Term
Abate:
"As the hurricane's force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm." |
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Definition
| to reduce in amount, degree, or severity |
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Term
Abscond
"The patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door." |
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Definition
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Term
Abstain
"She ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwatering dessert form the tray." |
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Definition
| to choose not to do something |
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Term
Abyss
"The submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart the previously unseen depths." |
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Definition
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Term
Adulterate
"The chef made his ketchup last longer by ADULTERATING it with water." |
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Definition
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Term
Advocate
"The vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat." |
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Definition
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Term
Aesthetic
"Followers of the AESTHETIC Movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art." |
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Definition
| concerning the appreciation of beauty |
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Term
Aggrandize
"The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own." |
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Definition
| to increase in power, influence, and reputation |
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Term
Alleviate
"Taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache." |
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Definition
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Term
Amalgamate
"Giant Industried AMALGAMATED with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated." |
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Definition
| to combine; to mix together |
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Term
Ambiguous
"The directions she gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn." |
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Definition
| doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways. |
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Term
Ameliorate
"The doctor was able to AMELIORATE the patient's suffering using painkillers." |
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Definition
| to make better, to improve |
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Term
Anachronism
"The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases like groovy and far out that had not been popular for years." |
|
Definition
| something out of place in time |
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Term
Analogous
"In the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent "clockmaker."" |
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Definition
| similar or alike in some way; equivalent to |
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Term
Anomaly
"Albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates." |
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Definition
| deviation from what is normal |
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Term
Antagonize
"The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail." |
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Definition
| to annoy or provoke to anger |
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Term
Antipathy
"The ANTIPATHY between the French and the English regularly erupted into open warfare." |
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Definition
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Term
Apathy
"The APATHY of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so." |
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Definition
| lack of interest or emotion |
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Term
Arbitrate
"Since the couple could not come to agreement a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings." |
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Definition
| to judge a dispute between two opposing parties |
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Term
Archaic
"Her ARCHAIC Commodore computer could not run the latest software." |
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Definition
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Term
Ardor
"Bishop's ardor for the landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley." |
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Definition
| intense and passionate feeling |
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Term
Articulate
"She is such an ARTICULATE defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters." |
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Definition
| able to speak clearly and expressively |
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Term
Assuage
"Serena used aspirin to ASSUAGE her pounding headache." |
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Definition
| to make something unpleasant less severe |
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Term
Attenuate
"The Bill of Rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of governments to change laws at will." |
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Definition
| to reduce in force or degree; to weaken |
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Term
Audacious
"Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving." |
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Definition
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Term
Austere
"The lack of decoration makes military barracks seem AUSTERE to the civilian eye." |
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Definition
| severe or stern in appearance; undecorated |
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Term
Bana
"He used BANAL phrases like Have a nice day, or Another day, another dollar." |
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Definition
| predictable, cliched, boring |
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Term
Bolster
"The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Sasquatch was in the area." |
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Definition
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Term
Bombastic
"The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly BOMBASTIC; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact." |
|
Definition
| pompous in speech and manner |
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Term
Cacophony
"The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable CACOPHONY as they tried to tune their instruments." |
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Definition
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Term
Candid
"The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID and unpretentious." |
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Definition
| impartial and honest in speech |
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Term
Capricious
"Queen Elizabeth I was quite CAPRICiOUS; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy." |
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Definition
| changing one's mind quickly and often |
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Term
Castigate
"Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore CASTIGATE perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States." |
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Definition
| to punish or criticize harshly |
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Term
Catalyst
"The imposition of harsh taxes was the CATALYST that finally brought on the revolution." |
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Definition
| something that brings about a change in something else |
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Term
Caustic
"Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for CAUSTIC wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults." |
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Definition
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Term
Chaos
"In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from CHAOS." |
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Definition
| great disorder or confusion |
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Term
Chauvinist
"The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male CHAUVINISTS." |
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Definition
| Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs |
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Term
Chicanery
"Dishonest used car sales people often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars." |
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Definition
| deception by means of craft or guile |
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Term
Cogent
"Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant." |
|
Definition
| convincing and well reasoned |
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Term
Condone
"Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness." |
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Definition
| to overlook, pardon, or disregard |
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Term
Convoluted
"Although many people bough A Brief History of Time, few could follow its CONVOLUTED ideas and theories." |
|
Definition
| intricate and complicated |
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Term
Corroborate
"Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment." |
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Definition
| to provide supporting evidence |
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Term
Credulous
"Although some four-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds believe in him." |
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Definition
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Term
Crescendo
"The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school bus." |
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Definition
| steadily increasing volume or force |
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Term
Decorum
"The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a visit to the palace." |
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Definition
| appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety |
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Term
Deference
"The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost DEFERENCE." |
|
Definition
| appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety |
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Term
Deride
"The awkward child was often DERIDED by his "cooler" peers." |
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Definition
| to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock |
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Term
Desiccate
"After a few weeks of lying on the desert's backing sands, the cow's carcass became completely DESICCATED." |
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Definition
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Term
Desultory
"Diane had a DESULTORY academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years." |
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Definition
| jumping from one thing to another; disconnected |
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Term
Diatribe
"The trucker bellowed a DIATRIBE at the drive who had cut him off." |
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Definition
| an abusive, condemnatory speech |
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Term
Diffident
"Steve's DIFFIDENT manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field." |
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Definition
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Term
Dilate
"When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes DILATE to let in more light." |
|
Definition
| to make larger; to expand |
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Term
Dilatory
"The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill." |
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Definition
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Term
Dilettante
"Jerry's friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week." |
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Definition
| someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic |
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Term
Dirge
"Melville wrote the poem "A DIRGE for James McPherson" for the funeral of a Union general who was killed in 1864." |
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Definition
| a funeral hymn or mournful speech |
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Term
Disabuse
"Galileo's observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth." |
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Definition
| to set right; to free from error |
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Term
Discern
"It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping." |
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Definition
| to perceive, to recognize |
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Term
Disparate
"Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are DISPARATE." |
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Definition
| fundamentally different; entirely unlike |
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Term
Dissemble
"The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer - he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man." |
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Definition
| to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character |
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Term
Dissonance
"Cognitive DISSONANCE is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence." |
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Definition
| a harsh and disagreeable combination, often sounds |
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Term
Dogma
"Linus's central DOGMA was the children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded." |
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Definition
| a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief. |
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Term
Dogmatic
"The dictator was DOGMATIC - he, and only he, was right." |
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Definition
| dictatorial in one's opinions |
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Term
Dupe
"Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit." |
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Definition
| to deceive; a person who is easily deceived. |
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Term
Eclectic
"Budapest's architecture is an ECLECTIC mix of Eastern and Western styles." |
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Definition
| selecting from or made up from a variety of sources |
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Term
Efficacy
"The EFFICACY of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered." |
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Definition
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Term
Elegy
"Although Thomas Gray's "ELEGY Written in a Country Churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality." |
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Definition
| a sorrowful poem or speech |
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Term
Eloquent
"The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its ELOQUENT words." |
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Definition
| persuasive and moving, especially in speech |
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Term
Emulate
"The graduate student sought to EMULATE his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class." |
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Definition
| to copy; to try to equal or excel |
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Term
Enervate
"The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army." |
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Definition
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Term
Enigma
"Speaking in riddles and dressed in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an ENIGMA." |
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Definition
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Term
Enumerate
"Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were ENUMERATED." |
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Definition
| to count, list, or itemize |
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Term
Ephemeral
"The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours." |
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Definition
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Term
Equivocate
"When faced with criticism of her policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED and left all parties thinking she agreed with them." |
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Definition
| to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead |
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Term
Erratic
"The plot seemed predictable until is suddenly took a series of ERRATIC turns that surprised the audience." |
|
Definition
| wandering and unpredictable |
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Term
Erudite
"The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUDITE, well-published individuals in the field." |
|
Definition
| learned, scholarly, bookish |
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Term
Esoteric
"Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ESOTERIC world or particle physics." |
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Definition
| known or understood by only a few |
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Term
Estimable
"Msst people consider it ESTIMABLE that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India." |
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Definition
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Term
Eulogy
"His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievements and talents." |
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Definition
| speech in praise of someone |
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Term
Euphemism
"The funeral director preferred to used the EUPHEMISM sleeping instead of the word dead." |
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Definition
| use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one |
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Term
Exacerbate
"It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only exacerbate the problem." |
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Definition
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Term
Exculpate
"The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to EXCUlPATE those who are innocent." |
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Definition
| to clear from blame; prove innocent |
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Term
Exigent
"The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was EXIGENT to stop the source of the bleeding." |
|
Definition
| urgent; requiring immediate action |
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Term
Exonerate
"The fugitive was EXONERATED when another criminal confessed to committing the crime." |
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Definition
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Term
Explicit
"The owners of the house left a list of EXPLICIT instructions detailing their house-sitter's duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants." |
|
Definition
| clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression |
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Term
Fanatical
"The stormtroopers were FANATICAL in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him." |
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Definition
| acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion |
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Term
Fawn
"The understudy FAWNED over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis." |
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Definition
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Term
Fervid
"The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer." |
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Definition
| intensely emotional; feverish |
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Term
Florid
"The palace had been decorated in a FLORID style; every surface had been carved and gilded." |
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Definition
| excessively decorated or embellished |
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Term
Foment
"The protesters tried to FOMENT feeling against the war thorough their speeches and demonstrations." |
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Definition
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Term
Frugality
"Scrooge McDuck's FRUGALITY was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money." |
|
Definition
| a tendency to be thrifty or cheap |
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Term
Garrulous
"The GARRULOUS parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking." |
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Definition
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Term
Gregarious
"She was so GREGARIOUS that when she found herself alone, she felt quite sad." |
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Definition
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Term
Guile
"Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy." |
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Definition
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Term
Gullible
"The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information." |
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Definition
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Term
Homogenous
"The class was fairly HOMOGENOUS, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors." |
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Definition
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Term
Iconoclast
"His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ICONOCLAST." |
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Definition
| one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions |
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Term
Imperturbable
"The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed IMPERTURBABLE, even when faced with the wildest of tantrums." |
|
Definition
| not capable of being disturbed |
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Term
Impervious
"A good raincoat will be IMPERVIOUS to moisture." |
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Definition
| impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected |
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Term
Impetuous
"It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS, since much thought should be given to all the possible options." |
|
Definition
| quick to act without thinking |
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Term
Implacable
"His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained IMPLACABLE for weeks." |
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Definition
| unable to be calmed down or made peaceful |
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Term
Inchoate
"The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an INCHOATE form in his earliest writing." |
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Definition
| not fully formed; disorganized |
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Term
Ingenuous
"She was so INGENUOUS that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city." |
|
Definition
| showing innocence or childlike simplicity |
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Term
Inimical
"Even though the children had grown up together, the were INIMICAL to each other at school." |
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Definition
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Term
Innocuous
"Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are INNOCUOUS and post no danger to humans." |
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Definition
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Term
Insipid
"The critic claimed that the painting was INSIPID, containing no interesting qualities at all." |
|
Definition
| lacking interest or flavor |
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Term
Intransigent
"The professor was INTRANSIGENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time." |
|
Definition
| uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled |
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Term
Inundate
"The tidal wave INUNDATED Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water." |
|
Definition
| to overwhelm; to cover with water |
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Term
Irascible
"Attila the Hun's IRASCIBLE and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives." |
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Definition
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Term
Laconic
"She was a LACONIC poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible." |
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Definition
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Term
Lament
"The children continued to LAMENT the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise." |
|
Definition
| to express sorrow; to grieve |
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Term
Laud
"Parades and fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels." |
|
Definition
| to give praise; to glorify |
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Term
Lavish
"She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that is soon became overweight and spoiled." |
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Definition
| to give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.) |
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Term
Lethargic
"The clerk was so LETHARGIC that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him." |
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Definition
| acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner |
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Term
Loquacious
"She was naturally LOQUACIOUS, which was a problem in situations in which listening was more important than talking." |
|
Definition
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Term
Lucid
"The explanations were written in a simple and LUCID manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned." |
|
Definition
| clear and easily understood |
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Term
Luminous
"The park was bathed in LUMINOUS sunshine, which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors." |
|
Definition
| bright, brilliant, glowing |
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Term
Malinger
"A common way to avoid the draft was by MALINGERING -- pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the Army." |
|
Definition
| to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill |
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Term
Malleable
"Gold is the most MALLEABLE of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape." |
|
Definition
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Term
Metaphor
"The METAPHOR "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea." |
|
Definition
| a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol |
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Term
Meticulous
"To find all the clues at the crime scene, the investigators METICULOUSLY examined every inch of the area." |
|
Definition
| extremely careful about details |
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Term
Misanthrope
"The character Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry." |
|
Definition
| a person who dislikes others |
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Term
Mitigate
"A judge may MITIGATE a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need." |
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Definition
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Term
Mollify
"Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would MOLLIFY them." |
|
Definition
| to calm or make less severe |
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Term
Monotony
"The MONOTONY of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy." |
|
Definition
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Term
Naive
"Having never traveled before,the elementary school students were more NAIVE than their high school counterparts on the field trip." |
|
Definition
| lacking sophistication or experience |
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Term
Obdurate
"The president was completely OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind." |
|
Definition
| hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion |
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Term
Obsequious
"The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and agree with him on every issue." |
|
Definition
| overly submissive and eager to please |
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Term
Obstinate
"The OBSTINATE child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked." |
|
Definition
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Term
Obviate
"The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge." |
|
Definition
| to prevent; to make unnecessary |
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Term
Occlude
"A shadow is thrown across the earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is OCCLUDED by the moon." |
|
Definition
| to stop up; to prevent the passage of |
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Term
Onerous
"The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it." |
|
Definition
| troublesome and oppressive; burdensome |
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Term
Opaque
"The heavy buildup of dirt and grime on the windows almost made them OPAQUE." |
|
Definition
| impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light |
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|
Term
Opprobrium
"After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter OPPROBRIUM." |
|
Definition
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|
Term
Ostentation
"The OSTENTATION of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles." |
|
Definition
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Term
Paradox
"It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it." |
|
Definition
| a contradiction or dilemma |
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Term
Paragon
"She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just." |
|
Definition
| model of excellence or perfection |
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Term
Pedant
"The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT." |
|
Definition
| someone who shows off learning |
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Term
Perfidious
"The actress's PERFIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist." |
|
Definition
| willing to betray one's trust |
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Term
Perfunctory
"The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a PERFUNCTORY smile." |
|
Definition
| done in a routine way; indifferent |
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Term
Permeate
"This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to PERMEATE stains and dissolve them in minutes!" |
|
Definition
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|
Term
Philanthropy
"New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum." |
|
Definition
| charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness |
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Term
Placate
"The burglar tried to PLACATE the dog by saying "Nice doggy," and offering it a treat." |
|
Definition
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Term
Plastic
"The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes." |
|
Definition
| able to be molded, altered, or bent |
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Term
Plethora
"Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a PLETHORA of excuses." |
|
Definition
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|
Term
Pragmatic
"While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, PRAGMATIC gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them." |
|
Definition
| practical as opposed to idealistic |
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Term
Precipitate
"Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each other only two months, friends and family members expected such a PRECIPITATE marriage to end in divorce." |
|
Definition
| to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation |
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Term
Prevaricate
"Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time." |
|
Definition
| to lie or deviate from the truth |
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Term
Pristine
"Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was still PRISTINE when researchers arrived." |
|
Definition
| fresh and clean; uncorrupted |
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Term
Prodigal
"The PRODIGAL son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure." |
|
Definition
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|
Term
Proliferate
"Although she only kept two guinea pigs initially, the PROLIFERATED to such an extent that she soon had dozens." |
|
Definition
| to increase in number quickly |
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Term
Propitiate
"The management PROPITIATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members." |
|
Definition
| to conciliate, to appease |
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|
Term
Propriety
"The aristocracy maintained a high level of PROPRIETY, adhering to even the most minor social rules." |
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Definition
| correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs |
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Term
Prudence
"The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her resume." |
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Definition
| wisdom, caution, or restraint |
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Term
Pungent
"The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT." |
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Definition
| sharp and irritating to the senses |
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Term
Quiescent
"Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy." |
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Definition
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Rarefy
"Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe." |
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Definition
| to make thinner or sparser |
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Term
Repudiate
"The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them." |
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Definition
| to reject the validity of |
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Reticent
"Physically small and RETICENT in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting." |
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Definition
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Term
Rhetoric
"Lincoln's talent for RHETORIC was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address." |
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Definition
| effective writing or speaking |
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Term
Satiate
"His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could SATIATE it." |
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Definition
| to satisfy fully or over indulge |
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Term
Soporific
"The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater." |
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Definition
| causing sleep or lethargy |
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Term
Specious
"The student's SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home." |
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Definition
| deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious |
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Term
Stigma
"In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public STIGMA for her adultery." |
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Definition
| a mark of shame or discredit |
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Term
Stolid
"The prisoner appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence." |
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Definition
| unemotional; lacking sensitivity |
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Term
Sublime
"The music was so SUBLIME that is transformed the rude surroundings into a special place." |
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Definition
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Term
Tacit
"Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a TACIT agreement had been made about which course of action to take." |
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Definition
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Term
Taciturn
"The clerk's TACITURN nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob."" |
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Definition
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Term
Tirade
"Observers were shocked at the manager's TIRADE over such a minor mistake." |
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Definition
| long, harsh speech or verbal attack |
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Term
Torpor
"After the surgery, the patient experienced TORPOR until the anesthesia wore off." |
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Definition
| extreme mental and physical sluggishness |
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Term
Transitory
"The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story." |
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Definition
| temporary, lasting a brief time |
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Term
Vacillate
"The customer held up the line as he VACILLATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream." |
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Definition
| to sway physically; to be indecisive |
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Term
Venerate
"In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience." |
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Veracity
"She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events." |
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Definition
| filled with truth and accuracy |
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Term
Verbose
"The professor's answer was so VERBOSE that his student forgot what the original question had been." |
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Definition
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Term
Vex
"The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor's loud music." |
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Definition
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Term
Volatile
"His VOLATILE personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything." |
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Definition
| easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive |
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Term
Waver
"If you WAVER too long before making a decision about which testing site to register for, your may not get your first choice." |
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Definition
| to fluctuate between choices |
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Term
Whimsical
"The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets." |
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Definition
| acting in a fanciful or capricious manner, unpredictable |
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Term
Zeal
"She brought her typical ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members." |
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Definition
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