barrons wordlist S
Terms
undefined, object
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- subjugate
- conquer; bring under control
- seminal
- related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments; Ex. seminal research in a new field
- n sluice
- artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water (with a gate to regulate the flow)
- n sinuous
- twisting; winding; bending in and out; not morally honest
- soliloquy
- talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
- n sherbet
- flavored dessert ice
- secession
- withdrawal; V. secede: withdraw formally from membership
- n stalwart
- physically strong; brawny; steadfast; strong in mind or determination; Ex. stalwart supporter; N: stalwart follower
- n stolid
- dull; impassive; showing little emotion when strong feelings are expected
- n strut
- pompous walk; V: walk in a self-important manner
- n slacken
- slow up; loosen; make or become slack
- n sacrosanct
- invioably sacred; most sacred; inviolable
- n sensitization
- process of being made sensitive or acutely responsive to an external agent or substance; V. sensitize: make or become sensitive
- stagnant
- (of water) not flowing (often bad-smelling); motionless; stale; not developing; inactive; dull; Ex. stagnant industrial output
- sanguine
- optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red
- n solicitous
- anxious; worried; concerned; eager; Ex. solicitous to do something; N. solicitude
- scrutinize
- examine closely and critically; N. scrutiny
- s scheme
- systematic plan; plot; clever dishonest plan; orderly arrangement of elements; Ex. health insurance scheme; Ex. a scheme to escape taxes; Ex. a color scheme; Ex. a story with no scheme; V: contrive a scheme
- n sylvan
- pertaining to the woods or the country
- n supposititious
- assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical
- n scintilla
- trace; minute amount; shred; least bit; Ex. There is not a scintilla of truth; CF. spark
- n suborn
- persuade to act unlawfully (especially to commit perjury); N. subornation
- spatial
- relating to space
- sultry
- (of weather) hot; sweltering; sensual; voluptuous
- stellar
- pertaining to the stars; of a star performer; outstanding; Ex. stellar attraction of the entire performance
- n strew
- spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter; Ex. flower girl strewing rose petals
- n skulduggery(skullduggery)
- dishonest behavior or action; Ex. skulduggery in the election
- n shun
- keep away from; avoid deliberately; Ex. She has been shunned by her neighbors.
- s sober
- serious; solemn; not drunken; abstemious or temperate; V: make or become sober
- sparse
- not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
- scale
- climb up; ascend; remove or come off in scales; N: flake of epidermis; ascending or descending series of musical tones
- synthesis
- combining parts or separate things into a whole; the whole so formed; PL. syntheses; V. synthesize
- s season
- enhance the flavor of by adding a spice, etc.; inure; harden; N. seasoning: something used in seasoning
- n scuttle
- sink (a ship) by cutting holes in the hull; scrap; discard; N: small hatch in a ship's deck or hull
- sobriety
- moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
- symmetry
- arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity; ADJ. symmetrical
- n shirk
- avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger
- n stock
- standard; kept regularly in stock or supply; typical; routine; common; Ex. stock sizes of paper; Ex. stock excuse/character; N: goods for sale in a shop; OP. unique
- n sextant
- navigation tool used to determine a ship's latitude and longitude (by measuring the altitudes of stars)
- n seminary
- school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women
- surmount
- overcome
- n spat
- squabble; minor dispute; minor quarrel
- summation
- act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)
- n shackle
- chain; fetter; confine with shackles; N.
- n slur
- pronounce indistinctly; speak indistinctly; mumble
- satire
- form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
- s supplicant
- one who supplicates; ADJ.
- n serrated
- having a sawtoothed edge; Ex. serrated leaf
- n squabble
- minor quarrel; bickering; V: engage in a minor quarrel; Ex. squabbling children
- n salient
- prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous; Ex. salient features
- simile
- comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as
- solstice
- point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator
- s sonic
- of sound or its speed in air; CF. subsonic, supersonic
- solemnity
- seriousness; gravity
- s snuffle
- sniffle; sniff repeatedly (in order to keep liquid from running out of the nose)
- n sham
- pretend; feign; ADJ: not genuine; fake; Ex. sham jewelry; N: something that is not what it appears; impostor; pretense; Ex. The agreement was a sham.
- sarcasm
- cutting ironic remark; scornful remarks; stinging rebuke; ADJ. sarcastic
- s seasonal
- of a particular season; Ex. seasonal rise in employment
- n shard
- fragment generally of broken pottery (glass, clay bowl, or cup)
- stratified
- divided into classes; arranged into strata; V. stratify
- subservient
- behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious; subordinate; N. subservience
- n semblance
- outward appearance; guise; Ex. We called in the troops to bring a/some semblance of order to the city.
- n sophomoric
- immature; half-baked; like a sophomore
- n sallow
- (of the skin) yellowish and unhealthy-looking; sickly in color; Ex. sallow complexion due to jaundice
- serenity
- calmness; placidity; ADJ. serene
- s pen
- fenced enclosure for animals; confining space; Ex. sheep pen; V: confine in a pen; enclose
- n 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
- n soporific
- sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness; drowsy
- n slovenly
- untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless
- s sleigh
- large vehicle drawn by a horse over snow or ice
- subsistence
- existence; means of subsisting; means of support; livelihood; V. subsist: exist; maintain life (at a meager level)
- n sundry
- miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items
- n squalor
- condition of being squalid; filth; degradation; dirty neglected state; ADJ. squalid: dirty; sordid; morally repulsive; Ex. squalid story
- scrupulous
- conscientious; extremely thorough; Ex. scrupulous worker
- stratum
- layer of earth's surface; layer of society; PL. strata
- n sentient
- capable of sensation and conscious; aware; sensitive; Ex. sentient creature; N. sentience
- n sinewy
- (of meat) tough; strong and firm; muscular; N. sinew: tendon; strong cord connecting a muscle to a bone
- n stint
- set limits in amount or number; be thrifty; ADJ. stinting, unstinting; CF. stint:savings
- n supine
- lying on back; passive; inactive; Ex. The defeated pugilist lay supine; Ex. supine acceptance of the decision
- n steadfast
- steadily loyal; unswerving; steady
- surreptitious
- done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
- s frisk
- move about playfully; froric; ADJ. frisky: playful
- n snicker
- half-stifled(suppressed) laugh; V.
- n seep
- pass slowly through small openings; ooze; trickle; N. seepage
- saga
- Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative
- n skittish
- inconstant; capricious; frivolous; not serious; Ex. charming but skittish young woman; CF. skit
- n slag
- glassy residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter
- n savory
- pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable; Ex. savory reputation
- n scaffold
- temporary platform for workers (to work at heights above the ground); bracing framework; platform for execution
- s stun
- make unconscious or numb as by a blow; amaze; astound
- n spangle
- small shiny metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
- s tarnish
- make or become dull or discolored; N.
- n shrew
- scolding woman; very small mouselike animal
- n sumptuous
- grand suggesting great expense; lavish; rich; Ex. sumptuous feast
- servile
- slavish; cringing; N. servility
- solvent
- substance that dissolves another; ADJ: capable of dissolving another substance
- skeptic
- sceptic; doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view; ADJ. skeptical; N. skepticism; scepticism
- saboteur
- one who commits sabotage; destroyer of property; N. sabotage: destruction of property (usually carried out secretly)
- seclusion
- isolation; solitude; V. seclude: set apart from others; isolate
- n sere
- sear; parched; dry
- sustenance
- sustaining; means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment; something that maintains life; food
- s scorch
- sear; N.
- n spoonerism
- accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. ``Let me sew you to your sheet'' for ``Let me show you to your seat''; CF. William Spooner
- n skinflint
- miser; stingy person
- s stump
- base of a tree trunk left after the rest has been cut down; V: walk in a heavy manner; baffle; puzzle
- s refuse
- anything discarded or rejected as worthless; trash
- supplant
- take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace
- n sphinx-like
- enigmatic; mysterious
- sensual
- devoted to the pleasures of the sense; carnal; voluptuous; Ex. sensual woman/curves/lips
- n sententious
- pithy; terse; concise; aphoristic
- n sear
- burn the surface of; char or burn; brand; parch; cause (a plant) to wither
- n smattering
- slight knowledge; small scattered number or amount; Ex. smattering of German
- n symbiosis
- interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life
- s cross
- bad-tempered; showing ill-humor; angry
- suppliant
- entreating; beseeching; N.
- synoptic
- providing a general overview; summary; N. synopsis
- n swill
- drink greedily
- s run-down
- (of a place) dilapidated; in a bad condition; (of a person) weak or exhausted
- n sluggard
- lazy person
- syllogism
- logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument
- substantial
- of substance; material; solid; essential or fundamental; ample; considerable; well-to-do; wealthy
- surpass
- exceed
- n spendthrift
- someone who wastes money; CF. thrift: accumulated wealth
- n staccato
- played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound; Ex. staccato applause
- servitude
- slavery; compulsory labor imposed as a punishment
- n subpoena
- writ(written command issued by a court) summoning a witness to appear in court; V: summon with a subpoena
- n stygian
- unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead
- n swelter
- (of a person) suffer from oppressive heat; be oppressed by heat
- s char
- make or become black by burning; reduce or be reduced to carbon or charcoal(black substance made by burning wood) by incomplete combustion
- n seedy
- run-down; decrepit; disreputable; having many seeds; Ex. seedy downtown hotel
- static
- having no motion; unchanging; lacking development; N. stasis: stable state
- sycophant
- servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic
- substantiate
- support (a claim) with evidence; establish with evidence; verify
- subsidiary
- serving to assist; subordinate; secondary; of a subsidy; N.
- n stricture
- severe and adverse criticism; critical comments; limit or restriction
- sedition
- conduct or language inciting rebellion; rebellion; resistance to authority; insubordination; ADJ. seditious
- n scotch
- stamp out(put an end to); thwart; hinder; Ex. scotch the rumor; CF. cut; CF. È°µ¿À» ÁÙÀÌ´Â ÀǹÌ
- n surly
- bad-tempered; rude; cross
- n savant
- scholar; learned person; CF. savoir: know
- n scurvy
- contemptible; despicable; N: disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C
- supersede
- replace; cause to be set aside; make obsolete; N. supersession
- n slur
- slander; insult to one's character or reputation; V.
- s plane
- carpenter's tool for smoothing and leveling wood; V. CF. flat
- subjective
- influenced by personal feelings; occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal; Ex. subjective sensation of the ghostly presence
- n subaltern
- subordinate
- s shuffle
- mix together; jumble; move (something) from one place to another; slide (the feet) along the ground while walking; Ex. shuffle papers from one pile to another; N.
- severity
- harshness; intensity; sternness; austerity; ADJ. severe: harsh; strict; extremely violent or intense
- synthetic
- not natural; artificial; resulting from synthesis; Ex. synthetic fiber; N.
- slake
- satisfy (thirst); quench; sate
- n solace
- comfort in sorrow or trouble; consolation; V: comfort or console in time of sorrow or trouble
- s sonnet
- 14-line poetic verse form with a fixed rhyme pattern
- n sepulcher
- tomb; V: place in a sepulcher; ADJ. sepulchral
- n slapdash
- hasty and careless; haphazard; sloppy(carelessly done)
- simulate
- feign; imitate
- n superannuated
- retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete
- n studied
- carefully contrived; calculated; unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful; Ex. studied remark
- supple
- flexible; limber; pliant
- stalemate
- deadlock; situation in which further action is blocked
- surveillance
- close observation of a person (esp. one under suspicion); watching; guarding
- n shyster
- lawyer using questionable methods; unscrupulous practioner
- sustain
- suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life); Ex. sustain the family/the trapped miners
- s brand
- trademark; mark burned on the hide of an animal; mark burned into the flesh of criminals; mark of disgrace; V: mark with a brand; give a lasting bad name; stigmatize; Ex. The press branded him a liar.
- n simper
- smirk; smile in a silly way; smile affectedly
- s lookout
- act of keeping watch; high place commanding a wide view; person who keeps watch
- n scuffle
- struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry; N. CF. scuffling twins ?
- synchronous
- similarly timed; simultaneous with; occurring at the same time; V. synchronize
- 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
- n solder
- repair or make whole by using a metal alloy; N: metal alloy (usually tin and lead) used in the molten state to join metallic parts
- s transpose
- reverse the order or position of
- senility
- old age; feeblemindedness of old age; ADJ. senile: resulting from old age; showing the weakness of body or mind from old age; Ex. senile dementia
- n smelt
- melt (ore) for separating and removing the metal; melt or blend ores changing their chemical composition
- n sleeper
- one that achieves unexpected success; something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable
- n saunter
- stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; N.
- spectrum
- colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism; broad and continuous range; Ex. whole spectrum of modern thoughts
- stamina
- power of endurance; strength; staying power
- n surrogate
- substitute; person or thing used in place of another; Ex. surrogate mother; ADJ.
- n salacious
- lascivious; lustful; Ex. salacious monk
- submissive
- willing to obey orders; yielding; timid
- sophistry
- seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism
- sanction
- approve; ratify; N: permission; penalty intended to enforce compliance
- singular
- being only one; individual; unique; extraordinary; odd; Ex. singular beauty/behavior
- n shunt
- move (a railway train) from one track to another; turn aside; divert; sidetrack; Ex. shunt traffic around an accident; N.
- n spry
- (esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble
- n stultify
- make stupid in mind; cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; suppress; frustrate or hinder; Ex. stultifying effect of uninteresting work; Ex. stultify free expression
- n stem
- stop or check (the flow of); Ex. stem the bleeding from the slashed artery; N: main axis of a plant; stalk
- saturate
- soak thoroughly; imbue; impregnate; charge; fill to capacity
- sloth
- slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent
- n sportive
- playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike
- subordinate
- occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive; N. V: put in a lower rank or class
- n subsume
- include (as a member of a group); encompass
- squander
- waste; spend foolishly
- stoic
- stoical; impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; N. CF. stoicism
- n stint
- supply; allotted amount of work; assigned portion of work; limitation; Ex. two-year stint in the army; Ex. without stint
- n seemly
- (of behavior) proper; appropriate
- statute
- law enacted by the legislature
- superimpose
- place over something else
- n strident
- loud and harsh; insistent; N. stridency
- sensuous
- giving pleasure to the senses; pertaining to the physical senses; operating through the senses; sensuous feeling of soft velvet on the skin
- somatic
- pertaining to the body; bodily; physical
- n stentorian
- (of the voice) extremely loud; CF. Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad
- s sidetrack
- switch (a railroad car) to a siding; divert from a main issue; N. CF. siding: short section of railroad track connected by switches with a main track
- n swathe
- swath; wrap around; bandage; Ex. one's head swathed in bandages
- n stupefy
- stun; make numb (as with a drug); amaze
- n slough
- (of a snake) shed or cast off (dead outer skin); N: outer layer that is shed
- n supererogatory
- superfluous; more than needed or demanded
- supposition
- assumption; hypothesis; surmise; V. suppose
- salvage
- rescue (goods or property) from loss; N: saving; property saved
- sedentary
- requiring sitting; done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled; Ex. sedentary job/population
- n slither
- slip or slide
- n spatula
- broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
- simplistic
- oversimplified
- sanctuary
- place of refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place; Ex. The outlaw was granted sanctuary in the church.
- s lopsided
- heavier or larger on one side than the other; Ex. lopsided way of walking
- swindler
- cheater
- n suffragist
- advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); CF. suffrage
- sinister
- evil; ominous
- n schism
- division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split
- s denomination
- religious group; unit in a system; name or designation; CF. denominator: common trait or characteristic
- n smolder
- smoulder; burn slowly without flame; be liable to break out at any moment; exist in a suppressed state; Ex. smoldering anger
- n sheathe
- place into a case; insert into or provide with a sheath; Ex. He sheathed his dagger; N. sheath: case for a blade
- n steep
- soak; saturate; Ex. steep the fabric in the dye bath; ADJ: precipitous
- surmise
- guess; N.
- n seamy
- sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome; Ex. seamy side of city life
- n sagacious
- wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity
- n scad
- a great quantity; Ex. scads of clothes
- s nimble
- quick in movement; agile; quick in understanding; Ex. nimble climber/mind
- n spurn
- reject disdainfully; scorn; Ex. She spurned all offers of help.
- n scruple
- hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; Ex. She did not scruple to read his diary; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience
- sporadic
- occurring irregularly; intermittent
- solicit
- entreat; request earnestly; seek to obtain; Ex. solicit votes; CF. solicitor: one who solicits; chief law officer
- n shoddy
- made of inferior material; sham; not genuine; inferior; dishonest; Ex. shoddy goods/trick
- n sunder
- separate; part; CF. asunder
- n sedulous
- diligent; assiduous; paying attention; N. sedulity
- n stipend
- pay for services
- n stipple
- paint or draw with dots or short strokes
- n sinecure
- well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without care; CF. San Serif
- n suavity
- urbanity; polish; ADJ. suave: smooth and courteous
- n sartorial
- pertaining to tailors or tailoring; Ex. a man of great sartorial elegance; CF. sartor: tailor
- n stodgy
- dull; stuffy; boringly conservative; Ex. stodgy book
- n splice
- join together end to end to make one continuous length; fasten together; unite; Ex. splice two strips of tape; N.
- n subversive
- tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ?
- specious
- seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
- s doze
- sleep lightly; nap
- n slight
- insult to one's dignity; snub; V: treat as if of small importance; insult; snub; ADJ. small in size; of small importance
- s hide
- skin of an animal
- n simian
- monkeylike; N: ape or monkey
- solitude
- state of being alone; seclusion; ADJ. solitary: existing or living alone (esp. by choice); remote or secluded; single; sole; Ex. solitary life/inn; Ex. no solitary piece of proof
- n squat
- short and thick; stocky; Ex. ugly squat tower; V. N.
- n swarthy
- (of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky; Ex. swarthy Italian ?
- statutory
- created by statute or legislative action; regulated by statute; Ex. statutory age limit
- n succulent
- juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness; N: succulent plant such as a cactus
- n sanctimonious
- displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness; N. sanctimony: hypocritical piety
- n scourge
- lash; whip (formerly used for punishment); source of severe punishment; V: whip; afflict
- n substantive
- substantial; essential; pertaining to the substance; substantial; considerable; Ex. substantive issues
- n septic
- of or causing sepsis; putrid; producing putrefaction; N. sepsis: poisoning of part of the body (producing pus)
- satirical
- using satire; mocking
- n sate
- satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy
- n sonorous
- resonant; producing a full deep sound; producing sound
- stem_from
- arise from; originate from
- s seasonable
- occurring at the proper time or season; opportune; Ex. seasonable intervention in the dispute
- n somnolent
- half asleep; drowsy; N. somnolence
- sibling
- brother or sister
- stringent
- (of rules) binding; rigid; marked by scarcity of money; Ex. stringent economic conditions
- s sectarian
- of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person
- s suffocate
- die or kill from lack of air; suppress
- s score
- number of points; written form of a musical composition; reason; group of 20; notch or incision; Ex. full/vocal score; Ex. Don't worry on that score; V: mark with lines or notches; Ex. score the paper to make it easy to fold
- n sordid
- filthy; foul; base; vile; Ex. sordid bed/story
- n sibylline
- prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world)
- n suture
- stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing; V: sew together a wound
- n salutary
- tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome; Ex. The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy; CF. health
- s base
- contemptible; morally bad; inferior in value or quality; Ex. base motives/conduct; Ex. base metal such as iron
- skirmish
- minor fight; minor battle in war; V.
- supercilious
- haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium
- n salubrious
- healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable; Ex. salubrious area; CF. health
- n stymie
- thwart; present an obstacle; stump
- secular
- worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion; temporal
- n shaving
- very thin piece, usually of wood (cut from a surface with a sharp blade)
- n scavenge
- hunt through discarded materials for usable items or food; search, especially for food; N. scavenger: one who scavenges; animal that feeds on refuse and carrion
- n secrete
- conceal; hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism; CF. secretive
- n surfeit
- satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount; Ex. surfeit of food
- succumb
- yield (to something overwhelming); give in; die; Ex. succumb to the illness
- n supernumerary
- person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number
- satiate
- satisfy fully (physical needs such as hunger); sate; N. satiety: condition of being satiated
- saccharine
- cloying sweet; characteristic of sugar or saccharin
- n stickler
- perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right
- sect
- separate religious body; faction; group of people with common beliefs within a larger group
- n sardonic
- scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic; cynical; Ex. sardonic smile
- sublime
- causing deep feelings of wonder, joy, respect, etc.; exalted; noble and uplifting; utter
- scenario
- plot outline; screenplay(script for a movie); opera libretto; outline of possible future events
- n savor
- enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality; N: taste or smell; distinctive quality
- n shimmer
- shine with a flickering light; glimmer intermittently; Ex. The moonlight shimmered on the water; N.
- spontaneity
- lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint; ADJ. spontaneous: self-generated; unpremeditated; happening without being planned
- stipulate
- state as a necessary condition (of an agreement); make express conditions; specify; Ex. He stipulated payment in advance
- s stamp
- step on heavily (so as to crush or extinguish); put an end to; imprint or impress with a mark, design, or seal; shape with a die; characterize; Ex. machine stamping out car bodies; Ex. newspaper stamping him as a liar; N. stamping; implement used to stamp; impression stamped; mark; Ex. Her remarks bear the stamp of truth.
- s daze
- stun as with a blow or shock; bemuse; benumb; N.
- n skulk
- move furtively and secretly; Ex. He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city.
- n sage
- person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise
- n spasmodic
- fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; N. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion
- n serpentine
- winding; twisting; of or like a serpent; Ex. serpentine course of the river; N. serpent: snake
- n sadistic
- inclined to cruelty; N. sadism: delight in cruelty
- slander
- defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements; V. ADJ. slanderous
- n suffuse
- spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge; Ex. A blush suffused her cheeks.
- subtlety
- perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy; ADJ. subtle: delicate; so slight as to be difficult to detect; able to make fine distinctions; clever; Ex. subtle mind/differences in meaning
- n skiff
- small light sailboat or rowboat
- n stanza
- division of a poem (composed of two or more lines)
- solvent
- able to pay all depths; N. solvency
- n stilted
- bombastic; stiffly pompous; Ex. stilted rhetoric; CF. stiff: formal
- n stupor
- state of being stupefied; state of apathy; daze; lack of awareness
- seasoned
- experienced
- n seethe
- be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling; Ex. The nation was seething with discontent.
- s slack
- moving slowly; sluggish; inactive; (of a rope) loose; negligent; lax; Ex. slack season; Ex. slack in one's work; N. V.
- n staid
- serious and sedate; sober; Ex. staid during the funeral ceremony
- somnambulist
- sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism
- n scapegoat
- someone who bears the blame for others; whipping boy; CF. escape+goat
- n spruce
- neat and trim in appearance; smart; Ex. Be spruce for your job interview; V.
- n sever
- separate; cut off (a part) from a whole; break up (a relationship); N. severance; CF. severance pay: extra pay given an employee upon leaving a position
- n stockade
- wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier
- n sybarite
- lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy
- sacrilegious
- desecrating; profane; N. sacrilege: desecration, misuse, or theft of something sacred
- s voluptuous
- sensual; of or giving sensual pleasure; indulging in sensual pleasures; Ex. voluptuous lines; Ex. voluptuous life of the Romans; N. voluptuary: voluptuous person
- sleight
- dexterity; CF. sleight of hand: legerdemain; quickness of the hands in doing tricks
- s feebleminded
- deficient in intelligence; very stupid
- n skimp
- provide or use scantily; live very economically; Ex. skimp on necessities; ADJ. skimpy: inadequate in amount; scanty; stingy; niggardly
- stereotype
- one regarded as embodying a set image or type; fixed and unvarying representation; standardized mental picture often reflecting prejudice; Ex. stereotype of the happy slave; V: make a stereotype of; represent by a stereotype; Ex. It is wrong to stereotype people; Ex. stereotyped answer
- saline
- salty
- n scintillate
- sparkle; flash; be animated; be full of life; Ex. scintillating conversation
- s smother
- kill from lack of air; suppress; cover thickly; Ex. smothered in little stickers
- n strut
- supporting bar; CF. airplane wingÀ̳ª building µîÀ» support
- n sojourn
- temporary stay; V: stay for a time
- sophist
- teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument
- succor
- assist (someone in difficulty); aid; comfort; N.
- subliminal
- below the threshold of conscious perception; Ex. subliminal advertisement
- n slew
- large quantity or number; Ex. slew of errands left
- subsidy
- direct financial aid by government, etc.; V. subsidize: assist with a subsidy
- n spurious
- false; counterfeit; forged; illogical; Ex. spurious arguments
- superfluous
- excessive; overabundant; unnecessary; N. superfluity
- spawn
- lay eggs (in large numbers); produce offspring (in large numbers); N: eggs of aquatic animals
- n shambles
- (place or scene of) complete disorder or ruin; wreck; mess; Ex. After the hurricane, the coast was a shambles.
- n satyr
- half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus (resembling a goat), portrayed as wanton(unrestrained) and cunning; lecher; CF. faun; CF. goat: lecherous man
- n stoke
- stir up a fire or furnace; feed plentifully
- n scabbard
- case for a sword blade; sheath
- soluble
- able to be dissolved in a liquid; able to be worked out or solved
- sanguinary
- bloody; with much bloodshed
- s sledge
- large sled drawn by work animals
- n silt
- sediment deposited by running water (at the entrance to a harbor or by a bend in a river)
- n scurry
- move hastily; hurry; move briskly
- n sheaf
- bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together
- n stifle
- suppress; extinguish; inhibit; smother or suffocate
- n stigma
- token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful
- n somber
- dark; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; CF. shadow
- n spate
- sudden flood or rush; Ex. spate of accidents
- stratagem
- deceptive scheme; clever trick
- n swerve
- deviate; turn aside sharply from a straight course; Ex. swerve from the principle; Ex. The car swerved to the right.
- schematic
- of a schema or scheme; relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols; N. schema: diagrammatic representation; outline
- shrewd
- clever; astute
- n solecism
- nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically; violation of social etiquette
- n serendipity
- gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip
- n scurrilous
- abusive; obscene; indecent; Ex. scurrilous remark
- n striated
- marked with parallel bands; striped; grooved; Ex. striated rocks; V. striate; N. stria: thin groove or line
- spectral
- ghostly; N. specter: spectre; ghost; phantom
- s hull
- husk; dry outer covering of a seed; frame or body of a ship
- n sodden
- thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink
- supplicate
- petition humbly; pray to grant a favor
- superficial
- of the surface; not deep; shallow; not thorough; trivial; Ex. superficial analysis/knowledge
- scanty
- meager; insufficient
- seismic
- pertaining to earthquakes
- s legato
- (of music) played smoothly
- n sleazy
- shabby and dirty; flimsy; insubstantial; Ex. sleazy back-street hotel/fabric
- n sedate
- composed (with no excitement); grave; V: administer a sedative to; CF. sedative
- n stanch
- stop or check flow of blood; Ex. stanch the gushing wound
- subsequent
- following in time or order; later
- subdue
- less intense; quieter; Ex. subdued lighting; Ex. subdue: conquer; make less intense; quiet; Ex. subdue one's anger
- subside
- sink to a lower level; settle down; sink to the bottom (as a sediment); descend; grow quiet; become less; moderate; abate
- stealth
- action of moving secretly or unseen; slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness; ADJ. stealthy
- n sully
- defile; soil; tarnish; Ex. sully one's hands in menial labor
- n smirk
- conceited smile; offensively self-satisfied smile (often at someone else's misfortune); V.
- n sequester
- isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life
- satellite
- small body revolving around a larger one
- sentinel
- sentry; lookout
- n snivel
- complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle; Ex. Don't come back sniveling to me.
- n seine
- seine net; net for catching fish
- sluggish
- lazy; slow; inactive; lethargic; CF. slug: nail with no shell
- n sidereal
- relating to stars; Ex. sidereal day
- n saturnine
- morose; gloomy; Ex. Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.
- sublimate
- refine; purify; replace (natural urges) with socially acceptable activities; change between a solid state and a gaseous state
- n spartan
- without attention to comfort; lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined; Ex. spartan living condition/life
- sophisticated
- worldly wise and urbane; refined; complex; N. sophistication; V. sophisticate
- n subterfuge
- stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion; Ex. resort to a harmless subterfuge
- n sap
- diminish; weaken; undermine the foundations of (a fortification); Ex. The element kryptonite sapped his strength.
- n slipshod
- slovenly; careless; sloppy; untidy; shabby; Ex. slipshod work
- n scoff
- laugh (at); mock; ridicule; Ex. scoff at their threats