-
abnegation
the denial and rejection of a doctrine or belief
-
abrogate
revoke formally
-
abstruse
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
-
abysmal
resembling an abyss in depth; so deep as to be unmeasurable
-
accoutre
provide with military equipment
-
adventitious
associated by chance and not an integral part
-
affected
acted upon; influenced
-
aggrandize
add details to
-
alacrity
liveliness and eagerness
-
alimentary
of or providing nourishment
-
allegory
a short moral story (often with animal characters)
-
alloy
a mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten
-
amity
a state of friendship and cordiality
-
amok
wildly; without self-control
-
animus
a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
-
anneal
bring to a desired consistency, texture, or hardness by a process of gradually heating and cooling
-
antic
ludicrously odd
-
aphorism
a short pithy instructive saying
-
apiary
a shed containing a number of beehives
-
aplomb
great coolness and composure under strain
-
apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
-
apothegm
a short pithy instructive saying
-
apotheosis
model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
-
appellation
identifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others
-
apposite
being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
-
approbation
official approval
-
appropriate
suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc
-
appurtenances
-
aquiline
curved down like an eagle's beak
-
arabesque
position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and arms outstretched in a conventional pose
-
arcade
a structure composed of a series of arches supported by columns
-
argot
a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
-
array
an impressive display
-
artless
simple and natural; without cunning or deceit
-
asperity
harshness of manner
-
astringent
tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
-
atavism
a reappearance of an earlier characteristic
-
axiom
(logic) a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof; its truth is assumed to be self-evident
-
badinage
frivolous banter
-
baleful
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
-
balk
refuse to comply
-
baneful
deadly or sinister
-
bedizen
decorate tastelessly
-
beguile
attract; cause to be enamored
-
behoove
be appropriate or necessary
-
belie
be in contradiction with
-
benison
a spoken blessing
-
bilious
relating to or containing bile
-
bluff
a high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)
-
blot
a blemish made by dirt
-
bowdlerize
edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
-
brindled
having a grey or brown streak or a pattern or a patchy coloring; used especially of the patterned fur of cats
-
buffet
a piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room; has shelves and drawers
-
burlesque
a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor; consists of comic skits and short turns (and sometimes striptease)
-
cadge
obtain or seek to obtain by cadging or wheedling
-
callow
young and inexperienced
-
calumny
a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
-
canard
a deliberately misleading fabrication
-
canny
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others
-
canon
a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired
-
cant
a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
-
canter
a smooth three-beat gait; between a trot and a gallop
-
canto
a major division of a long poem
-
captious
tending to find and call attention to faults
-
carrion
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
-
cavalcade
a procession of people traveling on horseback
-
cavil
raise trivial objections
-
celerity
a rate that is rapid
-
censorious
harshly critical or expressing censure
-
cerebration
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
-
chaff
material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
-
charlatan
a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes
-
chary
characterized by great caution and wariness
-
chase
go after with the intent to catch
-
checkered
patterned with alternating squares of color
-
chicanery
the use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)
-
chisel
an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge
-
choleric
characterized by anger
-
cipher
a secret method of writing
-
clemency
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
-
cogitate
consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind
-
cognate
related by blood
-
collate
to assemble in proper sequence
-
collation
assembling in proper numerical or logical sequence
-
colloquy
formal conversation
-
comity
a state or atmosphere of harmony or mutual civility and respect
-
commensurate
corresponding in size or degree or extent
-
complaisant
showing a cheerful willingness to do favors for others
-
comport
behave in a certain manner
-
compunction
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
-
concatenate
add by linking or joining so as to form a chain or series
-
concomitant
following or accompanying as a consequence
-
concord
a harmonious state of things in general and of their properties (as of colors and sounds); congruity of parts with one another and with the whole
-
condign
fitting or appropriate and deserved; used especially of punishment
-
conflate
mix together different elements
-
congruence
the quality of agreeing; being suitable and appropriate
-
congruent
corresponding in character or kind
-
conjure
summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
-
connivance
agreement on a secret plot
-
consanguinity
(anthropology) related by blood
-
consonance
the property of sounding harmonious
-
consort
keep company with; hang out with
-
consummate
having or revealing supreme mastery or skill
-
content
satisfied or showing satisfaction with things as they are
-
continence
voluntary control over urinary and fecal discharge
-
controvert
be resistant to
-
contumacious
wilfully obstinate; stubbornly disobedient
-
conversant
(usually followed by `with') well informed about or knowing thoroughly
-
convivial
occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
-
coquette
talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions
-
coterie
an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
-
countenance
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
-
cozen
be false to; be dishonest with
-
credulity
tendency to believe readily
-
cynosure
something that provides guidance (as Polaris guides mariners)
-
declivity
a downward slope or bend
-
decollete
(of a garment) having a low-cut neckline
-
decorum
propriety in manners and conduct
-
defray
bear the expenses of
-
deign
do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
-
deleterious
harmful to living things
-
demagogue
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices
-
demur
take exception to
-
demure
affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
-
denouement
the outcome of a complex sequence of events
-
depredation
an act of plundering and pillaging and marauding
-
descry
catch sight of
-
desuetude
a state of inactivity or disuse
-
desultory
marked by lack of definite plan or regularity or purpose; jumping from one thing to another
-
diadem
an ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty
-
diaphanous
so thin as to transmit light
-
didactic
instructive (especially excessively)
-
diffidence
lack of self-confidence
-
dilatory
wasting time
-
dilettante
an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge
-
disapprobation
an expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable
-
discomfit
cause to lose one's composure
-
discursive
proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition
-
disinterested
unaffected by self-interest
-
disjunction
state of being disconnected
-
disport
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
-
disputatious
inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits
-
disquietude
feelings of anxiety that make you tense and irritable
-
disquisition
an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion
-
dissimulate
hide (feelings) from other people
-
distrait
having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
-
doggerel
a comic verse of irregular measure
-
dolorous
showing sorrow
-
ductile
capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
-
efface
remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing
-
effete
marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay
-
effrontery
audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to
-
effusion
an unrestrained expression of emotion
-
emend
make improvements or corrections to
-
emendation
a correction by emending; a correction resulting from critical editing
-
emetic
a medicine that induces nausea and vomiting
-
emolument
compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in the form of wages or fees)
-
encomiastic
formally expressing praise
-
encomium
a formal expression of praise
-
endue
give qualities or abilities to
-
enervate
weaken mentally or morally
-
enmity
a state of deep-seated ill-will
-
ennui
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
-
epigram
a witty saying
-
epistemologist
a specialist in epistemology
-
equable
not varying
-
equanimity
steadiness of mind under stress
-
equipoise
equality of distribution
-
evince
give expression to
-
exceptionable
liable to objection or debate; used of something one might take exception to
-
exculpate
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
-
execrable
unequivocally detestable
-
execrate
curse or declare to be evil or anathema or threaten with divine punishment
-
exigency
a pressing or urgent situation
-
exiguous
extremely scanty
-
expiate
make amends for
-
exploit
use or manipulate to one's advantage
-
extant
still in existence; not extinct or destroyed or lost
-
extenuate
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
-
extirpate
destroy completely, as if down to the roots
-
factotum
a servant employed to do a variety of jobs
-
fallacious
containing or based on a fallacy
-
fatuous
devoid of intelligence
-
febrile
of or relating to or characterized by fever
-
feckless
generally incompetent and ineffectual
-
fecundity
the state of being fertile; capable of producing offspring
-
feint
any distracting or deceptive maneuver (as a mock attack)
-
fell
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
-
ferment
cause to undergo fermentation
-
fetter
a shackle for the ankles or feet
-
filch
make off with belongings of others
-
flail
an implement consisting of handle with a free swinging stick at the end; used in manual threshing
-
florid
elaborately or excessively ornamented
-
flute
a high-pitched woodwind instrument; a slender tube closed at one end with finger holes on one end and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown
-
foil
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
-
founder
a person who founds or establishes some institution
-
fractious
easily irritated or annoyed
-
fructify
make productive or fruitful
-
fulminate
cause to explode violently and with loud noise
-
furtive
secret and sly or sordid
-
fusillade
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
-
gainsay
take exception to
-
gall
a digestive juice secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder; aids in the digestion of fats
-
gambol
play boisterously
-
genuflect
bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
-
glib
artfully persuasive in speech
-
glutinous
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
-
guile
shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
-
guileless
free of deceit
-
gustatory
of or relating to gustation
-
hackles
a feeling of anger and animosity
-
halcyon
a mythical bird said to breed at the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea and to have the power of calming the winds and waves
-
hale
exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health
-
heterodox
characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or standards
-
hireling
a person who works only for money
-
hortatory
giving strong encouragement
-
hovel
small crude shelter used as a dwelling
-
hue and cry
loud and persistent outcry from many people
-
hummock
a small natural hill
-
humus
partially decomposed organic matter; the organic component of soil
-
hypercritical
inclined to judge too severely
-
hypocritical
professing feelings or virtues one does not have
-
ignominy
a state of dishonor
-
imbroglio
an intricate and confusing interpersonal or political situation
-
impassive
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
-
impecunious
not having enough money to pay for necessities
-
importunate
expressing earnest entreaty
-
importune
beg persistently and urgently
-
imprecation
the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)
-
improvident
not provident; not providing for the future
-
incommodious
uncomfortably or inconveniently small
-
indite
produce a literary work
-
indolent
disinclined to work or exertion
-
ineffable
defying expression or description
-
ineluctable
impossible to avoid or evade:"inescapable conclusion"
-
inept
generally incompetent and ineffectual
-
ingenious
showing inventiveness and skill
-
ingenuous
lacking in sophistication or worldliness
-
ingrate
a person who shows no gratitude
-
inimical
not friendly
-
inimitable
defying imitation; matchless
-
iniquitous
characterized by iniquity; wicked because it is believed to be a sin
-
insensate
devoid of feeling and consciousness and animation
-
insouciant
marked by blithe unconcern
-
intimate
imply as a possibility
-
inured
made tough by habitual exposure
-
inveigle
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
-
inveterate
habitual
-
invidious
containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice
-
jaded
exhausted
-
knave
a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
-
labile
liable to change
-
lancet
a surgical knife with a pointed double-edged blade; used for punctures and small incisions
-
languid
lacking spirit or liveliness
-
languor
inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
-
lassitude
a feeling of lack of interest or energy
-
lechery
unrestrained indulgence in sexual activity
-
legerdemain
an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers
-
ligneous
consisting of or containing lignin or xylem
-
limn
make a portrait of
-
limpid
clear and bright
-
litotes
understatement for rhetorical effect (especially when expressing an affirmative by negating its contrary)
-
maladroit
not adroit
-
malediction
the act of calling down a curse that invokes evil (and usually serves as an insult)
-
malefactor
someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
-
manumit
free from slavery or servitude
-
mendacious
given to lying
-
mendicant
practicing beggary
-
misogamy
hatred of marriage
-
modish
in the current fashion or style
-
mountebank
a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes
-
mulct
money extracted as a penalty
-
nostrum
patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
-
nugatory
of no real value
-
obloquy
a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
-
obstreperous
noisily and stubbornly defiant
-
obtuse
of an angle; between 90 and 180 degrees
-
odious
unequivocally detestable
-
odium
hate coupled with disgust
-
officious
intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
-
opprobrium
a state of extreme dishonor
-
oracular
of or relating to an oracle
-
overweening
presumptuously arrogant
-
palimpsest
a manuscript (usually written on papyrus or parchment) on which more than one text has been written with the earlier writing incompletely erased and still visible
-
pall
burial garment in which a corpse is wrapped
-
palliate
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
-
parley
a negotiation between enemies
-
paroxysm
a sudden uncontrollable attack
-
pastiche
a work of art that imitates the style of some previous work
-
pellucid
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity
-
pendulous
having branches or flower heads that bend downward
-
penury
a state of extreme poverty or destitution
-
peon
a laborer who is obliged to do menial work
-
peregrination
traveling or wandering around
-
perfidious
tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the Carthaginians by the Romans
-
peripatetic
traveling especially on foot
-
pernicious
exceedingly harmful
-
peroration
(rhetoric) the concluding section of an oration
-
perquisite
an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right)
-
perspicacious
mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
-
perspicuity
clarity as a consequence of being perspicuous
-
perspicuous
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
-
pert
characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality
-
pertinacious
stubbornly unyielding
-
physiognomy
the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is British)
-
pique
a sudden outburst of anger
-
poultice
a medical dressing consisting of a soft heated mass of meal or clay that is spread on a cloth and applied to the skin to treat inflamed areas or improve circulation etc.
-
prate
speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
-
precipitous
extremely steep
-
prelate
a senior clergyman and dignitary
-
presumptuous
excessively forward
-
preternatural
existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
-
prevaricate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
-
prodigious
so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
-
profound
situated at or extending to great depth; too deep to have been sounded or plumbed
-
prolixity
boring verbosity
-
propinquity
the property of being close together
-
propitiate
make peace with
-
prosaic
lacking wit or imagination
-
proscenium
the part of a modern theater stage between the curtain and the orchestra (i.e., in front of the curtain)
-
prosody
the study of poetic meter and the art of versification
-
protean
taking on different forms
-
protuberance
something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings
-
provenance
where something originated or was nurtured in its early existence
-
prurient
characterized by lust
-
puerile
displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
-
pugilist
someone who fights with his fists for sport
-
pugnacity
a natural disposition to be hostile
-
puissant
powerful
-
pulchritude
physical beauty (especially of a woman)
-
punctilious
marked by precise accordance with details
-
putative
purported; commonly put forth or accepted as true on inconclusive grounds
-
quarry
animal hunted or caught for food
-
querulous
habitually complaining
-
quiescent
being quiet or still or inactive
-
quisling
someone who collaborates with an enemy occupying force
-
quotidian
found in the ordinary course of events
-
raiment
especially fine or decorative clothing
-
ratiocination
the proposition arrived at by logical reasoning (such as the proposition that must follow from the major and minor premises of a syllogism)
-
reactionary
extremely conservative
-
rebus
a puzzle where you decode a message consisting of pictures representing syllables and words
-
recondite
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
-
redolent
having a strong pleasant odor
-
redoubtable
inspiring fear
-
refectory
a communal dining-hall (usually in a monastery)
-
refractory
stubbornly resistant to authority or control
-
refulgent
radiating or as if radiating light
-
regale
provide with choice or abundant food or drink
-
remission
(law) the act of remitting (especially the referral of a law case to another court)
-
remonstrance
the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
-
repast
the food served and eaten at one time
-
repine
express discontent
-
reprove
take to task
-
requiem
a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person
-
resilient
recovering readily from adversity, depression, or the like
-
reticent
reluctant to draw attention to yourself
-
retinue
the group following and attending to some important person
-
salutary
tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
-
sanguinary
accompanied by bloodshed
-
sanguine
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
-
sartorial
of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring
-
satyr
one of a class of woodland deities; attendant on Bacchus; identified with Roman fauns
-
scurrilous
expressing offensive reproach
-
sedulous
marked by care and persistent effort
-
senility
the state of being senile
-
sere
(used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture
-
sibylline
resembling or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy
-
sinecure
an office that involves minimal duties
-
sleazy
morally degraded
-
stultify
deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless
-
supercilious
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
-
supererogatory
more than is needed, desired, or required
-
supine
lying face upward
-
suppliant
humbly entreating
-
supposititious
based primarily on surmise rather than adequate evidence
-
surfeit
indulge (one's appetite) to satiety
-
sybarite
a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses
-
taper
diminish gradually
-
tendentious
having or marked by a strong tendency especially a controversial one
-
tesselate
-
testator
a person who makes a will
-
tonsure
shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order
-
tremulous
(of the voice) quivering as from weakness or fear
-
trenchant
having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect
-
trite
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
-
troth
a solemn pledge of fidelity
-
truculence
obstreperous and defiant aggressiveness
-
turpitude
a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
-
tutelary
providing protective supervision; watching over or safeguarding
-
unction
anointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual
-
unctuous
unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
-
unguent
semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
-
unseemly
not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
-
unwitting
not aware or knowing
-
uxorious
foolishly fond of or submissive to your wife
-
venal
capable of being corrupted
-
venial
warranting only temporal punishment
-
verdigris
a green patina that forms on copper or brass or bronze that has been exposed to the air or water for long periods of time
-
verisimilar
appearing to be true or real
-
verisimilitude
the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true
-
viable
capable of life or normal growth and development
-
viand
a choice or delicious dish
-
vicissitude
a variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something
-
victuals
a source of materials to nourish the body
-
vignette
a brief literary description
-
vitreous
relating to or resembling or derived from or containing glass
-
vituperative
marked by harshly abusive criticism
-
vivisection
the act of operating on living animals (especially in scientific research)
-
vulpine
resembling or characteristic of a fox
-
wan
become pale and sickly
-
wastrel
someone who dissipates resources self-indulgently
-
waylay
wait in hiding to attack
-
welter
a confused multitude of things
-
wheedle
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
-
winsome
charming in a childlike or naive way