| abbey - n. a monastery ruled by an abbot |
| abide - v. dwell; inhabit or live in |
| abound - v. be abundant or plentiful; exist in large quantities |
| absence - n. the state of being absent |
| absorb - v. assimilate or take in |
| abstinence - n. practice of refraining from indulging an appetite especially alcohol |
| absurd - j. inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense |
| abundant - j. present in great quantity |
| abusive - j. characterized by physical or psychological maltreatment |
| academic - j. associated with school or learning |
| academy - n. a school for special training |
| accept - v. consider or hold as true |
| access - v. reach or gain access to |
| accessible - j. easily obtained |
| acclaim - n. enthusiastic approval |
| accommodate - v. provide with something desired or needed |
| accompany - v. go or travel along with |
| accomplish - v. to gain with effort |
| account - v. furnish a justifying analysis or explanation |
| accurate - j. conforming exactly or almost exactly to fact or to a standard or performing with total accuracy |
| accusation - n. an assertion that someone is guilty of a fault or offence |
| accuse - v. blame for, make a claim of wrongdoing or misbehavior against |
| acid - j. biting, sarcastic, or scornful |
| acknowledge - v. declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of |
| acquire - v. come into the possession of something concrete or abstract |
| acquisition - n. something acquired or received |
| adamant - j. impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason |
| adjacent - j. having a common boundary or edge; abutting; touching |
| administrator - n. someone who manages a government agency or department |
| advent - n. arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous) |
| adverse - j. contrary to your interests or welfare |
| advisory - n. an announcement that usually advises or warns the public of some threat |
| advocacy - n. active support of an idea or cause etc.; especially the act of pleading or arguing for something |
| advocate - v. speak, plead, or argue in favor of |
| affect - n. the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion |
| affirmative - j. affirming or giving assent |
| aggression - n. violent action that is hostile and usually unprovoked |
| airy - j. not practical or realizable; speculative |
| album - n. a book of blank pages with pockets or envelopes; for organizing photographs or stamp collections etc |
| alcohol - n. a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent |
| alien - j. being or from or characteristic of another place or part of the world |
| allegiance - n. the loyalty that citizens owe to their country (or subjects to their sovereign) |
| alley - n. a narrow street with walls on both sides |
| alliance - n. a formal agreement establishing an association or alliance between nations or other groups to achieve a particular aim |
| ally - n. an associate who provides cooperation or assistance |
| altar - n. a raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god are made |
| alter - v. cause to change; make different; cause a transformation |
| alternate - j. serving or used in place of another |
| alternative - j. serving or used in place of another |
| altitude - n. elevation especially above sea level or above the earth's surface |
| amateur - j. lacking professional skill or expertise |
| ambiguous - j. having more than one possible meaning |
| ambitious - j. having a strong desire for success or achievement |
| ambivalent - j. uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow |
| analogy - n. drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity in some respect |
| analyst - n. someone who is skilled at analyzing data |
| analyze - v. break down into components or essential features |
| anchor - v. fix firmly and stably |
| android - n. a robot designed to look and behave like a human being |
| annual - j. occurring or payable every year |
| anonymous - j. having no known name or identity or known source |
| antichrist - n. the adversary of Christ (or Christianity) mentioned in the New Testament |
| antique - j. made in or typical of earlier times and valued for its age |
| anxious - j. causing or fraught with or showing anxiety |
| apartheid - n. a social policy or racial segregation involving political and economic and legal discrimination against people who are not Whites |
| apocalyptic - j. prophetic of devastation or ultimate doom |
| apology - n. an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone |
| apparel - n. clothing in general |
| apparent - j. clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment |
| appease - v. make peace with |
| appropriate - j. suitable for a particular person or place or condition etc |
| apt - j. being of striking appropriateness and pertinence |
| arbitrary - j. based on or subject to individual discretion or preference or sometimes impulse or caprice |
| arcade - n. a covered passageway with shops and stalls on either side |
| arrange - v. put into a proper or systematic order |
| arrangement - n. an orderly grouping (of things or persons) considered as a unit; the result of arranging |
| arrival - n. the act of arriving at a certain place |
| arrogance - n. overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors |
| arrogant - j. having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride |
| articulate - j. expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language |
| assassination - n. murder of a public figure by surprise attack |
| assess - v. set or determine the amount of (a payment such as a fine) |
| assets - n. anything of material value or usefulness that is owned by a person or company |
| asylum - n. a shelter from danger or hardship |
| auburn - j. (of hair) colored a moderate reddish-brown |
| august - j. profoundly honored |
| aura - n. a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing |
| austere - j. of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect |
| authentic - j. not counterfeit or copied |
| authenticity - n. undisputed credibility |
| authoritarian - n. a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner |
| autobiography - n. a biography of yourself |
| autonomous - j. existing as an independent entity |
| autonomy - n. immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority: political independence |
| avid - j. marked by active interest and enthusiasm |
| banal - j. repeated too often; over familiar through overuse |
| barring - n. the act of excluding someone by a negative vote or veto |
| bass - n. the lowest adult male singing voice |
| batter - n. a liquid or semiliquid mixture, as of flour, eggs, and milk, used in cooking |
| belle - n. a young woman who is the most charming and beautiful of several rivals |
| beneficial - j. promoting or enhancing well-being |
| benefit - n. something that aids or promotes well-being |
| benign - j. not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive (especially of a tumor) |
| bid - n. a formal proposal to buy at a specified price |
| biography - n. an account of the series of events making up a person's life |
| biology - n. the science that studies living organisms |
| blaze - n. a strong flame that burns brightly |
| bleak - j. unpleasantly cold and damp |
| bogus - j. fraudulent; having a misleading appearance |
| bolster - v. support and strengthen |
| bomb - n. an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions |
| bore - n. a person who evokes boredom |
| botanical - j. of or relating to plants or botany |
| boycott - n. a group's refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies |
| brass - n. an alloy of copper and zinc |
| breach - n. an opening (especially a gap in a dike or fortification) |
| broadcast - n. message that is transmitted by radio or television |
| brokerage - n. the business of a broker; charges a fee to arrange a contract between two parties |
| buffet - n. a meal set out on a buffet at which guests help themselves |
| bumper - n. a mechanical device consisting of bars at either end of a vehicle to absorb shock and prevent serious damage |
| bureau - n. an administrative unit of government |
| bureaucracy - n. non elected government officials |
| butt - v. to strike, thrust or shove against |
| cabinet - n. persons appointed by a head of state to head executive departments of government and act as official advisers |
| caliber - n. a degree or grade of excellence or worth |
| campaign - n. a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end |
| canon - n. a rule or especially body of rules or principles generally established as valid and fundamental in a field or art or philosophy |
| cardinal - j. serving as an essential component |
| caricature - n. a representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect |
| casual - j. without or seeming to be without plan or method; offhand |
| catastrophe - n. an event resulting in great loss and misfortune |
| caucus - n. a closed political meeting |
| causal - j. involving or constituting a cause; causing |
| censure - n. harsh criticism or disapproval |
| census - n. a periodic count of the population |
| cereal - n. grass whose starchy grains are used as food: wheat; rice; rye; oats; maize; buckwheat; millet |
| ceremonial - j. marked by pomp or ceremony or formality |
| chaos - n. a state of extreme confusion and disorder |
| characteristic - n. a distinguishing quality |
| chronic - j. being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering |
| citadel - n. a stronghold into which people could go for shelter during a battle |
| cite - v. refer to for illustration or proof |
| clumsy - j. not elegant or graceful in expression |
| coalition - n. an organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty |
| coherent - j. marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts |
| coincidence - n. the temporal property of two things happening at the same time |
| collapse - v. break down, literally or metaphorically |
| colleague - n. an associate that one works with |
| collective - j. set up on the principle of collectivism or ownership and production by the workers involved usually under the supervision of a government |
| collector - n. a person who collects things |
| collision - n. an accident resulting from violent impact of a moving object |
| commemorate - v. mark by some ceremony or observation |
| commentary - n. a written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material |
| commission - n. a special group delegated to consider some matter |
| commitment - n. the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action |
| commodity - n. articles of commerce |
| commute - n. a regular journey of some distance to and from your place of work |
| comparable - j. able to be compared or worthy of comparison |
| comparison - n. the act of examining resemblances |
| compassionate - j. showing or having compassion |
| compensate - v. make payment to; compensate |
| competence - n. the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually |
| competent - j. properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient |
| competitive - j. involving competition or competitiveness |
| competitor - n. the contestant you hope to defeat |
| complex - j. complicated in structure; consisting of interconnected parts |
| component - n. an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system |
| composer - n. someone who composes music as a profession |
| comprehensive - j. broad in scope |
| concede - v. admit (to a wrongdoing) |
| conceive - v. have the idea for |
| concession - n. a point conceded or yielded |
| confederate - j. united in a group or league |
| confidence - n. a state of confident hopefulness that events will be favorable |
| confident - j. having or marked by confidence or assurance |
| confront - v. oppose, as in hostility or a competition |
| conscience - n. a feeling of shame when you do something immoral |
| conscious - j. knowing and perceiving; having awareness of surroundings and sensations and thoughts |
| consecutive - j. one after the other |
| consensus - n. agreement in the judgment or opinion reached by a group as a whole |
| conservatism - n. a political or theological orientation advocating the preservation of the best in society and opposing radical changes |
| conservative - j. avoiding excess |
| consistency - n. a harmonious uniformity or agreement among things or parts |
| conspicuous - j. obvious to the eye or mind |
| conspiracy - n. a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot) |
| constituency - n. the body of voters who elect a representative for their area |
| consume - v. use up (resources or materials) |
| consumer - n. a person who uses goods or services |
| consumption - n. the process of taking food into the body through the mouth |
| contemplate - v. look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought |
| contemporary - j. belonging to the present time |
| contender - n. the contestant you hope to defeat |
| contentious - j. inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits |
| contingent - j. possible but not certain to occur |
| continuous - j. continuing in time or space without interruption |
| contradiction - n. opposition between two conflicting forces or ideas |
| contradictory - j. unable for both to be true at the same time |
| contribution - n. a voluntary gift (as of money or service or ideas) made to some worthwhile cause |
| contributor - n. someone who contributes (or promises to contribute) a sum of money |
| convenience - n. the quality of being useful and convenient |
| conversion - n. the act of changing from one use or function or purpose to another |
| convertible - j. designed to be changed from one use or form to another |
| conviction - n. an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence |
| corporate - j. of or belonging to a corporation |
| corps - n. a body of people associated together |
| corruption - n. destroying someone's (or some group's) honesty or loyalty; undermining moral integrity |
| cosmetic - j. serving an esthetic rather than a useful purpose |
| cosmopolitan - j. of worldwide scope or applicability |
| counsel - n. something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action |
| counterpart - n. a person or thing having the same function or characteristics as another |
| courageous - j. able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching |
| course - n. a connected series of events or actions or developments |
| courtesy - n. a courteous or respectful or considerate act |
| credible - j. appearing to merit belief or acceptance |
| critique - n. a serious examination and judgment of something |
| crusade - v. exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for |
| crush - v. to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition |
| curator - n. the custodian of a collection (as a museum or library) |
| curriculum - n. an integrated course of academic studies |
| cynical - j. believing the worst of human nature and motives; having a sneering disbelief in e.g. selflessness of others |
| cynicism - n. a cynical feeling of distrust |
| daring - n. the trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger |
| debacle - n. a sudden and violent collapse |
| debut - v. appear for the first time in public |
| decay - n. the organic phenomenon of rotting |
| decency - n. the quality of conforming to standards of propriety and morality |
| decent - j. socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous |
| decisive - j. characterized by decision and firmness |
| decree - n. a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge) |
| dedication - n. complete and wholehearted fidelity |
| default - n. loss due to not showing up |
| defendant - n. a person or institution against whom an action is brought in a court of law; the person being sued or accused |
| defensive - j. attempting to justify or defend in speech or writing |
| defiance - n. a hostile challenge |
| definite - j. known for certain |
| delicacy - n. something considered choice to eat |
| demise - v. transfer by a lease or by a will |
| demonstrate - v. establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment |
| denominator - n. the divisor of a fraction |
| deposition - n. (law) a pretrial interrogation of a witness; usually conducted in a lawyer's office |
| depression - n. a long-term economic state characterized by unemployment and low prices and low levels of trade and investment |
| depth - n. the attribute or quality of being deep, strong, or intense |
| derive - v. come from |
| descent - n. properties attributable to your ancestry |
| desert - n. arid land with little or no vegetation |
| designate - v. give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person) |
| despair - n. a state in which all hope is lost or absent |
| desperate - j. showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire |
| detect - v. discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of |
| deter - v. try to prevent; show opposition to |
| determination - n. the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose |
| deterrent - j. tending to deter |
| diagnosis - n. identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon |
| dialogue - n. a discussion intended to produce an agreement |
| difference - n. the quality of being unlike or dissimilar |
| dignity - n. the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect |
| dilemma - n. state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options |
| diplomacy - n. subtly skillful handling of a situation |
| diplomat - n. a person who deals tactfully with others |
| diplomatic - j. using or marked by tact in dealing with sensitive matters or people |
| disagree - v. be of different opinions |
| disappear - v. become invisible or unnoticeable |
| discern - v. detect with the senses |
| discipline - n. a system of rules of conduct or method of practice |
| discomfort - n. the state of being tense and feeling pain |
| discourse - n. extended verbal expression in speech or writing |
| discover - v. see for the first time; make a discovery |
| discriminate - v. treat differently on the basis of sex or race |
| discussion - n. an exchange of views on some topic |
| disdain - n. lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike |
| dishonest - j. deceptive or fraudulent; disposed to cheat or defraud or deceive |
| dismal - j. causing dejection |
| dismay - v. fill with apprehension or alarm; cause to be unpleasantly surprised |
| dismissal - n. the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart) |
| disparity - n. inequality or difference in some respect |
| disregard - n. willful lack of care and attention |
| dissent - n. a difference of opinion |
| distant - j. separated in space or coming from or going to a distance |
| distinction - n. a distinguishing difference |
| distress - n. extreme physical pain |
| distrust - v. regard as untrustworthy; regard with suspicion; have no faith or confidence in |
| diverse - j. many and different |
| diversion - n. an activity that diverts or amuses or stimulates |
| diversity - n. noticeable heterogeneity |
| divert - v. turn aside; turn away from |
| document - n. writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature) |
| doe - n. mature female of mammals of which the male is called 'buck' |
| domain - n. territory over which rule or control is exercised |
| dominance - n. the state that exists when one person or group has power over another |
| dominant - j. exercising influence or control |
| dominate - v. be in control |
| domination - n. social control by dominating |
| donate - v. give to a charity or good cause |
| donor - n. person who makes a gift of property |
| drastic - j. forceful and extreme and rigorous |
| drought - n. a shortage of rainfall |
| dubious - j. open to doubt or suspicion |
| dynamics - n. the branch of mechanics concerned with the forces that cause motions of bodies |
| earnest - j. characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions |
| eccentric - n. a person with an unusual or odd personality |
| eclectic - j. selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas |
| editorial - n. an article giving opinions or perspectives |
| effect - n. a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon |
| effective - j. works well as a means or remedy |
| efficiency - n. skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort |
| efficient - j. able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively |
| elaborate - v. add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing |
| element - n. any of the more than 100 known substances (of which 92 occur naturally) that cannot be separated into simpler substances and that singly or in combination constitute all matter |
| eligible - j. qualified for or allowed or worthy of being chosen |
| eliminate - v. terminate, end, or take out |
| embargo - n. a government order imposing a trade barrier |
| emblem - n. a visible symbol representing an abstract idea |
| embrace - n. the act of clasping another person in the arms (as in greeting or affection) |
| emerge - v. come out into view, as from concealment |
| emergence - n. the gradual beginning or coming forth |
| eminent - j. of imposing height; especially standing out above others |
| emphasis - n. intensity or forcefulness of expression |
| emphasize - v. to stress, single out as important |
| employee - n. a worker who is hired to perform a job |
| employer - n. a person or firm that employs workers |
| emulate - v. imitate the function of (another system), as by modifying the hardware or the software |
| enact - v. order by virtue of superior authority; decree |
| encourage - v. inspire with confidence; give hope or courage to |
| encyclopedia - n. a reference work (often in several volumes) containing articles on various topics |
| endorse - v. be behind; approve of |
| enduring - j. patiently bearing continual wrongs or trouble |
| energetic - j. possessing or exerting or displaying energy |
| enhance - v. make better or more attractive |
| enormous - j. extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree |
| enthusiastic - j. having or showing great excitement and interest |
| entity - n. that which is perceived or known or inferred to have its own distinct existence (living or nonliving) |
| epic - j. very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale) |
| epidemic - n. a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time |
| episode - n. a brief section of a literary or dramatic work that forms part of a connected series |
| equilibrium - n. a stable situation in which forces cancel one another |
| equity - n. the difference between the market value of a property and the claims held against it |
| equivalent - j. being essentially equal to something |
| error - n. a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention |
| esquire - n. a title of respect for a member of the English gentry ranking just below a knight; placed after the name |
| essence - n. the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work |
| evangelical - j. relating to or being a Christian church believing in personal conversion and the inerrancy of the Bible especially the 4 Gospels |
| evoke - v. call to mind |
| evolution - n. a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage) |
| exceed - v. be greater in scope or size than some standard |
| excellent - j. very good; of the highest quality |
| excerpt - n. a passage selected from a larger work |
| excess - j. more than is needed, desired, or required |
| exclude - v. prevent from being included or considered or accepted |
| excursion - n. a journey taken for pleasure |
| exempt - v. grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to |
| existence - n. everything that exists anywhere |
| exit - v. move out of or depart from |
| exotic - j. strikingly strange or unusual |
| expand - v. become larger in size or volume or quantity |
| expansion - n. the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope |
| expect - v. regard something as probable or likely |
| expectancy - n. something expected (as on the basis of a norm) |
| expense - n. money spent to perform work and usually reimbursed by an employer |
| expertise - n. skillfulness by virtue of possessing special knowledge |
| explicit - j. precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable; leaving nothing to implication |
| explode - v. drive from the stage by noisy disapproval |
| exploit - v. use or manipulate to one's advantage |
| explosion - n. the act of exploding or bursting |
| explosive - n. a chemical substance that undergoes a rapid chemical change (with the production of gas) on being heated or struck |
| exposure - n. vulnerability to the elements; to the action of heat or cold or wind or rain |
| expressive - j. characterized by expression |
| extension - n. an addition to the length of something |
| extensive - j. large in spatial extent or range or scope or quantity |
| exterior - n. the outer side or surface of something |
| external - j. happening or arising or located outside or beyond some limits or especially surface |
| extradition - n. the surrender of an accused or convicted person by one state or country to another (usually under the provisions of a statute or treaty) |
| extraordinary - j. beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable |
| extravagant - j. unrestrained, especially with regard to feelings |
| exuberant - j. joyously unrestrained |
| fabulous - j. extremely pleasing |
| facial - j. of or concerning the face |
| facility - n. something designed and created to serve a particular function and to afford a particular convenience or service |
| faction - n. a dissenting clique |
| faulty - j. characterized by errors; not agreeing with a model or not following established rules |
| feasible - j. capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are |
| felony - n. a serious crime (such as murder or arson) |
| feminine - j. associated with women and not with men |
| fervor - n. the state of being emotionally aroused and worked up |
| fetus - n. an unborn or unhatched vertebrate in the later stages of development showing the main recognizable features of the mature animal |
| feud - n. a bitter quarrel between two parties |
| feudal - j. of or relating to or characteristic of feudalism |
| fidelity - n. the quality of being faithful |
| finale - n. the concluding part of any performance |
| finite - j. bounded or limited in magnitude or spatial or temporal extent |
| fiscal - j. involving financial matters |
| flag - n. emblem usually consisting of a rectangular piece of cloth of distinctive design |
| flamboyant - j. marked by ostentation but often tasteless |
| fleet - n. a group of warships organized as a tactical unit |
| flexible - j. able to flex; able to bend easily |
| flop - n. a complete failure |
| flourish - n. a showy gesture |
| foil - n. anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities |
| ford - v. cross a river where it's shallow |
| forecast - n. a prediction about how something (as the weather) will develop |
| foreign - j. relating to or originating in or characteristic of another place or part of the world |
| foresee - v. act in advance of; deal with ahead of time |
| formation - n. an arrangement of people or things acting as a unit |
| formidable - j. extremely impressive in strength or excellence |
| formula - n. directions for making something |
| forte - n. an asset of special worth or utility |
| forth - a. forward in time or order or degree |
| foster - v. promote the growth of |
| fragile - j. easily broken or damaged or destroyed |
| frantic - j. excessively agitated; distraught with fear or other violent emotion |
| fray - v. wear away by rubbing |
| frequency - n. the number of occurrences within a given time period |
| fringe - n. a social group holding marginal or extreme views |
| frivolous - j. not serious in content or attitude or behavior |
| frontier - n. a wilderness at the edge of a settled area of a country |
| fundamental - j. being or involving basic facts or principles |
| further - v. promote the growth of |
| futile - j. producing no result or effect |
| galaxy - n. (astronomy) a collection of star systems; any of the billions of systems each having many stars and nebulae and dust |
| gamble - v. take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome |
| gauge - n. a measuring instrument for measuring and indicating a quantity such as the thickness of wire or the amount of rain etc. |
| generate - v. bring into existence |
| generic - j. applicable to an entire class or group |
| generosity - n. the trait of being willing to give your money or time |
| genesis - n. the first book of the Old Testament: tells of Creation; Adam and Eve; Cain and Abel |
| gesture - n. motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling |
| gigantic - j. so exceedingly large or extensive as to suggest a giant or mammoth |
| gist - n. the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience |
| glimpse - n. a brief or incomplete view |
| glorious - j. having great beauty and splendor |
| grandeur - n. the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand |
| grandiose - j. impressive because of unnecessary largeness or grandeur; used to show disapproval |
| grave - j. of great gravity or crucial import; requiring serious thought |
| gravity - n. a manner that is serious and solemn |
| grief - n. something that causes great unhappiness |
| grotesque - j. distorted and unnatural in shape or size; abnormal and hideous |
| grove - n. a small growth of trees without underbrush |
| guise - n. an artful or simulated semblance |
| hack - n. a mediocre and disdained writer |
| hale - j. exhibiting or restored to vigorous good health |
| handwriting - n. something written by hand |
| harbor - v. hold back a thought or feeling about |
| hazard - n. a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune |
| heir - n. a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another |
| heritage - n. practices that are handed down from the past by tradition |
| hilarious - j. marked by or causing boisterous merriment or convulsive laughter |
| hollow - j. not solid; having a space or gap or cavity |
| homage - n. respectful deference |
| hostility - n. violent action that is hostile and usually unprovoked |
| humane - j. marked or motivated by concern with the alleviation of suffering |
| humanitarian - n. someone devoted to the promotion of human welfare and to social reforms |
| hush - v. become quiet or still; fall silent |
| hybrid - n. (genetics) an organism that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock; especially offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or breeds or species |
| hypocrisy - n. insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have |
| hypothesis - n. a tentative insight into the natural world; a concept that is not yet verified but that if true would explain certain facts or phenomena |
| hysteria - n. excessive or uncontrollable fear |
| icon - n. a conventional religious painting in oil on a small wooden panel; venerated in the Eastern Church |
| ideology - n. an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation |
| illusion - n. an erroneous mental representation |
| imaginary - j. not based on fact; unreal |
| imitation - n. something copied or derived from an original |
| immense - j. unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope |
| immigrant - n. a person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there |
| imminent - j. close in time; about to occur |
| immoral - j. not adhering to ethical or moral principles |
| immune - j. (usually followed by 'to') not affected by a given influence |
| impending - j. close in time; about to occur |
| implausible - j. having a quality that provokes disbelief |
| implicit - j. implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something |
| imply - v. express or state indirectly |
| impose - v. compel to behave in a certain way |
| improper - j. not suitable or right or appropriate |
| impulse - n. a sudden desire |
| inadequate - j. not sufficient to meet a need |
| incentive - n. a positive motivational influence |
| incidence - n. the relative frequency of occurrence of something |
| incident - n. a public disturbance |
| incidentally - a. of a minor or subordinate nature |
| inclined - j. at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position |
| incompetence - n. lack of physical or intellectual ability or qualifications |
| inconsistent - j. displaying a lack of consistency |
| inconvenient - j. not suited to your comfort, purpose or needs |
| indefinitely - a. to an indefinite extent; for an indefinite time |
| indicator - n. a device for showing the operating condition of some system |
| indifferent - j. showing no care or concern in attitude or action |
| indigenous - j. originating where it is found |
| indulge - v. enjoy to excess |
| inefficient - j. not producing desired results; wasteful |
| inept - j. generally incompetent and ineffectual |
| inevitable - j. incapable of being avoided or prevented |
| inexpensive - j. relatively low in price or charging low prices |
| infamous - j. known widely and usually unfavorably |
| infinite - j. having no limits or boundaries in time or space or extent or magnitude |
| influence - n. a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc |
| influential - j. having or exercising influence or power |
| influx - n. the process of flowing in |
| ingenious - j. showing inventiveness and skill |
| inherent - j. in the nature of something though not readily apparent |
| injunction - n. (law) a judicial remedy issued in order to prohibit a party from doing or continuing to do a certain activity |
| inland - a. towards or into the interior of a region |
| insight - n. the clear (and often sudden) understanding of a complex situation |
| insistence - n. the state of demanding notice or attention |
| inspector - n. a high ranking police officer |
| instance - n. an occurrence of something |
| instant - n. a very short time |
| insufficient - j. of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement |
| integral - j. essential to completeness; lacking nothing |
| integrity - n. moral soundness |
| intellectual - j. appealing to or using the intellect |
| intelligence - n. the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience |
| intensive - j. characterized by a high degree or intensity; often used as a combining form |
| intention - n. an act of intending; a volition that you intend to carry out |
| interact - v. act together or towards others or with others |
| interim - n. the time between one event, process, or period and another |
| intermediate - j. lying between two extremes in time or space or state |
| intervene - v. get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force |
| intervention - n. the act of intervening (as to mediate a dispute, etc.) |
| intimacy - n. close or warm friendship |
| intricate - j. having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate |
| invasion - n. any entry into an area not previously occupied |
| inventive - j. (used of persons or artifacts) marked by independence and creativity in thought or action |
| investigator - n. a police officer who investigates crimes |
| investor - n. someone who commits capital in order to gain financial returns |
| invincible - j. incapable of being overcome or subdued |
| invoke - v. cite as an authority; resort to |
| involuntary - j. not subject to the control of the will |
| involve - v. engage as a participant |
| irony - n. incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs |
| irrational - j. not consistent with or using reason |
| irrelevant - j. having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue |
| irresistible - j. impossible to resist; overpowering |
| irresponsible - j. showing lack of care for consequences |
| judgment - n. the capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions |
| judicial - j. belonging or appropriate to the office of a judge |
| juicy - j. lucrative |
| junction - n. something that joins or connects |
| jurisdiction - n. (law) the right and power to interpret and apply the law |
| juror - n. someone who serves (or waits to be called to serve) on a jury |
| justification - n. something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary |
| juvenile - j. of or relating to or characteristic of or appropriate for children or young people |
| ken - n. range of what one can know or understand |
| knight - n. originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit |
| knit - n. needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine |
| lament - v. regret strongly |
| landmark - n. the position of a prominent or well-known object in a particular landscape |
| landscape - n. an expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view |
| lapse - n. a break or intermission in the occurrence of something |
| laureate - n. someone honored for great achievements; figuratively someone crowned with a laurel wreath |
| lavish - j. very generous |
| lax - j. lacking in rigor or strictness |
| legacy - n. (law) a gift of personal property by will |
| legislative - j. relating to a legislature or composed of members of a legislature |
| legitimacy - n. lawfulness by virtue of being authorized or in accordance with law |
| legitimate - j. in accordance with recognized or accepted standards or principles |
| leisure - n. time available for ease and relaxation |
| lenient - j. not strict |
| levy - v. impose and collect |
| liable - j. held legally responsible |
| liberalism - n. a political orientation that favors social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution |
| lifelong - j. continuing through life |
| lifetime - n. the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death) |
| likelihood - n. the probability of a specified outcome |
| liking - n. a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment |
| liquor - n. an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented |
| literacy - n. the ability to read and write |
| literal - j. avoiding embellishment or exaggeration (used for emphasis) |
| literature - n. creative writing of recognized artistic value |
| logic - n. the principles that guide reasoning within a given field or situation |
| logical - j. capable of thinking and expressing yourself in a clear and consistent manner |
| lovable - j. having characteristics that attract love or affection |
| lucrative - j. producing a sizeable profit |
| ludicrous - j. broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce |
| lying - n. the deliberate act of deviating from the truth |
| machinery - n. machines or machine systems collectively |
| magnet - n. (physics) a device that attracts iron and produces a magnetic field |
| magnificent - j. characterized by grandeur |
| magnitude - n. the property of relative size or extent (whether large or small) |
| maintain - v. state or assert |
| maintenance - n. activity involved in maintaining something in good working order |
| makeup - n. the way in which someone or something is composed |
| mandate - n. an authorization to act given to a representative |
| mandatory - j. required by rule |
| maneuver - v. act in order to achieve a certain goal |
| manifesto - n. a public declaration of intentions (as issued by a political party or government) |
| marine - j. native to or inhabiting the sea |
| maritime - j. relating to or involving ships or shipping or navigation or seamen |
| martial - j. suggesting war or military life |
| marvel - v. be amazed at |
| massacre - n. the savage and excessive killing of many people |
| massive - j. imposing in size or bulk or solidity |
| masterpiece - n. the most outstanding work of a creative artist or craftsman |
| material - j. concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests |
| maternal - j. relating to or derived from one's mother |
| maze - n. complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost |
| mechanics - n. the technical aspects of doing something |
| medicine - n. something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease |
| medieval - j. as if belonging to the Middle Ages; old-fashioned and unenlightened |
| mediocre - j. moderate to inferior in quality |
| meditation - n. continuous and profound contemplation or musing on a subject or series of subjects of a deep or abstruse nature |
| melodrama - n. an extravagant comedy in which action is more salient than characterization |
| memorable - j. worth remembering |
| menace - v. act in a threatening manner |
| mentality - n. a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations |
| mentor - v. serve as a teacher or trusted counselor |
| metal - n. any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids |
| metaphor - n. a figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity |
| metric - j. based on the meter as a standard of measurement |
| metropolis - n. a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts |
| metropolitan - j. relating to or characteristic of a densely populated urban area |
| mileage - n. the ratio of the number of miles traveled to the number of gallons of gasoline burned; miles per gallon |
| militant - j. disposed to warfare or hard-line policies |
| militia - n. civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army |
| miniature - j. being on a very small scale |
| minimize - v. make small or insignificant |
| ministry - n. a government department under the direction of a minister |
| minority - n. being or relating to the smaller in number of two parts |
| minute - j. infinitely or immeasurably small |
| misdemeanor - n. a crime less serious than a felony |
| missile - n. a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives |
| momentum - n. an impelling force or strength |
| monarchy - n. an autocracy governed by a monarch who usually inherits the authority |
| monastery - n. the residence of a religious community |
| monetary - j. relating to or involving money |
| monopoly - n. (economics) a market in which there are many buyers but only one seller |
| morale - n. the spirit of a group that makes the members want the group to succeed |
| morality - n. concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct |
| motto - n. a favorite saying of a sect or political group |
| mundane - j. concerned with the world or worldly matters; ordinary |
| municipal - j. relating to city government |
| muster - v. gather or bring together |
| myriad - n. a large indefinite number |
| myth - n. a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people |
| mythology - n. myths collectively; the body of stories associated with a culture or institution or person |
| narrative - n. a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program |
| narrator - n. someone who tells a story |
| naturally - a. according to nature; by natural means; without artificial help |
| naval - j. connected with or belonging to or used in a navy |
| necessary - j. absolutely essential |
| necessity - n. anything indispensable |
| network - n. an interconnected system of things or people |
| neutral - j. having no personal preference |
| nevertheless - a. despite anything to the contrary (usually following a concession) |
| noisy - j. full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds |
| nomination - n. the condition of having been proposed as a suitable candidate for appointment or election |
| nominee - n. a politician who is running for public office |
| norm - n. a standard or model or pattern regarded as typical |
| notorious - j. known widely and usually unfavorably |
| nude - n. without clothing (especially in the phrase 'in the nude') |
| obesity - n. more than average fatness |
| objective - j. undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena |
| observatory - n. a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena |
| obsolete - j. no longer in use |
| obstruction - n. something that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted |
| obtain - v. come into possession of |
| occasion - n. a vaguely specified social event |
| odor - n. the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form |
| ominous - j. threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments |
| operate - v. handle and cause to function |
| operator - n. an agent that operates some apparatus or machine |
| opinion - n. a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty |
| opponent - n. a contestant that you are matched against |
| opportunity - n. a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances |
| optimism - n. a general disposition to expect the best in all things |
| option - n. one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen |
| oral - j. of or relating to or affecting or for use in the mouth |
| ordeal - n. a severe or trying experience |
| ornate - j. marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details |
| orthodox - j. adhering to what is commonly accepted |
| outbreak - n. a sudden violent spontaneous occurrence (usually of some undesirable condition) |
| outcry - n. a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition |
| outrage - n. a feeling of righteous anger |
| outrageous - j. grossly offensive to decency or morality; causing horror |
| outright - a. without reservation or concealment |
| overhaul - v. make repairs, renovations, revisions or adjustments to |
| oversee - v. watch and direct |
| overthrow - n. the termination of a ruler or institution (especially by force) |
| overweight - n. the property of excessive fatness |
| pact - n. a written agreement between two states or sovereigns |
| pageant - n. a rich and spectacular ceremony |
| panic - n. an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety |
| pantheon - n. all the gods of a religion |
| paradox - n. (logic) a statement that contradicts itself |
| parallel - j. being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting |
| parish - n. a local church community |
| parliament - n. a legislative assembly in certain countries |
| parody - v. make a spoof of or make fun of |
| participant - n. someone who takes part in an activity |
| participate - v. become a participant; be involved in |
| partisan - n. an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of some person or activity |
| partition - v. divide into parts, pieces, or sections |
| passive - j. lacking in energy or will |
| patriotism - n. love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it |
| patron - n. someone who supports or champions something |
| pavilion - n. large and often sumptuous tent |
| peaceful - j. not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war |
| pedestrian - j. lacking wit or imagination |
| penalty - n. a punishment for a crime or offense |
| penchant - n. a strong liking |
| pennant - n. a long flag; often tapering |
| pension - n. a regular payment to a person that is intended to allow them to subsist without working |
| pentagon - n. a five-sided polygon |
| perceive - v. to become aware of or conscious of |
| perception - n. becoming aware of something via the senses |
| perennial - j. lasting an indefinitely long time; suggesting self-renewal |
| perform - v. carry out or perform an action |
| perjury - n. criminal offense of making false statements under oath |
| permanent - j. continuing or enduring without marked change in status or condition or place |
| perpetual - j. continuing forever or indefinitely |
| persist - v. be persistent, refuse to stop |
| personal - j. concerning or affecting a particular person or his or her private life and personality |
| personality - n. the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual |
| personnel - n. persons collectively in the employ of a business |
| perspective - n. the appearance of things relative to one another as determined by their distance from the viewer |
| persuade - v. cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody's arm |
| pervasive - j. spreading or spread throughout |
| petty - j. contemptibly narrow in outlook |
| phenomenal - j. exceedingly or unbelievably great |
| phenomenon - n. any state or process known through the senses rather than by intuition or reasoning |
| philharmonic - j. composing or characteristic of an orchestral group |
| philosophy - n. any personal belief about how to live or how to deal with a situation |
| physicist - n. a scientist trained in physics |
| physics - n. the science of matter and energy and their interactions |
| pinch - n. a squeeze with the fingers |
| pine - n. straight-grained white to yellowish tree |
| pioneer - v. open up and explore a new area |
| pivotal - j. being of crucial importance |
| plausible - j. apparently reasonable and valid, and truthful |
| playful - j. full of fun and high spirits |
| playwright - n. someone who writes plays |
| plea - n. a humble request for help from someone in authority |
| plead - v. appeal or request earnestly |
| pleasant - j. affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings |
| plunge - v. fall abruptly |
| poetic - j. of or relating to poetry |
| poignant - j. arousing emotions; touching |
| poised - j. in full control of your faculties |
| portfolio - n. a set of pieces of creative work collected to be shown to potential customers or employers |
| positive - j. characterized by or displaying affirmation or acceptance or certainty etc. |
| possess - v. have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill |
| possession - n. the act of having and controlling property |
| potent - j. having a strong physiological or chemical effect |
| potential - j. existing in possibility |
| precedent - n. an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time |
| precise - j. sharply exact or accurate or delimited |
| precision - n. the quality of being reproducible in amount or performance |
| predecessor - n. one who precedes you in time (as in holding a position or office) |
| predict - v. make a prediction about; tell in advance |
| prediction - n. a statement made about the future |
| prefer - v. like better; value more highly |
| preference - n. a strong liking |
| prejudice - n. a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation |
| premature - j. too soon or too hasty |
| premier - v. be performed for the first time |
| premise - v. set forth beforehand, often as an explanation |
| preparation - n. the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose |
| preposterous - j. incongruous; inviting ridicule |
| prescription - n. written instructions from a physician or dentist to a druggist concerning the form and dosage of a drug to be issued to a given patient |
| preservation - n. the activity of protecting something from loss or danger |
| pretentious - j. making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction |
| prevalent - j. most frequent or common |
| prevention - n. the act of preventing |
| primer - n. an introductory textbook |
| primitive - j. belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness |
| principal - n. the educator who has executive authority for a school |
| principle - n. a basic truth or law or assumption |
| principled - j. based on or manifesting objectively defined standards of rightness or morality |
| pristine - j. completely free from dirt or contamination |
| privilege - n. a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all |
| probation - n. (law) a way of dealing with offenders without imprisoning them; a defendant found guilty of a crime is released by the court without imprisonment subject to conditions imposed by the court |
| probe - v. question or examine thoroughly and closely |
| procedure - n. a process or series of acts especially of a practical or mechanical nature involved in a particular form of work |
| proceed - v. move ahead; travel onward in time or space |
| productive - j. producing or capable of producing (especially abundantly) |
| profession - n. an occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences) |
| professor - n. someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university |
| profile - n. an outline of something (especially a human face as seen from one side) |
| progressive - j. favoring or promoting progress |
| prohibition - n. the action of prohibiting or inhibiting or forbidding (or an instance thereof) |
| prolific - j. bearing in abundance especially offspring |
| promenade - n. a public area set aside as a pedestrian walk |
| prominence - n. relative importance |
| prominent - j. having a quality that thrusts itself into attention |
| promoter - n. someone who is an active supporter and advocate |
| prone - j. having a tendency (to); often used in combination |
| propaganda - n. information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause |
| prophet - n. someone who speaks by divine inspiration; someone who is an interpreter of the will of God |
| protagonist - n. the principal character in a work of fiction |
| protection - n. the activity of protecting someone or something |
| protective - j. intended or adapted to afford protection of some kind |
| protestant - j. of or relating to Protestants or Protestantism |
| provincial - j. characteristic of the provinces or their people |
| provoke - v. evoke or provoke to appear or occur |
| proxy - n. a person authorized to act for another |
| prudence - n. knowing how to avoid embarrassment or distress |
| psychic - j. outside the sphere of physical science |
| pundit - n. someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field |
| quake - v. shake with fast, tremulous movements |
| qualify - v. make fit or prepared |
| quarterly - a. in three month intervals |
| radical - j. markedly new or introducing extreme change |
| rampant - j. unrestrained and violent |
| rapid - j. characterized by speed; moving with or capable of moving with high speed |
| rave - v. praise enthusiastically |
| reaction - n. a response that reveals a person's feelings or attitude |
| readily - a. without much difficulty |
| realism - n. the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth |
| recipient - n. a person who receives something |
| reckless - j. characterized by careless unconcern |
| recognize - v. detect with the senses |
| reconcile - v. come to terms |
| reconsider - v. consider again; give new consideration to; usually with a view to changing |
| recover - v. get or find back; recover the use of |
| recruit - v. cause to assemble or enlist in the military |
| redemption - n. (theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil |
| refer - v. send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision |
| reflection - n. the image of something as reflected by a mirror (or other reflective material) |
| reform - v. make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices |
| refuge - n. a shelter from danger or hardship |
| refusal - n. the act of not accepting something that is offered |
| regime - n. the government or governing authority of a political unit |
| regional - j. related or limited to a particular region |
| reign - v. have sovereign power |
| relevant - j. having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue |
| reliant - j. depending on another for support |
| reluctance - n. a certain degree of unwillingness |
| reluctant - j. not eager |
| reminiscent - j. serving to bring to mind |
| renaissance - n. the period of European history at the close of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern world; a cultural rebirth from the 14th through the middle of the 17th centuries |
| render - v. give or supply |
| renowned - j. widely known and esteemed |
| repeal - n. cancel officially |
| reproduction - n. the act of making copies |
| requisite - n. anything indispensable |
| resemblance - n. similarity in appearance or external or superficial details |
| resent - v. feel bitter or indignant about |
| resist - v. withstand the force of something |
| resistance - n. the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with |
| resistant - j. impervious to being affected |
| resort - v. have recourse to |
| resource - n. a source of aid or support that may be drawn upon when needed |
| restore - v. bring back into original existence, use, function, or position |
| resurrection - n. (New Testament) the rising of Christ on the third day after the Crucifixion |
| retrospect - n. contemplation of things past |
| retrospective - j. concerned with or related to the past |
| revelation - n. communication of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural agency |
| revive - v. be brought back to life, consciousness, or strength |
| rhetoric - n. using language effectively to please or persuade |
| ridiculous - j. incongruous; absurd; nonsensical |
| rigorous - j. demanding strict attention to rules and procedures |
| robust - j. sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction |
| rue - n. sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment |
| rural - j. living in or characteristic of farming or country life |
| rustic - j. characteristic of the fields or country |
| sacrifice - v. kill or destroy |
| savage - v. criticize harshly or violently |
| scholarly - j. characteristic of learning or studying |
| scope - n. an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control |
| script - n. a written version of a play or other dramatic composition; used in preparing for a performance |
| secession - n. formal separation from an alliance or federation |
| secondary - j. not of major importance |
| secrecy - n. the trait of keeping things secret |
| secular - j. not concerned with or devoted to religion |
| seize - v. take hold of; grab |
| selective - j. characterized by very careful or fastidious choices |
| seminar - n. any meeting for an exchange of ideas |
| sensation - n. a perception associated with stimulation of a sensory organ |
| sensibility - n. refined sensitivity to pleasurable or painful impressions |
| sensitive - j. responsive to physical stimuli |
| sentence - n. the period of time a prisoner is imprisoned |
| sentinel - n. a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event |
| sequel - n. a part added to a book or play that continues and extends it |
| sequence - n. serial arrangement in which things follow in logical order or a recurrent pattern |
| sergeant - n. any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal |
| servitude - n. state of subjection to an owner or master or forced labor imposed as punishment |
| severely - a. with sternness; in a severe manner |
| shallow - j. lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious |
| sheer - j. complete and without restriction or qualification |
| shrewd - j. marked by practical hardheaded intelligence |
| siege - n. the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while continuing to attack |
| significance - n. the quality of being important in effect or meaning |
| significant - j. important in effect or meaning |
| similar - j. having close to the same characteristics |
| sinister - j. stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable |
| skepticism - n. the disbelief in any claims of ultimate knowledge |
| slack - j. not tense or taut |
| slight - n. a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval) |
| sober - v. become more realistic |
| socialism - n. a political theory advocating state ownership of industry |
| socialist - j. advocating or following the socialist principles of state ownership |
| sociology - n. the study and classification of human societies |
| solar - j. relating to or derived from the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun |
| soldier - n. an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army |
| somber - j. grave or even gloomy in character |
| sophisticated - j. having or appealing to those having worldly knowledge and refinement |
| souvenir - n. a reminder of past events |
| specialty - n. an asset of special worth or utility |
| species - n. (biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed |
| spectator - n. a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind) |
| specter - n. a ghostly appearing figure |
| spectrum - n. a broad range of related objects or ideas or activities |
| speculate - v. consider in an idle or casual way and with an element of doubt or without sufficient reason to reach a conclusion |
| spontaneous - j. said or done without having been planned or written in advance |
| static - j. showing little if any change |
| stature - n. high level of respect gained by impressive development or achievement |
| statute - n. an act passed by a legislative body |
| stealth - n. avoiding detection by moving carefully |
| stimulate - v. cause to be alert and energetic |
| stringent - j. demanding strict attention to rules and procedures |
| submission - n. something (manuscripts or architectural plans and models or estimates or works of art of all genres etc.) submitted for the judgment of others (as in a competition) |
| subsequent - j. following in time or order |
| subsidiary - j. functioning in a supporting capacity |
| substantive - j. having a firm basis in reality and being therefore important, meaningful, or considerable |
| subtle - j. difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze |
| successor - n. a person who follows next in order |
| summary - n. a brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form |
| superb - j. of surpassing excellence |
| superficial - j. concerned with or comprehending only what is apparent or obvious; not deep or penetrating emotionally or intellectually |
| suppress - v. reduce the incidence or severity of or stop |
| surround - v. extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle |
| suspense - n. excited anticipation of an approaching climax |
| suspension - n. an interruption in the intensity or amount of something |
| suspicious - j. openly distrustful and unwilling to confide |
| sympathetic - j. expressing or feeling or resulting from sympathy or compassion or friendly fellow feelings; disposed toward |
| symphony - n. a large orchestra; can perform symphonies |
| systematic - j. characterized by order and planning |
| tactics - n. the branch of military science dealing with detailed maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy |
| tangible - j. perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch |
| taxation - n. the imposition of taxes; the practice of the government in levying taxes on the subjects of a state |
| technique - n. skillfulness in the command of fundamentals deriving from practice and familiarity |
| technology - n. the practical application of science to commerce or industry |
| telescope - n. a magnifier of images of distant objects |
| temporary - j. not permanent; not lasting |
| tendency - n. a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect |
| tense - j. taut or rigid; stretched tight |
| tentative - j. unsettled in mind or opinion |
| tenure - v. give life-time employment to |
| terminal - j. being or situated at an end |
| territorial - j. displaying territoriality; defending an area from intruders |
| testament - n. a profession of belief |
| theological - j. of or relating to or concerning the study of religion |
| theology - n. the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth |
| theoretical - j. concerned with theories rather than their practical applications |
| theorist - n. someone who theorizes (especially in science or art) |
| thesis - n. a formal paper advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree |
| titanic - j. of great force or power |
| tolerance - n. willingness to recognize and respect the beliefs or practices of others |
| tolerant - j. showing respect for the rights or opinions or practices of others |
| tolerate - v. recognize and respect (rights and beliefs of others) |
| transcript - n. something that has been transcribed; a written record (usually typewritten) of dictated or recorded speech |
| transfer - v. move from one place to another |
| transition - v. make or undergo a transition (from one state or system to another) |
| translate - v. restate (words) from one language into another language |
| transmission - n. the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted |
| transparent - j. transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity |
| transplant - n. the act of removing something from one location and introducing it in another location |
| tremendous - j. extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree |
| tribune - n. a protector of the people |
| trinity - n. the union of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost in one Godhead |
| triple - v. increase threefold |
| trivial - j. of little substance or significance |
| truthful - j. expressing or given to expressing the truth |
| turmoil - n. a violent disturbance |
| typical - j. exhibiting the qualities or characteristics that identify a group or kind or category |
| ubiquitous - j. being present everywhere at once |
| ultimate - j. furthest or highest in degree or order; utmost or extreme |
| unanimous - j. acting together as a single undiversified whole |
| uncommon - j. not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind |
| unconscious - j. not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead |
| undermine - v. destroy property or hinder normal operations |
| unique - j. the single one of its kind |
| unlimited - j. having no limits in range or scope |
| unprecedented - j. having no previous example; novel |
| urban - j. located in or characteristic of a city or city life |
| urgency - n. an urgent situation calling for prompt action |
| usage - n. the act of using |
| utility - n. the quality of being of practical use |
| vacuum - n. a region that is devoid of matter |
| valid - j. well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force |
| variation - n. an artifact that deviates from a norm or standard |
| vegetarian - n. eater of fruits and grains and nuts; someone who eats no meat or fish or (often) any animal products |
| vegetation - n. all the plant life in a particular region or period |
| venerable - j. impressive by reason of age |
| verify - v. confirm the truth of |
| version - n. something a little different from others of the same type |
| vertical - j. at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line |
| veto - n. the power or right to prohibit or reject a proposed or intended act (especially the power of a chief executive to reject a bill passed by the legislature) |
| vigorous - j. strong and active physically or mentally |
| violation - n. an act that disregards an agreement or a right |
| vista - n. the visual percept of a region |
| visual - j. relating to or using sight |
| vitality - n. an energetic style |
| vogue - n. the popular taste at a given time |
| volatile - j. liable to lead to sudden change or violence |
| vulnerable - j. capable of being wounded or hurt |
| warrant - v. stand behind and guarantee the quality, accuracy, or condition of |
| wherever - a. where in the world |
| wholly - a. to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent ('whole' is often used informally for 'wholly') |
| woo - v. seek someone's favor |
| zeal - n. excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end |
