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N, o and P

Terms

undefined, object
copy deck
n peruse
read through with care; N. perusal
s pulse
rhythmical throbbing of arteries; brief sudden change in a normally constant quantity; V: pulsate
pastoral
rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor
s providence
quality of being provident; divine care; god's care; Providence: god; Ex. It seemed like providence that the doctor happened to be there; ADJ. providential: of divine providence; fortunate
n petrify
turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze
ordeal
severe trial or affliction; difficult experience; trial(test of patience or endurance); affliction
s parchment
writing material made from the skin of a sheep or goat
prototype
original work used as a model by others
offhand
casual; done without prior thought or preparation
precedent
something preceding in time which may be used as an authority or guide for future action; V. precede; CF. unprecedented
n purveyor
furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer; V. purvey: supply (eg. food); furnish; CF. provide
n prescience
ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur; ADJ. prescient
offensive
attacking; insulting; distasteful; V. offend: violate; hurt the feelings of; N. offense: offending; violating of a moral or social code; crime; attack; Ex. first offense
pugilist
boxer; CF. pugilism: boxing
pandemic
widespread; affecting the majority of people; N: pandemic disease; CF. all people
n pinion
restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird's wing
prodigy
highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder
n neologism
new or newly coined word or phrase
n privy
secret; hidden; not public; made a participant in something secret; Ex. privy chamber government; Ex. be privy to a discussion; CF. private
piety
devoutness; reverence for God; ADJ. pious
panacea
cure-all; remedy for all diseases
n onus
burden; responsibility
n navigable
(of a body of water) wide and deep enough to allow ships to pass through; (of a ship or aircraft) able to be steered
s pervert
corrupt; turn from right to wrong; misuse; Ex. perverted sexual desire/scientific knowledge; N: person whose sexual behavior is not natural
parasite
animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant; CF. para-: beside
peregrination
journey; V. peregrinate
n odious
arousing strong dislike; hateful(causing hatred); vile
s pretend
feign; pretend to: claim to possess; make pretensions to; Ex. I don't pretend to much expertise; N. pretense
s suspend
cause to stop for a period; interrupt; hold in abeyance; defer; hang from above; exclude for a period from a position; Ex. suspended state; Ex. suspend judgment; Ex. suspended from the team; N. suspension
purported
alleged; claimed; reputed or rumored; Ex. purported Satanists
precipitous
steep; overhasty; precipitate
s damn
condemn; criticize severely; condemn to everlasting punishment; doom; bring to ruin; N. damnation
n plumage
feathers of a bird;
n painstaking
taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care; very careful and through
n promulgate
announce; proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication
s presume
take for granted; assume; act overconfidently; take liberties; presume on/upon: take unfair advantage of (someone's kindness or connection); N. presumption
n pell-mell
in confusion; disorderly; Ex. dash pell-mell
n oaf
stupid awkward person; CF. elf
s cue
word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor's speech or entrance); reminder or hint; V: give a cue to
n niggle
spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling
optician
maker and seller of eyeglasses
n pied
piebald; variegated(many-colored); multicolored
n pathos
tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings; Ex. pathos that runs through the novel
n putrid
decayed and foul-smelling; foul; rotten; decayed; N. putridity
propulsive
driving forward; N. propulsion
nautical
pertaining to ships or navigation
ordinance
decree; authoritative order
n occlude
shut; close; obstruct; Ex. A blood clot occluded an artery.
perforate
pierce; put a hole through
n nonplus
put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more
s gangrene
decay of body tissue caused by insufficient blood supply (usually following injury); ADJ. gangrenous
omnipotent
all-powerful; having unlimited power
negate
cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation
prune
cut away; trim
pliant
flexible; easily influenced
s precinct
division of a city for election or police purposes; precincts: space that surrounds a building; Ex. precincts of the college
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe
pinnacle
peak; highest point; acme; Ex. pinnacle of fame
n nether
lower; Ex. nether garments/regions
n puissant
powerful; strong; potent; N. puissance: power
n nebulous
vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal
n plummet
fall sharply; fall straight down; Ex. Stock prices plummeted.
n posterity
descendants; future generations; Ex. go down to posterity; CF. posterior, anterior
n prim
proper to the point of affectation; very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
n nexus
connection
n ponderous
having great weight; weighty; unwieldy; lacking lightness; dull; Ex. ponderous body/style of writing
s mash
crush into mash; convert into mash; N: mixture of ground grain and nutrients fed to livestock and fowl
n pharisaical
pertaining to the Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical
n parameter
limit; independent variable; Ex. parameters of the problem; Ex. within the parameters of the budget
s scion
detached plant shoot used in grafting; descendant
n noisome
foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome
s slavish
of or like a slave; servile; showing no originality; copied very closely; Ex. slavish devotion/copy of the original
s shade
slight difference in degree; nuance; degree of color; Ex. shades of meaning/grey
obviate
make unnecessary; get rid of; Ex. obviate the need
paramount
foremost in importance; supreme; CF. para-: beyond; above; Ex. paranormal
n poseur
person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others; person who poses; CF. pose
n palpitate
throb; beat rapidly; flutter; tremble; Ex. Her heart began to palpitate.
n presumptuous
going beyond what is right; excessively forward; arrogant; taking liberties
pachyderm
thick-skinned animal
pillory
punish by placing in a wooden frame or pillory; subject or expose to criticism and ridicule; N.
n philology
study of language or words
Occident
the West
proscribe
prohibit; ostracize; banish; outlaw
n ordination
ceremony conferring holy orders; ceremony of ordaining a priest
precipitant
something that causes a substance in a chemical solution to separate out in solid form; ħÀüÁ¦; OP. solvent
provocative
arousing anger or sexual interest; annoying; Ex. provocative in tight jeans; V. provoke: incite to anger; cause (an unpleasant action or feeling); N. provocation
negligence
neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care
n pigment
coloring matter (usually powder to be mixed with water or oil)
pauper
very poor person
s suspense
state of being undecided; anxiety or apprehension resulting from uncertainty
orthodox
traditional; (of someone) conservative in belief; adhering to an established doctrine
n philistine
narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain; uncultured person who is indifferent to artistic and cultural values; member of an ancient people in Palestine; OP. aesthete
n portly
stout; corpulent
s mortar
vessel in which substances are crushed with a pestle
n outstrip
outrun; surpass; outdo
s camp
group sharing a common cause or opinion
patronize
support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner; be a customer of; N. patron: one that supports; regular customer; N. patronage; CF. boycott
pillage
plunder
precipice
cliff; dangerous position; Ex. on the edge of the precipice
n personable
attractive (in personality or appearance)
nomadic
wandering; N. nomad: tribe who migrates from place to place
presage
foretell; be a warning or sign of; N: presentiment; foreboding; omen
obsessive
related to thinking about something constantly; of an obsession; preoccupying; N. obsession: compulsive preoccupation with a fixed idea; compulsive idea; V. obsess: preoccupy the mind of excessively
omnipresent
universally present; ubiquitous
obstinate
stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy
s nourishment
something that nourishes; food
obtuse
blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding
potion
dose (of liquids); liquid dose
pathetic
causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
paranoia
psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution; N: ADJ: paranoid, paranoiac
n penumbra
partial shadow (in an eclipse); CF. almost shadow
pious
devout; religious; N. piety
s polarity
state of having two opposite qualities
obligatory
binding; required; compulsory; V. oblige: constrain; make grateful; do a favor; accommodate
pecuniary
pertaining to money
n preternatural
beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural; Ex. preternatural strength/forces
n pendulous
hanging; suspended
s beware
be cautious (of)
obsequious
slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic
proponent
supporter; backer; opposite of opponent
parry
ward off a blow; deflect; Ex. He parried the unwelcome question very skillfully; N. CF. ¸·´Â´Ù´Â °³³äÀÌ ¾Æ´Ô
n pernicious
very harmful; deadly; very destructive; Ex. pernicious effect/anemia
phoenix
symbol of immortality or rebirth; Ex. phoenix rising from its ashes
n officious
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services; overly eager in offering unwanted services or advices; Ex. officious bellboy
paradigm
model; example that serves as a model; pattern; list of all the inflectional forms of a word
ovoid
egg-shaped; CF. ovum; CF. ovulate
n pejorative
(of a word or phrase) suggesting that someone is of little value; negative in connotation; having a belittling effect; Ex. Many women now considers ``housewife'' a pejorative expression, because it patronized them.
n phenomena
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation; SG. phenomenon: observable fact; very unusual person, thing, or event; marvel; wonder; CF. phenomenons; ADJ. phenomenal: very unusual; extraordinary; of a phenomenon; Ex. phenomenal strength
s favoritism
display of partiality toward a favored person
predetermine
determine in advance; predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly
n obtrude
push (oneself or one's ideas) forward or intrude; impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others; butt in; stick out or extrude; thrust out; Ex. obtrude A on B; ADJ. obtrusive; N. obtrusion; CF. unobtrusive
n outskirts
fringes; outer borders (as of a city); Ex. outskirts of Boston
platonic
purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
s gradation
series of gradual stages; degree in such a progression
n odium
detestation; quality of being odious; hatefulness; disrepute (resulting from hateful conduct)
s outlaw
fugitive from the law (excluded from legal protection); V: declare (someone) to be an outlaw; deprive of the protection of the law; declare illegal; Ex. Drinking has been outlawed.
s rooster
cock; adult male chicken
pragmatic
practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with practical worth or impact of something; Ex. pragmatic test of the skill
obliterate
destroy completely; wipe out; Ex. obliterate the village
plutocracy
society ruled by the wealthy
pediatrician
physician specializing in children's diseases; N. pediatrics
practicable
feasible
natation
swimming
protrude
stick out; jut; project; Ex. protruding teeth
n parochial
narrow in scope or outlook; provincial; related to parishes
n panegyric
formal praise; encomium; Ex. I don't deserve such panegyrics.
platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous
s slaughter
killing of animals for food; massacre; V: butcher (animals) for food; kill in large numbers
n palate
roof of the mouth; sense of the taste
permeable
that can be permeated; penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through; V. permeate: spread or flow throughout; charge
perspicacious
(of someone) having insight; penetrating; astute
n polemical(polemic)
aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious (rather than simply expressing opinions)
s nausea
feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; CF. seasickness
n ostentatious
showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious; N. ostentation: showy display
premeditate
plan in advance; Ex. premeditated murder
n plaintive
expressing sorrow; mournful; Ex. plaintive song
n philatelist
stamp-collector; N. philately: stamp collecting
purport
intention; purpose; meaning; V: claim; profess; Ex. order which purports to be signed by the general
n nettle
irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome
s nebula
diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy
n pass\'e
old-fashioned; past the prime
punctilious
minutely attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points; stressing niceties of conduct or form; N. punctilio, punctiliousness: careful attention payed to every small exact detail
n palatial
of or suitable for a palace; magnificent
n prosody
art of versification; study of the metrical structure of verse
n peon
landless agricultural worker; bond servant; menial worker; N. peonage
n oracular
of an oracle; prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous; hard to understand; N. oracle: wiser person; prophecy made by an oracle
s commonwealth
nation governed by the people; republic; people of a nation
propagate
increase in number by producing young; multiply; spread; Ex. Most plants propagate by seed; Ex. newspaper propagating their ideas
potential
expressing possibility; latent; N: capacity for growth
s brink
edge (at the top of a cliff); Ex. on the brink of the Grand Canyon
n olfactory
concerning the sense of smell
n neophyte
recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant
peerless
having no equal; incomparable
patent
obvious; easily seen; open for the public to read; of or protected by a patent; Ex. patent to everyone; N.
outwit
outsmart; defeat by behaving more cleverly
n piebald
of different colors; mottled; spotted in different colors (esp. in black and white); Ex. piebald horse; CF. pie+bald
n prelate
church dignitary; priest of high position in the church (esp. bishop)
n posture
assume an affected pose; act artificially; N: pose; attitude
s pending
not yet decided or settled; impending; Ex. pending decision; PREP. while awaiting; until; Ex. delay the decision pending his return
n predilection
preference; partiality
n nepotism
favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew
s spare
give; use; refrain from harming; save from experiencing; exempt; Ex. spare me 5 minutes; Ex. Take this money and spare my life; Ex. The emperor was spared the onus; ADJ: kept in reserve; free for other use; unoccupied; Ex. spare time
polyglot
speaking several languages; multilingual; Ex. polyglot person/society; N.
paraphernalia
equipment; odds and ends used in a particular activity; personal belongings; Ex. photographic paraphernalia; CF. married woman's property exclusive of her dowry
placate
pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist; ADJ. N. pacifism: opposition to war as a means of resolving disputes
s spoof
parody
prominent
protruding(sticking out); conspicuous; notable; eminent
s pedestal
support or base as for a pillar or statue
n placebo
harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
oblivion
obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness
n nuance
shade of slight difference in meaning or color; subtle distinction
predator
predatory animal or bird; predatory person; creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others; ADJ. predatory: living by preying on other organisms; plundering; N. predation
n pine
long for; yearn; languish from longing or grief; decline
n pedant
scholar who overemphasizes book learning, trivial details of learning, or technicalities
prohibitive
so high as to prohibit purchase or use; tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; prohibiting; inclined to prevent or forbid; Ex. prohibitive tax
n prude
excessively modest or proper person (who is easily shocked by improper things, esp. of a sexual nature); N. prudery; ADJ. prudish: excessively concerned with propriety
n panache
flair; manner of doing things without any difficulty (causing admiration); flamboyance; bunch of feathers (on a helmet); Ex. with great panache; CF. ÀÜ ¾Æ·¡·Î õÀ» »©³»´Â ¼Ø¾¾
negligible
so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded
s blunt
having a dull edge; abrupt and frank in speech or manner; brusque; V: make or become blunt
s parallel
similar; analogous; corresponding; N: parallel line; person or thing that is parallel (to another); similarity; Ex. know of no parallel to the case; Ex. without parallel; V: be similar to; make parallel; Ex. Your experience parallels mine; CF. unparalleled
n nondescript
undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript fellow in a crowd
s swipe
hit with a sweeping motion; N.
pedagogue
teacher; CF. child leader
perjury
false testimony while under oath; V. perjure oneself: testify falsely under oath
n prattle
talk idly; babble; N. CF. prate
prodigious
enormous; marvelous; extraordinary; Ex. prodigious amount/memory
n proselytize
(induce someone to) convert to a religion or belief; N. proselyte: new convert to a doctrine or religion
perspicuity
clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
oculist
physician who specializes in treatment of the eyes
nominal
in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint
s horoscope
diagram of the positions of stars at a given moment (eg. of a person's birth) used by astrologers
s threat
sign or warning (of coming danger); Ex. threat of rain; V: express a threat; give warning of (something bad); Ex. The cloud threatens rain.
paragon
model of perfection; Ex. paragon of virtue
n osseous
made of bone; bony
n primogeniture
seniority by birth; state of being the first-born child; right of the eldest child (to inherit the entire property of one or both parents)
paraphrase
restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author; N: restatement of a text in other words
n ostracize
banish from a group; exclude from public favor; ban; Ex. His friends ostracized him. N. ostracism
purge
remove or get rid of something or someone unwanted; eliminate; free from blame or guilt; cleanse or purify (esp. of sin, guilt, or defilement); N.
passive
not active; acted upon; receiving an action without acting in return; accepting without resistance
obloquy
slander; disgrace; infamy
opulence
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; ADJ. opulent: possessing great wealth; abundant
proximity
nearness; ADJ. proximate
s phalanx
formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense)
outlandish
bizzare; peculiar; unconventional
prevalent
widespread; generally accepted
n ogle
look at amorously; make eyes at; Ex. old men ogling young girls
s self-righteous
sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic
prudent
cautious; careful; prudential
n pellucid
transparent; limpid(crystal clear); clear in meaning; easy to understand
orient
get one's bearings; adjust; make familiar with a situation; orientate
prophylactic
used to prevent disease; N: something prophylactic; condom; N. prophylaxis: prevention of disease
n purchase
secure grasp or hold; firm grasp or footing
n perpetrate
commit an offense; do (something wrong)
papyrus
ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
s provision
act of providing; something provided; preparatory measure; provisions: necessary supplies (esp. food); stipulation; condition in an agreement; Ex. According to the provisions of the agreement
oratorio
dramatic poem set to music; long musical work with singing but without acting; CF. cantata
nocturnal
done or active at night; Ex. nocturnal animals/raids; CF. nocturne
pantomime
acting without dialogue; V.
phobia
morbid fear
n nadir
lowest point; point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite the zenith
n putative
supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such; Ex. putative father of the child
penury
extreme poverty; stinginess; ADJ. penurious: very poor; stingy
provisional
tentative; temporary
obsolete
outmoded; no longer used
s rustle
make slight sounds like silk moving or being rubbed together
plausible
conceivably true; having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
n polemic
attack or defense of an opinion; controversy or refutation; argument in support of point of view; N. polemics: art of debate or controversy
projectile
missile; fired or thrown object (such as stone or bullet)
n profligate
wasteful (of money); dissipated; wildly immoral; dissolute; N: profligate person; N. profligacy
n nicety
precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties
n pallid
pale; wan; Ex. pallid complexion
s bulge
protruding part; swelling of a surface; Ex. The apple made a bulge in his pocket; V: swell outward; protrude
s rabble
mob; noisy crowd
s soothsayer
one who foretells the future
noncommittal
neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided
n parley
conference (between opponents); CF. speak
n ovation
enthusiastic applause
s wrongheaded
stubbornly wrong
n protocol
diplomatic etiquette; ceremony and etiquette observed by diplomats; first copy of a treaty before its ratification; Ex. Protocol demands that the queen meet him at the airport.
n plaudit
praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud
n pr\'ecis
abstract; concise summing up of main points; concise summary of a text
prologue
introduction (to a poem or play)
n onomatopoeia
words formed in imitation of natural sounds
n pusillanimous
cowardly; lacking courage; fainthearted
n prehensile
capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around); Ex. prehensile tails
procrastinate
postpone; delay or put off
partial
incomplete; favoring one side over another; having a liking for something
s touching
causing a feeling of pity or sympathy; pathetic; V. touch: cause to feel pity or sympathy; ADJ. touched
naivet\'e(naivety)
quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; ADJ. naive(na\"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous
obsequy
funeral ceremony
n pristine
unspoiled; remaining in a pure state; characteristic of earlier times; primitive; Ex. an old book in pristine condition
s outcast
one that has been excluded from a society; ADJ.
predicament
difficult situation; tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma
n palatable
agreeable; pleasing to the taste
n pastiche
imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing; work of art openly imitating the works of other artists
propound
put forth for consideration or analysis; set forth; Ex. propound a problem/theory
optional
not compulsory; left to one's choice; N. option: act of choosing; choice; freedom or power to choose; something available as a choice; Ex. have no option; Ex. two options
n nirvana
in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude
pathological
pertaining to disease; N. pathology: study of disease
s usage
act or manner of using; accepted practice; way in which words are actually used
psychiatrist
doctor who treats mental diseases
s psychosomatic
of the influence of the mind on the body (esp. with respect to disease)
s cater
provide food and drink (for); cater to: try to satisfy (desires of a bad kind)
n partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party (with dislike of any others); N: strong supporter of a party; guerrilla
s nova
star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
s idle
not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. idle worker; Ex. talk idly; V.
n nefarious
very wicked
prone
inclined to; likely to (suffer); prostrate; lying with the front downward; Ex. prone to disease/make mistakes; Ex. accident-prone
n peripatetic
walking about from place to place (to work); moving; Ex. peripatetic school of philosophy
n paleontology
study of prehistoric life or fossils; CF. paleo-: ancient or prehistoric; Ex. paleography: study of ancient written documents
n nihilist
one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement
s plebiscite
direct vote by the entire electorate (on an important issue)
n pulchritude
beauty; comeliness; ADJ. pulchritudinous
palette
board on which painter mixes pigments(coloring matters)
n pander
cater to (the low desires of others)
occult
mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension; CF. mysterious to human ?; OP. bare
precipitate
hurl downward; throw headlong; hasten; cause to happen sooner; condense and fall as rain or snow; cause (a solid substance) to be separated from a solution; ADJ. hasty; rash; premature; sudden
n pallet
small poor bed; Ex. straw pallet
n provender
dry food for livestock; fodder
premonition
forewarning; presentiment; foreboding
prostrate
stretch out full on ground; make prostrate; enervate; Ex. prostrating illness; ADJ: lying face down; having lost all strength
n pariah
social outcast; Ex. Mariah the pariah
n prod
poke (with a pointed object); stir up; urge; goad to action; N: pointed object used to prod; prodding
s parvenu
upstart; newly rich person
n peripheral
of a periphery; marginal; outer; of minor importance; not central; Ex. peripheral nerve/interest
n plait
braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together; Ex. plaited hair; N: braided length as of hair o fabric; CF. pigtail, ponytail
purgatory
place of spiritual expiation; temporary state or place in which the souls must expiate their sins
potent
powerful; convincing; persuasive; greatly influential
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable
s stout
rather fat; strong in body; sturdy; resolute; determined; strong in determination; Ex. stout stick/supporter
n patrician
noble; aristocratic; N: person of high rank; aristocrat; CF. member of the governing classes in ancient Rome; CF. plebian
n plenitude
abundance; plenty; great amount; completeness; fullness; CF. plenary, plenty
pessimism
belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess; tendency to take the gloomiest possible view of a situation; ADJ. pessimistic
paucity
scarcity; dearth
s pretension
pretentiousness; claim (without foundation); Ex. I make no pretensions to skill as an artist.
premonitory
serving to warn
precedent
preceding (in time, rank, etc.)
optimum
most favorable; optimal; N: most favorable condition
n pan
criticize harshly
n primp
groom oneself with care; adorn oneself
n opprobrium
infamy; disgrace arising from shameful conduct; vilification(slander); scorn; contempt; Ex. opprobrium hurled against him; ADJ. opprobrious: expressing contempt; shameful or infamous
s snip
short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors
n natty
neatly or smartly dressed; dapper; smart; Ex. natty dresser
s nutrition
process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition
outspoken
candid; blunt
n phylum
major classification, second to kingdom, of plants and animals; category ranking below a kingdom and above a class; division
s varnish
paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. nail varnish; V.
plight
difficult condition; condition or state (esp. a bad state or condition); predicament
n pensive
dreamily or deeply thoughtful; sadly thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative; CF. think over
n nutrient
nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment
proletarian
member of the working class; blue collar guy; N. proletariat: working class (who have to work for wages)
n pall
become boring; grow tiresome
prognosis
forecasted course of a disease; prediction; CF. prognostic
s psychic
of psyche; mental; of or possessing extraordinary mental powers
obsidian
black volcanic rock
polygamist
one who has more than one spouse at a time; CF. bigamy; CF. polyandry
oligarchy
government by a privileged few
perennial
something long-lasting; perennial plant; ADJ: lasting through the year or many years; lasting for a long time; enduring
nauseate
cause to become sick; fill with disgust; fill nausea
preamble
introductory statement
n nascent
incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music
s throb
(of a heart or machine) beat rapidly or violently; N. Ex. hearthrob: heartbeat; sweetheart
n propinquity
nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship
n pith
core or marrow; spongelike substance in the center of stems; essence; substance
s infest
inhabit in numbers large enough to be harmful; Ex. Mice infested the house; Ex. shark-infested waters
procurement
obtaining; V. procure: obtain by effort; obtain (a prostitute) for another
paroxysm
fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage; sudden outburst
prefatory
introductory; of a preface
pungent
stinging; acrid; sharp in taste or smell; (of speech or writing) caustic; N. pungency
prestige
respect or admiration; impression produced by achievements or reputation; ADJ: causing admiration; ADJ. prestigious: having prestige
n pestilential(pestilent)
causing plague; tending to cause death; baneful; N. pestilence: fatal epidemic disease (esp. bubonic plague)
s putrefy
make or become putrid; N. putrefaction
prey
target of a hunt; victim; V: hunt and eat as prey; victimize; Ex. Cats prey on mice.
provident
providing for future needs; displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies; OP. improvident
n numismatist
person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals
notable
conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important; distinguished; noted
pliable
flexible; easily influenced; yielding; adaptable
orator
public speaker
probity
uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility
pacify
soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue; bring peace to
s interstice
narrow space between things
n plebeian
common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician
n predispose
give an inclination toward (in advance); make susceptible to; Ex. predispose people to certain cancer; N. predisposition
n polarize
split into opposite extremes or camps
s impersonal
not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. impersonal force/manner/organization
n overweening
arrogant; presumptuous
n progeny
children; offspring; descendants
n nurture
nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something that nourishes; rearing
n pestle
tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl or mortar
s tablet
small round piece of medicine; flat piece of stone or metal bearing an inscription; Ex. stone tablet on the wall
precept
practical rule guiding conduct; Ex. mother's precept
n plenary
(of power) complete; full; fully attended by all qualified members; Ex. plenary power
provincial
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; narrow; unsophisticated
pyromaniac
person with an insane desire to set things on fire
n necromancy
black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis
opiate
medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something that relieves emotions or causes inaction; sleep-producing drug containing opium
n parlance
language; manner of speaking; idiom; Ex. in legal/common parlance
optometrist
one who fits glasses to remedy visual defects
n prosaic
lacking in imagination; dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact(concerned with facts, not imagination or feelings); factual; CF. prose
n nostrum
questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy)
perspicuous
(of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand; Ex. perspicuous comments
n periphery
outside edge especially of a round surface; perimeter; Ex. periphery of the town
n promote
advance in rank; advance; help to flourish; advocate; help actively in forming; publicize or popularize; Ex. Milk promotes health; Ex. promote a match/bill; Ex. promote a new product
n onerous
burdensome
parody
humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty; V.
pique
irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment; Ex. pique her curiosity
n posthumous
after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death); coming or occurring after one's death; Ex. posthumous fame/novel
n penchant
strong inclination; strong liking (esp. for something that is disapproved of by other people); Ex. penchant for fast cars
s nourish
provide with food necessary for life and growth
primordial
existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
proviso
stipulation; condition in an agreement; provision
precise
exact
n oblivious
inattentive or unmindful; unaware; wholly absorbed; forgetful(having the habit of forgetting)
n poultice
soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
premise
assumption; postulate; proposition upon which an argument is based
n promiscuous
mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully; indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners; irregular, particularly sexually; Ex. promiscuous life/girl; N. promiscuity
s pushy
disagreeably aggressive
n ordain
decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine; install as a minister, priest, or rabbi; N. ordainment; CF. ordination
n orthography
correct spelling; CF. ortho-: straight; correct; Ex. orthodontics
perversion
corruption; turning from right to wrong
pulverize
crush or grind into very small particles
s marrow
soft fatty tissue that fills most bone cavities and is the source of blood cells
prophetic
of a prophet or prophecy; having to do with predicting the future; N. prophecy; V. prophesy; N. prophet
n parable
short simple story teaching a moral
prognosticate
predict (according to present indications)
preclude
make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate
paradox
something apparently contradictory in nature (that may nonetheless be true); statement that looks false but is actually correct
prodigal
wasteful; reckless with money; profuse; Ex. a mind prodigal of ideas; N. prodigality
n protuberance
protrusion; swelling; bulge
pseudonym
pen name; fictitious name assumed by an author; ADJ. pseudonymous
n obituary
death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ.
perigee
point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth; CF. apogee
palpable
tangible; (of something bad) easily perceptible; obvious; Ex. palpable blunder
opportunist
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances; N. opportunism
parallelism
state of being parallel; similarity; analogy
n nubile
marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial
perpetual
everlasting
n problematic
causing a problem; open to doubt; doubtful; unsettled; questionable; Ex. Whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic.
n ossify
change or harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one's ideas
s polar
of a pole; characterized by opposite extremes; Ex. polar opposites
pandemonium
wild tumult(commotion); wild noisy disorder; CF. Paradise Lost
pervasive
spread throughout; V. pervade: (of smells, ideas, feelings) spread throughout; charge; permeate
n odyssey
long, eventful, adventurous journey
pendant(pendent)
hanging down from something; pending; N: ornament (hanging from a necklace etc.)
s tart
sharp to the taste; acid-tasting; caustic; sarcastic; Ex. tart apple/reply
n obfuscate
confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand
propellant(propellent)
substance which propels or drives forward (such as an explosive charge or a rocket fuel)
n nuptial
related to marriage or the wedding ceremony; N. nuptials: wedding ceremony
opaque
dark; not transparent; N. opacity
s pharisee
Pharisee: member of an ancient Jewish group that emphasized strict observance of the Mosaic law (considering themselves very holy); hypocritical self-righteous person
n pore
study industriously; ponder; scrutinize; Ex. pore over the book; N.
n novelty
something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original
petty
trivial; unimportant; very small; small-minded; petty-minded
s apparent
evident; easily seen or understood; appearing as such; Ex. apparent improvement
n perquisite(perk)
any gain above stipulated salary; Ex. perquisites such as free meals and a car
n palimpsest
parchment or piece of writing material used for second time after original writing has been erased
s smart
intelligent; quick and energetic; fashionable; Ex. smart pace/restaurant; V: cause or feel a sharp pain; N: smarting pain
narrative
related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration
proxy
authorized agent; authority to act for another
s defalcate
embezzle
noxious
harmful; CF. obnoxious
n prate
talk idly; speak foolishly; boast idly
perfidious
treacherous; disloyal; N. perfidy: treachery
penitent
repentant; N.
nostalgia
homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic
pretext
excuse
n orgy
wild drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence in an activity; Ex. orgy of shopping
pitfall
hidden danger; concealed trap
podium
pedestal; raised platform
obscure
dark; vague; unclear; not well known; Ex. obscure meaning/village; V: darken; cover; make unclear; Ex. obscure the moon/meaning
n preempt
prevent in advance; head off(forestall); forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself before others; supplant; take the place of; displace; Ex. preempt any attempts; ADJ. preemptive
n propitiate
appease; conciliate; make peaceful; ADJ. propitiatory
prerogative
privilege; unquestionable right; CF. ask before
n propitious
favorable; auspicious; advantageous; fortunate; Ex. propitious day/sign
onslaught
vicious assault; fierce attack; Ex. unexpected onslaught of the enemy
n niggardly
meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. *****rd: stingy person
pedagogy
teaching; art of education
n pulsate
throb; beat regularly; vibrate regularly
oscillate
vibrate pendulumlike; waver
n peccadillo
slight offense or fault; CF. sin
n puerile
childish; immature; CF. puer: boy
obeisance
bow (to show respect and obedience)
n percussion
striking one object against another sharply; Ex. percussion instrument; N: striking together of two bodies; sound caused by percussion
n pedestrian
ordinary; dull; unimaginative(lacking in imagination); going on foot; Ex. pedestrian prose; N.
n oust
expel; drive out; force out; N. ouster: ousting
omniscient
all-knowing
profusion
great amount; plenty; overabundance; excess; lavish expenditure; Ex. profusion of choices; ADJ. profuse: plentiful; copious; giving or given abundantly; extravagant
s inamorata
woman whom a man loves
perturb
disturb greatly
philanthropist
lover of mankind; doer of good; N. philanthropy
n potable
suitable for drinking; drinkable
n nib
beak(bill); pen point
n overwrought
nervous or excited; extremely agitated; hysterical; wrought-up; CF. wrought: made or done
parsimony
stinginess; excessive frugality; ADJ. parsimonious
perpetuate
make perpetual; make something last for a long time; preserve from extinction; N. perpetuity
novice
beginner
obelisk
tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid
n pluck
courage; V: pull off or out; pull out the hair or feathers of; ADJ. plucky: courageous; brave
n pugnacity
combativeness; disposition to fight; ADJ. pugnacious: (of people) belligerent; combative in nature
n privation
lack of the basic necessities or comforts of life; hardship; want; CF. deprive
objective
not influenced by emotions; fair; N: goal; aim
s ward
administrative division of a city; division in a hospital or prison; incompetent person placed under the protection of a guardian; V: guard; ward off: avert
s metrical
metric; written in the form of poetry; Ex. metrical translation of Homer
n prowess
extraordinary ability; military bravery; Ex. prowess in battle
polity
(particular form of) political organization; form of government of nation or state; Ex. student polity
s bookish
fond of books and reading
n patina
green crust on old bronze works or copper; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
n peroration
conclusion of an oration; perorating; V. perorate: conclude a speech; speak at great length
n plethora
excess; overabundance; Ex. a plethora of excuses
narcissist
conceited person; N. narcissism; CF. narcissus
s sour
having a sharp or acid taste; acid; tart; bad-tempered; V.
n pundit
authority on a subject; expert; learned person
n patois
local or provincial dialect
n pummel
pommel; beat or pound with fists
n precarious
unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky; Ex. precarious living
preposterous
absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous
n 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
prosperity
good fortune and financial success; physical well-being
n postulate
self-evident truth; something assumed without proof; V: assume the truth of (as a basis of an argument)
overbearing
bossy; domineering and arrogant; decisively important; Ex. overbearing manner/importance; V. overbear: dominate
overt
open to view; public; not secret; CF. covert
n plasticity
ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded; Ex. plastic material such as clay
s feud
bitter prolonged quarrel (usually between two peoples or families); V. CF. Romeo and Juliet; CF. feudal, feudalism
s blackball
vote against (an applicant); ostracize; N: negative vote
profound
deep; not superficial; complete; Ex. profound thinker/remark/silence/deafness; N. profundity
s prize
pry; move with a lever; value highly; esteem; Ex. his most prized possession; N: something captured during war-time (esp. an enemy ship)
profane
violate; desecrate (something holy); treat unworthily; be profane for; ADJ: secular; nonreligious; irreverent for holy things
n orifice
mouthlike opening; small opening (esp. to a cavern or passage of the body); CF. mouth
probe
explore with a probe or tools; investigate; N: slender instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity; device designed to investigate an unknown region; thorough investigation; Ex. space probe
protract
prolong; lengthen in time; draw out
parity
equality; close resemblance; CF. disparate
n prompt
cause; urge; provoke; provide a cue (for an actor); ADJ: done without delay; done at the right time; punctual; on time; N: reminder or cue
n parched
extremely dry; very thirsty; V. parch: make or become extremely dry (by exposure to heat)
n pry
inquire impertinently (someone else's private affairs); use leverage to raise or open something; prize; N. pries: tool for prying
s takeoff
burlesque; act of leaving the ground
n protean
able to take on many forms; versatile; CF. Proteus: sea god to change his shape at will
nonentity
person of no importance; nonexistence
portend
foretell; presage; be a sign or warning of; N. portent: sign; omen; forewarning
s pinch
squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; Ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. N: amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger
propensity
natural inclination
n piscatorial
pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces
s prance
move about in a spirited manner (proudly and confidently)
s studious
given to diligent study
partiality
state of being partial; inclination; favorable bias; special fondness; preference
perceptive
insightful; showing a good ability at perceiving and understanding; aware; wise; of perception
s putrescent
becoming putrid; putrefying
psychosis
mental disorder; ADJ. N. psychotic
n prevaricate
lie; hide the truth (by equivocating)
obstetrician
physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife
n poignancy
quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion; ADJ. poignant: touching; deeply moving; (of sorrow, grief, etc.) painful; keenly distressing to the mind; Ex. poignant memory/anxiety; CF. prick
n pittance
small amount (of money); small allowance or wage
n piecemeal
one part at a time; gradually; in stages; Ex. read a novel piecemeal
n parquet
floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosaic like matter; CF. strip: long narrow piece
panoramic
denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view; N. panorama: unbroken view of a wide area
s nauseous
causing nausea; feeling nausea
n potentate
monarch; sovereign
proclivity
inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)
n nugatory
worthless; futile
podiatrist
doctor who treats ailments of the feet; chiropodist; N. podiatrics
s prosper
become successful (esp. financially); thrive; grow well; Ex. children prospering under his care
s doom
condemnation to a severe penalty; ruin; fate (esp. a tragic or ruinous one); V.
psychopathic
pertaining to mental dearrangement; N. psychopath: person with an antisocial personality disorder
porous
full of pores; like a sieve
s pose
assume a particular posture; put forward; present; affect a particular attitude (to impress others); Ex. pose a threat; N.
paramour
illicit lover
n pontifical
pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious; CF. pontiff: pope; bishop
s pedigree
ancestry; lineage
obdurate
stubborn; refusing to change one's belief
n plumb
exactly vertical; N: weight on the end of a line; V: examine very carefully or critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding); Ex. plumb the depth of
ominous
threatening; of an evil omen
predecessor
former occupant of a post
pomposity
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt(pompous person); ADJ. pompous: self-important
n provenance
place of origin; origin or source of something; Ex. Gunpowder is of Chinese provenance; CF. come
pertinacious
holding tenaciously to an action; stubborn; persistent
s meter
arrangement of words in the form of poetry (by accentual rhythm)
s dowry
money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage
s bound
leap or spring; limit or confine; constitute the limit of; Ex. bounded by Canada; N: leap or jumping; boundary; ADJ: certain; having a duty to do something (legally or morally); confined by bonds; Ex. We are bound to be late; Ex. I am bound to say my opinion; CF. bounce, rebound
n palliate
ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive (a crime or illness)
n opalescent
iridescent; lustrous; like an opal; N. opalescence
promontory
headland
s hysteria
excessive or uncontrollable excitement; N. hysteric: person suffering from hysteria; CF. hysterics: attack of hysteria
n perdition
damnation; complete ruin; hell
n puny
tiny; weak; insignificant
n prolixity
tedious wordiness; verbosity; ADJ. prolix: wordy; verbose; diffuse
s commonplace
ordinary; N: something ordinary or common; trite remark
n physiognomy
face (as showing the character and the mind); art of judging human character from facial features
n proscenium
part of stage in front of curtain; front arch of a stage
precocious
advanced in development; N. precocity
s nutritious
providing nourishment
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
s referendum
direct vote by all the people
s outlook
point of view; view from a particular place; expectation for the future; prospect; Ex. outlook on life; Ex. pleasing outlook; Ex. weather outlook
prot\'eg\'e
person receiving protection and support from a patron
n punitive
punishing; Ex. punitive measures
prolific
producing offspring or fruit in abundance; fertile; fecund; abundantly fruitful; producing abundant works; Ex. prolific writer
n pterodactyl
extinct flying reptile; CF. wing+finger
perimeter
outer boundary; length of the outer boundary; circumference
obese
excessively fat; N. obesity
partition
divide into parts
n odoriferous
giving off an odor
pivotal
of a pivot; central; critical; crucial
n nip
snip off; stop something's growth or development; bite; make numb with cold; Ex. nip the plan; Ex. A guard dog nipped the postman; Ex. fingers nipped by the extreme chill
orientation
act of finding oneself in society; orienting
philanderer
faithless lover; flirt
politic
prudent; judicious; well judged; expedient; well devised
prolong
lengthen; extend; draw out
preeminent
outstanding; superior
notoriety
disrepute; ill fame
n pert
(esp. of a girl or young woman) impertinent; forward; trim; jaunty; Ex. pert young miss/hat
outmoded
no longer in fashion or use; no longer stylish; old-fashioned
n nonchalance
indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude to his debts
nomenclature
terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things
s pucker
gather into wrinkles or folds; N: wrinkle or fold
n phlegmatic
calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed; CF. phlegm: sticky mucus produced in the respiratory tract
s parish
area in the care of a single priest and served by one main church
n potpourri
heterogeneous mixture; medley; mixture of dried flower petals a pot (to give a pleasant smell to a room)
psyche
soul; mind
nullify
make invalid; make null; invalidate
pragmatist
practical person; N. pragmatism: pragmatic way of dealing with things
propriety
fitness; quality of being proper; correct conduct; conformity to prevailing customs and usages; CF. proprietor, proprietary
placid
peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake
n purse
pucker; contract (lips) into wrinkles; N: wallet
n peremptory
demanding and leaving no choice; imperative; Ex. peremptory decree/knock
s postmortem
autopsy; ADJ: occurring after death; of a postmortem
pithy
concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty
n ornithologist
scientific student of birds; N. ornithology: scientific study of birds
n physiological
pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms; N. physiology
perfunctory
done routinely and with little care; superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; Ex. perfunctory kiss
oblique
indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference
n prurient
having or causing lustful desires and thoughts; arousing immoderate sexual desire
n pedantic
bookish; showing off learning; marked by an excessive ostentatious concern for book learning; N. pedantry
n preen
make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride; (of a bird) smooth or clean (feathers) with the beak; Ex. preen oneself on; CF. prune
n obnoxious
offensive; disagreeable; Ex. obnoxious smell
prelude
introduction; introductory performance or event; forerunner
s prosperous
successful; rich; affluent; well-to-do; well-off
nemesis
someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis
opportune
timely; well-chosen
pertinent
suitable; to the point; relevant
n pulmonary
pertaining to the lungs
presentiment
premonition; foreboding; feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear
n pretentious
ostentatious; showy; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious; Ex. pretentious films that claim to be art
n paltry
insignificant; petty; trifling; contemptible; Ex. paltry sum; CF. trash
n plagiarize
steal another's ideas or writings and pass them off as one's own; Ex. ideas plagiarized from my article; N. plagiarism; CF. kidnap
n prevail
be widespread; triumph over; gain victory; prevail on: persuade; induce; Ex. Justice has prevailed; Ex. prevail on someone to do something
preponderance
superiority of power, quantity, etc.; V. preponderate: be greater in power, weight, or importance; ADJ. preponderant
precursor
forerunner; predecessor
practical
based on experience; of or acquired through practice (rather than theory); useful; Ex. practical man
progenitor
ancestor
s forward
presumptuous or bold
n paean
song of praise or joy; Ex. paeans celebrating the victory
proliferate
grow rapidly (in numbers); spread; multiply; N. proliferation
odorous
having an odor
s peer
one who has equal standing with another; nobleman; V: look intently; N. peerage; CF. peeress
s plumber
one who installs and repairs pipes and plumbing(pipes)
ostensible
apparent; appearing as such; professed(pretended); pretended; Ex. ostensible purpose of the expedition
n penance
self-imposed punishment for sin; Ex. do penance for one's sins; CF. penitent
n piquant
pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating; Ex. piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help
n opus
work (esp. musical composition); Ex. magnum opus: masterpiece; CF. opera
n petulant
touchy; peevish; ill-tempered
optimist
person who looks on the bright side; N. optimism

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