Barron's Word List 5 Flashcards
(130 cards)
1
Q
plutocracy
A
society ruled by the wealthy
2
Q
porous
A
full of holes; permeable to liquids
3
Q
poseur
A
person who affects an attitude to impress others
4
Q
pragmatic
A
practical
5
Q
prate
A
to talk idly; chatter
6
Q
prattle
A
meaningless, foolish talk
7
Q
preamble
A
preliminary state
8
Q
precarious
A
uncertain
9
Q
precept
A
principle; law
10
Q
precipitate
A
to cause to happen; throw down from a height
11
Q
precursor
A
forerunner; predeccesor
12
Q
preempt
A
to supersede; appropriate for oneself
13
Q
prehensile
A
capable of grasping
14
Q
premonition
A
forewarning something unpleasant is about to happen
15
Q
presage
A
to foretell; indicate in advance
16
Q
presumputious
A
rude; improperly bold
17
Q
preternatural
A
supernatural; beyond the normal use of nature
18
Q
primordial
A
original; existing from the beginning
19
Q
pristine
A
untouched; uncorrupted
20
Q
probity
A
honesty; high-mindness
21
Q
problematic
A
posing a problem; doubtful
22
Q
prodigal
A
wasteful; extravagant; lavish
23
Q
profound
A
deep; not superficial
24
Q
prohibitve
A
so high as to prevent the purchase or use of; forbidding
25
proliferate
to increase rapidly
26
propensity
inclination; tendency
27
propitiate
to win over; appease
28
propirety
correct conduct; fitness
29
proscribe
to condem; forbid; outlaw
30
provident
providing for future need; frugal
31
puissant
powreful
32
punctilious
careful in observing rules for behavior
33
pungent
having a strongly sharp taste or smell
34
pusillanimous
cowardly
35
purport
to profess; suppose; claim
36
quagmire
marsh; hazardous situation
37
quail
to cower; lose heart
38
qualified
limited; restricted
39
qualm
sudden feeling of faintness or nausea
40
query
question
41
quibble
to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details
42
quiescent
inactive; still
43
quorum
number of members necessary to conduct a meeting
44
raconteur
witty; skillful storyteller
45
rail
to scold with bitter or abusive language
46
raiment
clothing
47
ramification
implication; consequence
48
rarefied
refined
49
rationale
fundamental reason
50
rebu
puzzle in which pictures or symbols represent words
51
recalcitrant
resisting authority or control
52
recant
retract a statement of opinion
53
recluse
person who lives in seclusion and often in solitude
54
recondite
little known; abstruse
55
redoubtable
formidable; arousing fear
56
refractory
stubborn; resisting ordinary methods of treatment
57
refulgent
shining brightly
58
refute
to contradict; disprove
59
regale
to entertain
60
relegate
consign or dismiss to an inferior position
61
remonstrate
to object or protest
62
renege
to go back on one's word
63
reparation
amends; compensation
64
repine
fret; compain
65
reprise
repetition
66
reproach
to find fault with; blame
67
reprobate
morally unprincipled person
68
repudiate
to reject as having no authority
69
rescind
to cancel
70
resolution
determination; resolve
71
reticent
not freely expressing thoughts or feelings
72
reverent
expressing deep respect
73
riposte
retaliatory action or retort
74
rococo
excessively ornate
75
rubric
protocol
76
rue
regret
77
ruse
trick
78
sage
wise
79
salacious
lustful
80
salubrious
healthful
81
salutary
expecting an improvement favorable to health
82
sanction
to approve, ratify, permit
83
sardonic
cynical; scornfully mocking
84
sartorial
pertaining to tailors
85
satiate
to satisfy
86
saturnine
gloomy
87
savor
to enjoy
88
schematic
relating to or in the form of an outline or diagram
89
secrete
produce and release substance into organism
90
sedition
behavior prompting rebellion
91
sedulous
showing dedication and diligence
92
seismic
relating to earthquakes
93
sensual
relating to the senses
94
sentient
able to perceive or feel things
95
servile
submissive; obedient
96
sextant
navigation tool that determines latitude and longitude
97
shard
a piece of broken glass or pottery
98
sidereal
relating to the stars
99
simian
apelike; relating to apes
100
simile
comparison of one thing with another using "like" or "as"
101
sinecure
well-paying job that requires little or no work
102
singular
unique; extraordinary
103
sinuous
intricate; complex
104
skeptic
one who doubts
105
sobriety
seriousness
106
sodden
thoroughly soaked; saturated
107
solicitous
concerned; attentive; eager
108
solvent
able to meet financial obligations
109
somatic
relating to or affecting the body
110
soporific
sleep producing
111
sordid
filthy; contemptible; corrupt
112
specious
seeming to be logical, but not actually so
113
spendthrift
person who spends money recklessly
114
sporadic
irregular
115
squalor
filthy; wretched condition
116
staccato
marked by abrupt, clear-cut sounds
117
stanch
to stop or check the of
118
stentorian
extremely loud and powerful
119
stigma
mark of disgrace or inferiority
120
stint
to be sparing
121
stipulate
to specify as an essential condition
122
stolid
having or showing little emotion
123
stratified
arranged in layers
124
striated
marked with thin, narrow grooves or channels
125
stricture
something that restrains, negative criticism
126
strident
loud and harsh; unpleasantly noisy
127
strut
to swagger, display to impress others
128
stultify
to impair or reduce to uselessness
129
stupefy
astonish and shock
130
stygian
dark and gloomy
