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Word List 1

655 words 1 learner

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  1. emend
    make corrections to
  2. ameliorate
    make better
  3. meliorate
    to make better
  4. facile
    arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth
  5. Stygian
    dark and dismal as of the river in Hades
  6. presentiment
    a feeling of evil to come
  7. anthropomorphic
    suggesting human features for animals or inanimate things
  8. spinous
    shaped like a spine or thorn
  9. acanthoid
    shaped like a spine or thorn
  10. acanthous
    shaped like a spine or thorn
  11. gild
    decorate with, or as if with, gold leaf or liquid gold
  12. clairvoyant
    someone who can perceive things not present to the senses
  13. minatory
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  14. victual
    any substance that can be used as food
  15. mulct
    money extracted as a penalty
  16. Weltschmerz
    sadness on thinking about the evils of the world
  17. precocious
    characterized by exceptionally early development
  18. minaret
    a slender tower with balconies, especially on a mosque
  19. radius
    a straight line from the center to the perimeter of a circle
  20. omnifarious
    of all varieties or forms or kinds
  21. tomfoolery
    silly or senseless behavior
  22. feint
    any distracting or deceptive maneuver
  23. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
  24. ecchymosis
    the purple or black-and-blue area resulting from a bruise
  25. velleity
    a mere wish, unaccompanied by effort
  26. volition
    the act of making a choice
  27. dashiki
    a loose and brightly colored African shirt
  28. narcolepsy
    a disorder characterized by sudden episodes of deep sleep
  29. anhinga
    a fish-eating bird found near warm inland waters
  30. jonquil
    widely cultivated ornamental plant native to southern Europe but naturalized elsewhere having fragrant yellow or white clustered flowers
  31. histrionics
    a performance of a play
  32. deodar
    tall East Indian cedar having spreading branches with nodding tips; highly valued for its appearance as well as its timber
  33. desuetude
    a state of inactivity or disuse
  34. cathexis
    (psychoanalysis) the libidinal energy invested in some idea or person or object
  35. rhapsody
    a state of elated bliss
  36. ascetic
    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
  37. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
  38. spartan
    unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment
  39. moue
    a disdainful grimace
  40. caryatid
    a supporting column carved in the shape of a person
  41. wysiwyg
  42. glasnost
    a Soviet policy allowing freer discussion of social problems
  43. mackinaw
    a heavy woolen cloth heavily napped and felted, often with a plaid design
  44. deracinate
    pull up by or as if by the roots
  45. collet
    a cone-shaped chuck used for holding cylindrical pieces in a lathe
  46. ferrule
    a metal cap or band placed on a wooden pole to prevent splitting
  47. spavined
    (of horses) afflicted with a swelling of the hock-joint
  48. gemmation
    asexual reproduction in which a local growth on the surface or in the body of the parent becomes a separate individual
  49. pullulation
    asexual reproduction in which a local growth on the surface or in the body of the parent becomes a separate individual
  50. samsara
    (Hinduism and Buddhism) the endless cycle of birth and suffering and death and rebirth
  51. fungible
    freely exchangeable for something of like nature
  52. flocculent
    having a fluffy or woolly character or appearance
  53. oneiric
    of or relating to or suggestive of dreams
  54. paucity
    an insufficient quantity or number
  55. dearth
    an insufficient quantity or number
  56. Weltanschauung
    a comprehensive view of the world and human life
  57. deglutition
    the act of swallowing
  58. amanuensis
    someone skilled in the transcription of speech
  59. obeisance
    bending the head or body in reverence or submission
  60. demarche
    a move or step or maneuver in political or diplomatic affairs
  61. gouache
    an opaque watercolor prepared with gum
  62. budgerigar
    small Australian parakeet usually light green with black and yellow markings in the wild but bred in many colors
  63. scythe
    an edge tool for cutting grass
  64. quixotic
    not sensible about practical matters
  65. petulant
    easily irritated or annoyed
  66. torrid
    characterized by intense emotion
  67. truculent
    defiantly aggressive
  68. inanition
    exhaustion resulting from lack of food
  69. meronym
    a word that names a part of a larger whole
  70. avatar
    the manifestation of a Hindu deity in human or animal form
  71. lutetium
    a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group
  72. loquacious
    full of trivial conversation
  73. melange
    a varied mixture or assortment of things
  74. nasturtium
    any tropical American plant of the genus Tropaeolum having pungent juice and long-spurred yellow to red flowers
  75. cognizable
    capable of being known
  76. caesura
    a break or pause in the middle of a verse line
  77. approbation
    official acceptance or agreement
  78. adjudication
    the final judgment in a legal proceeding
  79. bodkin
    a dagger with a slender blade
  80. innuendo
    an indirect and usually malicious implication
  81. anneal
    bring to a desired consistency by heating and cooling
  82. soupcon
    a slight but appreciable amount
  83. modicum
    a small or moderate or token amount
  84. abalone
    a large edible marine gastropod with an ear-shaped shell
  85. kindred
    group of people related by blood or marriage
  86. agitprop
    political propaganda communicated via art and literature
  87. post-haste
    as fast as possible; with all possible haste
  88. reveille
    a signal, usually a bugle call, to get up in the morning
  89. veritable
    not counterfeit or copied
  90. kelpie
    a water spirit in the form of a horse
  91. tendentious
    having a strong bias, especially a controversial one
  92. chockablock
    packed full to capacity
  93. attitudinize
    assume certain affected attitudes
  94. iconoclast
    someone who attacks cherished ideas or institutions
  95. treacle
    a syrup made of sugar cane
  96. nudnick
    (Yiddish) someone who is a boring pest
  97. emanation
    the act of emitting; causing to flow forth
  98. lucubrate
    discuss in a scholarly way, especially in writing
  99. persimmon
    any of several tropical trees of the genus Diospyros
  100. titivate
    make neat, smart, or trim
  101. scimitar
    a curved saber used in Eastern countries
  102. malfeasance
    wrongful conduct by a public official
  103. jeremiad
    a long and mournful complaint
  104. chortle
    a soft partly suppressed laugh
  105. arriviste
    an ambitious social climber or status seeker
  106. penury
    a state of extreme poverty or destitution
  107. calabash
    Old World climbing plant with bottle-shaped gourds as fruits
  108. requiem
    a song or hymn of mourning as a memorial to a dead person
  109. decorous
    characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste
  110. etiolate
    make weak by stunting the growth or development of
  111. bete noire
    a detested person or thing
  112. heliolatry
    the worship of the sun
  113. lanolin
    a yellow viscous animal oil extracted from wool
  114. shaman
    one acting as a medium between the visible and spirit worlds
  115. betrothal
    the act of becoming engaged
  116. postulate
    maintain or assert
  117. botheration
    the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed
  118. tawdry
    tastelessly showy
  119. morass
    a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
  120. diaeresis
    a diacritical mark (two dots) placed over a vowel in German to indicate a change in sound
  121. nimiety
    a quantity much larger than is needed
  122. logion
    a saying of Jesus that is regarded as authentic although it is not recorded in the Gospels
  123. gelid
    extremely cold
  124. chiropodist
    a specialist in care for the feet
  125. booboisie
    class consisting of all those who are considered boobs
  126. aloha
    an acknowledgment that can be used to say hello or goodbye
  127. gossamer
    a gauze fabric with an extremely fine texture
  128. impuissance
    powerlessness revealed by an inability to act
  129. corvee
    unpaid labor (as for the maintenance of roads) required by a lord of his vassals in lieu of taxes
  130. babu
    used as a Hindi courtesy title; equivalent to English `Mr'
  131. auger
    a hand tool used to bore holes
  132. nostrum
    patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
  133. pharmacopoeia
    a collection or stock of drugs
  134. dysprosium
    a trivalent metallic element of the rare earth group
  135. interregnum
    the time between two reigns or governments
  136. sorrel
    prickly annual herb used in tarts and jelly
  137. bespoke
    custom-made
  138. euphuism
    any artificially elegant style of language
  139. connubial
    relating to marriage or the relationship between spouses
  140. bonhomie
    a disposition to be friendly and approachable
  141. jog trot
    an easy gait of a horse; midway between a walk and a trot
  142. sentient
    endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness
  143. fedelline
    extremely fine pasta thinner than vermicelli
  144. erudite
    having or showing profound knowledge
  145. dominion
    control or power through legal authority
  146. affinal
    (anthropology) related by marriage
  147. reify
    consider an abstract concept to be real
  148. homophone
    a word pronounced the same with another meaning or spelling
  149. periphrasis
    an act of expressing things in an indirect or roundabout way
  150. macadam
    a paved surface having compressed layers of broken rocks held together with tar
  151. nectary
    a gland that secretes nectar
  152. lycanthropy
    (folklore) the magical ability of a person to assume the characteristics of a wolf
  153. alembic
    an obsolete kind of container used for distillation
  154. guillemot
    small black or brown speckled auks of northern seas
  155. ignominious
    deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
  156. sphygmomanometer
    a pressure gauge for measuring blood pressure
  157. indurate
    make hard or harder
  158. lionize
    assign great social importance to
  159. triptych
    art consisting of a painting or carving on three panels
  160. pulchritude
    physical beauty, especially of a woman
  161. ku-chiku
    large bamboo having thick-walled culms
  162. Occam's Razor
    the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred
  163. law of parsimony
    the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred
  164. sui generis
    constituting a class of its own; unique
  165. belvedere
    densely branched Eurasian plant
  166. cardigan
    a knitted sweater that can be fastened up the front
  167. superannuated
    too old to be useful
  168. stiletto
    a small dagger with a tapered blade
  169. epigone
    an inferior imitator or follower of someone
  170. asperse
    charge falsely or with malicious intent
  171. hors d'oeuvre
    a dish served as an appetizer before the main meal
  172. xerophthalmia
    abnormal dryness of the conjunctiva and cornea of the eyes
  173. prevenient
    in anticipation
  174. anthropophagus
    a person who eats human flesh
  175. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
  176. pertinacious
    stubbornly unyielding
  177. antediluvian
    of or relating to the period before the biblical flood
  178. laconic
    brief and to the point
  179. oligarchy
    a political system governed by a few people
  180. heedless
    marked by or paying little attention
  181. abet
    assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
  182. abrogate
    revoke formally
  183. avow
    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
  184. erstwhile
    belonging to some prior time
  185. espouse
    choose and follow a theory, idea, policy, etc.
  186. flux
    a state of constant change
  187. forestall
    keep from happening or arising; make impossible
  188. grudging
    petty or reluctant in giving or spending
  189. impervious
    not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
  190. lip service
    an expression of agreement that is not supported by real conviction
  191. mercurial
    liable to sudden unpredictable change
  192. nary
    colloquial for 'not a' or 'not one' or 'never a'
  193. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  194. inauspicious
    boding ill
  195. baleful
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  196. baneful
    evil or sinister
  197. pernicious
    exceedingly harmful
  198. pestilent
    likely to spread and cause an epidemic disease
  199. onslaught
    an offensive against an enemy
  200. override
    travel on the back of (a horse) too hard
  201. penchant
    a strong liking or preference
  202. predilection
    a predisposition in favor of something
  203. perfidious
    tending to betray
  204. rebuff
    a deliberate discourteous act
  205. repose
    freedom from activity
  206. placidity
    a feeling of calmness; a quiet and undisturbed feeling
  207. recumb
    lean in a comfortable resting position
  208. sardonic
    disdainfully or ironically humorous
  209. scion
    a descendent or heir
  210. verity
    conformity to reality or actuality
  211. vis-a-vis
    a person or thing having the same characteristics as another
  212. Whig
    a member of the political party that urged social reform in 18th and 19th century England; was the opposition party to the Tories
  213. wrought
    shaped to fit by altering the contours of a pliable mass
  214. yoke
    a wooden frame across the shoulders for carrying buckets
  215. foster
    providing nurture though not related by blood or legal ties
  216. aardwolf
    striped hyena of southeast Africa that feeds chiefly on insects
  217. abseil
    a descent down a cliff using a fixed rope wrapped around the body
  218. acuate
    ending in a sharp point
  219. adactylous
    without fingers and/or toes
  220. ailanthus
    any of several deciduous Asian trees of the genus Ailanthus
  221. almoner
    an official in a British hospital who looks after the social and material needs of the patients
  222. alveolate
    pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)
  223. ammeter
    a meter that measures the flow of electrical current in amperes
  224. apocryphal
    being of questionable authenticity
  225. apsidal
    of or relating to an apse
  226. avocet
    long-legged web-footed black-and-white shorebird with slender upward-curving bill
  227. azimuth
    the azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian
  228. balletomane
    a ballet enthusiast
  229. banausic
    (formal) ordinary and not refined
  230. barouche
    a horse-drawn carriage having four wheels
  231. baroque
    relating to an elaborately ornamented style of art and music
  232. bimillenary
    the 2000th anniversary (or the celebration of it)
  233. bough
    any of the larger branches of a tree
  234. Brummagem
    a city in central England
  235. busby
    tall hat
  236. caduceus
    an insignia used by the medical profession
  237. camphor
    a resin obtained from the camphor tree
  238. catachresis
    strained or paradoxical use of words either in error (as `blatant' to mean `flagrant') or deliberately (as in a mixed metaphor: `blind mouths')
  239. catarrh
    inflammation of the nose and throat with increased production of mucus
  240. chaffinch
    small European finch with a cheerful song
  241. cirrhosis
    a chronic disease interfering with the liver's functioning
  242. clepsydra
    a clock that measures time by the escape of water
  243. clinquant
    glittering with gold or silver
  244. corporeal
    having material or physical form or substance
  245. corymb
    flat-topped or convex inflorescence in which the individual flower stalks grow upward from various points on the main stem to approximately the same height; outer flowers open first
  246. coup
    a sudden and decisive change of government by force
  247. crepuscular
    like or relating to twilight; dim
  248. cuneiform
    an ancient wedge-shaped script used in Mesopotamia
  249. dachshund
    small long-bodied short-legged German breed of dog having a short sleek coat and long drooping ears; suited for following game into burrows
  250. daedal
    complex and ingenious in design or function
  251. deipnosophist
    someone skilled at informal chitchat
  252. demijohn
    large bottle with a short narrow neck
  253. desquamate
    peel off in scales
  254. diphthong
    a sound that glides between two vowels in a single syllable
  255. diptych
    a painting or carving on two panels
  256. doughty
    possessing courage and determination
  257. eiderdown
    down of the eider duck
  258. eleemosynary
    generous in assistance to the poor
  259. embouchure
    the aperture of a wind instrument into which the player blows directly
  260. etymon
    a simple form inferred as the common basis from which related words in several languages can be derived by linguistic processes
  261. Fauntleroy
    an excessively polite and well-dressed boy
  262. fissiparous
    reproducing by fission
  263. flibbertigibbet
    a foolish, flighty, and overly talkative person
  264. frontispiece
    an illustration facing the title page of a book
  265. gainsay
    take exception to
  266. ginglymus
    a freely moving joint in which the bones are so articulated as to allow extensive movement in one plane
  267. grisaille
    chiaroscuro painting or stained glass etc., in shades of grey imitating the effect of relief
  268. Guernsey
    a Channel Island to the northwest of Jersey
  269. gymkhana
    a meet at which riders and horses display a range of skills and aptitudes
  270. hacienda
    the main house on a ranch or large estate
  271. hartebeest
    a large African antelope with lyre-shaped horns that curve backward
  272. howitzer
    a muzzle-loading high-angle gun with a short barrel that fires shells at high elevations for a short range
  273. inchoate
    only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
  274. insouciant
    marked by unconcern
  275. inveigh
    complain bitterly
  276. ipsedixitism
    an unsupported dogmatic assertion
  277. lamasery
    a monastery for lamas
  278. maelstrom
    a powerful circular current of water
  279. mawkishly
    in a mawkish and emotional manner
  280. minuend
    the number from which the subtrahend is subtracted
  281. mores
    the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group
  282. mugwump
    a neutral or uncommitted person, especially in politics
  283. nainsook
    a soft lightweight muslin used especially for babies
  284. nonpareil
    model of excellence or perfection of a kind
  285. obdurate
    stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
  286. oppugn
    challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
  287. orrery
    planetarium consisting of an apparatus that illustrates the relative positions and motions of bodies in the solar system by rotation and revolution of balls moved by wheelwork; sometimes incorporated in a clock
  288. palimpsest
    a manuscript on which more than one text has been written
  289. perestroika
    an economic policy adopted in the former Soviet Union
  290. pettifogger
    someone who argues over unimportant details
  291. pharisaical
    excessively or hypocritically pious
  292. poinciana
    a tropical flowering shrub having bright orange or red flowers; sometimes placed in genus Poinciana
  293. psalmody
    the act of singing psalms or hymns
  294. ptosis
    drooping of the upper eyelid caused by muscle paralysis and weakness
  295. quodlibet
    an issue that is presented for formal disputation
  296. ragout
    well-seasoned stew of meat and vegetables
  297. roan
    having a brownish coat thickly sprinkled with white or grey
  298. samizdat
    a system of clandestine printing and distribution of dissident or banned literature
  299. sauerbraten
    pot roast marinated several days in seasoned vinegar before cooking; usually served with potato dumplings
  300. scansion
    analysis of verse into metrical patterns
  301. silhouette
    a filled-in drawing of the outline of an object
  302. slumgullion
    a thin stew of meat and vegetables
  303. Soubise
    veloute sauce with sauteed chopped onions and whipping cream
  304. stannous
    of or relating to or containing tin
  305. synecdoche
    using part of something to refer to the whole thing
  306. tercentenary
    the 300th anniversary (or the celebration of it)
  307. transmogrify
    change completely the nature or appearance of
  308. trousseau
    clothes and linens that a bride brings to a marriage
  309. urceolate
    urn-shaped; large below and contracted toward the mouth
  310. wainscot
    wooden panels that can be used to line the walls of a room
  311. whorlywort
    a tall perennial herb having spikes of small white or purple flowers; common in eastern North America
  312. zephyr
    a slight wind
  313. zeugma
    rhetorical use of a word to govern two or more words
  314. zwieback
    slice of sweet bread baked again until it is hard and crisp
  315. chiasmus
    inversion in the second of two parallel phrases
  316. duty period
    the time period during which you are at work
  317. acacia
    any of various spiny trees or shrubs
  318. glossolalia
    repetitive nonmeaningful speech
  319. koan
    a paradoxical anecdote or a riddle that has no solution
  320. maharajah
    a great raja
  321. nictate
    briefly shut the eyes
  322. nudnik
    (Yiddish) someone who is a boring pest
  323. sesquipedalian
    a very long word (a foot and a half long)
  324. susurration
    an indistinct sound, as of whispering or rustling
  325. syzygy
    the straight line configuration of three celestial bodies
  326. ullage
    the amount that a container lacks of being full
  327. umlaut
    a diacritical mark (two dots) placed over a vowel in German
  328. wassail
    a punch made of sweetened ale or wine heated with spices and roasted apples; especially at Christmas
  329. litotes
    understatement for rhetorical effect
  330. enfranchise
    grant freedom to, as from slavery or servitude
  331. quasar
    a starlike object that may send out radio waves
  332. participle
    a form of the verb used as an adjective
  333. phloem
    plant tissue that conducts synthesized food substances
  334. xylem
    plant tissue that conducts water and dissolved nutrients
  335. kitsch
    excessively gaudy or sentimental art
  336. mantra
    a sacred utterance or poetic hymn in Vedism
  337. fait accompli
    an irreversible accomplishment
  338. nouveau-riche
    characteristic of someone who has risen economically or socially but lacks the social skills appropriate for this new position
  339. red herring
    something intended to distract attention from the main issue
  340. Svengali
    someone (usually maleficent) who tries to persuade or force another person to do his bidding
  341. white elephant
    an unwanted possession that is hard to get rid of or to maintain
  342. alga
    primitive chlorophyll-containing mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms lacking true stems and roots and leaves
  343. archaean
    of or relating to the earliest known rocks formed during the Precambrian Eon
  344. artesian well
    a well drilled through impermeable strata into strata that receive water from a higher altitude so there is pressure to force the water to flow upward
  345. Bering
    Danish explorer who explored the northern Pacific Ocean for the Russians and discovered the Bering Strait (1681-1741)
  346. metrification
    the act of changing from imperial units of measurement to metric units: meters, grams, seconds
  347. histone
    a simple protein containing mainly basic amino acids
  348. kwashiorkor
    severe malnutrition in children resulting from a diet excessively high in carbohydrates and low in protein
  349. monotreme
    the most primitive mammals comprising the only extant members of the subclass Prototheria
  350. Munchausen syndrome
    syndrome consisting of feigning acute and dramatic illness for which no clinical evidence is ever found
  351. pahoehoe
    freely flowing lava
  352. prion
    an infectious protein particle lacking DNA or RNA
  353. roentgen
    a unit of radiation exposure
  354. roentgen ray
    electromagnetic radiation of short wavelength produced when high-speed electrons strike a solid target
  355. teratogen
    any agent that interferes with normal embryonic development: alcohol or thalidomide or X-rays or rubella are examples
  356. hominian
    characterizing the family Hominidae, which includes Homo sapiens as well as extinct species of manlike creatures
  357. hypha
    any of the threadlike filaments forming the mycelium of a fungus
  358. krill
    small shrimp-like crustaceans
  359. stipendiary
    receiving or eligible for compensation
  360. xerophyte
    plant adapted for life with a limited supply of water
  361. fecund
    capable of producing offspring or vegetation
  362. serenade
    a song played outside the house of a love interest
  363. impecunious
    not having enough money to pay for necessities
  364. magnanimous
    noble and generous in spirit
  365. wangle
    accomplishing something by scheming or trickery
  366. bain-marie
    a large pan that is filled with hot water
  367. count noun
    a noun that forms plurals
  368. mass noun
    a noun that does not form plurals
  369. progeny
    the immediate descendants of a person
  370. arbalest
    an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine for hurling large stones and other missiles
  371. coccyx
    the end of the vertebral column in humans and tailless apes
  372. veracity
    unwillingness to tell lies
  373. mynah
    tropical Asian starlings
  374. martinet
    someone who demands exact conformity to rules and forms
  375. orthography
    representing the sounds of a language by written symbols
  376. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  377. omniscient
    knowing, seeing, or understanding everything
  378. plausible
    apparently reasonable, valid, or truthful
  379. licentious
    lacking moral discipline
  380. arrogate
    seize and take control without authority
  381. visage
    the human face
  382. steadfast
    marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
  383. cicerone
    a guide who conducts and informs sightseers
  384. paternoster
    a type of lift having a chain of open compartments that move continually in an endless loop so that (agile) passengers can step on or off at each floor
  385. divagate
    lose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking
  386. etymology
    a history of a word
  387. anathema
    a formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication
  388. gratuitous
    unnecessary and unwarranted
  389. pinchgut
    a niggardly person who starves himself (and others)
  390. redoubt
    a refuge or stronghold
  391. pate
    liver or meat or fowl finely minced or ground and variously seasoned
  392. lassitude
    a feeling of lack of interest or energy
  393. sine qua non
    a prerequisite
  394. odious
    extremely repulsive or unpleasant
  395. antithesis
    exact opposite
  396. repudiate
    refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid
  397. artisan
    a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
  398. innocuous
    not injurious to physical or mental health
  399. connoisseur
    an expert able to appreciate a field
  400. bevy
    a flock of birds
  401. cachinnate
    laugh loudly and in an unrestrained way
  402. schwa
    a neutral middle vowel that occurs in unstressed syllables
  403. bibliopole
    a dealer in secondhand books
  404. preternatural
    existing outside of or not in accordance with nature
  405. beleaguer
    annoy persistently
  406. eutherian
    mammals having a placenta
  407. rapporteur
    a recorder appointed by a committee to prepare reports of the meetings
  408. reticule
    a network of lines in the eyepiece of an optical instrument
  409. isobar
    (meteorology)an isogram connecting points having equal barometric pressure at a given time
  410. peignoir
    a loose dressing gown for women
  411. juxtapose
    place side by side
  412. acclamation
    enthusiastic approval or recognition
  413. demoniac
    someone who acts as if possessed by a demon
  414. sophistry
    a deliberately invalid argument in the hope of deceiving
  415. callow
    young and inexperienced
  416. acme
    the highest point of something
  417. embolus
    an abnormal particle circulating in the blood
  418. nadir
    the lowest point of anything
  419. bumptious
    offensively self-assertive
  420. panacea
    hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases
  421. kimono
    a loose robe originating in Japan
  422. appellation
    identifying words by which someone or something is called
  423. commiserate
    feel or express sympathy or compassion
  424. haptic
    relating to or proceeding from the sense of touch
  425. derring-do
    brave and heroic action
  426. wormhole
    a small tunnel made by a burrowing creature
  427. exonerate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  428. circumlocution
    an indirect way of expressing something
  429. usurp
    seize and take control without authority
  430. exorbitant
    greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
  431. crescendo
    a gradual increase in loudness
  432. pot-au-feu
    traditional French stew of vegetables and beef
  433. secede
    withdraw from an organization or polity
  434. arcanum
    information known only to a special group
  435. ecstasy
    a state of elated bliss
  436. replete
    filled to satisfaction with food or drink
  437. zealot
    a fervent and even militant proponent of something
  438. surly
    unfriendly and inclined toward anger or irritation
  439. lout
    an awkward, foolish person
  440. bellwether
    someone who assumes leadership of a movement or activity
  441. mariachi
    a group of traditional Mexican folk musicians
  442. obbligato
    a part of the score that must be performed without change or omission
  443. celluloid
    flammable substance used in motion-picture and X-ray film
  444. frumpy
    drab, old-fashioned, and unattractive
  445. tetchy
    easily irritated or annoyed
  446. oxymoron
    conjoined contradictory terms
  447. hierarchy
    a series of ordered groupings within a system
  448. myopic
    unable to see distant objects clearly
  449. voracity
    extreme gluttony
  450. naivety
    lack of sophistication or worldliness
  451. bilious
    relating to a digestive juice secreted by the liver
  452. interloper
    someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another
  453. placable
    easily calmed or pacified
  454. derangement
    a state of mental disturbance and disorientation
  455. recuse
    disqualify oneself as a judge in a particular case
  456. felicitate
    express congratulations
  457. bric-a-brac
    small decorative objects
  458. semaphore
    an apparatus for visual signaling
  459. fifth column
    a subversive group that supports the enemy and engages in espionage or sabotage; an enemy in your midst
  460. gadfly
    any of various large flies that annoy livestock
  461. brindle
    having a grey or brown streak or a pattern or a patchy coloring; used especially of the patterned fur of cats
  462. quondam
    belonging to some prior time
  463. calico
    coarse cloth with a bright print
  464. bolo
    a cord fastened around the neck with an ornamental clasp and worn as a necktie
  465. agrarian
    relating to rural matters
  466. homogeneous
    all of the same or similar kind or nature
  467. pied-a-terre
    lodging for occasional or secondary use
  468. puissant
    powerful
  469. decennary
    a period of 10 years
  470. glom
    latch or seize upon; take hold of
  471. acaricide
    a chemical agent used to kill mites
  472. prerogative
    a right reserved exclusively by a person or group
  473. plus fours
    men's baggy knickers hanging below the knees
  474. manticore
    a monster having the head of man and the body of a lion
  475. turgor
    (biology) the normal rigid state of fullness of a cell or blood vessel or capillary resulting from pressure of the contents against the wall or membrane
  476. eldritch
    suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
  477. palpable
    capable of being perceived
  478. perfidy
    an act of deliberate betrayal
  479. promontory
    a natural elevation
  480. plaudit
    enthusiastic approval
  481. chiropteran
    nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
  482. captious
    tending to find and call attention to faults
  483. parry
    impede the movement of
  484. umbo
    a slight rounded elevation where the malleus attaches to the eardrum
  485. gauche
    lacking social poise or refinement
  486. raconteur
    a person skilled in telling anecdotes
  487. crinoline
    a stiff coarse fabric used to stiffen hats or clothing
  488. veld
    elevated open grassland in southern Africa
  489. ferritin
    a protein containing 20% iron that is found in the intestines and liver and spleen; it is one of the chief forms in which iron is stored in the body
  490. foray
    a sudden short attack
  491. forsooth
    certainly; indeed (now often used ironically)
  492. derisive
    expressing contempt or ridicule
  493. laird
    a landowner
  494. fastidious
    giving careful attention to detail
  495. jeroboam
    a large wine bottle (holds 4/5 of a gallon)
  496. hawse
    the hole that an anchor rope passes through
  497. cabotage
    navigation in coastal waters
  498. habanera
    a Cuban dance in duple time
  499. theophany
    a visible manifestation of a deity to a human person
  500. pantheon
    a temple to all the gods of antiquity
  501. quid pro quo
    something given in exchange for something else
  502. battue
    a hunt in which beaters force the game to flee in the direction of the hunter
  503. insular
    relating to or characteristic of or situated on an island
  504. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
  505. seraglio
    a harem
  506. disabuse
    free somebody from an erroneous belief
  507. effigy
    a representation of a person
  508. balalaika
    a stringed instrument that has a triangular body and three strings
  509. prehension
    the act of gripping something firmly with the hands
  510. nefarious
    extremely wicked
  511. vitriol
    abusive or venomous language to express blame or censure
  512. cachexia
    any general reduction in vitality and strength of body and mind resulting from a debilitating chronic disease
  513. blithesome
    carefree and happy and lighthearted
  514. poteen
    unlawfully distilled Irish whiskey
  515. gravid
    in an advanced stage of pregnancy
  516. sagacity
    the trait of having wisdom and good judgment
  517. non sequitur
    a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it
  518. rhetoric
    study of the technique for using language effectively
  519. rhetorical
    relating to using language effectively
  520. obfuscation
    darkening or obscuring the sight of something
  521. usury
    the act of lending money at an exorbitant rate of interest
  522. alienist
    a psychiatrist and specialist in the legal aspects of mental illness
  523. tenacious
    stubbornly unyielding
  524. domicile
    housing that someone is living in
  525. clabber
    raw milk that has soured and thickened
  526. chawbacon
    a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
  527. accentuate
    stress or single out as important
  528. sprachgefuhl
    an intuitive feeling for the natural idiom of a language
  529. hypaethral
    partly or entirely open to the sky
  530. buckaroo
    local names for a cowboy
  531. litany
    a prayer consisting of a series of invocations by the priest with responses from the congregation
  532. terpsichorean
    of or relating to dancing
  533. reticent
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
  534. deja vu
    the experience of thinking a new situation already occurred
  535. lodestar
    guiding star
  536. solleret
    armor plate that protects the foot
  537. kowtow
    bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
  538. prolix
    tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at length
  539. outre
    conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual
  540. dragoon
    compel by coercion, threats, or crude means
  541. prescience
    the power to foresee the future
  542. golem
    an artificial human that is given life by supernatural means
  543. carioca
    a lively ballroom dance that resembles the samba
  544. capriccio
    an instrumental composition that doesn't adhere to rules for any specific musical form and is played with improvisation
  545. jurisprudence
    the branch of philosophy concerned with the law
  546. cantata
    a musical composition for voices and orchestra
  547. exculpate
    pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
  548. Lothario
    a successful womanizer
  549. janissary
    elite Turkish soldier who was a member of the Sultan’s guard
  550. wincey
    a plain or twilled fabric of wool and cotton used especially for warm shirts or skirts and pajamas
  551. saponaceous
    resembling or having the qualities of soap
  552. mise en scene
    an arrangement that shows where a play or film takes place
  553. touchstone
    a basis for comparison
  554. hebetude
    mental lethargy or dullness
  555. lugubrious
    excessively mournful
  556. quaggy
    (of soil) soft and watery
  557. mahimahi
    large slender food and game fish widely distributed in warm seas (especially around Hawaii)
  558. kickshaw
    something considered choice to eat
  559. galosh
    a waterproof overshoe that protects shoes from water or snow
  560. desperado
    a bold outlaw
  561. remora
    marine fishes with a flattened elongated body and a sucking disk on the head for attaching to large fish or moving objects
  562. algometer
    device for measuring pain caused by pressure
  563. incandescent
    emitting light as a result of being heated
  564. de rigueur
    required by etiquette, custom, or fashion
  565. crith
    the weight of a liter of hydrogen
  566. facula
    a bright spot on a planet
  567. tamarind
    long-lived tropical evergreen tree with a spreading crown and feathery evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers yielding hard yellowish wood and long pods with edible chocolate-colored acidic pulp
  568. anaphora
    repetition of a word or phrase to begin successive clauses
  569. periodicity
    the quality of recurring at regular intervals
  570. auto-da-fe
    the burning to death of heretics
  571. troglodyte
    one who lives in solitude
  572. vassal
    a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
  573. hermeneutics
    theology that deals with principles of interpretation
  574. alliteration
    use of the same consonant at the beginning of each word
  575. tocsin
    the sound of an alarm (usually a bell)
  576. aphorism
    a short pithy instructive saying
  577. frigorific
    causing cold; cooling or chilling
  578. zany
    ludicrous or foolish
  579. frieze
    an ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band
  580. xeric
    being deficient in or requiring little moisture
  581. scapegrace
    a reckless and unprincipled reprobate
  582. videlicet
    as follows
  583. conciliatory
    making or willing to make concessions
  584. wisenheimer
    someone who makes overly clever, smug, or sarcastic comments
  585. simulacrum
    a representation of a person
  586. bifurcate
    split or divide into two
  587. argosy
    one or more large merchant ships
  588. sansevieria
    grown as a houseplant for its mottled fleshy sword-shaped leaves or as a source of fiber
  589. lagniappe
    a small gift given by a merchant to a customer
  590. sempiternal
    having no known beginning and presumably no end
  591. sanction
    official permission or approval
  592. hidebound
    stubbornly inflexible and narrow-minded
  593. pelisse
    a sleeveless cape that is lined or trimmed with fur
  594. confabulation
    a discussion or informal conversation
  595. puce
    a color varying from dark purplish brown to dark red
  596. impresario
    a sponsor who books and stages public entertainments
  597. ternion
    the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
  598. epoch
    a period marked by distinctive character
  599. balmoral
    a sturdy laced walking shoe
  600. asunder
    into parts or pieces
  601. foible
    a minor weakness or peculiarity in someone's character
  602. deign
    do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
  603. piquant
    having an agreeably pungent taste
  604. barbican
    a tower that is part of a defensive structure
  605. maudlin
    very sentimental or emotional
  606. sumptuary
    regulating or controlling expenditure or personal behavior
  607. flocculate
    form into an aggregated lumpy or fluffy mass
  608. peradventure
    by chance
  609. gustatory
    of or relating to the sense of taste
  610. parley
    a negotiation between enemies
  611. cynosure
    something that provides guidance
  612. plebeian
    of or associated with the great masses of people
  613. engender
    call forth
  614. annular
    shaped like a ring
  615. implacable
    incapable of being appeased or pacified
  616. obtuse
    of an angle, between 90 and 180 degrees
  617. cicatrize
    form a scar, after an injury
  618. primogeniture
    right of inheritance belonging exclusively to the eldest son
  619. intermit
    stop an action temporarily
  620. indubitable
    too obvious to be doubted
  621. anomalous
    deviating from the general or common order or type
  622. stammel
    a coarse woolen cloth formerly used for undergarments and usually dyed bright red
  623. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
  624. quarter day
    a Christian holy day
  625. puerperal
    relating to or connected with or occurring at the time of childbirth or shortly following, or to the woman who has just given birth
  626. unreconstructed
    adhering to an attitude or position widely held to be outmoded
  627. umber
    an earth pigment
  628. coetaneous
    of the same period
  629. carotid
    of a major artery supplying blood to the head and neck
  630. coruscate
    reflect brightly
  631. lexical
    of or relating to words
  632. apodictic
    (of a proposition) necessarily true or logically certain
  633. kinesis
    a movement that is a response to a stimulus
  634. quantal
    of or relating to a quantum or capable of existing in only one of two states
  635. prevaricate
    be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
  636. melatonin
    sleep-regulating hormone secreted by the pineal gland
  637. quadrillion
    (U.S.) the number that is represented as a 1 followed by 15 zeros
  638. pleonasm
    using more words than necessary
  639. slub
    soft lump or unevenness in a yarn
  640. Quinquagesima
    the Sunday before Ash Wednesday (the beginning of Lent)
  641. fugleman
    a leader and organizer and spokesman
  642. logomach
    someone given to disputes over words
  643. diminution
    change toward something smaller or lower
  644. coelacanth
    fish thought to have been extinct since the Cretaceous period but found in 1938 off the coast of Africa
  645. mantilla
    a woman's silk or lace scarf
  646. spitz
    any of various stocky heavy-coated breeds of dogs native to northern regions having pointed muzzles and erect ears with a curled furry tail
  647. huarache
    a sandal with flat heels and an upper of woven leather straps
  648. conga
    a Latin American dance of 3 steps and a kick by people in single file
  649. actinic
    relating to or exhibiting actinism
  650. dodecagon
    a twelve-sided polygon
  651. embargo
    a government order imposing a trade barrier
  652. serrate
    notched like a saw with teeth pointing toward the apex
  653. immoderate
    beyond reasonable limits
  654. vinaceous
    of or relating to wine
  655. exiguous
    extremely scanty
Created on Wed Apr 09 17:47:10 EDT 2008 (updated Tue Apr 29 10:14:04 EDT 2008)

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