barrons wordlist M
Terms
undefined, object
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- misdemeanor
- minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing
- minute
- extremely small; CF. minutes: official record of the proceedings at a meeting
- manifest
- evident; visible; obvious; V: show plainly
- mitigate
- appease; moderate; make or become less in force or intensity
- s soar
- rise or fly high in the air; Ex. The rocket soared into the sky.
- n motley
- multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts)
- malefactor
- evildoer; criminal
- martyr
- one who voluntarily suffers death for his or her religion or cause; great sufferer; Ex. martyr to his rheumatism
- s suckle
- give or take milk at the breast or udder
- malediction
- curse
- multiplicity
- state of being numerous or multiple; large number; Ex. multiplicity of details; ADJ. multiple: of more than one element
- monetary
- pertaining to money
- n Machiavellian
- crafty; double-dealing; of the political doctrine of Machiavelli, which holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing political power
- n mundane
- worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday; of the ordinary; Ex. mundane existence; CF. world
- monarchy
- government under a single ruler
- n morose
- ill-humored; sullen; sullenly melancholy
- n mordant
- biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit
- n macerate
- soften by soaking in liquid; waste away; Ex. macerate powdered wood to make paper
- n missive
- letter; written statement; CF. sent
- n moratorium
- legal delay of payment or action; Ex. declare moratorium on the building of new houses
- s cremate
- incinerate (a corpse); N. crematory, crematorium
- n mincing
- affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; Ex. The actor minced across the stage; CF. mincemeat; CF. mincer
- meager
- scanty; inadequate
- multilingual
- having many languages; fluent in several languages
- n marshal
- put in order; guide ceremoniously to the correct place; Ex. marshal the children into the museum; N: military officer; official
- s dainty
- delicate; delicately beautiful; fastidious; not easy to please; Ex. dainty movement/dress
- n minatory
- menacing; threatening
- n modicum
- limited quantity; small amount; Ex. He does not have a modicum of sense; CF. moderate
- microcosm
- small representative world; world in miniature; Ex. microcosm of English society
- n malleable
- (of a metal) capable of being shaped by pounding(beating); pliable; (of someone) impressionable(easily influenced); easily controlled; tractable
- misconstrue
- interpret incorrectly; misinterpret; misjudge
- n meek
- submissive; patient and long-suffering
- misogamy
- hatred of marriage
- s vertebrate
- having a backbone or spinal column; N: group of animals having a segmented spinal column
- n masticate
- chew
- n magnate
- person of prominence or influence; powerful or influential person (in business or industry); Ex. oil magnate
- mediocre
- ordinary; commonplace; neither good nor bad
- melancholy
- gloomy; morose; blue; N. ADJ. melancholic; CF. melancholia
- n mortify
- humiliate by embarassing excessively; shame; punish the flesh; discipline (one's body) by self-denial; Ex. mortified by her blunder; Ex. mortify the flesh; CF. cause to die
- s undertaker
- funeral director; one whose business is to arrange burials
- n maudlin
- effusively sentimental
- n mock
- ridicule; deride; imitate often in derision
- n martinet
- strict disciplinarian; person who demands total obedience to rules and orders; CF. Jean Martinet
- n malapropism
- comic misuse of a word; CF. Mrs. Malaprop
- momentum
- quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus; moving force
- s suitor
- man who is courting a woman
- n motility
- ability to move spontaneously; ADJ. motile: moving spontaneously
- s maleficient
- doing evil; N. maleficience
- n manipulate
- operate with one's hands; control or play upon (people, forces, etc.) artfully; maneuver; Ex. how to manipulate publicity and men; ADJ. manipulative
- n morbid
- given to unwholesome or unhealthy thought; moody; characteristic of disease; Ex. morbid curiosity; N. morbidity; CF. disease
- n militate
- work against; Ex. militate against the chances of promotion; CF. serve as a soldier
- miserly
- stingy; mean
- n myopic
- nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia
- mode
- prevailing style; current fashion; manner; way of doing something; Ex. in the latest mode; Ex. simple mode of life
- s miscellaneous
- made up of a variety of parts
- n mogul
- powerful person; Ex. oil moguls; CF. Mogol, Moghul; CF. Mongolian
- n mawkish
- mushy(sentimental) and gushy; icky-sticky sentimental; excessively and objectionably sentimental
- n muster
- gather; assemble (troops); Ex. muster up one's strength for the ordeal; N.
- s sentimental
- swayed by sentiment; appealing to the sentiments
- n mayhem
- injury to body; crime of willfully maiming or crippling a person; violent disorder; Ex. mayhem in the zoo; CF. maim
- n musky
- having the odor of musk; N. musk: odorous substance secreted by an Asian deer
- s memorial
- something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to honor the memory of a person or event; ADJ: commemorative
- n misnomer
- wrong or improper name; incorrect designation
- n maverick
- rebel; nonconformist (in a group)
- s mange
- skin disease (esp. of domestic animals) marked by loss of hair
- n mortician
- undertaker; CF. death
- s wretch
- miserable person; bad or despicable person; ADJ. wretched: miserable; bad; contemptible; vile
- n manifestation
- outward demonstration; manifesting; indication of the presence of something; Ex. manifestation of his pronounced musical bent
- monotheism
- belief in one God
- materialism
- preoccupation with physical comforts and things; excessive regard for worldly concerns (rather than spiritual matters)
- n mercurial
- capricious; quick and changing; fickle; containing the element mercury; Ex. mercurial temper; CF. mood
- malevolent
- wishing evil; exhibiting ill will; N. malevolence
- s mangle
- tear or cut to pieces; mutilate or disfigure; Ex. badly mangled bodies
- n machinations
- evil schemes or plots; schemes or plots to achieve an evil end; V. machinate
- maternal
- motherly; N. maternity: motherhood
- s peddle
- travel about selling (wares); CF. foot
- malcontent
- person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented
- mercenary
- motivated solely by money or gain; N.
- n muse
- ponder at length; N: source of inspiration (esp. of a poet)
- migrant
- changing its habitat; wandering; Ex. migrant birds/workers; N: one that migrates
- n minuscule(miniscule)
- extremely small
- manifesto
- public declaration of principles; statement of policy
- molecule
- the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance
- momentous
- very important; N. moment; CF. momentary
- mammoth
- gigantic; enormous
- s mime
- pantomime(act without dialogue); mimicry; mimer; V: mimic; pantomime
- mosaic
- picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ.
- meticulous
- excessively careful (with great attention to detail); painstaking; scrupulous
- s intermediary
- intermediate; acting as a mediator; N: mediator; go-between
- n meander
- wind or turn in its course; follow a winding or turning course; move aimlessly and idly
- n memento
- token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit
- n murky
- dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague; Ex. murky night/fog; N. murk: partial or complete darkness; gloom
- maladroit
- clumsy; not skillful; awkward; bungling
- s enlist
- (cause to) join the armed forces; obtain (help, sympathy, or support)
- n maim
- mutilate; injure lastingly; disable; cripple; Ex. maimed for life
- n moribund
- dying; at the point of death; CF. death
- malign
- speak evil of; bad-mouth(criticize spitefully); defame; ADJ: harmful; Ex. malign influence
- maniacal
- raging mad; insane; N. maniac: insane person; CF. mania: disorder of the mind; intense enthusiasm
- malignant
- tending to cause death; highly injurious; aggressively malevolent; Ex. malignant tumor
- n mountebank
- charlatan; boastful pretender
- n mendacious
- lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity
- n mutilate
- maim; injure lastingly; deprive of a limb or an essential part
- n muddle
- confuse; mix up confusedly; N: state of confusion
- s alms
- money or goods given to the poor
- n manifold
- many in number or kind; numerous; varied
- multiform
- having many forms
- s quicksilver
- mercury
- n macabre
- gruesome; grisly; ghastly; CF. of death
- s vile
- despicable; unpleasant; disgusting; Ex. vile slander
- n mischance
- ill luck
- mobile
- movable; not fixed; N. mobility
- s cadet
- student at a military school
- n malaise
- uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health (without any particular pain or appearance of disease)
- n megalomania
- mania for doing grandiose things; mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or importance
- s malapropos
- inappropriate; ADV.
- n myriad
- very large number; ADJ. CF. ten thousand
- n miscreant
- wretch; wrongdoer; villain; Ex. kindness to the miscreant; CF. believe
- miscellany
- mixture of writings on various subjects; collection of various items
- magnanimity
- generosity; ADJ. magnanimous: generous
- millennium
- thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity
- s morgue
- mortuary; place where bodies are kept before burial or cremation
- s monochrome
- painting in only one color; ADJ.
- n mannered
- affected; not natural; Ex. mannered way of speech
- n molten
- melted; Ex. molten lava
- n mores
- conventions; moral standards; moral customs
- n meddlesome
- interfering; V. meddle: interfere
- muted
- silent; muffled; toned down; Ex. muted traffic noise
- metropolis
- large city
- s militia
- army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers
- manacle
- restrain; handcuff; N.
- melee
- fight
- n menagerie
- collection of wild animals on exhibition; zoo
- s mute
- silent; without speech; not pronounced; unable to speak; N: one who is incapable of speech; V: soften the sound, color, shade of
- migratory
- wandering; V. migrate: move from one region and settle in another; move periodically from one region to another
- n mote
- small speck (esp. of dust)
- n maelstrom
- violent whirlpool; violent or tublent situation; CF. stream
- medium
- element that is a creature's natural environment; nutrient setting in which microorganisms are cultivated; appropriate occupation or means of expression; channel of communication; compromise; middle position between extremes; intervening substance through which something else is transmitted
- n mercantile
- concerning trade or merchants
- monastic
- related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns
- n moodiness
- fits of depression or gloom; ADJ. moody: given to changeable moods; subject to periods of depression; gloomy CF. mood: state of mind or emotion
- metaphysical
- pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality
- masochist
- person who enjoys his own pain; CF. masochism
- n mural
- wall painting
- n matriculate
- enroll (in college or graduate school); CF. matrix
- n mandate
- order; charge; authoritative command; power to govern another country; power to given to a government; region under administration; V: give a mandate to; place under a mandate; Ex. mandated territory
- n mulct
- defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. mulct the boy of his legacy
- malicious
- hateful; spiteful; expressing malice; N. malice: desire to harm others; spite
- metamorphosis
- change of form; Ex. metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly; V. metamorphose: change by metamorphosis
- n mishap
- unfortunate accident
- n misadventure
- mischance; ill luck; Ex. death by misadventure
- n mutinous
- unruly; rebellious; Ex. mutinous teenagers; N. mutiny: open rebellion; CF. mutineer
- n mauve
- pale purple
- misapprehension
- error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend
- mutablility
- ability to change in form; fickleness; ADJ. mutable: able to change; fickle; CF. mutate; CF. mutant
- s misconduct
- immoral behavior; bad management; V.
- magnitude
- greatness (in size or extent); extent
- malodorous
- foul-smelling
- n munificent
- very generous in giving; Ex. munificent benefactor; N. munificience
- n mausoleum
- monumental tomb; large stately tomb; CF. Mausolos
- n magisterial
- authoritative; imperious; commanding; of a magistrate; Ex. magisterial study of Roman law; Ex. magisterial manner
- n modish
- fashionable; conforming to the current fashion
- misogynist
- hater of woman; CF. misogyny
- n mollycoddle
- pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively
- n mealymouthed
- indirect in speech (when something unpleasant must be said); hypocritical; evasive
- n maritime
- bordering on(adjacent to) the sea; nautical; of the ships or the sea; Ex. Maritime Provinces
- meteoric
- like a meteor; swift; momentarily brilliant; Ex. meteoric rise to fame; N. meteor
- n mesmerize
- hypnotize; N. mesmerism; CF. Franz Mesmer
- missile
- object to be thrown or projected
- n mangy
- shabby; wretched; suffering from mange; of bad appearance
- s magistrate
- official with power to administer the law
- s motto
- brief statement used to express a principle
- n mete
- measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment
- maxim
- proverb; truth pithily stated
- n meretricious
- flashy; tawdry; attractive on the surface but of no real value; Ex. metericious argument/jewel; CF. prostitute
- n mendicant
- beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar
- s monograph
- scholarly article
- n musty
- stale (in odor or taste); spoiled by age; CF. moist
- n menial
- suitable for servants; lowly; mean; N: someone who does menial work (esp. servant in a house)
- n mollify
- soothe an angry person
- s monogram
- design composed of one or more initials of a name; V.
- n milieu
- social environment; means of expression; Ex. feel out of one's milieu; Ex. His proper milieu is watercolor.
- s miniature
- small model; small painting; ADJ: small
- n marred
- damaged; disfigured; V. mar: spoil; disfigure
- malady
- illness
- n miasma
- swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence
- n misgivings
- doubts
- n mentor
- counselor; teacher
- n minion
- servile dependent; obsequious follower
- s compost
- mixture of decaying organic matter used as fertilizer; V: put or make compost
- n metallurgical
- pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores
- s choice
- delicate; of very fine quality
- n muggy
- (of weather) warm and damp
- n mnemonic
- pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid
- s swamp
- wetland; marsh; V: flood; overwhelm; drench in with liquid
- s mannerism
- distinctive behavioral trait; affected style in art (according to a set of styles)
- monotony
- sameness leading to boredom; monotonousness; ADJ. monotonous; CF. monotone
- methodical
- systematic; N. method: systematic method of procedure
- meditation
- reflection; thought; V. meditate
- s exquisite
- delicate; very finely made; extremely beautiful; Ex. exquisite piece of jewelry
- marital
- pertaining to marriage
- n maculated
- spotted; stained; CF. immaculate
- n marsupial
- one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch(pocket of skin or leather); CF. kangaroo, opossum, wombat
- magniloquent
- boastful; pompous
- metaphor
- implied comparison; CF. simile
- n medley
- mixture
- n madrigal
- pastoral song; song for several singers without instruments
- n manumit
- emancipate; free from slavery or bondage
- n malfeasance
- wrongdoing; misconduct (by a public official)
- misanthrope
- one who hates mankind; misanthropist
- n multifarious
- varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities
- martial
- warlike; of war; Ex. martial art/law
- s blemish
- mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of; N: flaw or defect (that spoils perfection); Ex. blemishes in the crystal; CF. unblemished
- s vulgar
- of the common people; deficient in refinement; not refined; coarse; Ex. vulgar display of wealth; N. vulgarism: vulgarity; crudely indecent word; CF. vulgarian: vulgar person; boor; lout
- n mirth
- merriment; laughter
- n mite
- very small object or insect-like creature; small coin
- n mellifluous
- (of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune
- monochromatic
- having only one color
- n mettle
- courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome
- s nurse
- suckle; take care of (as a nurse); bear in mind; Ex. nursing mother; Ex. nurse a hope/grudge against someone
- mammal
- vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young
- n monumental
- massive; impressively large; built as a monument
- n monolithic
- solidly uniform; unchangeable; unyielding; N. monolith: large block of stone
- mediate
- settle a dispute through the services of an outsider; act as an intermediary; produce by mediating; Ex. mediate a cease-fire
- matriarch
- woman who rules a family or larger social group
- marked
- noticeable; targeted for vengeance or attack; Ex. marked improvement/man
- s pronounced
- distinct; very noticeable; Ex. pronounced limp
- mimicry
- imitation
- s blue
- gloomy; depressed
- n molt(moult)
- periodically shed or cast off hairs or feathers (for replacement by a new growth)
- n modulate
- tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; Ex. modulate from E to G
- n mace
- ceremonial staff used as a symbol of authority; clublike medieval weapon
- s speck
- small piece or mark; Ex. speck of dust in the eye
- n mottled
- blotched in coloring; spotted; Ex. mottled face; V. mottle: mark with blotches of different colors
- memorialize
- commemorate
- mirage
- unreal reflection; optical illusion
- n minutiae
- petty or trivial details; CF. minutia
- n matrix
- point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die; Ex. the matrix of Western civilization
- n merger
- combination (of two business corporations); act of merging
- n motif
- theme; recurrent thematic element in a musical or literary work; single or repeated pattern; figure
- n maul
- handle roughly; batter; injure by beating; Ex. mauled by his overexcited fans; N: heavy long-handled hammer
- malingerer
- one who feigns illness to escape duty; V. malinger: feign illness to avoid work
- n mire
- entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; N: bog; deep mud; Ex. sucked deeper into the mire
- mandatory
- obligatory; compulsory; of a mandate
- militant
- combative; bellicose; N.
- s blotch
- spot; blot; CF. blot+botch