Define
odium
(oh-dee-um)
n. repugnance, hatred
n. strong dislike
The popular odium of attorneys is often unmerited.
Define
officious
(uh-fish-us)
adj. prone to giving unwanted advice
I make a habit of giving honest opinions, but I try to avoid being officious with my friends.
Define
opaque
(owe-peyk)
adj. blocking all light
adj. hard to understand
The windows became so dirty they were almost opaque.
Define
opportune
(opp-er-tune)
adj. happening under fitting circumstances, or at an appropriate or favorable time
The students waited for an opportune moment to surprise their teacher with the bouquet of flowers they had prepared.
Define
superfluous
(suh-per-flu-us)
adj. more than necessary; unnecessary
The student’s essay was full of superfluous phrases that needed to be deleted.
Define
supersede
(sue-per-seed)
v. to substitute; to take precedence over
It had been my understanding that the new tax code _supersede_s the old one, but actually both are in vigor simultaneously.
Define
supplant
(suh-plant)
v. to replace
The higher-ups tried to supplant rebellious teachers with conformists.
Define
supplicate
(sup-lih-kate)
v. to humbly ask
The churchgoers then bowed their heads and _supplicate_d God to answer their prayers.
Define
surmount
(ser-mount)
v. to overcome
v. to rise above
Through sheer determination, he was able to surmount his disadvantages and win the contest outright.
Define
surreptitious
(ser-up-tish-us)
adj. secretive
Since they were not allowed to speak, the couple exchanged surreptitious glances from across the room.
Define
symbiotic
(sim-bee-ott-ik)
adj. related to a relationship between two or more organisms living together
The whale and the small fish that cling to its body have a symbiotic relationship.
Define
synapse
(sin-apse)
n. the small gap between the cells of nerves
Neurotransmitters travel across the synapse between brain cells.
Define
synchronous
(sing-kruh-nuss)
adj. operating at the same time or at the same rate
The film was notable for its synchronous premiere in 11 capital cities around the globe.
Define
tacit
(tass-it)
adj. implied or unspoken
There was a tacit agreement between the two companies that neither would expand into the other’s city.
Define
taciturn
(tass-ih-turn)
adj. tending to be silent; quiet
Some of the students were quite taciturn and had to be asked to participate more.
Define
exacerbate
(ig-zass-er-bate)
v. to make worse
The children’s screaming _exacerbate_d their father’s headache.
Define
exact
(ig-zact)
v. to forcibly obtain
The detectives finally _exact_ed the truth from the witness.
Define
exculpate
(ek-skull-pate)
v. to free from blame
The political prisoner was fully _exculpate_d only when the dictatorship was overthrown and an independent truth commission established.
Define
exhort
(ig-zort)
v. to urge by strong appeal
Taking the loudspeaker in her hand, the policewoman _exhort_ed the kidnapper to release his hostage.
Define
exigent
(ek-suh-djunt)
adj. requiring immediate attention; pressing, demanding
The show’s run was cut short by an exigent lack of funds.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. blame
n. strong dislike
odium
(oh-dee-um)
synonyms: shame, dishonor; disgust, detestation
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. prone to giving unwanted advice
officious
(uh-fish-us)
synonyms: forward, meddlesome
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. blocking all light
adj. hard to understand
opaque
(owe-peyk)
synonyms: blurred, darkened, lusterless; baffling, cryptic
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. happening under fitting circumstances
opportune
(opp-er-tune)
synonyms: advantageous, favorable
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. more than necessary; unnecessary
superfluous
(suh-per-flu-us)
synonyms: extra, excessive, overdone
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to substitute; to take precedence over
supersede
(sue-per-seed)
synonyms: usurp, succeed
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to replace
supplant
(suh-plant)
synonyms: substitute, usurp
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to humbly ask
supplicate
(sup-lih-kate)
synonyms: ask, pray for, desire
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to overcome
v. to rise above
surmount
(ser-mount)
synonyms: vanquish, transcend
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. secretive
surreptitious
(ser-up-tish-us)
synonyms: sneaky, secret, covert
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. related to a relationship between two or more organisms living together
symbiotic
(sim-bee-ott-ik)
synonyms: coactive, harmonious, joining
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the small gap between the cells of nerves
synapse
(sin-apse)
synonyms: break, gap, divide
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. operating at the same time or at the same rate
synchronous
(sing-kruh-nuss)
synonyms: concurrent, simultaneous
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. implied or unspoken
tacit
(tass-it)
synonyms: suggested, unsaid, understood
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. tending to be silent; quiet
taciturn
(tass-ih-turn)
synonyms: aloof, silent, mum
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make worse
exacerbate
(ig-zass-er-bate)
synonyms: intensify, worsen
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to forcibly obtain
exact
(ig-zact)
synonyms: claim, take
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to free from blame
exculpate
(ek-skull-pate)
synonyms: forgive, excuse
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to urge by strong appeal
exhort
(ig-zort)
synonyms: warn, beseech
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. requiring immediate attention; pressing, demanding
exigent
(ek-suh-djunt)
synonyms: urgent, pressing
Define
exonerate
(ig-zawn-ih-rate)
v. to clear of blame, guilt, or burden
Though the defendant had clearly done something wrong, the court had no choice but to exonerate her on the present charges.
Define
expedient
(ek-spee-dee-unt)
adj. beneficial for one’s goal
n. a hastily prepared solution to a sudden problem
The politician tended to bring up his humble origins when it was politically expedient.
Define
expedite
(ek-spuh-dahyt)
v. to speed up
For an extra fee, the post office can expedite your package’s delivery.
Define
expiate
(ek-spee-ate)
v. to atone for
After destroying his friend’s car, Jim hoped the fruit basket he sent would expiate his guilt.
Define
extemporaneous
(ik-stem-puh-ray-nee-us)
adj. made up on the spot, ad-libbed
To be a news anchor, she would have to improve her extemporaneous speaking skills.
Define
extol
(ik-stole)
v. to praise
Melinda was often heard _extol_ling her daughter’s many talents.
Define
extrapolate
(ek-strap-ih-late)
v. to make a guess based on facts
Pete figured it was possible to extrapolate her personality from her Facebook profile.
Define
extricate
(ek-strih-kate)
v. to disentangle, to break free from
It was heartbreaking to watch the butterfly struggle in vain to extricate itself from the spider web.
Define
churl
(churl)
n. a rude person
n. a cheap person
I had been waiting in line for hours when some churl tried to cut in front of me.
Define
circuitous
(sir-cue-ih-tuss)
adj. roundabout
Because of the traffic accident, we had to take a circuitous route to the bank.
Define
circumscribe
(sir-come-skrahyb)
v. to draw or contain in a circle
v. to limit or restrain
I believe our government’s actions are _circumscribe_d by financial interests as well as moral imperatives.
Define
circumspect
(sir-come-spekt)
adj. prudent; cautious
Though her mother’s boyfriend attempted to win affection with toys and treats, Elise remained circumspect around him.
Define
circumvent
(sir-kum-vent)
v. to get around an obstacle
She managed to circumvent security and approached her favorite actor backstage.
Define
cleave
(kleev)
v. to cut off with force
v. to be loyal to
v. to develop an emotional bond with
She vowed that even when tempted she would cleave to her principles.
Define
cloister
(cloy-stur)
v. to isolate
n. a place for religious isolation
The boy’s parents tended to cloister him from the harsher realities of the world.
Define
coagulate
(koh-ag-yuh-late)
v. to clot or solidify
The poorly-made syrup began to coagulate on the pancakes after a few minutes.
Define
coalesce
(koh-ih-less)
v. to come together to form a single unit
Our county’s many poverty initiatives are too different to coalesce into an effective whole.
Define
cogent
(koh-djunt)
adj. clear and convincing
adj. relevant
We won the debate because the other team was unable to mount a cogent counter argument.
Define
cohere
(koh-heer)
v. to be logically connected to
v. to stick to each other
These short stories are quite charming when taken separately, but they will not cohere if published together as a collection.
Define
intransigent
(in-tran-suh-junt)
adj. unwilling to compromise
The government remained intransigent despite the people’s protest.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to clear of blame or guilt
exonerate
(ig-zawn-ih-rate)
synonyms: absolve, acquit, vindicate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. beneficial for one’s goal
n. a hastily prepared solution to a sudden problem
expedient
(ek-spee-dee-unt)
synonyms: worthwhile, advantageous; means
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to speed up
expedite
(ek-spuh-dahyt)
synonyms: accelerate, hasten
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to atone for wrongdoing
expiate
(ek-spee-ate)
synonyms: amend, atone
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. made up on the spot, ad-libbed
extemporaneous
(ik-stem-puh-ray-nee-us)
synonyms: improvised, impromptu
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to praise
extol
(ik-stole)
synonyms: praise, celebrate, laud
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make a guess based on facts; to conjecture
extrapolate
(ek-strap-ih-late)
synonyms: assume, hypothesize
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to disentangle, to break free from
extricate
(ek-strih-kate)
synonyms: clear, disburden, extract
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a rude person
n. a cheap person
churl
(churl)
synonyms: lout, oaf; miser, peasant
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. roundabout
circuitous
(sir-cue-ih-tuss)
synonyms: indirect, labyrinthine
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to draw or contain in a circle
v. to limit or restrain
circumscribe
(sir-come-skrahyb)
synonyms: mark off, bound, confine
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. prudent; cautious
circumspect
(sir-come-spekt)
synonyms: discreet, guarded
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to get around an obstacle
circumvent
(sir-kum-vent)
synonyms: avoid, bypass
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to cut off with force
v. to be loyal to
v. to develop an emotional bond with
cleave
(kleev)
synonyms: divide, split; devote, join; bond, affix
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to isolate
n. a place for religious isolation
cloister
(cloy-stur)
synonyms: secluded; convent
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to clot or solidify (for liquids)
coagulate
(koh-ag-yuh-late)
synonyms: condense, concrete, thicken
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to come together to form a single unit
coalesce
(koh-ih-less)
synonyms: adhere, cling
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. clear and convincing
adj. relevant
cogent
(koh-djunt)
synonyms: apt, compelling, valid
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to be logically connected to
v. to stick to each other
cohere
(koh-heer)
synonyms: adhere, conform
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unwilling to compromise
intransigent
(in-tran-suh-junt)
synonyms: stubborn, unwilling, bullheaded
Define
intrepid
(in-trep-id)
adj. courageous
The intrepid naturalist routinely braved storms and mudslides to document new species.
Define
intrinsic
(in-trin-zik)
adj. related to an object’s essence
Unfortunately, some degree of inefficiency is intrinsic to all democracies.
Define
inure
(in-your)
v. to become accustomed to something negative or unpleasant
Nearby residents soon became _inure_d to the noise from the construction project.
Define
invective
(in-vek-tiv)
adj. verbally abusive
n. abusive or stern language
What this debate needs is a little less invective and a little more substance
Define
irrevocable
(ih-rev-ih-kuh-bull)
adj. unable to be revoked; permanent
The laws the king decreed were irrevocable even after he left the throne.
Define
jocular
(jock-yuh-lur)
adj. related to jokes
The boy was popular with his classmates due to his cheerful, jocular nature.
Define
kernel
(kur-null)
n. the central part of a situation or seed
The kernel of the matter was that she didn’t even know where to begin looking for a new house.
Define
lackluster
(lack-luss-tur)
adj. not lively; not bright
Tired from a long day, Susan gave a very lackluster performance during the dress rehearsal.
Define
refractory
(rih-frack-tuh-ree)
adj. stubborn; difficult to treat or handle
The doctors did not know how to deal with such a refractory infection.
Define
regiment
(redj-ih-munt)
n. a military unit of troops
v. to enforce a strict order or conformity
Four army _regiment_s occupied the city last week.
Define
remonstrate
(rih-mon-strehyt)
v. to protest
Many special-interest groups remonstrated against the new legislation.
Define
remunerate
(rih-mew-nuh-rehyt)
v. to compensate monetarily for trouble or work done
Although they finally had to throw the computer out, Linda _remunerate_d her friend for trying to fix it anyway.
Define
render
(ren-der)
v. to take forcibly, result in, or cause to become
v. to do something for someone else
His harsh words _render_ed her speechless.
Define
repose
(rih-poze)
n. peacefulness, rest
v. to be lying or stationary
In the summer, she would often lie under the willow trees in complete repose.
Define
repudiate
(rih-pew-dee-ehyt)
v. to renounce ownership or disown
v. to refuse to recognize
v. to reject as true
The scientists who discovered the fossil were shocked when it was _repudiate_d as a fake.
Define
reticent
(rett-ih-sunt)
adj. not wanting to talk; reluctant
When asked about the stolen vase, the maid was reticent even though she had seen the thief take it.
Define
retiring
(rih-tie-ring)
adj. shy; quiet
During high school, Mary became so retiring that people sometimes didn’t notice when they shared a class with her.
Define
revere
(rih-veer)
v. to admire greatly; to honor
The mayor was so _revere_d by the village that every single man, woman, and child attended his funeral.
Define
platitude
(plat-ih-tewd)
n. a cliché, dull, or unenlightening saying
My father’s favorite platitude was, “Winners never quit, quitters never win”.
Define
pliant
(ply-unt)
adj. easy to change or bend
adj. easy to convince
The professor needed a particularly pliant mind for his brainwashing experiments.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. courageous
intrepid
(in-trep-id)
synonyms: brave, heroic
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. related to an object’s essence
intrinsic
(in-trin-zik)
synonyms: basic, inborn, fundamental
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to become accustomed to something negative or unpleasant
inure
(in-your)
synonyms: desensitize, familiarize, habituate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. verbally abusive
n. abusive or stern language
invective
(in-vek-tiv)
synonyms: berating, abuse, denunciation
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unable to be revoked; permanent
irrevocable
(ih-rev-ih-kuh-bull)
synonyms: unchangeable, unalterable
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. related to jokes
jocular
(jock-yuh-lur)
synonyms: amusing, campy, jokey
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the central part of a situation or seed
kernel
(kur-null)
synonyms: core, crux
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. not lively; not bright
lackluster
(lack-luss-tur)
synonyms: dull, colorless, muted
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. stubborn; difficult to treat or handle
refractory
(rih-frack-tuh-ree)
synonyms: resistant, immune, unresponsive
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a military unit of troops
v. to enforce a strict order or conformity
regiment
(redj-ih-munt)
synonyms: military unit, command, designate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to protest
remonstrate
(rih-mon-strehyt)
synonyms: argue, challenge
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to compensate monetarily for trouble or work done
remunerate
(rih-mew-nuh-rehyt)
synonyms: compensate, reimburse
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to take forcibly, result in, or cause to become
v. to do something for someone else
render
(ren-der)
synonyms: cause, become, execute; carry out, accomplish
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. peacefulness
n. rest
repose
(rih-poze)
synonyms: rest, lack of work
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to renounce ownership or disown
v. to refuse to recognize
v. to reject as true
repudiate
(rih-pew-dee-ehyt)
synonyms: reject, decline, disown
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. not wanting to talk; reluctant
reticent
(rett-ih-sunt)
synonyms: not talkative, reserved
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. shy; quiet
retiring
(rih-tie-ring)
synonyms: bashful, unassuming
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to admire greatly; to honor
revere
(rih-veer)
synonyms: adore, esteem, value
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a cliché, dull, or unenlightening saying
platitude
(plat-ih-tewd)
synonyms: banality, cliché
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. easy to change or bend
adj. easy to convince
pliant
(ply-unt)
synonyms: amenable, compliant, pliable
Define
poignant
(poin-yunt)
adj. so emotionally intense as to be painful
Watching her daughter wake up was particularly poignant for her mother who had worried by her bedside the whole night.
Define
polar
(poe-lur)
adj. related to opposite extremes or sides
The two were so different their personalities could be considered polar opposites.
Define
polemic
(puh-lem-ik)
adj. controversial
n. a controversial argument
As soon as the graduate student obtained her doctorate, she published a polemic refutation of her mentor’s work.
Define
ponderous
(pon-dur-us)
adj. difficult to handle due to heaviness
adj. requiring a lot of work
The ponderous task was completed in no time, thanks to the large number of volunteers we had.
Define
portend
(pore-tend)
v. to foretell
The witch claimed that the stormy weather _portend_ed the ruler’s downfall.
Define
posit
(poz-it)
v. to assume as fact
Some physicists posit that the universe will expand forever.
Define
postulate
(poss-chuh-lehyt)
v. to assume a basic truth
Economic theory _postulate_s limits on essential resources as the basis of human behavior.
Define
bolster
(bole-stur)
v. to support
The candidate’s campaign was _bolster_ed by endorsements by several former military leaders.
Define
bombastic
(bom-bass-tick)
adj. inflated, arrogant
The bombastic way in which the author described his new novel repulsed me.
Define
brood
(brewd)
n. a group of offspring
v. to worry over
The hen protected her new brood from the farmer’s inspection.
Define
burgeon
(burr-djun)
v. to grow
The _burgeon_ing mass of bees was heading straight for the picnic.
Define
exacting
(ig-zak-ting)
adj. making severe demands or requirements
adj. requiring great care
The exacting professor wanted a 15-page paper due the next day in class.
Define
rebuke
(rih-byook)
v. to reprimand, to scold sharply
The child was _rebuke_d for stealing candy.
Define
dulcet
(duhl-sit)
adj. pleasant sounding or looking
The dulcet tone of the musical parody contrasted sharply with its offensive lyrics.
Define
toady
(toh-dee)
n. a flatterer, a yes man
The president was surrounded by _toadi_es rather than people with honest criticisms.
Define
gall
(gawl)
n. audacity, impudence
He had the gall to request a raise after it was discovered that he was calling in sick in order to play golf.
Define
cloying
(kloi-ing)
adj. unpleasant due to excess; sickeningly sweet or sentimental
Unfortunately, cloying romantic comedies are sure box-office hits, and so Hollywood continues to churn them out.
Define
sully
(suhl-ee)
v. to stain or tarnish the purity of
Joe’s reputation as an ethical CEO was _sulli_ed by his selfish actions during his company’s merger.
Define
defile
(dih-fahyl)
v. to dirty, spoil, or dishonor
v. to violate the chastity of
The holy site was unwittingly _defile_d when the invaders, for whom it held no special meaning, used it as a stable.
Define
pithy
(pith-ee)
adj. concise and relevant
Satya’s pithy keynote speech was more enlightening than the endless lectures that had preceded it.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. so emotionally intense as to be painful
poignant
(poin-yunt)
synonyms: agonizing, bitter; sharp, keen
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. related to opposite extremes or sides
polar
(poe-lur)
synonyms: opposite, contrary, counter
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. controversial
n. a controversial argument
polemic
(puh-lem-ik)
synonyms: refutation, dispute
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. difficult to handle due to heaviness; or
adj. requiring a lot of work
ponderous
(pon-dur-us)
synonyms: burdensome, unwieldy
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to foretell
portend
(pore-tend)
synonyms: foreshadow, harbinger
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to assume as fact
posit
(poz-it)
synonyms: propose an explanation based upon assumptions, postulate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to assume a basic truth
postulate
(poss-chuh-lehyt)
synonyms: assert, premise, suppose
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to support
bolster
(bole-stur)
synonyms: assist, aid, help
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. inflated, arrogant
bombastic
(bom-bass-tick)
synonyms: grandiose, egotistical
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a group of offspring
v. to worry over
brood
(brewd)
synonyms: cluster, breed; grieve, dwell upon
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to grow
burgeon
(burr-djun)
synonyms: blossom, grow, expand
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. making severe demands or requirements
adj. requiring great care
exacting
(ig-zak-ting)
synonyms: claim, command; difficult, formidable
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to reprimand, to scold sharply
rebuke
(rih-byook)
synonyms: berate, blame, condemn
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. pleasant sounding or looking
dulcet
(duhl-sit)
synonyms: melodious, pleasurable
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a flatterer, a yes man
toady
(toh-dee)
synonyms: doter, brownnoser
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. audacity, impudence
gall
(gawl)
synonyms: nerve, brashness
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unpleasant due to excess; sickeningly sweet or sentimental
cloying
(kloi-ing)
synonyms: cheesy, overly sentimental, sappy
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to stain or tarnish the purity of
sully
(suhl-ee)
synonyms: stain, blot, smear
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to dirty, spoil, dishonor
v. to violate the chastity of
defile
(dih-fahyl)
synonyms: befoul, besmirch
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. concise and relevant
pithy
(pith-ee)
synonyms: concise, cogent, precise
Define
slovenly
(sluhv-uhn-lee)
adj. untidy, disheveled; unclean in appearance or habits
The other dinner guests held the slovenly drunkard in contempt.
Define
onerous
(oh-ner-uhs)
adj. causing hardship; burdensome, troublesome
The students relished making the teacher’s job as onerous as possible.
Define
scourge
(skurdj)
n. a plague or cause of affliction
n. something that causes suffering
The scourge of drugs in American society will be its downfall.
Define
candor
(kan-der)
n. the quality of being frank, sincere, or impartial in expression
Giorgio was known for his candor, so it surprised no one when he began to talk at length about his love life.
Define
boor
(boor)
n. a crude, unmannered, or rude person
The boor upset everyone at the fancy restaurant.
Define
moribund
(mawr-uh-buhnd)
adj. dying, decaying, on the brink of extinction
The moribund customs of the indigenous culture are only practiced in a few outlying areas.
Define
pine
(pahyn)
v. to suffer from extreme desire or painful longing; to yearn deeply
v. to waste away with grief
The sailor’s wife _pine_d for him all through the long, harsh winter.
Define
siren
(sahy-ruhn)
n. a beautiful, seductive, or charming woman
The young men of the neighborhood are smitten with the siren who moved in last week.
Define
cache
(kash)
n. a hidden place, a secret storage
n. a place for valuables
The bomb shelter had a cache of resources capable of supporting the family.
Define
lionize
(lahy-uh-nahyz)
v. to treat a person as a celebrity
When the musical sensation returned to her hometown, she was _lionize_d by everyone she knew.
Define
skulk
(skuhlk)
v. to lie in wait; to hide with evil intent
The fugitive was spotted _skulk_ing about the docks just past midnight.
Define
emendation
(ee-muhn-dey-shuhn)
n. a correction or revision in a text
Once the _emendation_s have been made, the pamphlet can be sent to the printer.
Define
euphony
(yoo-fuh-nee)
n. a pleasant, harmonious sound
The euphony of the Italian language is unparalleled.
Define
terse
(turs)
adj. succinct, curt
Your terse apology does not even begin to give an adequate explanation for your behavior.
Define
trite
(trahyt)
adj. uninteresting due to overuse; hackneyed
Though some may find Valentine’s Day chocolates trite, I look forward to every box I get.
Define
malefactor
(mal-uh-fak-ter)
n. evildoer, culprit, a violator of the law
The Nuremberg trials brought the Nazi _malefactor_s to justice.
Define
obtuse
(uhb-toos)
adj. stupid, dull
adj. slow to perceive, feel, or respond
The obtuse response lacked a great deal of sophistication.
Define
ingratiate
(ing-grey-shee-eyt)
v. to work oneself into the favor of someone
The intern _ingratiate_d himself to his superiors starting on the first day.
Define
travesty
(trav-uh-stee)
n. a perverse or ludicrous representation
Thom’s checkered tux was a travesty of good taste.
Define
philology
(fih-lol-uh-djee)
n. the study of linguistics and literature
The students of philology were hunched over their Spanish literature texts.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. untidy, disheveled; unclean in appearance or habits
slovenly
(sluhv-uhn-lee)
synonyms: dirty, careless
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. causing hardship; burdensome, troublesome
onerous
(oh-ner-uhs)
synonyms: arduous, cumbersome, vexatious
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a plague or cause of affliction
scourge
(skurdj)
synonyms: torment, affliction, pestilence
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the quality of being frank, sincere, or impartial in expression
candor
(kan-der)
synonyms: honesty, directness
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a crude, unmannered, or rude person
boor
(boor)
synonyms: goon, oaf, barbarian
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. dying, decaying, on the brink of extinction
moribund
(mawr-uh-buhnd)
synonyms: doomed, expiring, passing
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to suffer from extreme desire or painful longing
v. to waste away with grief
pine
(pahyn)
synonyms: dream, hanker, lust
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a beautiful, seductive, and charming woman
siren
(sahy-ruhn)
synonyms: seductress, charmer
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a hidden place, a secret storage
n. a place for valuables
cache
(kash)
synonyms: a secret storage place
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to treat a person as a celebrity
lionize
(lahy-uh-nahyz)
synonyms: adulate, worship
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to lie, to sneak into hiding, with evil intent
skulk
(skuhlk)
synonyms: tiptoe, sneak, slither, creep
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a correction or revisions in a text
emendation
(ee-muhn-dey-shuhn)
synonyms: editing, proofreading
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a pleasant, harmonious sound
euphony
(yoo-fuh-nee)
synonyms: melody, symphony
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. succinct, curt
terse
(turs)
synonyms: brief, short
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. uninteresting due to overuse; hackneyed
trite
(trahyt)
synonyms: banal, common
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. evildoer, culprit, a violator of the law
malefactor
(mal-uh-fak-ter)
synonyms: felon, outlaw, villain
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. stupid, dull
adj. slow to perceive, feel, or respond
obtuse
(uhb-toos)
synonyms: dense, dumb, insensitive
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to work oneself into the favor of someone
ingratiate
(ing-grey-shee-eyt)
synonyms: flatter, curry favor
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a perverse or ludicrous parody or exaggeration
travesty
(trav-uh-stee)
synonyms: caricature, burlesque
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the study of linguistics and literature
philology
(fih-lol-uh-djee)
synonyms: the study of language; linguistics, and literature