oscillate
vibrate pendulumlike; waver
odyssey
long, eventful journey
patent
open for the public to read; obvious
pandemonium
wild tumult
obstreperous
boisterous; noisy
optimist
person who looks on the good side
obsolete
no longer useful; outdated; antiquated
painstaking
showing hard work; taking great care
oligarchy
government by a privileged few
omnivorous
eating both plant and animal food; devouring everything
parochial
narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes
pandemic
widespread; affecting the majority of people
parasite
animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant
ordain
decree or command; grant holy orders; predestine
outlandish
bizarre; peculiar; unconventional
outspoken
candid; blunt
ogle
look at amorously; make eyes at
panache
flair; flamboyance
paroxysm
fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage
ominous
threatening
parched
extremely dry
outwit
outsmart; trick
opulence
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance
paradigm
model; example; pattern
partition
divide into parts
palpitate
throb; flutter
ossify
change or harden into bone
ostensible
apparent; professed; pretended
pan
criticize harshly
parody
humourous imitation; spool; takeoff; travesty
paramount
foremost in importance; supreme
odious
hateful; vile
pact
agreement; treaty
ordinance
decree
orthodox
traditional; conservatice in belief
palliate
lessen the violence of; alleviate; moderate intensify
parameter
boundary
pariah
social outcast
overwrought
extremely agitated; hysterical
pastiche
piece of writing or music made up of borrowed bits and pieces
parallelism
state of being parallel
parable
short, simple story teaching a moral
palette
flat surface on which painter mixespigments
passport
legal document identifying the bearer as a citizen of a country
optimum
most favorable
partial
incomplete; having a liking for something
oust
expel; drive out
odorous
having an odor
pathological
related to the study of disease; diseased or markedly abnormal
pacify
soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue
pathetic
causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
opiate
medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something that relieves emotions or causes inaction
outmoded
no longer stylish; old fashioned
paranoia
psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution
outskirts
fringes; outer borders
patina
green crust on old bronze works
omnipresent
universally present; ubiquitous
ovation
enthusiastic applause
ornithology
study of birds
pallid
pale; wan
pantomime
acting without dialogue
palatable
agreeable; pleasing to the taste
onus
burden; responsibility
opaque
dark; not transparent
oracular
prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterios or ambiguous
pacifist
one opposed to force; antimilitarist
pall
grow tiresome
panegyric
formal praise
outstrip
surpass; outdo
optional
not obligatory; left to one's choice
offensive
attacking; insulting; distasteful
orientation
act of finding oneself in society
paraphernalia
equipment; odds and ends
ornate
excessively or elaborately decorated
overbearing
bossy and arrogant; decisively important
panacea
cure all; remedy for all diseases
pathos
tender sorrow
panoramic
related to an unobstructed and comprehensive view
officious
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's sefvices
orator
public speaker
parsimony
stinginess; excessive frugality
obtrude
push forward or intrude; butt in; stick out or extrude
ostracize
exclude from public favor; ban
paean
song of praise or joy
palpable
tangible; easily perceptible; unmistakable
parry
ward off a blow
opus
work
pander
cater to the low desires of others
ordeal
severe trial or affliction
paradox
something apparently contradictory in nature
patriarch
father and ruler of a family or tribe
obstinate
stubborn
odium
strong dislike or contempt; hatefulness;disrepute
passive
not active; acted upon
partisan
one sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
partiality
inclination; bias
orient
get one's bearing; adjust
opportunist
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances
opalescent
iridescent; lustrous
paltry
insignificant; petty; trifling
obviate
prevent; make necessary
olfactory
concerning the sense of smell
pastoral
rural; simple and peaceful; idyllic
paragon
model of perfection
obtuse
blunt; stupid
orgy
wild, drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence in a tendency
parity
equality in status or amount; close resemblance
omnipotent
all powerful
paraphrase
restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author
ostentatious
showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention
onerous
burdensome
overt
open to view
ordination
ceremony making someone a minister
opportune
timely; well chosen
onset
beginning; attack
offhand
casual; done without prior thought
omniscient
all-knowing