BARRON SET#18
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- suffuse
- spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge; Ex. A blush suffused her cheeks.
- suitor
- man who is courting a woman
- sullen
- silently showing ill humor or resentment; dark; gloomy
- sully
- defile; soil; tarnish; Ex. sully one's hands in menial labor
- sultry
- (of weather) hot; sweltering; sensual; voluptuous
- summation
- act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)
- sumptuous
- grand suggesting great expense; lavish; rich; Ex. sumptuous feast
- sunder
- separate; part; CF. asunder
- sundry
- miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items
- superannuated
- retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete
- supercilious
- haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium
- supererogatory
- superfluous; more than needed or demanded
- superficial
- of the surface; not deep; shallow; not thorough; trivial; Ex. superficial analysis/knowledge
- superfluous
- excessive; overabundant; unnecessary; N. superfluity
- superimpose
- place over something else
- supernumerary
- person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number
- supersede
- replace; cause to be set aside; make obsolete; N. supersession
- supine
- lying on back; passive; inactive; Ex. The defeated pugilist lay supine; Ex. supine acceptance of the decision
- supplant
- take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace
- supple
- flexible; limber; pliant
- suppliant
- entreating; beseeching; N.
- supplicant
- one who supplicates; ADJ.
- supplicate
- petition humbly; pray to grant a favor
- supposition
- assumption; hypothesis; surmise; V. suppose
- supposititious
- assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical
- suppress
- put an end to forcibly; subdue; stifle; overwhelm; inhibit the expression of; check; prevent from being published or made public; Ex. suppress a smile; Ex. suppress the magazine/truth
- surfeit
- satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount; Ex. surfeit of food
- surge
- powerful movement of or like a wave; V.
- surly
- bad-tempered; rude; cross
- surmise
- guess; N.
- surmount
- overcome
- surpass
- exceed
- surreptitious
- done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
- surrogate
- substitute; person or thing used in place of another; Ex. surrogate mother; ADJ.
- surveillance
- close observation of a person (esp. one under suspicion); watching; guarding
- susceptible
- impressionable; easily influenced; sensitive; having little resistance as to a disease; likely to suffer; receptive to; capable of accepting; Ex. susceptible to persuasion/colds; Ex. The agreement is not susceptible of alteration; N. susceptibility
- 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
- suspense
- state of being undecided; anxiety or apprehension resulting from uncertainty
- sustain
- suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life); Ex. sustain the family/the trapped miners
- sustenance
- sustaining; means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment; something that maintains life; food
- suture
- stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing; V: sew together a wound
- swagger
- walk or behave with an over-confident manner
- swamp
- wetland; marsh; V: flood; overwhelm; drench in with liquid
- swarm
- large group of insects moving in a mass; crowd of people or animals; V: move in a crowd or mass
- swarthy
- (of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky; Ex. swarthy Italian ?
- swathe
- swath; wrap around; bandage; Ex. one's head swathed in bandages
- sway
- swing from side to side; influence (someone) to change one's opinion; N.
- swear
- vow; promise; use profane oaths; use offensive words
- swear-word
- word considered offensive; Ex. ``bloody''
- swell
- long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V.
- swelter
- (of a person) suffer from oppressive heat; be oppressed by heat
- swerve
- deviate; turn aside sharply from a straight course; Ex. swerve from the principle; Ex. The car swerved to the right.
- swill
- drink greedily
- swindler
- cheater
- swipe
- hit with a sweeping motion; N.
- sybarite
- lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy
- sycophant
- servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic
- syllogism
- logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument
- sylvan
- pertaining to the woods or the country
- symbiosis
- interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life
- symmetry
- arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity; ADJ. symmetrical
- synchronous
- similarly timed; simultaneous with; occurring at the same time; V. synchronize
- synoptic
- providing a general overview; summary; N. synopsis
- synthesis
- combining parts or separate things into a whole; the whole so formed; PL. syntheses; V. synthesize
- synthetic
- not natural; artificial; resulting from synthesis; Ex. synthetic fiber; N.
- tablet
- small round piece of medicine; flat piece of stone or metal bearing an inscription; Ex. stone tablet on the wall
- tacit
- understood (without actually being expressed); not put into words; Ex. tacit agreement
- taciturn
- habitually silent; talking little
- tact
- skill or sensitivity in dealing with people without causing offence
- tactful
- careful no to cause offence; OP. tactless
- tactile
- pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
- taint
- contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad; Ex. tainted reputation; N: stain; touch of decay or bad influence; CF. touch
- takeoff
- burlesque; act of leaving the ground
- talisman
- charm; object believed to give supernatural powers to or protect its bearer
- talon
- claw of bird
- tan
- convert (hide) into leather; make brown by exposure to the sun
- tangential
- only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent
- tangible
- able to be touched; real; concrete; palpable; possible to realize or understand; Ex. tangible proof
- tanner
- person who turns animal hides into leather
- tantalize
- tease; excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach; torture with disappointment; CF. Tantalus: Greek mythological figure
- tantamount
- equivalent in effect or value; Ex. This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war; CF. amount
- tantrum
- fit of bad temper; fit of petulance; caprice; Ex. The child went into tantrums.
- taper
- very thin candle; gradual decrease in the width of a long object; V. make or become gradually narrower toward one end
- tarantula
- venomous spider
- tardy
- slow; sluggish; not on time; late; Ex. tardy arrival
- tarnish
- make or become dull or discolored; N.
- tarry
- linger; delay in starting or going; dawdle
- tart
- sharp to the taste; acid-tasting; caustic; sarcastic; Ex. tart apple/reply
- tatter
- torn piece of cloth; ADJ. tattered: (of clothes) old and torn; (of a person) dressed in old torn clothes
- taunt
- deride or provoke; challenge in derision; N.
- taut
- tight; strained; tense; ready; OP. slack
- tautological
- needlessly repetitious; Ex. ``It was visible to the eye''; N. tautology: needless repetition of the same sense; statement that is always true
- tawdry
- cheap and gaudy; Ex. tawdry jewelry
- tawny
- brownish yellow
- taxonomist
- specialist in classifying (animals, etc.); CF. taxonomy: science of classification
- tedium
- boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious
- teetotalism
- practice of abstaining totally from alcoholic drinks; N. teetotaler;; ADJ. teetotal;
- temerity
- boldness; nerve; rashness; Ex. temerity to ask for a pay increase after only three day's work
- temper
- moderate; make less severe; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) as by alternate heating and cooling
- temperament
- characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess; ADJ. temperamental: of temperament; having frequent changes of temper; Ex. temperamental dislike of sports; Ex. temperamental actress
- temperate
- moderate; restrained; self-controlled; moderate in respect to temperature; CF. temperance: moderation and self-restraint; abstinence of alcoholic drinks; Ex. temperance society
- tempestuous
- stormy; violent; impassioned; N. tempest: violent storm
- tempo
- speed of music
- temporal
- of time; not lasting forever; limited by time; temporary; secular; worldly
- temporize
- gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself
- tenacious
- holding fast (as to a belief); persistent
- tenacity
- firmness; persistence
- tenancy
- possession of land or building by rent; period of a tenant's occupancy
- tenant
- one that pays rent to use property owned by another
- tend
- have a tendency; take care of; minister; serve at; apply one's attention; attend
- tendentious
- promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; Ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; CF. tend: move in a certain direction
- tender
- offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one's resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound
- tenet
- doctrine; dogma
- tensile
- capable of being stretched; of tension; Ex. tensile rubber
- tension
- stretching; condition of being stretched; mental strain; strained relationship between groups or people
- tentative
- not fully worked out or developed; provisional; experimental; uncertain; hesitant; not definite or positive; Ex. tentative agreement/reply
- tenuous
- thin; slim; rare
- tenure
- holding of an office or real estate; time during which such an office is held
- tepid
- lukewarm; slightly warm; ????; half-hearted; not eager; Ex. tepid reaction to the new film; Ex. tepid supporter
- terminal
- part that forms the end; railroad or bus station; ADJ. forming an end; ending in death; fatal; Ex. terminal cancer
- termination
- end; V. terminate
- terminology
- terms used in a science or art; study of nomenclature
- terminus
- last stop of railroad; end
- terrestrial
- on or relating to the earth
- terse
- concise; abrupt; pithy
- tertiary
- third in order or rank
- tessellated
- mosaic; inlaid; Ex. tessellated pattern
- testator
- maker of a will; CF. testatrix
- testy
- irritable; impatient and bad-tempered; short-tempered; N. testiness
- tether
- tie (an animal) with a rope or tether; N: rope or chain to which an animal is tied; limit of one's endurance; Ex. the end of one's tether
- thematic
- of a theme; relating to a unifying motif or idea
- theocracy
- government run by religious leaders
- theoretical
- based on theory; not practical or applied; hypothetical
- therapeutic
- curative; N. therapy
- thermal
- pertaining to heat; producing heat; warm; Ex. thermal bath; N: rising current of warm air
- thesis
- opinion put forward and supported by reasoned arguments
- thespian
- pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress
- thrall
- slave; bondage; slavery; Ex. Her beauty held him in thrall; CF. enthrall
- thrash
- beat with a whip or flail; defeat utterly; talk about thoroughly in order to find the answer; move wildly or violently; Ex. The fishes thrashed about in the net.
- threadbare
- worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor; hackneyed; Ex. threadbare excuses
- threat
- sign or warning (of coming danger); Ex. threat of rain; V: express a threat; give warning of (something bad); Ex. The cloud threatens rain.
- thresh
- beat (cereal plants) with a machine or flail to separate the grains from the straw
- thrifty
- careful about money; economical; N. thrift
- thrive
- prosper; flourish
- throb
- (of a heart or machine) beat rapidly or violently; N. Ex. hearthrob: heartbeat; sweetheart
- throes
- violent anguish
- throng
- crowd (of people or things); V.
- throttle
- strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; N: valve that regulates the flow; CF. throat ?
- thwart
- block or hinder; baffle; frustrate
- tickle
- touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please
- tightwad
- miser; excessively frugal person
- tiller
- handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer)
- timbre
- quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument (which distinguishes it from others of the same pitch)
- timidity
- lack of self-confidence or courage
- timorous
- fearful; timid; demonstrating fear
- tinge
- give a slight degree of a color or quality to; N: slight degree of a color or quality; Ex. tinged with grey/jealousy
- tint
- slight degree of color; V: give a tint to
- tipple
- drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently; N: alcoholic drink
- tirade
- long angry denunciatory speech; diatribe; harangue; extended scolding; denunciation
- titanic
- gigantic; N. titan
- tithe
- tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); V: pay a tithe
- titillate
- tickle; excite pleasantly; Ex. not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it
- title
- name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family; Ex. title to the estate
- titter
- nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V.
- titular
- of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company
- toady
- servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn
- toga
- Roman outer robe
- token
- outward sign; Ex. a token of our gratitude
- toll
- sound (a large bell) slowly at regular intervals; N: sound of a bell; fixed tax or charge
- tome
- large volume; book
- tonsure
- shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.
- topography
- physical features of a region (such as the shape and height); CF. topo-: place
- topple
- become unsteady and fall down
- torpedo
- underwater explosive apparatus; V.
- torpor
- lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy; ADJ. torpid: lethargic; lazy; inactive; (of an animal) dormant; hibernating
- torque
- twisting force; force producing rotation
- torrent
- rushing stream; flood; Ex. The rain fell in torrents.
- torrid
- (of weather) hot or scorching; passionate; Ex. torrid love affairs
- torso
- trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk
- tortuous
- winding; full of curves; Ex. tortuous mountain road
- toss
- throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something
- totem
- animal, plant, or natural object serving as a symbol of a clan or family; representation of this; Ex. totem pole
- totter
- shake or move unsteadily; sway as if about to fall
- touching
- causing a feeling of pity or sympathy; pathetic; V. touch: cause to feel pity or sympathy; ADJ. touched
- touchstone
- stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard
- touchy
- oversensitive; easily offended; irasible; delicate; needing delicate handling; Ex. touchy situation
- tout
- promote or publicize (one's goods or service); praise excessively (as a form of advertisement); CF. advertise
- toxic
- poisonous; N. toxicity
- tract
- propaganda pamphlet (esp. by a religious or political group); expanse of land; region of indefinite size; system of related organs; Ex. digestive tract
- tractable
- docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or molded; N. tractability
- traduce
- expose to slander
- trajectory
- path taken by a projectile; Ex. trajectory of a bullet
- tramp
- walk with a heavy step; travel on foot; N: vagrant; one who travels aimlessly about; long walk; sound of heavy walking
- trample
- step heavily with the feet; crush under the feet
- trance
- hypnotic state; ecstatic state; detachment from one's physical surrounding (as in contemplation or daydreaming); CF. transition
- tranquillity
- calmness; peace
- transcendent
- exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing; V. transcend: go beyond; exceed; surpass; N. transcendancy
- transcendental
- going beyond common thought or ideas; impossible to understand by practical experiences or practices; known only by studying thoughts or intuition; OP. empirical; CF. transcendentalism
- transcribe
- copy; write a copy of; N. transcription
- transgression
- violation of a law; sin; V. transgress: go beyond (a limit); violate; do wrong
- transient
- staying for a short time; momentary; temporary; N: one that is transient
- transition
- going from one state of action to another
- transitory
- transient; impermanent; fleeting; N. transitoriness
- translucent
- partly transparent
- transmute
- transform; change; convert to something different
- transparent
- permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie
- transpire
- (of a fact) become known; be revealed; happen; give off (watery waste matter) through pores
- transport
- strong emotion; rapture; Ex. in a transport/transports of; V: move to strong emotion; enrapture
- transpose
- reverse the order or position of
- trappings
- outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)
- traumatic
- (of an experience) deeply shocking; pertaining to an injury caused by violence; N. trauma: serious wound; emotional shock that causes lasting psychological damage
- travail
- strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth
- traverse
- go through or across
- travesty
- copy or example of something that completely misrepresents the true nature of the real thing; comical parody or imitation; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous; Ex. travesty of justice; OP. paragon
- tread
- walk; trample; N: grooved face of a tire; horizontal part of a step
- treasure
- keep as precious; cherish
- treatise
- article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly
- trek
- travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey
- tremor
- trembling; slight quiver (as of the earth or from nervous agitation)
- tremulous
- trembling; wavering
- trenchant
- cutting; incisive; keen
- trepidation
- fear; nervous apprehension
- tribulation
- suffering; ordeal; distress; trial
- tribunal
- court of justice
- tribune
- official of ancient Rome elected by the plebians to protect their rights; protector of the people
- tribute
- tax levied by a ruler; payment made by one nation to another in acknowledgment of submission; mark of respect (such as praise or gift); Ex. pay tribute to
- trickle
- flow in drops or in a thin stream; N.
- trickster
- person who cheats people
- trident
- three-pronged spear
- trifle
- something of little importance or value; small amount; Ex. a trifle; V: treat without seriousness; flirt
- trifling
- trivial; unimportant
- trigger
- set off; start
- trilogy
- group of three related works (connected by a shared subject but each complete in itself)
- trim
- make neat or tidy by clipping; reduce by removing what is unnecessary; ornament; decorate (round the edges); Ex. trim the cost; Ex. jacket trimmed with fur; N. ADJ: tidy; in good order
- trinket
- knickknack; bauble; cheap jewelry
- trite
- hackneyed; commonplace
- trivia
- trifles; unimportant matters
- troth
- pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; Ex. by my troth
- trough
- long narrow container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.); long narrow depression as between waves
- truculence
- aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce
- truism
- self-evident truth
- truncate
- cut the top off; shorten
- trunk
- main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant
- tryst
- meeting arranged by lovers; arrangement between lovers to meet
- tumid
- (of a part of the body) swollen; distended; bombastic; pompous
- tumult
- commotion of a great crowd; riot; noise; uproar; ADJ. tumultuous: noisy and disorderly
- tundra
- rolling treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America
- turbid
- (of a liquid) having the sediment disturbed; muddy; thick
- turbulence
- state of violent agitation; ADJ. turbulent: violently agitated or disturbed
- tureen
- deep dish for serving soup