barrons wordlist P
Terms
undefined, object
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- n pedestrian
- ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; Ex. pedestrian prose; N.
- prolong
- lengthen; extend; draw out
- petty
- trivial; unimportant; very small; small-minded; petty-minded
- precipice
- cliff; dangerous position; Ex. on the edge of the precipice
- n parochial
- narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes
- pugilist
- boxer; CF. pugilism: boxing
- perceptive
- insightful; showing a good ability at perceiving and understanding; aware; wise; of perception
- n provender
- dry food for livestock; fodder
- n pundit
- authority on a subject; expert; learned person
- n privation
- lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive
- perversion
- corruption; turning from right to wrong
- s provision
- act of providing; something provided; preparatory measure; provisions: necessary supplies (esp. food); stipulation; condition in an agreement; Ex. According to the provisions of the agreement
- polity
- (particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity
- perspicuous
- (of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; Ex. perspicuous comments
- piety
- devoutness; reverence for God; ADJ. pious
- s pucker
- gather into wrinkles or folds; N: wrinkle or fold
- s putrescent
- becoming putrid; putrefying
- placid
- peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake
- pliant
- flexible; easily influenced
- prototype
- original work used as a model by others
- potion
- dose (of liquids); liquid dose
- n postulate
- self-evident truth; something assumed without proof; V: assume the truth of (as a basis of an argument)
- psyche
- soul; mind
- n parley
- conference (between opponents); CF. speak
- proliferate
- grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation
- s prosper
- become successful (esp. financially); thrive; grow well; Ex. children prospering under his care
- s metrical
- metric; written in the form of poetry; Ex. metrical translation of Homer
- n prolixity
- tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse
- pinnacle
- peak; highest point; acme; Ex. pinnacle of fame
- s ward
- administrative division of a city; division in a hospital or prison; incompetent person placed under the protection of a guardian; V: guard; ward off: avert
- n protean
- able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
- s bulge
- protruding part; swelling of a surface; Ex. The apple made a bulge in his pocket; V: swell outward; protrude
- predecessor
- former occupant of a post
- n pan
- criticize harshly
- potent
- powerful; convincing; persuasive; greatly influential
- partiality
- state of being partial; inclination; favorable bias; special fondness; preference
- perennial
- something long-lasting; perennial plant; ADJ: lasting through the year or many years; lasting for a long time; enduring
- n prate
- talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly
- precise
- exact
- n propitiate
- appease; conciliate; make peaceful; ADJ. propitiatory
- s tart
- sharp to the taste; acid-tasting; caustic; sarcastic; Ex. tart apple/reply
- s parchment
- writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat
- prey
- target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.
- n profligate
- wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy
- n percussion
- striking one object against another sharply; Ex. percussion instrument; N: striking together of two bodies; sound caused by percussion
- pillage
- plunder
- podium
- pedestal; raised platform
- n pathos
- tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel
- paraphernalia
- equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; Ex. photographic paraphernalia; CF. married woman's property exclusive of her dowry
- preposterous
- absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous
- n phlegmatic
- calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed; CF. phlegm: sticky mucus produced in the respiratory tract
- s damn
- condemn; criticize severely; condemn to everlasting punishment; doom; bring to ruin; N. damnation
- portend
- foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning
- n posterity
- descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior
- prognosticate
- predict (according to present indications)
- n palatable
- agreeable; pleasing to the taste
- s feud
- bitter prolonged quarrel (usually between two peoples or families); V. CF. Romeo and Juliet; CF. feudal, feudalism
- pragmatist
- practical person; N. pragmatism: pragmatic way of dealing with things
- s suspense
- state of being undecided; anxiety or apprehension resulting from uncertainty
- perigee
- point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth; CF. apogee
- n pinion
- restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird's wing
- s defalcate
- embezzle
- pessimism
- belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess; tendency to take the gloomiest possible view of a situation; ADJ. pessimistic
- philanderer
- faithless lover; flirt
- s infest
- inhabit in numbers large enough to be harmful; Ex. Mice infested the house; Ex. shark-infested waters
- paramount
- foremost in importance; supreme; CF. para-: beyond; above; Ex. paranormal
- n peremptory
- demanding and leaving no choice; imperative; Ex. peremptory decree/knock
- n piscatorial
- pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces
- n palate
- roof of the mouth; sense of the taste
- purport
- intention; purpose; meaning; V: claim; profess; Ex. order which purports to be signed by the general
- s usage
- act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used
- n polemic
- attack or defense of an opinion; controversy or refutation; argument in support of point of view; N. polemics: art of debate or controversy
- polygamist
- one who has more than one spouse at a time; CF. bigamy; CF. polyandry
- premise
- assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based
- pertinacious
- holding tenaciously to an action; stubborn; persistent
- n precarious
- unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; Ex. precarious living
- prestige
- respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige
- n pummel
- pommel; beat or pound with fists
- perimeter
- outer boundary; length of the outer boundary; circumference
- pecuniary
- pertaining to money
- s camp
- group sharing a common cause or opinion
- n philistine
- narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain; uncultured person who is indifferent to artistic and cultural values; member of an ancient people in Palestine; OP. aesthete
- s plumber
- one who installs and repairs pipes and plumbing(pipes)
- parallelism
- state of being parallel; similarity; analogy
- papyrus
- ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
- precocious
- advanced in development; N. precocity
- n paltry
- insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash
- precept
- practical rule guiding conduct; Ex. mother's precept
- propulsive
- driving forward; N. propulsion
- n patina
- green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
- parity
- equality; close resemblance; CF. disparate
- s forward
- presumptuous or bold
- n prevaricate
- lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)
- n plumb
- exactly vertical; N: weight on the end of a line; V: examine very carefully or critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding); Ex. plumb the depth of
- pediatrician
- physician specializing in children's diseases; N. pediatrics
- n plenary
- (of power) complete; full; fully attended by all qualified members; Ex. plenary power
- preeminent
- outstanding; superior
- s meter
- arrangement of words in the form of poetry (by accentual rhythm)
- parsimony
- stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious
- n puny
- tiny; weak; insignificant
- purported
- alleged; claimed; reputed or rumored; Ex. purported Satanists
- s varnish
- paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. nail varnish; V.
- parasite
- animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside
- n pr\'ecis
- abstract; concise summing up of main points; concise summary of a text
- n provenance
- place of origin; origin or source of something; Ex. Gunpowder is of Chinese provenance; CF. come
- n palatial
- of or suitable for a palace; magnificent
- s parvenu
- upstart; newly rich person
- s brink
- edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon
- n plaudit
- praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud
- s pedestal
- support or base as for a pillar or statue
- peregrination
- journey; V. peregrinate
- n plagiarize
- steal another's ideas or writings and pass them off as one's own; Ex. ideas plagiarized from my article; N. plagiarism; CF. kidnap
- precipitant
- something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; ħÀüÁ¦; OP. solvent
- s takeoff
- burlesque; act of leaving the ground
- n pine
- long for; yearn; languish from longing or grief; decline
- n periphery
- outside edge especially of a round surface; perimeter; Ex. periphery of the town
- probity
- uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility
- n pharisaical
- pertaining to the Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical
- n prurient
- having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire
- n prevail
- be widespread; triumph over; gain victory; prevail on: persuade; induce; Ex. Justice has prevailed; Ex. prevail on someone to do something
- prolific
- producing offspring or fruit in abundance; fertile; fecund; abundantly fruitful; producing abundant works; Ex. prolific writer
- protrude
- stick out; jut; project; Ex. protruding teeth
- pathetic
- causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
- philanthropist
- lover of mankind; doer of good; N. philanthropy
- n penchant
- strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars
- n pontifical
- pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop
- n pastiche
- imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists
- pomposity
- self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important
- s bound
- leap or spring; limit or confine; constitute the limit of; Ex. bounded by Canada; N: leap or jumping; boundary; ADJ: certain; having a duty to do something (legally or morally); confined by bonds; Ex. We are bound to be late; Ex. I am bound to say my opinion; CF. bounce, rebound
- n prompt
- cause; urge; provoke; provide a cue (for an actor); ADJ: done without delay; done at the right time; punctual; on time; N: reminder or cue
- n pass\'e
- old-fashioned; past the prime
- prodigal
- wasteful; reckless with money; profuse; Ex. a mind prodigal of ideas; N. prodigality
- politic
- prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised
- n puissant
- powerful; strong; potent; N. puissance: power
- n pensive
- dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over
- s prance
- move about in a spirited manner (proudly and confidently)
- perspicuity
- clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
- perjury
- false testimony while under oath; V. perjure oneself: testify falsely under oath
- paraphrase
- restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author; N: restatement of a text in other words
- s horoscope
- diagram of the positions of stars at a given moment (eg. of a person's birth) used by astrologers
- s mash
- crush into mash; convert into mash; N: mixture of ground grain and nutrients fed to livestock and fowl
- n palliate
- ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive (a crime or illness)
- s providence
- quality of being provident; divine care; god's care; Providence: god; Ex. It seemed like providence that the doctor happened to be there; ADJ. providential: of divine providence; fortunate
- profound
- deep; not superficial; complete; Ex. profound thinker/remark/silence/deafness; N. profundity
- s soothsayer
- one who foretells the future
- perpetual
- everlasting
- probe
- explore with a probe or tools; investigate; N: slender instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity; device designed to investigate an unknown region; thorough investigation; Ex. space probe
- n propitious
- favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; Ex. propitious day/sign
- paradox
- something apparently contradictory in nature (that may nonetheless be true); statement that looks false but is actually correct
- n poseur
- person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose
- n pigment
- coloring matter (usually powder to be mixed with water or oil)
- n peon
- landless agricultural worker; bond servant; menial worker; N. peonage
- platitude
- trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous
- projectile
- missile; fired or thrown object (such as stone or bullet)
- s pulse
- rhythmical throbbing of arteries; brief sudden change in a normally constant quantity; V: pulsate
- n proselytize
- (induce someone to) convert to a religion or belief; N. proselyte: new convert to a doctrine or religion
- perforate
- pierce; put a hole through
- propriety
- fitness; quality of being proper; correct conduct; conformity to prevailing customs and usages; CF. proprietor, proprietary
- n prattle
- talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate
- perfidious
- treacherous; disloyal; N. perfidy: treachery
- s rooster
- cock; adult male chicken
- s bookish
- fond of books and reading
- paroxysm
- fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst
- n prod
- poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding
- s postmortem
- autopsy; ADJ: occurring after death; of a postmortem
- n perverse
- purposely continuing to do something wrong; stubbornly wrongheaded; perverted; directed away from what is right; wicked and unacceptable; Ex. perverse satisfaction; Ex. Hannibal Lecter in a perverse mood; N. perversity
- pique
- irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity
- n partisan
- one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla
- n pied
- piebald; variegated(many-colored); multicolored
- s marrow
- soft fatty tissue that fills most bone cavities and is the source of blood cells
- plausible
- conceivably true; having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
- n patois
- local or provincial dialect
- n physiological
- pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms; N. physiology
- n petrify
- turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze
- s wrongheaded
- stubbornly wrong
- n predispose
- give an inclination toward (in advance); make susceptible to; Ex. predispose people to certain cancer; N. predisposition
- s sour
- having a sharp or acid taste; acid; tart; bad-tempered; V.
- paradigm
- model; example that serves as a model; pattern; list of all the inflectional forms of a word
- n perpetrate
- commit an offense; do (something wrong)
- n proscenium
- part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage
- n parameter
- limit; independent variable; Ex. parameters of the problem; Ex. within the parameters of the budget
- n peripatetic
- walking about from place to place (to work); moving; Ex. peripatetic school of philosophy
- peerless
- having no equal; incomparable
- pious
- devout; religious; N. piety
- s phalanx
- formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)
- n pariah
- social outcast; Ex. Mariah the pariah
- proponent
- supporter; backer; opposite of opponent
- n pluck
- courage; V: pull off or out; pull out the hair or feathers of; ADJ. plucky: courageous; brave
- n prelate
- church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop)
- s plebiscite
- direct vote by the entire electorate (on an important issue)
- n plethora
- excess; overabundance; Ex. a plethora of excuses
- s stout
- rather fat; strong in body; sturdy; resolute; determined; strong in determination; Ex. stout stick/supporter
- s putrefy
- make or become putrid; N. putrefaction
- pendant(pendent)
- hanging down from something; pending; N: ornament (hanging from a necklace etc.)
- s precinct
- division of a city for election or police purposes; precincts: space that surrounds a building; Ex. precincts of the college
- n pell-mell
- in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell
- partition
- divide into parts
- proclivity
- inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)
- n potpourri
- heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)
- n peroration
- conclusion of an oration; perorating; V. perorate: conclude a speech; speak at great length
- provisional
- tentative; temporary
- n potentate
- monarch; sovereign
- prot\'eg\'e
- person receiving protection and support from a patron
- s doom
- condemnation to a severe penalty; ruin; fate (esp. a tragic or ruinous one); V.
- progenitor
- ancestor
- n pedant
- scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, or technicalities
- n purse
- pucker; contract (lips) into wrinkles; N: wallet
- promontory
- headland
- practical
- based on experience; of or acquired through practice (rather than theory); useful; Ex. practical man
- n putrid
- decayed and foul-smelling; foul; rotten; decayed; N. putridity
- n pander
- cater to (the low desires of others)
- n prude
- excessively modest or proper person (who is easily shocked by improper things, esp. of a sexual nature); N. prudery; ADJ. prudish: excessively concerned with propriety
- prodigy
- highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder
- penury
- extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy
- precipitate
- hurl downward; throw headlong; hasten; cause to happen sooner; condense and fall as rain or snow; cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution; ADJ. hasty; rash; premature; sudden
- propellant(propellent)
- substance which propels or drives forward (such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel)
- pliable
- flexible; easily influenced; yielding; adaptable
- pseudonym
- pen name; fictitious name assumed by an author; ADJ. pseudonymous
- s commonwealth
- nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation
- s mortar
- vessel in which substances are crushed with a pestle
- n protocol
- diplomatic etiquette; ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats; first copy of a treaty before its ratification; Ex. Protocol demands that the queen meet him at the airport.
- prudent
- cautious; careful; prudential
- n phenomena
- observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation; SG. phenomenon: observable fact; very unusual person, thing, or event; marvel; wonder; CF. phenomenons; ADJ. phenomenal: very unusual; extraordinary; of a phenomenon; Ex. phenomenal strength
- s polar
- of a pole; characterized by opposite extremes; Ex. polar opposites
- s rabble
- mob; noisy crowd
- propagate
- increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas
- s outlaw
- fugitive from the law (excluded from legal protection); V: declare (someone) to be an outlaw; deprive of the protection of the law; declare illegal; Ex. Drinking has been outlawed.
- pillory
- punish by placing in a wooden frame or pillory; subject or expose to criticism and ridicule; N.
- n plebeian
- common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician
- paranoia
- psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution; N: ADJ: paranoid, paranoiac
- pithy
- concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty
- s commonplace
- ordinary; N: something ordinary or common; trite remark
- precipitous
- steep; overhasty; precipitate
- provincial
- pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated
- n preempt
- prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive
- n piebald
- of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald
- n plumage
- feathers of a bird;
- n panache
- flair; manner of doing things without any difficulty (causing admiration); flamboyance; bunch of feathers (on a helmet); Ex. with great panache; CF. ÀÜ ¾Æ·¡·Î õÀ» »©³»´Â ¼Ø¾¾
- s pharisee
- Pharisee: member of an ancient Jewish group that emphasized strict observance of the Mosaic law (considering themselves very holy); hypocritical self-righteous person
- prominent
- protruding(sticking out); conspicuous; notable; eminent
- pragmatic
- practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with practical worth or impact of something; Ex. pragmatic test of the skill
- s swipe
- hit with a sweeping motion; N.
- penitent
- repentant; N.
- phobia
- morbid fear
- prophetic
- of a prophet or prophecy; having to do with predicting the future; N. prophecy; V. prophesy; N. prophet
- s pervert
- corrupt; turn from right to wrong; misuse; Ex. perverted sexual desire/scientific knowledge; N: person whose sexual behavior is not natural
- preclude
- make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate
- n purchase
- secure grasp or hold; firm grasp or footing
- n parable
- short simple story teaching a moral
- pacifist
- one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
- n perdition
- damnation; complete ruin; hell
- n perquisite(perk)
- any gain above stipulated salary; Ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car
- n polarize
- split into opposite extremes or camps
- psychiatrist
- doctor who treats mental diseases
- n paean
- song of praise or joy; Ex. paeans celebrating the victory
- punctilious
- minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points; stressing niceties of conduct or form; N. punctilio, punctiliousness: careful attention payed to every small exact detail
- patronize
- support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. patronage; CF. boycott
- pandemic
- widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people
- s prosperous
- successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off
- n poultice
- soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
- perfunctory
- done routinely and with little care; superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; Ex. perfunctory kiss
- pauper
- very poor person
- n peccadillo
- slight offense or fault; CF. sin
- s outlook
- point of view; view from a particular place; expectation for the future; prospect; Ex. outlook on life; Ex. pleasing outlook; Ex. weather outlook
- n plasticity
- ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded; Ex. plastic material such as clay
- podiatrist
- doctor who treats ailments of the feet; chiropodist; N. podiatrics
- paramour
- illicit lover
- pyromaniac
- person with an insane desire to set things on fire
- n pert
- (esp. of a girl or young woman) impertinent; forward; trim; jaunty; Ex. pert young miss/hat
- purge
- remove or get rid of something or someone unwanted; eliminate; free from blame or guilt; cleanse or purify (esp. of sin, guilt, or defilement); N.
- perspicacious
- (of someone) having insight; penetrating; astute
- n patrician
- noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian
- plight
- difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament
- prognosis
- forecasted course of a disease; prediction; CF. prognostic
- n personable
- attractive (in personality or appearance)
- n pry
- inquire impertinently (someone else's private affairs); use leverage to raise or open something; prize; N. pries: tool for prying
- primordial
- existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
- n petulant
- touchy; peevish; ill-tempered
- pandemonium
- wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; CF. Paradise Lost
- prevalent
- widespread; generally accepted
- n punitive
- punishing; Ex. punitive measures
- porous
- full of pores; like a sieve
- s outcast
- one that has been excluded from a society; ADJ.
- palette
- board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)
- n pulchritude
- beauty; comeliness; ADJ. pulchritudinous
- pulverize
- crush or grind into very small particles
- n peruse
- read through with care; N. perusal
- s suspend
- cause to stop for a period; interrupt; hold in abeyance; defer; hang from above; exclude for a period from a position; Ex. suspended state; Ex. suspend judgment; Ex. suspended from the team; N. suspension
- n prim
- proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
- s idle
- not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V.
- s referendum
- direct vote by all the people
- n penance
- self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one's sins; CF. penitent
- pantomime
- acting without dialogue; V.
- n pejorative
- (of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers ``housewife'' a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.
- proletarian
- member of the working class; blue collar guy; N. proletariat: working class (who have to work for wages)
- s polarity
- state of having two opposite qualities
- n plenitude
- abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty
- n piquant
- pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help
- n preen
- make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride; (of a bird) smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak; Ex. preen oneself on; CF. prune
- panacea
- cure-all; remedy for all diseases
- s studious
- given to diligent study
- proscribe
- prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
- s presume
- take for granted; assume; act overconfidently; take liberties; presume on/upon: take unfair advantage of (someone's kindness or connection); N. presumption
- pacify
- soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue; bring peace to
- n posthumous
- after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death); coming or occurring after one's death; Ex. posthumous fame/novel
- propensity
- natural inclination
- n pusillanimous
- cowardly; lacking courage; fainthearted
- premonition
- forewarning; presentiment; foreboding
- n parlance
- language; manner of speaking; idiom; Ex. in legal/common parlance
- n puerile
- childish; immature; CF. puer: boy
- propound
- put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory
- pedagogy
- teaching; art of education
- prologue
- introduction (to a poem or play)
- n pith
- core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance
- n potable
- suitable for drinking; drinkable
- panoramic
- denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view; N. panorama: unbroken view of a wide area
- n philology
- study of language or words
- parry
- ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N. CF. ¸·´Â´Ù´Â °³³äÀÌ ¾Æ´Ô
- pastoral
- rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor
- paragon
- model of perfection; Ex. paragon of virtue
- s touching
- causing a feeling of pity or sympathy; pathetic; V. touch: cause to feel pity or sympathy; ADJ. touched
- s psychic
- of psyche; mental; of or possessing extraordinary mental powers
- prefatory
- introductory; of a preface
- n progeny
- children; offspring; descendants
- proxy
- authorized agent; authority to act for another
- premeditate
- plan in advance; Ex. premeditated murder
- n privy
- secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; Ex. privy chamber government; Ex. be privy to a discussion; CF. private
- n predilection
- preference; partiality
- n pestilential(pestilent)
- causing plague; tending to cause death; baneful; N. pestilence: fatal epidemic disease (esp. bubonic plague)
- premonitory
- serving to warn
- n plaintive
- expressing sorrow; mournful; Ex. plaintive song
- n pulmonary
- pertaining to the lungs
- n protuberance
- protrusion; swelling; bulge
- pretext
- excuse
- psychosis
- mental disorder; ADJ. N. psychotic
- n penumbra
- partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow
- n palpitate
- throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.
- prodigious
- enormous; marvelous; extraordinary; Ex. prodigious amount/memory
- permeable
- that can be permeated; penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through; V. permeate: spread or flow throughout; charge
- n pulsate
- throb; beat regularly; vibrate regularly
- n prehensile
- capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails
- n portly
- stout; corpulent
- s pretend
- feign; pretend to: claim to possess; make pretensions to; Ex. I don't pretend to much expertise; N. pretense
- n presumptuous
- going beyond what is right; excessively forward; arrogant; taking liberties
- n preternatural
- beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces
- s dowry
- money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage
- plutocracy
- society ruled by the wealthy
- n painstaking
- taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through
- n physiognomy
- face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features
- pivotal
- of a pivot; central; critical; crucial
- s gangrene
- decay of body tissue caused by insufficient blood supply (usually following injury); ADJ. gangrenous
- presentiment
- premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear
- pungent
- stinging; acrid; sharp in taste or smell; (of speech or writing) caustic; N. pungency
- s inamorata
- woman whom a man loves
- pedagogue
- teacher; CF. child leader
- purgatory
- place of spiritual expiation; temporary state or place in which the souls must expiate their sins
- protract
- prolong; lengthen in time; draw out
- perpetuate
- make perpetual; make something last for a long time; preserve from extinction; N. perpetuity
- n pestle
- tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar
- n poignancy
- quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick
- n parched
- extremely dry; very thirsty; V. parch: make or become extremely dry (by exposure to heat)
- n prowess
- extraordinary ability; military bravery; Ex. prowess in battle
- n pellucid
- transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand
- passive
- not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; accepting without resistance
- n ponderous
- having great weight; weighty; unwieldy; lacking lightness; dull; Ex. ponderous body/style of writing
- n pall
- become boring; grow tiresome
- s throb
- (of a heart or machine) beat rapidly or violently; N. Ex. hearthrob: heartbeat; sweetheart
- n promulgate
- announce; proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication
- n pristine
- unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition
- s prize
- pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; Ex. his most prized possession; N: something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship)
- precursor
- forerunner; predecessor
- s psychosomatic
- of the influence of the mind on the body (esp. with respect to disease)
- predicament
- difficult situation; tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma
- n putative
- supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such; Ex. putative father of the child
- n pallid
- pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion
- partial
- incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something
- predator
- predatory animal or bird; predatory person; creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others; ADJ. predatory: living by preying on other organisms; plundering; N. predation
- preponderance
- superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant
- s parish
- area in the care of a single priest and served by one main church
- n pore
- study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.
- n primp
- groom oneself with care; adorn oneself
- n paleontology
- study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents
- pervasive
- spread throughout; V. pervade: (of smells, ideas, feelings) spread throughout; charge; permeate
- n parquet
- floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece
- n pernicious
- very harmful; deadly; very destructive; Ex. pernicious effect/anemia
- practicable
- feasible
- s cater
- provide food and drink (for); cater to: try to satisfy (desires of a bad kind)
- s self-righteous
- sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic
- prostrate
- stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; Ex. prostrating illness; ADJ: lying face down; having lost all strength
- prune
- cut away; trim
- n prosody
- art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse
- n polemical(polemic)
- aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)
- n piecemeal
- one part at a time; gradually; in stages; Ex. read a novel piecemeal
- n primogeniture
- seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)
- proviso
- stipulation; condition in an agreement; provision
- psychopathic
- pertaining to mental dearrangement; N. psychopath: person with an antisocial personality disorder
- pitfall
- hidden danger; concealed trap
- procurement
- obtaining; V. procure: obtain by effort; obtain (a prostitute) for another
- n palimpsest
- parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased
- n pugnacity
- combativeness; disposition to fight; ADJ. pugnacious: (of people) belligerent; combative in nature
- n peripheral
- of a periphery; marginal; outer; of minor importance; not central; Ex. peripheral nerve/interest
- platonic
- purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
- pertinent
- suitable; to the point; relevant
- n pretentious
- ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art
- prohibitive
- so high as to prohibit purchase or use; tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; prohibiting; inclined to prevent or forbid; Ex. prohibitive tax
- pachyderm
- thick-skinned animal
- n plait
- braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; Ex. plaited hair; N: braided length as of hair o fabric; CF. pigtail, ponytail
- n promiscuous
- mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners; irregular, particularly sexually; Ex. promiscuous life/girl; N. promiscuity
- n pterodactyl
- extinct flying reptile; CF. wing+finger
- prelude
- introduction; introductory performance or event; forerunner
- n panegyric
- formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don't deserve such panegyrics.
- s pedigree
- ancestry; lineage
- n plummet
- fall sharply; fall straight down; Ex. Stock prices plummeted.
- s beware
- be cautious (of)
- precedent
- something preceding in time which may be used as an authority or guide for future action; V. precede; CF. unprecedented
- s pretension
- pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.
- potential
- expressing possibility; latent; N: capacity for growth
- n pendulous
- hanging; suspended
- presage
- foretell; be a warning or sign of; N: presentiment; foreboding; omen
- parody
- humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty; V.
- n placebo
- harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
- s cue
- word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor's speech or entrance); reminder or hint; V: give a cue to
- prerogative
- privilege; unquestionable right; CF. ask before
- provident
- providing for future needs; displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies; OP. improvident
- patent
- obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N.
- s peer
- one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; N. peerage; CF. peeress
- n pittance
- small amount (of money); small allowance or wage
- preamble
- introductory statement
- placate
- pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease
- polyglot
- speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.
- palpable
- tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder
- s pose
- assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.
- n promote
- advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; Ex. Milk promotes health; Ex. promote a match/bill; Ex. promote a new product
- n purveyor
- furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer; V. purvey: supply (eg. food); furnish; CF. provide
- n propinquity
- nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship
- proximity
- nearness; ADJ. proximate
- n pedantic
- bookish; showing off learning; marked by an excessive ostentatious concern for book learning; N. pedantry
- precedent
- preceding (in time, rank, etc.)
- prophylactic
- used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease
- predetermine
- determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly
- s parallel
- similar; analogous; corresponding; N: parallel line; person or thing that is parallel (to another); similarity; Ex. know of no parallel to the case; Ex. without parallel; V: be similar to; make parallel; Ex. Your experience parallels mine; CF. unparalleled
- provocative
- arousing anger or sexual interest; annoying; Ex. provocative in tight jeans; V. provoke: incite to anger; cause (an unpleasant action or feeling); N. provocation
- perturb
- disturb greatly
- paucity
- scarcity; dearth
- n prescience
- ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient
- profane
- violate; desecrate (something holy); treat unworthily; be profane for; ADJ: secular; nonreligious; irreverent for holy things
- procrastinate
- postpone; delay or put off
- s tablet
- small round piece of medicine; flat piece of stone or metal bearing an inscription; Ex. stone tablet on the wall
- patriarch
- father and ruler of a family or tribe
- profusion
- great amount; plenty; overabundance; excess; lavish expenditure; Ex. profusion of choices; ADJ. profuse: plentiful; copious; giving or given abundantly; extravagant
- n problematic
- causing a problem; open to doubt; doubtful; unsettled; questionable; Ex. Whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic.
- prosperity
- good fortune and financial success; physical well-being
- s interstice
- narrow space between things
- n prosaic
- lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose
- n posture
- assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude
- s spoof
- parody
- n philatelist
- stamp-collector; N. philately: stamp collecting
- s pending
- not yet decided or settled; impending; Ex. pending decision; PREP. while awaiting; until; Ex. delay the decision pending his return
- n pallet
- small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet
- prone
- inclined to; likely to (suffer); prostrate; lying with the front downward; Ex. prone to disease/make mistakes; Ex. accident-prone
- pathological
- pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease
- phoenix
- symbol of immortality or rebirth; Ex. phoenix rising from its ashes
- n phylum
- major classification, second to kingdom, of plants and animals; category ranking below a kingdom and above a class; division