Vocabulary Expansion: English Word Origins and Usage, Exams of Literature

Download Vocabulary Expansion: English Word Origins and Usage and more Exams Literature in PDF only on Docsity! SSAT Upper Level Vocabulary 1333 Terms with Verified Solutions. Abaft - ANS (adv.) on or toward the rear of a ship The passengers moved abaft of the ship so as to escape the fire in the front of the ship. Abandon - ANS (v.; n) to leave behind; to give something up; freedom; enthusiasm; impetuosity After failing for several years, he abandoned his dream of starting a grocery business. Lucy embarked on her new adventure with abandon. Abase - ANS (v.) to degrade; humiliate; disgrace The mother's public reprimand abased the girl. The insecure father, after failing to achieve his own life-long goals, abased his children whenever they failed. Abbreviate - ANS (v.) to shorten; compress; diminish His vacation to Japan was abbreviated when he acquired an illness treatable only in the United States. Abdicate - ANS (v.) to reject, renounce, or abandon Due to his poor payment record, it may be necessary to abdicate our relationship with the client. Abeyance - ANS (n.) a state of temporary suspension or inactivity Since the power failure, the town has been in abeyance. Abhor - ANS (v.) to hate By the way her jaw tensed when he walked in, it is easy to see that she abhors him. The dog abhorred cats, chasing and growling at them whenever he had the opportunity. Aberrant - ANS (adj.) abnormal; straying from the normal or usual path The aberrant flight pattern of the airplane alarmed the air traffic controllers. His aberrant behavior led his friends to worry the divorce had taken its toll. Abject - ANS (adj.) of the worst or lowest degree The Hardeman’s lived in abject poverty, with barely a roof over their heads. Abjure - ANS formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure The losing team may abjure to the team that is winning. Abnegation - ANS (n.) a denial The woman's abnegation of her loss was apparent when she began to laugh. Abominate - ANS (v.) to loathe; to hate Randall abominated all the traffic he encountered on every morning commute. Please do not abominate the guilty person until you hear the complete explanation. Abridge - ANS (v.) to shorten; to limit The editor abridged the story to make the book easier to digest. Abrogate - ANS (v.) to cancel by authority The judge would not abrogate the law. Abrupt - ANS (adj.) happening or ending unexpectedly The abrupt end to their marriage was a shock to everyone. Abscond - ANS (v.) to go away hastily or secretly; to hide The newlywed couple will abscond from the reception to leave on the honeymoon. Absolve - ANS (v.) to forgive; to acquit The judge will absolve the person of all charges. After feuding for many years, the brothers absolved each other for the many arguments they had. Abstemious - ANS (adj.) sparing in use of food or drinks If we become stranded in the snow storm, we will have to be abstemious with our food supply. The girl's parents were adamant about not allowing her to go on a dangerous backpacking trip. Addled - ANS (adj.) rotten The egg will become addled if it is left unrefrigerated. Adept - ANS (adj.) skilled; practiced The skilled craftsman was quite adept at creating beautiful vases and candleholders. Adjure - ANS (v.) solemnly ordered; request or urge The jurors were adjured by the judge to make a fair decision. Adroit - ANS (adj.) expert or skillful The repair was not difficult for the adroit craftsman. The driver's adroit driving avoided a serious accident. Adulterate - ANS (v.) to corrupt, debase, or make impure The dumping of chemicals will adulterate the pureness of the lake. Adulation - ANS (n.) praise in excess The adulation was in response to the heroic feat. The adulation given to the movie star was sickening. Adversary - ANS (n.) an enemy; foe The peace treaty united two countries that were historically great adversaries. Adverse - ANS (adj.) negative; hostile; Antagonistic; inimical Contrary to the ski resort's expectations, the warm weather generated adverse conditions for a Profitable weekend. Advocate - ANS (v.; n.) to plead in favor of; supporter; defender Amnesty International advocates the cause For human rights. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great advocate of civil rights. Aesthetic - ANS (adj.) of beauty; pertaining to taste In art and beauty She found that her aesthetic sense and that of the artist were at odds. His review made one wonder what kind of aesthetic taste the critic had. Affable - ANS (adj.) friendly; amiable; good-natured Her affable puppy loved to play with children. Affiliate - ANS (v.) to connect or associate with; to accept as a member (n.) a person who is affiliated The hiking club affiliated with the bird-watching club. Affinity - ANS (n.) a connection; similarity of structure There is a strong emotional affinity between the two siblings. It turns out that the elements bear a strong affinity to each other. Aggrandize - ANS (v.) to make more powerful The king wanted to aggrandize himself and his kingdom. Aghast - ANS (adj.) astonished; amazed; horrified; terrified; appalled Stockholders were aghast at the company's revelation. The landlord was aghast at his water bill. Agrarian - ANS (adj.) of the land, farming Many agrarian people are poor. Alacrity - ANS (n.) eager readiness or speed The manager was so impressed by the worker's alacrity; he suggested a promotion. On the first day of her new job, the recent college graduate was able to leave early after completing all of her tasks with Alacrity. Alchemist - ANS (n.) a person who studies chemistry and tries to change the substance or nature of elements The alchemist's laboratory was full of bottles and tubes of strange-looking liquids Alchemy - ANS (n.) any mysterious change of substance or nature The magician used alchemy to change the powder into a liquid Allegory - ANS (n.) a symbolic description The book contained many allegories on Russian history. Alleviate - ANS (v.) to lessen or make easier The airport's monorail alleviates vehicular traffic. Allocate - ANS (v.) set aside; designate; assign There have been front row seats allocated to the performer's family. The farmer allocated three acres of his fields to corn. Allude - ANS (v.) to refer indirectly to something The story alludes to part of the author's life. Without stating that the defendant was an ex-convict, the prosecutor alluded to the fact by mentioning his length of Unemployment. Allure - ANS (v.; n.) to attract; entice; attraction; temptation; glamour The romantic young man allured the beautiful woman by preparing a wonderful dinner. Singapore's allure is its bustling economy. Allusion - ANS (n.) an indirect reference (often literary); a hint The mention of the pet snake was an allusion to the man's sneaky ways. Anachronism - ANS (n.) something out of place in time (e.g., an airplane in 1492) The editor recognized an anachronism in the manuscript where the character from the 1500s boarded an airplane. He realized that the film about cavemen contained an anachronism when he saw a jet cut across the horizon during a hunting scene. Analogy - ANS (n.) similarity; correlation; parallelism The teacher used an analogy to describe the similarities between the two books. Comparing the newly discovered virus with one found long ago, the scientist made an analogy between the two Organisms. Anaphylaxis - ANS (n.) an allergic reaction The boy's severe anaphylaxis to a series of medications made writing prescriptions a tricky proposition. Anarchist - ANS (n.) one who believes that a formal government is unnecessary The yell from the crowd came from the anarchist protesting the Government. The anarchist attempted to overthrow the established democratic government of the new nation and reinstate chaos and disarray. Anchorage - ANS (n.) something that can be relied on Knowing the neighbors were right next door was an anchorage for the elderly woman. Anecdote - ANS (n.) a short account of happenings The speaker told an anecdote about how he lost his shoes when he was young. Animosity - ANS (n.) a feeling of hatred or ill will Animosity grew between the two feuding families. Anointed - ANS (v.) to crown; ordain; A member of the monarchy was anointed by the king. Anomaly - ANS (n.) an oddity, inconsistency; a deviation from the norm An anomaly existed when the report listed one statistic, and the spokeswoman reported another. In a parking lot full of Buicks, Chevys, and Plymouths, the Jaguar was an anomaly. Anonymous - ANS (adj.) nameless; unidentified Not wishing to be identified by the police, he remained anonymous by returning the money he had stolen by sending it through the mail. Antagonism - ANS (n.) hostility; opposition The antagonism was created by a misunderstanding. The rebellious clan captured a hostage to display antagonism to The new peace treaty. Antipathy - ANS (n.) a strong dislike or repugnance Her antipathy for large crowds convinced her to decline the invitation to the city. The vegetarian had an antipathy toward meat. Apathy - ANS (n.) lack of emotion or interest He showed apathy when his relative was injured. The disheartened peasants expressed apathy toward the new law Which promised new hope and prosperity for all. Apocalyptic - ANS (adj.) pertaining to a discovery or new revelation Science-fiction movies seem to relish apocalyptic visions. Apocryphal - ANS (adj.) counterfeit; of doubtful authorship or authenticity The man who said he was a doctor was truly apocryphal. Appease - ANS (v.) to satisfy; to calm A milk bottle usually appeases a crying baby. Apposite - ANS (adj.) suitable; apt; relevant Discussion of poverty was apposite to the curriculum, so the professor allowed it. Without reenacting the entire scenario, the situation can be understood if apposite information is given. Apprehensive - ANS (adj.) fearful; aware; conscious The nervous child was apprehensive about beginning a new school year. Approbatory - ANS (adj.) approving or sanctioning The judge showed his acceptance in his approbatory remark. Arable - ANS (adj.) suitable (as land) for plowing When the land was deemed arable, the farmer decided to plow. Arbiter - ANS (n.) one who is authorized to judge or decide The decision of who would represent the people was made by the arbiter. Arbitrary - ANS (adj.) making a judgment based on one's preference instead of a rule Rick admitted his decision had been arbitrary, as he claimed no expertise on the matter. Arcane - ANS (adj.) obscure; secret; mysterious; esoteric With an arcane expression, the young boy left the family wondering what sort of mischief he had committed. The wizard's description of his magic was purposefully arcane so that others would be unable to copy it. Archetype - ANS (n.) original pattern or model; prototype This man was the archetype for scores of fictional characters. The scientist was careful with the archetype of her Invention so that once manufacturing began, it would be easy to reproduce it. Ardent - ANS (adj.) with passionate or intense feelings The fans' ardent love of the game kept them returning to watch the terrible team. Arduous - ANS (adj.) laborious, difficult; strenuous Completing the plans for the new building proved to be an arduous affair. After the operation an astringent was used on his skin so that the stretched area would return to normal. The downturn in sales caused the CEO to impose a stringent measures. Her astringent remarks at the podium would not soon be forgotten. Astute - ANS (adj.) cunning; sly; crafty The astute lawyer's questioning convinced the jury of the defendant's guilt. Atrophy - ANS (v.; n.) to waste away, as from lack of use; to wither; failure to grow A few months after he lost his ability to walk, his Legs began to atrophy. The atrophy of the muscles was due to the injury. Attenuate - ANS (v.) to thin out; to weaken Antonym: coagulate Water is commonly used to attenuate strong chemicals. The chemist attenuated the solution by adding water. Atypical - ANS (adj.) something that is abnormal The atypical behavior of the wild animal alarmed the hunters. Assess - ANS (v.) to estimate the value of She assessed the possible rewards to see if the project was worth her time and effort. Audacious - ANS (adj.) fearless; bold The audacious soldier went into battle without a shield. Augment - ANS (v.) to increase or add to; to make larger They needed more soup so they augmented the recipe. They were able to augment their savings over a period of time. August - ANS (adj.) to be imposing or magnificent The palace was august in gold and crystal. The people bowed before the august king. Auspicious - ANS (adj.) being of a good omen; successful It was auspicious that the sun shone on the first day of the trip. The campaign had an auspicious start, foreshadowing The future. Austere - ANS (adj.) having a stern look; having strict self-discipline The old woman always has an austere look About her. The austere teacher assigned five pages of homework each day. Authentic - ANS (adj.) real; genuine; trustworthy An authentic diamond will cut glass. The computer had an Apple logo on it, but the boy questioned whether it was authentic. Authoritarian - ANS (n.; adj.) acting as a dictator; demanding obedience The authoritarian made all of the rules but did none of the work. Fidel Castro is reluctant to give up his authoritarian rule. Autocracy - ANS n.) An absolute monarchy; government where one Person holds power The autocracy was headed by a demanding man. She was extremely power-hungry and therefore Wanted her government to be an autocracy. Autocrat - ANS (n.) an absolute ruler The autocrat in charge of the government was a man of power and prestige. The autocrat made every decision and divided the tasks among his subordinates. Avarice - ANS (n.) greed; an inordinate desire for gaining and possessing wealth The man's avarice for money kept him at work through The evenings and weekends. The avarice of the president led to his downfall. Aver - ANS (v.) to affirm as true The witness was able to aver the identity of the defendant. Awry - ANS (ad; adv.) crooked (lee); uneven (lee); wrong; askew Hearing the explosion in the laboratory, the scientist realized the experiment had gone awry. Azure - ANS (adj.) the clear blue color of the sky The azure sky made the picnic day perfect. Baleful - ANS (adj.) harmful, malign, detrimental After she was fired, she realized it was a baleful move to point the blame at her superior. The strange liquid could be baleful if ingested. Banal - ANS (adj.) trite; without freshness or originality It was a banal suggestion to have the annual picnic in the park, since that was where it had been for the past five years. Baneful - ANS (adj.) deadly or causing distress, death, demise Not wearing a seat belt could be baneful. Baroque - ANS (adj.) extravagant; ornate; embellished The baroque artwork was made up of intricate details which kept the museum-goers enthralled. The baroque furnishings did not fit in the plain, modest home. Bastion - ANS (n.) a fortified place or strong defense The strength of the bastion saved the soldiers inside of it. The Cambridge Friends School is a bastion of progressive ideas The man betrothed his daughter to the prince. Biased - ANS (adj.) prejudiced; influenced; not neutral The vegetarian had a biased opinion regarding what should be ordered for dinner. The biased old man hated black people. Biennial - ANS (adj.; n.) happening every two Years; a plant which blooms every two years The biennial journal's influence seemed only magnified by its infrequent publication. She has lived here for four years and has seen the biennials bloom twice. Bilateral - ANS (adj.) pertaining to or affecting both Sides or two sides; having two sides A bilateral decision was made so that both partners reaped equal benefits from the same amount of work. The brain is a bilateral organ, consisting of a left and right hemisphere. Blasphemous - ANS (adj.) irreligious; away from acceptable standards; speaking ill of using profane language The upper-class parents thought that it was blasphemous for their son to marry a waitress. His blasphemous outburst was heard throughout the room. Blatant - ANS (adj.) obvious; unmistakable; crude; vulgar The blatant foul was reason for ejection. The defendant was blatant in his testimony. Blighted - ANS (adj.) causing frustration or destruction The blighted tornado left only one building standing in its wake. Blithe - ANS (adj.) happy; cheery; merry; a cheerful disposition The wedding was a blithe celebration. The blithe child was a pleasant surprise. Bode - ANS (v.) to foretell something The storm bode that we would not reach our destination. Bombast - ANS (n.) long, arrogant, over the top speech After he delivered his bombast at the podium, he arrogantly left the meeting. The presenter ended his bombast with a prediction of his future success. Bombastic - ANS (adj.) arrogant, wordy, turgid The bombastic woman talks a lot about herself. Boor - ANS (n.) a rude person The boor was not invited to the party, but he came anyway. Breadth - ANS (n.) the distance from one side to another The table cloth was too small to cover the breadth of the table. Brevity - ANS (n.) briefness; shortness On Top 40 AM radio, brevity was the coin of the realm. Brindled - ANS (adj.) mixed with a darker color In order to get matching paint we made a brindled mixture. Broach - ANS (v.) bring up what you intend to talk about in a conversation Broaching the touchy subject was difficult. Brusque - ANS (adj.) abrupt in manner or speech His brusque answer was neither acceptable nor polite. Bucolic - ANS (adj.) having to do with shepherds or the country; rural The bucolic setting inspired the artist. Bumptious - ANS (adj.) arrogant, conceited, pompous He was bumptious in manner as he approached the podium to accept his Anticipated award. Bungler - ANS (n.) a clumsy person The one who broke the crystal vase was a true bungler. Burgeon - ANS (v.) to grow or develop quickly The tumor appeared to burgeon more quickly than normal. After the first punch was thrown, the dispute burgeoned into a brawl. Burlesque - ANS (v.; n.) to imitate in a non-serious manner; a comical imitation His stump speeches were so hackneyed, he seemed to be burlesquing of his role as a congressman. George Burns was considered one of the great practitioners of burlesque. Burly - ANS (adj.) strong; bulky; stocky The lumberjack was a burly man. Burnish - ANS (v.) to polish by rubbing The vase needed to be burnished to restore its beauty. Cabal - ANS (n.) a group of persons joined by a secret The very idea that there could be a cabal cast suspicion on the whole operation. Cache - ANS stockpile; store; heap; hiding place for goods The town kept a cache of salt on hand to melt winter's snow off the roads. Extra food is kept in the cache under the pantry. The cache for his jewelry was hidden under the bed. Cacophonous - ANS (adj.) sounding jarring The cacophonous sound from the bending metal sent shivers up our spines. Cacophony - ANS (n.) a harsh, inharmonious collection of sounds; dissonance The beautiful harmony of the symphony was well enjoyed after the cacophony coming Admitting his guilt served as a catharsis for the Man. Caustic - ANS adj.) Eating away at; sarcastic words The caustic chemicals are dangerous. The girl harmed her mother with her caustic remarks. His caustic sense of humor doesn't go over so well when People don't know what they're in for. Cavil - ANS (v.) to bicker; to argue about something miniscule The children are constantly caviling. Censor - ANS (v.) to examine and delete objectionable material The children were allowed to watch the adult movie only after it had been censored. Censure - ANS (n.; v.) a disapproval; an expression of disapproval; to criticize or disapprove of His remarks drew the censure of his employers. A censure of the new show upset the directors. Her parents censured her idea of dropping out of school. Ceremonious - ANS (adj.) very formal or proper The black-tie dinner was highly ceremonious. Cessation - ANS (n.)Ceasing; a stopping The cessation of a bad habit is often difficult to sustain. Chafe - ANS (v.) to annoy, to irritate; to wear away or make sore by Rubbing His constant teasing chafed her. He doesn't wear pure wool sweaters because they usually chafe his skin. Chaffing - ANS (n.) banter; teasing The king was used to his jesters good-natured chaffing. Chagrin - ANS (n.) a feeling of embarrassment due to failure or Disappointment To the chagrin of the inventor, the machine did not work. She turned red-faced with chagrin when she Learned that her son had been caught shoplifting. Charisma - ANS (n.) appeal; magnetism; presence She has such charisma that everyone likes her the first time they meet her. Charlatan - ANS (n.) a person who pretends to have Knowledge; an impostor; fake The charlatan deceived the townspeople. It was finally discovered that the charlatan sitting on the throne was not the real king. Chary - ANS (adj.) cautious; being sparing in giving Be chary when driving at night. The chary man had few friends. Chaste - ANS (adj.) virtuous; free of obscenity Because the woman believed in being chaste, she would not let her date into the House. Chastise - ANS (v.) to punish; discipline; admonish; castigate The dean chastised the first-year student for cheating on the exam. Cherish - ANS (v.) to feel love for The bride vowed to cherish the groom for life. Chicanery - ANS (n.) trickery or deception The swindler was trained in chicanery. A news broadcast is no place for chicanery. Chimera - ANS (n.) an impossible fancy or dream Perhaps he saw a flying saucer, but perhaps it was only a chimera. Choleric - ANS (adj.) cranky; cantankerous; easily moved to Feeling displeasure The choleric man was continually upset by his neighbors. Rally becomes choleric when his views are Challenged. Chortle - ANS (v., n.) to make a gleeful, chuckling sound The chortles emanating from the audience indicated it wouldn't be as tough a crowd as the stand-up comic had Expected Churlishness - ANS (n.) crude or surly behavior; behavior of a peasant; crass The fraternity's churlishness ran afoul of the Dean’s office. The churlishness of the teenager caused his employer to lose faith in him. Circumlocution - ANS (n.) a roundabout or indirect way of speaking; not to the point The man's speech contained so much circumlocution that I was unsure of the point he was trying to make. The child made a long speech using circumlocution to avoid stating that it was she who had knocked over the lamp. Circumlocutory - ANS (adj.) being too long, as in a description or expression; a roundabout, indirect, or ungainly way of Expressing something It was a circumlocutory documentary that could have been cut to half its running time to say twice as much. Circumspect - ANS (adj.) considering all circumstances A circumspect decision must be made when so many people are involved. Citadel - ANS (n.) a fortress set up high to defend a city It was critical to establish whether the defendant Was cognizant of his rights. Coherent - ANS (adj.) sticking together; connected; logical; consistent The course was a success Due to its coherent information. If he couldn't make a coherent speech, how could he run for office? Cohesion - ANS (n.) the act of holding together The cohesion of the group increased as friendships were formed. The cohesion of different molecules forms different substances. Cohort - ANS (n.) a group; band The cohort of teens gathered at the athletic field. Collaborate - ANS (v.) to work together; cooperate The two builders collaborated to get the house finished. Colloquial - ANS (adj.) having to do with conversation; informal speech The colloquial reference indicated the free spirit of the group. When you listen to the difference between spoken colloquial conversation and written work, you realize how good an ear a novelist must have to write authentic dialogue. Collusion - ANS (n.) secret agreement for an illegal purpose The authority discovered a collusion between the director and treasurer. Comeliness - ANS (n.) beauty; attractiveness in appearance or behavior The comeliness of the woman attracted everyone's attention. Commiserate - ANS (v.) to show sympathy for The hurricane victims commiserated about the loss of their homes. Commodious - ANS (adj.) spacious and convenient; roomy The new home was so commodious that many new pieces of furniture needed to be purchased. Communal - ANS (adj.) shared or common ownership The communal nature of the project made everyone pitch in to help. Compatible - ANS (adj.) in agreement with; harmonious When repairing an automobile, it is necessary to use parts compatible with that make and model. Complacent - ANS (adj.) content; self-satisfied; smug The CEO worries regularly that his firm's winning ways will make it complacent. The candidate was so complacent with his poll numbers that he virtually stopped campaigning Complaisance - ANS (n.) the quality of being agreeable or eager to please The complaisance of the new assistant made it easy for the managers to give him a lot of work without worrying that he may complain. Compliant - ANS (adj.) complying; obeying; yielding Compliant actions should be reinforced. The slave was compliant with every order to avoid being whipped. Comport - ANS (v.) fitting in It was easy to comport to the new group of employees. Comprehensive - ANS (adj.) all-inclusive; complete; thorough It's the only health facility around to offer comprehensive care. Compromise - ANS (v.) to settle by mutual adjustment Labor leaders and the automakers compromised by agreeing to a starting wage of $16 an hour in exchange for concessions on health-care premiums Concede - ANS (v.) to acknowledge; admit; to surrender; to abandon one's position After much wrangling, the conceded that the minister had a point. Satisfied with the recount, the mayor conceded Graciously. Conceit - ANS (n.) an exaggerated personal opinion The man's belief that he was the best player on the team was pure conceit. Conciliation - ANS (n.) an attempt to make friendly or placate The efforts at conciliation between the two countries was not successful. Conciliatory - ANS (adj.) to reconcile; to make peace The diplomat sought to take a conciliatory approach to keep the talks going. Concise - ANS (adj.) in few words; brief; condensed The concise instructions were printed on two pages rather than the customary five. Conclave - ANS (n.) any private meeting or closed assembly The conclave was to meet in the executive suite Condescend - ANS (v.) to come down from one's position or Dignity The arrogant, rich man was usually condescending towards his servants. Condone - ANS (v.) to overlook; to forgive; to permit The loving and forgiving mother condoned her son's life of crime I will condone your actions of negligence. Confound - ANS (v.) to cause confusion The problem confounded our ability to solve it. Confound you, you scoundrel! Conglomeration - ANS (n.) a collection or mixture of various things The conglomeration is made up of four different interest groups. The soup was a conglomeration of meats and vegetables. The United Nations held that the Eastern European nation had contravened the treaty. contrite - ANS (adj.) regretful; sorrowful; having repentance Regretting his decision not to attend college, the contrite man did not lead a very happy life. A contrite heart has fixed its wrongs contumacious - ANS (adj.) resisting authority The man was put in jail for contumacious actions. (n.) a bruise; an injury where the skin is not broken The man was fortunate to receive only contusions from the crash. contusion - ANS (n.) a bruise; an injury where the skin is not broken The man was fortunate to receive only contusions from the crash. conundrum - ANS (n.) a puzzle or riddle; enigma I spent two hours trying to figure out the conundrum. The legend says that to enter the secret passageway, one must answer the ancient conundrum conventional - ANS (adj.) traditional; common; routine The bride wanted a conventional wedding ceremony, complete with white dresses, many flowers, and a grand reception party. Conventional telephones are giving way to videophones. converge - ANS (v.) to move toward one point (opposite: diverge) It was obvious that an accident was going to occur as the onlookers watched the two cars converge. The two roads converge at the corner. conviviality - ANS (n.) a fondness for festiveness or joviality His conviviality makes him a welcome guest at any social gathering. convoke - ANS (v.) a call to assemble The teacher convoked her students in the auditorium to help prepare them for the play. copious - ANS (adj.) abundant; in great quantities Her copious notes touched on every subject presented in the lecture. corpulence - ANS (n.) obesity The corpulence of the man kept him from fitting into the seat. correlate - ANS (v.) to bring into mutual relation The service man was asked to correlate the two computer demonstration pamphlets. corroborate - ANS (v.) to confirm the validity The witness must corroborate the prisoner's story if she is to be set free coterie - ANS (n.) a clique; a group who meet frequently, usually socially A special aspect of campus life is joining a coterie. Every day after school she joins her coterie on the playground and they go out for a soda. covenant - ANS (n.) a binding and solemn agreement With the exchange of vows, the covenant was complete. covetous - ANS (adj.) greedy; very desirous Lonnie, covetous of education, went to almost every lecture at the university. Covetous of her neighbor's pool, she did everything she could to make things unpleasant.. cower - ANS (v.) to huddle and tremble The lost dog cowered near the tree. The tellers cowered in the corner as the bandit ransacked the bank. coy - ANS (adj.) modest; bashful; pretending shyness to attract Her coy manners attracted the man. He's not really that shy, he's just being coy. crass - ANS (adj.) stupid or dull; insensitive; materialistic To make light of someone's weakness is crass. They made their money the old-fashioned way, but still they were accused of being crass. My respect for the man was lowered when he made the crass remark craven - ANS (n.; adj.) coward; abject person; cowardly While many fought for their rights, the craven sat shaking, off in a corner somewhere. Craven men will not stand up for what they believe in. culpable - ANS (adj.) deserving blame; guilty The convicted criminal still denies that he is culpable for the robbery. curb - ANS (n.) a restraint or framework A curb was put up along the street to help drainage. curmudgeon - ANS n.) an ill-tempered person The curmudgeon asked the children not to play near the house. cursory - ANS (adj.) hasty; slight The detective's cursory examination of the crime scene caused him to overlook the lesser clues. cynic - ANS (n.) one who believes that others are motivated entirely by selfishness. The cynic felt that the hero saved the man to become famous. dais - ANS n.) a raised platform at one end of a room The dais was lowered to make the speaker look taller. dally - ANS (v.) to loiter; to waste time Please do not dally or we will miss our appointment. He said he wouldn't deign to dignify her statement with a response. Fired from his job as a programmer analyst, Joe vowed he would never deign to mop floors-even if he were down to his last penny. deleterious - ANS (adj.) harmful; hurtful; noxious Deleterious fumes escaped from the overturned truck. deliberate - ANS (v.; adj.) to consider carefully; weigh in the mind; intentional The jury deliberated for three days before reaching a verdict. The brother's deliberate attempt to get his sibling blamed for his mistake was obvious to all. delineated - ANS (v.) to outline; to describe She delineated her plan so that everyone would have a basic understanding of it. deliquesce - ANS (v.) to dissolve The snow deliquesced when the temperature rose. delusion - ANS (n.) a false belief or opinion The historian suffered from the delusion that he was Napoleon. demise - ANS (n.) ceasing to exist as in death The demise of the company followed years of decline. Th news of the man's demise shook the country. demur - ANS (v.; n.) to object; objection; misgiving She hated animals, so when the subject of buying a cat came up, she demurred. She said yes, but he detected a demur in her voice. She was nominated to sit on the committee, but she demurred. The council president called for a vote, and hearing no demur, asked for a count by the clerk. denigrate - ANS (v.) to defame, to blacken or sully; to belittle After finding out her evil secret, he announced it to the council and denigrated her in public. Her attempt to denigrate the man's name was not successful. denounce - ANS (v.) to speak out against; condemn A student rally was called to denounce the use of drugs on campus. depicts - ANS (v.) to portray; describe The mural depicts the life of a typical urban dweller. deplete - ANS (v.) to reduce; to empty, exhaust Having to pay the entire bill will deplete the family's savings. deposition - ANS (n.) a removal from office or power; a testimony Failing to act lawfully could result in his deposition. She met with her lawyer this morning to review her deposition. depravity - ANS (n.) moral corruption; badness Drugs and money caused depravity throughout the once decorous community. The depravity of the old man was bound to land him in jail one day deprecate - ANS (v.) to express disapproval of; to protest against The environmentalists deprecated the paper companies for cutting down ancient forests. The organization will deprecate the opening of the sewage plant. depredation - ANS (n.) a plundering or laying waste; stealing and ruining everything The pharaoh's once rich tomb was empty after centuries of depredation from grave robbers deride - ANS (v.) to laugh at with contempt; to mock No matter what he said, he was derided. It is impolite to deride someone even if you dislike him. derision - ANS (n.) the act of mocking; ridicule, mockery A day of derision from the boss left the employee feeling depressed. Constant derision from classmates made him quit school. derisive - ANS (adj.) showing disrespect or scorn for The derisive comment was aimed at the man's life long enemy. derogatory - ANS (adj.) belittling; uncomplimentary He was upset because his annual review was full of derogatory comments. descant - ANS (v.) lengthy talking or writing The man will descant on the subject if you give him too much speaking time. desecrate - ANS (v.) to profane; violate the sanctity of; damage and degrade The teenagers' attempt to desecrate the church disturbed the community. desist - ANS (v.) to stop or cease The judge ordered the man to desist from calling his ex-wife in the middle of the night. desolate - ANS (adj.) to be left alone or made lonely Driving down the desolate road had Kelvin worried that he wouldn't reach a gas station in time. despoiled - ANS (v.) to take everything; plunder The Huns despoiled village after village. despotism - ANS (n.) tyranny; absolute power or influence The ruler's despotism went uncontested for 30 years. The diminutive woman could not see over the counter. din - ANS (n.) a noise which is loud and continuous The din of the jackhammers reverberated throughout the concrete canyon. dint - ANS (n.) strength The dint of the bridge could hold trucks weighing many tons. dirge - ANS (n.) a hymn for a funeral; a song or poem expressing lament The mourners sang a traditional Irish dirge . disapprobation - ANS (n.) disapproval Her disapprobation of her daughter's fiance' divided the family. disarray - ANS (n.) (state of) disorder The thief left the house in disarray. disavow - ANS (v.) to deny; to refuse to acknowledge The actor has disavowed the rumor. discerning - ANS (adj.) distinguishing one thing from another; having good judgment He has a discerning eye for knowing the original from the copy. Being discerning about a customer's character is a key qualification for a loan officer. discomfit - ANS (v.) to frustrate the expectations of The close game discomfited the number one player. discord - ANS (n.) disagreement; lack of harmony There was discord amidst the jury, and therefore a decision could not be made. discourse - ANS (v.) to converse; to communicate in an orderly fashion The interviewee discoursed so fluently, she was hired on the spot. The scientists discoursed on a conference call for just five minutes but were able to solve three major problems. discreet - ANS (adj.) showing good judgment in conduct; prudent We confided our secret in Mary because we knew she'd be discreet discrete - ANS (adj.) separate; individually distinct; composed of distinct parts There were four discrete aspects to the architecture of the home. The citizens committee maintained that road widening and drainage were hardly discrete issues. discriminate - ANS (v.) distinguish; demonstrate bias Being a chef, he discriminated carefully among ingredients. Reeling from the fact that senior managers had been caught on tape making offensive remarks, the CEO said he would not tolerate any of his firm's employees discriminating against anyone for any reason. disdain - ANS (n.; v.) intense dislike; look down upon; scorn She showed great disdain toward anyone who did not agree with her. She disdains the very ground you walk upon. disentangle - ANS (v.) to free from confusion We need to disentangle ourselves from the dizzying variety of choices. disheartened - ANS (adj.) discouraged; depressed After failing the exam, the student became disheartened and wondered if he would ever graduate. disingenuous - ANS (adj.) not frank or candid; deceivingly simple (opposite: ingenious) The director used a disingenuous remark to make his point to the student. He always gives a quick, disingenuous response; you never get a straight answer. disinterested - ANS (adj.) neutral; unbiased (alternate meaning; uninterested) A disinterested person was needed to serve as arbitrator of the argument. He never takes sides; he's always disinterested. disparage - ANS (v.) to belittle; undervalue; to discredit After she fired him she realized that she had disparaged the value of his assistance. The lawyer will attempt to disparage the testimony of the witness. disparate - ANS (adj.) unequal; dissimilar; different They came from disparate backgrounds, one a real estate magnate, the other a custodian. The disparate numbers of players made the game a sure blowout. disparity - ANS (n.) difference in form, character, or degree There is a great disparity between a light snack and a great feast. dispassionate - ANS (adj.) lack of feeling; impartial She was a very emotional person and could not work with such a dispassionate employer. disperse - ANS (v.) to scatter; separate The pilots dispersed the food drops over a wide area of devastation. Tear gas was used to disperse the crowd. disputatious - ANS (adj.) argumentative; inclined to disputes His disputatious streak eventually wore down his fellow parliament members. The child was so disputatious he needed to be removed from the room. dissemble - ANS (v.) to pretend; to feign; to conceal by pretense The man dissembled his assets shamelessly to avoid paying alimony. doting - ANS (adj.) excessively fond of With great joy, the doting father held the toddler. doughty - ANS (adj.) brave and strong The doughty fireman saved the woman's life. dowdy - ANS (adj.) shabby in appearance The dowdy girl had no buttons on her coat and the threads were falling apart. dubious - ANS (adj.) doubtful; uncertain; skeptical; suspicious Many people are dubious about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets. The new information was dubious enough to re-open the case. duplicity - ANS (n.) deception She forgave his duplicity but divorced him anyway. duress - ANS (n.) imprisonment; the use of threats His duress was supposed to last 10-15 years. The policewoman put the man under duress in order to get a confession. The Labor Department inspector needed to establish whether the plant workers had been held under duress. earthy - ANS (adj.) unrefined The earthy-looking table was bare. ebullience - ANS (n.) an overflowing of high spirits; effervescence She emanated ebullience as she skipped and sang down the hallway after learning of her promotion. eccentric - ANS (adj.) odd; peculiar; strange People like to talk with the eccentric artist since he has such different views on everyday subjects. Wearing polka dot pants and a necklace made of recycled bottle tops is considered eccentric. ecclesiastic - ANS (adj.) pertaining or relating to a church Ecclesiastic obligations include attending mass. eclectic - ANS (adj.) picking from various possibilities; made up of material from various sources You have eclectic taste. The eclectic collection of furniture did not match. economical - ANS (adj.) not wasteful; thrifty With her economical sense she was able to save the company thousands of dollars. edifice - ANS (n.) a large building The edifice rose 20 stories and spanned two blocks. edify - ANS (v.) to build or establish; to instruct and improve the mind According to their schedule, the construction company will edify the foundation of the building in one week. The teachers worked to edify their students through lessons and discussion. educe - ANS (v.) to draw out; to infer from information Because she is so dour, I was forced to educe a response. I educe from the report that the experiment was a success. efface - ANS (v.) to erase; to make inconspicuous Hiding in the woods, the soldier was effaced by his camouflage uniform. effeminate - ANS (adj.) having qualities attributed to a woman; delicate A high-pitched laugh made the man seem effeminate effervescence - ANS (n.) liveliness; spirit; enthusiasm; bubbliness Her effervescence was contagious; she made everyone around her happy. The effervescence of champagne is what makes it different from wine. effigy - ANS (n.) the image or likeness of a person Demonstrators carried effigies of the dictator they wanted overthrown. effluvium - ANS (n.) an outflow of vapor of invisible particles; a noxious odor The effluvium from the exhaust had a bad smell. It was difficult to determine from where the effluvium issued. effrontery - ANS (n.) arrogance The effrontery of the young man was offensive. effusive - ANS (adj.) pouring out or forth; overflowing The effusive currents rush through the broken dam egocentric - ANS (adj.) self-centered, viewing everything in relation to oneself The egocentric professor could not accept the students' opinions as valid. egress - ANS (n.) a way out; exit The doorway provided an egress from the chamber. elaboration - ANS n.) act of clarifying; adding details The mayor called for an elaboration on the ordinance's first draft. elegy - ANS (n.) a poem of lament and praise for the dead Upon conclusion of the elegy, the casket was closed. ellipsis - ANS n.) omission (leave out) of words that would make the meaning clear The accidental ellipsis confused all those who heard the speech. enhance - ANS (v.) to improve; compliment; make more attractive The new fuel enhanced the performance of the rocket's engines. enigma - ANS (n.) mystery; secret; perplexity To all of the searchers, the missing child's location remained a great enigma. enigmatic - ANS (adj.) baffling, puzzling The enigmatic murder plagued the detective. ennui - ANS (n.) boredom; apathy Ennui set in when the children realized they had already played with all the toys. eons - ANS (n.) an indefinitely long period of time The star may have existed for eons. ephemeral - ANS (adj.) very short-lived; lasting only a short time Living alone gave him an ephemeral happiness, soon to be replaced with utter loneliness. epicure - ANS (n.) a person who has good taste in food and drink As an epicure, Lance is choosy about the restaurants he visits. epigram - ANS (n.) a witty or satirical poem or statement The poet wrote an epigram about the upcoming election. "I can resist everything but temptation." - Oscar Wilde epilogue - ANS (n.) closing section of a play or novel providing further comment. The epilogue told us the destiny of the characters. epiphany - ANS (n.) an appearance of a god or supernatural being; a sudden and profound understanding of something. Moses bowed to the epiphany. An example of epiphany is when someone has been looking for their lost keys and suddenly has an idea of where they are. epitaph - ANS (n.) an inscription on a monument; in honor or memory of a dead person The epitaph described the actions of a brave man. epitome - ANS (n.) model; typification; representation; personification The woman chosen to lead the dancers was the epitome of true grace. equanimity - ANS (n.) the quality of remaining calm and undisturbed Equanimity can be reached when stress is removed from life. equinox - ANS (n.) precise time when day and night is of equal length On the equinox we had twelve hours of night and day. equivocal - ANS (adj.) doubtful; uncertain Scientific evidence was needed before the equivocal hypothesis was accepted by the doubting researchers. equivocation - ANS (n.) a purposely misleading statement The equivocations by the man sent the search team looking in the wrong direction. eradication - ANS the act of annihilating, destroying, or erasing Some have theorized that the eradication of the dinosaurs was due to a radical change in climate. errant - ANS (adj.) roving in search of adventure; wandering The young man set out across country on an errant expedition. erratic - ANS (adj.) unpredictable; irregular His erratic behavior was attributed to the shocking news he had received. The kitten's erratic behavior was attributed to the owner's cruel method of disciplining his pet. erroneous - ANS (adj.) untrue; inaccurate; not correct The reporter's erroneous story was corrected by a new article that stated the truth. erudite - ANS (adj.) having a wide knowledge acquired through reading The woman was so erudite, she could recite points on most any subject. eschew - ANS (v.) to shun; to avoid Eschew the traffic and you may arrive on time. esoteric - ANS (adj.) understood by only a chosen few; confidential; abstruse by most people The esoteric language was only known by the select group. We have had a number of esoteric conversations. estimable - ANS (adj.) deserving respect The estimable hero was given a parade. ethereal - ANS (adj.) very light; airy; heavenly; not earthly The ethereal quality of the music had a hypnotic effect. The dancer wore an ethereal outfit which made her look like an angel. ethnic - ANS (adj.) pertaining to races or peoples and their origin classification, or characteristics Ethnic foods from five continents were set up on the table. eulogy - ANS (n.) words of praise, especially for the dead The eulogy was a remembrance of the good things the man accomplished in his lifetime. euphemism - ANS (n.) the use of a word or phrase in place of one that is distasteful The words "waste products" are a euphemism for poop. The words "pass away" are a euphemism for dying or death. expunge - ANS (v.) to blot out; to delete Bleach may be used to expunge the stain. extant - ANS (adj.) existing; refers especially to books or documents Some of my ancestor's letters remain extant extemporize - ANS (v.) to improvise; to make it up as you go along It was necessary for the musician to extemporize when his music fell off the stand. extol - ANS (v.) to give great praise The father will extol the success of his son to everyone he meets. extraneous - ANS (adj.) irrelevant; not related; not essential During the long, boring lecture, most people agreed that much of the information was extraneous. extricable - ANS (adj.) capable of being disentangled The knots were complicated, but extricable. exultation - ANS (n.) the act of rejoicing Exultation was evident by the partying and revelry. facetious - ANS (adj.) joking in an awkward or improper manner His facetious sarcasm was inappropriate during his first staff meeting. facilitate - ANS (v.) make easier; simplify The new ramp by the door's entrance facilitated access to the building for those in wheelchairs. facsimile - ANS (n.) copy; reproduction; replica The facsimile of the elaborate painting was indistinguishable from the original. faction - ANS (n.) a number of people in an organization working for a common cause against the main body A faction of the student body supported the president's vie . fallacious - ANS (adj.) misleading A used car salesman provided fallacious information that caused the naive man to purchase the old, broken car. fallible - ANS (adj.) liable to be mistaken or erroneous By not differentiating themselves from the popular band, the group was especially fallible. fanatic - ANS (n.) enthusiast; extremist The terrorist group was comprised of fanatics who wanted to destroy those who disagreed with them. fastidious - ANS (adj.) difficult to please; dainty The fastidious girl would not accept any offers as suitable. The woman was extremely fastidious, as evident in her occasional fainting spells fathom - ANS v.; n.) to understand; a nautical unit of depth It was difficult to fathom the reason for closing the institution. The submarine cruised at 17 fathoms below the surface. fatuous - ANS (adj.) lacking in seriousness; vain and silly The fatuous prank was meant to add comedy to the situation. His fatuous personality demands that he stop in front of every mirror. fealty - ANS (n.) loyalty The baron was given land in exchange for his fealty to the king. feasible - ANS (adj.) reasonable; practical Increased exercise is a feasible means of weight loss. fecund - ANS (adj.) productive The construction crew had a fecund day and were able to leave early. feign - ANS (v.) pretend It is not uncommon for a child to feign illness in order to stay home from school. feint - ANS (v.; n.) to pretend to throw a punch, as in boxing; a fake show intended to deceive The fighter feinted a left hook just before he went for the knockout. ferment - ANS (v.) to excite or agitate The rally cry was meant to ferment and confuse the opponent. ferret - ANS (v.; n.) to force out of hiding; to search for; a small, weasel-like mammal The police will ferret the fugitive out of his hiding place. I spent the morning ferreting for my keys I have a pet ferret. fervent - ANS (adj.) passionate; intense They have a fervent relationship that keeps them together every minute of every day. fervid - ANS (adj.) intensely hot; fervent; impassioned Her fervid skin alerted the doctor to her fever. The fervid sermon of the preacher swayed his congregation. fervor - ANS (n.) passion; intensity of feeling The crowd was full of fervor as the candidate entered the hall. fester - ANS (v.) to become more and more virulent and fixed His anger festered until no one could change his mind. fetid - ANS (adj.) having a smell of decay The fetid smell led us to believe something was decaying in the basement. fertility - ANS (n.) anything to which one gives excessive devotion He exhibited remarkable forbearance when confronted with the mischievous children. forensic - ANS (adj.) pertaining to legal or public argument The forensic squad dealt with the legal investigation. formidable - ANS (adj.) something which causes dread or fear The formidable team caused weak knees in the opponents. fortitude - ANS (n.) firm courage; strength It is necessary to have fortitude to complete the hike. fortuitous - ANS (adj.) happening accidentally Finding the money under the bush was fortuitous. foster - ANS (v.) encourage; nurture; support A good practice routine fosters success. After the severe storm the gardener fostered many of his plants back to health. fractious - ANS (adj.) rebellious; apt to quarrel Fractious siblings aggravate their parents. fraught - ANS (adj.) loaded; charged The comment was fraught with sarcasm. frenetic - ANS (adj.) frenzied A frenetic call was made from the crime scene. fret - ANS (v.) to make rough or disturb The pet will fret the floor if he continues to scratch. frivolity - ANS (adj.) giddiness; lack of seriousness The hard-working students deserved weekend gatherings filled with frivolity. forward - ANS (adj.) not willing to yield or comply with what is reasonable The executive had to deal with a forward peer who was becoming increasingly difficult. frugality - ANS (n.) thrift; economical use or expenditure His frugality limited him to purchasing the item for which he had a coupon. Preparing to save money to send their daughter to college, the parents practiced extreme frugality for several years. fulminate - ANS (v.) to blame, denunciate It is impolite to fulminate someone for your mistakes. Senator Shay fulminated against her opponent's double-standard on campaign finance reform. fulsome - ANS (adj.) disgusting due to excess The man became obese when he indulged in fulsome eating. fundamental - ANS (adj.) basic; necessary Shelter is one of the fundamental needs of human existence. furtive - ANS (adj.) secretive; sly The detective had much difficulty finding the furtive criminal. fustian - ANS (n.) pompous talk or writing The fustian by the professor made him appear arrogant. futile - ANS (adj.) worthless; unprofitable It was a futile decision to invest in that company since they never made any money. gaffe - ANS (n.) a blunder Calling the woman by the wrong name was a huge gaffe. gainsay - ANS (v.) to speak against; to contradict; to deny With Senator Bowker the only one to gainsay it, the bill passed overwhelmingly. galvanize - ANS (v.) to stimulate as if by electric shock; startle; excite The pep rally will galvanize the team gamut - ANS (n.) a complete range; any complete musical scale The woman's wardrobe runs the gamut from jeans to suits. His first composition covered the entire gamut of the major scale. garbled - ANS (adj.) mixed up; distorted or confused The interference on the phone line caused the data to become garbled on the computer screen. garish - ANS (adj.) gaudy, showy The gold fixtures seemed garish. garner - ANS (v.) to gather up and store; to collect The squirrels garnered nuts for the winter. garrulous - ANS (adj.) extremely talkative or wordy No one wanted to speak with the garrulous man for fear of being stuck in a long, one- sided conversation. gauche - ANS adj.) awkward; lacking social grace Unfortunately, the girl was too gauche to fit into high society. gauntlet - ANS (n.) a protective glove The gauntlet saved the man's hand from being burned in the fire. generic - ANS (adj.) common; general; universal While generic drugs are often a better value, it always a good idea to consult your doctor before purchasing them. genial - ANS (adj.) contributing to life; amiable Key West's genial climate is among its many attractive aspects. Her genial personality made her a favorite party guest. The old man fondly remembered his halcyon days growing up on the farm. hamper - ANS (v.) interfere with; hinder The roadblock hampered their progress, but they knew a shortcut. haphazard - ANS (adj.) disorganized; random He constantly misplaced important documents because of his haphazard way of running his office. hapless - ANS (adj.) unlucky; unfortunate The hapless team could not win a game. harangue - ANS (n; v.) a lengthy, heartfelt speech; to talk or write excitedly We sat patiently and listened to her harangue. When he finally stopped his haranguing, I responded calmly. harbor - ANS (n.; v.) a place of safety or shelter; to give shelter or to protect. We stood at the dock as the ship sailed into the harbor. The peasants were executed for harboring known rebels. The rabbits used the shed as a harbor from the raging storm. Her decision to harbor a known criminal was an unwise on harmonious - ANS (adj.) having proportionate and orderly parts The challenge for the new conductor was to mold his musicians' talents into a harmonious orchestra haughty - ANS (adj.) proud of oneself and scornful of others. The haughty ways she displayed her work turned off her peers. The haughty girl displayed her work as if she were the most prized artist. hedonistic - ANS (adj.) living for pleasure The group was known for its hedonistic rituals. Hot tubs, good food, and a plethora of leisure time were the hallmarks of this hedonistic society. heed - ANS (v.) obey; yield to If the peasant heeds the king's commands, she will be able to keep her land. hefty - ANS (adj.) heavy or powerful The unabridged dictionary makes for a hefty book. heresy - ANS (n.) opinion contrary to popular belief In this town it is considered heresy to want parking spaces to have meters. heretic - ANS (n.) one who holds opinion contrary to that which is generally accepted Because he believed the world was round, many people considered Columbus to be a heretic. hiatus - ANS (n.) interval; break; period of rest Summer vacation provided a much-needed hiatus for the students. Between graduation and the first day of his new job, Tim took a three month hiatus in the Caribbean. hierarchy - ANS (n.) a system of persons or things arranged according to rank I was put at the bottom of the hierarchy while Jane was put at the top. hoary - ANS (adj.) whitened by age The paint had a hoary appearance, as if it were applied decades ago. homage - ANS (n.) honor; respect The police officers paid homage to their fallen colleague with a ceremony that celebrated her life. homeostasis - ANS (n.) maintenance of stability Knowing the seriousness of the operation, the surgeons were concerned about restoring the patient to homeostasis. homily - ANS (n.) solemn moral talk; sermon The preacher gave a moving homily to the gathered crowd. hone - ANS (n.; v.) something used to sharpen; to sharpen; to long or yearn for He ran the knife over the hone for hours to get a razor-sharp edge. The apprenticeship will give her the opportunity to hone her skills. The traveler hones for his homeland. hubris - ANS (n.) arrogance Some think it was hubris that brought the president to the point of impeachment. humility - ANS (n.) modesty Full of humility, she accepted the award but gave all the credit to her mentor. hybrid - ANS (n.) anything of mixed origin The flower was a hybrid of three different flowers hyperbole - ANS (n.) an exaggeration, not to be taken seriously The full moon was almost blinding in its brightness, he said with a measure of hyperbole. hypocritical - ANS (adj.) two-faced; deceptive His constituents believed that the governor was hypocritical for calling for a moratorium on "negative" campaigning while continuing to air some of the most vicious ads ever produced against his opponent. Most of his constituents believedthe governor was hypocritical for calling his opponent a "mud-slinging hack" when his own campaign had slung more than its share of dirt. hypothetical - ANS (adj.) assumed; uncertain; conjectural; guesswork A hypothetical situation was set up so we could practice our responses. impasse - ANS (n.) a situation that has no solution or escape. The workers and administration were at an impasse in their negotiations. impassive - ANS (adj.) showing no emotion Even when his father died he gave an impassive response and walked out tearless. Her expected announcement was met by an impassive facial expression. impecunious - ANS (adj.) poor; having no money The Great Depression made family after family impecunious. impede - ANS (v.) to stop the progress of; obstruct The rain impeded the work on the building. impenitent - ANS (adj.) without regret, shame, or remorse It was obvious after his impenitent remark to the press that the defendant felt no remorse for his crime. imperious - ANS (adj.) arrogant; urgent Her imperious manner cost her her two best friends. It was imperious that the message reach the police chief. imperturbable - ANS (adj.) calm; not easily excited The imperturbable West Point graduate made a fine negotiator. impervious - ANS (adj.) impenetrable; not allowing anything to pass through; unaffected The vest that the policeman wears is impervious to bullets. The child was impervious to the actions of the adult. impetuous - ANS (adj.) moving with great force; done with little thought The impetuous movement took the art community by storm. The impetuous teenager spent her money without considering what she needed the new purchase for. Dagmar came to regret his impetuous actions, once he realized what he'd done. The pirate's men boarded the ship with impetuous matter-of-factness. impiety - ANS (n.) irreverence toward God; lack of respect The bishop condemned the impiety of the celebrity's assertions. Impiety is evident in the way many people commit rude actions. implacable - ANS (adj.) unwilling to be pacified or appeased The baby was so implacable a warm bottle would not settle her. The two year old was an implacable child; he cried no matter what his parents did to comfort him. implement - ANS (v.; n.) to carry into effect; something used in a given activity In case of emergency implement the evacuation plan immediately. The rack is an implement of torture. implication - ANS (n.) suggestion; inference An implication was made that there might be trickery involved. implicit - ANS (adj.) understood but not plainly stated; without doubt The child's anger was implicit. Implicit trust must be earned. impolitic - ANS (adj.) unwise; imprudent If you are planning to invest your money, impolitic decisions may be costly. imprecate - ANS (v.) to pray for evil; to invoke a curse A witch may imprecate an enemy with a curse of bad luck. impromptu - ANS (adj.) without preparation Her impromptu speech was well-received, giving her new confidence in her ability to speak off the cuff. improvident - ANS (adj.) not saving or planing for the future An improvident person may end up destitute in latter life. impudent - ANS (adj.) disrespectful and shameless Impudent actions caused him to be unpopular. impugn - ANS (v.) to attack with words; to question the truthfulness or integrity The defense lawyer impugned the witness's testimony, which set back the prosecution's case. If I believe the man is a fraud I will impugn his comments. imputation - ANS (n.) to charge, to attribute a fault or misconduct to another The imputation of guilt was made by the judge. inadvertent - ANS (adj.) not on purpose; unintentional It was an inadvertent error, to be sure, but nonetheless a mistake that required correction. inanimate - ANS (adj.) to be dull or spiritless; not animated, not endowed with life The boy nagged his father for a real puppy, not some inanimate stuffed animal. inarticulate - ANS (adj.) speechless; unable to speak clearly He was so inarticulate that he had trouble making himself understood. inaudible - ANS (adj.) not able to be heard The signals were inaudible when the fans began to cheer. incessant - ANS (adj.) constant and unending The mother gave in to the child after her incessant crying. Incessant rain caused the river to flood over its banks. inchoate - ANS (adj.) not yet fully formed; rudimentary indigence - ANS (n.) the condition of being poor The family's indigence was evident by the run-down house they lived in. indigenous - ANS (adj.) native to a region; inborn or innate These plants are indigenous to all of the western states. Piranha are indigenous to the tropics. indignant - ANS (adj.) expressing anger to an injustice He was indignant over the way he was treated. indolent - ANS (adj.) lazy; inactive If we find him goofing off one more time, we won't be able to escape the fact that he's indolent. An indolent student slept all day. indomitable - ANS (adj.) not easily discouraged or defeated The underdog candidate had an indomitable spirit. indubitably - ANS (adj.) unquestionably; surely The officer was best indubitably the candidate for captain. indulgent - ANS (adj.) lenient; patient; permissive He has indulgent tendencies to eat chocolate when he is happy. ineluctable - ANS (adj.) something inevitable They were prepared for the ineluctable disaster. inept - ANS (adj.) incompetent; clumsy She would rather update the budget book herself, since her assistant is so inept. inert - ANS (adj.) not reacting chemically; inactive Inert gases like krypton and argon can enhance window insulation. inevitable - ANS (adj.) sure to happen; unavoidable A confrontation between the disagreeing neighbors seemed inevitable. infamous - ANS (adj.) having a bad reputation; notorious After producing machines that developed many problems, the production company became infamous for poor manufacturing. The infamous gang was known for robbery. infamy - ANS (n.) a bad reputation The town had only 98 residents, so all it took was one bad apple to bring infamy on the whole place. infer - ANS (v.) form an opinion; conclude From the broad outline he supplied it was easy to infer that the applicant knew a great deal about trains. ingenious - ANS (adj.) clever, resourceful His ingenious idea made it possible to double production at no extra cost. ingenue - ANS (n.) an unworldly young woman As an ingenue, Corky had no experience outside of her small town. ingenuous - ANS (adj.) noble; honorable; candid; also naive, simple, artless, without guile The ingenuous doctor had a great bedside manner, especially when it came to laying out the full implications of an illness. ingratiate - ANS (v.) to bring into one's good graces The man was hoping to ingratiate himself with his wife by buying a bouquet of flowers and candy. ingratitude - ANS (n.) ungratefulness When she failed to send a thank-you card, her friend took it as a sign of ingratitude. inherent - ANS (adj.) part of the essential character; intrinsic A constant smile is inherent in pageant competitors. The inherent desire to do well is present throughout the family. inimical - ANS (adj.) hostile, unfriendly The chess player directed an inimical stare at his opponent to knock him off his game. iniquitous - ANS (adj.) wicked; unjust The verbal abuse towards the man was truly iniquitous initiate - ANS (v.; n.) begin; admit into a group; a person who is in the process of being admitted into a group He initiated the dinner discussion by asking his father to borrow the car. As an initiate to the Explorers, George was expected to have a taste for the outdoor life. innate - ANS (adj.) natural; inborn Her talent is wondrous: it hardly matters whether it's innate or acquired. A lion's hunting skills are innate. innocuous - ANS (adj.) harmless; dull; innocent The remark was rude but innocuous. He couldn't bear to sit through another innocuous lecture. The teens engaged in an innocuous game of touch football. innovate - ANS (v.) introduce a change; depart from the old She innovated a new product for the home construction market. innuendo - ANS (n.) an indirect remark; insinuation The student made an innuendo referring to the professor. The office was rife with innuendo that a takeover was in the works. The inveterate induction ceremony bespoke one of the school's great traditions. invoke - ANS (v.) ask for; call upon The parishioners invoked divine help for their troubles. iota - ANS (n.) a very small piece There wasn't one iota of evidence to suggest a conspiracy. irascible - ANS (adj.) prone to anger The irascible teenager was known to cause fights when upset. Knowing that the king was irascible, the servants decided not to tell him about the broken crystal. ironic - ANS (adj.) contradictory, inconsistent; sarcastic Is it not ironic that Americans will toss out leftover French fries while people around the globe continue to starve? irrational - ANS (adj.) not logical It would be irrational to climb Mt. Everest without some very warm clothing. irreparable - ANS (adj.) that which cannot be repaired or regained The damage to the house after the flood was irreparable. The head-on collision left the car irreparable irreproachable - ANS (adj.) without blame or faults; faultless The honesty of the priest made him irreproachable. itinerary - ANS (n.) travel plan; schedule; course Their trip's itinerary was disrupted by an unexpected snow storm. jaded - ANS (adj.) worn-out A person may become jaded if forced to work too many hours. jargon - ANS (n.) incoherent speech; specialized vocabulary in certain fields The conversation was nothing but jargon, but then the speakers were nothing but cartoon characters who specialize in an oddly bracing form of gibberish. The engineers' jargon is indecipherable to a layperson. jeopardy - ANS (n.) danger; peril The campers realized they were in potential jeopardy when the bears surrounded their camp. jester - ANS (n.) a person employed to amuse The jester tried all of his tricks to get the girl to laugh. jettison jettison - ANS (v.) to throw overboard goods to lighten a vehicle; to discard To raise the balloon above the storm clouds, they had to jettison the sandbags used to weigh it down. jocund - ANS (adj.) happy, cheerful, genial, gay The puppy kept a smile on the jocund boy's face. The jocund atmosphere was due to the team's victory in the playoffs. jollity - ANS (n.) being fun or jolly The jollity of the crowd was seen in the cheering and laughing. jovial - ANS (adj.) cheery; jolly; playful She was a jovial person, always pleasant and fun to be with. judicious - ANS (adj.) to have or show sound judgment Because the elder was judicious, the tough decisions were left to him. Putting money away for a rainy day is a judicious decision. juncture - ANS (n.) critical point; meeting When the gas changed into a liquid, they sensed that they'd come to a critical juncture in their experimentation. juxtapose - ANS (v.) place side-by-side The author decided to juxtapose the two sentences since they each strengthened the meaning of the other. ken - ANS (v.; n.) to recognize; one's knowledge or understanding It was difficult to ken exactly what she had in mind. My ken of the situation proved to be incorrect. kindle - ANS (v.) ignite; arouse Being around children kindled her interest in educational psychology. kinship - ANS (n.) family relationship; affinity Living in close proximity increased the kinship of the family. kith - ANS (n.) relatives and acquaintances Our kith will meet at the family reunion. knavery - ANS (n.) a dishonest act An act of knavery is cause for loss of trust. The teacher refused to have knavery in his classroom. knead - ANS (v.) mix; massage After mixing the ingredients, they kneaded the dough and set it aside to rise. knotty - ANS (adj.) to be puzzling or hard to explain The mystery was knotty. labyrinth - ANS (n.) maze Be careful not to get lost in the labyrinth of vegetation. lacerate - ANS (v.) to tear or mangle; to wound or hurt; cut Sharp knives may lacerate the skin of an unsuspecting user. Her rejection will lacerate my self-esteem. Levity is a necessary trait for a comedian. lewd - ANS (adj.) lustful; wicked The comment was so lewd it could not be repeated in front of children. liaison - ANS (n.) connection; link The student council served as a liaison between the faculty and the student body. liberalism - ANS (n.) believing in personal freedom (favoring reform or progress) If you believe in liberalism, the First Amendment is sacrosanct. libertine - ANS (n.) one who indulges his desires without restraint For the libertine, missing his child's birthday was not as significant as missing a football game. licentious - ANS (adj.) morally lacking in restraint The people of Sodom and Gomorra were known for their licentious lifestyle. ligneous - ANS (adj.) having the composition of wood The ligneous material appeared to be pure maple. limber - ANS (adj.) flexible; pliant The dancers must be limber to do their ballet steps. lithe - ANS (adj.) easily bent; pliable; supple It is best to use a lithe material when constructing a curved object. A gymnast needs to be lithe in order to do a split. litigate - ANS (v.) to involve a lawsuit, sue A number of the state attorneys-general are litigating against the tobacco companies. livid - ANS (adj.) discolored, as if bruised; extremely angry; furious After the fall, her arm was livid. She became livid when she heard the news. When she found out she had been robbed, the woman was livid. The coach was livid with the languid team. loiter - ANS (v.) to spend time aimlessly Many teenagers loiter around the mall when there is nothing else to do. loquacious - ANS (adj.) very talkative; garrulous She was having difficulty ending the conversation with her loquacious neighbor. The staff knew the meeting would be long because the administrator was in a loquacious mood. lucent - ANS (adj.) shining; translucent The flowing garment gave the woman a lucent quality when standing in the spotlight. lucid - ANS (adj.) shiny; clear minded He chose a shimmering, lucid fabric for his curtains. When lucid, the man spoke of vivid memories. lucrative - ANS (adj.) profitable; gainful She entered the pharmaceutical industry in the belief that it would be lucrative. lugubrious - ANS (adj.) full of sorrow; mournful The man's lugubrious heart kept him from enjoying the special occasion. luminous - ANS (adj.) emitting light; shining; also enlightened or intelligent The luminous quality of the precious stone made it look like a fallen star. They found their way through the darkness by heading toward the luminous object in the distance. lunge - ANS (v.) to move suddenly The owl will lunge at its prey in order to take it off guard. lurid - ANS (adj.) ; shocking, sensational; glowing through haze; surprisingly horrible The tabloid specialized in lurid stories about celebrities' indiscretions. A lurid sun shone upon them as they watched the sun set on the beach. lustrous - ANS (adj.) bright; radiant; shining Surrounded by rubies, the lustrous diamond looked magnificent. luxuriant - ANS (adj.) to grow with energy and in great abundance The luxuriant flowers grew in every available space. macerate - ANS (v.) to soften by steeping in liquid It was necessary to macerate the food before the elderly man could eat it. They placed her foot in the solvent to macerate the cement she had stepped in. maculate - ANS (adj.; v.) spotted, blotched; hence defiled, impure (opposite: immaculate); to stain, spot, defile The maculate rug could not be cleaned. Grape juice maculated the carpet magnanimity - ANS (n.; adj.) a quality of nobleness of mind, disdain of meanness or revenge; forgiving; unselfish Being full of magnanimity he asked the thief only for an apology and set him free. The magnanimous store owner did not press charges once an apology was given. The magnanimity of the professor overcame the rage of the student. malediction - ANS (n.) putting a curse on someone; talking negatively about another With the threat of a malediction, the man left the fortuneteller's house. melodious - ANS (adj.) pleasing to hear The melodious sounds of the band attracted many onlookers. menagerie - ANS (n.) a place to keep or a collection of wild or strange animals Little Ryan couldn't wait to visit the zoo to see the menagerie of wild boars. mendacious - ANS (adj.) not truthful; lying The couple was swindled out of their life's savings by the mendacious con men. mentor - ANS (n.) teacher; wise and faithful advisor Alan consulted his mentor when he needed critical advice. mercenary - ANS (adj.; n.) working or done for payment only; hired (soldier) Lila was suspicious that Joe had jumped at the chance only for mercenary reasons. A mercenary was hired for a hundred dollars a month, good money in those days even if you had to fight a war to get it. mercurial - ANS (adj.) quick, changeable, fickle The mercurial youth changed outfits six times before deciding what to wear. meretricious - ANS (adj.) deceptive beauty - alluring by attractive appearance A cubic zirconia is a meretricious way of impressing others. mesmerize - ANS (v.) hypnotize The swaying motion of the swing mesmerized the baby into a deep sleep. metamorphosis - ANS (n.) change of form A metamorphosis caused the caterpillar to become a beautiful butterfly. meticulous - ANS (adj.) exacting; precise The lab technicians must be meticulous in their measurements to obtain exact results. mettle - ANS (n.) spirit, courage, ardor He proved he had the mettle to make it through basic training. mien - ANS (n.) appearance, being or manner Her mien was typically one of distress, especially after the mishap. mimicry - ANS (n.) imitation The comedian's mimicry of the president's gestures had the audience rolling in the aisles. minatory - ANS (adj.) threatening The minatory stance of the dog warned the thief of an attack. minute - ANS (adj.) extremely small, tiny Being on a sodium-restricted diet, he uses only a minute amount of salt in his dishes. mire - ANS (v.) to cause to get stuck in wet, soggy ground The car became mired in the mud. misanthrope - ANS (n.) a person who distrusts everything; a hater of mankind After the man swindled all of the woman's savings, she became a misanthrope. The misanthrope lived alone in the forest. miscreant - ANS (adj.; n.) evil; an evil person; villain Her miscreant actions shocked and surprised her family. The miscreant thought nothing of taking others' money and belongings. miser - ANS (n.) penny pincher, stingy person The miser made no donations and loved counting his money every night. mite - ANS (n.) a very small sum of money; very small creature The mite they pay me is hardly worth the aggravation. The baseball team was made up of such small children they were nicknamed the "Mites". mitigate - ANS (v.) alleviate; lessen; soothe She tried to mitigate the loss of his pet by buying him a kitten. The lawyer will attempt to mitigate the sentence probation. modulate - ANS (v.) to regulate or adjust; to vary the pitch He modulated the color knob on the television set until the picture was perfect. A trained singer knows how to modulate her voice to the desired pitches. mollify - ANS (v.) to soften; to make less intense We used our hands to mollify the sound of our giggling. molten - ANS (adj.) melted Steel becomes molten after heating it to thousands of degrees. moot - ANS (adj.) subject to or open for discussion or debate The discussion of extending the girl's curfew was a moot point. mordant - ANS (adj.) cutting; sarcastic Her mordant remark made me feel unqualified and useless. morose - ANS (adj.) moody, despondent; acting depressed He was very morose over the death of his pet. After the team lost the fans were morose. motif - ANS (n.) theme Although the college students lived in Alaska, they decided on a tropical motif for their dorm room. The decorations include a rose motif. motility - ANS (n.) spontaneous motion The motility of the car caused the driver to lunge for the brake. mundane - ANS (adj.) ordinary; commonplace