BARRON SET#5
Terms
undefined, object
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- covetous
- avaricious; desirous of (someone else's possessions); V. covet: desire eagerly (someone else's possessions)
- cow
- terrorize; intimidate
- cower
- shrink quivering as from fear; cringe
- coy
- shy (flirtatiously); showing a (pretended) lack of self-confidence; modest; coquettish; CF. job offer? ??? ?
- cozen
- cheat; hoodwink; swindle
- crabbed
- sour; bad-tempered; peevish; difficult to read as handwriting
- craft
- skill (esp. with one's hands); skill in deceiving people; guile; ADJ. crafty: cleverly deceitful; cunning
- crass
- very unrefined; grossly insensible; crude and undiscriminating; Ex. crass behavior
- crave
- desire; want intensely
- craven
- cowardly
- credence
- belief
- credential
- evidence concerning one's authority; written proof of a person's position; Ex. The new ambassador presented his credentials to the court.
- credo
- creed, a brief authoritative formula of religious belief, a set of fundamental beliefs; also : a guiding principle
- credulity
- belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivet'e; ADJ. credulous
- creed
- system of religious or ethical belief
- creep
- move with body close to the ground; move stealthily or slowly; N.
- cremate
- incinerate (a corpse); N. crematory, crematorium
- crescendo
- increase in the volume or intensity as in a musical passage; climax; CF. crescent
- crest
- top (as of a hill or wave); showy feathers on the head of a bird
- crestfallen
- dejected; dispirited
- crevice
- crack; fissure
- cringe
- shrink back as if in fear; cower
- crinkle
- wrinkle
- criteria
- standards used in judging; CF. criterion
- crochet
- make (a piece of needlework) by looping thread with a hooked needle; N. CF. crotchet
- crone
- hag; ugly old woman
- cross
- bad-tempered; showing ill-humor; angry
- crossbreed
- hybridize; N: hybrid; CF. interbreed; CF. inbreed
- crotchety
- (of someone old) eccentric; odd; whimsical; bad-tempered; N. crotchet: odd or whimsical notion
- crust
- hard outer covering (as of earth or snow)
- crux
- essential or main point; Ex. the crux of the problem; ADJ. crucial: of deciding importance
- crypt
- secret recess or vault usually used for burial; underground room (under a church)
- cryptic
- mysterious; hidden; secret
- cubicle
- small chamber used for sleeping or work
- cue
- word or signal (as in a play to prompt another actor's speech or entrance); reminder or hint; V: give a cue to
- cuisine
- style of cooking; Ex. French cuisine
- culinary
- relating to cooking or kitchen
- cull
- pick out from others (to kill the weakest members); reject; select; collect (information); N.
- culmination
- highest point; climax; V. culminate in: reach the highest point in; end in; Ex. a series of minor clashes culminating in war
- culpable
- deserving blame; blameworthy
- culprit
- one guilty of a crime
- culvert
- artificial channel for water; drain crossing under a road
- cumbersome
- heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome; Ex. cumbersome parcel/uniform
- cumulative
- growing by addition; accumulative
- cunning
- clever in deceiving; sly; N: cleverness in deceiving; deceit
- cupidity
- greed (for wealth); CF. cupid; CF. Cupid
- curator
- superintendent; manager (in charge of a museum or a library)
- curb
- chain or strap used with a bit to restrain a horse; something that checks; V: check; restrain
- curfew
- regulation requiring all people to leave the streets at stated times; signal (as a bell) announcing the hour of a curfew
- curmudgeon
- churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person
- cursive
- (of writing) flowing; running; having the successive letters joined
- cursory
- casual; hastily done with little attention to detail
- curtail
- shorten; reduce
- cynical
- skeptical or distrustful of human motives; N. cynicism; CF. cynic: person who believes all people are motivated by selfishness
- cynosure
- object of general attention; person or thing that is a center of attention; CF. Ursa Minor
- d'eb\^acle
- sudden disastrous downfall or defeat; complete disaster
- d'ebris
- rubble; wreckage; scattered remains of something broken or destroyed
- d'ecollet'e
- (of a dress) having a low-cut neckline; CF. d'ecolletage: low neckline (on a dress)
- d'enouement
- final outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other literary work; the end of a story when everything is explained
- dabble
- work at in a nonserious fashion; splash around; move noisily in a liquid
- dainty
- delicate; delicately beautiful; fastidious; not easy to please; Ex. dainty movement/dress
- dais
- raised platform for speakers or other important people
- dally
- trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time
- damn
- condemn; criticize severely; condemn to everlasting punishment; doom; bring to ruin; N. damnation
- dank
- damp; unpleasantly wet
- dapper
- neat and trim (in appearance); (of small men) neat in appearance and quick in movements; neat; spry
- dappled
- spotted
- dart
- move or throw suddenly and quickly
- daub
- smear (as with paint); cover with something sticky; Ex. daub one's clothes with mud/paint; N: small bit of sticky substance; Ex. a daub of paint
- daunt
- intimidate; frighten; discourage; dishearten
- dauntless
- bold; fearless
- dawdle
- loiter; hang around; waste time doing nothing
- daze
- stun as with a blow or shock; bemuse; benumb; N.
- dazzle
- make blind with a sudden intense light; amaze; fill with wonder
- deadlock
- standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces; stalemate
- deadpan
- wooden; impassive; with no show of feeling; with an expressionless face
- dearth
- scarcity
- debar
- bar; forbid; exclude; Ex. debarred from jury services
- debase
- degrade; reduce in quality or value; degenerate; lower in esteem; disgrace; N. debasement
- debauch
- corrupt morally; seduce from virtue; N. debauchery: wild behavior (with sex and alcohol)
- debilitate
- weaken (esp. through heat, hunger, illness); enfeeble
- debonair
- (of men) friendly, charming, and fashionably dressed; aiming to please; CF. of good disposition
- debunk
- expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule
- debut
- d'ebut; first public appearance; formal presentation of a young woman to society
- debutante
- young woman making formal entrance into society
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decadent
decadent - the quality or state of being decadent/the process of becoming decadent -
marked by decay or decline
characterized by or appealing to self-indulgence - decant
- pour off gently (wine or liquid)
- decapitate
- behead
- decelerate
- slow down
- deciduous
- falling off at a specific season or stage of growth as of leaves; Ex. deciduous tree/teeth
- decimate
- kill (usually one out of ten or every tenth man); destroy or kill a large part of
- decipher
- decode; CF. indecipherable
- declivity
- downward slope
- decomposition
- decay; V. decompose: decay; break and separate into simple parts
- decorous
- proper (in behavior, conduct, or appearance)
- decorum
- propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners; appropriateness of behavior or conduct
- decoy
- lure or bait; V.
- decree
- authoritative order; edict; judgment of a court of law; V: order or judge by decree
- decrepit
- weak and in bad condition from old age or hard use; Ex. decrepit old chair/man
- decrepitude
- state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age
- deducible
- derived by reasoning; V. deduce: infer; derive by reasoning
- deface
- mar; disfigure
- defalcate
- embezzle
- defame
- harm someone's reputation; malign; speak evil of; slander; N. defamation; ADJ. defamatory
- default
- failure to act; failure to perform a task or be present; V.
- defeatist
- resigned to defeat or failure; accepting defeat or failure as a natural outcome; N. CF. defeatism
- defect
- shortcoming; V: desert (in order to join the opposite one)
- defection
- desertion
- defer
- give in respectfully; submit; delay till later; exempt temporarily; N. deferment; CF. show respect, comply with, courteous
- deference
- courteous regard for another's wish; courteous yielding to another's wish or opinion (showing respect); ADJ. deferential; OP. effrontery
- defiance
- refusal to yield; resistance; V. defy; ADJ. defiant
- defile
- pollute; make filthy or dirty; corrupt morally; profane; desecrate; N: narrow passage or gorge through mountains
- definitive
- most reliable; authorative and complete; that cannot be improved; conclusive; decisive; definite; Ex. definitive decision by the supreme court
- deflect
- turn aside; turn away from a straight course
- defoliate
- destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant
- defray
- provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay
- defrock
- strip a priest or minister of church authority; unfrock
- deft
- neat; skillful
- defunct
- dead; no longer in use or existence
- degenerate
- become worse in quality; deteriorate; ADJ: having become worse; Ex. a degenerate species; N: depraved or corrupt person
- degradation
- humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V. degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank
- deify
- turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; Ex. Kings were deified; CF. deity
- deign
- condescend; stoop
- delete
- erase; strike out
- deleterious
- harmful
- deliberate
- consider; ponder; ADJ: done on purpose; slow
- delineate
- portray; depict; sketch; describe; N. delineation
- delirium
- mental disorder marked by confusion; uncontrolled excitement; ADJ. delirious
- delta
- flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river
- delude
- deceive
- deluge
- flood; rush; V.
- delusion
- false belief; hallucination; deluding; Ex. delusions of grandeur; Ex. under the delusion that
- delusive
- deceptive; likely to delude; misleading; raising vain hopes; Ex. delusive promises
- delve
- dig; search deeply; investigate
- demagogue
- person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader of people; CF. demagoguery
- demean
- disgrace; humiliate; debase in dignity; behave
- demeanor
- behavior; bearing
- demented
- insane
- demise
- death
- demographic
- related to population balance; N. demography: statistical study of human population
- demolition
- destruction; V. demolish
- demoniac(demoniacal)
- fiendish; cruel; N. demon: evil supernatural being; devil
- demotic
- of or pertaining to the people
- demur
- object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; Ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday
- demure
- (of a woman or child) grave; quiet and serious; coy; pretending to be demure
- denigrate
- blacken; defame
- denizen
- (animal, person, or plant) inhabitant or resident of a particular place; regular visitor
- denomination
- religious group; unit in a system; name or designation; CF. denominator: common trait or characteristic
- denotation
- meaning; distinguishing by name; V. denote: indicate; refer to directly; mean; CF. connotation
- denounce
- condemn; criticize; N. denunciation
- depict
- portray
- deplete
- reduce; exhaust
- deplore
- regret; express sorrow and severe disapproval for something bad; Ex. deplore their violent behavior; ADJ. deplorable: very bad; deserving severe disapproval; Ex. deplorable living condition
- deploy
- spread out (troops) in an extended though shallow battle line; distribute (persons or forces) systematically or strategically
- deport
- send out of the country; behave; N. deportation, deportment
- depose
- dethrone; remove from office; give a deposition; testify
- deposition
- testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning
- depravity
- extreme corruption; wickedness; V. deprave
- deprecate
- express disapproval of; deplore; protest against; belittle; ADJ. deprecatory
- depreciate
- lessen in value; belittle; represent as of little value
- depredation
- plundering; destruction
- deputize
- work or appoint as a deputy; N. deputy: person who has the power to take charge when the leading person is away
- deranged
- insane
- derelict
- negligent; (of someone) neglectful of duty; (of something) deserted by an owner; abandoned; N: abandoned property; homeless or vagrant person
- dereliction
- neglect of duty; abandonment
- deride
- ridicule; treat with contempt; make fun of; OP. respect
- derision
- ridicule; ADJ. derisive; CF. derisory
- derivation
- deriving; origin or source of something; Ex. the derivation of the word
- derivative
- unoriginal; obtained from another source; Ex. derivative prose style; N.
- dermatologist
- one who studies the skin and its diseases
- derogatory
- expressing a low opinion; disparaging; V. derogate: detract; disparage
- descry
- catch sight of (something distant)
- desecrate
- profane; violate the sanctity of
- deserts
- what someone deserves
- desiccate
- dry up
- desolate
- (of a place) deserted; unpopulated; (of a person) lonely; forlorn; joyless
- desolate (v)
- make desolate; forsake; abandon and desert
- desperado
- reckless, desperate outlaw
- desperate
- having lost all hope; despairing; reckless and violent because of loss of hope or despair; undertaken as a last resort
- despise
- look on with scorn; regard as worthless or distasteful; ADJ. despicable: contemptible
- despoil
- plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village
- despondent
- without hope and courage; depressed; gloomy; N. despondency: loss of hope with gloom; dejection
- despot
- tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism
- destitute
- extremely poor; lacking means of subsistence; utterly lacking; devoid; Ex. destitute of any experience
- desultory
- aimless; haphazard; digressing at random
- detached
- emotionally removed; free from emotional involvement; calm and objective; physically separate; N. detachment; CF. attachment
- detain
- keep waiting; prevent from leaving or going; N. detention
- determinate
- having a fixed order of procedure; precisely defined; invariable; fixed; conclusive; final
- determination
- resolve; firmness of purpose; measurement or calculation; decision
- deterrent
- something that discourages or deters
- detonation
- explosion
- detraction
- slandering; aspersion; detracting; CF. detractor
- detrimental
- harmful; damaging; N. detriment
- deviate
- turn away from (a principle, norm); move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism
- devious
- roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route
- devise
- think up; invent; plan; bequeath; N: bequest
- devoid
- empty; lacking
- devolve
- deputize; pass or be passed to others (power, work, or property); Ex. devolve on/upon/to
- devotee
- enthusiastic follower; enthusiast; Ex. devotee of Bach
- devout
- pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest; Ex. my devout hope
- dexterous
- skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity
- diabolical
- diabolic; devilish; fiendish
- diadem
- crown
- 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
- diaphanous
- sheer; transparent
- diatribe
- bitter scolding or denunciation; invective; abuse
- dichotomy
- division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)
- dictum
- authoritative and weighty statement (made by a judge in court); saying; maxim; CF. obiter dictum: incidental, nonbinding remark (something said in passing)
- didactic
- (of speech or writing) intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional; N. didacticism
- die
- metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; CF. dice
- diffidence
- shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident
- diffuse
- wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out (like a gas); V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse
- dignitary
- person of high rank or position
- digression
- wandering away from the subject; V. digress
- dilapidated
- falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation
- dilate
- expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)
- dilatory
- delaying; tending to delay
- dilemma
- situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
- dilettante
- aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight
- diligence
- steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
- dilute
- make (a liquid) less concentrated; reduce in strength; Ex. dilute the influence of the president
- diminution
- lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish
- din
- continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition
- dinghy
- small boat (often ship's boat)
- dingy
- (of things and place) dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain
- dint
- means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work
- diorama
- life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background
- dire
- warning of disaster; disastrous; (of needs and dangers) very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food
- dirge
- funeral song; slow mournful piece of music (sung over a dead person)
- disabuse
- correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief
- disaffected
- disloyal; lacking loyality; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty
- disapprobation
- disapproval; condemnation
- disarray
- state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state; Ex. with her clothes in disarray
- disavowal
- denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim
- disband
- dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded.
- disbar
- make (a lawyer) leave the bar or the legal profession
- disburse
- pay out (as from a fund); N. disbursement; CF. purse
- discernible
- distinguishable; perceivable; Ex. discernible improvement
- discerning
- mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive
- disclaim
- disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer
- disclose
- reveal; N. disclosure
- discombobulated
- discomposed; confused
- discomfit
- frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb
- discompose
- disturb the composure of; confuse
- disconcert
- confuse; upset; embarrass; perturb
- disconsolate
- hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)
- discord
- conflict; lack of harmony; dissonance (when musical notes are played)
- discorda
- not harmonious; conflicting
- discount
- disregard; regard (a story or news) as unimportant; deduct from a cost
- discourse
- serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V.