barron's h4
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- toss
- throw lightly; move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion; flip (a coin) to decide something
- posterity
- descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior
- choreography
- art of representing dances in written symbols; arrangement of dances
- succulent
- juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness; N: succulent plant such as a cactus
- brunt
- main impact or shock (of an attack or blow); Ex. brunt of the argument
- phalanx
- formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)
- ransack
- search thoroughly; pillage (going through a place); Ex. Enemy soldiers ransacked the town.
- legend
- explanatory list of symbols on a map
- apprise
- inform
- pacifist
- one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
- lineaments
- features especially of the face; distinctive shape or contour of the face; CF. line
- coroner
- public official who investigates any death thought to be of other than natural causes
- obituary
- death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ.
- tardy
- slow; sluggish; not on time; late; Ex. tardy arrival
- oratorio
- dramatic poem set to music; long musical work with singing but without acting; CF. cantata
- dossier
- file of documents on a subject or person; file; CF. bundle of papers labeled on the back
- sibylline
- prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world)
- exploit
- brave and successful act; deed or action, particularly a brave deed; CF. crossing the Atlantic ocean
- recreant
- disloyal; cowardly; N: disloyal and cowardly person
- cohesion
- tendency to keep together
- decomposition
- decay; V. decompose: decay; break and separate into simple parts
- inestimable
- impossible to estimate; (apprec) invaluable; of immeasurable worth
- disport
- amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert
- sheer
- pure; thin and transparent; very steep
- conscientious
- scrupulous; through and careful; Ex. conscientious worker
- disband
- dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded.
- unique
- without an equal; single in kind
- analgesic
- causing insensitivity to pain; N.
- bluster
- blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully; speak in a noisy or bullying manner; CF. breeze, gust, gale
- aseptic
- preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
- gape
- open widely; open the mouth wide; stare wonderingly with the mouth open; CF. agape
- capacious
- spacious
- tender
- offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one's resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound
- chaste
- morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts; modest; simple (of a style of writing); not highly decorated; austere
- metallurgical
- pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores
- clarion
- shrill, trumpetlike sound; kind of trumpet used in former times
- furor
- frenzy; great anger and excitement; CF. fury
- proxy
- authorized agent; authority to act for another
- gamely
- in a spirited manner; with courage; Ex. fight gamely against a superior boxer; ADJ. game
- protean
- able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
- optician
- maker and seller of eyeglasses
- canard
- unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report
- acrid
- bitter (to the taste or smell); sharp; bitterly pungent
- despot
- tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism
- materialism
- preoccupation with physical comforts and things; excessive regard for worldly concerns (rather than spiritual matters)
- farce
- broad comedy; mockery; humorous play full of silly things happening; ADJ. farcical
- killjoy
- grouch; spoilsport; one who intentionally spoils the pleasure of others
- distraught
- upset; distracted by anxiety; very anxious and troubled almost to the point of madness; Ex. distraught with grief/worry
- junta
- group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal; group of military officers ruling a country after seizing power (by force)
- compelling
- overpowering; irresistible in effect; holding one's attention; that compels one to do something; Ex. a compelling adventure story; V. compel
- serrated
- having a sawtoothed edge; Ex. serrated leaf
- lectern
- reading desk or stand for a public speaker
- supposititious
- assumed; counterfeit; hypothetical
- leave-taking
- farewell or departure
- traverse
- go through or across
- supersede
- replace; cause to be set aside; make obsolete; N. supersession
- discourse
- serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V.
- jurisprudence
- science of law
- topple
- become unsteady and fall down
- conspiracy
- treacherous plot; secret plan against the law (by two or more people)
- transparent
- permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie
- bifurcated
- divided into two branches; forked
- wistful
- sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing
- nexus
- connection
- spurn
- reject disdainfully; scorn; Ex. She spurned all offers of help.
- validate
- make valid; confirm; ratify
- raconteur
- story-teller; one who tells stories with wit and skill
- industrious
- diligent; hard-working; N. industry
- sloth
- slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent
- incident
- event; event that causes a crisis
- dutiful(duteous)
- (of people or their behavior) respectful; obedient (filled with a sense of duty)
- aria
- operatic solo; a song sung by one person in an opera or oratorio
- deposition
- testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning
- perspicuity
- clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
- parasite
- animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside
- bar
- railing in a courtroom; legal profession; vertical line dividing a staff into equal measures; Ex. prisoner at the bar; V: shut in or out with bars; forbid; exclude; CF. barrister
- antipathy
- aversion; dislike or opposition
- quixotic
- idealistic but impractical; CF. Don Quixote
- dialectical
- relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments
- perverse
- purposely continuing to do something wrong; stubbornly wrongheaded; perverted; directed away from what is right; wicked and unacceptable; Ex. perverse satisfaction; Ex. Hannibal Lecter in a perverse mood; N. perversity
- conservatory(conservatoire)
- school of the fine arts (especially music or drama); glass-enclosed area; CF. conservancy
- fusion
- union; coalition; V. fuse
- indices
- signs; indications; Ex. indices of a student's potential; CF. index: something that reveals or indicates; sign; Ex. cost-of-living index
- reduce
- diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition; demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; Ex. reduced to the ranks; Ex. reduce the house to rubble; N. reduction
- qualms
- uneasy feelings; misgivings; uneasy fears especially about matters of conscience; Ex. I have no qualms about giving this assignment to Helen.
- epoch
- period of time
- virulent
- (of a disease or poison) extremely harmful or poisonous; (of a feeling) hostile; bitter; N. virulence; CF. virus; CF. venom
- malcontent
- person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs; discontented person; ADJ: discontented
- scholarly
- full of learning; erudite; like a scholar; Ex. scholarly journal
- lucrative
- profitable; producing wealth
- mercantile
- concerning trade or merchants
- inter
- bury; N. interment
- simian
- monkeylike; N: ape or monkey
- dart
- move or throw suddenly and quickly
- dorsal
- relating to the back of an animal; Ex. dorsal fin
- cherubic
- angelic; innocent-looking; N. cherub; CF. seraph: winged angel of the highest order
- cohere
- stick together