abateto reducein amount, degree or severity

abdicateto renounceor relinquish a throne

abjectutterlyhopeless, humiliating or wretched

abjuretorenounce on oath

ablutionact ofcleansing

abrogatetoabolish by formal means

abscondto leavesecretly

abstentionthe actof refraining voluntarily

abstrusehard tounderstand; secret, hidden

accretionanincrease by natural growth

acerbicsour orastringent in taste, harsh in temper

acquiescetocomply, give in

acridsharp or bitingto the taste or smell

acrimoniouscaustic,stinging or bitter in nature

adjointo beclose or in contact with

adjointo benext to and joined with

adjure to beg or

command

admonishto counselagainst something; caution

adulterateto makeimpure

adventitious accidental

affablefriendly,courteous

aggrandizetoincrease in power, influence and reputation

altruista person unselfishlyconcerned for the welfare of others

amatoryof orpertaining to lovers or lovemaking

amityfriendship;peaceful harmony

anachronismsomethingour of place in time

anachronismanobsolete or archaic form

androgenanysubstance that promotes masculine characteristics

androgynousbeingboth male and female

animushostilefeeling or attitude

antipathyextremedislike

antipathy aversion

apartheidany systemor caste that separates people according to race

apathy lack of

interest or emotion

apathylack ofinterest or emotion

apogeethehighest or most distant point

apostasya total desertionof one’s religion, principles, party, cause, etc.

apostasyrenunciationof one’s previous loyalty

apotheosisglorification,glorified ideal

approbationpraise,consideration

arrogateto claim unwarrantablyor presumptuously

assiduousdiligent,persistent, hardworking

assuageto makeless severe

atrophythewasting away of body tissue

austeresevere orstern in appearance; undecorated

autonomyindependence,self-governance

avertoaffirm, to declare to be true

avocationsomethingone does in addition to a principle occupation

banalpredictable;clichéd, boring

belligerentwarlike,given to waging war

bemoanto expresspity for

benevolentdesiringto do good to others

benignhaving akindly disposition

bilateralpertainingto or affecting two or both sides

bombasticpompousin speech and manner

capitulateto surrenderunconditionally or on stipulated terms

capriciouschangingone’s mind quickly and often

castigateto punishor criticize harshly

chicanerydeceptionby means of craft or guile

circuitousroundabout,indirect

circumambulateto walkabout or around

circumscribeto draw aline around

circumspectwatchfuland discreet

cogentconvincingand well reasoned

complacentself-satisfied,unconcerned

complaisantinclined ordisposed to please

compunction a feeling

of uneasiness for doing wrong

concentrichaving acommon center

conciliatetoplacate, win over

conflagrationa largedestructive fire

confluencemerginginto one

congenitalexistingor as such from birth

contraveneto comeinto conflict with

convalescentrecoveringfrom illness

convoketo calltogether

convolutedintricateand complicated

corroborateto providesupporting evidence

credulitywillingnessto believe or trust too easily

creduloustootrusting; gullible

cursorygoingrapidly over something; hasty; superficial

decadentdecaying;deteriorating

deferencerespect;courtesy

deferentialrespectful;to yield judgment to

deignto thinkfit or in accordance with one’s dignity

deludetomislead the mind of judgment of, deceive

derisionto act ofmockery

desiccateto dry outthoroughly

desultoryjumpingfrom one thing to another; disconnected

desultoryatrandom, unmethodical

diatribeanabusive, condemnatory speech

dichotomydivisioninto two parts, kinds, etc.

diffident lacking self-confidence

diffuseto pourout and spread

diffuseto spreadwidely or thinly

dilatoryintendedto delay

dilatoryinclinedto delay or procrastinate

dilettantesomeone withan amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

disabuseto setright; to free from error

disportto divertor amuse oneself

disquieta lack ofcalm or peace

dissemble

to presenta false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character

disseminatetoscatter or spread widely

distendto expandby stretching

doctrine

aprinciple or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief; dogma

dogmaa firmlyheld opinion, often a religious belief

dogmaticdictatorialin one’s opinions

dolefulsorrowful,mournful

doursullen,gloomy

dupetodeceive; a person who is easily deceived

duplicitydeceitfulnessin speech or conduct; double-dealing

dystrophyfaulty orinadequate nutrition or development

eclecticselectingfrom or made up from a variety of sources

efficacy effectiveness

effigysculptureor model or person

effluenceflowingout of

elegyasorrowful poem or speech

elocutionart ofclear and expressive speaking

empathytheidentification with the feelings or thoughts of others

enervateto reducein strength

engenderto produce,cause or bring about

enigmaa puzzle;a mystery

ephemerallasting ashort time

epigrama wittyor pointed saying tersely expressed

epitheta word ofphrase, use invectively as a term of abuse

equivocateto use expressionsof double meaning in order to mislead

eruditelearned,scholarly, bookish

esotericknown orunderstood by only a few

estimable admirable

eugenicsimprovementof qualities of race by control of inherited characteristics

eulogyspeech inpraise of someone

euphonypleasantnessof sound

exacerbatetoincrease bitterness or violence

exculpateto clearfrom blame; prove innocent

execrable abominable

exigenturgent;requiring immediate action

expoundto setforth in detail

exultto showor feel triumphant joy

fawn to grovel

fiduciaryof atrust; held or given in trust

fomentto arouseor incite

forestalltoprevent by advance action

fractiousirritable,peevish

fusilladecontinuousdischarge of firearms or outburst of criticism

grandiloquentpompousor inflated in language

guiledeceit ortrickery

heterodox

differentfrom acknowledged standard; holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines

heterogeneousof otherorigin; not originating in the body

hypocriticalaffectingvirtues or qualities one does not have

iconoclastone who opposesestablished beliefs, customs and institutions

impassiveshowingor feeling no emotion

imperviousimpossibleto penetrate; incapable of being affected

impetuousquick toact without thinking

impetuouscharacterizedby sudden rash action or emotion

importuneto urgeor press with excessive persistence

impugntochallenge as false

inamorataa femalelover

inchoatenot fullyformed; disorganized

inculpateto chargewith fault

incursiona hostileentrance into a place

indigentdeficientin what is requisite

indoctrinateto imbuesomeone with learning

indolencestate ofbeing lazy or slothful

indolenceshowing adisposition to avoid exertion; slothful

induceto moveor lead by influence

ineffabletoo greatfor description

infusionliquidextract so obtained

ingenuous showing

innocence or childlike simplicity

inimical hostile, unfriendly

insensatewithoutfeeling or sensitivity

insidiousintendedto trap or beguile

insipidlackinginterest or flavor

insolentboldlyrude or disrespectful

interlopersomeonewho intrudes in the domain of others

intransigentuncompromising;refusing to be reconciled

intransigentrefusingto agree or compromise

invectiveof,relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse

irascibleeasilymade angry

laconicusing fewwords

litigateto makethe subject of a lawsuit

magnanimousgenerousin forgiving an insult or injury

magnateapowerful or influential person

maladroitclumsy,tactless

malevolentcharacterizedby or expressing bad will

malfeasancemisconductor wrongdoing often committed by a public official

malignto speakharmful untruths about, to slander

malingerto evaderesponsibility by pretending to be ill

maximanexpression of general truth or principle

minatorymenacing,threatening

misanthropea personwho dislikes others

miscegenationinterbreedingof races

mitigatetosoften, to lessen

mollifyto calmor make less severe

nascentstartingto develop

neophytea recentconvert

obduratehardenedin feelings; resistant to persuasion

obfuscateto renderindistinct or dim

obliquehaving aslanting or sloping direction

obsequiousoverlysubmissive and eager to please

obsequious fawning

obsolescentbecomingobsolete

obstreperousnoisilydefiant, unruly

obtusenotsharp, pointed or acute

obviatetoprevent; to make unnecessary

occludeto stopup; to prevent the passage of

omnivorouseating orabsorbing everything

oneroustroublesomeand oppressive; burdensome

opprobriumpublicdisgrace

opprobriumthedisgrace incurred by shameful conduct

panegyricformal orelaborate praise at an assembly

panoplyawide-ranging and impressive array or display

paragonmodel ofexcellence or perfection

pathogeniccausingdisease

paucitysmallnessof quantity; scarcity; scantiness

percipienthaving perception;discerning; discriminating

perfidiouswillingto betray one’s trust

perfunctorydone in aroutine way; indifferent

perfunctory performed

merely as routine duty

peripateticwalkingor traveling about; itinerant

permutationacomplete change; transformation

perquisiteagratuity, tip

perspicaciousshrewd,astute

perspicacioushavingkeen mental perception and understanding

pertinacious resolute

pertinaciouspersistent,stubborn

petulantshowingsudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance

philandererone whocarries on flirtations

philanthropycharity;a desire or effort to promote goodness

philology

the studyof literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine their meaning

plethora excess

preceptacommandment given as a rule of action or conduct

precipitateto throwviolently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation

precludetoprevent the presence of

precociousunusuallyadvanced or mature in mental development or talent

predilectionpreference,liking

prescienthavingknowledge of things before they happen

presentimenta feelingof anticipation over a future event

prevaricateto lie ordeviate from the truth

probityhonesty,high-mindedness

prodigallavish,wasteful

proliferatetoincrease in number quickly

promulgateto make knownby open declaration

propitiatetoconciliate; to appease

propoundto setforth for consideration

proprietycorrectbehavior, obedience to rules and customs

proscribetocondemn as harmful or odious

proselytizeto convertof attempt to recruit

protracttoprolong, draw out, extend

providenthaving orshowing foresight

prudencewisdom,caution or restraint

puerile childish,

immature

pugnacioustoquarrel or fight readily

punctiliousstrict orexact in the observance of formalities

pusillanimouslackingcourage or resolution

querulousfull ofcomplaints

quiescencethecondition of being at rest, still, inactive

quiescent motionless

recumbentlyingdown; reclining; leaning

refractorystubborn,rebellious

rejoinderto reply,retort

remonstrateto say orplead in protect, objection or reproof

reprehensibledeservingrebuke or censure

reprisalsretaliationagainst an enemy

reprobateadepraved or wicked person

repudiateto rejectthe validity of

reticentsilent,reserved

reticentdisposedto be silent or not to speak freely

revileto criticizewith harsh language

salientprominentor conspicuous

seditionincitementof discontent or rebellion against a government

sociopath

a personwhose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility

soporificcausingsleep or lethargy

speciousdeceptivelyattractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious

stigmaa mark ofshame or discredit

stolidunemotional;lacking sensitivity

subjugatetoconquer

subterfugean artificeor expedient used to evade a rule

superciliousarrogant,haughty, condescending

supplicateto makehumble and earnest entreaty

taciturnsilent,not talkative

tenablecapableof being held, maintained or defended

tenaciousholdingfast

tendentioushaving apredisposition towards a point of view

torporextrememental and physical sluggishness

tractableeasilymanaged or controlled

transcendentgoingbeyond ordinary limits

unconscionable unscrupulous

veracioushabituallytruthful

veracityfilledwith trust and accuracy

verisimilitudetheappearance or semblance of truth

verity truthfulness

vicariousperformed,exercised, received or suffered in place of another

vilifytoslander, to defame

vociferouscryingout noisily

volitionfreechoice, free will; act of choosing

voracioushaving agreat appetite