idyllic
charmingly simple or rustic:
his idyllic life in Tahiti.
if
even though:
an enthusiastic if small audience.
ignoble
1.
of low character or aims; mean; base:
his ignoble purposes.
2.
of low grade or quality; inferior.
3.
not noble; of humble descent or rank.
ignominious
1.
marked by or attended with disgrace and dishonor; discreditable; humiliating:
an ignominious retreat.
2.
bearing or deserving disgrace; contemptible.
ilk
family, class, or kind:
he and all his ilk.
ill-conceived
badly conceived or planned:
an ill-conceived project.
illegible
impossible or hard to read or decipher because of poor handwriting, faded print, etc.:
This letter is completely illegible.
illicit
1.
not legally permitted or authorized; unlicensed; unlawful.
2.
disapproved of or not permitted for moral or ethical reasons.
illimitable
not limitable; limitless; boundless.
illuminate
1.
to supply or brighten with light; light up.
2.
to make lucid or clear; throw light on a subject.
3.
to decorate with lights, as in celebration.
4.
to enlighten, as with knowledge.
5.
to make resplendent or illustrious:
A smile illuminated her face.
6. to decorate (a manuscript, book, etc.) with colors and gold or silver, as was often done in the Middle Ages.
illusory
1.
deceptive; misleading; producing a false or misleading impression of reality.
2.
of the nature of an illusion; unreal.
illustrious
1.
highly distinguished; renowned; famous:
an illustrious leader.
2.
glorious, as deeds or works:
many illustrious achievements.
imbroglio
1.
a misunderstanding, disagreement, etc., of a complicated or bitter nature, as between persons or nations.
2.
an intricate and perplexing state of affairs; a complicated or difficult situation.
3.
a confused heap.
imbue
1.
to impregnate or inspire, as with feelings, opinions, or beliefs:
The new political leader was imbued with the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi.
The use of reverberating metallic sound effects to imbue every other moment with sinister portent gets tedious after a while.
2.
to saturate or impregnate with moisture, color, etc.
immaculate
1.
free from spot or stain; spotlessly clean:
immaculate linen.
2.
free from moral blemish or impurity; pure; undefiled.
3.
free from fault or flaw; free from errors:
an immaculate text.
immaterial
1.
inconsequential; unimportant:
It was easy to tell the presidential candidate thought that debates, at this stage, were immaterial.
2.
not pertinent; irrelevant.
3.
not material; incorporeal; spiritual.
immerse
1.
to plunge into or place under a liquid; dip; sink.
2.
to involve deeply; absorb:
She is totally immersed in her law practice.
3.
to embed; bury.
imminent
1.
likely to occur at any moment; impending:
Her death is imminent.
2.
projecting or leaning forward; overhanging.
immunity
1.
the state of being immune from or insusceptible to a particular disease or the like.
2.
the condition that permits either natural or acquired resistance to disease.
3.
exemption from obligation, service, duty, or liability to taxation, jurisdiction, etc.:
The ambassador claimed diplomatic immunity when they arrested him for reckless driving.
4.
special privilege.
immutable
unchangeable; changeless:
The outraged grammar stickler mistakes a convention for an immutable and fundamental law of the universe.
impair
1.
to make or cause to become worse; diminish in ability, value, excellence, etc.; weaken or damage:
to impair one’s health; to impair negotiations:
The liver is one of the few human organs that regenerates, so having pieces removed usually does not impair function.
2.
to grow or become worse; lessen.
impartial
not biased; fair; just:
an impartial judge.
impasse
1.
a position or situation from which there is no escape; deadlock; standstill:
The impasse between Israel and the Palestinians shows little sign of easing.
2.
a road or way that has no outlet; cul-de-sac.
impassioned
filled with intense feeling or passion; passionate; ardent:
His ideas for spring were all familiar tropes – so much so that the collection seemed perfunctory rather than impassioned.
impassive
1.
without emotion; apathetic; unmoved:
The high schoolers in the room are impassive, but the fathers give thoughtful frown-nods.
2.
calm; serene.
3.
unconscious; insensible.
4.
not subject to suffering.
impeach
1.
to accuse a public official before an appropriate tribunal of misconduct in office.
2.
to challenge the credibility of:
to impeach a witness.
3.
to bring an accusation against.
4.
to call in question; cast an imputation upon:
to impeach a person’s motives.
impeccable
1.
faultless; flawless; irreproachable:
impeccable manners; impeccable taste.
2.
not liable to sin; incapable of sin.
impediment
1.
obstruction; hindrance; obstacle.
2.
any physical defect that impedes normal or easy speech; a speech disorder.
3.
a bar, usually of blood or affinity, to marriage:
a diriment impediment.
impel
1.
to drive or urge forward; press on; incite or constrain to action:
These all-too-possible nightmare scenarios should impel the United States to focus on the current state of Pakistan.
2.
to drive or cause to move onward; propel; impart motion to.
imperative
1.
absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable:
It is imperative that we leave.
2.
of the nature of or expressing a command; commanding.
imperious
1.
domineering in a haughty manner; arrogant; dictatorial; overbearing:
an imperious manner; an imperious person.
2.
urgent; imperative:
imperious need.
impertinent
1.
intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil:
a brash, impertinent youth.
2.
not pertinent or relevant; irrelevant:
an impertinent detail.
imperturbable
incapable of being upset or agitated; not easily excited; calm:
imperturbable composure.
impervious
1.
not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable:
The coat is impervious to rain.
2.
incapable of being injured or impaired:
impervious to wear and tear.
3.
incapable of being influenced, persuaded, or affected:
impervious to reason; impervious to another’s suffering.
impetuous
1.
of, relating to, or characterized by sudden or rash action, emotion, etc.; impulsive:
an impetuous decision; an impetuous person.
2.
having great impetus; moving with great force; violent:
the impetuous winds.
impetus
1.
a moving force; impulse; stimulus:
The grant for building the opera house gave impetus to the city’s cultural life.
2.
broadly, the momentum of a moving body, especially with reference to the cause of motion.
impinge
1.
to make an impression; have an effect or impact on:
to impinge upon the imagination; social pressures that impinge upon one’s daily life.
2.
to encroach; infringe upon:
to impinge on another’s rights; the new guidelines that impinge on the free-trade agreement.
3.
to strike; dash; collide against:
rays of light impinging on the eye.
impious
1.
not pious or religious; lacking reverence for God, religious practices, etc.; irreligious; ungodly.
2.
disrespectful.
implacable
not to be appeased, mollified, or pacified; inexorable:
an implacable enemy; the implacable nature of his opposition to the idea.
implant
1.
to put or fix firmly; to instill:
to implant sound principles in a child’s mind.
2.
to plant securely.
implausible
provoking disbelief; unlikely; not having the appearance of truth or credibility:
an implausible alibi.
implement
1.
any article used in some activity, especially an instrument, tool, or utensil:
agricultural implements.
2.
a means; agent:
human beings as an implement of divine plan.
3.
to fulfill; perform; carry out:
Once in office, he failed to implement his campaign promises.
4.
to put into effect according to or by means of a definite plan or procedure.
implicate
1.
to show to be also involved, usually in an incriminating manner:
to be implicated in a crime.
2.
to imply as a necessary circumstance, or as something to be inferred or understood.
3.
to connect or relate to intimately; affect as a consequence:
The malfunctioning of one part of the nervous system implicates another part.
4.
to fold or twist together; intertwine; interlace.
implicit
1.
implied, rather than expressly stated:
an implicit agreement.
2.
unquestioning or unreserved; absolute:
implicit trust; implicit obedience; implicit confidence.
3.
potentially contained:
to bring out the drama implicit in the occasion.
importune
1.
to press or beset with solicitations; demand with urgency or persistence; to harass with repeated requests.
2.
to make improper advances toward a person.
3.
to beg for something urgently or persistently.
impose
1.
to lay on or set as something to be borne, endured, obeyed, fulfilled, paid, etc.:
to impose taxes.
2.
to put or set by or as if by authority; to force upon:
to impose one’s personal preference on others.
3.
to obtrude or thrust (oneself, one’s company, etc.) upon others.
4.
to pass or palm off fraudulently or deceptively:
He imposed his pretentious books on the public.
5.
to obtrude oneself or one’s requirements, as upon others:
Are you sure my request doesn’t impose?
6.
to presume, as upon patience or good nature.
imposing
very impressive because of great size, stately appearance, dignity, or elegance:
Notre Dame, Rheims, and other imposing cathedrals of France.
impotent
1.
not potent; lacking power or ability.
2.
utterly unable to do something.
3.
without force or effectiveness.
impound
1.
to shut up in a pound or other enclosure, as a stray animal.
2.
to confine within an enclosure or within limits:
water impounded in a reservoir.
3.
to seize and retain in custody of the law, as a document for evidence.
4.
money, property, etc., that has been impounded:
a sale of impounds by the police department.
impoverish
1.
to reduce to poverty:
a country impoverished by war.
2.
to make poor in quality or productiveness; exhaust the strength or richness of:
Bad farming practices impoverished the soil.
imprecation
1.
the act of cursing or calling evil upon a person.
2.
a curse; malediction.
impregnable
1.
strong enough to resist or withstand attack; not to be taken by force, unconquerable:
an impregnable fort.
2.
not to be overcome or overthrown:
an impregnable argument.
impressionable
1.
easily influenced; susceptible:
Headmasters are in a unique position of power to mold the minds of impressionable youths.
2.
capable of being impressed.
impromptu
1.
unrehearsed; made or done without previous preparation:
an impromptu address to the unexpected crowds.
2.
suddenly or hastily prepared or made:
an impromptu dinner.
3.
improvised; having the character of an improvisation.
4.
without preparation:
verses written impromptu.
improvident
1.
lacking foresight; incautious; unwary; rash:
The old elite worried that the masses were too improvident and seditious.
2.
neglecting to provide for future needs.
impudent
1.
of, relating to, or characterized by impertinence or effrontery:
The student was kept late for impudent behavior.
2.
shameless or brazenly immodest.
impugn
to challenge a statement as false; to cast doubt upon; to call into question:
No one, I think, will venture to impugn the motives or the purity of the intentions of Miss Heald in taking this step.
impulse
1.
the influence of a particular feeling or mental state:
to act under a generous impulse; to strike out at someone from an angry impulse.
2.
sudden, involuntary inclination prompting to action:
to be swayed by impulse.
3.
a psychic drive or instinctual urge.
4.
an impelling action or force, driving onward or inducing motion.
5.
marked by or acting on impulse:
an impulse buyer.
6.
bought or acquired on impulse:
To reduce expenses, shun impulse items when shopping.
in absentia
in the absence of the person involved:
He was sentenced in absentia by the court.
in medias res
in the middle of events or a narrative:
Epics often begin in medias res.
inadvertent
1.
unintentional:
an inadvertent insult; inadvertent hilarity.
2.
not attentive; heedless.
inane
1.
lacking sense or significance; silly:
inane questions.
2.
unintelligent; unimaginative; empty.
inanimate
1.
not animate; lifeless.
2.
spiritless; sluggish; dull.
- denoting objects, concepts, and beings regarded as lacking perception and volition.
inapt
not apt or fitting; inappropriate:
The sentences were too long, the metaphors violent and inapt.
inasmuch as
1.
in view of the fact that; seeing that; since:
Inasmuch as I have to go anyhow, I’ll pick up the book for you. Inasmuch as they are friends, we can seat them together.
2.
insofar as; to such a degree as.
inaugurate
1.
to make a formal beginning of; initiate; commence; begin:
The end of World War II inaugurated the era of nuclear power.
2.
to induct into office with formal ceremonies; install.
3.
to introduce into public use by some formal ceremony:
Airmail service between Washington, D.C., and New York City was inaugurated in 1918.
incandescent
1.
glowing or white with heat.
2.
intensely bright; brilliant.
3.
brilliant; masterly; extraordinarily lucid:
an incandescent masterpiece; incandescent wit.
4.
aglow with ardor and purpose:
the incandescent vitality of youth.
incarcerate
1.
to imprison; confine; put into jail.
2.
to enclose; constrict closely.
incarnate
1.
embodied in flesh; given a bodily, especially a human, form:
a devil incarnate.
2.
personified or typified, as a quality or idea:
chivalry incarnate.
3.
flesh-colored or crimson.
4.
to put into or represent in a concrete form, as an idea:
The building incarnates the architect’s latest theories.
5.
to be the embodiment or type of:
Her latest book incarnates the literature of our day.
6.
to embody in flesh; invest with a bodily, especially a human, form:
a man who incarnated wisdom and compassion.
incendiary
1.
used or adapted for setting property on fire:
incendiary bombs.
2.
tending to arouse strife or sedition; inflammatory:
incendiary speeches; an incendiary policy issue.
3.
tending to inflame the senses:
an incendiary extravaganza of music and dance.
4.
a person who stirs up civil strife, violence, etc. for political reasons; an agitator.
incense
to inflame with wrath; make angry; enrage.
inception
1.
beginning; start; commencement.
2.
in science fiction, the act of instilling an idea into someone’s mind by entering his or her dreams.
incessant
continuing without interruption; ceaseless; unending:
an incessant noise; incessant teasing.
inchoate
1.
not fully developed; rudimentary; not yet mature:
Their inchoate fury lumped together anger at same-sex marriage, at foreigners and at “the system.”
2.
just begun; incipient:
Though blurred, the economic divide was still manifest, although all of them seemed to feel strong, if inchoate, political fervor.
3.
not organized; lacking order:
an inchoate mass of ideas on the subject.
incidental
1.
happening in connection with or resulting from something more important; casual or fortuitous.
2.
incurred casually and in addition to the regular or main amount:
incidental expenses.
3.
of the nature of a circumstance; secondary.
incinerate
to burn or reduce to ashes; cremate.
incipient
beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage; nascent:
an incipient cold.
incisive
1.
penetrating; cutting; biting; trenchant:
an incisive tone of voice.
2.
remarkably clear and direct; sharp; keen; acute:
an incisive method of summarizing the issue.
3.
adapted for cutting or piercing.
4.
of or relating to the incisors:
the incisive teeth.
incite
to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action:
to incite a crowd to riot.
inclement
1.
(of the weather, the elements, etc.) severe, rough, or harsh; stormy:
an inclement winter; the inclement cold.
2.
not kind or merciful.
inclination
1.
a disposition or bent, especially of the mind or will; a liking or preference:
Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign. Your inclination is to give others the benefit of the doubt.
2.
something to which one is inclined:
In sports, his inclination is tennis.
3.
the act of inclining; state of being inclined.
4.
a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc.:
the door’s inclination to stick.
incognito
1.
having one’s identity concealed, as under an assumed name, especially to avoid notice or formal attentions.
2.
with the real identity concealed:
to travel incognito.
incommode
1.
to inconvenience or discomfort; disturb; trouble:
I am sorry to incommode you so.
2.
to impede; hinder.
incommunicado
(especially of a prisoner) deprived of any communication with others:
The head of al Qaeda was hiding, but he was not incommunicado.
incompatible
1.
unable to exist together in harmony:
She asked for a divorce because they were utterly incompatible.
2.
contrary or opposed in character; discordant:
incompatible colors.