B and C
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- n bludgeon
- club; heavy-headed weapon; V.
- collateral
- security given for loan; ADJ: secondary; descended from the same person but through different sons or daughters
- s constituency
- voters represented by an elected official; district so represented; group of supporters (or constituents)
- n cession
- yielding to another; ceding
- chameleon
- lizard that changes color in different situations
- s casual
- happening by chance; irregular; occasional; informal; showing or feeling little interest; Ex. casual reader/labor/remark
- carnivorous
- meat-eating; N. carnivore; CF. herbivore
- n brocade
- rich, figured(patterned) fabric
- n barefaced
- shameless and noticeable; blatant; bold; unconcealed; having no covering on the face; Ex. barefaced lie
- concave
- hollow; curved inwards; OP. convex
- connoisseur
- person competent to act as a judge of art, etc. (whose judgments are respected); a lover of an art
- n boorish
- rude; insensitive
- s deserts
- what someone deserves
- clich\'e
- phrase dulled in meaning by repetition; platitude; ADJ. clich\'ed
- n countermand
- cancel; revoke (an order)
- calligraphy
- beautiful writing; excellent penmanship
- catastrophe
- calamity ; disaster
- n bombastic
- pompous; using inflated language
- n coy
- shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer¸¦ ¹Þ¾ÒÀ» ¶§
- n camaraderie
- good-fellowship; CF. comrade
- banal
- hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clich\'ed
- n courier
- messenger
- s contrive
- invent or fabricate in a clever way (by improvisation); manage; Ex. contrive to attract his attention
- n bait
- harass; tease; torment; Ex. badger baiting; N: food or other lure used to catch fish or trap animals
- n bullion
- gold and silver in the form of bars
- n comity
- courtesy; civility; Ex. comity of nations
- n benefit
- advantage; anything that brings helpl, advantage, or profit; money provided by the government to the people; fund-raising public entertainment; Ex. unemployment benefit; V: receive benefits; be beneficial to; give benefits
- s clasp
- hold firmly within arms
- cryptic
- mysterious; hidden; secret
- n contraband
- illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods; ADJ.
- conclusive
- decisive; ending all debate
- n chagrin
- annoyance and disappointment; vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride)
- n covetous
- avaricious; desirous of (someone else's possessions); V. covet: desire eagerly (someone else's possessions)
- n braggadocio
- boasting
- s concordat
- formal agreement
- consort
- associate with; keep company; N: husband or wife (or a ruler)
- s qualify
- reach a necessary standard; limit the meaning of something stated
- n clime
- climate
- s bristle
- short stiff hair; V: (hair or fur) stand up stiffly
- n canny
- shrewd in money matters; thrifty
- connubial
- pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state
- concord
- harmony; accord
- n blithe(blithesome)
- gay; joyous
- censor
- (in ancient Rome) overseer of morals (also taking the census); person who eliminates inappropriate matter; V.
- n conifer
- pine tree (usu. evergreen); cone-bearing tree; ADJ. coniferous; CF. deciduous; CF. evergreen
- n chaffing
- bantering; joking
- baffle
- frustrate; perplex
- conjugal
- pertaining to marriage
- cipher
- nonentity; worthless person or thing; zero; secret code; V.
- s swell
- long wave of water that moves continuously without breaking; V.
- n carapace
- shell covering the back (of a turtle, tortoise, crab, etc.)
- s boor
- rude, insensitive person
- s hereafter
- life after death
- n belabor
- harp on; dwell on tediously; explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally; beat severely; attack physically
- centigrade
- denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius)
- n catcall
- shout of disapproval or displeasure (made at the theater or a sports match); boo; V.
- bestow
- confer
- n caste
- one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society; social stratification; prestige
- n canine
- related to dogs; doglike
- n cataclysm
- deluge; upheaval; earthquake; violent and sudden event or change
- n bolt
- door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric; large roll of cloth; V: dash or dart off; fasten (a door); gobble down
- s graze
- (of an animal) feed on growing grass; cause (an animal) to feed on grass; scrape (esp. the skin) or touch lightly in passing; brush; Ex. We can't graze the cattle till summer; N: surface wound
- n chortle
- chuckle with delight; N.
- conscript
- draftee; person forced into military service; V.
- n clique
- small exclusive group of people
- n coterie
- group that meets socially; select circle; close group of people with shared interests
- circumvent
- outwit; defeat by behaving more cleverly; outsmart; baffle; avoid; get around
- beneficiary
- person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy or will
- n bigotry
- stubborn intolerance
- n coquette
- flirt; flirtatious woman; woman who tries to attract the admiration of men without sincere feelings; V.
- n beguile
- deceive; mislead or delude; cheat; pass time pleasantly; charm or attract; Ex. beguiling smile
- n cleft
- N: split
- cathartic
- purgative; medicine that causes the bowels to empty; ADJ.
- s ulcer
- sore place appearing on the skin inside or outside the body; Ex. stomach ulcer; ADJ. ulcerous; V. ulcerate
- charisma
- divine gift; great popular charm or appeal; magnetism
- n cherubic
- angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order
- n cower
- shrink quivering as from fear; cringe
- s vain
- full of self-admiration; conceited; without result; unsuccessful; N. vanity
- contaminate
- pollute
- composure
- mental calmness
- n cynosure
- object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor
- n catholic
- (of likings and interests) universal; general; broad; including many different parts; wide-ranging liberal; Ex. catholic opinions/tastes
- n browse
- graze; feed on growing grass; skim or glance at casually
- n bard
- poet
- n crass
- very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior
- n continence
- self-restraint; sexual chastity; sexual abstinence; voluntary control over bladder and bowel functions; ADJ. continent
- centrifugal
- radiating; departing from the center
- collate
- examine and compare in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order (the sheets of a book before they are bound)
- s crest
- top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird
- complaisant
- trying to please; obliging; willing to please others
- bicker
- quarrel
- cacophonous
- discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony: unpleasant mixture of loud sounds
- n certitude
- certainty
- n crotchety
- (of someone old) eccentric; odd; whimsical; bad-tempered; N. crotchet: odd or whimsical notion
- n cantata
- story set to music to be sung by a chorus (shorter than an oratorio)
- s callus
- area of thick hard skin
- curtail
- shorten; reduce
- chaste
- morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere
- credence
- belief
- n bawdy
- indecent; obscene; about sex in a rude funny way; CF. bawd
- concur
- agree; coincide; happen at the same time
- convivial
- pleasantly merry; festive; joyous; gay; characterized by joviality; jovial
- n comeuppance
- deserts; well-deserved punishment or misfortune; rebuke
- n baroque
- highly ornate
- covert
- secret; hidden; implied; OP. overt
- conventional
- ordinary; typical; not nuclear; Ex. conventional weapons
- n brook
- tolerate; endure; Ex. brook no interference; N: small stream
- cite
- quote; commend; Ex. cited for bravery in an official record
- cache
- hiding place; V.
- n bucolic
- rustic; pastoral
- convex
- curving outward
- s bigot
- one who is intolerant (in matters of religion or politics)
- conformity
- harmony; agreement with established rules or customs; similarity; Ex. behave in conformity with; V. conform: be similar; act in agreement; comply; Ex. conform to the rule; CF. conformance
- s finery
- beautiful clothes for a special occasion
- n bemused
- confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
- compendium
- brief, comprehensive summary; ADJ. compendious
- s consonant
- harmonious; in agreement; N.
- consistency
- absence of contradictions; uniformity; degree of thickness or firmness; Ex. consistency of thick cream; CF. viscous
- n celibate
- abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried; N. celibacy
- n bohemian
- unconventional (in an artistic way)
- s contrivance
- something contrived; machine or apparatus; clever deceitful plan; scheme
- n cistern
- reservoir or water tank
- n blurt
- utter impulsively from nervousness or excitement
- belittle
- disparage; depreciate
- convention
- social or moral custom; established practice; formal meeting; international agreement
- s gobble
- eat very quickly
- beseech
- beg; plead with
- contrite
- penitent; repentant; N. contrition
- crescendo
- increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent
- catharsis
- purging or cleansing of any passage of the body; purging and weakening of strong emotions as a result of experiencing a dramatic work of art
- crypt
- secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room (under a church)
- s afterlife
- life after death; later part of one's life
- n betroth
- become engaged to marry
- n colander
- utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
- condign
- adequate; (of punishment) severe and well deserved
- n callow
- youthful; immature; inexperienced
- s peevish
- bad-tempered; irritable; V. peeve: make angry
- s prop
- support placed under or against something; V.
- clamor
- loud continous noise; continuous demand or complaint made by a large number of people; V: make a clamor; express (a demand) continually and loudly; ADJ. clamorous
- n clout
- great influence (especially political or social); hard blow with fist
- caricature
- distortion; burlesque
- condiments
- seasonings; spices
- n comport
- bear one's self; behave; Ex. comport oneself; N. comportment
- complementary
- serving to complete something
- champion
- support militantly; fight for; N: person who fights for or supports strongly (a principle, movement, person, etc.)
- cringe
- shrink back as if in fear; cower
- buoyant
- able to float; cheerful and optimistic; N. buoyancy; Ex. buoyancy of wood/water/American market
- n clientele
- body of customers
- n bereft
- deprived of (something valuable); lacking
- n chastise
- punish as by beating; criticize severely
- n carcinogenic
- causing cancer; N. carcinogen
- construe
- explain; interpret; Ex. construe her silence as meaning that she agreed; CF. misconstrue
- n chase
- ornament a metal surface by indenting; follow rapidly to catch
- connivance
- pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend; V. connive: feign ignorance (of a wrong); cooperate secretly in an illegal action; conspire
- n cardinal
- chief; most important; N: priest; cardinal number: number that shows quantity rather thatn order
- n carafe
- glass water bottle; decanter
- consanguinity
- kinship; relationship by birth
- s botch
- mismanage; blow
- n bilk
- swindle; cheat
- n browbeat
- bully; intimidate
- n chassis
- framework and working parts of an automobile; framework to which components are attached
- s circuit
- closed circular line around an area; circumference; regularly repeated journey from place to place
- bourgeois
- middle class; selfishly materialistic; too interested in material possessions
- n behemoth
- huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
- n blowhard
- talkative boaster; braggart
- n buffoonery
- clowning
- s bargain
- agreement between two groups or people; something for sale at a price advantageous to the buyer; V: negotiate; trade; Ex. bargaining power
- n bilious
- suffering from indigestion; sick from having too much bile; irritable; easily irritated
- n cajole
- persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle
- cascade
- small waterfall
- n culinary
- relating to cooking or kitchen
- n carrion
- rotting flesh of a dead body; CF. vulture
- bellicose
- warlike
- corollary
- natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)
- coercion
- use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce
- s constitution
- constituting; system of laws; composition of something; physical makeup or structure of a person; Ex. men with strong constitutions
- n cog
- tooth projecting from a wheel
- n cuisine
- style of cooking; Ex. French cuisine
- n caulk(calk)
- make watertight (by blocking up cracks as in a ship)
- n bouillon
- clear beef (or meat) soup
- n coiffure
- hairstyle
- n caucus
- private meeting of a group of people in a political party to select officers or determine policy; CF. the Caucus club of Boston
- s conspire
- take part in a conspiracy; (of events) work together; combine; Ex. Events conspired to produce great difficulties.
- citadel
- fortress
- n baleful
- evil; malignant in intent or effect; deadly; having a malign influence; portending evil; ominous; threatening; Ex. baleful look
- n berserk
- mad with violent anger; frenzied; madly excited
- cleave
- split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to; N. cleavage; ADJ. cloven
- condone
- overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
- n babble
- chatter idly or foolishly; make continuous sounds like water running gently over rounded stone; N.
- chivalrous
- courteous; faithful; brave; N. chivalry
- corpulent
- very fat; N. corpulence
- n bleak
- cold or cheerless; frigid; unlikely to be favorable; depressing
- n copious
- plentiful
- n candor
- frankness; open honesty; ADJ. candid
- n brunt
- main impact or shock (of an attack or blow); Ex. brunt of the argument
- s correlate
- either of the correlated things; V.
- castigation
- punishment; severe criticism or disapproval
- contumacious
- stubborn and disobedient; resisting authority (esp. disobedient to an order made by a court)
- countenance
- approve; support; tolerate; Ex. countenance his rude behavior; N: face; appearance
- compatible
- harmonious; in harmony with; able to exist together
- cosmic
- pertaining to the universe; vast
- controvert
- oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict; ADJ. controversial; N. controversy
- civil
- having to do with citizens; not military or religious; courteous and polite; Ex. married in a civil ceremony; Ex. civil strife/disorder/law; N. civility; CF. civic
- compile
- assemble; gather; accumulate; make (a report or a book) from facts and information found in various places; Ex. compile a dictionary
- craven
- cowardly
- n contravene
- contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention
- benison
- blessing
- s surge
- powerful movement of or like a wave; V.
- contest
- dispute; argue about the rightness of; compete for; try to win; Ex. contest the election results; Ex. contest a seat in Parliament; N.
- n cornucopia
- horn (or horn-shaped container) overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance; horn of plenty
- calculated
- deliberately planned; likely
- contend
- struggle; compete; assert earnestly; state strongly
- n chimerical
- fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera: unreal fancy; fire-breathing female creature
- n cubicle
- small chamber used for sleeping or work
- n bereavement
- state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved; state of being bereaved or bereft
- s plump
- pleasantly fat; nicely rounded
- s corpus
- collection (of writings or information); Ex. the corpus of Shakespear's works; Cf. corpse
- n bugaboo
- bugbear; object of baseless terror
- celerity
- speed; rapidity
- calumny
- malicious misrepresentation; slander
- n beatitude
- blessedness; state of great happiness
- s unregenerate
- making no attempt to change one's bad practices
- s draft
- first rough form; conscription; draught; V: make a draft of; conscript
- codify
- arrange (laws or rules) as a code; classify; N. code: system of words used instead of ordinary writing; collection of laws, rules, established social customs
- conceit
- vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one's own value; extravagant metaphor (in poetry)
- comely
- attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance
- centurion
- Roman army officer (commanding a company of about 100 soldiers)
- barrage
- barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion; large number of questions or statements; Ex. a barrage of criticism
- s scrap
- small bit or fragment; discarded waste material; fight; Ex. a scrap of paper/cloth; V: break into parts for disposal; discard as worthless; fight; quarrel
- corrode
- destroy or wear away gradually by chemical action (over a long period)
- s pang
- sudden sharp feeling of pain
- s compulsive
- resulting from compulsion
- bovine
- cowlike; placid and dull; slow-thinking; calm
- n blandishment
- flattery
- s commemorate
- honor the memory of; serve as a memorial to; Ex. commemorate the 100th anniversary/those who died in the war
- coalesce
- combine; fuse; N. coalescence
- conjure
- cause to appear by magic; summon (a devil or a spirit) by magical power; practice magic (esp. by very quick movement of the hands); evoke; conjure up: bring into the mind; Ex. The magician conjured a rabbit out of his hat.
- concomitant
- that which accompanies; Ex. Deafnes is a frequent concommitant of old age; ADJ: existing or happening together with something else
- n befuddle
- confuse thoroughly
- capricious
- unpredictable; fickle
- cumulative
- growing by addition; accumulative
- n bask
- luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
- n chide
- scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong)
- calamity
- disaster; misery
- s scrappy
- quarrelsome
- compelling
- overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel
- n capillary
- having a very fine bore; resembling a hair; fine and slender; Ex. capillary attraction; N: very fine hairlike tube; CF. capillarity
- n cohabit
- live together
- n beset
- harass or trouble from all directions; hem in
- constraint
- restraint; compulsion; repression of feelings; reticence; V. constrain: hold back; restrain; compel; oblige; confine forcibly; imprison
- bogus
- counterfeit; not authentic; intentionally false; Ex. bogus interview
- contempt
- scorn; disdain; ADJ. contemptuous; CF. contemptible
- n coagulate
- congeal; thicken; clot; N. coagulant
- n capacity
- mental or physical ability; role; position or duty; ability to accommodate; Ex. in my capacity as president
- censure
- blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; N: severe criticism; strong disapproval
- n cordon
- extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress; (¾î±ú¿¡¼ °Üµå¶û ¹ØÀ¸·Î °ÉÄ¡´Â) Àå½Ä ¸®º»; V.
- compound
- combine; produce by combining; increase; make worse by adding to or increasing; exacerbate; Ex. compound an error; ADJ: consisting of two or more parts; N: combination of two or more parts; area enclosed by a wall containing a group of buildings; Ex. factory compound; CF. complex
- conflagration
- great fire
- n behoove(behove)
- be suited to; be incumbent upon; be right and necessary; Ex. It behooves one to do.
- biennial
- every two years
- n bolster
- support; reinforce
- compact
- agreement; contract; ADJ: tightly packed; firm; brief; concise; Ex. compact statement
- cerebral
- pertaining to the brain or intellect; intellectual rather than emotional; CF. cerebrum
- collaborate
- work together; cooperate treasonably with the enemy
- capacious
- spacious
- cessation
- stoppage
- concentric
- having a common center
- n besmirch
- soil; defile; make dirty
- commandeer
- take (private property) for military use without needing permission or giving payment; draft for military purposes
- n corporeal
- bodily (rather than spiritual); of a bodily form; material; tangible
- n compromise
- adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the interests or reputation of; put into danger, disrepute, or a dishonorable position; Ex. compromise one's principle; N.
- s scrimmage
- disorderly fight between two or more people
- n canard
- unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
- n bountiful
- generous; graciously generous; showing bounty
- n betoken
- signify; indicate; be a sign of
- comprise
- include; consist of
- circumlocution
- indirect or roundabout expression (by using an uncecessarily large number of words esp. when trying to avoid answering a difficult question directly)
- n collation
- a light meal; collating
- cantankerous
- ill-humored; irritable
- n contrived
- unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; Ex. The ending was rather contrived.
- congeal
- freeze; coagulate
- n confidant(confidante)
- trusted friend (to whom one tells one's secret)
- n bland
- soothing or mild (food); agreeable; causing no trouble or offence
- s overture
- musical introduction to a long musical piece; first offer or proposal (to begin talks in the hope of reaching an agreement); Ex. overtures for peace
- s compartment
- one of the parts into which an enclosed space is divided
- s luxuriate
- take pleasure in great comfort
- consonance
- harmony; agreement
- s brawny
- muscular; having well-developed muscles
- s intolerant
- not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; CF. tolerant; CF. tolerate
- compress
- force into less space; squeeze; contract; put into fewer words; N: thick mass of cloth pressed to part of the body to stop bleeding or swelling, reduce fever, etc.
- n chicanery
- trickery; deception
- cadaver
- corpse; dead human body
- cloister
- monastery or convent
- n bravado
- swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery
- n communal
- held in common; public; of a group of people; of a commune
- n blighted
- suffering from a disease; destroyed
- s hindsight
- understanding the nature of an event after it has actually happened
- cardiologist
- doctor specializing in ailments of the heart
- n bereaved
- deprived of (someone beloved through death)
- s solicitor
- lawyer in the lower court of law
- s unceremonious
- not done politely without due formalities
- n chasten
- discipline; punish in order to correct; CF. castigate
- converse
- opposite; ADJ.
- climactic
- relating to the highest point; N. climax; CF. climatic
- n cull
- pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N.
- s flirt
- behave in a way that attracts (sexual) attention; deal triflingly with; N: one (or woman) given to flirting; ADJ. flirtatious
- n choreography
- art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances
- chronic
- long established as a disease
- s confidence
- self-assurance; calm unworried feeling based on a strong belief in one's abilities; strong belief in the ability of a person or plan; trust or faith in a person or thing; something confided; secret; Ex. confidence in your ability; Ex. I'm telling you this in confidence; Ex. exchange confidences about their boyfriends; ADJ. confident
- benediction
- blessing
- beneficial
- helpful; useful; advantageous
- n contingent
- dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional; happening by chance; accidental; N: a group of soldiers, ships to a larger force; CF. contingency: future event that may or may not occur; possibility; Ex. prepare for every contingency
- n carping
- petty criticism; fault-finding; fretful complaining; quibble
- s gracious
- kind in a generous way (to someone less important)
- colloquial
- pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal; N. colloquialism: colloquial expression
- n bombardment
- attack (as with missiles or bombs); V. bombard
- n cozen
- cheat; hoodwink; swindle
- n crevice
- crack; fissure
- n bowdlerize
- expurgate; CF. Thomas Bowdler
- bantering
- joking talk; good-naturedly ridiculing; N.V. banter
- s mystic
- of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism
- contagion
- infection (by contact); ADJ. contagious; CF. infectious: that can be passed by infection in the air
- clairvoyant
- having foresight; fortuneteller; N. clairvoyance
- cognate
- having a common origin; related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature; Ex. cognate languages; N.
- cognitive
- having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental processes; N. cognition: the mental process of knowing
- n bestial
- beastlike; brutal; inhuman; very cruel
- n beholden
- obligated; indebted; owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude
- s reckon
- count; calculate; regard as; think; suppose
- counterpart
- thing that completes another; things very much alike; thing that has the same purpose in a different system
- creed
- system of religious or ethical belief
- s bombast
- grandiloquent, pompous speech
- n brackish
- somewhat saline
- blunder
- error; stupid mistake
- n cow
- terrorize; intimidate
- n chary
- cautious; unwilling to take risks; sparing or restrained about giving; OP. bold
- n cauterize
- burn (a wound or snakebite, etc.) with hot iron or caustic substance to stop bleeding and prevent infection
- s bruise
- injure without breaking the skin; N.
- compliant
- readily acting in accordance with a rule, order, or the wishes or others; yielding; comforming to requirements
- n commemorative
- remembering; honoring the memory of; Ex. commemorative stamp
- s fuddle
- make stupid or confused as with alcholic drink; N. in a fuddle: confused
- n crestfallen
- dejected; dispirited
- confine
- shut in an enclosed space; restrict; keep within limits; N. confinement
- n blas\'e
- bored with pleasure or dissipation; uninterested or bored
- n cornice
- projecting molding on building (usually above columns or pillars); ó¸¶ Àå½Ä
- n buxom
- full-bosomed; plump; jolly
- s corpuscle
- red or white cell in the blood
- n blare
- loud or harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light
- constituent
- supporter; voter; member of a constituency; component
- n caliber
- ability; quality; diameter of the inside of a round cylinder; Ex. work of very high caliber
- contusion
- bruise
- concurrent
- happening at the same time; in agreement
- convoke
- call together; Ex. convoke Parliament; N. convocation
- n badger
- pester; annoy continually with demands; persuade by asking again and again; Ex. The children badgered me into taking them into the cinema; N: a kind of mountain animal
- s clown
- act stupidly; play the fool; N.
- n boon
- blessing; benefit; something very helpful
- n collage
- work of art put together from fragments
- n brindled
- tawny or grayish with streaks or spots (of animals)
- culpable
- deserving blame; blameworthy
- consign
- send to a person or place for sale; deliver officially; entrust; put into the care of another; set apart (for a special purpose); N. consignment; CF. consignor, consignee
- cogitate
- think over; ponder
- n bemoan
- lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of
- s deport
- send out of the country; behave; N. deportation, deportment
- s brawl
- noisy quarrel
- n curmudgeon
- churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person
- carnage
- destruction of life; slaughter; killing of large numbers of people or animals
- n burgeon
- grow rapidly; grow forth; send out buds; Ex. burgeoning computer industry; CF. bludgeon
- n bristling
- rising like bristles; showing irritation
- s confidential
- spoken or written in secret; trusted with private matters; Ex. confidential secretary
- colloquy
- informal discussion; conversation
- n cohorts
- group of people who share some common quality; armed band; a group of between 300 and 600 soldiers under one commander (in the ancient Rome)
- n bandy
- discuss lightly or glibly; discuss in a frivolous manner; exchange (words) heatedly; quarrel; Ex. bandy words with
- contortions
- twistings; distortions; V. contort: twist violently out of shape; CF. contortionist
- circuitous
- roundabout
- n clapper
- striker (tongue) of a bell
- barrister
- counselor-at-law or lawyer in the higher court of law; CF. bar
- n comatose
- in a coma; extremely sleepy
- s thesis
- opinion put forward and supported by reasoned arguments
- commensurate
- equal in extent; of the same size
- couple
- join; unite; OP. uncouple
- n cavil
- quibble; make frivolous objections; find fault unnecessarily
- n careen
- lurch; sway from side to side; move with irregular swinging movement; stagger
- console
- lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort; allay the sorrow of; N. consolation
- n burnish
- make shiny by rubbing; polish
- n bloated
- (unpleasantly) swollen or puffed as with water or air
- conducive
- helpful; contributive; V. conduce; Ex. conduce to/towards
- converge
- approach; tend to meet; come together
- n bastion
- stronghold; something seen as a source of protection; Ex. the last bastion of male chauvinism
- s token
- outward sign; Ex. a token of our gratitude
- caprice
- whim; sudden change of mind without any real cause
- conscientious
- scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker
- check
- stop motion; curb or restrain
- s coax
- persuade by flattery
- n clavicle
- collarbone
- n cartographer
- map-maker
- n cadence
- rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat; regular beat of sound; rhythm
- s scraps
- leftover food
- compute
- reckon; calculate
- s tawny
- brownish yellow
- beneficent
- kindly; doing good
- n bluff
- pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff; ADJ: rough but good-natured
- colossal
- huge
- confluence
- flowing together; the place where two rivers flow together; crowd; gathering together
- n chisel
- swindle or cheat; N: wedgelike tool for cutting
- centripetal
- tending toward the center
- curator
- superintendent; manager (in charge of a museum or a library)
- n bedraggle
- wet thoroughly; ADJ. bedraggled: draggled
- corrosive
- eating away by chemicals or disease; (of language) fierce
- congenial
- pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature; Ex. congenial weather
- n canker
- any ulcerous sore; ulcer; any evil; CF. cancer
- breadth
- width; extent
- s homely
- not good-looking; unattractive
- n catechism
- book for religious instruction in question-and-answer form; religious instruction by question and answer; V. catechize
- s chaperon
- older person who accompanies and supervises a young unmarried woman
- cordial
- warmly friendly; gracious; heartfelt; Ex. cordial welcome
- chauvinist
- blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group, cause, or sex; ADJ. chauvinistic; CF. chauvinism; Nicolas Chauvin
- s compulsory
- obligatory; that must be done
- besiege
- surround with armed forces; harass (with requests); annoy continually
- n cant
- insincere speech or expression of piety; jargon of thieves; special words used by a particular group of people
- n carat(karat)
- unit of weight for precious stones; measure of the purity of gold
- s skim
- read or glance through quickly; touch lightly in passing; brush; remove from the surface of a liquid
- bicameral
- two-chambered as a legislative body
- s smug
- self-satisfied; complacent
- convene
- come together; assemble; call to meet; Ex. convene the council
- n blatant
- extremely (offensively) obvious; loudly offensive; Ex. blatant lie; N. blatancy
- s dazzle
- make blind with a sudden intense light; amaze; fill with wonder
- centrifuge
- machine that separates substances by whirling them
- n codicil
- supplement to the body of a will; later addition to a will
- n circumspect
- prudent; cautious; acting after careful thought
- n credo
- creed
- s crinkle
- wrinkle
- n bedizen
- dress with vulgar finery
- convert
- one who has adopted a different religion or opinion; V: change into another form; (persuade to) adopt a particular religion or belief
- n censorious
- severely critical
- conservatory(conservatoire)
- school of the fine arts (especially music or drama); glass-enclosed area; CF. conservancy
- concoct
- prepare by mixing or combining; make up in concert; devise (something false) so as to deceive; Ex. concoct an elaborate excuse for being late; N. concoction
- commiserate
- feel or express pity or sympathy for
- s patrimony
- property inherited from a father
- s consternation
- great shock; dismay
- congruence
- correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship; CF. congruity
- cursory
- casual; hastily done with little attention to detail
- benefactor
- gift giver; patron; person who does good or who gives money for a good purpose
- n buffet
- strike forcefully; slap; batter; knock out; N: table with food set out for people to server themselves; meal at which people help themselves to food that's been set
- s billow
- large wave of water; a great swell or surge (of smoke); V: surge, swell, roll in billows
- s chip
- lose a small piece from the surface or edge; N: small piece broken off something; CF. French fry; Potato chip/crisp
- n clangor
- loud resounding noise; sound of repeated clanging
- context
- writings preceding and following the passage quoted; circumstance in which an event occurs
- n ceremonious
- marked by formality; extremely formal and polite; CF. ceremony: conventional social courtesy
- bizarre
- fantastic; violently contrasting; noticeably odd; strikingly unconventional
- s swagger
- walk or behave with an over-confident manner
- n balmy
- soft and mild (of air); fragrant
- coin
- make coins; invent or fabricate (a word or phrase); N. coinage: word or phrase recently invented
- n canto
- division of a long poem
- n crone
- hag; ugly old woman
- comprehensive
- broad; including a lot or everything; thorough; inclusive
- n confound
- confuse; puzzle
- complicity
- participation; involvement (in a questionable act or a crime)
- n cameo
- shell or jewel carved in relief; star's special appearance in a minor role in a film
- s confide
- tell in confidence (to a person one trusts); be confident about
- n churlish
- boorish; rude; N. churl: boor; yahoo
- correlation
- mutual relationship
- n billowing
- swelling out in waves; surging
- celestial
- heavenly
- conveyance
- vehicle; transfer; act of conveying; Ex. public conveyance
- n covenant
- binding agreement between two groups or people; compact; V: enter into a covenant; promise
- s championship
- position of champion; defense or support; competition held to determine a champion
- congenital
- existing at birth
- n conundrum
- riddle; difficult problem
- criteria
- standards used in judging; CF. criterion
- n chalice
- goblet; consecrated cup
- cognizance
- knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware
- coincidence
- the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events; V. coincide: happen at the same time; be in agreement; CF. coincident; CF. coincidental
- coalition
- partnership; league; union of separate political parties
- n crabbed
- sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
- n catalyst
- agent which brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged; CF. catalysis
- n coda
- concluding section of a musical or literary composition
- n belated
- delayed
- colossus
- gigantic statue; person or thing of great size or importance
- n caldron(cauldron)
- large kettle
- s clap
- strike the palms of the hands together with a sudden explosive sound; come together suddenly with a sharp sound; put or send promptly; Ex. clap the thief in jail; N: clapping; loud or explosive sound; CF. applause
- n berate
- scold strongly
- caustic
- burning; corrosive; able to burn by chemical action; sarcastically biting; (of remarks) intended to hurt; bitter; harmful; OP. harmless
- s sturdy
- strong and firm (in the body)
- s hem
- surround tightly so that movement is impossible; Ex. hem in; N.
- concatenate
- link as in a chain
- bane
- posion; cause of ruin; ADJ. baneful: harmful; poisonous
- causal
- implying a cause-and-effect relationship; N. causality
- chasm
- abyss; very deep crack
- s bully
- one who is habitually cruel to weaker people; V.
- s grudge
- deep feeling of dislike; Ex. grudge fight; V.
- n bungle
- mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior
- s dart
- move or throw suddenly and quickly
- n cabal
- small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
- cupidity
- greed (for wealth); CF. cupid; CF. Cupid
- beget
- father; become the father of; produce; give rise to
- consolidation
- unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger; V. consolidate: merge; strengthen
- n ciliated
- having minute hairs; CF. cilium; CF. cilia: eyelash
- n checkered(chequered)
- marked by great changes in fortune; with many changes of fortuene; CF. checked: having a pattern of squares
- n betray
- be unfaithful; reveal (unconsciously or unwillingly); Ex. Her trembling hands betray her anxiety.
- brevity
- conciseness; shortness of duration
- conspiracy
- treacherous plot; secret plan against the law (by two or more people)
- s compulsion
- compelling; strong desire that is difficult to control; irresistible impulse
- s drastic
- strong; violent and severe; Ex. drastic changes/measures
- n bevy
- large group; Ex. a bevy of starlets
- n cursive
- (of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined
- s pudding
- hot sweet dish
- n bivouac
- temporary encampment; camp without tents; V.
- n culvert
- artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road
- conglomeration
- mass of material sticking together
- carnal
- fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body
- credulity
- belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivet\'e; ADJ. credulous
- conversant
- familiar with; having knowledge of
- cerebration
- thought; working of the brain
- consummate
- complete; V.
- n cede
- yield (title or territory) to (esp. after losing a war); surrender formally; N. cession
- conjecture
- surmise; guess; V.
- n burlesque
- give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly
- n breach
- breaking of contract or duty; fissure or gap; opening; V.
- circlet
- small ring; band of gold, silver, jewel, etc. (worn on the head, arms, or neck as decoration)
- n bluster
- blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale
- s bromide
- platitude; chemical compound used to calm excitement
- s buffoon
- stupid person; clown
- n badinage
- teasing conversation; banter; joking talk
- n bulwark
- strong wall built for defense; earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
- n coddle
- treat gently; indulge excessively; pamper; mollycoddle; baby; cook in water just below boiling point; Ex. coddled eggs
- s screech
- unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek; V.
- commodious
- spacious and comfortable
- n chaff
- worthless products of an endeavor; husk(outer seed cover) separated from grain; Ex. separate the wheat from the chaff
- barb
- sharp projection from fishhook, arrow, or other object; openly cutting remark
- cadaverous
- like a corpse; pale
- barterer
- trader; V. barter: trade; exchange good for other goods rather than money
- concession
- an act of yielding; conceding; something conceded; point, right, etc. given unwillingly; privilege of maintaining a business in a certain place; Ex. oil concessions in the North sea; CF. concessionaire
- n brazen
- insolent; without shame; bold; Ex. brazen lie; V: face with bold self-assurance or with unshamed confidence
- convoluted
- coiled around; twisted; involved; complicated; intricate; complex; N. convolution: twist; one of the convex folds of the surface of the brain
- conception
- beginning; forming of an idea; fertilization; V. conceive: form an idea in the mind; devise; become pregnant; CF. inception
- bent
- determined; Ex. bent on advancing in the business; N: natural talent or inclination
- carillon
- a set of bells (often in a tower) capable of being played
- s convulsion
- violent uncontrollable shaking movement (caused by illness); V. convulse; ADJ. convulsive
- condole
- express condolences; N. condolence: sympathy for someone who has experienced great sorrow
- conciliatory
- reconciling; soothing; V. conciliate: reconcile; soothe; win the friendly feelings (by removing anger)
- concede
- admit; acknowledge as being true (often reluctantly); yield; grant; Ex. concede a goal
- s coma
- deep prolonged unconsciousness caused by disease, poison, or a severe blow
- consensus
- general agreement; opinion reached by a group
- n cataract
- great waterfall; eye abnormality (causing a gradual loss of eyesight)
- component
- element; ingredient
- conviction
- judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief
- consecrate
- dedicate; sanctify; declare as sacred; Ex. consecrate one's life to helping the poor
- consequential
- self-important; significant; consequent; following as a result; Ex. consequential air; CF. subsequent
- catapult
- slingshot; hurling machine; V: fire from catapult
- s slap
- hit quickly with the flat part of the hand; N. CF. smack
- boisterous
- violent; rough; noisy
- concise
- brief and compact
- n brawn
- human muscle; muscular strength; sturdiness
- n captious
- faultfinding; too critical
- n beatific
- giving or showing bliss; blissful
- s bacchanal
- noisy party with a lot of drinking
- cloying
- distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental; V. cloy: become unpleasant through too much sweetness or excess
- s conglomerate
- corporation made up of several different companies in diversified fields; mass of various material gathered together; rock consisting of small stones held together by clay; V.
- belligerent
- quarrelsome
- bureaucracy
- overregulated administrative system marked by red tape; ADJ. bureaucratic
- confiscate
- seize; take possession of (private property) by official order (usu. as a punishment); commandeer
- n clamber
- climb by crawling with difficulties; scramble
- combustible
- easily burned; N. CF. combustion
- n begrudge
- envy; give or allow unwillingly; grudge; Ex. We shouldn't begrudge him his success.
- s wrinkle
- small ridge on a smooth surface (face or cloth); V.
- clandestine
- secret
- n beeline
- direct quick route
- s clot
- half-solid lump formed from a liquid (or blood); V.
- n clarion
- shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times
- n calorific
- heat-producing; N. calorie
- compensatory
- making up for; repaying
- collusion
- conspiring in a fraudulent scheme to cheat or deceive others; V. collude
- n belie
- contradict; give a false impression; disguise; Ex. The poor sales belied our high hopes; Ex. Her smile belies her true feeling of displeasure.
- centaur
- mythical figure, half man and half horse
- brochure
- pamphlet
- cohesion
- tendency to keep together
- contention
- assertion; claim; thesis; struggling; competition
- compliance
- conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; disposition to yield to others; V. comply
- caption
- title; chapter heading; text under illustration
- n brooch
- ornamental clasp; pin
- n bauble
- trinket; cheap jewel; trifle
- n corrugated
- wrinkled; ridged
- s commune
- small (often rural) community whose members share work and income; V: exchange thoughts or feelings; Ex. commune with nature
- n clemency
- disposition to be lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather; ADJ. clement
- n bate
- let down; lessen the force of; moderate; restrain; Ex. with bated breath; CF. abate
- n cavalcade
- procession of riders or horse-drawn carriages; parade; CF. cavalry
- n ballast
- heavy substance used to add stability or weight; V. supply with ballast
- s blight
- plant disease; V: infect with blight; ruin; destroy
- n balk
- stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue; foil; stop or get in the way of; frustrate
- n buttress
- support; prop up; N. stationary structure to support wall; Ex. flying buttress
- s draught
- current of air (through a room or to a fire); act of pulling roads; act of swallowing liquid or amount of liquid swallowed at a time
- benign
- kindly; favorable; not malignant (disease); Ex. benign tumor
- n charlatan
- quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)
- n canter
- slow gallop; V. CF. trot
- complacency
- self-satisfaction; smugness; ADJ. complacent
- n bacchanalian
- drunken
- n capitulate
- surrender; give up all resistance
- casualty
- serious or fatal accident; person killed or wounded in an accident or battle
- corroborate
- confirm; support; strengthen
- n coup
- highly successful action or sudden attack; coup(s) d'\'etat; CF. coup de gr\^ace: deathblow or shot which kills
- chronicle
- report; record (in chronological order)
- n blanch
- bleach; whiten; make white or pale
- n brittle
- hard but easily broken; difficult; unstable; Ex. brittle situation
- s culprit
- one guilty of a crime
- benevolent
- generous; charitable; having a wish to do good
- contentious
- quarrelsome; controversial; likely to cause arguments
- chaotic
- in utter disorder
- n bifurcated
- divided into two branches; forked
- n carousal
- drunken revel; V. carouse
- cumbersome
- heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform
- s hurl
- throw forcefully; shout out violently
- s matrimony
- state of being married
- condescend
- (derog.) bestow courtesies with a superior air; descend to the level of one considered inferior
- comestible
- something fit to be eaten
- s bearing
- deportment; connection
- cogent
- convincing
- contiguous
- adjacent to; touching upon
- s chore
- daily domestic task (such as cleaning, cooking, and shopping); unpleasant task
- s career
- rush wildly; go at full speed
- circumscribe
- limit; confine; draw a line around
- cohere
- stick together
- s boost
- lift by pushing up from below; increase; raise; N: push upward; increase
- n choleric
- hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered; CF. cholera
- bequeath
- leave to someone by means of a will; hand down in his will; N. bequest
- s consanguineous(consanguine)
- having a common ancestor
- n blasphemy
- irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; bad language about God or holy things; V. blasphem; ADJ. blasphemous; CF. sacrilege
- congruent
- in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly; CF. congruous
- n brusque
- blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice
- conduit
- aqueduct; passageway for fluids
- n canvass
- determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.; go through (a region) to solicit votes or orders; conduct a survey; N.
- connotation
- suggested or implied meaning of an expression; V. connote
- s Bacchanalia
- the ancient Roman festival in honor of Bacchus
- n crux
- essential or main point; Ex. the crux of the problem; ADJ. crucial: of deciding importance
- s sway
- swing from side to side; influence (someone) to change one's opinion; N.
- claustrophobia
- fear of being locked in
- culmination
- highest point; climax; V. culminate in: reach the highest point in; end in; Ex. a series of minor clashes culminating in war
- categorical
- without exceptions; made without any doubt in mind; unqualified; absolute
- n buccaneer
- pirate
- n chafe
- warm by rubbing; make sore by rubbing; N.
- s brag
- boast
- n balm
- something that relieves pain; oily liquid with a pleasant smell from trees
- s chuckle
- laugh quietly
- bode
- foreshadow; portend
- compilation
- listing of information in tabular or book form; compiling
- s bliss
- complete happiness; ADJ. blissful
- n cavalier
- casual and offhand; arrogant; N: knight
- n callous
- hardened; unfeeling; without sympathy for the sufferings of others; unkind
- n coeval
- living at the same time as; existing during the same period of time; contemporary; of the same age
- n conclave
- private secret meeting
- n concerted
- mutually agreed on; done together by agreement; Ex. concerted effort; CF. in concert: working together
- n broach
- introduce as a subject; moot; open up
- compunction
- remorse; strong uneasiness caused by guilt
- cynical
- skeptical or distrustful of human motives; N. cynicism; CF. cynic: person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness
- s far-fetched
- too improbable to be believed; implausible; Ex. far-fetched story
- complement
- complete; consummate; make perfect; N.
- n brandish
- wave around (a weapon); flourish
- n beleaguer
- besiege or attack (with an army); harass; beset
- n braggart
- boaster; bragger