Term
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Definition
to renounce, repudiate, or retract, esp. with formal solemnity; recant: to abjure one's errors.
2. to renounce or give up under oath; forswear: to abjure allegiance.
3. to avoid or shun. |
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Definition
| keen insight; shrewdness: remarkable acumen in business matters. |
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utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings, etc.
2. too hard to cut, break, or pierce. |
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Term
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Definition
to caution, advise, or counsel against something.
2. to reprove or scold, esp. in a mild and good-willed manner: The teacher admonished him about excessive noise.
3. to urge to a duty; remind: to admonish them about their obligations. |
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Definition
to refer casually or indirectly; make an allusion (usually fol. by to ): He often alluded to his poverty.
2. to contain a casual or indirect reference (usually fol. by to ): The letter alludes to something now forgotten. |
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Term
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Definition
to move, climb, or go upward; mount; rise: The airplane ascended into the clouds.
2. to slant upward.
3. to rise to a higher point, rank, or degree; proceed from an inferior to a superior degree or level: to ascend to the presidency.
4. to go toward the source or beginning; go back in time.
5. Music . to rise in pitch; pass from any tone to a higher one.
–verb (used with object)
6. to go or move upward upon or along; climb; mount: to ascend a lookout tower; to ascend stairs.
7. to gain or succeed to; acquire: to ascend the throne. |
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Term
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Definition
to agree or concur; subscribe to (often fol. by to ): to assent to a statement.
2. to give in; yield; concede: Assenting to his demands, I did as I was told.
–noun
3. agreement, as to a proposal; concurrence.
4. acquiescence; compliance. |
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Term
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Definition
severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding: an austere teacher.
2. rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent: the austere quality of life in the convent.
3. grave; sober; solemn; serious: an austere manner.
4. without excess, luxury, or ease; simple; limited; severe: an austere life.
5. severely simple; without ornament: austere writing.
6. lacking softness; hard: an austere bed of straw.
7. rough to the taste; sour or harsh in flavor. |
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Term
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Definition
a feeling of vexation, marked by disappointment or humiliation.
–verb (used with object)
2. to vex by disappointment or humiliation: The rejection of his proposal chagrined him deeply.
3. Obsolete . shagreen ( def. 1 ) . |
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Definition
capable of being believed; believable: a credible statement.
2. worthy of belief or confidence; trustworthy: a credible witness. |
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Definition
| going rapidly over something, without noticing details; hasty; superficial: a cursory glance at a newspaper article. |
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Term
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Definition
to turn aside or from a path or course; deflect.
2. British . to route (traffic) on a detour.
3. to draw off to a different course, purpose, etc.
4. to distract from serious occupation; entertain or amuse.
–verb (used without object |
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Term
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Definition
to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.; evade: to elude capture.
2. to escape the understanding, perception, or appreciation of: The answer eludes me.
Use elude in a Sentence |
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Term
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Definition
a puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation: His disappearance is an enigma that has given rise to much speculation.
2. a person of puzzling or contradictory character: To me he has always been an enigma, one minute completely insensitive, the next moved to tears.
3. a saying, question, picture, etc., containing a hidden meaning; riddle.
4. ( initial capital letter ) a German-built enciphering machine developed for commercial |
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Term
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Definition
vanishing; fading away; fleeting.
2. tending to become imperceptible; scarcely perceptible. |
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Definition
tending to promote some proposed or desired object; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances: It is expedient that you go.
2. conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right.
3. acting in accordance with expediency.
–noun
4. a means to an end: The ladder was a useful expedient for getting to the second floor.
5. a means devised or employed in an exigency; resource; shift: Use any expedients you think necessary to get over the obstacles in your way. |
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Definition
Having or showing great emotion or zeal; ardent: fervent protests; a fervent admirer.
Extremely hot; glowing.
(derivatives) |
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Definition
| having an offensive odor; stinking. |
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Definition
verb (used with object), -ped·ed, -ped·ing.
to retard in movement or progress by means of obstacles or hindrances; obstruct; hinder.
Use impede in a Sentence |
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Definition
| incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring. |
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Definition
gross injustice or wickedness.
2. a violation of right or duty; wicked act; sin. |
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Definition
without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; vapid: an insipid personality.
2. without sufficient taste to be pleasing, as food or drink; bland: a rather insipid soup. |
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Definition
lacking in vigor or vitality; slack or slow: a languid manner.
2. lacking in spirit or interest; listless; indifferent.
3. drooping or flagging from weakness or fatigue; faint. |
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Term
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Definition
of, pertaining to, or affected with lethargy; drowsy; sluggish.
2. producing lethargy. |
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Term
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Definition
–verb (used with object), loathed, loath·ing.
to feel disgust or intense aversion for; abhor: I loathe people who spread malicious gossip. |
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Definition
adjective
causing laughter because of absurdity; provoking or deserving derision; ridiculous; laughable: a ludicrous lack of efficiency. |
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Definition
wishing evil or harm to another or others; showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious: His failures made him malevolent toward those who were successful.
2. evil; harmful; injurious: a malevolent inclination to destroy the happiness of others.
3. Astrology . evil or malign in influence. |
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Term
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Definition
a gloomy state of mind, esp. when habitual or prolonged; depression.
2. sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.
3. Archaic .
a. the condition of having too much black bile, considered in ancient and medieval medicine to cause gloominess and depression.
b. black bile.
–adjective
4. affected with, characterized by, or showing melancholy; mournful; depressed: a melancholy mood.
5. causing melancholy or sadness; saddening: a melancholy occasion.
6. soberly thoughtful; pensive. |
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Definition
noun
1. a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things.
2. ten thousand.
–adjective
3. of an indefinitely great number; innumerable: the myriad stars of a summer night.
4. having innumerable phases, aspects, variations, etc.: the myriad mind of Shakespeare.
5. ten thousand. |
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Term
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Definition
characterized by or showing servile complaisance or deference; fawning: an obsequious bow.
2. servilely compliant or deferential: obsequious servants.
3. obedient; dutiful. |
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Term
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Definition
not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; not sensitive or observant; dull.
2. not sharp, acute, or pointed; blunt in form.
3. (of a leaf, petal, etc.) rounded at the extremity.
4. indistinctly felt or perceived, as pain or sound. |
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Term
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Definition
deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable.
2. highly offensive; repugnant; disgusting. |
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Definition
portending evil or harm; foreboding; threatening; inauspicious: an ominous bank of dark clouds.
2. having the significance of an omen. |
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Term
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Definition
pale; faint or deficient in color; wan: a pallid countenance.
2. lacking in vitality or interest: a pallid musical performance. |
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Term
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Definition
a natural inclination or tendency: a propensity to drink too much.
2. Obsolete . favorable disposition or partiality. |
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Term
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Definition
to take dishonestly; steal; filch; pilfer.
–verb (used without object)
2. to commit theft; steal. |
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Term
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Definition
| to regard with respect tinged with awe; venerate: The child revered her mother. |
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Term
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Definition
a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions.
2. a very small portion or amount.
3. a unit of weight equal to 20 grains (1.295 grams) or 1 / 3 of a dram, apothecaries' weight.
4. an ancient Roman unit of weight equivalent to 1 / 24 of an ounce or 1 / 288 of an as or pound. Compare as2 ( def. 2 ) .
–verb (used without object)
5. to have scruples.
–verb (used with object)
6. to have scruples about; hesitate at. |
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Term
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Definition
inclined to skepticism; having doubt: a skeptical young woman.
2. showing doubt: a skeptical smile.
3. denying or questioning the tenets of a religion: a skeptical approach to the nature of miracles.
4. ( initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to Skeptics or Skepticism. |
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Term
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Definition
not flowing or running, as water, air, etc.
2. stale or foul from standing, as a pool of water.
3. characterized by lack of development, advancement, or progressive movement: a stagnant economy.
4. inactive, sluggish, or dull. |
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Term
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Definition
| (of persons or their manner, speech, etc.) smoothly agreeable or polite; agreeably or blandly urbane. |
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Term
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Definition
expressed in few words; concise; terse.
2. characterized by conciseness or verbal brevity.
3. compressed into a small area, scope, or compass.
4. Archaic .
a. drawn up, as by a girdle.
b. close-fitting.
c. encircled, as by a girdle. |
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Term
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Definition
to give way to superior force; yield: to succumb to despair.
2. to yield to disease, wounds, old age, etc.; die. |
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Term
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Definition
full of fear; fearful: The noise made them timorous.
2. subject to fear; timid.
3. characterized by or indicating fear: a timorous whisper. |
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Term
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Definition
a prolonged outburst of bitter, outspoken denunciation: a tirade against smoking.
2. a long, vehement speech: a tirade in the Senate.
3. a passage dealing with a single theme or idea, as in poetry: the stately tirades of Corneille. |
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Term
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Definition
commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity; worthy of veneration or reverence, as because of high office or noble character: a venerable member of Congress.
2. a title for someone proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church to have attained the first degree of sanctity or of an Anglican archdeacon.
3. (of places, buildings, etc.) hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty associations: the venerable halls of the abbey.
4. impressive or interesting because of age, antique appearance, etc.: a venerable oak tree.
5. extremely old or obsolete; ancient: a venerable automobile.
–noun
6. a venerable person. |
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Term
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Definition
of a glutinous nature or consistency; sticky; thick; adhesive.
2. having the property of viscosity. |
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Term
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Definition
done, shown, used, etc., maliciously or unjustifiably: a wanton attack; wanton cruelty.
2. deliberate and without motive or provocation; uncalled-for; headstrong; willful: Why jeopardize your career in such a wanton way?
3. without regard for what is right, just, humane, etc.; careless; reckless: a wanton attacker of religious convictions.
4. sexually lawless or unrestrained; loose; lascivious; lewd: wanton behavior.
5. extravagantly or excessively luxurious, as a person, manner of living, or style.
6. luxuriant, as vegetation.
7. Archaic .
a. sportive or frolicsome, as children or young animals.
b. having free play: wanton breezes; a wanton brook.
–noun
8. a wanton or lascivious person, esp. a woman.
–verb (used without object)
9. to behave in a wanton manner; become wanton.
–verb (used with object)
10. to squander, esp. in pleasure (often fol. by away ): to wanton away one's inheritance. |
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Definition
| sweetly or innocently charming; winning; engaging: a winsome smile. |
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Definition
| full of, characterized by, or due to zeal; ardently active, devoted, or diligent. |
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Definition
| to assent tacitly; submit or comply silently or without protest; agree; consent: to acquiesce halfheartedly in a business plan. |
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Definition
| keen insight; shrewdness: remarkable acumen in business matters. |
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Term
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Definition
cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness: We accepted the invitation with alacrity.
2.
liveliness; briskness. |
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Term
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Definition
ready or willing to answer, act, agree, or yield; open to influence, persuasion, or advice; agreeable; submissive; tractable: an amenable servant.
2.
liable to be called to account; answerable; legally responsible: You are amenable for this debt.
3.
capable of or agreeable to being tested, tried, analyzed, etc. |
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