Barron's Word List Flashcards
(130 cards)
1
Q
abdicate
A
to give up a position, right, or power
2
Q
aberrant
A
deviating from what is normal
3
Q
abeyance
A
temporary suppression or suspension
4
Q
abject
A
miserable; pitiful
5
Q
abjure
A
to reject; abandon formally
6
Q
abscission
A
the act of cutting
7
Q
abscond
A
to depart secretly
8
Q
abstemious
A
moderate in appetite
9
Q
abstinence
A
the giving up of certain pleasures
10
Q
abysmal
A
very bad
11
Q
accretion
A
growth in size or increase in amount
12
Q
accrue
A
to accumulate; grow by additions
13
Q
adamant
A
uncompromising; unyielding
14
Q
adjunct
A
something added, attached, or joined
15
Q
admonish
A
to caution or reprimand
16
Q
adulterate
A
to corrupt or make impure
17
Q
aesthetic
A
relating to beauty or the arts
18
Q
affected
A
pretentious; phony
19
Q
affinity
A
fondness; liking; similarity
20
Q
aggrandize
A
to make larger or greater
21
Q
aggregate
A
amount to a whole; total
22
Q
alacrity
A
cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed
23
Q
alchemy
A
medieval chemical philosophy based on changing metal into gold
24
Q
allay
A
to lessen; ease; soothe
25
alleviate
to relieve; improve partially
26
alloy
a combination; a mixture of two or more metals
27
allure
the power to entice by charm
28
amalgamate
to combine into a unified whole
29
ambiguous
unclear or doubtful in meaning
30
ambrosia
something delicious; the food of the gods
31
ameliorate
to improve
32
amenable
agreeable; cooperative
33
amenity
something that increases comfort
34
amulet
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
35
anachronism
something out of the proper time
36
analgesic
medication that reduces or eliminates pain
37
analogous
comparable
38
anarch
absence of government; state of disorder
39
anodyne
something that calms or soothes pain
40
anomalous
irregular; deviating from the norm
41
antecedent
something that comes before
42
antedeluvian
prehistoric
43
antipathy
dislike; hostility
44
apathy
indifference
45
apex
the highest point
46
apogee
the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited; the highest point
47
apothegm
a terse, witty saying
48
appease
to calm, pacify, placate
49
appellation
name
50
apposite
strikingly appropriate and relevant
51
apprise
to inform
52
approbation
praise, approval
53
appropriate
to take possession of for one's own use; confiscate
54
apropos
relevant
55
arabesque
ornate design featuring intertwined curves
56
archeology
the study of material evidence of past human life
57
ardor
great emotion or passion
58
arduous
extremely difficulty; laborious
59
argot
a specialized vocabulary used by a group
60
arrest
to stop; to seize
61
artifcat
item made by human craft
62
artless
guileless; natural
63
ascetic
one who practices self-denial
64
asperity
severity; harshness; irritabilty
65
aspersion
slander; false rumor
66
assiduous
diligent; hard-working
67
assuage
to make less sever
68
astringent
harsh; severe
69
asylum
place of refuge or shelter
70
attenuate
to weaken
71
audacious
bold; daring
72
austere
stern; unadorned; simple
73
autonomus
self-governing; independent
74
avarice
greed
75
aver
to affirm; declare to be true
76
avocation
secondary occupation
77
avuncular
like an uncle, benevolent and tolderant
78
axiomatic
taken for granted; self-evident truth
79
bacchanalian
pertaining to riotous or drunken festivity
80
banal
commonplace; trite
81
banter
playful conversation
82
bard
poet
83
bawdy
obscene
84
beatify
to sanctify; to bless
85
bedizen
to dress in a vulgar, showy manner
86
behemoth
huge creature; anything very large and powerful
87
belie
to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression
88
beneficent
kindly; doing good
89
bifurcate
to dive into two parts
90
blandishment
flattery
91
blase
bored because of frequent indulgence; unconcerned
92
bolster
to give a boost to; prop up; support
93
bombastic
pompous; using inflated language
94
boorish
rude; insensitive
95
bovine
cowline
96
brazen
bold; shameless
97
broach
to mention for the first time
98
bucolic
characteristic of the countryside; rustic; pastoral
99
burgeon
to grow and flourish
100
burnish
to polish
101
buttress
to reinforce; support
102
cacaphonous
unpleasant or harsh-sounding
103
cadge
to beg; sponge
104
callous
thick-skinned; insensitive
105
calumny
false or malicious accusation; slander
106
canard
false; deliberately misleading story
107
canon
an established set of principies; a group of literary works
108
cant
insincere talk; language of a particular group
109
cantankerous
irritable; ill-humored
110
capricous
fickle
111
captious
faultfinding; intended to entrap, as in an argument
112
cardinal
of foremost importance
113
carnal
of the flesh or body; related to physical appetities
114
carping
to find fault; complain
115
cartography
science of making maps
116
caste
any of the hereditary social classes in Hindu society; social stratification
117
castigation
punishment; criticism
118
cataclysm
a violent upheaval that causes great destruction and change
119
categorical
absolute; without exception
120
caucus
smaller group within an organization
121
causal
involving a cause
122
caustic
burning; stinging; causing corrosion
123
celestial
concerned with sky or heavens; sublime
124
centrifugal
moving away from a center
125
contripetal
moving or directed towards a center
126
champion
to defend or support
127
chasten
to correct by punishment or reproof; to restrain or subdue
128
chicanery
trickery; fraud
129
churlish
rude; boorish
130
circuitous
roundabout
