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Words I Should Know

Terms

undefined, object
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abjure
(1) to renounce under oath; (2) to give up or abstain from
ablution
a washing or cleansing of the body, especially as part of a religious rite
abnegation
renunciation of your own interests in the favor of interests of others
abstruse
not easily understood; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge (synonym recondite)
accretion
growth or increase in size by gradual external addition, fusion, or inclusion
allay
to reduce the intensity of; relieve
ambit
a sphere of operation or influence; range; scope
apocryphal
of questionable authorship or authenticity
apotheosis
(1) a model of excellence or perfection of a kind; (2) the elevantion or exaltation of a person to the rank of god
apposite
suitable; well-adapted; pertinent; relevant
ardor
fiery intensity of feeling
arrogate
to claim or seize without right or justification; to appropriate
aspersion
a damaging or derogatory remark
assay
an analysis or examination, especially of an ore or drug, to determine its components
assiduous
constant in application or attention; persistent; diligent
assignation
(1) the act of assigning, or something assigned; (2) an appointment or meeting between lovers
atavistic
reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type
auspicious
attended by favorable circumstances (synonym propitious)
autodidact
a self-taught person
aver
to affirm positively; declare
avuncular
regarded as characteristic of an uncle, especially in benevolence or tolerance
balustrade
a rail and the row of posts that support it
bantam
(1) diminutive; miniature; (2) aggressive and spirited
besot
to muddle or stupefy, as with alcohol or infatuation
bilious
of, relating to, or containing bile; ill-humored
bombastic
grandiloquent, pompous speech or writing
braggadocio
(1) a braggart; (2) empty boasting; (3) a swaggering, cocky manner
cadge
to beg or get by begging
capitulate
to surrender under specified conditions; to give up all resistance or acquiesce (significantly different from recapitulate)
caprice
(1) an impulsive change of mind, or an inclination towards such; (2) a sudden unpredictable action, change, or series of actions or changes
casuistry
(1) specious reasoning intended to rationalize or mislead; (2) the determination of right and wrong in questions of moral conduct by analyzing cases that illustrate general ethical rules
chicanery
the use of trickery to deceive
chignon
a roll or knot of hair worn at the back of the head or especially at the nape of the neck
choleric
easily angered; indicating or expressing anger
clemency
an act of mercy
concatenation
a series or order of things depending on each other, as if linked together; a chain or succession
conciliation
the act of overcoming the distrust or hostility of; becoming agreeable or reconciled
concupiscence
sexual desire; lust
connubial
of or pertaining to marriage
consign
to give over to the care of another
corpus delicti
the material evidence in a crime showing that a crime has, in fact, been committed (e.g., a corpse in a homicide)
coterie
a small, often select group of persons who associate with one another frequently
crepuscular
of or like twilight; dim
desiccated
dried out
desideratum
something considered necessary or highly desirable
desultory
moving or jumping from one thing to another; occurring haphazardly
dialetheism
the belief that there are true contradictions, in opposition to the law of non-contradiction
didactic
intended to teach or moralize excessively
dilettante
(1) a dabbler or amateur; (2) an admirer or lover of the fine arts
dispositive
providing a final resolution (as of an issue)
dross
(1) waste matter; refuse; (2) worthless, commonplace, or trivial matter
effete
(1) no longer capable of producing young; infertile; barren; (2) marked by self-indulgence, triviality, or decadence
effluvium
a usually invisible emanation or exhalation, as of vapor or gas
enervate
to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of
ennui
listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; the feeling of being bored by something tedious
ephemeral
lasting for a markedly brief time
equivocal
open to two or more interpretations and often intended to mislead; of a doubtful or uncertain nature
escarpment
a vertical fortification; a steep cliff-face
exegesis
critical explanation or interpretation of a text or a portion of a text
expeditious
characterized by speed and efficiency
expiate
to make amends or reparations for; atone
fastidious
(1) possessing or displaying careful, meticulous attention to detail; (2) difficult to please
fatuous
vacuously, smugly, and unconsciously foolish
feasance
the doing or performing of an act, as of a condition or duty
feckless
(1) feeble or ineffective; (2) careless and irresponsible
fecundity
the quality or power of producing abundantly; fruitfulness or fertility
florid
very ornate; flowery
fractious
inclined to make trouble; cranky
fulsome
offensive from excess of praise
garrulous
given to excessive and often trivial or rambling talk (see also loquacious; antonym laconic)
gauche
lacking social polish; tactless; awkward
glabrous
without hairs or projections; smooth (antonym: hirsute)
halcyon
calm and tranquil; prosperous and golden
hector
(n) a bully; (v) to intimidate or dominate in a blustering way
hirsute
covered with hair (antonym: glabrous)
imbroglio
a complicated and embarrassing state of things
implacable
incapable of being pacified
imprecation
the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)
inchoate
(1) in an initial or stage; incipient; (2) imperfectly formed or developed
incipient
beginning to exist or appear
inculcate
to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
indemnification
compensation for loss
ineffable
incapable of being expressed; indescribable or unutterable
inimitable
defying imitation; matchless
insipid
lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull
insouciance
blithe lack of concern; nonchalance
interstice
(1) a space between things or parts, especially a space between things closely set; (2) an interval of time
invective
denunciatory or abusive expression or discourse
inveterate
firmly established by long persistance; of long standing
invidious
tending to provoke envy or ill will
itinerant
traveling from place to place
ken
(1) perception; understanding; knowledge; (2) view; sight
kitsch
sentimentality or vulgar, often pretentious bad taste, especially in the arts
laconic
marked by the use of few words; terse or concise (antonym garrulous or loquacious)
lacuna
an empty space or a missing part
lambent
softly bright or radiant
languor
lack of energy or vitality
largess
generous giving (as of gifts or money), often accompanied by condescension
legerdemain
sleight of hand; deceitful cleverness
lemma
a subsidiary proposition that is assumed to be true in order to prove another proposition
licentious
amoral; lewd and lacivious
loquacious
very talkative (see also garrulous; antonym laconic)
lugubrious
mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree
majuscule
a large letter, as in a capital
maladroit
an inept person
malaise
a vague feeling of bodily discomfort, as at the beginning of an illness
maquillage
cosmetic or theatrical makeup
mawkish
excessively or objectionably sentimental; sickening or insipid in taste
mealymouthed
indirect in speech; evasive
mendicancy
the practice of begging; depending on alms for a living
miasma
a harmful or corrupting atmosphere or influence
milieu
environment or setting
mordant
biting; caustic; sarcastic
moribund
approaching death; about to die
muslin
sturdy cotton fabric of plain weave, used especially for sheets
nacreous
resembling mother-of-pearl; lustrous
nascent
coming into existence; emerging
nescience
lack of knowledge or awareness
obdurate
(1) stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing; (2) showing unfeeling resistance to tender feelings
obsequious
(1) characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; (2) attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
obstreperous
(1) noisily and stubbornly defiant and unruly; (2) noisy, clamorous, or boisterous
officious
volunteering one's services when they are neither asked for nor needed; meddlesome
onanism
(1) masturbation; (2) coitus interruptus
opprobrium
disgrace; infamy; reporach mingled with contempt
otiose
ineffective; lazy; idle
pabulum
(1) a substance that gives nourishment; (2) insipid intellectual nourishment
pallor
extreme or unnatural paleness
panoply
a splendid or impressive array
paramour
an illicit lover (esp. of a man)
parlance
a particular manner of speaking
paroxysm
(1) a sudden outburst of emotion or action; (2) a spasm or fit; a convulsion
pastiche
a dramatic, literary, or musical piece openly imitating the works of other artists, often with satirical intent
patina
a superficial layer or exterior
perfidious
treacherous
perfunctory
(1) performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial; (2) lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; indifferent or apathetic
peripatetic
walking or traveling about; itinerant
petulant
moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance; unreasonably ill-tempered or irritable
philander
to engage in many love affairs, especially with a frivolous or casual attitude (used of a man)
philistine
a person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, intellectual pursuits, aesthetic refinement, etc. or is contentedly commonplace in ideas and tastes
piebald
(1) having spots and patches of black and white, or other colors; mottled; (2) mixed; composed of incongruous parts
pique
(v) to provoke or arouse; (n) a state of vexation caused by a perceived slight or indignity; a feeling of wounded pride
pith
the essential or central part
placate
to allay the anger of, especially by making concessions
plinth
the lowest part of the base of an architectural column; a usually square block serving as a base
pratfall
(1) a fall in which one lands on the buttocks, often regarded as comical or humiliating; (2) a humiliating blunder or defeat
precipitous
done with very great haste and without due deliberation
prestidigitation
sleight of hand (synonym legerdemain)
probity
complete and confirmed integrity
profundity
(1) great depth; (2) depth of intellect, feeling, or meaning
prolegomenon
a preliminary discussion; an introductory essay, as prefatory matter in a book
propitiation
the act of placating and overcoming distrust and animosity (synonym conciliation); the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing (especially appeasing a deity)
propitious
presenting favorable circumstances (synonym auspicious)
prosaic
lacking in imagination and spirit; dull
provenance
origin; source
prurient
inordinately interested in matters of sex
puissant
powerful; mighty; potent
pusillanimous
cowardly; fainthearted
putative
generally regarded as such; supposed
putrefaction
decomposition of organic matter, especially protein, by microorganisms, resulting in production of foul-smelling matter
qua
in the capacity or character of; as
querulous
apt to find fault; habitually complaining
quixotic
idealistic without regard to practicality
quotidian
everyday; commonplace
rarefy
to make thin, less compact, or less dense
ratiocination
act of drawing conclusions from premises
recapitulate
to repeat in concise form; to make a summary (signficantly different from capitulate)
recondite
not easily understood; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge (synonym abstruse)
recriminate
to counter one accusation with another
redolent
(1) having or emitting fragrance; aromatic; (2) suggestive or reminiscent
risible
(1) exciting or provoking laughter; laughable; amusing; (2) capable of laughing; disposed to laugh
rococo
having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation
salacious
lustful or bawdy
sallow
of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion
salvo
(1) a mental provision or reservation; (2) an expedient for protecting one's reputation or soothing one's conscience; (3) a simultaneous discharge of firearms, or something resembling such
sartorial
of or relating to clothes, or style or manner of dress
scabrous
(1) having or covered with scales or small projections and rough to the touch; (2) dealing with scandalous or salacious material
scion
a descendent; an heir
screed
a long monotonous speech or piece of writing
scrofulous
morally degenerate; corrupt
sepia
(1) a dark brown ink or pigment; (2) a photograph in brown tint
settee
a small or medium-sized sofa
simulacrum
(1) an image or representation; (2) an unreal or vague semblance
solicitous
anxious or concerned
soporific
sleep-causing
sotto voce
under the breath; in an undertone
spate
a sudden flood, rush, or outpouring
specious
having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious
stanch
to stop or check the flow of
stentorian
extremely loud
stochastic
involving or containing a random variable or variables
stolid
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
sui generis
being the only example of its kind; unique
supercilious
disdainfully arrogant; haughty
supine
(1) lying on the back (opposite prostrate); (2) marked by or showing lethargy, passivity, or blameworthy indifference
surfeit
(n) an excessive amount; (v) to feed or supply to excess, satiety, or disgust
surreptitious
marked by quiet, caution, and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
susurrus
the indistinct sound of people whispering
swan song
a final or farewell appearance, action, or pronouncement
sycophant
a servile self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people
syncretic
characterized or brought about by the combination of different forms of belief or practice
tendentious
having an aim; designed to further a cause
thrombosis
the formation, presence, or development of a thrombus, a fibrinous clot formed in a blood vessel or a chamber of the heart
tonsure
the part of a monk's head that has been shaved
transom
a small hinged window above a door or another window, or the horizontal crosspiece between the two
turpitude
depravity, baseness
vagary
an extravagant, erratic, or unpredictable notion, action, or occurrence
venal
capable of being bought; corruptible
ventral
situated on or close to the abdomen
verisimilitude
the quality of seeming to be true, or something that has that quality
vicissitude
one of the sudden or unexpected changes or shifts often encountered in one's life, activities, or surroundings (often used in the plural)
wainscot
the lower part of an interior wall when finished in a material, usually wood, different from that of the upper part
wan
unnaturally pale, as from physical or emotional distress; suggestive or indicative of weariness, illness, or unhappiness
yen
a strong desire or inclination

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