Barron's Word List
Terms
undefined, object
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- ABEYANCE
- n. suspended action
- ABLUTION
- n. washing
- ABNEGATION
- n. renunciation; self-sacrifice
- ABORIGINAL
- adj., n. being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; native
- ABORTIVE
- adj. unseccessful; fruitless
- ABSOLUTE
- adj. complete; totally unlimited; certain
- ABUT
- v. border upon; adjoin
- ACCEDE
- v. agree
- ACCLIVITY
- n. sharp upslope of a hill
- ACCOMMODATE
- V. oblige or help someone; adjust or bring into harmony; adapt
- ACCOST
- v. approach and speak first to a person
- ACCOUTRE
- v. equip
- ACCRETION
- n. growth, increase
- ACIDULOUS
- adj. slightly sour; sharp; caustic
- ACQUIESCE
- v. assent; agree passively
- ACQUITTAL
- n. deliverance from a charge
- ACRIMONIOUS
- adj. bitter in words or manner
- ACTUARIAL
- adj. calculating, pertaining to insurance statistics
- ACTUATE
- v. motivate
- ACUITY
- n. sharpness
- ADAGE
- n. wise saying, proverb
- ADDENDUM
- n. addition; appendix to book
- ADDLE
- v. muddle; drive crazy; become rotten
- ADHERENT
- n. supporter; follower
- ADJUNCT
- n. something (generally nonessential or inferior) added on or attached
- ADJURATION
- n. solemn urging
- ADJUTANT
- n. staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
- ADMONISH
- v. warn; reprove
- ADVENT
- n. arrival
- ADVENTITIOUS
- adj. accidental; casual
- ADVERSE
- adj. unfavorable; hostile
- ADVERSITY
- n. poverty; misfortune
- ADVERT
- v. refer (to)
- AEGIS
- n. shield, defense
- AERIE
- n. nest of a large bird of prey (eagle, hawk)
- AFFECTED
- adj. artificial; pretended; assumed in order to impress
- AFFIDAVIT
- n. written statement made under oath
- AFFILIATION
- n. joining; associating with
- AFFINITY
- n. kinship
- AFFIX
- v. attach or add on; fasten
- AFFLICTION
- n. state of distres; cause of suffering
- AFFLUENCE
- n. abundance; wealth
- AFFRONT
- n. insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect
- AGAPE
- adj. openmouthed
- AGHAST
- adj. horrified; dumbfounded
- AGITATE
- v. stir up; disturb
- AGOG
- adj. highly excited; intensely curious
- ALCOVE
- n. nook; recess
- ALIENATE
- v. make hostile; seperate
- ALIMENTARY
- adj. supplying nourishment
- ALLEGE
- v. state without proof
- ALLEGIANCE
- n. loyalty
- ALLURE
- v. entice; attract
- ALLUVIAL
- adj. pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
- ALOFT
- adv. upward
- ALTERCATION
- n. noisy quarrel; heated dispute
- AMBIVALENCE
- n. state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
- AMBLE
- n. moving at an easy pace
- AMEND
- v. correct; change, generally for the better
- AMICABLE
- adj. politely friendly; not quarrelsome
- AMISS
- adj. wrong; faulty
- AMITY
- n. friendship
- AMNESTY
- n. pardon
- AMPLE
- adj. abundant
- AMPUTATE
- v. cut off part of body; prune
- AMOK (AMUCK)
- adv. in a state of rage
- ANATHEMA
- n. solemn curse; someone or stg regarded as curse
- ANCILLARY
- adj. serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
- ANECTODE
- n. short account of an amusing or interesting event
- ANGUISH
- n. acute pain; extreme suffering
- ANGULAR
- adj. sharp-cornered; stiff in manner
- ANIMADVERSION
- n. critical remark
- ANIMUS
- n. hostile feeling or intent
- ANNALS
- n. records, history
- ANNEAL
- v. reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
- ANNEX
- v. attach, take possession of
- ANNOTATE
- v. comment; make explanatory notes
- ANODYNE
- n. drug that relieves pain; opiate
- ANOINT
- v. consecrate
- ANTEDILUVIAN
- adj. antiquated; extremely ancient
- ANTHOLOGY
- n. book of literary selections by various authors
- ANTHROPOID
- adj. manlike
- ANTHROPOMORPHIC
- adj. having human form or characteristics
- ANTICLIMAX
- n. letdown in thought or emotion
- ANVIL
- n. iron block used in hammering out metals
- APE
- v. imitate or mimic
- APERTURE
- n. opening; hole
- APHASIA
- n. loss of speech due to injury or illness
- APHORISM
- n. pithy maxim or saying
- APIARY
- n. place where bees are kept
- APLOMB
- n. poise; assurance
- APOCRYPHAL
- adj. untrue; made up
- APOLOGIST
- n. one who writes in defense of a cause or institution
- APOTHECARY
- n. druggist
- APOTHEGM
- n. pithy, compact saying
- APPALL
- v. dismay; shock
- APPARITION
- n. ghost, phantom
- APPELLATION
- n. name; title
- APPLICATION
- n. diligent attention
- APPOSITE
- adj. appropriate; fitting
- APPREHEND
- v. arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive
- APPREHENSIVE
- adj. fearful; dicerning
- APPRISE
- v. inform
- APPROPRIATE
- v. acquire; take possesion of for one's own use
- APROPOS
- prep. with reference to; regarding
- APTITUDE
- n. fitness; talent
- AQUILINE
- adj. curved, hooked
- ARABLE
- adj. fit for growing crops
- ARCADE
- n. a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
- ARCHETYPE
- n. prototype; primitive pattern
- ARDUOUS
- adj. hard; strenuous
- ARRAIGN
- v. charge in court; indict
- ARRAY
-
v. marshal; draw up in order
v. clothe; adorn - ARREARS
- n. benign in debt
- ARROYO
- n. gully
- ARSENAL
- n. storage place for military equipment
- ASCENDANCY
- n. controlling influence
- ASCETIC
- adj. practicing self-denial; austere
- ASCRIBE
- v. refer; attribute; assign
- ASHEN
- adj. ash colored; deadli pale
- ASININE
- adj. stupid
- ASKANCE
- adv. with a sideways or indirect look
- ASKEW
- adv. crookedly, slanted; at an angle
- ASPERITY
- n. sharpness (of temper)
- ASPERSION
- n. slanderous remark
- ASSAY
- v. analyze; evaluate
- ASSIMILATE
- v. absorb; cause to become homogenous
- ASTUTE
- adj. wise; shrewd; keen
- ASUNDER
- adv. into parts; apart
- ATAVISM
- n. resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents
- ATONE
- v. make amends for; pay for
- ATROCITY
- n. brutal deed
- ATTEST
- v. testify; bear witness
- ATTRIBUTE
- n. essential quality
- ATTRITION
- n. gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work force without firing employees
- AUGURY
- n. omen; prophecy
- AUREOLE
- n. sun's corona; halo
- AUTOCRATIC
- adj. having absolute, unhecked power; dictatorial
- AVALANCHE
- n. great mass of falling snow and ice
- AVER
- v. state confidently
- AVERSE
- adj. reluctant; disinclined
- AVERT
- v. prevent; turn away
- AVOCATION
- n. secondary or minor occupation
- AVOW
- v. declare openly
- AVUNCULAR
- adj. like an uncle
- AWL
- n. pointed tool used for piercing
- BACCHANALIAN
- adj. drunken
- BAFFLE
- v. frustrate; perplex
- BAIT
- v. harass; tease
- BALK
- v. stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
- BALLAST
- n. heavy substance used to add stability or weight
- BANDY
- v. discuss lightly or glibly; exchange (words) heatedly
- BANE
- n. cause of ruin; curse
- BANTERING
- adj. good-naturedly ridiculing
- BARB
- n. sharp projection from fishhook or other object' openly cutting remark
- BARD
- n. poet
- BARRISTER
- n. counselor-at-law
- BASTION
- n. stronghold; something seen as a source of protection
- BATE
- v. let down; restrain
- BAUBLE
- n. trinket; trifle
- BEDRAGGLE
- v. wet thoroughly
- BEELINE
- n. direct, quick route
- BEFUDDLE
- v. confuse thoroughy
- BEGRUDGE
- v. resent
- BEHEMOTH
- n. huge creature; stg of monstrous size or power
- BEHOLDEN
- adj. obligated; indebted
- BEHOOVE
- v. be suited to; be incumbent upon
- BELABOR
- v. explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally
- BELATED
- adj. delayed
- BELLIGERENT
- adj. quarrelsome
- BEMOAN
- v. lament; express disapproval
- BEMUSED
- adj. confused; lost in thoght; preoccupied
- BENT
- adj. n. determined; natural talent or inclination
- BEQUEATH
- v. leave to someone by means of a will; hand down
- BEREAVEMENT
- n. state of being deprived of stg valuable or beloved
- BEREFT
- adj. deprived of; lacking
- BESEECH
- v. beg; plead with
- BESET
- v. harass or trouble; hem in
- BESMIRCH
- v. soil, defile
- BESTOW
- v. confer
- BETOKEN
- v. signify; indicate
- BETROTH
- v. become engaged to marry
- BEVY
- n. large group
- BICAMERAL
- adj. two-chambered, as a legislative body
- BICKER
- v. quarrel
- BIGOTRY
- n. stubborn intolerance
- BILIOUS
- adj. suffering from indigestion; irritable
- BILK
- v. swindle; cheat
- BILLOWING
- adj. swelling out in waves; surging
- BIVOUAC
- n. temporary encampment
- BLANCH
- v. bleach; whiten
- BLAND
- adj. soothing or mild; agreeable
- BLARE
- n. loud, harsh roar or screech; dazzling blaze of light
- BLASE
- adj. bored with pleasure or dissipation
- BLATANT
- adj. extremely obvious; loudly offensive
- BLEAK
- adj. cold or cheerless; unlikely to be favorable
- BLIGHTED
- adj. suffering from a disease; destroyed
- BLOWHARD
- n. talkative boaster
- BLUDGEON
- n. club; heavy-headed weapon
- BLUFF
-
adj. rough but good-natured
n. pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff - BLUNDER
- n. error
- BLUSTER
- v. blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully
- BOLT
- n. door bar; fastening pin or screw; length of fabric
- BOURGEOIS
- adj. middle class; selfishly materialistic; dully conventional
- BOVINE
- adj. cowlike; placid and dull
- BOWDLERIZE
- v. expurgate
- BRACKISH
- adj. somewhat saline
- BRAGGADOCIO
- n. boastling
- BRANDISH
- v. wave around; flourish
- BRAVADO
- n. swagger; assumed air of defiance
- BRAZEN
- adj. insolent
- BROCADE
- n. rich, figured fabric
- BROOCH
- n. ornamental clasp
- BROWBEAT
- v. bully; intimidate
- BRUNT
- n. main impact or shock
- BRUSQUE
- adj. blunt; abrupt
- BUCCANEER
- n. pirate
- BUFFET
- v. slap; batter; knock about
- BUFFOONERY
- n. clowning
- BUGABOO
- n. bugbear; object of baseless terror
- BULWARK
- n. earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
- BUNGLE
- v. mismanage; blunder
- BURLESQUE
- v. give an imitation that ridicules
- BUXOM
- adj. full-bosomed; plump; jolly
- CADENCE
- n. rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat
- CAJOLE
- v. coax; wheedle
- CALAMITY
- n. disaster; misery
- CALDRON
- n. large kettle
- CALIBER
- n. ability; quality
- CAMEO
- n. shell or jewel carved in relief; star's special appearence in a minor role in a film
- CANARD
- n. unfounded rumor; exaggerated report
- CANKER
- n. any ulcerous sore; any evil
- CANNY
- adj. shrewd; thrifty
- CANON
- n. collectionor authoritative list of books; rule or std set by ecclesiastical authority
- CANT
- n. insincere expressionsof piety; jargon of thieves
- CANTANKEROUS
- adj. ill-humored; irritable
- CANTATA
- n. story set to music, to be sung by a chorus
- CANTER
- n. slow gallop
- CANTO
- n. division of a long poem
- CANVASS
- v. determine or seek opinions, votes etc.
- CAPILLARY
- adj. having a very fine bore
- CAPITULATE
- v. surrender
- CAPTIOUS
- adj. faultfinding
- CARAFE
- n. galss water bottle; decanter
- CARAPACE
- n. shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc)
- CARCINOGENIC
- adj. causing cancer
- CAREEN
- v. lurch; sway
- CARILLON
- n. set of bells capable of being played
- CARNAGE
- n. destruction of life
- CARNAL
- adj. fleshly