1
abate
subside or moderate
Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the storm to abate.
2
abbreviate
shorten
Because we were running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.
3
abortive
unsuccessful; fruitless
We had to abandon our abortive attempts.
4
absolute
complete; totally unlimited; certain
Although the King of Siam was an absolute monarch, he did not want to behead his unfaithful wife without absolute evidence of her infidelity.
5
abstract
theoretical; not concrete; non-representational
To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal.
6
abusive
coarsely insulting; physically harmful
An abusive parent damages a child both mentally and physically.
7
accelerate
move faster
In our science class, we learn how falling bodies accelerate.
8
accessible
easy to approach; obtainable
We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot.
9
accessory
additional object; useful but not essential thing
She bought an attractive handbag as an accessory for her dress.
10
abscond
depart secretly and hide
The teller absconded with the bonds and was not found.
11
aberrant
abnormal or deviant
Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the validity of the entire experiment.
12
abeyance
suspended action
The deal was held in abeyance until her arrival.
13
adamant
hard, inflexible
He was adamant in his determination to punish the wrongdoer.
14
adulterate
make impure by mixing with baser substances
It is a crime to adulterate foods without informing the buyer.
15
adversity
poverty, misfortune
We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.
16
abase
lower; degrade; humiliate
Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before him, however she refused to abase herself.
17
abash
embarrass
He was not at all abashed by her open admiration.
18
abdicate
renounce; give up
When Edward VII abdicated the British throne, he surprised the entire world.
19
abet
assist, usually in doing something wrong
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
20
abject
wretched; lacking pride
On the streets of New York the homeless live in abject poverty, huddling in doorways to find shelter from the wind.
21
abjure
renounce upon oath
He abjured his allegiance to the king.
22
ablution
washing
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises that he humorously labeled "Opera in the Bath."
23
abnegation
renunciation; self-sacrifice
Though Rudolph and Duchess Flavia loved one another, their love was doomed, for she had to wed the king; their act of abnegation was necessary to preserve the kingdom.
24
abominate
loathe; hate
Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe because he abominated the custom.
25
abrasive
rubbing away; tending to grind down
Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear away a listener's patience.
26
abrogate
abolish
He intended to abrogate the decree issued by his predecessor.
27
absolve
pardon (an offense)
The father confessor absolved him of his sins.
28
abstain
refrain; withhold from participation
After considering the effect of alcohol on his athletic performance, he decided to abstain from drinking while he trained for the race.
29
abut
border upon; adjoin
Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.
30
abysmal
bottomless
His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal ignorance.
31
accede
agree
If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid that I will be the victim of future demands.
32
acclimate
adjust to climate or environment
One of the difficulties of our present air age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.
33
acclivity
sharp upslope of a hill
The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear.
34
accolade
award of merit
In Hollywood, an "Oscar" is the highest accolade.
35
accord
agreement
She was in complete accord with the verdict.
36
accost
approach and speak first to a person
When the two young men accosted me, I was frightened because I thought they were going to attack me.
37
accoutre
equip
The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply 
38
accretion
growth; increase
The accretion of wealth marked the family's rise in power.
39
accrue
come about by addition
You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.
40
acidulous
slightly sour; sharp; caustic
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
41
acme
peak; pinnacle; highest point
Welles's success in Citizen Kane marked the acme of his career as an actor; never again did he achieve such popular acclaim.
42
acquiesce
assent; agree passively
Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employer's suggestions, I could tell she had reservations about the changes he wanted made.
43
acquittal
deliverance from a charge
His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had thought him guilty.
44
acrid
sharp; bitterly pungent
The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.
45
acrimonious
stinging, caustic
His tendency to utter acrimonious remarks alienated his audience.
46
actuarial
calculating; pertaining to insurance statistics
According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago.
47
actuate
motivate
I fail to understand what actuated you to reply to this letter so nastily.
48
acuity
sharpness
In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and he needed glasses.
49
acumen
mental keenness
His business acumen helped him to succeed where others had failed.
50
adage
wise saying; proverb
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.
51
addendum
addition; appendix to book
Jane's editor approved her new comparative literature text but thought it would be even better with an addendum on recent developments in literary criticism.
52
addle
muddle; drive crazy
This idiotic plan is confusing enough to addle anyone.
53
adherent
supporter; follower
In the wake of the scandal, the senator's one-time adherent quietly deserted him.
54
adjunct
something attached to but holding an inferior position
I will entertain this concept as an adjunct to the main proposal.
55
adjuration
solemn urging
Her adjuration to tell the truth did not change the witnesses' testimony.
56
adjutant
staff officer assisting the commander; assistant
Though Wellington delegated many tasks to his chief adjutant, Lord Fitzroy Somerset, Somerset was in no doubt as to who made all major decisions.
57
admonish
warn; reprove
He admonished his listeners to change their wicked ways.
58
adorn
decorate
Wall paintings and carved statues adorned the temple.
59
adroit
skillful
His adroit handling of the delicate situation pleased his employers.
60
adulation
flattery; admiration
The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes-men.
61
advent
arrival
Most Americans were unaware of the advent of the Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima reached them.
62
adventitious
accidental; casual
He found this adventitious meeting with his friend extremely fortunate.
63
adversary
opponent; enemy
Batman struggled to save Gotham City from the machinations of his wicked adversary, the Joker.
64
adverse
unfavorable; hostile
adverse circumstances compelled him to close his business.
65
advert
refer to
Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important.
66
advocate
urge; plead for
The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves.
67
aegis
shield; defense
Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our most treasured freedoms.
68
affable
courteous
Although he held a position of responsibility, he was an affable individual and could be reached by anyone with a complaint.
69
affected
artificial; pretended
His affected mannerisms irritated may of us who had known him before his promotion.
70
affidavit
written statement made under oath
The court refused to accept his statement unless he presented it in the form of an affidavit.
71
affiliation
joining; associating with
His affiliation with the political party was of short duration for he soon disagreed with his colleagues.
72
affinity
kinship
She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains were her pains.
73
affirmation
positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath
Despite Tom's affirmation of innocence, Aunt Polly still suspected he had eaten the pie.
74
affix
attach or add on; fasten
First the registrar had to affix his signature to the license; then he had to affix his official seal.
75
affluence
abundance; wealth
Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury of the American way of life.
76
affront
insult; offend
Accustomed to being treated with respect, Miss Challoner was affronted by Vidal's offensive behavior.
77
agape
openmouthed
She stared, agape, at the many strange animals in the zoo.
78
agenda
items of business at a meeting
We had so much difficulty agreeing upon an agenda that there was very little time for the meeting.
79
agglomeration
collection; heap
It took weeks to assort the agglomeration of miscellaneous items she had collected on her trip.
80
aggrandize
increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank or honor
The history of the past quarter century illustrates how a President may aggrandize his power to act aggressively in international affairs without considering the wishes of Congress.
81
aggregate
sum; total
The aggregate wealth of this country is staggering to the imagination.
82
aghast
horrified
He was aghast at the nerve of the speaker who had insulted his host.
83
agility
nimbleness
The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled the audience.
84
agitate
stir up; disturb
Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry mob.
85
agnostic
one who is skeptical of the existence of knowability of a god or any ultimate reality
The agnostic demanded proof before she would accept the statement of the minister.
86
agog
highly excited; intensely curious
We were all agog at the news that the celebrated movie star was giving up his career in order to enter a monastery.
87
agrarian
pertaining to land or its cultivation
As a result of its recent industrialization, the country is gradually losing its agrarian traditions.
88
alacrity
cheerful promptness
He demonstrated his eagerness to serve by his alacrity in executing the orders of his master.
89
alchemy
medieval chemistry
The changing of baser metals into gold was the goal of the students of alchemy.
90
alcove
nook; recess
Though their apartment lacked a full-scale dining room, an alcove adjacent to the living room made an adequate breakfast nook for the young couple.
91
alias
an assumed name
John Smith's alias was Bob Jones.
92
alienate
make hostile; separate
Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed because they had complete faith in each other.
93
alimentary
supplying nourishment
The alimentary canal in our bodies is so named because digestion of foods occurs there.
94
alimony
payments make to an ex-spouse after divorce
Because Tony had supported Tina through medical school, on their divorce he asked the court to award him $500 a month in alimony.
95
allay
calm; pacify
The crew tried to allay the fears of the passengers by announcing that the fire had been controlled.
96
allege
state without proof
It is alleged that she had worked for the enemy.
97
allegory
story in which characters are used as symbols; fable
Pilgrim's Progress is an allegory of the temptations and victories of the human soul.
98
alleviate
relieve
This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs.
99
alliteration
repetition of beginning sound in poetry
"The furrow followed free" is an example of alliteration.
100
alloy
mixture as of metals
alloy of gold are used more frequently than the pure metal.
101
allude
refer indirectly
Try not to allude to this matter in his presence because the topic annoys him.
102
allure
entice; attract
allured by the song of the sirens, the helmsman steered the ship toward the reef.
103
allusion
indirect reference
the allusions to mythological characters in Milton's poems bewilder the reader who has not studied Latin.
104
alluvial
pertaining to soil deposits left by running water
The farmers found the alluvial deposits at the mouth of the river very fertile.
105
aloof
apart; reserved
Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest conversed.
106
aloft
upward
The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.
107
altercation
noisy quarrel
Throughout the altercation, not one sensible word was uttered.
108
altruistic
unselfishly generous; concerned for others
In providing tutorial assistance and college scholarships to hundreds of economically disadvantaged youths, Eugene Lang performed a truly altruistic deed.
109
amalgamate
combine; unite in one body
The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.
110
amass
collect
The miser's aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.
111
amazon
female warrior
Ever since the days of Greek mythology we refer to strong and aggressive women as amazons.
112
ambidextrous
capable of using either hand with equal ease
A switch-hitter in baseball should be naturally ambidextrous.
113
ambience
environment; atmosphere
She went to the restaurant not for the food but for the ambience.
114
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning
His ambiguous instructions misled us; we did not know which road to take.
115
ambivalence
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings.
116
amble
moving at an easy pace
When she first mounted the horse, she was afraid to urge the animal to go faster than a gentle amble.
117
ambrosia
food of the gods
ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any human who ate it.
118
ambulatory
able to walk
He was described as an ambulatory patient because he was not confined to his bed.
119
ameliorate
improve
Many social workers have attempted to ameliorate the conditions of people living in the slums.
120
amenable
readily managed; willing to be led
He was amenable to any suggestions that came from those he looked up to; he resented advice from his inferiors.
121
amend
correct; change, generally for the better
Hoping to amend his condition, he left Vietnam for the United States.
122
amenities
convenient features; courtesies
In addition to the customary amenities for the business traveler -- fax machines, modems, a health club -- the hotel offers the services of a butler versed in social amenities.
123
amiable
agreeable; lovable
His amiable disposition pleased all who had dealings with him.
124
amicable
friendly
The dispute was settled in an amicable manner with no harsh words.
125
amiss
wrong; faulty
Seeing her frown, he wondered if anything were amiss.
126
amity
friendship
Student exchange programs such as the Experiment in International Living were established to promote international amity.
127
amnesia
loss of memory
Because she was suffering from amnesia, the police could not get the young girl to identify herself.
128
amnesty
pardon
When his first child was born, the king granted amnesty to all in prison.
129
amoral
non-moral
The amoral individual lacks a code of ethics; he should not be classified as immoral.
130
amorous
moved by sexual love; loving
Don Juan was known for his amorous adventures.
131
amorphous
shapeless; vague; indeterminate
John was subject to panic attacks that left him prey to vague, amorphous fears: he knew he was terrified, but could neither define nor explain the cause of his terror.
132
amphibian
able to live both on land and in water
Frogs are classified as amphibian.
133
amphitheater
oval building with tiers of seats
The spectators in the amphitheater cheered the gladiators.
134
ample
abundant
He had ample opportunity to dispose of his loot before his police caught up with him.
135
amplify
enlarge
Her attempts to amplify her remarks were drowned out by the jeers of the audience.
136
amputate
cut off part of body; prune
When the doctors had to amputate Ted Kennedy's leg to prevent the spread of cancer, he did not let the loss of his leg keep him from participating in sports.
137
amok
in a state of rage
The police had to be called in to restrain him after he ran amok in the department store.
138
amulet
charm; talisman
Around her neck she wore the amulet that the witch doctor had given her.
139
anachronism
something or someone misplaced in time
Shakespeare's reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism; no clocks existed in Caesar's time.
140
analgesic
causing insensitivity to pain
The analgesic qualities of his lotion will provide temporary relief.
141
analogous
comparable
She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that we do the same.
142
analogy
similarity; parallelism
Your analogy is not a good one because the two situations are not similar.
143
anarchist
person who rebels against the established order
Only the total overthrow of all governmental regulations would satisfy the anarchist.
144
anarchy
absence of governing body; state of disorder
The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.
145
anathema
solemn curse; someone or something that is despised
He heaped anathema upon his foe.
146
anathematize
curse
The high priest anathematized the heretic.
147
anchor
secure or fasten firmly; be fixed in place
We set the post in concrete to anchor it in place.
148
ancillary
serving as an aid or accessory; auxiliary
In an ancillary capacity Doctor Watson was helpful; however, Holmes could not trust the good doctor to solve a perplexing case on his own.
149
anecdote
short account of an amusing or interesting event
Rather than make concrete proposals for welfare reform, President Raegan told anecdotes about poor people who became wealthy despite their impoverished backgrounds.
150
anemia
condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles
The doctor ascribes her tiredness to anemia.
151
anesthetic
substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
His monotonous voice acted like an anesthetic; his audience was soon asleep.
152
anguish
acute pain; extreme suffering
Visiting the site of explosion, Premier Gorbachev wept to see the anguish of the victims and their families.
153
angular
sharp-cornered; stiff in manner
His features, though angular, were curiously attractive.
154
animadversion
critical remark
He resented the animadversions of his critics, particularly because he realized they were true.
155
animated
lively
Her animated expression indicated a keenness of intellect.
156
animosity
active enmity
He incurred the animosity of the ruling class because he advocated limitations of their power.
157
animus
hostile feeling or intent
The animus of the speaker became obvious to all when he began to indulge in sarcastic and insulting remarks.
158
annals
records; history
In the annals of this period, we find no mention of democratic movements.
159
anneal
reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
After the glass is annealed, it will be less subject to chipping and cracking.
160
annihilate
destroy
The enemy in its revenge tried to annihilate the entire population.
161
annotate
comment; make explanatory notes
In the appendix to the novel, the critic sought to annotate many of the more esoteric references.
162
annuity
yearly allowance
The annuity he set up with the insurance company supplements his social security benefits so that he can live very comfortably without working.
163
annul
make void
The parents of the eloped couple tried to annul the marriage.
164
anodyne
drug that relieves pain; opiate
His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve it.
165
anoint
consecrate
The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil, crowning him king of Israel.
166
anomalous
abnormal; irregular
He was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that he despised.
167
anomaly
irregularity
A bird that cannot fly is an anomaly.
168
anonymity
state of being nameless; anonymousness
The donor of the gift asked the college not to mention him by name; the dean readily agreed to respect his anonymity.
169
antagonistic
hostile; opposed
Despite his lawyers' best efforts to stop him, the angry prisoner continued to make antagonistic remarks to the judge.
170
antecede
precede
The invention of the radiotelegraph anteceded the development of television by a quarter of a century.
171
antecedents
preceding events or circumstances that influence what comes later; early life; ancestors
Before giving permission for Drummie to marry Estella, Miss Havisham had a few questions about the young man's birth and antecedents.
172
antediluvian
antiquated; ancient
The antediluvian customs had apparently not changed for thousands of years.
173
anthropoid
manlike
The gorilla is the strongest of the anthropoid animals.
174
anthropologist
student of the history and science of humankind
Anthropologists have discovered several relics of prehistoric humans in this area.
175
anthropomorphic
having human form or characteristics
Primitive religions often have deities with anthropomorphic characteristics.
176
anticlimax
letdown in thought or emotion
After the fine performance in the first act, the rest of the play was an anticlimax.
177
antipathy
aversion; dislike
His extreme antipathy to dispute caused him to avoid argumentative discussions with his friends.
178
antiquated
obsolete; outdated
Accustomed to editing his papers on word processors, Philip thought typewriters were too antiquated for him to use.
179
antiseptic
substance that prevents infection
It is advisable to apply an antiseptic to any wound, no matter how slight or insignificant.
180
antithesis
contrast; direct opposite of or to
This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength.
181
anvil
iron block used in hammering out metals
After heating the iron horseshoe in the forge, the blacksmith picked it up with his tongs and set it on the anvil.
182
apathetic
indifferent
He felt apathetic about the conditions he had observed and did not care to fight against them.
183
apathy
lack of caring; indifference
A firm believer in democratic government, she could not understand the apathy of people who never bothered to vote.
184
ape
imitate or mimic
He was suspended for a week because he had aped the principal in front of the whole school.
185
aperture
opening; hole
She discovered a small aperture in the wall, through which the insects had entered the room.
186
apex
tip; summit; climax
He was at the apex of his career.
187
aphasia
loss of speech due to injury or illness
After the automobile accident, the victim had periods of aphasia when he could not speak at all or could only mumble incoherently.
188
aphorism
pithy maxim
An aphorism differs from an adage in that it is more philosophical or scientific.
189
apiary
a place where bees are kept
Although he spent many hours daily in the apiary, he was very seldom stung by a bee.
190
aplomb
poise; composure
Wellington's nonchalance and aplomb in the heat of battle always heartened his followers.
191
apocalyptic
prophetic; pertaining to revelations; especially of disaster
His apocalyptic remarks were dismissed by his audience as wild surmises.
192
apocryphal
untrue; made up
To impress his friends, Tom invented apocryphal tales of his adventures in the big city.
193
apogee
highest point
When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from the earth, it is at its apogee.
194
apoplexy
stroke; loss of consciousness followed by paralysis
He was crippled by an attack of apoplexy.
195
apostate
one who abandons his religious faith or political beliefs
Because he switched from one party to another, his former friends shunned him as an apostate.
196
apothecary
druggist
In Holland, apothecaries still sell spices as well as ointments and pills.
197
apothegm
pithy, compact saying
Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar sayings.
198
apotheosis
deification; glorification
The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor his apotheosis; she hoped that on her death she, too, would be exalted to the rank of a god.
199
appal
dismay; shock
We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in the city's jails.
200
apparition
ghost; phantom
Hamlet was uncertain about the identity of the apparition that had appeared and spoken to him.
201
appease
pacify; soothe
We have discovered that, when we try to appease our enemies, we encourage them to make additional demands.
202
appellation
name; title
He was amazed when the witches hailed him with his correct appellation.
203
append
attach
I shall append this chart to my report.
204
application
diligent attention; (secondary meaning) apply
Pleased with how well Tom had whitewashed the fence, Aunt Polly praised him for his application.
205
apposite
appropriate; fitting
He was always able to find the apposite phrase, the correct expression for every occasion.
206
appraise
estimate the value of
It is difficult to appraise old paintings; it is easier to call them priceless.
207
appreciate
be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of
Little Orphan Annie truly appreciated the stocks Daddy Warbucks ave her, whose value appreciated considerably over the years.
208
apprehend
arrest ( a criminal); dread; perceive
The police will apprehend the culprit and convict him before long.
209
apprehensive
fearful; discerning
His apprehensive glances at the people who were walking in the street revealed his nervousness.
210
apprise
inform
When he was apprised of the dangerous weather conditions, he decided to postpone his trip.
211
approbation
approval
Wanting her parents' regard, she looked for some sign of their approbation.
212
appropriate
acquire; take possession of for one's own use
The ranch owners appropriated the lands that had originally been set aside for the Indians' use.
213
appurtenances
subordinate possessions
He bought the estate and all its appurtenances.
214
apropos
with reference to; regarding
I find your remarks apropos of the present situation timely and pertinent.
215
aptitude
fitness; talent
The counselor evaluated his aptitudes before advising him about the career he should follow.
216
aquiline
curved, hooked
He can be recognized by his aquiline nose, curved like the beak of the eagle.
217
arable
fit for plowing
The land was no longer arable; erosion had removed the valuable topsoil.
218
arbiter
person with power to decide a matter in a dispute; judge
As an arbiter in labor disputes, she has won the confidence of the workers and the employers.
219
arbitrary
unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical
The coach claimed the team lost because the umpire made some arbitrary calls.
220
arbitrate
act as judge
She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute between the union and the management.
221
arboretum
place where different varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
Walking along the treelined paths of the arboretum, Rita noted poplars, firs, and some particularly fine sycamores.
222
arcade
a covered passageway, usually lined with shops
The arcade was popular with shoppers because it gave them protection from the summer sun and the winter rain.
223
arcane
secret; mysterious
What was arcane to us was clear to the psychologist.
224
archaeology
study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
The professor of archaeology headed an expedition to the Gobi Desert in search of ancient ruins.
225
archaic
antiquated
"Methinks," "thee," and "thou" are archaic words that are no longer part of our normal vocabulary.
226
archetype
prototype; primitive pattern
The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the many spans that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and New Jersey.
227
archipelago
group of closely located islands
When he looked at the map and saw the archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit them.
228
archives
public records; place where public records are kept
These documents should be part of the archives so that historians may be able to evaluate them in the future.
229
ardor
heat; passion; zeal
Katya's ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow demonstrators were busily making posters and handing out flyers, inspired by her ardent enthusiasm for the cause.
230
arduous
hard; strenuous
Her arduous efforts had sapped her energy.
231
argot
slang
In the argot of the underworld, she "was taken for a ride."
232
aria
operatic solo
At her Metropolitan Opera audition, Marian Anderson sang an aria from Norma.
233
arid
dry; barren
The cactus had adapted to survive in an arid environment.
234
aristocracy
hereditary nobility; privileged class
Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary aristocracy: 
235
armada
fleet of warships
Queen Elizabeth's navy was able to defeat the mighty armada that threatened the English coast.
236
aromatic
fragrant
Medieval sailing vessels brought aromatic herbs from China to Europe.
237
arraign
charge in court; indict
After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court.
238
array
marshal; draw up in order
His actions were bound to array public sentiment against him.
239
array
clothe; adorn
She liked to watch her motherarray herself in her finest clothes before going out for the evening.
240
arrears
being in debt
He was in arrears with his payments on the car.
241
arrogance
pride, haughtiness
The arrogance of the nobility was resented by the middle class.
242
arroyo
gully
Until the heavy rains of the past spring, this arroyo had been a dry bed.
243
articulate
effective; distinct
Her articulate presentation of the advertising campaign impressed her employers.
244
artifacts
products of primitive culture
Archaeologists debated the significance of the artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor and came to no conclusion.
245
artifice
deception; trickery
The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning and artifice were often more effective than military might.
246
artisan
a manually skilled worker
Artists and artisans alike are necessary to the development of a culture.
247
artless
without guile; open and honest
Red Riding Hood's artless comment, "Grandma, what big eyes you have!" indicates the child's innocent surprises at her "grandmother's" changed appearance.
248
ascendancy
controlling influence
President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendency over Philippines.
249
ascetic
practicing self-denial; austere
The wealthy young man could not understand the ascetic life led by the monks.
250
asceticism
doctrine of self-denial
We find asceticism practiced in many monastries.
251
ascribe
refer; attribute; assign
I can ascribe no motive for her acts.
252
aseptic
preventing infection; having a cleansing effect
Hospitals succeeded in lowering the mortality rate as soon as they introduced asceptic conditions.
253
ashen
ash-colored; deadly pale
Her face was ashen with fear.
254
asinine
stupid
Your asinine remarks prove that you have not given this problem any serious consideration.
255
askance
with a sideways or indirect look
Looking askance at her questioner, she displayed her scorn.
256
askew
crookedly; slanted; at an angle
When he placed his hat askew upon his head, his observers laughed.
257
asperity
sharpness (of temper)
These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the boys to whom they had been directed.
258
aspersion
slanderous remark
Do not cast aspersions on her character.
259
aspirant
seeker after position or status
Although I am as aspirant for public office, I am not willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.
260
aspiration
noble ambition
Youth's aspirations should be as lofty as the stars.
261
assail
assault
He was assailed with questions after his lecture.
262
assay
analyze; evaluate
When they assayed the ore, they found that they had discovered a very rich vein.
263
assent
agree; accept
It gives me great pleasure to assent to your request.
264
assert
state strongly or positively; insist on or demand  recognition of (rights, claims, etc).
When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior class had such an early curfew, her parents Asserted themselves, telling her that if she didn't get home by nine o'clock she would be grounded for the week.
265
assessment
estimation; appraisal
I would like to have your assessment of the situation in South Africa.
266
assiduous
diligent
It took Rembrandt weeks of assiduous labor before he was satisfied with his portrait of his son.
267
assimilate
absorb; cause to become homogenous
The manner in which the United States was able to assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries will always be a source of pride.
268
assuage
ease; lessen(pain)
Your messages of cheer should assuage her suffering.
269
assumption
something taken for granted; the taking over or taking possession of
The young princess made the foolish assumption that the regent would not object to her Assumption of power.
270
assurance
promise or pledge; certainty; self-confidence
When Gutherie gave Guiness his assurance that rehearsals were going well, he spoke with such assurance that Guiness was convinced.
271
asteroid
small planet
asteroids have become commonplace to the readers of interstellar travel stories in science fiction magazines.
272
astigmatism
eye defect that prevents proper focus
As soon as his parents discovered that the boy suffered from astigmatism, they took him to the optometrist for corrective glasses.
273
astral
relating to the stars
She was amazed at the number of astral bodies the new telescope revealed.
274
astringent
acerbic; binding; causing contraction; harsh or severe
The astringent quality of unsweetened lemon juice made swallowing difficult.
275
astronomical
enormously large or extensive
The government seemed willing to spend astronomical sums on weapons development.
276
astute
wise; shrewd
That was a very astute observation.
277
asunder
into parts; apart
Their points of view are poles asunder.
278
asylum
place of refuge or shelter; protection
The refugees sought asylum from religious persecution in a new land.
279
asymmetric
not identical on both sides of a dividing central line
Because one eyebrow was set markedly higher than the other, William's face had a particularly asymmetric appearance.
280
atavism
resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback
Martin seemed an atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished great care on their small plots of soil.
281
atheistic
denying the existence of God
His atheistic remarks shocked the religious worshippers.
282
atone
make amends for; pay for
He knew no way in which he could atone for his brutal crime.
283
atrocity
brutal deed
In time of war, many atrocities are committed by invading armies.
284
atrophy
wasting away
Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the atrophy of affected limbs.
285
attenuate
make thin; weaken
By withdrawing their forces, the generals hoped to attenuate the enemy lines.
286
attest
testify; bear witness
Having served as a member of a grand jury, I can attest that our system of indicting individuals is in need of improvement.
287
attribute
essential quality
His outstanding attribute was his kindness.
288
attribute
ascribe; explain
I attribute her success in science to the encouragement she received from her parents.
289
attrition
gradual wearing down
They decided to wage a war of attrition rather than to rely on all-out attack.
290
audacious
daring; bold
Audiences cheered as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia made their audacious, death-defying leap to freedom and escaped Darth Vader's troops.
291
audit
examination of accounts
When the bank examiners arrived to hold their annual audit, they discovered the embezzlements of the chief cashier.
292
augment
increase
How can we hope to augment our forces when our allies are deserting us?
293
augury
omen; prophecy
He interpreted the departures of the birds as an augury of evil.
294
august
impressive; majestic
Visiting the palace at Versailes, she was impressed by the august surroundings in which she found herself.
295
aureole
sun's corona; halo
Many medieval paintings depict saintly characters with aureols around their heads.
296
auroral
pertaining to the aurora borealis
The auroral display was particularly spectacular that evening.
297
auspicious
favoring success
With favorable weather conditions, it was an auspicious moment to set sail.
298
austere
strict, stern
His austere demeanor prevented us from engaging in our usual frivolous activities.
299
austerity
sternness; severity; lack of luxuries
The austerity and dignity of the court were maintained by the new justices, who were a strict and solemn group.
300
authenticate
prove genuine
An expert was needed to authenticate the original Van Gogh painting, distinguishing it from its imitation.
301
authoritarian
favoring or exercising total control; non-democratic
The people had no control over their destiny; they were forced to obey the dictates of the authoritarian regime.
302
authoritative
having the weight of authority; dictatorial
We accepted her analysis of the situation as authoritative.
303
autocrat
monarch with supreme power
He ran his office like an autocrat, giving no one else any authority.
304
automaton
mechanism that imitates actions of humans
Long before science fiction readers became aware of robots, writers were creating stories of automation who could outperform humans.
305
autonomous
self-governing
This island is a colony; however, in most matters, it is autonomous and receives no orders from the mother country.
306
autopsy
examination of a dead body; postmortem
The medical examiner ordered an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
307
auxiliary
offering or providing help; additional or sub-sidiary
To prepare for the emergency, they built an auxiliary power station.
308
avarice
greed for wealth
King Midas's avarice has been famous for centuries.
309
aver
state confidently
I wish to aver that I am certain of success.
310
averse
reluctant
He was averse to revealing the sources of his information.
311
aversion
firm dislike
Their mutual aversion was so great that they refused to speak to one another.
312
avert
prevent; turn away
She averted her eyes from the dead cat on the highway.
313
aviary
enclosure for birds
The aviary at the zoo held nearly 300 birds.
314
avid
greedy; eager for
He was avid for learning and read everything he could get.
315
avocation
secondary or minor occupation
His hobby proved to be so fascinating and profitable that gradually he abandoned his regular occupation and concentrated on his avocation.
316
avow
declare openly
I must avow that I am innocent.
317
avuncular
like an uncle
Avuncular pride did not prevent him from noticing his nephew's shortcomings.
318
awe
solemn wonder
The tourists gazed with awe at the tremendous expanse of the Grand Canyon.
319
awl
pointed tool used for piercing
She used an awl to punch additional holes in the leather belt she had bought.
320
awry
distorted; crooked
He held his head awry, giving the impression that he had caught cold in his neck during the night.
321
axiom
self-evident truth requiring no proof
Before a student can begin to think along the lines of Euclidean geometry, he must accept certain principles or axioms.
322
azure
sky blue
azure skies are indicative of good weather.
323
babble
chatter idly
The little girl babbled about her doll.
324
bacchanalian
drunken
Emperor Nero attended the bacchanalian orgy.
325
badger
pester; annoy
She was forced to change her telephone number because she was badgered by obscene phone calls.
326
badinage
teasing conversation
Her friends at work greeted the news of her engagement with cheerful badinage.
327
baffle
frustrate; perplex
The new code baffled the enemy agents.
328
bait
harass; tease
The soldiers baited the prisoners, terrorizing them.
329
baleful
menacing; deadly
Casting a baleful eye at his successful rival, the rejected suitor stole off, vowing to have his revenge.
330
balk
stoop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse to continue
The chief of police balked at sending his officers into the riot-torn area.
331
balk
foil
When the warden learned that several inmates were planning to escape, he took steps to balk their attempt.
332
ballast
heavy substance used to add stability or weight
The ship was listing badly to one side; it was necessary to shift the ballast in the hold to get her back on an even keel.
333
balm
something that relieves pain
Friendship is the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
334
balmy
mild; fragrant
A balmy breeze refreshed us after the sultry blast.
335
banal
hackneyed; commonplace; trite
His frequent use of cliches made his essay seem banal.
336
bandy
discuss lightly; exchange blows or words
The president refused to bandy words with reporters at the press conference.
337
bane
cause of ruin
Lack of public transportation is the bane of urban life.
338
bantering
good-naturedly ridiculing
They resented his bantering remarks because they misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm.
339
barb
sharp projection form fishhook, etc.; pointed comment
The barb from the fishhook caught in his finger as he grabbed the fish.
340
bard
poet
The ancient bard Homer sang of the fall of Troy.
341
barefaced
shameless; bold; unconcealed
Shocked by Huck Finn's barefaced lies, Miss Watson prayed the good Lord would give him a sense of his unregenerate wickedness.
342
baroque
highly ornate
Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque architecture amusing.
343
barrage
barrier laid down by artillery fire; overwhelming profusion
The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy canyons.
344
barrister
counselor-at-law
Galsworthy started as a barrister, but when he found the practice of law boring, turned to writing.
345
barterer
trader
The barterer exchanged trinkets for the natives' furs.
346
bask
luxuriate; take pleasure in warmth
basking on the beach, she relaxed so completely that she fell asleep.
347
bastion
stronghold; something seen as a source of protection
The villagers fortified the town hall, hoping this improvised bastion could protect them from the guerrila raids.
348
bate
let down; restrain
Until it was time to open the presents, the children had to bate their curiosity.
349
bauble
trinket; trifle
The child was delighted with the bauble she had won in the grab bag.
350
bawdy
indecent; obscene
She took offense at his bawdy remarks.
351
beatific
giving bliss; blissful
The beatific smile on the child's face made us very happy.
352
beatitude
blessedness; state of bliss
Growing closer to God each day, the mystic achieved a state of indescribable beatitude.
353
bedizen
dress with vulgar finery
The witch doctors were bedizened in their gaudiest costumes.
354
bedraggle
wet thoroughly
We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing.
355
befuddle
confuse thoroughly
His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only on befuddling her further.
356
beget
father; produce; give rise to
One good turn may deserve another; it does not necessarily beget another.
357
begrudge
resent
I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending meetings.
358
beguile
amuse; delude; cheat
I beguiled himself during the long hours by playing solitaire.
359
behemoth
huge creature; something of monstrous size or power
Sportcasters nicknamed the linebacker "The Behemoth."
360
beholden
obligated; indebted
Since I do not wish to be beholden to anyone, I cannot accept this favor.
361
behoove
be suited to; be incumbent upon
In this time of crisis, it behooves all of us to remain calm and await the instructions of our superiors.
362
belabor
explain or go over excessively or to a ridiculous degree; assail verbally
The debate coach warned her student not to bore the audience by belaboring his point.
363
belated
delayed
He apologized for his belated note of condolence to the widow of his friend and explained that he had just learned of her husband's untimely death.
364
beleaguer
besiege
As soon as the city was beleaguered, the life became more subdued as the citizens began their long wait for outside assitance.
365
belie
contradict; give a false impression
His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate sensitivity.
366
belittle
disparage; depreciate
Parents should not belittle their children's early attempts at drawing, but should encourage their efforts.
367
bellicose
warlike
His bellicose disposition alienated his friends.
368
belligerent
quarrelsome
Whenever he had too much to drink, he became belligerent and tried to pick fights with strangers.
369
bemused
confused; lost in thought; preoccupied
Jill studied the garbled instructions with a bemused look on her face.
370
benediction
blessing
The appearance of the sun after the many rainy days was like a benediction.
371
benefactor
gift giver; patron
Scrooge later became Tiny Tim's benefactor and gave him a benediction.
372
beneficent
kindly; doing good
The overgenerous philanthropist had to curb his beneficent impulses before he gave away all his money and left himself with nothing.
373
beneficiary
person entitled to benefits or proceeds of an insurance policy
You may change your beneficiary as often as you wish.
374
benevolent
generous; charitable
His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.
375
benign
kindly; favorable; not malignant
The old man was well liked because of his benign attitude toward friend and stranger alike.
376
benison
blessing
Let us pray that the benison of peace once more shall prevail among the nations of the world.
377
bent
determined; natural talent or inclination
bent on advancing in the business world, the secretary heroine of Working Girl had a true bent for high finance.
378
bequeath
leave to someone by means of a will; hand down
In his will, Father bequeathed his watch to Phillip; the bequest meant a great deal to the boy.
379
berate
scold strongly
He feared she would berate him for his forgetfulness.
380
bereavement
state of being deprived of something valuable or beloved
His friends gathered to console him upon his sudden bereavement.
381
bereft
deprived of; lacking
The foolish gambler soon found himself bereft of funds.
382
berserk
frenzied
Angered, he went berserk and began to wreck the room.
383
beset
harass; trouble
Many problems beset the American public school system.
384
besmirch
soil, defile
The scandalous remarks in the newspaper besmirch the reputations of every member of the society.
385
bestial
beastlike; brutal; inhuman
The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial treatment of prisoners of war.
386
bestow
confer
He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.
387
betroth
become engaged to marry
The announcement that they had become betrothed surprised their friends who had not suspected any romance.
388
bevy
large group
The movie actor was surrounded by a bevy of startlets.
389
bicameral
two-chambered, as a legislative body
The United States Congress is a bicameral body.
390
bicker
quarrel
The children bickered morning, noon, and night, exasperating their parents.
391
biennial
every two years
The group held biennial meetings instead of annual ones.
392
bifurcated
divided into two branches; forked
With a bifurcated branch and a piece of elastic rubber, he made a crude but effective slingshot.
393
bigotry
stubborn intolerance
Brought up in a democratic atmosphere, student was shocked by the bigotry and narrowness expressed by several of his classmates.
394
bilious
suffering from indigestion; irritable
His bilious temperament was apparent to all who heard him rant about his difficulties.
395
bilk
swindle; cheat
The con man specialized in bilking insurance companies.
396
bivouac
temporary encampment
While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping bags under the stars.
397
bizarre
fantastic; violently contrasting
The plot of the novel was too bizarre to be believed.
398
blanch
bleach; whiten
Although age had blanched his hair, he was still vigorous and energetic.
399
bland
soothing; mild
She used a bland ointment for her sunburn.
400
blandishment
flattery
Despite the salesperson's blandishments, the customer did not buy the outfit.
401
blase
bored with pleasure or dissipation
Your blase attitude gives your students an erroneous impression of the joys of scholarship.
402
blasphemous
profane; impious
The people in the room were shocked by his his blasphemous language.
403
blatant
extremely obvious; loudly offensive
Caught in a blatant lie, the scoundrel had only one regret: he wished that he had lied more subtly.
404
bleak
cold; cheerless
The Aleutian Islands are bleak military outposts.
405
blighted
suffering from a disease; destroyed
The extent of the blighted areas could be seen only when viewed from the air.
406
blithe
gay; joyous; careless
Shelley called the skylark a "blithe spirit" because of its happy song.
407
bloated
swollen or puffed as with water or air
Her bloated stomach came from drinking so much water.
408
blowhard
talkative boaster
After all Sol's talk about his big show business connections led nowhere, Sally decided he was just another blowhard.
409
bludgeon
club; heavy-headed weapon
His walking stick served him as a bludgeon on many occasions.
410
bluff
pretense (of strength); deception; high cliff
Claire thought Lord Byron's boast that he would swim the Hellespont was just a bluff, she was astounded when he dove from the high bluff into the waters below.
411
blunder
error
The criminal's fatal blunder led to his capture.
412
blurt
utter impulsively
Before she could stop him, he blurted out the news.
413
bode
foreshadow; portend
The gloomy skies and the sulfurious odors from the mineral springs seemed to bode evil to those who settled in the area.
414
bogus
counterfeit; not authentic
The police quickly found the distributors of the bogus twenty-dollar bills.
415
boisterous
violent; rough; noisy
The unruly crowd became even more boisterous when he tried to quiet them.
416
bolster
support; reinforce
The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to bolster their arguments.
417
bombast
pompous, inflated language
Filled with bombast, the orator's speech left the audience more impressed with his pomposity than with his logic.
418
boon
blessing; benefit
The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs were a boon to the whole community.
419
boorish
rude; insensitive
Though Mr. Potts constantly interrupted his wife, she ignored his boorish behavior, for she had lost hope of teaching him courtesy.
420
bouillon
clear beef soup
The cup of bouillon served by the stewards was welcomed by those who had been chilled by the cold ocean breezes.
421
bountiful
generous; showing bounty
She distributed gifts in a bountiful and gracious manner.
422
bourgeois
middle class
The French Revolution was inspired by the bourgeois, who resented the aristocracy.
423
bovine
cowlike; placid and dull
Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine calm.
424
bowdlerize
expurgate
After the film editors had bowdlerized the language in the script, the motion picture's rating was changed from "R" to "PG."
425
brackish
somewhat saline
He found the only wells in the area were brackish; drinking the water made him nauseous.
426
braggadocio
boasting
He was disliked because his manner was always full of braggadocio.
427
braggart
boaster
Modest by nature, she was no braggart, preferring to let her accomplishments speak for themselves.
428
bravado
swagger; assumed air of defiance
The bravado of the young criminal disappeared when he was confronted by the victims of his brutal attack.
429
brawn
muscular strength; sturdiness
It takes brawn to become a champion weight-lifter.
430
brazen
insolent
Her brazen contempt for authority angered the officials.
431
breach
breaking of contract or duty; fissure; gap
They found a breach in the enemy's fortifications and penetrated their lines.
432
breadth
width; extent
We were impressed by the breadth of her knowledge.
433
brevity
conciseness
brevity is essential when you send a telegram or cablegram; you are charged for every word.
434
brindled
tawny or grayish with streaks or spots
He was disappointed in the litter because the puppies were brindled; he had hoped for animals of uniform color.
435
bristling
rising like bristles; showing irritation
The dog stood there, bristling with anger.
436
brittle
easily broken; difficult
My employer's brittle personality made it difficult for me to get along with her.
437
broach
open up
He did not even try to broach the subject of poetry.
438
brocade
rich, figured fabric
The sofa was covered with expensive brocade.
439
brochure
pamphlet
This brochure on farming was issued by the Department of Agriculture.
440
brooch
ornamental clasp
She treasured the brooch because it was an heirloom.
441
brook
tolerate; endure
The dean would brook no interference with his disciplinary actions.
442
browbeat
bully; intimidate
Billy resisted Ted's attempts to browbeat him into handing over his lunch money.
443
brusque
blunt; abrupt
She was offended by his brusque reply.
444
bucolic
rustic; pastoral
The meadow was the scene of bucolic gaiety.
445
buffoonery
clowning
John Candy's buffoonery in Uncle Buck was hilarious.
446
bugaboo
bugbear; object of baseless terror
If we become frightened by such bugaboos, we are no wiser than the birds who fear scarecrows.
447
bullion
gold and silver in the form of bars
Much  bullion is stored in the vaults at Fort Knox.
448
bulwark
earthwork or other strong defense; person who defends
The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion.
449
bungle
spoil by clumsy behavior
I was afraid you would bungle his assignment but I had no one else to send.
450
bureaucracy
government by bureaus
Many people fear that the constant introduction of federal agencies will create a government by bureaucracy.
451
burgeon
grow forth; send out buds
In the spring, the plants that burgeon are a promise of the beauty that is to come.
452
burlesque
give an imitation that ridicules
In his caricature, he burlesqued the mannerisms of his adversary.
453
burly
husky; muscular
The burly mover lifted the packing crate with ease.
454
burnish
make shiny by rubbing; polish
The maid burnished the brass fixtures until they reflected the lamplight.
455
buttress
support; prop up
Just as architects buttress the walls of cathedrals with flying buttresses, debates buttress their arguments with facts.
456
buxom
full-bosomed; plump; jolly
High fashion models usually are slender rather than buxom.
457
cabal
small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests
The cabal was defeated when its scheme was discovered.
458
cache
hiding place
The detectives followed the suspects until he led them to the cache where he had stored his loot.
459
cacophony
discord
Some people seem to enjoy the cacophony of an orchestra that is tuning up.
460
cadaver
corpse
In some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers.
461
cadaverous
like a corpse; pale
From his cadaverous appearance, we could see how the disease had ravaged him.
462
cadence
rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat
Marching down the road, the troops sang out, following the cadence set by the sergeant.
463
cajole
coax; wheedle
I will not be cajoled into granting your wish.
464
calamity
disaster; misery
As news of the calamity spread, offers of relief poured in to the stricken community.
465
caliber
ability; capacity
A man of such caliber should not be assigned such menial tasks.
466
calligraphy
beautiful writing; excellent penmanship
As we examine ancient manuscripts, we became impressed with the calligraphy of the scribes.
467
callous
hardened; unfeeling
He had worked in the hospital for so many years that he was callous to the suffering in the wards.
468
callow
youthful; immature
In that youthful movement, the leaders were only a little less callow than their immature followers.
469
calorific
heat-producing
Coal is much more calorific than green wood.
470
calumny
malicious misrepresentation
He could endure his financial failure, but he could not bear the calumny that his foes heaped upon him.
471
camaraderie
good-fellowship
What he loved best about his job was the sense of camaraderie he and his co-workers shared.
472
cameo
shell or jewel carved in relief
Tourists are advised not to purchase cameos from the street peddlers of Rome who sell poor specimens of the carver's art.
473
canard
unfounded rumor
It is almost impossible to protect oneself from such a base canard.
474
candor
frankness
The candor and simplicity of his speech impressed all, it was all clear he held nothing back.
475
canine
related to dogs; doglike
Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population.
476
canker
any ulcerous sore; any evil
Poverty is a canker in the body politic; it must be cured.
477
canny
shrewd; thrifty
The canny Scotsman was more than a match for the swindlers.
478
cant
pious phraseology; jargon of criminals
Angry that the president had slashed the education budget, we dismissed his speech on the importance of education as mere cant.
479
cantankerous
ill-humored; irritable
Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a cantankerous patient.
480
cantata
story set to music, to be sung by a chorus
The choral society sang the new cantata composed by its leader.
481
canter
slow gallop
Because the racehorse had outdistanced its competition so easily, the reporter wrote that the race was won in a canter.
482
canto
division of a long poem
Dante's poetic masterpiece The Divine Comedy is divided into cantos.
483
canvass
determine or seek opinions, votes, etc.
After canvassing the sentiments of his constituents, the congressman was confident that he represented the majority opinion of his district.
484
capacious
spacious
In the capacious areas of the railroad terminal, thousands of travelers lingered while waiting for their train.
485
capillary
having a very fine bore
The changes in surface tension of liquids in capillary vessels is of special interest to physicists.
486
capitulate
surrender
The enemy was warned to capitulate or face annihilation.
487
caprice
whim
She was an unpredictable creature, acting on caprice, never taking thought of the consequences.
488
capricious
fickle; incalculable
The storm was capricious and changed course constantly.
489
caption
title; chapter heading; text under illustration
I find the captions that accompany these cartoons very clever and humorous.
490
captious
faultfinding
His criticisms were always captious and frivolous, never offering constructive suggestions.
491
carafe
glass water bottle
With each dinner, the patron receives a carafe of red or white wine.
492
carapace
shell covering the back (of a turtle, crab, etc)
At the children's zoo, Richard perched on top of the giant turtle's hard carapace as it slowly made its way around the enclosure.
493
carat
unit of weight for precious stones; measure of fineness of gold
He gave her a diamond that weighed three carats and was mounted in an eighteen-carat gold band.
494
carcinogenic
causing cancer
Many supposedly harmless substances have been revealed to be carcinogenic.
495
cardinal
chief
If you want to increase your word power, the cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read.
496
careen
lurch; sway from side to side
The taxicab careened wildly as it rounded the corner.
497
caricature
distortion; burlesque
The caricatures he drew always emphasized personal weaknesses of the people he burlesqued.
498
carillon
set of bells capable of being played
The carillon in the bell tower of the Coca-Cola pavilion at the New York World's Fair provided musical entertainment every hour.
499
carnage
destruction of life
The carnage that can be caused by atomic warfare adds to the responsibilities of our statesmen.
500
carnal
fleshly
The public was more interested in carnal pleasures than in spiritual matters.
501
carnivorous
meat-eating
The lion is a carnivorous animal.
502
carousal
drunken revel
The party degenerated into an ugly carousal.
503
carping
petty criticism; fault-finding
Welcoming constructive criticism, Lexy appreciated her editor's comments, finding them free of carping.
504
carrion
rotting flesh of a dead body
Buzzards are nature's scavengers; they eat the carrion left behind by other predators.
505
cartographer
map-maker
Though not a professional cartographer, Tolkien was able to construct a map of the fictional world.
506
cascade
small waterfall
We could not appreciate the beauty of the many cascades as we made detours around each of them to avoid getting wet.
507
caste
one of the hereditary classes in Hindu society, social stratification; prestige
The differences created by caste in India must be wiped out if true democracy is to prevail in that country.
508
castigation
punishment; severe criticism
Sensitive even to mild criticism, Woolf could not bear castigation that she found in certain reviews.
509
casualty
serious or fatal accident
The number of automotive casualties on this holiday weekend was high.
510
cataclysm
deluge; upheaval
A cataclysm such as the French Revolution affects all countries.
511
catalyst
agent that brings about a chemical change while it remains unaffected and unchanged
Many chemical reactions cannot take place without the presence of a catalyst.
512
catapult
slingshot; hurling machine
Airplanes are sometimes launched from battleships by catapults.
513
cataract
great waterfall; eye abnormality
She gazed with awe at the mighty cataract known as Niagara Falls.
514
catastrophe
calamity
The Johnstown flood was a catastrophe.
515
catechism
book for religious instruction; instruction by question and answer
He taught by engaging his pupils in a catechism until they gave him the correct answer.
516
categorical
without exceptions; unqualified; absolute
Though the captain claimed he was never, never sick at sea, he finally qualified his categorical denial; he was hardly ever sick at sea.
517
catharsis
purging or cleansing of any passage of the body
Aristotle maintained that tragedy created a catharsis by purging the soul of base concepts.
518
cathartic
purgative
Some drugs act as laxatives when taken in small doses but act as cathartics when taken in much larger doses.
519
catholic
universal; wide-ranging liberal
He was extremely catholic in his taste and read everything he could find in the library.
520
caucus
private meeting of members of a party to select officers or determine policy
At the opening of Congress the members of the Democratic Party held a caucus to elect the majority leader of the House and the party whip.
521
caulk
to make watertight (by plugging seams)
When water from the shower leaked into the basement, we knew it was time to caulk the tiles at the edges of the shower stall.
522
causal
implying a cause-and-effect relationship
The psychologist maintained there was a causal relationship between the nature of one's early childhood experiences and one's adult personality.
523
caustic
burning; sarcastically biting
The critic's caustic remarks angered the hapless actors who were the subjects of his sarcasm.
524
cauterize
burn with hot iron or caustic
In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized the wound.
525
cavalcade
procession; parade
As described by Chaucer, the cavalcade of Canterbury pilgrims was motley group.
526
cavalier
casual and offhand; arrogant
Sensitive about having her ideas taken lightly, Marcia felt insulted by Mark's cavalier dismissal of her suggestion.
527
cavil
make frivolous objections
I respect your sensible criticisms, but I dislike the way you cavil about unimportant details.
528
cede
transfer; yield title to
I intend to cede this property to the city.
529
celerity
speed; rapidity
Hamlet resented his mother's celerity in remarrying within a month after his father's death.
530
celestial
heavenly
She spoke of the celestial joys that awaited virtuous souls in the hereafter.
531
celibate
abstaining from sexual intercourse; unmarried
Though the late Havelock Ellis wrote extensively about sexual customs and was considered an expert in such matters, recent studies maintain he was celibate throughout his life.                                                                           
532
censor
overseer of morals; person who eliminates inappropriate matter
Soldiers dislike having their mail read by a censor but understand the need for this precaution.
533
censorious
critical
censorious people delight in casting blame.
534
censure
blame; criticize
He was censured for his inappropriate behavior.
535
centaur
mythical figure, half man and half horse
I was particularly impressed by the statue of the centaur in the Roman Hall of the museum.
536
centigrade
denoting a widely used temperature scale (basically same as Celsius)
On the centigrade thermometer, the freezing point of water is zero degrees.
537
centrifugal
radiating; departing from the center
Many automatic drying machines remove excess moisture from clothing by centrifugal force.
538
centrifuge
machine that separates substances by whirling them
At the dairy, we employ a centrifuge to separate cream from milk.
539
centripetal
tending toward the center
Does centripetal force or the force of gravity bring orbiting bodies to the earth's surface?
540
centurion
Roman army officer
Because he was in command of a company of one hundred soldiers, he was called a centurion.
541
cerebral
pertaining to the brain or intellect
The content of philosophical works is cerebral in nature and requires much thought.
542
cerebration
thought
Mathematics problems sometimes require much cerebration.
543
ceremonious
marked by formality
Ordinary dress would be in appropriate at so ceremonious an affair.
544
cessation
stopping
The workers threatened a cessation of all activities if their demands were not met.
545
cession
yielding to another; ceding
The cession of Alaska to the United States is discussed in this chapter.
546
chafe
warm by rubbing
The collar chafed his neck.
547
chaff
worthless products of an endeavor
When you separate the wheat from the chaff, be sure you throw out the chaff.
548
chaffing
bantering; joking
Sometimes his flippant and chaffing remarks annoy us.
549
chagrin
vexation; disappointment
Her refusal to go with us filled us with chagrin.
550
chalice
goblet; consecrated cup
In a small room adjoining the cathedral, many ornately decorated chalices made by the most famous European goldsmiths were on display.
551
chameleon
lizard that changes color in different situations
Like the chameleon, he assumed the political coloration of every group he met.
552
champion
support militantly
Martin Luther King, Jr., won the Nobel Peace Prize because he championed the oppressed in their struggle for equality.
553
chaotic
in utter disorder
He tried to bring order into the chaotic state of affairs.
554
charisma
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal
Political commentators have deplored the importance of a candidate's charisma in these days of television campaigning.
555
charlatan
quack; pretender to knowledge
When they realized that the Wizard didn't know how to get them back to Kansas, Dorothy and her friends were sure they'd been duped by a charlatan.
556
chary
cautious; sparing or restrained about giving
A prudent, thrifty New Englander, DeWitt was as chary of investing money in junk bonds as he was chary of paying people unnecessary compliments.
557
chase
ornament a metal surface by indenting
With his hammer, he carefully chased an intricate design onto the surface of the chalice.
558
chasm
abyss
They could not see the bottom of the chasm.
559
chassis
framework and working parts of an automobile
Examining the car after the accident, the owner discovered that the body had been ruined but that the chassis was unharmed.
560
chaste
pure
Her chaste and decorous garb was appropriately selected for the solemnity of the occasion.
561
chasten
discipline; punish in order to correct
Whom God loves, God chastens.
562
chastise
punish
I must chastise you for this offense.
563
chauvinist
blindly devoted patriot
A chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his country, no matter how flagrant they may be.
564
check
stop  motion; curb or restrain
Thrusting out her arm, Grandma checked Bobby's lunge at his sister. "Young man," she said, "you'd better check your temper."
565
checkered
marked by changes in fortune
During his checkered career he had lived in palatial mansions and in dreary boardinghouses.
566
cherubic
angelic; innocent-looking
With her cheerful smile and rosy cheeks, she was a particularly cherubic child.
567
chicanery
trickery
Your deceitful tactics in this case are indications of chicanery.
568
chide
scold
Grandma began to chide Steven for his lying.
569
chimerical
fantastic; highly imaginative
Poe's chimerical stories are sometimes too morbid for reading in bed.
570
chivalrous
courteous; faithful; brave
chivalrous behavior  involves noble words and good deeds.
571
choleric
hot-tempered
His flushed, angry face indicated a choleric nature.
572
choreography
art of dancing
Martha Graham introduced a form of choreography that seemed awkward and alien to those who had been brought up on classic ballet.
573
chronic
long established, as a disease
The doctors were finally able to attribute his chronic headaches and nausea to traces of formaldehyde gas in his apartment.
574
chronicle
report; record (in chronological order)
The gossip columnist was paid to chronicle the latest escapades of the socially prominent celebrities.
575
churlish
boorish; rude
Dismayed by his churlish manners at the party, the girls vowed never to invite him again.
576
ciliated
having minute hairs
The paramecium is a ciliated, one-celled animal.
577
cipher
nonentity; worthless person or thing
She claimed her ex-husband was a total cipher and wondered why she had ever married him.
578
cipher
secret code
Lacking his code book, the spy was unable to decode the message sent to him in cipher.
579
circlet
small ring; band
This tiny circlet is very costly because it is set with precious stones.
580
circuitous
roundabout
Because of the traffic congestion on the main highways, she took a circuitous route.
581
circumlocution
indirect or roundabout expression
He was afraid to call spade a spade and resorted to circumlocutions to avoid direct reference to his subject.
582
circumscribe
limit; confine
Although I do not wish to circumscribe your activities, I must insist that you complete this assignment before you start anything else.
583
circumspect
prudent; cautious
Investigating before acting, she tried always to be circumspect.
584
circumvent
outwit; baffle
In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make two preliminary attacks in other sections before starting our major campaign.
585
citadel
fortress
The citadel overlooked the city like a protecting angel.
586
cite
quote; commend
She could cite passages in the Bible from memory.
587
civil
having to do with citizens or the state; courteous and polite
Although internal Revenue Service agents are civil servants, they are not always civil to suspected tax evaders.
588
clairvoyant
having foresight; fortuneteller
Cassandra's clairvoyant warning was not heeded by the Trojans.
589
clamber
climb by crawling
She clambered over the wall.
590
clamor
noise
The clamor of the children at play outside made it impossible for her to take a nap.
591
clandestine
secret
After avoiding their chaperon, the lovers had a clandestine meeting.
592
clangor
loud, resounding noise
The blacksmith was accustomed to the clangor of hammers on steel.
593
clapper
striker (tongue) of a bell
Wishing to be undisturbed by the bell, Dale wound his scarf around the clapper to muffle its striking.
594
clarion
shrill, trumpetlike sound
We woke to the clarion to muffle its striking.
595
claustrophobia
fear of being locked in
His fellow classmates laughed at his claustrophobia and often threatened to lock him in his room.
596
clavicle
collarbone
Even though he wore shoulder pads, the football player broke his clavicle during a practice scrimmage.
597
cleave
split asunder
The lightening cleaves the tree in two.
598
cleft
split
Erosion caused a cleft in the huge boulder.
599
clemency
disposition ot be lenient; mildness, as of the weather
The lawyer was pleased when the case was sent to Judge Smith's chambers because Smith was noted for her clemency toward first offenders.
600
cliche
phrase culled in meaning by repetition
High school compositions are often marred by such cliches as "strong as an ox."
601
clientele
body of customers
The rock club attracted a young, stylish clientele.
602
climactic
relating to the highest point
When he reached the climactic portions of the book, he could not stop reading.
603
clime
region; climate
His doctors advised him to move to a milder clime.
604
clique
small, exclusive group
She charged that a clique had assumed control of school affairs.
605
cloister
monastery or convent
The nuns lived in the cloister.
606
clout
great influence (especially political or social)
Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to be admitted to the exclusive club.
607
cloying
distasteful (because excessive); excessively sweet or sentimental
Disliking the cloying sweetness of standard wedding cakes, Jody and Tom chose a homemade carrot cake for their reception.
608
coagulate
thicken; congeal; clot
Even after you remove the pudding from the burner, it will continue to coagulate as it stands.
609
coalesce
combine; fuse
The brooks coalesce into one large river.
610
coda
concluding section of a musical or literary composition
The piece concluded with a distinctive coda that strikingly brought together various motifs.
611
coddle
treat gently; pamper
Don't coddle the children to much; they need a taste of discipline.
612
codicil
supplement to the body of a will
This codicil was drawn up five years after the writing of the original will.
613
codify
arrange (laws, rules) as a code; classify
We need to take the varying rules and regulations of the different health agencies and codify them into a national health code.
614
coercion
use of force
They forced him to obey, but only by great coercion.
615
coeval
living at the same time as; contemporary
coeval with the dinosaur, the pterodactyl flourished during the Mesozoic era.
616
cog
tooth projecting from a wheel
A bicycle chain moves through a series of cogs in order to propel the bike.
617
cogent
convincing
She presented cogent arguments to the jury.
618
cogitate
think over
cogitate on this problem; the solution will come.
619
cognate
related linguistically; allied by blood; similar or akin in nature
The English word "mother" cognate to the Latin word "mater," whose influence is visible in the words "maternal" and "maternity."
620
cognitive
having to do with knowing or perceiving related to the mental precesses
Though Jack was emotionally immature, his cognitive development was admirable; he was very advanced intellectually.
621
cognizance
knowledge
During the election campaign, the two candidates were kept in full cognizance of the international situation.
622
cohere
stick together
Solids have a greater tendency to cohere than liquids.
623
cohesion
tendency to keep together
A firm believer in the maxim "Divide and conquer," the emperor, by lies and trickery, sought to disrupt the cohesion ofthe free nations.
624
cohorts
armed band
Caesar and his Roman cohorts conquered almost all of the known world.
625
coiffure
hairstyle
You can make a statement with your choice of coiffure: in the 60's many African-Americans affirmed their racial heritage by wearing their hair in Afros.
626
coincident
occurring at the same time
Some people find the coincident events in Hardy's novels annoyingly improbable.
627
colander
utensil with perforated bottom used for straining
Before serving the spaghetti, place it in a colander to drain it.
628
collaborate
work together
Two writers collaborated in preparing this book.
629
collage
work of art put together from fragments
Scraps of cloth, paper doilies, and old photographs all went into her collage.
630
collate
examine in order to verify authenticity; arrange in order
They collated the newly found manuscripts to determine their age.
631
collateral
security given for loan
The sum you wish to borrow is so large that it must be secured by collateral.
632
collation
a light meal
Tea sandwiches and cookies were offered at the collation.
633
colloquial
pertaining to conversational or common speech
Your use of colloquial expressions in a formal essay such as the one you have presented spoils the effect you hope to achieve.
634
colloquy
informal discussion
I enjoy our colloquies but I sometimes wish that they could be made more formal and more searching.
635
collusion
conspiring in a fraudulent scheme
The swindlers were found guilty of collusion.
636
colossal
huge
Radio City Music Hall has a colossal stage.
637
colossus
gigantic statue
The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, bronze statue of the sun god that dominated the harbor of the Greek seaport, was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
638
comatose
in a coma; extremely sleepy
The long-winded orator soon had his audience in a comatose state.
639
combustible
easily burned
After the recent outbreak of fires in private homes, the fire commissioner ordered that all combustible materials be kept in safe containers.
640
comely
attractive; agreeable
I would rather have a poor and comely wife than a rich and homely one.
641
comestible
something fit to be eaten
The roast turkey and other comestibles, the wines, and the excellent service made this Thanksgiving dinner particularly memorable.
642
comeuppance
rebuke; deserts
After his earlier rudeness, we were delighted to see him get his comeuppance.
643
comity
courtesy; civility
A spirit of comity should exist among nations.
644
commandeer
to draft for military purposes; to take for public use
The policeman commandeered the first car that approached and ordered the driver to go to the nearest hospital.
645
commemorative
remembering; honoring
The new commemorative stamp honors the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
646
commensurate
equal in extent
Your reward will be commensurate with your effort.
647
commiserate
feel or express pity or sympathy for
Her friends commiserated with the widow.
648
commodious
spacious and comfortable
After sleeping in a small roadside cabins, they found their hotel suite commodious.
649
communal
held in common; of a group of people
When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing their communal property.
650
compact
agreement; contract
The signers of the Mayflower Compact were establishing a form of government.
651
compact
tightly packed; firm; brief
His short, compact body was better suited to wrestling than to basketball.
652
compatible
harmonious; in harmony with
They were compatible neighbors, never quarreling over unimportant matters.
653
compelling
overpowering; irresistible in effect
The prosecutor presented a well-reasoned case, but the defense attorney's compelling arguments for leniency won over the jury.
654
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary
This text can serve as a compendium of the tremendous amount of new material being developed in this field.
655
compensatory
making up for; repaying
Can a compensatory education program make up for the inadequate schooling he received in earlier years?
656
compilation
listing of statistical information in tabular or book form
The compilation of available scholarships serves a very valuable purpose.
657
complacent
self-satisfied
There was a complacent look on his face as he examined his paintings.
658
complaisant
trying to please; obliging
The courtier obeyed the king's orders in a complaisant manner.
659
complement
complete; consummate; make perfect
The waiter recommended a glass of port to complement the cheese.
660
compliance
conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield
The design for the new school had to be in compliance with the local building code.
661
compliant
yielding
He was compliant and ready to go along with his friends' desires.
662
complicity
participation; involvement
You cannot keep your complicity in this affair secret very long; you would be wise to admit your involvement immediately.
663
component
element; ingredient
I wish all the components of my stereo system were working at the same time.
664
comport
bear one's self; behave
He comported himself with great dignity.
665
composure
mental calmness
Even the latest work crisis failed to shake her composure.
666
compound
combine; constitute; pay interest; increase
The makers of the popular cold remedy compounded a nasal decongestant with an antihistamine.
667
comprehensive
thorough; inclusive
This book provides a comprehensive review of verbal and math skills for the SAT.
668
compress
close; squeeze; contract
She compressed the package under her arm.
669
comprise
include; consist of
If the District of Columbia were to be granted a statehood, the United States of America would comprise fifty-onestates, not just fifty.
670
compromise
adjust; endanger the interests or reputation of
Your presence at the scene of the dispute compromises our claim to neutrality in this matter.
671
compunction
remorse
The judge was especially severe in this sentencing because he felt that the criminal had shown no compunction for his heinous crime.
672
compute
reckon; calculate
He failed to compute the interest, so his bank balance was not accurate.
673
concatenate
link as in a chain
It is difficult to understand how these events could concatenate as they did without outside assistance.
674
concave
hollow
The back-packers found partial shelter from the storm by huddling against the concave wall of the cliff.
675
concede
admit; hield
Despite all the evidence Monica had assembled, Mark refused to concede that she was right.
676
conceit
whimsical idea; extravagant metaphor
He was an entertaining companion, always expressing himself in amusing conceits and witty turns of phrase.
677
concentric
having a common center
The target was made of concentric circles.
678
conception
beginning; forming of a idea
At the first conception of the work, he was consulted.
679
concerted
mutually agreed on; done together
The girl scouts in the troop made a concerted effort to raise funds for their annual outing, and emitted a concerted sigh when their leader announced that they had reached their goal.
680
concession
an act of yielding
Before they could reach an agreement, both sides had to make certain concessions.
681
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing
She was still angry despite his conciliatory words.
682
concise
brief and compact
When you define a new word, be concise; the shorter the definition, the easier it is to remember.
683
conclave
private meeting
He was present at all their conclaves as an unofficial observer.
684
conclusive
decisive; ending all debate
When the stolen books turned up in John's locker, we finally had conclusive evidence of the identity of the mysterious thief.
685
concoct
prepare by combining; make up in concert
How did the inventive chef ever concoct such strange dish?
686
concomitant
that which accompanies
Culture is not always a concomitant of wealth.
687
concord
harmony
Watching Tweediedum and Tweedledee battle, Alice wondered why the two brothers could not manage to life in concord.
688
concur
agree
Did you concur with the decision of the court or did you find it unfair?
689
concurrent
happening at the same time
In America, the colonists were resisting the demands of the mother contry; at the concurrent moment in France, the middle class was sowing the seeds of rebellion.
690
condescend
bestow courtesies with a superior air
The king condescended to grant an audience to the friends of the condemned man.
691
condign
adequate; deservedly severe
The public approved the condign punishment for the crime.
692
condiments
seasonings; spices
Spanish food is full of condiments.
693
condole
express sympathetic sorrow
His friends gathered to condole with him over his loss.
694
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
Unlike Widow Douglass, who condoned Huck's minor offenses, Miss Watson did nothing but scold.
695
conducive
helpful; contributive
Rest and proper diet are conducive to good health.
696
conduit
aqueduct; passageway for fluids
Water was brought to the army in the desert by an improvised conduit from the adjoining mountain.
697
confidant
trusted friend
He had no confidants with whom he could discuss his problems at home.
698
confiscate
seize; commandeer
The army confiscated all available supplies of uranium.
699
conflagration
great fire
In the conflagration that followed the 1906 earthquake, much of San Francisco was destroyed.
700
confluence
flowing together; crowd
They built the city at the confluence of two rivers.
701
conformity
harmony; agreement
In conformity with our rules and regulations, I am calling a meeting of our organization.
702
confound
confuse; puzzle
No mystery could confound Sherlock Holmes for long.
703
congeal
freeze; coagulate
His blood congealed in his veins as he saw the dread monster rush toward him.
704
congenial
pleasant; friendly
My father loved to go out for a meal with congenial companions.
705
congenital
existing at birth
His congenital deformity disturbed his parents.
706
conglomeration
mass of material sticking together
In such a conglomeration of miscellaneous statistics, it was impossible to find a single area of analysis. 
707
congruence
correspondence of parts; harmonious relationship
The student demonstrated the congruence of the two triangles by using the hypotenuse-arm theorem.
708
conifer
pine tree; cone-bearing tree
According to geologists, the conifers were the first plants to bear flowers.
709
conjecture
surmise; guess
I will end all your conjectures; I admit I am guilty as charged.
710
conjugal
pertaining to marriage
Their dreams of conjugal bliss were shattered as soon as their temperaments clashed.
711
conjure
summon a devil; proactive magic; imagine; invent
He conjured up an image of a reformed city and had the voters completely under his spell.
712
connivance
pretense of ignorance of something wrong; assistance; permission to offend
With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to embarrass the teacher.
713
connoisseur
person competent to act as judge of art, ect.; a lover of an art
She had developed into a connoisseur of fine china.
714
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an expression
Foreigners frequently are unaware of the connotations of the words they use.
715
connubial
pertaining to maffige or the matrimonial state
In his telegram, he wished the newlyweds a lifetime of connubial bliss.
716
consanguinity
kinship
The lawsuit developed into a test of the consanguinity of the claimant to the estate.
717
conscientious
scrupulous; careful
A conscientious editor checked every definition for its accuracy.
718
conscript
draftee; person forced into military service
Did Rambo volunteer to fight in Vietnam, or was he a conscript, drafted against his will?
719
consecrate
dedicate; sanctify
We shall consecrate our lives to this noble purpose.
720
consensus
general agreement
The consensus indicates that we are opposed to entering into this pact.
721
consequential
pompous; self-important
Convinced of his own importance, the actor strutted about the dressing room with a consequential air.
722
conservatory
school of the fine arts (especiallymusic or drama)
A gifted violinist, Marya was selected to study at the conservatory.
723
consign
deliver officially; entrust; set apart
The court consigned the child to her paternal grandmother's care.
724
consistency
absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree of thickness
Holmes judged puddings and explanations on their consistency; he liked his puddings without lumps and his explanations without improbabilities.
725
console
lessen sadness or disappointment; give comfort
When her father died, Marius did his best to console Cosette.
726
consonance
harmony; agreement
Her agitation seemed out of consonance with her usual calm.
727
consort
associate with
We frequently judge people by the company with whom they consort.
728
consort
husband or wife
The search for a consort for the young Queen Victoria ended happily.
729
conspiracy
treacherous plot
Brutus and Cassius joined in the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar.
730
constituent
supporter
The congressman received hundreds of letters from angry constituents after the Equal Rights Amendment failed to pass.
731
constraint
compulsion; repression of feelings
There was a feeling of constraint in the room because no one dared to criticize the speaker.
732
construe
explain; interpret
If I construe your remarks correctly, you disagree with the theory already advanced.
733
consummate
complete
I have never seem anyone who makes as many stupid errors as you do; you must be a consummate idiot.
734
contagion
infection
Fearing contagion, they took drastic steps to prevent the spread of the disease.
735
contaminate
pollute
The sewage system of the city so contaminated the water that swimming was forbidden.
736
contempt
scorn; disdain
Even if you feel superior to others, it is unwise to show your contempt for them.
737
contend
struggle; compete; assert earnestly
In Revolt of the Black Athlete, sociologist Harry Edwards contends that young black athletes have been exploited by some college recruiters.
738
contentious
quarrelsome
We heard loud and contentious noises in the next room.
739
contest
dispute
The defeated candidate attempted to contest the election results.
740
context
writings preceding and following the passage quoted
Because these lines are taken out of context, they do not convey the message the author intended.
741
contiguous
adjacent to; touching upon
The two countries are contiguous for a few miles; then they are separated by the gulf.
742
continence
self-restraint; sexual chastity
She vowed to lead a life of continence.
743
contingent
conditional
The continuation of this contract is contingent on the quality of your first output.
744
contortions
twistings; distortions
As the effects of the opiate wore away, the contortions of the patient became more violent and demonstrated how much pain she was enduring.
745
contraband
illegal trade; smuggling; smuggled goods
The coast guard tries to prevent contraband in U.S. waters.
746
contravene
contradict; oppose: infringe on or transgress
Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter Elizabeth to contravene his will by eloping with Robert Browning.
747
contrite
penitent
Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he imposed sentence.
748
contrived
forced; artificial; not spontaneous
Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws; James made a few contrived attempts at conversation and then retreated into silence.
749
controvert
oppose with arguments; contradict
To controvert your theory will require much time but it is essential that we disprove it.
750
contumacious
disobedient; resisting authority
The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the police.
751
contusion
bruise
She was treated for contusions and abrasions.
752
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
During the long car ride, she invented conundrums to entertain the children.
753
convene
assemble
Because much is needed legislation had to be enacted, the governor ordered the legislature to convene in special session by January 15.
754
convention
social or moral custom; established practice
Flying in the face of convention, George Sand (Amandine Dudevant) shocked her contemporaries by taking lovers and wearing men's clothes.
755
conventional
ordinary; typical
His conventional upbringing left him wholly unprepared for his wife's eccentric family.
756
converge
come together
Marchers converged on Washington for the great Save Our Cities-Save Our Children March.
757
conversant
familiar with
The lawyer is conversant with all the evidence.
758
converse
opposite
The inevitable converse of peace is not war but annihilation.
759
convert
one who has adopted a different religion or opinion
On his trip to Japan, though the President spoke at length about the merits of American automobiles, he made few converts to his beliefs.
760
convex
curving outward
He polished the convex lens of his telescope.
761
conveyance
vehicle; transfer
During the transit strike, commuters used various kinds of conveyances.
762
conviction
strongly held belief
Nothing could shake his conviction that she was innocent.
763
convivial
festive; gay; characterized by joviality
The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their college songs.
764
convoke
call together
Congress was convoked at the outbreak of the emergency.
765
convoluted
coiled around; involved; intricate
His argument was so convoluted that few of us could follow a it intelligently.
766
copious
plentiful
She had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal.
767
coquette
flirt
Because she refused to give him an answer to his proposal of marriage, he called her a coquette.
768
cordial
gracious; heartfelt
Our hosts greeted us at the airport with a cordial welcome and a hearty hug.
769
cordon
extended line of men or fortifications to prevent access or egress
The police cordon was so tight that the criminals could not leave the area.
770
cornice
projecting molding on building (usually above columns)
Because the stones forming the cornice had been loosened by the storms, the police closed the building until repairs could be made.
771
cornucopia
horn overflowing wiht fruit and grain; symbol of abundance
The encyclopedia salesman claimed the new edition was a veritable cornucopia of information, an inexhaustible source of knowledge for the entire family.
772
corollary
consequence; accompaniment
Brotherly love is a complex emotion, with a sibling rivalry its natural corollary.
773
corporeal
bodily; material
He was not a churchgoer; he was interested only in corporeal matters.
774
corpulent
very fat
The corpulent man resolved to reduce.
775
correlation
mutual relationship
He sought to determine the correlation that existed between ability in algebra and ability to interpret reading exercises.
776
corroborate
confirm
Unless we find a witness to corroborate your evidence, it will not stand up in court.
777
corrosive
eating away by chemicals or disease
Stainless steel is able to withstand the effects of corrosive chemicals.
778
corrugated
wrinkled; ridged
She wished she could smooth away the wrinkles from his corrugated brow.
779
cosmic
pertaining to the universe; vast
cosmic rays derive their name from the fact that they bombard the earth's atmosphere from outer space.
780
coterie
group that meets socially; select circle
After his book had been published, he was invited to join the literary coteri that lunched daily at the hotel.
781
countenance
approve; tolerate
He refused to countenance such rude behavior on their part.
782
countenance
face
Whe Jose saw his newborn daughter, a proud smile spread across his countenance.
783
countermand
cancel; revoke
The general countermand the orders issued in his absence.
784
counterpart
a thing that completes another; things very much alike
Night and day are counterparts.
785
coup
highly successful action or sudden attack
As the news of his coup spread throughout Wall Street, his fellow brokers dropped by to congratulate him.
786
couple
join; unite
The Flying Karamazovs couple expert juggling and amateur joking in their nightclub act.
787
courier
messenger
The publisher sent a special courier to pick up the manuscript.
788
covenant
agreement
We must comply with the terms of the covenant.
789
covert
secret; hidden; implied
She could understand the covert threat in the letter.
790
covetous
avaricious; eagerly desirous of
The child was covetous by nature and wanted to take the toys belonging to his classmates.
791
cow
terrorize; intimidate
The little boy was so cowed by the hulking bully that he gave up his lunch money without a word of protest.
792
cower
shrink quivering, as from fear
The frightened child cowered in the corner of the room.
793
coy
shy; modest; coquettish
She was coy in her answers to his offer.
794
cozen
cheat; hoodwink; swindle
He was the kind of individual who would cozen his friends in a cheap card game but remain eminently ethical in all his business dealings.
795
crabbed
sour; peevish
The children avoided the crabbed old man because he scolded them when they made noise.
796
crass
very unrefined; grossly insensible
The philosophers deplored the crass commercialism.
797
craven
cowardly
When he saw the enemy troops advancing, he had a craven impulse to run for his life.
798
credence
belief
Do not place any credence in his promises.
799
credo
creed
I believe we may best describe his credo by saying that it approximates the Goldren Rule.
800
credulity
belief on slight evidence
The witch doctor took advantage of the credulity of the superstitious natives.
801
creed
system of religious or ethical belief
In any loyal American's creed, love of democracy must be emphasized.
802
crescendo
increase in the volume or intensity, as in a musical passage; climax
The overture suddenly changed from a quiet pastoral theme to a crescendo featuring blaring trumpets and clashing cymbols.
803
crestfallen
dejected; dispirited
We were surprised at his reaction to the failure of his project; instead of being crestfallen, he was busily engaged in planning new activities.
804
crevice
crack; fissure
The mountain climbers found footholds in the tiny crevices in the mountainside.
805
cringe
shrink back, as if in fear
The dog cringed, expecting a blow.
806
criteria
standards used in judging
What criteria did you use when you selected this essay as the prize winner?
807
crone
hag
The toothless crone frightened us when she smiled.
808
crotchety
eccentric; whimsical
Although he was reputed to be a crochety old gentleman, I found his ideas substantially sound and sensible.
809
crux
crucial point
This is the crux of the entire problem.
810
crypt
secret recess or vault usually used for burial
Until recently only bodies of rulers and leading statesmen were interred in this crypt.
811
cryptic
mysterious; hidden; secret
His cryptic remarks could not be interpreted.
812
cubicle
small chamberused for sleeping
After his many hours of intensive study in the library he retired to his cubicle.
813
cuisine
style of cooking
French cuisine is noted for its use of sauces and wines.
814
culinary
relating to cooking
Many chefs attribute their culinary skill to the wise use of spices.
815
cull
pick out; reject
Every month the farmer culls the nonplaying hens from his flock and sells them to the local butcher.
816
culmination
attainment of highest point
His inauguration as President of the United States marked the culmination of his political career.
817
culpable
deserving blame
Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the gamblers are equally culpable.
818
culvert
artificial channel for water
If we build a culvert under the road at this point, we will reduce the possibility of the road at this point, we will reduce the possibility of the road's being flooded during the rainy season.
819
cumbersome
heavy; hard to manage
He was burdened down with cumbersome parcels.
820
cumulative
growing by addition
Vocabulary building is a cumulative process: as you go through your flash cards, you will add new words to your vocabulary, one by one.
821
cupidity
greed
The defeated people could not satisfy the cupidity of the conquerors, who demanded excessive tribute.
822
curator
superintendent; manager
The members of the board of trustees of the museum expected the new curator to plan events and exhibitions that would make the museum more popular.
823
curmudgeon
churlish, miserly individual
Although he was regarded by many as a curmudgeon, a few of us were aware of the many kindnesses and acts of charity that he secretly performed.
824
cursive
flowing, running
In normal writing we run our letters together in cursive form; in printing, we separate the letters.
825
cursory
casual; hastily done
A cursory examination of the ruins indicates the possibility of arson; a more extensive study should be undertaken.
826
curtail
shorten; reduce
During the coal shortage, we must curtail our use of this vital commodity.
827
cynical
skeptical or distrustful of human motives
cynical at all times, he was suspicious of all altruistic actions of others.
828
cynosure
object of general attention
As soon as the movie star entered the room, she became the cynosure of all eyes.
829
consternation
anxiety, dismay
Lincoln is famous for saying that the consternations during the civil war had left him decrepit.
830
casual
accidental; not regular or permanent; careless; informal
It can be argued that physical laws can be casual as well as inveterate, since it is based on an induction.
831
dais
raised platform for guests of honor
When he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from the people who had come to honor him.
832
dally
trifle with; procrastinate
Laertes told Ophelia that Hamlet could only dally with her affections.
833
dank
damp
The walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy.
834
dapper
neat and trim
In "The Odd Couple," Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of place.
835
dappled
spotted
The sunlight filtering though the screens created a dappled effect on the wall.
836
daub
smear (as with paint)
From the way he daubed his paint on the canvas, I could tell he knew nothing of oils.
837
daunt
intimidate
Your threats cannot daunt me.
838
dauntless
bold
Despite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless soldier volunteered for the assignment.
839
dawdle
loiter; waste time
Inasmuch as we must meet a deadline, do not dawdle over this work.
840
deadlock
standstill; stalemate
The negotiations had reached a deadlock.
841
deadpan
wooden; impassive
We wanted to see how long he could maintain his deadpan expression.
842
dearth
scarcity
The dearth of skilled labor compelled the employers to open trade schools.
843
debacle
breaking up; downfall
This debacle in the government can only result in anarchy.
844
debase
reduce to lower state
Do not debase youself by becoming maudlin.
845
debauch
corrupt; make intemperate
A vicious newspaper can debauch public ideals.
846
debilitate
weaken; enfeeble
Overindulgence debilitates character as well as physical stamina.
847
debonair
friendly; aiming to please
The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner.
848
debris
rubble
A full year after the earthquake in Mexico City, workers were still carting away the debris.
849
debunk
expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule
Pointing out that he conhsistently had voted afainst strenghtening antipollution legislation, reporters debunked the candidate's claim that he was a fervent environmentalist.
850
debutante
yound woman making formal entrance into society
As a debutante, she was often mentioned in the society columns of the newspapers.
851
decadence
decay
The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd literature of the period.
852
decant
pour off gently
Be sure to decant this wine before serving it.
853
decapitate
behead
They did not hang Lady Jane Grey; they decapitated her.
854
decelerate
slow down
Seeing the emergency blinkers in the road ahead, he decelerated quickly.
855
deciduous
falling off, as of leaves
The oak is a deciduous tree.
856
decimate
kill, usually one out of ten
We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents than we do in war.
857
decipher
decode
I could not decipher the doctor's handwriting.
858
declivity
downward slope
The children loved to ski down the declivity.
859
decollete
having a low-cut neckline
Fashion decrees that evening gowns be decollete this season; bare shoulders are again the vogue.
860
decomposition
decay
Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police were able to identify the murdered man.
861
decorum
propriety; seemliness
Shocked by the unruly behavior, the teacher criticized the class for its lack of decorum.
862
decoy
lure or bait
The wild ducks were not fooled by the decoy.
863
decrepitude
state of collagse caused by illness or old age
I was unprepared for the state of decrepitude in which I had found my old friend; he seemed to have aged twenty years in six months.
864
decry
express strong disapproval of ; disparage
The founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, strongly decries the lack of financial and moral support for children in America today.
865
deducible
derived byreasoning
If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible.
866
deface
mar; disfigure
If you deface a library book, you will have to pay a hefty fine.
867
defamation
harming a person's reputation
Such defamation of character may result in a slander suit.
868
default
failure to do
As a result of her husband's failure to appear in court, she was granted a divorce by default.
869
defeatist
resigned to defeat; accepting defeat as a natural outcome
If you maintain your defeatist attitude, you will never succeed.
870
defection
desertion
The children, who had made him an idol, were hurt most by his defection from our cause.
871
deference
courteous regard for another's wish
In deference to his desires, the employers granted him a holiday.
872
defile
pollute; profane
The hoodlums defiled the church with their scurrilous writing.
873
definitive
most reliable or complee
Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln may be regarded as the definitive work on the life of the Great Emancipator.
874
deflect
turn aside
His life was saved when his cigarette case deflected the bullet.
875
defoliate
destroy leaves
In Vietnam the army made extensive use of chemical agents to defoliate the woodlands.
876
defray
provide ofr the payment of
Her employer offered to defray the costs of her postgraduate education.
877
defrock
to strip a priest or minister of church authority
We knew the minister had violated church regulations, but we had not realized his offense was serious enough to cause him to be defrocked.
878
deft
neat; skillful
The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop.
879
defunct
dead; no longer in use or existence
The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct corporation.
880
degenerate
become worse; deteriorate
As the fight dragged on, the champion's style degenerated until he could barely keep on his feet.
881
degraded
lowered in rank; debased
The degraded wretch spoke only of his past glories and honors. 
882
dehydrate
remove water from; dry out
Vigorous dancing quickly dehydrates the body; between dances, be sure to drink more water than normal.
883
deify
turn into a god; idolize
Admire the rock star all you want; just don't deify him.
884
deign
condescend
He felt that he would debase himself if he deigned to answer his critics.
885
delete
erase; strike out
If you delete this paragraph, the composition will have more appeal.
886
deleterious
harmful
Workers in nuclear research must avoid the deleterious effects of radioactive substances.
887
deliberate
consider; ponder; unhurried
Offered the new job, she asked for time to deliberate before she made her decision.
888
delineate
portray
He is weakest when he attempts to delineate character.
889
delirium
mental disorder marked by confusion
The drunkard in his delirium saw strange animals.
890
delta
flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river
His dissertation discussed the effect of intermittent flooding on the fertility of the Nile delta.
891
delude
deceive
Do not delude yourself into believing that he will relent.
892
deluge
flood; rush
When we advertised the position, we received a deluge of applications.
893
delusion
false belief; hallucination
This scheme is a snare and a delusion.
894
delusive
deceptive; raising vain hopes
Do not raise your hopes on the basis of his delusive promises.
895
delve
dig; investigate
delving into old books and manuscripts is part of a researcher's job.
896
demagogue
person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader
He was accused of being a demogogue because he made promises that aroused futile hopes in his listeners.
897
demean
degrade; humiliate
He felt that he would demean himself if he replied to the scurrilous letter.
898
demeanor
behavior; bearing
His sober demeanor quieted the noisy revelers.
899
demented
insane
She became increasingly demented and had to be hospitalized.
900
demise
death
Upon the demise of the dictator, a bitter dispute about succession to power developed.
901
demographic
related to population balance
In conducting a survey, one should take into account demographic trends in the region.
902
demolition
destruction
One of the major aims of the air force was the complete demolition of all means of transportation by the bombing of rail lines and the terminals.
903
demoniac
fiendish
The Spanish Inquisition devised many demoniac means of torture.
904
demotic
pertaining to the people
He lamented the passing of aristocratic society and maintained that a demotic society would lower the nation's standards.
905
demur
delay; object
To demur at this time will only worsen the already serious situation; now is the time for action.
906
demure
grave; serius; coy
She was demure and reserved.
907
denigrate
blacken
All attempts to denigrate the character of our late President have failed; the people still love him and cherish his memory.
908
denizen
inhabitant of
Ghosts are denizens of the land of the dead who return to earth.
909
denotation
meaning; distinguishing by name
A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a word; frequently, it will always give us its connotation.
910
denouement
outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other literary work
The play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to sophisticated theatergoers as early as the middle of the first act.
911
denounce
condemn; critcize
The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust.
912
depict
portray
In this book, the author depicts the slave owners as kind and benevolent masters.
913
deplete
reduce; exhaust
We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we order replacements.
914
deplore
regret
Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I defend your right to express yourself freely.
915
deploy
move troops so that the battle line is extended at the expense of depth
The general ordered the battalion to deploy in order to meet the offensive of the enemy.
916
depose
dethrone; remove form office
The army attempted to depose the king and set up a military government.
917
deposition
testimony under oath
He made his deposition in the judge's chamber.
918
depravity
corruption; wickedness
The depravity of the tyrant's behavior shocked us all.
919
deprecate
express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first names.
920
depreciate
lessen in value
If you neglect this properly, it will depreciate.
921
depredation
plundering
After the depredations of the invaders, the people were penniless.
922
deranged
insane
He had to be institutionalized because he was deranged.
923
derelict
neglectful of duty; abandoned
The corporal who fell asleep while on watch was thrown into the guardhouse for being derelic in his duty.
924
deride
scoff at
The people derided his grandiose schemes.
925
derision
ridicule
They greeted his proposal with derision and refused to consider it seriously.
926
derivative
unoriginal; obtained from another source
Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own voice.
927
dermatologist
one who studies the skin and its diseases
I advise you to consult a dermatologist about your acne.
928
derogatory
expressing a low opinion
I resent your derogatory remarks.
929
descry
catch sight of
In the distance, we could barely descry the enemy vessels.
930
desecrate
profane; violate the sanctity of
The soldiers desecrated the temple.
931
desiccate
dry up
A tour of this smokehouse will give you an idea of how the pioneers used to desiccate food in order to preserve it.
932
desolate
rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake
The bandits desolated the countryside, burning farms and carrying off the harvest.
933
desperado
reckless outlaw
Butch Cassidy was a bold desperado with a price on his head.
934
despicable
contemptible
Your despicable remarks call for no reply.
935
despise
scorn
I despise your attempts at a reconciliation at this time and refuse to meet you.
936
despoil
plunder
If you do not yield, I am afraid the enemy will despoil the countryside.
937
despondent
depressed; gloomy
To the dismay of his parents, he became more and more depondent every day.
938
despotism
tyranny
The people rebelled against the despotism of the king.
939
destitute
extremely poor
The costs of the father's illness left the family destitute.
940
desultory
aimless; haphazard; digressing at random
In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of reading straight through the dictionary; to him reading was purposeful, not desultory.
941
detached
emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent
A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with her patients' perssonal lives.
942
determinate
having a fixed order of procedure; invariable
At the royal wedding, the procession of the nobles followed a determinate order of precedence.
943
deterrent
something that discourages; hindrance
Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to potential killers?
944
detonation
explosion
The detonation of the bomb could be heard miles away.
945
detraction
slandering; aspersion
He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader.
946
detrimental
harmful; damaging
Your acceptance of her support will ultimately prove detrimental rather than helpful to your cause.
947
deviate
turn away from
Do not deviate from the truth; you must face the facts.
948
devious
going astray; erratic
Your devious behavior in this matter puzzles me since you are usually direct and straightforward.
949
devoid
lacking
He was devoid of any personal desire for gain in his endeavor to secure improvement in the community.
950
devolve
deputize; pass to others
It devolved upon us, the survivors, to arrange peace terms with the enemy.
951
devotee
enthusiastic follower
A devotee of the opera, he bought season tickets every year.
952
devout
pious
The devout man prayed daily.
953
dexterous
skillful
The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow his movements as he performed his tricks.
954
diabolical
devilish
This scheme is so diabolical that I must reject it.
955
diadem
crown
The king's diadem was on display at the museum.
956
dialectic
art of debate
I am not skilled in dialectic and therefore, cannot answer your arguments as forcefully as I wish.
957
diaphanous
sheer; transparent
They saw the burglar clearly through the diaphanous curtain.
958
diatribe
bitter scolding; invective
During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he remained calm and self-controlled.
959
dichotomy
branching into two parts
The dichotomy of our legislative system provides us with many safeguards.
960
dictum
arthoritative and weighty statement
She repeated the statement as though it were the dictum of the most expert worker in the group.
961
didactic
teaching; instructional; preaching or moralizing
The didactic qualities of his poetry overshadow its literary qualities; the lesson he teaches is more memorable than the lines.
962
die
device for stamping or impressing; mold
In coining pennies, workers at the old mint squeezed sheets of softened copper between two dies.
963
diffidence
shyness
You must overcome your diffidence if you intend to become a salesperson.
964
diffusion
wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas
Your composition suffers from a diffusion of ideas; try to be more compact.
965
digression
wandering away from the subject
Nobody minded when Professor Renoir's lectures wandered away from their offical theme; his digressions were always more fascinating than the topic of the day.
966
dilapidated
ruined because of neglect
We felt that the dilapidated  building needed several coats of paint.
967
dilate
expand
In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate.
968
dilatory
delaying
Your dilatory tactics may compel me to cancel the contract.
969
dilemma
problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
In this dilemma, he knew no one to whom he could turn for advice.
970
dilettante
aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler
He was not serious in his painting; he was rather a dilettante.
971
diligence
steadiness of effort; persisten hard work
Her employers were greatly impressed by her diligence and offered her a partnership in the firm.
972
dilute
make less concentrated; reduce in strength
She preferred her coffee diluted with milk.
973
diminution
lessening; reduction in size
The blockaders hoped to achieve victory as soon as the diminution of the enemy's supplies became serious.
974
din
continued loud noise
The din of the jackhammers outside the classroom window drowned out the lecturer's voice.
975
dinghy
small boat (often ship's boat)
In the film Lifeboat, an ill-assorted group of passengers from a sunken ocean liner are marooned at sea in a dinghy.
976
dingy
dull; not fresh; cheerless
Refusing to be depressed by her dingy studio apartment, Bea spent the weekend polishing the floors and windows and hanging bright posters on the walls.
977
dint
means; effort
By dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to control the raging forest fire.
978
diorama
like-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history
Because they dramatically pose actual stuffed animals against realistic painted landscapes, the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History particularly impress high school biology students.
979
dire
disastrous
People ignored her dire predictions of an approaching depression.
980
dirge
lament with music
The funeral dirge stirred us to tears.
981
disabuse
correct a false impression; undeceive
I will attempt to diabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent.
982
disaffected
disloyal
Once the most loyal of Gorbachev's supporters, Shverdnaze found himself becoming increasingly disaffected.
983
disapprobation
disapproval; condemnation
The conservative father viewed his daughter's radical boyfriend with disapprobation.
984
disarray
a disorderly or untidy state
After the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray.
985
disavowal
denial; disclaiming
His disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury.
986
disband
dissolve; disperse
The chess club disbanded after its disastrous initial season.
987
disburse
pay out
When you disburse money on the company's behalf, be sure to get a receipt.
988
discernible
distinguishable; perceivable
The ships in the harbor were not discernible in the fog.
989
discerning
mentally quick and observant; having insight
Because he was considered the most discerning member of the firm, he was assigned the most difficult cases.
990
disclaim
disown; renounce claim to
If I grant you this previlege, will you disclaim all other rights?
991
disclose
reveal
Although competitors offered him bribes, he refused to disclose any information about his company's forthcoming product.
992
discombobulated
confused; discomposed
The novice square dancer became so discombobulated that he wandered into wrong set.
993
discomfit
put to rout; defeat; disconcert
This ruse will discomfit the enemy.
994
disconcert
confuse; upset; embarrass
The lawyer was disconcerted by the evidence produced by her adversary.
995
disconcolate
sad
The death of his wife left him disconsolate.
996
discordant
inharmonious; conflicting
She tried to unite the discordant factions.
997
discount
disregard
Be prepared to discount what he has to say about his ex-wife.
998
discourse
formal disscussion; conversation
The young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hear the philosophical discourse of Socrates and his followers.
999
discredit
defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve
The campaign was highly negative in tone; each candidate tried to discredit the other.
1000
discrepancy
lack of consistency; difference
The police noticed some discrepancies in his description of the crime and did not believe him.
1001
discrete
separate; unconnected
The universe is composed of discrete bodies.
1002
discretion
prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances
Use your discretion in this matter and do not discuss it with anyone.
1003
discrimination
ability to see differences; prejudice
They feared he lacked sufficient discrimination to judge complex works of modern art.
1004
discursive
digressing; rambling
They were annoyed and bored by her discursive remarks.
1005
disdain
treat with scorn or contempt
You make enemies of all you disdain.
1006
disembark
go ashore; unload cargo from a ship
Before the passengers could disembark, they had to pick up their passports from the ship's purser.
1007
disenfranchise
deprive of a civil right
The imposition if the poll tax effectively disenfranchised poor Southern blacks, who lost their right to vote.
1008
disengage
uncouple; separate; disconnect
A standard movie routine involves the hero's desperate attempt to disengage a railroad car from a moving train.
1009
disfigure
mar the appearance of; spoil
An ugly frown disfigured his normally pleasant face.
1010
disgorge
surrender something; efect; vomit
Unwilling to disgorge the cash he had stolen from the pension fund, the embezzler tried to run away.
1011
disgruntle
make discontented
The passengers were disgruntled by the numerous delays.
1012
dishearten
discourage
His failure to pass the bar exam disheartened him.
1013
disheveled
untidy
Your disheveled appearance will hurt your chances in this interview.
1014
disinclination
unwilingness
Some mornings I feel a great disinclination to get out of bed.
1015
disingenuous
not naive; sophisticated
Although he was young, his remarks indicated that he was disingenous.
1016
disinter
dig up; unearth
They disinterred the body and held an autopsy.
1017
disinterested
unprejudiced
The only disinterested person in the room was the judge.
1018
disjointed
disconnected
His remarks were so disjointed that we could not follow his reasoning.
1019
dislodge
remove (forcible)
Thrusting her fist up under the choking man's lower ribs, Margaret used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food caught in this throat.
1020
dismantle
take apart
When the show closed, they dismantled the scenery before restoring it.
1021
dismember
cut into small parts
When the Austrian Empire was dismembered, several new countries were established.
1022
dismiss
eliminate from consideration; reject
Believing in John's love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful.
1023
disparage
belittle
Do not disparage anyone's contribution; these little gifts add up to large sums.
1024
disparate
basically different; unrelated
It is difficult, if not impossible, to organize these disparate elements into a coherent whole.
1025
disparity
difference; condition of inequality
The disparity in their ages made no difference at all.
1026
dispassionate
calm; impartial
In a dispassionate analysis of the problem, he carefully examined the causes of the conflict and proceeded to suggest suitable remedies.
1027
dispatch
speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed
Young Napoleon defeated the enemy with all possible dispatch; he then sent a dispatch to headquarters, informing his commander of the great victory.
1028
dispel
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
The bright sunlight eventually dispelled the morning mist.
1029
disperse
scatter
The police fired tear gas into crowd to disperse the protesters.
1030
dispirited
lacking in spirit
The coach used all the tricks at his command to buoy up the enthusiasm of his team, which I had become dispirited at the loss of the star player.
1031
disport
amuse
The popularity of Florida as a winter resort is constantly increasing; each year, thousands more disport themselves at Miami and Palm Beach.
1032
disputatious
argumentative; fond of argument
People avoided discussing contemporary problems with him because of his disputatious manner.
1033
disquisition
a formal systematic inquiry; an explanation of the results of a formal inquiry
In his disquisition, he outlined the steps he had taken in reaching his conclusions.
1034
dissection
analysis; cutting apart in order to examine
The dissection of frogs on the laboratory is particularly unpleasant to some students.
1035
dissemble
disguise; pretend
Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking modern dance, we all knew there not to dance but to meet girls.
1036
disseminate
scatter (like seeds)
The invention of the radio helped propagandists to disseminate their favorite doctrines very easily.
1037
dissent
disagree
In a landmark Supreme Court decision, Justice Marshall dissented from the majority opinion.
1038
dissertation
formal essay
In order to earn a graduate degree from many of our universities, a candidate is frequently required to prepare a dissertation on some scholarly subject.
1039
dissident
dissenting; rebellious
In the purge that followed the student demonstrations at Tianamen Square, the government hunted down the dissident students and their supporters.
1040
dissimulate
pretend; conceal by feigning
She tried to dissimulate her grief by her exuberant attitude.
1041
dissipate
squander
The young man quickly dissipated his inheritance and was soon broke.
1042
dissolution
disintegration; looseness in morals
The profligacy and dissolution of life in Caligula's Rome appall some historians.
1043
dissonance
discord
Some contemporary musicians deliberately use dissonance to achieve certain effects.
1044
dissuade
advise against
He could not dissuade his friend from joining the conspirators.
1045
distant
reserved or aloof; cold in manner
His distant greeting made me feel unwelcome from the start.
1046
distend
expand;swell out
I can tell when he is under stress by the way the veins distend on his forehead.
1047
distill
purify; refine; concentrate
A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills thoughts into quips.
1048
distortion
twisting out of shape
It is difficult to believe the newspaper accounts of this event because of the distortions and exaggerations of the reporters.
1049
distrait
absentminded
Because of his concentration on the problem, the professor often appeared distrait and unconcerned about routine.
1050
distraught
upset; distracted by anxiety
The distraught parents frantically searched the ravine for their lost child.
1051
diurnal
daily
A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for example, must be milked regularly.
1052
diva
operatic singer; prima donna
Although world famous as a diva, she did not indulge in fits of temerament.
1053
diverge
vary; go in different directionsfrom the same point
The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.
1054
divergent
differing; deviating
The two witnesses presented the jury with remarkably divergent accounts of the same epipode.
1055
diverse
differing in some characteristics; various
There are diverse ways of approaching this problem.
1056
diversion
act of turning aside; pastime
After studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work.
1057
diversity
variety; dissimilitude
The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels of ability are being served.
1058
divest
strip; deprive
He was divested of his power to act and could no longer govern.
1059
divine
perceive intuitively; foresee the future
Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly's ability to divine when he was not telling the truth.
1060
divulge
reveal
I will not tell you this news because I am sure you will divulge it prematurely.
1061
docile
obedient; easily managed
As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, snarling beast.
1062
docket
program asfor trial; book where such entries are made
The case of Smith v. Jones was entered in the docket for July 15.
1063
doctrinaire
unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy.
1064
document
provide written evidence
She kept all the receipts from her business trip in order to document her expenses for the firm.
1065
doddering
shaky; infirm from old age
Although he is not as yet a doddering and senile old man, his ideas and opinions no longer can merit the respect we gave them years ago.
1066
doff
take off
A gentleman used to doff his hat to a lady.
1067
dogged
determined;stubborn
Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert's long, dogged pursuit of the criminal Jean Valjean.
1068
doggerel
poorverse
Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in her work, most of her writing is mere doggerel.
1069
dogmatic
positive; arbitrary
Do not be so dogmatic about that statement; it can be easily refuted.
1070
doldrums
blues; listlessness; slack period
Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was over, she found herself in the doldrums.
1071
dolorous
sorrowfrl
He found the dolorous lamentations of the bereaved family emotionally disturbing and he left as quickly as he could.
1072
dolt
stupid person
I thought I was talking to a mature audience; instead, I find myself addressing a pack of dolts.
1073
domicile
home
Althoughhis legal domicile was in New York City, his work kept him away from his residence for many years.
1074
domineer
rule over tyrannically
Students prefer teachers who guide, not ones who domineer.
1075
don
put on
When Clark Kent had to don his Superman outfit, he changed clothes in a convenient phone booth.
1076
dormant
sleeping; lethargic; torpid
Sometimes dormant talents in our friends surprise those of us who never realize how gifted our acquaintances really are.
1077
dormer
window projecting from roof
In remodeling the attic into a bedroom, we decided that we needed to put in dormers to provide sufficient ventilation for the new room.
1078
dorsal
relating to the back of an animal
A shark may be identified by its dorsal fin, which projects above the surface of the ocean.
1079
dossier
file of documents on a subject
Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier.
1080
dotage
senility
In his dotage, the old man bored us with long tale