Barrons wordlist T
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- n temporize
- gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself
- n throttle
- strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; N: valve that regulates the flow; CF. throat ?
- toxic
- poisonous; N. toxicity
- n tycoon
- wealthy and powerful businessperson; wealthy leader; magnate; Ex. business tycoon
- s trunk
- main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant
- n torso
- trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk
- n temporal
- of time; not lasting forever; limited by time; temporary; secular; worldly
- n titillate
- tickle; excite pleasantly; Ex. not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it
- n taciturn
- habitually silent; talking little
- n talisman
- charm; object believed to give supernatural powers to or protect its bearer
- n tether
- tie (an animal) with a rope or tether; N: rope or chain to which an animal is tied; limit of one's endurance; Ex. the end of one's tether
- n troth
- pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal; Ex. by my troth
- n tempestuous
- stormy; violent; impassioned; N. tempest: violent storm
- s prong
- pointed projecting part
- n turmoil
- extreme confusion; great commotion and confusion; Ex. throw the country into turmoil
- n torrent
- rushing stream; flood; Ex. The rain fell in torrents.
- n tryst
- meeting arranged by lovers; arrangement between lovers to meet
- s tan
- convert (hide) into leather; make brown by exposure to the sun
- n tentative
- not fully worked out or developed; provisional; experimental; uncertain; hesitant; not definite or positive; Ex. tentative agreement/reply
- tender
- offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one's resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound
- n tonsure
- shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.
- temper
- moderate; make less severe; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) as by alternate heating and cooling
- trivia
- trifles; unimportant matters
- n trident
- three-pronged spear
- s strangle
- kill by choking or suffocating; suppress
- n tautological
- needlessly repetitious; Ex. ``It was visible to the eye''; N. tautology: needless repetition of the same sense; statement that is always true
- trajectory
- path taken by a projectile; Ex. trajectory of a bullet
- n touchy
- oversensitive; easily offended; irasible; delicate; needing delicate handling; Ex. touchy situation
- tyro
- beginner; novice
- n tightwad
- miser; excessively frugal person
- tacit
- understood (without actually being expressed); not put into words; Ex. tacit agreement
- transparent
- permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie
- n tessellated
- mosaic; inlaid; Ex. tessellated pattern
- transgression
- violation of a law; sin; V. transgress: go beyond (a limit); violate; do wrong
- n tutelary
- protective; pertaining to a guardianship; Ex. tutelary deities
- tremulous
- trembling; wavering
- n overblown
- inflated; exaggerated
- transitory
- transient; impermanent; fleeting; N. transitoriness
- treatise
- article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly
- title
- name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family; Ex. title to the estate
- trite
- hackneyed; commonplace
- n tract
- propaganda pamphlet (esp. by a religious or political group); expanse of land; region of indefinite size; system of related organs; Ex. digestive tract
- tedium
- boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious
- n trough
- long narrow container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.); long narrow depression as between waves
- tenacious
- holding fast (as to a belief); persistent
- n transpire
- (of a fact) become known; be revealed; happen; give off (watery waste matter) through pores
- n tirade
- long angry denunciatory speech; diatribe; harangue; extended scolding; denunciation
- n tenuous
- thin; slim; rare
- tenacity
- firmness; persistence
- tractable
- docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or molded; N. tractability
- terrestrial
- on or relating to the earth
- n tutelage
- guardianship; training; function of a tutor; instruction
- n thermal
- pertaining to heat; producing heat; warm; Ex. thermal bath; N: rising current of warm air
- s furrow
- long shallow trench made by a plow; deep wrinkle in the skin; V.
- n topography
- physical features of a region (such as the shape and height); CF. topo-: place
- n testy
- irritable; impatient and bad-tempered; short-tempered; N. testiness
- s tribune
- official of ancient Rome elected by the plebians to protect their rights; protector of the people
- temperament
- characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess; ADJ. temperamental: of temperament; having frequent changes of temper; Ex. temperamental dislike of sports; Ex. temperamental actress
- n tarantula
- venomous spider
- n turgid
- swollen; distended (as from liquid)
- thrive
- prosper; flourish
- n turbid
- (of a liquid) having the sediment disturbed; muddy; thick
- n travesty
- copy or example of something that completely misrepresents the true nature of the real thing; comical parody or imitation; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous; Ex. travesty of justice; OP. paragon
- tremor
- trembling; slight quiver (as of the earth or from nervous agitation)
- n trinket
- knickknack; bauble; cheap jewelry
- n toady
- servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn
- n thrall
- slave; bondage; slavery; Ex. Her beauty held him in thrall; CF. enthrall
- s tardy
- slow; sluggish; not on time; late; Ex. tardy arrival
- tenure
- holding of an office or real estate; time during which such an office is held
- n tipple
- drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently; N: alcoholic drink
- tyranny
- oppression; cruel government; ADJ. tyrannical: of a tyrant or tyranny; despotic; V. tyrannize: treat tyrannically; oppress
- n taper
- very thin candle; gradual decrease in the width of a long object; V. make or become gradually narrower toward one end
- n tensile
- capable of being stretched; of tension; Ex. tensile rubber
- temperate
- moderate; restrained; self-controlled; moderate in respect to temperature; CF. temperance: moderation and self-restraint; abstinence of alcoholic drinks; Ex. temperance society
- n tepid
- lukewarm; slightly warm; ¹ÌÁö±ÙÇÑ; half-hearted; not eager; Ex. tepid reaction to the new film; Ex. tepid supporter
- thematic
- of a theme; relating to a unifying motif or idea
- n titular
- of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations; Ex. titular head of the company
- transition
- going from one state of action to another
- n tureen
- deep dish for serving soup
- n taint
- contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad; Ex. tainted reputation; N: stain; touch of decay or bad influence; CF. touch
- s elevation
- elevated position; altitude; height; flat upright side of a building; angle made by pointing a gun; Ex. The elevation of her style is much admired; Ex. front elevation of the house
- n trek
- travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey
- trenchant
- cutting; incisive; keen
- s trifle
- something of little importance or value; small amount; Ex. a trifle; V: treat without seriousness; flirt
- therapeutic
- curative; N. therapy
- truncate
- cut the top off; shorten
- n totter
- shake or move unsteadily; sway as if about to fall
- n timbre
- quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument (which distinguishes it from others of the same pitch)
- n truism
- self-evident truth
- n tortuous
- winding; full of curves; Ex. tortuous mountain road
- s rolling
- (of land) rising and falling in long gentle slopes; happening continuously by stages; Ex. rolling devolution of power to local governments
- n throng
- crowd (of people or things); V.
- n terminus
- last stop of railroad; end
- n tribulation
- suffering; ordeal; distress; trial
- transient
- staying for a short time; momentary; temporary; N: one that is transient
- titanic
- gigantic; N. titan
- s terminal
- part that forms the end; railroad or bus station; ADJ. forming an end; ending in death; fatal; Ex. terminal cancer
- timidity
- lack of self-confidence or courage
- tangible
- able to be touched; real; concrete; palpable; possible to realize or understand; Ex. tangible proof
- throes
- violent anguish
- tranquillity
- calmness; peace
- tenet
- doctrine; dogma
- trigger
- set off; start
- n tanner
- person who turns animal hides into leather
- n tithe
- tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church); V: pay a tithe
- typhoon
- tropical hurricane or cyclone
- n talon
- claw of bird
- s handsome
- large in quantity; generous; Ex. handsome reward
- s transcendental
- going beyond common thought or ideas; impossible to understand by practical experiences or practices; known only by studying thoughts or intuition; OP. empirical; CF. transcendentalism
- transmute
- transform; change; convert to something different
- n tribunal
- court of justice
- n tantrum
- fit of bad temper; fit of petulance; caprice; Ex. The child went into tantrums.
- theoretical
- based on theory; not practical or applied; hypothetical
- thwart
- block or hinder; baffle; frustrate
- s tact
- skill or sensitivity in dealing with people without causing offence
- tundra
- rolling treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America
- turbulence
- state of violent agitation; ADJ. turbulent: violently agitated or disturbed
- n thespian
- pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress
- n testator
- maker of a will; CF. testatrix
- trepidation
- fear; nervous apprehension
- tempo
- speed of music
- transcendent
- exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing; V. transcend: go beyond; exceed; surpass; N. transcendancy
- n trilogy
- group of three related works (connected by a shared subject but each complete in itself)
- s tension
- stretching; condition of being stretched; mental strain; strained relationship between groups or people
- touchstone
- stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard
- n tantalize
- tease; excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach; torture with disappointment; CF. Tantalus: Greek mythological figure
- n tawdry
- cheap and gaudy; Ex. tawdry jewelry
- traduce
- expose to slander
- n tiller
- handle used to move boat's rudder (to steer)
- n toga
- Roman outer robe
- n tarry
- linger; delay in starting or going; dawdle
- n teetotalism
- practice of abstaining totally from alcoholic drinks; N. teetotaler;; ADJ. teetotal; CF. T + total
- thrifty
- careful about money; economical; N. thrift
- n threadbare
- worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor; hackneyed; Ex. threadbare excuses
- n titter
- nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V.
- n tantamount
- equivalent in effect or value; Ex. This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war; CF. amount
- n trappings
- outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)
- n turncoat
- traitor
- n travail
- strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth
- torpor
- lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy; ADJ. torpid: lethargic; lazy; inactive; (of an animal) dormant; hibernating
- temerity
- boldness; nerve; rashness; Ex. temerity to ask for a pay increase after only three day's work
- n tout
- promote or publicize (one's goods or service); praise excessively (as a form of advertisement); CF. advertise
- tactile
- pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
- traverse
- go through or across
- n torque
- twisting force; force producing rotation
- theocracy
- government run by religious leaders
- n tumid
- (of a part of the body) swollen; distended; bombastic; pompous
- n transport
- strong emotion; rapture; Ex. in a transport/transports of; V: move to strong emotion; enrapture
- termination
- end; V. terminate
- tribute
- tax levied by a ruler; payment made by one nation to another in acknowledgment of submission; mark of respect (such as praise or gift); Ex. pay tribute to
- s drama
- prose or verse composition to be performed by actors; play; exciting and unusual situation
- terminology
- terms used in a science or art; study of nomenclature
- n tendentious
- promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; Ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; CF. tend: move in a certain direction
- taxonomist
- specialist in classifying (animals, etc.); CF. taxonomy: science of classification
- n turpitude
- depravity; baseness; Ex. moral turpitude
- n tumult
- commotion of a great crowd; riot; noise; uproar; ADJ. tumultuous: noisy and disorderly
- n truculence
- aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce
- translucent
- partly transparent
- transcribe
- copy; write a copy of; N. transcription
- n torrid
- (of weather) hot or scorching; passionate; Ex. torrid love affairs
- n traumatic
- (of an experience) deeply shocking; pertaining to an injury caused by violence; N. trauma: serious wound; emotional shock that causes lasting psychological damage
- s tickle
- touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please
- n tertiary
- third in order or rank
- terse
- concise; abrupt; pithy
- tome
- large volume; book
- trifling
- trivial; unimportant
- n tangential
- only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent
- s torpedo
- underwater explosive apparatus; V.
- n taut
- tight; strained; tense; ready; OP. slack
- timorous
- fearful; timid; demonstrating fear