Sparknotes Complete 1000 SAT Vocab
Terms
undefined, object
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- amenity
- (n.) an item that increases comfort (Bill Gates's house is stocked with so many amenities, he never has to do anything for himself
- legerdemain
- (n.) deception, slight-of-hand (Smuggling the French plants through customs by claiming that they were fake was a remarkable bit of legerdemain
- interject
- (v.) to insert between other things (During our conversation, the cab driver occasionally interjected his opinion
- ruse
- (n.) a trick (Oliver concocted an elaborate ruse for sneaking out of the house to meet his girlfriend while simultaneously giving his mother the impression that he was asleep in bed
- annul
- (v.) to make void or invalid (After seeing its unforeseen and catastrophic effects, Congress sought to annul the law
- precipice
- (n.) the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place (The mountain climber hung from a precipice before finding a handhold and pulling himself up
- irascible
- (adj.) easily angered (At the smallest provocation, my irascible cat will begin scratching and clawing
- insatiable
- (adj.) incapable of being satisfied (My insatiable appetite for melons can be a real problem in the winter
- vocation
- (n.) the work in which someone is employed, profession (After growing tired
- demure
- (adj.) quiet, modest, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained demure
- anathema
- (n.) a cursed, detested person (I never want to see that murderer. He is an anathema to me
- laceration
- (n.) a cut, tear (Because he fell off his bike into a rosebush, the paperboy's skin was covered with lacerations
- edict
- (n.) an order, decree (The ruler issued an edict requiring all of his subjects to bow down before him
- cupidity
- (n.) greed, strong desire (His cupidity made him enter the abandoned gold mine despite the obvious dangers
- abrogate
- (v.) to abolish, usually by authority (The Bill of Rights assures that the government cannot abrogate our right to a free press
- devious
- (adj.) not straightforward, deceitful (Not wanting to be punished, the devious girl blamed the broken vase on the cat
- malediction
- (n.) a curse (When I was arrested for speeding, I screamed maledictions against the policeman and the entire police department
- medley
- (n.) a mixture of differing things (Susannah's wardrobe contained an astonishing medley of colors, from olive green to fluorescent pink
- commensurate
- (adj.) corresponding in size or amount (Ahab selected a very long roll and proceeded to prepare a tuna salad sandwich commensurate with his enormous appetite
- abet
- (v.) to aid, help, encourage (The spy succeeded only because he had a friend on the inside to abet him
- entail
- (v.) to include as a necessary step (Building a new fence entails tearing down the old one
- coerce
- (v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that Vanilla Ice did not have to honor the contract because he had been coerced into signing it
- adumbrate
- (v.) to sketch out in a vague way (The coach adumbrated a game plan, but none of the players knew precisely what to do
- fortuitous
- (adj.) happening by chance, often lucky or fortunate (After looking for Manuel and not finding him at home, Harriet had a fortuitous encounter with him at the post office
- congenial
- (adj.) pleasantly agreeable (His congenial manner made him popular wherever he went
- moderate
- 1. (adj.) not extreme (Luckily, the restaurant we chose had moderate prices; none of us have any money.) 2. (n.) one who expresses moderate opinions (Because he found both the liberal and conservative proposals too excessive, Mr. Park sided with the moderates
- antiseptic
- (adj.) clean, sterile (The antiseptic hospital was very bare, but its cleanliness helped to keep patients healthy
- coherent
- (adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (Renee could not figure out what Monroe had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement
- larceny
- (n.) obtaining another's property by theft or trickery (When my car was not where I had left it, I realized that I was a victim of larceny
- elaborate
- (adj.) complex, detailed, intricate (Dan always beats me at chess because he develops such an elaborate game plan that I can never predict his next move
- execrable
- (adj.) loathsome, detestable (Her pudding is so execrable that it makes me sick
- salutation
- (n.) a greeting (Andrew regularly began letters with the bizarre salutation "Ahoy ahoy.")
- cleave
- 1. (v.) to divide into parts (Following the scandalous disgrace of their leader, the entire political party cleaved into warring factions.) 2. (v.) to stick together firmly (After resolving their marital problems, Junior and Rosa cleaved to one another all the more tightly
- consolation
- (n.) an act of comforting (Darren found Alexandra's presence to be a consolation for his suffering
- collateral
- 1. (adj.) secondary (Divorcing my wife had the collateral effect of making me poor, as she was the only one of us with a job or money.) 2. (n.) security for a debt (Jacob left his watch as collateral for the $500 loan
- denigrate
- (v.) to belittle, diminish the opinion of (The company decided that its advertisements would no longer denigrate the company's competitors
- sensuous
- (adj.) involving sensory gratification (Paul found drinking Coke, with all the little bubbles bursting on his tongue, a very sensuous experience
- aerial
- (adj.) somehow related to the air (We watched as the fighter planes conducted aerial maneuvers
- irrevocable
- (adj.) incapable of being taken back (The Bill of Rights is an irrevocable part of American law
- modulate
- (v.) to pass from one state to another, especially in music (The composer wrote a piece that modulated between minor and major keys
- absolution
- (n.) freedom from blame, guilt, sin (Once all the facts were known, the jury gave Angela absolution by giving a verdict of not guilty
- diffuse
- 1. (v.) to scatter, thin out, break up (He diffused the tension in the room by making in a joke.) 2. (adj.) not concentrated, scattered, disorganized (In her writings, she tried unsuccessfully to make others understand her diffuse thoughts
- reprove
- (v.) to scold, rebuke (Lara reproved her son for sticking each and every one of his fingers into the strawberry pie
- genial
- (adj.) friendly, affable (Although he's been known to behave like a real jerk, I would say that my brother is an overall genial guy
- concede
- (v.) to accept as valid (Andrew had to concede that what his mother said about Diana made sense
- serene
- (adj.) calm, untroubled (Louise stood in front of the Mona Lisa, puzzling over the famous woman's serene smile
- fetid
- (adj.) having a foul odor (I can tell from the fetid smell in your refrigerator that your milk has spoiled
- pacific
- (adj.) soothing (The chemistry professor's pacific demeanor helped the class remain calm after the experiment exploded
- largess
- (n.) the generous giving of lavish gifts (My boss demonstrated great largess by giving me a new car
- seminal
- (adj.) original, important, creating a field (Stephen Greenblatt's essays on Shakespeare proved to be seminal, because they initiated the critical school of New Historicism
- accessible
- (adj.) obtainable, reachable (After studying with SparkNotes and getting a great score on the SAT, Marlena happily realized that her goal of getting into an Ivy-League college was accessible
- abase
- (v.) to humiliate, degrade (After being overthrown and abased, the deposed leader offered to bow down to his conqueror
- inoculate
- (v.) to introduce a microorganism, serum, or vaccine into an organism in order to increase immunity to illness; to vaccinate (I've feared needles ever since I was inoculated against 37 diseases at age one; but I have also never been sick
- tenuous
- (adj.) having little substance or strength (Your argument is very tenuous, since it relies so much on speculation and hearsay
- indignation
- (n.) anger sparked by something unjust or unfair (I resigned from the sorority because of my indignation at its hazing of new members
- chide
- (v.) to voice disapproval (Lucy chided Russell for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance
- regurgitate
- 1. (v.) to vomit (Feeling sick, Chuck regurgitated his dinner.) 2. (v.) to throw back exactly (Margaret rushed through the test, regurgitating all of the facts she'd memorized an hour earlier
- calibrate
- (v.) to set, standardize (The mechanic calibrated the car's transmission to make the motor run most efficiently
- inimical
- (adj.) hostile, enemylike (I don't see how I could ever work for a company that was so cold and inimical to me during my interviews
- ascertain
- (v.) to perceive, learn (With a bit of research, the student ascertained that some plants can live for weeks without water
- intractable
- (adj.) difficult to manipulate, unmanageable (There was no end in sight to the intractable conflict between the warring countries
- disaffected
- (adj.) rebellious, resentful of authority (Dismayed by Bobby's poor behavior, the parents sent their disaffected son to a military academy to be disciplined
- impute
- (v.) to ascribe, blame (The CEO imputed the many typos in the letter to his lazy secretary
- aisle
- (n.) a passageway between rows of seats (Once we got inside the stadium we walked down the aisle to our seats
- etymology
- (n.) the history of words, their origin and development (From the study of etymology, I know that the word "quixotic" derives from Don Quixote and the word "gaudy" refers to the Spanish architect Gaudí
- exigent
- (adj.) urgent, critical (The patient has an exigent need for medication, or else he will lose his sight
- aspire
- (v.) to long for, aim toward (The young poet aspires to publish a book of verse someday
- constituent
- (n.) an essential part (The most important constituent of her perfume is something called ambergris
- mawkish
- (adj.) characterized by sick sentimentality (Although some nineteenth-century critics viewed Dickens's writing as mawkish, contemporary readers have found great emotional depth in his works
- reservoir
- 1. (n.) reserves, large supply (Igor the Indomitable had quite a reservoir of strengh and could lift ten tons, even after running 700 miles, jumping over three mountains, and swimming across an ocean.) 2. (n.) a body of water used for storing water (After graduation, the more rebellious members of the senior class jumped into the town reservoir used for drinking water
- accentuate
- (v.) to stress, highlight (Psychologists agree that those people who are happiest accentuate the positive in life
- penultimate
- (adj.) next to last (Having smoked the penultimate cigarette remaining in the pack, Cybil discarded the last cigarette and resolved to quit smoking
- insular
- (adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for the CIA must remain insular and generally only spend time with each other
- punctilious
- (adj.) eager to follow rules or conventions (Punctilious Bobby, hall monitor extraordinaire, insisted that his peers follow the rules
- discomfit
- (v.) to thwart, baffle (The normally cheery and playful children's sudden misery discomfited the teacher
- forlorn
- (adj.) lonely, abandoned, hopeless (Even though I had the flu, my family decided to go skiing for the weekend and leave me home alone, feeling feverish and forlorn
- cultivate
- (v.) to nurture, improve, refine (At the library, she cultivated her interest in spy novels
- neophyte
- (n.) someone who is young or inexperienced (As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel
- congeal
- (v.) to thicken into a solid (The sauce had congealed into a thick paste
- paramount
- (adj.) greatest in importance, rank, character (It was paramount that the bomb squad disconnect the blue wire before removing the fuse
- aggrandize
- (v.) to increase or make greater (Joseph always dropped the names of the famous people his father knew as a way to aggrandize his personal stature
- coronation
- (n.) the act of crowning (The new king's coronation occurred the day after his father's death
- transgress
- (v.) to violate, go over a limit (The criminal's actions transgressed morality and human decency
- balk
- (v.) to stop, block abruptly (Edna's boss balked at her request for another raise
- feral
- (adj.) wild, savage (That beast looks so feral that I would fear being alone with it
- iridescent
- (adj.) showing rainbow colors (The bride's large diamond ring was iridescent in the afternoon sun
- arrogate
- (v.) to take without justification (The king arrogated the right to order executions to himself exclusively
- elude
- (v.) to evade, escape (Despite an intense search, the robber continues to elude the police
- anthology
- (n.) a selected collection of writings, songs, etc. (The new anthology of Bob Dylan songs contains all his greatest hits and a few songs that you might never have heard before
- adverse
- (adj.) antagonistic, unfavorable, dangerous (Because of adverse conditions, the hikers decided to give up trying to climb the mountain
- culmination
- (n.) the climax toward which something progresses (The culmination of the couple's argument was the decision to divorce
- subjugate
- (v.) to bring under control, subdue (The invading force captured and subjugated the natives of that place
- effulgent
- (adj.) radiant, splendorous (The golden palace was effulgent
- limpid
- (adj.) clear, transparent (Mr. Johnson's limpid writing style greatly pleased readers who disliked complicated novels
- dispatch
- (v.) to send off to accomplish a duty (The carpenter dispatched his assistant to fetch wood
- evince
- (v.) to show, reveal (Christopher's hand-wringing and nail-biting evince how nervous he is about the upcoming English test
- altercation
- (n.) a dispute, fight (Jason and Lionel blamed one another for the car accident, leading to an altercation
- pliable
- (adj.) flexible (Aircraft wings are designed to be somewhat pliable so they do not break in heavy turbulence
- undulate
- (v.) to move in waves (As the storm began to brew, the placid ocean began to undulate to an increasing degree
- foster
- (v.) to stimulate, promote, encourage (To foster good health in the city, the mayor started a "Get out and exercise!" campaign
- quaint
- (adj.) charmingly old-fashioned (Hilda was delighted by the quaint bonnets she saw in Amish country
- preponderance
- (adj.) superiority in importance or quantity (Britain's preponderance of naval might secured the nation's role as a military power
- coup
- 1. (n.) a brilliant, unexpected act (Alexander pulled off an amazing coup when he got a date with Cynthia by purposely getting hit by her car.) 2. (n.) the overthrow of a government and assumption of authority (In their coup attempt, the army officers stormed the Parliament and took all the legislators hostage
- bias
- (n.) a tendency, inclination, prejudice (The judge's hidden bias against smokers led him to make an unfair decision
- buffet
- 1. (v.) to strike with force (The strong winds buffeted the ships, threatening to
- abort
- (v.) to give up on a half-finished project or effort (After they ran out of food, the men, attempting to jump rope around the world, had to abort and go home
- facile
- 1. (adj.) easy, requiring little effort (This game is so facile that even a four-year- old can master it.) 2. (adj.) superficial, achieved with minimal thought or care, insincere (The business was in such shambles that any solution seemed facile at best; nothing could really helpit in the long-run
- rancid
- (adj.) having a terrible taste or smell (Rob was double-dog-dared to eat the rancid egg salad sandwich
- pathology
- (n.) a deviation from the normal (Dr. Hastings had difficulty identifying the precise nature of Brian's pathology
- dissent
- 1. (v.) to disagree (The principal argued that the child should repeat the fourth grade, but the unhappy parents dissented.) 2. (n.) the act of disagreeing (Unconvinced that the defendant was guilty, the last juror voiced his dissent with the rest of the jury
- carp
- (v.) to annoy, pester (The husband divorced his wife after listening to her carping voice for decades
- contusion
- (n.) bruise, injury (The contusions on his face suggested he'd been in a fight
- forage
- (v.) to graze, rummage for food (When we got lost on our hiking trip, we foraged for berries and nuts in order to survive
- predilection
- (n.) a preference or inclination for something (Francois has a predilection for eating scrambled eggs with ketchup, though I prefer to eat eggs without any condiments
- attain
- (v.) to achieve, arrive at (The athletes strived to attain their best times in competition
- patent
- (adj.) readily seen or understood, clear (The reason for Jim's abdominal pain was made patent after the doctor performed a sonogram
- deliberate
- (adj.) intentional, reflecting careful consideration (Though Mary was quite upset, her actions to resolve the dispute were deliberate
- extant
- (adj.) existing, not destroyed or lost (My mother's extant love letters to my father are in the attic trunk
- inchoate
- (adj.) unformed or formless, in a beginning stage (The country's government is still inchoate and, because it has no great tradition, quite unstable
- wane
- (v.) to decrease in size, dwindle (Don't be so afraid of his wrath because his influence with the president is already beginning to wane
- negligent
- (adj.) habitually careless, neglectful (Jessie's grandfather called me a negligent fool after I left the door to his apartment unlocked even though there had been a recent string of robberies
- pert
- (adj.) flippant, bold (My parents forgave Sandra's pert humor at the dinner table because it had been so long since they had last seen her
- mores
- (n.) the moral attitudes and fixed customs of a group of people. (Mores change over time; many things that were tolerated in 1975 are no longer seen as being socially acceptable
- indigenous
- (adj.) originating in a region (Some fear that these plants, which are not indigenous to the region, may choke out the vegetation that is native to the area
- potentate
- (n.) one who has great power, a ruler (All the villagers stood along the town's main road to observe as the potentate's procession headed towards the capital
- poignant
- (adj.) deeply affecting, moving (My teacher actually cried after reading to us the poignant final chapter of the novel
- recapitulate
- (v.) to sum up, repeat (Before the final exam, the teacher recapitulated the semester's material
- conduit
- (n.) a pipe or channel through which something passes (The water flowed through the conduit into the container
- behemoth
- (n.) something of tremendous power or size (The new aircraft carrier is among several behemoths that the Air Force has added to its fleet
- rebuke
- (v.) to scold, criticize (When the cops showed up at Sarah's party, they rebuked her for disturbing the peace
- covet
- (v.) to desire enviously (I coveted Moses's house, wife, and car
- ostracism
- (n.) exclusion from a group (Beth risked ostracism if her roommates discovered her flatulence
- desolate
- (adj.) deserted, dreary, lifeless (She found the desolate landscape quite a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the overcrowded city
- repulse
- 1. (v.) to disgust (Antisocial Annie tried to repulse people by neglecting to brush
- zephyr
- (n.) a gentle breeze (If not for the zephyrs that were blowing and cooling us, our room would've been unbearably hot.)
- puerile
- (adj.) juvenile, immature (The judge demanded order after the lawyer's puerile attempt to object by stomping his feet on the courtroom floor
- aggrieved
- (adj.) distressed, wronged, injured (The foreman mercilessly overworked his aggrieved employees
- artifact
- (n.) a remaining piece from an extinct culture or place (The scientists spent all day searching the cave for artifacts from the ancient Mayan civilization
- infamy
- (n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute (The infamy of his crime will not lessen as the decades pass
- swarthy
- (adj.) of dark color or complexion (When he got drunk, Robinson's white skin became rather swarthy
- rife
- (adj.) abundant (Surprisingly, the famous novelist's writing was rife with spelling errors
- hallowed
- (adj.) revered, consecrated (In the hallowed corridors of the cathedral, the disturbed professor felt himself to be at peace
- defamatory
- (adj.) harmful toward another's reputation (The defamatory gossip spreading about the actor made the public less willing to see the actor's new movie
- crescendo
- (n.) a steady increase in intensity or volume (The crescendo of the brass instruments gave the piece a patriotic feel
- toady
- (n.) one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors (The other kids referred to the teacher's pet as the Tenth Grade Toady
- refract
- (v.) to distort, change (The light was refracted as it passed through the prism
- excursion
- (n.) a trip or outing (After taking an excursion to the Bronx Zoo, I dreamed about pandas and monkeys
- confection
- (n.) a sweet, fancy food (We went to the mall food court and purchased a delicious confection
- inure
- (v.) to cause someone or something to become accustomed to a situation (Twenty years in the salt mines inured the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime
- intransigent
- (adj.) refusing to compromise, often on an extreme opinion (The intransigent child said he would have 12 scoops of ice cream, or he would bang his head against the wall until his mother fainted from fear
- accost
- (v.) to confront verbally (Though Antoinette was normally quite calm, when the waiter spilled soup on her for the fourth time in 15 minutes she stood up and accosted the man
- consumption
- (n.) the act of consuming (Consumption of intoxicating beverages is not permitted on these premises
- imperative
- 1. (adj.) necessary, pressing (It is imperative that you have these folders organized by midday.) 2. (n.) a rule, command, or order (Her imperative to have the folders organized by midday was perceived as ridiculous by the others
- foil
- (v.) to thwart, frustrate, defeat (Inspector Wilkens foiled the thieves by locking them in the bank along with their stolen money
- oscillate
- (v.) to sway from one side to the other (My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies
- abnegation
- (n.) denial of comfort to oneself (The holy man slept on the floor, took only cold showers, and generally followed other practices of abnegation
- conformist
- (n.) one who behaves the same as others (Julian was such a conformist that he had to wait and see if his friends would do something before he would commit
- adorn
- (v.) to decorate (We adorned the tree with ornaments
- nomadic
- (adj.) wandering from place to place (In the first six months after college, Jose led a nomadic life, living in New York, California, and Idaho
- inquisitor
- (n.) one who inquires, especially in a hostile manner (The inquisitor was instructed to knock on every door in town in order to find the fugitive
- euphoric
- (adj.) elated, uplifted (I was euphoric when I found out that my sister had given birth to twins
- hardy
- (adj.) robust, capable of surviving through adverse conditions (I too would have expected the plants to be dead by mid-November, but apparently they're very hardy
- inviolable
- (adj.) secure from assault (Nobody was ever able to break into Batman's inviolable Batcave
- interminable
- (adj.) without possibility of end (The fact that biology lectures came just before lunch made them seem interminable
- ribald
- (adj.) coarsely, crudely humorous (While some giggled at the ribald joke involving a parson's daughter, most sighed and rolled their eyes
- repentant
- (adj.) penitent, sorry (The repentant Dennis apologized profusely for breaking his mother's vase
- resolute
- (adj.) firm, determined (With a resolute glint in her eye, Catherine announced that she was set on going to college in New York City even though she was a little frightened of tall buildings
- intimation
- (n.) an indirect suggestion (Mr. Brinford's intimation that he would soon pass away occurred when he began to discuss how to distribute his belongings among his children
- construe
- (v.) to interpret (He construed her throwing his clothes out the window as a signal that she wanted him to leave
- potable
- (adj.) suitable for drinking (During sea voyages it is essential that ships carry a supply of potable water because salty ocean water makes anyone who drinks it sick
- desiccated
- (adj.) dried up, dehydrated (The skin of the desiccated mummy looked like old paper
- propriety
- (n.) the quality or state of being proper, decent (Erma's old-fashioned parents believed that her mini-skirt lacked the propriety expected of a "nice" girl
- knell
- (n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death (Echoing throughout our village, the funeral knell made the stormy day even more grim
- confidant
- (n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, she became my chief confidant
- complicit
- (adj.) being an accomplice in a wrongful act (By keeping her daughter's affair a secret, Maddie became complicit in it
- ballad
- (n.) a love song (Greta's boyfriend played her a ballad on the guitar during their walk through the dark woods
- atone
- (v.) to repent, make amends (The man atoned for forgetting his wife's birthday by buying her five dozen roses
- dirge
- (n.) a mournful song, especially for a funeral (The bagpipers played a dirge as the casket was carried to the cemetery
- propagate
- (v.) to multiply, spread out (Rumors of Paul McCartney's demise propagated like wildfire throughout the world
- asylum
- 1. (n.) a place of refuge, protection, a sanctuary (For Thoreau, the forest served as an asylum from the pressures of urban life.) 2. (n.) an institution in which the insane are kept (Once diagnosed by a certified psychiatrist, the man was put in an asylum
- iconoclast
- (n.) one who attacks common beliefs or institutions (Jane goes to one protest after another, but she seems to be an iconoclast rather than an activist with a progressive agenda
- inveterate
- (adj.) stubbornly established by habit (I'm the first to admit that I'm an inveterate coffee drinker—I drink four cups a day
- alias
- (n.) a false name or identity (He snuck past the guards by using an alias and fake ID
- wizened
- (adj.) dry, shrunken, wrinkled (Agatha's grandmother, Stephanie, had the most wizened countenance, full of leathery wrinkles
- demean
- (v.) to lower the status or stature of something (She refused to demean her secretary by making him order her lunch
- pittance
- (n.) a very small amount, especially relating to money (Josh complained that he was paid a pittance for the great amount of work he did at the firm
- bard
- (n.) a poet, often a singer as well (Shakespeare is often considered the greatest bard
- dither
- (v.) to be indecisive (Not wanting to offend either friend, he dithered about which of the two birthday parties he should attend
- prowess
- (n.) extraordinary ability (The musician had never taken a guitar lesson in his life, making his prowess with the instrument even more incredible
- plenitude
- (n.) an abundance (My grandmother was overwhelmed by the plenitude of tomatoes her garden yielded this season
- fatuous
- (adj.) silly, foolish (He considers himself a serious poet, but in truth, he only writes fatuous limericks
- prurient
- (adj.) eliciting or possessing an extraordinary interest in sex (David's mother
- gourmand
- (n.) someone fond of eating and drinking (My parents, who used to eat little more than crackers and salad, have become real gourmands in their old age
- compress
- (v.) to apply pressure, squeeze together (Lynn compressed her lips into a frown
- resolve
- 1. (v.) to find a solution (Sarah and Emma resolved their differences and shook hands.) 2. (v.) to firmly decide (Lady Macbeth resolved to whip her husband into shape
- encore
- (n.) the audience's demand for a repeat performance; also the artist's
- tremulous
- (adj.) fearful (I always feel a trifle tremulous when walking through a graveyard
- accretion
- (n.) slow growth in size or amount (Stalactites are formed by the accretion of minerals from the roofs of caves
- impassive
- (adj.) stoic, not susceptible to suffering (Stop being so impassive; it's healthy to cry every now and then
- semaphore
- (n.) a visual signal (Anne and Diana communicated with a semaphore involving candles and window shades
- exhort
- (v.) to urge, prod, spur (Henry exhorted his colleagues to join him in protesting against the university's hiring policies
- embezzle
- (v.) to steal money by falsifying records (The accountant was fired for embezzling $10,000 of the company's funds
- carouse
- (v.) to party, celebrate (We caroused all night after getting married
- requisition
- (n.) a demand for goods, usually made by an authority (During the war, the government made a requisition of supplies
- annex
- 1. (v.) to incorporate territory or space (After defeating them in battle, the Russians annexed Poland.) 2. (n.) a room attached to a larger room or space (He likes to do his studying in a little annex attached to the main reading room in the library
- wallow
- (v.) to roll oneself indolently; to become or remain helpless (My roommate can't get over her breakup with her boyfriend and now just wallows in self-pity
- hypocrisy
- (n.) pretending to believe what one does not (Once the politician began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises, his hypocrisy became apparent
- portent
- (n.) an omen (When a black cat crossed my sister's path while she was walking to school, she took it as a portent that she would do badly on her spelling test
- abjure
- (v.) to reject, renounce (To prove his honesty, the President abjured the evil policies of his wicked predecessor
- insinuate
- (v.) to suggest indirectly or subtly (I wish Luke and Spencer would stop insinuating that my perfect report card is the result of anything other than my superior intelligence and good work habits
- impregnable
- (adj.) resistant to capture or penetration (Though the invaders used battering rams, catapults, and rain dances, the fortress proved impregnable and resisted all attacks
- lavish
- 1. (adj.) given without limits (Because they had worked very hard, the performers appreciated the critic's lavish praise.) 2. (v.) to give without limits (Because the performers had worked hard, they deserved the praise that the critic lavished on them
- iniquity
- (n.) wickedness or sin ("Your iniquity," said the priest to the practical jokester, "will be forgiven.")
- ecstatic
- (adj.) intensely and overpoweringly happy (The couple was ecstatic when they learned that they had won the lottery
- figurative
- (adj.) symbolic (Using figurative language, Jane likened the storm to an angry bull
- prescribe
- (v.) to lay down a rule (The duke prescribed that from this point further all of the peasants living on his lands would have to pay higher taxes
- flaccid
- (adj.) limp, not firm or strong (If a plant is not watered enough, its leaves become droopy and flaccid
- pillage
- (v.) to seize or plunder, especially in war (Invading enemy soldiers pillaged the homes scattered along the country's border
- palatable
- (adj.) agreeable to the taste or sensibilities (Despite the unpleasant smell, the exotic cheese was quite palatable
- bereft
- (adj.) devoid of, without (His family was bereft of food and shelter following the tornado
- encumber
- (v.) to weigh down, burden (At the airport, my friend was encumbered by her luggage, so I offered to carry two of her bags
- condolence
- (n.) an expression of sympathy in sorrow (Brian lamely offered his condolences on the loss of his sister's roommate's cat
- assess
- (v.) to evaluate (A crew arrived to assess the damage after the crash
- despondent
- (adj.) feeling depressed, discouraged, hopeless (Having failed the first math test, the despondent child saw no use in studying for the next and failed that one too
- rail
- (v.) to scold, protest (The professor railed against the injustice of the college's tenure policy
- expiate
- (v.) to make amends for, atone (To expiate my selfishness, I gave all my profits to charity
- panacea
- (n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties (Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease, but sadly there is not
- affinity
- (n.)a spontaneous feeling of closeness (Jerry didn't know why, but he felt an incredible affinity for Kramer the first time they met
- bashful
- (adj.) shy, excessively timid (Frankie's mother told him not to be bashful when he refused to attend the birthday party
- forestall
- (v.) to prevent, thwart, delay (I forestalled the cold I was getting by taking plenty of vitamin C pills and wearing a scarf
- latent
- (adj.) hidden, but capable of being exposed (Sigmund's dream represented his latent paranoid obsession with other people's shoes
- pertinacious
- (adj.) stubbornly persistent (Harry's parents were frustrated with his
- permeate
- (v.) to spread throughout, saturate (Mrs. Huxtable was annoyed that the wet dog's odor had permeated the furniture's upholstery
- consonant
- (adj.) in harmony (The singers' consonant voices were beautiful
- deplore
- (v.) to feel or express sorrow, disapproval (We all deplored the miserable working conditions in the factory
- zenith
- (n.) the highest point, culminating point (I was too nice to tell Nelly that she had reached the absolute zenith of her career with that one hit of hers
- propitious
- (adj.) favorable (The dark storm clouds visible on the horizon suggested that the weather would not be propitious for sailing
- cavort
- (v.) to leap about, behave boisterously (The adults ate their dinners on the patio, while the children cavorted around the pool
- diaphanous
- (adj.) light, airy, transparent (Sunlight poured in through the diaphanous curtains, brightening the room
- manifold
- (adj.) diverse, varied (The popularity of Dante's Inferno is partly due to the fact that the work allows for manifold interpretations
- remedial
- (adj.) intended to repair gaps in students' basic knowledge (After his teacher discovered he couldn't read, Alex was forced to enroll in remedial English
- strenuous
- (adj.) requiring tremendous energy or stamina (Running a marathon is quite a strenuous task. So is watching an entire Star Trek marathon
- emote
- (v.) to express emotion (The director told the actor he had to emote, or else the audience would have no idea what his character was going through
- abide
- 1. (v.) to put up with (Though he did not agree with the decision, Chuck decided to abide by it.) 2. (v.) to remain (Despite the beating they've taken from the weather throughout the millennia, the mountains abide
- disrepute
- (n.) a state of being held in low regard (The officer fell into disrepute after it was learned that he had disobeyed the orders he had given to his own soldiers
- deferential
- (adj.) showing respect for another's authority (His deferential attitude toward her made her more confident in her ability to run the company
- insurgent
- (n.) one who rebels (The insurgent snuck into and defaced a different classroom each night until the administration agreed to meet his demands
- reproach
- (v.) to scold, disapprove (Brian reproached the customer for failing to rewind the video he had rented
- sensual
- (adj.) involving sensory gratification, usually related to sex (With a coy smile, the guest on the blind-date show announced that he considered himself a very sensual person
- chronicle
- 1. (n.) a written history (The library featured the newly updated chronicle of World War II.) 2. (v.) to write a history (Albert's diary chronicled the day-to-day growth of his obsession with Cynthia
- fraught
- (adj.) (usually used with "with") filled or accompanied with (Her glances in his direction were fraught with meaning, though precisely what meaning remained unclear
- oblique
- (adj.) diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward (Martin's oblique language confused those who listened to him
- instigate
- (v.) to urge, goad (The demagogue instigated the crowd into a fury by telling them that they had been cheated by the federal government
- allege
- (v.) to assert, usually without proof (The policeman had alleged that Marshall committed the crime, but after the investigation turned up no evidence, Marshall was set free
- viscous
- (adj.) not free flowing, syrupy (The viscous syrup took three minutes to pour out of the bottle
- forsake
- (v.) to give up, renounce (My New Year's resolution is to forsake smoking and drinking
- contemporaneous
- (adj.) existing during the same time (Though her novels do not
- abscond
- (v.) to sneak away and hide (In the confusion, the super-spy absconded into the night with the secret plans
- forum
- (n.) a medium for lecture or discussion (Some radio talk-shows provide a good forum for political debate
- somnolent
- (adj.) sleepy, drowsy (The somnolent student kept falling asleep and waking up with a jerk
- fractious
- (adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn't tired, his fractious behavior—especially his decision to crush his cheese and crackers all over the floor—convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed
- dour
- (adj.)stern, joyless (The children feared their dour neighbor because the old man would take their toys if he believed they were being too loud
- nominal
- (adj.) trifling, insignificant (Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed money, Jordan sold everything for a nominal fee
- canny
- (adj.) shrewd, careful (The canny runner hung at the back of the pack through much of the race to watch the other runners, and then sprinted past them at the end
- wrath
- (n.) vengeful anger, punishment (Did you really want to incur her wrath when she is known for inflicting the worst punishments legally possible?)
- convention
- 1. (n.) an assembly of people (The hotel was full because of the cattle-ranchers' convention.) 2. (n.) a rule, custom (The cattle-ranchers have a convention that you take off your boots before entering their houses
- avenge
- (v.) to seek revenge (The victims will take justice into their own hands and strive to avenge themselves against the men who robbed them
- aversion
- (n.) a particular dislike for something (Because he's from Hawaii, Ben has an aversion to autumn, winter, and cold climates in general
- defer
- (v.) to postpone something; to yield to another's wisdom (Ron deferred to Diane, the expert on musical instruments, when he was asked about buying a piano
- analogous
- (adj.) similar to, so that an analogy can be drawn (Though they are unrelated genetically, the bone structure of whales and fish is quite analogous
- aspersion
- (n.) a curse, expression of ill-will (The rival politicians repeatedly cast aspersions on each others' integrity
- abject
- (adj.) wretched, pitiful (After losing all her money, falling into a puddle, and breaking her ankle, Eloise was abject
- constrain
- (v.)to forcibly restrict (His belief in nonviolence constrained him from taking revenge on his attackers
- deft
- (adj.) skillful, capable (Having worked in a bakery for many years, Marcus was a deft bread maker
- congruity
- (n.) the quality of being in agreement (Bill and Veronica achieved a perfect congruity of opinion
- maelstrom
- (n.) a destructive whirlpool which rapidly sucks in objects (Little did the explorers know that as they turned the next bend of the calm river a vicious maelstrom would catch their boat
- rectitude
- (n.) uprightness, extreme morality (The priest's rectitude gave him the moral authority to counsel his parishioners
- solipsistic
- (adj.) believing that oneself is all that exists (Colette's solipsistic attitude completely ignored the plight of the homeless people on the street
- exonerate
- (v.) to free from guilt or blame, exculpate (The true thief's confession exonerated the man who had been held in custody for the crime
- ethereal
- (adj.) heavenly, exceptionally delicate or refined (In her flowing silk gown and lace veil, the bride looked ethereal
- litigant
- (n.) someone engaged in a lawsuit (When the litigants began screaming at each other, Judge Koch ordered them to be silent
- duress
- (n.) hardship, threat (It was only under intense duress that he, who was normally against killing, fired his gun
- implicit
- (adj.) understood but not outwardly obvious, implied (I know Professor Smith didn't actually say not to write from personal experience, but I think such a message was implicit in her instruction to use scholarly sources
- scintillating
- (adj.) sparkling (The ice skater's scintillating rhinestone costume nearly blinded the judges
- deter
- (v.) to discourage, prevent from doing (Bob's description of scary snakes couldn't deter Marcia from traveling in the rainforests
- beseech
- (v.) to beg, plead, implore (The servant beseeched the king for food to feed his starving family
- pulchritude
- (n.) physical beauty (Several of Shakespeare's sonnets explore the pulchritude of a lovely young man