IMPORTANT VOCABULARY
Group 1
Archetype
|
classic example of
|
Clemency
|
mercy
|
Disinterested
|
unbiased
|
Flout
|
defy; reject
|
Ingénue
|
naïve, unsophisticated person
|
Mendacious
|
given to lying
|
Paucity
|
shortage
|
Protean
|
changeable
|
Sophomoric
|
juvenile; immature
|
Venal
|
corrupt; can be bribed
|
Group 2
Archives
|
collections of old records; place of storage of old documents
|
Cliché
|
overused expression; something unoriginal
|
Disparage
|
criticize; belittle
|
Flustered
|
worked-up; not calm
|
Ingrate
|
ungrateful person
|
Mercenary
|
concerned only with money
|
Peccadillo
|
minor weakness; trivial offence
|
Protégé
|
person under protection of, or guided by another
|
Soporific
|
inducing sleep
|
Veneer
|
surface coating
|
Group 3
Articulate
|
clear; lucid; eloquent
|
Clientele
|
customers
|
Disparity
|
an inequality
|
Fly-by-night
|
unreliable; disreputable
|
Inimical
|
hostile
|
Mercurial
|
volatile; changeable
|
Pedant
|
person who insists on strict adherence to rules or narrow learning
|
Protocol
|
procedure; code of behavior
|
Sparse
|
spare; bare; meager
|
Venerate
|
revere; worship
|
Group 4
Artifice
|
deception; trickery
|
Coalesce
|
come together; merge
|
Dispassionate
|
neutral; objective
|
Forensic
|
concerned with argument or debate (esp. for legal evidence)
|
Innate
|
inherited; inborn
|
Merge
|
come together
|
Pedestrian
|
common; mundane; banal
|
Provincial
|
unsophisticated; narrow-minded
|
Specious
|
false
|
Venial
|
minor; unimportant
|
Group 5
Artisan
|
craftsman
|
Coddle
|
pamper; fuss over; indulge
|
Disseminating
|
circulating; broadcasting; spreading (information)
|
Fortitude
|
bravery
|
Innocuous
|
harmless; inoffensive
|
Metaphorically
|
symbolically; figuratively
|
Peerless
|
without equal
|
Prudent
|
cautious; wise
|
Speckled
|
spotted; freckled; dotted
|
Veracity
|
truthfulness
|
Group 6
Ascetic
|
without luxuries; severely simple
|
Coercion
|
force
|
Diurnal
|
active in daytime
|
Fortuitous
|
happening by chance
|
Innovate
|
create; introduce something new
|
Meticulous
|
very careful; painstaking
|
Pejorative
|
derogatory
|
Puerile
|
childish
|
Sporadic
|
not continuous; intermittent
|
Verbose
|
talkative; long-winded; rambling
|
Group 7
Assiduous
|
thorough; diligent
|
Cogent
|
lucid; well argued
|
Divert
|
1. entertain; 2. distract; 3. cause a detour
|
Fractious
|
irritable; difficult to control
|
Inscrutable
|
mysterious; impenetrable
|
Mettle
|
courage; bravery; valor
|
Pellucid
|
transparently clear
|
Punctilious
|
paying attention to small details
|
Spurious
|
false
|
Verbosity
|
using too many words
|
Group 8
Assuage
|
to calm
|
Cogitate
|
think over something; ponder
|
Docile
|
gentle and easily lead
|
Fraudulent
|
fake; false
|
Insentient
|
unfeeling
|
Milieu
|
environment
|
Pensive
|
in a thoughtful mood; thinking deeply
|
Purloin
|
steal
|
Stagnant
|
still; not moving
|
Vertigo
|
dizziness
|
Group 9
Astute
|
perceptive; sharp-witted
|
Collage
|
picture made from fragments of other pictures
|
Dogmatic
|
having stubbornly held opinions
|
Frivolous
|
not serious
|
Insipid
|
dull; bland; boring
|
Mire
|
swamp; muddy ground
|
Penury
|
poverty
|
Pusillanimous
|
cowardly
|
Staid
|
dull; sober; serious
|
Vestigial
|
not developed
|
Group 10
Asylum
|
place of refuge or safety
|
Collate
|
arrange in order
|
Dolt
|
stupid person
|
Frugal
|
economical; not wasting anything
|
Instigate
|
to start; provoke
|
Misanthrope
|
hater of the rest of mankind
|
Perceptive
|
observant
|
Pyromania
|
compulsion to start fires
|
Stanza
|
section of a poem
|
Vignette
|
small sketch
|
Group 1
Atheist
|
person who does not believe in God
|
Colloquial
|
local and informal (used of language)
|
Dotard
|
foolish old man
|
Furrow
|
groove
|
Instigator
|
troublemaker; person who entices others to do something
|
Misnomer
|
wrong name
|
Percipient
|
perceptive; insightful
|
Quaff
|
drink down quickly
|
Staunch
|
loyal; faithful; dependable
|
Vilification
|
blackening someone's name
|
Group 2
Atrophy
|
waste away from lack of use
|
Collusion
|
plotting and planning
|
Drawl
|
speak slowly with words running together
|
Furtive
|
hidden and secret
|
Insurgent
|
a rebel
|
Misogynist
|
hater of women
|
Perdition
|
damnation
|
Quagmire
|
marsh; bog
|
Stereotype
|
fixed image
|
Vindicate
|
prove right; remove blame
|
Group 3
Attenuate
|
weaken
|
Commandeer
|
take possession of
|
Drivel
|
nonsense
|
Futile
|
useless; hopeless
|
Interminable
|
never-ending
|
Misrepresentation
|
deliberately deceiving
|
Peremptory
|
in a commanding manner
|
Quaint
|
picturesque
|
Stevedore
|
dockworker
|
Virtuoso
|
an accomplished musician
|
Group 4
Augment
|
increase; make bigger
|
Complacent
|
self-satisfied; smug
|
Droll
|
dryly amusing
|
Galleon
|
ancient type of sailing ship
|
Intermittent
|
sporadic; irregular
|
Mitigate
|
lessen; make less severe
|
Perfidy
|
treachery
|
Quandary
|
dilemma; puzzle
|
Stifle
|
suppress
|
Virulent
|
dangerous; harmful
|
Group 5
Auspicious
|
favorable; promising to turn out well
|
Compliant
|
easy to control; submissive
|
Drone
|
1. monotonous noise (n); 2. to speak with no emotion (v); 3.male bee
|
Gambol
|
frolic; leap; bound
|
Intransigence
|
stubbornness
|
Modicum
|
small amount
|
Perfunctory
|
superficial; cursory
|
Quarantine
|
isolation to prevent the spread of disease
|
Stoic
|
known for fortitude; indifferent to pleasure or pain
|
Vital
|
essential; alive; important
|
Group 6
Austere
|
severely plain
|
Concatenate
|
link together
|
Dubious
|
doubtful
|
Garble
|
distort; confuse; muddle
|
Intransigent
|
stubborn; unyielding
|
Momentous
|
very important
|
Peripatetic
|
nomadic; moving from place to place
|
Quarry
|
1. something that is hunted; 2. mine for stone
|
Stoke
|
add fuel to; strengthen
|
Vitriolic
|
corrosive; strongly attacking
|
Group 7
Aversion
|
a dislike of
|
Concatenation
|
linking into chains
|
Dupe
|
to fool someone
|
Garish
|
gaudy
|
Intrepid
|
brave
|
Monotonous
|
dull; unvarying
|
Peripheral
|
on the edge; not important
|
Querulous
|
always complaining
|
Stolid
|
impassive; dull; indifferent
|
Vivacity
|
liveliness; animation
|
Group 8
Balk
|
hinder and prevent; hesitate over
|
Conciliate
|
to bring together; end a dispute
|
Dynamic
|
lively; vibrant; energetic
|
Garner
|
gather; collect
|
Inveterate
|
habitual
|
Moratorium
|
temporary prohibition or halt to activity
|
Perjury
|
telling lies under oath
|
Quirk
|
oddity
|
Stratagem
|
plot; plan; trick
|
Vivify
|
enliven
|
Group 9
Banal
|
common; dull
|
Concise
|
stated in few words
|
Ebullient
|
very lively; cheerful; jovial; happy
|
Garrulous
|
talkative
|
Invidious
|
arousing envy
|
Moribund
|
on the point of death
|
Pernicious
|
destructive; harmful
|
Ramble
|
wander aimlessly
|
Strident
|
loud and harsh
|
Vociferous
|
noisy; loud in speech
|
Group 10
Banality
|
ordinariness; dullness
|
Condescend
|
talk down to
|
Eccentric
|
unusual; quirky; odd
|
Gaunt
|
emaciated; bony and angular
|
Inviolable
|
cannot be invaded
|
Morose
|
gloomy; bad tempered
|
Persnickety
|
fastidious; fussy
|
Ramifications
|
branches; subdivisions of a complex system; outcomes
|
Stringent
|
strict or severe
|
Volatile
|
dangerously unstable; evaporates easily
|
Group 1
Bane
|
troublesome influence
|
Condone
|
tacitly support; overlook
|
Eclectic
|
taking things from different sources
|
Genre
|
a category; type
|
Irascible
|
easily angered
|
Mundane
|
ordinary; worldly
|
Perpetuated
|
caused to continue
|
Rancor
|
resentment; animosity; bad feeling
|
Strut
|
swagger; show off
|
Voluble
|
talkative
|
Group 2
Bard
|
poet
|
Condoning
|
overlooking; disregarding; ignoring
|
Edifice
|
building; structure; construction
|
Germane
|
relevant
|
Ire
|
anger [irate (a) = very angry]
|
Munificent
|
generous; charitable
|
Perpetuity
|
eternity
|
Rant
|
use bombastic language
|
Stupefying
|
astonishing; shocking; stunning into silence
|
Voluminous
|
very large; spacious
|
Group 3
Bastion
|
fortress; stronghold
|
Conflagration
|
big fire
|
Efface
|
wipe out; remove all trace of
|
Germinal
|
just growing; not developed; immature
|
Irksome
|
annoying; infuriating
|
Mutinous
|
very rebellious
|
Personable
|
attractive
|
Ratify
|
approve; consent
|
Subpoena
|
summons to court
|
Voracious
|
ravenous
|
Group 4
Befuddle
|
confuse
|
Confound
|
confuse
|
Effigy
|
a model of a person
|
Gibbering
|
making meaningless noises
|
Ironic
|
satiric; unexpected
|
Myriad
|
in large numbers
|
Perspicacious
|
insightful; sharp; wise
|
Raucous
|
rough and unpleasant (of sounds)
|
Substantiate
|
give supporting evidence
|
Waive
|
surrender; give up
|
Group 5
Begrudge
|
resent
|
Congeal
|
to solidify
|
Effusive
|
gushing; demonstrative
|
Glacial
|
hostile; unfriendly; cold; icy
|
Irrational
|
unreasonable; absurd
|
Navigable
|
suitable for sailing
|
Perspicacity
|
insight
|
Raze
|
destroy; demolish; tear down
|
Subterfuge
|
a trick
|
Wane
|
grow less
|
Group 6
Beguile
|
mislead; lure
|
Congenital
|
present from birth
|
Egalitarianism
|
belief in equality
|
Goad
|
prod; urge
|
Irreproachable
|
cannot be criticized; perfect
|
Nebulous
|
vague
|
Pertinent
|
relevant
|
Rebuttal
|
denial
|
Subtle
|
not obvious
|
Wary
|
hesitant; cautious
|
Group 7
Belabor
|
explain in unnecessary detail
|
Connoisseur
|
person with refined taste and good judgment
|
Egregious
|
outstandingly, obviously bad
|
Grate (v)
|
1. to annoy; aggravate; vex; 2. shred
|
Irrevocable
|
cannot be cancelled; unchangeable
|
Nefarious
|
wicked; immoral; disreputable
|
Peruse
|
read carefully
|
Recant
|
disclaim; retract statement
|
Subversive
|
rebellious; revolutionary
|
Wax
|
to increase; to grow
|
Group 8
Beleaguer
|
besiege; attack
|
Consecrate
|
dedicate
|
Egress
|
exit
|
Gratis
|
free of charge; without payment
|
Itinerant
|
nomadic; wandering from place to place
|
Negate
|
cancel; deny
|
Pervasive
|
spreading everywhere
|
Recapitulate
|
summarize
|
Succinct
|
concise
|
Waylay
|
accost; stop; approach; hinder
|
Group 9
Belie
|
contradict
|
Consensus
|
general agreement
|
Eloquent
|
fluent and persuasive in speech
|
Gratuitous
|
unwarranted
|
Jaded
|
tired; bored; worn out
|
Negligence
|
carelessness
|
Petrify
|
1. terrify; 2. turn to stone
|
Receptacle
|
container; vessel; holder
|
Suffragist
|
someone who campaigns for voting rights
|
Weighty
|
serious
|
Group 10
Belittle
|
to demean
|
Conspicuous
|
easily seen; prominent
|
Elucidate
|
make clear
|
Gravity
|
seriousness
|
Jargon
|
specialized language used by experts
|
Neologism
|
newly coined word
|
Petulant
|
sulky; peevish
|
Recluse
|
someone who cuts himself off from life
|
Supercilious
|
proud and haughty
|
Whelp
|
young dog
|
Group 1
Bellicose
|
war-like; aggressive
|
Consummate
|
complete; total; supremely good
|
Elusive
|
hard to pin down
|
Gregarious
|
extroverted; sociable; outgoing
|
Jaundiced
|
cynical; pessimistic
|
Nettle
|
annoy
|
Phenomenon
|
an event or happening (plural: phenomena)
|
Recuperate
|
get better after illness
|
Superlative
|
extremely good; the best
|
Whet
|
sharpen
|
Group 2
Belligerent
|
aggressive; ready to fight
|
Contemporary
|
living or happening at the same time
|
Emaciated
|
very thin; withered
|
Gritty
|
coarse; granular
|
Jaunt
|
short pleasure trip
|
Niggardly
|
miserly; stingy
|
Philanthropy
|
charity; love of mankind
|
Red tape
|
formalities; paperwork; official procedure
|
Surly
|
grumpy; rude
|
Whimsical
|
capricious; changeable
|
Group 3
Bemoan
|
complain about
|
Contrite
|
sorry
|
Emancipate
|
set free
|
Guffaw
|
sudden loud laughter
|
Jeopardize
|
put at risk; endanger
|
Nomadic
|
wandering from place to place
|
Philistine
|
uncultured person
|
Redolent
|
smelling of; giving off odors
|
Surreptitious
|
secret; sneaky; stealthy
|
Willful
|
stubborn
|
Group 4
Benevolent
|
kindly
|
Contrition
|
sorrow and repentance
|
Embezzle
|
defraud; steal
|
Guile
|
cunning; craftiness
|
Jingoistic
|
extremely patriotic; nationalistic
|
Nonchalance
|
an appearance of indifference; calm and composed
|
Phlegmatic
|
calm; imperturbable
|
Redress
|
put right something that was wrong
|
Surreptitiously
|
secretly; furtively; stealthily
|
Wily
|
cunning
|
Group 5
Benign
|
kindly; harmless
|
Contumacious
|
stubborn
|
Embroil
|
involve in hostility or argument
|
Guileless
|
frank; straightforward; honest
|
Jocular
|
in a joking manner
|
Nondescript
|
having no special features; dull and ordinary
|
Pillage
|
plunder
|
Redundant
|
unnecessary; superfluous
|
Susceptible
|
vulnerable
|
Wispy
|
flimsy; frail; delicate
|
Group 6
Benignity
|
compassion; gentleness; fondness
|
Contusion
|
a bruise
|
Emerge
|
come out; appear
|
Gullibility
|
unwariness; trustfulness; being easily fooled
|
Jollity
|
gaiety; happiness
|
Nonentity
|
a person of no importance; not famous
|
Pinnacle
|
topmost point
|
Referendum
|
public vote
|
Suspect
|
doubtful
|
Wistful
|
melancholy; pensive; expressing a longing for
|
Group 7
Bequeath
|
leave something in one's will to be given after one's death
|
Conundrum
|
a puzzle
|
Emulate
|
to imitate something admired
|
Gullible
|
easily fooled
|
Jubilant
|
ecstatic; delighted; rejoicing
|
Nostalgia
|
longing for the past
|
Pious
|
very religious
|
Refute
|
disprove
|
Sybarite
|
lover of luxury
|
Zany
|
crazy; wacky
|
Group 8
Berate
|
scold; criticize
|
Conventional
|
usual; customary; common
|
Endorse
|
give support or approval to
|
Gustatory
|
concerned with the sense of taste
|
Judicious
|
correct in judgment; wise
|
Notoriety
|
infamy; known for wrong doing
|
Pivotal
|
of central importance
|
Regale
|
entertain
|
Sycophant
|
bootlicker; flatterer
|
Zeal
|
enthusiasm
|
Group 9
Beret
|
type of cap
|
Corpulent
|
fat
|
Endurance
|
staying power; patience; stamina
|
Hackneyed
|
common and over-used
|
Jurisprudence
|
science or study of law
|
Novel
|
new; unusual
|
Placate
|
pacify; soothe; calm
|
Relegate
|
dismiss to a lower position
|
Taciturn
|
quiet; saying little
|
Zealot
|
fanatic
|
Group 10
Bestial
|
behaving like a beast; brutal
|
Corrugated
|
highly folded
|
Enduring
|
lasting
|
Hallowed
|
worshipped; consecrated
|
Juxtapose
|
place next to
|
Novice
|
a beginner; tyro
|
Placebo
|
harmless medicine with no effect; dummy medicine
|
Remorse
|
regret; sorrow; contrition
|
Tactile
|
concerned with the sense of touch
|
Zenith
|
summit
|
Group 1
Abate
|
reduce in intensity
|
Abjure
|
renounce; swear to refrain from something
|
Blandishment
|
words used to coax or flatter [blandish (v)]
|
Boor
|
ill-mannered person [boorish (a)]
|
Cardinal
|
1. high ranking church official; 2. major, important
|
Deliberate
|
1. slow (a); 2. to think over (v); 3. on purpose (a)
|
Equivocation
|
speaking ambiguously [equivocate (v), equivocal (a)]
|
Feckless
|
feeble; helpless; lacking in initiative
|
Imperturbability
|
quality of being calm and not easily disturbed [imperturbable (a)]
|
Meretricious
|
falsely attractive; tawdry
|
Group 2
Augury
|
prediction, looking for omens [auger (v)]
|
Boycott
|
refuse to have dealings with
|
Glib
|
slick; superficial esp. in speech
|
Incise
|
cut into [incision (n); incisive (a)]
|
Moralistic
|
concerned with morals [moralize (v)]
|
Ostracism
|
shunning; social isolation [ostracize (v)]
|
Penchant
|
inclination; leaning; tendency; predilection
|
Rarefy
|
make less dense [rarefaction (n)]
|
Repine
|
fret; be discontented
|
Stipulate
|
specify [stipulation (n)]
|
Group 3
Diaphanous
|
transparent; thin and delicate
|
Feint
|
pretended attack; a move intended to deceive
|
Inured
|
hardened; habituated
|
Mettlesome
|
spirited [mettle (n)]
|
Puissance
|
power
|
Recondite
|
obscure
|
Stygian
|
very dark
|
Touting
|
advertising; supporting [tout (v)]
|
Virtuosity
|
skill, expertise [virtuoso (n); virtuosi (n.pl)]
|
Volubility
|
excessive talkativeness [voluble (a)]
|
Group 4
Caret
|
punctuation mark signifying omission
|
Contiguous
|
adjacent; touching; abutting [contiguity (n)]
|
Damp
|
(used of vibration) reduce in extent
|
Ellipsis
|
omission of essential words
|
Extirpation
|
wiping out; complete destruction [extirpate (v)]
|
Foppish
|
behaving or dressing like a dandy; excessively concerned with fashion
|
Gaffe
|
blunder; social mistake
|
Hortatory
|
encouraging; exhorting
|
Opprobrious
|
expressing great scorn [opprobrium (n)]
|
Recumbent
|
reclining; lying down
|
Group 5
Ambidextrous
|
able to use both left and right hands equally well
|
Culpability
|
guilt [culpable = blameworthy]
|
Discernment
|
judgment; perceptiveness
|
Encomium
|
praise
|
Inveigle
|
coax; cajole; wheedle; entice
|
Minatory
|
threatening
|
Ossified
|
turned to bone; become rigid [ossification (n)]
|
Plumb
|
measure depth of (v); exact (a. slang)
|
Quintessential
|
most typical; the perfect example of [quintessence (n)]
|
Runic
|
mysterious; magical
|
Group 6
Accretion
|
accumulation of matter; growth produced by adding from the outside
|
Anachronistic
|
occurring in the wrong time period [anachronism (n)]
|
Chronic
|
long lasting (often used for diseases in which case the opposite is acute)
|
Churlishness
|
rudeness; ill-mannered behavior
|
Demagogue
|
mob leader (who appeals to base instincts) [demagogy/demagoguery (n)]
|
Effrontery
|
daring; audacity (has a negative connotation)
|
Idyll
|
story or incident in peaceful or ideal setting [idyllic (a)]
|
Interregnum
|
interval between reigns or governments
|
Nugatory
|
of minor significance; futile
|
Sinecure
|
job which pays salary but requiring little effort
|
Group 7
Anodized
|
electroplated; coated with thin layer of metal
|
Aphoristic
|
expressed tersely [aphorism (n) = short statement; maxim]
|
Canonical
|
orthodox [canon (n) = set of accepted works]
|
Commensurate
|
equal in significance
|
Dexterity
|
skill, esp. with hands [dexterous (a)]
|
Extant
|
still in existence (opposite of extinct)
|
Impugned
|
challenged; called into question
|
Probity
|
uprightness; honesty
|
Raconteur
|
person who relates a story
|
Solicitous
|
kindly; expressing care and concern
|
Group 8
Amalgamate
|
join; consolidate [amalgamation (n)]
|
Baleful
|
evil
|
Coerce
|
force [coercion (n); coercing (a)]
|
Inchoate
|
undeveloped; nascent
|
Iniquitous
|
evil; unjust [iniquity (n)]
|
Libertine
|
dissolute person; prodigal
|
Millinery
|
hats and hat-making
|
Natty
|
neat; dapper; smart
|
Occluded
|
obscured; blocked
|
Sidereal
|
of or related to stars
|
Group 9
Avaricious
|
greedy for money
|
Extirpate
|
wipe out totally
|
Halcyon
|
peaceful and happy; calm (esp. of summer weather)
|
List (v)
|
1. to lean to one side; 2. to write in order
|
Maudlin
|
sad; sentimental; inclined to weep
|
Refulgent
|
glowing; radiant
|
Subliminal
|
below the threshold of consciousness
|
Testiness
|
irritability; irascibility [testy (a)]
|
Vituperate
|
attack bitterly
|
Whittle
|
1. carve with knife; 2. reduce step by step
|
Group 10
Colander
|
bowl with holes used to drain vegetables etc.
|
Cumbersome
|
bulky; difficult to carry [encumber = to burden]
|
Diaphanous
|
transparent; thin and delicate
|
Dispatch
|
1. send (v); 2. speed; celerity (n)
|
Epistemology
|
theory of knowledge
|
Froward
|
stubborn; wayward; disobedient
|
Supine
|
lying flat on one’s back
|
Throwback
|
exhibiting primitive, or ancestral, traits
|
Untoward
|
unexpected
|
Verisimilar
|
true to life; giving the appearance of reality
|
Group 1
Abysmal
|
very deep; very bad
|
Approbation
|
approval [opp. disapprobation]
|
Bent (n)
|
inclination; aptitude
|
Cadge
|
get by begging
|
Debacle
|
disaster
|
Extemporize
|
speak without preparation or rehearsal [extemporaneous (a)]
|
Incumbents
|
occupiers of a job or position
|
Lambaste
|
attack verbally
|
Noisome
|
disgusting
|
Pastiche
|
work (usually artistic) which imitates, or is composed of parts taken from varied sources
|
Group 2
Arboreal
|
living in trees; concerned with trees
|
Centrifuge
|
device to separate substances by spinning them at high speed
|
Cloistered
|
isolated
|
Disabuse
|
make someone aware of an error in thinking
|
Engendering
|
causing; bringing into being [engender (v)]
|
Intemperate
|
excessive; immoderate [intemperance (n)]
|
Lugubrious
|
sad; gloomy
|
Nonplussed
|
confused
|
Pedagogy
|
science of education; teaching
|
Satiate
|
satisfy; fill completely [satiable (a); satiation (n)]
|
Slake
|
quench; satisfy
|
Group 3
Artless
|
without effort; without trickery; simple
|
Comeliness
|
beauty; prettiness [comely (a)]
|
Doff
|
take off (esp. of a hat)
|
Don
|
put on (esp. of clothes)
|
Erudition
|
learning; scholarly knowledge [erudite (a)]
|
Plaintive
|
sad; mournful
|
Suborn
|
bribe
|
Tendentious
|
dogmatic; biased
|
Tortuous
|
indirect; winding
|
Verbiage
|
excessive or meaningless wordiness
|
Group 4
Atonement
|
making amends for sin or crime [atone (v)]
|
Complaisance
|
flexibility; willingness to please [complaisant (a)]
|
Daguerreotype
|
forerunner of the photograph
|
Fawn
|
behave in a sycophantic way; grovel [fawning (a)]
|
Gregariousness
|
sociability; liking for crowds [gregarious (a)]
|
Nascent
|
emerging; newly formed
|
Paean
|
praise; tribute (esp. in song)
|
Reproof
|
scolding; criticism [reprove (v)]
|
Scurvy
|
1. disease due to lack of vitamin C; 2. contemptible; rascally
|
Tutelary
|
serving as a guardian [tutelage (n)]
|
Group 5
Abscission
|
cutting; process causing leaves to fall off
|
Contentious
|
causing argument [contention (n); contend (v)]
|
Debilitating
|
weakening [debilitate (v)]
|
Foible
|
quirk; minor weakness
|
Importune
|
beg; solicit [importunate (a)]
|
Pertain
|
be relevant to [pertinent (a)]
|
Slew
|
glut; excess
|
Toady
|
sycophant; flatterer
|
Torrid
|
hot and steamy
|
Veracious
|
true [veracity (n)]
|
Group 6
Asperity
|
using harsh or critical tone
|
Blowhard
|
boastful person
|
Disingenuous
|
crafty
|
Evanescent
|
short-lived [evanescence (n)]
|
Intangible
|
cannot be touched; abstract [intangibility (n)]
|
Labile
|
changing rapidly; unstable
|
Malapropism
|
use of similar sounding but incorrect word
|
Posture (v)
|
to put on an act
|
Proximate
|
immediate; nearest
|
Pugnacious
|
aggressive, ready to fight [pugnacity (n)]
|
Group 7
Foreshadowed
|
indicated a future event [foreshadow (v)]
|
Gaucherie
|
awkwardness [gauche (a)]
|
Heterodox
|
unorthodox
|
Inscrutability
|
quality of being difficult to comprehend [inscrutable (a)]
|
Limerick
|
short amusing poem
|
Mannered
|
stylized; pretentious
|
Pluck (n)
|
courage
|
Sedulous
|
persevering; eager and thorough
|
Syllogism
|
type of logical reasoning
|
Vicissitude
|
unexpected change in fortune or circumstances
|
Group 8
Acolyte
|
disciple; follower or attendant
|
Admonitory
|
scolding [admonition (n)]
|
Caprices
|
whimsies; fancies
|
Cornucopia
|
symbol (horn filled with fruit etc.) denoting natural abundance
|
Deferential
|
showing respect [deference (n); defer (v)]
|
Intractability
|
stubbornness; resistance [intractable (a)]
|
Luminary
|
eminent person
|
Minion
|
underling; servant
|
Undergird
|
support; strengthen
|
Vitiate
|
weaken; sap energy
|
Group 9
Coterie
|
clique; small group with common interests
|
Denigrate
|
decry; criticize; belittle
|
Empirical
|
found by experiment or practice
|
Gainsay
|
contradict
|
Hyperbole
|
exaggeration [hyperbolic (a)]
|
Modest
|
1. bashful; unpretentious; 2. not excessive
|
Prolixity
|
wordiness [prolix (a)]
|
Rebus
|
puzzle in which pictures give clues
|
Sere
|
withered; old
|
Vulpine
|
like a fox [compare with bovine (cow-like); porcine (pig-like), etc.]
|
Group 10
Corroborate
|
give supporting evidence [corroboration (n)]
|
Exacerbated
|
made worse [exacerbate (v); exacerbation (n)]
|
Exact (v)
|
to demand; extort
|
Faddish
|
whimsical; following a fashion
|
Hapless
|
unlucky
|
Misconstrue
|
put a wrong interpretation on something
|
Perennial
|
long-lasting
|
Rent
|
torn (past participle of the verb to rend)
|
Shard
|
fragment of pottery
|
Xenophobe
|
person afraid of foreigners
|
Group 1
Alleviated
|
made less severe [alleviation (n); alleviate (v)]
|
Apostrophe
|
1. punctuation mark; 2. appeal to someone not present (a figure of speech)
|
Centurion
|
roman soldier (commander of a company of 100 soldiers)
|
Emollient
|
softening (a); something which softens (n)
|
Fusillade
|
long burst of gunfire
|
Inerrancy
|
infallibility; inability to make mistakes [inerrant (a)]
|
Mince
|
1. chop into small pieces; 2. walk with tiny steps, 3. speak in an affected manner
|
Palpate
|
medical term meaning to examine with the hands
|
Platitude
|
unoriginal, obvious saying
|
Quibble
|
1. (v) to argue about minor matters; to play on words when finding fault; 2. (n) a minor verbal point in an argument
|
Group 2
Apprehension
|
slight fear; sense of something unfavorable
|
Conniving
|
cunning; scheming [connive (v)]
|
Derision
|
mockery [deride (v)]
|
Epigram
|
short, witty saying
|
Lassitude
|
lack of energy; weariness
|
Pedantic
|
over-insistent on matters of book-learning [pedant (n)]
|
Phenomenology
|
branch of science concerned with things as they are perceived; not directly derived from theory
|
Precipitate
|
1. hurried (a); 2. insoluble product of a reaction in chemistry (n), 3. to instigate or speed up an action (v)
|
Renege
|
go back on promise or retract statement
|
Group 3
Armada
|
fleet of ships
|
Dawdler
|
slow person who falls behind others [dawdle (v)]
|
Dross
|
something worthless; impurities left after refining
|
Expiate
|
atone; make amends for
|
Hack
|
1. chop roughly; 2. person who writes to earn money, 3. hired horse
|
Prone
|
1. vulnerable to; 2. horizontal
|
Propensity
|
tendency; inclination
|
Scabbard
|
cover for a sword
|
Skiff
|
small boat
|
Umbrage
|
1. shadow; 2. offence; sense of injury
|
Group 4
Dilettantism
|
dabbling esp. in the arts [dilettante (n) = person who dabbles]
|
Enervate
|
weaken
|
Malevolent
|
having evil intentions [malevolence(n)]
|
Neophyte
|
new convert; tyro
|
Panegyric
|
speech praising someone; laudatory words
|
Presage
|
forewarn of; indicate
|
Serration
|
jagged edge
|
Slight
|
1. minor (a); 2. perceived insult (v) and (n)
|
Tare
|
1. weed; 2. allowance made for container when weighing
|
Unprepossessing
|
unattractive
|
Group 5
Aberration
|
deviation from the normal
|
Cant
|
insincere talk
|
Disinter
|
dig up [opposite inter = bury]
|
Façade
|
1. front elevation of building, 2. false appearance or demeanor
|
Impeding
|
hindering [impede (v); impediment (n)]
|
Lacuna
|
gap; missing part [plural = lacunae]
|
Monolithic
|
united in purpose; forming a single unit
|
Pied
|
multicolored
|
Roster
|
list of names
|
Seemly
|
appropriate (of behavior); decorous
|
Group 6
Analogue
|
1. something similar; 2. output proportional to input (engineering)
|
Coda
|
piece of music at the end of a musical work; finale; final part of document
|
Commingle
|
mix
|
Equivocal
|
ambiguous; open to interpretation [equivocate (v), equivocation (n)]
|
Fallible
|
capable of making mistakes [fallibility (n)]
|
Hallow
|
respect; worship
|
Indigence
|
poverty
|
Papyrus
|
material used for writing on before paper was invented
|
Pique
|
1. annoyance (n); 2. to stimulate interest; to annoy (v)
|
Sap
|
1. liquid inside plants (n); 2. to drain; to undermine (v); 3. a fool (n)
|
Group 7
Arbitrator
|
mediator; person appointed to judge a dispute [arbitrate (v)]
|
Descry
|
to see (esp. at a distance); catch sight of
|
Facetious
|
not intended to be taken seriously
|
Indecorous
|
unseemly; inappropriate (of behavior)
|
Proliferate
|
grow and spread [proliferation (n)]
|
Scotch (v)
|
to prevent; stop; disable
|
Strut
|
1. supporting rod (n); 2. to walk in an arrogant manner; show off (v)
|
Toy (v)
|
to play with
|
Usury
|
lending money at high interest rates
|
Wag (n)
|
a witty person
|
Group 8
Atavism
|
reappearance of ancestral traits; regression [atavistic (a)]
|
Filibuster
|
delaying tactics
|
Gambit
|
opening move; transaction
|
Mitigation
|
making less severe [mitigate (v)]
|
Obligate
|
compulsory
|
Predilection
|
leaning; interest; talent
|
Propitiate
|
appease; try to gain favor [propitiation (n)]
|
Stanch
|
to stop
|
Travesty
|
parody; ridiculous error
|
Waft
|
drift smoothly (v); whiff; smell (n)
|
Group 9
Forage
|
search for food
|
Lumber
|
1. walk in an ungainly way; 2. timber (wood)
|
Muse
|
1. think; meditate (v); 2. a source of inspiration (n) [in mythology, a goddess who gives inspiration]
|
Prescience
|
foreknowledge
|
Prune
|
1. to trim; 2. a dried plum
|
Ready
|
(used of wit) quick
|
Resolve
|
firmness (n)
|
Squalid
|
dirty and demeaning
|
Sullied
|
made dirty or impure [opposite unsullied; sully (v)]
|
Veneration
|
worship; respect [venerable (a), venerate (v)]
|
Group 10
Demur
|
object; hesitate to accept
|
Duplicity
|
cunning; deception; double dealing
|
Exigency
|
urgent matter; pressing need
|
Expostulate
|
offer strong objections; remonstrate
|
Gossamer
|
delicate; filmy; like gauze
|
Inefficacious
|
ineffective
|
Pine
|
1. type of evergreen tree; 2. grieve
|
Prudish
|
narrow-minded; excessively concerned with morals [prudery (n), prude (n)]
|
Quixotic
|
impractically idealistic
|
Stipple
|
cover with dots of paint etc.
|
Group 1
Abrasion
|
1. damage to skin caused by scraping; 2. process of scraping or rubbing [abrade (v)]
|
Adumbrate
|
outline; indicate
|
Cognitive
|
concerned with thinking or perceiving [cognition (n)]
|
Deign
|
condescend
|
Fervid
|
passionate
|
Gall
|
1. bitterness (bad feeling); 2. confidence; 3. abnormal growth on a plant
|
Levee
|
1. raised bank of a river; 2. morning reception held by a monarch
|
Preternatural
|
unnatural; abnormal
|
Quell
|
suppress
|
Score (n)
|
written form of music
|
Group 2
Abut
|
to adjoin
|
Consternation
|
worry and concern
|
Gavel
|
judge’s hammer
|
Lien
|
right to sell property held as a security; legal hold on job etc.
|
Parenthesis
|
remarks deviating from the main point [parentheses are round brackets in punctuation]
|
Sinewy
|
vigorous; having well-developed muscles [a sinew is a tendon]
|
Steep (v)
|
to soak in water
|
Tamp
|
to plug; press loose matter down tightly (e.g. pack explosives into a hole)
|
Venturing
|
1. hazarding; risking; putting forward; 2. going somewhere [venturesome means courageous or willing to take risks]
|
Wry
|
1. twisted or bent to one side; 2. dryly humorous
|
Group 3
Arduous
|
hard
|
Decimated
|
kill or destroy a large part of (originally one tenth)
|
Fledge
|
1. grow feathers; 2. leave nest [fledgling (n) = an inexperienced person or a baby bird]
|
Gouge
|
cut or dig out
|
Picayune
|
insignificant; of little value
|
Riveting
|
fascinating [to rivet literally means to fix metal plates using metal pins]
|
Soliloquy
|
solo speech
|
Supplicant
|
person who requests or begs for something [supplicate (v)]
|
Transcendental
|
supernatural; going beyond normal experience [transcendent (a)]
|
Veritable
|
true; genuine [verity (n)]
|
Group 4
Condescension
|
talking down to someone [condescending (a)]
|
Divest
|
remove; take off
|
Eddy
|
circular current
|
Epaulet
|
shoulder decoration
|
Fallacy
|
wrong idea [fallacious (a)]
|
Fringe
|
1. decorative border with tassels (n); 2. to form an edge (v)
|
Leaven
|
to make light; modify; cause bread to rise using yeast etc.
|
Patronize
|
1. to talk down to; condescend; 2. to be a customer of
|
Prominent
|
1. eminent; 2. protruding; 3. obvious
|
Statute
|
law [statutory (a)]
|
Group 5
Antipathy
|
hatred
|
Aver
|
affirm
|
Expatiate
|
speak or write at great length
|
Flag (v)
|
1. to lose energy; 2. to signal
|
Flail
|
1. tool used to thresh grain; 2. to thresh (separate grain from chaff); 3. to wave arms about wildly
|
Indicted
|
accused (of crime)
|
Loll
|
laze around; hang out (when used of the tongue)
|
Malign
|
slander
|
Secure(v)
|
1. to fix firmly; 2. to obtain
|
Talon
|
long pointed nail or claw
|
Group 6
Abeyance
|
state of inactivity; disuse
|
Disarm
|
1. take away weapons; 2. win over to one’s side [disarming (a)]
|
Elaborate
|
1. complex and detailed (a); 2. to expand on (v)
|
Foment
|
1. stir up; 2. bathe with hot liquids (medical)
|
Jockeying
|
maneuvering; struggling to get ahead of others [jockey (v)]
|
Minutiae
|
small details
|
Rue
|
regret [rueful (a)]
|
Somatic
|
concerned with the body
|
Stinting
|
holding back; limiting the supply (of supplies/money etc.) [stint (v)]
|
Temperate
|
moderate
|
Group 7
Allure
|
1. attraction (n); 2. to attract (v)
|
Caulk
|
treat with substance such as tar to make water-tight
|
Conscript
|
1. person enlisted compulsorily into the armed forces; 2. (v) to enlist compulsorily
|
Desultory
|
aimless; inconsistent in effort
|
Elegy
|
poem concerned with death; praise of a dead person
|
Fallow
|
uncultivated
|
Forbearing
|
tolerant [forbear (v); forbearance (n)]
|
Hegemony
|
political domination; complete authority
|
Improbity
|
lack of honesty or integrity
|
Qualm
|
hesitation or fear
|
Group 8
Assay
|
1. try; 2. assess purity
|
Chauvinist
|
someone excessively patriotic [chauvinism (n)]
|
Discrete
|
separate; discontinuous (not to be confused with discreet - prudent; diplomatic]
|
Enlist
|
1. sign up for the army; 2. obtain
|
Fabricated
|
made up; false; manufactured [fabricate (v); fabrication(n)]
|
Fulminate
|
1. attack loudly in words; denounce thunderously; 2. explode noisily
|
Hawser
|
thick rope or cable
|
Jibe
|
agree with; complement; match up with (in British usage jibe means mock)
|
Peer
|
1. an equal; 2. to stare at; 3. nobleman
|
Stickler
|
one who is strict about rules or details
|
Group 9
Cloture
|
closure; terminating a debate by voting
|
Congruent
|
matching [congruency (n)]
|
Dally
|
waste time; flirt
|
Dissemble
|
avoid the truth
|
Dote
|
be excessively fond of [doting (a)]
|
Errant
|
1. wandering; 2. wrong; 3. straying from accepted standards
|
Fervent
|
passionate
|
Stomach (v)
|
to tolerate
|
Synapse
|
junction between two nerve cells
|
Undercutting
|
offering a lower price; undermining
|
Group 10
Arson
|
deliberate, criminal starting of fires
|
Carrion
|
dead flesh; carcasses
|
Intelligible
|
can be understood
|
Ironclad
|
cannot be altered; firm
|
Lint
|
fluff; soft material used to cover wounds
|
Pretension
|
assumed attitude of superiority; arrogance
|
Pundit
|
expert
|
Pyre
|
ceremonial fire
|
Sate
|
satisfy
|
Syncopation
|
type of musical rhythm with missed beats
|
Group 1
Abraded
|
worn away; eroded [abrade (v); abrasion (n)]
|
Apposite
|
fitting; suitable
|
Diatribe
|
tirade; violent denunciation; stream of criticism
|
Gerontocracy
|
government by the aged
|
Maculated
|
spotted
|
Quisling
|
traitor
|
Sedulity
|
thoroughness; perseverance [sedulous (a)]
|
Seine
|
type of fishing net
|
Tender
|
to offer
|
Waffle
|
talk nonsense
|
Group 2
Burlesque
|
1. comic play; 2. lampoon
|
Exemplar
|
model type [exemplary (a)]
|
Homiletics
|
art of preaching and giving sermons
|
Impugn
|
challenge; question someone’s honor etc.
|
Incubus
|
encumbrance; nightmarish thing
|
Lope
|
run with long strides
|
Macerate
|
soften or break up by soaking; weaken
|
Nostrum
|
remedy
|
Saw
|
1. tool for cutting; 2. wise saying
|
Sibyl
|
prophetess
|
Group 3
Brook
|
1. small stream; 2. tolerate
|
Emboss
|
decorate with a raised design
|
Eschew
|
shun; avoid
|
Limpid
|
transparently clear
|
Liturgy
|
form of worship
|
Nexus
|
connection
|
Odometer
|
instrument to measure distance covered
|
Purchase
|
1. grip; 2. buy
|
Quotidian
|
daily; routine
|
Seminal
|
essential; formative
|
Group 4
Agog
|
amazed; wide-eyed with enthusiasm
|
Amortize
|
pay off a debt in installments
|
Curmudgeon
|
grumpy person
|
Dormancy
|
state of inactivity
|
Efficacy
|
effectiveness
|
Epithet
|
phrase used as a label or to express the essential nature of
|
Figurehead
|
symbol of power; nominal leader
|
Fracas
|
fight; disturbance
|
Jamb
|
door post
|
Milk
|
to squeeze; obtain by application of pressure
|
Group 5
Chorales
|
simple hymns
|
Dissonance
|
discord; disagreement
|
Frieze
|
decorative border
|
Gist
|
essence; main point
|
Latent
|
hidden; real but undeveloped
|
Partiality
|
bias
|
Plodding
|
walking slowly and heavily; uninspired
|
Rekindle
|
relight; revive
|
Symphony
|
type of musical composition
|
Tarnished
|
made dull; spoil (reputation)
|
Group 6
Compromised
|
1. damaged or put in doubt (esp. of reputation); 2. reached an agreement by giving up part of a claim
|
Drabness
|
dullness
|
Endow
|
give gift; provide with money etc.
|
Esoterica
|
obscure details
|
Falters
|
hesitates
|
Prattle
|
mindless talk
|
Prohibitive
|
1. prohibiting; 2. exorbitantly expensive
|
Purist
|
conservative; one who insists on correct forms of language etc.
|
Quack
|
charlatan; fake
|
Taunt
|
mock; tease
|
Group 7
Arresting (a)
|
attracting attention; striking
|
Barrage
|
extended gunfire to cover an attack; dam across river; deluge or information etc.
|
Chantey
|
type of song sung by sailors
|
Ferrous
|
concerned with iron or its compounds
|
Manipulative
|
scheming
|
Orate
|
speak in a pompous manner
|
Psychosis
|
severe mental disturbance
|
Savor
|
enjoy
|
Table (v)
|
put down for future discussion
|
Underwrite
|
give guarantee, insure
|
Group 8
Dissident
|
person who disagrees [dissidence (n)]
|
Enigmatic
|
puzzling [enigma (n)]
|
Foolhardy
|
reckless [foolhardiness (n)]
|
Homogeneity
|
evenness; uniformity
|
Personification
|
1. represent something as a person; 2. a concrete example of
|
Plaque
|
1. surface deposit on teeth or in artery etc.; 2. decorative plate or sign
|
Plausibility
|
believability [plausible (a)]
|
Resilience
|
resistance; ability to spring back [resilience (a)]
|
Trilogy
|
set of three (literary works etc.); tetralogy = set of four
|
Vagary
|
something unaccountable; freak
|
Group 9
Aisle
|
corridor; passageway (esp. between rows of seats)
|
Discountenance
|
disallow
|
Imperative
|
must be obeyed
|
Indigent
|
poor; needy [indigence (n)]
|
Nadir
|
lowest point
|
Paranoia
|
mental state characterized by delusions or excessive fear
|
Prudence
|
caution; wisdom
|
Resuscitation
|
revival from unconsciousness [resuscitate (v)]
|
Shirk
|
avoid (esp. work)
|
Teetotalism
|
total abstinence from alcohol
|
Group 10
Balm
|
soothing ointment or anything soothing [balmy (a)]
|
Calibrate
|
mark an accurate scale on a device
|
Cataclysmic
|
violently disruptive [cataclysm (n)]
|
Impropriety
|
inappropriate behavior
|
Pith
|
center; soft part of stem; essence
|
Primordial
|
present from the beginning of time
|
Reconnaissance
|
examination or survey conducted in advance [reconnoiter (v)]
|
Sinistral
|
left-handed (or counterclockwise) [dextral - right handed]
|
Tempers
|
moderates
|
Undermine
|
subvert; attempt to overthrow
|
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