Saturday, October 23, 2004
For boxing fans: who is Jimmy Wilde?
Cox's Corner Profiles
Jimmy Wilde, The Mighty Atom…“A mite of a man”
By: Monte D. Cox
Jimmy Wilde was boxing’s first and greatest Flyweight champion. The National Sporting Club established the flyweight class in Britain in 1909, but American recognition of the division did not come until 1916 the year Wilde won the title. His reign as 112- pound champion ran from 1916 to 1923. His record of going unbeaten in his first 98 fights will probably stand forever. Wilde is the hardest pound for pound hitter in boxing history scoring almost 100 knockouts despite weighing barely over 100 pounds. He would fight almost anyone irregardless of weight. His official record is 130-3-1 11 ND's (99 kayo’s).
Jimmy Wilde, like Bob Fitzsimmons and the original Joe Walcott, has been described as something of a physical freak. He stood 5 2 ½”, had a 68” reach and never weighed more than 108 pounds but possessed the power of a lightweight. Modern Strawweights, Junior Flyweights and Flyweights cannot compare to his ability since he held the 112 pound title and knocked out men almost twice his weight.
Bob Mee stated, "Jimmy Wilde cut a pale, waif like figure, and conceded weight even to flyweights. He was fast and extremely difficult to hit and had a repertoire of precise, stinging punches that accounted for 99 of his official 145 opponents inside the distance" (Mee p 335).
McCallum wrote, "Jimmy's appearance was bellying, for he punched harder, with incredible speed and accuracy than most lightweights. He was not at all intimidated by bigger men" (McCallum p 306).
He was taught to fight by future father-in-law, the legendary mountain fighter Dai Davies, while working in the mines of Wales. At 16, he began exhibiting in the boxing booth of Jack Scarrott, where he appeared from 1909 to 1914 in an estimated 500 fights according to Tracy Callis. In boxing booths little Wilde knocked out rugged muscular miners weighing as much as 170 or more pounds.
Historian Gilbert Odd wrote of Wilde, “He was a completely unorthodox fighter, with a persistent attacking style, carrying his gloves on a level with his hips. Weaving and bobbing as he came in, he would trap an opponent against the ropes or in a corner and then let loose a stream of shock punches” (Odd p 117).
Haldane stated, "His speed, timing, power of punch and technique, coupled with his tremendous fighting heart and courage were never doubted. His most unusual asset was what has been described as a sixth sense, the ability to anticipate his opponent's next move and beat him to it" (Haldane p 221).
British sportswriter R.B Cozens said, “Wilde’s strength and hitting power considering his size was simply amazing. He was a highly skilled boxer and his power of punches was almost magical. Wilde always believed in avoiding tactics that would reduce his stamina, hence instead of blocking the blows of his opponents, he had a knack of sidestepping an inch or two when the delivery was made and invariably got out of their range. His sense of distance was uncanny. He could stand in range of a blow when it started but when an opponent let it loose a little jerk of his head and the punch landed in space.”
“Always on his toes, his body executing a wavelike motion, his gloves resting on his hips without a semblance of a guard, his knees slightly bent, he proved a bewildering subject for an opponent. He always kept his man guessing, feinted him into knots and then connected with his terrific right, said to be the heaviest punch ever delivered by a fellow of his weight. These are the qualities which Jimmy Wilde possessed and which enabled him to take his rank among the truly great-the Supermen" (Ring Jan. 1941).
Hype Igoe stated, “A mite of a man, winning his title when he weighed only 98 pounds, Jimmy Wilde has deserved all the praise heaped upon him in the way of idolatry. No English fighter has come close to matching his record from the days of Tom Figg until now. Few men of his size have ever stood up to his walloping” (NY World July 18, 1923).
Wilde fought and defeated every flyweight and bantamweight of note in Great Britain. Examining his record one sees that he fought really good fighters. Young Jennings (ex Flyweight champion), Young Symmonds (ex bantamweight champion), Johnny Hughes (ex bantamweight champ) Sid Smith (ex Flyweight champion), Tancy Lee (Flyweight champion), Tommy Noble (ex bantamweight champion and well known in America) and men such as Bouzini, Mansfield, and Cullen who were all top flyweights.
He knocked out the tough black American flyweight Young Zulu Kid in 11 rounds to cement his claim as champion in 1916. He beat all the best bantamweights as well as top British featherweight Joe Conn. Conn, who a class 126-pounder, was floored 6 times in round 10 and knocked out in the 12th.
In 1919 Wilde went on an American tour going undefeated in 12 fights that included two sensational wins over highly regarded American bantamweights, Joe Lynch and Pal Moore. Returning to Britain in 1920 he virtually retired from the ring as a conquering hero.
He did fight again and lost in 1921 to Pete Herman, one of the great bantamweights of all time, who outweighed him by 19 pounds. Herman came in overweight and scaled as much as a featherweight. Wilde was game and lasted until the 17th round. His last fight after a two year absence from the ring was against hard-hitting Pancho Villa who took his Flyweight title in 1923. Wilde died in Cardiff, Wales in 1969 at age 77.
Perhaps he is best remembered by the words of former heavyweight champion Gene Tunney who said simply, “Jimmy was the greatest fighter I ever saw.”
Both Nat Fleischer and Charley Rose rate Jimmy Wilde as the # 1 all time Flyweight. Herbert Goldman also rated Wilde # 1 in 1987. Cox’s Corner considers him as the # 1 Flyweight of all time.
References:
Callis, Tracy. Cyberboxingzone. http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/wilde-j.htm
Cozens, R.B. 1941 Jan. Ring Magazine "The Mighty Atom"
Haldane, R.A. 1967. Champions and Challengers Stanley Paul Co. London.
McCallum, John D. 1975. Encyclopedia of World Boxing Champions. Chilton Book Co. Radnor, Pa.
Mee, Bob. 1997. Boxing Heroes and Champions Chartwell Book. Edison, NJ.
Odd, Gilbert. 1983. Encyclopedia of Boxing. Crescent Books. NY.
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. 1999. The Boxing Register. McBooks Press, Ithaca, NY.
Jimmy Wilde, The Mighty Atom…“A mite of a man”
By: Monte D. Cox
Jimmy Wilde was boxing’s first and greatest Flyweight champion. The National Sporting Club established the flyweight class in Britain in 1909, but American recognition of the division did not come until 1916 the year Wilde won the title. His reign as 112- pound champion ran from 1916 to 1923. His record of going unbeaten in his first 98 fights will probably stand forever. Wilde is the hardest pound for pound hitter in boxing history scoring almost 100 knockouts despite weighing barely over 100 pounds. He would fight almost anyone irregardless of weight. His official record is 130-3-1 11 ND's (99 kayo’s).
Jimmy Wilde, like Bob Fitzsimmons and the original Joe Walcott, has been described as something of a physical freak. He stood 5 2 ½”, had a 68” reach and never weighed more than 108 pounds but possessed the power of a lightweight. Modern Strawweights, Junior Flyweights and Flyweights cannot compare to his ability since he held the 112 pound title and knocked out men almost twice his weight.
Bob Mee stated, "Jimmy Wilde cut a pale, waif like figure, and conceded weight even to flyweights. He was fast and extremely difficult to hit and had a repertoire of precise, stinging punches that accounted for 99 of his official 145 opponents inside the distance" (Mee p 335).
McCallum wrote, "Jimmy's appearance was bellying, for he punched harder, with incredible speed and accuracy than most lightweights. He was not at all intimidated by bigger men" (McCallum p 306).
He was taught to fight by future father-in-law, the legendary mountain fighter Dai Davies, while working in the mines of Wales. At 16, he began exhibiting in the boxing booth of Jack Scarrott, where he appeared from 1909 to 1914 in an estimated 500 fights according to Tracy Callis. In boxing booths little Wilde knocked out rugged muscular miners weighing as much as 170 or more pounds.
Historian Gilbert Odd wrote of Wilde, “He was a completely unorthodox fighter, with a persistent attacking style, carrying his gloves on a level with his hips. Weaving and bobbing as he came in, he would trap an opponent against the ropes or in a corner and then let loose a stream of shock punches” (Odd p 117).
Haldane stated, "His speed, timing, power of punch and technique, coupled with his tremendous fighting heart and courage were never doubted. His most unusual asset was what has been described as a sixth sense, the ability to anticipate his opponent's next move and beat him to it" (Haldane p 221).
British sportswriter R.B Cozens said, “Wilde’s strength and hitting power considering his size was simply amazing. He was a highly skilled boxer and his power of punches was almost magical. Wilde always believed in avoiding tactics that would reduce his stamina, hence instead of blocking the blows of his opponents, he had a knack of sidestepping an inch or two when the delivery was made and invariably got out of their range. His sense of distance was uncanny. He could stand in range of a blow when it started but when an opponent let it loose a little jerk of his head and the punch landed in space.”
“Always on his toes, his body executing a wavelike motion, his gloves resting on his hips without a semblance of a guard, his knees slightly bent, he proved a bewildering subject for an opponent. He always kept his man guessing, feinted him into knots and then connected with his terrific right, said to be the heaviest punch ever delivered by a fellow of his weight. These are the qualities which Jimmy Wilde possessed and which enabled him to take his rank among the truly great-the Supermen" (Ring Jan. 1941).
Hype Igoe stated, “A mite of a man, winning his title when he weighed only 98 pounds, Jimmy Wilde has deserved all the praise heaped upon him in the way of idolatry. No English fighter has come close to matching his record from the days of Tom Figg until now. Few men of his size have ever stood up to his walloping” (NY World July 18, 1923).
Wilde fought and defeated every flyweight and bantamweight of note in Great Britain. Examining his record one sees that he fought really good fighters. Young Jennings (ex Flyweight champion), Young Symmonds (ex bantamweight champion), Johnny Hughes (ex bantamweight champ) Sid Smith (ex Flyweight champion), Tancy Lee (Flyweight champion), Tommy Noble (ex bantamweight champion and well known in America) and men such as Bouzini, Mansfield, and Cullen who were all top flyweights.
He knocked out the tough black American flyweight Young Zulu Kid in 11 rounds to cement his claim as champion in 1916. He beat all the best bantamweights as well as top British featherweight Joe Conn. Conn, who a class 126-pounder, was floored 6 times in round 10 and knocked out in the 12th.
In 1919 Wilde went on an American tour going undefeated in 12 fights that included two sensational wins over highly regarded American bantamweights, Joe Lynch and Pal Moore. Returning to Britain in 1920 he virtually retired from the ring as a conquering hero.
He did fight again and lost in 1921 to Pete Herman, one of the great bantamweights of all time, who outweighed him by 19 pounds. Herman came in overweight and scaled as much as a featherweight. Wilde was game and lasted until the 17th round. His last fight after a two year absence from the ring was against hard-hitting Pancho Villa who took his Flyweight title in 1923. Wilde died in Cardiff, Wales in 1969 at age 77.
Perhaps he is best remembered by the words of former heavyweight champion Gene Tunney who said simply, “Jimmy was the greatest fighter I ever saw.”
Both Nat Fleischer and Charley Rose rate Jimmy Wilde as the # 1 all time Flyweight. Herbert Goldman also rated Wilde # 1 in 1987. Cox’s Corner considers him as the # 1 Flyweight of all time.
References:
Callis, Tracy. Cyberboxingzone. http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/wilde-j.htm
Cozens, R.B. 1941 Jan. Ring Magazine "The Mighty Atom"
Haldane, R.A. 1967. Champions and Challengers Stanley Paul Co. London.
McCallum, John D. 1975. Encyclopedia of World Boxing Champions. Chilton Book Co. Radnor, Pa.
Mee, Bob. 1997. Boxing Heroes and Champions Chartwell Book. Edison, NJ.
Odd, Gilbert. 1983. Encyclopedia of Boxing. Crescent Books. NY.
Roberts, James B. and Alexander G. Skutt. 1999. The Boxing Register. McBooks Press, Ithaca, NY.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Pavarotti's Complacency
Pavarotti skewered by manager's memoir
2 hours, 34 minutes ago
Entertainment - AFP
NEW YORK (AFP) - A newly published memoir by Luciano Pavarotti (news - web sites)'s manager paints a less than flattering portrait of the great Italian tenor as a spoiled superstar whose ego was matched only by his girth.
AFP Photo
And while the "The King and I" by Herbert Breslin focuses on his 35-year business relationship with Pavarotti, it also shoots some pointed arrows at the reputations of other members of the operatic pantheon.
German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf looked like "a cleaning woman", Australian diva Joan Sutherland was "pretty dopey," and German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau "gave the impression that his bodily emanations, shall we say, didn't smell."
As for Pavarotti, Breslin's book -- written with music critic Anne Midgette -- covers the course of a relationship that saw the singer emerge as the greatest tenor of his generation and then descend, according to Breslin, into a state of pampered petulance.
Their love-hate relationship is summed up in the memoir's subtitle, "The Uncensored Tale of Luciano Pavarotti's Rise to Fame by his Manager, Friend and Sometime Adversary."
The manager, now 80, and the tenor, 69, officially split two years ago.
Breslin describes his book as the story of a "very beautiful, simple, lovely guy who turned into a very determined, aggressive and somewhat unhappy superstar."
In the early days, Pavarotti was a "dream client" but artistic and financial success nurtured complacency, Breslin says, citing his client's increasing unwillingness to learn roles, memorise librettos or even turn up for performances.
"As the years went on, it looked more and more like he was taking this gorgeous career of his ... and flushing it down the toilet," he says.
His physical descriptions of Pavarotti are particularly unflattering and include the observation, made while sharing a steam bath with his naked client, that he was "hardly the answer to a maiden's prayer."
He also reveals how Pavarotti used burnt cork to darken his beard and mustache, and to cover his bald spot.
"Half the time he just looked dirty," Breslin says. "It didn't endear him to the hotels he stayed in either, because all his sheets and pillowcases were black from the stuff."
Early reviews have been mixed, with The Washington Post criticising "a vulgar and mean-spirited book that casts little credit on either the author ... or the subject."
2 hours, 34 minutes ago
Entertainment - AFP
NEW YORK (AFP) - A newly published memoir by Luciano Pavarotti (news - web sites)'s manager paints a less than flattering portrait of the great Italian tenor as a spoiled superstar whose ego was matched only by his girth.
AFP Photo
And while the "The King and I" by Herbert Breslin focuses on his 35-year business relationship with Pavarotti, it also shoots some pointed arrows at the reputations of other members of the operatic pantheon.
German soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf looked like "a cleaning woman", Australian diva Joan Sutherland was "pretty dopey," and German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau "gave the impression that his bodily emanations, shall we say, didn't smell."
As for Pavarotti, Breslin's book -- written with music critic Anne Midgette -- covers the course of a relationship that saw the singer emerge as the greatest tenor of his generation and then descend, according to Breslin, into a state of pampered petulance.
Their love-hate relationship is summed up in the memoir's subtitle, "The Uncensored Tale of Luciano Pavarotti's Rise to Fame by his Manager, Friend and Sometime Adversary."
The manager, now 80, and the tenor, 69, officially split two years ago.
Breslin describes his book as the story of a "very beautiful, simple, lovely guy who turned into a very determined, aggressive and somewhat unhappy superstar."
In the early days, Pavarotti was a "dream client" but artistic and financial success nurtured complacency, Breslin says, citing his client's increasing unwillingness to learn roles, memorise librettos or even turn up for performances.
"As the years went on, it looked more and more like he was taking this gorgeous career of his ... and flushing it down the toilet," he says.
His physical descriptions of Pavarotti are particularly unflattering and include the observation, made while sharing a steam bath with his naked client, that he was "hardly the answer to a maiden's prayer."
He also reveals how Pavarotti used burnt cork to darken his beard and mustache, and to cover his bald spot.
"Half the time he just looked dirty," Breslin says. "It didn't endear him to the hotels he stayed in either, because all his sheets and pillowcases were black from the stuff."
Early reviews have been mixed, with The Washington Post criticising "a vulgar and mean-spirited book that casts little credit on either the author ... or the subject."
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Lexicon for social science
depraved ..........downward spiral
wily
['waili] 形 使用计谋的;狡猾的
depravity..........corrupt
running -- indomitable, callow, hermit, kermit
gruff [gr/A/ f] 形 粗卤的;粗率的;板著脸孔的
deus ex machina..........god out of a machine
She was only about 16 when she met Emmanuel. Like her, he went on to graduate from a university, specializing in accounting. Slim and handsome, he slapped her only once during their long courtship, she said. She thought it was an aberration.
effervescent..........as in * shortstop
ribald ['ribld] 形 说话猥亵的[人];卑贱的[人]
asinine ['/a/ snain] 形 驴子[一样]的;顽固的
crass,dolt,knucklehead,lackey..........dumb/unintelligent/wretch [ret/ch/ ] 名 可怜者;卑鄙的人;家伙
self-deprecating
glib..........big talker
husbandry..........farmer
pacifist..........Anti-War
distance runner.......... Hyponatremia can begin with confusion and lethargy and progress rapidly to twitching, seizures, stupor, coma and death
less-pernicious..........less deadly
cajole..........temp
esprit de corps...........force of one
egalitarian..........equal
"deep introspection" & "heartfelt apology"..........japanese apology, A lot of people would probably see such distinctions as nit-picking and trite
harbinger..........forshadow
squeamish..........clean freak
denizen ['den/&/ zn] 名 住民;居住者;侨民;外来语
anti-truancy..........truancy ['tru:/&/ nsi] 名 怠堕;游荡;旷职;旷课
disdainfully,subservient..........subordinate
Wanes..........near end
Anthracite..........smokeless coal
flogged..........cane
dowry..........bride's gift
slather..........plans slather advertisements on bus shelters (mass-marketed)
Elixir..........Floridian (aged 113)
Quandary..........perplex or doubt
Purgatory..........punish
Blasphemy..........bs
Exuberant
Drone..........one that lives on the labors of others
Churlish..........uneducated, lowbrow....pratfalls
Narcissism..........self indulge..........amok
Helmsman..........Helm
Nefarious..........wicked
Madrasas
Sulking
Music
AC/DC Back in Black (Atco)
Bob Dylan from his 1998 release of the 1965 classic Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia). A budding Chinese Dylan, Johnny Rotten, Springsteen and Billy Bragg
Greg Brown from his 1996 release, Further In (Red House Records).
verdant enclave
vista
proselytizer
caucuses
humbug..........deceptive
prose..........writing style
ostentatious..........pretentious
axiom..........zen
austerity..........severe
arable..........plantable
petulant..........bad-tempered
astute
ascetic
mortify
proselytism..........trick
bawdyhouse..........
prow
ark
philanderer
crass..........greedy and lusty
shrieked
Fisticuffs
Digress
Fluster
Prevailing
haughty E ['hoti] ? ???;???;???
lam
exurbia..........suburban
indefatigable
fables
jingoistic
prescient
shirk
sleuths
lethargic
abdicate E ['/a/ bd/&/ keit] ? ??;??;??;??
scurrilous lies
ubiquitous..........everywhere
throng
inebriated..........drunk or soused,stupor..... As the booze flows, Rich, 41, extols the virtues of alcohol, calling it a boon to mankind while claiming that drunks are an "oppressed minority."..... Rich revels in the retrograde excess of his magazine. The way he sees it, reality is so awful, why not get drunk?..... "People always say, 'If you drink, your problems will still be there in the morning,' " he said. "That's like telling a guy going to the Bahamas that in a week, he'll be right back where he started. Well, for a week, he'll be gone."
lout..........hicks
paw..........hand
effeminate..........tennessee will not
valor..........brave
reticence..........patience
fratricide..........pat tillman
arduous..........I thought that learning JavaScript was going to be a very difficult and arduous task.
quaestor..........accountant
derision..........laughing stock
harbinger..........harbinger-of-spring
Promoters of Scottish tourism..........aghast at this damage to their efforts to highlight Scotland's history, culture and landscape..........joined with middle-class foodies in deriding the DFMB as media hype.
1. dapper, dashing, jaunty, natty, raffish, rakish, smart, spiffy, snappy, spruce -- (marked by smartness in dress and manners; "a dapper young man"; "a jaunty red hat")
exigency -- existance & emergency
flatulent, old lard
bog..........wetland
malign...............Much-maligned A.J. Feeley threw for the game-winning score, a 21-yard pass to Derrius Thompson on fourth-and-10 with 1:23 left
quackery..........cult leader
revelers..........banquet
sullen or mutinous.........."They are either sullen or mutinous, but never quite happy."
affable..........warm polite, "Friends of affable Vanderbilt football star Kwane Doster remembered him Monday as a quiet young man, unlikely to be a victim of violent death."
circa.......... She is "remembering" an event that occurred circa 1937, an event she describes in her Paris Review interview of 1995. The park is in New York City
self-flagellation..........Tsunamis
timid ['timid] 形 胆小的;胆怯的;羞怯的;怕羞的
wretched thief..........F.U.S.A.
magnanimous..........Generous
a few sexual terms..........Westerners are passionate and open when it comes to sex, from fornication to sodomy to rape to incest to beastiality and orgy way back from the tales of Greek's mythologies and Christian sect's scripture aka Bible. had a temporary case of incontinence in 1978 or some such..
dirt·bag..........n. Slang..........A filthy or vile person.
vile..........adj. vil·er, vil·est
cuckold..........(turtle eggs)
ornery...........a troublemaker, but extremely supportive and caring
natch........certainly
sacramen..........Marley was a devout Rastafarian, a faith whose followers preach a oneness with nature, grow their hair into long matted strands called dreadlocks and smoke marijuana as a sacramen
feral..........monkies
mercenary..........hired guns
contravene..........violate law
Hegemony.........totalitarian
venereal disease..........std
The Moken are animist — a belief in the existence of individual spirits — and worship the sea. Every year during the full moon of the fifth lunar month, they stop working for three days and nights to feast, dance, sing and put themselves into a trance.
Powerfully soporific..........sleep inducing
rancorous.......... Oracle's acquisition of PeopleSoft, completed just last week, has been particularly rancorous.
proselytize.......... change religion
meddling..........interfering
dissent..........public display of ...
perestroika...........Gorbechev talking about perestroika and glasnost
zeitgeist..........I liked Clinton most of all. I believe he really captures the zeitgeist of the US during the 1990s
ruminate..........And frankly, when she's angry I prefer she punch me in the face (after exhausting debate) than ruminate and fume
tinge..........taste, Paying for services also has a futuristic tinge, if you like.
sanguine..........full of hope. Others are more saguine about the impending style change.
troglodyte..........anonymous, socially-politically acceptable outlets for aggression in China
lilt tribute..........light
dalliance..........love scene in a move
conceit ..........Moviegoers swallow the conceit and cheer, because "Little Stevie," as he is known to fans, is one of them. slapstick comedy
surreptitions..........Perhaps the most significant shift is the Defense Department's bid to conduct surreptitious missions, in friendly and unfriendly states, when conventional war is a distant or unlikely prospect -- activities that have traditionally been the province of the CIA's Directorate of Operations.
headsman..........The legend was that on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, the peasants who benefited from the land reform in Lijiang would come into the city with their poles and demonstrate to warn those who want to restore the system of the local headsman.
master foil..........A secondary character or characters whose actions, by strong contrast, underscore or enhance the distinctive characteristics of another character.
enliven..........lively up
pundit, regale..........As many have remarked, the Ronster has prior form when it comes to bigotry. As a TV football pundit, he once regaled the audience with his views on Marcel Desailly, the black Chelsea defender, after which he was forced to resign.
extroversion..........the tendency to be friendly and outgoing; and neuroticism, a proclivity toward worry, anxiety and emotional ups and downs.
panacea..........Democracy as shown by India is not necessary the panacea of a nation’s ails and the solution to a man’s many miseries of life.
hermit,hesicaste,postulant,novitiate,tonsured,ascetic..........A monk who lives alone, away from society and sometimes also from all other monks, is called an Anchorite or Hesicaste (also called a hermit).
Neandertal man.......... extinct robust human of Middle Paleolithic in Europe and western Asia
boorish.......... ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance; "was boorish and insensitive"; "the loutish manners of a bully"; "her stupid oafish husband"; "aristocratic contempt for the swinish multitude"
dossier..........secret files
ascetic,austerity,egalitarian..........meager, proletariat
slick pompadour........slight red
controversial, offensive and odious..........rudderless
quack.........."Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever" by Ray Kurzweil
introverted and asocial..........Eileen Chang
squabble.........argument
mea culpa..........as delusional, but not before issuing a series of mea culpas for his own off-field travails
spartan.........
abacus........frame with balls for calculating
abate.........to lessen to subside
abdication....giving up control authority
aberration....straying away from what is normal
abet..........help/encourage smb (in doing wrong)
abeyance......suspended action
abhor.........to hate to detest
abide.........be faithful to endure
abjure........promise or swear to give up
abraded.......rubbed off worn away by friction
abrogate......repeal or annul by authority
abscond.......to go away suddenly (to avoid arrest)
abstruse......difficult to comprehend obscure
abut..........border on
abysmal.......bottomless extreme
acarpous......effete no longer fertile worn out
acclaimed.....welcomed with shouts and approval
accolade......praise approval
accretion.....the growing of separate things into one
adamant.......kind of stone inflexible
admonitory....containing warning
adorn.........add beauty decorate
adulteration..making unpure poorer in quality
affable.......polite and friendly
affinity......close connection relationship
aggravate.....make worse irritate
agile.........active quick-moving
agog..........eager/excited
ail...........trouble be ill
alacrity......eager and cheerful readiness
alcove........recess/partially enclosed place
allegiance....duty support loyalty
alleviate.....make (pain) easier to bear
alloy.........to debase by mixing with something inferior
aloof.........reserved indifferent
amalgamate....mix combine unite societies
ambidextrous..able to use the left hand or the right equally well
ambiguous.....doubtful uncertain
ambivalent....having both of two contrary meanings
ameliorate....improve make better
amortize......end (a debt) by setting aside money
anguish.......severe suffering
animosity.....strong dislike
antidote......medicine used against a poison or a disease
antithetical..direct opposing
apartheid.....brutal racial discrimination
aplomb........self-confidence
apostate......one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions
apotheosis....deification glorification to godliness
appease.......make quiet or calm
apprehensive..grasping understanding fear unhappy feeling about future
apprise.......give notice to inform
approbation...approval
apropos.......appropriate to the situation apt
apt...........well-suited quick-witted
arabesque.....a complex ornate design
arboreal......of connected with trees
ardor.........enthusiasm
arduous.......steep difficult ascent laborious
argot.........jargon slang
arrant........in the highest degree
arrogance.....proud superior manner of behaviour
articulate....speak distinctly connect by joints
ascend........go or come up
ascertain.....get to know
ascetic.......practicing self-denial austere stark
ascribe.......consider to be the origin of or belonging to
aseptic.......surgically clean
asperity......roughness harshness ill temper irritability
aspersion.....slander
assail........with attack violently
assiduous.....diligent hard-working sedulous
assuage.......make smth (pain desire) less
asterisk......the mark * (e.g.. omitted letters)
astringent....substance that shrinks
astute........clever quick at seeing to get an advantage
atonement.....repayment death of Jesus
attenuate.....make thin. weaken enervate
attune........bring into harmony
audacious.....daring foolishly bold impudent
augury........omen sign
august........majestic venerable
auspicious....favorable successful prosperous
austere.......severely moral and strict simple and plain
auxiliary.....helping supporting
aver..........affirm assert prove justify
aversion......strong dislike
avid..........eager greedy
avow..........admit. Declare openly
baleful.......harmful ominous causing evil
balk..........obstacle purposely to get on the way of
baneful.......causing harm or ruin pernicious destructive
barrage.......artificial obstacle built across a river
barren........not good enough unable to have young ones without value
bask..........in enjoy warmth and light
beatify.......to bless make happy or ascribe a virtue to
bedizen.......to adorn especially in a cheap showy manner
belabor.......beat hard
bellicose.....belligerent pugnacious warlike
belligerent...(person nation) waging war
benefactor....person who has given help
benevolence...wish or activity in doing good
benign........kind and gentle mild (climate)
bequest.......arrangement to give smth at death
berate........scold sharply
bereft........rob or dispossess of smth (material)
bewilder......puzzle confuse
bigot.........stubborn narrow-minded person
bilge.........bulge the protuberance of a cask
blandishment..flattery coaxing
blandness.....polite manner comforting uninteresting
blatant.......noisy and rough
blithe........cheerful casual carefree
bogus.........sham counterfeit not genuine
boisterous....loud noisy rough lacking restraint
bolster.......give greatly needed support
boorish.......crude offensive rude
brash.........hasty rush cheeky saucy
brass.........yellow metal (mixing copper and zinc)
brazen........made of brass
breach........opening broken place breaking
brittle.......easily broken
broach........bring up announce begin to talk about
brook.........to tolerate endure
buoyant.......able to float light-hearted
burgeon.......grow forth send out buds
burnish.......to polish rub to a shine
cabal.........a scheme or plot a group of plotters
cadge.........to beg to get by begging
cajole........use flattery or deceit to persuade
calipers......metal supports attached to the legs measuring instrument
calumny.......slander aspersion
candid........frank straight-forward
cant..........insincere talk/jargon
cantankerous..bad-tempered/quarrelsome
canvass.......discuss thoroughly sort of touting
castigate.....to chastise correct by punishing
castigation...severe punishment
catalyst......substance that causes speeding up
caustic.......biting sarcastic
censure.......expression of blame or disapproval a rebuke
centurion.....leader of a unit of 100 soldiers
chary.........cautious wary
chastened.....corrected punished
chastisement..punishment
chauvinist....a blindly devoted patriot
chicanery.....legal trickery/false argument
chisel........steel tool for shaping materials
churl.........bad-tempered person
clamor........shout complain with a lot of noise
clientele.....customers
clinch........come to grips/settle conclusively
cling.........to resist separation
clot..........half-solid lump formed from liquid
cloture.......closing device (in Parliament) to end a debate by voting
coagulation...change to a thick and solid state
coalescing....coming together and uniting into one substance
coax..........get smb to do smth by kindness
coda..........passage that completes a piece of music
coddle........treat with care and tenderness
coerce........compel to force to make obedient
coeval........of the same period coexisting
cogent........strong convincing
cogitate......think deeply mediate
cognizant.....being fully aware of
colander......bowl-shaped vessel with many holes used to drain off water
collusion.....secret agreement for a deceitful purpose
combustion....process of burning
commemorate...keep the memory of
commodious....having plenty of space for what is needed
commuter......person who travels regularly
complaisance..tending to comply obliging willingness to please
compunction...feeling of regret for one's action
conceal.......hide keep secret
conceit.......over-high opinion of too much pride
conciliatory..reconciling soothing comforting mollifying
concord.......agreement or harmony
concur........agree in opinion happen together
condense......increase in density strength make laconic
condone.......forgive
congeal.......make or become stiff and solid
conjoin.......to join together
connoisseur...a person with good judgement (e.g.. in art)
connotation...suggestion in addition to
consequential.pompous self important
console.......give comfort or sympathy to
conspicuous...easily seen remarkable
consternation.surprise and fear dismay
constrain.....compel
constrict.....make tight or smaller
consume.......get to the end of
consummate....perfect/make perfect/complete
contemn.......to scorn or despise
contentious...argumentative pugnacious combative quarrelsome
contiguous....touching neighboring near
contrite......filled with deep sorrow for wrongdoing
contumacious..insubordinate rebellious
conundrum.....a riddle dilemma enigma
conviction....convincing firm belief
convoke.......call together summon
convoluted....complicated coiled twisted
cordial.......warm and sincere
cordon........line (of police acting as a guard)
cornucopia....abundant supply
corporeal.....physical of or for the body
correlate.....have a mutual relation
corroboration.additional strengthening evidence
countenance...to favor or approve of
counterfeit...forgery
countervail...counterbalance
covert........disguised
covetous......eagerly desirous
cower.........crouch shrink back
coy...........shy/modest (esp of a girl)
crass.........very great (es. stupidity)
cravat........piece of linen worn as a necktie
craven........cowardly
crease........line made by crushing white line on the ground in cricket
credulity.....too great a readiness to believe things
credulous.....ready to believe things
crush.........press lose shape subdue overwhelm
cryptic.......secret with a hidden meaning
cumbersome....burdensome heavy and awkward to carry
curmudgeon....bad-tempered person
curriculum....course of study
cursory.......quick hurried
curtail.......make shorter then was planned
dainty........pretty/delicate(food)/difficult to please
daunt.........intimidate make fearful
dawdler.......person who is slow waste of time
dearth........shortage
debacle.......a breakup overthrow sudden disaster
decorum.......propriety properness
decree........order given by authority
decry.........disapprove of
defer.........postpone give way (to show respect)
deferential...showing respect
defiance......open disobedience or resistance
delineate.....to portray depict sketch out
deluge........great flood heavy rush of water
demagogue.....person appealing not to reasons
demur.........to hesitate raise objections
denigrate.....blacken belittle sully defame
denouement....an outcome or solution the unraveling of a plot
deplete.......use until none remains
deposition....dethronement depositing
deprave.......make morally bad corrupt
deprecate.....protest against express disapproval of
dereliction...deserting and leaving to fall into ruins
derision......ridicule mockery deriding
derivative....unoriginal obtained from another source
derogatory....insulting tending to damage
descry........catch sight of see smth in the distance
desiccant.....substance used to absorb moisture
desuetude.....cessation of use disuse
desultory.....aimless haphazard digressing at random
deter.........discourage hinder
detraction....slandering verbal attack aspersion
detumescence..diminishing or lessening of swelling
deviance......being different in moral standards (from normal)
dexterity.....skill (esp. in handling)
diaphanous....transparent gauzy
diatribe......bitter and violent attack in words
diffidence....shyness
dilate........speak comprehensively become wider large
disallow......refuse to allow or accept as a correct
discern.......see with an effort but clearly
discomfit.....confuse embarrass
disconcert....upset the self-possession of
discountenancerefuse to approve of
discourse.....speech lecture
discredit.....refuse to believe
discreet......careful/prudent
discrete......individually distinct
disdain.......look on with contempt
disencumber...free from encumbrance
disheveled....untidy
disingenuous..sophisticated artful trying to deceive cunning
disinter......dig up from the earth
dislodge......move force from the place occupied
dismal........sad gloomy miserable
disparate.....essentially different
disproof......proof to the contrary
dissemble.....speak or behave so as to hide smth (in mind)
disseminate...distribute (esp. ideas)
dissent.......have a different opinion refuse to assent
dissolution...disintegration looseness in morals
distraught....distracted violently upset in mind
divergence....getting farther apart from a point
divestiture...taking off getting rid of giving up
divulge.......make known smth secret
doggerel......trivial poorly constructed verse
dogmatic......positive certain arbitrary without room for discussion
dolt..........stupid fellow
dormant.......in a state of inactivity but awaiting development
dote..........show much fondness center one's attention
drawl.........slow way of speaking
droll.........jesting
drone.........male bee person who isn't self-employed
drowsiness....feeling sleepy half asleep
dubious.......feeling doubt
dud...........no use person smth that fails
dulcet........melodious harmonious
dupe..........cheat make a fool of
duplicity.....deliberate deception
duress........threats to compel smb
dwarf.........person or smb much below the usual size
dynamo........a generator something that produces electric current
earthenware...dishes made of baked clay
ebullience....exuberance outburst of feeling
ebullient.....overflowing with enthusiasm showing excitement
ecumenical....representing the whole Christian world
edacious......voracious devouring
eddy..........circular or spiral movement (e.g.. of wind)
edible........fit to be eaten/not poisonous
effete........infertile worn out weak
efficacy......production of a desired result
effluvia......outflow in a stream of particles a noxious odor or vapor
effrontery....boldness impudence arrogance
egress........way out exit
elaborate.....worked out with much care in great detail
elegy.........a lament a melancholy composition
elicit........draw out
eloquence.....fluent speaking skillful use of language
emaciate......make thin and weak
embellish.....make beautiful
embezzle......use in a wrong way for one's own benefit
emote.........stir up excite
empirical.....relying on experiment
encapsulate...enclose in capsule
encomium......warm or glowing praise eulogy panegyric
encumbrance...burden things that get on the way of
endearing.....making dear or liked
endemic.......epidemic
endorse.......write one's name on the back of
enduring......lasting
enervate......weaken deprive of strength attenuate
engender......cause produce give rise to
engrave.......impress deeply
engrossing....taken up all the time or attention writing in large or formal
engulf........swallow up
enigma........smth that is puzzling
enmity........hatred being an enemy
ensign........flag/badge
entangle......put into difficulties
enthral.......please greatly/enslave (fig)
entice........tempt or persuade
entreat.......ask earnestly
enunciate.....pronounce (words)/express a theory
enzyme........catalyst
epicurean.....devoted to pleasure (sensuous enjoyment)
epistle.......letter
epithet.......adjective
epitome.......brief summary representative example a typical model
equable.......steady regular
equanimity....calmness of temperament
equilibrium...state of being balanced
equipoise.....equal distribution of weight equilibrium
equivocal.....having a double or doubtful meaning suspicious
equivocate....try to deceive by equivocal language
eradicate.....get rid of pull up by the roots
erratic.......irregular in behaviour or opinion
erudite.......learned scholarly
eschew........avoid
esoteric......abstruse intended only for a small circle of
espouse.......marry give one's support to
eulogy........formal praise panegyric
euphoria......elation state of pleasant excitement
euthanasia....easy and painless death
evasive.......tending to evade
evince........to show clearly to indicate
evoke.........call up bring out
excoriation...severe criticism
exculpate.....to clear from a charge of guilt
exhaustive....complete thorough
exigency......emergency an urgent situation
exoneration...set smb clear free (e.g.. from blame)
exorbitant....much too high or great
expatiate.....to roam wander freely
expedient.....likely to be useful for a purpose
expiation.....ending expiring
exploit.......brilliant achievement develop use selfishly
expostulate...argue earnestly to dissuade correct or protest
expurgate.....to remove obscenity purify censor
exscind.......to cut out cut away
extant........still in existence
extempore.....without previous thought or preparation
extenuate.....reduce the strength of lessen seriousness partially excuse
extinct.......no longer active
extinguish....end the existence of/wipe or put out
extirpate.....to destroy exterminate cut out exscind
extol.........praise highly
extort........obtain by threats violence
extralegal....outside the law
extricable....that can be freed
extrovert.....cheerful person
exuberance....state of growing vigorously being full of life
facetious.....humorous funny jocular
facile........easily done
fallacious....based on error
falter........waver/move in an uncertain manner
fatuous.......without sense foolish self-satisfaction
fawn..........young deer try to win smb's favor
feckless......lacking purpose or vitality ineffective careless
fecund........fertile
feint.........pretend
felicitous....apt suitably expressed well chosen apropos
felon.........person guilty of murder
ferment.......substance become excited
ferocity......savage cruelty
ferret........discover by searching search
fervid........showing earnest feeling
fervor........warmth of feelings earnestness
fetid.........stinking
fetter........to shackle put in chains
feud..........bitter quarrel over a long period of time
fidelity......loyalty accuracy
fidget........move restlessly make nervous
figurehead....carved image on the prow of a ship, port and stern
finesse.......delicate way of dealing with a situation
finical.......too fussy about food clothing etc.
finicky.......finical
fission.......splitting or division (esp. of cells)
fixate........stare at
flak..........criticism/anti-aircraft guns
flamboyant....brightly colored florid
flaunting.....show off complacently
flax..........pale yellow (hair) a plant
fledged.......able to fly trained experienced
fleet.........number of ships quick-moving
flinch........draw move back wince
flop..........fail/move/fall clumsily
florid........very much ornamented naturally red (e.g.. of face)
flout.........reject mock to go against (as in going against tradition)
fluke.........lucky stroke
fluster.......make nervous or confused
foible........defect of character (a person is wrongly proud)
foil..........prevent from carrying out contrast
foment........put smth warm (to lessen the pain)
foolproof.....incapable of failure or error
foppish.......like a man who pays too much attention to his clothes
forage........food for horses and cattle
forbear.......refrain from be patient ancestor
forbearance...patience willingness to wait
ford..........shallow place in a river (to cross)
forestall.....prevent by taking action in advance preempt
forfeit.......suffer the loss of smth
forge.........workshop for the shaping of metal to shape metal lead
forgery.......counterfeit
forswear......renounce disallow repudiate
foster........nurture care for
fracas........noisy quarrel
fragile.......easily injured broken or destroyed
fragrant......sweet-smelling
frantic.......wildly excited with joy pain anxiety
frenetic......frantic frenzied
fret..........worry irritation wear away
fringe........edge ornamental border part of hair over the forehead
froward.......intractable not willing to yield or comply stubborn
frugal........careful economical
fulmination...bitter protest
fulsome.......disgusting offensive due to excessiveness
gainsay.......to deny to oppose
garble........make unfair selection from facts
garment.......article of clothing
garner........to gather and save to store up
garrulity.....talkativeness
garrulous.....too talkative
gaucherie.....socially awkward tactless behavior
germane.......relevant pertinent to
gist..........the point general sense
glean.........gather facts in small quantities
glib..........ready and smooth but not sincere
glimmer.......weak/unsteady light
gloat.........over look at with selfish delight
glut..........supply to much fill to excess
gnaw..........waste away bite steadily
goad..........smth urging a person to action
gorge.........eat greedily/narrow opening with a stream
gossamer......soft light delicate material
gouge.........tool for cutting grooves in wood
grandiloquent.using pompous words
grave.........serious requiring consideration
graze.........touch or scrape lightly in passing
gregarious....living in societies liking the company
grievous......causing grief or pain serious dire grave
grovel........crawl humble oneself
guile.........deceit cunning
gullible......easily gulled
gush..........burst out suddenly/talk ardently
gust..........outburst of feeling sudden rain wind fire etc.
hack..........cut roughly hired horse
halcyon.......calm and peaceful
hallow........to make holy consecrate
harangue......a long passionate speech
harbinger.....smth or smb that foretells the coming of
harrow........to distress create stress or torment
haughty.......arrogant conceited
heed..........attention/give notice to
heinous.......odious (of crime)
heresy........belief contrary to what is generally accepted
hermetic......sealed by fusion
heterogeneous.made up of different kinds
hew...........make by hard work cut (by striking)
highbrow......(person) with superior tastes
hirsute.......hairy shaggy
hoax..........mischievous trick played on smb for a joke
hoi...........polloi the masses the rabble
hollow........not soled with hole
holster.......leather case for a pistol
homiletics....act of preaching
hone..........stone used for sharpening tools
hoodwink......trick mislead
hospitable....liking to give hospitality
hubris........arrogant pride
hush..........make or become silent
husk..........worthless outside part of anything
hypocrisy.....falsely making oneself appear to be good
iconoclast....person who attacks popular beliefs
idiosyncrasy..personal mannerism
idolatry......excessive admiration of
idyll.........a carefree episode or experience
ignoble.......dishonorable common undignified
ignominious...shameful dishonorable undignified disgraceful
illicit.......unlawful forbidden
imbroglio.....complicated and embarrassing situation
immaculate....pure faultless
imminent......likely to come or happen soon
immutable.....that cannot be changed
impair........worsen diminish in value
impassive.....unmoved feeling no sign of passion
impecunious...having little or no money
impede........hinder get in the way of
impediment....smth that hinders (e.g. stammer)
impending.....imminent being about to happen expected
imperative....urgent essential
imperious.....commanding haughty arrogant
impermeable...that cannot be permeated
imperturbable.calm not capable of being excited
impervious....not allowing to pass through (of materials)
imperviousnesshaughty arrogant commanding
impetuous.....having sudden energy impulsive thrusting ahead forceful
impiety.......lack of reverence or dutifulness
implacable....incapable of being placated unpleasable
implicate.....show that smb has a share
implicit......implied though not plainly expressed
implosion.....collapse bursting inward
importune.....beg urgently solicit (of a prostitute)
imprecation...an invocation of evil a curse
impromptu.....without preparation
impudent......rash indiscreet
impugned......challenged to be doubted
impute........to attribute to a cause or source ascribe
inadvertent...not paying proper attention
inane.........silly senseless
inasmuch......since because
incense.......make angry
incessant.....often repeated continual
inchoate......not yet fully formed rudimentary elementary
incipient.....beginning
incise........engrave make a cut in
incite........stir up rouse
inclined......directing the mind in a certain direction
incongruous...out of place not in harmony or agreement
incorrigibilit --cannot be cured or corrected
incredulous...skeptical unwilling to believe
inculcate.....fix firmly by repetition
incumbents....official duties
incursion.....a raid a sudden attack
indefatigabilinot --easily exhaustible tirelessness
indelible.....that cannot be rubbed out
indigence.....poverty
indigenous....native
indistinct....not easily heard seen clearly marked
indolence.....laziness
indomitable...not easily discouraged or subdued
indulge.......gratify give way to satisfy allow oneself
indulgent.....inclined to indulge
ineffable.....to great to be described in words
ineluctable...certain inevitable
inept.........unskillful said or done at the wrong time
ineptitude....quality of being unskillful
inferno.......hell
infuriate.....fill with fury or rage
infuse........put pour fill
ingenuous.....naive young artless frank honest sincere
ingest........take in by swallowing
inimical......harmful or friendly
inimitable....defying imitation unmatchable
innocuous.....causing no harm
inscrutable...incapable of being discovered or understood
insensible....unconscious unresponsive unaffected
insinuate.....suggest unpleasantly make a way for smth gently
insipid.......without taste or flavor
insouciant....unconcerned carefree
insularity....narrow-mindedness isolated
insurrection..rising of people to open resistance to
interdict.....prohibit forbid
interim.......as an installment
intersperse...place here and there
intransigence.unwillingness to compromise stubbornness intractability
intransigent..uncompromising
intrepid......fearless brave undaunted
introspection.examining one's own thoughts and feelings
inundate......flood cover by overflowing
inured........accustomed to adapted
invective.....abusive language curses
inveigh.......to attack verbally denounce deprecate
inveterate....deep-rooted. long-established
invincible....too strong to be defeated
involute......complex
irascible.....irritable easily angered
irate.........angry
ire...........anger
irksome.......tiresome
irresolute....hesitating undecided
irrevocable...final and unalterable
itinerate.....to travel from place to place to peregrinate
jabber........talk excitedly utter rapidly
jibe..........gibe make fun of
jocular.......meant as a joke
judicious.....sound in judgment wise
knit..........draw together unite firmly
labyrinthine..to entangle the state of affairs
lachrymose....causing tears tearful
lackluster....(of eyes) dull
lament........show feel great sorrow
lassitude.....weariness tiredness
latent........present but not yet active developed or visible
laudatory.....expressing or giving praise
lavish........giving or producing freely liberally or generously
legacy........smth handed down from ancestors
levee.........formal reception/embankment
levity........lack of seriousness
libel.........statement that damages reputation
liberality....free giving generosity
libertine.....immoral person
lien..........legal claim until a debt on it is repaid
limn..........paint portray
limp..........lacking strength walking unevenly
lionize.......treat as a famous person
lithe.........bending twisting
loll..........rest to sit or stand in a lazy way hang (dog's tongue)
lope..........move along with long strides
loquacious....talkative garrulous
lucubrate.....write in scholarly fashion
luculent......easily understood lucid clear
lugubrious....mournful excessively sad
lull..........become quiet or less active
lumber........move in a clumsy/noisy way
luminary......star light-giving body
lurk..........be out of view ready to attack
lustrous......being bright polished
macabre.......gruesome suggesting death
macerate......make or become soft by soaking in water
machination...plot scheme (esp. evil)
maladroit.....tactless clumsy
malapropism...misuse of a word (for one that resembles it)
malevolence...wishing to do evil
malign........injurious speak ill of smb tell lie
malinger......to fake illness or injury in order to shirk a duty
malleable.....yielding easily shaped moldable adapting
manacle.......chains for the hands or feet
massacre......cruel killing of a large number of people
matriculation.be admitted enter a university as a student
maudlin.......sentimental in a silly or tearful way
maul..........hurt by rough handling
maverick......rebel nonconformist
mellifluous...sweetly flowing
mendacity.....dishonesty
mendicant.....a beggar
mercurial.....quick changeable in character fleeting
meretricious..attractive on the surface but of little value
mesmerize.....hypnotize
meticulous....giving great attention to details
mettle........quality of endurance or courage
mettlesome....courageous high-spirited
middling......fairly good but not very good
minatory......menacing threatening
mince.........pronounce or speak affectedly euphemize
misanthrope...person who hates mankind
mischievous...harmful causing mischief
miser.........person who loves wealth and spends little
misogynist....one who hates women/females
moderation....quality of being limited not extreme
mollify.......make calmer or quieter
molt..........moult lose hair feathers before new growing
morbid........diseased unhealthy (e.g.. about ideas)
morose........ill-tempered unsocial
muffler.......cloth worn round the neck/silencer
multifarious..varied motley greatly diversified
mundane.......worldly as opposed to spiritual commonplace everyday
myriad........very great number
nadir.........lowest weakest point
nascent.......coming into existence emerging
nebulous......cloud-like hazy vague indistinct
negligent.....taking too little care
neophyte......person who has been converted to a belief
nexus.........a connection tie or link
nibble........show some inclination to accept (an offer)
noisome.......offensive disgusting (smell)
nonchalant....not having interest
nonplused.....greatly surprised
nostrum.......a quack remedy an untested cure
noxious.......harmful
nugatory......trifling/worthless
obdurate......hardened and unrepenting stubborn inflexible
obfuscate.....to darken make obscure muddle
oblivious.....unaware having no memory
obloquy.......abusively detractive language sharp criticism vituperation
obsequious....too eager to obey or serve
obstreperous..noisy loud
obtain........to be established accepted or customary
obtrusive.....projecting prominent undesirably noticeable
obtuse........blunt/stupid
obviate.......to make unnecessary get rid of
occluded......blocked up
odious........repulsive hateful
odium.........contempt dislike aversion
odor..........smell favor reputation
officious.....too eager or ready to help offer advice
ominous.......threatening
onerous.......needing effort burdensome
opaqueness....dullness/not allowing light to pass through
opprobrious...showing scorn or reproach
ossify........to turn to bone to settle rigidly into an idea
ostensible....seeming appearing as such professed
ostentation...display to obtain admiration or envy
ostracism.....shut out from society refuse to meet talk
overhaul......examine thoroughly to learn about the condition
overweening...presumptuously arrogant overbearing immoderate being a jerk
paean.........song of praise or triumph
palate........roof of the mouth sense of taste
palatial......magnificent
palliate......lessen the severity of
palpability...can be felt touched understood
palpitate.....tremble beat rapidly and irregularly
panegyric.....formal praise eulogy
paradigm......a model example or pattern
parenthesis...sentence within another one smth separated
pariah........an outcast a rejected and despised person
parsimonious..too economical miserly
partisan......one-sided committed to a party biased or prejudiced
patron........regular customer person who gives support
paucity.......scarcity a lacking of
peccadillo....small sin small weakness in one's character
pedantic......bookish showing off learning
pedestrian....commonplace trite unremarkable
pellucid......transparent easy to understand
penchant......strong inclination a liking
penitent......feeling or showing regret
penurious.....poor/stingy
penury........extreme poverty
peregrination.traveling about wandering
peremptory....urgent imperative unchallengeable ending debate
perfidious....treacherous faithless
perfidy.......treachery breaking of faith
perfunctory...done as a duty without care
perilous......dangerous
peripatetic...wandering
perish........be destroyed decay
perjury.......willful FALSE statement unlawful act
permeate......spread into every part of
pernicious....harmful injurious
perpetrate....be guilty commit (a crime)
personable....pleasing in appearance attractive
perspicacity..quick judging and understanding
pertain.......belong as a part have reference
pest..........destructive thing or a person who is nuisance
petrified.....taken away power (to think feel act)
petrify.......to make hard rocklike
petrous.......like a rock hard stony
petulant......unreasonably impatient
philistine....a smug ignorant person one who lacks knowledge
phlegmatic....calm sluggish temperament unemotional
picaresque....involving clever rogues or adventurers
pied..........of mixed colors
pinch.........be too tight take between the thumb and finger
pine..........waste away through sorrow or illness
pious.........dutiful to parents devoted to religion
piquant.......agreeably pungent stimulating
pique.........hurt the pride or self-respect stir (curiosity)
pitfall.......covered hole as a trap unsuspected danger
pith..........essential part force soft liquid substance
pivotal.......of great importance (others depend on it)
placate.......soothe pacify calm
plaintive.....mournful melancholy sorrowful
plaque........flat metal on a wall as a memorial
platitude.....a trite or banal statement unoriginality
plea..........request
plead.........address a court of law as an advocate
plethora......glut
pliant........pliable easily bent shaped or twisted
plod..........continue doing smth without resting
pluck.........pull the feathers off pick (e.g.. flowers)
plumb.........get to the root of
plummet.......fall plunge steeply
plunge........move quickly suddenly and with force
poignant......deeply moving keen
poncho........large piece of cloth
ponderous.....heavy bulky dull
portent.......omen marvelous threatening
precarious....uncertain risky dangerous
precepts......rules establishing standards of conduct
preclude......prevent make impossible
precursory....preliminary anticipating
predilection..special liking mental preference
predominate...have more power than others
preen.........tidy/show self-satisfaction
premature.....doing or happening smth before the right time
preponderance.greatness in number strength weight
presage.......warning sign
presumption...arrogance
preternatural.not normal or usual
prevalent.....common
prevaricate...to equivocate to stray from the truth
prim..........neat formal
pristine......primitive unspoiled pure as in earlier times unadulterated
probity.......uprightness incorruptibility principle
proclivity....inclination
procrastinatio --keeping on putting off
prodigal......wasteful reckless with money
prodigious....enormous wonderful
profane.......worldly having contempt for God
profligacy....shameless immorality
profligate....wasteful prodigal licentious extravagant
profundity....depth
profuse.......abundant/lavish
proliferate...grow reproduce by rapid multification
prolix........tiring because too long
prone.........prostrate inclined to (undesirable things)
propagation...increasing the number spreading extending
propinquity...nearness in time or place affinity of nature
propitiatory..conciliatory appeasing mitigating
propitious....auspicious presenting favorable circumstances
prosaic.......everyday mundane commonplace trite pedestrian
proscribe.....denounce as dangerous
protracted....prolonged
provident.....frugal looking to the future
provisional...of the present time only
provoke.......make angry vax
prudence......careful forethought
prudish.......easily shocked excessively modest
prune.........dried plum silly person
pry...........get smth inquire too curiously
pucker........wrinkle
pugnacious....fond of in the habit of fighting
puissance.....strength
punctilious...precise paying attention to trivialities
pundit........pedant authority on a subject
pungency......sharpness stinging quality
purvey........provide supply
pusillanimous.cowardly craven
putrefaction..becoming rotten
pyre..........large pile of wood for burning
quack.........person dishonestly claiming to smth
quaff.........drink deeply
quail.........lose courage turn frightened
qualm.........feeling of doubt temporary feeling of sickness
quandary......state of doubt or perplexity
quell.........suppress subdue
quibble.......try to avoid by sophistication
quiescence....state of being passive/motionless
quiescent.....at rest dormant torpid
quirk.........habit or action peculiar to smb or smth
quixotic......generous unselfish
quotidian.....banal everyday
rabble........mob crowd the lower classes of populace
raconteur.....person who tells anecdotes
raffish.......low vulgar base tawdry
ramify........to be divided or subdivided to branch out
rancorous.....feeling bitterness spitefulness
rant..........use extravagant language
rapacious.....greedy (esp for money)
rarefy........to make thin to make less dense to purify or refine
rave..........act with excessive enthusiasm
reactionary...opposing progress
rebuff........snub
recalcitrant..disobedient
recant........take back as being FALSE give up
recast........cast or fashion anew
recidivism....relapse into antisocial or criminal behavior
reciprocity...granting of privileges in return for similar
recitals......a number of performance of music
recluse.......person who lives alone and avoids people
recompense....make payment to reward punish
reconcile.....settle a quarrel restore peace
recondite.....little known abstruse
recreancy.....cowardice a cowardly giving up
recuperate....become strong after illness loss exhaustion
redeem........get back by payment compensate
redoubtable...formidable causing fear
refine........make or become pure cultural
refractory....stubborn unmanageable untractable
refulgent.....shining brilliant
regale........to delight or entertain to feast
regicide......crime of killing a king
reiterate.....say or do again several times
rejuvenation..becoming young in nature or appearance
relapse.......fall back again
remonstrate...to protest object
render........deliver provide represent
renovate......restore smth to better condition
renowned......celebrated famous
repast........meal
repel.........refuse to accept/cause dislike
repine........at be discontented with
reproach......scold upbraid
reprobate.....person hardened in sin one devoid of decency
repudiate.....disown refuse to accept or pay
repulsive.....causing a feeling of disgust
requite.......repay give in return
rescind.......repeal/annul/cancel
resigned......unresisting submissive
resilience....quality of quickly recovering the original shape
resort........to frequently visit
restive.......refusing to move reluctant to be controlled
resuscitation.coming back to consciousness
retard........check hinder
reticent......reserved untalkative silent taciturn
revere........have deep respect for
reverent......feeling or showing deep respect
riddle........puzzling person or thing
rift..........split crack dissension
rivet.........fix take up secure metal pin
roll..........call calling of names
rotund........rich and deep plump and round
ruffian.......violent cruel man
rumple........make rough
sagacious.....having sound judgment perceptive wise like a sage
salacious.....obscene
salubrious....healthful
salutary......remedial wholesome causing improvement
sanctimony....self-righteousness hypocritical with FALSE piety
sanction......approval (by authority) penalty
sanguine......cheerful confident optimistic
sanity........health of mind soundness of judgement
sash..........long strip worn round the waist
satiate.......satisfy fully
saturnine.....gloomy dark sullen morose
savant........person of great learning
savor.........taste flavor smth
sawdust.......tiny bits of wood
scabbard......sheath for the blade
scent.........smell (esp pleasant)
scorch........become discolored/dry up/go at high speed
scribble......write hastily
scurvy........mean contemptible
secular.......material (not spiritual) living outside monasteries
sedulous......persevering
seminal.......like a seed constituting a source originative
sententious...short and pithy full of maxims/proverbs
sequence......succession connected line of
sere..........make hard and without feeling
sermon........reproving a person for his faults
serrated......having a toothed edge
serration.....having a toothed edge
servile.......like a slave lacking independence
sever.........break off
severance.....severing
shallow.......little depth not earnest
shard.........piece of broken earthenware
sheath........cover for the blade of a weapon or a tool
shrewd........astute showing sound judgement
shrill........sharp piercing
shun..........keep away from avoid
shunt.........send from one track to another lay aside evade discussion
sidestep......step to one side
simper........(give a) silly/self-conscious smile
sinuous.......winding undulating serpentine
skiff.........small boat
skit..........short piece of humorous writing
slack.........sluggish dull not tight
slake.........to assuage to satisfy allay
slate.........king of blue-grey stone propose criticize
sluggard......lazy slow-moving person
slur..........join sounds/words (indistinct)
smolder.......burn slowly without flame
snare.........trap
snub..........treat with contempt
soar..........rise fly high
sober.........self-controlled
sobriety......quality or condition of being sober
sodden........soaked saturated
soggy.........heavy with water
solvent.......of the power of forming a solution
somatic.......of the body
soot..........black powder in smoke
sophisticated.complex subtle refined
sophistry.....fallacious reasoning faulty logic
sophomoric....self-assured though immature affected bombastic overblown
soporific.....producing sleep
sordid........wretched comfortless contemptible
spear.........weapon with a metal point on a long shaft
specious......illogical of questionable truth or merit
splenetic.....bad-tempered irritable
splice........join (two ends)
sponge........porous rubber for washing live at once expense
spurious......FALSE counterfeit
spurn.........have nothing to do reject or refuse
squalid.......foul filthy
squander......spend wastefully
squat.........crouch/settle without permission
stanch........to stop the flow of a fluid
steeply.......rising or falling sharply
stentorian....extremely loud and powerful
stickler......person who insists on importance of smth
stigma........mark of shame or disgrace
stigmatize....describe smb scornfully
sting.........smth sharp
stingy........spending using unwillingly
stint.........to be thrifty to set limits
stipple.......paint with dots
stipulate.....state or put forward as a necessary condition
stolid........showing no emotion impassive
stray.........wander lose one's way
streak........long thin move very fast
striated......striped grooved or banded
stride........walk with long steps
strut.........a supporting bar
stygian.......hence dark gloomy
stymie........to hinder obstruct or block
subdue........overcome bring under control
sublime.......extreme astounding
submerge......put under water liquid sink out of sight
suborn........induce by bribery or smth to commit perjury
subpoena......written order requiring a person to appear in a low court
substantiationgiving facts to support (statement)
subsume.......include under a rule
succor........assistance relief in time of distress
suffice.......be enough
suffocate.....cause or have difficulty in breathing
sullied.......to be stained or discredited
summarily.....briefly without delay
sumptuous.....magnificent
sundry........various miscellaneous separate
supercilious..disdainful characterized by haughty scorn
superfluous...more then is needed or wanted
superimpose...put smth on the top
supersede.....take the place of
supine........lying on the back slow to act passive
suppliant.....asking humbly beseeching
supplicate....make a humble petition to
suppress......prevent from being known put an end to
surcharge.....additional load/charge
surfeit.......satiate feed to fulness or to excess
susceptibilitysensitiveness
swerve........change direction suddenly
sycophant.....person who flatter to the rich and powerful
synopsis......summary or outline
taciturn......untalkative silent
tadpole.......form of a frog when it leaves the egg
talon.........claw of a bird of prey
tamp..........tap or drive down by repeated light blows
tamper........interfere with
tangential....suddenly changeable
tarnished.....lost brightness
tassel........bunch of threads
taunt.........contemptuous reproach hurtful remark
taut..........tightly stretched
tautology.....a repetition a redundancy
tawdry........cheap gaudy showy tacky
teetotal......oppose to alcohol
temerity......boldness brashness intrepidness
temperance....abstinence from alcohol self-control moderation
temperate.....showing self-control
tenacity......firmness persistency adhesiveness tending to hang on
tenuous.......insubstantial flimsy weak
tepid.........lukewarm
terse.........brief and to the point
testiness.....witness/evidence
thrift........care economy thriving prosperous
thwart........obstruct/frustrate
timid.........shy easily frightened
timorous......fearful timid afraid
toady.........obsequious flatterer
tonic.........smth giving strength or energy
topple........be unsteady and overturn
torment.......severe pain or suffering
torpid........sleeping sluggish lethargic dormant
torque........twisting force causing rotation
tortuous......devious/not straightforward
tout..........person who worries others to buy smth to use his service
tractable.....easily controlled or guided
transgress....break go beyond (a limit)
transient.....temporary fleeting
transitory....brief
travesty......parody/imitation
trenchant.....forceful effective vigorous extremely perceptive incisive
trepidation...alarm excited state of mind
trickle.......flow in drops
trifling......unimportant
trite.........not new
truce.........(agreement) stop of fighting for a time
truculence....aggressiveness ferocity
trudge........walk heavily
turbid........muddy having the sediment stirred up
turbulence....being uncontrolled violent
turgid........excessively ornate swollen or bloated
turmoil.......trouble disturbance
turpitude.....wickedness shamefulness
turquoise.....greenish-blue precious stone
tyro..........tiro beginner
ubiquitous....present everywhere
ulterior......situated beyond
umbrage.......offense resentment
uncouth.......rough awkward
underbid......make a lower bid then smb else
undermine.....weaken gradually at the base make smth under
undulate......to move in wavelike fashion fluctuate
unearth.......discover and bring to light
unencumbered..easy-going trifle
unfeigned.....not pretended sincere
unscathed.....unharmed unhurt
untoward......unfortunate inconvenient
upbraid.......scold reproach
urbane........elegant refined in manners
vacillation...being uncertain hesitating
vagary........strange act or idea
vain..........without use result conceited
valiant.......brave
valorous......brave
vanquish......conquer
veer..........change direction
venal.........ready to do smth dishonest
veneer........surface appearance covering the TRUE nature
veneration....regard with deep respect
veracity......truth
verdant.......fresh and green
verisimilitudeappearing TRUE or real
veritable.....real rightly named
verve.........spirit vigor enthusiasm
vestige.......trace or sign
vex...........annoy distress trouble
vigilance.....watchfulness self-appointed group who maintain order
vigilant......member of a vigilance committee
vigorous......strong energetic
vilify........slander say evil things
vindictive....having a desire to revenge
virago........a loud domineering woman a scold or nag
visceral......of the internal organs of the body
viscous.......sticky/semi-fluid
vitiate.......lower the quality weaken the strength
vituperate....curse abuse in words
vivacious.....lively high-spirited
volatile......changeable inconstant fickle unstable explosive
volubility....fluency verbosity easy use of spoken language
voluble.......fluent
waffle........talk vaguely and without much result
waft..........scent waving movement carry lightly through
wag...........merry person
warmonger.....person who stirs up war
warrant.......authority written order guarantee
wean..........to turn away (from a habit)
weigh.........measure hoe heavy smth is
welter........turmoil a bewildering jumble
wend..........to go proceed
whimsical.....full of odd and fanciful ideas
wince.........show bodily or mental pain
woo...........try to win
writ..........written order
yarn..........tale story fibers for knitting
wily
['waili] 形 使用计谋的;狡猾的
近义词： artful; canny; clever; crafty; cunning; foxy; shifty; shrewd; slippery; sly; smooth; tricky
depravity..........corrupt
running -- indomitable, callow, hermit, kermit
gruff
[gr/A/ f] 形 粗卤的;粗率的;板著脸孔的
近义词： blunt; brusque; coarse; curt; deep; harsh; husky; rough; rude; unfriendly
deus ex machina..........god out of a machine
She was only about 16 when she met Emmanuel. Like her, he went on to graduate from a university, specializing in accounting. Slim and handsome, he slapped her only once during their long courtship, she said. She thought it was an aberration.
effervescent..........as in * shortstop
ribald
['ribld] 形 说话猥亵的[人];卑贱的[人]asinine
['/a/ snain] 形 驴子[一样]的;顽固的
反义词： sensible; wise
crass,dolt,knucklehead,lackey..........dumb/unintelligent/wretch
[ret/ch/ ] 名 可怜者;卑鄙的人;家伙近义词： beggar; derelict; knave; rogue; scoundrel; shrew; sufferer; villain
slobber..........salivate, angeredself-deprecating
glib..........big talker
husbandry..........farmer
pacifist..........Anti-War
distance runner.......... Hyponatremia can begin with confusion and lethargy and progress rapidly to twitching, seizures, stupor, coma and death
less-pernicious..........less deadly
cajole..........temp
esprit de corps...........force of one
egalitarian..........equal
"deep introspection" & "heartfelt apology"..........japanese apology, A lot of people would probably see such distinctions as nit-picking and trite
harbinger..........forshadow
squeamish..........clean freak
denizen
['den/&/ zn] 名 住民;居住者;侨民;外来语anti-truancy..........truancy
['tru:/&/ nsi] 名 怠堕;游荡;旷职;旷课disdainfully,subservient..........subordinate
Wanes..........near end
Anthracite..........smokeless coal
flogged..........cane
dowry..........bride's gift
slather..........plans slather advertisements on bus shelters (mass-marketed)
Elixir..........Floridian (aged 113)
Quandary..........perplex or doubt
Purgatory..........punish
Blasphemy..........bs
Exuberant
Drone..........one that lives on the labors of others
Churlish..........uneducated, lowbrow....pratfalls
Narcissism..........self indulge..........amok
Helmsman..........Helm
Nefarious..........wicked
Madrasas
Sulking
Music
AC/DC Back in Black (Atco)
Bob Dylan from his 1998 release of the 1965 classic Highway 61 Revisited (Columbia). A budding Chinese Dylan, Johnny Rotten, Springsteen and Billy Bragg
Greg Brown from his 1996 release, Further In (Red House Records).
verdant enclave
vista
proselytizer
caucuses
humbug..........deceptive
prose..........writing style
ostentatious..........pretentious
axiom..........zen
austerity..........severe
arable..........plantable
petulant..........bad-tempered
astute
ascetic
mortify
proselytism..........trick
bawdyhouse..........
prow
ark
philanderer
crass..........greedy and lusty
shrieked
Fisticuffs
Digress
Fluster
Prevailing
haughty E ['hoti] ? ???;???;???
lam
exurbia..........suburban
indefatigable
fables
jingoistic
prescient
shirk
sleuths
lethargic
abdicate E ['/a/ bd/&/ keit] ? ??;??;??;??
scurrilous lies
ubiquitous..........everywhere
throng
inebriated..........drunk or soused,stupor..... As the booze flows, Rich, 41, extols the virtues of alcohol, calling it a boon to mankind while claiming that drunks are an "oppressed minority."..... Rich revels in the retrograde excess of his magazine. The way he sees it, reality is so awful, why not get drunk?..... "People always say, 'If you drink, your problems will still be there in the morning,' " he said. "That's like telling a guy going to the Bahamas that in a week, he'll be right back where he started. Well, for a week, he'll be gone."
lout..........hicks
paw..........hand
effeminate..........tennessee will not
valor..........brave
reticence..........patience
fratricide..........pat tillman
arduous..........I thought that learning JavaScript was going to be a very difficult and arduous task.
quaestor..........accountant
derision..........laughing stock
harbinger..........harbinger-of-spring
Promoters of Scottish tourism..........aghast at this damage to their efforts to highlight Scotland's history, culture and landscape..........joined with middle-class foodies in deriding the DFMB as media hype.
1. dapper, dashing, jaunty, natty, raffish, rakish, smart, spiffy, snappy, spruce -- (marked by smartness in dress and manners; "a dapper young man"; "a jaunty red hat")
exigency -- existance & emergency
flatulent, old lard
bog..........wetland
malign...............Much-maligned A.J. Feeley threw for the game-winning score, a 21-yard pass to Derrius Thompson on fourth-and-10 with 1:23 left
quackery..........cult leader
revelers..........banquet
sullen or mutinous.........."They are either sullen or mutinous, but never quite happy."
affable..........warm polite, "Friends of affable Vanderbilt football star Kwane Doster remembered him Monday as a quiet young man, unlikely to be a victim of violent death."
circa.......... She is "remembering" an event that occurred circa 1937, an event she describes in her Paris Review interview of 1995. The park is in New York City
self-flagellation..........Tsunamis
timid
['timid] 形 胆小的;胆怯的;羞怯的;怕羞的近义词： bashful; cowardly; coy; demure; fearful; meek; reserved; restrained; retiring; sheepish; shy
TIGHTWAD..........Tight Fistwretched thief..........F.U.S.A.
magnanimous..........Generous
a few sexual terms..........Westerners are passionate and open when it comes to sex, from fornication to sodomy to rape to incest to beastiality and orgy way back from the tales of Greek's mythologies and Christian sect's scripture aka Bible. had a temporary case of incontinence in 1978 or some such..
dirt·bag..........n. Slang..........A filthy or vile person.
vile..........adj. vil·er, vil·est
1. Loathsome; disgusting: vile language.
2. Unpleasant or objectionable: vile weather. See Synonyms at offensive.
3.a. Contemptibly low in worth or account; second-rate.
3.b. Of mean or low condition.
4. Miserably poor and degrading; wretched: a vile existence.
5. Morally depraved; ignoble or wicked: a vile conspiracy.
cuckold..........(turtle eggs)
TITILLATE.
trudge..........trudged to his news conference Sunday afternoon, looking exhausted but somehow feeling rejuvenated.ornery...........a troublemaker, but extremely supportive and caring
natch........certainly
sacramen..........Marley was a devout Rastafarian, a faith whose followers preach a oneness with nature, grow their hair into long matted strands called dreadlocks and smoke marijuana as a sacramen
feral..........monkies
mercenary..........hired guns
contravene..........violate law
Hegemony.........totalitarian
venereal disease..........std
The Moken are animist — a belief in the existence of individual spirits — and worship the sea. Every year during the full moon of the fifth lunar month, they stop working for three days and nights to feast, dance, sing and put themselves into a trance.
Powerfully soporific..........sleep inducing
rancorous.......... Oracle's acquisition of PeopleSoft, completed just last week, has been particularly rancorous.
proselytize.......... change religion
meddling..........interfering
dissent..........public display of ...
perestroika...........Gorbechev talking about perestroika and glasnost
zeitgeist..........I liked Clinton most of all. I believe he really captures the zeitgeist of the US during the 1990s
ruminate..........And frankly, when she's angry I prefer she punch me in the face (after exhausting debate) than ruminate and fume
tinge..........taste, Paying for services also has a futuristic tinge, if you like.
sanguine..........full of hope. Others are more saguine about the impending style change.
troglodyte..........anonymous, socially-politically acceptable outlets for aggression in China
lilt tribute..........light
dalliance..........love scene in a move
conceit ..........Moviegoers swallow the conceit and cheer, because "Little Stevie," as he is known to fans, is one of them. slapstick comedy
surreptitions..........Perhaps the most significant shift is the Defense Department's bid to conduct surreptitious missions, in friendly and unfriendly states, when conventional war is a distant or unlikely prospect -- activities that have traditionally been the province of the CIA's Directorate of Operations.
headsman..........The legend was that on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, the peasants who benefited from the land reform in Lijiang would come into the city with their poles and demonstrate to warn those who want to restore the system of the local headsman.
master foil..........A secondary character or characters whose actions, by strong contrast, underscore or enhance the distinctive characteristics of another character.
enliven..........lively up
pundit, regale..........As many have remarked, the Ronster has prior form when it comes to bigotry. As a TV football pundit, he once regaled the audience with his views on Marcel Desailly, the black Chelsea defender, after which he was forced to resign.
extroversion..........the tendency to be friendly and outgoing; and neuroticism, a proclivity toward worry, anxiety and emotional ups and downs.
panacea..........Democracy as shown by India is not necessary the panacea of a nation’s ails and the solution to a man’s many miseries of life.
philistine..........It's simply that I saw a lot of simultaneity in my experiences of pleasure, and felt that most discourse about culture was either philistine or shallowly snobbish.omniscient ,unfathomable,polymath..........Your contribution to our club spirit is incalculable, just as you have proven unfathomable. As our qualified modern Renaissance Man, your website legacy continues, ensuring you will never be forgotten in our hearts and minds, though you dwell for the most part in a land far, far away. With Great Gratitude,hermit,hesicaste,postulant,novitiate,tonsured,ascetic..........A monk who lives alone, away from society and sometimes also from all other monks, is called an Anchorite or Hesicaste (also called a hermit).
Neandertal man.......... extinct robust human of Middle Paleolithic in Europe and western Asia
boorish.......... ill-mannered and coarse and contemptible in behavior or appearance; "was boorish and insensitive"; "the loutish manners of a bully"; "her stupid oafish husband"; "aristocratic contempt for the swinish multitude"
dossier..........secret files
ascetic,austerity,egalitarian..........meager, proletariat
slick pompadour........slight red
controversial, offensive and odious..........rudderless
quack.........."Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever" by Ray Kurzweil
introverted and asocial..........Eileen Chang
squabble.........argument
mea culpa..........as delusional, but not before issuing a series of mea culpas for his own off-field travails
spartan.........
severe: unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; "a parent severe to the pitch of hostility"- H.G.Wells; "a hefty six-footer with a rather severe mien"; "a strict disciplinarian"; "a Spartan upbringing"
www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn
ascetic: practicing great self-denial; "Be systematically ascetic...do...something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it"- William James; "a desert nomad's austere life"; "a spartan diet"; "a spartan existence"
www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn
filial piety..........Even if one is not concerned about having no one to take care of oneself in old age, one ought to think about having children to continue the family lineage.
mete..........To distribute by or as if by measure; allot: mete out justice. 2. Archaic. To measure.
stalwart..........30 Odd Foot of Grunts, which formed in 1992 with Crowe on vocals and guitar, wasn't exactly a stalwart success by music industry standards.
scathing..........harsh critique
abacus........frame with balls for calculating
abate.........to lessen to subside
abdication....giving up control authority
aberration....straying away from what is normal
abet..........help/encourage smb (in doing wrong)
abeyance......suspended action
abhor.........to hate to detest
abide.........be faithful to endure
abjure........promise or swear to give up
abraded.......rubbed off worn away by friction
abrogate......repeal or annul by authority
abscond.......to go away suddenly (to avoid arrest)
abstruse......difficult to comprehend obscure
abut..........border on
abysmal.......bottomless extreme
acarpous......effete no longer fertile worn out
acclaimed.....welcomed with shouts and approval
accolade......praise approval
accretion.....the growing of separate things into one
adamant.......kind of stone inflexible
admonitory....containing warning
adorn.........add beauty decorate
adulteration..making unpure poorer in quality
affable.......polite and friendly
affinity......close connection relationship
aggravate.....make worse irritate
agile.........active quick-moving
agog..........eager/excited
ail...........trouble be ill
alacrity......eager and cheerful readiness
alcove........recess/partially enclosed place
allegiance....duty support loyalty
alleviate.....make (pain) easier to bear
alloy.........to debase by mixing with something inferior
aloof.........reserved indifferent
amalgamate....mix combine unite societies
ambidextrous..able to use the left hand or the right equally well
ambiguous.....doubtful uncertain
ambivalent....having both of two contrary meanings
ameliorate....improve make better
amortize......end (a debt) by setting aside money
anguish.......severe suffering
animosity.....strong dislike
antidote......medicine used against a poison or a disease
antithetical..direct opposing
apartheid.....brutal racial discrimination
aplomb........self-confidence
apostate......one who abandons long-held religious or political convictions
apotheosis....deification glorification to godliness
appease.......make quiet or calm
apprehensive..grasping understanding fear unhappy feeling about future
apprise.......give notice to inform
approbation...approval
apropos.......appropriate to the situation apt
apt...........well-suited quick-witted
arabesque.....a complex ornate design
arboreal......of connected with trees
ardor.........enthusiasm
arduous.......steep difficult ascent laborious
argot.........jargon slang
arrant........in the highest degree
arrogance.....proud superior manner of behaviour
articulate....speak distinctly connect by joints
ascend........go or come up
ascertain.....get to know
ascetic.......practicing self-denial austere stark
ascribe.......consider to be the origin of or belonging to
aseptic.......surgically clean
asperity......roughness harshness ill temper irritability
aspersion.....slander
assail........with attack violently
assiduous.....diligent hard-working sedulous
assuage.......make smth (pain desire) less
asterisk......the mark * (e.g.. omitted letters)
astringent....substance that shrinks
astute........clever quick at seeing to get an advantage
atonement.....repayment death of Jesus
attenuate.....make thin. weaken enervate
attune........bring into harmony
audacious.....daring foolishly bold impudent
augury........omen sign
august........majestic venerable
auspicious....favorable successful prosperous
austere.......severely moral and strict simple and plain
auxiliary.....helping supporting
aver..........affirm assert prove justify
aversion......strong dislike
avid..........eager greedy
avow..........admit. Declare openly
baleful.......harmful ominous causing evil
balk..........obstacle purposely to get on the way of
baneful.......causing harm or ruin pernicious destructive
barrage.......artificial obstacle built across a river
barren........not good enough unable to have young ones without value
bask..........in enjoy warmth and light
beatify.......to bless make happy or ascribe a virtue to
bedizen.......to adorn especially in a cheap showy manner
belabor.......beat hard
bellicose.....belligerent pugnacious warlike
belligerent...(person nation) waging war
benefactor....person who has given help
benevolence...wish or activity in doing good
benign........kind and gentle mild (climate)
bequest.......arrangement to give smth at death
berate........scold sharply
bereft........rob or dispossess of smth (material)
bewilder......puzzle confuse
bigot.........stubborn narrow-minded person
bilge.........bulge the protuberance of a cask
blandishment..flattery coaxing
blandness.....polite manner comforting uninteresting
blatant.......noisy and rough
blithe........cheerful casual carefree
bogus.........sham counterfeit not genuine
boisterous....loud noisy rough lacking restraint
bolster.......give greatly needed support
boorish.......crude offensive rude
brash.........hasty rush cheeky saucy
brass.........yellow metal (mixing copper and zinc)
brazen........made of brass
breach........opening broken place breaking
brittle.......easily broken
broach........bring up announce begin to talk about
brook.........to tolerate endure
buoyant.......able to float light-hearted
burgeon.......grow forth send out buds
burnish.......to polish rub to a shine
cabal.........a scheme or plot a group of plotters
cadge.........to beg to get by begging
cajole........use flattery or deceit to persuade
calipers......metal supports attached to the legs measuring instrument
calumny.......slander aspersion
candid........frank straight-forward
cant..........insincere talk/jargon
cantankerous..bad-tempered/quarrelsome
canvass.......discuss thoroughly sort of touting
castigate.....to chastise correct by punishing
castigation...severe punishment
catalyst......substance that causes speeding up
caustic.......biting sarcastic
censure.......expression of blame or disapproval a rebuke
centurion.....leader of a unit of 100 soldiers
chary.........cautious wary
chastened.....corrected punished
chastisement..punishment
chauvinist....a blindly devoted patriot
chicanery.....legal trickery/false argument
chisel........steel tool for shaping materials
churl.........bad-tempered person
clamor........shout complain with a lot of noise
clientele.....customers
clinch........come to grips/settle conclusively
cling.........to resist separation
clot..........half-solid lump formed from liquid
cloture.......closing device (in Parliament) to end a debate by voting
coagulation...change to a thick and solid state
coalescing....coming together and uniting into one substance
coax..........get smb to do smth by kindness
coda..........passage that completes a piece of music
coddle........treat with care and tenderness
coerce........compel to force to make obedient
coeval........of the same period coexisting
cogent........strong convincing
cogitate......think deeply mediate
cognizant.....being fully aware of
colander......bowl-shaped vessel with many holes used to drain off water
collusion.....secret agreement for a deceitful purpose
combustion....process of burning
commemorate...keep the memory of
commodious....having plenty of space for what is needed
commuter......person who travels regularly
complaisance..tending to comply obliging willingness to please
compunction...feeling of regret for one's action
conceal.......hide keep secret
conceit.......over-high opinion of too much pride
conciliatory..reconciling soothing comforting mollifying
concord.......agreement or harmony
concur........agree in opinion happen together
condense......increase in density strength make laconic
condone.......forgive
congeal.......make or become stiff and solid
conjoin.......to join together
connoisseur...a person with good judgement (e.g.. in art)
connotation...suggestion in addition to
consequential.pompous self important
console.......give comfort or sympathy to
conspicuous...easily seen remarkable
consternation.surprise and fear dismay
constrain.....compel
constrict.....make tight or smaller
consume.......get to the end of
consummate....perfect/make perfect/complete
contemn.......to scorn or despise
contentious...argumentative pugnacious combative quarrelsome
contiguous....touching neighboring near
contrite......filled with deep sorrow for wrongdoing
contumacious..insubordinate rebellious
conundrum.....a riddle dilemma enigma
conviction....convincing firm belief
convoke.......call together summon
convoluted....complicated coiled twisted
cordial.......warm and sincere
cordon........line (of police acting as a guard)
cornucopia....abundant supply
corporeal.....physical of or for the body
correlate.....have a mutual relation
corroboration.additional strengthening evidence
countenance...to favor or approve of
counterfeit...forgery
countervail...counterbalance
covert........disguised
covetous......eagerly desirous
cower.........crouch shrink back
coy...........shy/modest (esp of a girl)
crass.........very great (es. stupidity)
cravat........piece of linen worn as a necktie
craven........cowardly
crease........line made by crushing white line on the ground in cricket
credulity.....too great a readiness to believe things
credulous.....ready to believe things
crush.........press lose shape subdue overwhelm
cryptic.......secret with a hidden meaning
cumbersome....burdensome heavy and awkward to carry
curmudgeon....bad-tempered person
curriculum....course of study
cursory.......quick hurried
curtail.......make shorter then was planned
dainty........pretty/delicate(food)/difficult to please
daunt.........intimidate make fearful
dawdler.......person who is slow waste of time
dearth........shortage
debacle.......a breakup overthrow sudden disaster
decorum.......propriety properness
decree........order given by authority
decry.........disapprove of
defer.........postpone give way (to show respect)
deferential...showing respect
defiance......open disobedience or resistance
delineate.....to portray depict sketch out
deluge........great flood heavy rush of water
demagogue.....person appealing not to reasons
demur.........to hesitate raise objections
denigrate.....blacken belittle sully defame
denouement....an outcome or solution the unraveling of a plot
deplete.......use until none remains
deposition....dethronement depositing
deprave.......make morally bad corrupt
deprecate.....protest against express disapproval of
dereliction...deserting and leaving to fall into ruins
derision......ridicule mockery deriding
derivative....unoriginal obtained from another source
derogatory....insulting tending to damage
descry........catch sight of see smth in the distance
desiccant.....substance used to absorb moisture
desuetude.....cessation of use disuse
desultory.....aimless haphazard digressing at random
deter.........discourage hinder
detraction....slandering verbal attack aspersion
detumescence..diminishing or lessening of swelling
deviance......being different in moral standards (from normal)
dexterity.....skill (esp. in handling)
diaphanous....transparent gauzy
diatribe......bitter and violent attack in words
diffidence....shyness
dilate........speak comprehensively become wider large
disallow......refuse to allow or accept as a correct
discern.......see with an effort but clearly
discomfit.....confuse embarrass
disconcert....upset the self-possession of
discountenancerefuse to approve of
discourse.....speech lecture
discredit.....refuse to believe
discreet......careful/prudent
discrete......individually distinct
disdain.......look on with contempt
disencumber...free from encumbrance
disheveled....untidy
disingenuous..sophisticated artful trying to deceive cunning
disinter......dig up from the earth
dislodge......move force from the place occupied
dismal........sad gloomy miserable
disparate.....essentially different
disproof......proof to the contrary
dissemble.....speak or behave so as to hide smth (in mind)
disseminate...distribute (esp. ideas)
dissent.......have a different opinion refuse to assent
dissolution...disintegration looseness in morals
distraught....distracted violently upset in mind
divergence....getting farther apart from a point
divestiture...taking off getting rid of giving up
divulge.......make known smth secret
doggerel......trivial poorly constructed verse
dogmatic......positive certain arbitrary without room for discussion
dolt..........stupid fellow
dormant.......in a state of inactivity but awaiting development
dote..........show much fondness center one's attention
drawl.........slow way of speaking
droll.........jesting
drone.........male bee person who isn't self-employed
drowsiness....feeling sleepy half asleep
dubious.......feeling doubt
dud...........no use person smth that fails
dulcet........melodious harmonious
dupe..........cheat make a fool of
duplicity.....deliberate deception
duress........threats to compel smb
dwarf.........person or smb much below the usual size
dynamo........a generator something that produces electric current
earthenware...dishes made of baked clay
ebullience....exuberance outburst of feeling
ebullient.....overflowing with enthusiasm showing excitement
ecumenical....representing the whole Christian world
edacious......voracious devouring
eddy..........circular or spiral movement (e.g.. of wind)
edible........fit to be eaten/not poisonous
effete........infertile worn out weak
efficacy......production of a desired result
effluvia......outflow in a stream of particles a noxious odor or vapor
effrontery....boldness impudence arrogance
egress........way out exit
elaborate.....worked out with much care in great detail
elegy.........a lament a melancholy composition
elicit........draw out
eloquence.....fluent speaking skillful use of language
emaciate......make thin and weak
embellish.....make beautiful
embezzle......use in a wrong way for one's own benefit
emote.........stir up excite
empirical.....relying on experiment
encapsulate...enclose in capsule
encomium......warm or glowing praise eulogy panegyric
encumbrance...burden things that get on the way of
endearing.....making dear or liked
endemic.......epidemic
endorse.......write one's name on the back of
enduring......lasting
enervate......weaken deprive of strength attenuate
engender......cause produce give rise to
engrave.......impress deeply
engrossing....taken up all the time or attention writing in large or formal
engulf........swallow up
enigma........smth that is puzzling
enmity........hatred being an enemy
ensign........flag/badge
entangle......put into difficulties
enthral.......please greatly/enslave (fig)
entice........tempt or persuade
entreat.......ask earnestly
enunciate.....pronounce (words)/express a theory
enzyme........catalyst
epicurean.....devoted to pleasure (sensuous enjoyment)
epistle.......letter
epithet.......adjective
epitome.......brief summary representative example a typical model
equable.......steady regular
equanimity....calmness of temperament
equilibrium...state of being balanced
equipoise.....equal distribution of weight equilibrium
equivocal.....having a double or doubtful meaning suspicious
equivocate....try to deceive by equivocal language
eradicate.....get rid of pull up by the roots
erratic.......irregular in behaviour or opinion
erudite.......learned scholarly
eschew........avoid
esoteric......abstruse intended only for a small circle of
espouse.......marry give one's support to
eulogy........formal praise panegyric
euphoria......elation state of pleasant excitement
euthanasia....easy and painless death
evasive.......tending to evade
evince........to show clearly to indicate
evoke.........call up bring out
excoriation...severe criticism
exculpate.....to clear from a charge of guilt
exhaustive....complete thorough
exigency......emergency an urgent situation
exoneration...set smb clear free (e.g.. from blame)
exorbitant....much too high or great
expatiate.....to roam wander freely
expedient.....likely to be useful for a purpose
expiation.....ending expiring
exploit.......brilliant achievement develop use selfishly
expostulate...argue earnestly to dissuade correct or protest
expurgate.....to remove obscenity purify censor
exscind.......to cut out cut away
extant........still in existence
extempore.....without previous thought or preparation
extenuate.....reduce the strength of lessen seriousness partially excuse
extinct.......no longer active
extinguish....end the existence of/wipe or put out
extirpate.....to destroy exterminate cut out exscind
extol.........praise highly
extort........obtain by threats violence
extralegal....outside the law
extricable....that can be freed
extrovert.....cheerful person
exuberance....state of growing vigorously being full of life
facetious.....humorous funny jocular
facile........easily done
fallacious....based on error
falter........waver/move in an uncertain manner
fatuous.......without sense foolish self-satisfaction
fawn..........young deer try to win smb's favor
feckless......lacking purpose or vitality ineffective careless
fecund........fertile
feint.........pretend
felicitous....apt suitably expressed well chosen apropos
felon.........person guilty of murder
ferment.......substance become excited
ferocity......savage cruelty
ferret........discover by searching search
fervid........showing earnest feeling
fervor........warmth of feelings earnestness
fetid.........stinking
fetter........to shackle put in chains
feud..........bitter quarrel over a long period of time
fidelity......loyalty accuracy
fidget........move restlessly make nervous
figurehead....carved image on the prow of a ship, port and stern
finesse.......delicate way of dealing with a situation
finical.......too fussy about food clothing etc.
finicky.......finical
fission.......splitting or division (esp. of cells)
fixate........stare at
flak..........criticism/anti-aircraft guns
flamboyant....brightly colored florid
flaunting.....show off complacently
flax..........pale yellow (hair) a plant
fledged.......able to fly trained experienced
fleet.........number of ships quick-moving
flinch........draw move back wince
flop..........fail/move/fall clumsily
florid........very much ornamented naturally red (e.g.. of face)
flout.........reject mock to go against (as in going against tradition)
fluke.........lucky stroke
fluster.......make nervous or confused
foible........defect of character (a person is wrongly proud)
foil..........prevent from carrying out contrast
foment........put smth warm (to lessen the pain)
foolproof.....incapable of failure or error
foppish.......like a man who pays too much attention to his clothes
forage........food for horses and cattle
forbear.......refrain from be patient ancestor
forbearance...patience willingness to wait
ford..........shallow place in a river (to cross)
forestall.....prevent by taking action in advance preempt
forfeit.......suffer the loss of smth
forge.........workshop for the shaping of metal to shape metal lead
forgery.......counterfeit
forswear......renounce disallow repudiate
foster........nurture care for
fracas........noisy quarrel
fragile.......easily injured broken or destroyed
fragrant......sweet-smelling
frantic.......wildly excited with joy pain anxiety
frenetic......frantic frenzied
fret..........worry irritation wear away
fringe........edge ornamental border part of hair over the forehead
froward.......intractable not willing to yield or comply stubborn
frugal........careful economical
fulmination...bitter protest
fulsome.......disgusting offensive due to excessiveness
gainsay.......to deny to oppose
garble........make unfair selection from facts
garment.......article of clothing
garner........to gather and save to store up
garrulity.....talkativeness
garrulous.....too talkative
gaucherie.....socially awkward tactless behavior
germane.......relevant pertinent to
gist..........the point general sense
glean.........gather facts in small quantities
glib..........ready and smooth but not sincere
glimmer.......weak/unsteady light
gloat.........over look at with selfish delight
glut..........supply to much fill to excess
gnaw..........waste away bite steadily
goad..........smth urging a person to action
gorge.........eat greedily/narrow opening with a stream
gossamer......soft light delicate material
gouge.........tool for cutting grooves in wood
grandiloquent.using pompous words
grave.........serious requiring consideration
graze.........touch or scrape lightly in passing
gregarious....living in societies liking the company
grievous......causing grief or pain serious dire grave
grovel........crawl humble oneself
guile.........deceit cunning
gullible......easily gulled
gush..........burst out suddenly/talk ardently
gust..........outburst of feeling sudden rain wind fire etc.
hack..........cut roughly hired horse
halcyon.......calm and peaceful
hallow........to make holy consecrate
harangue......a long passionate speech
harbinger.....smth or smb that foretells the coming of
harrow........to distress create stress or torment
haughty.......arrogant conceited
heed..........attention/give notice to
heinous.......odious (of crime)
heresy........belief contrary to what is generally accepted
hermetic......sealed by fusion
heterogeneous.made up of different kinds
hew...........make by hard work cut (by striking)
highbrow......(person) with superior tastes
hirsute.......hairy shaggy
hoax..........mischievous trick played on smb for a joke
hoi...........polloi the masses the rabble
hollow........not soled with hole
holster.......leather case for a pistol
homiletics....act of preaching
hone..........stone used for sharpening tools
hoodwink......trick mislead
hospitable....liking to give hospitality
hubris........arrogant pride
hush..........make or become silent
husk..........worthless outside part of anything
hypocrisy.....falsely making oneself appear to be good
iconoclast....person who attacks popular beliefs
idiosyncrasy..personal mannerism
idolatry......excessive admiration of
idyll.........a carefree episode or experience
ignoble.......dishonorable common undignified
ignominious...shameful dishonorable undignified disgraceful
illicit.......unlawful forbidden
imbroglio.....complicated and embarrassing situation
immaculate....pure faultless
imminent......likely to come or happen soon
immutable.....that cannot be changed
impair........worsen diminish in value
impassive.....unmoved feeling no sign of passion
impecunious...having little or no money
impede........hinder get in the way of
impediment....smth that hinders (e.g. stammer)
impending.....imminent being about to happen expected
imperative....urgent essential
imperious.....commanding haughty arrogant
impermeable...that cannot be permeated
imperturbable.calm not capable of being excited
impervious....not allowing to pass through (of materials)
imperviousnesshaughty arrogant commanding
impetuous.....having sudden energy impulsive thrusting ahead forceful
impiety.......lack of reverence or dutifulness
implacable....incapable of being placated unpleasable
implicate.....show that smb has a share
implicit......implied though not plainly expressed
implosion.....collapse bursting inward
importune.....beg urgently solicit (of a prostitute)
imprecation...an invocation of evil a curse
impromptu.....without preparation
impudent......rash indiscreet
impugned......challenged to be doubted
impute........to attribute to a cause or source ascribe
inadvertent...not paying proper attention
inane.........silly senseless
inasmuch......since because
incense.......make angry
incessant.....often repeated continual
inchoate......not yet fully formed rudimentary elementary
incipient.....beginning
incise........engrave make a cut in
incite........stir up rouse
inclined......directing the mind in a certain direction
incongruous...out of place not in harmony or agreement
incorrigibilit --cannot be cured or corrected
incredulous...skeptical unwilling to believe
inculcate.....fix firmly by repetition
incumbents....official duties
incursion.....a raid a sudden attack
indefatigabilinot --easily exhaustible tirelessness
indelible.....that cannot be rubbed out
indigence.....poverty
indigenous....native
indistinct....not easily heard seen clearly marked
indolence.....laziness
indomitable...not easily discouraged or subdued
indulge.......gratify give way to satisfy allow oneself
indulgent.....inclined to indulge
ineffable.....to great to be described in words
ineluctable...certain inevitable
inept.........unskillful said or done at the wrong time
ineptitude....quality of being unskillful
inferno.......hell
infuriate.....fill with fury or rage
infuse........put pour fill
ingenuous.....naive young artless frank honest sincere
ingest........take in by swallowing
inimical......harmful or friendly
inimitable....defying imitation unmatchable
innocuous.....causing no harm
inscrutable...incapable of being discovered or understood
insensible....unconscious unresponsive unaffected
insinuate.....suggest unpleasantly make a way for smth gently
insipid.......without taste or flavor
insouciant....unconcerned carefree
insularity....narrow-mindedness isolated
insurrection..rising of people to open resistance to
interdict.....prohibit forbid
interim.......as an installment
intersperse...place here and there
intransigence.unwillingness to compromise stubbornness intractability
intransigent..uncompromising
intrepid......fearless brave undaunted
introspection.examining one's own thoughts and feelings
inundate......flood cover by overflowing
inured........accustomed to adapted
invective.....abusive language curses
inveigh.......to attack verbally denounce deprecate
inveterate....deep-rooted. long-established
invincible....too strong to be defeated
involute......complex
irascible.....irritable easily angered
irate.........angry
ire...........anger
irksome.......tiresome
irresolute....hesitating undecided
irrevocable...final and unalterable
itinerate.....to travel from place to place to peregrinate
jabber........talk excitedly utter rapidly
jibe..........gibe make fun of
jocular.......meant as a joke
judicious.....sound in judgment wise
knit..........draw together unite firmly
labyrinthine..to entangle the state of affairs
lachrymose....causing tears tearful
lackluster....(of eyes) dull
lament........show feel great sorrow
lassitude.....weariness tiredness
latent........present but not yet active developed or visible
laudatory.....expressing or giving praise
lavish........giving or producing freely liberally or generously
legacy........smth handed down from ancestors
levee.........formal reception/embankment
levity........lack of seriousness
libel.........statement that damages reputation
liberality....free giving generosity
libertine.....immoral person
lien..........legal claim until a debt on it is repaid
limn..........paint portray
limp..........lacking strength walking unevenly
lionize.......treat as a famous person
lithe.........bending twisting
loll..........rest to sit or stand in a lazy way hang (dog's tongue)
lope..........move along with long strides
loquacious....talkative garrulous
lucubrate.....write in scholarly fashion
luculent......easily understood lucid clear
lugubrious....mournful excessively sad
lull..........become quiet or less active
lumber........move in a clumsy/noisy way
luminary......star light-giving body
lurk..........be out of view ready to attack
lustrous......being bright polished
macabre.......gruesome suggesting death
macerate......make or become soft by soaking in water
machination...plot scheme (esp. evil)
maladroit.....tactless clumsy
malapropism...misuse of a word (for one that resembles it)
malevolence...wishing to do evil
malign........injurious speak ill of smb tell lie
malinger......to fake illness or injury in order to shirk a duty
malleable.....yielding easily shaped moldable adapting
manacle.......chains for the hands or feet
massacre......cruel killing of a large number of people
matriculation.be admitted enter a university as a student
maudlin.......sentimental in a silly or tearful way
maul..........hurt by rough handling
maverick......rebel nonconformist
mellifluous...sweetly flowing
mendacity.....dishonesty
mendicant.....a beggar
mercurial.....quick changeable in character fleeting
meretricious..attractive on the surface but of little value
mesmerize.....hypnotize
meticulous....giving great attention to details
mettle........quality of endurance or courage
mettlesome....courageous high-spirited
middling......fairly good but not very good
minatory......menacing threatening
mince.........pronounce or speak affectedly euphemize
misanthrope...person who hates mankind
mischievous...harmful causing mischief
miser.........person who loves wealth and spends little
misogynist....one who hates women/females
moderation....quality of being limited not extreme
mollify.......make calmer or quieter
molt..........moult lose hair feathers before new growing
morbid........diseased unhealthy (e.g.. about ideas)
morose........ill-tempered unsocial
muffler.......cloth worn round the neck/silencer
multifarious..varied motley greatly diversified
mundane.......worldly as opposed to spiritual commonplace everyday
myriad........very great number
nadir.........lowest weakest point
nascent.......coming into existence emerging
nebulous......cloud-like hazy vague indistinct
negligent.....taking too little care
neophyte......person who has been converted to a belief
nexus.........a connection tie or link
nibble........show some inclination to accept (an offer)
noisome.......offensive disgusting (smell)
nonchalant....not having interest
nonplused.....greatly surprised
nostrum.......a quack remedy an untested cure
noxious.......harmful
nugatory......trifling/worthless
obdurate......hardened and unrepenting stubborn inflexible
obfuscate.....to darken make obscure muddle
oblivious.....unaware having no memory
obloquy.......abusively detractive language sharp criticism vituperation
obsequious....too eager to obey or serve
obstreperous..noisy loud
obtain........to be established accepted or customary
obtrusive.....projecting prominent undesirably noticeable
obtuse........blunt/stupid
obviate.......to make unnecessary get rid of
occluded......blocked up
odious........repulsive hateful
odium.........contempt dislike aversion
odor..........smell favor reputation
officious.....too eager or ready to help offer advice
ominous.......threatening
onerous.......needing effort burdensome
opaqueness....dullness/not allowing light to pass through
opprobrious...showing scorn or reproach
ossify........to turn to bone to settle rigidly into an idea
ostensible....seeming appearing as such professed
ostentation...display to obtain admiration or envy
ostracism.....shut out from society refuse to meet talk
overhaul......examine thoroughly to learn about the condition
overweening...presumptuously arrogant overbearing immoderate being a jerk
paean.........song of praise or triumph
palate........roof of the mouth sense of taste
palatial......magnificent
palliate......lessen the severity of
palpability...can be felt touched understood
palpitate.....tremble beat rapidly and irregularly
panegyric.....formal praise eulogy
paradigm......a model example or pattern
parenthesis...sentence within another one smth separated
pariah........an outcast a rejected and despised person
parsimonious..too economical miserly
partisan......one-sided committed to a party biased or prejudiced
patron........regular customer person who gives support
paucity.......scarcity a lacking of
peccadillo....small sin small weakness in one's character
pedantic......bookish showing off learning
pedestrian....commonplace trite unremarkable
pellucid......transparent easy to understand
penchant......strong inclination a liking
penitent......feeling or showing regret
penurious.....poor/stingy
penury........extreme poverty
peregrination.traveling about wandering
peremptory....urgent imperative unchallengeable ending debate
perfidious....treacherous faithless
perfidy.......treachery breaking of faith
perfunctory...done as a duty without care
perilous......dangerous
peripatetic...wandering
perish........be destroyed decay
perjury.......willful FALSE statement unlawful act
permeate......spread into every part of
pernicious....harmful injurious
perpetrate....be guilty commit (a crime)
personable....pleasing in appearance attractive
perspicacity..quick judging and understanding
pertain.......belong as a part have reference
pest..........destructive thing or a person who is nuisance
petrified.....taken away power (to think feel act)
petrify.......to make hard rocklike
petrous.......like a rock hard stony
petulant......unreasonably impatient
philistine....a smug ignorant person one who lacks knowledge
phlegmatic....calm sluggish temperament unemotional
picaresque....involving clever rogues or adventurers
pied..........of mixed colors
pinch.........be too tight take between the thumb and finger
pine..........waste away through sorrow or illness
pious.........dutiful to parents devoted to religion
piquant.......agreeably pungent stimulating
pique.........hurt the pride or self-respect stir (curiosity)
pitfall.......covered hole as a trap unsuspected danger
pith..........essential part force soft liquid substance
pivotal.......of great importance (others depend on it)
placate.......soothe pacify calm
plaintive.....mournful melancholy sorrowful
plaque........flat metal on a wall as a memorial
platitude.....a trite or banal statement unoriginality
plea..........request
plead.........address a court of law as an advocate
plethora......glut
pliant........pliable easily bent shaped or twisted
plod..........continue doing smth without resting
pluck.........pull the feathers off pick (e.g.. flowers)
plumb.........get to the root of
plummet.......fall plunge steeply
plunge........move quickly suddenly and with force
poignant......deeply moving keen
poncho........large piece of cloth
ponderous.....heavy bulky dull
portent.......omen marvelous threatening
precarious....uncertain risky dangerous
precepts......rules establishing standards of conduct
preclude......prevent make impossible
precursory....preliminary anticipating
predilection..special liking mental preference
predominate...have more power than others
preen.........tidy/show self-satisfaction
premature.....doing or happening smth before the right time
preponderance.greatness in number strength weight
presage.......warning sign
presumption...arrogance
preternatural.not normal or usual
prevalent.....common
prevaricate...to equivocate to stray from the truth
prim..........neat formal
pristine......primitive unspoiled pure as in earlier times unadulterated
probity.......uprightness incorruptibility principle
proclivity....inclination
procrastinatio --keeping on putting off
prodigal......wasteful reckless with money
prodigious....enormous wonderful
profane.......worldly having contempt for God
profligacy....shameless immorality
profligate....wasteful prodigal licentious extravagant
profundity....depth
profuse.......abundant/lavish
proliferate...grow reproduce by rapid multification
prolix........tiring because too long
prone.........prostrate inclined to (undesirable things)
propagation...increasing the number spreading extending
propinquity...nearness in time or place affinity of nature
propitiatory..conciliatory appeasing mitigating
propitious....auspicious presenting favorable circumstances
prosaic.......everyday mundane commonplace trite pedestrian
proscribe.....denounce as dangerous
protracted....prolonged
provident.....frugal looking to the future
provisional...of the present time only
provoke.......make angry vax
prudence......careful forethought
prudish.......easily shocked excessively modest
prune.........dried plum silly person
pry...........get smth inquire too curiously
pucker........wrinkle
pugnacious....fond of in the habit of fighting
puissance.....strength
punctilious...precise paying attention to trivialities
pundit........pedant authority on a subject
pungency......sharpness stinging quality
purvey........provide supply
pusillanimous.cowardly craven
putrefaction..becoming rotten
pyre..........large pile of wood for burning
quack.........person dishonestly claiming to smth
quaff.........drink deeply
quail.........lose courage turn frightened
qualm.........feeling of doubt temporary feeling of sickness
quandary......state of doubt or perplexity
quell.........suppress subdue
quibble.......try to avoid by sophistication
quiescence....state of being passive/motionless
quiescent.....at rest dormant torpid
quirk.........habit or action peculiar to smb or smth
quixotic......generous unselfish
quotidian.....banal everyday
rabble........mob crowd the lower classes of populace
raconteur.....person who tells anecdotes
raffish.......low vulgar base tawdry
ramify........to be divided or subdivided to branch out
rancorous.....feeling bitterness spitefulness
rant..........use extravagant language
rapacious.....greedy (esp for money)
rarefy........to make thin to make less dense to purify or refine
rave..........act with excessive enthusiasm
reactionary...opposing progress
rebuff........snub
recalcitrant..disobedient
recant........take back as being FALSE give up
recast........cast or fashion anew
recidivism....relapse into antisocial or criminal behavior
reciprocity...granting of privileges in return for similar
recitals......a number of performance of music
recluse.......person who lives alone and avoids people
recompense....make payment to reward punish
reconcile.....settle a quarrel restore peace
recondite.....little known abstruse
recreancy.....cowardice a cowardly giving up
recuperate....become strong after illness loss exhaustion
redeem........get back by payment compensate
redoubtable...formidable causing fear
refine........make or become pure cultural
refractory....stubborn unmanageable untractable
refulgent.....shining brilliant
regale........to delight or entertain to feast
regicide......crime of killing a king
reiterate.....say or do again several times
rejuvenation..becoming young in nature or appearance
relapse.......fall back again
remonstrate...to protest object
render........deliver provide represent
renovate......restore smth to better condition
renowned......celebrated famous
repast........meal
repel.........refuse to accept/cause dislike
repine........at be discontented with
reproach......scold upbraid
reprobate.....person hardened in sin one devoid of decency
repudiate.....disown refuse to accept or pay
repulsive.....causing a feeling of disgust
requite.......repay give in return
rescind.......repeal/annul/cancel
resigned......unresisting submissive
resilience....quality of quickly recovering the original shape
resort........to frequently visit
restive.......refusing to move reluctant to be controlled
resuscitation.coming back to consciousness
retard........check hinder
reticent......reserved untalkative silent taciturn
revere........have deep respect for
reverent......feeling or showing deep respect
riddle........puzzling person or thing
rift..........split crack dissension
rivet.........fix take up secure metal pin
roll..........call calling of names
rotund........rich and deep plump and round
ruffian.......violent cruel man
rumple........make rough
sagacious.....having sound judgment perceptive wise like a sage
salacious.....obscene
salubrious....healthful
salutary......remedial wholesome causing improvement
sanctimony....self-righteousness hypocritical with FALSE piety
sanction......approval (by authority) penalty
sanguine......cheerful confident optimistic
sanity........health of mind soundness of judgement
sash..........long strip worn round the waist
satiate.......satisfy fully
saturnine.....gloomy dark sullen morose
savant........person of great learning
savor.........taste flavor smth
sawdust.......tiny bits of wood
scabbard......sheath for the blade
scent.........smell (esp pleasant)
scorch........become discolored/dry up/go at high speed
scribble......write hastily
scurvy........mean contemptible
secular.......material (not spiritual) living outside monasteries
sedulous......persevering
seminal.......like a seed constituting a source originative
sententious...short and pithy full of maxims/proverbs
sequence......succession connected line of
sere..........make hard and without feeling
sermon........reproving a person for his faults
serrated......having a toothed edge
serration.....having a toothed edge
servile.......like a slave lacking independence
sever.........break off
severance.....severing
shallow.......little depth not earnest
shard.........piece of broken earthenware
sheath........cover for the blade of a weapon or a tool
shrewd........astute showing sound judgement
shrill........sharp piercing
shun..........keep away from avoid
shunt.........send from one track to another lay aside evade discussion
sidestep......step to one side
simper........(give a) silly/self-conscious smile
sinuous.......winding undulating serpentine
skiff.........small boat
skit..........short piece of humorous writing
slack.........sluggish dull not tight
slake.........to assuage to satisfy allay
slate.........king of blue-grey stone propose criticize
sluggard......lazy slow-moving person
slur..........join sounds/words (indistinct)
smolder.......burn slowly without flame
snare.........trap
snub..........treat with contempt
soar..........rise fly high
sober.........self-controlled
sobriety......quality or condition of being sober
sodden........soaked saturated
soggy.........heavy with water
solvent.......of the power of forming a solution
somatic.......of the body
soot..........black powder in smoke
sophisticated.complex subtle refined
sophistry.....fallacious reasoning faulty logic
sophomoric....self-assured though immature affected bombastic overblown
soporific.....producing sleep
sordid........wretched comfortless contemptible
spear.........weapon with a metal point on a long shaft
specious......illogical of questionable truth or merit
splenetic.....bad-tempered irritable
splice........join (two ends)
sponge........porous rubber for washing live at once expense
spurious......FALSE counterfeit
spurn.........have nothing to do reject or refuse
squalid.......foul filthy
squander......spend wastefully
squat.........crouch/settle without permission
stanch........to stop the flow of a fluid
steeply.......rising or falling sharply
stentorian....extremely loud and powerful
stickler......person who insists on importance of smth
stigma........mark of shame or disgrace
stigmatize....describe smb scornfully
sting.........smth sharp
stingy........spending using unwillingly
stint.........to be thrifty to set limits
stipple.......paint with dots
stipulate.....state or put forward as a necessary condition
stolid........showing no emotion impassive
stray.........wander lose one's way
streak........long thin move very fast
striated......striped grooved or banded
stride........walk with long steps
strut.........a supporting bar
stygian.......hence dark gloomy
stymie........to hinder obstruct or block
subdue........overcome bring under control
sublime.......extreme astounding
submerge......put under water liquid sink out of sight
suborn........induce by bribery or smth to commit perjury
subpoena......written order requiring a person to appear in a low court
substantiationgiving facts to support (statement)
subsume.......include under a rule
succor........assistance relief in time of distress
suffice.......be enough
suffocate.....cause or have difficulty in breathing
sullied.......to be stained or discredited
summarily.....briefly without delay
sumptuous.....magnificent
sundry........various miscellaneous separate
supercilious..disdainful characterized by haughty scorn
superfluous...more then is needed or wanted
superimpose...put smth on the top
supersede.....take the place of
supine........lying on the back slow to act passive
suppliant.....asking humbly beseeching
supplicate....make a humble petition to
suppress......prevent from being known put an end to
surcharge.....additional load/charge
surfeit.......satiate feed to fulness or to excess
susceptibilitysensitiveness
swerve........change direction suddenly
sycophant.....person who flatter to the rich and powerful
synopsis......summary or outline
taciturn......untalkative silent
tadpole.......form of a frog when it leaves the egg
talon.........claw of a bird of prey
tamp..........tap or drive down by repeated light blows
tamper........interfere with
tangential....suddenly changeable
tarnished.....lost brightness
tassel........bunch of threads
taunt.........contemptuous reproach hurtful remark
taut..........tightly stretched
tautology.....a repetition a redundancy
tawdry........cheap gaudy showy tacky
teetotal......oppose to alcohol
temerity......boldness brashness intrepidness
temperance....abstinence from alcohol self-control moderation
temperate.....showing self-control
tenacity......firmness persistency adhesiveness tending to hang on
tenuous.......insubstantial flimsy weak
tepid.........lukewarm
terse.........brief and to the point
testiness.....witness/evidence
thrift........care economy thriving prosperous
thwart........obstruct/frustrate
timid.........shy easily frightened
timorous......fearful timid afraid
toady.........obsequious flatterer
tonic.........smth giving strength or energy
topple........be unsteady and overturn
torment.......severe pain or suffering
torpid........sleeping sluggish lethargic dormant
torque........twisting force causing rotation
tortuous......devious/not straightforward
tout..........person who worries others to buy smth to use his service
tractable.....easily controlled or guided
transgress....break go beyond (a limit)
transient.....temporary fleeting
transitory....brief
travesty......parody/imitation
trenchant.....forceful effective vigorous extremely perceptive incisive
trepidation...alarm excited state of mind
trickle.......flow in drops
trifling......unimportant
trite.........not new
truce.........(agreement) stop of fighting for a time
truculence....aggressiveness ferocity
trudge........walk heavily
turbid........muddy having the sediment stirred up
turbulence....being uncontrolled violent
turgid........excessively ornate swollen or bloated
turmoil.......trouble disturbance
turpitude.....wickedness shamefulness
turquoise.....greenish-blue precious stone
tyro..........tiro beginner
ubiquitous....present everywhere
ulterior......situated beyond
umbrage.......offense resentment
uncouth.......rough awkward
underbid......make a lower bid then smb else
undermine.....weaken gradually at the base make smth under
undulate......to move in wavelike fashion fluctuate
unearth.......discover and bring to light
unencumbered..easy-going trifle
unfeigned.....not pretended sincere
unscathed.....unharmed unhurt
untoward......unfortunate inconvenient
upbraid.......scold reproach
urbane........elegant refined in manners
vacillation...being uncertain hesitating
vagary........strange act or idea
vain..........without use result conceited
valiant.......brave
valorous......brave
vanquish......conquer
veer..........change direction
venal.........ready to do smth dishonest
veneer........surface appearance covering the TRUE nature
veneration....regard with deep respect
veracity......truth
verdant.......fresh and green
verisimilitudeappearing TRUE or real
veritable.....real rightly named
verve.........spirit vigor enthusiasm
vestige.......trace or sign
vex...........annoy distress trouble
vigilance.....watchfulness self-appointed group who maintain order
vigilant......member of a vigilance committee
vigorous......strong energetic
vilify........slander say evil things
vindictive....having a desire to revenge
virago........a loud domineering woman a scold or nag
visceral......of the internal organs of the body
viscous.......sticky/semi-fluid
vitiate.......lower the quality weaken the strength
vituperate....curse abuse in words
vivacious.....lively high-spirited
volatile......changeable inconstant fickle unstable explosive
volubility....fluency verbosity easy use of spoken language
voluble.......fluent
waffle........talk vaguely and without much result
waft..........scent waving movement carry lightly through
wag...........merry person
warmonger.....person who stirs up war
warrant.......authority written order guarantee
wean..........to turn away (from a habit)
weigh.........measure hoe heavy smth is
welter........turmoil a bewildering jumble
wend..........to go proceed
whimsical.....full of odd and fanciful ideas
wince.........show bodily or mental pain
woo...........try to win
writ..........written order
yarn..........tale story fibers for knitting
