffle; frustrate |
| toxic | poisonous |
| transparent | easily detected; permitting light to pass through freely |
| trepidation | fear; nervous apprehension |
| turbulence | state of violent agitation |
| urbane | suave; refined; elegant |
| utopia | ideal place, state, or society |
| vacillate | waver; fluctuate |
| versatile | having many talents; capable of working in many fields |
| vigor | active strength |
| volatile | changeable; explosive |
| wary | very cautious |
| withhold | hold back; desist from giving; keep possession of |
