gre vocabulary c
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- cynosure
- object of general attention. As soon as the movie star entered the room, she became the cynosure of all eyes
- cynical
- skeptical or distrustful of human motives. Cynical fom birth, John was suspicious whenever anyone gave him a gift 'with no strings attached.
- curtail
- shorten; reduce. When Gabriel asked christina for a date, she said she was really sorry she couldn't go out with him because her mum had ordered her to curtail her social life
- cursory
- casual; hastily done. Because a cursory exxamination of the ruins indicates the possibility of arson, we believe the insurance agency should undertake a more extensive investigation of the fire's cause.
- cursive
- flowing, running. In normal writing we run our letters together in cursive form; in printing, we separate the letters
- curmudgeon
- churlish, miserly individal. Although many regarded him as a curmudgeon, a few of us were aware of the many kindnesses and acts of charity that he secretly performed
- curator
- superintendent; manager. The members of the board of trustees of the museum expected the new curator to plan events and exhibits that would make the museum more popular
- cupidity
- greed. The defeated people could not satisfy the cupidity of the conquerors, who demanded excessive tribut
- cumulative
- growing by addition. Vocabulary-building is a cumulative process; as you go through your flash cards, you will add new words to your vocabulary, one by one
- cumbersome
- heavy; hard to manage. She was burdened with cumbersome parcels
- culvert
- artificial channel for water. If we bild a culvert under the road at this point; we will reduce the possibility of the road's being flooded during the rainy season
- culpable
- deserving blame. Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are equally culpable
- culmination
- attainment of highest point. His inauguration as President of the United States marked the culmination of his political career
- cull
- pick out; reject. Every month the farmer culls the nonlyain hens from his flock and sells them to the local butcher
- cullinary
- relating to cooking. Many chefs attribute their cullinary success to the wise use of spices
- cuisine
- style of cooking.
- cubicle
- small chamber used for sleeping.
- cryptic
- mysterious; hiden; secret. Thoroughly baffled by holme's cryptic remarks, waltson wondered whether holmes was intentionally concealing his thoughts about the crime
- crypt
- secret recess or vault usually used for burial. Until recently only bodies of rulers and leading statemens were interred in this crypt
- crux
- essential or main point. This is the crux of the entire problem; everything centers on its being resolved. Crucial adj
- crotchety
- eccentric; whimsical. Although he was reputed to be a crotchety old gentleman, i found his ideas substantially sound and sensible
- crone
- hag. The toothless crone firghtened us whenshe smiled
- criteria
- standards used in judging
- cringe
- shrink back, as if in fear. The dog cringed expecting a blow.
- crevice
- crack; fissure. The mountain climbers found tootholds in the tiny creices in the mountainside
- crestfallen
- dejected; dispirited. We were surprised at his reaction to the failure of his project; instead of being crestfalln, he was busily engaged in planning new activities.
- crescendo
- increase in the volume or intensity, as in a musical passage; climax
- creed
- system of religious or ethical belief. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed
- credulity
- belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete. Con artists take advantage of the credulity of inexperienced investors to swindle them out of their saving. credulous adj
- credo
- creed. Just two months before his death, as he talked about life with some friends, the writer Jack London proclaimed his credo. 'the proper function of man is to live, not to exist. i shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. i shall use my time.'
- countermand
- cancel; revoke. The general countermanded the orders issued in his absence
- countenance
- approve; tolerate. Miss Manners refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part
- coterie
- group that meets socially; select circle. After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coterie that lunched daily at the hotel
- cosmic
- pertaining to the universe; vast. Cosmic rays derive their name from the fact that they bombard the earth's atmosphere from outer space. cosmos n
- corrugated
- wrinkled; ridged. Crack open the rough shell of the walnut and you will find within it a ridged and corrugated edible seed or nut
- corrosive
- eating away by chemicals or disease. Stainless steel is able to withstand the effets of corrosive chemicals
- corrode
- destroy by chemical action. The girders supporting the bridge corroded so gradually that no one suspected any danger until the bridge suddenly collapsed. corrosion N
- corroborate
- confirm; support. Though Huck was quite willing to corroborate Tom's story, Aunt Polly knew better than to believe either of them.
- correlation
- mutual relationship. He sought to determine the correlation that existed between ablity in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises. correlate
- corpulent
- very fat. The corpulent ma resolved to reduce. corpulence N
- corporeal
- bodily; material. The doctor had no patience with spiritual matters; hi job was to attend to his patient's corporeal problems; not to minister to their souls
- corollary
- consequence; accompaniment. Brotherly love is a complex emotion, with sibling rivalry its natural corollary.
- cornucopia
- horn overflowing with fruit and grain; symbol of abundance. The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of knowledge for the entire family.
- cornice
- projecting molding on building (usually above columns) Because the stones forming the cornice had been loosened by the storms, the police closed the building until repairs could be made
- cordon
- extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress. The police cordon was so tight that the criminals could not leave the area
- cordial
- gracious; heartfel. Our hosts greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a hearty hug
- coquette
- flirt. Because she refused to give him an answer to his proposal of marriage, he called her a coquette
- copious
- plentiful. She had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal
- convoluted
- coiled around; involved; intrictate. His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow it intelligently
- convoke
- call togehter. Congress was convoked at the outbreak of the emrgency. convocation N
- convivial
- festive; gay; characterized by joviality. The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their college songs
- conviction
- judgment that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief. Even her convition for murder did not shake Lord Peter's conviction that Harriet was innocent of the crime
- conveyance
- vehicle; transfer. During the transit strike, commuters used various kinds of conveyances.
- convex
- curving outward. She polished the convex lens of her telescope
- convert
- one who has adopted a diffeerent religion or opinion. ON his trip to Japan, though the president spoke at length about the merits of American automobiles, he made few converts to his beliefs
- converse
- opposite. The inevitable converse of peace is not war but annihilation
- conversant
- familiar with. In this age of specialization, someone reasonably conversant with modern French literature may be wholly unacquinted with the novels of Latin America and Spain
- converge
- approach; tend to meet; come together. African American men from all over the United states converged on Washington to take part in the historic Million Man March, convergence
- conventional
- ordinary; typical. His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his wife's ecentric family
- convention
- social or moral custom; established practice. Flying in the face of convention, George Sand shocked her contemporaries by taking lovers and wearing men's clothes
- convene
- assemble. Because much needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in special session by Jan 15.
- conundrum
- riddle; difficult problem. During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain the children
- contusion
- bruise. Black and blue after her fall, Sue was treated for contusions and abrasions
- contumacious
- disobedient; resisting authority. The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police. contumacy N
- controvert
- oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict. The witness's testimony was so clear and her reputation for honesty so well established that the defense attorney decided it was wiser to make no attempt to controvert what she said
- contrived
- forced; artificial; not spontaneous. Feeling ill at ease with his new inlaws, James made a few contrived attempts at conversation and then reteated into silence
- contrite
- penitent. Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed sentence. contrition N
- contravene
- contradict; oppose; infringe on or trasgress. Mr. barrett did not expect his frail daughte Elizabeth to contravene his will by eloping with Robert Browning
- contraband
- illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods. The coast Guard trieds to prevent contraband in US waters.
- contortions
- twistings; distortions. As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the patient became mer violent and demonstrated how much pain she was enduring
- contingent
- dependent on; conditional. Cher's father informed her that nay increase in her allowance was contingent on the quality of her final grades. contingency. N
- continence
- self-restraint; sexual chastity. At the convent, Connie vowed to lead a lie of continence. The question was, could Connie be content with alwas being continent?
- contiguous
- adjacent to; touching upon. The two countries are contiguous for a few miles; then they are separated by the gulf
- context
- writings preceding and following the passage quoted
- contest
- dispute. The defeated candidate attempted to contest the election results
- contentious
- quarrelsome. Disagreeing violently with the referees' ruling, the coach became so contentious that the referees threw him out of the game
- contention
- claim; thesis. It is our contention that, if you follow our tactics, you will boost your score on the GRE. contend v
- contend
- struggle; complete; assert earnestly. In Revolt of the Black Athelete, sociologist harry edwards contends that young black atheletes have been exploited by some college recuiters. contention N
- contempt
- scorn; disdain. The heavyweight boxer looked on ordinary people with contempt, scorning them as weaklings who couldn't hurt a fly
- contaminate
- pollute
- contagion
- infection
- consummate
- wholly without flaw; supremely skilled; complete and utter. Free of her fauther's autocratic rule, safely married to the man she loved, Elizabeth Barret felt consummate happiness
- construe
- explain; interpret. If I construe your remarks corrrectly, you disagree with the theory already advanced
- constraint
- compulsion; repression of feelings. There was a feeling of constraint in the room because no one dared to criticize the speaker. constrain v
- constituent
- supporter. The congressman received hundreds of letters from angry constituents after the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass
- consort
- associate with. We frequentl judge people by the company with whom they consort
- conspiracy
- treacherous plot. Brutus and Cassius joined in the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar
- consonance
- harmony; agreement. Her agitation seemed out of consonance with her usua calm.
- consolidation
- unification; process of becoming firmer or stronger. The recent consolidation of several small airlinesinto one major company has left observers of the industry wondering whether room still exists for the 'little guy' in aviation. consolidate v
- console
- lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort. When her father died, marius did his best to console Cosette, consolation n
- consistency
- absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree of thickness. HOlmes judge puddings and explanations on their consistency; he liekd his puddings without lumps and his explanations without improbabilities
- consign
- deliver officially; entrust; set apart. The court consigned the child to her paternal grandmother's care. consignment N
- conservatory
- school of the fine arts (especially music or drama). A gifted violinist, mary was selected to study at the conservatory
- consequential
- pompous; self-important. Convinced of his own importance, the actor strutted about the dressing room with a consequential air
- consensus
- general agreement; opinoin reached by a group as a whole.
- consecrate
- dedicate; sanctify. In 1804, Napoleon forced Pope pius VII to come to paris to consecrate him as empoeror, only to humiliate pius at the last minute by taking the crown from the pope's hands and crowning himself
- conscript
- draftee; person forced into military service. Did Rambo volunteer to fight in Vietnam, or was he a conscript, drafted against his will
- conscientious
- scrupulou; careful. A conscientious editor, she checked every definition for its accuracy
- consanguinity
- kinship. Wanting to be rid of yet another wife, Henry VIII sought a divorce on the grounds of consanguinity, claiming their blood relationship was improperly close
- connubial
- pertaining to marriage or the matrimonial state. In his telegram, he wished the newly weds a life time of connubial bliss
- connotation
- suggested or implied meaning of an expression. Foreigners frequently are unaware of the connotations of the words they use
- connoisseur
- person compettent to act as a judge of art, a lover of an art. Bernard Berenson, the American art critic and connoisseur of Italian art, was hired by wealthy art lovers to selet paintings for their collections
- connivance
- pretense of ignorance of something wrong; asisstance; permission to offend. With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher. connive v
- conjure
- summon a devil; practice magicl imagine or invent. Sorcerers conjure devils to appear. Magicians conjure white rabbits out of hats
- conjugal
- pertaining to marriage. John and Brenda's dreams of conjugal bliss were shattered as soon as their temperaments clashed
- conjecture
- infer on the basis of insufficient data; surmise; guess. In the absence of any eyewitness reports, we can only conjecture wat happened in the locked room on the night of the 13th.
- conifer
- pine tree; cone-bearing tree. According to geologists, the conifers were the first plants to bear flowers
- congruent
- in agreement; corresponding. In formulating a hypothesis, we must keep it congruent with what we know of the real world it cannot disagree with our experience
- congruence
- correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship. The student demonstrated the congruence of the two triangles by using the hypotenuse leg theorem
- conglomeration
- mass of material sticking together. In such a conglomeration of miscellaneous sttistics, it was impossible to find a single area of analysis.
- congential
- existing at birth. Doctors are able to cure some congential deformiteis such as cleft palates by performing operations on infants
- congenial
- pleasant; friendly. My father loved to go out for a meal with congenial companions
- congeal
- freeze; coagulate. His blood congealed in his veins as he saw the dread monster rush toward him
- confound
- confuse; puzzle. No mystery could confound Sherlock Holmes for long
- conformity
- harmony; agreement. In conformity with our rules and reuglations, i am calling a meeting of our organization
- confluence
- flowing together; crowd. Theybuilt the city at the confluence of two rivers
- conflate
- meld or fuse; confuse; combine into one. In his painting White Crucifixion, which depicts German Jews terrorized by a Nazi mob, Chagall conflates Jewish and Chritian symbols, portraying the crucified Christ wrapped in a tallith, a jewish prayer shawl.
- conflagration
- great fire. In the conflagration that followed the 1906 earthquake, much of San Francisco was destroyed
- confiscate
- seize; commandeer. The army confiscated all available supplies of uranium
- confine
- shut in; restrict. The terrorists had confined their prisoner in a small room. However, they had not chained him to the wall or done anything else to confien his movements. confinement N
- confidant
- trusted friend. He had no confidants with whom he could discuss his problems at home
- conduit
- aqueduct; passageway for fluids. Water was brought to the army in the desert by an improvised conduit from the adjoining mountain
- conducive
- helpful; conributive. Rest and proper diet are conducisve to good health
- condone
- overlook; forgive; give tactic approval; excuse. Unlike Widow Douglass, who condoned HUck's minor offenses, Miss Watson did nothing but scold
- condole
- express sympathetic sorrow. His friends gathered to condole with him over his loss. condolence
- condiment
- food seasoning; spice. Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.
- condign
- appropriate; deserved (almost always, in the sense of deservedly sever, as in condign punishment).
- condescend
- bestow courtesies with a superior air
- concurrent
- happening at the same time. In America, the colonists were resiting the demands of teh mother contry; at the concurrent moment in France, the middle class was sowing the seeds of rebellion
- concur
- agree. Did you concur with the decision of the court or did you find it unfair?
- concord
- harmony. watching tweedledum and tweedledee battle, alice wondered why the two brothers could not manage to live in concord
- concomitant
- that which accompanies. A decrease of gastric juice secretion may be a congential abnormality of a concomitatn of advanced age
- conclusive
- decisive; ending all debate.
- conclave
- private meeting. He was prsent at all their conclaves as an unofficial observer
- conciliatory
- reconciling; soothing. She was still angry despite his concilliatory words. concilliate v
- concession
- an act of yielding. BEfore they coudl reach an agreement, boths dies had to make certain concessions.
- concerted
- mutually agreed on; done together. ALl the Girl scouts made a concerted effort to raise funds for their annual outing
- conception
- beginning; forming of an idea. At the first conception of the work, he was consulted. conceive
- concentric
- having a common center. The target was made of concentric circles
- conceit
- vanity of self-love; whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor. Although Jack was smug and puffed up with conceit, he was an entertaining companion, always expressing himself in amusing conceits and witty turns of phrase.
- concede
- admit; yield. Despite all the evidence Monica had assembled, Mark refused to concede that she was right
- concave
- hollow. The back-packersfound aprtial shelter from the storm by huddiling against the concave wall of the cliff
- concatenate
- link as in a chain. It is difficult to understand how these events could concatenate as they did without outside assistance
- compute
- reckon; calculate. He failed to compute the interest, so his bank balance was not accurate.
- compunction
- remorse. The judge was especially severe in his sentecning because he felt that the criminal had shown no compunction for his heinous crime
- compromise
- adjust or settle by making mutual concessions; endanger the intersts or reputation of.
- comprise
- include; consist of. If the District of Columbia were to be granted statehood, the UNited States of America would comprise fifty-oene states, not just fifty
- compress
- squeeze or press together; make more compact Miss Watson compressed her lips in disapproval as she noted the bedraggled state of Huck's clothes
- comprehensive
- thorough; inclusive. This book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math skills for the GRE
- composure
- element; ingredient. Even the latest work crisis failed to shake her composure.
- component
- elemnt; ingredient
- complicity
- involvement in a crime; participation. QUeen Mary's marriage to Lord Darnley, her suspected complicity in his murder, and her hasty marriage to the earl of Bothwelll stirred the Protestant lords to revolt
- compliant
- yielding; conforming to requirements. Because Joe usually gave in and went along with whatever his friends desired, his mother worried that he might be too compliant
- compliance
- readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements.
- complementary
- serving to complete something. Jon and lexy's skills are complemntary; he's good at following a dialy routine, while she's great at improvising and handling emergenices. Together, they make a great team
- complaisant
- trying to please; overly polite; obligating. Fearing that the king might become enraged if his will were thwarted, the complaisant Parliament recognized Henry VIII as king of Ireland. Soemone complaisant is not smug or complacent; he yields to others because he has an excessive need to please
- complacency
- self-satisfaciton; smugness. Full of complacency about his latest victories, he looked smugly at the row of trophies on his mantelpiece. complacent adj
- compile
- assemble; gather; accumulate. We planned to compile a list of the words most frequently used on the GRE
- compilation
- listing of statistical information in tabular or book form. The compilation of available scholarships serves a very valuable purpose
- compensatory
- making up for; repaying. Can a compensatory education program make up for the inadequate schooling he received in earlier years?
- compendium
- brief, comprehensive summary. This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount of new material being developed in this field.
- compelling
- overpowering; irresistible in effect. The prosecutor presented a well-reasoned case, but the defense attorney's compelling arguments for leniency won over the jury
- compatible
- harmonious; in harmony with. They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over unimportant matters. compatibility N
- compact
- agreement; contract. THe signers of the Mayflower Compact were establishing a form of government
- communal
- held in cmmon; a group of people. When they were divorced, they had trouble dividng their communal property
- commodious
- spacious and comfortable. After sleeping in small roadside cabins, they found their hotel suite commodious
- commiserate
- feel or express pity or sympathy for. Her friends commiserated th the widow.
- commensurate
- corresponding in extent, degree acmount; proportionate. By the close of WWII much progress had been made in assigning nurses rank and responsibilities commensurate with thrie training and abilities
- commemorative
- remembering; honoring. The new commemorative stamp honors the late Martin Luther King Jr
- commandeer
- to draft for military purposes; to take for public use. The policeman commandeered the first car that approached and ordered the driver to go to the nearest hospital
- comity
- courtesy; civility. A spirit of comity should exist among nations
- comeuppance
- rebuke; deserts. After his earlier rudeness, we were delighted to see him get his comeuppance
- comestible
- something fit to be eaten. The roast turkey and other comestibles, the wines, and theexceelent service made this Thanksgiving dinner particularly memorable
- comely
- attractive; agreeable. I would rather have a poor and comely wife than a rich and homely one.
- combustible
- easily burned. After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire commissioner ordered that lal combustible materials be kept in safe containers.
- comatose
- in a coma; extremely sleepy. the longwinded orator soon had his audience in a comatose state
- combustile
- easily burned. After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire commissioner ordered that all combustile materials be kept in safe containers
- colossus
- gigantic statue. The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, a bronze statue of the sun god that dominated the harbor of the Gek seaport, was one of the Seven Wonders of the World
- colossal
- huge. Radio City Music Hall has a colossal stage
- collusion
- conspiring in a fraudulent scheme. The swindlers were found guilty of cullusion
- colloquy
- informal discussion. While a colloquium often is a formal seminar or conference, a colloquy traditionally is merely a conversational exchange
- colloquial
- pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal. Some of the new colloquial reading passages on standardized tests have a conversational tone intended to make them more appealing to test-takers.
- collation
- a light meal. Tea sandwiches and cookies were offered at the collation
- collateral
- security given for loan. The sum you wish to borrow
- collate
- examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order. They collated the newly found manuscripts to determine their age
- collage
- work of art put together from fragments. Scrapes of cloth, paper doillies, and old photographs all went into her collage
- collaborate
- work together. Two writers collaborated in preparing this book
- colander
- utensil with perforated bottom used for straining. Before serving the spaghetti, place it in a colander to drain it
- coincidence
- the chance occurrence, at the same time, of two or more seemingly connected events. Was it just a coincidence that JOhn and she had met at the market for three days running, or was he deliberately trying to seek her out?
- coin
- make coins; invent or fabricate. Mints coin good money; counterfeiters coin fakes. Slanderedrs coin nasty rumors; writer coin words
- coiffure
- hairstyle. You can make a statement with your choice of coiffure; in the 60s many African Americans affirmed their acial heritage by wearing their hair in Afros.
- cohorts
- armed band. Caesar and his Roamn cohorts conquered almost all of the known world
- cohesion
- tendenc to keep together. A firm believer in the maxim 'DIvide and conquer' the emperor, b lies and trickery, sought to disrupt the cohesion of the free nations
- cohere
- stick together/ Solids have a greater tendency to cohere than liquids
- cohabit
- live together. Many unwed couples who cohabit peacefully for years wind up fighting night and day once they marry
- cognizance
- knowledge. DUring the election campagin, the two candidates were keptin full cognizance of te international situation
- cognate
-
related lingusitically; allied by bood; similar or akin in nature. The English word
mother
is gonate to the Latin word
mater
, whose influence is visible in the words' maternal' and 'maternity' - cogitate
- think over; Cogitate on this problem; the soluion will come
- cogent
- convincing. It was inevitable that David chose to go to Harvard; he had severa; cogent reasons for doing so, including a full-tuition scholarship Katya argued her case with such cogency that the jury had to decide in favor of her client
- cog
- tooth projecting from a wheel. A bicycle chain moves through a serioes of cogs in order to propel the bike
- coeval
- living at the same time as; contemporary; Coeval with the dinosaur, the pterodactyl flourished during the Mesozoic era.
- coercion
- use of force to get someone to obey. The inquisitors used both physical and psychological coercision to force Joan of Arc to recant her assertions that her visiosn were sent by God. coerce v
- codify
- arrange (laws, rules) as a code; classify. We need to take the varying rules and regulations of the different health agencies and codify them into a national health code
- codicil
- supplement to the body of a will. Miss Havisham kept her lawyers busy drawing up codicils to her already complicated will
- coddle
- treat gently; pamper. Don't coddle the children so much, they need a taste of discipline
- coda
- concluding section of a musical or literary composition; something that rounds out, summarizes, or concludes. The piece concuded wiht a distinctive coda that strikingly broguht together various motifs.
- coalition
- partnership; league; union. The Trainbow Coalition united people of all races in a common cause
- coalesce
- combine; fuse; the brooks coalesce into one large river.
- coagulate
- thicken; congea; clot. Even after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will continueto coagulate as it stands. coagulant
- cloying
- distasteful (Because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental. Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception. cloy v
- clout
- great influence (especially political or social) Gatsy wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club
- cloister
- monatstery or convent. The nuns lived in the cloister
- clime
- region; climate. His doctor advised him to move to a milder clime.
- clique
- smalle exclusive group. Fitzgerald wished that he belonged to the clique to popular atheltes and big men on campus who seemed to run Princeton's social life
- climatctic
- relating the the highest point.
- clientele
- body of customers. The rock clubattracted a young, stylish clientele
- cliche
- phrase dulled in meaning by repetition. High school compositions are often marred by such cliches as strong as an ox
- clemency
- disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather. Why did the defense lawyer look pleased when his case was sent to Judge Bland's chambers? Bland was noted for her clemency to first offenders
- cleft
- split. Trying for a fresh handhold, the mountain climber grasped the edge of a cleft in the sheer rockface
- cleave
- split or sever; cling to; remain faithful to. With her heavy cleaver, Julia CHild can cleave a whole roast duck in two
- clavicle
- collarbone
- claustrophobia
- fear of being locked in
- clarion
- shrill, trumpetlike sound. We woke to the clarion call of the bugle
- clapper
- striker (tongue) of a bell. WIshing to be undisturbed by the bell, Dale wound his scarf around the clapper to muffle its striking
- clangor
- toud; resounding noise. The blacksmith was accustomed to the clangor of hammers on steel
- clandestine
- secret. After avoiding their chaperon the lovers had a clandestine meeting
- clamor
- noise. The clamor of the chidren at play outside made it impossible for her to take a nap
- clamber
- climb by crawling. She clambered over the wall
- clairvoyant
- having foresigt; fortuneteller. Cassandra's clairvoyant warning was not heeded by the Torojans clairvoyance N
- civil
- having to do with citizens of the state; courteous and politie. ALthough intenal Revenue Service agents are civil servants, they are not always civil to suspected tax evaders
- cite
- quote; ocmmend. She could cite passages in the Bible from memory. citation N
- citadel
- fortress. The citadel overlooked the city like a protecting angel
- cistern
- reservoir of water tank. The farmers were able o withstand the dry season by using rainwater they had sotred in an underground cistern
- circumspect
- prudent; cautious;. Investigating before acting, she tried always to be icrcumspect
- circumscribe
- limit narrolwy; confine or restrict; define. The great lords of state tried to circumscribe the queen's power by having her accept a set of conditions that left the decisive voice.
- circumlocution
- unnecessarily wordy and indirect speech; evasive language. Don't beat about the bush, but just say what you want to say: I'm fed up with listening to your circumlocutions
- circuitous
- roundabout. Because of the traffic congesion on the main highways, she took a circuitous route. circuit
- cipher
- nonentity; worthless person or thing. She claimed her ex husband was a total cipher and wondered why she had ever married him
- ciliated
- having minute hairs. The paramecium is a ciliated, one-celled animal
- churlish
- boorish; rude. Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed never to invite him again
- chronicle
- report; record (in chronological order)
- chronic
- long established; as a disease.
- chortle
- chuckle with delight.when she heard that her rival had just been jailed for embezzlement, she chortled with joy. she was not a nice lady
- choreography
- art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances.