This site is 100% ad supported. Please add an exception to adblock for this site.

Barron's Word List

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
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

Deck Info

250

permalink