1000 Business Words

1. consider
deem to be
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
At the moment, artemisinin-based therapies are considered the best treatment, but cost
about $10 per dose - far too much for impoverished communities.
2. minute
infinitely or immeasurably small
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The minute stain on the document was not visible to the naked eye.
3. accord
concurrence of opinion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The committee worked in accord on the bill, and it eventually passed.
4. evident
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
That confidence was certainly evident in the way Smith handled the winning play with
14 seconds left on the clock.
5. practice
a customary way of operation or behavior
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He directed and acted in plays every season and became known for exploring Elizabethan
theatre practices.
6. intend
have in mind as a purpose
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only
in very small quantities,” the agency said on its website.
7. concern
something that interests you because it is important or affects you
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The scandal broke out in October after former chief executive Michael Woodford
claimed he was fired for raising concerns about the company's accounting practices.
8. commit
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In an unprecedented front page article in 2003 The Times reported that Mr. Blair, a
young reporter on its staff, had committed journalistic fraud.
9. issue
some situation or event that is thought about
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As a result, the privacy issues surrounding mobile computing are becoming ever-more
complex.
10. approach
move towards
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Spain’s jobless rate for people ages 16 to 24 is approaching 50 percent.
11. establish
set up or found
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A small French colony, Port Louis, was established on East Falkland in 1764 and handed
to the Spanish three years later.
12. utter
without qualification; used informally as (often pejorative) intensifiers
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
No one can blame an honest mechanic for holding a wealthy snob in utter contempt.
13. conduct
direct the course of; manage or control
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Scientists have been conducting studies of individual genes for years.
14. engage
consume all of one's attention or time
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We had nearly two hundred passengers, who were seated about on the sofas, reading, or
playing games, or engaged in conversation.
15. obtain
come into possession of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He delayed making the unclassified report public while awaiting an Army review, but
Rolling Stone magazine obtained the report and posted it Friday night.
16. scarce
deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Meanwhile, heating oil could grow more scarce in the Northeast this winter, the Energy
Department warned last month.
17. policy
a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Inflation has lagged behind the central bank’s 2 percent target, giving policy makers extra
scope to cut rates.
18. straight
successive (without a break)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After three straight losing seasons, Hoosiers fans were just hoping for a winning record.
19. stock
the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an
ownership interest (equity)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In other words, Apple’s stock is cheap, and you should buy it.
20. apparent
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But the elderly creak is beginning to become apparent in McCartney’s voice.
21. property
a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Owing to these magic properties, it was often planted near dwellings to keep away evil
spirits.
22. fancy
imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For a time, indeed, he had fancied that things were changed.
23. concept
an abstract or general idea inferred or derived from specific instances
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As a psychologist, I have always found the concept of speed dating fascinating.
24. court
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
When Brown pleaded not guilty to assaulting Rihanna, their violent past came out in
court.
25. appoint
assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In 1863 he was appointed by the general assembly professor of oriental languages at
New College.
26. passage
a section of text; particularly a section of medium length
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His interpretation of many obscure scriptural passages by means of native manners and
customs and traditions is particularly helpful and informing.
27. vain
unproductive of success
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An attempt was made to ignore this brilliant and irregular book, but in vain; it was read
all over Europe.
28. instance
an occurrence of something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In many instances large districts or towns would have fewer representatives than smaller
ones, or perhaps none at all.
29. coast
the shore of a sea or ocean
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Martello towers must be built within short distances all round the coast.
30. project
a planned undertaking
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The funds are aimed at helping build public projects including mass transit, electricity
networks, water utility and ports, it said.
31. commission
a special group delegated to consider some matter
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The developers are now seeking approval from the landmarks commission.
32. constant
a quantity that does not vary
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In 1929, Hubble independently put forward and confirmed the same idea, and the
parameter later became known as the Hubble constant.
33. circumstances
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The circumstances leading up to the shootings was not immediately available.
34. constitute
to compose or represent:"This wall forms the background of the stage setting"
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Oil and natural gas constituted almost 50 percent of Russian government revenue last
year.
35. level
a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Only last month did the men’s and women’s unemployment rates reach the same level.
36. affect
have an effect upon
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The central bank will start distributing low-interest loans in early March to individuals
and small- and medium-sized companies affected by the flooding.
37. institute
set up or lay the groundwork for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Corporations have to be more and more focused on instituting higher labor standards.
38. render
give an interpretation or rendition of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But authorities had rendered the weapon and the explosive device inoperable, officials
said.
39. appeal
be attractive to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
To get traditional women’s accessories to appeal to men, some designers are giving them
manly names and styles.
40. generate
bring into existence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Qualities such as these are not generated under bad working practices of any sort.
41. theory
a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world; an organized system
of accepted knowledge that applies in a variety of circumstances to explain a specific set
of phenomena
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Testing that theory begins Saturday night, as the Capitals take on Tampa Bay in another
important contest.
42. range
a variety of different things or activities
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Like American community colleges, admission at an open university is not competitive,
but the schools offer a range of programs, including doctoral degrees.
43. campaign
a race between candidates for elective office
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
At the same point in 2004 — as an incumbent facing re-election — Mr. Bush had taken
in about $145.6 million for his campaign.
44. league
an association of sports teams that organizes matches for its members
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"When I broke into the big leagues until a month ago, Gary kept in touch," Mets third
baseman David Wright said.
45. labor
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
More labor is entailed, more time is required, greater delay is occasioned in cleaning up,
and the amount of water used is much greater.
46. confer
have a conference in order to talk something over
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ms. Stewart said Mrs. Bachmann conferred with her family and a few aides after her
disappointing showing on Tuesday evening.
47. grant
allow to have
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He had been granted entry into the White House only for the daily briefing, later that
afternoon.
48. dwell
think moodily or anxiously about something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But it is hardly necessary to dwell on so normal an event.
49. entertain
provide entertainment for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The first Super Bowl in 1967 featured college marching bands entertaining the crowds
at halftime.
50. contract
a binding agreement between two or more persons that is enforceable by law
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Contracts with utilities will be signed starting next month, he said.
 READ the OTHER 950 WORDS BELOW......................


51. earnest
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Too much praise cannot be given to the earnest and efficient missionaries who founded
and have maintained this mission.
52. yield
give or supply
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It is a very important honey plant, as it yields an exceptionally pure nectar and remains in
bloom a long time.
53. wander
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While each animal wandered through the maze, its brain was working furiously.
54. insist
be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Interior Department officials insisted that they had conducted an extensive scientific
inquiry before moving ahead with the spill response plan.
55. knight
originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a
person honored by the sovereign for personal merit
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The knight was gallant not only in war, but in love also.
56. convince
make (someone) agree, understand, or realize the truth or validity of something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But though he listened he was not convinced.
57. inspire
serve as the inciting cause of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His surprising performance inspired an outpouring of fan adoration that has been dubbed
"Linsanity."
58. convention
a large formal assembly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Last year, the industry’s main trade convention, the Inside Self-Storage World Expo,
organized workshops in Las Vegas focusing on lien laws and auction sales.
59. skill
an ability that has been acquired by training
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He says many new drivers are terrified of motorway driving because they do not have the
skills or confidence needed.
60. harry
annoy continually or chronically
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There’s something uplifting about hearing a string instrument when I’m feeling ragged or
harried.
61. financial
involving financial matters
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Meanwhile, universities have raised tuition every year, putting many students in a
financial bind.
62. reflect
show an image of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Teens ranting over chores and whatnot can often reflect deeper feelings of alienation or
perceived uncaring on the part of parents.
63. novel
an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Before Robert Barr publishes a novel he spends years in thinking the thing out.
64. furnish
provide or equip with furniture
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Instead, according to court documents, the money went toward furnishing mansions,
flying in private jets, and retaining a $120,000-a-year personal hairstylist.
65. compel
force somebody to do something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But the flames grew too large, compelling firefighters to call off the rescue.
66. venture
proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Clearly he would not venture to descend while his enemy moved.
67. territory
the geographical area under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On Friday, West Africa regional group Ecowas condemned the rebels, urging them to end
hostilities and surrender all occupied territory.
68. temper
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Oscar Wilde, to do him justice, bore this sort of rebuff with astonishing good temper and
sweetness.
69. bent
fixed in your purpose
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The business-oriented constituency of the Republican Party, Jacobs said, has been
weakened by a faction bent on lowering taxes and cutting spending.
70. intimate
marked by close acquaintance, association, or familiarity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The female spider can choose when to cut off intimate relations by eating her partner, or
kicking him out.
71. undertake
enter upon an activity or enterprise
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An autopsy has reportedly been undertaken but the results are not expected for several
weeks.
72. majority
(elections) more than half of the votes
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Republicans need just four seats in the Senate to take control as the majority party.
73. assert
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In your talk you asserted the pill's risks of blood clotting, lung artery blockage, heart
attack and stroke are minimal.
74. crew
the men and women who man a vehicle (ship, aircraft, etc.)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Several pilots and crew members would have to escape at once, while safety divers
watched, ready to rescue anyone who became stuck.
75. chamber
a natural or artificial enclosed space
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Today," said the old man, "you must push through with me into my most solitary
chamber, that we may not be disturbed."
76. humble
marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“Challenging yourself, playing up against stronger, tougher, and overall better
competition will keep you humble.”
77. scheme
an elaborate and systematic plan of action
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some companies in the Globe District of Arizona have started extensive underground
schemes for mining large tonnages very cheaply by "caving" methods.
78. keen
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Not one of his movements escaped her keen observation; she drank in every shiver.
79. liberal
having political or social views favoring reform and progress
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Romney’s actually done well in open primaries where fiscally conservative yet socially
liberal independents have backed him over his opponents.
80. despair
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There were wounded love, and wounded pride, and despair, and coming madness, all in
that piteous cry.
81. tide
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the case of mobile connectivity, a rising tide does not lift all boats.
82. attitude
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in
certain ways
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Behaviours have changed and attitudes have changed," Mr Taylor said.
83. justify
show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He felt sure that if the circumstances justified it, the necessary proceedings could be
taken.”
84. flag
emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning and ordered flags
flown at half staff.
85. merit
any admirable quality or attribute
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Thus far in our inquiry extraordinary merits have been offset by extraordinary defects.
86. manifest
reveal its presence or make an appearance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A too rapid transformation of existing conditions might very easily lead to an economic
crisis, symptoms of which are already beginning to manifest themselves.
87. notion
a general inclusive concept
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Does that old notion that defense wins championships still hold up these days?
88. scale
relative magnitude
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And there might not be much money, so fashion shows are done on a much smaller scale.
89. formal
characteristic of or befitting a person in authority
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A formal decision to call off the search is likely on Wednesday, rescue officials said.
90. resource
available source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“Economists assume that, under normal conditions, markets will allocate resources
efficiently,” he added.
91. persist
continue to exist
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Old ideas, long after the conditions under which they were produced have passed away,
often persist in surviving.
92. contempt
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And with his backhanded contempt for all things ordinary, Blake is making some of the
catchiest, most difficult music in recent memory.
93. tour
a journey or route all the way around a particular place or area
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He typed in “South Park” and took senior executives on a tour of Web sites offering
pirated episodes.
94. plead
enter a plea, as in courts of law
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Aria pleaded not guilty, but he acknowledged that he had violated some laws.
95. weigh
to be oppressive or burdensome
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
So far, the political turmoil has not appeared to have discouraged visitors, but prolonged
strife could weigh on tourism.
96. mode
how something is done or how it happens
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Speaking of science, he says, in language far in advance of his times: ‘There are two
modes of knowing—by argument and by experiment.
97. distinction
a discrimination between things as different and distinct
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But such a distinction is quite external; at heart the men may be very much alike.
98. inclined
at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Such an inclined passage following a seam of coal is known as a slope.
99. attribute
an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of an entity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The authors found that when the available prospects varied more in attributes such as
age, height, occupation and educational background, people made fewer dating proposals.
100. exert
make a great effort at a mental or physical task
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
School boards may come to exert even greater influence over what students read.
101. oppress
come down on or keep down by unjust use of one's authority
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Those who managed to survive were later oppressed by Poland's post-war communist
authorities.
102. contend
compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But eight men, however bold and stout-hearted, could not long contend with an enemy at
least four times their number.
103. stake
a strong wooden or metal post with a point at one end so it can be driven into the ground
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His remains were buried in Cannon Street, and a stake was driven through the body.
104. toil
work hard
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He toiled in the sweat of his brow, tilling the stubborn ground, taking out stones, building
fences.
105. perish
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain
life
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Simon Wiesenthal's parents are long since deceased, with his father dying in World War I
and his mother perishing in the Holocaust.
106. disposition
your usual mood
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Melancholia — the state of mind — can hide behind seemingly sunny dispositions.
107. rail
complain bitterly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Gray railed against lengthy stage directions, saying he crossed them out in scripts
before he would begin rehearsals with his actors.
108. cardinal
(Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the
Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Each time he names cardinals he puts his stamp on Roman Catholicism's future by
choosing men who share his views.
109. boast
show off
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Estes was also well connected politically, boasting that the president of the United
States took his calls.
110. advocate
a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Well, safety advocates, consumers and the government dragged the automobile industry
toward including seat belts, air bags, more visible taillights and other safety features.
111. bestow
present
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He bestowed public buildings and river improvements in return for votes.
112. allege
report or maintain
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It is being fired into enclosed areas and homes, the human rights group alleges.
113. notwithstanding
despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He seems to have taken things easily enough, notwithstanding the sorrow and suffering
that surrounded him on every side.
114. lofty
of imposing height; especially standing out above others
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He found himself in an enormous hall with a lofty ceiling.
115. multitude
a large indefinite number
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Department store chains in general have been strained in recent years as a "multitude" of
alternatives has emerged, all competing for customers.
116. steep
having a sharp inclination
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It was narrow and very steep, and had precipices in all parts, so that they could not mount
upward except one at a time.
117. heed
pay close attention to; give heed to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But Cain was already too far gone to heed the warning voice.
118. modest
not large but sufficient in size or amount
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A healthy person living in an unfashionable city with no student loans to pay off can get
by on a fairly modest income.
119. partial
being or affecting only a part; not total
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Generalizations of this sweeping order are apt to contain only partial truth.
120. apt
(usually followed by `to') naturally disposed toward
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Another reason to display beds at an electronics show: consumers are apt to use hightech
devices while tucked in.
121. esteem
the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Despite being held in the highest esteem by his fellow poets, Redgrove never quite
achieved the critical reception or readership he deserved.
122. credible
appearing to merit belief or acceptance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mike Mullen, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has acknowledged receiving the
memo but said he ignored it as not credible.
123. provoke
provide the needed stimulus for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It provoked a bigger reaction than we could ever have anticipated.
124. tread
a step in walking or running
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The farmer went down, his clumsy boots making no sound on the uncarpeted stairway, so
careful was his tread.
125. ascertain
learn or discover with certainty
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Health care providers and manufacturers can ascertain alternative treatment more
effectively by tackling predicted drug shortage incidences early in the process.
126. fare
proceed or get along
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A recent study breaks down how graduates with various college degrees are faring in
today’s difficult job market.
127. cede
relinquish possession or control over
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some militia chiefs say they will only cede command of their fighters once an organized
military and security apparatus is in place.
128. perpetual
continuing forever or indefinitely
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The river is a perpetual enjoyment, always something going on.
129. decree
a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court
or judge)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While the decree takes effect immediately, it requires Parliament’s approval within 60
days to remain in force.
130. contrive
make or work out a plan for; devise
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The wily Roc, never taken much by surprise, contrived to escape, but old Tributor and
his men were all captured.
131. derived
formed or developed from something else; not original
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Modern kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi are all
members of the same species, derived from a single prehistoric plant variety.
132. elaborate
marked by complexity and richness of detail
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But the tobacco industry and owners of other convenience stores say tribal cigarette
manufacturing is just an elaborate form of tax evasion.
133. substantial
having substance or capable of being treated as fact; not imaginary
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Defence lawyers said the large number of forensic tests which had been carried out had
failed to find any substantial evidence linked to the accused.
134. frontier
a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Adding to the precarious security situation, tribesmen kidnapped 18 Egyptian border
guards along the frontier with Israel in Sinai Peninsula.
135. facile
arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As one teacher remarks about a troubled student, “There is no facile solution.”
136. cite
make reference to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Federal Reserve has pledged low interest rates until late 2014, citing in part the
weakness of the job market.
137. warrant
show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the United Kingdom and Europe the devices are not used unless the need is warranted
by the patient's medical condition.
138. sob
weep convulsively
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He cried and trembled, sobbing, while they spoke, like the child he was.
139. rider
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In horseback riding, a rider will give commands by squeezing or lengthening the reins
and altering the position of his legs.
140. dense
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Dense black smoke rose in the distance as demonstrators burned tires in Shiite villages.
141. afflict
cause physical pain or suffering in
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Melanoma globally afflicts nearly 160,000 new people each year.
142. flourish
grow vigorously
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His business had been all along steadily flourishing, his patrons had been of high social
position, some most illustrious, others actually royal.
143. ordain
invest with ministerial or priestly authority
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
One of the present bishops was consecrated when quite a young boy, and deacons are
often ordained at sixteen, and even much earlier.
144. pious
having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mother, you see, is a very pious woman, and she attributes it all to Providence, saying
that it was the Divine interference in her behalf.
145. vex
cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There are vexing problems slowing the growth and the practical implementation of big
data technologies.
146. gravity
(physics) the force of attraction between all masses in the universe; especially the
attraction of the earth's mass for bodies near its surface
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Once captured, the combined object will have a new center of gravity and may be
spinning in an uncontrolled way.
147. suspended
(of undissolved particles in a fluid) supported or kept from sinking or falling by buoyancy
and without apparent attachment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Frustrating enough at ground level, but can you imagine the agony about a stranded, eversoggier
Oreo being suspended 11 feet above the ground?
148. conspicuous
obvious to the eye or mind
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Its bright scarlet fruits are conspicuous in late autumn.
149. retort
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Having put him in ill humour with this retort, she fled away rejoicing.
150. jet
an airplane powered by one or more jet engines
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts will also be on
duty to guard against security threats.
151. bolt
run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The blare of bugles was heard, and a few seconds afterwards Jackson, still facing the
enemy, shouted: "By Jupiter, they're bolting, sir."
152. assent
to agree or express agreement
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His two companions readily assented, and the promise was mutually given and received.
153. purse
a sum of money spoken of as the contents of a money purse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She watched over her husband, kept his accounts, held the family purse, managed all his
affairs.
154. plus
the arithmetic operation of summing; calculating the sum of two or more numbers
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The survey’s margin of error was plus or minus four percentage points.
155. sanction
give authority or permission to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Securities and Exchange Commission said last year it had sanctioned 39 senior
officers for conduct related to the housing market meltdown.
156. proceeding
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Chu attended the special court-martial proceeding on Monday in Hawaii, Hill said.
157. exalt
praise, glorify, or honor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some exalt themselves by anonymously posting their own laudatory reviews.
158. siege
the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while
continuing to attack
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Rebellion broke out, and finally the aged Caliph, after enduring a siege of several weeks,
was murdered in his own house.
159. malice
feeling a need to see others suffer
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He viewed the moths with malice, their fluttering wings fanning his resentment.
160. extravagant
recklessly wasteful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Advisers say new millionaires are prone to mistakes, like making extravagant purchases
or risky deals with friends.
161. wax
increase in phase
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Carols had existed for centuries, though their popularity waxed and waned as different
governments and religious movements periodically declared them sinful.
162. throng
press tightly together or cram
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Deafening cheers rent the air as he landed; hundreds thronged around him to clasp his
hand.
163. venerate
regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe
of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He venerated me like a being descended from an upper world.
164. assail
attack someone physically or emotionally
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His campaign even issued a press release assailing other rivals for, in Mr. Paul’s view,
taking Mr. Romney’s quote about firing people out of context.
165. sublime
of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was uneven, disproportioned, saying ordinary things on great occasions, and now and
then, without the slightest provocation, uttering the sublimest and most beautiful
thoughts.
166. exploit
draw from; make good use of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As humans increasingly exploit the deep seas for fish, oil and mining, understanding how
species are dispersed is crucial, Copley said.
167. exertion
use of physical or mental energy; hard work
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
One day overcome by exertion, she fainted in the street.
168. kindle
catch fire
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Then a match was kindled and fire applied.
169. endow
furnish with an endowment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The grammar school here, founded in 1533, is liberally endowed, with scholarships and
exhibitions.
170. imposed
set forth authoritatively as obligatory
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Arab League has already suspended Syria and imposed economic sanctions.
171. humiliate
cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The letter claims pensioners are too often patronised, humiliated, denied privacy or even
medical treatment.
172. suffrage
a legal right guaranteed by the 15th amendment to the US Constitution; guaranteed to
women by the 19th amendment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There has been a great deal said in this country of late in regard to giving the right of
suffrage to women.
173. ensue
issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An uproar ensued months after the approval, when opponents realized the online
gambling measure had been slipped in.
174. brook
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He walked across the little bridge over the brook and at once his mood changed.
175. gale
a strong wind moving 45-90 knots; force 7 to 10 on Beaufort scale
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The gale was accompanied, as usual, by incessant rain and thick weather, and a heavy
confused sea kept our decks always flooded.
176. muse
reflect deeply on a subject
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Musing about the Big Picture may be a lot more gratifying than focusing on the details of
the specific policies that aren’t working.
177. satire
witty language used to convey insults or scorn
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There’s plenty of humor on Russian television, though not much political satire; Mr.
Putin put a stop to that long ago.
178. intrigue
cause to be interested or curious
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Designing and building models that intrigue and educate without overwhelming has been
challenging.
179. indication
something that serves to indicate or suggest
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Authorities said an autopsy found no indications of foul play or obvious signs of trauma
on Houston.
180. dispatch
send away towards a designated goal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
More than one assassin was dispatched by the Turkish authorities to murder Napoleon.
181. cower
crouch or curl up
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The knaves lowered their weapons and shrank back cowering before him.
182. wont
an established custom
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He made his customary slick feeds to open teammates, but as is their wont, the Nets
struggled at times to convert points on his passes.
183. tract
a system of body parts that together serve some particular purpose
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
When probiotics flourish in the digestive tract, nutrients are better absorbed and bad
bugs are held at bay, research suggests.
184. canon
a collection of books accepted as holy scripture especially the books of the Bible
recognized by any Christian church as genuine and inspired
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For me, all novels of any consequence are literary, and they take their place, high and
low, in the canon of English literature.
185. impel
cause to move forward with force
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some power beyond his comprehension was impelling him toward the neighboring city.
186. latitude
freedom from normal restraints in conduct
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group
setting because their performance allows greater freedom.
187. vacate
leave behind empty; move out of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Their number diminished sharply after Villaraigosa announced last week that he wanted
protesters to vacate the grounds by Monday or be forcibly removed.
188. undertaking
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Let my epitaph be, Here lies Joseph, who was unsuccessful in all his undertakings."
189. slay
kill intentionally and with premeditation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"It were shame," said Lancelot, "for an armed to slay an unarmed man."
190. predecessor
one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Heller fills in the blanks about Taft, overshadowed by colorful predecessor Teddy
Roosevelt.
191. delicacy
the quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This refinement appears in his works, which are full of artistic grace and dainty delicacy.
192. forsake
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"I'm surprised," said Philip, cautiously opening fire, "that you were ever allowed to
forsake your native land."
193. beseech
ask for or request earnestly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Utterly distraught, he ran up and down the bank, hunting for his clothes, calling, crying
out, imploring, beseeching help from somewhere.
194. philosophical
of or relating to philosophy or philosophers
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His arguments, like Einstein’s, were qualitative, verging on highly philosophical.
195. grove
a small growth of trees without underbrush
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Soon after we came to Pasadena, father bought an orange grove of twenty-five acres.
196. frustrate
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Frustrated after two years of missed budget targets, finance chiefs demanded Greek
officials put their verbal commitments into law.
197. illustrious
widely known and esteemed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She will be joining an illustrious list of recipients that include Winston Churchill, Nelson
Mandela, Pope John Paul II and Princess Diana.
198. device
an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
You’ve probably also noticed that the telephone and computer are no longer the only
devices on your employees’ desks.
199. pomp
cheap or pretentious or vain display
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Throughout U.S. history, Americans have been fascinated by royal pomp -- even on a
movie screen.
200. entreat
ask for or request earnestly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Let me go now, please," she entreated, her eyes unable to meet his any longer.
201. impart
transmit (knowledge or skills)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Long before writing and books were in common use, proverbs were the principal means
of imparting instruction.
202. propriety
correct or appropriate behavior
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I felt a trifle doubtful about the propriety of taking a short cut across private grounds,
and said as much.
203. consecrate
render holy by means of religious rites
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The building was consecrated as a Protestant Episcopal church in May, 1814.
204. proceeds
the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His own share in the proceeds was about a hundred thousand dollars.
205. fathom
come to understand
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But after flying for so many years, the idea of hanging up his sparkling wings is hard for
him to fathom.
206. objective
the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The objective was to mobilize students from 18 high schools across the city to provide
community services and inspire others.
207. clad
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A few of the villagers came behind, clad in mourning robes, and bearing lighted tapers.
208. partisan
devoted to a cause or party
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But given the bitter partisan divide in an election year, Democrats said they would never
be able to get such legislation passed.
209. faction
a dissenting clique
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
One faction declared it would begin an armed struggle against the government of the
United States.
210. contrived
artificially formal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In lesser hands the story about a young man who discovers life among the dead could be
impossibly cute and contrived.
211. venerable
impressive by reason of age
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Thus, after much more than two hundred years, the venerable building looks almost as it
did when the first students entered its doors.
212. restrained
not showy or obtrusive
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
By contrast, Mr. Pei’s restrained design took time to claim my attention, particularly
since it sat quietly next door to Saarinen’s concrete gull wings.
213. besiege
harass, as with questions or requests
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He can’t trot down the street without being besieged by paparazzi.
214. manifestation
a clear appearance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Singing and dancing are manifestations of what many Syrians describe as a much
broader cultural flowering.
215. rebuke
an act or expression of criticism and censure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Afterward, the leaders fought court orders to release records showing what they had
done, drawing an uncommonly sharp rebuke from a federal judge.
216. insurgent
in opposition to a civil authority or government
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Free Syrian Army, an insurgent group made of defecting soldiers and based in
southern Turkey, claimed responsibility for both attacks.
217. rhetoric
using language effectively to please or persuade
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His fiery rhetoric in support of limiting cuts to projected defense spending has surprised
and impressed some of Obama's toughest Republican critics.
218. scrupulous
having scruples; arising from a sense of right and wrong; principled
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The reason is that the vast majority of businesses are scrupulous and treat their
employees well.
219. ratify
approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Company officials at Safeway said those replacement workers will remain on standby
until the agreement is ratified by union members.
220. stump
cause to be perplexed or confounded
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Though family members long suspected Evans, a local handyman who frequently hired
local youths, the case stumped investigators for years.
221. discreet
marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sarkozy has attempted to tone down his image, becoming more discreet about his private
life.
222. imposing
impressive in appearance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
These buildings were grand and stylized with intricate details and a bit of an imposing
presence.
223. wistful
showing pensive sadness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She turned toward him, her face troubled, her eyes most wistful.
224. mortify
cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Intensely mortified at this humiliation, the king fell sick, and henceforth his health failed
rapidly.
225. ripple
stir up (water) so as to form ripples
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
That could precipitate higher interest rates that would ripple across the economy.
226. premise
a statement that is assumed to be true and from which a conclusion can be drawn
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Success, real success, comes to the jack of all trades, a major premise handed down from
pioneer days.
227. subside
wear off or die down
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Affliction is allayed, grief subsides, sorrow is soothed, distress is mitigated.
228. adverse
contrary to your interests or welfare
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
High doses can have adverse effects and even cause death.
229. caprice
a sudden desire
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Nobody is really in charge, and decisions are made on whim and caprice.”
230. muster
gather or bring together
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Yet Fox needed all the strength that he could muster.
231. comprehensive
broad in scope
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The United States Army developed a comprehensive plan to address problematic race
relations in the 1970s, recognizing that they were hampering military effectiveness.
232. accede
yield to another's wish or opinion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Therefore he made up his mind to accede to his uncle's desire.
233. fervent
characterized by intense emotion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But, to fervent applause and scattered fist pumps from two sets of worshipers, he pledged
to legally challenge the claims against him.
234. cohere
cause to form a united, orderly, and aesthetically consistent whole
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Two antagonistic values may cohere in the same object.
235. tribunal
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The military has historically been protected from civilian courts, with any crimes
committed by soldiers being decided in closed military tribunals.
236. austere
severely simple
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A certain austere simplicity was noticeable all over Longfellow's house.
237. recovering
returning to health after illness or debility
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“The recovering economy is bringing more people back into the market.
238. stratum
people having the same social, economic, or educational status
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She belonged to the upper stratum of the profession, and, knowing it, could not sink.
239. conscientious
characterized by extreme care and great effort
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A conscientious hostess would be very much mortified if she served chicken out of its
proper course.
240. arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or
caprice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sandra Nurse, a member of Occupy's direct action working group, said police treated
demonstrators roughly and made arbitrary arrests.
241. exasperate
exasperate or irritate
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Shopkeepers, exasperated at the impact of higher taxes and reduced consumer spending,
are planning to close down for the day.
242. conjure
summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Vacation homes typically conjure up dreams of blue skies, pristine sand and crystalline
waters.
243. ominous
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Count's words were so ominous, so full of sinister meaning that for the moment he
felt like crying out with fear.
244. edifice
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They are here erecting a fine stone edifice for an Episcopal Church.
245. elude
escape, either physically or mentally
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But despite racking up world titles, Olympic gold was eluding him.
246. pervade
spread or diffuse through
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An air of intense anticipation pervaded the General’s dining room.
247. foster
promote the growth of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Horne accused the district’s Mexican-American studies program of using an
antiwhite curriculum to foster social activism.
248. admonish
take to task
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Children, children, stop quarrelling, right here in public!" admonished Mrs. Dering, in a
low, shocked tone.
249. repeal
cancel officially
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If Republicans repeal the law, Ms. Schakowsky said, they would be “taking away
benefits that seniors are already getting.”
250. retiring
not arrogant or presuming
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Foster was an extremely modest, unworldly, retiring gentleman.
251. incidental
not of prime or central importance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The models themselves are incidental on “Scouted,” merely empty planets around which
revolve some fascinating characters and plenty more dull ones.
252. acquiesce
to agree or express agreement
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
American officials initially tried to resist President Karzai’s moves but eventually
acquiesced.
253. slew
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In fact, intense focus may be one reason why so-called savants become so extraordinary
at performing extensive calculations or remembering a slew of facts.
254. usurp
seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or
possession
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
More than anything, though, officials expressed concern about reigniting longstanding
Mexican concerns about the United States’ usurping Mexico’s authority.
255. sentinel
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The prisoners undressed themselves as usual, and went to bed, observed by the sentinel.
256. precision
the quality of being reproducible in amount or performance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
At this time, home ranges of small rodents can not be measured with great precision,
therefore any such calculations are, at best, only approximations.
257. depose
force to leave (an office)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Late Wednesday, Mr. Touré, the deposed president, spoke out from hiding for the first
time.
258. wanton
occurring without motivation or provocation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I am not a sentimentalist by any means, yet I abominate wanton cruelty.
259. odium
state of disgrace resulting from detestable behavior
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This was one of the men who bring odium on the whole class of prisoners, and prejudice
society against them.
260. precept
rule of personal conduct
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The law of nature has but one precept, "Be strong."
261. deference
a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Other rules, as indicated in Mr. Collins' book, concerned deportment, and demanded
constant deference to superiors.
262. fray
a noisy fight
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Armed rebels have joined the fray in recent months.
263. candid
openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The actor was candid about his own difficult childhood growing up with alcoholic
parents.
264. enduring
unceasing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
What makes the galumphing hubby such an enduring stock character?
265. impertinent
improperly forward or bold
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Imagine calling a famous writer by his first name—it seemed impertinent, to say the
least.
266. bland
lacking stimulating characteristics; uninteresting
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Many critics were less than enamored with the kind of “easy listening” Mr. Williams
embodied, deriding his approach as bland and unchallenging.
267. insinuate
give to understand
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Good heavens, do you mean to insinuate that I did anything crooked?" said Bojo loudly,
yet at the bottom ill at ease.
268. nominal
insignificantly small; a matter of form only (`tokenish' is informal)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He sought nominal damages of one dollar from each defendant.
269. suppliant
humbly entreating
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The colonists asked for nothing but what was clearly right and asked in the most
respectful and even suppliant manner.
270. languid
lacking spirit or liveliness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Many viewers, bored by the languid pace of the show, tuned out early.
271. rave
praise enthusiastically
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I have heard lots of women simply rave about him.
272. monetary
relating to or involving money
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A hundred years ago, monetary policy – control over interest rates and the availability of
credit – was viewed as a highly contentious political issue.
273. headlong
in a hasty and foolhardy manner
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“They may not be wishing to rush headlong back into the same sort of risks just yet.”
—BusinessWeek (Dec 24, 2010)
274. infallible
incapable of failure or error
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But conductors are no more infallible than other people, and once in a blue moon in
going through a train they miss a passenger.
—Lynde, Francis
275. coax
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He used his most enticing manner and did his best to coax the little animal out again.
—Kay, Ross
276. explicate
elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He urged judges to resist the rigid guidelines and to write opinions explicating their
reasons for doing so.
—New York Times (Jan 22, 2010)
277. gaunt
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Gaunt, starved, and ragged, the men marched northwards, leaving the Touat country
upon their left hand.
—Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)
278. morbid
suggesting the horror of death and decay
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Earlier in the day, however, his demise was watched by spectators with a morbid
fascination.
—New York Times (Aug 16, 2010)
279. ranging
wandering freely
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His detective work is fascinating and wide ranging.
—Seattle Times (Feb 1, 2012)
280. pacify
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
How they pacified him I don’t know, but at the end of two hours he had cooled off
enough to let us go aboard.
—Quincy, Samuel M.
281. pastoral
(used with regard to idealized country life) idyllically rustic
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He made a considerable reputation as an accomplished painter of quiet pastoral subjects
and carefully elaborated landscapes with cattle.
—Various
282. dogged
stubbornly unyielding
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some analysts expect Mr. Falcone, who is known for his dogged determination, to just
continue to limp along while slashing costs.
—New York Times (Feb 15, 2012)
283. ebb
fall away or decline
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Although Gardner’s competitive appetite ebbed after 2004, other cravings did not.
—New York Times (Jan 28, 2012)
284. aide
someone who acts as assistant
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She later found work as a teacher’s aide in a Head Start program in Harlem.
—New York Times (Jan 12, 2012)
285. appease
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The king also has tried to appease public anger over corruption.
—New York Times (Feb 9, 2012)
286. stipulate
specify as a condition or requirement in a contract or agreement; make an express
demand or provision in an agreement
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The mayor has an executive order in place stipulating that all top officials, except those
granted a waiver, live in the city.
—New York Times (Sep 22, 2011)
287. recourse
something or someone turned to for assistance or security
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Bargain hunters and holiday shoppers are bad guys’ favorite targets and have little or no
recourse when shoddy or fake merchandise arrives.
—Forbes (Nov 22, 2011)
288. constrained
lacking spontaneity; not natural
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All his goodness, however, will be of a forced, constrained, artificial, and at bottom
unreal character.
—Hyde, William De Witt
289. bate
moderate or restrain; lessen the force of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“You called her ‘an interfering, disagreeable old woman’!” whispered Bertha with bated
breath, glancing half fearfully at the door as she spoke.
—Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs.
290. aversion
a feeling of intense dislike
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Already my passive dislike had grown into an active aversion.
—Oppenheim, E. Phillips (Edward Phillips)
291. conceit
an artistic device or effect
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An urban panorama is viewed from a high vantage point, a conceit used in topographic
art to render vast perspectives.
—New York Times (Sep 30, 2011)
292. loath
(usually followed by `to') strongly opposed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Friends and political allies are loath to talk about her, knowing the family’s intense
obsession with privacy.
—New York Times (Aug 14, 2011)
293. rampart
an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The night was gloomy, dark, and wet; the soldiers, wearied with watching at the
ramparts, dozed, leaning on their weapons.
—Sienkiewicz, Henryk
294. extort
obtain by coercion or intimidation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The owners, in turn, have called the lawyers shakedown artists bent on ruining their good
reputations to extort money.
—New York Times (Jan 27, 2012)
295. tarry
leave slowly and hesitantly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For two days I tarried in Paris, settling my little property.
—Ford, Paul Leicester
296. perpetrate
perform an act, usually with a negative connotation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Come on it’s just a cruel joke perpetrated by the airline industry.”
—Forbes (Dec 11, 2011)
297. decorum
propriety in manners and conduct
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Wishing to observe the rules of decorum she invited him to stay for supper, though
absolutely nothing had been prepared for a guest.
—Sudermann, Hermann
298. luxuriant
produced or growing in extreme abundance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Her luxuriant curly hair, restrained by no net, but held together simply by a flowering
spray, waved over her shoulders in all its rich abundance.
—Elisabeth Burstenbinder (AKA E. Werner)
299. cant
insincere talk about religion or morals
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It was the familiar cant of the man rich enough to affect disdain for money, and Wade
was not impressed.
—Day, Holman
300. enjoin
give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He turned to beckon the others forward with one hand, while laying the other over his
mouth in a gesture enjoining silence.
—Breckenridge, Gerald
301. avarice
extreme greed for material wealth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The old man's fears were assailed with threats, and his avarice was approached by bribes,
and he very soon capitulated.
—Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
302. edict
a formal or authoritative proclamation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An edict was issued by him forbidding any Christian to give instruction in Greek
literature under any circumstances.
—Lightfoot, J. B.
303. disconcert
cause to lose one's composure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Perplexed and disconcerted, I found no words to answer such an amazing sally.
—Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)
304. symmetry
balance among the parts of something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Even the staging displays symmetry, with actors lined up on either side in formal
precision.
—New York Times (Jan 24, 2011)
305. capitulate
surrender under agreed conditions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Alas, no," said Bergfeld, mournfully, "the day after the battle our brave soldiers were
surrounded by overwhelming forces and obliged to capitulate."
—Meding, Johann Ferdinand Martin Oskar
306. arbitrate
act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Scottish throne was now disputed by many claimants, and the Scots asked Edward to
arbitrate between them.
—Various
307. cleave
separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Instead someone shouts "Go" and he is bearing down on me and almost cleaves my
shield in two with his first blow.
—BBC (Aug 7, 2011)
308. append
add to the very end
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some specimens will appear in the papers appended to this report.
—Various
309. visage
the human face (`kisser' and `smiler' and `mug' are informal terms for `face' and `phiz' is
British)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An honest, quiet laugh often mantled his pale earnest visage.
—Turnbull, Robert
310. horde
a moving crowd
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hordes of puzzled tourists, many with rolling suitcases attached, poured down the
staircases.
—New York Times (Jan 1, 2012)
311. parable
a short moral story (often with animal characters)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In most instances, I have closed my visits by reading some interesting story or parable.
—Frothingham, Octavius Brooks
312. chastise
censure severely
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She remembers an upsetting incident when a headmistress chastised her for working too
much.
—The Guardian (Jan 14, 2011)
313. foil
hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On March 1st, a Turkish newspaper reported that the country's intelligence service had
foiled an attempt by Syrian agents to kidnap the colonel.
—Time (Mar 8, 2012)
314. veritable
often used as intensifiers
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The heavy rain had reduced this low-lying ground to a veritable quagmire, making
progress very difficult even for one as unburdened as he was.
—Putnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)
315. grapple
come to terms with
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But, he said, all coastal communities will have to grapple with rising seas.
—New York Times (Mar 24, 2012)
316. gentry
the most powerful members of a society
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The mode of travel of the gentry was riding horses, but most people traveled by walking.
—Reilly, S. A.
317. pall
a sudden numbing dread
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Residents who fled in recent days spoke of the smell of death and piles of garbage
drifting like snowbanks, casting a pall over the city.
—New York Times (Mar 7, 2012)
318. maxim
a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The maxim "All is fair in love and war" was applied literally.
—Thomson, Basil
319. projection
a prediction made by extrapolating from past observations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Volume is down 25 percent from five years ago, and projections show even further
declines, said Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe.
—New York Times (Mar 22, 2012)
320. prowess
a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While our engineering prowess has advanced a great deal over the past sixty years, the
principles of innovation largely have not.
—Time (Mar 21, 2012)
321. dingy
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Though composed amid the unromantic surroundings of a dingy, dusty, and neglected
back room, the speech has become a memorable document.
—Herndon, William H.
322. semblance
an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was perceptibly older, in the way in which people look older all at once after having
long kept the semblance of youth.
—King, Basil
323. tout
advertize in strongly positive terms
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Testing is being touted as the means of making the U.S. education system competitive,
even world-class.
—Washington Post (Mar 23, 2012)
324. fortitude
strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity with courage
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Leigh Hunt bore himself in his captivity with cheerful fortitude, suffering severely in
health but flagging little in spirits or industry.
—Colvin, Sidney
325. asunder
into parts or pieces
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In 1854, as I have already remarked, Nicaragua was split asunder by civil war.
—Powell, E. Alexander (Edward Alexander)
326. rout
an overwhelming defeat
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It's how Seattle won Sunday's game in Chicago, scoring 31 consecutive second-half
points as an impressive comeback became an overwhelming rout.
—Seattle Times (Dec 19, 2011)
327. staid
characterized by dignity and propriety
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was prim and staid and liked to do things in an orderly fashion.
—Doyle, A. Conan
328. beguile
influence by slyness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I can no longer remain silent in the presence of the schemers who seek to beguile you.
—Bolanden, Conrad von
329. purport
have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Of course, none of these purported medical benefits have any grounding in science.
—Scientific American (Jan 28, 2012)
330. deprave
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The people who make up this typical Gorky offering are drunkards, thieves, depraved
creatures of every kind.
—Kilmer, Joyce
331. bequeath
leave or give by will after one's death
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
No matter how often she changed her will, she told me, that diamond pin was always
bequeathed to me.
—Wells, Carolyn
332. enigma
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Tails are often an enigma; many creatures have them, but scientists know little about
their function, particularly for extinct species.
—Science Magazine (Jan 4, 2012)
333. assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He's an assiduous diary-keeper and regularly rereads ancient entries to check up on
himself.
—The Guardian (Jul 17, 2010)
334. vassal
a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And what was of still greater importance, he could only obtain taxes and soldiers from
among the vassals, by the consent of their feudal lords.
—Freytag, Gustav
335. quail
draw back, as with fear or pain
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He quailed before me, and forgetting his new part in old habits, muttered an apology.
—Weyman, Stanley John
336. outskirts
outlying areas (as of a city or town)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ms. Waters talked about how she had spent the day at an organic farm on the outskirts of
Beijing looking at vegetables for the dinner.
—New York Times (Nov 14, 2011)
337. bulwark
a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a
beach from washing away
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The cliffs are of imposing height, nearly three hundred feet: a formidable bulwark.
—White, Walter
338. swerve
an erratic deflection from an intended course
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
However, I was not going to swerve from my word.
—Johnstone, James Johnstone, chevalier de
339. gird
prepare oneself for a military confrontation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Protesters are girding for another police raid as several City Council members have
called on protesters to leave.
—Washington Post (Nov 11, 2011)
340. betrothed
pledged to be married
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We are not betrothed'—her eyes filled with tears,—'he can never marry me; and he and
my father have quarrelled.
—Fleming, George
341. prospective
of or concerned with or related to the future
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Most prospective homesteaders make the same mistake I did in buying horses, unless
they are experienced.
—Micheaux, Oscar
342. advert
make reference to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the family circle it was rarely adverted to, and never except when some allusion to the
approaching separation had to be made.
—Werner, E. T. C. (Edward Theodore Chalmers)
343. peremptory
not allowing contradiction or refusal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This time it was not a request but a peremptory order to go at once to Cuba and
undertake the work.
—Johnson, Willis Fletcher
344. rudiment
the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He retraced his steps, and came to Cape Girardeau, in Missouri, where he remained some
time, acquiring the rudiments of the English language.
—Anonymous
345. deduce
reason by deduction; establish by deduction
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They then used models of global wind circulation to deduce which dust sources have
become stronger and which weaker.
—Economist (Jan 6, 2011)
346. halting
fragmentary or halting from emotional strain
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“I so much love cricket,” he said, shyly, in halting English.
—New York Times (Feb 22, 2012)
347. ignominy
a state of dishonor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After all, we love nothing better than seeing the powerful and formerly smug dragged
across the front pages in ignominy.
—Time (Jun 7, 2011)
348. ideology
an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Bill O’Reilly and others picked up on the theme, summing up left-wing ideology as “San
Francisco values.”
—Slate (Jan 19, 2012)
349. pallid
lacking in vitality or interest or effectiveness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But too often the music sounded thin and pallid.
—New York Times (Apr 25, 2010)
350. chagrin
strong feelings of embarrassment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But he was feeling deeply chagrined and mortified over his last escapade.
—White, Fred M. (Fred Merrick)
351. obtrude
thrust oneself in as if by force
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She had no right to obtrude herself into his life and to disturb it.
—Packard, Frank L. (Frank Lucius)
352. audacious
disposed to venture or take risks
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In an audacious operation that unfolded like a Hollywood thriller, the Navy Seals
executed a daring raid deep into Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden.
—New York Times (Sep 4, 2011)
353. construe
make sense of; assign a meaning to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But nothing that was said Tuesday can be construed as good news.
—Washington Post (Sep 14, 2011)
354. ford
cross a river where it's shallow
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sometimes they drive their teams through unsettled country, without roads, swimming
and fording streams, clearing away obstructions, and camping where night overtakes
them.
—Folsom, William Henry Carman
355. repast
the food served and eaten at one time
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Fragrant coffee, light rolls, fresh butter, ham and eggs, fried crocuses and soft crabs,
formed the repast.
—Reid, Mayne
356. stint
an unbroken period of time during which you do something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He found his unionized warehouse job after a stint working for his father, an accountant.
—New York Times (Mar 21, 2012)
357. fresco
a mural done with watercolors on wet plaster
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The little church has an ancient fresco of St. Christopher, placed, as usual, opposite the
entrance.
—Conybeare, Edward
358. dutiful
willingly obedient out of a sense of duty and respect
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Perhaps he thinks an engaged young lady should be demure and dutiful, having no eyes
or ears for any one except her betrothed.
—Harland, Marion
359. hew
make or shape as with an axe
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They bought a log chain, and lumber for a door; the window frames were hewed from
logs.
—Daughters of the American Revolution. Nebraska
360. parity
functional equality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
How many of the world’s problems would be solved, or at least greatly reduced, if
women had true parity with men?
—New York Times (Dec 15, 2011)
361. affable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was well liked and respected in these islands, for his affable manners had obtained for
him much popularity.
—Various
362. interminable
tiresomely long; seemingly without end
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All was going well, but slowly, the time taken for the last few feet seeming to be
interminable.
—Cumberland, Barlow
363. pillage
steal goods; take as spoils
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In addition great material losses were inflicted: seven hundred houses were destroyed, six
hundred stores pillaged, and thousands of families utterly ruined.
—Straus, Oscar S.
364. foreboding
a feeling of evil to come
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Harding had strong forebodings that the trouble, so far from being ended, was only
just beginning.
—Marsh, Richard
365. rend
tear or be torn violently
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the distance heavy artillery was growling, and high explosive shells were bursting with
a violence that seemed to rend the sky.
—Tracy, Louis
366. livelihood
the financial means whereby one lives
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
With businesses shut, fields untended and fishing abandoned many have lost their
livelihoods as well as their homes, our correspondent says.
—BBC (Apr 15, 2011)
367. deign
do something that one considers to be below one's dignity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
To Mr. Gompers' courteous letter Czar Gary did not deign to reply.
—Foster, William Z.
368. capricious
determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Her admirers were capricious, returning to her at times, and then holding aloof again;
and as for suitors, they entirely disappeared.
—Schubin, Ossip
369. stupendous
so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The fact was so stupendous that Terry felt almost frightened over the great good fortune.
—Sabin, Edwin L. (Edwin Legrand)
370. chaff
material consisting of seed coverings and small pieces of stem or leaves that have been
separated from the seeds
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The wheat, being heavy, falls, while the chaff is blown away.
—Starr, Frederick
371. innate
not established by conditioning or learning
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In other words, one of our most essential abilities as humans--reading--is the product of a
combination of innate and learned traits.
—Time (Dec 9, 2011)
372. reverie
an abstracted state of absorption
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He stood still, seemingly lost in reverie, and quite oblivious to the group about him.
—Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude)
373. wrangle
to quarrel noisily, angrily or disruptively
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Here were many fierce and bitter wrangles over vexed questions, turbulent scenes,
displays of sectional feelings.
—Raymond, Evelyn
374. crevice
a long narrow opening
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The disruptive power of tree roots, growing in the crevices of rocks, is well known.
—Various
375. ostensible
appearing as such but not necessarily so
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This already-exhaustive book is studded with diary entries, academic papers and other
ostensible evidence that its fictitious stories of destruction are true.
—New York Times (Jun 6, 2010)
376. craven
lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Was it for them to follow the craven footsteps of a cowardly generation?
—Robinson, Victor
377. vestige
an indication that something has been present
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Now, there was no vestige of vegetation; no living thing.
—Hopkins, William John
378. plumb
examine thoroughly and in great depth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Tellingly, Ms. Liao said she had great difficulty finding three actors willing to plumb
their own personalities.
—New York Times (Jun 1, 2011)
379. reticent
temperamentally disinclined to talk
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
No questions were asked, and few indeed were the words spoken, his reticent manner
preventing any undue familiarity.
—Maclean, John
380. propensity
an inclination to do something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A longtime colleague, Gate Theatre director Michael Colgan, noted Kelly's old-school
charms, punctuated by his propensity for bow ties and smart suits.
—Seattle Times (Feb 15, 2012)
381. chide
censure severely or angrily
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He chided reporters as having “stalked” family members, demanding that his relatives be
left alone.
—New York Times (Nov 8, 2011)
382. espouse
choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He said Islam should not be equated with terrorism or the kind of violence espoused by
Bin Laden.
—Reuters (May 2, 2011)
383. raiment
especially fine or decorative clothing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Clothed in fine raiment and faring sumptuously every day, he soon developed into a
handsome lad.
—Oxley, J. Macdonald (James Macdonald)
384. intrepid
invulnerable to fear or intimidation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There are some very courageous and intrepid reporters in Afghanistan, including some
who work for American media outlets.
—Salon (Apr 5, 2010)
385. seemly
according with custom or propriety
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Baron was less conscientious, for he ate more beefsteak than was seemly, and talked
a great deal of stupid nonsense, as was his wont.
—Hoffmann, Ernst Theordor Wilhelm
386. allay
lessen the intensity of or calm
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Our boy was scared and confused; we tried to allay his fears.
—New York Times (Mar 30, 2012)
387. fitful
occurring in spells and often abruptly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She had lost her composure, her breath came in fitful, uneven gasps, and as she sat there
she pressed one hand over her heart.
—Davis, Owen
388. erode
become ground down or deteriorate
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Another report today showed home prices fell more than forecast in November, eroding
the wealth of families as they seek to rebuild savings.
—BusinessWeek (Jan 31, 2012)
389. unaffected
free of artificiality; sincere and genuine
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His conversation was unaffectedly simple and frank; his language natural; always
abounding in curious anecdotes.
—Conway, Moncure Daniel
390. canto
a major division of a long poem
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Folengo’s next production was the Orlandino, an Italian poem of eight cantos, written in
rhymed octaves.
—Various
391. docile
easily handled or managed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Time and again humans have domesticated wild , producing tame individuals with softer
appearances and more docile temperaments, such as dogs and guinea pigs.
—Scientific American (Jan 25, 2012)
392. patronize
treat condescendingly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ms. Paul herself noted that “glib talk about appreciating dyslexia as a ‘gift’ is unhelpful
at best and patronizing at worst.”
—New York Times (Feb 6, 2012)
393. teem
be teeming, be abuzz
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The coast, once teeming with traffic, is now lonely and deserted.
—Mahaffy, J. P.
394. estrange
arouse hostility or indifference in where there had formerly been love, affection, or
friendliness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An atmosphere of distrust, suspicion and fear can cause workers to feel estranged from
one another, Dr. Wright has written.
—New York Times (Jan 28, 2012)
395. spat
a quarrel about petty points
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Public spats are rare in the asset-management industry, where companies typically
resolve disputes behind closed doors.
—BusinessWeek (Sep 16, 2011)
396. warble
sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Meadow larks, as you have undoubtedly noticed, warble many different songs.
—Barrett, R. E.
397. mien
dignified manner or conduct
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Nevertheless, before going to meet Samuel, she assumed a calm and dignified mien.
—Kraszewski, Jo?zef Ignacy
398. sate
fill to satisfaction
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His appetite was not sated by any means, but he knew the danger of overloading his
stomach, so he stopped.
—Dewey, Edward Hooker
399. constituency
the body of voters who elect a representative for their area
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Each posited that the blue-collar Democratic constituency rooted in the New Deal had
grown increasingly conservative, alienated from “big government.”
—New York Times (Jan 14, 2012)
400. patrician
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Respectable ladies, long resident, wearing black poke bonnets and camel's-hair shawls,
lifted their patrician eyebrows with disapproval.
—Brooks, Charles Stephen
401. parry
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The boys asked a few guarded questions, but gained no information whatever, their
questions being parried in every instance.
—Mears, James R.
402. practitioner
someone who practices a learned profession
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In particular, modern medical practitioners are coming around to the idea that certain
illnesses cannot be reduced to one isolatable, treatable cause.
—Nature (Dec 21, 2011)
403. ravel
disentangle
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Overcasting is done by taking loose stitches over the raw edge of the cloth, to keep it
from ravelling or fraying.
—Ontario. Ministry of Education
404. infest
occupy in large numbers or live on a host
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Many lived in dilapidated apartments with leaky pipes, broken windows, rooms full of
mold, and walls infested with cockroaches and rats.
—New York Times (Jul 28, 2011)
405. actuate
give an incentive for action
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He knew that men were actuated by other motives, good and bad, than self-interest.
—Blease, Walter Lyon
406. surly
inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But Blake, being surly and quarrelsome even when sober, gave the lapel a savage jerk,
and reached out with his other hand.
—Chisholm, A. M. (Arthur Murray)
407. convalesce
get over an illness or shock
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Patients convalescing from pneumonia were evacuated to England or given Base Duty.
—Jahns, Lewis E.
408. demoralize
lower someone's spirits; make downhearted
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The storm clobbered many communities still recovering from the flooding two months
ago caused by Hurricane Irene, leaving weary homeowners exhausted and demoralized.
—Washington Post (Nov 1, 2011)
409. devolve
grow worse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As the rhetoric heated up inside, the violence outside devolved into chaos.
—Time (Feb 13, 2012)
410. alacrity
liveliness and eagerness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Every one exerted himself not only without murmuring and discontent, but even with an
alacrity which almost approached to cheerfulness.
—Kippis, Andrew
411. waive
do without or cease to hold or adhere to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Low rates have also led retail brokerages to waive fees on money market funds to avoid
negative returns for their clients.
—Reuters (Jan 13, 2012)
412. unwonted
out of the ordinary
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He must rush off to see his people, who no doubt were quite confounded by his
unwonted energy.
—Speed, Nell
413. seethe
be in an agitated emotional state
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Outwardly quite calm and matter-of-fact, his mind was in a seething turmoil.
—Douglas, Hudson
414. scrutinize
to look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Fans and commentators are scrutinizing every blemish: his turnovers, his weak left hand,
his jump shot.
—New York Times (Mar 5, 2012)
415. diffident
lacking self-confidence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Shyly diffident in the presence of strangers, her head was lowered.
—Packard, Frank L. (Frank Lucius)
416. execrate
curse or declare to be evil or anathema or threaten with divine punishment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
When all Great Britain was execrating Napoleon, picturing him as a devil with horns and
hoofs, Byron looked upon him as the world's hero.
—Hubbard, Elbert
417. implacable
incapable of being placated
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This man was a savage in his implacable desire for revenge.
—Kelly, Florence Finch
418. pique
a sudden outburst of anger
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A talented youngster who smashes his guitar in a fit of pique finds it magically
reassembled just in time for a crucial concert.
—The Guardian (May 31, 2010)
419. mite
a slight but appreciable amount
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I never saw anybody so pleased with monkeys as she is, and not one mite afraid.
—Raymond, Evelyn
420. encumber
hold back
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Two others were making slower progress for the reason that each was encumbered by
supporting a disabled man.
—Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
421. uncouth
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He had not stopped to consider her rough speech and uncouth manners.
—Johnston, Annie F. (Annie Fellows)
422. petulant
easily irritated or annoyed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The black eyes emitted an angry flash, the voice that answered was sharp and petulant.
—Fleming, May Agnes
423. expiate
make amends for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Wulphere was absolved on condition that he should expiate his crime by founding
churches and monasteries all over his kingdom.
—Clifton, A. B.
424. cavalier
given to haughty disregard of others
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some would have given Nicklaus a cavalier response: polite nod while thinking, “Yeah,
whatever.”
—New York Times (Jun 18, 2011)
425. banter
light teasing repartee
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Our easy banter had suddenly been replaced by strained and awkward interaction.
—Slate (Feb 15, 2012)
426. bluster
act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Slade, despite his swaggers and blustering, was at heart a coward.
—Landon, Herman
427. debase
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Long oppression had not, on the whole, either blunted their intellects or debased their
morals.
—Adler, Felix
428. retainer
a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This faithful and trusted retainer is greatly valued by his employers.
—Black, Helen C.
429. subjugate
make subservient; force to submit or subdue
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Confederacy was led by thoroughgoing racists who wanted to keep blacks
subjugated for all time because of the color of their skin.
—Slate (Apr 7, 2010)
430. extol
praise, glorify, or honor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
How I praised the duck at that first dinner, and extolled Madame's skill in cookery!
—Warren, Arthur
431. fraught
filled with or attended with
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But the ocean remains an unpredictable place, fraught with hazards.
—Scientific American (Apr 5, 2012)
432. august
profoundly honored
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
At all times reserved in his manner and his bearing full of dignity, never before had she
realized the majesty of General Washington’s august presence.
—Madison, Lucy Foster
433. fissure
a long narrow depression in a surface
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The brown bark is not very rough, though its numerous fissures and cracks give it a
rugged appearance.
—Step, Edward
434. knoll
a small natural hill
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Opened in 2008, the park serves as a true public space; elderly couples stroll around the
artificial lake as toddlers roll down grassy knolls.
—New York Times (May 7, 2010)
435. callous
emotionally hardened
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Outwardly merry and good-humoured, he was by nature coldly fierce, calculating,
callous.
—Wingfield, Lewis
436. inculcate
teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But instruction in history has been for a long time systematically used to inculcate
certain political sentiments in the pupils.
—Liebknecht, Karl Paul August Friedrich
437. nettle
cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Lincoln began these remarks by good-humored but nettling chaffing of his opponent.
—Various
438. blanch
turn pale, as if in fear
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He is silent, as if struck dumb, his face showing blanched and bloodless, while she utters
a shriek, half terrified, half in frenzied anger.
—Reid, Mayne
439. inscrutable
of an obscure nature
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The fashion industry is notoriously opaque and often inscrutable for outsiders, even ones
as well connected as him.
—Seattle Times (Oct 1, 2011)
440. tenacious
stubbornly unyielding
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She was a tenacious woman, one who would even hold fast a thing which she no longer
valued, simply because it belonged to her.
—Morris, Clara
441. thrall
the state of being under the control of another person
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Then Kiss commenced in earnest, and quickly held his audience in thrall.
—Farjeon, Benjamin Leopold
442. exigency
a pressing or urgent situation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The exigency of the situation roused Mr. Popkiss' sluggish faculties into prompt action.
—Magnay, William
443. disconsolate
sad beyond comforting; incapable of being consoled
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Was there a bereaved mother or disconsolate sister weeping over their dead?
—Steward, T. G. (Theophilus Gould)
444. impetus
a force that moves something along
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Critics say it has known mixed success at best, although supporters hope the U.S.
drawdown could provide just the impetus it needs to thrive.
—Reuters (Jan 10, 2012)
445. imposition
an uncalled-for burden
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On that far-away day he had considered the little, lost girl a nuisance and an imposition.
—Chisholm, A. M. (Arthur Murray)
446. auspices
kindly endorsement and guidance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In March 2009, negotiations between Israel and Hamas were held in Cairo, under the
auspices of the Egyptian intelligence agency.
—New York Times (Nov 9, 2011)
447. sonorous
full and loud and deep
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His voice rang out firmly now, a deep and sonorous bass.
—Bedford-Jones, H.
448. exploitation
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In a scathing report released last year, Amnesty International found there was widespread
exploitation of migrants in Malaysia.
—BBC (Apr 4, 2011)
449. bane
something causing misery or death
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Knee pain is the bane of many runners, sometimes causing them to give up altogether.
—Seattle Times (Jun 7, 2010)
450. dint
interchangeable with `means' in the expression `by means of'
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If only certain puzzles could be solved by dint of sheer hard thinking!
—Marsh, Richard
451. ignominious
(used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The great Ottawa chief saw his partially accomplished scheme withering into
ignominious failure.
—Rudd, John
452. amicable
characterized by friendship and good will
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After a short colloquy the two men evidently came to an amicable understanding, for
they shook hands.
—Kraszewski, Jo?zef Ignacy
453. onset
the beginning or early stages
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Thousands of families are living in makeshift camps as temperatures fall to freezing with
the onset of winter.
—New York Times (Nov 10, 2011)
454. conservatory
a schoolhouse with special facilities for fine arts
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The young instrumental talent that is coming out of local music schools and
conservatories is as amazingly good as you are going to find anywhere.
—Chicago Tribune (Jun 1, 2011)
455. zenith
the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere
against which celestial bodies appear to be projected
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In other words it never reaches the zenith, a point directly overhead.
—George H. Lowery.
456. voluble
marked by a ready flow of speech
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I find him charming: shy – yet easy to talk to – voluble and funny once he gets going.
—The Guardian (Aug 21, 2010)
457. yeoman
in former times was free and cultivated his own land
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On one extreme was the well-to-do yeoman farmer farming his own land.
—Reilly, S. A.
458. levity
a manner lacking seriousness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The same balance of seriousness and levity runs through her plays, which put an
absurdist spin on everyday problems.
—New York Times (May 7, 2010)
459. rapt
feeling great rapture or delight
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She was watching the development of the investigation with rapt, eager attention.
—Mitford, Bertram
460. sultry
characterized by oppressive heat and humidity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics arrive just as school sports
ramp up in sultry August temperatures.
—Washington Post (Aug 9, 2011)
461. pinion
bind the arms of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The prisoners having dismounted, were placed in a line on the ground facing the
guillotine, their arms pinioned.
—Various
462. axiom
(logic) a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof; its truth is assumed to be
self-evident
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The fundamental axiom of scientific thought is that there is not, never has been, and
never will be, any disorder in nature.
—Huxley, Thomas H.
463. descry
catch sight of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Looking off seaward, I could descry no sails.
—Drake, Samuel Adams
464. retinue
the group following and attending to some important person
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Despite his retinue of security personnel, Atambaev had been poisoned during his short
tenure as prime minister.
—Salon (Apr 9, 2010)
465. functionary
a worker who holds or is invested with an office
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was the functionary of the assize court, impaneling its juries, bringing accused men
before it, and carrying out its penalties.
—Reilly, S. A.
466. imbibe
take in liquids
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"We're cornered at last," he said suddenly, as the old man set the bottle down after having
imbibed the best half of its contents.
—Douglas, Hudson
467. diversified
having variety of character or form or components; or having increased variety
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Funds in both categories tend to be highly diversified, typically with 100 or more stocks
across at least 10 industries.
—Wall Street Journal (Feb 24, 2012)
468. maraud
raid and rove in search of booty
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Its reporter says armed gangs and looters are marauding the streets.
—BBC (Apr 8, 2011)
469. grudging
petty or reluctant in giving or spending
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Expect delays, scattered outages and surly, grudging customer service in the interim.
—Time (Aug 30, 2011)
470. partiality
a predisposition to like something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She still showed a partiality for bright colors, by her gown of deep crimson.
—Sage, William
471. philology
the humanistic study of language and literature
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I had determined to study philology, chiefly Greek and Latin, but the fare spread out by
the professors was much too tempting.
—Müller, F. Max (Friedrich Max)
472. wry
humorously sarcastic or mocking
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She also has a very understated but very wry sense of humour; watch out for it.
—The Guardian (Oct 13, 2010)
473. caucus
meet to select a candidate or promote a policy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Representative Ron Paul of Texas isn’t campaigning in Florida, instead focusing on
Maine, which will caucus in late February.
—BusinessWeek (Feb 1, 2012)
474. permeate
spread or diffuse through
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Florida’s summertime heat permeates almost every scene, becoming something like a
character.
—New York Times (Mar 13, 2012)
475. propitious
presenting favorable circumstances; likely to result in or show signs of success
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
With the Athens stock market down nearly 30 percent so far this year, it would not seem
a propitious time for initial public offerings.
—New York Times (Jun 2, 2010)
476. salient
having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Bullying has become an increasingly salient problem for school-age children, and in rare
cases has ended tragically with victims committing suicide.
—Reuters (Feb 8, 2012)
477. propitiate
make peace with
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
King Edward, having subdued the Welsh, “endeavoured to propitiate his newly acquired
subjects by becoming a resident in the conquered country.
—Frith, William Powell
478. excise
remove by cutting
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Wielding a razor, Jefferson excised all passages containing supernaturalistic elements
from the gospels, extracting what he took to be Jesus's pure ethical teachings.
—The Guardian (Apr 8, 2011)
479. betoken
be a signal for or a symptom of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The haggard face and sombre eyes betokened considerable mental anguish.
—Young, F.E. Mills
480. palatable
acceptable to the taste or mind
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If nicely cooked in this way, cabbage is as palatable and as digestible as cauliflower.
—Ronald, Mary
481. upbraid
express criticism towards
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
When Kahn warned of a serious economic "depression", he was upbraided by the White
House for using such language.
—The Guardian (Jan 12, 2011)
482. renegade
someone who rebels and becomes an outlaw
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If he went off to another people he lost all standing among the Sioux and was thereafter
treated as an outlaw and a renegade.
—Robinson, Doane
483. hoary
ancient
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The device of the trapped young person saved by books is a hoary one, but Ms.
Winterson makes it seem new, and sulfurous.
—New York Times (Mar 8, 2012)
484. pedantic
marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The reader is treated to pedantic little footnotes, and given a good deal of information
which is either gratuitous or uninteresting.
—Hay, Ian
485. coy
showing marked and often playful or irritating evasiveness or reluctance to make a
definite or committing statement
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It was funny watching such a solid person, based in faith and education, grow a trifle coy
about the year of his birth.
—New York Times (Jul 11, 2010)
486. troth
a solemn pledge of fidelity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She had pledged to him her troth, and she would not attempt to go back from her pledge
at the first appearance of a difficulty.
—Trollope, Anthony
487. encroachment
entry to another's property without right or permission
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The move may mark yet another attempt by France to rein in what it sees as the
encroachment of online services on the country's culture.
—BusinessWeek (Jan 8, 2010)
488. belie
be in contradiction with
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"It is a fine morning," he said, taken aback by my sudden movement, but affecting an
indifference which the sparkle in his eye belied.
—Weyman, Stanley John
489. armada
a large fleet
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
An armada of three hundred ships manned by eighteen thousand marines assembled in
the bay on their way to the conquest of Algiers.
—Douglas, Frances
490. succor
assistance in time of difficulty
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Given his health woes, succession worries and persistent isolation, Mr. Kim may simply
be seeking succor from what may be his last friend on earth.
—New York Times (May 5, 2010)
491. imperturbable
not easily perturbed or excited or upset; marked by extreme calm and composure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ordinarily imperturbable, even in the face of unexpected situations, he was now visibly
agitated.
—Griggs, Sutton E. (Sutton Elbert)
492. irresolute
uncertain how to act or proceed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I stood for a moment before I entered on my arduous undertaking, irresolute and
hesitating, swayed by two conflicting impulses.
—Waugh, Joseph Laing
493. knack
a special way of doing something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He had a special knack of hunting out farm houses, engaging madame in conversation,
and coming away with bread, eggs, or cheese in his knapsack.
—Price, Lucien
494. unseemly
not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The square mile's upbeat mood may strike some as unseemly at a time of national gloom.
—The Guardian (Jan 1, 2011)
495. accentuate
to stress, single out as important
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This sparkling marvel lies modestly nestled among the law courts, whose plainer modern
buildings serve but to accentuate its wonderful beauty.
—Sherrill, Charles Hitchcock
496. divulge
make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or
that was meant to be kept a secret
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She hectors her children not to divulge personal information like phone numbers online.
—Seattle Times (Nov 15, 2011)
497. brawn
possessing muscular strength
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He believes Hollywood has often have had an over-reliance on physical brawn as the
deciding factor for portraying a strong man.
—Reuters (Jul 9, 2010)
498. burnish
polish and make shiny
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Great cleanliness is enforced in all that belongs to a lighthouse, the reflectors and lenses
being constantly burnished, polished, and cleansed.
—Whymper, Frederick
499. palpitate
beat rapidly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After supper my heart started racing, palpitating like a tick.
—Isaacson, Lauren Ann
500. promiscuous
not selective of a single class or person
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A promiscuous assembly had gathered there—men of all creeds and opinions—and an
"open-air" meeting was in progress.
—Whitney, Orson F.
501. dissemble
make believe with the intent to deceive
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Pictures have always dissembled – there are millions of snaps of miserable families
grinning bravely – but now they directly lie.
—The Guardian (Dec 4, 2010)
502. flotilla
a fleet of small craft
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She was guarded by a flotilla of boats equipped with satellites, Global Positioning
System devices, advanced navigation systems and shark shields.
—New York Times (Aug 11, 2011)
503. invective
abusive or venomous language used to express blame or censure or bitter deep-seated ill
will
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There's much more name-calling, shouting and personal invective in American life than
anywhere I've ever traveled outside the United States.
—Washington Post (Jan 15, 2011)
504. hermitage
the abode of a hermit
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All the rest of their time is passed in solitude in their hermitages, which are built quite
separate from one another.
—Various
505. despoil
destroy and strip of its possession
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Wherever his lordship's army went, plantations were despoiled, and private houses
plundered.
—Campbell, Charles
506. sully
make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Why sully the reputation of an otherwise fascinating online community with really
deeply questionable, troubling content?
—Forbes (Feb 13, 2012)
507. malevolent
having or exerting a malignant influence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
So you don’t believe in evil, as an actual malevolent force?
—New York Times (Oct 28, 2011)
508. irksome
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It was pretty irksome passing the time in his enforced prison, and finally Andy went to
sleep.
—Webster, Frank V.
509. prattle
speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She prattled on about the gossip of the town until Penny and her father were thoroughly
bored.
—Clark, Joan
510. subaltern
inferior in rank or status
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The careful commanding officer of a regiment discourages his young subalterns from
taking leave to Hill Stations.
—Casserly, Gordon
511. welt
a raised mark on the skin (as produced by the blow of a whip); characteristic of many
allergic reactions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But red, itchy welts typically appear within 24 to 48 hours of being bitten.
—US News (Nov 23, 2010)
512. wreak
cause to happen or to occur as a consequence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The burden of paying for college is wreaking havoc on the finances of an unexpected
demographic: senior citizens.
—Washington Post (Apr 1, 2012)
513. tenable
based on sound reasoning or evidence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
First, it is no longer really tenable – and in fact a bit disrespectful – to call a country like
China an emerging economy.
—The Guardian (Feb 18, 2011)
514. inimitable
defying imitation; matchless
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Leave aside Spain, where Barcelona breeds its own, inimitable style, and the answer
might be that we are rushing toward uniformity.
—New York Times (Sep 26, 2010)
515. depredation
(usually plural) a destructive action
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Wild elephants abound and commit many depredations, entering villages in large herds,
and consuming everything suitable to their tastes.
—Various
516. amalgamate
to bring or combine together or with something else
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Where two weak tribes amalgamated into one, there it exceptionally happened that two
closely related dialects were simultaneously spoken in the same tribe.
—Engels, Friedrich
517. immutable
not subject or susceptible to change or variation in form or quality or nature
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We are mistaken to imagine a work of literature is or should be immutable, sculpted in
marble and similarly impervious to change.
—The Guardian (May 27, 2010)
518. proxy
a person authorized to act for another
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ideally, everybody over 18 should execute a living will and select a health care proxy —
someone to represent you in medical matters.
—New York Times (Jan 17, 2011)
519. dote
shower with love; show excessive affection for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He doted on him, just dearly loved him, and thought he could do no wrong,” Kredell
said.
—Washington Post (Oct 17, 2011)
520. reactionary
extremely conservative
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Old people are often accused of being too conservative, and even reactionary.
—Chinard, Gilbert
521. rationalism
the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Offering a religious rationale for policy goals threatens what for many has become the
cherished principle of secular rationalism in public life.
—Salon (Apr 24, 2011)
522. endue
give qualities or abilities to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
To say the least of it, he was endued with sufficient intelligence to acquire an ordinary
knowledge of such matters.
—Various
523. discriminating
showing or indicating careful judgment and discernment especially in matters of taste
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Jobs’ Apple specializes in delighting the most discriminating, hard-to-please customers.
—Forbes (Oct 12, 2011)
524. brooch
a decorative pin worn by women
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Upon her breast she wore a brooch of gold set with many precious stones.
—Butler, Pierce
525. pert
characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Her pert, lively manner said she hadn't taken any wooden nickels lately.
—Schoenherr, John
526. disembark
go ashore
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The immigrants disembarked from their ships tired and underfed—generally in poor
health.
—Hughes, Thomas Proctor
527. aria
an elaborate song for solo voice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ms. Netrebko sang an elegantly sad aria with lustrous warmth, aching vulnerability and
floating high notes.
—New York Times (Sep 27, 2011)
528. trappings
(usually plural) accessory wearing apparel
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They were caparisoned in Indian fashion with gay colors and fancy trappings.
—Roy, Lillian Elizabeth
529. abet
assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Since YouTube, digital culture has aided and enhanced -- or maybe the better word is
abetted -- the celebrity meltdown," said Wired magazine senior editor Nancy Miller.
—Reuters (Mar 9, 2011)
530. clandestine
conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For Jordan, this is a clandestine relationship it would much prefer to have kept secret.
—BBC (Jan 5, 2010)
531. distend
swell from or as if from internal pressure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some kids said LaNiyah's distended abdomen looked like she was carrying a baby.
—Seattle Times (Apr 7, 2011)
532. glib
having only superficial plausibility
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The other sort of engineer understands that glib comparisons between computers and
humans don't do justice to the complexities of either.
—Forbes (Jul 22, 2010)
533. pucker
to gather something into small wrinkles or folds
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Godmother,' she went on, puckering her forehead again in perplexity, 'it almost feels like
feathers.
—Molesworth, Mrs. (Mary Louisa)
534. rejoinder
a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Not at all!" was Aunt Susannah's brisk rejoinder.
—Various
535. spangle
adornment consisting of a small piece of shiny material used to decorate clothing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Magdalen's garments are rich with spangles; her mantle is scarlet; she has flowers in her
luxuriant tresses, and looks a vain creature.
—O'Shea, John Augustus
536. blighted
affected by blight; anything that mars or prevents growth or prosperity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hudec, whose career has been blighted by knee injuries and operations, won for the first
time in more than four years.
—New York Times (Feb 4, 2012)
537. nicety
conformity with some esthetic standard of correctness or propriety
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They accepted the invitation; but Mrs. Rowlandson did not appreciate the niceties of
Indian etiquette.
—Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)
538. aggrieve
infringe on the rights of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Some fallout appears evident in donations from Wall Street executives, who feel
particularly aggrieved by Mr. Obama’s criticisms and policies.
—New York Times (Feb 20, 2012)
539. vestment
gown (especially ceremonial garments) worn by the clergy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And then a priest, arrayed in all his vestments, came in at the open door, and the prince
and princess exchanged rings, and were married.
—Glinski, A. J.
540. urbane
showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social
experience
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Polished, urbane and gentlemanly—his manners were calculated to refine all around
him.
—Judson, L. Carroll
541. defray
bear the expenses of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The legislation also calls for $1.6 billion in spending cuts to help defray the disaster
costs.
—Washington Post (Sep 26, 2011)
542. spectral
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hawthorne’s figures are somewhat spectral; they lack flesh and blood.
—Merwin, Henry Childs
543. munificent
very generous
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They have shown themselves very loving and generous lately, in making a quite
munificent provision for his traveling.
—Carlyle, Thomas
544. dictum
an authoritative declaration
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In other words, they seemed fully subscribed to Andy Warhol’s dictum that business art
is the best art.
—New York Times (Dec 10, 2011)
545. fad
an interest followed with exaggerated zeal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
According to Chinese media, the hottest new fad in China involves selling small liveanimal
key chains.
—Time (Apr 5, 2011)
546. scabbard
a sheath for a sword or dagger or bayonet
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Drawing his own sabre from its scabbard, he pointed to a stain on it, saying, "This is the
blood of an Englishman."
—Reed, Helen Leah
547. adulterate
corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by
replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Shady dealers along the supply chain frequently adulterate olive oil with low-grade
vegetable oils and add artificial coloring.
—New York Times (Dec 7, 2011)
548. beleaguer
annoy persistently
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Rock concert ticket sales dropped sharply last year, sounding another sour note for the
beleaguered music industry.
—The Guardian (Dec 30, 2010)
549. gripe
complain
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If America is going to gripe about the yuan’s rate, then China will complain about the
dollar’s role.
—Economist (Jan 20, 2011)
550. remission
an abatement in intensity or degree (as in the manifestations of a disease)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After a few hours there is a remission of the pain, slight perspiration takes place, and the
patient may fall asleep.
—Various
551. exorbitant
greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Soon, stories began trickling across the Atlantic of crazed fans paying exorbitant sums to
get into London gigs.
—Slate (Oct 10, 2011)
552. invocation
the act of appealing for help
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
These dances are prayers or invocations for rain, the crowning blessing in this dry land.
—Roosevelt, Theodore
553. cajole
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hamilton, however, was not to be cajoled into friendliness by superficial compliment.
—Fisher, Harrison
554. inclusive
including much or everything; and especially including stated limits
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We are going to adhere to our basic programing strategy of nonpartisan information
inclusive of all different points of view.
—Reuters (Sep 27, 2010)
555. interdict
command against
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Failing to satisfy his examiners, he was interdicted from practice, but ignored the
prohibition, and suffered more than one imprisonment in consequence.
—Worley, George
556. abase
cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ashamed, abased, degraded in his own eyes, he turned away his head.
—Caine, Hall, Sir
557. obviate
do away with
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Comfortable sleeping-cars obviate the necessity of stopping by the way for bodily rest,
provided the traveller be physically strong and in good health.
—Ballou, Maturin Murray
558. hurtle
move with or as if with a rushing sound
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The hurricane was expected to hit Washington in the early hours of Sunday before
hurtling toward New York City.
—Reuters (Aug 27, 2011)
559. unanimity
everyone being of one mind
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On all other points of colonial policy, Mackenzie declared, people would be found to
differ, but as regards the post office there was absolute unanimity.
—Smith, William, Sir
560. mettle
the courage to carry on
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The deployment will also test the emotional mettle of soldiers and their families.
—New York Times (Jun 26, 2010)
561. interpolate
insert words into texts, often falsifying it thereby
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Most scholars agree that these lines are interpolated, since they do not fit in with the rest
of the poem.
—Various
562. surreptitious
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He noticed that the peddler was eying the bag Scotty had picked up, and was trying to be
surreptitious about it.
—Goodwin, Harold L. (Harold Leland)
563. dissimulate
hide (feelings) from other people
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
From infancy these people have been schooled to dissimulate and hide emotion, and
ordinarily their faces are as opaque as those of veteran poker players.
—Kephart, Horace
564. ruse
a deceptive maneuver (especially to avoid capture)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Overseas criminals use elaborate ruses, including phony websites, to trick job-seekers
into helping transfer stolen funds.
—BusinessWeek (Aug 4, 2011)
565. specious
plausible but false
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
You might be tempted to think of the biggest airline as the one with the most aircraft, but
capacity differences make this reasoning specious.
—Salon (May 6, 2010)
566. revulsion
intense aversion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After a first instinctive cry of horrified revulsion, the men reached down under water
with their hands and drew out—a corpse.
—Livingston, Arthur
567. hale
exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
From a hearty, hale, corn-fed boy, he has become pale, lean, and wan.
—Adams, Abigail
568. palliate
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Divisions and inequalities persist, but government can palliate their effects with hard
cash.
—The Guardian (Aug 14, 2010)
569. obtuse
lacking in insight or discernment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The affair had been mentioned so plainly that it was impossible for the most dense and
obtuse person not to have understood the allusion.
—Brazil, Angela
570. querulous
habitually complaining
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was, at times, as querulous as a complaining old man.
—Williams, Ben Ames
571. vagary
an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's
behavior, etc.)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Today such acquisitions are more likely to stay put, destined to survive both market
fluctuations and the vagaries of style.
—New York Times (Sep 29, 2010)
572. incipient
only partly in existence; imperfectly formed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Above all, medical teams will need to establish quick surveillance to identify health
needs and pinpoint incipient outbreaks before they explode.
—Time (Jan 13, 2010)
573. obdurate
stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Several appeared deeply affected, with tears of repentance standing in their eyes, others
sullen and obdurate.
—Huth, Alexander
574. grovel
show submission or fear
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The two young men who drove them had fallen flat and were grovelling and wailing for
mercy.
—Mitford, Bertram
575. refractory
stubbornly resistant to authority or control
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Beyond them the gardener struggled with a refractory horse that refused to draw his load
of brush and dead leaves.
—Bacon, Josephine Dodge Daskam
576. dregs
sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Right got to go," Ali says, draining the dregs of his beer.
—BBC (Feb 25, 2012)
577. ascendancy
the state that exists when one person or group has power over another
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But in a few days he had secured an almost incredible ascendancy over the sullen,
starved, half-clothed army.
—Various
578. supercilious
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A supercilious, patronizing person—son of a wretched country parson—used to loll
against the wall of your salon—with his nose in the air.
—Pinero, Arthur Wing, Sir
579. pundit
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Pundits of agricultural science explore the sheds, I believe, the barns, stables, machinerooms,
and so forth, before inspecting the crops.
—Boyle, Frederick
580. commiserate
to feel or express sympathy or compassion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We had spent countless hours together drinking wine and commiserating about childrearing,
long Wisconsin winters and interrupted sleep.
—New York Times (Mar 24, 2011)
581. alcove
a small recess opening off a larger room
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They showed him where he would sleep, in a little closet-like alcove screened from the
big room by a gay curtain.
—Wilson, Harry Leon
582. assay
make an effort or attempt
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He decided to assay one last project before giving up.
—New York Times (Mar 30, 2012)
583. parochial
narrowly restricted in outlook or scope
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But Republicans in Pennsylvania also have narrower and more parochial things to worry
about.
—New York Times (Sep 17, 2011)
584. conjugal
of or relating to marriage or to the relationship between a wife and husband
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They even had conjugal visits for prisoners — five hours in a private room every three
months with your wife.
—New York Times (Nov 23, 2010)
585. abjure
formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief, usually under pressure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The caste abstain from liquor, and some of them have abjured all flesh food while others
partake of it.
—Russell, R. V. (Robert Vane)
586. frieze
an architectural ornament consisting of a horizontal sculptured band between the
architrave and the cornice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All the doorways mentioned above have cornices, and in those at Palmyra and Baalbec
richly carved friezes with side corbels.
—Various
587. ornate
marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Unlike his literary icon, Herman Melville, he doesn’t adorn his writing with ornate
flourishes or complicated scaffolding.
—Scientific American (Dec 20, 2011)
588. inflammatory
arousing to action or rebellion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We don't know whether inflammatory language or images can incite the mentally ill to
commit acts of violence.
—Time (Jan 13, 2011)
589. machination
a crafty and involved plot to achieve your (usually sinister) ends
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was continued a member of Congress until 1777 when his enemies succeeded in their
long nursed machinations against him.
—Judson, L. Carroll
590. mendicant
a pauper who lives by begging
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In others are the broken-down mendicants who live on soup-kitchens and begging.
—Ritchie, J. Ewing (James Ewing)
591. meander
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They paused beside one of the low stone walls that meandered in a meaningless fashion
this way and that over the uplands.
—Vance, Louis Joseph
592. bullion
gold or silver in bars or ingots
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In times of economic turmoil, more people tend to invest in bullion gold.
—Washington Post (Mar 30, 2012)
593. diffidence
lack of self-confidence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His grave diffidence and continued hesitation in offering an opinion confirmed me in my
own.
—Froude, James Anthony
594. makeshift
done or made using whatever is available
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The house was still under construction, so he climbed up a ladder being used as a
makeshift stairway, fell and injured his leg.
—New York Times (Apr 12, 2012)
595. husbandry
the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The U.S. can take a lesson from Denmark, which has efficiently raised livestock without
hurting farmers, by using better animal husbandry practices.
—Scientific American (Mar 22, 2011)
596. podium
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Leyva beamed as he stood atop the podium, nodding as the American flag was raised and
“The Star-Spangled Banner” played in his honor.
—New York Times (Oct 22, 2011)
597. dearth
an insufficient quantity or number
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A continuing dearth of snow in many U.S. spots usually buried by this time of year has
turned life upside down.
—Washington Post (Jan 5, 2012)
598. granary
a storehouse for threshed grain or animal feed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Here is where he does his husking, and the "clear corn" produced is stored away in some
underground granary till It is needed.
—Seton, Ernest Thompson
599. whet
make keen or more acute
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While he described the fishing as “pretty good,” the silver salmon running in the creek
only whetted his appetite to return to Alaska.
—Washington Post (Aug 17, 2011)
600. imposture
pretending to be another person
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He got somebody to prosecute him for false pretences and imposture, on the ground that
Madame was a man.
—Leland, Charles Godfrey
601. diadem
an ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I dethrone monarchs and the people rejoicing crown me instead, showering diadems
upon my head.
—Tilney, Frederick Colin
602. fallow
undeveloped but potentially useful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Several new prostate cancer drugs have been approved in the last couple of years, after a
long fallow period, and others are in advanced development.
—New York Times (Nov 3, 2011)
603. hubbub
loud confused noise from many sources
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There was some good-humoured pushing and thrusting, the drum beating and the church
bells jangling bravely above the hubbub.
—Weyman, Stanley J.
604. dispassionate
unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The commission sitting by, judicial, dispassionate, presided with cold dignity over the
sacrifice, and pronounced it good.
—Candee, Helen Churchill Hungerford, Mrs.
605. harrowing
extremely painful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Belgium found itself in turmoil as hundreds of people came forward to offer harrowing
accounts of abuse over several decades.
—New York Times (Jan 16, 2012)
606. askance
with suspicion or disapproval
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A secret marriage in these days would be looked upon askance by most people.
—Wood, Mrs. Henry
607. lancet
a surgical knife with a pointed double-edged blade; used for punctures and small
incisions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His left arm was held by the second physician, while the chief surgeon bent over it,
lancet in hand.
—Hay, Marie, Hon. (Agnes Blanche Marie)
608. rankle
gnaw into; make resentful or angry
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was feeling more like himself now, though the memory of the bully’s sneering words
rankled.
—Chadwick, Lester
609. ramify
have or develop complicating consequences
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Cometary science has ramified in unexpected ways during the last hundred years.
—Various
610. gainsay
take exception to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
That Whitman entertained a genuine affection for men and women is, of course, too
obvious to be gainsaid.
—Rickett, Arthur
611. polity
a politically organized unit
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
China needs a polity that can address its increasingly sophisticated society, and to
achieve that there must be political reform, Mr. Sun said.
—New York Times (Mar 21, 2012)
612. credence
the mental attitude that something is believable and should be accepted as true
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Well-known brand names that promote new products receive more credence than
newcomers that people don't know about."
—US News (Oct 6, 2010)
613. indemnify
make amends for; pay compensation for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She put her affairs in order and left instructions that those whom she had unwittingly
wronged should be indemnified out of her private fortune.
—Butler, Pierce
614. ingratiate
gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He became kindly and coaxing, leaning across the table with an ingratiating smile.
—King, Basil
615. declivity
a downward slope or bend
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In this frightful condition, the hunter grappled with the raging beast, and, struggling for
life, they rolled together down a steep declivity.
—Goodrich, Samuel G. (Samuel Griswold)
616. importunate
expressing earnest entreaty
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The young man was then passionately importunate in the protestations of his love.
—Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
617. passe
out of fashion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
My friend is very keen on the new crowd; everything else he declares is "passe."
—Holliday, Robert Cortes
618. whittle
cut small bits or pare shavings from
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Tad followed, whittling on a stick with his knife and kicking at the shavings as they fell.
—Kjelgaard, James Arthur
619. repine
express discontent
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Those poor fellows above, accustomed to the wild freshness and freedom of the sea, how
they must mourn and repine!
—O'Shea, John Augustus
620. flay
strip the skin off
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Once at the moose and hastily flaying the hide from the steaming meat my attention
became centered on the task.
—Sinclair, Bertrand W.
621. larder
a small storeroom for storing foods or wines
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Goncalves’s larder holds staples like beefsteak, salt cod, sardines, olives, artichokes,
hot and sweet peppers and plenty of garlic.
—New York Times (Feb 18, 2011)
622. threadbare
having the nap worn away so that the threads show through
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They were all poor folk, wrapped in threadbare cloaks or tattered leather.
—Brackett, Leigh Douglass
623. grisly
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Television video showed a heavily damaged building and a grisly scene inside, with
clothing and prayer mats scattered across a blood-splattered floor.
—New York Times (Aug 19, 2011)
624. untoward
not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Responding to criticism that cash payments are a classic means of tax evasion, he said he
had done nothing untoward.
—New York Times (Aug 2, 2011)
625. idiosyncrasy
a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
One of his well-known idiosyncrasies was that he would never allow himself to be
photographed.
—Le Queux, William
626. quip
make jokes or quips
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"I could have joined the FBI in a shorter period of time and with less documentation than
it took to get that mortgage," she quipped.
—Reuters (Oct 13, 2010)
627. blatant
without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There was no blatant display of wealth, and every article of furniture bore signs of long
though careful use.
—Bull, Charles Livingston
628. stanch
stop the flow of a liquid
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She did not attempt to stanch her tears, but sat looking at him with a smiling mouth,
while the heavy drops fell down her cheeks.
—Stockley, Cynthia
629. incongruity
the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hanging out wet clothes and an American flag at the North Pole seemed an amusing
incongruity.
—Cook, Frederick A.
630. perfidious
tending to betray; especially having a treacherous character as attributed to the
Carthaginians by the Romans
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The perfidious Italian at length confessed that it was his intention to murder his master,
and then rob the house.
—Billinghurst, Percy J.
631. platitude
a trite or obvious remark
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But details are fuzzy and rebel leaders often resort to platitudes when dismissing
suggestions of discord, saying simply that "Libya is one tribe."
—Wall Street Journal (Jun 20, 2011)
632. revelry
unrestrained merrymaking
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But all this revelry — dancing, drinks, exuberant youth — can be hard to manage.
—New York Times (Jun 3, 2010)
633. delve
turn up, loosen, or remove earth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
So she did what any reporter would do: she delved into the scientific literature and talked
to investigators.
—New York Times (Dec 27, 2010)
634. extenuate
lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Prosecutors often spend time weighing mitigating and extenuating circumstances before
deciding to seek the death penalty.
—Washington Post (Oct 15, 2011)
635. polemic
a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Would it be a polemic that denounced Western imperialism for using cinema to
undermine emerging nations like Kazakhstan?
—New York Times (Oct 4, 2010)
636. enrapture
hold spellbound
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I was delighted, enraptured, beside myself--the world had disappeared in an instant.
—Spielhagen, Friedrich
637. virtuoso
someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Each of the seven instrumentalists was a virtuoso in his own right and had ample
opportunity to prove it, often in long, soulful solos.
—New York Times (May 3, 2010)
638. glower
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A moment later he would collapse, sit glowering in his chair, looking angrily at the
carpet.
—Hecht, Ben
639. mundane
found in the ordinary course of events
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Now, it would seem, that the Chinese are getting back to their everyday concerns, paying
attention to events more mundane and less cataclysmic.
—New York Times (Mar 20, 2012)
640. fatuous
devoid of intelligence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They're too stupid, for one thing; they go on burning houses and breaking windows in
their old fatuous way.
—McKenna, Stephen
641. incorrigible
impervious to correction by punishment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She scolded and lectured her sister in vain; Cynthia was incorrigible.
—Various
642. postulate
maintain or assert
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In fact, when Einstein formulated his cosmological vision, based on his theory of
gravitation, he postulated that the universe was finite.
—Scientific American (Jul 26, 2011)
643. gist
the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The syntax was a little off, even comical at times, but I got the gist of what was going on.
—Time (May 6, 2010)
644. vociferous
conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The complaints grew so loud and vociferous that even President Obama was forced to
address the backlash from Lisbon on Saturday.
—New York Times (Nov 23, 2010)
645. purvey
supply with provisions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And we will agree also to purvey food for these horses and people during nine months.
—Villehardouin, Geoffroi de
646. baleful
deadly or sinister
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“But he is dead,” put in Fanning, wondering at the baleful expression of hatred that had
come into the man’s face.
—Burnham, Margaret
647. gibe
laugh at with contempt and derision
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
So much did their taunts prey upon him that he ran away from school to escape their
gibes.
—Hubbard, Elbert
648. dyspeptic
irritable as if suffering from indigestion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
One may begin with heroic renunciations and end in undignified envy and dyspeptic
comments outside the door one has slammed on one's self.
—Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
649. prude
a person excessively concerned about propriety and decorum
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Criticising high-profile programmes about teenage sex education often means risking
being written off as a prude.
—The Guardian (Feb 11, 2011)
650. luminary
a celebrity who is an inspiration to others
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Founded in 1947, the group's members have included such luminaries as Walt Disney,
Spencer Tracy and another American president, Ronald Reagan.
—Seattle Times (Apr 11, 2011)
651. amenable
disposed or willing to comply
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He, Jean Boulot, being so amenable to sensible argument, would at once fall in with his
views.
—Wingfield, Lewis
652. willful
habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I crossed my arms like a willful child.
—New York Times (Aug 18, 2011)
653. overbearing
having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"True; but——" "Just so," interrupted Mr. Fauntleroy, in his decisive and rather
overbearing manner.
—Wood, Mrs. Henry
654. dais
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The throne was elevated on a dais of silver steps.
—Tracy, Louis
655. automate
make automatic or control or operate automatically
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And because leap seconds are needed irregularly their insertion cannot be automated,
which means that fallible humans must insert them by hand.
—Economist (Jan 12, 2012)
656. enervate
weaken mentally or morally
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The reviewers have enervated men’s minds, and made them indolent; few think for
themselves.
—Rossetti, William Michael
657. wheedle
influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
On one level, I expected incessant flattery in attempts to wheedle equipment or even
money from American forces.
—New York Times (Aug 16, 2010)
658. gusto
vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The audience, surprisingly large given the inclement weather, responded with gusto,
applauding each song, including those within the Shostakovich cycle.
—New York Times (Mar 2, 2010)
659. bouillon
a clear seasoned broth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The meat soups are called broths, bouillon, or consommé, according to their richness.
—Ronald, Mary
660. omniscient
infinitely wise
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Robbe-Grillet responds that his work is in fact far less objective than the godlike,
omniscient narrator who presides over so many traditional novels.
—The Guardian (May 13, 2010)
661. apostate
not faithful to religion or party or cause
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They are atheist conservatives — Mr. Khan an apostate to his family’s Islamic faith, Ms.
Mac Donald to her left-wing education.
—New York Times (Feb 18, 2011)
662. carrion
the dead and rotting body of an animal; unfit for human food
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Habitually his diet is not carnivorous, but he will eat at times either carrion or living
flesh.
—Reid, Mayne
663. emolument
compensation received by virtue of holding an office or having employment (usually in
the form of wages or fees)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As the TUC has pointed out, those incomes – except for senior executives, whose
emoluments seem to know few bounds – are rising more slowly than prices.
—The Guardian (Jan 8, 2011)
664. ungainly
lacking grace in movement or posture
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Thomas looked up furtively and saw that an ungainly human figure with crooked legs
was being led into the church.
—Gogol, Nikolai Vasilievich
665. impiety
unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
That, however, is unbelief, extreme impiety, and a denial of the most high God.
—Bente, F. (Friedrich)
666. decadence
the state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But there are people who really do not want to import what they regard as Western
decadence, especially public drunkenness.
—BBC (Jun 11, 2011)
667. homily
a sermon on a moral or religious topic
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In his New Year's homily, the pope said "words were not enough" to bring about peace,
particularly in the Middle East.
—Reuters (Jan 2, 2011)
668. avocation
an auxiliary activity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Unlike many retired doctors, whom he says often have no life outside their profession, he
always knew sailing would become his avocation.
—Newsweek (Nov 17, 2010)
669. circumvent
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Bloomberg said he would take several steps to circumvent obstacles to his proposals
posed by city labor unions.
—New York Times (Jan 12, 2012)
670. syllogism
deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is derived from two premises
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The conclusions arrived at by means of syllogisms are irresistible, provided the form be
correct and the premises be true.
—Webster, W. F. (William Franklin)
671. collation
assembling in proper numerical or logical sequence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the case of early printed books or manuscripts, which are often not paged, special
knowledge is needed for their collation.
—Rooke, Noel
672. haggle
wrangle (over a price, terms of an agreement, etc.)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Obama said while officials can haggle over the makeup of spending cuts, the policy
issues have no place in the measure.
—BusinessWeek (Apr 6, 2011)
673. waylay
wait in hiding to attack
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sir Samuel Clithering was not, of course, a member of it; but he lurked about outside and
waylaid us as we went in.
—Birmingham, George A.
674. savant
someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Frank had studied something of almost everything and imagined himself a savant.
—Roussel, John
675. cohort
a group of people having approximately the same age
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The current cohort of college students is, as many have pointed out, the first truly digital
generation.
—Washington Post (Dec 1, 2011)
676. unction
excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"You couldn't ask too much of me," he returned, with no unction of flattery, but the
cheerfully frank expression of an ingenuous heart.
—Ogden, George W. (George Washington)
677. adjure
command solemnly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“I adjure thee,” she said, “swear to me that you will never go near those Christians again
or read their books.”
—Pennell, T. L. (Theodore Leighton)
678. acrimony
a rough and bitter manner
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Relations with India have been slowly improving, although talks ended in acrimony last
July with the two sides indulging in a public spat over Kashmir.
—BBC (Feb 10, 2011)
679. clarion
loud and clear
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“He has been the single, clarion voice for commuter rail in central Florida for 20 years,”
said Mayor Ken Bradley of Winter Park.
—New York Times (Jun 27, 2011)
680. turbid
(of liquids) clouded as with sediment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The thick turbid sea rolled in, casting up mire and dirt from its depths.
—Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie
681. cupidity
extreme greed for material wealth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Well educated, but very corrupt at heart, he found in his insatiable cupidity many ways
of gaining money.
—Kraszewski, Jozef Ignacy
682. disaffected
discontented as toward authority
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The financial crisis, largely caused by banker incompetence, has created legions of
disaffected customers.
—Forbes (Sep 15, 2011)
683. preternatural
surpassing the ordinary or normal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In fact, they regarded the Spaniards as superior beings endowed with preternatural gifts.
—Gilson, Jewett Castello
684. eschew
avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Morrissey is among those seniors who are eschewing nursing homes in favor of
independent living.
—Washington Post (Mar 23, 2012)
685. expatiate
add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned
way, usually in writing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He then expatiated on his own miseries, which he detailed at full length.
—Manzoni, Alessandro
686. didactic
instructive (especially excessively)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Let us have a book so full of good illustrations that didactic instruction shall not be
needed.
—Various
687. sinuous
curved or curving in and out
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In origami parlance, Mr. Joisel was a wet-folder, dampening his paper so that he could
coax it into sinuous curves.
—New York Times (Oct 20, 2010)
688. rancor
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The current session of Parliament has so far produced only rancor, as opposition parties
have shut down proceedings with angry, theatrical protests against corruption.
—New York Times (Aug 14, 2011)
689. puissant
powerful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The ship was not fighting now, but yielding—a complacent leviathan held captive by a
most puissant and ruthless enemy.
—Tracy, Louis
690. homespun
characteristic of country life
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His rural, homespun demeanor ordinarily might elicit snickers from India’s urban elite.
—New York Times (Aug 18, 2011)
691. embroil
force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But Mr. Marbury, often embroiled in controversy during his N.B.A. days, seems to have
found some measure of peace in China.
—New York Times (Apr 1, 2012)
692. pathological
caused by or evidencing a mentally disturbed condition
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Fixated individuals" — mentally ill people with a pathological focus on someone, often
a stranger — make up the first group.
—Time (Apr 26, 2011)
693. resonant
characterized by resonance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His eyes were piercing but sad, his voice grand and resonant, suiting well the wrathful,
impassioned Calvinism of his sermons.
—Barr, Amelia Edith Huddleston
694. libretto
the words of an opera or musical play
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In many great operas, composers have had to whittle down an epic literary work into a
suitable libretto.
—New York Times (Mar 6, 2010)
695. flail
move like a flail; thresh about
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Exercise is prescribed, but when she joins an aqua aerobics class, she flails
embarrassingly.
—New York Times (Apr 12, 2012)
696. bandy
discuss lightly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hillary Clinton’s name has been bandied about, but she’s made it clear she’s not
interested.
—Time (Mar 20, 2012)
697. gratis
costing nothing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Would you admit them gratis?" asked Mr. Castlemaine with a smile, "or would they
have to pay, like ordinary residents in an hotel?"
—Hocking, Joseph
698. upshot
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The inevitable upshot of their growing social power was that brands wanted an expanded
visual presence.
—The Guardian (Jul 27, 2010)
699. aphorism
a short pithy instructive saying
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
General Sherman's famous aphorism that "War is Hell," has become classic.
—Fletcher, Samuel H.
700. redoubtable
worthy of respect or honor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Captain Miles Standish was a redoubtable soldier, small in person, but of great activity
and courage.
—Mann, Henry
701. corpulent
excessively fat
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Obesity is very common, but chiefly among the women, who while still quite young often
become enormously corpulent.
—D'Anvers, N.
702. benighted
lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I alone was magnificently and absurdly aware—everyone else was benightedly out of it.
—James, Henry
703. sententious
abounding in or given to pompous or aphoristic moralizing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He is the village wise man; very sententious; and full of profound remarks on shallow
subjects.
—Irving, Washington
704. cabal
a clique (often secret) that seeks power usually through intrigue
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Supposedly, see, there's this global cabal of scientists conspiring to bring about socialist
one-world government.
—Salon (Jul 7, 2010)
705. paraphernalia
equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation or sport
etc.
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It's outfitted with cricket bats and other antique sports paraphernalia.
—Seattle Times (Sep 27, 2011)
706. vitiate
make imperfect
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His talent in writing is vitiated by his affectation and other faults.
—Blair, Emma Helen
707. adulation
servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And celebrities get all this adulation for something that is not about character, it's about
talent.
—Salon (Jan 10, 2011)
708. quaff
to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Meanwhile the officers under the tree had got served, and, cups in hand, were quaffing
joyously.
—Reid, Mayne
709. unassuming
not arrogant or presuming
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Parr's conduct after his most heroic actions was thoroughly modest and unassuming.
—Greely, Adolphus W.
710. libertine
a dissolute person; usually a man who is morally unrestrained
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Still, Mr. Awlaki was neither among the most conservative Muslim students nor among
the libertines who tossed aside religious restrictions on drinking and sex.
—New York Times (May 8, 2010)
711. maul
injure badly by beating
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Hundreds of concert goers were mauled as they left by what The New York Times called
“bands of roving youths.”
—New York Times (Aug 17, 2011)
712. adage
a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is
taken as true by many people
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
So he focuses on the fans and embraces the adage, “Living well is the best revenge.”
—New York Times (Mar 25, 2011)
713. expostulation
the act of expressing earnest opposition or protest
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He even believed he saw visions with his own bodily eyes, and no expostulations of his
friends could drive this belief out of his head.
—Hoffmann, E. T. A. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus)
714. tawdry
tastelessly showy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It was a tawdry affair, all Cupids and cornucopias, like a third-rate wedding cake.
—Wilde, Oscar
715. trite
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The subject—a deathbed scene—might seem at first sight to be a trite and common one.
—Lancey, Magdalene de
716. hireling
a person who works only for money
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Why should I?—a mere police detective, who had been hired to do a service and paid for
it like any other hireling.
—Hanshew, Thomas W.
717. ensconce
fix firmly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Though she is firmly ensconced in a writing career, Ms. Freud, 48, said that in the early
days she missed acting terribly.
—New York Times (Oct 30, 2011)
718. egregious
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“These offenses are very serious, even egregious,” the judge said.
—Washington Post (Sep 12, 2011)
719. cogent
powerfully persuasive
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His thesis was too cogent, and appealed too powerfully to all classes of the Upper
Canada community, to be anything but irresistible.
—Morison, J. L. (John Lyle)
720. incisive
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A half-hour of informed and incisive questioning by Mr. Russert would have demolished
Mr. Trump.
—New York Times (May 1, 2011)
721. errant
straying from the right course or from accepted standards
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As the crowd voiced its displeasure, the referees made sure Wisconsin got the ball, but
pass was errant and rolled out of bounds at midcourt.
—Seattle Times (Feb 28, 2012)
722. sedulous
marked by care and persistent effort
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sedulous attention and painstaking industry always mark the true worker.
—Calhoon, Major A.R.
723. incandescent
characterized by ardent emotion or intensity or brilliance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Kirkwood's anger cooled apace; at worst it had been a flare of passion—incandescent.
—Vance, Louis Joseph
724. derelict
in deplorable condition
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Others are clustered under a tin awning by a derelict railway station or in similarly rundown
school buildings.
—Time (Jan 5, 2011)
725. entomology
the branch of zoology that studies insects
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
From the department of entomology you expect to learn something about the
troublesome insects, which are so universal an annoyance.
—Latham, A. W.
726. execrable
unequivocally detestable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But minds were so overexcited at the time that the parties mutually accused each other,
on all occasions, of the most execrable crimes.
—Imbert de Saint-Amand, Arthur Léon, baron
727. sluice
pour as if from a sluice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
At 4:15 p.m., as the rain was sluicing off roofs in sheets, the firemen moved the trucks to
higher ground.
—New York Times (Aug 31, 2011)
728. moot
of no legal significance (as having been previously decided)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The statement from Hermitage said even in the Soviet period no defendant had been tried
after death, when charges were generally considered moot.
—New York Times (Feb 7, 2012)
729. evanescent
tending to vanish like vapor
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Time seems stopped but it is moving on, and every glimmer of light is evanescent,
flitting.
—The Guardian (Apr 15, 2010)
730. vat
a large open vessel for holding or storing liquids
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The cream remains in the large vat about twenty-four hours before it is churned.
—Chamberlain, James Franklin
731. dapper
marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Thoroughly dapper, he took off his black-and-white pinstriped suit jacket — with its
pocket-square flair — and weaved in and out among them, his voice ever rising.
—New York Times (Jan 22, 2011)
732. asperity
harshness of manner
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All this proceeds from the old man, whose proper character it is to be angry and bitter,
and to exhibit rancor and asperity.
—Arndt, Johann
733. flair
a natural talent
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In fact, while Lamarr qualified as an inventive genius for her artistic flair, she fell
somewhat short on her scientific acumen.
—Slate (Nov 28, 2011)
734. mote
(nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He took his discharge out of his pocket, brushed every mote of dust from the table, and
spread the document before their eyes.
—Auerbach, Berthold
735. circumspect
heedful of potential consequences
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Obama administration officials argue that new regulations are forcing insurers to be more
circumspect about raising rates.
—New York Times (Sep 27, 2011)
736. inimical
not friendly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Hindu idea is that so long as justice and equity characterise a king’s rule, even beasts
naturally inimical are disposed to live in friendship.
—Kingscote, Mrs. Howard
737. apropos
of an appropriate or pertinent nature
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I found myself thinking vaguely about things that were not at all apropos to the situation.
—Stockley, Cynthia
738. gruel
a thin porridge (usually oatmeal or cornmeal)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He says, keep them on just two pints of Indian-meal gruel—by which he appears to mean
thin hasty pudding—a day, and no more.
—Alcott, William A. (William Andrus)
739. gentility
elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This was no rough bully of the seas; Carew's bearing and dandified apparel bespoke
gentility.
—Springer, Norman
740. disapprobation
an expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as wrong or morally culpable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr Ruthven shook his head and declared that he regarded the conduct of her persecutors
with grave moral disapprobation.
—Wheeler, E.J.
741. cameo
engraving or carving in low relief on a stone (as in a brooch or ring)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The trinket was a small round cameo cut out of mother-of-pearl and set in gold; it
represented St. George and the dragon.
—J?kai, M?r
742. gouge
obtain by coercion or intimidation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Shortages also have raised concerns about higher prices and gouging by wholesale drug
companies that obtain supplies of hard-to-get drugs and jack up the costs.
—Seattle Times (Jan 20, 2012)
743. oratorio
a musical composition for voices and orchestra based on a religious text
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mendelssohn had no sooner completed his first oratorio, "St. Paul," than he began to
think about setting another Bible story to music.
—Edwards, Frederick George
744. inclement
(of weather or climate) severe
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Be prepared for inclement weather and possible ice and snow on park roads.
—Seattle Times (Oct 16, 2011)
745. scintilla
a tiny or scarcely detectable amount
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Gardner "never expressed one scintilla of remorse for his attack upon the victim" despite
overwhelming evidence, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo.
—Salon (Mar 3, 2010)
746. confluence
a flowing together
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And indeed, before the 13th century, there was an extraordinary confluence of genius
and innovation, particularly around Baghdad.
—New York Times (Dec 28, 2010)
747. squalor
sordid dirtiness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
What can be expected of human beings, crowded in such miserable habitations, living in
filth and squalor, and often pinched with hunger?
—Field, Henry M. (Henry Martyn)
748. stricture
severe criticism
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While gratefully accepting the generous praises of our friends, we must briefly reply to
some strictures by our critics.
—Stanton, Elizabeth Cady
749. emblazon
decorate with heraldic arms
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His coat of arms was emblazoned on the cover.
—Mason, A. E. W. (Alfred Edward Woodley)
750. augury
an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This is always an encouraging sign, and an augury of success.
—Alger, Horatio
751. abut
lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It depicts a mountain landscape near Kingston, a historic town abutting the Hudson
River.
—New York Times (Jan 8, 2010)
752. banal
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Highly dramatic incidents are juxtaposed with comparatively banal ones; particular
attention is given to tales of doomed love affairs.
—New York Times (Dec 4, 2011)
753. congeal
become gelatinous
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Boil down the syrup to half its original quantity, but take care that it does not boil long
enough to congeal or become thick.
—Baru?, Sulpice
754. pilfer
make off with belongings of others
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Many young people scavenge for reusable garbage, living on proceeds from pilfered
construction material and other recyclables.
—Seattle Times (Feb 8, 2012)
755. malcontent
a person who is discontented or disgusted
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Now, unfortunately, some malcontents among the hands here have spread their ideas,
and a strike has been called.
—Maitland, Robert
756. sublimate
direct energy or urges into useful activities
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They might instead have passionate friendships, or sublimate their urges into other
pursuits.
—New York Times (Jun 4, 2010)
757. eugenic
pertaining to or causing improvement in the offspring produced
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Eugenics was aimed at creating a better society by filtering out people considered
undesirable, ranging from criminals to those imprecisely designated as “feeble-minded.”
—Washington Post (Aug 1, 2011)
758. lineament
the characteristic parts of a person's face: eyes and nose and mouth and chin
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The tears stood in Muriel's eyes, and her face was very pale, but serenity marked every
lineament.
—Davidson, John
759. firebrand
someone who deliberately foments trouble
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But Hassan is not some teenage firebrand hurling rocks; he’s a slight, graying scholar
committed to peace.
—New York Times (Jun 9, 2011)
760. fiasco
a sudden and violent collapse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Stuttgart protests became a national fiasco in late September, when protesters
clashed with police wielding batons and water cannons.
—Newsweek (Dec 14, 2010)
761. foolhardy
marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Many mistakes—extravagant purchases, foolhardy investments—are made in the first
months after a windfall.
—Wall Street Journal (Feb 24, 2012)
762. retrench
tighten one's belt; use resources carefully
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But there was only one way open to me at present—and that was to retrench my
expenses.
—Caine, Hall, Sir
763. ulterior
lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed (especially being kept in the background
or deliberately concealed)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Shop window displays may help prettify shopping thoroughfares, but any savvy retailer
has the ulterior motive of self promotion.
—BBC (Feb 3, 2010)
764. equable
not varying
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His must have been that calm, equable temperament not easily ruffled, which goes with
the self-respecting nature.
—Hurll, Estelle M. (Estelle May)
765. inured
made tough by habitual exposure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But he had become inured to the rush and whirr of missiles, and now paid no heed
whatever to them.
—Mitford, Bertram
766. invidious
containing or implying a slight or showing prejudice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"After an old-fashioned, all-round team performance … it might seem invidious to single
out one player," admits the paper before singling out one player.
—The Guardian (Jun 24, 2010)
767. unmitigated
not diminished or moderated in intensity or severity; sometimes used as an intensifier
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In order to be well directed, sympathy must consider all men, and not the individual
alone; only then is it an unmitigated good.
—Williams, C. M.
768. concomitant
an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The conclusion must be drawn that every epidemic of bubonic plague is caused by the
concomitant rat plague.
—Scientific American (Jan 21, 2011)
769. cozen
cheat or trick
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Dicing-houses, where cheaters meet, and cozen young men out of their money.
—Various
770. phlegmatic
showing little emotion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Humanity, when surfeited with emotion, becomes calm, almost phlegmatic.
—Tracy, Louis
771. dormer
a gabled extension built out from a sloping roof to accommodate a vertical window
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Other features, such as the front French doors and two roof dormers with curved-top
windows and operable shutters, give this home a pleasing, well-balanced presence.
—Southern Living (Apr 14, 2010)
772. pontifical
denoting or governed by or relating to a bishop or bishops
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The high priest made no resistance, but went forth in his pontifical robes, followed by
the people in white garments, to meet the mighty warrior.
—Lord, John
773. disport
occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Straightway the glade in which they sat was filled with knights, ladies, maidens, and
esquires, who danced and disported themselves right joyously.
—Spence, Lewis
774. apologist
a person who argues to defend or justify some policy or institution
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Tories, and apologists for Great Britain, have written much about a justification for this
action, but there is no real justification.
—Barce, Elmore
775. abeyance
temporary cessation or suspension
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
My feelings of home-sickness had returned with redoubled strength after being long in
abeyance.
—Boldrewood, Rolf
776. enclave
an enclosed territory that is culturally distinct from the foreign territory that surrounds it
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And its suburban schools, rather than being exclusive enclaves, include children whose
parents can't afford a house in the neighborhood.
—Washington Post (Jan 11, 2011)
777. improvident
not provident; not providing for the future
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was industrious but improvident; he made money and he lost it.
—Hubbard, Elbert
778. disquisition
an elaborate analytical or explanatory essay or discussion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Cumulatively, what emerges from To Kill a Mockingbird is a thoughtful disquisition that
encompasses – and goes beyond – the question of racial bias at its worst.
—The Guardian (Jul 9, 2010)
779. categorical
not modified or restricted by reservations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"European leaders were united, categorical and crystal clear: Gaddafi must go," British
Prime Minister David Cameron said.
—Time (Mar 12, 2011)
780. placate
cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The East India Company was placated by the concession of further exemptions in its
favour.
—Smith, A. D.
781. redolent
serving to bring to mind
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Here, however, are congregated a vast number of curious and interesting objects, while
the place is redolent of vivid historical associations.
—Ballou, Maturin Murray
782. felicitous
exhibiting an agreeably appropriate manner or style
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The first book is the finest, sparkling with felicitous expressions and rising frequently to
true poetry.
—Dennis, John
783. gusty
blowing in puffs or short intermittent blasts
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Winds could get gusty, occasionally blowing at more than 30 miles per hour.
—Reuters (Mar 29, 2011)
784. natty
marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He wore a checked suit, very natty, and was more than usually tall and fine-looking.
—Green, Anna Katharine
785. pacifist
opposed to war
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was, furthermore, a real pacifist, believing that war is debasing morally and
disastrous economically.
—Seymour, Charles
786. buxom
(of a female body) healthily plump and vigorous
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mrs. Connelly—a round, rosy, buxom Irishwoman, with a mellow voice, laughing eye,
and artist-red hair—was very much taken with their plan.
—Douglas, Amanda Minnie
787. heyday
the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Playboy's most popular years are well behind it - the magazine enjoyed its heyday in the
1970s.
—Washington Post (Jan 10, 2011)
788. herculean
displaying superhuman strength or power
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He made herculean efforts to get on terms with his examination subjects, and worked
harder than he had ever done in his life before.
—Marshall, Archibald
789. burgeon
grow and flourish
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Brooklyn's burgeoning dining scene has even developed a following among Manhattan
food lovers.
—Reuters (Oct 4, 2011)
790. crone
an ugly evil-looking old woman
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The aged crone wrinkled her forehead and lifted her grizzled eyebrows, still without
looking at him.
—Myrick, Frank
791. prognosticate
make a prediction about; tell in advance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
How strange it is that our dreams often prognosticate coming events!
—Huth, Alexander
792. lout
an awkward stupid person
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But this question was beyond the poor lout's intelligence; he could only blubber and fend
off possible chastisement.
—Williams, J. Scott (John Scott)
793. simper
smile affectedly or derisively
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mrs. Barnett's mouth simpered at the implied flattery; but her eyes, always looking
calculatingly for substantial results, were studying Reedy Jenkins.
—Hamby, William H. (William Henry)
794. iniquitous
characterized by iniquity; wicked because it is believed to be a sin
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This was some piece of wickedness concocted by the venomous brain of the iniquitous
Vicar, more abominable than all his other wickednesses.
—Trollope, Anthony
795. rile
cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The prospect of seeing Ms. Palin tour Alaska’s wild habitats may rile some people who
oppose her opinions about climate change.
—New York Times (Mar 25, 2010)
796. sentient
endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The money fluttered from his hand to the floor, where it lay like a sentient thing, staring
back as if mocking him.
—Hitchcock, Lucius W.
797. garish
tastelessly showy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
With its opulently garish sets and knee-jerk realism, the production dwarfed the cast, no
matter what stars were singing.
—New York Times (Jan 2, 2011)
798. readjustment
the act of adjusting again (to changed circumstances)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
While earpieces are not uncomfortable, they do sometimes come loose, requiring
readjustment.
—Slate (Apr 17, 2012)
799. erstwhile
belonging to some prior time
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sony, whose erstwhile dominance in consumer electronics has been eroded by the likes
of Samsung, could beat rivals to a potentially new generation of devices.
—Reuters (May 20, 2010)
800. aquiline
curved down like an eagle's beak
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The nose slightly aquiline, curving at the nostril; while luxuriant hair, in broad plaits, fell
far below her waist.
—Various
801. bilious
irritable as if suffering from indigestion
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But his sleep had not refreshed him; he waked up bilious, irritable, ill-tempered, and
looked with hatred at his room.
—Garnett, Constance
802. vilify
spread negative information about
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The trial was televised and the victim's identity became known, resulting in her being
vilified by almost the entire town.
—The Guardian (Jan 19, 2011)
803. nuance
a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
By working so hard to simplify things, we lose any nuance or ability to deal with folks’
individual circumstances.
—Washington Post (Oct 3, 2011)
804. gawk
look with amazement; look stupidly
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He speaks mainly of his humiliation at lying on the sidewalk as hipsters gawked.
—New York Times (Apr 9, 2012)
805. refectory
a communal dining-hall (usually in a monastery)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Meanwhile, the soup was getting cold in the refectory, so that the assembled brotherhood
at last fell to, without waiting any longer for the Abbot.
—Scheffel, Joseph Victor von
806. palatial
suitable for or like a palace
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The house was very large; its rooms almost palatial in size, had been finished in richly
carved hardwood panels and wainscoting, mostly polished mahogany.
—Hitchcock, Frederick L. (Frederick Lyman)
807. mincing
affectedly dainty or refined
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She went, carrying her little head very high indeed, and taking dainty, mincing steps.
—Banks, Nancy Huston
808. trenchant
having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They are written in a serio-comic tone, and for sparkling wit, trenchant sarcasm, and
dramatic dialectics surpass anything ever penned by Lessing.
—Lessing, Gotthold Ephraim
809. emboss
raise in a relief
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Requests may also be made of the stationer to use an embossed plate so that the letters
stand out in relief.
—Eichler, Lillian
810. proletarian
a member of the working class (not necessarily employed)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As yet, the true proletarian wage-earner, uprooted from his native village and broken
away from the organization of Indian society, is but insignificant.
—Stoddard, Lothrop
811. careen
pitching dangerously to one side
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I turned the steering wheel all the way to one side, and found myself careening backward
in a violent arc.
—Vogel, Nancy
812. debacle
a sound defeat
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Broncos are coming off their worst season in franchise history, a 4-12 debacle that
included issues on and off the field.
—Newsweek (Jan 9, 2011)
813. sycophant
a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The people around the king are sycophants who are looking after their own personal
advantage.
—Coffin, Charles Carleton
814. crabbed
annoyed and irritable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He grew crabbed and soured, his temper flashing out on small provocation.
—Weyman, Stanley J.
815. archetype
something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Newport, R.I., looks like a perfect archetype of a small, seaside New England town.
—Forbes (Nov 3, 2010)
816. cryptic
of an obscure nature
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The authorities, beyond some cryptic language about the death being sudden but not
suspicious, have released no details.
—New York Times (Aug 24, 2011)
817. penchant
a strong liking
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But sometimes, old Wall Street habits — including a penchant for expensive luxuries —
are hard to break.
—New York Times (Mar 31, 2012)
818. bauble
cheap showy jewelry or ornament on clothing
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But men were buying Valentine's baubles for their honeys long before the first Zales
ever opened its doors in a suburban shopping mall.
—Slate (Feb 14, 2012)
819. mountebank
a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They are singularly clever, these Indian mountebanks, especially in sleight of hand
tricks.
—Ballou, Maturin Murray
820. fawning
attempting to win favor by flattery
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“As any cult leader, he was extremely good at milking the rich, at flattering and
fawning,” Ms. Gordon said.
—New York Times (Apr 16, 2010)
821. hummock
a small natural hill
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Captain Bill leaned back on a hummock of earth, his arms folded behind his head.
—Grayson, J. J.
822. apotheosis
model of excellence or perfection of a kind; one having no equal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Contrary to popular belief, however, she said Ms. Deen’s fat-laden cooking does not in
fact represent the apotheosis of Southern cuisine.
—New York Times (Jan 17, 2012)
823. discretionary
(especially of funds) not earmarked; available for use as needed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Steeper prices for basic necessities have forced many to cut back on more discretionary
purchases.
—Washington Post (Oct 19, 2011)
824. pithy
concise and full of meaning
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As Moore isolated finer points of the passing game, Keller in neat penmanship jotted
down pithy phrases and punchy quotes, basic ideas and specific concepts.
—New York Times (Dec 10, 2011)
825. comport
behave in a certain manner
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ironically, the one man on stage who did comport himself with dignity, John Huntsman,
is now being dismissed as having not made an impact.
—Time (Sep 8, 2011)
826. checkered
marked by changeable fortune
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Both restaurants have checkered histories with the health department; they were
temporarily shut down for sanitary violations that included evidence of rodents.
—New York Times (Aug 22, 2010)
827. ambrosia
(classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Frieda represents the lovely goddess, Hebe, who served nectar and ambrosia to the high
gods on Mount Olympus," she explained.
—Vandercook, Margaret
828. factious
dissenting (especially dissenting with the majority opinion)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Will it be answered that we are factious, discontented spirits, striving to disturb the
public order, and tear up the old fastnesses of society?
—Stanton, Elizabeth Cady
829. disgorge
cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There are telephone poles and cinder blocks and living room chairs and large trash bins,
overturned and disgorging their soggy contents.
—New York Times (Oct 28, 2011)
830. filch
make off with belongings of others
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Then, in place of the real site, it displays a fake site created to filch account numbers,
login names and passwords.
—New York Times (Jul 13, 2010)
831. wraith
a mental representation of some haunting experience
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Whichever way he turns there loom past wraiths, restless as ghosts of unburied Grecian
slain.
—Lee, Carson Jay
832. demonstrable
capable of being demonstrated or proved
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The linkage between deposits and trade is definite, causal, positive, statistically
demonstrable.
—Anderson, Benjamin M.
833. pertinacious
stubbornly unyielding
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His temper, though yielding and easy in appearance, was in reality most obstinate and
pertinacious.
—Kavanagh, Julia
834. emend
make improvements or corrections to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The following were identified as spelling or typographic errors and have been emended
as noted.
—Hopper, James
835. laggard
someone who takes more time than necessary; someone who lags behind
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Corporate data centers are the slowpoke laggards of information technology.
—New York Times (Apr 10, 2012)
836. waffle
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A few days of waffling back and forth and I ended up going out to a mediocre bistro with
my parents.
—Scientific American (Feb 8, 2011)
837. loquacious
full of trivial conversation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Pan soon found it needful to make conversation, in order to keep the loquacious old stage
driver from talking too much.
—Grey, Zane
838. venial
easily excused or forgiven
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The confidence of ignorance, however venial in youth, is not altogether so excusable, in
full grown men.
—School, A Sexton of the Old
839. peon
a laborer who is obliged to do menial work
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For the most part, the men were wiry peons, some toiling half naked, but there were a
number who looked like prosperous citizens.
—Bindloss, Harold
840. effulgence
the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Then, all at once, in a way that seemed to frighten her, the sunshine had burst the clouds,
and dazzled her with its effulgence.
—Fenn, George Manville
841. lode
a deposit of valuable ore occurring within definite boundaries separating it from
surrounding rocks
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Such local perturbations are regularly used in Sweden for tracing out the position of
underground lodes of iron ore.
—Gilbert, William
842. fanfare
a gaudy outward display
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It opened a month ago to considerable fanfare, with television cameras trailing
government officials meandering proudly around the bright new stores filled with
imported goods.
—New York Times (Aug 22, 2010)
843. dilettante
showing frivolous or superficial interest; amateurish
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They dabbled in politics and art in the same dilettante fashion.
—Cannan, Gilbert
844. pusillanimous
lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was described by his friends as pusillanimous to an incredible extent, timid from
excess of riches, afraid of his own shadow.
—Motley, John Lothrop
845. ingrained
(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The narrow prejudices of his country were ingrained too deeply in his character to be
disturbed by any change of surroundings.
—Fuller, Robert H.
846. quagmire
a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The heavy rain had reduced this low-lying ground to a veritable quagmire, making
progress very difficult even for one as unburdened as he was.
—Putnam Weale, B. L. (Bertram Lenox)
847. reprobation
severe disapproval
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Conway denounced this scheme as "utterly and flagrantly unconstitutional, as
radically revolutionary in character and deserving the reprobation of every loyal
citizen."
—Blaine, James Gillespie
848. mannered
having unnatural mannerisms
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Nothing was mannered or pretentious; the texts came through with utter naturalness.
—New York Times (May 29, 2011)
849. squeamish
excessively fastidious and easily disgusted
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But please note that this gunfire-fueled film is for mature audiences; given its content,
young and/or squeamish viewers should avoid this one.
—Washington Post (Aug 6, 2010)
850. proclivity
a natural inclination
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She received, under her father's supervision, a very careful education, and developed her
proclivities for literary composition at an early age.
—Adams, W. H. Davenport
851. miserly
(used of persons or behavior) characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Now, my uncle seemed so miserly that I was struck dumb by this sudden generosity, and
could find no words in which to thank him.
—Stevenson, Robert Louis
852. vapid
lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
How vapid was the talk of my remaining fellow-passengers; how slow of understanding,
and how preoccupied with petty things they seemed!
—Dawson, A. J. (Alec John)
853. mercurial
liable to sudden unpredictable change
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Wind energy is notoriously mercurial, with patterns shifting drastically over the course
of years, days, even minutes.
—Scientific American (Jan 4, 2012)
854. perspicuous
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The statements are plain and simple, a perfect model of perspicuous narrative.
—Smith, Uriah
855. nonplus
be a mystery or bewildering to
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
I shook my head and rushed from his presence, completely nonplussed, bewildered,
frantic.
—Cole, E. W. (Edward William)
856. enamor
attract; cause to be enamored
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Young Indian audiences are so enamored with reality television that they will not watch
the soap operas and dramas that their parents or grandparents watch.
—New York Times (Jan 9, 2011)
857. hackneyed
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Many speakers become so addicted to certain hackneyed phrases that those used to
hearing them speak can see them coming sentences away.
—Lewis, Arthur M. (Arthur Morrow)
858. spate
(often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
French authorities are already reporting a rising spate of calls to emergency services by
homeowners whose once-frozen water mains have now burst.
—Time (Feb 13, 2012)
859. pedagogue
someone who educates young people
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His old pedagogue, Mr. Brownell, had been unable to teach him mathematics.
—Pierce, H. Winthrop
860. acme
the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Scientifically speaking, it is the acme of absurdity to talk of a man defying the law of
gravitation when he lifts his arm.
—Huxley, Thomas H.
861. masticate
chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Food should be masticated quietly, and with the lips closed.
—Cooke, Maud C.
862. sinecure
an office that involves minimal duties
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He would have repudiated the notion that he was looking for a sinecure, but no doubt
considered that the duties would be easy and light.
—Trollope, Anthony
863. indite
produce a literary work
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She indited religious poems which were the admiration of the age.
—Brittain, Alfred
864. emetic
a medicine that induces nausea and vomiting
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The juice of this herb, taken in ale, is esteemed a gentle and very good emetic, bringing
on vomiting without any great irritation or pain.
—Smith, John Thomas
865. temporize
draw out a discussion or process in order to gain time
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
So he temporized and beat about the bush, and did not touch first on that which was
nearest his heart.
—Erskine, Payne
866. unimpeachable
beyond doubt or reproach
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Whether we agree with the conclusions of these writers or not, the method of critical
investigation which they adopt is unimpeachable.
—Huxley, Thomas H.
867. genesis
a coming into being
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He found himself speculating on the genesis of the moral sense, how it developed in
difficulties rather than in ease.
—Miller, Alice Duer
868. mordant
harshly ironic or sinister
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Even Morgan himself, intrepid as he was, shrank from the awful menace of the mordant
words.
—Crawford, Will
869. smattering
a small number or amount
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Only a smattering of fans remained for all four ghastly quarters.
—Washington Post (Sep 24, 2011)
870. suavity
the quality of being bland and gracious or ingratiating in manner
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His combativeness was harnessed to his suavity, and he could be forcible and at the same
time persuasive.
—Windsor, William
871. stentorian
used of the voice
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
If a hundred voices shouted in opposition, his stentorian tones still made themselves
heard above the uproar.
—J?kai, M?r
872. junket
a trip taken by an official at public expense
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Abramoff arranged for junkets, including foreign golfing destinations, for the
members of Congress he was trying to influence.
—New York Times (Feb 26, 2010)
873. appurtenance
a supplementary component that improves capability
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the center of this space stood a large frame building whose courtyard, stables, and
other appurtenances proclaimed it an inn.
—Madison, Lucy Foster
874. nostrum
patent medicine whose efficacy is questionable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Just here a native "medicine man" dispenses nostrums of doubtful efficacy, and in front
a quantity of red Moorish pottery is exposed for sale.
—Meakin, Budgett
875. immure
lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Political prisoners, numbering as many as three or four hundred at a time, have been
immured within its massive walls.
—Boyd, Mary Stuart
876. astringent
sour or bitter in taste
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There was something sharply astringent about her then, like biting inadvertently into a
green banana.
—McFee, William
877. unfaltering
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Still unfaltering, the procession commenced to trudge back, the littlest boy and girl
bearing themselves bravely, with lips tight pressed.
—Sabin, Edwin L. (Edwin Legrand)
878. tutelage
attention and management implying responsibility for safety
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It will do so under German leadership that grows less hesitant with each crisis, and
without the American tutelage it enjoyed for so many decades.
—Newsweek (Jan 23, 2011)
879. testator
a person who makes a will
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This will was drawn up by me some years since at the request of the testator, who was in
good health, mentally and bodily.
—Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
880. elysian
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Life seemed an elysian dream, from which care and sorrow must be for ever banished.
—Hentz, Caroline Lee
881. fulminate
criticize severely
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But with people looking for almost any excuse to fulminate against airlines these days,
there's a certain risk of embellishment.
—Salon (Jun 25, 2010)
882. fractious
easily irritated or annoyed
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was a fractious invalid, and spared his wife neither time nor trouble in attending to
his wants.
—Brazil, Angela
883. pummel
strike, usually with the fist
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Another, with rubber bands wrapped tightly around his face, is pummelled by a plastic
boxing kangaroo.
—The Guardian (Jan 22, 2011)
884. manumit
free from slavery or servitude
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Moreover, manumitted slaves enjoyed the same rights, privileges and immunities that
were enjoyed by those born free.
—Various
885. unexceptionable
completely acceptable; not open to exception or reproach
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
All cowboys are from necessity good cooks, and the fluffy, golden brown biscuits and
fragrant coffee of Red's making were unexceptionable.
—Mayer, Frank
886. triumvirate
a group of three men responsible for public administration or civil authority
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This triumvirate approach has real benefits in terms of shared wisdom, and we will
continue to discuss the big decisions among the three of us.
—Salon (Jan 20, 2011)
887. sybarite
a person addicted to luxury and pleasures of the senses
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was not used to travelling on omnibuses, being something of a sybarite who spared
nothing to ensure his own comfort.
—Wallace, Edgar
888. jibe
be compatible, similar or consistent; coincide in their characteristics
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Contemporary art has never quite jibed with mainstream media.
—Salon (Jul 6, 2010)
889. magisterial
offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“Now look here,” he said, making believe to take down my words and shaking his pencil
at me in a magisterial way.
—Fenn, George Manville
890. roseate
of something having a dusty purplish pink color
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Behind the trees rough, lichened rock and stony slopes ran up to a bare ridge, silhouetted
against the roseate glow of the morning sky.
—Bindloss, Harold
891. obloquy
a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or
actions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
This is the real history of a transaction which, by frequent misrepresentation, has brought
undeserved obloquy upon a generous man.
—Purchas, H. T. (Henry Thomas)
892. hoodwink
influence by slyness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The stories of the saints he regarded as preposterous fables invented to hoodwink a
gullible and illiterate populace.
—The Guardian (Sep 19, 2010)
893. striate
mark with striae or striations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The body is striated with clearly defined, often depressed lines, which run longitudinally
and sometimes spirally.
—Calkins, Gary N. (Gary Nathan)
894. arrogate
seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or
possession
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Japanese manufacturers were accused of arrogating American technologies to churn out
low-cost electronics.
—New York Times (May 25, 2010)
895. rarefied
of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The debate over climate science has involved very complex physical models and rarefied
areas of scientific knowledge.
—New York Times (Apr 9, 2011)
896. chary
characterized by great caution and wariness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
There was no independent verification of the figure; the authorities have been chary of
releasing death tolls for fear of inflaming further violence.
—New York Times (Apr 24, 2011)
897. credo
any system of principles or beliefs
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She preferred to hang out with everyone but was best friends with no one, holding to the
credo: “You should be nice to people.”
—New York Times (Jan 21, 2011)
898. superannuated
too old to be useful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Civil servants are superannuated at fifty-five years of age and are sent home on a
pension, seldom enjoying life longer than two years afterward.
—Hunt, Eleonora
899. impolitic
not politic
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Bill Maher has always been a vocal critic of Islam, even at times making impolitic
statements about the religion.
—Salon (Mar 16, 2011)
900. aspersion
a disparaging remark
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Lord Sanquhar then proceeded to deny the aspersion that he was an ill-natured fellow,
ever revengeful, and delighting in blood.
—Thornbury, Walter
901. abysmal
resembling an abyss in depth; so deep as to be unmeasurable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After all, many Americans regard this Congress as dysfunctional, with abysmal approval
ratings.
—New York Times (Dec 28, 2011)
902. poignancy
a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They were curious about the “near loss” experience—specifically the feelings of
poignancy that occur when what we cherish disappears.
—Scientific American (Jan 17, 2011)
903. stilted
artificially formal
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But thanks to the stilted writing and stiff acting, the characters still feel very much like
one-dimensional figures from a dutiful fable.
—New York Times (Jul 12, 2011)
904. effete
marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
John Bull was an effete old plutocrat whose sons and daughters were given up to sport
and amusement.
—Moffett, Cleveland
905. provender
food for domestic livestock
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"Fools!" she cried, looking in her magic crystal, "he was in the big sycamore under which
you stopped to give your horses provender!"
—Housman, Laurence
906. endemic
of or relating to a disease (or anything resembling a disease) constantly present to greater
or lesser extent in a particular locality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mean-spirited chants and songs are also endemic in British soccer.
—New York Times (Jan 27, 2012)
907. jocund
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Her jocund laugh and merry voice, indeed, first attracted my attention.
—Lever, Charles James
908. procedural
of or relating to procedure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In other words, the rejection was a bureaucratic/procedural decision.
—Scientific American (Feb 1, 2012)
909. rakish
marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She wore her red cap in a rakish manner on the side of her head, its tassel falling down
over her forehead between her eyes.
—Sage, William
910. skittish
unpredictably excitable (especially of horses)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
That combined with his calm and reassuring tone made me think of an animal trainer
trying to woo skittish wild animals.
—Time (May 20, 2011)
911. peroration
a flowery and highly rhetorical oration
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He had little hope that Gallagher, once embarked on a peroration, would stop until he
had used up all the words at his command.
—Birmingham, George A.
912. nonentity
a person of no influence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Was he such a nonentity in every way that she could remain unconcerned as to any fear
of danger from him?
—Woolson, Constance Fenimore
913. abstemious
marked by temperance in indulgence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Raw, boozy, untethered performances are heralded as real; the abstemious professional
is yawned off the stage.
—Salon (Jul 25, 2011)
914. viscid
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Roads were quagmires where travellers slipped and laboured through viscid mud and
over icy fords.
—Buck, Charles Neville
915. doggerel
a comic verse of irregular measure
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He sang, with accompanying action, some dozen verses of doggerel, remarkable for
obscenity and imbecility.
—Ritchie, J. Ewing (James Ewing)
916. sleight
adroitness in using the hands
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The trick was performed Tuesday by Russell Fitzgerald, an amateur magician known to
open meetings with a little sleight of hand.
—Washington Post (Sep 29, 2011)
917. rubric
category name
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ms. Moss took issue, not surprisingly, with the notion that grouping the performances
under the rubric of spirituality was a marketing ploy.
—New York Times (Nov 22, 2010)
918. plenitude
a full supply
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Of course at that season, amid the plenitude of seeds, nuts, and berries, they were as
plump as partridges.
—Reid, Mayne
919. rebus
a puzzle where you decode a message consisting of pictures representing syllables and
words
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They wrote at times with pictures standing for sounds, as we now write in rebus puzzles.
—Park, Robert Ezra
920. wizened
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Kim Jong Il may be increasingly wizened and frail, with fingernails white from kidney
disease, but his propaganda apparatus is as vigorous as ever.
—Wall Street Journal (Mar 26, 2010)
921. whorl
a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower
petals)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The flowers are waxy, tubular, fragrant, turning their yellow petals backward in a whorl.
—Rogers, Julia Ellen
922. fracas
noisy quarrel
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Other cops were battling each other, going after the kids and clutching empty air, cursing
and screaming unheard orders in the fracas.
—Freas, Kelly
923. iconoclast
someone who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Jobs is a classic iconoclast, one who aggressively seeks out, attacks, and overthrows
conventional ideas.
—BusinessWeek (Oct 12, 2010)
924. saturnine
bitter or scornful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Only when Bill Lightfoot spoke did he look up, and then with a set sneer, growing daily
more saturnine.
—Dixon, Maynard
925. madrigal
an unaccompanied partsong for 2 or 3 voices; follows a strict poetic form
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Nevertheless we learn from Malvezzi's publication that the pieces were all written in the
madrigal style, frequently in numerous voice parts.
—Henderson, W. J. (William James)
926. discursive
(of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range
of subjects
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“Tabloid,” like his previous films, consists largely of long, discursive conversations —
in effect monologues directed at an unseen, mostly unheard interlocutor.
—New York Times (Jul 22, 2011)
927. zealot
a fervent and even militant proponent of something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"The public is going to just think of us as these zealots who want to ban smoking
everywhere," he said.
—Seattle Times (Feb 20, 2011)
928. moribund
not growing or changing; without force or vitality
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The entertainment sector there is booming, while Pakistan's is moribund.
—Seattle Times (Dec 3, 2011)
929. modicum
a small or moderate or token amount
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He volunteered a modicum of advice, limited in quantity, but valuable.
—Bolderwood, Rolf
930. connotation
an idea that is implied or suggested
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In Arabic, the word “bayt” translates literally as house, but its connotations resonate
beyond rooms and walls, summoning longings gathered about family and home.
—New York Times (Feb 18, 2012)
931. adventitious
associated by chance and not an integral part
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The derivation of the word thus appears to be merely accidental and adventitious.
—Stace, W. T. (Walter Terence)
932. recondite
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The mystery of verse is like other abstruse and recondite mysteries—it strikes the
ordinary fleshly man as absurd.
—Gosse, Edmund
933. zephyr
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The dwellings and public buildings throughout Cuba are planned to give free passage to
every zephyr that wafts relief from the oppressive heat.
—Various
934. countermand
cancel officially
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
In the midst of executing this order, he got another order countermanding it, and
proceeding directly from his direct superior.
—Belloc, Hilaire
935. captious
tending to find and call attention to faults
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Miss Burton had been very irritable and captious in class, more so even than usual, and
most of her anger was vented upon Gerry.
—Chaundler, Christine
936. cognate
having the same ancestral language
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The synonyms are also given in the cognate dialects of Welsh, Armoric, Irish, Gaelic,
and Manx, showing at one view the connection between them.
—Jenner, Henry
937. forebear
a person from whom you are descended
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His forebears were Greek immigrants who opened a small sandwich shop in Brooklyn,
then moved, one after another, to Providence, to sell distinct, delectable wieners.
—New York Times (Sep 24, 2010)
938. cadaverous
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He looked gaunt and cadaverous, and much of his old reckless joyousness had left him,
though he brightened up wonderfully on seeing an old friend.
—Doyle, A. Conan
939. foist
to force onto another
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Knoll added that the 3-D “Star Wars” movies are not “going to be foisted on
anybody against their will.”
—New York Times (Sep 29, 2010)
940. dotage
mental infirmity as a consequence of old age; sometimes shown by foolish infatuations
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He is, as you say, a senile old man in his dotage.
—Wilcox, Ella Wheeler
941. nexus
a connected series or group
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Numerous innovators are also worrying away at this nexus of problems.
—Economist (Apr 28, 2011)
942. choleric
characterized by anger
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Jonathan, choleric with indignation, stood by his desk, clenching his hands.
—Mills, Weymer Jay
943. garble
make false by mutilation or addition; as of a message or story
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But the fact remains that the contradictory and inconsistent things said do reach the
public, and usually in garbled and distorted form.
—Unknown
944. bucolic
(used with regard to idealized country life) idyllically rustic
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Forty-four years ago, Bill Sievers moved into his neo-Colonial house in Douglaston,
Queens, on bucolic Poplar Street, lined with stately trees and equally stately homes.
—New York Times (Mar 26, 2012)
945. denouement
the outcome of a complex sequence of events
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Suppose the truly apocalyptic denouement happens -- no deal is reached, and taxes rise
for everyone.
—Salon (Nov 30, 2010)
946. animus
a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The youthful savages had each an armful of snowballs, and they were pelting the child
with more animus than seemed befitting.
—Murray, David Christie
947. overweening
unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He had overweening ambitions even then, along with a highly developed sense of his
own importance.
—New York Times (Apr 19, 2010)
948. tyro
someone new to a field or activity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
As yet he was merely a tyro, gaining practical experience under a veteran Zeppelin
commander.
—Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)
949. preen
dress or groom with elaborate care
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He preened on fight nights in a tuxedo, a bow tie and no shirt, and he favored showy
rings and bracelets.
—New York Times (Jul 24, 2011)
950. largesse
liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
After being saved by government largesse, they say, big banks then moved to thwart
reforms aimed at preventing future meltdowns caused by excessive risk-taking.
—New York Times (Jul 14, 2011)
951. retentive
good at remembering
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The child was very sharp, and her memory was extremely retentive.
—Rowlands, Effie Adelaide
952. unconscionable
greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For generations in the New York City public schools, this has become the norm with
devastating consequences rooted in unconscionable levels of student failure.
—New York Times (Nov 4, 2011)
953. badinage
frivolous banter
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It was preposterous to talk to her of serious things, and nothing but an airy badinage
seemed possible in her company.
—Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset)
954. insensate
devoid of feeling and consciousness and animation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Men also are those brutal soldiers, alike stupidly ready, at the word of command, to drive
the nail through quivering flesh or insensate wood.
—Stowe, Harriet Beecher
955. sherbet
a frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice and sugar, but also containing milk or eggwhite
or gelatin
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
"One person said it looks like a big lime sherbet ice cream cone!"
—Southern Living (Apr 28, 2010)
956. beatific
marked by utter benignity; resembling or befitting an angel or saint
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
She dozed at last, her face serene and beatific.
—Beach, Rex Ellingwood
957. bemuse
cause to be confused emotionally
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They were marching in the middle of the street, chanting and singing and disrupting
traffic while countless New Yorkers looked on, some bemused, others applauding.
—Time (Oct 28, 2011)
958. microcosm
a miniature model of something
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The building, he said, is "a microcosm of what Shanghai was all about."
—Wall Street Journal (Apr 30, 2010)
959. factitious
not produced by natural forces
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Indeed, the Chinese make a factitious cheese out of peas, which it is difficult to
discriminate from the article of animal origin.
—Cameron, Charles Alexander, Sir
960. gestate
have the idea for
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Lucas’s most recent project, still gestating, is a collaboration with Cuban musicians.
—New York Times (May 9, 2011)
961. traduce
speak unfavorably about
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For Grover Cleveland there were no longer enemies to traduce and vilify.
—Straus, Oscar S.
962. sextant
a measuring instrument for measuring the angular distance between celestial objects;
resembles an octant
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For example, a sextant could be used to sight the sun at high noon in order to determine
one’s latitude.
—Scientific American (Mar 8, 2012)
963. coiffure
the arrangement of the hair (especially a woman's hair)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They sat down, and Saint-Clair noticed his friend's coiffure; a single rose was in her hair.
—M?rim?e, Prosper
964. malleable
easily influenced
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“The Americans are seen as naïve malleable tools in the hands of the Brits.”
—New York Times (Nov 30, 2011)
965. rococo
having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The upper part of the case is decorated with elaborately carved and gilt rococo motifs.
—Bedini, Silvio A.
966. fructify
become productive or fruitful
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Thence they grow, expand, fructify, and the result is Progress.
—Stanton, Elizabeth Cady
967. nihilist
someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
“He’s a loner nihilist who believes in nothing,” Mr. Lu said.
—New York Times (Nov 6, 2011)
968. ellipsis
omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He speaks in ellipses, often leaving sentences hanging, and fiddles apologetically with his
BlackBerry.
—The Guardian (Jun 28, 2010)
969. accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The Nobel Prize, considered one of the highest accolades in literature, is given only to
living writers.
—Seattle Times (Oct 6, 2011)
970. codicil
a supplement to a will; a testamentary instrument intended to alter an already executed
will
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The codicil to her will, which she had spoken of with so much composure, left three
hundred pounds to Stella and me.
—Fothergill, Jessie
971. roil
be agitated
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Like thousands of fellow students, he was roiled with emotions, struggling to come to
grips with an inescapable reality.
—New York Times (Nov 26, 2011)
972. grandiloquent
lofty in style
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
A large part of his duties will be to strut about on the stage, and mouth more or less
unintelligible sentences in a grandiloquent tone.
—Smith, Arthur H.
973. inconsequential
lacking worth or importance
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But as the months went by, Mr. Kimura had an unexpected epiphany: His business,
which he thought was inconsequential, mattered to a lot of people.
—Wall Street Journal (Nov 11, 2011)
974. effervescence
the property of giving off bubbles
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Both were in the very sparkle and effervescence of that fanciful glee which bubbles up
from the golden, untried fountains of early childhood.
—Stowe, Harriet Beecher
975. stultify
deprive of strength or efficiency; make useless or worthless
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Far from being engines of economic growth, Egypt's leading cities are stultified.
—Inc (Feb 12, 2011)
976. tureen
large deep serving dish with a cover; for serving soups and stews
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Soups are presented in big tureens and can be quite good.
—New York Times (Apr 13, 2012)
977. pellucid
(of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Caribou Island is a scant 300 pages, and written in prose as pellucid as the rivers he used
to fish as a boy.
—The Guardian (Jan 1, 2011)
978. euphony
any agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
It depends somewhat on usage and on euphony or agreeableness of sound.
—Hamilton, Frederick W. (Frederick William)
979. apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
We're reminded of the story, possibly apocryphal, that they used to play the Beach Boys'
Smiley Smile in psychiatric wards to calm patients.
—The Guardian (Jan 20, 2011)
980. veracious
precisely accurate
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
For proof, we cite the following veracious narrative, which bears within it every internal
mark of truth, and matter for grave and serious reflection.
—Roby, John
981. pendulous
having branches or flower heads that bend downward
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And all around, far out of reach, the trees of the forest were swaying restlessly, their long,
pendulous branches, like tentacles, lashing out hungrily.
—Bates, Harry
982. exegesis
an explanation or critical interpretation (especially of the Bible)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Its musical significance has been presented with illuminating exegesis by more than one
commentator.
—Forkel, Johann Nikolaus
983. effluvium
a foul-smelling outflow or vapor (especially a gaseous waste)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
However, acting on my best judgment, I struck a downward course, and then suddenly a
horrible effluvium was wafted to my nostrils.
—Mitford, Bertram
984. apposite
being of striking appropriateness and pertinence
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He was quite capable of meaningful, apposite phrases about the game, even though
distant sports editors did not encourage them enough.
—The Guardian (Aug 18, 2010)
985. viscous
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Sluggish, blind crawling things like three-foot slugs flowed across their path and among
the tree trunks, leaving viscous trails of slime behind them.
—Various
986. misanthrope
someone who dislikes people in general
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
And shaking his head like a misanthrope, disgusted, if not with life, at least with men,
Patout led the horse to the stable.
—Dumas père, Alexandre
987. vintner
someone who makes wine
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The question remains, he said, whether established vintners will change their
winemaking practices or “continue to sell their schlock.”
—New York Times (Oct 27, 2010)
988. halcyon
idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
He now seemed to have entered on a halcyon period of life—congenial society, romantic
and interesting surroundings.
—Kennard, Nina H.
989. anthropomorphic
suggesting human characteristics for animals or inanimate things
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The same anthropomorphic fallacy that accords human attributes to giant corporations
like BP distorts clear thinking about how to limit their political influence.
—Salon (Jul 28, 2010)
990. turgid
ostentatiously lofty in style
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His waspish wit can make him entertaining company at a party, but there is little evidence
of that in his largely turgid prose.
—The Guardian (Jul 17, 2010)
991. malaise
physical discomfort (as mild sickness or depression)
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Initially, many doctors discounted sufferers’ feelings of generalized malaise as nothing
more than stress or normal fatigue.
—Time (Dec 22, 2011)
992. polemical
of or involving dispute or controversy
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
His works include several dogmatic and polemical treatises, but the most important are
the historical.
—Various
993. gadfly
a persistently annoying person
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Mr. Phelps is regarded here as the ultimate example of an irritating local gadfly.
—New York Times (Oct 9, 2010)
994. atavism
a reappearance of an earlier characteristic
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Criminal atavism might be defined as the sporadic reversion to savagery in certain
individuals.
—Symonds, John Addington
995. contusion
an injury that doesn't break the skin but results in some discoloration
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
My falling companion, being a much stouter man than myself did not fare so well, as his
right shoulder received a severe contusion.
—Bevan, A. Beckford
996. parsimonious
excessively unwilling to spend
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Pill-splitting is catching on among parsimonious prescription-takers who want to lower
costs.
—Forbes (Mar 4, 2010)
997. dulcet
pleasing to the ear
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
Ever and anon the dulcet murmur of gurgling streams broke gently on the ear.
—Madison, Lucy Foster
998. reprise
repeat an earlier theme of a composition
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
The live set reprises material from this remarkable group's earlier Aurora CD.
—The Guardian (Jan 6, 2011)
999. anodyne
capable of relieving pain
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
But philosophy failed, as it will probably fail till some far-off age, to find an anodyne for
the spiritual distresses of the mass of men.
—Dill, Samuel
1000. bemused
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
They were marching in the middle of the street, chanting and singing and disrupting
traffic while countless New Yorkers looked on, some bemused, others applauding.
—Time (Oct 28, 2011)