P Flashcards
(77 cards)
Porous
Adj:
Permeable by water, air; not secure:
He ran through a porous defense to score easily.
Synonym: penetrable
Petulant
Adj
Childishly sulky or bad-tempered:
He was moody and petulant.
Synonym: irritable; disgruntled
Pliant
Adj
Flexible; easily bent:
Pliant teenager mind
Synonym: yielding; susceptible
Placid
Adj
Not easily upset or excited:
This horse has a placid nature.
Synonym: tranquil; mild
Precarious
Adj
Dependent on chance; uncertain; dangerously likely to fall or collapse:
She made a precarious living by living.
Synonym: risky; dangerous
Punctilious
Adj
Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior:
How was punctilious in providing every amenity for his guests.
Synonym: meticulous; scrupulous; methodical
Panegyric
Noun
A public speech or published text in praise of someone or something:
Panegyrics and satires were his chief instruments.
Synonym: eulogy; tribute
Phlegmatic
Adj
Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition:
He was phlegmatic when his dog died.
Synonym: composed; placid; imperturbable
Precursor
Noun
A person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner:
So far he may be fairly called the precursor of later utilitarianism.
Synonym: ancestor
Pejorative
Adj
having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect or force:
Isn’t there a suggestion that “poetess” is slightly pejorative?
Synonym: derogatory; slighting
Penchant
Noun
a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something:
He has a penchant for adopting stray dogs.
Synonym: relish; preference
Precocious
Adj
(of a child) having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual:
He was a precocious for winning national chess champion at 9th grade.
Synonym: talented; gifted
Palatial
Adj
Relating to a palace; magnificent:
After living in a cramped studio apartment for years, Lisa thought the modest one-bedroom looked downright palatial.
Synonym: grand; sublime
Palliate
Verb
To make less serious; ease:
The alleged crime was so vicious that the defense lawyer could not palliate it for the jury.
Synonym: alleviate; assuage; extenuate; mitigate; mollify; placate; propitiate
Pallid
Adj
Lacking color or liveliness:
The old drugstore’s pallid window could not compete with Wal-Mart’s extravagant display next door.
Synonym: ashen; blanched; pale; livid
Panache
Noun
Flamboyance or dash in style and action; flair:
Leah has such a panache when planning parties, even when they’re last-minute affairs.
Synonym: flair
Panoply
Noun
Impressive array:
Her resume indicates a panoply of skills and accomplishments:
Synonym: array; display; range
Paradox
Noun
A contradiction or dilemma:
It is a paradox that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.
Synonym: ambiguity; incongruity
Paragon
Noun
Model of excellence or perfection:
He is the paragon of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.
Synonym: apotheosis; ideal; quintessence; standard
Pare
Verb
To trim off excess, reduce:
The cook’s hands were sore after she pared hundreds of potatoes.
Synonym: clip; peel
Pariah
Noun
an outcast:
Once he betrayed those in his community, he was banished and lived the life of pariah.
Synonym: castaway; derelict;
Parley
Noun
Discussion, usually between enemies:
The parley between the rival cheerleading teams resulted in neither side admitting that they copied the other’s dance moves.
Synonym: debate; dialogue; negotiations
Parry
Verb
To ward off or deflect, especially by a quick-witted answer:
Katty parried every question the army officers fired at her, much to their frustration.
Synonym: avoid; evade;repel
Pastiche
Noun
Piece of literature or music imitating other works:
The singer’s clever pastiche of the well-known children’s story had the audience rolling in the aisles.
Synonym: medley; spoof
