2014 Vocabulary Video Contest (M-Z)

For the second year, Vocabulary.com and the New York Times Learning Network have teamed up to launch a Vocabulary Video contest. Just create a short (15 seconds or less) video that defines or teaches any of the words in the Times' Word of the Day collection, post it online, and submit a link to your video in the comments section here. Click on these links to learn more about the eligible words: A-L, M-Z.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. macabre
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
  2. machination
    a crafty and involved plot to achieve your ends
  3. magisterial
    of or relating to a civil officer who administers the law
  4. magnanimity
    nobility and generosity of spirit
  5. maim
    injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration
  6. malcontent
    dissatisfied as toward authority
  7. malefactor
    someone who has committed a crime
  8. malfeasance
    wrongful conduct by a public official
  9. malicious
    having the nature of threatening evil
  10. malignant
    dangerous to health
  11. malingerer
    someone shirking duty by feigning illness or incapacity
  12. malleable
    capable of being shaped or bent
  13. malodorous
    having an unpleasant smell
  14. manifestation
    a clear appearance
  15. manumit
    free from slavery or servitude
  16. marital
    of or relating to the state of marriage
  17. maritime
    relating to ships or navigation
  18. marshal
    a military officer of highest rank
  19. masochist
    someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment
  20. masticate
    bite and grind with the teeth
  21. matriculate
    enroll as a student
  22. mealy-mouthed
    hesitant to state facts or opinions simply and directly as from e.g. timidity or hypocrisy
  23. meditation
    continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject
  24. megalomania
    a psychological state characterized by delusions of grandeur
  25. melee
    a noisy riotous fight
  26. memorialize
    be or provide a monument to a person or an event
  27. mendacious
    given to lying
  28. mendicant
    a pauper who lives by begging
  29. mercantile
    relating to or characteristic of trade or traders
  30. mercurial
    liable to sudden unpredictable change
  31. miasma
    an unwholesome atmosphere
  32. militate
    have force or influence; bring about an effect or change
  33. mimicry
    imitative behavior
  34. minatory
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  35. mincing
    affectedly dainty or refined
  36. misadventure
    an instance of misfortune
  37. misapprehension
    an understanding of something that is not correct
  38. miserly
    characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
  39. mishap
    an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate
  40. misogynist
    a misanthrope who dislikes women in particular
  41. missive
    a written message addressed to a person or organization
  42. mite
    small arachnid that infests animals, plants, or stored foods
  43. mnemonic
    of or relating to the practice of aiding the memory
  44. modish
    in the current fashion or style
  45. molecule
    the simplest structural unit of an element or compound
  46. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined
  47. monarchy
    autocracy governed by a ruler who usually inherits authority
  48. monastic
    relating to life in an isolated religious community
  49. monolithic
    imposing in size or bulk or solidity
  50. monotheism
    belief in a single God
  51. monotony
    the quality of wearisome constancy and lack of variety
  52. monumental
    of outstanding significance
  53. moodiness
    a sullen gloomy feeling
  54. mortician
    one whose business is the management of funerals
  55. mosaic
    design made of small pieces of colored stone or glass
  56. mote
    a tiny piece of anything
  57. motility
    ability to move spontaneously and independently
  58. mountebank
    a flamboyant deceiver
  59. muddle
    make clouded as with sediment
  60. muggy
    hot or warm and humid
  61. multiform
    occurring in or having many shapes or appearances
  62. multilingual
    using or knowing more than one language
  63. multiplicity
    the property of having more than one part or entity
  64. mutability
    the quality of being capable of change
  65. mutinous
    characterized by a rebellion against authority
  66. myopic
    unable to see distant objects clearly
  67. naivete
    lack of sophistication or worldliness
  68. navigable
    able to be sailed on or through safely
  69. nebulous
    lacking definite form or limits
  70. negligence
    failure to act with the prudence of a reasonable person
  71. neologism
    a newly invented word or phrase
  72. nepotism
    favoritism shown to relatives or friends by those in power
  73. nettle
    plant having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation
  74. nicety
    conformity with some standard of correctness or propriety
  75. niggle
    worry unnecessarily or excessively
  76. nirvana
    the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation
  77. nocturnal
    belonging to or active during the night
  78. nomenclature
    a system of words used to name things in a discipline
  79. nonchalance
    the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care
  80. noncommittal
    refusing to bind oneself to a particular course of action
  81. notoriety
    the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality
  82. nullify
    declare invalid
  83. nutrient
    any substance that can be metabolized to give energy
  84. oaf
    an awkward, foolish person
  85. obese
    excessively large
  86. obfuscate
    make obscure or unclear
  87. oblique
    slanting or inclined in direction or course or position
  88. oblivion
    the state of being disregarded or forgotten
  89. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  90. obsessive
    characterized by an unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation
  91. obtuse
    of an angle, between 90 and 180 degrees
  92. odorous
    having a characteristic aroma
  93. offhand
    with little or no preparation or forethought
  94. officious
    intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
  95. ogle
    stare or look at, especially with amorous intentions
  96. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  97. omnipotent
    having unlimited power
  98. omnipresent
    existing everywhere at once
  99. onomatopoeia
    using words that imitate the sound they denote
  100. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
  101. opportunist
    a person who places expediency above principle
  102. optician
    a worker who makes glasses for remedying defects of vision
  103. opulence
    wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
  104. orator
    a person who delivers a speech
  105. ordination
    the act of conferring holy orders
  106. ornithologist
    a zoologist who studies feathered animals
  107. oscillate
    move or swing from side to side regularly
  108. outspoken
    given to expressing yourself freely or insistently
  109. outstrip
    go far ahead of
  110. outwit
    beat through cleverness
  111. overblown
    puffed up with vanity
  112. overwrought
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
  113. ovoid
    rounded like an egg
  114. pacifist
    someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes
  115. pacify
    ease the anger, agitation, or strong emotion of
  116. palate
    the surface of the mouth separating oral and nasal cavities
  117. palatial
    relating to or being a large and stately residence
  118. palimpsest
    a manuscript on which more than one text has been written
  119. pall
    burial garment in which a corpse is wrapped
  120. palliate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  121. pallid
    pale, as of a person's complexion
  122. pandemic
    existing everywhere
  123. panegyric
    formally expressing praise
  124. parable
    a short moral story
  125. paradigm
    a standard or typical example
  126. parallelism
    similarity by virtue of corresponding
  127. paranoia
    a mental disorder characterized by delusions of persecution
  128. paraphrase
    express the same message in different words
  129. parasite
    an animal or plant that lives in or on a host
  130. parlance
    a manner of speaking natural to a language's native speakers
  131. parley
    a negotiation between enemies
  132. parry
    impede the movement of
  133. partiality
    an inclination to favor one group or view over alternatives
  134. pathos
    a quality that arouses emotions, especially pity or sorrow
  135. patois
    a regional dialect of a language
  136. pauper
    a person who is very poor
  137. pedantic
    marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning
  138. pediatrician
    a medical specialist in the care of children
  139. pell-mell
    in a wild or reckless manner
  140. penance
    voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something
  141. penury
    a state of extreme poverty or destitution
  142. perceptive
    of or relating to awareness via the senses
  143. peregrination
    traveling or wandering around
  144. perfidious
    tending to betray
  145. perforate
    make a hole into or between, as for ease of separation
  146. peripheral
    on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary
  147. peroration
    the concluding section of a rhetorical address
  148. pervasive
    spreading or spread throughout
  149. pessimism
    a general disposition to expect the worst in all things
  150. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
  151. philatelist
    a collector and student of postage stamps
  152. philology
    the humanistic study of language and literature
  153. phoenix
    a legendary bird that burned to death and emerged reborn
  154. piecemeal
    one thing at a time
  155. piety
    righteousness by virtue of being religiously devout
  156. pitfall
    an unforeseen or unexpected or surprising difficulty
  157. pithy
    concise and full of meaning
  158. pivotal
    being of crucial importance
  159. placebo
    an innocuous or inert medication
  160. plagiarize
    take without referencing from someone's writing or speech
  161. plait
    a hairdo formed by braiding or twisting the hair
  162. plasticity
    the property of being physically malleable
  163. pliable
    capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out
  164. poignancy
    a quality that arouses emotions, especially pity or sorrow
  165. polarize
    cause to divide into conflicting positions
  166. polemical
    of or involving dispute or controversy
  167. politic
    marked by artful prudence, expedience, and shrewdness
  168. polity
    the form of government of a social organization
  169. pontifical
    proceeding from or ordered by or subject to a pope
  170. poseur
    a person who habitually pretends to be something he is not
  171. potable
    suitable for drinking
  172. potent
    having or wielding force or authority
  173. potentate
    a powerful ruler, especially one who is unconstrained by law
  174. potion
    a medicinal or magical or poisonous beverage
  175. potpourri
    a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
  176. pragmatist
    an adherent of a theory of observable practical consequences
  177. prate
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
  178. preamble
    a preliminary introduction, as to a statute or constitution
  179. precipitate
    bring about abruptly
  180. precipitous
    extremely steep
  181. predetermine
    establish beforehand
  182. preeminent
    greatest in importance, degree, or significance
  183. pre-empt
    a high bid that is intended to prevent the opposing players from bidding
  184. preen
    clean with one's bill
  185. premise
    a statement that is held to be true
  186. premonitory
    warning of future misfortune
  187. prevaricate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
  188. primogeniture
    right of inheritance belonging exclusively to the eldest son
  189. privy
    informed about something secret or not generally known
  190. procurement
    the act of getting possession of something
  191. prod
    push against gently
  192. profligate
    unrestrained by convention or morality
  193. progeny
    the immediate descendants of a person
  194. prognosis
    a prediction of the course of a disease
  195. prophetic
    foretelling events as if by supernatural intervention
  196. protean
    taking on different forms
  197. protuberance
    something that bulges out or projects from its surroundings
  198. provender
    food for domestic livestock
  199. provident
    giving something useful for the future
  200. provisional
    under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
  201. provocative
    serving or tending to excite or stimulate
  202. proxy
    a person authorized to act for another
  203. prude
    a person excessively concerned about propriety and decorum
  204. pry
    be nosey
  205. psyche
    that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings
  206. psychosis
    severe mental disorder in which contact with reality is lost
  207. puerile
    displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity
  208. pugilist
    someone who fights with fists for sport
  209. pugnacity
    a natural disposition to be hostile
  210. pulmonary
    relating to or affecting the lungs
  211. purge
    rid of impurities
  212. pusillanimous
    lacking in courage, strength, and resolution
  213. putrid
    of or relating to the process of decay
  214. quack
    the sound made by a duck
  215. quaff
    swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
  216. quail
    a small game bird
  217. quay
    wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline
  218. quell
    suppress or crush completely
  219. quell
    suppress or crush completely
  220. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
  221. quietude
    a state of peace and quiet
  222. quip
    a witty saying
  223. quorum
    a gathering of the minimal number of members of a group
  224. raiment
    especially fine or decorative clothing
  225. rakish
    marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
  226. ramble
    move about aimlessly or without any destination
  227. ramify
    have or develop complicating consequences
  228. rampart
    an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
  229. random
    lacking any definite plan or order or purpose
  230. rant
    talk at length in a noisy, excited, or angry manner
  231. raspy
    unpleasantly harsh or grating in sound
  232. rationalize
    employ logic or reason
  233. rave
    talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
  234. reactionary
    extremely conservative or resistant to change
  235. realm
    a domain in which something is dominant
  236. rebate
    a refund of some fraction of the amount paid
  237. rebus
    a puzzle consisting of pictures representing words
  238. rebut
    overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof
  239. recession
    the act of returning control
  240. reciprocal
    concerning each of two or more persons or things
  241. reconnaissance
    the act of scouting, especially to gain information
  242. reek
    give off smoke, fumes, warm vapour, steam, etc.
  243. refrain
    resist doing something
  244. refulgent
    radiating or as if radiating light
  245. regal
    belonging to or befitting a supreme ruler
  246. regatta
    a series of boat races
  247. regeneration
    the act of forming again; renewing and reconstituting
  248. rehabilitate
    restore someone to a good state of health or reputation
  249. reimburse
    pay back for some expense incurred
  250. rejuvenate
    make younger or more youthful
  251. relic
    an antiquity that has survived from the distant past
  252. remission
    an abatement in intensity or degree
  253. remorse
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
  254. remunerative
    for which money is paid
  255. renege
    fail to fulfill a promise or obligation
  256. reparable
    capable of being rectified
  257. repeal
    cancel officially
  258. replicate
    reproduce or make an exact copy of
  259. repository
    a facility where things can be deposited for safekeeping
  260. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
  261. reprove
    reprimand, scold, or express dissatisfaction with
  262. repugnance
    intense aversion
  263. reputable
    held in high esteem and honor
  264. repute
    the state of being held in high esteem and honor
  265. requite
    make repayment for or return something
  266. resignation
    the act of giving up, as a claim or office or possession
  267. resonant
    characterized by a loud deep sound
  268. restraint
    the act of controlling by holding someone or something back
  269. resumption
    beginning again
  270. retinue
    the group following and attending to some important person
  271. retract
    formally reject or disavow
  272. retrench
    tighten one's belt; use resources carefully
  273. retrograde
    moving or directed or tending in a backward direction
  274. reverent
    feeling or showing profound respect or veneration
  275. revile
    spread negative information about
  276. revoke
    cancel officially
  277. revulsion
    intense aversion
  278. rhapsodize
    say with great enthusiasm
  279. rife
    excessively abundant
  280. riveting
    capable of arousing and holding the attention
  281. roil
    make turbid by stirring up the sediments of
  282. roseate
    of something having a dusty purplish pink color
  283. rotunda
    a building having a circular plan and a dome
  284. ruffian
    a cruel and brutal fellow
  285. rummage
    search haphazardly
  286. runic
    relating to characters from an ancient alphabet
  287. ruse
    a deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture
  288. saboteur
    someone who deliberately destroys or disrupts something
  289. salient
    conspicuous, prominent, or important
  290. sallow
    unhealthy looking
  291. sanctimonious
    excessively or hypocritically pious
  292. sap
    a watery fluid that circulates in a plant
  293. sarcasm
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn
  294. sardonic
    disdainfully or ironically humorous
  295. sate
    fill to contentment
  296. satellite
    any celestial body orbiting around a planet or star
  297. satiate
    fill to satisfaction
  298. satire
    witty language used to convey insults or scorn
  299. satirical
    exposing human folly to ridicule
  300. saturate
    infuse or fill completely
  301. saturnine
    bitter or scornful
  302. savor
    a particular taste or smell, especially an appealing one
  303. scaffold
    a temporary arrangement erected around a building
  304. scenario
    a postulated sequence of possible events
  305. scintilla
    a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
  306. scuffle
    fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters
  307. scuffle
    fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters
  308. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
  309. seclusion
    the act of isolating oneself from others
  310. sect
    a subdivision of a larger religious group
  311. sedate
    characterized by dignity and propriety
  312. sedition
    an illegal action inciting resistance to lawful authority
  313. seedy
    shabby and untidy
  314. seemly
    according with custom or propriety
  315. seep
    pass gradually or leak or as if through small openings
  316. seethe
    foam as if boiling
  317. seminal
    influential and providing a basis for later development
  318. senility
    the state of being infirm with age
  319. sensual
    marked by the appetites and passions of the body
  320. sententious
    concise and full of meaning
  321. serendipity
    good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
  322. serpentine
    resembling a snake in form
  323. severity
    excessive sternness
  324. shard
    a broken piece of a brittle artifact
  325. sheaf
    a package of several things tied together
  326. shimmer
    shine with a weak or fitful light
  327. shoddy
    of inferior workmanship and materials
  328. shrew
    small mouselike mammal with a long snout; related to moles
  329. sidereal
    of or relating to the stars or constellations
  330. simian
    relating to or resembling an ape or a monkey
  331. simplistic
    characterized by extreme and misleading lack of complexity
  332. sinecure
    a job that involves minimal duties
  333. sinewy
    consisting of tendons or resembling a tendon
  334. sinuous
    curved or curving in and out
  335. skinflint
    a selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend
  336. skulk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
  337. skullduggery
    verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way
  338. slacken
    become slow or slower
  339. slake
    satisfy, as thirst
  340. slander
    words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
  341. slapdash
    marked by great carelessness
  342. sleazy
    morally degraded
  343. slew
    a large number or amount or extent
  344. sloth
    a disinclination to work or exert yourself
  345. sluice
    conduit that carries a rapid flow of water
  346. slur
    utter indistinctly
  347. smelt
    extract by heating, as a metal
  348. smirk
    smile in a mocking or condescending way
  349. snicker
    laugh quietly
  350. snivel
    cry or whine with snuffling
  351. sobriety
    the state of being unaffected or not intoxicated by alcohol
  352. solder
    join or fuse with an alloy
  353. solemnity
    a trait of dignified seriousness
  354. solstice
    when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equator
  355. solvent
    capable of meeting financial obligations
  356. somatic
    characteristic of the body as opposed to the mind or spirit
  357. somnambulist
    someone who walks about in their sleep
  358. sonorous
    full and loud and deep
  359. sophistry
    a deliberately invalid argument in the hope of deceiving
  360. spangle
    adornment consisting of a small piece of shiny material
  361. spasmodic
    occurring in spells and often abruptly
  362. spatial
    pertaining to the expanse in which things are located
  363. specious
    plausible but false
  364. spontaneity
    the quality of coming from feelings without constraint
  365. sportive
    given to merry frolicking
  366. spruce
    a tall evergreen tree that produces cones
  367. squabble
    a quarrel about petty points
  368. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
  369. squat
    sit on one's heels
  370. stagnant
    not growing or changing; without force or vitality
  371. stanch
    stop the flow of a liquid
  372. stanza
    a fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem
  373. static
    not in physical motion
  374. statutory
    relating to or created by regulations
  375. stealth
    the act of moving in a quiet or secretive way to avoid being noticed
  376. stickler
    someone who insists on something
  377. stodgy
    excessively conventional and unimaginative and hence dull
  378. stoke
    (of a fire) stir up or tend
  379. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
  380. strut
    walk in a proud, confident way
  381. stupefy
    make someone dazed or foolish
  382. stupor
    a state of being half-awake
  383. subaltern
    British commissioned army officer below the rank of captain
  384. subdue
    put down by force or intimidation
  385. subdue
    put down by force or intimidation
  386. subjective
    taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias
  387. subliminal
    below the threshold of conscious perception
  388. submissive
    inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others
  389. suborn
    incite to commit a crime or an evil deed
  390. subpoena
    a writ issued to compel the attendance of a witness
  391. substantive
    having a firm basis in reality and therefore important
  392. suffragist
    an advocate of the extension of voting rights
  393. suffuse
    cause to spread or flush or flood through, over, or across
  394. sundry
    consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
  395. superficial
    of, affecting, or being on or near the surface
  396. supine
    lying face upward
  397. supplant
    take the place or move into the position of
  398. supposition
    the cognitive process of conjecturing
  399. suppress
    put down by force or authority
  400. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
  401. surreptitious
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  402. surrogate
    someone or something that takes the place of another
  403. suture
    a seam used in surgery
  404. swarthy
    naturally having skin of a dark color
  405. swerve
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
  406. swindler
    a person who steals by means of deception or fraud
  407. symbiosis
    the relation between two interdependent species of organisms
  408. synoptic
    presenting a summary or general view of a whole
  409. synthesis
    the combination of ideas into a complex whole
  410. tangential
    of superficial relevance if any
  411. tawdry
    tastelessly showy
  412. tedium
    the feeling of being bored by something
  413. teetotalism
    abstaining from alcohol
  414. tempo
    the speed at which a composition is to be played
  415. tenacity
    persistent determination
  416. tendentious
    having a strong bias, especially a controversial one
  417. termination
    the act of ending something
  418. tessellated
    decorated with small pieces of colored glass or stone
  419. testy
    easily irritated or annoyed
  420. tether
    restraint consisting of a rope or chain
  421. theocracy
    a political unit governed by a deity
  422. theoretical
    concerned with hypotheses and not practical considerations
  423. thrifty
    mindful of the future in spending money
  424. throttle
    a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine
  425. tightwad
    a miserly person
  426. timbre
    the distinctive property of a complex sound
  427. timidity
    fear of the unknown or fear of making decisions
  428. tipple
    drink moderately but regularly
  429. toga
    a one-piece cloak worn by men in ancient Rome
  430. tonsure
    shaving the crown of the head by priests or monks
  431. torque
    a twisting force
  432. torrent
    an overwhelming number or amount
  433. tortuous
    marked by repeated turns and bends
  434. touchstone
    a basis for comparison
  435. tout
    advertise in strongly positive terms
  436. trajectory
    the path followed by an object moving through space
  437. tranquility
    an untroubled state that is free from disturbances
  438. transcendent
    exceeding or surpassing usual limits
  439. transcribe
    write out, as from speech or notes
  440. transgression
    the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle
  441. transient
    lasting a very short time
  442. transition
    the act of passing from one state or place to the next
  443. translucent
    allowing light to pass through diffusely
  444. traumatic
    psychologically painful
  445. trigger
    lever that activates the firing mechanism of a gun
  446. truncate
    make shorter as if by cutting off
  447. turbid
    clouded as with sediment
  448. turgid
    ostentatiously lofty in style
  449. turncoat
    a disloyal person who betrays or deserts a cause
  450. turpitude
    a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice
  451. typhoon
    a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific or Indian oceans
  452. tyranny
    government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator
  453. ulterior
    lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed
  454. unaccountable
    not to be explained
  455. unassailable
    impossible to attack
  456. unassuming
    not arrogant
  457. unconscionable
    greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
  458. uncouth
    lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
  459. underlying
    in the nature of something though not readily apparent
  460. undulate
    move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
  461. unearth
    recover through digging
  462. unearthly
    suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
  463. unfaltering
    marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
  464. unfettered
    not bound or restrained, as by shackles and chains
  465. uniformity
    the quality of lacking diversity or variation
  466. unimpeachable
    beyond doubt or reproach
  467. unison
    the state of corresponding exactly
  468. unkempt
    not properly maintained or cared for
  469. unprecedented
    novel; having no earlier occurrence
  470. unravel
    become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers of
  471. unsullied
    free from blemishes
  472. untenable
    incapable of being defended or justified
  473. uproarious
    uncontrollably noisy
  474. urchin
    a poor and often mischievous city child
  475. usury
    the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest
  476. utopia
    ideally perfect state
  477. vainglorious
    feeling self-importance
  478. valor
    courage when facing danger
  479. vantage
    place or situation affording some benefit
  480. vaporize
    turn into gas
  481. veer
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
  482. venal
    capable of being corrupted
  483. veneer
    coating consisting of a thin layer of wood
  484. venom
    toxin secreted by animals
  485. ventral
    toward or on or near the belly
  486. ventriloquist
    a performer who projects the voice into a wooden dummy
  487. veracity
    unwillingness to tell lies
  488. verbatim
    using exactly the same words
  489. verbose
    using or containing too many words
  490. verity
    conformity to reality or actuality
  491. vex
    disturb, especially by minor irritations
  492. vicarious
    experienced at secondhand
  493. vicissitude
    a variation in circumstances or fortune
  494. victuals
    a source of food or nourishment
  495. vigor
    forceful exertion
  496. vindictive
    disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
  497. vintner
    someone who sells wine
  498. virile
    characteristic of a man
  499. visceral
    relating to or affecting the internal organs
  500. viscid
    having the sticky properties of an adhesive
  501. vituperative
    marked by harshly abusive criticism
  502. vivacious
    vigorous and animated
  503. vivisection
    the act of operating on living animals
  504. vortex
    a powerful circular current of water
  505. vulpine
    resembling or characteristic of a fox
  506. waggish
    witty or joking
  507. waif
    a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned
  508. wallow
    roll around
  509. wan
    pale, as of a person's complexion
  510. wanderlust
    very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
  511. wangle
    accomplishing something by scheming or trickery
  512. wastrel
    someone who squanders resources or time
  513. wax
    substance solid at normal temperature and insoluble in water
  514. welt
    a raised mark on the skin
  515. whet
    sharpen by rubbing
  516. whittle
    cut small bits or pare shavings from
  517. whorl
    a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles
  518. willful
    done by design
  519. wily
    marked by skill in deception
  520. wince
    draw back, as with fear or pain
  521. windfall
    a sudden happening that brings good fortune
  522. winsome
    charming in a childlike or naive way
  523. withstand
    resist or confront with resistance
  524. witticism
    a message whose ingenuity has the power to evoke laughter
  525. wizardry
    exceptional creative ability
  526. wizened
    lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
  527. wont
    an established custom
  528. worldly
    characteristic of secularity rather than spirituality
  529. writhe
    move in a twisting or contorted motion
  530. xenophobia
    a fear of foreigners or strangers
  531. yen
    the basic unit of money in Japan
  532. yoke
    a wooden frame across the shoulders for carrying buckets
  533. yore
    time long past
Created on Wed Oct 08 13:52:55 EDT 2014 (updated Wed Oct 08 13:53:11 EDT 2014)

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