美国人的GRE词汇复习资料
鉴定结论-后备干部考察报告
(Cracking the GRE 2006 Edition
-
Princeton Review)
HIT PARADE GROUP 1
abscond verb to depart clandestinely; to
steal off and hide
aberrant adjective
deviating from the norm (noun form: aberration)
alacrity noun eager and
enthusiastic willingness
anomaly noun
deviation from the normal order, form, or rule;
abnormality (adjective form:
anomalous)
approbation noun an _expression of
approval or praise
arduous adjective
strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
assuage verb to ease or lessen; to
appease or pacify
audacious adjective
daring and fearless; recklessly bold (noun form:
audacity)
austere adjective
without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
(noun form: austerity)
axiomatic
adjective taken as a given; possessing self-
evident truth (noun form: axiom)
canonical adjective following or in
agreement with accepted, traditional standards
(noun
form: canon)
capricious
adjective inclined to change one's mind
impulsively; erratic, unpredictable
censure verb to criticize severely; to
officially rebuke
chicanery noun
trickery or subterfuge
connoisseur
noun an informed and astute judge in matters of
taste; expert
convoluted adjective
complex or complicated
1
disabuse verb to undeceive; to
set right
discordant adjective
conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
disparate adjective fundamentally
distinct or dissimilar
effrontery
noun extreme boldness; presumptuousness
eloquent adjective well-spoken,
expressive, articulate (noun form: eloquence)
enervate verb to weaken; to reduce in
vitality
ennui noun
dissatisfaction and restlessness result from
boredom or apathy
equivocate verb
to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
(adject form:
equivocal)
erudite
adjective very learned; scholarly (noun form:
erudition)
exculpate verb
exonerate; to clear of blame
exigent
adjective urgent, pressing; requiring,
immediate action or attention
extemporaneous adjective improvised; done
without preparation
filibuster noun
intentional obstruction, esp. using prolonged
speechmaking to delay
legislative action
fulminate verb to loudly attack or
denounce
ingenuous adjective
artless; frank and candid; lacking in
sophistication
inured adjective
accustomed to accepting something undesirable
irascible adjective easily angered;
prone to temperamental outbursts
laud
verb to praise highly (adjective form:
laudatory)
lucid adjective clear;
easily understood
magnanimity noun
the quality of being generously noble in mind and
heart, esp. in
forgiving (adjective form:
magnanimous)
martial adjective
associated with war and the armed forces
2
mundane adjective of the
world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
nascent adjective coming into
being; in early developmental stages
nebulous adjective vague; cloudy;
lacking clearly defined form
neologism
noun a new word, _expression, or usage; the
creation or use of new words or
senses
noxious adjective harmful, injurious
obtuse adjective lacking sharpness
of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or
_expression
obviate verb to
anticipate and make unnecessary
onerous
adjective troubling; burdensome
paean
noun a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
parody noun a humorous imitation
intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in
literature
and art
perennial
adjective recurrent through the year or many
years; happening repeatedly
perfidy
noun intentional breach of faith; treachery
(adjective form: perfidious)
perfunctory
adjective cursory; done without care or
interest
perspicacious adjective
acutely perceptive; having keen discernment (noun
form:
perspicacity)
prattle verb
to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and
idle manner
precipitate adjective
acting with excessive haste or impulse
precipitate verb to cause or happen
before anticipated or required
predilection noun a disposition in favor
of something; preference
prescience
noun foreknowledge of events; knowing of events
prior to their occurring
(adjective form:
prescient)
prevaricate verb to
deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
3
qualms noun misgivings;
reservations; causes for hesitancy
recant verb to retract, esp. a
previously held belief
refute verb
to disprove; to successfully argue against
relegate verb to forcibly assign, esp.
to a lower place or position
reticent
adjective quiet; reserved; reluctant to express
thoughts and feelings
solicitous
adjective concerned and attentive; eager
sordid adjective characterized by filth,
grime, or squalor; foul
sporadic
adjective occurring only occasionally, or in
scattered instances
squander verb
to waste by spending or using irresponsibly
static adjective not moving, active, or
in motion; at rest
stupefy verb to
stun, baffle, or amaze
stymie verb
to block; thwart
synthesis noun
the combination of parts to make a whole (verb
form: synthesize)
torque noun a
force that causes rotation
tortuous
adjective winding, twisting; excessively
complicated
truculent adjective
fierce and cruel; eager to fight
veracity noun truthfulness, honesty
virulent adjective extremely harmful or
poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
voracious adjective having an insatiable
appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
waver verb to move to and fro; to sway;
to be unsettled in opinion
END OF LIST 1
4
HIT PARADE GROUP 2
abate verb to lessen in intensity or
degree
accolade noun an
_expression of praise
adulation noun
excessive praise; intense adoration
aesthetic adjective dealing with,
appreciative of, or responsive to art or the
beautiful
ameliorate verb to make
better or more tolerable
ascetic noun
one who practices rigid self-denial, esp. as an
act of religious devotion
avarice
noun greed, esp. for wealth (adjective form:
avaricious)
axiom noun a
universally recognized principle (adjective form:
axiomatic)
burgeon verb to grow
rapidly or flourish
bucolic adjective
rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas
and their inhabitants
cacophony noun
harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
(adjective form:
cacophonous)
canon
noun an established set of principles or code
of laws, often religous in nature
(adjective
form: canonical)
castigation noun
severe criticism or punishment (verb form:
castigate)
catalyst noun a
substance that accelerates the rate of chemical
reaction without itself
changing; a person or
thing that causes change
caustic
adjective burning or stinging; causing
corrosion
chary adjective wary;
cautious; sparing
cogent adjective
appealing forcibly to the mind or reason;
convincing
complaisance noun the
willingness to comply with the wishes of others
(adjective form:
complaisant)
contentious adjective argumentative;
quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
5
contrite adjective
regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness (noun
form: contrition)
culpable adjective
deserving blame (noun form: culpability)
dearth noun smallness of quantity or
number; scarcity; a lack
demur verb
to question or oppose
didactic
adjective intended to teach or instruct
discretion noun cautious reserve in
speech; ability to make responsible decions
(adjective
form: discrete)
disinterested adjective free of bias or
self-interest; impartial
dogmatic
adjective expressing a rigid opinion based on
unproved or improvable principles.
(noun form:
dogma)
ebullience adjective the
quality of lively or enthusiastic _expression of
thoughts and
feelings (adjective form:
ebullient)
eclectic adjective
composed of elements drawn from various sources
elegy noun a mournful poem, esp.
one lamenting the dead (adjective form: elegiac)
emollient adjectivenoun soothing,
esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying;
an agent
that softens or smoothes the skin
empirical adjective based on
observation or experiment
enigmatic
adjective mysterious; obscure; difficult to
understand (noun form: enigma)
ephemeral
adjective brief; fleeting
esoteric
adjective intended for or understood by a
small, specific group
eulogy noun
a speech honoring the dead (verb form: eulogize)
exonerate verb to remove blame
facetious adjective playful;
humorous
fallacy noun an invalid
or incorrect notion; a mistaken belief (adjective
form: fallacious)
6
furtive adjective marked by
stealth; covert; surreptitious
gregarious adjective sociable; outgoing;
enjoying the company of other people
harangue verbnoun to deliver a pompous
speech or tirade; a long, pompous speech
heretical adjective violating accepted
dogma or convention (noun form: heresy)
hyperbole noun an exaggerated statement,
often used as a figure of speech (adjective
form: hyperbolic)
impecunious
adjective lacking funds; without money
incipient adjective beginning to come
into being or to become apparent
insert
adjective unmoving; lethargic; sluggish
innocuous adjective harmless; causing no
damage
intransigent adjective
refusing to compromise (noun form: intransigence)
inveigle verb to obtain by
deception or flattery
morose
adjective sad; sullen; melancholy
odious adjective evoking intense
aversion or dislike
opaque adjective
impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
oscillation noun the act or state of
swinging back and forth with a steady,
uninterrupted
rhythm (verb form: oscillate)
penurious adjective penny-
pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
pernicious adjective extremely harmful;
potentially causing death
peruse verb
to examine with great care (noun form: perusal)
pious adjective extremely reverent
or devout; showing strong religious devotion (noun
form:
piety)
precursor noun
one that precedes and indicates or announces
another
preen verb to dress up; to
primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
7
prodigious adjective
abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
prolific adjective producing large
volumes or amounts; productive
putrefy
verb to rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
(adjective form: putrid)
quaff verb
to drink deeply
quiescence noun
stillness; motionlessness; quality of being at
rest (adjective form:
quiescent)
redoubtable adjective awe-inspiring;
worthy of honor
sanction nounverb
authoritative permission or approval; a penalty
intended to enforce
compliance; to give
permission or authority to
satire
noun a literary work that ridicules or
criticizes a human vice through humor or
derision (adjective form; satirical)
squalid adjective sordid; wretched and
dirty as from neglect (noun form: squalor)
stoic adjective indifferent to or
unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast (noun
form;
stoicism)
supplant verb
to take the place of; supersede
torpid
adjective lethargic; sluggish; dormant (noun form:
torpor)
ubiquitous adjective existing
everywhere at the same time; constantly
encountered;
wide-spread
urbane
adjective sophisticated; refined; elegant (noun
form: urbanity)
vilify verb to
defame; to characterize harshly
viscous
adjective thick; sticky (noun form: viscosity)
8
HIT PARADE GROUP
3
acumen noun keen, accurate
judgement or insight
adulterate verb
to reduce purity by coming with inferior
ingredients
archaic adjective
outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more
primitive, time
aver verb to state
as a fact; to declare or assert
bolster
verb to provide support or reinforcement
bolster verb to provide support or
reinforcement
bombastic adjective
pompous; grandiloquent (noun form: bombast)
diatribe noun to disguise or conceal; to
mislead
eccentric adjective
departing from norms or conventions
endemic adjective characteristic of or
often found in a particular locality, region, or
people
evanescent adjective
tending to disappear like vapor, vanishing
exacerbate verb to make worse or more
severe
fervent adjective greatly
emotional or zealous (noun form: fervor)
fortuitous adjective happening by
accident or chance
germane adjective
relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in
subject matter
grandiloquence noun
pompous speech or _expression (adjective form:
grandiloquent)
hackneyed adjective
rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
halcyon adjective calm and
peaceful
hedonism noun devotion to
pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasures of the
senses (a
hedonist is someone who pursues
pleasure)
hegemony noun the
consistent dominance of one state or ideology over
others
9
iconoclast
noun one who attacks or undermines traditional
conventions or institutions
idolatrous
adjective given to intense or excessive
devotion to something (noun form:
idolatry)
impassive adjective revealing no
emotion
imperturbable adjective
marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
implacable adjective not capable
of being appeased or significantly changed
impunity noun immunity from punishment
or penalty
inchoate adjective in
an initial stage; not fully formed
infelicitous adjective unfortunate;
inappropriate
insipid adjective
without taste or flavor, lacking, in spirit; bland
loquacious adjective extremely
talkative (noun form: loquacity)
luminous adjective characterized by
brightness and the emission of light
malevolent adjective having or showing
often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred (noun
form:
malevolence)
malleable
adjective capable of being shaped or formed;
tractable; pliable
mendacity noun
the condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
(adjective form: mendacious)
meticulous
adjective characterized by extreme care and
precision; attentive to detail
misanthrope noun one who hates all other
humans (adjective form: misanthropic)
mitigate verb to make or become less
severe or intense; to moderate
obdurate
adjective unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
obsequious adjective exhibiting a
fawning attentiveness
occlude verb
to obstruct or block
opprobrium noun
disgrace; contempt; scorn
10
pedagogy noun the profession or principles
of teaching, or instructing
pedantic
adjective overly concerned with the trivial
details of learning or education;
show-offish
about one's knowledge
penury noun
poverty; destitution
pervasive
adjective having the tendency to permeate or
spread throughout
pine verb to
yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
pirate verb to illegally use or
reproduce
pith noun to essential
or central part
pithy adjective
precise and brief
placate verb to
appease; to calm by making concessions
platitude noun a superficial remark,
esp. one offered as meaningful
plummet
verb to plunge or drop straight down
polemical adjective controversial;
argumentative
prodigal adjective
recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
profuse adjective given or coming
forth abundantly; extravagant
proliferate verb to grow or increase
swiftly and abundantly
queries noun
questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind;
reservations
querulous adjective
prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
rancorous adjective characterized by
bitter, long-lasting resentment (noun form:
rancor)
recalcitrant adjective
obstinately defiant of authority; difficult ot
manage
repudiate verb to refuse to
have anything to do with; disown
rescind
verb to invalidate; repeal; to retract
11
reverent adjective
marked by, feeling, or expressing a feeling of
profound awe and respect
(noun form:
reverence)
rhetoric noun the art
or study of effective use of language for
communication and
persuasion
salubrious adjective promoting health or
well-being
solvent adjective able
to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve
another substance
specious adjective
seeming true, but actually being fallacious;
misleadingly attractive;
plausible but false
spurious adjective lacking
authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
subpoena noun a court order requiring
appearance andor testimony
succinct
adjective brief; concise
superfluous
adjective exceeding what is sufficient or
necessary
surfeit nounverb an
overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to
excess
tenacity noun the quality
of adherence or persistence to something valued;
persistent
determination (adjective form:
tenacious)
tenuous adjective
having, little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
tirade noun a long and extremely
critical speech; a harsh denunciation
transient adjective fleeting; passing
quickly; brief
zealous adjective
fervent; ardent; impassioned, devoted to a cause
(a zealot is a zealous
person)
12
HIT PARADE GROUP 4
acerbic adjective having a sour or
bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
aggrandize verb to increase in
intensity, power, influence or prestige
alchemy noun a medieval science aimed as
the transmutation of metals, esp. base metals into
gold (an alchemist
is one who practices
alchemy)
amenable adjective
agreeable; responsive to suggestion
anachronism noun something or someone
out of place in terms of historical or
chronological context
astringent
adjectivenoun having a tightening effect on
living tissue; harsh; severe; something with a
tightening
effect on tissue
contiguous adjective sharing a border;
touching; adjacent
convention noun
a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude
credulous adjective tending to believe
too readily; gullible (noun form: credulity)
cynicism noun an attitude or quality of
belief that all people are motivated by
selfishness (adjective form: cynical)
decorum noun polite or appropriate
conduct or behavior (adjective form: decorous)
derision noun scorn, ridicule,
contemptuous treatment (adjective form: derisive;
verb form: deride)
desiccate verb
to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
dilettante noun one with an amateurish
or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of
knowledge
disparage verb to slight
or belittle
divulge verb to
disclose something secret
fawn verb
to flatter or praise excessively
flout
verb to show contempt for, as in a rule or
convention
garrulous adjective
pointlessly talkative, talking too much
13
glib adjective marked by
ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth;
superficial
hubris noun
overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
imminent adjective about to happen;
impending
immutable adjective not
capable of change
impetuous adjective
hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and
vehement
indifferent adjective
having no interest or concern; showing no bias or
prejudice
inimical adjective
damaging; harmful; injurious
intractable
adjective not easily managed or directed;
stubborn; obstinate
intrepid
adjective steadfast and courageous
laconic adjective using few words; terse
maverick noun an independent
individual who does not go along with a group or
party
mercurial adjective
characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in
mood
mollify verb to calm or
soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
neophyte noun a recent convert; a
beginner; novice
obfuscate verb to
deliberately obscure; to make confusing
obstinate adjective stubborn;
hardheaded; uncompromising
ostentatious
adjective characterized by or given to
pretentious display; showy
pervade
verb to permeate throughout (adjective form:
pervasive)
phlegmatic adjective
calm; sluggish;unemotional
plethora
noun an overabundance; a surplus
pragmatic adjective practical rather
than idealistic
presumptuous
adjective overstepping due bounds (as of
propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
14
pristine adjective
pure; uncorrupted; clean
probity noun
adherence to highest principles; complete and
confirmed integrity; uprightness
proclivity noun a natural predisposition
or inclination
profligate adjective
excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant (noun
form: profligacy)
propensity noun
a natural inclination or tendency, penchant
prosaic adjective dull; lacking in
spirit or imagination
pungent
adjective characterized by a strong, sharp
smell or taste
quixotic adjective
foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic
ideals
quotidian adjective
occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
rarefy verb to make or become thin, less
dense; to refine
recondite adjective
hidden; concealed; difficult to understand;
obscure
refulgent adjective
radiant; shiny; brilliant
renege verb
to fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a
promise
sedulous adjective
diligent; persistent; hard-working
shard
noun a piece of broken pottery or glass
soporific adjective causing drowsiness;
tending to induce sleep
sparse
adjective thin; not dense; arranged at widely
spaced intervals
spendthrift noun
one who spends money wastefully
subtle
adjective not obvious; elusive; difficult to
discern
tacit adjective implied;
not explicitly stated
terse adjective
brief and concise in wording
tout
verb to publicly praise or promote
15
trenchant adjective
sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
unfeigned adjective genuine; not false
or hypocritical
untenable adjective
indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
vacillate verb to waver indecisively
between one course of action or opinion and
another; waver
variegated adjective
multicolored; characterized by a variety of
patches of different color
vexation
noun annoyance; irritation (noun form: vex)
vigilant adjective alertly
watchful (noun form: vigilance)
vituperate verb to use harsh
condemnatory language; to abuse or censure
severely or abusively; berate
volatile
adjective readily changing to a vapor;
changeable; fick; explosive (noun form:
volatility)
16
BEYOND THE HIT PARADE GROUP
1
alloy verb to commingle; to
debase by mixing with something inferior;
unalloyed means
pure
appropriate
verb to take for one's own use, confiscate
arrest, arresting verb adjective to
suspend; to engage; holding one's attention as in
arrested adolescence, an arresting portrait
august adjective majestic,
venerable
bent noun leaning,
inclination, proclivity, tendency:
broach verb bring up, announce, begin to
talk about
brook verb to tolerate,
endure, countenance
cardinal
adjective major, as in cardinal sin
chauvinist noun a blindly devoted
patriot
color verb to change as if
by dyeing, i.e., to distort, gloss or affect
(usually the first):
journalism colored the
truth.
consequential adjective
pompous, self-important (primary definitions are:
logically
following; important)
damp
verb to diminish the intensity or check the
vibration of a sound
die noun a
tool used for shaping, as in a tool-and-die shop
essay verb to test or try;
attempt, experiment:
steps.
exact
verb to demand, call for, require, take:
fell verb to cause to fall by striking:
fell adjective inhumanly cruel:
flag verb to sag or droop, to
become spiritless to decline: Think of a flag on a
windless day,
as in her flagging spirits
17
flip adjective
sarcastic, impertinent, as in flippant: a flip
remark
ford verb to wade across
the shallow part of a river or stream
grouse verb to complain or grumble
guy noun verb a rope, cord, or cable
attached to something as a brace or guide; to
steady
or reinforce using a guy: Think guide
intimate verb to imply, suggest,
or insinuate:
list verb to tilt or
lean to one side:
lumber verb to
move heavily and clumsily:
actually graceful
swimmers.
meet adjective fitting,
proper:
hall of fame.
milk verb
to exploit, to squeeze every last ounce of:
worth.
mince verb pronounce or
speak affectedly, euphemize, speak too carefully:
words.
nice adjective exacting,
fastidious, extremely precise:
the two
cases.
obtain adjective to be
established, accepted, or customary:
obtain.
occult adjective
hidden, concealed, beyond comprehension
pedestrian adjective commonplace, trite,
unremarkable, quotidian
pied
adjective multicolored, usually in blotches:
because of his multicolored coat.
pine verb to lose vigor (as through
grief): to yearn
plastic adjective
moldable, pliable, not rigid
18
pluck noun courage, spunk,
fortitude:
countrymen during the war.
prize verb to pry, to press or force
with level; something taken by force, spoils:
information was prized from him.
rail
verb to complain about bitterly:
barons.
rent verb noun torn,
past of rend:
such: a large rent in the fabric
quail verb to lose courage, turn
frightened
qualify verb to limit:
sap verb to enervate or weaken the
vitality of:
sap noun a fool or
nitwit:
scurvy adjective
contemptible, despicable:
singular
adjective exceptional, unusual, odd:
stand noun a group of trees
steep verb to saturate or completely
soak, as in to let a tea bag steep: She was
steeped in
esoteric knowledge.
strut
noun the supporting structural cross-part of a
wing
table verb to remove (as a
parliamentary motion) from consideration:
motion and will consider it again later.
tender verb to proffer or offer:
waffle verb to equivocate; to change
one's position:
waffles too much; he can never
make up his mind.
wag noun wit,
joker:
19
BEYOND THE HIT PARADE GROUP 2
abjure verb to renounce or reject solemnly;
to recant; to avoid
adumbrate verb
to foreshadow vaguely or intimate; to suggest or
outline sketchily; to
obscure or overshadow
anathema noun a solemn or
ecclesiastical (religious) curse; accursed or
thoroughly
loathed person or thing
anodyne adjective noun soothing,
something that assuages or allays pain or comforts
apogee noun farthest or highest
point; culmination; zenith
apostate
noun one who abandons long-held religious or
political convictions
apotheosis noun
deification, glorification to godliness, an
exalted example, a model of
excellence or
perfection
asperity noun severity,
rigor; roughness, harshness; acrimony,
irritability
asseverate verb to
aver, allege, assert
assiduous
adjective diligent, hard-working, sedulous
augury noun omen, portent
bellicose adjective belligerent,
pugnacious, warlike
calumniate verb
to slander, make a false accusation; calumny means
slander, aspersion
captious adjective
disposed to point out trivial faults, calculated
to confuse or entrap in
argument
cavil verb to find fault without good
reason
celerity noun speed,
alacrity; think
chimera noun an
illusion; originally, an imaginary fire-breathing
she-monster
contumacious adjective
insubordinate, rebellious; contumely means insult,
scorn,
aspersion
20
debacle noun rout, fiasco,
complete failure:
debacle.
denouncement noun an outcome or
solution; the unraveling of a plot
descry verb to discriminate or discern
desuetude noun disuse:
use.
desultory adjective
random; aimless; marked by a lack of plan or
purpose:
performance impressed no one.
diaphanous adjective transparent, gauzy
diffident adjective reserved, shy,
unassuming; lacking in self-confidence:
CEO of
the corporation had been a diffident youth.
dirge noun a song of grief or
lamentation:
encomium noun glowing
and enthusiastic praise; panegyric, tribute,
eulogy
eschew verb to shun or
avoid:
watch DVDs at home.
excoriate
verb to censure scathingly, to upbraid
execrate verb denounce, feel loathing
for, curse, declare to be evil
exegesis
noun critical examination, explication
expiate verb to atone or make amends
for:
good works and charity.
extirpate verb to destroy, exterminate,
cut out, exscind
fatuous adjective
silly, inanely foolish:
fractious
adjective quarrelsome, rebellious, unruly,
refractory, irritable
gainsay verb
to deny, dispute, contradict, oppose
heterodox adjective unorthodox,
heretical, iconoclastic
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imbroglio noun difficult or
embarrassing situation
indefatigable
adjective not easily exhaustible; tireless;
dogged
ineluctable adjective
certain, inevitable
inimitable
adjective one of a kind, peerless
insouciant adjective unconcerned,
carefree, heedless
inveterate
adjective deep rooted, ingrained, habitual
jejune adjective vapid, uninteresting,
nugatory; childish, immature, puerile
lubricious adjective lewd, wanton,
greasy, slippery
mendicant noun a
beggar, supplicant
meretricious
adjective cheap, gaudy; tawdry, flashy, showy;
attracting by false show
minatory
adjective menacing, threatening (reminds you of
the Minotaur, a threatening
creature indeed)
nadir noun low point, perigee
nonplussed adjective baffled,
bewildered, at a loss for what to do or think
obstreperous adjective noisily and
stubbornly defiant, aggressively boisterous
ossified adjective tending to become
more rigid, conventional, sterile, and reactionary
with
age; literally; turned into bone
palliate verb to make something seem
less serious, to gloss over, to make less severe
or
intense
panegyric noun
formal praise, eulogy, encomium; panegyrical means
expressing
elaborate praise
parsimonious adjective cheap, miserly;
great difficulty.
pellucid
adjective transparent, easy to understand,
limpid
peroration noun the
concluding part of a speech; flowery, rhetorical
speech
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plangent
adjective pounding, thundering, resounding
prolix adjective long-winded, verbose;
prolixity means verbosity:
famous for his
prolixity.
propitiate verb to
appease; to conciliate; propitious means
auspicious, favorable
puerile
adjective childish, immature, jejune, nugatory
puissance noun power, strength;
puissant means powerful, strong;
a puissant
speech to the convention.
pusillanimous
adjective cowardly, craven
remonstrate verb to protest, object
sagacious adjective having sound
judgement; perceptive, wise; like a sage
salacious adjective lustful, lascivious,
bawdy
salutary adjective remedial,
wholesome, causing improvement
sanguine
adjective cheerful, confident, optimistic
saturnine adjective gloomy, dark,
sullen, morose
sententious adjective
aphoristic or moralistic; epigrammatic; tending to
moralize
excessively
stentorian
adjective extremely loud and powerful
stygian adjective gloomy, dark
sycophant noun toady, servile, self-
seeking flatterer; parasite
tendentious
adjective biased; showing marked tendencies
timorous adjective timid, fearful,
diffident
tyro noun novice,
greenhorn, rank amateur
vitiate verb
to corrupt, debase, spoil, make ineffective
voluble adjective fluent, verbal, having
easy use of spoken language
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