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VOCABULARY LISTS > USER LISTS

k1 500 words

October 15, 2007 By raviraj K.

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Definitions Notes & Examples Words Only
  1. sinister
    stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable
  2. skittish
    unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)
  3. sleazy
    morally degraded
  4. slovenly
    negligent of neatness especially in dress and person; habitually dirty and unkempt
  5. sobriquet
    a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name)
  6. soliloquy
    speech you make to yourself
  7. somnolent
    inclined to or marked by drowsiness
  8. soporific
    sleep inducing
  9. spatial
    pertaining to or involving or having the nature of space
  10. spectrum
    a broad range of related objects or values or qualities or ideas or activities
  11. sportive
    given to merry frolicking
  12. staccato
    separating the notes; in music
  13. stamina
    enduring strength and energy
  14. stellar
    being or relating to or resembling or emanating from stars
  15. stigmatize
    to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
  16. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
  17. strident
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
  18. suave
    having a sophisticated charm
  19. sublimate
    change or cause to change directly from a solid into a vapor without first melting
  20. subservient
    compliant and obedient to authority
  21. substantive
    having a firm basis in reality and being therefore important, meaningful, or considerable
  22. succor
    assistance in time of difficulty
  23. sultry
    sexually exciting or gratifying
  24. sundry
    consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
  25. superimpose
    place on top of
  26. supple
    moving and bending with ease
  27. surcease
    a stopping
  28. surveillance
    close observation of a person or group (usually by the police)
  29. sycophantic
    attempting to win favor by flattery
  30. synthesis
    the combination of ideas into a complex whole
  31. tainted
    touched by rot or decay
  32. tantrum
    a display of bad temper
  33. tautological
    repetition of same sense in different words
  34. temerarious
    presumptuously daring
  35. tenacious
    stubbornly unyielding
  36. tentative
    unsettled in mind or opinion
  37. termagant
    a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman
  38. terse
    brief and to the point; effectively cut short
  39. tether
    tie with a tether
  40. thermal
    relating to or associated with heat
  41. thwart
    hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
  42. tipple
    drink moderately but regularly
  43. titular
    existing in name only
  44. tonsure
    shaving the crown of the head by priests or members of a monastic order
  45. tortuous
    marked by repeated turns and bends
  46. tractable
    easily managed (controlled or taught or molded)
  47. transcribe
    write out from speech, notes, etc.
  48. transmute
    change or alter in form, appearance, or nature
  49. traverse
    travel across
  50. tremor
    an involuntary vibration (as if from illness or fear)
  51. tribulation
    an annoying or frustrating or catastrophic event
  52. triplet
    one of three offspring born at the same time from the same pregnancy
  53. truckle
    a low bed to be slid under a higher bed
  54. tryst
    a secret rendezvous (especially between lovers)
  55. turbulence
    instability in the atmosphere
  56. tutelage
    attention and management implying responsibility for safety
  57. ulterior
    lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed (especially being kept in the background or deliberately concealed)
  58. unassured
    lacking boldness or confidence
  59. uncouth
    lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
  60. unearthly
    suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
  61. unguent
    semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
  62. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
  63. untenable
    (of theories etc) incapable of being defended or justified
  64. urbane
    showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience
  65. utopia
    ideally perfect state; especially in its social and political and moral aspects
  66. vainglorious
    feeling self-importance
  67. vampire
    (folklore) a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living
  68. vassal
    a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
  69. vellum
    fine parchment prepared from the skin of a young animal e.g. a calf or lamb
  70. venerate
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
  71. veracious
    habitually speaking the truth
  72. 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
  73. vertex
    the highest point (of something)
  74. viand
    a choice or delicious dish
  75. vigilance
    the process of paying close and continuous attention
  76. virago
    a noisy or scolding or domineering woman
  77. visage
    the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is British)
  78. vitreous
    relating to or resembling or derived from or containing glass
  79. vociferous
    conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
  80. voluptuous
    displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses
  81. waggish
    witty or joking
  82. warranty
    a written assurance that some product or service will be provided or will meet certain specifications
  83. wheedle
    influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
  84. wily
    marked by skill in deception
  85. wizened
    lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
  86. wrest
    obtain by seizing forcibly or violently, also metaphorically
  87. zephyr
    a slight wind (usually refreshing)
  88. Occident
    the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
  89. abet
    assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
  90. abnegate
    deny or renounce
  91. abrogate
    revoke formally
  92. abstruse
    difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
  93. accessory
    a supplementary component that improves capability
  94. accord
    concurrence of opinion
  95. acephalous
    lacking a head or a clearly defined head
  96. acme
    the highest point (of something)
  97. acrid
    strong and sharp;"the pungent taste of radishes"
  98. adage
    a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
  99. adduce
    advance evidence for
  100. adjuration
    a solemn and earnest appeal to someone to do something
  101. adulation
    servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
  102. adventitious
    associated by chance and not an integral part
  103. aegis
    armor plate that protects the chest; the front part of a cuirass
  104. afferent
    of nerves and nerve impulses; conveying sensory information from the sense organs to the CNS
  105. afflatus
    a strong creative impulse; divine inspiration
  106. agglomeration
    the act of collecting in a mass; the act of agglomerating
  107. agitate
    move or cause to move back and forth
  108. alacrity
    liveliness and eagerness
  109. alimentary
    of or providing nourishment
  110. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  111. allusion
    passing reference or indirect mention
  112. amalgamate
    to bring or combine together or with something else
  113. ambrosia
    (classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal
  114. amiable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  115. amorphous
    having no definite form or distinct shape
  116. amplify
    increase the volume of
  117. analgesic
    capable of relieving pain
  118. ancillary
    furnishing added support
  119. animated
    having life or vigor or spirit
  120. annihilate
    kill in large numbers
  121. anomaly
    deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
  122. anthropologist
    a social scientist who specializes in anthropology
  123. antithesis
    exact opposite
  124. aphorism
    a short pithy instructive saying
  125. apogee
    apoapsis in Earth orbit; the point in its orbit where a satellite is at the greatest distance from the Earth
  126. apotheosis
    model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
  127. apposite
    being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
  128. appurtenances
  129. arbiter
    someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue
  130. archetype
    something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies
  131. argot
    a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves)
  132. arrogate
    seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession
  133. ascertain
    learn or discover with certainty
  134. ashen
    anemic looking from illness or emotion
  135. aspersion
    a disparaging remark
  136. asseverate
    state categorically
  137. astigmatism
    (ophthalmology) impaired eyesight resulting usually from irregular conformation of the cornea; common in nearsighted people
  138. atelier
    a studio especially for an artist or designer
  139. attenuate
    become weaker, in strength, value, or magnitude
  140. audacity
    aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery
  141. auroral
    characteristic of the dawn
  142. authenticate
    establish the authenticity of something
  143. auxiliary
    furnishing added support
  144. avid
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
  145. awe
    an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration
  146. bacchanalian
    used of riotously drunken merrymaking
  147. balmy
    mild and pleasant
  148. barb
    a subsidiary point facing opposite from the main point that makes an arrowhead or spear hard to remove
  149. bassoon
    a double-reed instrument; the tenor of the oboe family
  150. bedizen
    decorate tastelessly
  151. belabor
    beat soundly
  152. benediction
    a ceremonial prayer invoking divine protection
  153. benign
    kindness of disposition or manner
  154. bereft
    sorrowful through loss or deprivation
  155. bete noire
    a detested person
  156. bigotry
    the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot
  157. blanch
    turn pale, as if in fear
  158. blatant
    without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
  159. bloated
  160. bolster
    support and strengthen
  161. bountiful
    producing in abundance
  162. bravado
    a swaggering show of courage
  163. brevity
    the attribute of being brief or fleeting
  164. brochure
    a small book usually having a paper cover
  165. bugaboo
    an imaginary monster used to frighten children
  166. bureaucracy
    a government that is administered primarily by bureaus that are staffed with nonelective officials
  167. buttress
    a support usually of stone or brick; supports the wall of a building
  168. cadaver
    the dead body of a human being
  169. callous
    having calluses; having skin made tough and thick through wear
  170. cameo
    engraving or carving in low relief on a stone (as in a brooch or ring)
  171. 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
  172. capacious
    large in capacity
  173. capricious
    determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
  174. caricature
    a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect
  175. carnivorous
    relating to or characteristic of carnivores
  176. cartographer
    a person who makes maps
  177. casualty
    someone injured or killed in an accident
  178. catastrophe
    a sudden violent change in the earth's surface
  179. caustic
    of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
  180. celerity
    a rate that is rapid
  181. centaur
    (classical mythology) a mythical being that is half man and half horse
  182. cerebral
    of or relating to the cerebrum or brain
  183. chaff
    material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been separated from the seeds
  184. chaotic
    completely unordered and unpredictable and confusing
  185. chassis
    the skeleton of a motor vehicle consisting of a steel frame supported on springs that holds the body and motor
  186. checkered
    patterned with alternating squares of color
  187. chiropodist
    a specialist in care for the feet
  188. ciliated
    having a margin or fringe of hairlike projections
  189. circumspect
    heedful of potential consequences
  190. clamber
    climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
  191. cleave
    separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
  192. clique
    an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose
  193. codicil
    a supplement to a will; a testamentary instrument intended to alter an already executed will
  194. cognate
    related by blood
  195. cohort
    a band of warriors (originally a unit of a Roman Legion)
  196. collateral
    situated or running side by side
  197. collusion
    secret agreement
  198. comestible
    suitable for use as food
  199. commodious
    large and roomy (`convenient' is archaic in this sense)
  200. complacent
    contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
  201. comport
    behave in a certain manner
  202. concentric
    having a common center
  203. conclave
    a confidential or secret meeting
  204. condescend
    behave in a patronizing and condescending manner
  205. conduit
    a passage (a pipe or tunnel) through which water or electric wires can pass
  206. conglomeration
    a sum total of many heterogenous things taken together
  207. connivance
    agreement on a secret plot
  208. consecrate
    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
  209. consummate
    having or revealing supreme mastery or skill
  210. contiguous
    having a common boundary or edge; abutting; touching
  211. contravene
    go against, as of rules and laws
  212. contusion
    an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration
  213. convoke
    call together
  214. cormorant
    large voracious dark-colored long-necked seabird with a distensible pouch for holding fish; used in Asia to catch fish
  215. corroborate
    give evidence for
  216. cosmic
    of or from or pertaining to or characteristic of the cosmos or universe
  217. covert
    secret or hidden; not openly practiced or engaged in or shown or avowed
  218. crabbed
    annoyed and irritable
  219. credulity
    tendency to believe readily
  220. crevice
    a long narrow opening
  221. crux
    the most important point
  222. cul de sac
    a street with only one way in or out
  223. culvert
    a transverse and totally enclosed drain under a road or railway
  224. cursive
    rapid handwriting in which letters are set down in full and are cursively connected within words without lifting the writing implement from the paper
  225. dais
    a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
  226. dauntless
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  227. debauch
    a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity
  228. decadence
    the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
  229. decorous
    characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct
  230. deducible
    capable of being deduced
  231. defection
    withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
  232. defunct
    no longer in force or use; inactive
  233. delineation
    a drawing of the outlines of forms or objects
  234. delusive
    inappropriate to reality or facts
  235. demise
    the time when something ends
  236. demure
    affectedly modest or shy especially in a playful or provocative way
  237. depict
    give a description of
  238. depravity
    moral perversion; impairment of virtue and moral principles
  239. deranged
    driven insane
  240. derogatory
    expressive of low opinion
  241. desideratum
    something desired as a necessity
  242. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
  243. detraction
    a petty disparagement
  244. devolve
    pass on or delegate to another
  245. dialectic
    a contradiction of ideas that serves as the determining factor in their interaction
  246. didactic
    instructive (especially excessively)
  247. dilate
    become wider
  248. dint
    interchangeable with `means' in the expression `by means of'
  249. discernible
    perceptible by the senses or intellect
  250. disconsolate
    sad beyond comforting; incapable of being consoled
  251. disdain
    lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
  252. disinterested
    unaffected by self-interest
  253. disparity
    inequality or difference in some respect
  254. disputatious
    inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits
  255. dissertation
    a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree
  256. dissuade
    turn away from by persuasion
  257. distrait
    having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
  258. divers
    many and different
  259. divulge
    make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret
  260. doggerel
    a comic verse of irregular measure
  261. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
  262. dregs
    sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
  263. duenna
    a woman chaperon
  264. dynamic
    an efficient incentive
  265. ecclesiastic
    of or associated with a church (especially a Christian Church)
  266. eerie
    suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
  267. effete
    marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay
  268. effrontery
    audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to
  269. egotism
    an exaggerated opinion of your own importance
  270. logical
    based on known statements or events or conditions
  271. emaciated
    very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
  272. emblazon
    decorate with heraldic arms
  273. emeritus
    a professor or minister who is retired from assigned duties
  274. empirical
    derived from experiment and observation rather than theory
  275. encomiastic
    formally expressing praise
  276. endearment
    the act of showing affection
  277. enervate
    weaken mentally or morally
  278. enigmatic
    not clear to the understanding
  279. ensconce
    fix firmly
  280. entree
    the principal dish of a meal
  281. epicurean
    devoted to pleasure
  282. epitome
    a standard or typical example
  283. equinox
    either of two times of the year when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator and day and night are of equal length
  284. equivocate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information
  285. erudition
    profound scholarly knowledge
  286. espionage
    the systematic use of spies to get military or political secrets
  287. ethnology
    the branch of anthropology that deals with the division of humankind into races and with their origins and distribution and distinctive characteristics
  288. euphemism
    an inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh
  289. eviscerate
    remove the entrails of
  290. exasperate
    make furious
  291. execrable
    unequivocally detestable
  292. exhume
    dig up for reburial or for medical investigation; of dead bodies
  293. exonerate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  294. expatriate
    a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country
  295. explicit
    precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable; leaving nothing to implication
  296. extemporaneous
    with little or no preparation or forethought
  297. extradition
    the surrender of an accused or convicted person by one state or country to another (usually under the provisions of a statute or treaty)
  298. extrude
    form or shape by forcing through an opening
  299. facet
    a distinct feature or element in a problem
  300. factious
    dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion)
  301. fallible
    wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings
  302. fanciful
    indulging in or influenced by fancy
  303. fatuous
    devoid of intelligence
  304. feasible
    capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are
  305. felicitous
    exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style
  306. fervid
    characterized by intense emotion
  307. fetish
    a form of sexual desire in which gratification depends to an abnormal degree on some object or item of clothing or part of the body
  308. fictitious
    formed or conceived by the imagination
  309. filial
    designating the generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation
  310. fissure
    a long narrow depression in a surface
  311. flagrant
    conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
  312. flay
    strip the skin off
  313. flippancy
    inappropriate levity
  314. flotsam
    the floating wreckage of a ship
  315. 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
  316. foolhardy
    marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
  317. forensic
    used or applied in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law
  318. foster
    providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties
  319. frantic
    marked by uncontrolled excitement or emotion
  320. frenetic
    excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion
  321. frieze
    an architectural ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band between the architrave and the cornice
  322. froward
    habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
  323. frustrate
    hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
  324. functionary
    a worker who holds or is invested with an office
  325. fustian
    a strong cotton and linen fabric with a slight nap
  326. galleon
    a large square-rigged sailing ship with three or more masts; used by the Spanish for commerce and war from the 15th to 18th centuries
  327. gamut
    a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions"
  328. garner
    store grain
  329. gastronomy
    the art and practice of choosing and preparing and eating good food
  330. generality
    the quality of being general or widespread or having general applicability
  331. gentility
    elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
  332. germinate
    produce buds, branches, or germinate
  333. gibber
    speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
  334. glaze
    a coating for ceramics, metal, etc.
  335. glossary
    an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge; usually published as an appendix to a text on that field
  336. gnarled
    used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots
  337. gossamer
    a gauze fabric with an extremely fine texture
  338. grovel
    show submission or fear
  339. hauteur
    overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
  340. heedless
    marked by or paying little heed or attention
  341. hermetically
    in an airtight manner
  342. hibernal
    characteristic of or relating to winter
  343. hindmost
    located farthest to the rear
  344. hoax
    something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage
  345. homily
    a sermon on a moral or religious topic
  346. hostelry
    a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
  347. humid
    containing or characterized by a great deal of water vapor
  348. hustings
    the activities involved in political campaigning (especially speech making)
  349. hypochondriac
    a patient with imaginary symptoms and ailments
  350. ideology
    an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
  351. igneous
    produced by the action of fire or intense heat
  352. illusive
    based on or having the nature of an illusion
  353. imbue
    spread or diffuse through
  354. immune
    relating to the condition of immunity
  355. impalpable
    not perceptible to the touch
  356. impecunious
    not having enough money to pay for necessities
  357. impertinent
    improperly forward or bold
  358. impetus
    a force that moves something along
  359. implication
    something that is inferred (deduced or entailed or implied)
  360. import
    bring in from abroad
  361. impregnable
    immune to attack; incapable of being tampered with
  362. improvise
    manage in a makeshift way; do with whatever is at hand
  363. inadvertence
    the trait of forgetting or ignoring your responsibilities
  364. incantation
    a ritual recitation of words or sounds believed to have a magical effect
  365. incarnation
    the act of attributing human characteristics to abstract ideas etc.
  366. incidence
    the relative frequency of occurrence of something
  367. inclusive
    including much or everything; and especially including stated limits
  368. incongruous
    lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
  369. incorrigible
    impervious to correction by punishment
  370. incubate
    grow under conditions that promote development
  371. indefatigable
    showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality
  372. indigent
    poor enough to need help from others
  373. indomitable
    impossible to subdue
  374. ineffable
    defying expression or description
  375. infallible
    incapable of failure or error
  376. infirmity
    the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)
  377. ingenue
    an artless innocent young girl (especially as portrayed on the stage)
  378. inhibit
    limit the range or extent of
  379. innocuous
    not injurious to physical or mental health
  380. inscrutable
    of an obscure nature
  381. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
  382. insular
    relating to or characteristic of or situated on an island
  383. integument
    an outer protective covering such as the skin of an animal or a cuticle or seed coat or rind or shell
  384. interim
    the time between one event, process, or period and another
  385. internecine
    (of conflict) within a group or organization
  386. intransigence
    the trait of being intransigent; stubbornly refusing to compromise
  387. intrude
    enter uninvited
  388. invective
    abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill will
  389. invidious
    containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice
  390. iridescent
    varying in color when seen in different lights or from different angles
  391. irreproachable
    free of guilt; not subject to blame
  392. irrevocable
    incapable of being retracted or revoked
  393. jaded
    exhausted
  394. jeremiad
    a long and mournful complaint
  395. jocund
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
  396. junta
    a group of military officers who rule a country after seizing power
  397. kiosk
    small area set off by walls for special use
  398. knell
    the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death or a funeral or the end of something
  399. lackadaisical
    idle or indolent especially in a dreamy way
  400. lagoon
    a body of water cut off from a larger body by a reef of sand or coral
  401. languid
    lacking spirit or liveliness
  402. largess
    liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
  403. latitude
    an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator
  404. lecherous
    given to excessive indulgence in sexual activity
  405. lethargic
    deficient in alertness or activity
  406. liaison
    a channel for communication between groups
  407. libretto
    the words of an opera or musical play
  408. limpid
    clear and bright
  409. lithe
    moving and bending with ease
  410. loathe
    find repugnant
  411. lout
    an awkward stupid person
  412. lucre
    informal terms for money
  413. lurid
    horrible in fierceness or savagery
  414. macabre
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
  415. magnanimous
    noble and generous in spirit
  416. maladroit
    not adroit
  417. malicious
    having the nature of or resulting from malice
  418. malleable
    capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
  419. maniacal
    wildly disordered
  420. manumit
    free from slavery or servitude
  421. marsupial
    mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried
  422. matricide
    the murder of your mother
  423. mauve
    a moderate purple
  424. meddlesome
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
  425. melange
    a motley assortment of things
  426. mendacious
    given to lying
  427. mercenary
    a person hired to fight for another country than their own
  428. mesmerize
    attract strongly, as if with a magnet
  429. mete
    a line that indicates a boundary
  430. miasma
    an unwholesome atmosphere
  431. milieu
    the environmental condition
  432. minatory
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  433. misanthrope
    someone who dislikes people in general
  434. miscreant
    a person without moral scruples
  435. misogynist
    a misanthrope who dislikes women in particular
  436. mode
    how something is done or how it happens
  437. molecule
    (physics and chemistry) the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
  438. momentum
    the product of a body's mass and its velocity
  439. moot
    of no legal significance (as having been previously decided)
  440. morganatic
    (of marriages) of a marriage between one of royal or noble birth and one of lower rank; valid but with the understanding that the rank of the inferior remains unchanged and offspring do not succeed to titles or property of the superior
  441. mote
    (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
  442. muggy
    hot or warm and humid
  443. multiplicity
    the property of being multiple
  444. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
  445. mutinous
    consisting of or characterized by or inciting to mutiny
  446. natal
    relating to or accompanying birth
  447. naivete
    lack of sophistication or worldliness
  448. nefarious
    extremely wicked
  449. nettle
    any of numerous plants having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation on contact (especially of the genus Urtica or family Urticaceae)
  450. nirvana
    (Hinduism and Buddhism) the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation; characterized by the extinction of desire and suffering and individual consciousness
  451. noncommittal
    refusing to bind oneself to a particular course of action or view or the like
  452. nostalgia
    longing for something past
  453. nubile
    of girls or women who are eligible to marry
  454. oaf
    an awkward stupid person
  455. obfuscate
    make obscure or unclear
  456. obligatory
    required by obligation or compulsion or convention
  457. obloquy
    a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
  458. obsolete
    no longer in use
  459. obtuse
    of an angle; between 90 and 180 degrees
  460. odium
    hate coupled with disgust
  461. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
  462. omnipotent
    having unlimited power
  463. onomatopoeia
    using words that imitate the sound they denote
  464. opiate
    a narcotic drug that contains opium or an opium derivative
  465. optician
    a worker who makes glasses for remedying defects of vision
  466. oratorio
    a musical composition for voices and orchestra based on a religious text
  467. ornate
    marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details
  468. oscillate
    move or swing from side to side regularly
  469. overt
    open and observable; not secret or hidden
  470. paean
    (ancient Greece) a hymn of praise (especially one sung in ancient Greece to invoke or thank a deity)
  471. 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
  472. palpable
    capable of being perceived; especially capable of being handled or touched or felt
  473. pander
    arrange for sexual partners for others
  474. papyrus
    tall sedge of the Nile valley yielding fiber that served many purposes in historic times
  475. paramour
    a woman's lover
  476. paraphrase
    express the same message in different words
  477. parlance
    a manner of speaking that is natural to native speakers of a language
  478. parricide
    the murder of your own father or mother
  479. parvenu
    a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class
  480. patent
    a document granting an inventor sole rights to an invention
  481. patois
    a regional dialect of a language (especially French); usually considered substandard
  482. peccadillo
    a petty misdeed
  483. pedant
    a person who pays more attention to formal rules and book learning than they merit
  484. pelf
    informal terms for money
  485. pendant
    an adornment that hangs from a piece of jewelry (necklace or earring)
  486. pensive
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
  487. perdition
    (Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil; where sinners suffer eternal punishment
  488. perfidy
    an act of deliberate betrayal
  489. peripatetic
    traveling especially on foot
  490. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
  491. perquisite
    an incidental benefit awarded for certain types of employment (especially if it is regarded as a right)
  492. perspicuous
    (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
  493. perturbation
    the act of causing disorder
  494. pervious
    admitting of passage or entrance
  495. pharisaical
    excessively or hypocritically pious
  496. philology
    the humanistic study of language and literature
  497. picaresque
    involving clever rogues or adventurers especially as in a type of fiction
  498. pinion
    wing of a bird
  499. piscatorial
    relating to or characteristic of the activity of fishing
  500. plagiarism
    the act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own