BARRON SET#12
Terms
undefined, object
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- mediocre
- ordinary; commonplace; neither good nor bad
- meditation
- reflection; thought; V. meditate
- medley
- mixture
- meek
- submissive; patient and long-suffering
- megalomania
- mania for doing grandiose things; mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or importance
- melancholy
- gloomy; morose; blue; N. ADJ. melancholic; CF. melancholia
- melee
- fight
- mellifluous
- (of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune
- memento
- token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit
- memoir
- memoirs; autobiography; biography
- memorial
- something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to honor the memory of a person or event; ADJ: commemorative
- memorialize
- commemorate
- menace
- threat; V: threaten
- menagerie
- collection of wild animals on exhibition; zoo
- mendacious
- lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity
- mendicant
- beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar
- menial
- suitable for servants; lowly; mean; N: someone who does menial work (esp. servant in a house)
- mentor
- counselor; teacher
- mercantile
- concerning trade or merchants
- mercenary
- motivated solely by money or gain; N.
- mercurial
- capricious; quick and changing; fickle; containing the element mercury; Ex. mercurial temper; CF. mood
- meretricious
- flashy; tawdry; attractive on the surface but of no real value; Ex. metericious argument/jewel; CF. prostitute
- merger
- combination (of two business corporations); act of merging
- merit
- deserve; ADJ. meritorious: deserving reward or praise
- mesmerize
- hypnotize; N. mesmerism; CF. Franz Mesmer
- metallurgical
- pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores
- metamorphosis
- change of form; Ex. metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly; V. metamorphose: change by metamorphosis
- metaphor
- implied comparison; CF. simile
- metaphysical
- pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality
- mete
- measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment
- meteoric
- like a meteor; swift; momentarily brilliant; Ex. meteoric rise to fame; N. meteor
- meter
- arrangement of words in the form of poetry (by accentual rhythm)
- methodical
- systematic; N. method: systematic method of procedure
- meticulous
- excessively careful (with great attention to detail); painstaking; scrupulous
- metrical
- metric; written in the form of poetry; Ex. metrical translation of Homer
- metropolis
- large city
- mettle
- courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome
- miasma
- swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence
- microcosm
- small representative world; world in miniature; Ex. microcosm of English society
- migrant
- changing its habitat; wandering; Ex. migrant birds/workers; N: one that migrates
- migratory
- wandering; V. migrate: move from one region and settle in another; move periodically from one region to another
- milieu
- social environment; means of expression; Ex. feel out of one's milieu; Ex. His proper milieu is watercolor.
- militant
- combative; bellicose; N.
- militate
- work against; Ex. militate against the chances of promotion; CF. serve as a soldier
- militia
- army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers
- millennium
- thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity
- mime
- pantomime(act without dialogue); mimicry; mimer; V: mimic; pantomime
- mimicry
- imitation
- minatory
- menacing; threatening
- mincing
- affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; Ex. The actor minced across the stage; CF. mincemeat; CF. mincer
- mingle
- mix together in close association
- minion
- servile dependent; obsequious follower
- minuscule(miniscule)
- extremely small
- minute
- extremely small; CF. minutes: official record of the proceedings at a meeting
- minutiae
- petty or trivial details; CF. minutia
- mirage
- unreal reflection; optical illusion
- mire
- entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; N: bog; deep mud; Ex. sucked deeper into the mire
- mirth
- merriment; laughter
- misadventure
- mischance; ill luck; Ex. death by misadventure
- misanthrope
- one who hates mankind; misanthropist
- misapprehension
- error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend
- miscellaneous
- made up of a variety of parts
- miscellany
- mixture of writings on various subjects; collection of various items
- mischance
- ill luck
- mischief
- behavior (of children) causing trouble with no serious harm; damage; harm; Ex. mischief to the crops; ADJ. mischievous: causing mischief; playfully troublesome
- misconduct
- immoral behavior; bad management; V.
- misconstrue
- interpret incorrectly; misinterpret; misjudge
- miscreant
- wretch; wrongdoer; villain; Ex. kindness to the miscreant; CF. believe
- misdemeanor
- minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing
- miserly
- stingy; mean
- misgivings
- doubts
- mishap
- unfortunate accident
- misnomer
- wrong or improper name; incorrect designation
- misogamy
- hatred of marriage
- misogynist
- hater of woman; CF. misogyny
- missile
- object to be thrown or projected
- missive
- letter; written statement; CF. sent
- mite
- very small object or insect-like creature; small coin
- mitigate
- appease; moderate; make or become less in force or intensity
- mnemonic
- pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid
- mobile
- movable; not fixed; N. mobility
- mock
- ridicule; deride; imitate often in derision
- mode
- prevailing style; current fashion; manner; way of doing something; Ex. in the latest mode; Ex. simple mode of life
- modicum
- limited quantity; small amount; Ex. He does not have a modicum of sense; CF. moderate
- modish
- fashionable; conforming to the current fashion
- modulate
- tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; Ex. modulate from E to G
- mogul
- powerful person; Ex. oil moguls; CF. Mogol, Moghul; CF. Mongolian
- molecule
- the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance
- mollify
- soothe an angry person
- mollycoddle
- pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively
- molt(moult)
- periodically shed or cast off hairs or feathers (for replacement by a new growth)
- molten
- melted; Ex. molten lava
- momentous
- very important; N. moment; CF. momentary
- momentum
- quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus; moving force
- monarchy
- government under a single ruler
- monastic
- related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns
- monetary
- pertaining to money
- mongrel
- plant or animal (esp. a dog) of mixed breed; ADJ.
- monochromatic
- having only one color
- monochrome
- painting in only one color; ADJ.
- monogram
- design composed of one or more initials of a name; V.
- monograph
- scholarly article
- monolithic
- solidly uniform; unchangeable; unyielding; N. monolith: large block of stone
- monotheism
- belief in one God
- monotony
- sameness leading to boredom; monotonousness; ADJ. monotonous; CF. monotone
- monumental
- massive; impressively large; built as a monument
- moodiness
- fits of depression or gloom; ADJ. moody: given to changeable moods; subject to periods of depression; gloomy CF. mood:state of mind or emotion
- moratorium
- legal delay of payment or action; Ex. declare moratorium on the building of new houses
- morbid
- given to unwholesome or unhealthy thought; moody; characteristic of disease; Ex. morbid curiosity; N. morbidity; CF. disease
- mordant
- biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit
- mores
- conventions; moral standards; moral customs
- morgue
- mortuary; place where bodies are kept before burial or cremation
- moribund
- dying; at the point of death; CF. death
- morose
- ill-humored; sullen; sullenly melancholy
- mortar
- vessel in which substances are crushed with a pestle
- mortician
- undertaker; CF. death
- mortify
- humiliate by embarassing excessively; shame; punish the flesh; discipline (one's body) by self-denial; Ex. mortified by her blunder; Ex. mortify the flesh; CF. cause to die
- mosaic
- picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ.
- mote
- small speck (esp. of dust)
- motif
- theme; recurrent thematic element in a musical or literary work; single or repeated pattern; figure
- motility
- ability to move spontaneously; ADJ. motile: moving spontaneously
- motley
- multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts)
- mottled
- blotched in coloring; spotted; Ex. mottled face; V. mottle: mark with blotches of different colors
- motto
- brief statement used to express a principle
- mountebank
- charlatan; boastful pretender
- muddle
- confuse; mix up confusedly; N: state of confusion
- muggy
- (of weather) warm and damp
- mulct
- defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. mulct the boy of his legacy
- multifarious
- varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities
- multiform
- having many forms
- multilingual
- having many languages; fluent in several languages
- multiplicity
- state of being numerous or multiple; large number; Ex. multiplicity of details; ADJ. multiple: of more than one element
- mundane
- worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday; of the ordinary; Ex. mundane existence; CF. world
- munificent
- very generous in giving; Ex. munificent benefactor; N. munificience
- mural
- wall painting
- murky
- dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague; Ex. murky night/fog; N. murk: partial or complete darkness; gloom
- murmur
- low, indistinct, continuous sound; V. CF. mumble
- muse
- ponder at length; N: source of inspiration (esp. of a poet)
- musky
- having the odor of musk; N. musk: odorous substance secreted by an Asian deer
- muster
- gather; assemble (troops); Ex. muster up one's strength for the ordeal; N.
- musty
- stale (in odor or taste); spoiled by age; CF. moist
- mutablility
- ability to change in form; fickleness; ADJ. mutable: able to change; fickle; CF. mutate; CF. mutant
- mute
- silent; without speech; not pronounced; unable to speak; N: one who is incapable of speech; V: soften the sound, color, shade of
- muted
- silent; muffled; toned down; Ex. muted traffic noise
- mutilate
- maim; injure lastingly; deprive of a limb or an essential part
- mutinous
- unruly; rebellious; Ex. mutinous teenagers; N. mutiny: open rebellion; CF. mutineer
- mutter
- utter (complaining words) indistinctly in low tones
- myopic
- nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia
- myriad
- very large number; ADJ. CF. ten thousand
- mystic
- of hidden meaning and spiritual power; Ex. mystic ceremonies; N. CF. mysticism
- n decry
- express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. decry the violence of modern films
- n dehydrate
- remove water from; dry out
- n ovation
- enthusiastic applause
- nadir
- lowest point; point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite the zenith
- naivet'e(naivety)
- "quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; ADJ. naive(na""ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous"
- narcissist
- conceited person; N. narcissism; CF. narcissus
- narrative
- related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration
- nascent
- incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music
- natal
- connected with birth; CF. prenatal; CF. postnatal
- natation
- swimming
- natty
- neatly or smartly dressed; dapper; smart; Ex. natty dresser
- nausea
- feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; CF. seasickness
- nauseate
- cause to become sick; fill with disgust; fill nausea
- nauseous
- causing nausea; feeling nausea
- nautical
- pertaining to ships or navigation
- 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
- nebula
- diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy
- nebulous
- vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal
- 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
- nectar
- drink of the gods; sweet liquid collected by bees
- nefarious
- very wicked
- negate
- cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation
- negligence
- neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care
- negligible
- so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded
- nemesis
- someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis
- neologism
- new or newly coined word or phrase
- neophyte
- recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant
- nepotism
- favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew
- nether
- lower; Ex. nether garments/regions
- nettle
- irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome
- nexus
- connection
- nib
- beak(bill); pen point
- nicety
- precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties
- niggardly
- meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. niggard: stingy person
- niggle
- spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling
- nimble
- quick in movement; agile; quick in understanding; Ex. nimble climber/mind
- 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
- nirvana
- in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude
- nocturnal
- done or active at night; Ex. nocturnal animals/raids; CF. nocturne
- noisome
- foul smelling; very unpleasant; unwholesome
- nomadic
- wandering; N. nomad: tribe who migrates from place to place
- nomenclature
- terminology(system of specialized words); system of names or naming things
- nominal
- in name only; of a name; trifling; (of a sum of money) very small; CF. nominate: propose as a candidate; appoint
- nonchalance
- indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant: unconcerned; cool; indifferent; Ex. nonchalant attitude to his debts
- noncommittal
- neutral; refusing commitment to a particular opinion; unpledged; undecided
- nondescript
- undistinctive; ordinary; ordinary-looking; Ex. nondescript fellow in a crowd
- nonentity
- person of no importance; nonexistence
- nonplus
- put at a loss; bring to a halt by confusion; perplex; CF. no more
- nonsense
- speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior or language; Ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to fail
- noose
- loop formed in a rope
- nostalgia
- homesickness; longing for the past; Ex. nostalgia for the clothes of 1920s; ADJ. nostalgic
- nostrum
- questionable medicine; quack medicine; CF. our (remedy)
- notable
- conspicuous; worthy of note; remarkable; important; distinguished; noted
- notch
- V-shaped cut in a surface; V.
- notoriety
- disrepute; ill fame
- nourish
- provide with food necessary for life and growth
- nourishment
- something that nourishes; food
- nova
- star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its original brightness
- novelty
- something new; newness; ADJ. novel: new; original
- novice
- beginner
- noxious
- harmful; CF. obnoxious
- nuance
- shade of slight difference in meaning or color; subtle distinction
- nubile
- marriageable; of marriageable age; CF. connubial
- nugatory
- worthless; futile
- nullify
- make invalid; make null; invalidate
- numismatist
- person who collects coins; N. numismatics: study or collection of money, coins, and medals
- nuptial
- of marriage or the wedding ceremony; N; nuptials; wedding ceremony
- nurse
- suckle; take care of (as a nurse); bear in mind; Ex. nursing mother; Ex. nurse a hope/grudge against someone
- nurture
- nourish; feed; educate; rear; care for while it is growing or developing; foster; cultivate; N: something that nourishes; rearing
- nutrient
- nourishing substance; ADJ: providing nourishment
- nutrition
- process of nourishing or being nourished; CF. malnutrition
- nutritious
- providing nourishment
- oaf
- stupid awkward person; CF. elf
- oath
- solemn promise; blasphemous use of sacred words to express strong feelings; swear-word; Ex. ``For Christ's sake''
- oatmeal
- crushed oats used for making porridge
- obdurate
- stubborn; refusing to change one's belief
- obeisance
- bow (to show respect and obedience)
- obelisk
- tall column tapering(becoming gradually narrower toward the end) and ending in a pyramid
- obese
- excessively fat; N. obesity
- obfuscate
- confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex; make so confused as to be difficult to understand
- obituary
- death notice (esp. in a newspaper); ADJ.
- objective
- not influenced by emotions; fair; N: goal; aim
- obligatory
- binding; required; compulsory; V. oblige: constrain; make grateful; do a favor; accommodate
- oblique
- indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular or from a straight line); Ex. oblique reference
- obliterate
- destroy completely; wipe out; Ex. obliterate the village
- oblivion
- obscurity; condition of being completely forgotten; forgetfulness
- oblivious
- inattentive or unmindful; unaware; wholly absorbed; forgetful(having the habit of forgetting)
- obloquy
- slander; disgrace; infamy
- obnoxious
- offensive; disagreeable; Ex. obnoxious smell
- obscure
- dark; vague; unclear; not well known; Ex. obscure meaning/village; V: darken; cover; make unclear; Ex. obscure the moon/meaning
- obsequious
- slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic
- obsequy
- funeral ceremony
- 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
- obsidian
- black volcanic rock
- obsolete
- outmoded; no longer used
- obstetrician
- physician specializing in delivery(assisting in giving birth) of babies; N. obstetrics; CF. midwife
- obstinate
- stubborn; hard to control or treat; Ex. obstinate cough; N. obstinacy
- obstreperous
- boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable
- 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