High Frequency List

Master Word-List 12. Amalgamate /əˈmalgəˌmāt/

Unite, merge and combine
1. Abate  The unions will attempt to amalgamate
Reduce, lessen, lower their groups into one national body.
 Rather than leaving immediately they 13. Ambivalence
waited for the storm to abate. The state of having conflicting or contradictory
2. Aberrant emotional attitudes
Abnormal, anomalous  He maintained an ambivalent attitude to
 Ian's rages (strong anger that is difficult to the Church throughout his long life.
control) and aberrant behavior worsened. 14. Ameliorate
3. Abeyance Improve, better, amend
Suspension, suspended action  Nothing can be done to ameliorate the
 The deal was held in abeyance until her situation.
arrival. 15. Anachronism
4. Abscond Something or someone misplaced in time
Depart secretly; run away, to hide  Shakespeare’s reference to Julius Caesar is
 The rabbit absconds to avoid detection an anachronism; no clocks existed in
from predators. Caesar’s time.

5. Abstemious /abˈstēmēəs/ 16. Analogous

Sparing in eating and drinking, abstinent Similar, alike, comparable
 An abstemious diet.  She called our attention to the things that
had been done in analogous situation and
6. Admonish recommended that we do the same.
Warn, reprove n. admonition
17. Anarchy /ˈanərkē/
 They admonished me for taking risks with
Chaos, misrule, absence of governing body
my health.
 The assassination of the leaders led to a
7. Adulterate /əˈdəltəˌrāt/ period of anarchy.
Make impure by adding inferior or tainted
18. Anomalous /əˈnämələs/
substances
Irregular, abnormal, aberrant
 There is a regulation against adulterated
 For years this anomalous behavior has
cosmetics.
baffled scientists.
“There is nothing aesthetically pleasing about this 19. Antipathy
bridge.” [Barrons] Aversion, dislike
“Every new movement has its own aesthetic.” [GRE  His extreme antipathy for disputes keeps
VW] him from getting into arguments with his
temperamental wife.
8. Aesthetic /esˈTHetik/  Noise in any form is antipathetic to him.
About beauty or art n. a set of principles underlying
the work of a particular artist or artistic movement 20. Appease
Pacify, calm, soothe, assuage
9. Aggregate /ˈagrigit/
 Gandhi was accused by some of trying to
Gather; accumulate
appease both factions of the electorate.
 They managed to aggregate great wealth
in short periods of time. 21. Approbation
Approval
10. Alacrity /əˈlakritē/
 Wanting her parent’s regard she looked for
Cheerful promptness, eagerness
some sign of their approbation.
 As you can imagine, I accepted with
alacrity. 22. Appropriate
Acquire, take possession
11. Alleviate
 The land was simply appropriated by the
Relieve, improve partially, mitigate, ease,
rulers.
soothe
 Nowadays, a great deal can be done to 23. Arduous /ˈärjo͞oəs/
alleviate back pain. Hard, strenuous

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 Her arduous efforts have sapped her Grandiloquent, pompous
energy.  Puffed up with conceit, the orator spoke in
24. Artless such a bombastic manner, that we longed
to deflate him.
Without guile; open and honest, naive,
ingenuous, innocent “Though Mr Pott constantly interrupted his wife, she
 The critic remembers Hemingway's artless ignored his boorish behavior, for she had lost hope
air and charming smile. of teaching him courtesy.” [Barrons]
25. Ascetic /əˈsetik/ 35. Boorish
Practicing self-denial; austere; maintaining Rude, insensitive, rough, rustic
simple and strict life usually because of
religious beliefs 36. Burgeon /ˈbərjən/
 ...priests practicing an ascetic life. Grow rapidly, send out buds
 In the spring, the plants that burgeon are
26. Assiduous /əˈsijəwəs/ a promise of the beauty that is to come.
Diligent, industrious
37. Buttress
 The novelist did assiduous research before
writing his book. Support, bolster, prop up
 He sought to buttress some of his
27. Attenuate arguments with quotations from Mein Kampf.
Weaken, thin, reduce, extenuate, rarefy
38. Cacophonous /kəˈkäfənəs/
 You could never eliminate risk, but
preparation and training could attenuate Discordant, inharmonious
it.  ...the cacophonous beat of pop music.

28. Audacious 39. Capricious

Daring, bold, impudent Unpredictable, fickle
 What an audacious plan to win the  The storm was capricious, it changed
presidency! course constantly.

29. Austere 40. Castigation

Forbiddingly stern; severely simple and Punishment, severe criticism
unornamented  She castigated him for having no
 The church was austere and simple. intellectual interests.
41. Chicanery
“The self-proclaimed psychic averred that, because
Trickery, deception
he had extrasensory perception on which to base his
 There is no place for chicanery at a time of
predictions, he needed no seismographs or other war.
gadgets in order to foretell earthquakes.” [Barrons]
42. Coda
30. Aver Concluding section of a musical or literary
Assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state composition
formally as a fact
 The song in the film is kind of poetic coda.
31. Banal
43. Cogent
Hackneyed, commonplace
Convincing, potent
 Bland, banal music tinkled discreetly from
 It was inevitable that David chose to go to
hidden loudspeakers.
Harvard; he had several cogent reasons.
“His coarse, hard-bitten exterior belied his innate  Katie argued her case with such cogency
sensitivity.” [FreeDic] that the jury had to decide in favor of her
client.
“Her looks belie her 50 years.” [Google]
44. Commensurate
32. Belie
Proportionate
Contradict; give a false impression
 Employees are paid salaries
33. Beneficent /bəˈnefəsənt/ commensurate with those of teachers.
Charitable, kind
45. Compendium
 I’m optimistic about the beneficent effects
Brief, comprehensive summary
of new technology.
34. Bombastic

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 I’m the fusion-powered photonic, a
compendium of all human knowledge. [The
Time Machine]
46. Complaisant /kəmˈplāsənt/
Obliging, polite, compliant
 ...his pretty and complaisant wife.
47. Compliant
Yielding, complaisant
 She was much naughtier than her compliant
brother.
 ...a docile and compliant workforce.
48. Conciliatory /kənˈsilēəˌtôrē/
Reconciling, soothing
 She was still angry despite his conciliatory
words.
49. Confound
Confuse, puzzle, perplex
 No mystery could confound Sherlock
Holmes for long.
50. Conundrum
Riddle; difficult problem
 ...this theological conundrum of the
existence of evil and suffering in a world
created by a good God.
51. Converge
Approach, tend to meet
 Competitors from more than a hundred
countries have converged on Sheffield for
the Games.
52. Convoluted
Complicated, coiled around, intricate
 His argument was so convoluted that few
of us could follow it intelligently.
53. Craven
Cowardly, chicken-hearted, timid
 Lillian’s craven refusal to join the protest
was criticized by her comrades, who had
expected her to be brave enough for her
beliefs.
54. Decorum
Propriety, decency, politeness
 I was treated with decorum and respect
throughout the investigation.
55. Deference
Courteous regard for another’s wish, homage
 In deference to minister’s wish, please do
not take photographs during wedding
service.
56. Denigrate
Blacken, slander, defame
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 The amendment prohibits obscene or
indecent materials which denigrate the
objects or beliefs of a particular religion.
57. Derision
Mockery, ridicule, disdains
 My stories were greeted with derision and
disbelief.
58. Derivative /diˈrivətiv/
Unoriginal, derived
 A lot of what you see in stand-up comedy
today is very derivative.
59. Desiccate
Dry up
 Pioneers used to desiccate food in the
smokehouse.
60. Desultory
Incoherent, aimless
 In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of
reading straight through the dictionary; to
him, reading was purposeful, not
desultory.
61. Diatribe
Bitter scolding, invective
 During the lengthy diatribe delivered by
his opponent he remained calm and self-
controlled.
62. Dichotomy
Split, branching into two parts (especially
contradictory ones), great difference
 There is a dichotomy between the
academic world and the industrial world.
63. Diffidence
Shyness, timidity
 You must overcome your diffidence if you
intend to become a salesperson.
64. Digression
Deviation, wandering away from the subject
 Nobody minded when Professor’s lectures
wandered away from their official theme;
his digression were always more
fascinating than the original one.
65. Dirge
Lament with music
 The funeral dirge stirred us to tears.
66. Disabuse
Undeceive, correct a false impression
 I will attempt to disabuse you of your
impression of my client’s guilt.
67. Discordant
Dissonant, inconsistent, not harmonious
 His agenda is discordant with ours.
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 … discordant sound of Junior High School
Orchestra.
68. Discredit
Defame, disgrace
 Each candidate was trying to discredit the
other in the campaign.
69. Discrete
Separate; unconnected; consisting of distinct
parts
 The ruling Awami League has formally
placed a bill in the Jatiya Sangsad the aim of
which is to split or divide or bifurcate or
partition the city of Dhaka into two distinct
administrative regions.
70. Disingenuous /ˌdisinˈjenyo͞oəs/
Insincere, not naïve; not straightforward or
candid
 It would be disingenuous to claim that
this is great art.
 Although he was young, his remarks
indicated that he was disingenuous.
71. Disinterested /disˈintəˌrestid/
Indifferent, uninterested, unprejudiced
 Scientists, of course, can be expected to be
impartial and disinterested.
72. Disjointed
Disconnected
 His remarks were so disjointed that we
could not follow his reasoning.
73. Dismiss
Remove, reject, eliminate from consideration
 Mr Wakeham dismissed the reports as
speculation.
74. Disparage
Depreciate, underestimate, belittle
 ...Larkin's tendency to disparage
literature.
75. Disparate
Different, unrelated, dissimilar
 Scientists are trying to pull together
disparate ideas in astronomy.
76. Dissemble
Disguise, conceal, feign
 John tried to dissemble his motive for
taking modern dance. We all knew he was
there not to dance but to meet girls.
 She smiled, dissembling her true emotion
…
77. Disseminate
Spread, distribute, scatter
 It took years to disseminate information
about Aids in Africa.
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78. Dissonance
Discord, opposite of harmony
 “This is no time for NOAA to create this kind
of dissonance or problem.”
79. Distend
Swell out, expand
 I can tell when he is under stress by the
way his veins distend under his forehead.
80. Distill
Purify, refine and concentrate
 To distill fresh water from sea water
81. Diverge
Deviate, vary, digress
 Scientists believe that man diverged from
the apes between 5 and 7 million years ago.
82. Divest
Deprive, strip, unclothe
 He was divested of his power and no
longer could govern.
 The company divested itself of its oil
interests.
83. Dogmatic
Opinionated, doctrinal; arbitrary
 The regime is dogmatic, and no one dares
to express personal opinions.
84. Dormant
Sleeping, lethargic, latent
 The virus remains dormant in nerve tissue
until activated.
85. Dupe /d(y)o͞op/
Someone easily fooled; to trick
 When the gullible Watson often was made a
dupe by unscrupulous parties, Sherlock
Holmes was far more difficult to fool.
86. Ebullient
Showing excitement, overflowing with
enthusiasm
 Amy’s ebullient nature could not be
repressed, she was always bubbling over
with excitement.
87. Eclectic
Selective; composed of elements drawn from
disparate sources
 ...an eclectic collection of paintings,
drawings, and prints.
88. Effrontery
Shameless boldness, impudence
 She has the effrontery to insult the guest.
89. Elegy
Poem or song expressing lamentation
 On the death of Edward King, Milton
composed the elegy “Lycidas”.
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90. Elicit 101. Exacerbate /igˈzasərˌbāt/
Draw out by discussion Worsen, embitter, aggravate
 The detectives tried to elicit where he had  Longstanding poverty has been
hidden his loot. exacerbated by racial divisions.
91. Embellish 102. Exculpate
Adorn, beautify, ornament Clear from blame
 Blue silk embellished with golden  She was exculpated of the crime when the
embroidery real criminal confessed.
 The mystery has been heightened by many 103. Extrapolation
embellishments in subsequent retellings. Projection; conjecture; prediction
92. Empirical  His estimate of half a million HIV positive
Based on experience cases was based on an extrapolation of
 There is no empirical evidence to support the known incidence of the virus.
his thesis. 104. Facetious /fəˈsēSHəs/
93. Emulate Joking (often inappropriately), humorous
Imitate, rival  The woman eyed him coldly. `Don't be
 ...a role model worthy of emulation facetious,' she said.
94. Endemic
105. Facilitate
Prevailing among a specific group of people or
Make less difficult; assist, aid, ease
in a specific area or country
 Rest and proper nourishment should
 Polio was then endemic among children in
facilitate the patient’s recovery.
my age.
95. Enervate “Paradoxically, fallacious reasoning does not always
V. weaken, enfeeble yield erroneous results: even though your logic may
Adj. weak, nerveless be faulty, the answer you get may be correct.”
 An enervating disease/climate [Barrons]
106. Fallacious /fəˈlāSHəs/
96. Engender
Misleading, false, erroneous
Cause, produce
 To receive praise for real accomplishments 107. Fatuous /ˈfaCHo͞oəs/
engenders self-confidence in a child. Foolish, inane; silly and pointless
 She is far too intelligent to utter such
97. Equivocate
fatuous remarks.
Mislead, attempt to conceal the truth
108. Fawning
 He had asked her once again about her
Courting favor by cringing and flattering
finances. And again she had equivocated.
 Nauseatingly fawning journalism that's all it
98. Erudite
is.
Learned, scholarly
109. Felicitous /fəˈlisətəs/
 He was never dull, always erudite and well
informed. Happy, apt, suitably expressed
 He was famous for his felicitous remarks
99. Esoteric and was called upon to serve as master of
Hard to understand; known only to the chosen ceremonies at a banquet.
few
“At the protest rally, the students cheered the
 Their way of worship was esoteric. They
can’t divulge it to everybody. Their worship
strikers and booed the dean with equal fervor.”
[Barrons]
is body centered. That’s why for their safety
they didn’t want to reveal it to public. 110. Fervor
 …a compilation of esoteric philosophical Growing ardor; intensity of feeling
theories
111. Flag
100. Eulogy Droop, grow feeble
Expression of praise, tribute  By 4,000m he was beginning to flag.
 Instead of delivering a spoken eulogy at
112. Fledgling
Genny’s memorial service, Jeff sang a song
he had written in her honor. Inexperienced

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 ...the sound practical advice he gave to  His iconoclastic tendencies can get him into
fledgling writers. trouble.
113. Foment 125. Idolatry
Stir up, incite, instigate, provoke Adoration, worships of idols
 They accused strike leaders of fomenting  Their affection for her soon increased
violence. almost to idolatry.
114. Frugality /fro͞oˈgalətē/ 126. Immutable
Economy, thrift; about avoiding waste adj. Unchangeable
frugal  All things change over time; nothing is
 We have a hard-earned reputation for immutable.
frugality, not extravagance 127. Impair
115. Futile Injure, hurt
Useless, vain, fruitless  Drinking alcohol can impair your ability to
 It would be futile to sustain his life when drive safely; if you’re going to drink, don’t
there is no chance of any improvement. drive.

116. Gainsay 128. Impassive

Deny, negate, disavow Insensible, unfeeling, imperturbable
 There is no gainsaying the fact that they  Refusing to let the enemy see how deeply
have been responsible for a truly great shaken he was by his capture, the prisoner
building. kept his face impassive.

117. Garrulous 129. Impede

Talkative, loquacious, chatty, gossipy Hinder, hamper, block, obstruct
 ...a garrulous old woman.  Fallen rock is impeding the progress of
rescue workers.
118. Goad
130. Impermeable
Urge, stimulate, spur, incite
Impervious, impenetrable
 She was goaded by her friends until she
yielded to their wishes.  The new material is impermeable to liquids.

119. Gouge /gouj/ 131. Imperturbable /ˌimpərˈtərbəbəl/

Overcharge; forcing to pay an unfairly high Calm, placid, tranquil; remain calm, even in
price for goods or services disturbing or dangerous situations
 The airline ends up gouging the very  In spite of the hysteria and panic all around
passengers it is supposed to assist. him he remained imperturbable and in full
command of the situation.
120. Grandiloquent /granˈdiləkwənt/
132. Impervious /imˈpərvēəs/
Bombastic, pompous, magniloquent; using high
Impermeable, impenetrable
sounding language
 She seems almost impervious to the
 The politician could never speak simply; she
criticism from all sides
was always grandiloquent.
121. Gregarious “…an implicit agreement not to raise the touchy
Sociable, social subject.” [FreeDic]
 She is such a gregarious and outgoing 133. Implicit
person. Understood but not stated
122. Guileless 134. Implode
Innocent, artless, naïve, ingenuous Burst inward, explode
 Daphne was so guileless that Claire had no  The engine imploded.
option but to believe her. 135. Inadvertently
123. Harangue /həˈraNG/ Unintentionally, accidentally
Long, passionate and vehement speech  We had inadvertently left without paying
 In her lengthy harangue, the principal the bill.
berated the offenders. 136. Inchoate
Recently begun, rudimentary, unformed
124. Iconoclastic
 Before the creation, the world was an
Attacking cherished traditions
inchoate mass.

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137. Incongruity “The negotiating team had not expected such
Lack of harmony intransigence from the striking workers, who
 She smiled at the incongruity of the rejected any hint of a compromise.” [Barrons]
question.
138. Inconsequential 151. Intransigence
Insignificant, unimportant Refusal to any compromise, stubbornness
 Seemingly inconsequential details can 152. Inundate
sometimes contain significant clues. Overwhelm, flood, swamp, deluge
139. Incorporate  Her office was inundated with requests for
Unite, include; become a part of a large group, tickets.
system, or area 153. Inured /iˈn(y)o͝ord/
 The agreement would allow the rebels to be Accustomed; hardened
incorporated into a new national police.  She became inured to the Alaskan cold.
140. Indeterminate 154. Invective
Undetermined, uncertain, indefinite Abusive, insult
 I hope to carry on for an indeterminate  He had expected criticism but not the
period. invective that greeted his proposal.
141. Indigence /ˈindijəns/ 155. Irascible
Poverty, very poor Irritable, quick-tempered, fiery
 Their indigence appalled him.  Her irascible temper intimidated the
142. Indolent younger schoolgirls, who feared she’d burst
Lazy into a rage at any moment.
 ... indolent teenagers who won't lift a finger 156. Irresolute
to help Undetermined; cannot decide what to do
143. Inert  The worst reason to launch an attack would
Inactive, motionless, indolent be a fear of seeming irresolute.
 He covered the inert body with a blanket.
157. Laconic
144. Ingenuous
Brief and to the point
Artless, naïve and trusting, guileless
 Many of the characters portrayed by Clint
145. Inherent Eastwood are laconic types: strong men of
Innate, inborn, natural, intrinsic few words.
 ...the dangers inherent in an outbreak of 158. Lassitude
war. Weariness; state of tiredness, laziness
146. Innocuous /iˈnäkyo͞oəs/  After a massage and a long soak in the hot
Harmless, innoxious tub, I surrendered to my growing lassitude
 Both mushrooms look innocuous but are in and lay down for a nap.
fact deadly. 159. Latent
147. Insensible Potential but undeveloped, hidden, dormant
Insensitive, unconscious, unfeeling  a latent talent for music …
 Insensible to pain/cold
160. Laud
 He drank himself insensible.
Praise, eulogize, commend
148. Insinuate
 He lauded the work of the U.N. High
Hint, imply, suggest
Commissioner for Refugees.
 I insinuated that I did not like his wife.
161. Lethargic
149. Insipid Sleep, drowsy, dull
Tasteless, flavorless, dull  He felt too miserable and lethargic to get
 mugs of insipid coffee … dressed.
150. Insularity 162. Levee
Narrow-mindedness; unwilling to meet new Earthen or stone embankment to prevent
people or to consider new ideas flooding
 But at least they have started to break out  As the river rose and threatened to overflow
of their old insularity. the levee, emergency workers rushed to
reinforce the walls with sandbags.

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163. Levity  Tom talked only of mundane matters such
Lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity as the daily weather forecast or the latest
 Stop giggling and wiggling around in the cricket results.
pew; such levity is improper in church. 177. Neophyte
164. Loquacious Novice, beginner
Talkative, garrulous  ...the self-proclaimed political neophyte
 The normally loquacious Mr O'Reilly has Ross Perot.
said little. 178. Obdurate
165. Lucid Stubborn, headstrong
Easily understood, clear, intelligible n. lucidity  He was obdurate in his refusal to listen to
 His writings were marked by an our complaints.
extraordinary lucidity and elegance of style. 179. Obsequious /əbˈsēkwēəs
166. Luminous Servile, sycophantic, attempting to win favor
Shining, issuing light from influential people by flattery
 The sun is a luminous body.  He smiled and bowed obsequiously to
167. Malingerer Winger.
One who feigns illness to escape duty 180. Obviate
 The captain ordered the sergeant to punish Make unnecessary, get rid of, preclude
all malingerers and force them to work.  I hope this contribution will obviate any
need for further collections of funds.
168. Malleable /ˈmalyəbəl/ 181. Occlude
Soft and can easily be made into different Block, obstruct, close
shapes  A blood clot occluded an artery to the heart.
 Silver is the most malleable of all metals. 182. Officious
169. Maverick Meddlesome, bossy, intrusive
Rebel, unconventional and independent  They wouldn't welcome any officious
 Her independence and maverick behavior interference from the police.
precluded any chance of promotion. 183. Onerous
170. Mendacious Burdensome, heavy, laborious
Lying, habitually dishonest  She asked for an assistant because her
 Ricardo is naturally mendacious, not to be work load was too onerous.
trusted. [Perry in Capote]
171. Meticulous 184. Opprobrium /əˈprōbrēəm/
Excessively careful, painstaking, scrupulous Shame, disgrace, censure, vilification
 The painting had been executed with  The slander and opprobrium hurled against
meticulous attention to detail. him by the newspapers.
172. Misanthrope 185. Oscillate
One who hates mankind Swing, vibrate pendulum-like, waver
 He was kind of a misanthrope in the first  It is interesting to note how public opinion
film. oscillates between the extremes of
173. Mitigate optimism and pessimism.
Alleviate, moderate, appease 186. Ostentatious
 Conversion to the use of solar energy may Showy, pretentious; trying to attract attention
help mitigate global warning.  She's got a lovely way with language
174. Mollify without ever sounding ostentatious.
Soothe, appease, placate  ...an ostentatious wedding reception
 The airline customer service representative 187. Paragon
tried to mollify the angry passenger by Model of perfection, example
offering her a seat in first class.  We don't expect candidates to be paragons
175. Morose of virtue.
Ill-humored; sullen; melancholy 188. Partisan
 .. a morose and unsociable manner One-sided, prejudiced, partial
176. Mundane /ˌmənˈdān/  The speaker gave a partisan speech on the
Worldly as opposed to spiritual, boring floor of the house.

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189. Pathological  Why couldn't he say something original
Pertaining to disease, relating to illness instead of spouting the same old platitudes?
 ...pathological conditions in animals. 201. Plethora
190. Paucity Excess, overabundance
Scarcity, shortage, lack  A plethora of new operators will be allowed
 The paucity of customers made the to enter the market.
restaurant uneconomical to operate.
202. Porous
191. Penchant
Full of pores
Strong inclination, liking, propensity
 Dancers like to wear porous clothing
 ...a stylish woman with a penchant for dark because it allows the ready passage of
glasses. water and air.
 He had a penchant for playing jokes on
203. Pragmatic
people.
Practical, realistic
192. Perennial  ...a pragmatic approach to the problems
Long-lasting, permanent faced by Latin America.
 There's a perennial shortage of teachers
204. Preamble
with science qualifications.
Introductory statement, preface
193. Perfidious /pərˈfidēəs/  `I would like you to return to the villa as
Treacherous, unfaithful, disloyal soon as possible,' she said without
 When Caesar realized that Brutus had preamble.
betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious
205. Precarious
friend.
Uncertain, risky, doubtful
194. Perfunctory /pərˈfəNGktərē/  Our financial situation had become
Lacking interest care of enthusiasm, superficial precarious.
 She gave the list only a perfunctory glance.  ...the Government's precarious position.
 ...a perfunctory handshake.
206. Precursor
195. Permeable /ˈpərmēəbəl/ Forerunner, predecessor, herald
Penetrable, pervious  Real tennis, an ancient precursor of the
 soil that is easily penetrable with a fork. modern game originated in the eleventh
196. Phlegmatic century.
Calm; not easily disturbed 207. Presumptuous
 The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic Arrogant, talking liberties, presuming n.
person, unexcited in the face of sudden presumption
emergencies.  It seems presumptuous for one so relatively
197. Piety /ˈpī-itē/ new the field to challenge the conclusions of
Devoutness, reverence for God its leading experts.
 We are not deceived by their pretenses to 208. Prevaricate
piety. Lie, equivocate
 Bangladesh ministers continued to
198. Placate /ˈplākāt/
prevaricate.
Appease, pacify, conciliate
209. Pristine
 He smiled, trying to placate me.
Primitive, ancient, unspoiled
199. Plasticity  Now the house is in pristine condition.
Ability to be molded  ...pristine white shirts.
 When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity 210. Probity
and becomes less malleable. High standard of correct moral behavior;
 "Jodhi May is the most extraordinary incorruptibility
actress. She physically turns into other
 Everyone took his probity for granted; his
people when she acts. There's this limitless
plasticity to her." defalcations therefore shocked us all.
211. Problematic
200. Platitude Doubtful, questionable, perplexing
Commonplace statement, banality

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 Given the way building costs have been 224. Recalcitrant
exceeded estimates for the job, whether the Stubbornly resistant to authority or control,
arena will ever be completed is problematic. unruly, disobedient
212. Prodigal  ...the government's recalcitrance over
Wasteful, extravagant, reckless with money introducing even the smallest political
 Prodigal habits die hard. reform.
213. Profound  He had a knack for coaxing even the most
Deep, thorough, complete recalcitrant engine to life.
 Freud’s remarkable insights into human 225. Recant
behavior caused his fellow scientists to Disclaim or disavow, retract a previous
honor him as a profound thinker. statement
214. Prohibitive  He has made Peter Garrett completely
Tending to prevent the purchase or use of recant all his former beliefs.
something; inclined to prevent or forbid 226. Recondite /ˈrekənˌdīt/
 ...the prohibitive prices charged for seats at Abstruse, profound, esoteric
the opera.  He read many recondite books in order to
215. Propensity obtain the material for his scholarly thesis.
Natural inclination, tendency 227. Refractory
 Mr Bint has a propensity to put off decisions Recalcitrant, stubborn, obstinate
to the last minute.  ...refractory priests who refused to side
216. Propitiate with the king.
Appease, placate 228. Refute
 The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate Disprove, deny
the gods.  “I strongly refute the charge of making any
217. Propriety /p(r)əˈprīətē/ communal or divisive statements as part of
Correct conduct, decorum, decency my election campaign.”
 Their sense of social propriety is eroded. 229. Relegate /ˈreləˌgāt/
218. Proscribe Banish to an inferior position, delegate
Outlaw, banish, forbid  ...a team about to be relegated to the
 They are proscribed by federal law from second division.
owning guns. 230. Reproach
219. Pungent Express disapproval or disappointment, rebuke,
Sharp in taste or smell, bitter, acrid blame
 ...the pungent smell of burning rubber  She had not even reproached him for
220. Qualified breaking his promise.
Limited, restricted  Shuvro never could do anything wrong
 Unable to give the candidate full support, without imagining how the look on his
the mayor gave him only a qualified
mother’s face would reproach him
endorsement.
221. Quibble [n,v] afterwards. [Barrons+Humayun Ahmed]
Minor objection or complaint 231. Reprobate /ˈreprəˌbāt/
 They quibble at little things but don't see n. person hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of
the real problems. decency
222. Quiescent /kwēˈesnt/ v. Condemn, reprove
Temporarily inactive, dormant, quiet  I cannot understand why he has so many
 Volcano had been quiescent for a month. admirers if he is the reprobate you say he
 ...a society which was politically quiescent is.
and above all deferential.  ...a drunken reprobate
 ...a long period of quiescence 232. Rescind /riˈsind/
223. Rarefied /ˈrerəˌfīd/ Cancel, nullify, revoke
Made less dense [of a gas]  Trade Union leaders have demanded the
 Both animals and people were gasping government rescind the price rise.
(short quick breath) for breath in the 233. Resolution
rarefied air. Determination, resolve

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 Nothing could shake his resolution to
succeed despite all difficulties.
234. Resolve [secondary]
Determination, firmness of purpose
 This will strengthen the American public's
resolve to go to war.
235. Reticent /ˈretəsənt/
Who is reticent does not tell people about
things; uncommunicative, reserved, silent
 Pearl didn't mind his reticence; in fact she
liked it.
 Banks are reticent to finance even very
good projects.
236. Reverent
Respectful, worshipful
 Though he bows his head in Mosque and
recite the prayers, sometimes he didn’t feel
properly reverent.
237. Salubrious
Healthful
 ...your salubrious lake side hotel.
238. Sanction
Approve, ratify
 Nothing will convince me to sanction the
engagement of my daughter to such a
worthless young man.
“Having stuffed themselves with goodies until they
were satiated, the guests were so full they were
ready for a nap.” [Barrons]
239. Satiate
Satisfy fully
240. Saturate
Soak thoroughly
 If the filter has been saturated with motor
oil, it should be discarded and replaced.
241. Secrete /siˈkrēt/
Hide away or cache; conceal; produce or
release substance into an organism
 The pack rat secretes odds and ends in its
nest; the pancreas secretes insulin in the
islets of Langerhans.
242. Shard
Pieces of broken glass, pottery, or metal
 Eyewitnesses spoke of rocks and shards of
glass flying in the air.
243. Skeptic
Doubter; person who suspends judgment until
having examined the evidence
 I'm a skeptic across-the-board of ghosts
and elves and ESP and the afterlife.
244. Solicitous
Anxious, concerned, worried n. solicitude
 He took her hand in greeting and asked
solicitously how everything was.
245. Soporific
Sleep-causing, drowsy
 The warmth of the room and the monotony
of the speaker's voice grew soporific.
246. Specious
Seemingly reasonable but incorrect, misleading
(often intentionally)
 To claim that, because houses and birds
both have wings, both can fly is extremely
specious reasoning.
247. Stint
Limit, restrict, confine
 “Spare no expense”, the bride’s father said,
refusing to stint on the wedding
arrangements.
248. Stipulate
Make express conditions, specify
 She could have stipulated that she would
pay when she collected the computer.
249. Stolid /ˈstälid/
Dull, impassive
 The earthquake shattered his usual stolid
demeanor; trembling, he crouched on the
no longer stable ground.
250. Striated
Marked with parallel bands, grooved
 The glacier left many striated rocks.
251. Strut
Pompous walk
 He struts around town like he owns the
place.
252. Strut
Supporting bar
 ...the struts of a suspension bridge.
253. Subpoena
Write summoning a witness to appear
 He has been served with a subpoena to
answer the charges in court.
254. Subside
Abate, descend, grow quiet
 The doctor assured us that the fever would
eventually subside.
255. Substantiate
Establish by evidence, verify, support
 There is little scientific evidence to
substantiate the claims.
256. Supersede
Make obsolete, cause to be set aside, replace
 Hand tools are relics of the past that have
now been superseded by the machine.
257. Supposition

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Assumption, surmise, hypothesis
 But as with many such suppositions in
natural history, no one had ever tested it.
258. Tacit
Understood, implicit, implied
 We have a tacit agreement based on only a
handshake.
259. Tangential
Peripheral; only slightly connected, digressing
 Despite Clark’s attempts to distract her with
tangential remarks, Lois kept on coming
back to her main question: Why couldn’t he
come out to dinner with Superman and her?
260. Tirade /ˈtīˌrād/
Extended scolding, denunciation, harangue
 Every time the Boss holds a meeting, he
goes into a lengthy tirade, scolding us for
everything from tardiness to padding our
expenses.
261. Torpor
Lethargy, sluggishness, numbness
 Throughout the winter, nothing aroused the
bear from his torpor; he would not emerge
from hibernation until spring.
262. Tortuous
Winding, serpentine, full of blends and twists
 Because this road is tortuous, it is unwise to
go faster than twenty miles an hour on it.
263. Tractable
Easily managed, docile, obedient
 He could easily manage his tractable and
worshipping younger brother.
264. Transgression
Violation of law, sin, breach
 “Because the law worketh wrath: for where
no law is, there is no transgression.”
- Bible (New Testament)
265. Truculence
Aggressiveness, ferocity, atrocity
 The truculent beast approached the crowd
with wild eyes and sharpened claws.
 Edward's truculent attitude toward his
girlfriends is the reason why they are apart
today.
266. Vacillate
Waver, fluctuate
 I try hard not to vacillate in my dedication
to honesty so others will always trust me.
267. Venerate
Revere, respect, worship
 My father venerated Saint Lalon.
268. Veracious
Truthful; n. veracity
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
 I have always found him veracious and
reliable.
269. Verbose
Wordy, loquacious
 ...verbose politicians.
 His writing is difficult and often verbose.
270. Viable
Capable of doing what it is intended to do;
practical, workable
 Cash alone will not make Eastern Europe's
banks viable.
 ...commercially viable products.
271. Vituperative /vəˈt(y)o͞opəˌrātiv/
Abusive, scolding
 He became more vituperative as he realized
that we were not going to grant him his
wish.
272. Warrant
Justify, authorize
 The allegations are serious enough to
warrant an investigation.
 Police confirmed that they had issued a
warrant for his arrest.
273. Welter
Confusion, turmoil, bewildering jumble
 The existing welter of overlapping federal
and state proclaims cries out for immediate
reform.
274. Whimsical /ˈ(h)wimzikəl/
Capricious; bizarre; playfully quaint or fanciful,
esp. in an appealing and amusing way
 His graphic art became slighter and more
whimsical.
 A whimsical sense of humor
275. Zealot
Fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal
 He was forceful, but by no means a zealot;
he never tried to force his religious beliefs
on his friends.
“Julia Child’s recipes enable amateur chefs to create
savory delicacies for their guests.” [Barrons]
276. Savory
Tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable
“This theory is widely derided by conventional
scientists.” [Barrons]
277. Deride
Ridicule, make fun of, mock n. derision
“...a grueling journey that would have daunted a
woman half her age.” [Barrons]
“The employee feigned illness to avoid the daunting
task he was assigned to do.” [SA]
278. Daunt
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Intimidate, cow, scare, frighten adj. daunting
“That could lead Greece to default on its debt and
leave the eurozone.” [IMF chief riles, AFP]
279. Default
Failure to act
“A classroom is a power struggle; the more tenuous
the hold teachers have on their pupils, the less
inclined they are to tolerate even the slightest
deviation from any rule.” [Lefties Aren’t Special After
All, NYT]
“This decision puts the President in a somewhat
tenuous position.” [Barrons]
280. Tenuous /ˈtenyo͞oəs/
Thin, weak, slim, rare
“Centuries ago, religions gave people advice on how
to live with others, how to tolerate other people’s
faults, how to assuage anger, endure pain and deal
with the petty corruptions of a commercial world.”
[NYT]
“She was just trying to assuage her guilt by playing
the devoted mother.” [Barrons]
281. Assuage
Ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe
(anger)
“The killing of an American-born Al Qaeda leader in
Yemen on Friday will probably bolster the high
marks Americans give President Obama for dealing
with terrorism and foreign policy.” [NYT]
“The debaters amassed file boxes full of evidence to
bolster their arguments.” [Barrons]
282. Bolster
Support, uphold
“Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when
he imposed sentence.” [Barrons]
“Compared with the Old Testament's psychotic
delinquent, the deist God of the eighteenth-century
Enlightenment is an altogether grander being:
worthy of his cosmic creation, loftily unconcerned
with human affairs, sublimely aloof from our private
thoughts and hopes, caring nothing for our messy
sins or mumbled contritions.” [God Delusion]
283. Contrite
Repentant, penitent n. contrition
“I have never encouraged nor condoned violence.”
[Barrons]
“The Crusades, the Inquisition, 9/11, arranged
marriages to minors, blowing up girl schools, the
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
suppression of women and homosexuals, fatwas,
ethnic cleansing, honor rape, human sacrifice,
burning witches, suicide bombings, condoning
slavery and the systematic fucking of children...
There's a few little things that I have a problem
with.” [But I’m not Wrong]
284. Condone
Overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
“The sums paid by Apple and other tech corporations
is a point of contention in the company’s backyard.”
[NYT]
“It is our contention that, if you follow our tactics,
you will boost your score on the GRE.” [Barrons]
285. Contention
Claim; thesis; an assertion, especially one
maintained in argument
“In Northern Ireland, Catholics and Protestants are
euphemized to 'Nationalists' and 'Loyalists'
respectively.” [God Delusion]
The expression “he passed away” is a euphemism for
“he died”. [Barrons]
286. Euphemism
Mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
“Faulty demarcation flouting HC order creates scope
for grabbing the river's foreshore.” [Buriganga in
peril, DS]
“The headstrong youth flouted all authority; he
refused to be curbed.” [Barrons]
287. Flout
Mock, reject, deride
“This is as good a moment as any to forestall an
inevitable retort to the book, one that would
otherwise - as sure as night follows day - turn up in a
review: 'The God that Dawkins doesn't believe in is a
God that I don't believe in either. I don't believe in an
old man in the sky with a long white beard’.” [God
Delusion]
“Large numbers of police were in the square to
forestall any demonstrations.” [Barrons]
288. Forestall
Prevent by taking action in advance
“Thanks to the power of the internet, we are now
able to expose this dark secret of Islam to the
gullible world population.” [Voodoos]
289. Gullible /ˈgələbəl/
Naïve, easily deceived
“Aside from the apparently intractable issues of
drones and the apology, the two countries focused
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on four specific areas of potential cooperation:
counterterrorism, the NATO supply lines, military aid
payments and the Taliban peace process.” [United
States Talks Fail as Pakistanis Seek Apology, NYT]
“Charlie Brown’s friend Pigpen was intractable: he
absolutely refused to take a bath.” [Barrons]
290. Intractable
Unruly; stubborn; unyielding
“Just before Air Force One begins its descent, a
group of agents huddle in a cabin near the back to
study a map, a diagram and a step-by-step itinerary
detailing the president’s every move once he steps
off the plane.” [NYT]
“The next place on our itinerary was Silistra.”
[Barrons]
291. Itinerary /īˈtinəˌrerē/  [Hillary’s whirlwind visit to Bangladesh, DS Ed.]
Plan of a trip; plan of a journey, including the route
and the places that you will visit
“Paine died in penury, abandoned (with the
honourable exception of Jefferson) by political
former friends embarrassed by his anti-Christian
views.” [God Delusion]
292. Penury
Severe poverty, destitution
Romantic and sexual trauma pervade “Cheerful
Insanity: Chao and Katzberg in Repertory,” two plays
of contrasting sensibilities at the Here Arts Center.
[NYT Theatre]
“...the pervasive influence of the army in national
life.” [Barrons]
293. Pervasive
Spread throughout, penetrating, v. pervade
“Alfred had become a recluse. He rejected human
contact for machines.” [i’Robot]
“You're very kind, but I assure you, the mind behind
Zeus belongs to the great Tak Mashido.
What did it take to lure the reclusive genius, former
boy wonder and arguably the most important bot
designer in the history of the sport out of
retirement?” [Real Still]
“His widow became a virtual recluse for the
remainder of her life.” [Barrons]
294. Recluse
Loner, hermit adj. reclusive: seeking seclusion
“I was treated with decorum and respect throughout
the investigation.” [Google]
295. Decorum
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Propriety, decency, politeness
“In Kishoreganj, sporadic clashes mark hartal in
districts.” [DS]
296. Sporadic
Occurring irregularly, occasional
“Politicians across the political spectrum have
denounced the act.” [DS]
297. Spectrum
Colored band produced when a beam of light passes
through a prism; a spectrum is a range of a
particular type of thing
“When a rare and auspicious event passes through
town, it leaves behind a variety of good things for
the townspeople to savor. This event left the
townspeople wondering what they really got.”
“Relishing his triumph, Costner especially savored
the chagrin of the critics who had predicted his
failure.” [Barrons]
298. Savor
Enjoy; have a distinct flavor, smell or quality
“British Royal foundations have been shaken as
never before in modern times, by the soap opera
that Charles and Diana’s marriage became as well as
the dissolute behavior of many other royals.” [NYT]
“The film, American Beauty takes a hard, often
bleakly comic look at the dissolution of the family
and is full of sex, drugs, bigotry, and hypocrisy.”
[commonsensemedia]
299. Dissolution
Disintegration, looseness in morals adj. dissolute
“Dr. Spelke came to prominence by delineating how
infants learn about objects, numbers, the lay of the
land, shook her head in self-mocking astonishment.”
[NYT]
“Using only a few descriptive phrases, Austen
delineates the character of Mr Collins so well that
we can predict his every move.” [Barrons]
300. Delineate /diˈlinēˌāt/
Picture, portray, depict, sketch n. delineation
“It may be hyperbolic to declare that Shakespeare
teaches us more about being human than all the
natural scientists combined, but a real insight
underlies the assertion.” [NYT]
“As far as I’m concerned, Apple’s claims about new
computers are pure hyperbole; no machine is that
good!” [Google]
301. Hyperbole
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Exaggeration, overstatement adj. hyperbolic
“Back in the daylight world of 21st-century Paris, he
must contend with a materialistic fiancée; her
vulgar, moneyed parents; and an insufferable
pedant named Paul.” [NYT on Midnight on Paris]
“We felt if we tried to just answer questions, it would
be very pedantic.” [Barrons]
302. Pedantic
Showing off learning, bookish
“We cannot let ego deter us from our goal.” [Vilain
to Silas, the Da Vinci Code]
“Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a
deterrent to potential killers?” [Barrons]
303. Deterrent /diˈtərənt/
Something that discourages, hindrance v. deter:
prevent, stop
“When Mr. Saladin Chamcha fell out of the clouds
over the English Channel he felt his heart being
gripped by a force so implacable that he understood
it was impossible for him to die.” [Satanic Verses]
“...the threat of invasion by a ruthless and
implacable enemy.” [Google]
304. Implacable /imˈplakəbəl/
Unrelenting, irreconcilable; incapable of being
pacified
“In this exigency, we must look for aids from our
allies.” [Barrons]
305. Exigency /ˈeksijənsē/
Urgent situation
“In the incident Mohammed accepts three pagan
goddesses as a means of furthering his own cause,
and subsequently repudiates this act as having been
inspired by the Devil.” [Satanic Verses Review, NYT]
“Tina announced that she would repudiate all debts
incurred by ex-husband.” [Google]
306. Repudiate /riˈpyo͞odēˌāt/
Disown, disavow, denounce; deny the truth or
validity of; refuse to fulfill a debt
“The area in which maintenance problems tend to
arise in a smart UI application is in the business
logic, which ends up so diffused across the
application that making changes or adding features
becomes a fraught process.” [Pro ASP .NET]
“If you pay authors by the word, you tempt them to
produce diffuse manuscripts rather than brief ones.”
[Barrons]
307. Diffuse /diˈfyo͞oz/
Wordy; rambling; spread out (like a gas) n.
diffusion
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“If the recession holds on longer, the figures could
drop precipitously as the workers marry and have
children abroad.” [NYT]
“Though I was angry enough to resign on the spot, I
had enough sense to keep myself from quitting a job
in such a precipitate fashion.” [Barrons]
308. Precipitate /priˈsipəˌtāt/
 adj. sudden, hasty, rash, premature
 v. throw headlong; hasten adj. precipitous
 n. hasty, precipitant, precipitous
“A massive power surge struck a downtown high-rise
in Worcester, Massachusetts. As a result, an elevator
on the 26th floor plummeted straight to the
basement.” [Broyles Breifing, Fringe S01E05]
“The Prime Minister's popularity has plummeted to
an all-time low in recent weeks.” [Barrons]
309. Plummet
Fall sharply
“But the side effects negated our plans. There was
one test subject, every time she hiccupped (হেঁচকি),
the lights would dim.” [Bishop, Fringe S01E05]
“A sudden surge of adrenalin can negate the effects
of fatigue; there’s nothing like a good shock to wake
you up.” [Barrons]
310. Negate
Cancel out, gainsay, nullify
“Paul's volatile editor, Lotterman, assigns him to
tourist pieces and horoscopes, but promises more.”
[The Rum Diary, imdb]
“Armed soldiers guard the streets in this volatile
atmosphere.
It's thought that the blast occurred when volatile
chemicals exploded.” [Google]
311. Volatile
Changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly
“Connoisseurs of straw hats and cool sunglasses will
find much to savor, as will aficionados of guilt-free
cigarette smoking and midday boozing.” [The Rum
Diary Review, NYT]
“The art connoisseur has just arrived.” [SA]
312. Connoisseur /ˌkänəˈsər/
Judge of art, lover of an art
“But as Jews, we cannot tolerate a Jewish state that
ignores its own Declaration of Independence and the
teachings of our sages over thousands of years.”
[NYT cont]
“The hill was possessed with a burning desire to
consult the legendary sage.” [Barrons]
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313. Sage /sāj/
Person celebrated for wisdom; wise, sapient,
sagacious
“I've been called to Washington tomorrow. The
efficacy of the division is being questioned.” [Broyles,
Fringe S02E01]
“Recent medical studies confirm the efficacy of a
healthier lifestyle.” [Barrons]
314. Efficacy
Efficiency, effectiveness
“Now there are a dozen, and counting. Smaller
hotels and guesthouses are proliferating, and
property prices have risen sharply.” [In an Unlikely
Corner of Asia, Strong Promise of Growth, NYT]
315. Proliferate
Grow rapidly, increase, and breed
“We older people can enjoy this new world as well,
what with streaming music and video services,
cloud-based storage options and social networks
that easily absorb our photos and ephemera.”
[Daddy, What Were Compact Discs? NYT]
“May fly is an ephemeral creature; its adult life lasts
little more than a day.” [Barrons]
316. Ephemeral
Momentary, transient, transitory, short-lived n.
ephemera: ephemeral/transitory things
“The 1972 Act to try the collaborators and war
criminals is a manifestation of the magnanimity of
Bangabandhu and his government but the 'general
amnesty' did not acquit, repeat DID NOT ACQUIT,
those who were punished for OR those who were
accused of rape, murder, attempt to murder or
arson.” [About Ghulam Azam, Chintito, DS]
“The father of one victim spoke with remarkable
magnanimity.” [Barrons]
317. Magnanimity /ˌmagnəˈnimətē/
Generosity, noble-mindedness adj. magnanimous
“Well. Got it from Barts morgue. I'm measuring the
coagulation of saliva after death.” [Sherlock S01E03]
“The blood coagulates to stop wounds bleeding.”
[Barrons]
318. Coagulate /kōˈagyəˌlāt/
Thicken, congeal; clot, curdle
“The grandeur of Don Vito Corleone ironically lies in
his austerity and inexorable equanimity.” [imdb
review + Lec44.5]
“Even the inevitable strains of caring for an ailing
mother didn’t disturb Bea’s equanimity.” [Barrons]
319. Equanimity /ˌēkwəˈnimitē/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Calmness of temperament; composure
“...caustic cleaning agents” [Google]
“The critic’s caustic remarks angered the hapless
actors who were the subjects of his sarcasm.”
[Barrons]
320. Caustic
 Burning; sarcastically biting; scathing
 Chemical substances that are very powerful and
can dissolve other substances
“...dark, viscous blood … viscous lava..” [Google]
“Usually dairy products made with milk fat are softer
and present a very pleasant viscosity and texture,”
Dr. Granato said. [The Challenge of Going Vegan,
NYT]
“Melted tar is a viscous substance.” [Barrons]
321. Viscous /ˈviskəs/
Sticky, gluey; viscid, glutinous, adhesive n.
viscosity
“His widely discrepant statements were dismissed.”
[SA]
“The police noticed some discrepancies in his
description of the crime and did not believe him.”
[Barrons]
322. Discrepancy
Lack of consistency; difference; disparity,
disagreement, contradiction adj. discrepant
“On that day of metamorphosis the illness changed
and his recovery began. And to prove to himself the
non-existence of God, he now stood in the dining-
hall of the city's most famous hotel, with pigs falling
out of his face.” [Satanic Verses]
323. Metamorphosis
Transformation, change of form v. metamorphose
“Opposition finds apathy over election in russia city.”
[NYTimes]
324. Apathy /ˈapəTHē/
Indifference; lack of caring, interest or enthusiasm
“Dogs that have been mistreated often remain very
wary of strangers.” [Google]
“The spies grew wary as they approached the
sentry.” [Barrons]
325. Wary /ˈwe(ə)rē/
Very cautious, careful, leery: openly suspicious and
unwilling to confide
“There is a strong argument for remaining an
unmarried mother. There's no stigma attached any
more.” [Dic]
326. Stigma
16
 High Frequency List
Token of disgrace, brand v. stigmatize

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 Barron’s List

GRE Word List ye find them and seize them beleaguer them
and lie in wait for them in every stratagem."
[Koran]
327. Abase
Lower, degrade, humiliate; humble 337. Bluff
 Each confession brought her into an attitude of Pretense (of strength); deception
abasement.  You're bluffing. Shiffu didn't teach you that.
 He abased himself before the King. 338. Carnal
Sexual, sensual, fleshly, physical
328. Abjure
 .. She would have no doubt have blessed him
Renounce upon oath, disavow, abnegate
with her carnal favors for nothing. [The name of
 He abjured the Protestant faith and became the Rose]
King in 1594. 339. Cleave
329. Agility /ə-ˈji-lə-tē/
Split or sever; cling to, remain faithful to
Nimbleness, quickness  She has cleaved to these principles all her life.
 The agility of the acrobat amazed and thrilled 340. Colossal
the audience. Huge, enormous, immense, titanic, gigantic
 He was quick-witted and had an extraordinarily
 At His feet stood three colossal figures. [Mark
agile mind.
Twain]
“I was simply testing a new anesthetic. He doesn't 341. Colossus
mind.” [Sherlock Holmes] Gigantic statue, giant, jumbo
 The legendary Colossus of Rhodes, a bronze
“How could a constantly anesthethised, drug
statue of the sun god that dominated the
addicted, noseless skeleton, have slipped away from
harbor of the Greek seaport, was one of the
us so suddenly?” [But I’m Not Wrong] Seven Wonders of the World.
330. Anesthetic  He became a colossus of the labor movement.
Substance that removes sensation with or without
loss of consciousness 342. Condescend
Agreeing in a superior manner, vouchsafe; bestow
331. Antagonism
courtesy in a superior air
Hostility; active resistance
 At one point Hitchens writes, "Religious belief is
 In 2004, Sun surprised the industry when, after
not merely false but also actually harmful. But I
having cultivated a reputation as one of
think it is a mistake to condescend to those who
Microsoft's most vocal antagonists, it entered
claim 'faith'."
into a joint relationship with them.
 The King condescended to grant an audience to
332. Appall /əˈpôl/
the friends of the condemned man.
Dismay, shock
 Don't condescend to me. [Donnie Brasco]
 We were appalled by the horrifying conditions in
343. Consort
the city’s jails.
V: Associate with
333. Assessment
N: Spouse, mate, husband, wife
Estimation, appraisal
 We judge people frequently with the company
 I would like to have your assessment of the
whom they consort.
situation in South Africa.
 He regularly consorted with known drug-
“Many atrocities are committed by invading dealers.
armies.” [Barrons] 344. Crescendo
A gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music
334. Atrocity
 As he came into the window,
Brutal deed; the quality of being shockingly cruel
and inhumane It was the sound of a crescendo
345. Cynical
335. Betroth
Skeptic or distrustful of human motives
Become engaged to marry  …his cynical view of the world.
 The Aunt wanted to betroth her to her cousin.  Be more cynical
336. Beleaguer /biˈlēgər/ 346. Debauch /diˈbôCH/
Besiege or attack; harass Corrupt, seduce from virtue
 9:5 says, "But when the forbidden months are  Socrates was accused of debauching young
past then fight and slay the pagans wherever
men.

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 Barron’s List
347. Diabolical
Devilish, infernal, satanic
 There was something feminine something
diabolical about the young one who died. He
had the eyes of a girl, seeking intercourse
(having sex) with the devil. [The name of the rose]
348. Disengage
Separate, disconnect, release, detach
 Thoughts of tongues frozen to pump handles
immediately came to mind as she attempted to
disengage her flesh from the icy metal.
“The holy texts are of dubious origin and veracity.”
[God delusion]
“Some critics of the GRE contend the test is of
dubious worth.” [Barrons]
349. Dubious /ˈd(y)o͞obēəs/
Questionable, filled with doubt, equivocal
“When Allison received her long-hoped-for letter of
acceptance from Harvard, she was in ecstasy.”
[Barrons]
350. Ecstasy
Rapture, joy, trance, any overpowering emotion
adj. ecstatic
351. Endearment
Fond word or act, caress, affection
 No term of endearment crossed their lips.
352. Ensconce
Settle comfortable, hide
 These Islamic Voodoos are often carefully
ensconced by the shrewd Islamists, lest the
world know the truth.
“Most Islamic Voodoos enunciated in this article
reflect the traditions, customs, practices and beliefs
of the illiterate, barbaric, and uncouth Bedouin
Arabs leading a nomadic life in the harshness of
desert.” [Voodoos]
353. Enunciate
Utter or speak, especially distinctly, express or
state clearly
354. Eschew
Avoid
 Once non-Arab Muslims eschew this forced
Arabism on them Islam will wither away from
their society.
355. Expatriate
Exile, emigrant, someone who is living in a country
which is not their own
 The expatriate members of Bangladesh can
donate using web sites. [mukto-mona]
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“It's all a facade. For all his charm and charisma, his
wealth, his expensive toys he is a driven, unflinching
calculating machine.” [SwordFish]
“The ornate facade of the church was often
photographed by tourists, who never bothered to
walk around the building to view its other sides.
Cher’s outward show of confidence was just a facade
she assumed to hide her insecurity.” [Barrons]
356. Façade /fəˈsäd/
Front (of a building), superficial or false appearance
“I find his motives impossible to fathom; in fact, I’m
totally clueless about what goes on in his mind.”
[Barrons]
357. Fathom
Comprehend; investigate; understand
358. Foresight
Ability to see future happenings; prudent; prevision
 They had the foresight to invest in new
technology.
 He was later criticized for his lack of foresight.
359. Fugitive
Runaway, fleeting, transient
 The film brought a few fugitive images on her
mind, but on the whole it made no lasting
impression on her.
360. Grill
Question severely
Roast, broil
 The police grilled him for hours.
 ...grilled chicken.
361. Harbor [harbour]
Provide a deluge refuge for, hide, shelter
 The church harbored illegal aliens who were
political refuges.
An area of water on the coast, protected from the
open sea by strong walls, where ships can shelter
 Several boats lay at anchor in the harbour.
362. Hideous
Unattractive, horrible, awful
 Flowers looking hideous. [A P]
363. Hover
Hang about; wait nearby; float
 The police helicopter hovered above the
accident.
 Beautiful butterflies hovered above the wild
flowers.
364. Impeccable
Irreproachable, faultless, perfect, flawless
 You made an impeccable timing, inspector.
[Sherlock Holmes]
365. Impetus
Impulse, spur, drive; moving force
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 Barron’s List
 A new federal highway program would create 376. Kindle
jobs and give added impetus to our economic Start a fire; inspire
recovery.  Her teacher’s praise for her poetry kindled a
366. Implausible spark of hope inside Maya.
Unlikely, unbelievable 377. Mutilate
 Though her alibi seemed implausible it in fact Severely damaged or spoiled
turned out to be true.  We found the body after a hailstorm horribly
367. Impromptu mutilated, dashed (throw, rush) against a rock
Without previous preparation, off the cuff; on the at the foot of the tower. [The name of the rose]
spur of the moment 378. Nemesis
 The judges were amazed that she could make Someone seeking revenge
such a thorough, well supported presentation in
 Hannibel thinks I am his nemesis. [Silence of
impromptu speech.
lambs]
“It is incumbent upon all Muslims to emulate in full 379. Obliterate
those Islamic Voodoos.” [Voodoos] Erase, wipe out, annihilate, destroy completely
368. Incumbent /inˈkəmbənt/  Banglish may obliterate Bangla from the hearts
Obligatory, necessary (for someone) as a duty or and mouths of many.
responsibility 380. Obscure /əbˈskyo͝or/
369. Indict Darken, dim, hide, conceal, cloud, shade; if one
Charge, accuse, incriminate thing obscures another, it prevents it from being
 The evidence collected by Donnie Brasco led to seen or heard properly
over 200 indictments and 100 convictions.  The mirror is not a tool for realizing the truth,
[Donnie brasco] but for obscuring it.
370. Inquisitor Horrified by her plight and yet aware of the humor,
Investigator, questioner she answered her date’s concerns about “what was
 The prince said to the courtyard, “Excuse me taking so long” with a reply that indeed, she was
inquisitor! The doge (head of the govt in “freezing her butt off and needed some assistance.”
Venice) has arrived.” [Jay Leno Joke]
371. Insightful
Discerning, perceptive; astute 381. Plight
 Sol thought he was very insightful about human Condition, state (especially a bad state of
behavior but actually he was clueless as to why condition), predicament
people acted the way they did. 382. Prophetic
372. Juncture Having to do with predicting the future
Joint, joining point; a particular point in time,  In interpreting Pharaoh’s prophetic dream,
especially when it is a very important time in a Joseph said that the 7 fat cows eaten by the 7
lean cows represented 7 years of plenty
process or series of events
followed by 7 years of famine.
 What's important at this juncture is the ability
of the three republics to work together. 383. Provincial
Pertaining to a province; limited in outlook;
373. Junta
unsophisticated
A military government that has taken power by
 As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered
force, and not through elections
the Queen’s law in his remote corner of Canada.
 19 years she has been kept under house arrest
by the military junta that runs the country.  Caught up in local problems; out of touch with
London news, he became sadly provincial.
374. Juxtapose
 He decided to revamp the company's provincial
Place side by side image.
 ...art's oldest theme: the celebration of life
juxtaposed with the terror of mortality. 384. Provisional
Transitory, interim, tentative
375. Ken
 ..the possibility of setting up a provisional
Range of knowledge coalition government.
 I cannot answer your question since this matter
is beyond my ken. 385. Proximity
Nearness, vicinity, closeness, neighborhood

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 Barron’s List
 Blind people sometimes develop a
compensatory ability to sense the proximity of
objects around them.
 “Proximity warning!” alert is shown when Neo
approaches the Zion systems. [The Matrix]
386. Prune
Cut away, trim
 You have to prune a bush if you want fruit.
 With the help of her editor, she was able to
prune her manuscript into publishable form.
387. Pundit
Scholar, expert; authority on a subject; savant
 Some authors who write about the GRE as if
they are pundits actually very little about the
test.
 ...a well known political pundit.
388. Respiration
Breathing, exhalation
 His heart and respiration seemed to be fine.
389. Resuscitate
Revive, the act of reviving a person and returning
them to consciousness
 The lifeguard tried to resuscitate the drowned
child by applying artificial respiration
 So they came into the outway
It was sunday-what a black day
Mouth to mouth resus-citation
Sounding heartbeats-intimidations
390. Rigor
Severity, austerity
 He found the rigors of the tour too demanding.
“Vehement protest against Rushdie's book began
with the title itself (especially as translated into
Arabic), which Muslims found incredibly sacrilegious,
and took to mean the book's author claimed verses
of the Qur’an, in fact the whole book, was "the work
of the Devil.” [Wikipedia]
“In Hinduism, ashes from the funeral pyre must be
immersed in water. It is sacrilege to keep them.”
391. Sacrilegious
Desecrating, profane; austerity; involving or
committing sacrilege n. sacrilege: violation or
misuse of what is regarded as sacred
392. Sanctimonious
Hypocritical, pious
 He writes smug, sanctimonious rubbish.
 You sanctimonious little hypocrite!
393. Scuttle
Sink
 Sailors decided to scuttle their vessels rather
than surrender it to the army.
Run with short quick steps
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 The girl I saw scuttling out of here. [The name of
the Rose]
394. Senility
Old age, feeblemindedness of old age
 Most of the decisions are being made by the
junior members because of the senility of the
president.
395. Sequester
Isolate, retire from public life; segregate, seclude
 This jury is expected to be sequestered for at
least two months.
 Inside, the major components are sequestered
into their own areas to improve air flow and
heat dissipation, while the process is water-
cooled.
396. Sloth
Laziness, indolence, idleness; adj. slothful
 The sloth of students...
Slow-moving tree dwelling mammal
 Note how well the greenish coat of the sloth
enables it to blend in with its arboreal
surroundings.
 What did the slothful bum do? He lay about the
house all day.
397. Spatial
Relating to space
 The spatial distribution of the population.
398. Stratagem
Clever trick; deceptive scheme
 Today, using a new stratagem, the attorney
general who has equal or more responsibility as
the soldiers, is presenting accusations.
“When the female by nature so perverse becomes
sublime by holiness then she can be the noblest
vehicle of grace.” [The name of the Rose]
399. Sublime /səˈblīm/
Noble and uplifting, elevated, majestic things
“Never obvious, she expressed herself with such
subtlety that her remarks went over the heads of
most of her audience.” [Barrons]
400. Subtlety /ˈsətltē/
Nicety, delicacy, perceptiveness, ingenuity
401. Swerve
Deviate, turn aside sharply; digress also n.
 Drivers coming in the opposite direction
swerved to avoid the bodies.
402. Swindler
N: Cheat, fraud, imposter
 A City businessman swindled investors out of
millions of pounds.
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 Barron’s List
 She was gullible and trusting, an easy victim for
the first swindler who came along.
403. Tantalize
Torture, tease, and agonize
 Let us exercise our brains and try to solve this
tantalizing conundrum. [The name of the rose]
 Tom loved to tantalize his younger brother with
candy; he knew the boy was forbidden to have
it.
404. Tentative
Hesitant; not fully worked out or developed;
experimental; provisional
 Unsure of his welcome at the Christmas party,
Scrooge took a tentative step into his nephew’s
drawing room.
 My first attempts at complaining were rather
tentative.
405. Tenure
Time during which an office is held; possession,
ownership
 ...the three-year tenure of President Bush.
 He was in the middle of his tenure as Oxford
Professor of Poetry and at the height of his
fame.
“Beliefs of the illiterate, barbaric, and uncouth
Bedouin Arabs leading a nomadic life in the
harshness of desert..” [Abul Kashem]
 They described the outbreak of violence in the
area as an aberration.
413. Abject
Wretched; lacking pride; unpleasant, miserable
 One the streets of New York the homeless live
in abject poverty.
 His letter plunged her into abject misery.
 An abject apology.
414. Abnegation
Renunciation, self-sacrifice, abdication
 But this abnegation of responsibility is bringing
with it the anarchy, chaos and violence in
society.
415. Abortive
Unsuccessful, fruitless
 An abortive attempt to overthrow the
government.
416. Abrasive /əˈbrāsiv/
Rubbing away; tending to grind down; (কিছু ঘষে তুলে
ফেলার জন্য বা মসৃণ করার জন্য ব্যবহৃত কঠিন পদার্থ; ঘষে
ক্ষয় সাধনে সক্ষম), harsh v. abrade
 Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear
away a shiny finish, abrasive remarks can wear
away a listener’s patience.
 Millions of years of erosion had abraded the
hillside.

406. Uncouth /ˌənˈko͞oTH/ 417. Absolve

Outlandish, clumsy, boorish Pardon (an offense)
 The priest absolved him and told him to say ten
407. Vouchsafe
Hail Mary's.
Grand condescendingly, guarantee
 I can safely vouchsafe you fair return on your 418. Abstinence
investment. Restrained from eating or drinking
 The Doctor recommended total abstinence from
408. Wily
salted foods.
Artful, cunning
 She is as wily as fox in avoiding trouble. 419. Abstract
Theoretical, not concrete
409. Wrath
 To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he
Anger, rage, fury had never missed a meal.
 She turned to him, full of wrath, and said,
“What makes you think I’ll accept lower pay for 420. Abstruse
this job than you get?” Obscure, profound, difficult to understand
 His cinema is neither abstruse nor abstract like
410. Abash
art films nor is it escapist and unrealistic like
Embarrass hardcore commercial cinema.
 She was not at all abashed by her open
admiration. 421. Abusive
Coarsely insulting, physically harmful
411. Abdicate
 Abusive language
Renounce, give up, relinquish
 He became quite abusive and swore at her.
 Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favor of the
 An abusive parent damages a child both
emperor's brother.
mentally and physically.
412. Aberration
422. Abysmal
Abnormality, aberrance
Bottomless, unfathomable; informal extremely bad;
appalling

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 His arrogance is exceeded only by his abysmal 434. Acrid
ignorance. Sharp, bitterly pungent
 The department's implementation of the  The acrid odor of burnt gunpowder filled the
program has been an abysmal failure. room after the pistol had been fired.
 The quality of her work is abysmal. 435. Acrimonious
423. Acclaim Bitter in words or manner n. acrimony
Applaud; praise enthusiastically and publicly  The candidate attacked his opponent in highly
 The conference was acclaimed as a considerable acrimonious terms.
success. 436. Acrophobia
 He was acclaimed a great painter. Extreme or irrational fear of heights
424. Acclimate  A born salesman, he could convince anyone
Adjust to climate or environment; adapt with a bad case of acrophobia to sign up for a
life membership in a sky-diving club.
 Bill and Scott have shown that they can
assemble players, especially veteran players, 437. Actuate
who can acclimate to our culture. Motivate
425. Accomplice  I fail to understand what actuated you to reply
Partner in crime; abettor to this letter so nastily.
 Because he has provided the criminal with the 438. Acumen
lethal weapon, he was arrested as an Mental keenness, acuteness
accomplice in the murder.  “Charm with your acumen!” [Hannibal in Silence
426. Accord of Lambs]
N. Agreement, concord, accordance 439. Acute
V. Agree, grant Quickly perceptive, keen, brief and severe, shrewd
 She was in complete accord with the verdict.  The problem is acute and getting worse.
427. Accost  Jill has acute sense of taste.
V: Approach and speak first to a person 440. Adamant
N: Salute, address, greeting Hard, inflexible, unyielding
 A man tried to accost the girl on her way to  He is adamant that he is not going to resign.
school. 441. Addendum
428. Acerbity Addition, appendix to book
Bitterness of speech or temper  Klaus said he wanted "a promise, which I would
429. Acidulous /əˈsijələs/ believe, that this 'addendum' would be attached
Slightly sour, sharp; caustic to the next treaty that must be ratified by all 27
EU countries."
 James was unpopular because of his sarcastic
and acidulous remarks. 442. Adhere
430. Acknowledge Stick fast
Recognize, admit; avow, concede  I’ll adhere to this opinion until proof that I’m
wrong is presented.
 The plight of the refugees was acknowledged by
the authorities. “Her adroit handing of the delicate situation pleased
 The government acknowledged that the tax was her employers.” [Barrons]
unfair.
443. Adroit
431. Acme Skillful
Peak, pinnacle, highest point
444. Advent
 Physics is the acme of scientific knowledge.
Arrival
432. Acoustics  Most Americans were unaware about the
Science of sound; Nuclear Age until the news of Hiroshima
 Symphony Hall has perfect acoustics. reached them.
433. Acquiesce /ˌakwēˈes/ 445. Adventitious /ˌadvenˈtiSHəs/
Assent; agree passively, consent, accede Accidental, casual
 Sara acquiesced in his decision.  She found this adventitious meeting with her
 A murmur of acquiescence from the assembly. friend extremely fortunate.

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446. Adverse Items of business at a meeting
Unfavorable, hostile  The question of nuclear weapons had been
 Taxes are having an adverse effect on removed from the agenda.
production. 457. Aggressor
 Adverse weather conditions. Attacker, assailant; attacks first
447. Advert  Before you punish both boys for fighting, see
whether you can determine which one was the
Refer (to) aggressor.
 Since you advert to this matter so frequently,
you must regard it as important. 458. Agitate
Stir up, disturb
448. Advocacy
 Her fiery remarks agitated the already angry
Support, defense, pleading mob.
 Their advocacy of traditional family values.
459. Agnostic
“This book will advocate an alternative view: any One who is skeptical of the existence of a God or
creative intelligence, of sufficient complexity to ultimate reality; nescient, know-nothing
design anything, comes into existence only as the  "My father never practiced; he was basically
end product of an extended process of gradual agnostic," Obama said.
evolution.” [Google] 460. Agrarian
“The abolitionists advocated freedom for the Pertaining to land or its cultivation; agricultural
 Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian
slavers.” [Barrons]
economy and not too many of our kids are
449. Advocate working the fields today.
Urge, plead for 461. Alchemy
450. Affable The medieval forerunner of chemistry, based on the
Amiable, kind, friendly, debonair; easily supposed transformation of matter
approachable  Their chemistry was wrong from the beginning -
 An affable and agreeable companion. they hated each other; a mysterious alchemy
brought them together.
451. Affected
462. Alias
Artificial, pretended n. affectation
Pseudonym, nickname
 The gesture appeared both affected and stagy.
 Eric Blair, alias George Orwell
452. Affidavit
463. Alimentary
Written statement made under oath
Nutritious, nourishing
 The court refused to accept her statement
unless she presented it in the form of an  The government is like a baby's alimentary
affidavit. canal with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other.
453. Affiliation
464. Chimerical
Joining, associating with
Fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic;
 His affiliation with the political party was of
short duration for he soon disagreed with his imaginative
colleagues.  Her chimerical notions made her happy, and the
cold naked truth would doubtless have made
“She felt an affinity with all who suffered; their pains her unhappy.
were her pains.” [Barrons]
“Especially as I have had a chronic and at times
“Duck has an affinity for water.” [Google] debilitating illness for the last 15 years…
454. Affinity Chronic acute pain can last for months or years.”
Kinship; a natural liking for and understanding of [YourDic]
someone or something
“The doctors were finally able to attribute his chronic
455. Agape
headaches and nausea to traces of formaldehyde
Open-mouthed
gas in his apartment.” [Barrons]
 She stared agape, at the many strange animals
in the zoo. 465. Chronic
456. Agenda Long established, as a disease

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466. Chronicle
Report, record (in a chronological order)
 MARIE-THERESE CONNOLLY is a lawyer who is
going to chronicle people who fight abuse of
elderly. [NYTimes]
467. Debunk
Expose as false, exaggerated, worthless etc.;
ridicule; unmask
 Dr Jakir Naik’s false teaching of the Gita needs
to be debunked by the Vedanta scholars.
468. Decimate
Kill, usually one out of ten
 We do more to decimate our population in
accidents than we do in war.
469. Evanescent /ˌevəˈnesənt/
Fleeting, vanishing; transitory, ephemeral
 "A smile is a very evanescent thing, but a purr
is continuous. We should train people to purr,"
Dr de Bono said.
470. Gaudy /ˈgôdē/
Flashy, showy
 The newest Trump skyscraper is typically
gaudy, covered in gilded panels that gleam in
the sun.
471. Tremor
Trembling, slight quiver; a small earthquake
 She had a nervous tremor in her right hand.
 "I felt a tremor run through me when I caught
sight of her," Kennedy recalled. "She looked
even lovelier than in the film."
 An earth tremor…
472. Implicate
Incriminate, show to be involved; imply
 Police claims implicated him in many more
killings.
473. Implication
Something hinted at or suggested, deduction,
involvement
 The implication is that no one person at the
bank is responsible.
474. Disband
Dissolve, disperse, (of an organized group) break
up and stop functioning as an organization
 "It is time to tell the Iraqis that unless they're
willing to disband the militias and the death
squads, unless they're willing to stand up and
govern their country in a responsible fashion,
America is not going to stay their indefinitely."
475. Charisma
Divine gift, great popular charm or appeal
 She enchanted guests with her charisma.
476. Surrogate
Substitute
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
 She was regarded as the surrogate for the
governor during his final illness.
477. Flamboyant
Ornate, noticeable because brightly colored, highly
patterned, or unusual in style
 She is outgoing and flamboyant, continuously
talking and joking.
478. Ornate
Excessively or elaborately decorated
 The grandiosity of his prose"; "an excessive
ornateness of language"
 The cradle was ornately carved
479. Instigate
Urge, start; provoke, incite
 They instigated a reign of terror.
 Sir Toby sets out to instigate a quarrel between
Sir Andrew and Cesario.
“His acquittal by the jury surprised those who had
thought him guilty.” [Barrons]
“The owner of a crane company was acquitted on
Thursday of all charges in connection with the
collapse of a tower crane in Manhattan nearly four
years ago that killed two people.” [NYT]
480. Acquittal
Deliverance from a charge v. acquit
“He was able to liquidate all his debts in a short
period of time..” [Barrons]
481. Liquidate
Settle accounts, Deliverance from a charge
“A fastidious shadow falling headfirst in a grey
suit...” [Satanic Verses]
“Bobby was such a fastidious eater that he would
eat a sandwich only if his mother first cut off every
scrap of crust.” [Barrons]
“He chooses his words with fastidious care.”
[Google]
482. Fastidious
Difficult to please, squeamish
483. Headlong
Hasty, rash, precipitous, headfirst
 The slave seized the unexpected chance to
make a headlong dash across the border of
freedom.
484. Purse
Pucker, contract into wrinkles
 Marianne took a glance at her reflection and
pursed her lips disgustedly.
485. Disembark
Go ashore, unload cargo from a ship
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 Barron’s List
 Before the passengers could disembark, they
had to pick up their passports from the ship’s
purser.
“That essential mission can be carried out by
intelligence and Special Operations personnel who
can smother remnants of Al Qaeda without having
to rebuild every country where it sets up shop.”
[NYT]
486. Remnant
Remainder
487. Debris
Wreckage, ruins, rubbish
 The bomb hits it, showering debris from all
sides.
488. Slough
Cast off, drop off
 Each spring, the snake sloughs off its skin.
489. Flail
Thresh grain by hand, wave, and swing
 His arms were flailing helplessly.
“She was too overwrought to listen to any reason.”
[Google]
490. Overwrought /ˈōvəˈrôt/
Extremely agitated, hysterical
491. Petty
Trivial, unimportant, very small, of secondary or
lesser importance, rank
 Petty God
 petty little comments
 "On this day, we come to proclaim an end to
the petty grievances and false promises, the
recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for
far too long have strangled our politics," said
Obama.
492. Vindictive
Clear from blame, exonerate, exculpate
 The lawyer’s goal was to vindictive his client
and prove him innocent of all charges.
493. Vindictive
Revengeful, avengeful
 The criticism was both vindictive and
personalized.
 The God of the Old Testament is a vindictive.
“The God of the Old Testament is a misogynistic,
homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal,
pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic,
capriciously malevolent bully.” [God Delusion]
494. Genocidal
Deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or
in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national
group
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Independent of 20 May 2006 the front-page
headline and first leading article both described it as
'ethnic cleansing'. 'Ethnic' in this context is yet
another euphemism. What we are seeing in Iraq is
religious cleansing. The original usage of 'ethnic
cleansing' in the former Yugoslavia is also arguably a
euphemism for religious cleansing, involving
Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats and Muslim
Bosnians.” [GD cont..]
495. Ethnic
Relating to races; a population subgroup with a
common national or cultural tradition
496. Throng
Crowd, swarm, huddle
 The streets are thronged with people.
497. Procurement
Obtaining, acquisition
 He was responsible for the procurement of
materials and supplies.
498. Stagnant
Motionless, stale, dull
 "We will need to recover all the knowledge and
skills that have been lost over
three stagnant decades in a highly technical
field," McCain told a forum at Missouri State
University.
499. Menagerie /məˈnajərē/
Collection of wild animals, zoo
 Whenever the children run wild around the
house, Mom shouts, “calm down! I’m not
running a menagerie!”
500. Reiterate
Repeat
 In a half-hour address, the East Pakistan Leader
(Mujib) reiterated his catalogue of Bengali
grievances and called for their remedy through
the adoption of Awami League's Six Points.
501. Malevolent
Wishing evil
 She gossips malevolently.
The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and
says, "I won't."
502. Masochist
Person who enjoys his own pain
“His album Death of a Ladies' Man was produced by
Phil Spector, the reclusive genius of girl-group pop. "I
was flipped out at the time," Cohen said later, "and
he certainly was flipped out. For me, the expression
26
 Barron’s List
was withdrawal and melancholy, and for him,
megalomania and insanity and a devotion to
armaments that was really intolerable.” [Who held a
gun to Leonard Cohen's head?]
503. Megalomania
Mania for doing grandiose things, a
psychopathological condition characterized by
delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or
omnipotence
504. Pestilential /ˌpestəˈlenCHəl/
Causing plague, baneful
Likely to spread and cause an epidemic disease
 Pestilential fever.
 Pestilential state of the air destroyed thousands
of men and cattle.
 People were afraid to explore the pestilential
swamp.
“The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern
Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and
4th centuries BCE.[2] He is recognized by adherents
as an awakened teacher who shared his insights to
help sentient beings end suffering (or dukkha),
achieve nirvana, and escape what is seen as a cycle
of suffering and rebirth.”
505. Sentient /ˈsenCH(ē)ənt/
Capable of sensation, sensitive; able to perceive or
feel things
506. Impinge
Infringe, touch, collide with
 Who are we at war with? Anyone who impinges
on America's freedom! -- Swordfish
“By comparison, my observation is the MFC
framework is very much a kludge and unwieldy
compared to .NET Windows forms.”
507. Unwieldy
Awkward, cumbersome, unmanageable
“I was asked yesterday by a client whether it was
better for him to run his high-availability /
throughput shopping site on ASP.net or PHP. I've got
to say I was stymied by this question; I work
regularly with both platforms and I honestly couldn't
make a judgement.”
508. Stymie /ˈstīmē/
Present an obstacle, prevent or hinder the progress
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“...why would they fight so hard against us?
We meddle.
River?
People don't like to be meddled with.
We tell them what to do, what to think.
Don't run, don't walk.
We're in their homes and in their heads and we
haven't the right. We're meddlesome.” [Serenity]
509. Meddlesome
Interfering, officious
“Secrets are not my concern. Keeping them is.
Whatever secrets she might have accidentally
gleaned ... it's probable she doesn't even know she
knows them.” [Cont…]
510. Glean
Gather, collect (gradually and bit by bit), extract
info from various sources
“He answers prayers; forgives or punishes sins;
intervenes in the world by performing miracles; frets
about good and bad deeds, and knows when we do
them.” [God Delusion]
511. Fret
Be annoyed or vexed, worry
512. Conjure
Summon a devil, practice magic, imagine or invent,
implore (someone) to do something
 Sorcerers (magician, wizard) conjure devils to
appear.
 Magicians conjure white rabbits out of hats.
 Political candidates conjure (imagine) up
images of reformed cities and a world of peace.
“Kate's wedding dress has been the subject of
fervent speculation.” [British Royal Wedding Today,
DS]
“She felt that fervent praise was excessive and
somewhat undeserved.” [Barrons]
513. Fervent
Ardent, hot, passionate
“Scientific Marxism, the creed of the modern Oxford
Indian, was unknown to us, though we also called
ourselves socialists, meaning by socialism, in the
manner of many contemporary Indian nationalists, a
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 Barron’s List
liberal loosely mystical devotion to the idea of the
Motherland.” [Tagore at Oxford]
514. Creed
System of religious or ethical belief
515. Saunter /ˈsôntər/
Stroll (go for a leisurely walk) slowly
 As we sauntered through the park, we stopped
frequently to admire the spring flowers.
“One can understand to what an extent there was an
increase in our self-opinionated insolence when the
rumour came to our ears that the highest prize in
literature was going to be awarded to one who
belonged to us.” [Tagore at Oxford]
516. Insolence
Impudent disrespect
“It is difficult now for me to recapture the elation
and the ecstasy of those days.” [Cont…]
517. Elated
Overjoyed; in high spirits
 Grinning from ear to ear, Bonnie was clearly
elated by her fifth Olympic gold medal.
“I am ashamed to say that owing to defective
upbringing (education, help growing up) I was then,
as I am now, ignorant of Bengali except of the most
debased kind, and so I had heard with a certain
amount of skepticism of the great popularity of
Tagore's verses.” [Cont…]
518. Debase
Reduce the quality or value, lower in esteem
“I must confess, however, that during that first
period not a little of that unbounded appreciation of
the newly-initiated which I had for the Poet's works
was due to my knowledge of the association and
collaboration with him of Rothenstein, Sturge Moore
and particularly Yeats, a name draped (cover) in our
fancy with magic raiments.” [Cont…]
519. Raiment
Clothing, dress
 "He is said to have bought legislatures and
judges as other men buy food and raiment,"
Twain wrote of Clark
“I did not believe there was any vestige of truth in all
this except that they all lived in a house in
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Wellington Square and that behind locked iron-
railings there actually was a tree in that square.”
[Cont…]
“We discovered vestiges of early Indian life in the
cave.” [Barrons]
520. Vestige
Trace, remains
“Despite all their sweet-talking, Suzi and Cher were
unable to blandish the doorman into letting them
into the hot new club.” [Barrons]
521. Blandish
Cajole; coax with flattery n. blandishment
“Naturally Indian public men in England used to
dislike us, because of our bad name, yet they always
came, almost afraid of annoying us by refusing our
invitation, which would usually be entrusted to me
as I had developed a gift for treacherous
blandishment.” [Cont…]
522. Blandishment
Flattery, cajolery
“The authorities say they have confiscated large
quantities of marijuana, heroin and pills.” [American
Gangster]
523. Confiscate
Seize, impound
“I'm not talking about your proclivities, Richie. Those
I only know too well. I'm talking about being a cop.”
[Lawyer on Richie’s character, A.G]
524. Proclivity
Inclination, natural tendency
525. Obligatory
Binding, required, compulsory, mandatory
 Use of seat belts in cars is now obligatory.
“Police Officer, I'm commandeering your vehicle. Get
out of the car.” [Richie on American Gangster]
526. Commandeer
To draft for military purposes; to take for public use
“He's been diluting it so much. We're down 2%, 3%
pure.” [To Frank, American Gangster]
527. Dilute
Make less concentrated; reduce in strength
“A current favored practice is to deface websites,
leaving behind a prominent message - akin to the
graffiti artist's tag.” [cont...]
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 Barron’s List
“If you deface a library book you have to pay hefty
fine.” [Barrons]
528. Deface
Disfigure, deform, mar
“A salvage vessel from the capital was expected to
reach Char Kakoria around 11:00pm to pull out the
sunken launch.” [Launch capsizes]
“All attempts to salvage the wrecked ship failed.”
[Barrons]
529. Salvage
Rescue from loss, rescue, salvation
“Nokia said the deal -- which settles all litigation
between the two and means both sides will
withdraw complaints to the US International Trade
Commission -- would boost its second-quarter
earnings, but said details were confidential.” [DS]
530. Litigation
Lawsuit, case
“With an aspiration toward salvation out of such
entire co-actions, the poet Nurun Nabi Babul yearns
for a revolution.” [DS]
“The author aspires to be one of America's great
writers.” [GRE VW]
531. Aspire
Seek to attain; long for n. aspiration
“I received a letter the other day. It was handwritten
in crabbed penmanship so that it was very difficult
to read.” [Relativity of Wrong]
532. Crabbed
Sour, peevish, crowded together and difficult to
read, annoyed and irritable
 The children avoided the crabbed old man
because he scolded them when they made
noise.
“In the early days of civilization, the general feeling
was that the earth was flat. This was not because
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
people were stupid, or because they were intent on
believing silly things. They felt it was flat on the basis
of sound evidence. It was not just a matter of "That's
how it looks," because the earth does not look flat. It
looks chaotically bumpy, with hills, valleys, ravines,
cliffs, and so on.” [Relativity of Wrong]
533. Ravine
Narrow valley with steep sides
“Although the twins look alike, they differ markedly
in temperament: Tod is calm, but Rod is excitable.”
[Barrons]
534. Temperament
Characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional
excess
“He was already promulgating some sort of a
philosophic doctrine of his own backed by lavish
hospitality and no wonder in that city of large
leisures he was drawing to himself people of widely
divergent types.” [Tagore at Oxford 2]
“When Moses came down from the mountaintop
prepared to promulgate God’s commandments, he
was appalled to discover his followers worshipping a
golden calf.” [Barrons]
535. Promulgate
Proclaim a doctrine or law, make known by official
publication, make widely known
536. Divergent
Differing; deviating
“He was so committed to the doctrines of his faith
that he was unable to evaluate them impartially.”
[Barrons]
537. Doctrine /ˈdäktrin/
Teachings in general; particular principle (religious,
legal, etc.) taught
“It's easier to have something to fight against. We've
all had such competitiveness ingrained in us.”
[Before Sunrise]
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 Barron’s List
538. Ingrained
Deeply established, firmly rooted
 His deeply ingrained Islamic convictions.
“I accepted his invitation with an inward fear at the
prospect of being wedged (fixed in position) in, as
had happened before, between a lean clergyman
from Pusey House bent on saving my soul and the
fast-extinguishing (terminate, put an end to) charms
of the widow of a defunct professor.” [Tagore at
Oxford 2]
539. Defunct
Dead, no longer in use or existence
“He was sitting on a divan (couch) and along the
walls there were many chairs occupied by men and
women, Indian, British and continental, who sat in
rapt silence, as in a prayer-hall.” [Cont…]
540. Rapt
Ecstatic, absorbed, enchanted
 Caught up in the wonder of storyteller’s tale,
the rapt listeners sat motionless, hanging on his
every word.
“Seventeen years ago, I was one of thirty-six writers
and artists commissioned by the magazine New
Statesman to write in support of the distinguished
author Salman Rushdie, then under sentence of
death for writing a novel. Incensed by the 'sympathy'
for Muslim 'hurt' and 'offence' expressed by Christian
leaders and even some secular opinion-formers, I
drew the following parallel.” [God Delusion]
“The windows were wide-open on to the
Embankment and I do not now remember if incense
was burning in that room, but if it was not, it ought
to have been because the atmosphere was so
charged with awe and admiration.” [Tagore at
Oxford]
541. Incense
Enrage, infuriate
A gum, spice, or other substance that is burned for
the sweet smell it produces
“Disconcerted as I felt at the collusive silence of the
place, I was a little relieved at the thought that the
invitation I had brought need not, by being
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
communicated in words, strike a harsh note in that
stillness.” [Cont…]
542. Disconcert
Ecstatic, Confuse, upset; embarrass
 They watch him pass the window, and then look
at each other dumbly, quite disconcerted. –
The Devil’s Disciple by George Bernard Shaw
“At that time I thought that the Poet's immobility
and his closed eyes were due to his posing for the
artists in the room, but since I have understood
better for he possessed the rare quality of being able
to withdraw within himself at will and relapse
(return to (a less active or a worse state)) without
effort into the statuesque (sculptural).” [Cont…]
543. Immobility
State of being immovable
“God, in the sense defined, is a delusion; and, as
later chapters will show, a pernicious delusion.” [God
Delusion]
“The Athenians argued that Socrates’s teachings had
pernicious effect on young and susceptible minds;
therefore, they condemned him to death.” [Barrons]
“The ambiguity is especially pernicious (deadly) in
situations like this:
if (n > 0)
for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
if (s[i] > 0) {
printf("...");
return i;
}
else /* WRONG */
printf("error -- n is
negative\n");”
544. Pernicious
Very destructive
“At the time of the winter solstice, let reason prevail.
There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or
hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is just a
myth and superstition that hardens hearts and
enslaves minds.” [Atheist Group of Illinois]
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 Barron’s List
545. Solstice /ˈsōlstis/
Point at which the Sun is farthest from the equator
“So now, after two rambling years comes the final
and greatest adventure; the climactic battle to kill
the false being within and victoriously conclude the
spiritual revolution.” [Into the Wild]
546. Ramble
Wander aimlessly (physically or mentally)
“... hard work and manifold contributions to our
community during their time here, we salute you and
offer all of you one more round of applause and
congratulations.” [At Convocation, cont..]
547. Manifold
Numerous, varied
“This is still a clandestine agency, no?” [The Bourne
Supremacy]
548. Clandestine
Secret, undercover
“His Treadstone files are bloated with code keys and
case files that he neither needed nor had clearance
for.” [The Bourne Supremacy]
549. Bloat
Swollen or puffed as with water or air
“BNP asks to shun negative politics.” [DS]
550. Shun
Keep away from
“A public bus careened off a winding road and
plunged some 100 meters into a ravine early
Monday in southern Bolivia, near the Argentine
border, killing at least 28 people, and leaving 10
injured, officials said.” [RawStory]
551. Careen
Lurch, sway from side to side
“Dissidents openly call for democracy in Syria.” [DS]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
552. Dissident
Characterized by departure from accepted beliefs or
standards, dissenting, rebellious
“Israel approves plan to repel new Gaza flotilla.”
[DS]
“At first the beast’s ferocious appearance repelled
Beauty, but she came to love the tender heart
hidden behind that beauty exterior.” [Barrons]
553. Repel
Drive away, disgust, reject, repudiate
“When James Bond finds love, he doesn't dawdle.”
[DS]
554. Dawdle
Loiter, waste time, linger
 I couldn't dawdle over my coffee any longer
“A tiles trader of the city's Bangla Motor area
succumbed to his injuries at Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujib Medical University Hospital yesterday after a
teenager struck him on the neck with a cricket bat at
Hatirpool Pukurpar on April 21” [DS]
555. Succumb
Yield, give in, die
 I succumb to temptation whenever it comes my
way.
“Storm razes 100 houses to ground in 7 villages.”
[DS]
556. Raze
Destroy completely, demolish
“Criminals allegedly led by a ruling Awami League
backed defeated union parishad (UP) chairman
candidate severed the left leg of a BNP activist and
badly stabbed his right leg at Modhupur village of
Sarpukur union under Aditmari upazila in
Lalmonirhat district on Tuesday night.” [DS]
557. Sever
Cut, separate
“On hearing the story of illicit relationship, Helal
locked in altercations with Hafiza over the matter on
several occasions, police said.” [Expat killed allegedly
by wife]
558. Altercation
Noisy quarrel; heated dispute
“It meant daily humiliation, absolute silence and the
ubiquity of fear. It meant networks of corruption and
nepotism, a decaying bureaucracy and a security
apparatus operating without control or
accountability.” [NYTimes Opinions]
559. Nepotism
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 Barron’s List
Favoritism based on kinship esp. by giving them
jobs
“It’s a moot(arguable) point. The regime’s response,
and President Assad’s last three speeches, indicate
that no one in the presidential palace, not even the
president, can move the glass bottle of despotism
that has held Syria’s future captive.” [NYTimes
Opinions cont..]
560. Despot
Tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler
His final novel, “Sitaram” (1886), tells the story of a
local Hindu lord, torn between his wife and the
woman he desires, but unable to attain, making a
series of blunders and taking arrogant, self-
destructive decisions. [DS Ent]
561. Blunder
Error, mistake
 The criminal’s fatal blunder led to his capture.
“Bankim wanted to foster the love of the mother
tongue in the educated Bengalis, and to make them
share their knowledge with others through their
language.” [DS Ent]
562. Foster
Rear, encourage, nurture adj: adopted i.e foster
child
The report, released on June 27, analysed conditions
in 184 nations in terms of effectiveness in fighting
human trafficking. It identified 23 nations failing to
meet minimum international standards to curb the
scourge while 41 countries were placed on a "watch
list" [DS]
563. Scourge
Severe punishment, lash; whip, causes of
widespread or great affliction
 The scourge of mass unemployment.
“The report said a significant share of Bangladesh's
trafficking victims consists of overseas job seeking
men recruited with fraudulent offers and exploited
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
under conditions of forced labour or debt bondage.”
[DS]
“The fraudulent copying of American software ...”
[Google]
564. Fraudulent
Cheating, deceitful
“The domestic help saw protruding legs from under
the sofa and informed the matter to Mizanur's wife.”
[Visiting relative strangles boy]
565. Protrude
Stick out, to extend beyond a border or a limit
“Police try to dismantle a protest camp at Plaza de
Catalunya square in Barcelona, Spain. More than
100 Spanish riot police evicted scores of "indignant"
protesters demonstrating against government's
austerity measures.” [Photograph: Lluis
Gene/AFP/Getty Images]
566. Dismantle
Take apart, disassemble
“It's now a matter of law, and law will take its own
course. We have no personal vendetta,” Hasina was
quoted as saying at a cabinet meeting on Sunday.
[DS]
567. Vendetta
Blood feud, vengeance
“Some Americans argued that to make victory
permanent we had to not just oust the Taliban
government, but also build a democracy, a modern
economy and an effective national security
apparatus for Afghanistan.” [Stop Trying to Fix
Afghanistan, NYT]
568. Oust
Expel; drive out, remove from a position or office
“President Zillur Rahman yesterday called upon the
country's university students to shun any attitude
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 Barron’s List
devoid of humanity and negative mentality in order
to build a beautiful and civilised society.” [DS]
569. Devoid
Lacking
"Cynicism and sadness and bitterness can enter into
the fray particularly when you've lost your job and
when you've done everything right, and you still find
yourself in these kind of straits." [BBC]
570. Fray
Brawl, conflict, clash
“Kazi Nazrul Islam, variously referred to as the rebel
poet of Bengal and the national poet of Bangladesh,
was born on 25 May 1899 (11 Jaishtha by the Bangla
calendar). In his hugely productive, multi-faceted
career, until it was cut short by a debilitating illness
in the mid-1940s, Nazrul composed thousands of
songs, wrote innumerable plays and stories and
penned articles on issues of grave public concern.”
[DS Lit.]
"The stone cutter decided to improve the rough
diamond by providing it with several facets.”
[Barrons]
571. Facet /ˈfasət/
Small plane surface of a gem; a side, aspect
"The tools in North Korea are enforced isolation,
debilitating fear, dehumanizing hunger and utter
dependence on the state.” [NYT]
572. Debilitate
Weaken, enfeeble
“The poet in Nazrul speaks of the glorification of
woman in passion. The pristine comes into play as
you exult in the beauty of the one who lights up your
world. As you sing, in the rising light of the moon, তুমি
সুন্দর তাই চেয়ে থাকি প্রিয় / সে কি মোর অপরাধ that
certain blush on her cheeks rises from the roots of
her being . . . to give you cause for an enhanced
showering of love.” [DS Lit.]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
"We exulted when our team won the victory.”
[Barrons]
573. Exult /igˈzəlt/
Rejoice
“But then comes autumn, with nary (not) a sign of
the lover on the horizon. The waiting has gone too
long, will move into winter and past it and yet the
longing soul will wait on the banks of the river or
along a mud path cutting across a hamlet. You feel
the sadness knifing through the air as the lover,
Majnu-like, narrates his tale of woe in song: শাওন
আসিল ফিরে / সে ফিরে এল না And yet the lover often
turns inward, almost into seclusion, with তুমি শুনিতে
চেও না / আমার মনের কথা Nothing can be more
tragically poignant than the sadness of separation . .
. of the lover from his woman, of the parent from the
child. Emotions get to be in a constricted state and
the only sounds you hear flow from the broken
strings of the violin playing শুণ্য এ বুকে / পাখি মোর আয়
ফিরে আয়” [DS Lit.]
574. Woe
Deep, inconsolable grief; affliction
575. Seclusion
Isolation, solitude
 One moment she loved crowds; the next, she
sought seclusion.
“Mr. Kim’s claim to superior military technology
could sound poignant, coming two days after a
North Korean rocket carrying a satellite
disintegrated in midair.” [First Public Speech, North
Korean Leader, NYTimes]
576. Poignancy /ˈpoinyənsē/
Quality of being deeply moving; keenness of
emotion, a state of deeply felt distress or sorrow
“Smirks. Incredulous looks. More than just a
sideways glance as they check the mirrors. What one
earth is a she doing behind the wheel?” [Driving
Over, Rising Star]
“Porter, don't you dare look at me like that. I will
wipe that smirk off your face...” [Lynette to the kids,
S01E13]
577. Smirk
Conceited smile
578. Incredulous /inˈkrejələs/
Withholding belief; skeptical; unbelieving
 She was incredulous about Fred's interpretation
of the event.
“Female drivers find fat truck drivers leering down at
them from their vantage point on top of the engine,
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 Barron’s List
just because -OHMYGOD - they're driving! They find
every other driver honking (use horn) their horns at
them just to get their attention. They also find
private cars trying to overtake them simply because
it hurts their pride to keep behind a woman on the
road (wow, so much for 'ladies first').” [Driving Over,
Rising Star]
579. Vantage
Position giving an advantage
“BNP defers road march for inclement weather” [DS]
580. Defer
Delay till later; exempt temporarily
581. Inclement
Stormy, unkind
Protesters held signs reading "Big China, bad
behavior" during a demonstration against Chinese
incursions into waters claimed by Vietnam in Hanoi
last Sunday. [NYT]
582. Incursion
Temporary invasion
“China staged three days of military exercises in the
South China Sea and plans to boost its offshore
maritime patrol force, state media said yesterday, as
tensions with its neighbors simmer.” [DS]
583. Maritime
Bordering on the sea, nautical
“When poets and lyricists have long dictated it, who
are we to argue that the rains have some uncanny
relationship with cobalt shades?” [DS]
584. Uncanny
Strange, mysterious
 How else could there be life, in all its rich
diversity, with every species looking uncannily
as though it had been 'designed'? [God
Delusion]
“Eminent jurists have expressed concern over the
chaos, scuffles and exchange of abuse before a High
Court bench yesterday.” [DS]
585. Scuffle
Struggle confusedly, move off in a confused hurry
“After her appointment to this eminent position, she
seldom had time for her former friends.” [Barrons]
586. Eminent
High; lofty
“Nevertheless, it's an undeniable fact that to own up
to being an atheist is tantamount to introducing
yourself as Mr. Hitler or Miss Beelzebub.” [Richard
Dawkins – Militant Atheism]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
587. Tantamount
Equivalent in effect or value
“The court could have taken punitive action, but it
showed mercy by not doing so.” [DS]
588. Punitive
Punishing
“After 11 days of the burial, the body of a one-day-
old infant was exhumed from Azimpur Graveyard
yesterday for DNA test.” [DS]
589. Exhume
Dig out of the ground; remove from the grave
590. Thrall
Slave, bondage
 The captured soldier was held in thrall by the
conquering army.
“Thank you for that screaming ovation.” [Bill Maher]
591. Ovation
Enthusiastic applause
“Every thinking person, perhaps, is assailed at times
with religious doubt.” [God Delusion]
“He was assailed with questions after his lecture.”
[Barrons]
“The licence to film in Sarajevo was at one point
revoked following local rumours that the film
featured a rape victim who falls in love with her
assailant.” [Jolie, BBC]
592. Assail
Assault, attack
“The prosecution alleged that Golam married Brishti
on January 24 this year settling Tk 7 lakh as
alimony.” [Detective faces arrest]
593. Alimony
Payments made to an ex-spouse after divorce
“What is the most resilent parasite? A bacteria? A
virus? An intestinal worm?
An Idea Resilent. Highly contagiuos.” [Inception]
594. Resilient /riˈzilyənt/
Elastic, recovering readily from adversity,
depression, or the like
 The fish are resilient to most infections.
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"Doctor when should I send my child to School?" — is
a very common question that we face every day in
our professional practice. And obviously it is a very
important and pertinent question for the new
parents. [DS]
595. Pertinent
Suitable; to the point
"The man was dour and taciturn.” [Barrons]
596. Dour
Stubborn, dogged, sullen
"Afghanistan is a grisly scene of senseless
manslaughter, unlamented loss of innocent lives and
abysmal decline of the quality of human life.” [DS]
597. Grisly
Ghastly, terrifying, horrifyingly repellent
"At the heart of this crescent (growing) of misfortune
the pathogens at work are arrogance of power and a
stubborn attitude. It concerns us because it extends
upto Bangladesh and the portents are not good.”
[DS]
598. Portent
Sign, omen; forewarning adj. portentous: ominous;
sinister; inauspicious
"Johny often exasperates his mother with his
pranks.” [Barrons]
"The president has privately expressed exasperation
at the way Mr. Putin has dealt with him” [NYT, Ties
Fraying, Obama Drops Putin Meeting]
599. Exasperate /igˈzaspəˌrāt/
Exacerbate, vex, irritate
"The BNP has to return to the parliament. Otherwise,
it will amount to reneging on the trust of the
people.” [DS]
"He reneged on paying off his debt.” [Barrons]
600. Renege /riˈneg/
Deny, go back on
"Highest punishment to state power usurpers...” [DS]
601. Usurp /yo͞oˈsərp/
Seize another’s power or rank
 Richard usurped the throne.
“Stunned Birmingham residents assessed the
damage early yesterday, some counting their
blessings to still be alive, others distraught over the
loss of their loved ones or homes.” [Tornadoes ravage
south of US, AFP]
602. Distraught
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Upset; distracted by anxiety
“Buzz word though it is, postmodernism is not bereft
of epistemological substance.” [DS Lit.]
603. Bereft
Deprived of; lacking
“What is more important, a knowledge of nature or
nature of knowledge?” – the epistemologist asked
the naturalist. [authorstream]
604. Epistemologist
Philosopher who studies the nature/theory of
knowledge
“And once in great while, there comes a scandal so
deliciously sordid, it roars drowns all other noise.”
[On Maisy gibbon’s arrest, DH S01E16]
"Sordid reality is camouflaged by hyper reality,
Disneyland is created to establish things the other
way round, to show how rational contemporary
society is (which actually it is not)!” [DS Lit.]
"The social worker was angered by the sordid
housing provided for the homeless.” [Barrons]
605. Sordid
Filthy, base, morally degraded
"In order to rescue Han Solo, Princess Leia
camouflaged herself in the helmet and cloak of a
space bandit (an enemy aircraft).” [Barrons]
606. Camouflage /ˈkaməˌfläZH/ 
Disguise; conceal
"The canny Scotsman was more than a match for the
swindlers.” [DS Lit.]
607. Canny
Shrewd, thrifty
"Laxy was a master of polemical rhetoric; she should
have worn a T-shirt with the slogan “Born to
Debate.” [Barron]
608. Polemical
Aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious
“In the meticulous reconstruction of a lover's anguish
and despondency, Pamuk's book also provides rich
details of the pleasures of Istanbul.” [DS Lit.]
“To the distress of his parents, William became
seriously despondent after he broke up with Jan.”
[Barrons]
609. Despondent
Depressed; gloomy
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“Unfortunately, little did Kemal know that Fusun
would break up with him and fail to show up for
their pre-planned tryst the following day.” [DS Lit.]
“The lovers kept their tryst even though they realized
their danger.” [Barrons]
610. Tryst /trist/
Meeting; a date
“It was a night for the souls to mate, without any
desires for the flesh. The warmth from within each
was enough to beat the cold trying to sear through
the other.” [Star Insight]
"Accidentally brushing against the hot grill, she
seared her hand badly.” [Barrons]
611. Sear
Burn, char, brand
“I go to bed, pull the sheets up to my chin, and close
my tired eyes when the candle on my desk
extinguishes itself. I fall into slumber, dreaming the
same array of events that took place in the night of
12th Dec '78.” [Star Insight]
"Sleeping Beauty slumbered in her forest castle.”
[Barrons]
612. Slumber
Sleep
“In the Godfather, Michael Corleone is unwilling to
expose his wife and children to the seamy side of his
life as the son of a Mafia don.” [Barrons]
613. Seamy
Sordid, unwholesome
“A motley hand-picked council of 10 advisors headed
by a chief advisor to be appointed by the president
would constitute the CTG which would govern the
country and conduct parliamentary election. It is
clearly an aberration of democracy.” [DS]
614. Motley
Multi-colored, mixed
“He was unhappy with the conditions of modern
living, was hopelessly impecunious and often
expressed a deeply tragic sensibility.” [DS Ent,
Jibanananda]
615. Impecunious
A state of lacking money; destitute; indigent
“The twin drivers of America's nascent protest
movement against the financial sector are injustice
and invisibility, the very grievances that drove the
Arab Spring.” [Occupied Wall Street, Seen From
Abroad, NYT]
616. Nascent /ˈnāsənt/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Incipient, coming into being
“It's not hard to discern a political agenda taking
shape.” [NYT cont]
617. Discernible
Distinguishable, perceivable
“I am beginning to suspect that people abroad with
long experience of disenfranchisement and
trampling of their dignity may in fact understand the
fissures in our society better than we do ourselves.”
[NYT cont]
618. Fissure
Crevice: a long narrow depression in a surface
“His composure had the effect of stoking her anger.”
[Oxford Dic]
619. Stoke
Stir up or tend; a fire; encourage; incite
“Her father had signed an agreement with India
providing for freedom of movement for the people
living in Dahagram-Angorpota enclaves in
Lalmonirhat. But the Father of the Nation's move did
not secure a positive response from India at the
time.” [2 enclaves float in joy, DS]
620. Enclave
Territory enclosed within an alien land
“All-female virgin bodyguard Retinue: They
apparently weren't around when Gaddafi needed
them most on Thursday, but the eccentric dictator
was historically protected by 40 well trained
bodyguards all of them women. The bodyguards,
called "Amazons," were all reportedly virgins who
took a vow of chastity upon joining the dictator's
retinue.” [ABC News]
“The queen’s retinue followed her down the aisle.”
[Barron]
621. Retinue /ˈretnˌ(y)o͞o/
Following, attendants
“The comet veered dangerously close to the earth in
its eccentric orbit. People came up with some
eccentric ideas for dealing with the emergency: one
kook suggested tying a knot in the comet’s tail!”
[Barron]
622. Eccentric
Irregular; odd; whimsical; bizarre
“As early as 1798, Thomas Malthus gloomily forecast
that our ability to reproduce would quickly outstrip
our ability to produce food, leading to mass
starvation and a culling of the species.” [Crowded
Earth, DS]
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623. Cull /kəl/
Pick out; reject
624. Outstrip
Surpass, outdo
“Clemency for Killer; president grants mercy to
Laxmipur AL leader Taher’s son on death row.” [DS,
Crowded Earth]
“The High Court on Wednesday issued a contempt of
court rule against the home secretary for not
producing a record regarding the president’s
clemency to a convict in 1993 before this court as
per an earlier direction.” [DS]
625. Clemency
Disposition to be a lenient; mildness, as of weather
“Across Libya in recent days, people have been
partying, crowds gathering in public places and
everyone has been looking forward to building a new
country after more than 40 years of stifling,
dictatorial rule.” [BBC Online]
“Halfway through the boring lecture, Laura gave up
trying to stifle her yawns.” [Barrons]
626. Stifle
Suppress, extinguish, inhibit
“FRUSTRATED flood victims berated Thailand's
under-pressure prime minister yesterday during a
visit to inundated areas of the capital Bangkok, one-
fifth of which is now under water.” [BBC Online]
“In a letter addressed to the foreign activists, prime
minister’s office of Israel berated them for choosing
to protest against Israel rather than notoriously
brutal human rights offenders like Syria or Iran.”
[NYTimes]
627. Berate
Scold strongly
“Syria has been rocked since March 15 by
increasingly strident pro-democracy demonstrations
which killed 453 civilians.” [AFP]
“We could barely hear the the speaker over the
strident cries of the hecklers.” [Barron]
628. Strident /ˈstrīdnt/
Loud and harsh; insistent
“Not wanting to appear a sore loser, Bill tried to hide
his resentment of Barry’s success.” [Barron]
“His resentment at being demoted.” [Google]
629. Resentment /riˈzentmənt/
Indignation; bitterness; displeasure
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Salvati was exonerated in January 2001, a month
after a special task force investigating the Boston FBI
office’s handling of Mob informants.” [RDAsia]
630. Exonerate /igˈzänəˌrāt/
Acquit; exculpate; free from blame or guilt
631. Floe /flō/
Mass of floating ice
“One of Hannibal Lecter’s little idiosyncrasies was
his liking of human flesh.” [Barrons]
632. Idiosyncrasy /ˌidēəˈsiNGkrəsē/
Individual trait (usually odd in nature); eccentricity;
behavioral peculiarity
“Every atheist day we are surfeited with an over-
abundance of holiday treats.”
633. Surfeit /ˈsərfət /
Satiate, stuff
“Whenever the phone rings, they bicker over who
must answer it.” [Google]
634. Bicker /ˈbikər/
Quarrel; argue about petty and trivial matters
“Because of his surly attitude, many people avoided
his company.” [Barron]
635. Surly /ˈsərlē/
Rude; cross; bad-tempered
“He got bitten on his ankle by a venomous snake.”
[Barron]
636. Venom /ˈvenəm/
Poison; hatred; toxic secreted by animal
“I repeat to you once again my vow of eternal
fidelity and everlasting love.” [Love in the Time of
Cholera]
637. Fidelity /fəˈdelətē/
Loyalty, faithfulness
“What impertinence! There's nothing that has to do
with her that I cannot hear.” [Cont..]
638. Impertinent /imˈpərtnənt/
Insolent, rude
“If the suffering of your own heart doesn't kill you,
the ever-recurring civil war might.” [Cont..]
639. Recurrent
Occurring again and again
“The only thing that hurts me is that I don't have
enough strength to give you the beating that you
deserve for being so insolent and evil-minded.”
[Cont..]
640. Insolent /ˈinsələnt/
Impudent, disrespect, impertinent
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“They disinterred the body and held an autopsy.”
[Barron]
641. Disinter /ˌdisinˈtər/
Dig up; unearth
“Many people consider poetry as a lost world, a sort
of Shangri-La, inscrutable, mysterious and above all,
intangible. It’s all very well for the small coterie of
poets and critics to enthuse over the subtle charm of
poetry.” [English Lit. Book]
642. Coterie /ˈkandər/
Group that meets socially, a small group of people
with shared interest
“Imagine, with John Lennon, a world with no
religion. Imagine no shiny-suited bouffant-haired
televangelists fleecing gullible people of their
money.” [God Delusion]
“The tricksters fleeced him of his inheritance.”
[Barrons]
643. Fleece /flēs/
Rob; plunder
“Many tabloids are so far from being newspaper that
the term has almost become a misnomer.” [English
Lit. Book]
644. Misnomer /misˈnōmər/
Wrong name; incorrect designation
645. Novice /ˈnävəs/
Beginner
 He was a complete novice in foreign affairs.
“Incidentally, my colleague Desmond Morris informs
me that John Lennon's magnificent song is
sometimes performed in America with the phrase
'and no religion too' expurgated.” [God Delusion]
646. Expurgate /ˈekspərˌgāt/
Clean; remove offensive parts of a book
“Among the more effective immunological devices is
a dire warning to avoid even opening a book like
this, which is surely a work of Satan.” [Cont…]
“There are 7,500 open jobs in Heilbronn-Franken, the
region that is home to Schwäbisch Hall. These
include everything from health care to hospitality,
but the most dire need is for engineers.” [German
Jobs Lure Southern Europeans, NYT]
649. Dire
Disastrous
“I believe there are plenty of open-minded people
out there: people whose childhood indoctrination
was not too insidious, or for other reasons didn't
'take', or whose native intelligence is strong enough
to overcome it.” [Cont…]
“The fifth column is insidious because it works
secretly within our territory for our defeat.” [Barrons]
650. Insidious /inˈsidēəs/
Treacherous; stealthy; sly
“In his delirium, the drunkard saw pin panthers and
talking pigs.” [Barrons]
651. Delirium /diˈli(ə)rēəm/
Mental disorder marked by confusion
“WikiLeaks founder enters final stage of battle to
avoid extradition to Sweden to face sex crime
allegations.” [Guardian]
652. Extradition /ˌekstrəˈdiSHən/
Surrender of prisoner by one state to another

“Just as feminists wince when they hear 'he' rather

than 'he or she', or 'man' rather than 'human', I want
everybody to flinch whenever we hear a phrase such
as 'Catholic child' or 'Muslim child'.” [Cont..]
647. Flinch
Hesitate; shrink

“The word 'delusion' in my title has disquieted some

psychiatrists who regard it as a technical term, not to
be bandied about.” [Cont..] “There's something about Paul just feels as
“While the president was happy to bandy patriotic malignant.” [DH S01E04]
generalizations with anyone who would listen to 653. Malignant /məˈlignənt/
him, he refused to bandy words with unfriendly Injurious; tending to cause death; aggressively
malevolent
reporters at the press conference.” [Barrons]
648. Bandy /ˈbandē/
Discuss lightly or glibly; exchange words heatedly

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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 Barron’s List
“If the school and the pediatrician both think the “Hamlet’s cruel rejection deranged poor Ophelia; in
twins could stand to be medicated, then what's the her madness, she drowned herself.” [Barrons]
problem? 662. Derange /diˈrānjd/ 
- I used to run a company with 85 people and now I Make insane; disarrange
can't wrangle three small boys without doping
them!” [Bree & Lynette about the kids, DS S01E04]
654. Pediatrician /ˌpēdēəˈtriSHən/
Physician specializing in children’s diseases

“They wrangled over their inheritance.” [Barrons]

655. Wrangle
 Herd & take care; herd cattle
 Quarrel; obtain through arguing
“The tactile sensation of running my tongue over a
man's nipple ever so gently.” [Bree talking on Sex, DS
S01E06]
656. Tactile
Pertaining to the organ or sense of touch

“She averted an accident by turning sharply. They “To get there, you got to go through the jungle of
averted their eyes when the King entered.” misery; across the chasm of death.
[FreeDictionary]
Good luck with the slow decadence to madness,
657. Avert
Prevent; turn away we're gonna go now.” [Ice Age 3]
663. Chasm /ˈkazəm/
“Everyone knew Bree had the nicest lawn in the Abyss; precipice
neighborhood, and no one begrudged her this.” [DS
S01E07] “The moral decadence of the people was reflected in
the lewd literature of the period.” [Google]
“I begrudge every minute I have to spend attending
664. Decadence
meetings.” [Barrons] Decay; moral or cultural decline
658. Begrudge
Resent; envy “Marrathon is a grueling race.” [Barrons]
665. Grueling /ˈgro͞oəliNG/
“Releasing the documents would be detrimental to Exhausting
national security.
“Anne’s parents tried to curb her impetuosity
Both the United States and the European Union have
without repressing her boundless high spirits.”
alleged that integration of IE with Windows has been
[Barrons]
to the detriment of other browsers.” [Google]
666. Repress
659. Detrimental Restrain; crush; oppress
Harmful; damaging
“Relics of the past…
“Sid says that he is a fortress of solitude, in the ice,
forever!” [Ice Age 3] “These precious relics were surely taken without
consent in the first place...” [Google]
660. Solitude /ˈsäləˌt(y)o͞od/
667. Relic
State of being alone; seclusion
Surviving remnant; memento
“Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile.”
“He is prone to jump to conclusions.” [Google]
[Barrons]
661. Puny “The boy lay prone in the grass, his chin resting on
Insignificant; tiny; weak his hands.” [God Delusion]
668. Prone
“Ellie wait, maybe the deranged hermit has a point.” Inclined to; prostrate
[Ice Age 3]

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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He asks the stewardess for a coffee where upon the
parrot squawks “And get me a whisky you cow!”
The stewardess, flustered, brings back a whisky for
the parrot and forgets the coffee. - [Flight
Attendants Joke]
669. Fluster
Confuse
The next moment, both he and the parrot have been
wrenched up and thrown out of the emergency exit
by two burly stewards. Plunging downwards the
parrot turns to him and says “For someone who
can’t fly, you complain too much!” [Cont…]
670. Wrench
Pull; strain; twist
“O noble sir, give alms to the poor”, cried Aladdin
playing the mendicant. [Barrons]
Fakir-mendicants … [Lalon]
671. Mendicant
Beggar
“Thanks to the good harvest, we had a bountiful
supply of food and we could be as bountiful as we
liked in distributing food to the needy.” [Barrons]
672. Bountiful
Abundant; graciously generous
“I am amazed at the imbecility of the readers of
these trashy magazines.” [Barrons]
“Send a car, you imbecile.” [Syriana]
673. Imbecility /ˈimbəsəlity/  became rich.” [Barrons]
Weakness of mind
“The Frenchman suspected of a spate of shootings in
the Toulouse area planned more killings, prosecutors
have said.” [BBC]
“I am worried about the possibility of a spate if the
rains do not diminish soon.” [Barrons]
674. Spate
A sudden flood, rush, or outpouring
“Police cordon was so tight that the criminals could
not leave the area.” [Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Police like the recent hartal days virtually cordoned
off the BNP’s main office since 6:00am, the starting
time of hartal.” [DS]
675. Cordon
Extended line of men or fortifications to prevent
access or egress
“The heavy-weight boxer looked on ordinary people
with contempt; scorning them as weaklings who
couldn’t hurt a fly.” [Cont…]
676. Contempt
Scorn; disdain
“Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and
death, the most exalted object which we are capable
of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher
animals, directly follows.
There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several
powers, having been originally breathed into a few
forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has
gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity,
from so simple a beginning endless forms most
beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are
being, evolved.” [DS]
677. Exalt /igˈzôlt/
Raise in rank or dignity; praise
 The actor Sean Connery was exalted to the rank
of Knighthood by the Queen; he now is known
as Sir Sean Connery. [Barrons]
678. Grandeur
Impressiveness; stateliness; majesty
An American student wrote to me that she had
asked her professor whether he had a view about
me. 'Sure,' he replied. 'He's positive science is
incompatible with religion, but he waxes ecstatic
about nature and the universe. To me, that is
religion!' [God Delusion]
“With proper handling her fortunes waxed and she
679. Wax
Increase; grow
“You are pretty brazen for women who just admitted
however tacitly, that she just slept with my
husband.” [Bree to Maisy, DH S01E10]
“Her brazen contempt for authority angered the
officials.” [Barrons]
680. Brazen
Insolent; unashamed
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“We could see by his brazen attitude that he was
impenitent.” [Cont…]
681. Impenitent
Not repentant
“That's why you are going to grovel at her feet and
beg forgiveness.” [Susan’s daughter, DH S01E12]
“Even though we have been defeated, we do not
have to grovel before our conquerors.” [Barrons]
682. Grovel
Crawl or creep on ground; remain prostrate
“I’m not a petulant child.” [PM, Love Actually]
“If you had hardly any sleep for three nights and
people kept on phoning and waking you up, you’d
sound petulant.” [Barrons]
683. Petulant
Touchy; peevish; childishly sulky or bad-tempered,
cranky: easily irritated or annoyed, n. petulance
“Thank you sir. I had a premonition I was gonna fuck
up on my first day.” [Natallie to PM, Love Actually]
“We ignored these premonitions of disaster because
they appeared to be based on childish fears.”
[Barrons]
684. Premonition
Forewarning; presentiment; foreboding
“It is the fruition of several years of toil, tremendous
hardship in the last decade and exasperation with
one-off performances.” [About Bangladesh Team’s
Win, DS]
685. Fruition
Bearing of fruit; fulfillment; realization
“Shakib too was excellent and once again delivered
under duress.” [Cont…]
“The hostages were held under duress until the
prisoners’ demands were met.” [Barrons]
“The confession was extracted under duress.”
[OxfordDic]
686. Duress
Forcible restraint, especially unlawfully; threats,
violence, constraints, or other action used to coerce
someone into doing something against their will or
better judgement
“The committee also called for cessation of drone
attacks inside Pakistan and reiterated the country's
commitment to fighting terror and extremism.”
[AFP]
687. Cessation /seˈsāSHən/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Stoppage
“Students, transport workers go berserk over death,
arrest.” [DS]
688. Berserk
Frenzied; angered
“The Tibet resolution would not carry repercussions
but would urge US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
to seek a "full accounting" from China on the
flashpoint Kirti monastery, which has experienced a
lot of unrest.” [AFP, Beijing]
“I’m afraid this event will have serious
repercussions.” [Barrons]
689. Repercussion /ˌrēpərˈkəSHən/
Rebound; reverberation; reaction
“Firefighters try to douse the flames in a warehouse
of Rangs Group in Tejgaon industrial area yesterday
afternoon.” [DS]
“One Christian was put inside a rubber tyre, doused
with petrol and set alight.” [God Delusion]
690. Douse /dous/
Plunge into water; drench; extinguish
“The best thing about being a woman is the
prerogative to have a little fun.” [Man! I feel like a
woman – Shania Twain]
691. Prerogative /priˈrägətiv/ 
Privilege; unquestionable right
“l thought if l was in the band and played superbly,
she might fall in love with me. What do you think?
l think it's brilliant, l think it's stellar.” [Love
Actually]
“She was the stellar attraction of the entire
performance.” [Barrons]
692. Stellar
Pertaining to stars; outstanding
“So the upshot is Maisy is going to turn over her little
black book with all of her clients' names.” [Cont…]
693. Upshot
Outcome
“I hate Susan's house. She has all these weird
scented candles. Her house reeks of apricot hose.”
[Gabrielle, Cont…]
“The house reeked with stale tobacco smoke.”
[Barrons]
“And your feet reek.” [Summer, 500 Days Off]
694. Reek
Emit (odor)
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“You came to visit me, even if it was for an ulterior
motive.” [Maisy to Bree, DH Cont..]
695. Ulterior
Situated beyond; unstated and often questionable;
intentionally hidden
“I think they are laughing at you which is just as
mortifying.” [Bree to Rex, Cont..]
“She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to
her room in tears.” [Barrons]
696. Mortify
Humiliate; punish the flesh
“We'll walk out of here with all the dignity that we
can muster.” [Bree to Rex embarassed, Cont..]
“Washington mustered his forces at Trenton.”
[Barrons]
697. Muster /ˈməstər/
Gather; assemble
“The barracks are little bit bleak but that recidivism
rate is to die for.” [Bree, Cont…]
698. Bleak
Cold or cheerless; unlikely to be favorable
“Prison reformers in the United States are disturbed
by the high rate of recidivism; the number of persons
serving second and third terms indicates the failure
of the prisons to rehabilitate the inmates.” [Barrons]
699. Recidivism
Habitual return to crime; tendency to recidivate
“The sailor climbed aloft into the rigging.” [Barrons]
“The good news sent her spirits aloft.” [FreeDic]
700. Aloft
Upward
“Try to settle this amicably; I do not want to start
litigation.” [Barrons]
701. Litigation
Lawsuit
702. Amicable
Politely, friendly; not quarrelsome
“Deidre's been dismembered.” [DH S01E19]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“When the Austrian Empire was dismembered,
several new countries were established.” [Barrons]
703. Dismember
Cut into small parts
“Hours of ballet classes kept him limber.” [Cont..]
704. Limber
Flexible; bending or flexing readily
“He felt that his fate was ineluctable and refused to
make any attempt to improve his lot.” [Cont..]
705. Ineluctable /ˌiniˈləktəbəl/
Irresistible; unavoidable
“This is before we were married, so you'll forgive me
if I'm hazy on the details.” [Paul, DH]
“My friends think I've gone crazy
My judgement's getting kinda hazy.” [KE$HA]
706. Hazy
Slightly obscure
“Justice Murshed was an indefatigable crusader.”
[DS]
“Although the effort of taking out the garbage
exhausted Wayne for the entire morning, when it
came to partying, he was indefatigable.” [Barrons]
707. Indefatigable
Tireless
“Outside Myanmar, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, 66, who
spent 15 years under house arrest, is a symbol of
moral fortitude in the face of oppression.”
[NYTimes]
708. Fortitude /ˈfôrtəˌto͞od/
Bravery; courage
“The alleged infractions — defacing of posters and
campaigning by government officials on behalf of
the ruling party in contravention of Myanmar’s
Constitution — appeared minor compared with the
harsh treatment of the opposition in years past.”
[NYTimes]
709. Infraction
Violation (of a rule or regulation); breach
“The controversial multilevel marketing (MLM)
company Destiny hoodwinks people by adding to its
group portfolio some companies that exist only on
paper.” [DS]
710. Hoodwink
Deceive; delude
42
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Streep looked consummately enlightened when
Thatcher philosophises, “Mind your thoughts for
they may become your words, mind your words for
they may become your habits, mind your habits for
they may become your character, mind your
character for it may become your destiny.” [The
Beauty of Biopics, DS Mag]
“Unable to resist such beauty, that here, in this
place, they consummated their love.” [Leap Year]
She felt consummate happiness.” [ Barrons]
711. Consummate
Wholly without flaw; supremely skilled; complete
and utter also v
“The country's 41st independence day was observed
yesterday with the nation taking a vow to expedite
the war crimes trial, and consolidate democracy in
line with the spirit of the War of Liberation.” [DS]
“The more expeditious your response is, the happier
we will be.” [Barrons]
712. Expedite /ˈekspəˌdīt/
Hasten
“However, the solemnity of the day was undermined
when supporters of the ruling Awami League and the
main opposition BNP were locked in a clash near the
National Memorial in Savar.” [DS]
713. Solemnity /səˈlemnitē/
Gravity; seriousness
“Yunus loaned $27 to destitute basket weavers in a
village next to his university’s campus.” [Yunus
among 12 greatest entrepreneurs, DS]
714. Destitute
Extremely poor
“She did not flinch in the face of danger but fought
back bravely.” [Barrons]
715. Flinch
Hesitate; shrink
“Many people commented on the contrast between
the prim attire of the young lady and the
inappropriate clothing worn by her escort.” [Barrons]
716. Prim
Very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
“How does newness come into the world? How is it
born? Of what fusions, translations, conjoinings is it
made?” [Satanic Verses]
717. Fusion
Union; blending; synthesis
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Their train had been shunted into a siding.”
[Google]
718. Shunt
Turn aside; divert; sidetrack
“The criminal tried to throttle the old man with his
bare hands.” [Barrons]
719. Throttle
Strangle; choke; suffocate
“The dentist dislodged the piece of food that had
been stuck under my gums.” [FreeDic]
720. Dislodge
Remove (forcibly)
“The people of the country have got every right to
know about healthy sustenance of the unique
ecosystem situated in Bangladesh coastal area.” [DS]
“…poor rural economies turned to potatoes for
sustenance.” [Google]
721. Sustenance
Means of support; food; nourishment
“As Apple and Google captured a younger, cooler
demographic, the Windows maker, with its stodgy
business oriented PC-compatible operating system
and notoriously annoying browser, became
synonymous with lameness.” [theatlanticwire]
“For a young person, Winston seems remarkably
stodgy; you’d expect someone his age to have a little
more life.” [Barrons]
722. Stodgy
Stuffy; boring conservative; excessively
conventional and unimaginative and hence dull
“Her struggles with drugs and her tumultuous
marriage to the singer Bobby Brown, which ended in
divorce in 2007, derailed Houston's career.”
[NYTimes]
“She couldn’t make herself heard over the tumult of
the mob.” [Barrons]
723. Tumult /ˈt(y)o͞oˌməlt/
Commotion; riot; noise adj. tumultuous
“They resented his bantering remarks because they
misinterpreted his teasing as sarcasm.” [Barrons]
724. Bantering
Good-naturedly ridiculing
“Simone de Beauvoir, in her seminal feminist text,
The Second Sex, in the chapter on the married
woman, wrote: 'Marriage has always been a very
different thing for man and for woman'.” [DS Lit]
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“Although Freud has generally been regarded as a
seminal thinker who shaped the course of
psychology, his psychoanalytical methods have come
under attack recently.” [Barrons]
725. Seminal
Germinal; influencing future developments; related
to seed or semen
“Once we accept the basic tenet of inequality on
which marriage between man and woman is
premised, everything falls into place.” [DS]
726. Tenet
Doctrine; dogma
“You will learn how deeply Islam is mired in absolute
superstitions, irrationality, mind‐boggling, endless,
meaningless rituals and customs.” [Voodoos]
“Their rare wheel became mired in mud.” [Barrons]
727. Mire
Entangle; stick in swampy ground
“Abir and Ruma continued to look into each other's
eyes, their dreams holding on to their tremulous
hearts.” [DS]
“She was tremulous more from excitement than
fear.” [Barrons]
728. Tremulous
Trembling; wavering
“The tiger serious mauled the victim and ran away.”
[DS]
“The rock star was mauled by his overexcited fans.”
[Barrons]
729. Maul
Handle roughly; injure badly by beating
“China loathes America's growing military presence
in its neighbourhood. The other three BRICS partners
don't share such suspicions.” [DS Column]
730. Loathe
Detest adj. loathsome
“As one Eastern Europian nation after another
declared independence, commentators marveled at
the sudden breakdown of the once monolithic Soviet
Hegemony..” [Cont..]
731. Hegemony /həˈjemənē/
Dominance; especially one nation over others
“Your scurrilous remarks are especially offensive
because they are untrue.” [Barrons+Lec13]
732. Scurrilous
Obscene; indecent
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Any apprehensions in their minds are misplaced. I
will try to allay their fears....The proposed linkages
are on the backburner," he said in his first official
comments since the Indian Supreme Court gave the
go-ahead to the ambitious project in February this
year. [DS]
733. Allay
Calm; pacify
“The quagmire over the academic activities at
Jahangirnagar University (JU) has worsened since
the murder of Zubair Ahmed who succumbed to his
injuries in an attack on the campus by Bangladesh
Chhatra League men on January 8.” [DS]
“Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on
earth she was going to extricate herself from this
quagmire.” [Barrons]
734. Quagmire
Soft, wet, boggy land; complex or dangerous
situation
“JU academic activities in stalemate ...” [DS]
735. Stalemate
Deadlock
“Although his purpose was to edify and not to
entertain his audience, many of his listeners were
amused and not enlightened.” [Barrons]
“Politics need to by edifying.” [DS]
“Sam took a religion class in the hope it would result
in his edification.” [DS]
736. Edify
Instruct; correct morally n. edification
“From the doctor’s grim expression, I could tell he
had somber news.” [Barrons]
737. Somber /ˈsämbər/
Gloomy; depressing
"Google's vaunted scalable software infrastructure is
obsolete," Prasanna wrote. [readwriteweb]
The report, which was written by an independent
investigative panel established by the Rebuild Japan
Initiative Foundation (published March 1 in the
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists), bluntly states that
the much vaunted "absolute safety" of nuclear
power is no more than a "twisted myth" [NYTimes]
738. Vaunted
Boasted; begged; highly publicized
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“It is associated in our minds with escape from
history and oppression and law and irksome
obligations.” [Into the Wild]
739. Irksome
Annoying; tedious
“That he had spent four years fulfilling the absurd
and tedious duty of graduating from college, and
now he was emancipated from that world of
abstraction, false security, parents and material
excess, the things that cut Chris off from the truth of
his existence.” [Cont…]
740. Emancipate
Set free; liberate
“Her sudden appearance was always sure to
generate a few appreciative glances, a few
lascivious looks, and some downright ogling.”
[About Eddie, DH S01E22]
“He was ogling her breasts.” [Google]
741. Ogle
Look at amorously; stare at in a lecherous manner
742. Lascivious
Lustful
“In Pakistan's fractious political culture, opinions
about the dynamics of Zardari's approach to India
will continue to differ. But his readiness to walk an
extra mile to replace decades of hostility by an era of
cooperation is sound and timely.” [Promise of Peace ,
DS]
“Bucking and kicking, the fractious horse unseated
its rider.” [Barrons]
743. Fractious
Unruly; disobedient; irritable
“An accidental summit may become an important
milestone in the quest for peace and progress in our
blighted region.” [DS Cont…]
744. Blighted
Suffering from a disease; destroyed
“When Wavves took the stage, a cursory survey of
the crowd, packed nearly wall-to-wall, yielded
unexpected results: that’s the guy from my
advertising class last semester I really like.” [thought
catalog]
“Because a cursory examination of the ruins
indicates the possibility of arson, we believe the
insurance agency should undertake a more extensive
investigation to the fire’s cause.” [Barrons]
745. Cursory
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Casual; hastily done
“Inside the government, each new reported remark
by Ayatollah Khamenei is scrutinized for nuanced
changes in tone and emphasis.” [NYTimes]
“Jody gazed at the Monet landscape for an hour,
appreciating every subtle nuance of color in the
painting.” [Barrons]
746. Nuance /ˈn(y)o͞oˌäns/
Shade of difference in meaning or color; subtle
distinction
“Before they could reach an agreement both sides
had to make certain concessions.” [Barrons]
“And so if you are a C.I.A. analyst, you can see the
context here,” Mr. Ross added. “This is someone who
has consistently said if you make concessions, you
only whet the appetite of the arrogant powers.”
[NyT cont…]
“Further, unlike HFO, bulk coal is sold on long term
contracts. This would mean entering into 30 year
contracts, which is the estimated economic lifetime
of a coal-fired power plant, with coal mine
concessionaires in the major coal exporting
countries such as Indonesia or South Africa.” [What
was the alternative? DS]
747. Concession
An act of yielding; concede; assent; concessionaire:
holder of a concessoin
“In February, however, Banerjee’s government
pandered to Islamists and canceled the launch of
Nasreen’s new novel at the Kolkata Book Fair.”
[NYTimes Lattitude]
748. Pander
Cater to the low desires of others; gratify: yield
(to); give satisfaction to
“If you believe that smoking is deleterious to your
health (and the Surgeon General surely does), then
quit!” [Barrons]
749. Deleterious /ˌdeliˈti(ə)rēəs/
Harmful; detrimental
“The brooks coalesce into large river.
When minor political parties coalesce, their
coalescence may create a major coalition” [Barrons]
750. Coalesce /ˌkōəˈles/
Combine; fuse
“Even Tony denied that anything was wrong, Tina
trusted her intuition that something was bothering
him.” [Barrons]
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751. Intuition
Immediate insight; power of knowing without
reasoning
“If they attack us we shall be compelled to
reciprocate and bomb their territory.” [Google]
“Well, I'm about to be the mother of your child,
which means a lot of responsibility and little time for
myself. So if I'm going to get you out of this mess,
you have to reciprocate.” [DH S01E23]
752. Reciprocate /riˈsiprəˌkāt/
Repay in kind; return; act
“Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby’s mirth improper.”
[Barons]
753. Mirth
Merriment; laughter
“Didactic presentation; followed by group
discussion..” [yourDic]
“The didacticism expected in books for the young.”
[Cont..]
754. Didactic /dīˈdaktik/
Teaching; instructional; informative n. didacticism:
communication that is suitable for or intended to be
instructive
“Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for
party’s policy.” [Barrons]
“Rushdie's polemic book..” [FreeDic]
"Dwell on recent polemics on the property rights of
women, weigh the theological arguments. Do they
listen to 'reason' and what they call atheism?” [DS
Lit.]
755. Polemic
Controversy; arguments in support of point of view
“During the election campaign, the two candidates
were kept in full cognizance of the international
situation.” [Cont…]
756. Cognizance
Knowledge; cognition; awareness adj. cognizant
The Iranians were serious and receptive, but in a
sense, he said, “we’ve pushed the problem six weeks
down the road,” and the six powers must work hard
to shape the Baghdad agenda and decide what to do
in response to possible Iranian actions. [NYTimes]
757. Receptive
Quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions etc
In particular, he said, there is urgent concern over
enrichment to 20 percent and expanding enrichment
at the site in Fordo, Iran, “which is almost
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
impregnable since it is under a mountain and which
is fanning tensions,” while there is plenty of room for
more centrifuges in a plant in Natanz. [Cont…]
758. Impregnable
Invulnerable
“At the diary, we employ a centrifuge to separate
cream from milk.” [Barrons]
759. Centrifuge /ˈsentrəˌfyo͞oj/
Machine that separates substances by whirling
them
“Indeed, only a young Ram could demonstrate the
self-possessed positivity that Emma Watson has
effortlessly exuded in that role since she was 11.”
[hollywoodlife]
760. Exude /igˈzo͞od
Discharge; give forth
“The index finger of the non-dominant hand is
inserted into the vaginal orifice and the urethral
orifice is palpated on the anterior vaginal wall.”
[yourDic]
761. Orifice /ˈôrəfis/
Discharge; give forth
“In 2010, Ms. Kantorowicz met two boys outside a
Barnes & Noble and introduced them to Ms.
DiGiacomo, believing that a short film could be
developed around their lives and the kind of feral
independence with which they seemed to travel.” [A
Killing, and Queries about a Life, NYTimes]
“Abandoned by their owners, dogs may revert to
their feral state, roaming the woods in packs.”
[Barrons]
762. Feral
Not domestic; wild
“His mother, Karyn Kay, was herself skeptical about
her son’s abilities, Ms. DiGiacomo said, but in so
many ways seemed to her a kind and generous
woman grateful for the sort of tutelage and
guidance Ms. DiGiacomo sought to offer.” [NYTimes
Cont..]
“Under thethe tutelage of such masters of the
instrument, she made rapid progress as a virtuoso.”
[Barrons]
763. Tutelage /ˈt(y)o͞otl-ij/
Guardianship; training
“Ms. Kay, a teacher at LaGuardia, the performing
arts high school, who had worked intermittently as a
screenwriter, had called 911 on Tuesday during an
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epileptic seizure her son was enduring.” [NYTimes 769. Burnish +
Cont..] Make shiny by rubbing; polish

“The outdoor wedding reception had to be moved
indoors to avoid the intermittent showers that fell
on and off all afternoon.” [Barrons]
764. Intermittent
Periodic; on and off
“On Sunday, facing tens of thousands gathered in a
Pyongyang plaza, Mr. Kim did not mention the
rocket failure. Instead, he exhorted his people to
appreciate the achievements of his father and
grandfather, crediting them with developing nuclear
weapons as a deterrent against American invasion.”
[First Public Speech, North Korean Leader, NYTimes]
765. Exhort /igˈzôrt/
Urge; inspire; advise
“A thunderous cheer erupted when he appeared at
the podium, waving a hand at the crowd gathered
beneath in neat rows for the meticulously
choreographed festivities. Thousands of balloons
were released.” [NyT cont..]
766. Podium
Pedestal; raised platform
“Kim Jong-un “is not secure enough” to endorse a
possible demand from moderates in his government
for policy shifts after the rocket debacle, said Chang
Yong-seok, a senior researcher at Seoul National
University’s Institute for Peace and Unification
Studies.” [NyT cont..]
“Communal disharmony led to riots after the Babri
mosque debacle.” [DS]
767. Debacle /diˈbakəl/
Sudden downfall; complete disaster; a fiasco; a
sudden and ignominious failure
“A volunteer coordinator, Abdel Fattah Abu Srour,
said that the planned activities included laying the
foundations for a school, mural painting in refugee
camps, helping Palestinian villagers plant trees, and
attending cultural and artistic workshops.” [Israel
Blocks Activists, NYTimes]
“The walls of the Chicano Community Centers are
covered with murals painted in the style of Diego
Rivero, the great Mexican artist.” [Barrons]
768. Mural
Wall painting; adj. wall
“The soldier proudly burnished his medals.”
[GRECent]
"Sex pleasure in woman ... is a kind of magic spell; it
demands complete abandon; if words or movements
oppose the magic of caresses, the spell is broken."
[Seamon De Beauvoir]
“She sings and sways with total abandon.” [Google]
770. Abandon +
Complete lack of inhibition or restraint
“She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he
planned.” [Barrons]
771. Abet
Assist usually in doing something wrong; encourage
“He abhorred sexism in every form.” [OxfordDic]
772. Abhor
Detest; hate
“Racial discrimination was abhorrent to us all.”
[OxfordDic]
773. Abhorrent +
Inspiring disgust and loathing; repugnant;
loathsome
His daily ablutions were accompanied by loud noises
that he humorously labeled “Opera in the bath.”
[Cont…]
774. Ablution
Washing
“The president of the college refused to abolish the
physical education requirement.” [Cont…]
775. Abolish
Cancel; put an end to, n. abolition
“The abolitionist Frederick Douglass was a brilliant
orator whose speeches brought home to his
audience the evils of slavery.” [Cont…]
776. Abolitionist +
A reformer who favors abolishing slavery n.
abolitionism
777. Orator
Public speaker
“Moses scolded the idol worshippers in the tribe
because he abominated the custom.” [Cont…]
778. Abominate
Loathe; hate
“Her studies of the primitive art forms of the
aboriginal Indians were widely reported in the
scientific journals.” [Cont…]
779. Aboriginal

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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Being the first of its kind in a region; primitive; “If I accede to this demand for blackmail, I am afraid
native; n. aborigine that I will be the victim of future demands.” [Barrons]
“Because the publishers felt the public wanted a 787. Accede
shorter version of War and Peace, they proceeded to Agree
abridge the novel.” [Cont…]
“We asked our guide whether the ruins were
780. Abridge accessible on foot.” [Barrons]
Condense or shorten
“He is more accessible than most tycoons.” [Oxford
“The king intended to abrogate the decree issued by Dic]
his predecessor.” [Cont…]
788. Accessible
781. Abrogate Easy to approach; obtainable; able to be reached or
Abolish entered
“Gas gangrene spreads so swiftly and is so “She was charged as an accessory to murder.”
potentially deadly that doctors advise abscission of [Oxford Dic]
the gangrenous tissue.
789. Accessory
When a flower or leaf separates naturally from the Additional object; aiding and abetting in a crime
parent plant, this process is called abscission or leaf “The steady accretion in the federal budget is a
fall.” [Cont…] concern to many citizens.” [GRE VW]
782. Abscission 790. Accretion
Removal by cutting off, as in surgery; separation Growth; increase
“Every country has its own constitution; ours is “You must pay the interest that has accrued on your
absolutism moderated by assassination.” debt as well as the principal sum.” [Barrons]
[Anonymous Russian]
791. Accrue
783. Absolutism + Come about by addition
The principle or the exercise of complete and
unrestricted power in government; totalitarianism; “The process of acculturation is usually easier for
despotism young immigrants than for old immigrants.” [GRE
VW]
“New York ... is a city of geometric heights, a
petrified desert of grids and lattices, an inferno of 792. Acculturation +
greenish abstraction under a flat sky, a real Assimilate to a different culture, typically the
dominant one
Metropolis from which man is absent by his very
accumulation.” [Roland Barthes] Everyone has heard the adage “haste makes waste”.
[Cont…]
“The question cannot be considered in abstraction
from the historical context in which it was raised.” 793. Adage
[OxfordDic] Wise saying; proverb

784. Abstraction + “The lawyer adduced his client’s good standing in

The process of considering something
independently of its associations or attributes
“And however we define Atheism, it's surely the kind
of academic belief that a person is entitled to hold
without being vilified as an unpatriotic, unelectable
non-citizen.” [Richard Dawkins – Militant Atheism]
785. Academic
Not of practical relevance; of only theoretical
interest; related to a school
786. Vilify /ˈviləˌfī/
Slander; speak or write about in an abusively
disparaging manner
the community as evident of her good character”.
[Cont…]
794. Adduce +
To cite (reasons, examples, etc.) as evidence or
proof
“On an ad hoc basis, Congress has . . . placed . . .
ceilings on military aid to specific countries.”
[NYTimes]
“An ad hoc committee was formed to investigate
Ilias Ali’s disappearance.” [GRE VW Mod.]
795. Ad hoc +

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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 Barron’s List
For a particular purpose only; often improvised or
impromptu; unplanned
“Debaters should avoid ad hominem arguments that
question their opponents' motives.” [FreeDic]
796. Ad hominem +
Appealing to personal considerations rather than to
logic or reason
“New data from two teams of astronomers lend
support to the idea that the universe will continue to
expand ad infinitum.” [NYT]
797. Ad infinitum +
Without end; endlessly; to infinity
“He is now an adjunct professor of English and
history at Mercer County Community College in West
Windsor, N.J.” [NYT]
“Although I don’t absolutely need a second
computer, I plan to buy a laptop to serve as an
adjunct to my desktop model.” [Barrons]
798. Adjunct
n. something (generally nonessential or inferior)
added on or attached, also adj.
“On the basis that Nicky Parsons has compromised a
covert operation, I ordered to kill her.” [The Bourne
Ultimatum]
“To the extent that such sentiment has not broken
through, factors other than the economy could be at
work. Even before the recession and financial crisis
that Mr. Obama inherited, Americans had become
complacent about terrorism.” [NYT]
799. Complacent
Self-satisfied, smug, pleased, contented
“The operations are covert, and except for Bin
Laden, are against shadowy, little-known figures.”
[NYT cont]
“A new fight started, which was more bloody and
devastating, because this time the enemies were
more covert and guileful and more relentless and
brutal.” [DS Lit.]
800. Covert
Secret; hidden; implied
“This blatant distortion of truth about Islam might
work well for those who have no, or very little idea
about the proliferation of many superstitious Islamic
rites tinely performed for the alleviation of many
afflictions.” [Voodoos]
“But it is, all the same, a fairly pointed response to
the sorry state of romantic comedy in Hollywood,
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
which runs the gamut from gauzily implausible
fantasy to blatant and fatuous dishonesty, with an
occasional detour into raunchy humor.” [(500) Days
of Summer (2009), NYT]
801. Blatant
Extremely obvious; loudly offensive
“There are no beaches or Spanish-style bungalows in
the hills, just a scruffy, comfortable atmosphere of
melancholy optimism that suits Tom and Summer
perfectly, in all their imperfection.” [NYT, cont…]
802. Melancholy /ˈmelənˌkälē/
Gloomy; morose; blue
“His epiphanies follow on the heels of long sessions
of reading and thought, and a bit of procrastination.
He is an elegant stylist with a taste for metaphor.
And he has a knack, a predisposition even, for
assailing orthodoxy.” [A Knack for Bashing
Orthodoxy on Richard Dawkins, NYT]
“He soared like an eagle” is an example of a simile,
“He is an eagle in flight,” a metaphor. [Barrons]
803. Metaphor
Implied comparison
“Procrastination is the new order of life.” [DS]
804. Procrastination
Postpone, delay or put off
“Faced with a problem, she preferred to take an
orthodox approach rather than shock anyone.”
[Barrons]
805. Orthodox
Traditional; conservative in belief
“With an intellectual pugilist’s taste for the right
cross, he rarely sidesteps debate, least of all with his
fellow evolutionary biologists.” [On Rickhard
Dawkins, NYT Cont…]
“The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name
to Muhammed Ali.” [Barrons]
806. Pugilist /ˈpyo͞ojəlist/
Boxer
“Although he is a political liberal, he has taken on
more than a few leftists in his writings — particularly
those who read his theory of genes as sanctioning
rapacious and selfish behavior.” [NYT Cont…]
“Hawks and other rapacious birds prey on a variety
of small animals.” [Barrons]
807. Rapacious
Excessively greedy or grasping; plundering
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“When Martin Rees, Britain’s astronomer royal,
recently accepted a prize from the John Templeton
Foundation, which promotes a dialogue between
science and religion, Professor Dawkins was
unforgiving. Dr. Rees, he wrote, is a “compliant
quisling,” a traitor to science. Dr. Rees declined to
counterpunch.” [NYT Cont…]
“In his conquest of Europe, Hitler was aided by the
quislings who betrayed their own people and served
in the puppet governments established by the
Nazis.” [Barrons]
808. Quisling
Traitor who aids invaders
“Professor Gould, who died in 2002, was adamant
that evolution was contingent — that while a
species might progress in leaps and bounds, it was
equally likely that it might reach a dead end, or
regress. If a meteorite hit Earth and destroyed all
intelligent life, he argued, the chances are
vanishingly small that complex, intelligent life would
evolve again.” [NYT Cont…]
“Cher’s father informed her that any increase in her
allowance was contingent on the quality of her final
grades.” [Barrons]
“Huge contingents of law enforcers were seen
patrolling at all key points of the city to maintain law
and order during the hartal hours.” [DS]
809. Contingent
Adj. dependent on; conditional n. contingency
n. group that makes up part of a gathering
“His impatience with religion is palpable, almost
wriggling alive inside him. Belief in the supernatural
strikes him as incurious, which is perhaps the worst
insult he can imagine.” [NYT Cont…]
“I cannot understand how you could overlook such a
palpable blunder.” [Barrons]
810. Palpable
Tangible; easily perceptible
Critics grow impatient with Professor Dawkins’s
atheism. They accuse him of avoiding the great
theological debates that enrich religion and
philosophy, and so simplifying the complex. He
concocts “vulgar caricatures of religious faith that
would make a first-year theology student wince,”
wrote Terry Eagleton, regarded as one of Britain’s
foremost literary critics. “What, one wonders, are
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Dawkins’s views on the epistemological differences
between Aquinas and Duns Scotus?” [NYT Cont…]
“How did the inventive chef ever concoct such a
strange dish?” [Barrons]
811. Concoct
Prepare by combining; make up in concert; prepare
by mixing ingredients, as in cooking n. concoction
“If you criticize a fine genius, the odds are that you
are out of your reckoning, and, instead of the poet,
are censuring your own caricature of him." [Ralph
Waldo Emerson]
“The caricatures he drew always emphasized
personal weaknesses of the people he burlesqued.”
[Barrons]
812. Caricature /ˈkarikəCHər/
Distortion; burlesque; a picture, description, etc.,
ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects
of persons or things
“Your mother made you stay home from school
because she needed you to program the VCR? I’m
sorry; you’ll have to come up with a more plausible
excuse than that.” [Barrons]
813. Plausible
Having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
“But soon another monster raised its head, a hydra-
headed monster with multifarious tentacles, the
worst of which were religious fanaticism and
communal hatred.” [DS Lit.]
“A career woman and mother, she was constantly
busy with the multifarious activities of her daily life.”
[Barrons]
814. Multifarious
Varied; greatly diversified
“When Islamic fundamentalists demanded the death
of Salman Rushdie because his novel questioned
their faith, world opinion condemned them for their
fanaticism.” [Barrons]
815. Fanaticism /fəˈnatəˌsizəm/
Excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or
cause; bigotry; zealotry
“Bangladesh has experienced some terrible carnage
since 1975, particularly in the nineties.” [DS Cont..]
“They could just get the clerk to give 'em the cash
through hypnotic suggestion. Why all the carnage?”
[Peter, Fringe S02E07]
816. Carnage
Destruction of life
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“The onslaught of fundamentalism is a recent
phenomenon, a by-product of the global rise of
political Islam after the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban.” [DS Cont..]
“We suffered many casualties during the unexpected
onslaught of the enemy troops.” [Barrons]
817. Onslaught
Vicious assault; a violent attack
“Bangladesh, like many Asian countries, is grappling
with this new monster.” [DS Cont..]
“He grappled with the burglar and overpowered
him.” [Barrons]
818. Grapple
Wrestle; come to grips with
"There could have been no two hearts so open... no
tastes so similar... no feelings so in unison." [The
Lake House]
“‘Yes, sir,’ said the girls in unison.” [Oxford Dic]
“The flutes play in unison with the violas.” [Oxford
Dic]
819. Unison
Unity of pitch; complete accord
“It was the poets and litterateurs who, through their
works, sharpened the sensibilities of the public so
that they could stand up in unison against the
monster whenever the need arose. Bangladeshi
literature covers two periods --- one stretches from
1947 to 1971, the cataclysmic year of the country's
birth, the other from 1971 till date. Both the periods
are subsumed under the common appellation,
Bangladeshi literature.” [DS Cont..]
“Does the general theory of relativity contradict
Newtonian physics, or is Newton’s law of gravity
subsumed into Einstein’s larger scheme?” [Barrons]
820. Subsume
Include; encompass
“Macbeth was startled when the witches greeted
him with an incorrect appellation. Why did they call
him Thane of Cawdor, he wondered, when the holder
of that title still lived?” [Barrons]
821. Appellation
Name; title
“In 1947, the Bangladeshi (i.e. East Pakistani)
scenario was dominated by the bigots, who chanted
the slogans of communal segregation and opted for
a kind of literature that was removed from the
immediate realities into a kind of jaded romanticism
about the Middle East. But very soon, the secular
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
voice was raised by poets and writers. They
propounded humanistic values and the culture of
tolerance. Poets Sufia Kamal and Shamsur Rahman,
novelist Shawkat Osman , dramatist Munier
Choudhury these were among the people who were
the standard-bearers of communal harmony and
religious tolerance in the pre-1971 period. In 1971,
these values were seriously jeopardized by the
onslaught of communalism and hatred.” [DS Cont..]
“When they were divorced, they had trouble dividing
their communal property.” [Barrons]
822. Communal
Held in common; a group of people; (of conflict)
between different communities, especially those
having different religions or ethnic origins
“Misguided heart, miss play it smart
Miss if you want to use that line you better not start,
no
But she miscalculated
She didn't want to end up jaded” [Miss Independent]
“He looked for exotic foods to stimulate his jaded
appetite.” [Barrons]
823. Jaded
Fatigued; surfeited; satiated; exhausted
“In your discussion, you have propounded several
questions; let us consider each one separately.”
[Barrons]
824. Propound
Put forth for analysis/consideration by others
“You can’t give me a D in chemistry: you’ll
jeopardize my chances of being admitted to M.I.T.”
[Barrons]
825. Jeopardize
Endanger; imperil; put at risk
“It can be safely asserted that Bangladeshi literature
is probably the most vociferous in this particular
respect in the whole of South Asia.” [DS Cont…]
“When Jill asserted that nobody else in the junior
class had such an early curfew, her parents asserted
themselves, telling her that if she didn’t get home by
nine o’clock she would be grounded for the week.”
[Barrons]
826. Assert
State strongly or positively; insist on or demand
recognition of (rights, claims, etc.) n. assertion
“The crowd grew vociferous in its anger and
threatened to take the law into its own hands.”
[Barrons]
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827. Vociferous /vəˈsifərəs/
Clamorous; noisy
“13 grenades were hurled at Sheikh Hasina. 24
persons killed; many were maimed forever. It was
subsequently proved that Harkatul Jihad, an Islamic
outfit, masterminded the attack.” [DS Cont…]
“The hospital could not take care of all who had
been mangled or maimed in the railroad accident.”
[Barrons]
828. Maim
Mutilate; injure
“Although Taslima Nasrin could avert physical
assault in Bangladesh by going into hiding, Humayun
Azad could not. He infuriated the bigots by writing
scathing satires on the fundamentalist mullahs and
by propagating atheistic ideas.” [DS Cont…]
“Since bacteria propagate more quickly in
unsanitary environments, it is important to keep
hospital rooms clean.” [Barrons]
829. Propagate
Multiply; spread; spread and promote (an idea,
theory, etc.) widely
“The more immediate cause of the assassination
attempt was the publication of a devastating novel
named, Pak Saar Zamin Saad Baad, in which he
satirized with extreme vehemence the activities of
the collaborators of the Pakistani army during the
liberation war in 1971.” [DS Cont…]
“Alfred became so vehement in describing what was
wrong with the Internal Revenue Service that he
began jumping up and down and gesticulating
wildly.” [Barrons]
830. Vehement
Forceful; intensely emotional; with marked vigor
“Mr Mueen-Uddin, then a journalist on the
Purbodesh newspaper in Dhaka, was a member of a
fundamentalist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, which
supported Pakistan in the war. In the closing days, as
it became clear that Pakistan had lost, he is accused
of being part of a collaborationist Bangla militia, the
Al-Badr Brigade, which rounded up, tortured and
killed prominent citizens to deprive the new state of
its intellectual and cultural elite.” [Telegraph]
“Two writers collaborated in preparing this book.”
[Barrons]
831. Collaborate
Work together
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Hundreds of communal attacks have been recorded;
the newspapers were awash with reports of rape,
loot and arson. Purnima Rani Shil, Mahima and
other young girls narrated their harrowing tales of
suffering to journalists. Mustafa Panna, in his
recently published collection of short stories, Magha
Aslesha, depicted the stories of communal atrocities
in a moving manner.” [DS Cont…]
832. Harrowing
Agonizing; distressing; traumatic
“In this sensational exposé, the author depicts Beatle
John Lennon as a drug-crazed neurotic. Do you
question the accuracy of this depiction of Lennon?”
[Barrons]
833. Depict
Portray
“Shahriar Kabir has been nearly maimed by torture
and has had to appear at the court for interminable
hearings over the years.” [DS Cont…]
“Although his speech lasted for only twenty minutes,
it seemed interminable to his bored audience.”
[Barrons]
834. Interminable
Endless
“By extending your open arms, enfold all sorrows
and griefs and replenish your friendship.Try being a
catalyst,to prevent a fast degenerating world.”
[Baishakh --- a tapestry of poetry, DS]
“Before she could take another backpacking trip,
Carla had to replenish her stock of freeze-dried
foods.” [Barrons]
835. Replenish
Fill up again
“During the 19th and early 20th centuries, religion
lost influence, but the religious impulse lingered on.”
[Without Gods, NYTimes]
836. Linger
Loiter or dawdle; continue or persist
“Instead, he is calling on secular institutions to adopt
religion’s pedagogy, to mimic the rituals, habits and
teaching techniques that churches, mosques and
synagogues perfected over centuries.” [NYT Cont…]
“Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her
innovations in pedagogy, it took years before her
teaching techniques became common practice in
American schools.” [Barrons]
837. Pedagogy /ˈpedəˌgäjē/
Teaching; art of education
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“For example, religious people were smart enough to
combine spirituality and eating, aware that while
dining in a group, people tend to be in a convivial,
welcoming mood.” [NYT Cont…]
“The convivial celebrators of the victory sang their
college songs.” [Barrons]
838. Convivial /kənˈvivēəl/
Festive; gay; characterized by joviality, n.
conviviality
“Among de Botton’s proposals, I particularly like the
idea of a museum organized by theme instead of by
historical epoch.” [NYT Cont…]
“The glacial epoch lasted for thousands of years.”
[Barrons]
839. Epoch /ˈepək/
Period of time
“De Botton’s book is provocative when it comes to
diagnosing the current cultural ills. But it makes
atheism seem kind of boring, a spiritual handicap,
the opiate of the shallow masses.” [NYT Cont…]
“In a typically provocative act, the bully kicked sand
into the weaker man’s face.” [Barrons]
840. Provocative /prəˈväkətiv/
Arousing anger or interest; annoying
“Walter said these people were implanted with the
worm on purpose. That seems to imply that they're
valuable, right? Certain species of parasite have
been known to naturally secrete opiates.” [Peter
trying to figure out the Snake head , NYT]
“To say that religion is the opiate of the people is to
condemn religion as a drug that keeps the people
quiet and submissive to those in power.” [Barrons]
841. Opiate
Medicine to induce sleep or deaden pain; something
that relieves emotions or causes inaction
“The defense had contended that the collapse was
not the result of shoddy welding by the Chinese
company. Rather, it happened because of a heavy
load hoisted by the crane’s operator. That load
caused the crane’s line to snap and sent the crane
into imbalance.” [Crane Owner Acquitted, NYTimes]
“In Revolt of the Black Athlete, sociologist Harry
Edwards contends that young black athletes have
been exploited by some college recruiters.” [Barrons]
842. Contend
Struggle; compete; assert earnestly n. contention
“China blames Hanoi for that episode, saying that
armed Vietnamese boats were illegally chasing
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Chinese fishing boats out of the area, and that a
fishing net accidentally snagged the research cable.
Vietnam, however, called the damage to the
research cable premeditated and said it was the
second such confrontation in recent weeks.” [Crane
Owner Acquitted, NYTimes]
“She had premeditated the murder for months,
reading about common poisons and buying weed
killer that contained arsenic.” [Barrons]
843. Premeditate
Plan in advance
“The world acutely needs radical reform to make it
less unequal, violent and unjust. The Great Recession
is wreaking havoc and increasing poverty.
Developed and developing-country disparities
remain obscenely high.” [Does BRICS have a future,
DS]
“I am afraid he will wreak his vengeance on the
innocent as well as the guilty.” [Barrons]
844. Wreak
Inflict; vent, revenge
“The slow recession of the flood waters created
problems for the crews working to restore power to
the area.” [Barrons]
845. Recession
Withdrawal; retreat; time of low economic activity
“The crocus is an early harbinger of spring.”
[Barrons]
846. Harbinger /ˈhärbənjər/
Forerunner; herald; presage; precursor
“The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery
of the corpse in the desert.” [Barrons]
847. Presage
Foretell; portend
“Fearing contagion, they took drastic steps to
prevent the spread of the disease.” [Barrons]
848. Contagion
Infection
“The two countries are contiguous for a few miles;
then they are separated by the gulf.” [Barrons]
849. Contiguous
Adjacent to; touching upon
“However, there's no doubt that relations between
the armed forces and the defence ministry have been
recently vitiated. Both are culpable for the prevalent
suspicion, distrust, intrigue and skulduggery.” [DS
Praful Bidwai Column Cont..]
“Fraud will vitiate the contract.” [Barrons]
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850. Vitiate /ˈviSHēˌāt/
Spoil the effect of; make inoperative
“Corrupt politicians who condone the activities of the
gamblers are equally culpable.” [Barrons]
851. Culpable
Deserving blame
“A radical committed to social change, Reed had no
patience with the conservative views prevalent in
the America of his day.” [Barrons]
852. Prevalent
Widespread; generally accepted
“The investigation into municipal corruption turned
up new instances of skulduggery daily.” [Barrons]
853. Skulduggery
Dishonest behavior
“Indian army is rife with factionalism along caste,
community, regional and regimental loyalties, and
mired in corruption scandals.” [Recasting civil-
military ties, DS]
“There is no reason to think the U.S. News rankings
are rife with misinformation, and the publication
makes efforts to police the data, adjust its metrics
and close loopholes.” [NYT]
854. Rife
Abundant; current
“In 2009, the AL government embarked on an
ambitious plan to eradicate the nation's perennial
power shortage on a crash basis.” [DS]
“In devoting herself to the study of gorillas, Dian
Fossey embarked on a course of action that was to
cost her her life.” [Barrons]
855. Embark
Commence; go on board a boat; begin a journey
“Today, we have the capacity to generate enough
power to banish load-shedding but cannot do so due
to pricing mismatch in the cost of producing
electricity and what is politically expedient as
acceptable price for power. The country loses VAT
and corporate taxes due to reduced industrial
output.” [What was the alternative? DS]
“A pragmatic politician, she was guided by what was
expedient rather than by what was ethical.”
[Barrons]
856. Expedient
Suitable; practical; politic n. expediency
“In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article.”
[Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
857. Paraphrase
Restate a passage in one’s own words while
retaining thought of author
“The hungry pigs struggled to get at the fresh swill in
the trough. The surfer rode her board, coasting
along in the trough between two waves.” [Barrons]
858. Trough
Container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of
a wave, business cycle, etc.)
“This variety of hybrid tea rose is more odorous than
the one you have in your garden.” [Barrons]
859. Odorous
Having an odor
“Scent can be remarkably evocative. The aroma of
pipe tobacco evokes the memory of my father; a
whiff of talcum powder calls up images of my
daughter as a child.” [Barrons]
860. Evocative
Tending to call up (emotions, memories)
“Even though it is February, the air is redolent of
spring.” [Barrons]
“A picture redolent of the 18th century” [FreeDic]
861. Redolent
Fragrant; odorous; suggestive of an odor; redolent
of/with: strongly reminiscent or suggestive of;
evocative; reminiscent
“Her timorous manner betrayed the anxiety she felt
at the moment.” [Barrons]
862. Timorous /ˈtimərəs/
Fearful; demonstrating fear
When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful
experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn’t
inhaled, we all thought, “What a preposterous
excuse!” [Barrons]
863. Preposterous /priˈpäst(ə)rəs/
Absurd; ridiculous
“Breaking the shackles of dowry: two young men
wed Laboni and Shilpi, two orphans, with the noble
gesture.” [DS]
“The criminal’s ankles were shackled to prevent his
escape.” [Barrons]
864. Shackle
Chain; fetter
"The casualties include people of various
nationalities and reports seem to indicate that it was
a criminal act," an official said. [15 killed in Morocco
blast, DS]
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“The number of automotive casualties on this
holiday weekend was high.” [Barrons]
865. Casualty /ˈkaZH(o͞o)əltē/
Serious or fatal accident
"Alabama declared a "major disaster" yesterday and
sought federal aid after a series of intense tornadoes
ravaged the southern US state, killing at least 162
people there and causing massive destruction.”
[AFP]
“The marauding army ravaged the countryside.”
[Barrons]
866. Ravage
Plunder; despoil; cause severe and extensive
damage to
"The dramatic nighttime escape of a blind rights
lawyer from extralegal house arrest in his village
dealt a major embarrassment to the Chinese
government and left the United States, which may
be sheltering him, with a fresh diplomatic quandary
as it seeks to improve its fraught relationship with
Beijing.” [NYT]
“When both Harvard and Stanford accepted Laura,
she was in a quandary as to which school she should
attend.” [Barrons]
867. Quandary
Plunder; despoil; cause severe and extensive
damage to
“Parenting, like brain surgery, is now all-consuming,
fraught with anxiety, worry, and self-doubt. We
have allowed what used to be simple and natural to
become bewildering and intimidating.” [Fred
Gosman, Barrons]
“a fraught mother-daughter relationship.. .” [Google]
868. Fraught
Filled or charged with; causing emotional distress
full; replete
In dissent, Justice Stephen G. Breyer rejected the
majority’s interpretation of the word “make.” [NYT]
“In capital cases the Sandehrin went so far as to
acquit a defendant if there was a unanimous guilty
verdict from its 70 members; the absence of
dissension was perceived as evidence of
conformity.” [Ancient Remedies for Groupthink,
NYT]
“The basic precepts of the rule of law are challenged
daily as court decisions are subjected to the interests
of the authorities. Dissenters in Russia are silenced
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
and have no legal recourse against such
oppression.” [Ancient Remedies for Groupthink,
NYT]
869. Dissent
Disagree; n. dissension; dissenter: dissident
“In conformity with our rules and regulations, I am
calling a meeting of our organization.” [Barrons]
870. Conformity
Harmony; agreement
“The boy’s only recourse was to appeal to his father
for aid.” [Barrons]
871. Recourse /ˈrēˌkôrs/
Resorting to help when in trouble
“Even if the bitterness over the pasty tax dissipates,
the aftertaste of an out-of-touch government that
looks out for its own could linger.” [A Tax on Snacks
Aggravates Austerity Tensions in Britain, NYT]
“He is a fine artist, but I fear he may dissipate his
gifts if he keeps wasting his time playing Trivial
Pursuit.” [Barrons]
“The cloud of smoke dissipated..” [Google]
“Her support network, if you can call it that, includes
a butch lighting designer who worships her and a
dissipated former stripper giving glib advice at a
suicide prevention hot line.” [Support From a Love
Sprite and Some Fractured Friends, NYT]
872. Dissipate /ˈdisəˌpāt/
Squander; waste; scatter adj. dissipated:
overindulging in sensual pleasures
“Key neighbors try to dissuade North Korea on nuke
issue.” [NYT]
“Since Tom could not dissuade Huck from running
away from home, he decided to run away with his
friend.” [Barrons]
873. Dissuade
Persuade not to do; discourage n. dissuasion
“When power narrows the area of man’s concern,
poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of
existence. (John Fitzgerald Kennedy)” [Barrons]
874. Diversity /diˈvərsitē/
Variety; dissimilitude
“Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly’s
ability to divine when he was not telling the truth.”
[Barrons]
875. Divine
Perceive intuitively; foresee the future
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“Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy
movement might bring about change in China, but
the repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners
crushed his dreams of democracy.” [Barrons]
876. Doctrinaire /ˌdäktrəˈner/
Unable to compromise about points of doctrine;
dogmatic; unyielding
“Although we find occasional snatches of genuine
poetry in her work, most of her writing is mere
doggerel.” [Barrons]
877. Doggerel /ˈdôgərəl/ 
Poor verse
“Eeyore, the lugubrious donkey immortalized by A.
A. Milne, looked at his cheerful friend Tigger and
sighed a doleful sigh.” [Barrons]
878. Doleful
Mournful; causing sadness
“The lugubrious howling of the dogs added to our
sadness.” [Barrons]
879. Lugubrious /ləˈg(y)o͞obrēəs/
Mournful; dismal; gloomy; doleful
that reality is composed of one fundamental
element.” [GRE VW]
884. Dualism +
Philosophical theory or system of thought that
regards a domain of reality in terms of two
independent principles, especially mind and matter
“The manager walked out in high dudgeon.”
[OxfordDic]
885. Dudgeon + /ˈdəjən/
A feeling of offence or deep resentment
“The dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon
drowned out by the roar of traffic passing our
motel.” [Barrons]
886. Dulcet /ˈdəlsit/
Sweet sounding
“Many people have become very successful despite
having dyslexia.” [GRE VW]
887. Dyslexia +
A general term for disorders that involve difficulty
in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and
other symbols, but that do not affect general
intelligence

“A handsome dowager was standing in front of the “Brave New World is Aldous Huxley’s depiction of a
mirror.” [OxfordDic] dystopia.” [GRE VW]
888. Dystopia +
880. Dowager + /ˈdouəjər/
An imagined place or state in which everything is
A widow with a title or property derived from her
unpleasant or bad
late husband; (informal) a dignified elderly woman

“'Mullickda' was the doyen of the Indian student “The minister donned his ecclesiastic garb and
community not only in years, but also in material walked to the pulpit.” [Barrons]
prosperity.” [Tagore at Oxford, DS] 889. Ecclesiastic
Pertaining to the church
“He became the doyen of British physicists.”
[OxfordDic] “He was a member of ecumenical committees.”
[OxfordDic]
881. Doyen + /doiˈen/
The most respected or prominent person in a 890. Ecumenical +
particular field; dean Representing a number of different Christian
Churches
“He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes
were always entertaining.” [Barrons] “The emperor issued an edict decreeing that
882. Droll
everyone should come see him model his
Queer and amusing magnificent new clothes.” [Barrons]
891. Edict
“There are bargains if you have the patience to sift Decree (especially one issued by a sovereign);
through the dross.” [OxfordDic] official command
“Many methods have been devised to separate the “Banks are often impressive edifices.” [GRE VW]
valuable metal from the dross.” [Barrons]
892. Edifice +
883. Dross A large, imposing building; a complex system of
Waste matter; worthless impurities beliefs
“The history of belief can be seen, at least to some “She was always ready to espouse a worthy cause.”
degree, as a debate between the proponents of [Barrons]
dualism and the advocates of monism – the view 893. Espouse
Adopt; support

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“Mostly, he and Marie relish being together and
with their family — able to finally hold each other
and hug their kids.” [Salvati, RDAsia]
Watching Peter enthusiastically chow down, I
thought, “Now there’s a man who relishes a good
dinner!” [Barrons]
894. Relish
Savor; enjoy
“Cinderella’s fairy godmother rescued her from a life
of drudgery.” [Barrons]
895. Drudgery
Menial work
“Nothing depressed Sue for long; her natural
effervescence soon reasserted itself.
Soda that loses its effervescence goes flat.” [Barrons]
896. Effervescence /ˌefərˈvesəns/
Inner excitement or exuberance
“Man is a marvelous curiosity. When he is at his very
very best he is a sort of low grade nickel-plated
angel; at is worst he is unspeakable, unimaginable;
and first and last and all the time he is a sarcasm.
Yet he blandly and in all sincerity calls himself the
"noblest work of God.” [Letters from the Earth]
“Though Ralph pretended to ignore the mocking
comments of his supposed friends, their sarcasm
wounded him deeply.” [Barrons]
897. Sarcasm
Scornful remark; stinging rebuke
“I was bowled over by the exuberance of Amy’s
welcome. Cheeks glowing, she was the picture of
exuberant good health.” [Barrons]
898. Exuberance /igˈzo͞obərəns/
Overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm;
flamboyance; lavishness
“The ravenous dog upset several garbage pails in its
search for food.” [Barrons]
899. Ravenous
Extremely hungry
“This hapless creature had never known a moment’s
pleasure.” [Barrons]
900. Hapless
Unfortunate
“The Hilo Hula Festival featured an undulating sea of
grass skirts.” [Barrons]
901. Undulating
Moving with a wavelike motion
“Cogitate on this problem; the solution will come.”
[Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
902. Cogitate
Think over
“It is a morality tale about what happens in the
absence of parental vigilance, the kind of story that
no matter how hyperbolic, could easily move the
mother or father of an enigmatic 15-year-old to
install continuous home surveillance.” [NyT cont…]
“From the battlement, the vigilant sentry kept his
eyes open for any sign of enemy troops
approaching.” [Barrons]
903. Vigilant
Watchfully awake; alert to spot danger
“What do women want?” asked Dr. Sigmund Freud.
Their behavior was an enigma to him. [Barrons]
904. Enigma /iˈnigmə/
Puzzle; mystery
“In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the spirit Ariel is an
ethereal creature, too airy and unearthly for our
mortal world.” [Barrons]
905. Ethereal
Light; heavenly; unusually refined
“Sitting on the beach, Mrs. Dalloway watched the
tide ebb: the waters receded, drawing away from
her as she sat there all alone.” [Barrons]
906. Ebb
Recede; lessen
“Huck hung his head in shame as Miss Watson
enumerated his many flaws.” [Barrons]
907. Enumerate
List; mention one by one
“Then again, maybe some of you have come to
Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable
that you feel confident enough to not pay attention.”
[Professor Snape about Harry Potter]
“The big database software company’s agreement
Monday to buy Sun for $7.4 billion, analysts say, also
promises to make Oracle a more formidable
competitor in the lucrative market for corporate
computing, especially against I.B.M., Sun’s previous
suitor.” [In Sun, Oracle Sees a Software Gem, NYT]
“In the film Meet the Parents, the hero is
understandably nervous around his fiancée’s father,
a formidable CIA agent.” [Barrons]
908. Formidable
Inspiring fear or apprehension; difficult; awe-
inspiring; tremendous; dreadful
909. Lucrative
Profitable, beneficial
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“Yet Sun has struggled, and corporate and
government customers have expressed doubts about
its future, eroding its business.” [NYT Cont..]
“Limestone was eroded by the dripping water until
only a thin shell remained.” [Barrons]
910. Erode
Eat away n. erosion
“The young explorer met death by misadventure.”
[Barrons]
911. Misadventure
Mischance; ill luck
“Last week, President Obama dispatched his regional
representative, Marc Grossman, to Islamabad for
two days of high-level talks that aimed to reach
agreement on a range of contentious issues,
including drone strikes, the reopening of NATO
supply lines and clearing at least $1 billion in
American military aid that is overdue.” [U.S. Drone
Strike Kills 3 in Pakistan, NYT]
“Disagreeing violently with referees’ ruling, the
couch became so contentious that the referees
threw him out of the game.” [Barrons]
912. Contentious /kənˈtenCHəs/
Quarrelsome, argumentative
“According to the United States Constitution, a
person must commit an overt act before he may be
tried for treason.” [Barrons]
913. Overt
Open to view; not secret or hidden
“The aircraft fired two missiles at the abandoned
school, which had been occupied by militants since
they bombed it four years ago, said a local resident,
speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of
reprisals.” [NYT Cont..]
“I am confident that we are ready for any reprisals
the enemy may undertake.” [Barrons]
914. Reprisal
Retaliation
“Pakistani officials vigorously deny American
suggestions that they are soft-pedaling the fight
against the Haqqanis.” [NYT Cont..]
“Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had
the vigor of a man in his prime.” [Barrons]
915. Vigor
Active strength adj. vigorous
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“It was painful to watch the champion lambaste his
opponent, tearing into him mercilessly.” [Barrons]
916. Lambaste
Beat; thrash verbally or physically
“As she nervously told her story, a friend gave details
that seemed to corroborate her account. Disgusted
with such a low amount, she pressed the matter. He
became angry, ordered her out of the room and
called her an expletive, she said.” [Woman Recounts
Quarrel Leading to Agent Scandal, NYT]
“Though Huck was quite willing to corroborate
Tom’s story, Aunt Polly knew better than to believe
either of them.” [Barrons]
917. Corroborate
Confirm; support
“The sergeant’s remarks were filled with expletives
that offended the new recruits.” [Barrons]
918. Expletives
Interjection; profane oath
“Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the senior
Republican on the Homeland Security Committee,
said the woman’s account generally comported with
what Secret Service officials said occurred.” [Woman
Recounts Quarrel Leading to Agent Scandal, NYT]
“He comported himself with great dignity.” [Barrons]
919. Comport
Bear one’s self; behave; archaic accord or agree
with
“Apple’s domestic tax bill has piqued particular
curiosity among corporate tax experts because
although the company is based in the United States,
its profits — on paper, at least — are largely
foreign.” [NYT]
“She showed her pique at her loss by refusing to
appear with the other contestants at the end of the
competition.” [Barrons]
920. Pique /pēk/
Irritation; resentment v: stimulate, excite
“You fingered Sonny for Barzini, that little farce you
played with my sister.” [Michael to Carlos, The
Godfather]
“The information on 10-Ks is fiction for most
companies,” said Kimberly Clausing, an economist at
Reed College who specializes in multinational
taxation. “But for tech companies it goes from fiction
to farcical.” [NYT]
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“Nothing went right; the entire interview
degenerated into a farce.” [Barrons]
921. Farce
Broad comedy; mockery adj. farcical
922. Farcical + /ˈfärsikəl/
Absurd, ridiculous
“In 2006, as Apple’s bank accounts and stock price
were rising, company executives came here to Reno
and established a subsidiary named Braeburn
Capital to manage and invest the company’s cash.”
[NYT]
“This information may be used as subsidiary
evidence but is not sufficient by itself to prove your
argument.” [Barrons]
923. Subsidiary
Subordinate; secondary; a company controlled by a
holding company
“Today, Braeburn’s offices are down a narrow
hallway inside a bland building that sits across from
an abandoned restaurant. Inside, there are posters
of candy-colored iPods and a large Apple insignia, as
well as a handful of desks and computer terminals.”
[How Apple Sidesteps Billions in Taxes, NYT]
“Jill tried a bland ointment for her sunburn.
However, when Jack absentmindedly patted her on
the sunburned shoulder, she couldn’t maintain her
bland persona.” [Barrons]
924. Bland
Soothing or mild; agreeable
“In the late 1980s, Apple was among the pioneers in
creating a tax structure — known as the Double Irish
— that allowed the company to move profits into tax
havens around the world, said Tim Jenkins, who
helped set up the system as an Apple European
finance manager until 1994.” [NYT Cont…]
“New Guinea, Earth's ecological haven” [DS]
925. Haven
Place of safety; refuge, harbor
“Most of the Council was effusive in its praise of the
proposal. But one councilwoman, Kris Wang, had
questions.” [NYT Cont…]
“Wozniak is effusive in his praise for the Windows
Phone interface, describing it as beautiful and highly
intuitive.” [informationweek]
“Unmoved by Martha’s many compliments on his
performance, George dismissed her effusive words
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
of praise as the sentimental outpourings of
emotional fool.” [Barrons]
926. Effusive /iˈfyo͞osiv/
Burbling: uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm;
pouring forth; gushing
“That Nokia device forms part of a four-smartphone
arsenal that Woz had with him while being
interviewed. The other three were the Motorola
Droid RAZR and a pair of iPhone 4S handsets, though
Woz confesses he's got at least 10 cellular devices in
his regular rotation.” [infoweek cont]
"People are forbidden to smoke in the arsenal lest a
stray spark set off the munitions stored there.”
[Barrons]
927. Arsenal
Storage place for military equipment
“Still, some, including De Anza College’s president,
Mr. Murphy, say the philanthropy and job creation
do not offset Apple’s and other companies’ decisions
to circumvent taxes. Within 20 minutes of the
financially ailing school are the global headquarters
of Google, Facebook, Intel, Hewlett-Packard and
Cisco.” [NYT Cont…]
“In his role as philanthropist and public benefactor,
John D. Rockefeller, Sr., donated millions to charity;
as an individual, however, he was a tight-fisted old
man.” [Barrons]
928. Philanthropist
Lover of mankind; doer of good
“Solaris has thrived as a longstanding, primary Unix
platform geared to enterprises.” [Is Sun Solaris on its
deathbed? NYT]
“I was getting nowhere with the book. My mind,
each time I sat down to write, became a thriving,
bustling can of worms.” [Star Insight]
“Despite the impact of the recession on restaurant
trade, Philip’s café thrived.” [Barrons]
929. Thrive
Prosper, flourish; grow vigorously
“Sun officials believe the 16-year-old Solaris platform
remains a pivotal, innovative platform.” [NYT
Cont…]
“De Klerk’s decision to set Nelson Mandela free was
pivotal; without Mandela’s release, there was no
possibility that the African National Congress would
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entertain talks with the South African government.”
[Barrons]
930. Pivotal
Central; critical
“Freudenberger is aware of the pitfalls she faces in
telling us Amina’s tale, and she wants us to be aware
of them too.” [‘The Newlyweds,’ by Nell
Freudenberger, NYT]
“The preacher warned his flock to beware the pitfall
of excessive pride, for pride brought on the angels’
fall.” [Barrons]
931. Pitfall
Hidden danger; concealed trap
“At stake here isn’t — or shouldn’t be — the
question of authenticity, which is a red herring:
nationalities, ethnicities, genders and even species
do not “own” the right to fictional narratives spoken
in what purport to be their voices. Such a
proposition, taken to its logical extreme, would
reduce fiction to autobiography, and while fiction
may well be alive and kicking in the belly of many an
autobiography, to confine fiction solely to that
domain would be madness.” [NYT Cont…]
“If the purport of your speech was to arouse the
rabble, you succeeded admirably.” [Barrons]
932. Purport
Intention; meaning also v
“No, the more pressing issue is that of verisimilitude,
truthlikeness, the illusion of being real, a quality
without which fiction that adheres to the
conventions of what is commonly called realism (a
problematic term, but useful shorthand for the more
cumbersome “let’s try not to draw attention to the
fact that this is all made up”-ism) starts to feel to its
audience like an ill-fitting and spasmodic sock
puppet.” [NYT Cont…]
“Critics praised her for the verisimilitude of her
performance as Lady Macbeth. She was completely
believable.” [Barrons]
933. Verisimilitude
Appearance of truth; likelihood
“In his mind, navigating Android is a much more
cumbersome experience, to the point where he sees
"no contest" between that OS and Windows Phone
— Microsoft's software is much more to his liking.”
[theverge]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“She was burdened with cumbersome parcels.”
[Barrons]
934. Cumbersome
Heavy; hard to manage
“The spasmodic coughing in the auditorium annoyed
the performers.” [Barrons]
935. Spasmodic
Fitful; periodic
“On Amina’s side there is Nasir. Handsome, tempting
and loyal to Amina’s increasingly insolvent parents,
he has returned to Bangladesh from a stint overseas
that included a flirtation with a more conservative,
politicized and — to Amina — off-putting form of
Islam.” [NYT Cont…]
“When rumors that he was insolvent reached his
creditors, they began to press him for payment of
the money due them.” [Barrons]
936. Insolvent
Bankrupt; lacking money to pay n. insolvency
“Set largely in Dhaka and Rochester, with stopovers
in New York City and rural Bangladesh, the love
polyhedron that is “The Newlyweds” is at heart a
tale of never-ending migrations. Its world is full of
mirrors, the refracted similarities conjured up by
globalization.” [NYT Cont…]
“When you look at a stick inserted in water, it looks
bent because of the refraction of the light by the
water.” [Barrons]
937. Refraction
Bending of a ray of light
On May 2, 1968, a committee headed by Mr. Wien
took out a full-page advertisement in The New York
Times showing the silhouette of a jetliner headed
straight for the upper floors of 1 World Trade Center.
The problem, the ad averred, was air traffic, not
terrorists. But, it said presciently, “The total
potential hazard is staggering.” [NYT Cont…]
“Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does
not take prescience for me to foresee problems in
our future trade relations with Japan.” [Barrons]
938. Prescience /ˈpreSH(ē)əns/ 
Ability to foretell the future
Gone are the comforting simplicities of the “war on
terror” and democracy building. The geopolitical
context that America has bequeathed to Iraq is now
defined by five critical challenges. [How Iraq Can
Define Its Destiny, NYT]
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“I hereby bequeath to my son, CharIes Sanford
Babbitt, that certain Buick convertible, the very car
that, unfortunately, brought our reIationship to an
end.” [Rain Man]
939. Bequeath /biˈkwēTH/
Leave to someone by means of a will; hand down n.
bequest
“Finally, the current atmosphere in the region reeks
of an impending sectarian explosion. Shiite-Sunni
conflict led Iraq to the brink of all-out civil war
between 2005 and 2007. Today, a reprise of that
disaster is quite possible. The triumphalism of Shiite
politicians masks anxieties about their community’s
ascendancy. And the news media, especially Arabic-
language satellite channels, are brimming with
blatantly offensive sectarian sentiments and
contributing to an atmosphere of crisis and
impending disaster — prompted in no small
measure by the nefarious work of bigoted and
ignorant clerics, often inspired by the intolerant
ideology of Wahhabist Islam.” [NYT cont…]
“The entire country was saddened by the news of his
impending death.” [Barrons]
940. Impending
Nearing; approaching
“We enjoyed the soprano’s solo in Act I so much that
we were delighted by its reprise in the finale
At Waterloo, it was not the effect of any one
skirmish that exhausted Colonel Audley; rather, it
was the cumulative effect of the constant reprises
that left him spent.” [Barrons]
941. Reprise
Musical repetition; repeat performance; recurrent
action
“President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy
over the Philippines.” [Barrons]
942. Ascendancy
Controlling influence
“The villain’s crimes, though various, were one and
all nefarious.” [Barrons]
943. Nefarious
Very wicked
“In the American-Iranian cold war, Iraq must resist
being dragged into a confrontation. We have real
interests on both sides and can play an important
role in mediating and even defusing that conflict.”
[NYT cont…]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“King Solomon was asked to mediate a dispute
between two women, each of whom claimed to be
the mother of the same child.” [Barrons]
944. Mediate
Settle a dispute through the services of an outsider
“Finally, to prevent a sectarian war in the Middle
East, Iraq must resist the rhetoric of extremists and
push for an inclusive understanding of Islam that
undermines the viciousness of hateful ideologues.”
[NYT cont…]
“All writers, by necessity, must be skilled in rhetoric.”
[Barrons]
945. Rhetoric
Art of effective communication; insincere or
grandiloquent language; excessive use of verbal
ornamentation adj. rhetorical
“But on Sunday, hundreds of frenzied supporters
reveled in Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi’s victory as tallies
from polling places, displayed on a large screen
outside her party’s headquarters in Yangon, showed
her with an overwhelming lead in her race.”
[NYTimes]
946. Revel /ˈrevəl/
Take delight in
“The passivity and indifference of Iraq’s leaders to
these fundamental challenges contrasts with the
ferocity with which they have fought their battles for
political power and influence, and the frenzy with
which they have sought material gain for themselves
and their cronies.
Wise leadership and statesmanship could lead us out
of this morass. Failing that, the forces buffeting Iraq
and the region may very well lead us to a
catastrophe.” [NYT cont…]
“How quickly would the media make a frenzy? In
hours, it would be the biggest story from Boston to
budapest.” [Swordfish]
947. Frenzied
Madly excited or uncontrolled n. frenzy
“Please convey the soufflé on the tray to the buffet.”
[Barrons]
948. Buffet /bəˈfā/
Table with food set out for people to serve
themselves; meal at which people help themselves
to food that’s been set out. (Buffet rhymes with
tray.)
“By recognizing Muslim religious requirements, the
argument goes, countries like France, Britain and the
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 Barron’s List
Netherlands have unwittingly hindered assimilation
and even, in some cases, fostered radicalism. But the
unrest in gritty European suburbs stems not from
religious difference, but from anomie.” [How to
Integrate Europe’s Muslims, NYT]
“The manner in which the United States was able to
assimilate the hordes of immigrants during the
nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries
will always be a source of pride.” [Barrons]
949. Assimilate
Absorb; cause to become homogenous
“Europeans should not be afraid to allow Muslim
students to take classes on Islam in state-financed
schools and universities. The recognition and
accommodation of Islamic religious practices, from
clothing to language to education, does not mean
capitulation to fundamentalism.” [NYT cont..]
"The enemy was warned to capitulate or face
annihilation.” [Barrons]
950. Capitulate
Surrender
This neglect of integration helped an unregulated
“underground Islam” to take hold in storefronts,
basements and courtyards. It reflected wishful
thinking about how long guest workers would stay
and perpetuated a myth of eventual departure and
repatriation. [NYT cont..]
"Some critics attack The Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn because they believe Twain’s book perpetuates
a false image of blacks in this country.” [Barrons]
951. Perpetuate
Make something last; preserve from extinction n.
perpetuity
“The job cuts also suggest, as noted in Valleywag,
which first reported the news, a “loss of innocence”
at Google. The company, with its free gourmet food
and other lavish perks, has been portrayed as a bit of
a worker Utopia.” [NYT]
"The gourmet stated that this was the best onion
soup she had ever tasted.” [Barrons]
952. Gourmet
Connoisseur of food and drink; [as modifier] of a
kind or standard suitable for a gourmet
"Fed up with this imperfect universe, Don would
have liked to run off to Shangri-la or some other
imaginary utopia.” [Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
953. Utopia
Ideal place, state, or society
On Tuesday night, during an interview at the “D: All
Things Digital” conference in Carlsbad, Calif., Mr.
Gates regaled the audience with his strategy of not
bothering to attend classes and then catching up in a
single intense burst during a separate reading period
at the end of the term. [NYT]
"John regaled us with tales of his adventures in
Africa.” [Barrons]
954. Regale
Entertain
"She would sit at the piano and improvise for hours
on themes from Bach and Handel.” [Barrons]
955. Improvise
Compose on the spur of the moment
"Jack’s uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Jill,
leaving her uncertain how to react.” [Barrons]
956. Nonplus
Bring to a halt by confusion; perplex
"Cleaning the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was an
exacting task, one that demanded extremely
meticulous care on the part of the restorers.”
[Barrons]
957. Exacting
Extremely demanding
"She had copious reasons for rejecting the proposal.”
[Barrons]
958. Copious
Plentiful
"The bully’s baleful glare across the classroom
warned Tim to expect trouble after school.
Blood-red in color, the planet Mars has long been
associated with warfare and slaughter because of its
ominous, baleful appearance.” [Barrons]
959. Baleful
Threatening; menacing; sinister; foreshadowing evil
"The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the
sporting goods store could supply.” [Barrons]
960. Accoutre /əˈko͞otər/
Equip; accouter n. accoutrement
"The diva, retired after a glorious thirty years in
opera.” [Barrons]
961. Diva
Operatic singer; prima donna
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"Religion is undoubtedly a divisive force, and this is
one of the main accusations leveled against it. But it
is frequently and rightly said that wars, and feuds
between religious groups or sects, are seldom
actually about theological disagreements.” [The God
Delusion]
962. Divisive + /diˈvīsiv/
Tending to cause disagreement or hostility between
people
"As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once
a ferocious, snarling beast.” [Barrons]
963. Docile /ˈdäsəl/
Obedient; easily managed n. docility
"The spectacle of what is called religion, or at any
rate organised religion, in India and elsewhere, has
filled me with horror and I have frequently
condemned it and wished to make a clean sweep of
it. Almost always it seemed to stand for blind belief
and reaction, dogma and bigotry, superstition,
exploitation and the preservation of vested
interests.” [Nehru, The God Delusion]
964. Dogma +
A religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true
without proof
"The blackmailer extorted money from his victim.”
[Barrons]
965. Extort
Wring from; get money by threats, etc
"No wonder Ted can’t think straight! His mind is so
cluttered up with extraneous trivia, he can’t
concentrate on the essentials.” [Barrons]
966. Extraneous
Not essential; superfluous
"If we fabricate the buildings in this project out of
standardized sections, we can reduce construction
costs considerably.
Because of Jack’s tendency to fabricate, Jill had
trouble believing a word he said.” [Barrons]
967. Fabricate
Build; lie
"Words came easily to Jonathan: he was a facile
speaker and prided himself on being ready to make a
speech at a moment’s notice.” [Barrons]
968. Facile /ˈfasəl/
Easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial;
eloquent
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Terming the government as fascist, Alamgir said
the undemocratic behaviour of the government has
crossed the limit. “We strongly protest and condemn
the act,” he added.” [Khaleda obstructed, DS]
969. Fascism +
An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system
of government and social organization
Details: The term Fascism was first used of the
totalitarian right-wing nationalist regime of
Mussolini in Italy (1922–43); the regimes of the
Nazis in Germany and Franco in Spain were also
Fascist. Fascism tends to include a belief in the
supremacy of one national or ethnic group, a
contempt for democracy, an insistence on
obedience to a powerful leader, and a strong
demagogic approach
"With fatalism, he accepted the hardships that beset
him.” [Barrons]
970. Fatalism
Belief that events are determined by forces beyond
one’s control adj. fatalistic
"The scientist could visualize the fauna of the period
by examining the skeletal remains and the fossils.”
[Barrons]
971. Fauna
Animals of a period or region
"The king is generous to subjects as long as they
pledge fealty to him.” [GRE VW]
972. Fealty +
A feudal tenant’s or vassal’s sworn loyalty to a lord
"Richard II proved such a feckless ruler that
Bolingbroke easily convinced Parliament to elect him
king in Richard’s place.
The film The Perfect Circle tells the tale of a feckless
poet who, unwillingly saddled with two war orphans,
discovers a sense of responsibility and community
that had eluded him in his own previous family life.”
[Barrons]
973. Feckless
Feeble and ineffective; careless and irresponsible
"The fecundity of her mind is illustrated by the many
vivid images in her poems.
Rabbits are noted for their fecundity: in the absence
of natural predators, they multiply, well, like rabbits,
as the Australians learned to their dismay.” [Barrons]
974. Fecundity /ˈfekəndity/ 
Fertility; fruitfulness; adj. fecund
“A convicted felon loses the right to vote.” [Barrons]
975. Felon
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Person convicted of a grave crime “The governor’s appointment of his brother-in-law to
976. Felony + the state Supreme Court was a flagrant violation of
A serious crime the state laws against nepotism.” [Barrons]
“Her fervid enthusiasm inspired all of us to 985. Flagrant
Conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous
undertake the dangerous mission.” [Barrons]
977. Fervid When Mark told Mona he loved her, she dismissed
Ardent his earnest declaration with a flippant “Oh, you say
“I felt sorry looking at the black and fetid water of that to all the girls!” [Barrons]
Buriganga river; which is the culmination of long- 986. Flippant
Lacking proper seriousness n. flippancy
endured pollution.” [SA]
“When a polecat is alarmed, the scent gland under “The editor asked the writer to cut back on her florid
its tail emits a fetid secretion used for territorial prose.” [GRE VW]
marking. Stinky! Does feta cheese smell fetid to “If you go to Florida and get a sunburn, your
you?” [Barrons] complexion will look florid. If your postcards about
978. Fetid /ˈfetid/ your trip praise it in flowery words, your prose will be
Malodorous; foul-smelling florid, too.” [Barrons]
“The prisoner was fettered to the wall.” [Barrons] 987. Florid
Ruddy; reddish; flowery
979. Fetter /ˈfetər/
Shackle “Up to his knees in the bog, Floyd floundered about,
“The hero meets a fey girl who says nothing and trying to regain his footing.
smiles enigmatically.” [GRE VW] Bewildered by the new software, Flo floundered until
“A rather fey romantic novelist..” [OxfordDic] Jan showed her how to get started.” [Barrons]
980. Fey + 988. Flounder
Giving an impression of vague unworldliness or Struggle and thrash about; proceed clumsily or
mystery falter
“Although the bill abolishing the allowances and “Up to his knees in the bog, Floyd floundered about,
privileges of the former princes was rejected by the trying to regain his footing.
upper house, it was put into effect by presidential
Bewildered by the new software, Flo floundered until
fiat.” [Barrons]
Jan showed her how to get started.” [Barrons]
981. Fiat /ˈfēət/
Command; authorization 989. Flounder
Ruddy; reddish; flowery
“To lose one’s marbles” is a figurative expression; if
you’re told Jack has lost his marbles, no one expects “The whole political system of Bangladesh is in a
you to rush out to buy him a replacement set. state of flux.” [Google]
[Barrons] 990. Flux
982. Figurative Flowing; series of changes
Not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of
speech
“a brick formed from adobe... adobe houses..”
[OxfordDic]
“Many children forget their filial obligations and
991. Adobe +
disregard the wishes of their parents”. [Barrons] A kind of clay used as a building material
983. Filial
Pertaining to a son or daughter “Well, it was Aristotle who first adumbrated the
principle that that which no one owns, no one will
“After several fitful attempts, he decided to postpone
care for.” [YourDic]
the start of the project until he felt more energetic.”
[Barrons] 992. Adumbrate +
Report or represent in outline; foreshadow;
984. Fitful
overshadow
Spasmodic; intermittent

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“aerial bombardment of civilian targets...”
[OxfordDic]
993. Aerial +
Existing, happening, or operating in the air
“The mother eagle swooped down on the rabbit and
bore it off to her aerie high in the Rocky Mountains.”
[Barrons]
994. Aerie
Nest of a large bird of prey (eagle, hawk)
“One form of depression, seasonal affective disorder,
is tightly linked with winter.” [RefDic]
995. Affective +
Affectional; characterized by emotion
“Despite Tom’s affirmations of innocence, Aunt Polly
still suspected he had eaten the pie.” [Barrons]
996. Affirm
Positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by
one who refuses to take an oath, v. affirm
“It is better to start writing than to wait for divine
afflatus because that may never arrive.” [GRE VW]
997. Afflatus +
A strong creative impulse; divine inspiration
“Foreigners are amazed by the affluence and luxury
of the American way of life.” [Barrons]
998. Affluence
Abundance; wealth adj. affluent
“Ms. Pines’s irrepressible sprite is an enchanting foil
to Mr. Chao’s petulant and tearful neurotic.” [NYT]
“My friend Kitty’s curiosity was irrepressible: she
poked her nose into everybody’s business and just
laughed when I warned her that curiosity killed the
cat.” [Barrons]
999. Irrepressible
Unable to be restrained or held back
“But thanks to many thousands of refugees who
have reached freedom by way of a long underground
railroad through China, we know a lot more now
about the grim reality. We understand better how
the government sustains its dreadful power, and
where that power could be faltering.” [NYT]
“When told to dive off the high board, she did not
falter, but proceeded at once.” [Barrons+Lec25]
1000. Falter
Hesitate; weaken in purpose; move unsteadily
“In recent weeks the news spotlight has focused on
the 29-year-old novice tyrant Kim Jong-un,
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
performing his family’s time-tested repertoire of
bellicose bluster. Like a lunatic waving an assault
rifle as he dances on a high window ledge, Kim
galvanizes our attention.” [The Day After, NYT]
“The opera company decided to include Madame
Butterfly in its repertoire for the following season.”
[Barrons]
1001. Repertoire
List of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is
prepared to present
“Someone who is spoiling for a fight is by definition
bellicose.” [Barrons]
1002. Bellicose
Warlike; pugnacious; naturally inclined to fight
“Let the stormy winds bluster,” cried Jack, “we’ll set
sail tonight.” Jill let Jack bluster: she wasn’t going
anywhere, no matter what he said. [Barrons]
1003. Bluster
n & v. Blow in heavy gusts; threaten emptily; bully
“Harden’s book, besides being a gripping story,
unsparingly told, carries a freight of intelligence
about this black hole of a country. It explains how
the regime has endured longer than any of its bestial
prototypes: longer than Hitler, longer than Stalin,
longer than Mao, longer than Pol Pot.” [NYT cont…]
“According to legend, the werewolf was able to
abandon its human shape and assume a bestial
form.
The Red Cross sought to put an end to the bestial
treatment of prisoners of war.” [Barrons]
1004. Bestial
Beastlike; brutal; inhuman
“The obvious reason for doubt about the regime’s
stability is the new leader, who seems even less
qualified than his father and grandfather to manage
his threadbare police state. His first attempt to
prove his manhood by firing off a long-range rocket
ended in an emasculating misfire.” [NYT cont…]
“The poorly paid adjunct professor hid the
threadbare spots on his jacket by sewing leather
patches on his sleeves.” [Barrons]
1005. Threadbare
Worn through till the threads show; shabby and
poor
“Along with food, clothing and tools, the border
trade has brought the North Korean populace
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information about the world outside. North Korea
has almost no Internet, but smuggled radios, TVs,
DVDs and cellphones have become more common,
circumventing the propaganda monopoly.” [NYT
cont…]
“In order to circumvent the enemy, we will make
two preliminary attacks in other sections before
starting our major campaign.” [Barrons]
1006. Circumvent
Outwit; baffle
“If the regime is truly tottering, we may have been
focused on the wrong questions about North Korea.”
[NYT cont…]
“On unsteady feet, the drunk tottered down the hill
to the nearest bar.” [Barrons]
1007. Totter
Move unsteadily; sway, as if about to fall
“This is a book of ominous preludes and chilling
aftermaths: the incantatory account of a vacationer
at a war-ravaged resort in the minutes before he
drowns; the Pinteresque power play of a vicar’s wife
whose husband offers shelter to a gallingly
manipulative stranger.” [NYT Books]
“I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to
more serious attacks.” [Barrons]
1008. Prelude
Introduction; forerunner
“The occasional lazy descriptive sentence or foray
into hotel-bedroom farce is recompensed by
Schuster’s vigorous supporting roster of problem-
child players, skinflint team owners and M.B.A.-
flaunting executives. Best, perhaps, is the book’s
small bounty of frisky, take-charge older women, a
rarity in a genre conventionally strewed with the
put-upon young widows of summer.” [NYT Books]
“The company staged a midnight foray against the
enemy outpost.” [Barrons]
1009. Foray
Raid
“Just what’s here,” he repeated, then paused, and
added: “I wouldn’t handle Wells anyway. He’s a very
mediocre writer, in my opinion.”
It was him. David Comberg. [Dear Diary, NYT]
“We were disappointed because he gave a rather
mediocre performance in this role.” [Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1010. Mediocre
Ordinary; commonplace
“It’s not like guys taking advantage of slovenly
drunk or stoned women at shows is some new
atrocity. When the crowd is thick, your nether,
upper, and middle regions are in open season: I am
confident my crotch has been held (inadvertent or
not) by more strangers than actual sexual partners.”
[thought catalog]
“Unshaven, sitting around in his bathrobe all
afternoon, Gus didn’t care about the slovenly
appearance he presented.” [Barrons]
1011. Slovenly
Untidy; careless in work habits n. sloven
“Tradition locates hell in the nether regions.”
[Barrons]
1012. Nether
Lower
“With the first crack of Williams’ guitar, shit got real:
everyone in the scrum started convulsing, their
bodies moving in wild gesticulations in response to
the music, pushing, shoving, jumping, screaming,
punching, kicking, sprawling all over the place – they
were moshing. To Wavves. I expected some minor
excitement, they do after all use big, loud guitars,
but the whiplash was a surprise and wholly
unnecessary part of the evening that threatened to
leave me with a concussion from the elbows
bludgeoning me (I’m short).” [thought catalog]
“Operatic performers are trained to make
exaggerated gesticulations because of the large
auditoriums in which they appear.” [Barrons]
1013. Gesticulation
Motion; gesture
Attacked by Dr. Moriarty, Holmes used his walking
stick as a bludgeon to defend himself. “Watson,” he
said. “I fear I may have bludgeoned Moriarty to
death.” [Barrons]
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1014. Bludgeon
Club; heavy-headed weapon
“And so, slowly and surreptitiously, as the song
played along and my head rattled between Dan’s
arm span, I was able to focus my vision long enough
to see his hands” [cont…]
“Hoping to discover where his mom had hidden the
Christmas presents, Timmy took a surreptitious peek
into the master bedroom closet.” [Barrons]
1015. Surreptitious
Secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
“Many literary stalwarts and critics consider the
tragedy and its portrayal saturated with agony and
anguish to be a far greater literary achievement
than comedy. The emotional content of the tragedy
has a powerful and enduring impact on the
audiences and enlightens them about the intensity of
human feelings and their meaning in life.” [Devdas:
Becoming a household name, DS]
“His consistent support of the party has proved that
he is a stalwart and loyal member.” [Barrons]
1016. Stalwart /ˈstôlwərt/
Strong, brawny; steadfast; a loyal, reliable, and
hardworking supporter or participant in an
organization or team
“The Romans worshipped the apple as an
aphrodisiac.” [GRE VW]
1017. Aphrodisiac /ˌafrəˈdizēˌak/
Substance arousing or intensifying sexual desire
“The crowd jeered at the street preacher’s
apocalyptic predictions of doom.
The Apocalypse or Book of Revelations of Saint John
prophesies the end of the world as we know it and
foretells marvels and prodigies that signal the
coming doom.” [Barrons]
1018. Apocalyptic /əˌpäkəˈliptik/
Prophetic; pertaining to revelations; portending
devastation or doom n. apocalypse
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Although many versions exist of the famous story of
Emerson’s visit to Thoreau in jail, in his writings
Thoreau never mentions any such visit by Emerson,
and so the tale is most likely apocryphal.” [Barrons]
1019. Apocryphal /əˈpäkrəfəl/
Spurious; not authentic; invented rather than true
“an apologia for book banning” [Oxford Dic]
1020. Apologia + /ˌapəˈlōj(ē)ə/
A formal defense or justification
“Rather than act as an apologist for the current
regime in Beijing and defend its brutal actions, the
young diplomat decided to defect to the West.”
[Barrons]
1021. Apologist
One who writes in defense of a cause or institution
“It was hard to remain apolitical during the Vietnam
War; even people who generally ignored public
issues felt they had to take political stands.”
[Barrons]
1022. Apolitical
Having an aversion or lack of concern for political
affairs
“The man had a fit of apoplexy after hearing the
news.” [GRE VW]
1023. Apoplexy +
Sudden impairment of neurological function; a fit of
extreme anger
“Because he switched from one party to another, his
former friends shunned him as an apostate.
An apostle passionately adheres to a belief or cause;
an apostate passionately renounces or abandons
one.” [Barrons]
1024. Apostate
One who abandons his religious faith or political
beliefs n. apostasy
“Proverbs are apothegms that have become familiar
sayings.” [Barrons]
Most people have heard the apothegm from Romeo
and Juliet, "He stumbles who runs fast.” [GRE VW]
1025. Apothegm
Pithy, compact saying, witty saying
“The Roman empress Livia envied the late emperor
Augustus his apotheosis; she hoped that on her
death she, too, would be exalted to the ranks of the
gods.
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The hero of the novel Generation X was the
apotheosis of a slacker, the quintessential example
of a member of his generation.” [Barrons]
“The deist God is a physicist to end all physics, the
alpha and omega of mathematicians, the apotheosis
of designers; a hyper-engineer who set up the laws
and constants of the universe, fine-tuned them with
exquisite precision and foreknowledge, detonated
what we would now call the hot big bang, retired
and was never heard from again.” [GD cont..]
1026. Apotheosis
Elevation to godhood; an ideal example of
something; glorification
“The art of watching has become mere skill at rapid
apperception and understanding of continuously
changing visual images. The younger generation has
acquired this cinematic perception to an amazing
degree.” [Johan Huizinga]
1027. Apperception + /ˌapərˈsepSHən/
Fully conscious perception; the process of
understanding by which newly observed qualities of
an object are related to past experience
“She was always able to find the apposite phrase,
the correct expression for every occasion.” [Barrons]
1028. Apposite /ˈapəzit/
Appropriate; fitting
“The police will apprehend the culprit and convict
him before long.” [Barrons]
1029. Apprehend
Arrest (a criminal); dread; perceive
“His apprehensive glances at the people who were
walking in the street revealed his nervousness.”
[Barrons]
1030. Apprehensive
Fearful; discerning
“When Bob spoke out against drunk driving, some of
our crowd called him a spoilsport, but the rest of us
found his comments extremely apropos.
Apropos the waltz, the dance has its faults.”
[Barrons]
1031. Apropos
adj. to the point and timely; prep. with reference
to; regarding
“Because the Koran prohibits the creation of human
and animal images, Moorish arabesques depict
plants but no people.
The statue of winged Mercury stands poised on one
foot, frozen in an eternal arabesque.” [Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1032. Arabesque /ˌarəˈbesk/
Style of decoration involving intertwined plants and
abstract curves; ballet position with one leg
supporting the weight of the body, while the other
leg is extended in back
“The first settlers wrote home glowing reports of the
New World, praising its vast acres of arable land
ready for the plow.” [Barrons]
1033. Arable
Fit for growing crops
“If you want to increase your word power, the
cardinal rule of vocabulary-building is to read.”
[Barrons]
1034. Cardinal
Chief
“Still, one could imagine a silent cheer going up
around town, from all those witnesses who have
been beaten up, badgered or just plain had their
schedules yanked around while doing their civic duty
by sitting under hot lights in a wood-paneled hearing
room answering questions ad nauseam.” [NYT]
1035. Ad Nauseam +
adv. to a disgusting extent
“Hatshepsut governed egypt for more than 20 years
during a period of relative peace and prosperity.”
[The Pharaoh Who Conquered the Sea]
1036. Prosperity
Good fortune; financial success; physical well-being
“Offered the new job, she asked for time to
deliberate before she made her decision.” [Barrons]
“But after her death, Hatshepsut's memory was
deliberately and savagely destroyed.” [Documentary
cont..]
1037. Deliberate
Consider; ponder; intentional
“Murals bearing her portrait were desecrated,
temple statues were smashed. The first Queen of
Egypt disappeared from official history, taking with
her the secrets of her nautical expedition to Punt.”
[Documentary cont..]
“Shattering the altar and trampling the holy objects
underfoot, the invaders desecrated the sanctuary.”
[Barrons]
1038. Desecrate
Profane; violate the sanctity of
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“The Maritime Museum contains models of clipper
ships, logbooks, anchors, and many other items of a
nautical nature.” [Barrons]
1039. Nautical
Pertaining to ships or navigation
“It was associated with the fire pit, actually, with
bones and... So definitely domestic or even, let's say,
culinary activities. The pottery and ceramics
excavated here suggest this place was used as a
bivouac.” [Documentary cont..]
“Many chefs attribute their culinary success to the
wise use of spices.” [Barrons]
1040. Culinary /ˈkələˌnerē/
Relating to cooking
“While in bivouac, we spent the night in our sleeping
bags under the stars.” [Barrons]
1041. Bivouac /ˈbivo͞oˌak/
Temporary encampment; also v. past: bivouacked
“They have people who are rowing, people who are
sailing. They have the cargos piled up. They are a
veritable treasure house of information about the
seafaring.” [Documentary cont..]
“At his computer, Pavel is a veritable wizard,
creating graphic effects that seem magical to
programmers less skilled than he.” [Barrons]
1042. Veritable
Actual; being truly so; not false or imaginary
“To appear as a genuine monarch, she needed to
relinquish her femininity, don the short kilt worn by
kings, put on a false beard and wear the Pharaoh's
crown.” [Documentary cont..]
“Once you get used to fringe benefits like expense-
account meals and a company car, it’s very hard to
relinquish them.” [Barrons]
1043. Relinquish /riˈliNGkwiSH/
Give up something with reluctance; yield
1044. Don
Put on
“There's no backstay, so that mast yoke is
substituting for a backstay. Lake Borolos has some
strange-looking flat sailboats with short masts and
huge sails.” [cont..]
“l don’t wish to be yoked to him in marriage, as if we
were cattle pulling a plow.” [Barrons]
1045. Yoke
Join together, unite; also n.
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Let us be serious; this is not a ludicrous issue.”
[Barrons]
1046. Ludicrous
Laughable; trifling
“Microsoft had just begun working with Compaq to
use their Windows NT operating system running on
beefed up Intel x86 systems to infringe on that
market, but much to Sun's chagrin, Microsoft and
Compaq were being supremely successful in doing
so.” [Java vs .Net, toolbox]
1047. Infringe
Violate, encroach
“Embarrassed by his parents’ shabby, working-class
appearance, Doug felt their visit to his school would
bring him nothing but chagrin.
A person filled with chagrin doesn’t grin: he’s too
mortified.” [Barrons]
1048. Chagrin /SHəˈgrin/
Vexation (caused by humiliation or injured pride);
disappointment
“Jane rather liked a man to be masterful, but Mr.
Rochester seemed so bent on getting his own way
that he was actually imperious!” [Barrons]
1049. Imperious /imˈpi(ə)rēəs/
Domineering; haughty
“Armies augment their forces by calling up
reinforcements; teachers augment their salaries by
taking odd jobs.” [Barrons]
1050. Augment /ôgˈment/
Increase; add to
“John was so engrossed in his studies that he did not
hear his mother call.” [Barrons]
1051. Engross
Occupy fully
“That capacity for complete aloofness in the midst of
contacts, that sudden communion (the act of
participating in the celebration) with the inner life in
the intervals of spoken words, that faculty of
abstracting oneself from one's surroundings, he
shared with the prophets and the visionaries, such
men one may come to know very well and yet never
be familiar with.” [Tagore at Oxford Coda]
1052. Faculty /ˈfakəltē/
Mental or bodily powers; ability; teaching staff
“After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his
pellucid style very enjoyable.” [Barrons]
“Mountains reflected in the pellucid waters
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He writes, as always, in pellucid prose.” [Google]
1053. Pellucid /pəˈlo͞osid/
Transparent; limpid; easy to understand
“She spoke French with fluency and ease.” [Barrons]
1054. Fluency
Smoothness of speech
“We can overlook the foibles of our friends; no one is
perfect.” [Barrons]
1055. Foible /ˈfoibəl/
Weakness; slight fault
“Don’t be foolhardy. Get the advice of experienced
people before undertaking this venture.” [Barrons]
1056. Foolhardy
Rash; reckless
“Suspecting no conspiracies against him, Caesar
gently ridiculed his wife’s forebodings about the Ides
of March.” [Barrons]
1057. Foreboding
Premonition of evil
“A report by forensic experts filed with an appeals
court on Wednesday casts doubt on the DNA
evidence used to convict Amanda Knox and her
Italian ex-boyfriend for the 2007 murder of a British
student.” [Italian Experts Question Evidence in Knox
Case, NYT]
“In her best forensic manner, the lawyer addressed
the jury.” [Barrons]
1058. Forensic /fəˈrenzik/
Relating to debate or courts of law; also n. scientific
tests or techniques used in connection with the
detection of crime
“In retrospect, political analysts realized that
Yeltsin’s defiance of the attempted coup
foreshadowed his emergence as the dominant figure
of the new Russian republic.” [Barrons]
1059. Foreshadow
Give an indication beforehand; portend; prefigure
“The Museum of Graphic Arts is holding a
retrospective showing of the paintings of Michael
Whelan over the past two decades.” [Barrons]
1060. Retrospective
Looking back on the past n. retrospection
“Are there some things I might forgo to help save
some cash?” [Cutting Back To Save, NYT]
“She enjoys an almost saintlike aura among some of
her followers as a woman who gave everything for
her nation, losing both her father and her mother,
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
and then forwent marriage and children.” [In a
Rowdy Democracy, a Dictator’s Daughter With an
Unsoiled Aura, NYT]
1061. Forego
Give up; do without
Mrs. Clinton said it was important that “everybody
take seriously any disappearance, any violence
against activists, any oppression of civil society, any
intimidation of the press.” [Clinton Urges
Bangladeshis to End Strife, NYT]
1062. Intimidate
Frighten
“It is a sign of Syria’s increasing isolation and the
repugnance that all responsible governments should
feel toward Mr. Assad’s murderous ways.” [Killing in
Syria, NYT]
1063. Repugnance
Loathing; aversion; repulsion
“On Thursday, foreign policy heavyweights will
gather in London and spend about six hours trying to
solve a problem that has bedeviled this forlorn
country for more than 20 years: establishing a
functional government.” [World Leaders Are
Meeting in a Script All Too Familiar to Somalis, NYT]
1064. Forlorn
Sad and lonely; wretched
“Economists and statisticians were needed to help
formulate economic policy.” [Google]
1065. Formulate +
To conceive; plan; frame
“No one expected Foster to forsake his wife and
children and run off with another woman.” [Barrons]
1066. Forsake
Desert; abandon; renounce
“The captured knight could escape death only if he
agreed to forswear Christianity and embrace Islam
as the one true faith.” [Barrons]
1067. Forswear
Renounce; abandon; repudiate
“I am not eager to play this rather serious role, for
my forte is comedy.” [Barrons]
1068. Forte
Strong point or special talent
“Though he pretended their encounter was
fortuitous, he’d actually been hanging around her
usual haunts for the past two weeks, hoping she’d
turn up.” [Barrons]
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“The similarity between the paintings may not be
simply fortuitous.” [Google]
1069. Fortuitous /fôrˈto͞oətəs/
Accidental; by chance
“After hitting the submerged iceberg, the Titanic
started taking in water rapidly and soon foundered.”
[Barrons]
“The talks foundered on the issue of reform.”
[Google]
1070. Founder
Fail completely; sink
“The military police stopped the fracas in the bar
and arrested the belligerents.” [Barrons]
1071. Fracas /ˈfrākəs/
Brawl, melee; affray: noisy quarrel
“Whenever he had too much to drink, he became
belligerent and tried to pick fights with strangers.”
[Barrons]
1072. Belligerent /bəˈlijərənt/
Quarrelsome; warring, militant, bellicose
“After his liver transplant, while he was recuperating
at home in Palo Alto, California, Steve invited me
over to catch up on industry events that had
transpired during his illness.” [The Steve Jobs I Knew,
Walt Mossberg]
“The doctors were worried because the patient did
not recuperate as rapidly as they had expected.”
[Barrons]
1073. Recuperate
Recover; convalesce; regain
“It turned into a three-hour visit, punctuated by a
walk to a nearby park that he insisted we take,
despite my nervousness about his frail condition.”
[Walt Mossberg cont..]
1074. Frail
Weak; fragile, weak, delicate, feeble
“To-day women constitute the only class of sane
people excluded from the franchise ...” [Mary
Putnam Jacobi]
“The city issued a franchise to the company to
operate surface transit lines on the streets for 99
years.” [Barrons]
1075. Franchise /ˈfranˌCHīz/
Right granted by authority; right to vote; license to
sell a product in a particular territory; suffrage,
privilege, prerogative
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“At the time of the collision, many people became
frantic with fear.” [Barrons]
“Frantic attempts to resuscitate the girl” [Google]
1076. Frantic
Wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other
emotion; furious; frenzied; frenetic
“Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper on a dry
wall rather than on wet plaster, so it is not a true
fresco.” [Wikipedia]
1077. Fresco
Painting on plaster (usually fresh)
“The frieze of the church was adorned with
sculpture.” [Barrons]
1078. Frieze
Ornamental band on a wall
“This court is convened to address the custodial
status of one Max Kenton, age 11.” [Real Still]
1079. Convene
Assemble; come together
“Please peruse this report at your leisure.”
[WordWeb]
1080. Peruse /pəˈro͞oz/
Read with care n. perusal
“She was called upon to arbitrate the dispute
between the union and the management.” [Barrons]
1081. Arbitrate
Act as judge n. arbitrator
“A hairy quadruped, furnished with a tail and
pointed ears, probably arboreal in its habits.”
[Charles Darwin]
“Scientists say that the distant ancestors of human
beings were small arboreal creatures.” [GRE VW]
1082. Arboreal +
Living in or among trees; arboreous
“Technology is always arcane to those who don't
understand it.” [Reference Dic]
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“In spite of the fact that religion looks backward to Heat; passion; zeal; fervor; enthusiasm
revealed truth while science looks forward to new “The obsolete argot of the underworld was deleted
vistas and discoveries, both activities produce a as suggested by.
sense of awe and a curious mixture of humility and
arrogance in their practitioners. All great scientists But as a party trick, reproducing kitchen argot
are inspired by the subtlety and beauty of the outside the kitchen does not enchant all audiences
natural world that they are seeking to understand. equally.” [Reference Dic]
Each new subatomic particle, every unexpected 1089. Argot /ˈärgō/
object, produces delight and wonderment. In The jargon or slang of a particular group or class
constructing their theories, physicists are frequently “The cactus has adapted to survive in an arid
guided by arcane concepts of elegance in the belief environment.” [Barrons]
that the universe is intrinsically beautiful.” [Paul
Davies]
1083. Arcane
Secret; mysterious; known only to the initiated;
occult; esoteric n. arcana: secrets

“Archaeology has discovered that the Egyptian

pyramids were built by about 20,000 people working
in teams.” [GRE VW]
1084. Archaeology
Study of artifacts and relics of early mankind;
archeology
1090. Arid /ˈärgō/
“Still, many gas producers are happy enough with
Dry; barren; droughty
the archaic pricing structure, particularly when oil
prices are high.” [Reference Dic] “Americans have mixed feelings about hereditary
aristocracy: we say all men are created equal, but
1085. Archaic
Antiquated; obsolete we describe particularly outstanding people as
natural aristocrats.” [Barrons]
“Sherlock Holmes is the archetype for many other
1091. Aristocracy
intellectual sleuths.” [GRE VW] Hereditary nobility; privileged class
“The Brooklyn Bridge was the archetype of the spans “His actions were bound to array public sentiment
that now connect Manhattan with Long Island and against him.
New Jersey.” [Barrons]
She liked to watch her mother array herself in her
1086. Archetype /ˈärk(i)ˌtīp/ finest clothes before going out for the evening.”
Prototype; primitive pattern adj. archetypal: being [Barrons]
original
1092. Array
“Indonesia is a nation in the Malay archipelago n & v. Marshal; draw up in order
consisting of over 13,000 islands.” [GRE VW] Clothe; adorn
“When he looked at the map and saw the “The new president felt he had to guard against the
archipelagoes in the South Seas, he longed to visit arrogance that can come with winning an election.”
them.” [Barrons] [GRE VW]
1087. Archipelago /ˌärkəˈpeləˌgō/ 1093. Arrogance
Group of closely located islands Pride; haughtiness

“Katya’s ardor was contagious; soon all her fellow “They arrogate to themselves the ability to divine
demonstrators were busily making posters and the nation's true interests.” [Google]
handing out flyers, inspired by her ardent 1094. Arrogate +
enthusiasm for the cause.” [Barrons] Usurp, appropriate, assume
1088. Ardor /ˈärdər/

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“By using accurate details to suggest a misleading
picture of the whole, the artful propagandist turns
partial truths into more effective instruments of
deception than lies.” [Barrons]
1095. Artful
Cunning; crafty; disingenuous; wily; tricky; sly;
canny
“The Trojan War proved to the Greeks that cunning
and artifice were often more effective than military
might.” [Barrons]
1096. Artifice
Deception; trickery
“Elderly artisans from Italy trained Harlem teenagers
to carve the stone figures that would decorate the
new wing of the cathedral.” [Barrons]
1097. Artisan /ˈärtizən/
Manually skilled worker; craftsman, as opposed to
artist
“Some executives ascend to top-level positions.
She ascended the stairs.” [Google]
1098. Ascend +
To rise or climb
“President Marcos failed to maintain his ascendancy
over the Philippines.” [Barrons]
“The ascendancy of China is worrying many leaders
in Japan.” [GRE VW]
1099. Ascendancy
Controlling influence; dominance adj. ascendant
“When the clown placed his hat askew upon his
head, the children in the audience laughed.”
[Barrons]
1100. Askew
Crookedly; slanted; at an angle
“These remarks, spoken with asperity, stung the
boys to whom they had been directed.” [Barrons]
1101. Asperity
Sharpness (of temper)
“Rather than attacking President Cleveland’s
arguments with logic, his opponent resorted to
casting aspersions on the president’s moral
character.” [Barrons]
1102. Aspersion
Slanderous remark
“Although I am an aspirant for public office, I am not
willing to accept the dictates of the party bosses.”
[Barrons]
1103. Aspirant
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Seeker after position or status
“They made an assay of the contents.” [Google]
“When they assayed the ore, they found that they
had discovered a very rich vein.” [Barrons]
1104. Assay
Analyze; evaluate also n.
“It gives me great pleasure to assent to your
request.” [Barrons]
1105. Assent
v & n. agree; accept
“Before leaving this preliminary chapter I need to
deal with one more matter that would otherwise
bedevil the whole book.” [God Delusion]
“He bedeviled them with petty practical jokes.”
[Google]
1106. Bedevil +
Cause great and continual trouble; confuse; harass
“Here's a particular example of our society's
overweening respect for religion, one that really
matters.” [Cont..]
“His overweening pride in his accomplishments was
not justified.” [Barrons]
1107. Overweening /ˈōvərˈwēniNG/
Presumptuous; arrogant
“A conscientious editor, she checked every definition
for its accuracy.” [Barrons]
1108. Conscientious /ˌkänCHēˈenCHəs/
Scrupulous; careful
“At the opposite end of the spectrum from pacifism,
we have a pusillanimous reluctance to use religious
names for warring factions.” [Cont..]
“During the war, pacifists, though they refused to
bear arms, served in the front lines as ambulance
drivers and medical corpsmen.” [Barrons]
1109. Pacifist
n & adj. One opposed to force; antimilitarist n.
pacifism: the doctrine that all violence is
unjustifiable
“You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous
conduct during this dispute.” [Barrons]
1110. Pusillanimous /ˌpyo͞osəˈlanəməs/
Cowardly; fainthearted n. pusillanimity
“When a church claims an equivalent need, it is
backed by the highest court in the land. Such is the
power of religion as a talisman.” [GD Cont..]
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“She wore the talisman to ward off evil.” [Barrons]
1111. Talisman
Charm
AL wants BNP to come up with its proposal for talks,
while the main opposition thinks the onus lies on the
ruling party as it is “responsible for the ongoing
crisis.” [DS]
1112. Onus
Burden; responsibility
“Mrs. Clinton's words were largely consonant with
the wishes and aspirations of a great majority of the
citizens of Bangladesh, as well as the NRBs across
the world.” [Hillary Clinton's visit: NRB musings]
1113. Consonance
Harmony; agreement
“Perhaps the powers-that-be will finally listen to the
oft-repeated need to transcend animosities, foster
cooperation, and enable Bangladesh to grow
unencumbered.” [Hillary Clinton's visit: NRB
musings]
1114. Animosity
Active enmity
“She was encumbered by her heavy skirts.” [Google]
1115. Encumber
Burden; impede; hinder
“And if there is a perceptible change in their
attitudes and behaviors, some credit must certainly
be ascribed to the secretary of state and the
significant influence of the United States that
accompanies her.” [Musings cont..]
“His illness is ascribable to overwork.” [GRE VW]
1116. Ascribe
Refer; attribute; assign adj. ascribable: attributed
to
“Largely, her diplomatic words lacked vigor and
conviction in articulating a stronger relationship
between the two nations.” [Musings cont..]
“She takes pride in stating her political convictions.”
[Barrons]
1117. Conviction
Judgment that someone is guilty of crime, strongly
held belief
“Perhaps whirlwind visits are not conducive for
substantive outcomes.” [About Hillary’s short visit ,
Musings cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Rest and proper diet are conducive to good health.”
[Barrons]
1118. Conducive /kənˈd(y)o͞osiv/
Helpful; contributive
“Bangladeshis would have also liked to see greater
commitment of the US to join Bangladesh's fight
against poverty by addressing the growing disparity
between the haves and the have-nots.” [Cont..]
1119. Disparity
Difference, condition of inequality
“Measures such as advancing education and
healthcare to empower the downtrodden to
overcome the inequities would earn Mrs. Clinton
much kudos.” [Cont..]
1120. Kudos /ˈk(y)o͞oˌdōs/
Honor; glory; praise
“In fact, if such disparities continue to grow, its
ramifications are ominous.” [Cont..]
“Who wins and who loses — if anyone — is a matter
of growing debate. But there is widespread
agreement that Europe is rapidly entering a new era
whose ramifications are only beginning to be
understood.” [NYT]
“We must examine all the ramifications of this
problem.” [Barrons]
1121. Ramifications
Branching out; subdivision; result
“Those clouds are ominous; they suggest that a
severe storm is on the way.” [Barrons]
1122. Ominous
Threatening
“When the plant begins to ramify, it is advisable to
nip off most of the new branches.” [Barrons]
1123. Ramify
Divide into branches or subdivisions
“While the meeting seemed to reflect a very narrow
interest, and may have even had a not-so-hidden
message for the government of Bangladesh, alluding
specifically to the achievements of the Grameen
Bank, the secretary provided some assurance in the
meeting about looking into providing duty free
access to Bangladesh garment exports.” [Cont..]
1124. Allude
Refer indirectly
“Inequities such as these could have been cleared up
during such an auspicious visit.” [Ed. cont..]
1125. Inequity
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Unfairness
1126. Auspicious
Favoring success
“For one, an important visit such as this could have
been complemented with the accompaniment a
team of potential investors, however exploratory
their presence, to signal positive intent.” [Ed. cont..]
1127. Complement
Complete; consummate; make perfect
“There was also some expectation that Mrs. Clinton
would bring up the matter of water sharing, a deep
concern in Bangladesh, during her passage through
India. At the very least she could have broached the
guarantees inherent in international laws.” [Ed.
cont..]
1128. Broach /brōCH/
Introduce; open up
“Finally, in a globally connected world, people are
aware of the travails of the United States, especially
the political rancor and impasse that often hold up
economic and social progress in that country.” [Ed.
cont..]
“Like every other recent law school graduate she
knew, Shelby hated the seemingly endless travail of
cramming for the bar exam.” [Barrons]
1129. Travail
Painful physical or mental labor; drudgery; torment
1130. Impasse
Predicament from which there is no escape
“Thirty years after the war, she could not let go of
the past but was still consumed with rancor against
the foe.” [Barrons]
1131. Rancor
Bitterness; hatred adj. rancorous
“When the secretary of state alighted on
Bangladeshi soil and reminded its leaders about their
intransigence in addressing the country's problems
through cooperation, alluding to similar issues and
difficulties in her own country may have made her
statements more palatable and diplomatically more
astute and persuasive.” [Ed. cont..]
1132. Palatable /ˈpalətəbəl/
Agreeable; pleasing to the taste
“The train hurtled ahead and Roma, jammed
between other women, was trying to find some
space to stand safely on when she suddenly got
pushed, lost her foothold and panicked.” [There’s a
Girl by the Tracks, Reader’s Digest]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The runaway train hurtled toward disaster.”
[Barrons]
1133. Hurtle
Crash; rush
“Saying a silent prayer, he lifted the 1.57-metre, 50-
kilogram Roma gingerly and made his way across
the tracks, looking out for trains and searching for a
way out.” [RD cont..]
1134. Gingerly /ˈjinjərlē/
Very carefully
“My sister is injured,” he implored motorists who
drove by. “Please help me take her to a hospital.”
[RD cont..]
“He implored her to give him a second chance.”
[Barrons]
1135. Implore
Beg
“But her X-rays showed that although the injuries
looked severe, all she needed were deep wound
sutures.” [RD cont..]
1136. Suture /ˈso͞oCHər/
Stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or
incision; material used in sewing
Indignant, my sister yelled back over the din, “What
makes you think they’re all mine?” [RD Joke]
1137. Din
Continued loud noise
“If I were to sell the whole,” she says, surveying her
sizable portion of Elvis Presley’s fiefdom, “I wouldn’t
take less than $6 million.” [RD Elvis’s Queen]
“A mafia boss who has turned the town into his
private fiefdom..” [OxfordDic]
1138. Fiefdom + /ˈfēfdəm/
A territory or sphere of operation controlled by a
particular person or group n. fief: such a sphere,
land
“In Hindu iconography the rotation of the Swastika
in four directions has been used to represent many
ideas, but it primarily describes the four directions,
the four Vedas, and their harmonious whole.” [GRE
VW]
1139. Iconography +
The use or study of images or symbols in visual arts
“His ignoble act disgraced his family.” [GRE VW]
1140. Ignoble
Unworthy; not noble; base; vile; ignominious
“For 60 years, the Israelis and the Palestinians have
blamed the imbroglio on each other. Instead of
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blame, it is important that they start seeking realistic
solutions to today’s problems.” [A Reset in Jewish
Thinking, NYT]
“What should one make of the latest imbroglio
ensnaring Yahoo, namely the revelation that its chief
executive, Scott Thompson, had inflated his
academic credentials?” [About Yahoo Chief, NYT]
1141. Imbroglio /imˈbrōlyō/
Complicated situation; painful or complex
misunderstanding; entanglement; confused mass
(as of papers)
“I hope the good name of the company will not be
impugned.” [Collins Dic]
“The newspaper article impugned the judge's
integrity.” [GRE VW]
1142. Impugn /imˈpyo͞on/
Dispute or contradict (often in an insulting way);
challenge; gainsay
“She was an incisive critic.” [Google]
“Her incisive remarks made us see the fallacy in our
plans.” [Barrons]
1143. Incisive
Cutting; sharp; acute n. incision
“All prices are inclusive of taxes.” [Google]
“His concept of history is modern and inclusive.”
[Word Web]
1144. Inclusive
Including much or everything; including
“Unless you find the evidence against my client
absolutely incontrovertible, you must declare her
not guilty of this charge.” [Barrons]
1145. Incontrovertible
Indisputable; not open to question; impossible to
deny or disprove; irrefutable
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“No doubt Jews are most obnoxious creatures. Any
competent historian or psychoanalyst can bring a
mass of incontrovertible evidence to prove that it
would have been better for the world if the Jews had
never existed. But I, as an Irishman, can, with
patriotic relish, demonstrate the same of the English.
Also of the Irish.... We all live in glass houses. Is it
wise to throw stones at the Jews? Is it wise to throw
stones at all.” [George Bernard Shaw]
“I find your behavior obnoxious; please mend your
ways.” [Barrons]
1146. Obnoxious
Offensive; extremely unpleasant
“.. the failures of the churches to inculcate a sense of
moral responsibility.” [Google]
“The moral, intellectual and physical inferiority of
women was inculcated in women from birth.” [Your
Dic]
1147. Inculcate /inˈkəlˌkāt/
Teach and impress by frequent repetitions or
admonitions; implant
“A flute and clarinet virtuoso provided a pleasant
musical interlude.
Virtuoso violinist who studied had been a child
prodigy.” [Your Dic]
“It takes perhaps a thousand poor musicians to
produce one virtuoso.” [Ralph Vaughan, NYT]
1148. Virtuoso /ˌvərCHo͞oˈōsō/
n. highly skilled artist; consummate: having or
revealing supreme mastery or skill n. virtuosity
“The indelible ink left a permanent mark on my shirt.
Young Bill Clinton’s meeting with President Kennedy
made an indelible impression on the youth.”
[Barrons]
1149. Indelible
Not able to be erased
“This article probes deeply into the claims of these
shrewd Islamists.” [Islamic Voodoos]
“A shrewd investor, she took clever advantage of the
fluctuations of the stock market.” [Google]
1150. Shrewd
Clever, astute, sharp
“He must not doubt even a word of the Qur'an, and
he must not deviate even a millimetre from the
Islamic specifications.” [Voodoos cont..]
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1151. Deviate 1159. Valor
Turn away from (a principle, norm); depart; diverge Bravery

“These are words emanating from the unalterable
words of Allah and Muhammad.” [Cont..]
“… light that emanated from a lamp” [FreeDic]
1152. Emanate
Issue forth: give out
“Allah created Adam from the surface of the earth,
taking a handful of all its colors and mixing it with
different waters, then made him upright and
breathed into him the Spirit and he thus became a
living being with senses, after having been
inanimate.” [Verse 2:30]
1153. Inanimate
Lifeless
“When it reached his brain he sneezed. Ibn Abbas
writes that this verse refers to al‐Nadr ibn al‐Harith;
Adam is hasty to encounter chastisement.”
[Voodoos]
1154. Chastise
Punish or scold; reprimand
“…effacing means turning them blind; turn their
faces backward means put their faces on their backs
and make them walk backwards; curse them means
to turn them into animals.” [Voodoos]
“The coin had been handled so many times that its
date had been effaced.” [Barrons]
1155. Efface
Rub out
“Azrail, also known as Azazil is one of the prominent
angels of Allah.” [Voodoos]
1156. Prominent
Conspicuous; notable; protruding
“The inevitable converse of peace is not war but
annihilation.” [Barrons]
1157. Converse
Opposite
“When you flunked you don’t move to the next
interviewer. At that point, a rejected interviewee
gets the gist of what happened.” [Oxford Dic]
“She was asked to give the gist of the essay in two
sentences.” [Barrons]
1160. Gist
Essence
“It is not our aim to subjugate our foe; we are
interested only in establishing peaceful relations.”
[Oxford Dic]
“On the other hand, Windows, being proprietary (or
non-free), is an unethical user-subjugating operating
system.” [edgeblog]
1161. Subjugate /ˈsəbjəˌgāt/
Conquer; bring under control
“The US does not endorse any action of the
Bangladesh government to undermine the
achievements of Grameen Bank.” [Hillary Clinton]
“The report was endorsed by the college.” [Google]
1162. Endorse
Approve; support n. endorsement
“The recent corruption scandals have undermined
many people’s faith in the city government.”
[Barrons]
1163. Undermine
Weaken, sap
“The referee’s inept handling of the match..” [Oxford
Dic]
“She made an inept remark.”
1164. Inept
Lacking skill; unsuited; incompetent; awkward
“The best augury of a man's success in his profession
is that he thinks it the finest in the world.” [George
Eliot]

Microsoft Corp. made a belated entrance into the “He interpreted the departure of the birds as an
"blogosphere" Thursday, unveiling a free Web-log augury of evil.” [Barrons]
publishing service one day after Merriam-Webster 1165. Augury /ˈôgyərē/
Inc. proclaimed "blog" the word of the year. [The Omen; prophecy; presage; divination; portent v.
Washington Post] augur

1158. Belated “The tournament was held under the auspices of the
Delayed city council.” [Google]
“He received the Medal of Honor for his valor in 1166. Auspice + /ˈôspis/
battle.” [Barrons] Protection; support; patronage

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“Like the international avant-garde, rock-and-roll is
the creative product of a rebellious youth culture
trying to reach a mass audience.” [Google]
“I enjoy watching avant-garde performances
because they stimulate me to think in new ways.”
[GRE VW]
1167. Avant-garde + /ˈavänt ˈgärd/
Favoring or introducing new and unusual or
experimental ideas, esp. in the arts, or the people
related with
“The squadron was however actively involved in the
frantic aerial campaign to stem the German
blitzkrieg during May 1940.
An artist must launch a multimedia blitzkrieg to
boost sales.” [YourDic]
1168. Blitzkrieg + /ˈblitsˌkrēg/
Blitz: a swift and violent military offensive with
intensive aerial bombardment
“He was as famous for the sartorial splendor of his
attire as he was for his acting.” [Barrons]
“Sartorially speaking, things are better. At least the
obese has choices now.” [Fat, inc, RDAsia]
1169. Sartorial
Pertaining to tailors
“Those qualms grow, gnaw and badly fester when,
at a party, Joanna meets Michael’s colleague Laura
(Eva Mendes), a flirt who can’t keep her straying
hands or yearning eyes off him.” [Last Night Movie
Review, NYT]
“So if you believe in Father Christmas, children, like
your Uncle Billy does, buy my festering turd of a
record.” [Uncle Billy, Love Actually]
1170. Fester
Rankle; irritation or resentment
“I have no qualms about giving this assignment to
Helen; I know she will handle it admirably.” [Barrons]
1171. Qualms
Uneasy fears, especially about matters of
conscience; misgivings
“As Joanna’s eyes follow Laura and Michael, tracing
lines between them, Ms. Tadjedin, in her feature
directing debut, proves an adept observer of the
geometry of a suspicious heart.” [NYT Review cont..]
“She was adept at the fine art of irritating people.”
[Barrons]
1172. Adept
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Expert at
“And when Joanna gives Michael grief later, baiting
him into a fight as she accuses him of infidelity, Ms.
Tadjedin shows an intimate understanding of how
couples communicate through ellipses and of all that
remains unsaid even amid torrents of angry words.”
[NYT Review cont..]
“The school bully baited the smaller children,
terrorizing them.” [Barrons]
1173. Bait
Harass; tease
1174. Infidel /ˈinfədl/
Unbeliever
“You see now I walk across the fire. If my god is the
true god, I unscathed, no hurt.” [Agora]
1175. Unscathed /ˌənˈskāT͟Hd/
Unharmed, uninjured
“Seeking to delay the union members’ vote, the
management team tried to protract the negotiations
endlessly, but the union representatives saw through
their strategy.” [Barrons, p77]
1176. Protract
Prolong
“Audiences are lining up, and paying top scalper
prices, for the privilege of watching them squirm,
seethe and turn deathly pale.” [All Over London,
Love Hurts, NYT Theater]
“Oh, nothing's wrong. It's just that Martha always
said how alike you two were. I just don't seethe
family resemblance.” [Edie to Martha’s Sister, DH
S01E11]
“The nation was seething with discontent as the
noblemen continued their arrogant ways.” [Barrons]
1177. Seethe /sēT͟H/
Be disturbed; boil
“Over the years, he's uncovered a lot of unsavory
stories about terror that have upset certain Western
governments and....” [The Bourne Ultimatum]
“The sight of a beautiful screen star, dazed and
luminous from years of paparazzi flashes, looking ill
at ease on a theater stage has become a rather
unsavory spectator sport.” [NYT Theater cont..]
“People with unsavory reputations should not be
allowed to work with young children.” [Barrons]
1178. Unsavory
Distasteful; morally offensive
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“Any vicarious anxiety audiences may feel for them
comes not from wondering whether they’ll be
paralyzed by self-consciousness but from the pangs
of love unspoken that their characters undergo.”
[NYT Theater cont..]
“Many people get a vicarious thrill at the movies by
imagining they are the characters on the screen.”
[Barrons]
1179. Vicarious
Acting as a substitute; done by a deputy
“It is a relief to say (especially given that this
production is reportedly Broadway bound) that they
approach this lumberingly plotted 1934 melodrama
of two schoolteachers accused of lesbianism with an
intensity that almost burns away the play’s straight-
from-the-attic mustiness.” [NYT Theater cont..]
“Still somewhat torpid after its long hibernation, the
bear lumbered through the woods.” [Barrons]
1180. Lumber
Move heavily or clumsily
“Maybe it’s just February malaise (Valentine’s Day,
ha!), but a skepticism about all things romantic
pervades the city like a dingy fog.” [NYT Theater
cont..]
“Feeling slightly queasy before going onstage, Carol
realized that this touch of malaise was merely stage
fright.” [Barrons]
1181. Malaise /məˈlāz/
Uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health
“Newspapers are abuzz with speculation on the
spring nuptials of Prince William and Kate
Middleton.” [NYT cont…]
1182. Nuptial
Related to marriage
“There are little of the florid encomiums to real-life
fairy tales come true that surrounded the marriage
of William’s father and mother, Charles and Diana.”
[NYT cont…]
“Uneasy with the encomiums expressed by his
supporters, Tolkien felt unworthy of such high
praise.” [Barrons]
1183. Encomium
High praise; eulogy
“Because the racehorse had outdistanced its
competition so easily, the reporter wrote that the
race was won in a canter.” [Barrons]
1184. Canter /ˈkantər/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Slow gallop; a three-beat gait of a horse or other
quadruped between a trot and a gallopch
“There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly
incantations in this class.” [Professor Snape, Harry
Potter 1]
“Uttering incantations to make the brew more
potent, the witch doctor stirred the liquid in the
caldron.” [Barrons]
1185. Incantation
Singing or chanting of magic spells; magical
formula
“As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate
the subtle science and exact art that is potion-
making.” [Professor Snape cont..]
“Tristan and Isolde drink a love potion in the first act
of the opera.” [Barrons]
1186. Potion
Dose (of liquid)
“However, for those select few who possess the
predisposition I can teach you how to bewitch the
mind and ensnare the senses.” [Professor Snape
cont..]
“Oleg’s love of dressing up his big sister’s Barbie doll
may have predisposed him to become a fashion
designer.
Genetic influences apparently predispose people to
certain forms of cancer.” [Barrons]
1187. Predispose
Give an inclination toward; make susceptible to n.
predisposition
“One of a wizard's most rudimentary skills is
levitation or the ability to make objects fly.” [HP
cont…]
“As the magician passed his hands over the
recumbent body of his assistant, she appeared to
rise and levitate about three feet above the table.”
[Barrons]
1188. Levitate
Float in the air (especially by magical means)
“Last night, I'm guessing Snape let the troll in as a
diversion so he could get past that dog.” [HP cont…]
“After studying for several hours, he needed a
diversion from work.” [Barrons]
1189. Diversion
Act of turning aside; pastime v. divert
“Striking at mental apparitions
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Like a drunk on a vacant street
Silently beset by the hands of time
Indelicate in its fury” [God’s Love, Bad Religion]
“On the castle battlements, an apparition
materialized and spoke to Hamlet, warning him of
his uncle’s treachery.
In Ghostbusters, hordes of apparitions materialized,
only to be dematerialized by the specialized
apparatus wielded by Bill Murray.” [Barrons]
1190. Apparition
Ghost; phantom
“You remember when we saw Doug's mattress
impaled on that statue?
- Yeah, we threw it out the window.” [The Hangover]
“He was impaled by the spear hurled by his
adversary.” [Barrons]
1191. Impale
Pierce
“The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published
twelve cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad.
Over the next three months, indignation was
carefully and systematically nurtured throughout the
Islamic world by a small group of Muslims living in
Denmark, led by two imams who had been granted
sanctuary there.” [God Delusion]
“She felt indignation at the ill-treatment of the
helpless animals.” [Barrons]
1192. Indignation /ˌindigˈnāSHən/
Anger at an injustice adj. indignant
1193. Sanctuary /ˈsaNG(k)CHo͞oˌerē/
Refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place
“The dossier contained falsehoods about alleged
maltreatment of Muslims in Denmark, and the
tendentious lie that Jyllands-Posten was a
government-run newspaper. It also contained the
twelve cartoons which, crucially, the imams had
supplemented with three additional images whose
origin was mysterious but which certainly had no
connection with Denmark.” [GD cont…]
“The editorials in this periodical are tendentious
rather than truth-seeking.” [Barrons]
1194. Tendentious /tenˈdenSHəs/
Having an aim; biased; designed to further a cause
“Nine people were killed when Libyan rioters
attacked and burned the Italian consulate in
Benghazi. As Germaine Greer wrote, what these
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
people really love and do best is pandemonium.”
[GD cont…]
“When the ships collided in the harbor,
pandemonium broke out among the passengers.”
[Barrons]
1195. Pandemonium /ˌpandəˈmōnēəm/
Wild tumult
“Demonstrators were photographed in Britain
bearing banners saying 'Europe you will pay:
Demolition is on its way' and, apparently without
irony, 'Behead those who say Islam is a violent
religion'.” [GD cont…]
“Gradually his listeners began to realize that the
excessive praise he was lavishing on his opponent
was actually irony; he was, in fact, ridiculing the
poor fool.” [Barrons]
1196. Irony
Hidden sarcasm or satire; use of words that seem
to mean the opposite of what they actually mean
“In the aftermath of all this, the journalist Andrew
Mueller interviewed Britain's leading 'moderate'
Muslim, Sir Iqbal Sacranie.15 Moderate he may be
by today's Islamic standards, but in Andrew
Mueller's account he still stands by the remark he
made when Salman Rushdie was condemned to
death for writing a novel: 'Death is perhaps too easy
for him' - a remark that sets him in ignominious
contrast to his courageous predecessor as Britain's
most influential Muslim, the late Dr Zaki Badawi,
who offered Salman Rushdie sanctuary in his own
home.” [GD cont…]
“Shahin suffered the ignominy of being sent to
prison.” [Word Web*]
1197. Ignominy /ˈignəˌminē/
Deep disgrace; shame or dishonor adj. ignominious
Mueller was concerned too, but for a different
reason: 'I am concerned that the ridiculous,
disproportionate reaction to some unfunny sketches
in an obscure Scandinavian newspaper may confirm
t h a t . . . Islam and the west are fundamentally
irreconcilable.' [GD cont…]
“Because the separated couple were irreconcilable,
the marriage counselor recommended a divorce.”
[Barrons]
1198. Irreconcilable /iˌrekənˈsīləbəl/
Incompatible; not able to be resolved
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“When Mrs. Proudie was not seated beside the
Archdeacon at the head table, she took it as a
personal affront and refused to speak to her hosts
for a week.” [Barrons]
“If you want to get excited about affronts to
Muslims, read the Amnesty International reports on
Syria and Saudi Arabia.” [GD cont..]
1199. Affront
n & v. Insult, offense; intentional act of disrespect
“In response to all this frenzied pandemonium,
decent liberal newspapers deplored the violence and
made token noises about free speech.” [GD cont..]
“Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I
defend your right to express yourself freely.”
[Barrons]
1200. Deplore
Regret
They expressed 'respect' and 'sympathy' for the deep
'offence' and 'hurt' that Muslims had 'suffered'. The
'hurt' and 'suffering' consisted, remember, not in any
person enduring violence or real pain of any kind:
nothing more than a few daubs of printing ink in a
newspaper that nobody outside Denmark would ever
have heard of but for a deliberate campaign of
incitement to mayhem. [GD cont..]
“The riot was marked not only by mayhem, with its
attendant loss of life and limb, but also by arson and
pillage.” [Barrons]
1201. Mayhem
Injury to body
“Winston Churchill's son Randolph somehow
contrived to remain ignorant of scripture.” [GD
cont..]
“Feeling ill at ease with his new in-laws, James made
a few contrived attempts at conversation and then
retreated into silence.” [Barrons]
1202. Contrived
Forced; artificial; not spontaneous, n. contrivance
“It is not clear why the change from polytheism to
monotheism should be assumed to be a self-
evidently progressive improvement. But it widely is -
an assumption that provoked Ibn Warraq (author of
Why I Am Not a Muslim) wittily to conjecture that
monotheism is in its turn doomed to subtract one
more god and become atheism.” [POLYTHEIS, GD
cont..]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1203. Conjecture
Infer on the basis of insufficient data; surmise;
guess
“Monotheistic chauvinism was until recently written
into the charity law of both England and Scotland,
discriminating against polytheistic religions in
granting tax-exempt status, while allowing an easy
ride to charities whose object was to promote
monotheistic religion, sparing them the rigorous
vetting quite properly required of secular charities.”
[GD cont..]
“A chauvinist cannot recognize any faults in his
country, no matter how flagrant they may be.
Likewise, a male chauvinist cannot recognize how
biased he is in favor of his own sex, no matter how
flagrant that bias may be.” [Barrons]
1204. Chauvinist /ˈSHōvənist/
Blindly devoted patriot; zealous adherent of a group
or cause adj. chauvinistic
“His polytheism isn't really polytheism but
monotheism in disguise. There is only one God - Lord
Brahma the creator, Lord Vishnu the preserver, Lord
Shiva the destroyer, the goddesses Saraswati, Laxmi
and Parvati (wives of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva),
Lord Ganesh the elephant god, and hundreds of
others, all are just different manifestations or
incarnations of the one God. Christians should warm
to such sophistry.” [GD cont..]
“Instead of advancing valid arguments, he tried to
overwhelm his audience with a flood of sophistries.”
[Barrons]
1205. Sophistry /ˈsäfəstrē/
Seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning;
sophism; casuistry
“Perhaps it is the very fact that there is no evidence
to support theological opinions, either way, that
fosters the characteristic draconian hostility towards
those of slightly different opinion, especially, as it
happens, in this very field of Trinitarianism.” [GD
cont..]
“When the principal canceled the senior prom
because some seniors had been late to school that
week, we thought the draconian punishment was far
too harsh for such a minor violation of the rules.”
[Barrons]
1206. Draconian
Extremely severe
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For brevity I shall refer to all deities, whether poly-
or monotheistic, as simply 'God'. [GD cont..]
“Brevity is essential when you send a telegram or
cablegram; you are charged for every word.”
[Barrons]
1207. Brevity /ˈbrevitē/
Conciseness; briefness
“But what, after all, is the difference between a non-
existent female and a non-existent male? I suppose
that, in the ditzily(silly) unreal intersection of
theology and feminism, existence might indeed be a
less salient attribute than gender.” [On gender of
God & feminism, GD cont..]
“One of the salient features of that newspaper is its
excellent editorial page.” [Barrons]
1208. Salient /ˈsālyənt/
Prominent; outstanding; protruding
“I decry supernaturalism in all its forms, and the
most effective way to proceed will be to concentrate
on the form most likely to be familiar to my readers -
the form that impinges most threateningly on all our
societies.” [GD cont..]
“Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's
political party yesterday decried what it described as
"unfair treatment" by the authorities ahead of April
1 by-elections.” [AFP]
1209. Decry
Express strong disapproval of; to condemn openly;
disparage; censure
“Most of my readers will have been reared in one or
another of today's three 'great' monotheistic
religions (four if you count Mormonism), all of which
trace themselves back to the mythological patriarch
Abraham.” [GD cont..]
“In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker
was the patriarch.” [Barrons]
1210. Patriarch /ˈpātrēˌärk/
Father and ruler of a family or tribe
“Of course, the Arabs have retorts to all the above,
and a plethora of their own grievances.” [GD cont..]
“Even when it was advisable for her to keep her
mouth shut, she was always ready with a retort.”
[Barrons]
1211. Retort
Quick, sharp reply
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The simple definition of the God Hypothesis with
which I began has to be substantially fleshed out if it
is to accommodate the Abrahamic God.” [GD cont..]
“The scientists had to accommodate the new results
with the existing theories.” [Barrons]
“They did their best to accommodate him by
carrying out his wishes.” [Google]
1212. Accommodate
Adjust or bring into harmony; oblige or help
someone; adapt (secondary meaning)
1213. Substantial
Ample; solid; essential or fundamental
Susan Jacoby, in Freethinkers: A History of American
Secularism, lists a choice selection of the epithets
hurled at poor Tom Paine: 'Juclas, reptile, hog, mad
dog, souse, louse, archbeast, brute, liar, and of
course infidel'.” [GD cont…]
1214. Epithet /ˈepəˌTHet/
Word or phrase characteristically used to describe a
person or thing
“The religious factions that are growing throughout
our land are not using their religious clout with
wisdom.” [GD cont…]
“Gandhi was accused by some of trying to appease
both factions of the electorate.” [Barrons]
1215. Faction
Party, clique
“Gatsby wondered whether he had enough clout to
be admitted to the exclusive club.” [Barrons]
1216. Clout
Great influence (especially political or social)
“As the said States never have entered into any war
or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is
declared by the parties that no pretext arising from
religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption
of the harmony existing between the two countries.”
[GD cont…]
“She looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a
visit to her aunt.” [Barrons]
1217. Pretext
Excuse
“In England, by contrast, religion under the aegis of
the established church has become little more than a
pleasant social pastime, scarcely recognizable as
religious at all.” [GD cont…]
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“Under the aegis of the Bill of Rights, we enjoy our
most treasured freedoms.” [Barrons]
1218. Aegis /ˈējis/
Shield; defense
“Sometimes Allah transmutes humans into animals.
In verse 6:74, we learn that Abraham admonished
his father (Terah or Azar) for worshipping idols. Ibn
Kathir writes that on the resurrection day Allah will
turn Abraham’s father into a male hyena covered
with dung, and throw him into hellfire.” [Voodoos]
“He was unable to transmute his dreams into
actualities.” [Barrons]
1219. Transmute /transˈmyo͞ot/
Change; convert to something different
“The Qur'an says that after the creation of Adam,
Allah created us from a despicable fluid, which many
tafsir writers construe as sperm.” [Voodoos]
“Mr. Bond, I despise spies; I look down on them as
mean, despicable, honorless men, whom I would
wipe from the face of the earth with as little concern
as I would scrape dog droppings from the bottom of
my shoe.” [Barrons]
1220. Despise /diˈspīz/
Look on with scorn; regard as worthless or
distasteful
“If I construe your remarks correctly, you disagree
with the theory already advanced.” [Barrons]
1221. Construe /kənˈstro͞o/
Explain; interpret
“Allah then transforms the sperm into a clot of
congealed blood, and then the foetus becomes a
lump, then bones, then Allah clothes the bones with
flesh, then into another creature. Thereafter, Allah
determines the gestation period.” [Verse 77:23]
“While this scheme was being gestated by the
conspirators, they maintained complete silence
about their intentions.” [Barrons]
1222. Gestate /ˈjeˌstāt/
Evolve, as in prenatal growth
“Ubayy bin Khalaf was a virulent critic of
Muhammad's claim of Allah’s biology.” [Voodoos]
“In fact, she became quite virulent on the subject of
the quality of modern medical care.” [Barrons]
1223. Virulent
Extremely poisonous; hostile; bitter
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Ubayy was crumbling, and scattering the bone in
the air saying, `O Muhammad! Are you claiming that
Allah will resurrect this?’ Deeply perturbed, Allah
quickly sent down verse 36:77. In this verse Allah
said that He created man (referring to Ubayy bin
Khalaf) from lowly sperm, then how could he have
the audacity to oppose Him? As written before, ibn
Kathir says that nutfah means something that is
insignificant, weak, and has no value, meaning
perhaps, that the sperm of which the ilk of Ubayy (a
non‐Muslim) were made was of no importance to
Allah.” [Voodoos]
1224. Perturb
Disturb greatly
“I can't tolerate fascists, racists, and others of that
ilk.” [Google*]
1225. Ilk +
Type or kind; sort
“On the exegesis of verse 39:68 Ibn Abbas explains
that after forty years of the first Trumpet 40 blow,
the sky will rain something like men's sperm drops.”
[Voodoos]
“The minister based her sermon on her exegesis of a
difficult passage from the book of Job.” [Barrons]
1226. Exegesis
Explanation, especially of biblical passages
“Allah collects constituents for forty days in the form
of blood, then it becomes a clot of blood in another
forty days.” [Voodoos]
“The congressman received hundreds of letters from
angry constituents after the Equal Rights
Amendment failed to pass.” [Barrons]
1227. Constituent /kənˈstiCHo͞oənt/
Supporter; elector; component
“The victims recite this Sura at times of adversities,
illness, fasting and on the approach of death.”
[Voodoos]
“We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.”
[Barrons]
1228. Adversity
Poverty, misfortune
“Today, this Islamic Black Magic is very much alive
among the devout Muslims.” [Voodoos]
“The devout man prayed daily.” [Barrons]
1229. Devout
Pious; deeply religious
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“Look, you have great posture. You stand really
straight. l´m slouching.” [Detective to Dr. Calvin,
i’Robot]
“No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I
could not believe he was as important as he
pretended to be.” [Barrons]
1230. Posture /ˈpäsCHər/
Assume an affected pose; act artificially
“My general fields are advanced robotics and
psychiatry. I specialize in hardware-to-wetware
interfaces to advance USR´s robotic
anthropomorphization program.” [Dr. Calvin,
i’Robot]
“Primitive religions often have deities with
anthropomorphic characteristics.” [Barron]
“Do you believe that a technical book can’t be
serious if C# concepts are anthropomorphized?”
[headfirstlabs]
1231. Anthropomorphic /ˌanTHrəpəˈmôrfik/
Having human form or characteristics
“Bannya's renditions hold audience in thrall.” [DS]
“I want rendition protocols and put the asset on
standby, just in case.” [The Bourne Ultimatum]
1232. Rendition
Translation; artistic interpretation of a song etc
“My political attitudes are forthright. And if there's a
Vice-Presidential candidate worthy of my vote, it has
to be Dan Quayle.” [Donnie Darko]
“I prefer Jill’s forthright approach to Jack’s tendency
to beat around the bush. Never afraid to call a spade
a spade, she was perhaps too forthright to be a
successful party politician.” [Barrons]
1233. Forthright
Straightforward; direct; frank
“Ever since this jet engine fiasco, I honestly don't
know what's gotten into him.” [Donnie’s Mom Rose,
cont…]
“Our ambitious venture ended in a fiasco and we
were forced to flee.” [Barrons]
1234. Fiasco
Total failure
“I have taken it upon myself to spearhead the Jim
Cunningham defense campaign. I have to appear at
his arraignment tomorrow morning.” [Kitty to Rose,
cont…]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“After his indictment by the Grand Jury, the accused
man was arraigned in the County Criminal Court.”
[Barrons]
1235. Arraign
Charge in court; indict; inculpate
“Wish I knew what you were looking for
Might have known what you would find
And it's something quite peculiar
Something shimmering and white” [Background
Song, cont…]
“The moonlight shimmered on the water as the
moon broke through the clouds for a moment.”
[Barrons]
1236. Shimmer
Glimmer intermittently
“Google+ has launched to great aplomb, but its
“project” status means some tools have yet to be
developed.” [mashable]
“Gwen’s aplomb in handling potentially
embarrassing moments was legendary around the
office; when one of her clients broke a piece of her
best crystal, she coolly picked up her own goblet and
hurled it into the fireplace.” [Barrons]
1237. Aplomb
Poise; assurance (self-confident)
“Despite its jawdroppingly exorbitant cost, there is
no denying that the Apple Time Capsule is one of the
best backup solutions available. It’s wireless, so
multiple computers can easily and conveniently use
it, and OS X’s Time Machine software makes the
entire backup process both easy and foolproof.”
[extremetech]
“The people grumbled at his exorbitant prices but
paid them because he had a monopoly.” [Barrons]
1238. Exorbitant /igˈzôrbitənt/
Excessive
“Time cloaking is possible because of a kind of
duality between space and time in electromagnetic
theory. In particular, the diffraction of a beam of
light in space is mathematically equivalent to the
temporal propagation of light through a dispersive
medium. In other words, diffraction and dispersion
are symmetric in spacetime.” [mashable]
“The police fired tear gas into the crowd to disperse
the protesters.” [Barrons]
1239. Disperse
Scatter; dissipate; disband n. dispersion
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“Instead of spewing out huge swathes of HTML over
which you have little control, the MVC Framework
encourages you to craft simple, elegant markup
styled with CSS.” [Pro ASP.Net MVC 3 Framework]
“When I visited him in the hospital, I found him
swathed in bandages.” [Barrons]
1240. Swathe /swäT͟H/
Wrap around; bandage
A noted open-source executive and author said at
the time, “The news reflects Microsoft’s continued
interest in lobotomizing its virtualization competition
through low prices, but also the recognition that it
must open up if it wants to fend off insurgent
virtualization strategies from Red Hat, Novell, and
others in the open-source camp.” [Pro ASP.Net MVC
3 Framework]
“Because the insurgent forces had occupied the
capital and had gained control of the railway lines,
several of the war correspondents covering the
uprising predicted a rebel victory.” [Barrons]
1241. Insurgent
Rebellious
“Though Microsoft has kept dusting the cobwebs off
Web Forms, its essential design has started to look
quite antiquated.” [Book cont…]
“Accustomed to editing his papers on word
processors, Philip thought typewriters were too
antiquated for him to use.” [Barrons]
1242. Antiquated
Obsolete; outdated
“I teased him by asking if he, personally, despite his
hard duties as CEO, had approved tiny details like the
translucency of the glass and the color of the wood.”
[The Steve Jobs I Knew]
“We could not recognize the people in the next room
because of the translucent curtains that separated
us.” [Barrons]
1243. Translucent
Partly transparent
“Then they'll give us a talking to
Because they've got years of experience
We're living in a den of thieves
Rummaging for answers in the pages” [Regina
Spektor - Us]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“When we rummaged through the trunks in the
attic, we found many souvenirs of our childhood
days.” [Barrons]
1244. Rummage
Ransack; thoroughly search
“New environmental laws, for example, may be
embraced in cities focused on preserving the beach,
but viewed as anathema to some inland political
leaders who see regulations as a path to driving
businesses out of the state.” [In California, Economic
Gap of East vs. West, NYTimes]
The Ayatolla Khomeini heaped anathema upon “the
Great Satan,” that is, the United States. To the
Ayatolla, America and the West were anathema; he
loathed the democratic nations, cursing them in his
dying words. [Barrons]
1245. Anathema /əˈnaTHəmə/
Solemn curse; someone or something regarded as
a curse; curse; malediction; imprecation
“Perhaps no politician exemplifies the divide better
than Jeff Stone, a conservative Riverside County
supervisor who last summer proposed a bill to split
off his county and 12 others to form a 51st state,
South California.” [NYT cont…]
1246. Exemplify /igˈzempləˌfī/
Show by example; furnish an example
“Sitting all day at the computer, Sharon grew to
resent the sedentary nature of her job.” [Barrons]
1247. Sedentary
Requiring sitting
“An example of rectitude is being honest and always
treating others with kindness and respect.”
[YourDic]
“the rectitude of her motives/judgement..”
1248. Rectitude
Correctness of judgment; uprightness; moral virtue
“I wondered what depravities had occurred in that
place.” [Google]
“Just think of the catholic church and how long it
took them to accept the huge amount of sexual
depravity within their priesthood.” [YourDic]
1249. Depravity
Extreme moral corruption; wickedness
“The Joker’s plan was so devious that it was only
with great difficulty we could follow its shifts and
dodges.” [Barrons]
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1250. Devious
Roundabout; erratic; not straightforward
“The surface of the ocean was rippled and
corrugated.” [WordWeb]
1251. Corrugated
Wrinkled; ridged; shaped into alternating parallel
grooves and ridges
“You know how I would feel supported if I was a
troop overseas?
If the people back home were clamoring to get me
out of this pointless errands.” [But I’m not wrong]
“The clamor of the children at play outside made it
impossible for her to take a nap.” [Barrons]
1252. Clamor
n & v. Noise
“Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kung fu
skills were the stuff of legend. He traveled the land
in search of worthy foes.” [Kung Fu Panda, 2008]
“The legend at the bottom of the map made it clear
which symbols stood for rest areas along the
highway and which stood for public camp sites.”
[Barrons]
1253. Legend
A story about mythical or supernatural beings or
events; explanatory list of symbols on a map
(secondary meaning)
“Master Oogway, wait. That flaccid panda can't
possibly be the answer to our problem.” [Panda
cont…]
“His sedentary life had left him with flaccid muscles.”
[Barrons]
1254. Flaccid
Flabby; limp; soft; drooping without elasticity
“It's an odd thing to look back on the world, to watch
those I left behind. Each in her own way so brave, so
determined, and so very desperate. Desperate to
venture out, but afraid of what she'll miss when she
goes.” [DH S01E23 Ends]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Fearing to distress the actors, the timorous
reviewer never ventured to criticize a performance in
harsh terms.” [Barrons]
1255. Venture /ˈvenCHər/
Risk; dare; undertake a risk also n.
“No matter how carefully Albert combed his hair to
make it appear as full as possible, it still looked
sparse.” [Barrons]
1256. Sparse
Not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
“To the starlet, any publicity was good publicity: if
she couldn’t have a good reputation, she’d settle for
notoriety.” [Barrons]
1257. Notoriety
Disrepute; ill fame
“In his usual provident manner, he had insured
himself against this type of loss.” [Barrons]
1258. Provident
Displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for
emergencies
“Known in the company for his cool judgment, Bill
could impartially examine the causes of a problem,
giving a dispassionate analysis of what had gone
wrong, and go on to suggest how to correct the
mess.” [Barrons]
1259. Dispassionate
Calm; impartial
“Fortunately, the stain on the blouse was
imperceptible after the garment had gone through
the wash.” [Barrons]
1260. Imperceptible
Unnoticeable; undetectable
“A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual
lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its
former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try
to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary
romance before it's too late.” [The Lake House Tagline]
“This is where Master Oogway unraveled the
mysteries of harmony and focus. This is the
birthplace of kung fu.” [Kung Fu Panda]
1261. Unravel
Disentangle; solve
“He writes a novel about a man who works in a
Nostalgia store, do you know?
What shit is a store of nostalgia?
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A place where to sell old things. Memorabilia.”
[Midnight in Paris]
1262. Nostalgia /näˈstaljə/
Homesickness; longing for the past
“The fact is that Gil is a romantic fool, because he
would be happy, living in the total State perpetual
denial.” [Midnight in Paris]
“Ponce de Leon hoped to find the legendary fountain
of perpetual youth.” [Barrons]
1263. Perpetual /pərˈpeCHo͞oəl/
Everlasting
“A knowledge of etymology can help you on many
English tests: if you know what the roots and
prefixes mean, you can determine the meanings of
unfamiliar words.” [Barrons]
1264. Etymology /ˌetəˈmäləjē/
The study of the origin of words and the way in
which their meanings have changed throughout
history
“That they call you "The Jew Hunter."
I understand your trepidation in repeating it.”
[Inglorious Bastards]
“As she entered the office of the dean of admissions,
Sharon felt some trepidation about how she would
do in her interview.” [Barrons]
1265. Trepidation /ˌtrepiˈdāSHən/
Fear; nervous apprehension
“You don't really know why you don't like them. All
you know is: you find them repulsive.” [IB cont…]
“Hating bloodshed, she viewed war with repulsion.”
[Barrons]
1266. Repulsion
Distaste; act of driving back; repugnance, aversion,
abhorrence, v. repulse adj. repulsive: arousing
intense distaste or disgust
“And they will find the evidence of our cruelty in the
disemboweled, dismembered and disfigured bodies
of their brothers we leave behind us.” [IB cont…]
“An ugly frown disfigured her normally pleasant
face.” [Barrons]
1267. Disfigure
Mar the appearance of; spoil
“You can't expect me to divulge information that
would put German lives in danger.” [IB cont…]
1268. Divulge /diˈvəlj/ 
Reveal
“The case was adjudicated in the Supreme Court.
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
We asked him to adjudicate at the local flower
show.” [Google]
1269. Adjudicate +
To study and settle (a dispute or conflict); act as a
judge in a competition
“A great man has two hearts; one bleeds and the
other forbears.” [IB cont…]
“Be patient with John. Treat him with forbearance:
he is still weak from his illness.” [Barrons]
1270. Forbearance
Patience
"When Tanya learned that Mark had been two-
timing her, she was furious at his duplicity.”
[Barrons]
1271. Duplicity /d(y)o͞oˈplisitē/
Double-dealing; hypocrisy; adj. duplicitous
"Ann Romney often introduces her husband, chatting
warmly about his uxorious virtues, and then
disappears offstage or to the back of the stage while
he talks.” [The Great Man’s Wife, NYT]
"His friends laughed at him because he was so
uxorious and submissive to his wife’s desires.”
[Barrons]
1272. Uxorious /ˌəkˈsôrēəs/
Excessively submissive or devoted to one's wife
"She would have liked to wake up from her
somnambulism to find herself back in bed.” [Google]
"The most famous somnambulist in literature is Lady
Macbeth; her monologue in the sleepwalking scene
is one of the highlights of Shakespeare’s play.”
[Barrons]
1273. Somnambulist
Sleepwalker
“The reliance on this is out of hand,” said Jon
Boeckenstedt, the associate vice president who
oversees admissions at DePaul University in Chicago.
“It’s a nebulous thing, comparing the value of a
college education at one institution to another, so
parents and students and counselors focus on things
that give them the illusion of precision.” [Gaming the
College Rankings, NYT]
"Phil and Dave tried to come up with a clear,
intelligible business plan, not some hazy, nebulous
proposal.” [Barrons]
1274. Nebulous
Vague; hazy; cloudy
“In fact, several colleges in recent years have been
caught gaming the system — in particular, the
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 Barron’s List
avidly watched U.S. News & World Report rankings
— by twisting the meanings of rules, cherry-picking
data or just lying.” [NYT cont]
"He was avid for learning and read everything he
could get.” [Barrons]
1275. Avid
Greedy; eager for n. avidity
“Mr. Vos, whose name was removed from the
school’s online roster of administrators over the
weekend, declined to comment Monday night and
he did not return calls Tuesday.” [NYT cont]
1276. Roster /ˈrästər/
List, quota
“I don’t worry about the rankings or how this will
affect them, because they tend to be pretty
arbitrary,” said Blake Bennett, a senior who has
volunteered in the admissions office. [NYT cont]
“The coach claimed the team lost because the
umpire made some arbitrary calls.” [Barrons]
1277. Arbitrary
Unreasonable or capricious; tyrannical
“Though Jack was emotionally immature, his
cognitive development was admirable; he was very
advanced intellectually. admirable; he was very
advanced intellectually.” [Barrons]
1278. Cognitive
Having to do with knowing or perceiving related to
the mental processes
“While Wozniak never identifies the Windows Phone
handset he's been using, it's safe to assume it's a
Lumia 900, following his comments earlier this
month that he was keen to get his hands on one.”
[informationweek]
"The young princess made the foolish assumption
that the regent would not object to her assumption
of power.” [Barrons]
1279. Assumption
Something taken for granted; the taking over or
taking possession of, v. assume; supposition,
presumption, hypothesis, surmise, conjecture;
taking power or responsibility
“She bent her ear for a moment to the trifling talk of
the guests as they began to fill the hall.” [Being
There With Kathy Acker, NYT]
“Why bother going to see a doctor for such a trifling,
everyday cold?” [Barrons]
1280. Trifling /ˈtrīf(ə)liNG/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Trivial; unimportant; insignificant, piddling, paltry
n. trifle
“The Florida eagles have a fierce baleful look
This banefully poisoned climate..” [WordWeb]
“Anointment seems intended to apply the power of
natural and supernatural forces to the sick and thus
to ward off the baneful influences of diseases and of
demons.” [Barrons]
1281. Baneful
Pernicious, fatal, baleful, pestilent, disastrous
“Harder and harder he flapped, and as he flapped a
song burst out of him, and like the song of the
spectre of Rekha Merchant it was sung in a
language he did not know to a tune he had never
heard.” [Satanic Verses]
“We were frightened by the spectral glow that filled
the room.” [Barrons]
1282. Spectral
Ghostly n. spectre: ghost, specter, phantom,
apparition
“Gibreel never repudiated the miracle; unlike
Chamcha, who tried to reason it out of existence, he
never stopped saying that the gazal had been
celestial, that without the song the flapping would
have been for nothing, and without the flapping it
was a sure thing that they would have hit the waves
like rocks or what and simply burst into pieces on
making contact with the taut drum of the sea.” [SV
cont]
“She spoke of the celestial joys that awaited virtuous
souls in the hereafter.” [Barrons]
1283. Celestial
Heavenly
“The captain maintained that he ran a taut ship.”
[Barrons]
1284. Taut
Tight; ready
“The soup is a mélange of ingredients.” [GRE VW]
“He brought a mélange of tender vegetables and
herbs.” [Google]
1285. Mélange + /māˈlänj/
A mixture; a medley
“The convalescence of ailing Kid occurred in
September under Charlie Chaplin’s care.” [Google]
“He spent eight months convalescing after the
stroke.” [Google]
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1286. Convalesce +
Recuperate: get over an illness or shock
“The corpulent man resolved to reduce.” [Barron]
“Corpulence is becoming increasingly common in the
United States.” [GRE VW]
1287. Corpulent /ˈkôrpyələnt/
Very fat, n. corpulence
“The scholar searched the Shakespeare corpus for
the reference.” [GRE VW]
“On evolution there is no better resource than the
Darwinian corpus.” [Google]
1288. Corpus +
A collection of written texts, esp. the entire works
of a particular author or a body of writing on a
particular subject; body; collection
“He sought to determine the correlation that existed
between ability in algebra and ability to interpret
reading exercises.” [Barrons]
“As knowledge progresses, let's hope for a
correlative increase in wisdom.” [GRE VW]
1289. Correlation
Mutual relationship; interrelation, v. correlate, adj.
correlative
“What would it take for you to just leave with me?
I am not trying to sound conceited, you and me were
meant to be.” [Britney Spears - Boys]
1290. Conceit
Vanity or self-love; whimsical idea; extravagant
metaphor
“There are only cosmetic differences between the
two candidates.” [GRE VW]
“Lens designs can improve the cosmetic effect of
your glasses.” [Google]
1291. Cosmetic +
Relating to beauty; affecting only the surface
“The ambassador is the most cosmopolitan woman I
know.” [GRE VW]
“His knowledge of French, Italian, and Spanish made
him genuinely cosmopolitan.” [Google]
1292. Cosmopolitan + /ˌkäzməˈpälitn/
Sophisticated, free of local prejudices
“Cosmic rays can cause bits to flip, latch up, or burn
out in computer memories.
It was a huge experience - truly cosmic - and
unforgettable.” [YourDic]
“He sat staring deep into the void, reminding himself
of his place in the cosmos.” [Google]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1293. Cosmic /ˈkäzmik/
Pertaining to the universe; vast n. cosmos
“In a democracy the interests of the people should
be coterminous with those of the state.” [GRE VW]
“The southern frontier was coterminous with the
French Congo colony.” [Google]
1294. Coterminous + /kōˈtərmənəs/
Having common boundaries; contiguous;
coextensive in scope or time; limitary, conterminal
“The three branches of the U. S. federal government
are designed to act as countervailing centers of
power.” [GRE VW]
“The dominance of the party was mediated by a
number of countervailing factors.” [Google]
1295. Countervail + /kōˈtərmənəs/
Counteract, compensate, offset, balance
“The general delivered the coup de grace, killing the
enemy commander.” [GRE VW]
“His affair administered the coup de grace to their
marriage.” [Collins Theasaurus]
1296. coup de grace +
A finishing blow; a decisive stroke
“The coup d'etat was led by a group of air force
oficers.” [GRE VW]
“The government put down an attempted coup
d'état last week.” [Collins Theasaurus]
1297. coup d'état +
A sudden and decisive change of government
illegally or by force
“A local legend says a coven meets here every
Halloween.” [GRE VW]
“Covens of militants showed up in the party.”
[Collins Theasaurus]
1298. Coven +
An assembly of witches; usually 13 witches; a
secret or close-knit group of associates
“Oh baby if you find
I'm not the loving kind
I'll buy you flowers
I'll pour you wine
Do anything to change your mind
I know you may be disinclined
To find the love we've left behind
So kiss me then make up your mind
I'm not the loving kind.” [Girls Aloud – The Loving
Kind]
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“Some mornings I feel a great disinclination to get 1306. Deciduous /diˈsijo͞oəs/
out of bed.” [Barrons] Falling off, as of leaves

1299. Disinclination “The children loved to ski down the declivity.”

Unwillingness; reluctance, indisposition, distaste, [Barrons]
aversion 1307. Declivity /diˈklivitē/
“Most English Creoles were formed in English Downward slope
colonies, following the great expansion of British “The distinguished literary critic J. Hillis Miller was
naval military power and trade in the seventeenth, heavily influenced by deconstructionism.” [GRE VW]
eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries.” [GRE VW] 1308. Deconstructionism +
1300. Creole + A philosophical theory of criticism (usually of
 A mother tongue formed from the contact of literature or film) that seeks to expose deep-seated
two languages through an earlier pidgin stage contradictions in a work by delving below its surface
 A person of mixed European and black descent, meaning
esp. in the Caribbean
“Decorous behavior is expected in a five-star hotel.”
 A white descendant of French settlers in [GRE VW]
Louisiana and other parts of the southern U.S
1309. Decorous +
“The teacher asked her students to write a critique Proper, tasteful
of the poem.” [GRE VW] “If we accept your premise, your conclusions are
1301. Critique + easily deducible.” [Barrons]
A critical commentary; criticism, review,
animadversion 1310. Deducible
Derived by reasoning; reproducible, practicable
“Vague feelings of unrest crystallized into something
“If the premise is true, then the conclusion must be
more concrete.
true.” [Google]
He tried to crystallize his thoughts.” [Google]
1311. Premise /ˈpremis/
“Our plans are beginning to crystallize.” [GRE VW] Assumption; postulate
1302. Crystallize + “The lawyer's name was defiled by the charge of
Cause to take on a definite and clear shape; cause
to form crystals or assume crystalline form
corruption.” [GRE VW]
1312. Defile
“In The Life of Brian, one of the many things the Pollute; profane; desecrate; contaminate; stain;
Monty Python team got right was the extreme foul
rapidity with which a new religious cult can get
“Ward questioned whether Landy's assumption that
started.” [The God Delusion]
huge money on Conklin's bank account is related
1303. Cult + with the current terrorist incident, was definitive
A system of religious veneration and devotion
directed toward a particular figure or object; enough.” [The Bournce Supremacy]
worship; religion; adoration “Carl Sandburg’s Abraham Lincoln may be regarded
“He found it difficult to cope with the adulation of as the definitive work on the life of the Great
the fans.” [Google] Emancipator.” [Barrons]
“The book was received with adulation by the 1313. Definitive /diˈfinitiv/
Most reliable or complete; final, conclusive,
critics.” [Collins Thesaurus]
ultimate, decisive
1304. Adulation /ˌajəˈlāSHən/
Obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or “She was deified by the early Romans as a fertility
praise; blarney, cajolery, sycophancy; goddess.” [Google]
blandishment, bootlicking
“The people deified their King.” [Word Web]
“Jim's weakest event in the decathlon is the 1500 1314. Deify /ˈdēəˌfī/
meter race.” [GRE VW] Exalt to the position of a God; idolize; worship;
1305. Decathlon + consider as a god or godlike
Athletic contest with ten events “The desserts all look delectable.” [GRE VW]
“The oak is a deciduous tree.” [Barrons] 1315. Delectable +

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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(of food or drink) Delicious; extremely beautiful or
attractive; delightful, pleasant, luscious
“The manager delegated responsibility for foreign
sales to his assistant.” [GRE VW]
“The power delegated to him must never be
misused.” [Google]
“Find it before the papal delegates arrive.” [The
name of the rose]
1316. Delegate +
Entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person,
typically one who is less senior than oneself;
representative
“She is known for her Delphic utterances.” [GRE VW]
“A Delphic message predicting the future regent has
been pronounced.” [Google]
1317. Delphic +
Relating to Delphi or the oracle of Apollo at Delphi;
obscurely prophetic; oracular
“The demographic trend in this region is toward an
older population.” [Google]
1318. Demographic
Relating to the structure of populations, a particular
sector of a population; n. demography: the branch
of sociology that studies the characteristics of
human populations
“The head of the army was demoted to deputy
defense secretary.” [Google]
1319. Demote + /diˈmōt/
Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank; n.
demotion
“He lamented the passing of aristocratic society and
maintained that a demotic society would lower the
nation’s standards.” [Barrons]
“The politician used demotic idioms in her speech.”
[SA]
1320. Demotic
Pertaining to the people; of or for the common
people
“Michelangelo regularly denied that Leonardo Da
Vinci had influenced him, and critics have usually
accepted his statements without demur.” [Barrons]
“Normally she would have accepted the challenge,
but she demurred.
He demurred at my suggestion to work on
Saturday.” [Google]
1321. Demur /diˈmər/
 n. objection; protest
 v. object (because of doubts, scruples);
hesitate; express doubt; remonstrate
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Science seeks to demystify the working of nature.”
[GRE VW]
1322. Demystify + /dēˈmistəˌfī/
Remove mystery, clarify
“In The Untouchables, Eliot Ness fights Al Capone
and the other denizens of Chicago’s underworld.”
[Barrons]
“Contrary to popular belief, the denizens of New
York City are generally friendly and helpful.” [GRE
VW]
A tanned skin is something more than respectable,
and perhaps olive is a fitter color than white for a
man,—a denizen of the woods. "The pale white
man!" I do not wonder that the African pitied him.
[Henry David Thoreau]
1323. Denizen /ˈdenəzən/
Inhabitant or resident; regular visitor; habitant;
dweller; citizen
“When studying human history, one must be aware
that the demarcations between historical periods
are arbitrary; certainly none of the people alive at
the time were aware of a shift from one era to
another.” [Cracking the New GRE]
1324. Demarcation + /ˌdēmärˈkāSHən/
Establishing limits; boundary; separation
“A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a
word; frequently, it will also give us its connotation.”
[Barrons]
“A word can denote different things depending on
how it is used in a sentence.” [GRE VW]
1325. Denotation
Meaning; distinguishing by name v. denote: to
serve as a symbol for the meaning of; to signify
“The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city
officers for having betrayed the public’s trust.”
[Barrons]
“The official denounced the enemy attack as
barbaric.” [GRE VW]
1326. Denounce /diˈnouns/
Condemn; criticize n. denunciation
“Almost overnight the Arctic was denuded of
animals.” [Google]
“The hillside was denuded after the fierce battle
there.” [GRE VW]
1327. Denude + /diˈn(y)o͞od/
Make bare; lay bare
“Forces were deployed at strategic locations.”
[Google]
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“The U.S. deploys its weapons in the Middle East.”
[Word Web]
“Troops were deployed in the city to restore order.”
[GRE VW]
1328. Deploy
Spread out [troops]; distribute systematically or
strategically; unfurl, unfold
“The teacher should not deprecate his student's
efforts.” [Barrons]
“The patriot deprecated every country in the world
except his own.” [GRE VW]
1329. Deprecate
Express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
“Farmers took measures to protect grain from the
depredations of rats and mice.” [SA]
“After the depredations of the invaders, the people
were penniless.” [Barrons]
“China is undergoing great environmental
depredation.” [GRE VW]
1330. Depredation /ˌdeprəˈdāSHən/
Plundering; damage or loss; pillage, rapine,
robbery, ravage, loot
“It was de rigueur for bands to grow their hair long.”
[Google]
“In the 1960s miniskirts were de rigueur.” [GRE VW]
1331. de rigueur + /də riˈgər/
Required by etiquette or current fashion
“His research was initially on highly mutable genes
in plants, an interest he pursued throughout most of
his research career.” [YourDic]
“Going from rags to riches, and then back to rags
again, the bankrupt financier was a victim of the
mutability of fortune.” [Barrons]
1332. Mutability /ˈmyo͞otəbəl/
Ability to change in form; fickleness, adj. mutable
“In a country with such a dearth of entertainment
options for the general public, it cannot be denied
that our politicians are, by default, making up for the
void.” [Postscript, The Star]
1333. Dearth /dərTH/
Scarcity
“Every day, local television channels and newspapers
are on fire, airing or printing the incendiary
comments of famous political figures, remarks that
evoke enough ridicule to keep the sniggering and
chuckling going.” [Postscript cont]
1334. Incendiary /inˈsendēˌerē/
Arsonist; inflammatory
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Dan had an enormous talent and an acerbic, biting
wit.” [Sci-Fi screenwriter O'Bannon dead at 63]
“Recently one politician in a surprisingly acerbic
outburst shouted that Dr Yunus could not have
established Grameen Bank without government
support.” [Postscript cont]
1335. Acerbic
Bitter or sour in nature; sharp and cutting; harsh
“Dr Yunus is the visionary who came up with the idea
of collateral-free loans for poor women, an idea that
lifted thousands out of abject poverty.” [Postscript
cont]
“Check the collateral meaning of the word.” [SA]
1336. Collateral /kəˈlatərəl/
 n. security given for loan; guarantee
 adj. parallel, accessory, secondary, indirect
“Neither was the fact that he received the highest
international honour a person could receive, the
much maligned Nobel, for making his vision come
true.” [Postscript cont]
“Putting her hands over her ears, Rose refused to
listen to Betty malign her friend Susan.” [Barrons]
1337. Malign /məˈlīn/
Speak evil of; bad-mouth; defame; defame, vilify,
libel, traduce
“Opposition party leaders have of course cashed in
on such a royal faux pas by their rivals and made
unsavory remarks of their own regarding the Prime
Minister coveting the Nobel herself.” [Postscript cont]
“The lieutenant committed a faux pas, addressing
the colonel as major.” [GRE VW]
1338. Faux pas + /fō ˈpä/
A socially awkward or tactless act; gaffe, error,
misstep, blunder
“She fingered the linen with covetous hands.”
[Google]
1339. Covetous /ˈkəvətəs/
Avaricious; eagerly desirous of; greedy, avid,
grasping, rapacious, avaricious v. covet
“The real celebrities providing the most exciting
reality shows are the politicians whose faces have
become popularized by their incessant appearances
in front of TV cameras.” [Postscript]
1340. Incessant
Uninterrupted; unceasing; unremitting, perpetual
“The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a
tremendous explosion.” [Barrons]
1341. Serenity /səˈrenitē/
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Calmness, placidity; tranquility, peace, composure,
quietude, adj. serene
“His delicacy was, however, the traditional biriyani
cooked with the traditional excellence of his area.
The palate never forgot the taste; the price was 50
paisa for half plate.” [Spring Symphony in DU cont..]
When you sound out the letter “d,” your tongue
curves up to touch the edge of your palate.
When Alice was sick, her mother made special meals
to tempt her palate.” [Barrons]
1342. Palate /ˈpalit/
Roof of the mouth; sense of taste
“I liked his reserved mien; naturally he had a select
clientele of students of the Economics Department
and those preparing for the civil service
examination.” [Spring Symphony cont..]
“The rock club attracted a young, stylish clientele.”
[Barrons]
1343. Clientele /ˌklīənˈtel/
Body of customers; clients collectively
“Youth and eateries have natural camaraderie.”
[Spring Symphony cont..]
“What he loved best about his job was the sense of
camaraderie he and his coworkers shared.”
[Barrons]
1344. Camaraderie /käm(ə)ˈrädərē/
Good-fellowship; comradeship, fellowship,
companionship
“There is always a personal episode to youth. Nope!
No dalliance.” [Spring Symphony cont..]
“Laertes told Ophelia that Hamlet would only dally
with her affections.” [Barrons]
1345. Dally /ˈdalē/
Trifle with; procrastinate; flirt, dawdle, linger n.
dalliance: flirtation
“My young heart found fulfillment in being its
master. One day, when I returned home, I found that
the dog was prostrate beside me. I enquired what
the matter was. She had bitten to shreds my book
Gustavus Flaubert's 'Madame Bovary'. I laughed
heartily to find her moral uprightness in being
repentant.” [Spring Symphony cont..]
“He prostrated himself before the idol.” [Barrons]
1346. Prostrate
Stretch out full on ground
“What an irony for a creature of the animal world
when the higher living beings, the humans, commit
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
so many crimes and swagger around with impunity.”
[Spring Symphony cont]
“All great sages are as despotic as generals, and as
ungracious and indelicate as generals, because they
are confident of their impunity.” [Anton Pavlovich
Chekhov]
1347. Impunity
Freedom from punishment or harm
“Suddenly she was defecating and vomiting after
eating. Within a few days, she died. For the first time
I saw the death throes.” [Spring Symphony cont]
1348. Throes /THrōz
Violent anguish
“He worked with a pertinacious resistance to
interruptions.” [Google]
“She is bound to succeed because her pertinacious
nature will not permit her to quit.” [Barrons]
1349. Pertinacious /ˌpərtnˈāSHəs/
Stubborn; persistent; dogged, obstinate, tenacious;
n. pertinacity
“He became the ne plus ultra of bebop trombonists.”
[Google]
“Many people consider Jimi Hendrix the ne plus ultra
of electric guitarists.” [GRE VW]
1350. ne plus ultra + /ˈnē ˌpləs ˈəltrə/
The perfect or most extreme example of its kind;
the ultimate
“Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of
pedestrian prose.” [Barrons]
1351. Pedestrian /pəˈdestrēən/
Ordinary; unimaginative
“His refusal to make child support payments was
contumacious.” [GRE VW]
“The contumacious mob shouted defiantly at the
police.” [Barrons]
1352. Contumacious /ˌkänt(y)əˈmāSHəs/
Disobedient; resisting authority n. contumacy
“Thanks Thomas for his painstaking attention to
detail.” [Google SA]
“The new high-frequency word list is the result of
painstaking efforts on the part of our research
staff.” [Barrons]
1353. Painstaking /ˈpānzˌtākiNG/
Showing hard work; taking great care
“IMF chief riles Greeks as crisis election looms.”
[Google SA]
“Red had a hair-trigger temper: he was an easy man
to rile.” [Barrons]
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1354. Rile
Vex; irritate; muddy
“The shadow of the gallows loomed threateningly
above the small boy.” [Barrons]
1355. Loom
Appear or take shape (usually in an enlarged or
distorted form)
“The main reason why Zuckerberg wanted an
opening-day IPO pop of at least modest proportions:
the last thing he wants or needs is an adversarial
relationship with his shareholders.” [Reuters Blog]
“Batman struggled save the Gotham City from the
machinations of his wicked adversary.” [Barrons]
1356. Adversary
Opponent, enemy adj. adversarial
“He can try to take the imperial approach, and
ignore all such distractions while he runs his
company as a personal fief; indeed, the message
sent by Facebook’s dual-class share structure is that
he very much wants to be able to do just that.”
[Reuters cont]
1357. Imperial
Like an emperor; related to an empire
“Not being able to find any trace of the fraudster we
had to reimburse the customer, but it was a lesson
well learnt.” [Nasreen Sattar, Beware of fraudsters]
1358. Reimburse /ˌrē-imˈbərs/
Repay; refund, compensate, recompense, recoup,
indemnify
“Joseph had been waffling over where to go.
He waffled on about everything that didn't matter.”
[Google]
“When asked directly about the governor’s
involvement in the savings and loan scandal, the
press secretary waffled, talking all around the issue.”
[Barrons]
1359. Waffle
Speak equivocally about an issue
“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. This is the
most important lesson of life. Now you may be all
nonchalant and moving on because she said she
forgave you, but she never really did. Women will
always remember everything. They will also know
when you did something wrong except they may
choose not to confront you immediately. They will
store it for future reference. See, women aren't like
men. We confront immediately and then forget all
about it. All women have a book called 'Book of His
Faults', where they list everything you have said and
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
done. They also note down the times. You have no
such book. You also have very bad memory. In the
court of her law you will be hanged till limp. All
evidences and instances of your errors can be used
anytime, numerous times and forever.” [Forgive and
forget happens in the movies only, DS LifeStyle]
“Cool, calm, and collected under fire, James Bond
shows remarkable nonchalance in the face of
danger.” [Barrons]
1360. Nonchalance /ˌnänSHəˈläns/
Indifference; lack of concern; composure adj.
nonchalent
“Hitler’s heinous crimes will never be forgotten.”
[Barrons]
1361. Heinous /ˈhānəs/
Atrocious; hatefully bad
“I don't want to say sleazy, 'cause that's not the
right word, but a little irresponsible, maybe?” [John
to Jeremy, Wedding Crashers]
“I heard. They said some sleazy little condo
developer had snapped it up.” [Alex’s Dad, The Lake
House, 2006]
“This is a sleazy fabric; it will not wear well.”
[Barrons]
1362. Sleazy
Flimsy; unsubstantial; seamy: morally degraded;
cheap: tasteless by virtue of being cheap and
vulgar
“Why'd you invite my men to a rendezvous in a
basement with a bunch of Nazis?” [Inglorious
Bastards]
“The two fleets met at the rendezvous at the
appointed time.” [Barrons]
1363. Rendezvous /ˈrändiˌvo͞o/
n & v. meeting place
“Summit meetings are normally biennial.” [Google]
“Seeing no need to meet more frequently, the group
held biennial meetings instead of annual ones.
Plants that bear flowers biennially are known as
biennials.” [Barrons]
1364. Biennial /bīˈenēəl/
Every two years
“These destructive, power-hungry people make poor
decisions meant to aggrandize themselves and
demean others.” [Ref Dict.]
1365. Demean /diˈmēn/
Degrade; humiliate; take down: reduce in worth or
character, usually verbally; abase, debase, humble,
lower, mortify, behave
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“Critics were calling it a tool of power politics
designed to aggrandize a leader.” [Out of Adversity,
Visions of Life, NYT]
“The history of the past quarter century illustrates
how a President may aggrandize his power to act
aggressively in international affairs without
considering the wishes of Congress.” [Barrons]
1366. Aggrandize /əˈgranˌdīz/
Increase or intensify; raise in power, wealth, rank
or honor; enlarge, magnify
“They viewed its celebration of blackness,
simultaneously ingratiating and isolating, as neo-
colonialist in its effect, calculated to keep African art
from integrating internationally.” [NYT cont]
“He tried to ingratiate himself into her parents’ good
graces.” [Barrons]
1367. Ingratiate /inˈgrāSHēˌāt/
Become popular with adj. ingratiating: capable of
winning favor
“Or ask the damsel dancing her way through the
pastoral paths even as she goes nowhere why she
lets a thousand flowers bloom in her being.” [DS Lit.]
1368. Pastoral
Rural
“জানি না, জানি না”, she blows the answer at you. Hear
the melody wafting across from her and through the
rainbow colours of the woods . . . “জানি না, জানি না
কেন মন বনে মালতী বললরে” You watch her, for life has
energised her inasmuch as it has electrified the
world she inhabits. [Lit. cont]
“Daydreaming, he gazed at the leaves that wafted
past his window.” [Barrons]
1369. Waft
Move gently by wind or waves
“More than half a century later Negritude’s uneasy
ghost lingers. But many younger artists born during
the Senghor years are fed up with its latter-day
incarnation, Afrocentricity, which they find
constricting and retrograde.” [NYT cont]
“People cannot habitually trample on law and justice
without retrograding toward barbarism.” [Google]
“Instead of advancing, our civilization seems to have
retrograded in ethics and culture.” [Barrons]
1370. Retrograde /ˈretrəˌgrād/
Go backwards; degenerate; retrogress, recede,
regress, retreat; v & adj.
The idea of “correcting” left-handedness, common in
the postwar United States, now seems quaint if not
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
barbaric. “My parents understood I was left-
handed/and didn’t make me write against the
grain/the way so many people their age had to,”
Jonathan Galassi writes in “Left-handed,” his new
collection of poems. [Lefties Aren’t Special After All,
NYT]
“Her quaint clothes and old-fashioned language
marked her as an eccentric.” [Barrons]
1371. Quaint /kwānt/
Odd; old-fashioned; picturesque
“Good teachers exude authority; their less gifted
colleagues resort to authoritarianism: sit quietly at
your desks, take out your notebooks and write. That
need for conformity was one reason that left-
handers used to be forced, often quite brutally, to
write with their right hands.” [NYT cont]
“The leaders of the authoritarian regime ordered the
suppression of the democratic protest movement.
After years of submitting to the will of her
authoritarian father, Elizabeth Barrett ran away
from home with the poet Robert Browning.”
[Barrons]
1372. Authoritarian /əˌTHôriˈte(ə)rēən/
n & adj. Subordinating the individual to the state;
completely dominating another’s will
“But since most people before the 19th century
hardly went to school at all, the average left-hander
lived a relatively untrammeled left-handed life in the
village, on the farm and even in the factory.” [NYT
cont]
“The first principle of a free society is an
untrammeled flow of words in an open forum.
The freespirited young radical led an unconventional
life, untrammeled by rigid norms of ideological
orthodoxy.” [Barrons]
1373. Untrammeled
Without limits or restrictions; unrestrained;
untrammelled
“When you're stoned, baby, I am drunk
And we make love, it seems a little desolate
It's hard sometimes not to look away
And think what's the point when I'm having to hold
this fire down
I think I'll explode if I can't feel this freely now.”
[Dido, Stoned]
“The bandits desolated the countryside, burning
farms and carrying off the harvest.” [Barrons]
1374. Desolate /ˈdesəlit/
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 adj. unpopulated; joyless; forlorn, lonely,
solitary, deserted, lonesome
 v. rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake; devastate,
ravage
“All the toys and perks belie the frenetic pace here,
and many employees acknowledge that life at
Google can be hard on fragile egos.” [O.K., Google,
Take a Deep Breath, NYT]
“I love my work with a frenetic and perverse love, as
an ascetic loves the hair shirt which scratches his
belly.” [Gustave Flaubert]
1375. Frenetic
Frenzied; frantic
“I work with a lot of senior executives who can be
very demanding, but that doesn’t faze me anymore.
It’s almost an emotional and mental bank account.
I’ve now got much more of a buffer there.” [NYT
cont]
"No crisis could faze the resourceful hotel manager.”
[Barrons]
1376. Faze
Disconcert; dismay
"There is no easy panacea that will solve our
complicated international situation.” [Barrons]
1377. Panacea /ˌpanəˈsēə/
Cure-all; remedy for all diseases
"Pavlov’s experiment in which he trains a dog to
salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the
conditioned-response experiment in behavioral
psychology.” [Barrons]
1378. Paradigm /ˈparəˌdīm/
Model; example; pattern adj. paradigmatic
"He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes
were always lively and filled with humor.” [Barrons]
1379. Pedagogue /ˈpedəˌgäg/
Teacher
"Analytical writing assesses your ability to articulate
and support complex ideas, construct and evaluate
arguments, and sustain a focused and coherent
discussion.” [ETS]
"Her articulate presentation of the advertising
campaign impressed her employers.” [Barrons]
1380. Articulate
 adj. Effective; distinct
 v. express (an idea or feeling) fluently and
coherently form a joint
“Philip Glass (born 1937) embraced the ethos of
popular music without imitating it.” [ETS]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“That apart, the speculation seriously
misunderstands the culture and ethos of the Indian
army, which discourage the idea of questioning
civilian supremacy, leave alone usurping power.”
[Recasting civil-military ties, DS]
“Seeing how tenderly Spaniards treated her small
daughter made author Barbara Kingsolver aware of
how greatly children were valued in the Spanish
ethos.” [Barrons]
1381. Ethos /ˈēTHäs/
Underlying character of a culture, group, etc
“The activists’ energetic work in the service of both
woman suffrage and the temperance movement in
the late nineteenth century undermines the assertion
that the two movements were inimical.” [ETS]
“I have always been friendly to Martha. Why is she
so inimical to me?” [Barrons]
1382. Inimical
Unfriendly; hostile; harmfull; detrimental
“Beyond his preternatural affability there is some
acid and some steel.” [George Will]
“She was preternaturally beautiful.” [Word Web]
“He was recognized as an artist of preternatural
abilities, not only as a composer but also as a pianist
and conductor.” [ETS]
1383. Preternatural /ˌprētərˈnaCH(ə)rəl/
Beyond that is normal in nature, supernatural,
unearthly, weird
“Pessen concludes that the United States was a
class-ridden, plutocratic society even before
industrialization.” [ETS]
“From the way the government caters to the rich,
you might think our society is a plutocracy rather
than a democracy.” [Barrons]
1384. Plutocracy
Society ruled by the wealthy
“Some of the new colloquial reading passages on
standardized tests have a conversational tone
intended to make them more appealing to test-
takers.” [Barrons]
1385. Colloquial
Pertaining to conversational or common speech;
informal
“To wane is the opposite of to wax or increase in
size. When lit, does a wax candle wane?”
[Barrons+Lec25]
1386. Wane /wān/
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Decrease in size or strength; draw gradually to an
end; decrease in phase: "the moon is waning";
decline, decrease, sink, diminish, dwindle also n
“Only two things inhibited him from taking a punch
at Mike Tyson: Tyson’s left hook, and Tyson’s right
jab.” [Barrons]
1387. Inhibit
Restrain; retard or prevent; prohibit, hinder,
restrain, impede, debar, forbid
"The fact that you are suffering proves that you are
not a kleptomaniac or a thief.” [Mita, The Star]
"They discovered that the wealthy customer was a
kleptomaniac when they caught her stealing some
cheap trinkets.” [Barrons]
1388. Kleptomaniac
Person who has a compulsive desire to steal
"Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married in
1981 in a lavish ceremony that was televised around
the world and watched by nearly a billion people.”
[NYT]
"The actor’s lavish gifts pleased her.” [Barrons]
1389. Lavish
adj & v. liberal; wasteful
"On Facebook and on news sites, there appeared to
be very few comments this week defending the
Rohingya or calling for reconciliation.” [Rohingya,
NYT]
"Prince Charles and Princess Diana did not reconcile
after their separation and in August 1996, they
divorced.” [NYT cont]
"Every time we try to reconcile our check book with
the bank statement, we quarrel.” [Barrons]
1390. Reconcile /ˈrekənˌsīl/
Correct inconsistencies; become friendly after a
quarrel
"Not that crowds are likely to storm the barricades.
Still, there have been signs, among them a tepid
take-up of Prime Minister David Cameron’s
challenge to communities across the country to
organize street parties.” [A Royal Wedding, a
Tarnished Crown, NYT]
"To avoid scalding the baby, make sure the bath
water is tepid, not hot.” [Barrons]
1391. Tepid /ˈtepid/
Only slightly warm; lukewarm, marked by lack of
enthusiasm
"Often enough in English history, there has been
more than a whiff of republicanism in the air — from
Cromwell and the civil war in the 1640s to the
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
decades of turmoil that followed Charles II’s
restoration in 1660.” [NYT cont]
"The slightest whiff of Old Spice cologne brought
memories of George to her mind.” [Barrons]
1392. Whiff /(h)wif/
Puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); hint; smell, sniff
"In the 1990s, there were sundry indiscretions,
including the publication of the “Camilla-gate” tape
recording of an intercepted cellphone call, in which
Charles offered excruciating expressions of sexual
yearning for Camilla.” [NYT cont]
“My suspicions were aroused when I read sundry
items in the newspapers about your behavior.”
[Barrons]
1393. Sundry /ˈsəndrē/
Various; several
"Most recently, there have been the tabloid
revelations about dubious financial deals involving
Prince Andrew, Charles’s younger brother, and some
of the foreign potentates he has courted as Britain’s
highest-ranking trade envoy.” [NYT cont]
“The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo
than he did at home on his throne.” [Barrons]
1394. Potentate /ˈpōtnˌtāt/
Monarch; sovereign
"Diana, above all the royals, empathized with the
afflicted and downtrodden, perhaps because of the
emotional deprivations she had suffered as a child,
and later as a royal bride.” [NYT cont]
“What made Ann such a fine counselor was her
empathy, her ability to put herself in her client’s
place and feel his emotions as if they were her own.”
[Barrons]
1395. Empathy
Ability to identify with another’s feelings, ideas, etc.
v. empathize
Princess Diana, may rest, in good measure, Britain’s
chances of retaining a monarchy that has withstood
all other vicissitudes for more than a thousand
years, and with it the institution that inspired
Shakespeare to call his native land “this royal throne
of Kings, this sceptred isle, this earth of majesty ...
this blessed plot, this earth, this Realm, this
England.” [NYT cont]
“Humbled by life’s vicissitudes, the last emperor of
China worked as a lowly gardener in the palace over
which he had once ruled.” [Barrons]
1396. Vicissitude /vəˈsisəˌt(y)o͞od/
Change of fortune; change, shift, mutation
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“For them, this week will bring new hope that the
wedding will lead on, while Prince William and his
princess are still young enough to make a difference,
to a new chapter for the crown that will yield the
contentment — for the nation, and for the couple
themselves — that was so cruelly promised on the
halcyon day that saw Prince William’s parents wed.”
[NYT cont]
“In those halcyon days, people were not worried
about sneak attacks and bombings.” [Barrons]
1397. Halcyon /ˈhalsēən/
Calm; peaceful; quiet, calm, placid, tranquil
“Lester Burnham, played with heavenly finesse by
Kevin Spacey in his wittiest and most agile screen
performance yet.” [American Beauty (1999), NYT
review]
“The finesse and adroitness with which the surgeon
wielded her scalpel impressed the observers in the
operating theater.” [Barrons]
1398. Finesse /fəˈnes/
Delicate skill
Lester introduces Lester's wife, Carolyn at the start
of ''American Beauty'' with the same devilish acuity
that keeps the rest of this satire so scalding. ''See the
way the handle on those pruning shears matches her
gardening clogs? That's not an accident,'' Lester
remarks. [NYT review cont]
“In time his youthful acuity of vision failed him, and
he needed glasses.” [Barrons]
1399. Acuity /əˈkyo͞oitē/
Sharpness, acuteness
”American Beauty'' is directed with terrific visual
flair by the English stage director Sam Mendes. [NYT
cont]
1400. Flair
Talent, aptitude
“The movie is replete with the kinds of delicate,
eroticized power-playing vignettes found in his
production of ''The Blue Room,'' strikes an unusually
successful balance between the mordant and
bright.” [NYT review cont]
“Sensational popular fiction, replete with adultery
and sudden death..” [Oxford Dic]
1401. Replete
adj. filled or well-supplied; very full of or sated by
food
“The New Yorker published her latest vignette.”
[Barrons]
1402. Vignette /vinˈyet/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Picture; short literary sketch
“Actors feared the critic’s mordant pen.” [Barrons]
1403. Mordant
Biting; sarcastic; stinging
“His Lester is not the first super-bland suburban
paragon to drop out with a vengeance, nor does
Carolyn amount to a new take on the ambitious,
frigid wife.” [NYT review cont]
“Alaska is in the frigid zone.” [Barrons]
1404. Frigid /ˈfrijid/
Intensely cold
“The film is set in motion when Lester, also none too
originally, goes ape for a nubile blond cheerleader
(Mena Suvari, lately seen in ''American Pie'').” [NYT
review cont]
“Mrs. Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen,
was worried about finding suitable husbands for her
five nubile daughters.” [Barrons]
1405. Nubile /ˈn(y)o͞oˌbīl/
Marriageable; sexually mature or attractive
“The teen-age voyeur next door is Ricky Fitts (Wes
Bentley), whose mother (Allison Janney) is as
wordlessly miserable as Carolyn is pert.” [NYT
review cont]
“Jill called Jack a voyeur when she caught him
aiming his binoculars at a bedroom window of the
house next door.” [Barrons]
1406. Voyeur /voiˈyər/
Peeping Tom; a viewer who enjoys seeing the sex
acts or sex organs of others
“I think your pert and impudent remarks call for an
apology.” [Barrons]
1407. Pert
Impertinent; forward
''American Beauty'' hammers heavily on the notion
that nonconformity is needed here. That thought is
repeated frequently and never carries a whit of
surprise. [NYT review cont]
“There’s not one whit of truth in your allegations.”
[Barrons]
1408. Whit /(h)wit/
Smallest speck; shred; tiny bit
“As these characters struggle viciously -- and
hilariously -- to escape the middle-class doldrums,
the film also evinces a real and ever more stirring
compassion.” [NYT review cont]
“Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was
over, she found herself in the doldrums.” [Barrons]
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1409. Doldrums /ˈdōldrəmz/
Blues; listlessness; slack period
“His letters evince the excitement he felt at
undertaking this journey.” [Google]
1410. Evince
Show clearly; manifest, demonstrate, display
“The antithesis between occult and rational
mentalities..” [Google]
“This tyranny was the antithesis of all that he had
hoped for, and he fought it with all his strength.”
[Barrons]
1411. Antithesis /anˈtiTHəsis/
Contrast; direct opposite of or to adj. antithetical,
antithetic
“Wanting to be rid of yet another wife, Henry VIII
sought a divorce on the grounds of consanguinity,
claiming their blood relationship was improperly
close.” [Barrons]
1412. Consanguinity
Kinship; related by blood
“I wasn’t particularly stoic when I had my flu shot; I
squealed like a stuck pig.” [Barrons]
1413. Stoic /ˈstō-ik/
Impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; seemingly
indifferent to emotions n. stoicism
“The Critics raved about Windows Phone 7 ... for
Microsoft?” [The Critics Rave ... for Microsoft, NYT]
“You’re a raving lunatic.” [Inez to Gil, Midnight in
Paris, 2011]
1414. Rave /rāv/
n & v. overwhelmingly favorable review; talk wildly
or incoherently, as if one were delirious or insane
adj. raving: delirious, mad
“Sounds like the usual adulation for a gadget from
Apple. In fact, they’re actually accolades for a new
product from Microsoft.” [NYT cont]
“In Hollywood, an “Oscar” is the highest accolade.”
[Google]
1415. Accolade
Award of merit; praise
“Windows and Office products are ubiquitous and
highly profitable.” [NYT cont]
1416. Ubiquitous
Being everywhere; omnipresent n. ubiquity
“The killing of the activist, Aminul Islam, marks a
turn in the often tense relations between labor
groups, on one side, and Bangladesh’s extensive
garment industry.” [NYT]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“People who come to disaster sites just to peer at
the grisly wreckage are indulging their morbid
curiosity.” [Barrons]
1417. Morbid
Given to unwholesome thought; moody;
characteristic of disease; unhealthy, diseased,
unsound, ill, sickly n. morbidity
“They have also criticized lax safety standards that
have led to the deaths of dozens of workers in
garment factory fires in recent years.” [NYT]
“We dislike restaurants where the service is lax and
inattentive.” [Barrons]
1418. Lax
Careless; lacking in rigor or strictness; loose
“Her students prepared a boisterous 8-month-old
girl with dark curly hair for the onerous task of
watching cartoons.” [Insights From the Youngest
Minds, NYT]
“The unruly crowd became even more boisterous
when he tried to quiet them.” [Barrons]
1419. Boisterous /ˈboist(ə)rəs/
Violent; rough; noisy; tumultuous
“The lab she founded with her colleague Susan Carey
is strewed with toys and festooned with children’s T-
shirts, but the Elmo atmospherics belie both the lab’s
seriousness of purpose and Dr. Spelke’s towering
reputation among her peers in cognitive
psychology.” [NYT cont]
“Preceding the bride to the altar, the flower girl will
strew rose petals along the aisle.” [Barrons]
1420. Strew
Spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter
“If you claimed to have invented a transporter device
like the one in “Star Trek,” a baby would scoff.” [NYT
cont]
“He scoffed at dentists until he had his first
toothache.” [Barrons]
1421. Scoff
Mock; ridicule; mock, jeer, deride, flout
“Should a student or colleague disagree with her, Dr.
Spelke skips the defensive bristling, perhaps in part
because she is serenely self-confident about her
intellectual powers.” [NYT cont]
“The dog stood there, bristling with anger.” [Barrons]
1422. Bristling
Rising like bristles; showing irritation
“Since atheism is thought to be territory already
secured, the targets now in view are the Big
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Questions, questions about morality, purpose and
consciousness that puzzle softheaded people who
muddle over them.” [Alain de Botton's 'Religion for
Atheists', NYT]
“Her thoughts were muddled and chaotic.” [Barrons]
1423. Muddle
n & v. confuse; mix up
“Nigger fell through the green glass house. Since
then, he kind of developed a speech impediment.”
[Pulp Fiction, 1994]
1424. Impediment /anˈtiTHəsis/
Hindrance; stumbling-block
“Except I think I'm still a little too petrified to laugh.”
[Vincent to Mia, on offer of listening the Fox 5 joke]
1425. Petrify
Turn to stone; cause to become stonelike or stiff or
dazed and stunned
“We'll need to camouflage the front seat and back
seat and floorboards with quilts and blankets, so if a
cop starts sticking his big snout in the car, the
subterfuge won't last, but at a glance the car will
appear to be normal.” [Wolf, PF cont]
“As soon as we realized that you had won our
support by a subterfuge, we withdrew our
endorsement of your candidacy.” [Barrons]
1426. Subterfuge
Pretense; evasion
“The challenge is not to decide who has the Most
Important Insights, but to comprehend the
knowledge we have, finite, fallible and fragmentary
as it is.” [NYT cont]
“Although I am fallible, I feel confident that I am
right this time.” [Barrons]
1427. Fallible /ˈfaləbəl/
Liable to err
“Obama campaign grapples with new voter id laws.”
[NYT]
“He grappled with the burglar and overpowered
him.” [Barrons]
1428. Grapple
Wrestle; come to grips with
“The Supreme Court voided the statute by a decisive
7–2 vote.” [Google]
“The major powers acted decisively to end the
conflict.” [GRE VW]
1429. Decisive + /diˈsīsiv/
Conclusive, decided, crucial, resolute, determined;
definitive adv. decisively
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The statute of limitations sets limits on how long
you have to take legal action in specific cases.”
[Barrons]
1430. Statute /ˈstaCHo͞ot/
Law enacted by the legislature
“The film has the inspired silliness of some of Mr.
Allen’s classic comic sketches (most obviously, “A
Twenties Memory,” in which the narrator’s nose is
repeatedly broken by Ernest Hemingway), spiked
with the rueful fatalism that has characterized so
much of his later work.” [Midnight in Paris review,
NYT]
“When we're done this wife of yours she's going to
rue the day she ever decided to give up on you.”
[Crazy Stupid Love]
1431. Rue /ro͞o/
Regret; lament; mourn adj. rueful
“Nothing here is exactly new, but why would you
expect otherwise in a film so pointedly suspicious of
novelty? Very little is stale, either, and Mr. Allen has
gracefully evaded the trap built by his grouchy
admirers and unkind critics — I’m not alone in fitting
both descriptions — who complain when he repeats
himself and also when he experiments. Not for the
first time, but for the first time in a while, he has
found a credible blend of whimsy and wisdom.”
[Midnight in Paris review cont, NYT]
“The computer is no longer a novelty around the
office.” [Barrons]
1432. Novelty
Something new; newness
“Paris, golden and gray, breezy and melancholy,
immune to its own abundant clichés and gorgeously
shot by Darius Khondji, certainly helps.” [NYT
Review cont]
1433. Cliché /ˈklēˌSHā/
Phrase dulled in meaning by repetition
“Paul’s habit of prefacing every show-off bit of data
with “if I’m not mistaken” is a sign that, in the ways
that count, he is.” [NYT Review cont]
“The chairman made a few prefatory remarks before
he called on the first speaker.” [Barrons]
1434. Prefatory /ˈprefəˌtôrē/
Introductory; n & v. preface: introduce;
introduction; preamble
“Prufrock” is a statement of the very ennui — the
perception of a diminished world unable to satisfy a
hungering sensibility — that afflicts Gil. Mr. Allen’s
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treatment of this condition is gentle and wry. [The
Old Ennui and the Lost Generation, NYT]
“The monotonous routine of hospital life induced a
feeling of ennui that made her moody and irritable.”
[Barrons]
1435. Ennui /änˈwē/
Boredom; tedium; weariness; listlessness
“We enjoy Dorothy Parker’s verse for its wry wit.”
[Barrons]
1436. Wry
Twisted; with a humorous twist
“Your father defends the right-wing of the
Republican Party, and I happen to think you almost
got to be like, a demented lunatic, but it's like... “
[Midnight on Paris, 2011]
“If you’re demented, your mental state is out of
whack; in other words, you’re wacky.” [Barrons]
1437. Demented
Insane; lunatic; crazy; daft
“I believe that love that is true and real creates a
respite from death.” [Hemingway, Paris cont]
“For David, the two weeks vacationing in New
Zealand were a delightful respite from the pressures
of his job.” [Barrons]
1438. Respite
Interval of relief; time for rest; delay in punishment
“Look how he's done her: dripping with sexual
innuendo, carnal to the point of smoldering, and,
yes, she's beautiful, but it's a subtle beauty; an
implied sensuality.” [Gertrude Stein, Paris cont]
“I can defend myself against direct accusations;
innuendos and oblique attacks on my character are
what trouble me.” [Barrons]
1439. Innuendo /ˌinyo͞oˈendō/
Hint; insinuation
"Out of the Past" was the name of the store, and its
products consisted of memories. What was prosaic
and even vulgar to one generation, had been
transmuted by the mere passing of years to a status
at once magical and also camp. [Opening lines of
Gil’s book, Paris cont]
“Though the ad writers had come up with a highly
creative campaign to publicize the company’s
newest product, the head office rejected it for a
more prosaic, down-to-earth approach.” [Barrons]
1440. Prosaic /prōˈzāik/
Dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual;
prosy, pedestrian
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
"It was just a total fluke. Entire night was a surprise
and now I met you.” [Gil to Adriana, Paris cont]
“When Douglas defeated Tyson for the heavyweight
championship, some sportscasters dismissed his
victory as a fluke.” [Barrons]
1441. Fluke
Unlikely occurrence; stroke of fortune; flounder
"Adriana. I'm very drawn to her. I find her extremely
alluring.” [Gil to Dali & friends, Paris cont]
“Almost every major corporation tries to minimize its
taxes, of course. For Apple, the savings are especially
alluring because the company’s profits are so high.”
[How Apple Sidesteps Billions in Taxes, NYT ]
1442. Allure
Entice; attract
"I see an insurmountable problem. I can't find a way
to solve it.” [Gil, Paris cont]
1443. Insurmountable
Overwhelming; unbeatable; insuperable
"My daughter is going to marry this man of the
photograph. Naturally, discretion is paramount.”
[Inez’s dad, Paris cont]
“Discretion being the better part of valor, Microsoft
has chosen not to engage in the blog-platform battle
and will instead send the 30 million users of
Windows Live Spaces on a mass migration to
Automattic’s WordPress.com” [AllThingsD]
“She knew she could rely on his discretion.” [Oxford
Dic]
1444. Discretion
Prudence in speech, actions; ability to decide
responsibly; freedom to act on one’s own
"Well, momento, when they're forced to stay
together, the veneer of civilization quickly fades
away, and what you're left with is who they really
are: animals.” [Gil, Paris cont]
“What's the matter with that? You're paying to be in
the dream. There's a thin veneer, Kemp, between
the dream and the reality.” [Editor, The Rum Diary
cont]
“Casual acquaintances were deceived by his veneer
of sophistication and failed to recognize his
fundamental shallowness.” [Google]
1445. Veneer /vəˈni(ə)r/
Thin layer; cover
“That is Poseidon's trident, a symbol of power to
millions of the ancients.” [The Da Vinci Code, 2006]
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“Archaeologists debated the significance of the
artifacts discovered in the ruins of Asia Minor but
came to no conclusion about the culture they
represented.” [Barrons]
1452. Artifact
Object made by human beings, either handmade or
mass-produced

“I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace, to

confess my sins to do penance and to amend my
life.” [Silas, The Da Vinci Code]
“Flabby Panda gets surprised after finding out the 1453. Penance /ˈpenəns/
Invisible Trident of Destiny.” [Kung Fu Panda] Self-imposed punishment for sin
1446. Trident “The Good Book did not arrive by facsimile from
Three-pronged spear
heaven. The Bible as we know it was finally presided
"Does doctrine necessarily include vows of chastity, over by one man: The pagan emperor Constantine.”
tithing and atonement for sins through self- [Teabing, Vinci Code cont]
flagellation and the cilice?” [Prof Robert Langdon, 1454. Facsimile /fakˈsiməlē/
The Da Vinci Code cont] Copy; replica
"To ensure that his bride would stay chaste while he “In London lies a knight a Pope interred.” [Vinci
was off to the wars, the crusader had her fitted out Code cont]
with a chastity belt.” [Barrons] 1455. Inter
1447. Chaste Bury; entomb; inhume
Pure; virginal; modest n. chastity
“These aren't tombs. These are effigies.” [Vinci Code
"He tithed his income to the Church.” [Word Web] cont]
1448. Tithe /tīT͟H/ “Outside the picture palaces of Bombay, mammoth
Tax of one-tenth; pay one tenth of cardboard effigies of Gibreel were seen to decay and
1449. Atone list.” [Satanic Verses]
Make amends for; pay for; expiate; repent
1456. Effigy /ˈefijē/
When official reported about Langdon's buying ticket Dummy; image; portrait; picture; likeness
with a view to go Brussels inspector said, "a decoy, “The Holy Grail 'neath
I'm sure.” [SA, The Da Vinci Code cont] ancient Roslin waits
"The wild ducks were not fooled by the decoy.” The blade and chalice
[Barrons] guarding o'er her gates
1450. Decoy
n & v. lure or bait; make amends for; pay for; Adorned in masters'
snare; trap
loving art, she lies
“This crusade, one of the most massive and She rests at last
sweeping in history was actually orchestrated by a beneath the starry skies” [Vinci Code cont]
secret brotherhood, the Priory of Sion and their
military arm, the Knights Templar.” [Langdon, The
Da Vinci Code cont]
1451. Orchestrate +
Snare; trap mastermind: plan and direct (a
complex undertaking); arrange music

“Supposedly the invasion was to find an artifact lost

since the time of Christ. An artifact, it was said, the
Church would kill to possess.” [Langdon cont, The Da
1457. Chalice /ˈefijē/
Vinci Code]
Goblet; consecrated cup

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“The wheelchair stood empty among the silenced
sound-stages; his absence revealed the tawdry
shamming of the sets.” [Satanic Verses]
1458. Tawdry /ˈtôdrē/
Cheap and gaudy; sordid or unpleasant; showy,
flashy, garish, tasteless
“The proposed legislation is a farce and a sham.”
[Google]
“To take sides at a later point would be to suggest
that the earlier presumptive impartiality was a
sham.” [ETS]
“She shammed sickness to get out of going to
school.” [Barrons]
1459. Sham
n. & v. pretend
“Farishta dives underground, opined Blitz in
somewhat macabre fashion, while Busybee in _The
Daily_ preferred Gibreel flies coop.” [SV cont1]
“The city morgue is a macabre spot for the
uninitiated.” [Barrons]
1460. Macabre /məˈkäbrə/
Gruesome; grisly; ghastly, lurid, horrible
“On the gigantic, luridly colored hoardings from
which he had watched over the populace..” [SV
cont1]
“Do the lurid cover stories in the Enquirer actually
influence people to buy that trashy tabloid?”
[Barrons]
1461. Lurid
Wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome
“Dangling limply on their sustaining scaffolds, they
lost arms, withered, snapped at the neck.” [SV cont]
“Before painting the house, the workers put up a
scaffold to allow them to work on the second story.”
[Barrons]
1462. Scaffold
Temporary platform for workers; bracing
framework; platform for execution
“Even on the silver screen itself, high above his
worshippers in the dark, that supposedly immortal
physiognomy began to putrefy, blister and bleach..”
[SV cont]
1463. Physiognomy
Face
“Babasaheb Mhatre sat in a blue office behind a
green door above a labyrinthine bazaar.” [SV cont]
“To many, reading the poetry of Das is like stumbling
upon a labyrinth of mind -- similar to the kind one
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
imagines Albert Camus' 'absurd' man toils (move
slowly and with difficulty) through. Indeed Das'
poetry is sometimes an outcome of very profound
feelings that is painted with imagery of a type not
readily understandable.” [DS Ent]
1464. Labyrinth
Maze, complex system of paths or tunnels in which
it is easy to get lost
“Sometimes when he looked around him, especially
in the afternoon heat when the air turned glutinous,
the visible world, its features and inhabitants and
things, seemed to be sticking up through the
atmosphere like a profusion of hot icebergs, and he
had the idea that everything continued down below
the surface of the soupy air: people, motor-cars,
dogs, movie billboards, trees, nine-tenths of their
reality concealed from his eyes.” [SV cont]
“Molasses is a glutinous substance.” [Barrons]
1465. Glutinous /ˈglo͞otn-əs/
Sticky; viscous
“Caught himself in the act of forming blasphemous
thoughts, for example when without meaning to, as
he drifted off (fall asleep) to sleep in his cot at the
Mhatre residence, his somnolent fancy began to
compare his own condition with that of the Prophet
at the time when, having been orphaned and short
of funds, he made a great success of his job as the
business manager of the wealthy widow Khadija,
and ended up marrying her as well.” [SV cont]
1466. Blasphemy /ˈblasfəmē/
Irreverence; sacrilege; cursing; profanity
1467. Somnolent /ˈsämnələnt/
Half asleep
“As he slipped into sleep he saw himself sitting on a
rose-strewn dais, simpering shyly beneath the sari-
pallu which he had placed demurely over his face,
while his new husband, Babasaheb Mhatre, reached
lovingly towards him to remove the fabric, and gaze
at his features in a mirror placed in his lap.” [SV cont]
1468. Simper
Smirk; smile affectedly
“This series proved so popular that monkey-tails
became de rigueur for the city's young bucks at the
kind of parties frequented by convent girls known as
"firecrackers" because of their readiness to go off
with a bang.” [SV cont]
1469. de rigueur + /də riˈgər/
Required by etiquette or current fashion
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“He had so many sexual partners that it was not
uncommon for him to forget their names even
before they had left his room. Not only did he
become a philanderer of the worst type, but he also
learned the arts of dissimulation, because a man
who plays gods must be above reproach.” [SV cont]
1470. Philanderer /fəˈlandərər/
Faithless lover; flirt; womanizer
“Although the governor tried to dissimulate his
feelings about the opposing candidate, we all knew
he despised his rival.” [Barrons]
1471. Dissimulate /diˈsimyəˌlāt/
Pretend; conceal by feigning, n. dissimulation
“The avalanche of sex in which Gibreel Farishta was
trapped managed to bury his greatest talent so deep
that it might easily have been lost forever, his talent,
that is, for loving genuinely, deeply and without
holding back, the rare and delicate gift which he had
never been able to employ.” [SV cont]
“An avalanche smashed into a Pakistan army camp
yesterday burying at least 100 soldiers in a remote
area billed as the world's highest battleground, with
no sign of survivors over 12 hours later.” [DS]
1472. Avalanche
Great mass of falling snow and ice
“Because of her, the challenge of her, the newness,
the fierceness of the two of them together, the
inexorability of an impossible thing that was
insisting on its right to become.” [SV cont]
“After listening to the pleas for clemency, the judge
was inexorable and gave the convicted man the
maximum punishment allowed by law.” [Barrons]
1473. Inexorable /inˈeksərəbəl/
Relentless; unyielding; implacable; merciless;
inflexible
“This face was handsome in a somewhat sour,
patrician fashion, with long, thick, downturned lips
like those of a disgusted turbot, and thin eyebrows
arching sharply over eyes that watched the world
with a kind of alert contempt.” [SV cont]
“We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician
elegance.” [Barrons]
1474. Patrician
adj. noble; aristocratic also n.
“Even in those days he was a person who recoiled
from raucousness, jostling and the perspiration of
strangers he was feeling faintly nauseated by the
long, bumpy ride home.” [SV cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The raucous crowd of New Year’s Eve revelers grew
progressively noisier as midnight drew near.”
[Barrons]
1475. Raucous /ˈrôkəs/
Harsh and shrill; disorderly and boisterous; rough
“In the subway he was jostled by the crowds.”
[Barrons]
1476. Jostle /ˈjäsəl/
Shove; bump; push, elbow, or bump against
(someone) roughly, typically in a crowd
“Each Friday of her married life, Nasreen would fill
the halls of the Chamchawala residence, those
usually tenebrous chambers like great hollow burial
vaults, with bright light and brittle friends.” [SV cont]
“My employer’s brittle personality made it difficult
for me to get along with her.” [Barrons]
1477. Brittle
Fragile; easily broken; frail n. brittleness
“On Fridays the house was full of noise; there were
musicians, singers, dancers, the latest Western hits
as heard on Radio Ceylon, raucous puppet-shows in
which painted clay rajahs rode puppet-stallions,
decapitating enemy marionettes with imprecations
and wooden swords.” [SV cont]
They did not hang Lady Jane Grey; they decapitated
her. “Off with her head!” cried the Duchess, eager to
decapitate poor Alice. [Barrons]
1478. Decapitate /diˈkapiˌtāt/
Behead
“He suffered the imprecations of the mob.”
[Barrons+Lec22]
1479. Imprecation
Curse; malediction, oath, execration, cuss,
anathema
“He imagined the DC--8 was the mother ship,
bearing the Chosen, the Elect of God and man,
across unthinkable distances, travelling for
generations, breeding eugenically, that their seed
might one day take root somewhere in a brave new
world beneath a yellow sun.” [SV cont]
1480. Eugenic
Pertaining to or causing improvement in the
offspring produced
''Midnight's Children,'' which won England's
prestigious Booker Prize and brought Mr. Rushdie to
the forefront of a new generation of British writers,
stands as a dark parable of Indian history since
independence: the decline of the book's hero - from a
brilliant childhood into adult cynicism and despair -
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became a metaphor for the country's own fate, its
high hopes of democracy crumbling in the the
tumultuous period of emergency rule declared by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. After the
book's publication in 1981, Mrs. Gandhi threatened
to sue for libel over a passage that implied she bore
responsibility for her husband's death. ['The Satanic
Verses': What Rushdie Wrote, NYT]
1481. Parable /ˈparəbəl/
Short, simple story teaching a moral
“'Like the author's earlier books, it is written in
roiling, street-smart prose, but much of the anger
that animated those other volumes (particularly
''Shame'') has dissipated here, replaced by a lyricism
that nearly passes for nostalgia.” [NYT cont]
“Be careful when you pour not to roil the wine; if you
stir up the sediment you’ll destroy the flavor.”
[Barrons]
1482. Roil
Muddy; rile; to make liquids murky by stirring up
sediment; to disturb
“The name Mahound. One of the characters in
Gibreel's dreams is a businessman turned prophet
named Mahound - a figure whom Muslim critics
regard as a thinly and perversely diguised
representation of the Prophet Mohammed.” [NYT
cont]
“So who are the main culprits behind this downright
atrocity or perverse culture?” [Barrons]
1483. Perverse
Stubbornly wrongheaded, wicked and unacceptable
“To believing Muslims, the Koran is accepted as the
word of God, dictated by the Archangel Gabriel
through the Prophet Mohammed and set down,
immaculately, by the Prophet's scribes.” [NYT cont]
“Ken and Jessica were wonderful tenants who left
the apartment in immaculate condition when they
moved out.” [Barrons]
1484. Immaculate /iˈmakyəlit/
Spotless; flawless; absolutely clean
1485. Scribe -
Copyist: someone employed to make written copies
of documents and manuscripts; writer
“Irreverent as these episodes may be, there seems to
be little actual malice on the part of Mr. Rushdie
(who is no longer a practicing Muslim) toward Islam
or religion in general.” [NYT cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Ken and Jessica were wonderful tenants who left
the apartment in immaculate condition when they
moved out.” [Barrons]
1486. Irreverence
Lack of proper respect adj. irreverent
“Jealous of Cinderella’s beauty, her malicious
stepsisters expressed their spite by forcing her to do
menial tasks.” [Barrons]
1487. Malicious /məˈliSHəs/
Hateful; spiteful; malevolent, vicious, malignant n.
malice
“It's a predicament now shared by Mr. Rushdie, who
finds himself caught between two cultures, two ways
of looking at the world.” [NYT on Satanic Verses
cont]
“Charlie Kindel, a longtime Microsoft manager who
joined its mobile team in early 2009, compared the
pain caused by starting over to the predicament of
Aron Ralston, the hiker who amputated his own arm
in 2003 after it was it pinned under a boulder in the
Utah desert.” [About creating WP from scratch , NYT
cont]
“He finds himself in a most awkward predicament.”
[Word Web]
1488. Predicament /priˈdikəmənt/
Tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma; plight;
quandary
“Though he has lived for years in the West, with its
tradition of freedom of expression, his family roots
are in the Islamic faith - a fact that fundamentalists,
who revile apostasy, hold against him.” [NYT on
Satanic Verses cont]
“In times of stronger faith, deists have been reviled
as indistinguishable from atheists.” [God Delusion]
“Though most of his contemporaries reviled Captain
Kidd as a notorious, bloody-handed pirate, some of
his fellow merchant-captains believed him innocent
of his alleged crimes.” [Barrons]
1489. Revile
Attack with abusive language; vilify; abuse;
vituperate
“You want me to violate his God-given civil rights in
the name of some murky sense of the greater good,
is that the jist of it?” [Judge to Nick, Law Abiding
Citizen]
“The murky depths of the swamp were so dark that
you couldn’t tell the vines and branches from the
snakes.” [Barrons]
1490. Murky
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Dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague n.
murkiness
“The slum had been a purgatory, now it is hell.” [City
of God]
“In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his
comrades.” [Barrons]
1491. Purgatory
Place of spiritual expiation; a place or state of
suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are
expiating their sins before going to heaven
“We had such, potential. Such promise. But we
squandered our gifts, our intelligence.” [9 (I) (2009)]
“If you squander your allowance on candy and comic
books, you won’t have any money left to buy the
new box of crayons you want.” [Barrons]
1492. Squander
Waste
“Years ago I worked with lab animals some of them
were afflicted, but were saved.” [Bishop, Fringe 2008
S01E01]
“Even in the midst of her affliction, Elizabeth tried to
keep up the spirits of those around her.” [Barrons]
1493. Affliction
State of distress; cause of suffering
“It would be nice, to think that your tenacity in this
case is a byproduct of a remarkable and robust
professionalism.” [Philip Broyles, Fringe S01E01]
“Jean Valjean could not believe the tenacity of
Inspector Javert. Here all Valjean had done was to
steal a loaf of bread, and the inspector had pursued
him doggedly for 20 years!” [Barrons]
1494. Tenacity
Firmness; persistence
“l had to struggle to break his tenacious hold on my
arm.” [Barrons]
1495. Tenacious
Holding fast
“He was terminated immediately. We referred his
name to the Justice Department. We have done our
do diligence, Agent Dunham.” [Philip Broyles, Fringe
S01E01]
1496. Diligence
Steadiness of effort; persistent hard work; industry,
assiduity, sedulity, studiousness
“She is an FBI. agent who had an illicit affair with her
partner, a man who turned out to be a traitor.”
[Nina, Fringe S01E02]
1497. Illicit
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Illegal
“Which is why as sorry as I was to hear about dr.
bishop's incarceration, I believe it is the best thing
that could ever happen to humanity. No one in
power should ever learn what he knows.” [Bishop’s
ex-colleague, Fringe S01E02]
“In Malaysia and Iran a Muslim is fined, or whipped
or incarcerated for eating in public during
Ramadan.” [Voodoos]
1498. Incarcerate /inˈkärsəˌrāt/
Imprison
“The Godfather doesn't depict poetic justice but
rather portrays the triumph of perspicacious potency
over abject vulnerability. The Godfather is known,
not for its cogency but for its eloquence.” [The
Godfather, imdb review]
“If you require my perspicacity such as it exists, then
there are certain fundamental requirements, not the
least of which is access to my equipment, my lab.”
[Angry Bishop to Broyles, Fringe S01E04]
The brilliant lawyer was known for his perspicacious
deductions.” [Barrons]
1499. Perspicacious /ˌpərspiˈkāSHəs/
Having insight; penetrating; astute; discerning,
acute, penetrating, sagacious n perspicacity
“If it would help you feel a sense of retribution, I
would tell you to inject me too.” [Bishop apologizing
to Astrid, Fringe S01E04]
“The evangelist maintained that an angry deity
would exact retribution from the sinners.” [Barrons]
1500. Retribution /ˌretrəˈbyo͞oSHən/
Vengeance; compensation; punishment for offenses
“I regained consciousness, I saw your body contorted
horribly, and I reached for you.” [Bishop, Fringe
S01E04]
“As the effects of the opiate wore away, the
contortions of the patient became more violent and
demonstrated how much pain she was enduring.”
[Barrons]
1501. Contortion
Twistings; distortions; tortuosity: a tortuous and
twisted shape or position, v. contort
“Members of the middle class who took out loans to
pay for education, took out mortgages to buy their
houses and a piece of the American dream, worked
hard at the jobs they could find, and ended up
unemployed or radically underemployed and on the
precipice of financial and social ruin.” [NYTimes]
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“Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from
the edge of a precipice.” [Barrons]
1502. Precipice /ˈpresəpəs/
Dangerous position, cliff
“This hill is difficult to climb because it is so
precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be
precipitous as well.” [Barrons]
1503. Precipitous
Steep; overhasty
“You must adjust the way you consider
communications, ideas. Ideas can be absorbed
through osmosis, through proximity.” [Bishop, Fringe
S01E04 cont]
“Learning a language is to some degree a process of
osmosis.” [GRE VW]
1504. Osmosis + /äzˈmōsis/
Diffusion of a fluid; gradual assimilation or
absorption
“So cut out the gibberish and just tell us where the
cylinder is..” [Peter to Bishop, Fringe S01E04 cont]
“Did you hear that foolish boy spouting gibberish
about monsters from outer space?” [Barrons]
1505. Gibberish
Nonsense; babbling
“So you're saying these people could control
electronic devices?
- No, not deliberately. But I did surmise that it
should be possible.” [Peter & Bishop, Fringe S01E04
cont]
“I surmise that he will be late for this meeting.”
[Barrons]
1506. Surmise
n & v. guess
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“It is possible that he could've levitated long enough
to escape the brunt of the impact.” [Peter, Fringe
S01E04 cont]
“Education will bear the brunt of the cuts because of
these austerity measures.” [SA, Google]
1507. Brunt
Main impact or shock; the worst part or chief
impact of a specified thing
“If you can sabotage machines, you wouldn't
sabotage one you're in.” [Olivia, Fringe S01E05 cont]
“Saboteurs bombed an Egyptian natural gas pipeline
on the Sinai Peninsula Monday, with the blast
sending flames shooting into the sky.” [AFP]
1508. Saboteur
One who commits sabotage; destroyer of property
v. sabotage
“The color in your face.. You're looking a little
pallid.” [Bishop to Olivia, Fringe S01E05 cont]
“His portraits on the covers of movie magazines
acquired the pallor of death, a nullity about the eye,
a hollowness.” [SV cont]
1509. Pallid /ˈpalid/
Pale; wan; feeble or insipid n. pallor
“Her pain of the lesion went away. She went into
remission.” [The Husband, Fringe S01E06 cont]
“Senator Tsongas had been treated for cancer, his
symptoms were in remission, and he was considered
fit to handle the strains of a presidential race.”
[Barrons]
1510. Remission
Temporary moderation of disease symptoms;
cancellation of a debt; forgiveness or pardon
“The lacerations on the body, no doubt, were caused
by shards of glass.” [Bishop, Fringe S01E09 cont]
“The stock-car driver needed stitches to close the
lacerations he received in the car crash.” [Barrons]
1511. Laceration /ˌlasəˈrāSHən/
Torn, ragged wound v. lacerate
“I don't want to sound callous, agent dunham, but
when you run a company of over 300,000
employees, you sometimes see a small percentage
who succumb to the stress of their responsibilities.”
[Nina, Fringe S01E09 cont]
1512. Callous
Hardened; unfeeling
“I was simply referring to the pressure to deliver
results, which the private sector seems to require
though you would find it exhilarating.” [Nina, Fringe
S01E09 cont]
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“It should not be denied that being footloose has
always exhilarated us.” [Into the Wild]
1513. Exhilarating
Stimulating, Invigorating and refreshing, cheering
“Using a form of repressed memory therapy, we may
be able to bring the memories to the surface, and
purge them from your unconscious.” [Walter, Fringe
S01E09 cont]
“And once Rusk acted to close the unfinished
business, Lisa was free to finally purge herself of
him.” [Walter, Fringe S02E111]
1514. Purge /pərj/
Remove or get rid of something unwanted; free
from blame or guilt; cleanse or purify
“My voice is your guide, and also your tether to
reality.” [Bishop to Olivia going to Tank again, Fringe
S01E09 cont]
“To complete the Arabian Nights theme, Gaddafi
often would tether a camel or two outside.” [ABC
News]
1515. Tether
Tie with a rope
“I would hope that my cooperation would've
garnered some benefit of the doubt. Massive
dynamic has nothing to hide.” [Nina, Fringe S01E09
cont]
“In her long career as an actress, Katharine Hepburn
garnered many awards, including the coveted
Oscar.” [Barrons]
1516. Garner
Gather; store up; collect, hoard, gather
“Known for her headstrong independence and
spirited personality, Hepburn's career as a
Hollywood leading lady spanned more than 60
years.” [Wikipedia]
1517. Headstrong
Stubborn; willful; unyielding
“The reason this store seems like such a miracle to
you is because you've been holed-up in a mental
institution. For the better part of the last two
decades, which effectively does two things: one, it
precludes you from knowing much of anything about
me. And two, it renders any fatherly judgments you
may have of me moot.” [Angry Peter, Fringe S01E10
cont]
“Your role in the projects precludes your involvement
in the competitive project.” [FreeDictionary]
1518. Preclude
Make impossible; eliminate
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“That is a moot question. Whether the temperature
rise was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a
moot point.” [Google]
1519. Moot +
Debatable, disputable, controversial, arguable
“What are you cutting with the saw? Wood?
- Human tissue, flesh and bone. It's more sinuous
than you may expect.” [Walter, Fringe S01E10 cont]
“The snake moved in a sinuous manner.” [Barrons]
1520. Sinuous
Winding; bending in and out; not morally honest
“No, Peter's right.your pupils are dilated. It's a
symptom of high stress.” [Walter, Fringe S01E10
cont]
“In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate.” [Barrons]
1521. Dilate
Expand
“Dunham's been nothing but an exemplary agent,
and this is my office.” [Broyles, Fringe S01E11 cont]
“In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate.” [Barrons]
1522. Exemplary /igˈzemplərē/
Serving as a model; outstanding
“Mr. Speciale’s propulsive staging, abetted by
appealing choreography by George De La Peña, is so
clear that you could probably follow Shakespeare’s
story even if you weren’t listening to the text.” [A
Midsummer Night’s Dream Stage Performance
Review, NYT]
“The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than
the engine-driven plane.” [Barrons]
1523. Propulsive
Driving forward; propellant: tending to or capable
of propelling v. propel
“Ms. Gross is marginally more adept, but both actors
have small, high voices that veer into a grating
shrillness at times.” [NYT Theater Review cont]
1524. Grate
Make a harsh noise; have an unpleasant effect;
shred adj. grating
“Her Titania is most memorable for the regal grace
of her movement and her lithe, feline beauty,
showcased in glittering fishnet stockings, black boots
and corset.” [NYT Theater Review]
1525. Lithe /līT͟H/
Flexible; supple
“Tensions in the area had been building for several
months, said Chris Lewa, an expert on the Rohingya
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who has championed their cause.” [Crisis in
Myanmar Over Buddhist-Muslim Clash, NYT]
1526. Champion /ˈCHampēən/
Support militantly; defend, advocate, uphold
“Three novels, four collections of short stories and
three non-fiction works were published
posthumously.” [Ernest Hemingway, Wikipedia]
1527. Posthumous /ˈpäsCHəməs/
After death (as of child born after father’s death or
book published after author’s death)
“The Obama campaign saw an opening to galvanize
its backers as well.” [Obama Campaign Pushes the
Issue of Gay Marriage, NYT]
“News that the prince was almost at their door
galvanized the ugly stepsisters into a frenzy of
combing and primping. [Barrons]
1528. Galvanize
Stimulate by shock; stir up; revitalize
“For more than a year, House Republicans have
energetically worked to demolish vital social
programs that have made this country both stronger
and fairer over the last half-century.” [The Human
Cost of Ideology, NYT]
“One of the major aims of the air force was the
complete demolition of all means of transportation
by the bombing of rail lines and terminals. [Barrons]
1529. Demolition
Destruction v. demolish
“That effort reached a nadir on Thursday when the
House voted to prevent $55 billion in automatic cuts
imposed on the Pentagon as part of last year’s debt-
ceiling deal, choosing instead to make all those cuts,
and much more, from domestic programs.” [NYT
Editorial cont]
“Although few people realized it, the Dow-Jones
averages had reached their nadir and would soon
begin an upward surge. [Barrons]
1530. Nadir
Destruction v. demolish Iowest point
“Hard-drinking journalist Paul Kemp takes a job at a
besieged newspaper in San Juan, Puerto Rico.” [The
Rum Diary, imdb]
“When the bandits besieged the village, the villagers
holed up in the town hall and prepared to withstand
a long siege.
Members of the new administration were besieged
with job applications from people who had worked
on the campaign.” [Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1531. Besiege /biˈsēj/
Surround with armed forces; harass (with requests)
“Sanderson's girl-friend, the beguiling Chenault, bats
her eyes at Paul.” [imdb cont]
“With flattery and big talk of easy money, the con
men beguiled Kyle into betting his allowance on the
shell game. The men quickly beguiled poor Kyle of
his money. Broke, he beguiled himself during the
long hours by playing solitaire.” [Barrons]
1532. Beguile /biˈgīl/
Mislead or delude; cheat; pass time
“The two of them become Paul’s roommates and co-
conspirators in a rambling adventure that pits them,
somewhat woozily, against the editor of their
newspaper and a cabal of neocolonialist real estate
developers.” [The Rum Diary, NYT Review]
“The cabal was defeated when its scheme was
discovered.” [Barrons]
1533. Cabal /kəˈbäl/
A secret political clique or faction
“In the story it supplies fans with the chronicle of
how a more-or-less ordinary guy transformed
himself into a beloved archetype. “I haven’t figured
out how to write as myself,” Paul says at one point,
and as he chafes against the requirements of his job
and the foul corruption of his environment, he is also
undergoing the testing ordeal that will ultimately
give him a voice and a vocation.” [NYT Review cont]
1534. Ordeal
Severe trial or affliction
“Hal wants to despoil a pristine island by building
hotels and other lucrative infrastracture.” [NYT
Review cont]
1535. Despoil /diˈspoil/
Strip of valuables; rob; plunder, pillage, loot,
ransack
“Paul’s journalistic skills and connections (especially
if he’s spuriously identified as a correspondent for an
important mainland paper) will be an asset.” [NYT
Review cont]
1536. Spurious /ˈspyo͝orēəs/
False; counterfeit; forged; sham
“Walk the cramps off.
Go meander in the cold
Hail to your dark skin
Hiding the fact you're dead again.” [Music plays,
Garden State (2004)]
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“And so Paul’s drunken meanderings lead him to a
crossroad, with Hal and Moberg representing
opposed, cautionary visions of a plausible future.”
[NYT Review on Rum Diary cont]
“Needing to stay close to a source of water, he
followed every twist and turn of the stream as it
meandered through the countryside.” [Barrons]
1537. Meander
Wind or turn in its course; ramble: an aimless
amble on a winding course
“In the course of a narrative that both steers toward
and swerves away from a beat-the-bad-guys, get-
the-girl ending, Kemp locates his ethical center of
gravity, recovers his chivalrous instincts and
reconciles his appetites with his awakening sense of
mission.” [NYT Review cont]
“Chivalrous behavior involves noble words and good
deeds.” [Barrons]
1538. Chivalrous /ˈSHivəlrəs/
Courteous; faithful; brave; being attentive to
women like an ideal knight; gallant; knightly
“What did we take?” he asks, after he and Sala have
dosed themselves with a powerful and unnamed
hallucinogen. “We’ll need to get some more!” Later
he declares, “I put the bastards of the world on
notice that I do not have their best interests at
heart.” Together those statements might stand as a
précis of the vivid and improbable real career that
took shape after the fictional events depicted in this
film.” [NYT Review cont]
“Before making her presentation at the conference,
Ellen wrote a neat précis of the major elements she
would cover.” [Barrons]
1539. Précis /prāˈsē/
Concise summing up of main points
“Ms. Heard (Chenault) does what she can to
overcome the essentially decorative nature of her
part, while most of the rest of the cast does
whatever mugging or ranting seems appropriate.
The exception is Mr. Rispoli (Sala), whose sweaty,
anxious geniality is the most interesting and
authentic thing in the movie.” [The Rum Diary
(2011), NYT Movie Review]
1540. Geniality /prāˈsē/
Cheerfulness; kindliness; sympathy
“Both sides must recognize that a two-state solution
is in both their interests and failure to reach an
accord could be catastrophic for both.” [A Reset in
Jewish Thinking, NYT]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The 1906 San Francisco earthquake was a
catastrophe that destroyed most of the city.”
[Barrons]
1541. Catastrophe /kəˈtastrəfē/
Calamity; disaster; accident, cataclysm; adj.
catastrophic
“Each side will need to concede issues of burning
importance to large portions of their populations.”
[NYT cont]
1542. Concede
Admit; yield
“Ideally, Fatah and Hamas will form a unity
government and Hamas will rewrite its untenable
charter.” [NYT Jewish Thinking cont]
“Wayne is so contrary that, the more untenable a
position is, the harder he’ll try to defend it.” [Barrons]
1543. Untenable /ˌənˈtenəbəl/
Indefensible; not able to be maintained
Peace with the Palestinians would, on balance,
diminish risks; being an international pariah erodes
Israel’s security, allowing its enemies to claim the
high ground. In the words of Marcel Proust: “The
real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
lands, but seeing with new eyes.” [NYT Jewish
Thinking]
“Old Jack was as sharp at eighty as he had been at
fifty; increasing age led to no diminution of his
mental acuity.” [Barrons]
1544. Diminution /ˌdiməˈn(y)o͞oSHən/
Lessening; reduction in size; reduction, decrease,
abatement, detraction
“His new venture "Fringe" is to be introduced in an
opulent 90-minute pilot on Tuesday night.” [Fringe
TV Review, NYT]
“The glitter and opulence of the ballroom took
Cinderella’s breath away.” [Barrons]
1545. Opulence /ˈäpyələns/
Extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; wealth,
affluence, richness, riches adj. opulent
“The pilot is so packed with showy special effects
and spiraling plot twists that it’s hard to tell whether
subsequent episodes can live up to its premise. The
paranormal can pall, but actually it’s not the fringe
science that is hard to swallow — it’s the fringe
bureaucracy.” [Fringe NYT Review cont]
"Stability has never been the strong point of our
national politics. A pall of uncertainty always casts
lengthening shadows on it.” [Caretaker Conundrum,
DS]
1546. Pall /pôl/
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 v. grow tiresome
 n. veil, cloak, shroud
“Unfortunately, he has spent the last 17 years locked
up in a mental hospital (messy lab mishap), and that
drives Olivia to Bishop’s estranged son, Peter.” [NYT
cont]
“The estranged wife sought a divorce.”
[Barrons+lec16]
1547. Estranged /iˈstrānjd/
Separated; alienated n. estrangement
“After Cécilia had fled to New York, the impetuous
Sarko speed-dated Carla at Euro Disney, conducted a
poll to see if the French would accept the former
girlfriend of Mick Jagger and Eric Clapton as
Première Dame, and beat Cécilia to the altar.”
[Désamour and Amour, Paris, NYT]
1548. Impetuous
Violent; hasty; rash adv. impetuosity
“He felt queasy, and as he walked towards the
fairway he tried not to move his head.” [The man who
couldn't stop drawing, Guardian]
“`Do I have to remove the liver,' the medical student
asked queasily.” [Barrons]
1549. Queasy /ˈkwēzē/
Easily nauseated; squeamish
“What he did not know was that somewhere deep in
his brain a single blood vessel had shifted ever so
slightly and the movement, as minuscule as it was,
had caused a cataclysmic response in one of his
cranial nerves.” [Guardian cont]
1550. Cataclysm /ˈkatəˌklizəm/
Deluge; upheaval adj. cataclysmic
“Sarkin was suffering – that much was clear from his
haggard look and the way he held his body, as if in a
constant cringe.” [Guardian cont]
1551. Cringe /krinj/
Shrink back, as if in fear; shrink, bend, or crouch,
esp. in fear or servility
“Jannetta's quarry was a swollen blood vessel that
could be anywhere along the length of the eighth
cranial nerve.” [Guardian cont]
“They quarried blocks of marble out of the hillside.”
[Barrons]
1552. Quarry
 n. victim; object of a hunt
 v. dig into
“He can take name of mistress or something less
salacious.” [Charlie , Fringe S01E14]
1553. Salacious /səˈlāSHəs/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Lascivious; lustful
“Traditionally, most diplomatic cables remain secret
for decades, providing fodder for historians only
when the participants are long retired or dead.”
[WikiLeaks]
“One of Nancy’s chores at the ranch was to put fresh
supplies of fodder in the horses’ stalls.” [Barrons]
1554. Fodder /ˈfädər/
Coarse food for cattle, horses, etc; person or thing
regarded only as material for a specific use
“Mr. Assange responded brusquely on Monday
when a reporter asked whether donations to
WikiLeaks had been used to finance his extradition
battle, with legal bills running into hundreds of
thousands of dollars.” [Founder Says WikiLeaks, Starved
of Cash, May Close, NYT]
1555. Brusque /brəsk/
Blunt; abrupt
“Eighteen months and millions of dollars in legal fees
later, his defense to the Supreme Court had
dwindled down to one narrow argument: whether
Swedish prosecutors were defined as a “judicial
authority” with the power to issue an arrest warrant
for him.” [Founder Says WikiLeaks, Starved of Cash, May
Close, NYT]
“Her savings dwindled down.” [Word Web]
1556. Dwindle /ˈdwindl/
Shrink; reduce
“The case in Sweden concerns allegations by two
women in Stockholm that their consensual sexual
encounters with Mr. Assange became coerced in
August 2010, during a period when Mr. Assange was
at the height of his global fame and in the midst of
releasing hundreds of thousands of classified United
States military and diplomatic documents.”
[WikiLeaks Founder Loses in Court Again, NYT]
“This inequality in which the woman is trapped
through marriage, writes Beauvoir, does not change
even when the nature of this involuntary slavery is
transformed into voluntary slavery, e.g. in our
modern times, when forced, non-consensual
marriages have made way for marriages by choice
and consent.” [DS Lit.]
1557. Consensus
General agreement; opinion reached by a group as
a whole, adj. consensual: of or expressing a
consensus
“A fire on Friday in Rakhine State in Myanmar,
where Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist villagers have
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been embroiled in deadly clashes for the past week.”
[Internet Unshackled, Burmese Aim Venom at Ethnic
Minority, NYT]
“He became embroiled in the heated discussion
when he tried to arbitrate the dispute.” [Barrons]
1558. Embroil /emˈbroil/
Throw into confusion; involve in strife; entangle
“Over the past year, Myanmar’s government has
ended its heavy censorship, allowing citizens
unfettered access to a wide variety of Web sites that
had been banned during military rule.” [NYT cont]
“Solutions to these complex problems require the
unfettered imaginations of maverick scientists and
politicians.” [ETS]
“Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage
despaired that he would ever be unfettered.”
[Barrons]
1559. Unfettered
Liberated; freed from chains; unchain, unshackle
One reader, Pyaephyo Aung, wrote that he had been
“waiting for this kind of news for a long time.”
Another reader, Ko Nyi, used a racial slur and said,
“It’s not even enough that he is dead.” [NYT cont]
“Chained to the wall for months on end, the hostage
despaired that he would ever be unfettered.”
[Barrons]
1560. Slur
 n. insult to one’s character or reputation;
slander(secondary)
 v. speak indistinctly; mumble; make
slur(secondary)
“The issue of the Rohingya is so delicate that even
Myanmar’s leading defender of human rights and
democ racy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has been
oblique and evasive about the situation.” [NYT cont]
1561. Oblique
Indirect; slanting (deviating from the perpendicular
or from a straight line)
1562. Evasive
Not frank; eluding v. evade
“Asked at a news conference on Thursday whether
the estimated 800,000 Rohingyas in Myanmar
should be given citizenship, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi
was equivocal.” [NYT cont]
1563. Equivocal
Ambiguous; intentionally misleading
“The provenance of the Rohingya is as difficult to
trace as that of many of Myanmar’s other ethnic
groups: they appear to be a mixture of Arabs, Moors,
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Turks, Persians, Moguls and Pathans, according to
the United Nations.” [NYT cont]
1564. Provenance /ˈprävənəns/
Origin or source of something
“The international community marshaled sanctions,
and over the last year the military finally loosened its
stranglehold.” [Myanmar’s Opposition Leader Takes Her
Seat in Parliament, NYT]
1565. Marshal
Put in order; arrange
“But Washington and its allies must move cautiously,
keeping an arms embargo in place and standing
ready to reimpose sanctions if the generals
backslide.” [NYT cont]
“And what I'd like to know is, if we keep embargoing
them on energy then someday soon, are we gonna
have a nice, secular ProWestern, probusiness
government?” [Syriana]
1566. Embargo
Ban on commerce or other activity
“Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi applied for the passport after
recent political changes that culminated in her
election to Parliament last month.” [Myanmar Issues
Passport to Opposition Leader, NYT]
“His inauguration as President of the United States
marked the culmination of his political career.”
[Barrons]
1567. Culmination
Attainment of highest point v. culminate
“Last year, a long-ruling military junta handed over
power to an elected, nominally civilian government.”
[Myanmar Issues Passport to Opposition Leader, NYT]
“He offered to drive her to the airport for only a
nominal fee.” [Barrons]
1568. Nominal
In name only; trifling
“The suicide bomber dispatched by the Yemen
branch of Al Qaeda last month to blow up a United
States-bound airliner was actually an intelligence
agent for Saudi Arabia who infiltrated the terrorist
group and volunteered for the mission.” [Rare Double
Agent Disrupted Bombing Plot, NYT]
“The boy spent his entire fortune developing ... the
contacts to infiltrate this place.” [Serenity]
1569. Infiltrate
Pass into or through; penetrate (an organization)
sneakily
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“We are talking about compromising methods and
sources and causing our partners to be leery about
working with us,” said Mr. King, who spoke with
reporters about the plot on Monday night. [NYT cont]
“Don’t eat the sushi at this restaurant; I’m a bit leery
about how fresh it is.” [Cont…]
1570. Leery
Suspicious; cautious v. leer
“No, if anything, his ideation tended toward self-
contempt. Toward the suicidal. Although he did
suffer from some psychosis when his delusions were
florid.” [Dr Miler recalls Nick, Fringe S01E17 cont]
“That they're buried beneath layers of psychosis.”
[Serenity]
1571. Psychosis
Mental disorder, any severe mental disorder in
which contact with reality is lost or highly distorted
“His delusions were typical paranoid fare.” [Dr Miler
recalls Nick, Fringe S01E17 cont]
“Suffering from paranoia, he claimed everyone was
out to get him. Ironically, his claim was accurate;
even paranoids have enemies.” [Barrons]
1572. Paranoia
Psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or
persecution adj. paranoid, paranoic also n.
“You're telling me Z.F.T.'s coercing you to conduct
these experiments by threatening to harm your
wife.” [Charlie to Nicholas, Fringe S01E17 cont]
“The inquisitors used both physical and psychological
coercion to force Joan of Arc to recant her assertions
that her visions were sent by God.” [Barrons]
1573. Coercion
Use of force to get someone to obey, v. coerce
"Several were taken to hospitals, and television
reports showed severely injured inmates partly clad
and writhing on stretchers.” [Blaze at Prison
Underscores Broad Security Problems in Honduras, NYT]
“SEE how they writhe. Love, for all the raptures it is
said to inspire, can be as uncomfortable as chicken
pox. Just ask Keira Knightley, Elisabeth Moss and
Rebecca Hall.” [All Over London, Love Hurts, NYT
Theater]
“In Dances with Snakes, the snake dancer wriggled
sinuously as her boa constrictor writhed around her
torso.” [Barrons]
1574. Writhe /rīT͟H/
Twist in coils; contort in pain; squirm, twist, wriggle
“The rich man cosseted his only child.” [GRE VW]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Ms. Hannah plays Mary, the cosseted
granddaughter of a rich and autocratic
townswoman.” [NYT cont]
1575. Cosset + /ˈkäsət/
Pamper, fondle; spoil
“Yet the residual feeling is hardly one of joy
everlasting. This is a lingeringly paced production, in
which lines are spoken slowly and thoughtfully and
an autumnal chill seems to nip the air.” [NYT
Theater cont]
“The twins were plotting mischief, but Mother
intervened and nipped their plan in the bud.
The gardener nipped off a lovely rose and gave it to
me.
Last week a guard dog nipped the postman in the
leg; this week the extreme chill nipped his fingers till
he could barely hold the mail.” [Barrons]
1576. Nip
Stop something’s growth or development; snip off;
bite; make numb with cold
“As the young woman who, disguised as a page boy,
serves as their go-between, Ms. Hall’s Viola exudes a
precocious awareness of how fragile love’s hopes
are.” [NYT Theater cont]
“Listening to the grown-up way the child discussed
serious topics, we couldn’t help remarking how
precocious she was.” [Barrons]
1577. Precocious /priˈkōSHəs/
Advanced in development; forward, early,
premature, n. precocity
There’s apprehension within this Feste, as if his
livelihood and his life might be snatched from him at
any minute. Though the play’s lovers-sorting
denouement still inspires shivers, there remains a
tugging undercurrent of Feste’s earlier suggestion, in
song, that “what’s to come is still unsure” and that
love, like youth, is “a stuff will not endure.” [NYT
Theater cont]
“There are many twists and turns and a dramatic
denouement at the end.
Typically wilson provides a denouement that is truly
strange and unexpected.” [YourDic]
1578. Denouement /ˌdāno͞oˈmäN/
Outcome; final development of the plot of a play or
other literary work
“This is no mere I.P.O. It feels like a cultural event, a
pinnacle in the history of tech, a moment.” [NYT
Theater cont]
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“There are many twists and turns and a dramatic
denouement at the end.
Typically wilson provides a denouement that is truly
strange and unexpected.” [YourDic]
1579. Pinnacle /ˈpinəkəl/
Peak, top, summit, acme, apex, vertex, zenith
“Where Zuckerberg is weak — day-to-day
management, operations — he hires people with a
defter touch.” [NYT Theater cont]
“The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without
spilling a drop.” [Barrons]
“The principal praised the teacher's deft handling of
the difficult situation.” [GRE VW]
1580. Deft /deft/
Neat; skillful; comparative form. defter: more deft
“The Instagram deal underscored how Mr.
Zuckerberg has cemented his power over the last
eight years.” [How Iraq Can Define Its Destiny, NYT]
“Addressing the jogging class, Kim underscored the
importance to runners of good nutrition.” [Barrons]
1581. Underscore
Emphasize
“Joe Green, his roommate at Harvard, says that,
particularly in the early days, Mr. Zuckerberg was so
confident that he often came across as aloof.” [The
Education of Mark Zuckerberg, NYT]
“Shy by nature, she remained aloof while all the rest
conversed.” [Barrons]
1582. Aloof
Apart; reserved
“At the time, the Yahoo executive Daniel L.
Rosensweig was doggedly courting Facebook,
hoping for Yahoo to buy it.” [NYT cont]
“Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert’s long,
dogged pursuit of the criminal Jean Valjean.”
[Barrons]
1583. Dogged /ˈdôgid/
Determined; stubbornly unyielding
“Not since Richard Scarry has an illustrator taken
such obvious care to imbue a basic vocabulary
primer with so much humor and relevance.” [NYT]
“He had the ability to imbue even his vilest
characters, spouting the vilest words, with a touch of
humor, intelligence and humanity.” [How Samuel L.
Jackson Became His Own Genre, NYT]
1584. Imbue /imˈbyo͞o/
Saturate; fill; soak; impermeate
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Guinness anointed him by crowning him the World
Records as “the highest-grossing film actor” of all
time.” [NYT cont]
“The prophet Samuel anointed David with oil,
crowning him king of Israel.” [Barrons]
1585. Anoint
Consecrate; choose by or as if by divine
intervention
“That's an impressive example to set for such a
young (though mightily successful) performer. I hope
some other industry luminaries learn from it.”
[Taylor Swift Donating $4 Million to Country Music
Hall of Fame and Museum, NYT]
1586. Luminary
Celebrity; dignitary
“Ms. Duff, 17, made clear one recent morning that
she had no plans to sully her Girl Scout image - at
least not anytime soon.” [Just Wants to Have (Clean)
Fun, NYT]
1587. Sully /ˈsəlē/
Tarnish, soil, corrupt, taint
“She has traded jabs with Avril Lavigne and has an
ongoing feud with the singer-actress Lindsay Lohan,
who, like Ms. Duff, dated the singer Aaron Carter
years ago. On "Haters," a rock-lite song from her
new album, "Hilary Duff," she takes on her
detractors.” [Just Wants to Have (Clean) Fun, NYT]
"Although an occasional typographical, spelling, or
grammatical error will not affect your score, severe
or persistent errors will detract from the overall
effectiveness of your writing and lower your score.”
[ETS]
“Because Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady
Stanton dared to fight for women’s rights, their
motives, manners, dress, personal appearance, and
character were held up to ridicule and detraction.”
[Barrons]
1588. Detraction
Slandering; aspersion v. detract: diminish; reduce;
belittle; derogate
“She sings a little bit more convincingly each time,
but the restoration of Ms. Twain’s career (and voice)
is a far less compelling arc than the excavation of
her trauma; that may take a few seasons.” [A
Country Star in Search of Her Voice, Shania Twain,
NYT]
1589. Compelling
Overpowering; irresistible in effect
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“It’s not clear whether Ms. Twain, an accidental
narcissist, is interested in learning from these
encounters.” [NYT cont]
Late one night — having returned from “Twelfth
Night” wondering if Ms. Hall’s Viola would really be
able to make a go of it with the terminally
narcissistic Orsinos, I turned on the telly to discover
a sour feast of anti-Valentine sentiment, reruns from
earlier in the week. [NYT Theater cont]
1590. Narcissist /ˌnärsəˈsistik/
Conceited person; egotistic; self-love adj.
narcissistic
“While Indonesia has made great strides in
consolidating a stable, democratic government after
five decades of authoritarian rule, the country is by
no means a bastion of tolerance.” [No Model for
Muslim Democracy, NYT]
1591. Bastion /ˈbasCHən/
Stronghold; something seen as a source of
protection; bulwark, stronghold, rampart, fortress
“While Indonesia’s Constitution protects freedom of
religion, regulations against blasphemy and
proselytizing are routinely used to prosecute
atheists, Bahais, Christians, Shiites, Sufis and
members of the Ahmadiyya faith — a Muslim sect
declared to be deviant in many Islamic countries.”
[NYT cont]
“In these interfaith meetings, there must be no
attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of
view.” [Barrons]
1592. Proselytize /ˈpräsələˌtīz/
Induce someone to convert to a religion or belief;
proselyte, convert
“Scurrying about on this planet while the Cosmos
(and potentials of mind) beckons to us... and our
planet rots is not enough.” [Rich Lennon]
“The White Rabbit had to scurry to get to his
appointment on time.” [Barrons]
1593. Scurry
Move briskly; rush; hurry
“And the pejorative image of atheism as dusty and
dull was utterly repudiated. The ambience was,
accordingly, devoid of the usual ennui, pessimism
and time-worn impatience.” [The atheist jamboree,
NationalTimes]
“This conviction that science can resolve all
questions is known as “scientism” — a label typically
used pejoratively (as by Wieseltier), but one
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Rosenberg seizes as a badge of honor.” [Seeing Is
Unbelieving, NYT]
“Instead of criticizing Clinton’s policies, the
Republicans made pejorative remarks about his
character.” [Barrons]
1594. Pejorative /pəˈjôrətiv/
Negative in connotation; having a belittling effect
“The scientists, Dawkins and the breathtaking
physicist Lawrence M Krauss did not pussyfoot
around when it came to the meaning and purpose of
life. There is none in the scientific and atheistic world
view. While the godly have the purpose of serving
God, and extract meaning from being part of God's
plan, this ontological consolation is not available to
those of no belief.” [The atheist jamboree,
NationalTimes]
1595. Ontology + /änˈtäləjē/
Theory about the nature of being and existence adj.
ontological
“According to his attorney, Adrian Lamo has a
religious objection to giving blood. Lawyers for Lamo
filed a motion citing the Book of Genesis as one basis
for Lamo's religious opposition to the frivolous
spilling of blood.” [Barrons]
1596. Frivolous
Lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree;
relatively unimportant; trifling; flippant n. frivolity;
“Everything we know thus far can be found in your
packets, including a copy of their manifesto, which
elucidates their ideology and their methods:
"destruction by the advancement of technology,"”
[Broyles briefing team, Fringe S01E19]
“He was called upon to elucidate the disputed points
in his article.” [Barrons]
1597. Elucidate /iˈlo͞osiˌdāt/
Explain; enlighten
“William bell was ambitions. He was egotistical. He
was temperamental. But he wasn't a madman.”
[Walter, Fringe S01E19 cont]
Typical egotistical remark: “But enough of this
chitchat about you and your little problems. Let’s
talk about what’s really important: me!” [Barrons]
1598. Egotistical
Excessively self-centered; self-important; conceited
adj. egotistic
“I won't play coy, phillip. I understand the FBI has
opened an investigation into massive dynamic.”
[Nina to Phillip Broyles, Fringe S01E19 cont]
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“Being coy is a strategy best employed by virgins at
their first dance. For women of our age, it's just
annoying.” [Martha, DH S01E04]
1599. Coy /koi/
Shy; modest; coquettish
“William bell may be involved with several biological
attacks perpetrated this past year.” [Broyles, Fringe
S01E19 cont]
“Unlike Taslima, Mustafa has not yet come under
any serious threat from the perpetrators of the
crime.” [DS Lit]
1600. Perpetrate
Commit an offense/crime
“In fact, he was one of our first employees at
Massive Dynamic. But he was let go.
- Why?
The details are not important. Suffice to say that
Jones felt spurned by the rejection. William was a
father figure to him, a respected mentor. I would go
as far as to say that all the death and destruction
that Jones has caused up until this point has been a
way of proving something to William.” [Broyles,
Fringe S01E20 cont]
“The heroine spurned the villain’s advances.”
[Barrons]
1601. Spurn
Reject; scorn
“The murder this month of Aminul Islam, a
prominent labor rights activist, apparently in
retaliation for his advocacy work, put a spotlight on
the low wages and poor working conditions that
prevail in burgeoning sectors like the garment
industry.” [In an Unlikely Corner of Asia, Strong
Promise of Growth, about Bangladesh, NYT]
1602. Retaliation
Repayment in kind (usually for bad treatment v.
retaliate
“Foreign direct investment in Bangladesh has
languished at about $1 billion a year — less than
what Albania or Belarus each receive, and about
one-tenth of foreign investments in Thailand or
Malaysia.” [NYT cont]
1603. Languish
Lose animation or strength; droop, flag
“For now, Bangladesh’s manufacturing prowess is
primarily focused on the garment sector, which has
grown into a multibillion-dollar industry that
employs 3.6 million people and accounts for 78
percent of the country’s exports.” [NYT cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1604. Prowess
Extraordinary ability; military bravery
Still, the company intends to increase the business it
does in Bangladesh. “The prognosis,” Mr. Rockowitz
said, “is good.” [NYT cont]
1605. Prognosis
Forecasted course of a disease; prediction
“It is Islam’s absence in the institutions young
European Muslims encounter, starting with the
school’s calendar, classroom and canteen, that
contributes to anger and alienation.” [How to
Integrate Europe’s Muslims, NYT]
“Her attempts to alienate the two friends failed
because they had complete faith in each other.”
[Barrons]
1606. Alienate
Make hostile, separate
“In the last few months, there have been some signs
that the right-wing momentum has slowed.” [How
to Integrate Europe’s Muslims, NYT]
“The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the
steep hill.” [Barrons]
1607. Momentum
Quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus
“Zuckerberg preserved that power by rebuffing
repeated acquisition offers.” [How Mark Zuckerberg
Hacked the Valley, businessweek]
“Earlier reports said he had been captured, but
officials later rebuffed the claims.” [About france
gunman, BBC]
1608. Rebuff
Snub; beat back; reject bluntly, often disdainfully
“McNamee, the venture capitalist, remembers
talking to Zuckerberg at the time and seeing the
anguish on his face as he worried about
contravening the wishes of several members of his
board.” [businessweek cont]
“Mr. Barrett did not expect his frail daughter
Elizabeth to contravene his will by eloping with
Robert Browning.” [Barrons]
1609. Contravene
Contradict; oppose: infringe on or transgress
“During the housing crisis that gathered in 2007,
when U.S. investment firms were retrenching,
Facebook looked overseas and raised money from
Hong Kong industrialist Li Ka-shing and German
Internet entrepreneurs the Samwer Brothers.”
[businessweek cont]
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1610. Retrench
Cut down; economize
“Lampooning both the victory of an Islamist party in
last month's Tunisian elections, as well as fears
Sharia Law is gaining a foothold in Libya, Charlie
Hebdo supposedly asked Mohammed to be guest
editor, as the weekly was temporarily renamed
Sharia Hebdo.” [Prophet motive: French weekly
office firebombed, RT]
1611. Lampoon
Ridicule
“Recently, though, the squabbling has turned into a
crisis (see article) which threatens to make life still
worse for the 170m poor Muslims who suffer under
one of the world’s worst governments.” [It is up to
India to try to stop Sheikh Hasina ruining
Bangladesh, economist]
1612. Squabble
Minor quarrel; bickering
“There are many circles and many forums where it’s
only the two of us who are women,” Ms. Lagarde
said in an interview. “So there’s a sense of
recognition, complicity, solidarity.” [German Leader
and I.M.F. Chief Split Over Debt, NYT]
1613. Complicity
Involvement in a crime; participation
“There are many circles and many forums where it’s
only the two of us who are women,” Ms. Lagarde
said in an interview. “So there’s a sense of
recognition, complicity, solidarity.” [German Leader
and I.M.F. Chief Split Over Debt, NYT]
1614. Complicity
Involvement in a crime; participation
“In 1970, the Awami League, East Pakistan’s biggest
political party, won a majority of seats in Pakistan’s
Parliament. But leaders in West Pakistan balked at
letting a Bengali-led party form a government.”
[NYT Cont..]
“The chief of police balked at sending his officers
into the riot-torn area.” [Barrons]
1615. Balk
Stop short, as if faced with an obstacle, and refuse
to continue
“Deeply impoverished and repeatedly hit by natural
disasters, Bangladesh seesawed between military
and civilian rule and was too busy trying to survive to
delve into the past.” [NYT Cont]
“Delving into old books and manuscripts is part of a
researcher’s job.” [Barrons]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1616. Delve
Dig; investigate; excavate
“Another software titan might be getting into the
hardware game as well: Facebook.” [Facebook Tries,
Tries Again on a Smartphone, NYT]
“Titanic waves beat against the majestic S.S. Titanic,
driving it against the concealed iceberg.” [Barrons]
1617. Titanic
Gigantic; gigantic, giant, colossal; gigantesque n.
titan
“The action was taken amid a sweeping crackdown
on political parties over accusations of corruption
and malfeasance as a caretaker government
prepares for new elections.” [Bangladesh Says It
Won’t Let an Ex-Leader Re-enter the Country, NYT]
“The authorities did not discover the campaign
manager’s malfeasance until after he had spent
most of the money he had embezzled.”
[Barrons+Lec13]
1618. Malfeasance /malˈfēzəns/
Wrongdoing
“Ashim Ahluwalia’s film “Miss Lovely” is set in in the
seedy and violent back streets of Mumbai, where he
grew up.” [Mumbai in the Bad Old Days, NYT]
“Maybe there's a seedy section of Vienna. We can
buy a hit of crack…” [Before Sunrise]
1619. Seedy
Run-down, decrepit; disreputable, morally degraded
“Islamist apologists often extol the scientific nature
of Islam.” [Voodoos]
“Mrs. Hasina extolled the advantages of investing in
Bangladesh, enumerating its rising-star status in
appraisals by Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and J.P.
Morgan.” [Grandmotherly Bangladesh Leader
Unfazed by Problems at Home, NYT]
1620. Extol
Praise; glorify
“Her demeanor turned a bit testier, however, when
asked about her relationship with Muhammad
Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and the founder
of Grameen Bank, a pioneer of microfinance — the
granting of tiny loans to the poor.” [NYT cont]
1621. Testy
Irritable; short-tempered; petulant, tetchy, techy,
peevish, irascible n. testiness
“On May 11, a furor erupted in India’s Parliament
over a black-and-white cartoon from 1949.
Reproduced in a textbook for high-school juniors, the
drawing depicts B.R. Ambedkar — India’s foremost
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Dalit leader and the chairman of the committee that
drafted India’s 1950 Constitution — whip in hand
and astride a snail labeled “the Constitution.” The
first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru,
stands behind him, also wielding a whip.” [Mumbai
in the Bad Old Days, NYT]
“The story of their embezzlement of the funds
created a furor on the stock exchanges of
Bangladesh.” [SA, Barrons]
1622. Furor /ˈfyo͝orˌôr/
Frenzy; great excitement
“Violent attacks against this group (Ahmadiyya
Muslim community), whose beliefs are considered
heretical by many conservative Muslims, have
increased significantly.” [Mumbai in the Bad Old
Days, NYT]
“Galileo’s assertion that he earth moved around the
sun directly contradicted the religious teachings of
his day; as a result, he was tried for heresy.”
[Barrons]
1623. Heresy
Opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary
to accepted religion; misbelief, heterodoxy n.
heretic adj. heretical
“A self-made tycoon sentenced to death for financial
fraud has been resentenced to death with a two-year
reprieve, meaning her sentence will probably be
changed to life after two years of good behavior.”
[China: Tycoon Gets Reprieve, NYT]
1624. Tycoon
Wealthy leader; a wealthy, powerful person in
business or industry; magnate; baron
“During the twenty-four-hour reprieve, the lawyers
sought to make the stay of execution permanent.”
[Barrons]
1625. Reprieve /riˈprēv/
Temporary stay; respite, postponement also v
“Some were dirty little skirmishes, like the Eight-
Track Incursion of the late 1960s.” [Daddy, What
Were Compact Discs? NYT]
1626. Skirmish /ˈskərmiSH/
Minor fight; clash, brush, scrimmage
“Federal investigators also found that the New York
State Thruway Authority had not shielded the
signpost with a guardrail designed to deflect vehicles
that weighed as much as a bus. Instead, the
guardrail was strong enough only to deflect cars.”
[Driver Fatigue and Speed Caused Fatal Bus Crash,
NYT]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“He attempted to deflect attention away from his
private life.” [Google]
1627. Deflect
Turn aside, deviate
“The ministers and minions circling Bangladesh's
Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia, on a visit to New York
this month boasted that she was the first Islamic
woman to address the United Nations General
Assembly as an elected head of government.”
[Khaleda Zia; A Woman Leader for a Land That
Defies Islamic Stereotypes, NYT]
“Surrounded by a small army of minions, we
discover Gru, planning the biggest heist in the
history of the world. He is going to steal the moon.”
[Despicable Me]
1628. Minion
A servile dependent
“Prime Minister Zia, the widow of President Ziaur
Rahman, an army general who was assassinated in
1981, has surprised Bangladeshis, first by casting
aside (throw or cast away) a demure first-lady
image to join civilian politicians in a tough, nine-year
street campaign for democracy.” [NYT cont]
“She was demure and reserved, a nice modest girl
whom any young man would be proud to take home
to his mother.” [Barrons]
1629. Demure /diˈmyo͝or/
Reserved and modest in manner; grave; serious;
coy
“Her critics say she could do more to ostracize
Islamic militants, some of whom became her political
allies in 1991.” [NYT cont]
“As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his
connection with the criminals, his friends began to
ostracize him.” [Barrons]
1630. Ostracize /ˈästrəˌsīz/
Exclude from public favor; ban
“Problems related to drink and drug abuse and
vagrancy abound as restless, directionless youth
agonize over the fruitlessness of their existence,” she
added in comments that might have sounded a
chord in austerity-struck Europe. [NYT cont]
“He tried to study, but could not collect his vagrant
thoughts. He lived on the street as a vagrant.”
[Google]
1631. Vagrant
Stray, random, vagabond n. vagrancy
“After hints of official displeasure that followed her
recent trip to Thailand, was she worried that
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Myanmar’s leaders would take umbrage at the
acclaim and admiration lavished by foreign
governments?” [NYT cont]
“She took umbrage at his remarks and stormed
away in a huff.” [Barrons]
1632. Umbrage /ˈəmbrij/
Resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult
“In the HBO film “You Don’t Know Jack,” there is
something both familiar and unsettling in the man’s
visage when it first comes into view. It’s hard to
place precisely, but after taking in the obstinate
rhetoric, the throwback glasses and the wan smile,
we think we know this guy.” [Portraying the Man
Known as Dr. Death, You don’t know Jack, 2010,
NYT]
“The stern visage of the judge indicated that she had
decided to impose a severe penalty.” [Barrons]
1633. Visage /ˈvizij/
Face; appearance, countenance, physiognomy,
aspect
“Mr. Pacino and Barry Levinson, the director of the
film, said in an interview last week that they had no
desire to deliver a polemic.” [NYT cont]
“The stern visage of the judge indicated that she had
decided to impose a severe penalty.” [Barrons]
1634. Polemic
Controversy; argument in support of point of view
“A pathologist who lost his medical license in 1991,
he is also an inventor who created what he called
the “Mercitron,” a euthanasia device that used a gas
mask and carbon dioxide. He is also a jazz composer
and a musician, and an oil painter with a macabre
aesthetic who has sometimes painted with his own
blood.” [NYT cont]
“Honestly, I don't know if I should help you or
euthanize you.” [Jacob to Cal, Crazy Stupid Love]
“Many people support euthanasia for terminally ill
patients who wish to die.” [Barrons]
1635. Euthanasia /ˌyo͞oTHəˈnāZHə/
Mercy killing, v. euthanize: kill inhumanely
“For all the grimness(ghastliness, cruelty) of the
matter at hand — the narrative advances through
the assisted deaths of various patients — the
filmmakers have sought to leaven the mood with
some light-hearted touches built on Dr. Kevorkian’s
eccentricities, including a tendency to blurt out the
truth even when it would not seem in his interests to
do so.” [NYT cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“As bread dough is leavened, it puffs up, expanding
in volume.” [Barrons]
1636. Leaven
Cause to rise or grow lighter; enliven
“Before she could stop him, he blurted out the
news.” [Barrons]
1637. Blurt
Utter impulsively
“The hair is still long, the face reflects the Italian kid
from the South Bronx, and he speaks with the raspy
ring of the wise guys he has played throughout his
career.” [NYT cont]
“The sergeant’s raspy voice grated on the recruits’
ears.” [Barrons]
1638. Raspy
Grating; harsh
“Over the past year, groups of disgruntled investors
have been regularly gathering outside the stock
exchange's Dhaka headquarters to burn tires and
protest, venting their frustration with a regime they
feel has not taken adequate steps to curb market
speculation and protect small investors.” [The Rise
and Fall of One of the World's Worst-Performing
Stock Markets, times.com]
“The sergeant’s raspy voice grated on the recruits’
ears.” [Barrons]
1639. Disgruntle
Make discontented; irritate, dissatisfy
“Pranab said it requires special majority, meaning a
constitutional amendment, for ratifying the protocol
to the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement, but the
ruling party has only single majority in the Lok
Sabha, the lower house of the bicameral Indian
parliament.” [Land deal too to take time, DS]
“Party leaders doubted that they had enough votes
in both houses of Congress to ratify the
constitutional amendment.” [Barrons]
1640. Ratify
Approve formally; confirm; verify
“The United States Congress is a bicameral body.”
[Barrons]
1641. Bicameral
Two-chambered, as a legislative body
“Asked about progress in disbursement of the $1
billion line of credit from India, Dipu Moni said the
matter was in process.” [DS cont + Lec44.4]
“When you disburse money on the company’s
behalf, be sure to get a receipt.” [Barrons]
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1642. Disburse
Pay out
“Although many financial institutions have taken
measures to thwart hackers, they emphasize that
other businesses must also defend themselves.”
[Owners May Not Be Covered When Hackers Wipe
Out A Business Bank Account, NYT
1643. Thwart
Pay out
“But prosecutors say Mr. Zazi, 24, who worked
blocks from ground zero, was just as furtive an
operative as the Sept. 11 hijackers when he traveled
to Pakistan last year for terrorism training and
returned to the United States with a plan to build
bombs using beauty supplies and backpacks.” [From
Smiling Coffee Vendor to Terror Suspect, NYT
1644. Furtive
Stealthy; sneaky; surreptitious, privy, sly
“Bangladesh government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
made a list of war criminals, he lacked the decency
or the humility and gratitude to mention that the
same government pardoned him.” [About Ghulam
Azam, Chintito, DS]
“He spoke with a humility and lack of pride that
impressed his listeners.” [Barrons]
1645. Humility
Humbleness of spirit
“Around 11,000 continued to remain in jail until the
government of Justice Sayem and General Ziaur
Rahman cancelled the Collaborators Act on
December 31, 1975, barely three-and-a-half months
after one of history's most gruesome killings.”
[Chintito, DS]
“They put something dead inside you. Dead! Into
your blood. Gruesome.” [Ella, Fringe S01E17]
1646. Gruesome
Grisly; horrible
“War of Liberation he has to face trial, and that is
exactly what is happening. And he is allowed to
defend himself through his lawyers in full coverage
of the media. There can be nothing more civilised
than this modus operandi.” [Chintito cont]
“The company’s modus operandi is to identify
potential rivals early and drive them out of
business.” [GRE VW]
1647. modus operandi + /ˈmōdəs ˌäpəˈrandē/
A method of operating or preceeding; procedure
“They were a cowardly lot, operating in the darkness
of the night, attacking the helpless mother and
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
sisters of freedom fighters, unleashing their
poltroonery (antonym of chivalry, courage, etc.) on
the academics and the intelligentsia, and trying to
extricate the very foundation of a Bengali nation.”
[Chintito cont]
“Icebrakers were needed to extricate the trapped
whales from the icy floes that closed them.” [Barron]
1648. Extricate /ˈekstriˌkāt/
Free (from an entanglement or difficulty);
disentangle
“Due to the protests, disruption of academic
activities in the campus has also reached
unprecedented scale in the last four months. In
defiance of all this, the VC still remains complacently
in office.” [The Star Mag]
1649. Defiance /diˈfīəns/
Refusal to yield; resistance v. defy adj. defiant
“Walter, remember that conversation we had about
personal space?
- I'm bored. No cadavers at this crime scene or
food.” [Walter & Peter, Fringe S02E07]
“In some states, it is illegal to dissect cadavers.”
[Barrons]
1650. Cadaver /kəˈdavər/
Corpse
“Mesmerism. Hypnotism.The victims have obviously
been subjected to subliminal suggestions of a violent
nature.” [Walter hypothesizes about the incident,
Fringe S02E07]
“We may not be aware of the subliminal influences
that affect our thinking.” [Barrons]
1651. Subliminal
Below the threshold of conscious perception;
subconscious
“Does it occur to you that perhaps I want to be
alone? That perhaps I want to live my life with a
semblance of dignity and self-respect?” [Walter in
rage because Astrid Followed, Fring S02E09]
“Although this book has a semblance of wisdom and
scholarship, a careful examination will reveal many
errors and omissions.” [Barrons]
1652. Semblance
Outward appearance; guise
“It suggests that not only has Dr. Paris vanished, he's
a quack! Unless he's a genius, who did organ
transplant.” [DH S01E23 Walter in rage because
Astrid Followed, Fring S02E10]
“Do not be misled by the exorbitant claims of this
quack; he cannot cure you.” [Barrons]
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1653. Quack
Charlatan; impostor; an untrained person who
pretends to be a physician and who dispenses
medical advice
“It's a routine procedure. And the Valium will take
care of any claustrophobia you might be feeling.”
[Peter before going under MRI machine, Fring
S02E10 cont]
1654. Claustrophobia
Fear of being locked in
“Rusk was locked in the engineering section for 16
hours before they were able to vent the
contamination.” [Navy Officer, Fring S02E11]
“The wine did not flow because the air vent in the
barrel was clogged. He vented his wrath on his
class.” [Barrons]
1655. Vent
 v. express; utter, discharge or expel (air, gas,
or liquid) through an outlet, permit air to enter
 n. small opening; outlet
"These children should know the truth. They're
tragically coddled and ill-advised.” [Walter discarded
from kids science center, Fringe S02E13]
“Don’t coddle the children so much; they need a
taste of discipline.” [Barrons]
1656. Coddle
Treat gently; pamper; spoil, cosset, indulge,
mollycoddle
"Take me to your centrifuge.” [Walter to CDC troop,
Fringe S02E13 cont]
“At the dairy, we employ a centrifuge to separate
cream from milk.” [Barrons]
1657. Centrifuge /ˈsentrəˌfyo͞oj/
Machine that separates substances by whirling
them; an apparatus that uses centrifugal force to
separate particles from a suspension also v
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Swelling of the vitreous humor.” [Walter looking at
the corpse, Fring S02E10 cont]
“Although this plastic has many vitreous qualities
such as transparency, it is unbreakable.” [Barrons]
1658. Vitreous /ˈvitrēəs/
Pertaining to or resembling glass
“I've seen life burn bright, I've seen it shimmer
They fade like starlight to a glimmer
I've seen life flow by, like a river
So full of twilight, dreams that glitter” [Call the shots
– Girls Aloud]
“When objects from the other universe cross to our
side, they have an energy. Someone once described
it as a glimmer.” [Walter, Fring S02E15 cont]
“In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms
hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant
stars.” [Barrons]
1659. Glimmer
Shine erratically; twinkle
“Cortexiphan might enhance certain abilities in
predisposed children.” [Walter, Fring S02E15 cont]
“In the darkness of the cavern, the glowworms
hanging from the cavern roof glimmered like distant
stars.” [Barrons]
1660. Predispose
Give an inclination toward; make susceptible to
“But tell me... This man who attacked you, was he
bald, with an odd cadence to his voice?” [Nna, Fring
S02E20]
“Marching down the road, the troops sang out,
following the cadence set by the sergeant.” [Barrons]
1661. Cadence
Rhythmic rise and fall (of words or sounds); beat
“Riddle me this. If your apartment's on fire, your
beautiful apartment, if your house was on fire and
you had 60 seconds, what would you take? Come on.
Would it be the Chihuahua on the duvet?” [Nna,
Fring S02E20]
“With his machine gun, Tracy riddled the car with
bullets till it looked like a slice of Swiss cheese.
During the proofreaders’ strike, the newspaper was
riddled with typos.” [Barrons]
1662. Riddle
Pierce with holes; permeate or spread throughout;
solve or explain (a riddle)
“We'd like a complimentary continental breakfast.
And do not even think about skimping on them baby
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muffins!” [Jack and Jill Mr. and Mrs., Puss in Boots,
2011]
“They were forced to skimp on necessities in order to
make their limited supplies last the winter.”
[Barrons]
1663. Skimp
Provide scantily; live very economically
“Stuff I've got on is just too big. I can't spare the
time.
- Never mind your usual trivia. This is of national
importance.” [Sherlock and the brother, S01E03]
“Too many magazines ignore newsworthy subjects
and feature trivia.” [Barrons]
1664. Trivia
Trifles; unimportant matters
“Being the pictures are fake that, is meretricious.”
[Inspector to Sherlock, S01E03 cont]
“Her jewels were inexpensive but not meretricious.”
[Barrons]
1665. Meretricious /merəˈtriSHəs/
Flashy; tawdry
“If you don't stop prying I'll burn you. I will burn the
heart out of you.” [Criminal consultant, S02E01 cont]
“Look, I don't mean to pry, but does this have
something to do with Summer leaving?” [Tom’s Boss,
500 Days of Summer]
“With a crowbar Long John Silver pried up the lid of
the treasure chest.” [Barrons]
1666. Pry
Inquire impertinently; use leverage to raise or open
something
"I've already said that many individual evolutionists,
like the Pope, are also religious, but I think they're
deluding themselves. I believe a true understanding
of Darwinism is deeply corrosive to religious faith.”
[Militant Atheism, Richard Dawkins, TED]
“Stainless steel is able to withstand the effects of
corrosive chemicals.” [Barrons]
1667. Corrosive /kəˈrōsiv/
Eating away by chemicals or disease; caustic,
erosive also n
"If I was a person who were interested in preserving
religious faith, I would be very afraid of the positive
power of evolutionary science, and indeed science
generally, but evolution in particular, to inspire and
enthrall, precisely because it is atheistic.” [Militant
Atheism cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“From the moment he saw her picture, he was
enthralled by her beauty.” [Barrons]
1668. Enthrall
Capture; enslave; enthral, fascinate, bewitch,
captivate, spellbind, ravish
"Darwinian natural selection is so stunningly elegant
because it solves the problem of explaining
complexity in terms of nothing but simplicity.
Essentially, it does it by providing a smooth ramp of
gradual step-by-step increment.” [Militant Atheism
cont]
“The house was built with ramps instead of stairs in
order to enable the man in the wheelchair to move
easily from room to room and floor to floor.”
[Barrons]
1669. Ramp
Slope; inclined plane; behave violently; be
rampant; rage
"But here, I only want to make the point that the
elegance of Darwinism is corrosive to religion
precisely because it is so elegant, so parsimonious,
so powerful, so economically powerful. It has the
sinewy economy of a beautiful suspension bridge.”
[Militant Atheism cont]
“Silas Marner’s parsimony did not allow him to
indulge in any luxuries.” [Barrons]
1670. Parsimony /ˈpärsəˌmōnē/
Stinginess; excessive frugality; miserliness, thrift,
avarice, meanness, economy adj. parsimonious
“He saw a short, sinewy, sunburnt man came by.”
[SA, Oxford Dic]
“The steak was too sinewy to chew.”
[Barrons+Lec44.16]
1671. Sinewy /ˈsinyo͞owē/
Tough; strong and firm; muscular; thewy,
consisting of or resembling sinews
Mr. Bush's reply has become infamous. "No, I don't
know that atheists should be considered citizens, nor
should they be considered patriots. This is one nation
under God." Bush's bigotry was not an isolated
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mistake, blurted out in the heat of the moment and
later retracted. [Militant Atheism cont]
1672. Bigotry
Stubborn intolerance; zealotry, fanaticism
“She retracted her hand as if she'd been burned. He
retracted his earlier statements about his religion.”
[Google+Lec22]
1673. Retract
Withdraw; take back; recant, revoke
"Nettles are small prickly plants, which prick the
unsuspecting; having to pull out the little thorns, the
victim is most likely nettled.” [Magoosh]
“But I think, actually, the alternative is to grasp the
nettle of the word "atheism" itself, precisely because
it is a taboo word carrying frissons of hysterical
phobia.” [Militant Atheism cont]
1674. Nettle
Annoy; vex; irritate, rile, provoke, exasperate adj.
nettlesome
“He can’t change job? Is it an indentured
servitude?” [The King's Speech (2010)]
1675. Indenture /inˈdenCHər/
Bind as servant or apprentice to master; contract,
agreement, indent
“Born a slave, Douglass resented his life of servitude
and plotted to escape to the North.” [Barrons]
1676. Servitude /ˈsərviˌt(y)o͞od/
Slavery; compulsory labor
“You must stay, bored stupid, listening to your
parents’ inane conversation.” [The King's Speech cont]
1677. Inane /iˈnān/
Silly; stupid
“I think our dramatic society, is looking for someone
slightly younger and a little more regal.” [The King's
Speech cont]
1678. Regal
Royal; kingly, princely, majestic
“Who’ll stand between us, the jackboots, and the
proletarian abyss?” [The King's Speech cont]
1679. Proletarian /ˌprōliˈte(ə)rēən/
A member of the working class (not necessarily
employed; blue collar guy
“The Godfather is an extravaganza, nigh flawless, a
cinematic magnum opus, ubiquitously acclaimed for
its brilliance and for being in a league of its own.”
[The Godfather, imdb review]
1680. Opus /ˈōpəs/
Work; any artistic work, esp. one on a large scale
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The grandiosity of the movie is such, that even the
biggest complement made about it may sound like a
picayune remark.” [The Godfather review cont]
1681. Grandiose /ˈgrandēˌōs/
Pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated;
impressive
“The Godfather may most aptly be described as an
obituary of humanity, a requiem of mankind, owing
to the pervasive violence and the brutality that it
portrays in an utmost sanguinary fashion.” [The
Godfather review cont]
1682. Requiem /ˈrekwēəm/
Mass for the dead; dirge
“Johnny Fontane ruined one of Woltz International's
most valuable protégés.” [Hollywood director, The
Godfather]
1683. Protégés /ˈprōtəˌZHā/
Person receiving protection and support from a
patron
“Corporal punishment has been outlawed in many
countries.” [GRE VW]
“I pulled your record Corporal. Venezuela, that was
some mean bush.” [Avatar, 2009]
1684. Corporal + /ˈkôrp(ə)rəl/
Corporeal; n. a noncommissioned officer in the
Army or Air Force or Marines
“Just because something's trite doesn't make it less
true.” [Erica, The Social Network (2010)]
1685. Trite
Hackneyed; commonplace
“The army attempted to depose the king and set up
a military government.” [Barrons]
1686. Depose
Dethrone; remove from office; testify: make a
deposition; swear; declare under oath
“She said all that.That I said that stuff to her.
- I was reading from the transcript of her deposition.
Why wold you even need to depose her?” [The Social
Network cont]
“She made her deposition in the judge’s chamber.”
[Barrons]
1687. Deposition
Testimony under oath
“We need a programmer who is creative. And we
know who can take the initiative. This could help
rehabilitate your image.” [Brothers offer Zuckerberg,
The Social Network cont]
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“We must rehabilitate those whom we send to
prison.” [Barrons]
1688. Rehabilitate
Restore to proper condition
“Bowling alleys isn't exactly what I had in mind.
- Tread it till the snow melts, then join the exodus.”
[Sala, The Rum Diary, 2011]
“The exodus from the hot and stuffy city was
particularly noticeable on Friday evenings.” [Barrons]
1689. Exodus /ˈeksədəs/
Departure; a mass departure of people, esp.
emigrants
“So, how's the sobriety coming along?” [Editor
asking about drinking, The Rum Diary, 2011]
“Neither falling-down drunks nor stand-up comics
are noted for sobriety.” [Barrons]
1690. Sobriety
Moderation (especially regarding indulgence in
alcohol); seriousness adj. sober
“Look at this ingrate besotted (infatuated) with his
own righteousness.” [Kemp about the show on
Binocolar TV, The Rum Diary cont]
“That ingrate Bob sneered at the tie I gave him.”
[Barrons]
1691. Ingrate
Ungrateful person; thankless
“Not because of who was doing the talking, because
I finally understood the connection between children
scavenging for food and shiny brass plates on the
front doors of banks.” [Kemp, The Rum Diary cont]
1692. Scavenge
Hunt through discarded materials for usable items;
search, especially for food
“He's here. He's an autistic savant.” [Rain Man]
1693. Savant
Scholar; scientist, pundit, erudite, boffin
“Some German voters have also begun to question
austerity. But after insisting for so long that the
profligate must pay for their sins, Ms. Merkel will
need political cover from her fellow leaders.”
[Germany, the Crisis and the G-8, NYT]
“He succumbed to drink and a profligate lifestyle.”
[Google]
“Although surrounded by wild and profligate
companions, she managed to retain some sense of
decency.” [Barrons]
1694. Profligate
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of
resources; licentious; dissolute; dissipated;
wasteful; wildly immoral, n. such a person n.
profligacy
“It was defeated by a Senate filibuster in June.”
[Google]
“The plan would prevent the filibuster from being
used abusively, without eliminating an important
tool to give a minority party a voice.” [Not Too Late
to Curb the Filibuster, NYT]
1695. Filibuster
Block legislation by making long speeches
“Known for his dispatches from Iraq and
Afghanistan, Mr. Mumford was allowed to roam
fairly freely, and his works reflect the regimen most
amputees struggle through: surgeries, grueling
exercise sessions, navigating stair climbers and
treadmills with prosthetic limbs.” [Portraits of War,
NYT]
“l doubt whether the results warrant our living under
such a strict regimen.” [Barrons]
1696. Regimen /ˈrejəmən/
Prescribed diet and habits
For the people he drew, he added, the experience
seemed to be cathartic. “Because it’s so
concentrated, time-consuming and everyone can see
the results as they develop,” he said, “drawing
makes people really feel seen, on an emotional
plane.” [NYT cont]
“Some drugs act as laxatives when taken in small
doses but act as cathartics when taken in much
larger doses.” [Barrons]
1697. Cathartic /kəˈTHärtik/
Purgative; stimulates evacuation of the bowels;
strongly laxative also n
“We must make a stand, here and now. No longer
will our penises remain flaccid and unused! We will
fight for every man out there who isn't getting laid
and should be. And, by God, we will not stand by and
watch history condemn us into celibacy.” [AP 1999]
1698. Celibate
Abstaining from sexual intercourse
“All over the country during these few weeks, teen-
agers able to wangle their way into the R-rated
comedy ''American Pie'' will be comparing notes and
debating the carefully measured jolts of a high
school sex farce that knows exactly how far to push
the envelope without seriously offending anyone.”
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[The Road to Manhood, Paved in Raunchy Jokes and
Pie, AP Review, NYT]
“She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.”
[Barrons]
1699. Wangle
Wiggle out; fake; trick
As you may recall, a similar flurry of titillating
questions followed the opening a year ago of
''There's Something About Mary'' [NYT cont]
“I am here not to titillate my audience but to
enlighten it.” [Barrons]
1700. Titillate /ˈtitlˌāt/
Tickle
“Quite the opposite. ''American Pie,'' whose dirty
jokes are inserted at regular intervals like pop songs
to perk up the action, lacks the antic levity of the
Farrelly brothers' box-office smash.” [NYT cont]
“Putting on an antic disposition Hamlet acts so odd
that the Danish court thinks him mad.” [Barrons]
1701. Antic
Extravagantly odd; grotesque, funny, strange,
bizarre, outlandish also n.
“College-bound Kevin spends the whole movie
wheedling his steady girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid) into
going all the way.” [NYT cont]
“She knows she can wheedle almost anything she
wants from her father.” [Barrons]
1702. Wheedle
Cajole; coax; deceive by flattery
“In parading its jokes as proudly and crassly as an
oldtime burlesque show, ''American Pie'' portrays a
teen-age culture that harks weirdly back to the
1950's.” [NYT cont]
1703. Burlesque
n, adj & v. give an imitation that ridicules; parody,
travesty, caricature, skit
“A new legislative session has given Alabama
lawmakers an opportunity to repeal the cruel,
destructive and embarrassing immigration law they
passed last year — the worst in the nation.” [NYT
cont]
1704. Repeal
Revoke; annul
“The action spins from Coney Island to Cape Kennedy
(now Cape Canaveral), and the giddiness is spiked
with metaphysical anxiety and disarming
tenderness.” [Back in the Day, When Agents and
Aliens Were Sweet, NYT]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“He felt his giddy youth was past.” [Barrons]
1705. Giddy /ˈgidē/
Light-hearted; dizzy; vertiginous, frivolous
“He greeted his friend jovially.” [Word Web]
1706. Jovial
Good-natured; merry
“Gradually, though, their gooey looks of delight
turned to serious interest and finally to pleasure, the
deep pleasure of seeing something rare and fully
resolved and resistant to syllogisms.” [Like Mona
Lisa, Ever So Veiled, NYT]
“There must be a fallacy in this syllogism; I cannot
accept its conclusion.” [Barrons]
1707. Syllogisms /ˈsiləˌjizəm/
Logical formula consisting of a major premise, a
minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or
specious argument
“A few years ago, while reporting an article about
her, I asked Mr. Joffe if photos could be taken of her
work space. He said it wouldn’t serve any purpose.
He was right. The Comme des Garçons headquarters,
which occupy several floors of a banal office
building, look like design studios everywhere, and
may even be drabber.” [Like Mona Lisa, Ever So
Veiled, NYT]
“The Dutch woman’s drab winter coat contrasted
with the distinctive, colorful native costume she wore
beneath it.” [Barrons]
1708. Drab
Dull; lacking color; cheerless; monotonous,
humdrum
“’Snow White and the Huntsman’ tries something
new or maybe something old, even atavistic.” [The
Darker Side of the Story, NYT]
“In his love for gardening, Martin seemed an
atavism to his Tuscan ancestors who lavished great
care on their small plots of soil.” [Barrons]
1709. Atavism
Resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to
parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback
adj. atavistic
“Even so, Anonymous made it seem like the work of
its shadowy horde.” [The Secret Lives of Dangerous
Hackers, NYT]
“Just before Christmas the stores are filled with
hordes of shoppers.” [Barrons]
1710. Horde /hôrd/
Crowd; flock, swarm, mob, herd
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“Pessen does present a quantity of examples,
together with some refreshingly intelligible statistics,
to establish the existence of an inordinately wealthy
class.” [ETS]
“She had an inordinate fondness for candy, eating
two or three boxes in a single day.” [Barrons]
1711. Inordinate
Unrestrained; excessive; exorbitant, extravagant
“And all that prolixity reaches new heights as the
town delves into the electoral process.” [Ref Dic]
“A writer who suffers from prolixity tells his readers
everything they never wanted to know about his
subject (or were too bored to ask).” [Barrons+ETS]
1712. Prolixity
Tedious wordiness; verbosity adj. prolix
“Philosophy, unlike most other subjects, does not try
to extend our knowledge by discovering new
information about the world. Instead it tries to
deepen our understanding through rumination on
what is already closest to us — the experiences,
thoughts, concepts, and activities that make up our
lives but that ordinarily escape our notice precisely
because they are so familiar. Philosophy begins by
finding utterly mysterious the things that are most
prosaic.” [ETS]
“Ruin hath taught us thus to ruminate, as
Shakespeare more or less said.” [NYT cont…]
“Unable to digest quickly the baffling events of the
day, Reuben ruminated about them till four in the
morning.” [Barrons]
1713. Ruminate
Chew over and over (mentally or, like cows,
physically); mull over; ponder n. rumination:
contemplation
“Waiting impatiently in line to see Santa Claus, even
the best-behaved children grow restive and start to
fidget.” [Barrons+ETS]
1714. Restive
Restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control;
uneasy, fidgety, stubborn
“But at the same time, the president and his aides
are skittish about publicly lambasting the same
agents who put themselves in harm’s way on their
behalf.” [Administration Torn on Secret Service
Scandal Response, NYT]
“She is as skittish as a kitten playing with a piece of
string.” [Barrons+ETS]
1715. Skittish
Lively; frisky; nervous or excitable; easily scared
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“A higher percentage of total agricultural acreage
was fallow in the United States than in the Soviet
Union.” [ETS]
"Farmers have learned that it is advisable to permit
land to lie fallow every few years.” [Barrons]
1716. Fallow /ˈfalō/
Plowed but not sowed; uncultivated
"Jean Valjean tried to expiate his crimes by
performing acts of charity.” [Barrons]
1717. Expiate /ˈekspēˌāt/
Make amends for (a sin); atone, purge, redeem
"The young woman was so sedulous that she
received a commendation for her hard work.”
[Barrons]
1718. Sedulous /ˈsejələs/
Diligent; assiduous, industrious, studious,
painstaking n. sedulity
"Miss Manners refused to countenance such rude
behavior on their part.” [Barrons]
1719. Countenance /ˈkountn-əns/
 v. approve; tolerate; support, favor, uphold
 n. a person's face or facial expression; face;
visage; mien; aspect
"He eats whenever he can cadge a meal.” [Google]
1720. Cadge
Ask for and get free; beg; mooch; panhandle
"His pain was so great that no anodyne could relieve
it.” [Barrons]
1721. Anodyne /ˈanəˌdīn/
Drug that relieves pain; opiate; painkiller, analgesic
"She admired the iridescent hues of the oil that
floated on the surface of the water.” [Barrons]
1722. Iridescent /ˌiriˈdesənt/
Producing a display of lustrous, rainbow-like colors;
prismatic; brilliant, lustrous, or colorful n.
iridescence
“A terrifying slog through the dark forest, a serene
sojourn in the garden of the fairies, a visit to an
encampment of women and children — each of
these scenes casts its own specific and effective
spell.” [Snow White and the Huntsman,' With Kristen
Stewart, NYT]
“She had sojourned once in Egypt.” [Google]
“After his sojourn in Florida, he began to long for the
colder climate of his native New England home.”
[Barrons]
1723. Sojourn /ˈsōjərn/
Temporary stay also v.
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“…political violence was rampant. A rich soil soon
becomes home to rampant weeds. ... rampant sex.”
[Google]
1724. Rampant
Growing in profusion; unrestrained and violent
“Science and religion each have core tenets that are
considered axiomatic.” [Princeton Review]
"It is an axiom in political science that unless people
are educated and enlightened it is idle to expect the
continuance of civil liberty or the capacity for self-
government.” [Ref Dic]
1725. Axiom /ˈaksēəm/
Self-evident truth requiring no proof adj. axiomatic:
self-evident or unquestionable
“Apply this unguent to the sore muscles before
retiring.” [Barrons]
1726. Unguent /ˈəNGgwənt/
Ointment
“She was careful not to let the answer sound too
glib.” [Google + Lec44.5]
“Keeping up a steady patter to entertain his
customers, the kitchen gadget salesman was a glib
speaker, never at a loss for a word.” [Barrons]
1727. Glib /glib/
Fluent; facile; slick; fluent and voluble but insincere
and shallow
“Look at his lividity. If this guy was driving a car in
New York, it wasn't yesterday.” [New Agent, Fringe
S02E01]
“His face was so livid with rage that we were afraid
that he might have an attack of apoplexy.” [Barrons]
1728. Livid
Lead-colored; black and blue; ashen; enraged
“The tall hill forest, resplendent in the aftermath of
rain, was aglow in emerald light.” [Ref Dic]
While all the adults were commenting how glorious
the emperor looked in his resplendent new clothes,
one little boy was heard to say, “But he’s naked!”
[Barrons+Lec25.4]
1729. Resplendent /riˈsplendənt/
Dazzling; glorious; brilliant
“In each he makes his points politely but with utter
candor.” [Your Dic]
“Brother William, may I speak with you candidly?”
[The Name of the Rose (1986)]
“Jack can carry candor too far: when he told Jill his
honest opinion of her, she nearly slapped his face.”
[Barrons]
1730. Candor /ˈkandər/
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Frankness; open honesty adj. candid
In 1798, economist Thomas Robert Malthus stated in
his “Essay on the Principle of Population” that
“population increases in a geometric ratio, while the
means of subsistence increases in an arithmetic
ratio.” [Princeton Review]
“In those days of inflated prices, my salary provided
a mere subsistence.” [Barrons]
1731. Subsistence
Existence; means of support; livelihood
“When the boat capsized, her buoyant life jacket
kept Jody afloat. Scrambling back on board, she was
still in a buoyant mood, certain that despite the
delay she’d win the race.” [Barrons + Lec44.13]
1732. Buoyant /ˈbo͞oyənt/
Able to float; cheerful and optimistic
“For a mere tyro, you have produced some
marvelous results.” [Barrons + Lec44.14]
1733. Tyro
Beginner; novice; rookie, neophyte
“The members of the board of trustees of the
museum expected the new curator to plan events
and exhibits that would make the museum more
popular.” [Barrons + Lec44.14]
1734. Curator
Superintendent; manager; a keeper or custodian of
a museum or other collection; trustee, guardian,
manager
“Superfluously, he added his silly comments to the
discussion.” [Word Web + Lec44.16]
1735. Superfluous /so͞oˈpərfləwəs/
Excessive; overabundant, unnecessary n.
superfluity
“Without exercise, the muscles will atrophy.”
[Google]
“Polio victims need physiotherapy to prevent the
atrophy of affected limbs.” [Barrons]
1736. Atrophy
Wasting away; any weakening or degeneration
(especially through lack of use) also v
“Tufts’s pedagogical technique relied primarily on
rote learning, omitting the reading of music until a
student’s singing abilities had improved.” [Princeton
Review]
“Yet Dr. Spelke herself never fusses out or turns
rote.” [NYT cont]
“He recited the passage by rote and gave no
indication he understood what he was saying.”
[Barrons]
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1737. Rote
Repetition; machine-like
“He had not always been so callous, but with time he
became cauterized/inured to the violence around
him.” [Princeton Review]
“In order to prevent infection, the doctor cauterized
the wound.” [Barrons]
1738. Cauterize /ˈkôtəˌrīz/
Make insensitive or callous; burn with hot iron or
caustic
“Even the colossal meal failed to satiate/allay her
voracious appetite.” [Princeton Review]
“The wolf is a voracious animal, its hunger never
satisfied.” [Barrons]
1739. Voracious /vəˈrāSHəs/
Ravenous; gluttonous, greedy, edacious, rapacious
“Pressed to point to a single picture that represents
the vanguard of the modern art movement, art
historians will often point to Courbet’s The Painter’s
Studio.” [Princeton, Lec43]
“We are the vanguard of a tremendous army that is
following us.” [Barrons]
1740. Vanguard
Forerunners; advance forces; van, avant-garde; the
leading units moving at the head of an army
“The illustration on this sheet-music cover is an
allegory of the triumph of abolitionism.” [Ref Dic]
“Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of the temptations
and victories of the human soul.”
[Barrons+Princeton]
1741. Allegory /ˈaləˌgôrē/
Story in which characters are used as symbols;
fable; parable
“.. societal evolution.” [Word Web+Princeton]
1742. Societal /səˈsīitl/
Social: relating to human society and its members
“When Elton asked Cher for a date, she said she was
really sorry she couldn’t go out with him, but her dad
had ordered her to curtail her social life.”
[Barrons+Princeton]
1743. Curtail
Shorten; reduce
“In response to the follies of today's commercial and
political worlds, the author does not express
inflamed indignation, but rather affect the
detachment and smooth aphoristic prose of an
eighteenth-century wit.” [Big Book]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“An aphorism is usually philosophic or scientific, as
compared to an adage, which is usually more homely
and concrete.
“Absolute power corrupts absolutely” is an
aphorism. “You can lead a horse to water, but you
can’t make him drink” is an adage.”
[Barrons+Princeton]
1744. Aphorism /ˈafəˌrizəm/
Pithy maxim or saying; gnome, dictum adj.
aphoristic: axiomatic: containing aphorisms or
maxim
“His kindness to the miscreant amazed all of us who
had expected to hear severe punishment
pronounced.” [Barrons]
1745. Miscreant /ˈmiskrēənt/
Wretch; villain
“She's nothing but a mercenary little gold digger.”
[Google]
“The army was composed of mainly mercenaries.”
[GRE VW]
1746. Mercenary /ˈmərsəˌnerē/
 adj. motivated solely by money or gain
 n. soldier hired for battle; hirling
“A mawkish poem..” [Google]
“Whenever Gigi and her boyfriend would sigh and
get all lovey-dovey, her little brother would shout,
“Yuck!” protesting their mawkish behavior.”
[Barrons]
1747. Mawkish
Very sentimental; mushy and gushy; icky-sticky
sentimental; maudlin; effusively or insincerely
emotional
“The format of the ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’ show
usually features an opening current events or
political skit, followed by the credits and a comedy
monologue.” [Wikipedia]
1748. Monologue +
Speech performed by one actor
“a montage of excerpts from the film..” [Oxford Dic]
1749. Montage + /mänˈtäZH/
Composite picture; collage
“In America, Benazir Bhutto dressed as Western
women did; in Pakistan, however, she followed the
mores of her people, dressing in traditional veil and
robes.” [Barrons]
1750. Mores /ˈmôrˌāz/
Conventions; moral standards; customs
“These two plants are morphologically related.”
[Word Web]
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1751. Morphology +
Branch of biology that deals with the structure of
animals and plants
“Through the first range of these mountains the river
ran in a gorge, some three kilometres long,
immediately ahead of us.” [Ref Dic]
“The gluttonous guest gorged himself with food as
though he had not eaten for days.” [Barrons]
1752. Gorge /gôrj/
 n. narrow canyon; steep, rocky cleft; ravine
 v. stuff oneself
“A thrifty shopper compares prices before making
major purchases.” [Barrons]
1753. Thrifty
Careful about money; economical
“Enlightened slave owners were willing to manumit
their slaves and thus put an end to the evil of slavery
in the country.” [Barrons]
1754. Manumit
Free from slavery or servitude; emancipate; free
from bondage
“The text was emended in the second edition.”
[Barrons]
1755. Emend
Correct, usually a text; rectify, amend, mend
“The audience shuddered as they listened to the
details of the gory massacre.” [Barrons]
1756. Gory /ˈgôrē/
Bloody; sanguinary, bloodstained
“The popularity of Florida as a winter resort is
constantly increasing; each year, thousands more
disport themselves at Miami and Palm Beach.”
[Barrons]
1757. Disport
Amuse; recreate; frolic also n
“As we invent new techniques and professions, we
must also invent neologisms such as
“microcomputer” and “astronaut” to describe
them.” [Barrons]
1758. Neologism
A newly invented word or phrase; new or newly
coined word or phrase
“Foucault turned the world of ideas on its head by
boldly charging in to explore the subjects of prisons
and sexuality, about which previous writers had
done little more than equivocate. But the tour de
force of this exploration was his habit of using these
fields to draw trenchant parallels to safe, sanitized
everyday life.” [McGrawHill’s GRE]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“With his trenchant wit, reviewer Frank Rich cut
straight to the heart of the matter, panning a truly
dreadful play.” [Barrons]
1759. Trenchant
Forceful and vigorous; cutting; incisive, mordant,
poignant, biting
“We must trace the source of these noxious gases
before they asphyxiate us.” [Barrons]
1760. Noxious /ˈnäkSHəs/
Harmful, noisome, pernicious, malign, prejudicial,
deleterious, pestilent, unwholesome, baneful,
nocuous
“Since the Chinese languages did not traditionally
use a phonetic alphabet, looking up a word in a
traditional dictionary could be incredibly vexatious.”
[McGrawHill’s GRE]
“This would avoid needless sectarian strife and clear
the way for politicians to address the more vexing
and urgent challenges of socioeconomic
integration.” [NYT cont..]
"Please try not to vex your mother; she is doing the
best she can.” [Barrons]
1761. Vex /vekˈsāSHəs/
Annoy; distress adj. vexatious
“The face was saturnine and swarthy, and the
sensual lips...twisted with disdain.” [Oscar
Wilde+McGrawHill]
“That was an air more saturnine than haloed, in
spite of his archangelic name.” [SV cont]
1762. Saturnine /ˈsatərˌnīn/
Gloomy; somber, dismal, cheerless; sullen, morose
“For instance, Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army
revealed the salutary relationship that could be
achieved through organized discipline, regular pay,
meritocracy, and, of course, fervid devotion to a
Puritan cause.” [McGrawHill’s GRE]
"The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy, as
he became a model student.” [Barrons]
1763. Salutary /ˈsalyəˌterē/
Tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome;
healthy, useful, profitable
“Even so, relatively few consumers have been
tempted, and sales of window phone 7 have been
lackluster.” [NYT cont+McGrawHill]
“We were disappointed by the lackluster
performance.” [Word Web]
1764. Lackluster
Dull; lacking in vitality, force, or conviction;
uninspired or uninspiring
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Jabbing a minatory forefinger at Dorothy, the
Wicked Witch cried, “I’ll get you, and your little dog,
too!” [Barrons+McGrawHill]
1765. Minatory /ˈminəˌtôrē/
Menacing; threatening; ominous
“Since your report gave only a superficial analysis of
the problem, I cannot give you more than a passing
grade.” [Barrons+ETS]
1766. Superficial
Cursory; not thorough; trivial, shallow; perfunctory
“This new collection is the poet’s fourth book in six
years — an ample output even for poets of sunny
disposition, let alone for one of such penitential
austerity over the previous 50 years.” [ETS]
“When he realized the enormity of his crime, he
became remorseful and penitent.” [Barrons]
1767. Penitent
Repentant; contrite, remorseful, regretful;
penitential
“Yet for all his newfound volubility his poetry is as
thorny as ever.” [ETS cont]
“She was as voluble as her husband was silent.”
[Google]
“In the third, Ms. Twain talks to a “traitor” — a
woman who had an affair with her best friend’s
husband — and for the first time she becomes
incensed. Afterward, she’s voluble, talking about her
attempts to find closure, “accepting that I may never
get that from Marie-Anne — and that’s it, I gotta
just carry on expecting that that will never happen.”
Fred, holding the camera, doesn’t say a word.” [A
Country Star in Search of Her Voice, Shania Twain,
NYT]
1768. Voluble /ˈvälyəbəl/
Fluent; glib; talkative; loquacious, garrulous,
verbose, n. volubility
“I am seeking an equitable solution to this dispute,
one that will be fair and acceptable to both sides.”
[Barrons+ETS]
1769. Equitable
Fair; impartial; righteous
“Where do you get the gall to even attempt
something so monumentally idiotic?” [Ratatouille
(2007)]
“The knowledge of his failure filled him with gall.”
[Barrons]
1770. Gall /gôl/
n. bitterness, nerve; impudence; v. annoy, vex,
chafe
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“She was a prolific writer who produced as many as
three books a year.” [Barrons]
1771. Prolific
Producing many works; abundantly fruitful; fertile,
fecund
“His attempts to clarify the situation succeeded only
in befuddling her further.” [Barrons+Lec13]
1772. Befuddle
Confuse thoroughly
“He sang a ribald song that offended many of the
more prudish listeners.” [Barrons+Lec13]
1773. Ribald
Scurrilous; wanton; profane; gross; vulgar n.
ribaldry
“The supercilious lady walked with a prideful
swagger.
He curled his lip in a supercilious smile.”
[Google+Lec13]
1774. Supercilious /ˌso͞opərˈsilēəs/
Arrogant; condescending; patronizing; haughty,
lofty, snooty, conceited
“While mushrooms are popular in many cuisines, it is
imprudent to eat those found in the wild, as many
frequently found mushrooms resemble edible
(eatable) mushrooms are, in fact, poisonous.” [Lec13]
"French cuisine is noted for its use of sauces and
wines.” [Barrons]
1775. Cuisine /kwiˈzēn/
Style of cooking
"The octopus possesses exceptional physical
dexterity, allowing it to precisely manipulate
objects.” [Lec13]
"The magician was so dexterous that we could not
follow his movements as he performed his tricks.”
[Barrons]
1776. Dexterous /ˈdekst(ə)rəs/
Skillful; adroit, deft n. dexterity
"The voice was mellifluous and smooth still ringing
in brain.” [Barrons+Lect13]
1777. Mellifluous /məˈliflo͞oəs/
Sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious
"Investors become anxious when the stock market
appears erratic.” [Barrons+Lec13]
“She described three occasions that she said
exemplified Private Manning’s erratic behavior,
including one when he was “screaming at the top of
his lungs and waving his hands” at an officer.” [NYT]
1778. Erratic
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Unsteady, irregular, unstable; odd; unpredictable
"The Salem witch trials were a misguided attempt to
extirpate superstition and heresy.” [Barrons+Lec13]
1779. Extirpate
Eradicate, exterminate, uproot; root up
“The House made a provision for stringent
punishment for any move including military takeover
of state power and suspension or cancellation of any
provision of the constitution by usurpers, terming
those as "sedition".” [DS SA]
1780. Stringent /ˈstrinjənt/
Binding, rigid, austere
“He was punctilious in providing every amenity for
his guests.” [Google+Lec13]
1781. Punctilious /ˌpəNGkˈtilēəs/
Stressing niceties of conduct or form; minutely
attentive (perhaps too much so) to fine points n.
punctiliousness
“G. K. Chesterton’s wit is exemplified in his often
waggish/light-hearted responses to his friend and
rival George Bernard Shaw.” [Kaplan]
“He was a prankster who, unfortunately, often
overlooked the damage he could cause with his
waggish tricks.” [Barrons]
1782. Waggish /ˈwagiSH/
Humorous in a playful, mischievous, or facetious
manner; tricky; jocose, facetious, jocular,
frolicsome n. wag
“If I wished to impute blame to the officers in charge
of this program, I would state my feelings definitely
and immediately.” [Barrons+Lec14]
1783. Impute / imˈpyo͞ot/
Attribute; ascribe; accuse, accredit
“He was extremely catholic in his taste and read
everything he could find in the library.”
[Barrons+Lec14]
1784. Catholic /ˈkaTH(ə)lik/
Universal; wide-ranging; liberal
“According to Turgenev, without painstaking work,
any writer or artist remains a dilettante.
In an age of increasing professionalism, the terms
amateur and dilettante have taken on negative
connotations they did not originally possess.”
[Barrons+Lec14]
1785. Dilettante /ˌdiliˈtänt/
Aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler n.
dilettantish
“Ambrosia was supposed to give immortality to any
human who ate it.” [Barrons+Lec14]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
1786. Ambrosia /amˈbrōZH(ē)ə/
The food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it
became immortal; adj. ambrosial: delicious
“When the moon in its orbit is furthest away from
the earth, it is at its apogee.
Discouraged by the apparent deterioration of
America’s space program, the science columnist
wondered whether the golden age of space travel
had reached its apogee with the Apollo 11 moon
landing and would never again achieve such
heights.” [Barrons+Lec14]
1787. Apogee /ˈapəjē/
Highest point; zenith, climax, height, pinnacle
“The content of philosophical works is cerebral in
nature and requires much thought.” [Barrons+Lec14]
"The scientific mind is atrophied, and suffers under
inherited cerebral weakness, when it comes in
contact with the eternal woman—Astarte, Isis,
Demeter, Aphrodite, and the last and greatest deity
of all, the Virgin.” [Henry Brooks Adams]
1788. Cerebral
Pertaining to the brain or intellect
“The attrition of French was attributed to
preeminence of English in the workplace, particularly
in affluent, “white-collar” jobs.” [Lec14]
"The council is trying to wear down the opposition by
attrition.” [Google]
1789. Attrition /əˈtriSHən/
Gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work
force without firing employees; wearing away of
opposition by means of harassment
“Did the other woman actually supplant Princess
Diana in Prince Charles’s affections, or did Charles
never love Diana at all?
Bolingbroke, later to be known as King Henry IV,
fought to supplant his cousin, Richard III, as King of
England.” [Barrons+Lec14]
1790. Supplant /səˈplant/
Replace; usurp; supersede, replace, substitute,
oust
"With the rise of automated support, reference
workers in many fields feel that their services are
being inadvertently belittled.” [Lec16.1]
“When Adrienne stands in front of the mirror she
sees herself as an aged woman, who has become
unattractive. She is aware of how betrayal can
belittle a person.” [DS]
1791. Belittle
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Diminish: lessen the authority, dignity, or
reputation of; disparage, deprecate
"The humor of Oscar Wilde remains a classic
example of laconic, his terse remarks and deadpan
delivery belied an acerbic sarcasm and brilliant
insight into the world around him.” [Lec16.1]
“There is a fine line between speech that is terse and
to the point and speech that is too abrupt.” [Barrons]
1792. Terse
Concise; abrupt; pithy; laconic, succinct, brief, curt
“He introduced a kind of deadpan humour in his
writing that was very rare in Bengali literature. He
explored the ups and downs of middle-class urban
life with a sharp eye for the funny side.” [BBC,
Bangladesh's most enduring storyteller]
1793. Deadpan
Wooden; impassive; blank; glassy
“The minivan then veered right, across the other two
southbound traffic lanes, and fell over a guardrail
into a wooded area, landing upside down.” [Several
Killed as Minivan Plunges Near the Bronx Zoo, NYT]
“The woman veered between anger and fear as she
told of her misadventure.” [Scandal , NYT]
“After what seemed an eternity, the wind veered to
the east and the storm abated.” [Barrons]
1794. Veer /vi(ə)r/
Change in direction; turn; swerve
“The soldier made claims of acts so egregious it
required response.” [NYT, Adrian Lamo]
"Ed’s housekeeping was egregious: he let his dirty
dishes pile up so long that they were stuck together
with last week’s food.” [Barrons]
1795. Egregious /iˈgrējəs/
Notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking;
outrageous
“Andrei A. Piontovsky, a political analyst, said the
cancellation underscored a visceral personal enmity
between the two leaders.” [NYT]
"She disliked the visceral sensations she had
whenever she rode the roller coaster.” [Barrons]
1796. Visceral /ˈvis(ə)rəl/
Felt in one’s inner organs; splanchnic; intuitive:
obtained through intuition rather than from
reasoning or observation
“Though there was no certitude of his getting the
job, Lou thought he had a good chance of being
hired.” [Barrons]
1797. Certitude /ˈsərtəˌt(y)o͞od/
Certainty; assurance, sureness, surety
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Did you concur with the decision of the court or did
you find it unfair?” [Barrons]
1798. Concur
Agree; coincide, consent
“They lived in squalor and disease.” [Google]
1799. Squalor /ˈskwälər/
Filth; degradation; dirty, neglected state;
sordidness adj. squalid
“She is also unbelievably patient-as she must be with
this errant pupil.” [Ref Dic]
1800. Errant /ˈerənt/
Wandering, stray, vagrant, erring
“Given the gravity of the situation, Terrence’s
sardonic quips were inappropriate; he did not seem
to realize it was the time or place for sarcasm.”
[Lec13]
“Gibreel rolled happily towards the sardonic voice.”
[Satanic Verses]
1801. Sardonic /särˈdänik/
Grimly mocking or cynical; disdainful, sarcastic
“You are unpopular because you are too free with
your quips and sarcastic comments.” [Barrons]
1802. Quip
Taunt; epigram: a witty saying; wisecrack; joke;
quirk
“The doctor’s handwriting was entirely
indecipherable/hieroglyphic much to the frustration
of the other staff of the hospital, but some wondered
whether it was not intentionally so, in order to
prevent forgery of prescriptions.” [Lec17]
“The discovery of the Rosetta Stone enabled scholars
to read the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.”
[Barrons]
1803. Hieroglyphic
Picture writing; written in or belonging to a writing
system using pictorial symbols
“The paramedic used a tourniquet to stem the
bleeding from the slashed artery.” [Barrons]
“Stems of the rhubarb plan have various culinary
and medicinal uses.” [Lec17]
1804. Stem
 Check the flow; stop, check
 The main body or stalk of a plant or shrub,
typically rising above ground but occasionally
subterranean
“The neglect of the old theater was manifested in
the extreme dilapidation of the building, which was
no longer safe to enter.” [Lec16]
1805. Dilapidated
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Ruined because of neglect; ramshackled,
tumbledowned n. dilapidatation
“They predict muggy/torrid temperature for this
summer and caution against overexposure to the
heat without adequate protection and hydration.”
[Lec16]
1806. Muggy /ˈməgē/
Warm and humid; sultry
“The novels published by Harlequin Romances
feature torrid love affairs, some set in torrid
climates.” [Barrons]
1807. Torrid /ˈtôrəd/
Passionate; hot or scorching; fervent, ardent,
scorching, sultry, tropical
“Visiting the palace at Versailles, she was impressed
by the august surroundings in which she found
herself.” [Barrons]
“Combining masterful artwork and superb
calligraphy, it is truly an august artifact of the past.”
[Lec16]
1808. August
Impressive; majestic; lofty; sublime
“He was muscular and squat; he used to go to a little
church with a squat tower.” [SA+Google]
“Eight families are squatting in the house.”
[Google+Lec16]
1809. Squat
 n. stocky; short and thick
 v. unlawfully occupy an uninhabited building or
settle on a piece of land
“The dry soil imbibed the rain quickly.”
[Barrons+Lec16]
1810. Imbibe
Drink in; absorb; soak
“As a master craftsman, the carpenter prided himself
on never doing slipshod work.” [Barrons+Lec16]
1811. Slipshod /ˈslipˌSHäd/
Untidy or slovenly; shabby; sloppy, untidy,
careless, unkempt
“Jeremy hated his neighbor’s unkempt lawn: he
thought its neglected appearance had a detrimental
effect on neighborhood property values.” [Barrons]
1812. Unkempt /ˌənˈkem(p)t/
Disheveled; uncared for in appearance; untidy,
slovenly, scruffy
“From the moment that organic life first appeared
on Earth some 4.5 billion years ago, natural selection
has been an inexorable, unceasing, and entirely
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
mindless process of winnowing and sifting through a
set of design plans.” [Kaplan’s GRE]
1813. Winnow /ˈwinō/
Sift; separate good parts from bad; separate the
chaff from by using air currents; fan
“Newly rich consumers are eager to flaunt their
prosperity.” [Google+lec19]
1814. Flaunt
Display ostentatiously; parade, show off
“His ostensible purpose was charity, his real goal
popularity.” [Word Web+lec22.20]
1815. Ostensible /äˈstensəbəl/
Apparent; professed; pretended
“I resent the obloquy that you are casting upon my
reputation.” [Barrons+lec22]
1816. Obloquy /ˈäbləkwē/
Slander; disgrace; infamy; opprobrium, dishonor,
scandal, calumny, defamation, libel
“People were maimed by the explosion.” [Word
Web]
1817. Maim /mām/
Mutilate; injure
“The situation arose after a BNP lawmaker, also a
lawyer, hurled a plastic missile at the bench after a
judge said that Khaleda Zia's recent remarks on the
charter is tantamount to sedition.” [DS]
“The letter was declared seditious.” [Google+Lec22]
1818. Sedition
Resistance to authority; insubordination adj.
seditious: rebellious; insurgent
“Even though he was disappointed, he did not think
it politic to refuse this offer.” [Barrons +Lec22]
1819. Politic
Expedient; prudent; well devised; shrewd, wise,
prudent, sagacious; political
“He was the quintessential tough guy—strong,
silent, and self-contained.” [Google +Lec22]
“He was the quintessence of political
professionalism.” [Google]
1820. Quintessence /kwinˈtesəns/
Purest and highest embodiment; pith; essense; gist
adj. quintessential
“The pensive lover gazed at the portrait of his
beloved and sighed deeply.” [Barrons]
1821. Pensive
Dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of
sadness; contemplative; thoughtful, reflective,
wistful
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“Without conscious volition she backed into her
office.” [Google]
1822. Volition
Act of making a conscious choice; will, wish, desire,
pleasure
“His Aunt Beatrice had been kept alive on sympathy
and placebos for thirty years.” [Google]
1823. Placebo /pləˈsēbō/
Harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
“While a colloquium often is a formal seminar or
conference, a colloquy traditionally is merely a
conversational exchange.” [Barrons]
1824. Colloquy /ˈkäləkwē/
Informal discussion; conversation, talk, dialogue,
discourse
“Nothing excites Esther; even when she won the
state lottery, she still preserved her air of bovine
calm.” [Barrons]
1825. Bovine /ˈbōvīn/
Cowlike; placid and dull
“She disliked his sly ways, but granted him a certain
vulpine intelligence.” [Barrons]
1826. Vulpine
Like a fox; crafty
“Bob liked the subdued lighting at the restaurant
because he thought it was romantic. I just thought
the place was dimly lit.” [Barrons]
1827. Subdued
Less intense; quieter; dim
“The reviewer described Byatt’s novel Possession as
a riveting tale: absorbed in the story, she had
finished it in a single evening.” [Barrons]
1828. Riveting /ˈrivitiNG/
Absorbing; engrossing v. rivet
“Their horses were beasts of burden, not
mettlesome chargers.” [Google+Lec26.17]
“When challenged by the other horses in the race,
the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its
determination to hold the lead.” [Barrons]
1829. Mettle
Spirit; temperament, character, courage,
disposition, ardour adj. mettlesome: courageous;
plucky
“Dreams have lent an ineffable quality to sleep.”
[Lec28]
“Such ineffable joy must be experienced; it cannot
be described.” [Barrons]
1830. Ineffable
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Unutterable; cannot be expressed in speech;
unspeakable, inexpressible, indescribable
“Rumors, embroidered with detail, live on for years;
neither deined nor confirmed ….” [Lec28.25]
“For her mother’s birthday, Beth embroidered a
lovely design on a handkerchief.” [Barrons]
1831. Embroider
Decorate with needlework; ornament with fancy or
fictitious details; embellish
“Seeking the restitution of land taken from blacks
under apartheid..” [Lec29]
“He offered to make restitution for the window
broken by his son.” [Barrons]
1832. Restitution
Reparation; indemnification; return, compensation,
reparation, retrieval
“If you wait for the optimum moment to act, you
may never begin your project.” [Barrons+Lec31]
1833. Optimum
Most favorable; optimal; best
“When John’s mother found out that he had
overdrawn his checking account for the third month
in a row, she was so irate that she could scarcely
speak to him.” [Barrons+Lec31]
1834. Irate /īˈrāt/
Angry; wrathful, furious, ireful, wroth
“After he had reminded me several times about what
he had done for me I told him to stop his harping on
my indebtedness to him.” [Barrons+Lec32]
1835. Harping
Tiresome dwelling on a subject v. harp
“She is an inveterate smoker and cannot break the
habit.” [Barrons+Lec32]
1836. Inveterate
Deep-rooted; habitual; ingrained, deep-seated
“The turgid river threatened to overflow the levees
and flood the countryside.” [Barrons+Lec32]
1837. Turgid /ˈtərjid/
Swollen; distended; puffy, tumid, pompous,
bloated, inflated
“The sentence most directly exemplifies the
rationale behind the author’s conclusion.” [Lec32]
1838. Rationale /ˌraSHəˈnal/
Fundamental reason or justification; grounds for an
action
“Compared to the sophisticated young ladies in their
elegant gowns, tomboyish Jo felt gauche and out of
place.” [Barrons+Lec40]
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1839. Gauche /gōSH/ “His once-round face looked surprisingly gaunt after
Clumsy; coarse and uncouth; awkward, maladroit, he had lost weight.” [Barrons]
ungainly, gawky
1850. Gaunt
“A limpid stream ran through his property.” Lean and angular; barren; emaciated; scrawny,
[Barrons+Lec40] skinny, meager, scraggy, haggard
1840. Limpid “His friends tried to overcome the languor into
Clear; pellucid, transparent, lucid, bright,
which he had fallen by taking him to parties and to
perspicuous; diaphonous
the theater.” [Barrons]
“Sometime in the future, a group of renegade 1851. Languor /ˈlaNG(g)ər/
scientists and technologists will take a time machine Lassitude; depression; weakness, weariness
to now.” [Barrons]
“The navy is our principal bulwark against invasion.”
1841. Renegade /ˈreniˌgād/ [Barrons]
Deserter; traitor, apostate, recreant
1852. Bulwark
“.. a luscious and fragrant dessert wine. The ripe Earthwork or other strong defense; person who
peach was luscious.” [Google, Barrons] defends; rampart, bastion, stronghold
1842. Luscious /ˈləSHəs/ “Because she refused to give him an answer to his
Pleasing to taste or smell; delicious, sweet, proposal of marriage, he called her a coquette.”
succulent, savory
[Barrons]
“I do not accept the premise that a man is virile only 1853. Coquette /kōˈket/
when he is belligerent.” [Barrons] Flirt; a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal
to exploit men also v
1843. Virile /ˈvirəl/
Manly; masculine Shamelessly fawning over a particularly generous
“.. a propitious alignment of planets for space donor, the dean kept referring to her as “our
exploration.” [Google] munificent benefactor.” [Barrons]
1844. Propitious /prəˈpiSHəs/ 1854. Munificent
Favorable; fortunate; advantageous; auspicious, Very generous; bounteous, bountiful, liberal, large-
opportune hearted, unsparing, charitable

“Accustomed to the severe, angular lines of modern “Embarrassed by the hoax, she reddened and left the
skyscrapers, they found the flamboyance of baroque room.” [Barrons]
architecture amusing.” [Google] 1855. Hoax
Trick; practical joke; deception, deceit, spoof
1845. Baroque /bəˈrōk/
Highly ornate “Violence marred a number of New Year
“Pinocchio’s disposition was pliant; he was like putty celebrations.” [Google]
in his tempters’ hands.” [Barrons] “She had to refinish the marred surface of the
1846. Pliant table.” [Barrons]
Flexible; easily influence 1856. Marred
Damaged; disfigured v. mar
“She began to prattle on about her visit to the
dentist.” [Google] “Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter
1847. Prattle would dare to defy him by eloping with her suitor.”
Babble; chatter, prate, jabber, tattle, yap, talk [Barrons]
“She had always been vivacious and sparkling.” 1857. Meek
[Google] Submissive; patient and long-suffering

1848. Vivacious /vəˈvāSHəs/ “We cannot even say that her music is a pastiche of
Lively or animated; sprightly; vibrant: vigorous and this or that composer; it is, rather, reminiscent of
animated; vivid many musicians.” [Barrons]
“After his long illness, he was pale and haggard.” 1858. Pastiche /paˈstēSH/
[Barrons] Imitation of another’s style in musical composition
or in writing
1849. Haggard
Wasted away; gaunt; emaciated

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“The candidate’s vacuous remarks annoyed the
audience, who had hoped to hear more than empty
platitudes.” [Barrons]
1859. Vacuous /ˈvakyəwəs/
Empty; lacking in ideas; stupid; vacant, inane,
void, hollow n. vacuity
“Except for a brief two-year hiatus, during which she
enrolled in the Peace Corps, Ms. Clements has
devoted herself to her medical career.” [Barrons]
1860. Hiatus /hīˈātəs/
Gap; pause; lacuna, blank, chasm
“It takes brawn to become a champion weight-
lifter.” [Barrons]
1861. Brawn
Muscular strength; sturdiness; muscle, thews adj.
brawny
“Those are meretricious souvenirs for the tourist
trade.” [Google]
“Her jewels were inexpensive but not meretricious.”
[Barrons]
1862. Meretricious /merəˈtriSHəs/
Flashy; tawdry; specious; false
“We have misgivings about the way the campaign is
being run.” [Barrons]
1863. Misgivings
A feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension
“Let's recapitulate the main ideas.” [Google+ETS]
1864. Recapitulate
Summarize; sum up, recap, abstract
“It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke
the truth.” [Barrons+ETS]
1865. Patent
Open for the public to read; obvious, manifest,
evident, apparent
“Free market economies tend to be meritocratic.”
[GRE VW]
1866. Meritocratic +
Relating to a system in which advancement is
based on achievement
“Tim wants to pursue a career in meteorological
science.” [GRE VW]
1867. Meteorological +
Of or pertaining to atmospheric phenomena,
especially weather and weather conditions
“Berlin is a microcosm of Germany, in unity as in
division.” [Google]
1868. Microcosm
Small world; the world in miniature
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Why should I involve myself with a project with so
minuscule a chance for success?” [Barrons]
1869. Minuscule /ˈminəˌskyo͞ol/
Extremely small; tiny, minute, diminutive, small,
wee, teeny
“This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-
century prose and poetry.” [Barrons]
1870. Miscellany
Mixture of writings on various subjects; medley,
mixture, miscellanea
“The ambassador received a missive from the
Secretary of State.” [Barrons]
1871. Missive /ˈmisiv/
Letter
“Although his story is based on a modicum of truth,
most of the events he describes are fictitious.”
[Barrons]
1872. Modicum
Limited quantity; trace
“Withdrawing from the world, Thomas Merton
joined a contemplative religious order and adopted
the monastic life.” [Barrons]
1873. Monastic
Related to monks or monasteries; removed from
worldly concerns; cloistral, monkish, conventual
“Transformations have taken place in the polity,
which is reflected in the shift from monism to
pluralism.” [Ref Dic]
1874. Monism + /ˈmänˌizəm/
The doctrine that reality consists of a single basic
substance or element adj. monistic
“Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the
patriots sought to present a monolithic front.”
[Barrons]
1875. Monolithic /ˌmänəˈliTHik/
Solidly uniform; unyielding; characterized by
massiveness and rigidity and total uniformity
“The tiniest mote in the eye is very painful.” [Barrons]
1876. Mote
Small speck; particle, atom
“This simple motif runs throughout the score.”
[Barrons]
1877. Motif
Motive, theme, subject
“If everyone ostracized singer Mariah Carey, would
she then be Mariah the pariah?” [Barrons]
1878. Pariah
Social outcast
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“All this legal parlance confuses me; I need an “Instead of criticizing Clinton’s policies, the
interpreter.” [Barrons] Republicans made pejorative remarks about his
1879. Parlance character.” [Barrons]
Language; idiom 1889. Pejorative /pəˈjôrətiv/
Negative in connotation; having a belittling effect
“The peace parley has not produced the anticipated
truce.” [Barrons] “The scientists are studying the migration patters of
1880. Parley pelagic birds.” [Barrons]
Conference 1890. Pelagic + /pəˈlajik/
Living in open oceans or seas; oceanic, marine
“Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small
rural communities, her concerns are universal, not “Impressed by the young researcher’s well-
parochial.” [Barrons] documented presentation, we accepted her analysis
1881. Parochial of the experiment as authoritative.” [Barrons]
Narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes 1891. Authoritative
Having the weight of authority; peremptory and
“When he heard of his son’s misdeeds, he was seized
dictatorial
by a paroxysm of rage.” [Barrons]
1882. Paroxysm “No negative comments had besmirched Hurston’s
Fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage reputation.” [Barrons, p56]
1892. Besmirch
“Unwilling to injure his opponent in such a pointless
Soil, defile
clash, Dartagnan simply tried to parry his rival’s
thrusts. “The tenants decided to withhold a portion of the
What fun it was to watch Katherine Hepburn and rent until the landlord kept his promise to renovate
Spencer Tracy parry each other’s verbal thrusts in the building.” [Barrons, p59]
their classic screwball comedies!” [Barrons] 1893. Withhold
Refuse to give; hold back
1883. Parry
Fit or attack of pain, laughteward off a blow; deflect “The evil of class and race hatred must be eliminated
“The landed aristocracy felt superior to the while it is still in a rudimentary/embryonic state.”
parvenu.” [Barrons] [Barrons, p60]
1884. Parvenu + 1894. Embryonic
A newly rich person who is regarded as an upstart; Undeveloped; rudimentary
nouveau riche “The professor turned to the latest issue of
“Her style is passé and reminiscent of the Victorian Dissertation Abstracts for a synoptic account of
era.” [Barrons] what was new in the field.” [Barrons, p63]
1885. Passé /paˈsā/ 1895. Synoptic
Old-fashioned; past the prime Providing a general overview; summary n. synopsis

“His years of study of the language at the university “The appearance of the sun after the many rainy
did not enable him to understand the patois of the days was like a benediction.” [Barrons]
natives.” [Barrons] 1896. Benediction
1886. Patois /ˈpaˌtwä/ Blessing
Local or provincial dialect “Let us pray that the benison of peace once more
“Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced shall prevail among the nations of the world.”
income, she was by no means a pauper.” [Barrons] [Barrons]
1887. Pauper 1897. Benison /ˈbenəsən/
Very poor person A spoken blessing

“Whenever Huck swiped a cookie from the jar, Miss “I found the valedictory address too long; leave-
Watson reacted as if he were guilty of armed taking should be brief.” [Barrons]
robbery, not of some mere peccadillo.” [Barrons] 1898. Valedictory
1888. Peccadillo /ˌpekəˈdilō/ Pertaining to farewell
Slight offense

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“The doctor prescribed chocolate pills for her patient
who was a hypochondriac.” [Barrons, p69]
1899. Hypochondriac
Person unduly worried about his health; worrier
without cause about illness adj. hypochondriacal
“As the lecturer wandered from topic to topic, we
wondered what if any point there was to his
discursive remarks.” [Barrons, p70]
1900. Discursive
Digressing; rambling
“The sailor had been taught not to be laggard in
carrying out orders.” [Barrons, p71]
1901. Laggard
Slow; sluggish
“Hearst took a moribund, failing weekly newspaper
and transformed it into one of the liveliest, most
profitable daily papers around.” [Barrons, p74]
1902. Moribund
Dying
“With the connivance of his friends, he plotted to
embarrass the teacher.” [Barrons, p74]
"She was a heartless and conniving woman."
[Lec22.27]
1903. Connivance
Pretense of ignorance of something wrong;
assistance; permission to offend v. connive adj.
conniving: indulging crime
“Just as insincerity is the mark of the hypocrite,
boastfulness is the mark of the braggart." [Barrons,
p77]
1904. Braggart
Boaster
“In his will, he dictated the epitaph he wanted
placed on his tombstone." [Barrons, p78]
1905. Epitaph
Inscription in memory of a dead person
“Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece
of cake when you’re on a diet?" [Barrons]
1906. Prompt
Cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor
“Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of
candidates in my absence." [Barrons]
1907. Proxy
Authorized agent
“The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes."
[Barrons]
1908. Prude
Excessively modest or proper person
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The sky was blue with a few wispy clouds." [Google]
1909. Wispy
Thin; slight; barely discernible
“Sucked into the vortex of the tornado, Dorothy and
Toto were carried from Kansas to Oz." [Barrons]
1910. Vortex
Whirlwind; whirlpool; center of turbulence;
predicament into which one is inexorably plunged
“Such poise is singular in one so young." [Google]
1911. Singular
Unique; extraordinary; odd; remarkable: unusual or
striking
“The webs have surprising tensile strength."
[KapTest]
1912. Tensile
Capable of being stretched
“the primordial oceans.. primordial forms of life"
[Google+KapTest]
1913. Primordial /prīˈmôrdēəl/
Existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary;
primitive, primeval, original
“She always discarded all garments that were no
longer modish." [Barrons+KapTest2]
1914. Modish
Fashionable
“We need more men and women of culture and
enlightenment; we have too many philistines among
us." [Barrons+KapTest2]
1915. Philistine
Narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively
interested in material gain
“His wife suggested that playing music could be the
panacea/redress for his iracscibility." [KapTest2]
1916. Redress
Remedy; compensation
“Although the book is out of print, some copies are
still extant. Unfortunately, all of them are in libraries
or private collections; none is for sale."
[Barrons+KapTest2]
1917. Extant
Still in existence; surviving
“Pinocchio’s disposition was pliant; he was like putty
in his tempters’ hands." [Barrons+KapTest2]
1918. Pliant
Flexible; easily influenced; malleable
“He inveighed against the demagoguery of the
previous speaker and urged that the audience reject
his philosophy as dangerous." [Barrons+KapTest2]
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1919. Inveigh
Denounce; utter censure or invective
“The strawberries had been soaking in the
champagne for so long that they had begun to
macerate: they literally fell apart at the touch of a
spoon." [Barrons+KapTest2]
1920. Macerate
Soften by soaking in liquid; waste away
“Quit making gratuitous comments about my
driving; no one asked you for your opinion."
[Barrons+KapTest2]
1921. Gratuitous /grəˈt(y)o͞oitəs/
Given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for
“Paeans celebrating the victory filled the air."
[Barrons+KapTest2]
1922. Paean /ˈpēən/
Song of praise or joy; a formal expression of praise
“But it was not always that way. The original hackers
were benign creatures; Students, in fact.” [A brief
history of hacking]
“Given the number of new satellites launched each
year, the orbital environment in the future is likely to
be less benign.” [ETS]
1923. Benign /biˈnīn/
Kindly, favorable, not harmful to the environment
“The recent rains that filled our empty reservoirs
were a boon to the whole community.”
[Barrons+ETS]
1924. Boon
Blessing; benefit
“On Halloween people enjoy wearing grotesque
costumes.” [Barrons]
1925. Grotesque /grōˈtesk/
Fantastic; comically hideous, comically or
repulsively ugly or distorted; preposterous,
ludicrous; ridiculous
“We disregarded her invidious remarks because we
realized how jealous she was.” [Barrons]
1926. Invidious /inˈvidēəs/
Designed to create ill will or envy; discriminatory;
hateful
“Poor Harry Potter is orphaned as a baby and is sent
to live with his odious aunt and uncle, Petunia and
Vernon Dursley, and their fat son, Dudley.” [NYT,
HP1 Book Review]
1927. Odious
Hateful; vile; repulsive; obnoxious; abominable
“Before he is done, Harry Potter will meet a dragon,
make friends with a melancholy centaur and do
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
battle with a three-headed dog; he will learn how to
fly a broom and how to use a cloak that makes him
invisible.” [NYT cont]
1928. Centaur /ˈsenˌtôr/
Mythical figure, half man and half horse
“Once the formerly nomadic people developed
farming and settled in a valley rich in natural
resources and protected from invaders, they were
able to live a halcyon existence for hundreds of
years, a period which was scotched only in the
twentieth century when contact with Westerners
destroyed that way of life.” [Manhattan]
“Heather tried to scotch the rumor that she had
stolen her best friend’s fiancé.” [Barrons]
1929. Scotch /skäCH/
Decisively put an end to, stamp out; thwart; hinder
“The issue of cafeteria size was in fact germane to
the town’s school redistricting plans.” [Manhattan]
“The lawyer objected that the testimony being
offered was not germane to the case at hand.”
[Barrons]
1930. Germane
Pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand; relevant
“This huge tax refund is quite a windfall.” [Barrons]
1931. Windfall
Fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event
“This agreement is nugatory for no court will enforce
it.” [Barrons]
1932. Nugatory
Futile; worthless
“Those assembled were beyond impressed by how
well the young man spoke extempore, and would
have listened to him pleasantly digress for hours had
the event not been abridged by the host’s sudden
illness.” [Manhattan]
“Because her extemporaneous remarks were
misinterpreted, she decided to write all her speeches
in advance.” [Barrons]
1933. Extemporaneous
Not planned; impromptu n. extempore
“When Ali was in his mid-40s, the Desh editor
encouraged him to write “Deshe-Bideshe” and it
instantly catapulted him to fame.” [DS, on Syed
Mujtaba Ali]
“Airplanes are sometimes launched from battleships
by catapults.” [Barrons]
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1934. Catapult
Shoot forth or launch, as if from a catapult;
slingshot; hurling machine
“The rags smoldered for hours before they burst into
flame.” [Barrons]
“She’s not a smoldering ember like Britney Spears,
not a muscled emblem of dignity and outrage like
Pink, not a newly awakened romantic pessimist like
Demi Lovato.” [NYT]
1935. Smolder
Burn without flame; be liable to break out at any
moment
“Aroused by his prurient impulses, the dirty old man
leered at the sweet young thing and offered to give
her a sample of his “prowess”; his prurience
appalled her.” [Barrons]
1936. Prurient
Having or causing lustful thoughts and desires,
lascivious, salacious, lustful, lewd, lecherous
“A proud democrat, he refused to genuflect to any
man.” [Barrons]
1937. Genuflect
Bend the knee as in worship, kneel
“President Obama brought his clarion call for hope
and change to Cairo early in his tenure.” [NYT]
“We woke to the clarion call of the bugle.” [Barrons]
1938. Clarion
Shrill, trumpet-like sound
“But peace is not made by ignoring one party while
lionizing the other. In Palestine, we stubbornly
continue to hope that the occupant of the White
House will one day recognize this.” [Conclusion of
OP, NYT]
1939. Lionize
Treat as a celebrity; give a lot of public attention
and approval to (someone)
“Prime minister flays BUET agitators.” [DS]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The reviewer’s stinging comments flayed the
actress’s sensitive spirit. How could she go on, after
such a vicious attack?” [Barrons]
1940. Flay
Strip off skin; plunder; whip; attack with harsh
criticism
“He was accused of being a demagogue because he
made promises that aroused futile hopes in his
listeners.” [Barrons]
“Cosmopolitanism can be the first casualty of rising
ethnic tensions, as populations react negatively to
escalating political demagogy, strengthening the
hand of extremists.” [NYT]
1941. Demagogue /ˈdeməˌgäg/
Person who appeals to people’s prejudice; false
leader; demagog n. demagogy
“The base in Vietnam was a key site in the US
defoliant program during the Vietnam war, and
much of the 80 million litres of Agent used during.”
[AFP]
“In Vietnam the army made extensive use of
chemical agents to defoliate the woodlands.”
[Barrons]
1942. Defoliate
Destroy leaves
“Hizb-ut-Tahrir is not known to have committed a
violent act in Pakistan. Instead, according to
analysts, it looks for turncoats, proselytizing among
officials in inner circles who have the power to bring
the government down from within.” [NYT, Another
threat in Pakistan]
“The British considered Benedict Arnold a loyalist;
the Americans considered him a turncoat.” [Barrons]
1943. Turncoat
Traitor
“In addition to the reverberations of the Armenian
genocide, mass crimes against Kurds and Alevis in
Turkey, violence against Kurds and Arabs in Iraq, and
Christian-Muslim tensions in Syria and Lebanon
continue to poison contemporary politics.” [NYT,
Another threat in Pakistan]
1944. Reverberate
Echo, resound
“Regret is usually a waste of time. As is gloating.”
[The Thomas Crown Affair]
“I was just rude back there, gloating and everything.
I apologize.” [Susan to Eddie, DH S01E22]
1945. Gloat
Express evil satisfaction; view malevolently; phrasal
verb. gloat over: rejoice smugly over something
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“Have we no shame? Did we not cut our apron - He was cute.
strings to the British monarchy emphatically and at He was 17.
some cost? So why do so many Americans seem to
- Yes, he was.
believe that Elizabeth II, her curmudgeonly son
Charles, his strapping sons Will and Harry, the l must admit, that's a fair litany for a young girl from
winsome duchess and her newborn still belong to Lima, Ohio.” [Thomas Crown with Catherine
Banning]
us?” [NYT, Op-Ed: Britain’s Baby Bump]
1953. Litany /ˈlitn-ē/
1946. Curmudgeon /kərˈməjən/
Supplicatory prayer; (in Christianity), a form of
Churlish, miserly individual; a bad-tempered or
prayer consisting of a series of invocations, each
surly person
followed by an unvarying response; a tedious recital
1947. Winsome /ˈwinsəm/ or repetitive series
Agreeable; gracious; engaging; attractive or
appealing in appearance or character “- Do you think I deserve your full attention?
I had to swear an oath before we began this
“Labor advocacy groups and other supporters of the
deposition and I don't wanna perjure myself, so I
plan pilloried the responses by Gap, Wal-Mart and
have a legal obligation to say no.” [The Social
other American retailers that have decided to rely on
Network (2012)]
their own inspection systems rather than join the
1954. Perjure /ˈpərjər /
plan.” [NYT, U.S. Retailers See Big Risk] False testimony while under oath
1948. Pillory /ˈpilərē/
Punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to “A severe illness left him acutely emaciated, and he
criticism and ridicule; savage: criticize harshly or did not recover fully until he regained most of his lost
violently weight.” [Barrons]
“The police failed to investigate, and a week later 1955. Emaciated
the same men raped a 21-year-old American student Thin and wasted
in the same van, pummeling her face and beating “A severe illness left him acutely emaciated, and he
her male companion with a metal bar.” [NYT, U.S. did not recover fully until he regained most of his lost
Retailers See Big Risk] weight.” [Barrons]
1949. Pummel /ˈpəməl / 1956. Excoriate
Beat or pound with fists Scold with biting harshness, strip the skin off;
censure or criticize severely
“Mark played videos games as though he had two
left hands; so maladroit was he that as a child he “The death of his wife left him disconsolate.”
never progressed beyond the first level of Super [Barrons]
Mario Brothers.” [magoosh] “Though he did his best to cheer her, his pep talk left
1950. Maladroit /ˌmaləˈdroit/ her disconsolate as before.” [Manhattan test]
Not skillful; clumsy, bungling
1957. Disconsolate
“A princess does not chortle.” [Queen to Merida , Sad, incapable of being consoled
Brave (2012)]
1951. Chortle /ˈCHôrtl /
Chuckle with delight

“No you don't look stupid. You look dapper.” [Benett

to TED, TED (2012)]
1952. Dapper /ˈdapər /
Neat and trim

“On this solemn day, the congregation responded to

prayers of the priest during the litany with fervor
and intensity.” [Barrons]
“But you, now. The matador?
The Italian industrialist?
The ambassador's son?

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Idioms/Phrasal Verbs 6. The apple of one’s eye

Something, but usually someone, that you cherish
“Promises are like babies: easy to make, hard to above all others
deliver.” [Anonymous]  His youngest daughter was the apple of his eye.
1. Deliver a promise
Carry out a promise “I was really in a fix when I missed the plane.”
2. Respite from
“Lost and out of gas—how did we get in such a
A short break or escape from something difficult or
pickle?”
unpleasant
 Respite from Load-shedding “John had lost all his money in the crap game—now
he was in a spot.”
“This will mean lighting more than 1,86,000 homes 7. In a fix/in a pickle/in a spot
and other establishments which have been without In a difficult or embarrassing situation, in a
electricity since April last year due to the ban dilemma
imposed to fend off acute power crisis.” [DS]
“The lion’s share of the donation is spent for
3. Fend off
advertisement.”
Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening
8. The lion’s share
“The ship was completely locked in ice.” Largest part
4. Lock in
“My cousin still has a grudge against dad for
Enclose, surround
refusing to lend money.”
9. Bear a grudge; have a grudge (against
someone); hold a grudge
A strong feeling of anger or dislike for a person

“His new business has come of age.”

“Anyone will tell you she's one of the best journalists
we've got, although she'd never blow her own
trumpet.”
5. To blow one’s own trumpet
To tell everyone proudly about one’s achievement
10. To come of age
To become successful, fully developed
“Plans to improve public services are a way of
sugaring the pill of increased taxation.”
11. To sugar the pill
To make something bad, seem less unpleasant!!

“He is always at hand.”

12. At hand
Nearby

“She didn't want to burn her boats by asking for a

divorce, so she suggested a trial separation instead.”
13. Burn one’s bridges / boats
Destroy all possibilities to go back

“She's been very patient, putting up with all kinds of

inconvenience.”
14. Put up with
Undergo, tolerate

“He laid aside some money for the future.”

“Flower of this purple dye,
15. Lay aside
Hit with Cupid’s archery,
 To save for the future
Sink in apple of his eye”  To give up, abandon
“He laid aside all hopes of winning first prize.”

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“This job calls for a lot of patience.” All of a sudden; at the same time
16. Call for
“The gang fled from the scene of the crime with the
To require, demand
police in hot pursuit. Bill spends most of his time in
“He went to the fair with a view to buying some pursuit of money. Every year Bob goes into the
gifts.” countryside in pursuit of butterflies.”
17. With a view to 27. In pursuit of something
With the intention of Following closely behind them and trying hard to
catch them; eagerly trying to get
“I caught sight of someone with red hair and knew it
was you.” “I heard tapping on the window which made my
18. Catch sight of someone or something / blood run cold.”
catch a glimpse of someone or something 28. Make somebody’s blood run cold
To see only for a moment To shock or horrify someone
“He was beset with trouble last night.” “I'm sorry. He's just always given me the creeps.”
19. Beset someone with something [Gabriel about Paul on DS S01E04]
To surround with harassment 29. Give somebody the creeps/willies
“We cannot buy off an honest man.” To make feel frightened and anxious

20. Buy someone off “Hey -- homeschooling is out.

To bribe But how are we going to scrape together 15 grand
“The street children fend for themselves in the for this endowment?” [GabrielLynette to Tom on DS
S01E05]
streets of Dhaka city.”
30. Scrape someone or something together
21. Fend for
To find and collect something
To look after
“Honey, it was only a small neighborhood game.
“Lotus eater like him cannot prosper in life.”
But it doesn't take much for her to fall off the
22. Lotus eater
wagon.” [Gabriel and Carlos about mom on DS
A lazy person devoted to pleasure and luxury S01E06]
“For the surprising fact about newspapers is that 31. To fall off the wagon
they cater for such a wide range of I.Q ability as to To get into addiction again; start drinking too much
include all types of reader.” after not having any in long time

23. cater for “Do you think there's any chance we'll get back
Provide food and entertainment/ what is required together?
“The avowed aim of publishers and editors would I don't think so, Ben.
seem to be in many cases to dispense with the I think it ran its course.” [Ben & Suzy in Cashback]
reader’s intelligence.” 32. Run its course
24. Dispense with If something runs its course, it continues naturally
To manage without, forego, to get rid of until it has finished

“I have a few odds and ends left in old house to “For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love,
collect.”                   Or chide my palsy, or my gout,
25. Odds and ends My five gray hairs, or ruined fortune flout" [John
Miscellaneous things Donne - Cannonization]

“He came here all at once.” 33. Hold one’s tongue

To refrain from speaking; to refrain from saying
“I've had to deal with too many problems all at something unpleasant
once.”
“Thank you for coming. Welcome back and forgive
26. All at once
me if I wade in.” [Syriana]

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34. Wade in (to something)
To get quickly and directly involved in something
“Er, bugger off, call me later.” [Love Actually]
35. Bugger off
Brit slang to go away; depart
“Police cordoned off a five-storey building in a
suburb of Toulouse where the 24-year-old Muslim
shooter, identified as Mohamed Merah, is holed up.”
[About france gunman, BBC]
“BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir claimed that law enforcers had cordoned off
Khaleda's Gulshan residence from midnight to
morning apparently to stop her from paying homage
to Liberation War martyrs.” [Khaleda obstructed, DS]
36. Cordon off
Rope in; inclose; shut in
“He clams up every time we try to ask him about
Mary Alice” [Susan about Paul; DH S01E16]
37. Clam Up
Refuse to talk
“The police showed me your rap sheet. You killed a
man.” [Susan to Mike; DH S01E16]
38. Rap Sheet
The daily written record of events (as arrests) in a
police station
“At this age she is supposed to study, make friends
and have fun, not get entangled with a married
man!” [Mita, Star]
39. Entangle with
To get someone or something tangled up with
something
"All we can do in the face of that ineluctable defeat
called life," writes Mr. Kundera, "is to try to
understand it. That -- that is the raison d'être of the
art of the novel." [BeeDictionary]
40. Raison D'être
Arterial blood; essence of life
"BNP calls off March 29 Hartal." [DS]
41. Call something off
Cancel an event
"We fuck them and trick them on deployments. We...
nickel and dime them on medical care when they get
home." [But I’m not Wrong]
42. Nickel and Dime
To charge someone small amounts of money for
something, often as an extra payment
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
"The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most
unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud
of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a
vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a
misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal,
genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal,
sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully."
[God Delusion]
43. Ethnic cleansing
The systematic elimination of an ethnic group or
groups from a region or society, as by deportation,
forced emigration, or genocide
"The CEO presented the merger to the board as a
fait accompli." [GRE VW]
44. Fait Accompli
Something done about which it is too late to argue
"The judge reminded the jury not to reach any a
priori conclusions about the guilt or innocence of the
accused." [GRE VW]
45. a priori
From a general law to a particular instance; valid
independently of observation; formed or conceived
beforehand
"Her faults did not seem to detract from her appeal.
They can only detract attention from the serious
issues." [FreeDic + Lec44.4]
46. detract from
Divert; shift; distract; reduce; diminish
"Thereover, hereunder
You've got me head over heels
There's nothing left to fear
If you really feel the way I feel." [Whenever Wherever
- Shakira]
47. head over heels
In disorderly haste; hopelessly; in great confusion
"We eat lamb every now and then. We eat pork now
and then. I read a novel every now and again.
I like to go to a movie now and then. We visit my
parents now and then, but we rarely see our other
relatives." [Free Dic]
48. (every) now and again; (every) once in a
while
Occasionally; infrequently
"Academic education is the gold standard against
which other educational activity is pejoratively
judge." [Word Web]
49. gold standard
A model of excellence; a paragon
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"Known to all as having a silver tongue, audiences
are easily distracted from the meaning of his words
by his mellifluous/euphonic speech." [Lec13]
50. silver tongue
Eloquent: expressing yourself readily, clearly,
effectively
"Alice enjoyed basking in her newfound fame. Lily
loves basking in praise." [Free Dic+Lec26]
51. bask in
Enjoy or revel in something, such as praise, fame,
etc (alludes to a person or animal resting in the
warming rays of the sun.)
"She shrugged off the criticism as harmless.
I passed off the remark as misinformed. Bill scolded
me, but I just passed it off." [Free Dic+Lec26]
52. shrug off/pass off
Ignore something unpleasant or offensive as if it
meant something else
"Iran, US flex muscles in case of conflict." [AFP]
53. flex one’s muscles
To act in a way that shows power or strength
"She yanked her jacket off. She yanked off her jacket
and threw it on the chair." [Free Dic]
“As long as you occupy the chair you get the
perquisites of God. The moment you are yanked off,
the bile of frustration, revenge and ambition begins
to flow through your reputation." [DS, The dilemma
of departure]
54. yank someone or something off
To pull or jerk off something, such as a piece of
clothing
"The two sides have been at loggerheads over arms
control, missile defense etc." [NYT]
“The Senate and the House are still at loggerheads
over the most crucial parts of the bill." [FreeDic]
55. Be at loggerheads
Disagree strongly about something
"The fact is the relations were completely broken for
a very long time,” he said. “The main raison d’être of
Putin’s policy now is to make an enemy of the United
States.” [NYT]
56. Raison d’être
The most important reason or purpose
“Another opposition stalwart made no bones about
the fact that unless the government agreed to their
(opposition's) demands, there would be more trouble
and instability ahead, thereby admitting to all and
sundry that indeed the opposition intends to create
chaos and mayhem on the streets as long as it takes
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
for the ruling party to bow down to them.”
[Postscript, The Star]
“He made no bones about his dissatisfaction with
the service in the hotel.
She makes no bones about wanting John to leave.”
[Free Dict.]
57. make no bones about something
Say clearly what you think or feel although you may
embarrass or offend someone
“My alma mater, Dhaka University, was serene and
picturesque.” [Spring Symphony, The Star]
58. alma mater /ˈälmə ˈmätər/
Your alma mater is a school you graduated from
ETS List
Misc Questions
“Darwin's method did not really require the idea of
race as an important conceptual category; even the
much more central idea of species was little more
than a theoretical convenience.” [Lec44.27]
Explanation:
To build his theory, Darwin didn't need (require) the
concept of race. Actually, he didn't really need the
concept of species either. But it was convenient, so
he used it.
ETS
“She launched a scathing attack on the governor.”
[Google]
59. Scathing
Witheringly scornful; biting, sharp, caustic,
acrimonious, acrid, pungent
“Tocqueville, apparently, was wrong. Jacksonian
America was not a fluid, egalitarian society where
individual wealth and poverty were ephemeral
conditions.” [ETS]
“My generation has been and remains obsessed with
the problems of identity and with finding an
egalitarian and just social system.” [Your Dict.]
“Professor Arefin Siddique, the VC of DU, also agrees
that in order to create future leaders of the country,
it is very necessary to have an egalitarian
environment in the university.” [DS]
60. Egalitarian /iˌgaləˈterēən/
Classless: favoring social equality n. egalitarianism
“The kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of
increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly
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 Official Guide to Customized List
keener escapers is defined by attention — that
aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from
one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive,
freefloating awareness to a highly focused, active
fixation.” [ETS]
“His fixation on the details of other people's erotic
lives..
our fixation with diet and fitness..” [Google]
“Alex kept fixating the lake house instead of building
new one.” [cont]
61. Fixation
The action of making something firm or stable;
fixing; an obsessive interest in or feeling v. fixate
62. Erotic
Giving sexual pleasure; sexually arousing; amatory
“The predator is searchingly aggressive, inner-
directed, tuned by the nervous system and the
adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to
human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard’s
instinctive snap at a passing beetle.” [ETS]
63. Lizard
A reptile that typically has a long body and tail, four
legs, movable eyelids, and a rough, scaly, or spiny
skin
64. Beetle
An insect of an order distinguished by forewings
typically modified into hard wing cases (elytra) that
cover and protect the hind wings and abdomen
“Did the author refer to a hungry lizard in order to
broaden the application of the argument by
including an insectivore as an example?” [ETS]
65. Insectivore
Any organism that feeds mainly on insects
“No other contemporary poet’s work has such a
well-earned reputation for near impenetrability, and
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
there are few whose moral vision is so imperiously
unsparing. Of late, however, the almost belligerent
demands of his severe and densely forbidding poetry
have taken an improbable turn.” [ETS]
66. Unsparing
Merciless; severe; prodigal, liberal, lavish
67. Improbable
Unlikely, incredible, implausible, unbelievable,
impossible
“Thanks to that providential snowstorm, the attack
had been repulsed.
God's providential care for each of us.” [Google]
68. Providential
 Lucky; heaven-sent: peculiarly fortunate or
appropriate; fortunate
 Prudent; involving divine foresight or
intervention
“Test takers whose scores are canceled will forfeit
their test fees and must pay to take the entire GRE
General Test again at a future administration.” [ETS]
“By diverting himself of all regalities, the former king
forfeited the consideration that customarily protects
monarchs.” [Lec28.21]
69. Forfeit
Lose or be deprived of as a penalty for wrongdoing;
fine, mulct, pledge
“Bodies were anointed after death for burial.”
[Google+ETS]
70. Anoint
Administer an oil or ointment to; oil, smear,
lubricate
“… ahistorical nostalgia that misunderstands
cultural history.” [Google+ETS]
71. Ahistorical
Lacking historical perspective or context
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 Normal Word List

Normal Word List Jump or dance around excitedly

 Gibreel, the tuneless soloist, had been cavorting
72. Adultery in moonlight as he sang his impromptu gazal.
Fornication, misconduct, infidelity 83. Census Taker
 I think execution for adultery is not rejected. Someone who collects census data by visiting
73. Angst individual homes
Anxiety  A census taker once tried to test me I ate his
 I understand your angst. It's your wedding. liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti (dry
74. Archangel red Italian table wine).
An archangel is an angel of the highest rank 84. Chilly
 At last the archangel Satan gathered his courage Unpleasantly cold
together.  The rooms had grown chilly.
75. Barge 85. Cloak
A large boat with a flat bottom used for carrying Conceal, mask and cover
goods and people on canals & rivers  Cloaked by the high grasses of the african
 Carrying goods by train costs nearly three times savanna stalking cheetah moves stealthily
more than carrying them by barge. towards his prey. [Donnie brasco]
76. Bid 86. Clove [Past form of cleave]
Wish  Example, look [Stupendous]
 Well then I bid (wish) you peace. 87. Corpse
77. Blond A corpse is a dead body, especially the body of a
A person with fair hair and skin, fair, fair-haired human being.
 Meet our demands or the pretty blond gets it in  If I had not come sooner you'd be clearing up a
the head. [Swordfish] corpse.
78. Blunt 88. Couchant
Dull, not sharp; say exactly what you think without (of an animal) Lying with the body resting on the legs
trying to be polite and the head raised
 `I don't believe you!' Jeanne said bluntly.  Two lions couchant
 Oh, Agent Starling, you think you can dissect me 89. Credential
with this blunt little tool? Documentary evidence that a person has certain
79. Bulk status or privileges
A large person's body or to their weight or size can  He said “may I see your credentials?”
be referred as their bulk The migg said, "I can smell your cunt" [Silence of
 Creator’s mighty bulk towered rugged. Lambs]
 Bannol lowered his bulk carefully into the chair. 90. Cunt
80. Bunch
Slang term for vagina
Collect or fasten into a compact group 91. Debauchery
 She bunched the carnations together.
Excessive drinking of alcohol or to sexual activity,
profligacy
92. Derail
Cause to run off the tracks
 Bill Gates is a lot of things, but stupid he is not.
Almost immediately, Gates tried to derail Sun's
plans for Java, and he almost succeeded.
93. Discernible
Observable, noticeable, perceptible
 A discernible change.
81. Buttock 94. Ditch
Posterior, backside; two rounded fleshy parts of our Abandon or get rid of something
body that we sit on  The old bitch sucked we had to ditch her. [A P]
 He's got a little tear in one of the muscles in his 95. Electorate
buttock. The electorate of a country or area is all the people in
82. Cavort it who have the right to vote in an election.

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 Normal Word List
 He has the backing of almost a quarter of the
electorate.
96. Endow
Be blessed or possessed a particular desirable ability,
characteristic, by birth
 But I find it difficult to convince myself that God
would have introduced such a foul being into
creation without endowing her with some virtues.
[About women, on the name of the rose]
97. Enshroud
Shroud, hide, cover, enfold, enwrap; to cover it
completely so that it can no longer be seen
 This place is enshrouded in a terrifying mystery.
[The name of the rose]
98. Entangle
Involvement, implication
 Sun resolved various legal entanglements
between the two companies and received
US$1.95 billion in settlement payments from
them.
99. Errand
Mission, assignment
 She went off on some errand.
100. Fade/Fade Away
To become or to make something become paler or
less bright, wither
 The sound comes up and slowly fades away into
the distance.
 .. faded painted signs on the sides of some of the
buildings.
101. Feisty
Tough, independent and spirited
 Be careful. She is feisty. [A P]
102. Fender
The fenders of a car are the parts of the body over
the wheels
 As she bent to pull up her pants, the young lady
discovered her buttocks were firmly glued against
the car’s fender.
103. Fiscal
Financial; connected with govt. or public money,
especially taxes
 ...in 1987, when the government tightened fiscal
policy.
104. Fluffer
Agent noun of fluff; one who fluffs; A person who
performs fellatio on a male actor immediately before
the recording of a pornographic scene
 Your daughter will grows up to be a fluffer in her
daddy's videos. [Swordfish]
105. Footing
Base, foundation, basis
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
 Unfortunately, in the deep snow she didn’t have
good footing so she let her butt rest against the
rear fender to steady herself
106. Fumble
Groping
 All those tedius, sticky fumblings in the back
seats of cars, while you could only dream of
getting out, getting anywhere, all the way to FBI.
[Silence of lambs]
107. Giggle
If someone giggles, they laugh in a childlike way,
because they are amused, nervous, or embarrassed
If someone has the giggles they cannot stop giggling
 She too, got the giggles and when they finally
managed to compose themselves, they assessed
(judge) her dilemma.
108. Grunt
A low-ranking or unskilled soldier or other worker
 My brother was a scientist. Me, I'm just another
dumb grunt going someplace he's gonna regret.
[Avatar]
109. Hem in
Surround, encompass, encircle
 Farmers hemmed in two govt offices in two
districts.
110. Hiss
Whistle, fizz; to make a sound like a long ’s’
 He hissed at you. What did he say? [Silence of
lambs]
111. Humiliation
Abasement, indignity, degradation
 He humiliated his colleague by criticising him in
front of the boss.
112. Hysterical
State of uncontrolled excitement, anger, or panic;
Whistle
Extremely funny
 Obviously, as hysterical as the situation was,
they also were faced with a real problem.
113. Illuminator
An artisan whose speciality was the painting of
decorative devices and illuminated openings in
manuscripts
 Brother adelmo was one of our finest
illuminators.
114. Indiscretion
Risky, careless, imprudent behavior or actions
 The authority will wink at our indiscretions.
[Prince to casanova]
115. Insider
A person who knows a lot about an organization or
group because they are part of it
 An insider said, `Katharine has told friends it is
time to end her career.'
116. Intercession
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 Normal Word List
Mediation, intervention
 His intercession could be of help to the tribe.
 Many claimed to have been cured as a result of
the Madonna's intercessions.
117. Junkie
Drug addict
 My own fucking son's a junkie. [Left on Donnie
Brasco]
118. Knack
Skill, ability, art
 He's got the knack of getting people to listen.

“But Landy, you’re on a short leash.” [The Bourne

Supremacy]
“All dogs in public places should be on a leash.” A porcupine is an animal with many long, thin, sharp
[Google]
spikes on its back that stick out as protection when it
119. Leash is attacked.
Lead, string, strap, tie 129. Prophecy
120. Monk Prediction, oracle, forecast
A monk is a member of a male religious community  The prophecy of the apocalypse.
that is usually separated from the outside world. 130. Provision
 “Were you not always a monk?” asked Adso. A condition or an arrangement in a legal document
 He backed a provision that would allow judges to
121. Mindboggling
delay granting a divorce decree in some cases.
Overwhelming, startling
131. Punch
 A mind-boggling puzzle
v & n: a hard hit with the fist
122. Nitwit  Rudy’ll give me a punch.
Fool, ninny; stupid or silly 132. Reflex
 Atheists, you must be feeling a right bunch of An action or movement of your body that happens in
Nitwits! response to something and you cannot control
123. Nun  Almost as a reflex action, I grab my pen as the
A nun is a member of a female religious community phone rings.
 Inquisitor: This time the prisoner has been “Israfil blows the horn/trumpet to announce the onset
condemned on the evidence of a nun. of the Islamic resurrection days.” [Voodoos]
124. Perched
133. Resurrection
Rest, lay; especially of a bird sitting or resting on Revival; resuscitation, a new beginning; resurgence
something
 There was a bird perched on the roof. 134. Rigorous
 .. your feet standing perched on the very center Severe, strict, austere
of the cosmos that hold all things together.  ...rigorous military training.
[Agora] 135. Rip
125. Pink Tear, split; remove it quickly and forcefully.
Rosy; rose-colored  She ripped off her dress and let it fall to the floor.
 Pink lipstick  We'd have been ripped off by one of our own.
126. Phantom [Pam, Bourne Supremacy]
Ghost, illusion, shade 136. Rube
 Unhappily, my fears were not mere phantom of Someone rube is stupid and uneducated because he
my youthful imagination. [The name of the Rose] comes from the countryside; hick
127. Pin-cushion  You look like a rube. [Hannibel Lector to Starling]
A small stiff cushion into which pins are stuck ready 137. Scrub
for use Rub, clean, wash
128. Porcupine  A well scrubbed, hustling rube, with a little taste.
[Hannibel Lector to Starling about her]

138. Seduce

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Entice, tempt, debauch, mislead, attract
 She has set out to seduce Stephen.
139. Shed
Spill, drop, cast; if someone sheds their blood; they
are killed in a violent way, usually when they are
fighting in a war.
 At the end of the day we did shed blood for
Bangla and we were accredited with International
Mother Language Day.
140. Skin
Remove skin; strip
 He has little patience for sloppy work from
colleagues.
 Bangla in the O-Level is sloppy.
141. Sloppy
Careless and lazy
 He has little patience for sloppy work from
colleagues.
 Bangla in the O-Level is sloppy.
142. Smack
N & V: slap
 Sometimes he just doesn't listen and I end up
shouting at him or giving him a smack.
 She smacked me on the side of the head.
143. Snap
Break, crack
 I burned out. I snapped. I shot a suspect on the
hand.
 He beat carlos. Something inside me snapped.
and at that moment, I found a way to be strong,
so I made sure that Diego Solis never hurt my
son or me ever again. [Carlos’s mom to Gabriel, DH
S01E04]
144. Sneak
Move or go in a furtive or stealthy manner
 He snuck into the house when I was asleep.
145. Soloist
A singer or other musician who performs a solo
 Gibreel, the tuneless soloist …
146. Sparing
In very small quantities
 Her sparing use of make-up only seemed to
enhance her classically beautiful features.
147. Spook
Scare, frighten, haunt
Ghost, specter, phantom
 Crawford asked “do you spook easily, Starling?”
148. Spread eagle
Stretch (someone) out with their arms and legs
extended
 He lay spread-eagled in the road
149. Spritzer
A drink consisting of white wine and soda water
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 My ex-wife lives in this building. Can you believe
it? I run into her. I need three spritzers
afterward to calm down. [Donnie Brasco]
150. Spur
Stimulate, incite, goad
 The initiative looks fine for spurring education.
151. Stray
Wander, get lost, roam
 Tourists often get lost and stray into dangerous
areas.
 Children stray from the human norms.
152. Strike
Hit, beat, knock
 He could see she was unable
So she ran into the bedroom
She was struck down, it was her doom
153. Strive
Endeavor, struggle, try, fight
 National movements were striving for
independence.
154. Stupendous
Enormous, prodigious, marvelous, astonishing,
wonderful, amazing
 He lifted his hand, and from it burst a fountain-
spray of fire, a million stupendous suns, which
clove the blackness and soared, away and away
and away, diminishing in magnitude and intensity
as they pierced the far frontiers of Space, until at
last they were but as diamond nailheads
sparkling under the domed vast roof of the
universe.
155. Tangle with
Get involved in conflict
 Even the emperor won’t be able to save you
again if you tangle with Bernado again. [The name
of the rose]
156. Thorn (or thorn bush)
A bush or tree which has a lot of thorns on it
Fig. African fish eagle perched in a thorn bush
157. Trespass
150
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V & N: transgression, offense, sin, violation know, ken, wot
 If someone trespasses, they go onto someone Noun: intellect, intelligence, sense, understanding
else's land without their permission.  They love her practical attitude to life, her zest
 Courtyard said to Casanova “you are charged and wit.
with debauchery, trespass and heresy.”  Courtyard said to Casanova “you are charged
158. Trip with trespass. To wit: fornication with a
Stumble novice.”
 She tripped and fell last night and broke her hip. 169. Wreck
159. Tuneless Ruin, destroy, demolish
Unharmonious, dissonant  ...missed promotions, lost jobs, wrecked
 I must confess an abiding affection for early, marriages.
loud, plodding, abrasive and tuneless Black  I love her so bad. she wrecks me.
Sabbath and Grand Funk Railroad albums.
160. Unblemished 170. Wrinkle
Stainless, spotless, impeccable Wrinkles are lines which form on someone's face as
 Many Muslims might be shocked that their, pure, they grow old.
unblemished, scientific and latest revelation for  Some deep wrinkles furrow (appearing deep
mankind’s upliftment could contain such voodoos. folds) his lower forehead.
161. Unflinching  It makes you all wrinkly and breath smells like
Unwavering, firm, steadfast ass. [Sarah to Jillian; Elsewhere]
 He has shown unflinching determination
171. Yank
throughout the campaign.
Pull with a jerk; wrench
162. Uptrend  He stopped and she quickly crawled out beside
An uptrend is a general improvement in something the car, yanked her pants down and started.
such as a market or the economy
 Farewell South Korea. Thanks for all the 172. Cherish
impressive displays. See you again 2014. You've Care for: be fond of
shown us Asian football is on an uptrend.  I cherish the letters she wrote.
163. Usher  We will cherish your memory.
Introduce, drive “I get so aggravated when I get off the phone
 I ushered him into the office. And I get the third degree
164. Vanity I'm really feelin' frustrated.” [Shania Twain]
Pride, arrogance, futility; taking great pride in
“Military action would only aggravate the situation.”
appearance or abilities
[Barrons]
 Was it not your vanity, your stubborn intellectual
pride? [The name of the rose] 173. Aggravate
165. Vow Exacerbate, irritate, worsen
Serious promise, oath 174. Ailment /ˈālmənt/
 I cannot get my vows right. [AP 2] Disease, illness, sickness
 They all suffer from respiratory ailments which
“The boss gets whacked. You never hear from the boss
they blame on air pollution.
until he gets whacked..” [Donnie Brasco]
175. Debut
“To really understand how whack religion is, you have To present for the first time
to look at the new religions. Which for this country is A first appearance before the public, as of an actor
Mormons and Scientologists...” [But I’m not wrong]  The film marked his debut as a director.
166. Whack  This is the biggest reinvention of the iPod nano
since its debut in 2005.
Beat, strike, knock, hit.
176. Desertion
167. Wile
Abandonment, defection
Trickery; wily, AD
 His desertion of his wife and children left them
 You are the man who has knowledge, both of the
penniless.
human spirit and of the wiles of the evil one.
177. Genocide
168. Wit

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Systematic killing of a racial or cultural group
 The Holocaust was the genocide of approximately
six million European Jews during World War II, a
programme of systematic state-sponsored
extermination by Nazi Germany.
178. Homicide
Murder, assassination, murderer
 Two thirds of homicides in the county were drug-
related.
179. Medieval
Very old-fashioned or primitive, of or relating to the
Middle Ages, mediaeval
 The guerrillas' medieval behavior has become an
embarrassment to their supporters.
 I think stoning is a medieval punishment that has
no place in the modern world, and the continued
use of such a punishment in Iran demonstrates,
in our view, a blatant disregard for human rights
and commitments
180. Evacuate
Empty, vacate, void
 Coasts were evacuated on Tsunami alert.
181. Jolt [N & V]
Shake, push or shake (someone or something)
abruptly and roughly
 A surge in the crowd behind him jolted him
forward.
 She tried to jolt him out of his depression.
182. Dodge [N & V]
Evade, elude, avoid
 Shamim Osman got 8 years for tax-dodging.
183. Testify
Attest, witness, evidence
 He testified against his own commander.
184. Overseas [Adj, N & Adv]
Abroad, foreign; from, to, or relating to a foreign
country, esp. one across the sea
 He spent quite a lot of time working overseas.
 Overseas trips…
185. Assault [N & V]
Attack, assail, rape
 She was sexually assaulted as a child.
 Troops began an assault on the city.
186. Fraternity
Brotherhood, fellowship
 Members of the hunting fraternity.
187. Blister
Bubble, A small bubble on the skin filled with serum
and caused by friction, burning, or other damage
188. Sizzle
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Hiss, (of food) make a hissing sound when frying or
cooking
 The bacon began to sizzle in the pan
 Md. Ashraful sizzled a blistering 6!
189. Swivel
Rotate, revolving
 He swiveled in the chair.
 Shakira got high grades in singing and swiveling
her hips.
190. Gridlock
Traffic jam
 Our highways are jammed. People go to work in
gridlock.
191. Swipe
Steal, hit or try to hit with a swinging blow
 He took a swipe at his critics.
 Someone swiped one of his sausages.
192. Wince
Make a face indicating disgust or dislike, the facial
expression of sudden pain, flinch
 He winced at the disgust in her voice.
193. Kludge
An ill-assorted collection of parts assembled to fulfill
a particular purpose
 The '600 ' variant was a horrible kludge that ran
ms-dos and is best avoided.
“So here is us, on the raggedy edge. Don't push me,
and I won't push you.” [Serenity]
194. Raggedy /ˈragədē/
Torn, ragged or tattered; wearing such clothes
“Quit fiddling. Want the boat running smooth when
we get back.
Have faith, Captain.” [Serenity]
195. Fiddle
Commit fraud and steal from one's employer
“To our meetings there came all the prominent orators
among the students of the University, who sought our
approval and suffrage by tempering their views on
India according to our liking.” [Tagore at Oxford]
196. Suffrage
Vote, right to vote, franchise
“I still remember distinctly that look of awe which was
in my landlady's eyes when she brought in the
breakfast with the morning paper containing the
scoop.” [Tagore cont]
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197. Scoop
A piece of news published by a newspaper or
broadcast by a television or radio station in advance
of its rivals
“Till then we Indians were being looked upon as the
degenerate descendants of those who had composed
the Vedic hymns (in Max Muller's translations), or as
snake-charmers or theosophists or, at best, terrorists
from the banks of the Ganges.” [Tagore cont]
198. Theosophy
A system of belief based on mystical insight into the
nature of God and the soul
206. Sadomasochistic
Sadism is sexual pleasure in the infliction of pain or
humiliation upon another person, while masochism
refers to pleasure from receiving the pain. These
practices are often related and are collectively known
as sadomasochism as well as S&M
207. Malevolent
Malicious, evil-minded
208. Bully
A person who uses strength or power to harm or
intimidate those who are weaker
“There are lots of people out there who feel vague
yearnings to leave their parents' religion and wish
they could, but just don't realize that leaving is an
option.” [God Delusion]
209. Vague /vāg/
Obscure, indistinct; hazy, indistinct, obscure,
nebulous, dim, misty, unclear, foggy

“Only one person tamed us, that was Sarojini Naidu, “The twin towers of the World Trade Center were
another was consistently obdurate and that was conspicuously present.” [cont..]
Jinnah.” [Tagore cont] 210. Conspicuous
199. Tame Notable, prominent, salient
Correct by punishment or discipline, domesticate 211. Yearn
“I was asked to proceed to London and explain to him, Long, aspire, desire, languish
should occasion arise, that as far as he was concerned, Launch capsizes as it hits sunken stone-laden trawler.
we had transformed ourselves into a domesticated 212. Capsize
herd of antelopes.” [Tagore cont] To overturn, tip over
200. Antelope
A ‘miscellaneous’ group within the family
“Mangrove forest plundered.” [DS]
encompassing the species which are not cattle, “Looters moved into the disaster area to plunder
sheep, buffalo, bison, or goats; a group of antelope is stores.” [Google]
called a herd
213. Plunder
201. Misogynistic /məˈsäjənist/ Rob, loot, ransack
Misogynous, hating women in particular
Police suspected that criminals slit the throat of the
202. Homophobic
teenage girl after rape and left the body in the garden.
Fear of homosexuals; Antipathy towards
homosexuals
--DS

Infanticide 214. Slit

Practice of intentionally killing an infant Make a clean cut through

203. Genocide Turkey offers Gaddafi way out amid deadly clashes. --
Deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in DS
part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group
215. Amid
204. Filicide Surrounded by; in the middle of; in the center of
Filicide is the deliberate act of a parent killing their
own son or daughter Sparrow in a concrete jungle -- DS
205. Megalomaniacal
A psychopathological condition characterized by
delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or
omnipotence; an obsession with grandiose or
extravagant things or actions

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Tactic: a plan for attaining a particular goal

"Daydream delusion
“Limousine eyelash
Oh, baby, with your pretty face
Drop a tear in my wineglass

216. Sparrow Look at those big eyes

Any of several small dull-colored singing birds See what you mean to me
feeding on seeds or insects Sweet cakes and milkshakes
I am a delusion angel
Apple and Nokia have been locked in a legal tussle
I'm a fantasy parade
since October 2009, when Nokia sued Apple in the
United States, arguing the iPhone-maker was getting I want you to know what I think
a "free ride" on technologies patented by Nokia. -- DS Don't want you to guess anymore
217. Tussle You have no idea where I came from
Hassle, disorderly fighting We have no idea where we're going
Lodged in life, like branches in the river
“He did not live at college or in digs, as all of us did,
Flowing downstream caught in the current
but in a large boarding-house on Woodstock Road,
where, according to report, he was being cruelly
I carry you, you'll carry me
rooked.” [Tagore at Oxford 2]
That's how it could be
218. Rook
Don't you know me?” [Cont..]
Cheat, swindle

“Finally, I let go of the nozzle, you know? Then I

dropped the hose, and she disappeared.” [Before
Sunrise]

222. Eyelash
Any of the short curved hairs that grow from the
edges of the eyelids

223. Parade
A ceremonial procession including people marching
219. Nozzle
A projecting spout from which a fluid is discharged, “She sat right across the aisle from me.” [Cont..]
nose 224. Aisle
Passage, corridor
“We were at this summer camp together, and he was
a swimmer. He had bleached-out chlorine hair and “All the clocks in the city
green eyes...” [Cont..] began to whirr and chime:
220. Bleach ‘O let not Time deceive you
Make whiter or lighter; remove color from you cannot conquer Time
 "The sun bleached the red shirt"
In headaches and in worry
“I always feel like the general of an army when I start vaguely life leaks away
dating a guy.
And Time will have his fancy
Plotting my strategy and maneuverings... knowing his
weak points, what would hurt him, seduce him.” Tomorrow or today” [Cont..]
[Cont..] 225. Whirr
Whizz: make a soft swishing sound
221. Maneuver
 The motor whirred.

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“Therefore this particular luncheon turned out to be “What a beautiful party. Little cockdoggies.
such a delightful surprise.” [Cont…] They're called cocktail wienies.” [Cont..]
226. Luncheon
A formal lunch

“Incongruous people there certainly were present but

the grace of Pratima Devi and the spontaneous
urbanity of Rathi Babu gently smoothed down all the
angles and for a short while we were happily
enveloped in the kindly atmosphere of a Bengal
home.” [Cont…]
227. Incongruousness
Incongruity

“In one corner of the room an Englishwoman was 234. Wienie

modeling the Poet's head in clay whilst in another a A sausage is a food made from ground meat, both
fierce young man, a Pole perhaps, was sketching, as I beef and pork. Also commonly included is ground
saw from a corner of my eye, the fine folds of his pork fat (fatback), salt, herbs and spices
robe.” [Cont…]
228. Robe
“I built a bunker in the basement strong enough to
Dress withstand the blast”, says Hotel owner [Cont..]
235. Bunker
“Ultimate freedom. An extremist. An aesthetic A reinforced underground shelter, typically for use in
voyager whose home is the road.” [Into the Wild] wartime
229. Voyager “There is one secret, one last secret. It involves all of
Traveler you.
“I see my father strolling out under the ochre - I'm getting goose pimples”, says Mr Bean [Cont..]
sandstone arch, the red tiles glinting like bent plates of 236. Goose
blood behind his head.” [Cont..] Puke/pinch in the buttocks
230. Glint 237. Pimple
Glitter, sparkle A small hard inflamed spot on the skin
“And Bourne? Where is he now? “Mr. Grisham insists anyone who wishes to participate
in our experiment... sign this waiver, absolving the
- Dead in a ditch.” [The Bourne Supremacy]
casino from responsibility or damages...”, says Hotel
231. Ditch
owner [Cont..]
A narrow channel dug in the ground
238. Waiver
“Excuse me. Release: a formal written statement of
Do you know what's going on? relinquishment

Free grub. “Inside the locker is a red duffel bag. Inside the red
That's what's going on.” [Rate Race, 2004] duffel bag... is $2 million.”, says Hotel owner [Cont..]
232. Grub 239. Duffel Bag
Informal term for meal A large cylindrical bag of heavy cloth; for carrying
“Now, I know what you are thinking. personal belongings
Enrico is a girl's name. “- What is he doing?
- No, I wasn't. I think he's sleeping.
- No pun intended.” [Rate Race] - Sleeping?
233. Pun He must be narcoleptic.” [Cont..]
Make a joke exploiting the different possible
240. Narcolepsy
meanings of a word

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A sleep disorder characterized by sudden and 247. Deficit
uncontrollable episodes of deep sleep Shortage, deficiency

“We're looking for the interstate. “Dev admin asks to curb corruption in land offices.”
I get that a lot 'cause of the detour.” [Cont..] [New Age]
241. Detour 248. Curb
A roundabout road (especially one that is used Control, restrain, repress
temporarily while a main route is blocked)
“More BNP bigwigs to be charge-sheeted” [DS]
“I'm sure Jason doesn't want to go to the Barbie 249. Bigwig
Museum. An important person
You kiddin'? I'll stop anywhere. I'm wiggin' out back
here..” [Cont..] “At least 28 people died and at least 44 were injured
242. Wig when a bus plunged off a highway and into a ravine in
Rebuke (someone) severely Bolivia Sunday, state media said.” [DS]
 I had often occasion to wig him for getting drunk. 250. Plunge
Dive, drop steeply, immerse, thrust or throw into
“Did I come at a bad time, asshole? I'll ram this
helicopter right down your throat!” [Schaffer, Cont..] “Acid attack on schoolgirl bewilders poor parents.”
243. Ram [DS]
Strike or drive against with a heavy impact
251. Bewilder
“God is gonna smote us. We're gonna get smote. Cause to be confused emotionally, confuse
- Come on. We're siphoning gas. It's not a smoting
“007 Bonded in Matrimony” [DS]
offense.” [Pilot Girlfriend, Cont..]
252. Matrimony
244. Smite
To hit; to strike down or kill with godly force; to Marriage, wedlock
injure with divine power “JS set to pass bill today to scrap caretaker system”
[DS]
253. Scrap
Reject, refuse, fight

“Parliament is set to pass the 15th constitutional

amendment bill today making a series of changes,
including repeal of the provision for holding national
elections under a non-partisan caretaker government
amid stiff protests from the BNP-led opposition.” [DS]
254. Stiff
Rigid, hard, potent

“For the great majority of Syrians, the forgotten Syria

245. Siphon meant a police state, a country governed with an iron
Convey, draw off, or empty by or as if by a siphon fist. It meant a concerted international effort to keep a
dictatorial regime in power in the name of regional
“Please. Come in. stability — preserving the security of Israel and
- Not too shabby.” [Hotel Girl looking at the room, maintaining a cold peace on the Golan Heights, like
Cont..] the snow that covers Mount Hermon.” [NYTimes
Opinions]
246. Shabby
Mean and unworthy and despicable; 255. Concerted
 Shabby treatment Involving the joint activity of two or more

“1500 MW power supply deficit in summer” [New “Hatshepsut's life is shrouded in mystery.” [The
Age] Pharaoh Who Conquered the Sea]

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“It meant disappearances that left families without “The fact that the globally renowned helmer was a
even a death certificate. It meant the tears of mothers family man has also been focused on in the album.”
and wives waiting since the 1980s for their sons and [DS Ent]
husbands to return, even if wrapped in a shroud.”
[NYTimes cont..]
256. Shroud
A length of cloth or an enveloping garment in which a
dead person is wrapped for burial

“It meant the marginalization of politics, the taming

of the judiciary, the suffocation of civil society and the
crushing of any opposition.” [Cont..]
257. Tame
Making no longer wild; domesticate

“A terrifying slogan, “Our Leader Forever Is President

Hafez al-Assad,” emblazoned at the entrance to every 264. Helmer
city, and on public buildings, told Syrians that history Film-maker
ended at their country’s frontiers.” [Cont..]
Parliament yesterday abolished the caretaker
258. Emblazon government system allowing general elections under
Conspicuously inscribe or display (a design) on
elected partisan governments, with the main
something
opposition BNP terming it "throwing the country into a
“Often referred to as the first modern novelist in the political confrontation” [DS]
sub-continent, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay fused
265. Confrontation
the formal, Sanskritised Bengali with the colloquial to
A bold challenge, a hostile or argumentative meeting
forge a prose that everyone could grasp.” [DS Ent] or situation between opposing parties
259. Forge
Invent: come up with (an idea, plan, explanation,
“The Jeddah-based Organisation of the Islamic
theory, or principle) after a mental effort Conference (OIC) has been renamed as the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation with a new
“Authorities in Myanmar have deported Hollywood emblem.” [DS]
actress Michelle Yeoh who plans to play pro-
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in an upcoming
film, an immigration official said on Tuesday.” [DS Ent]
260. Deport
Expatriate: expel from a country

Veteran essayist Ahmed Sofa wrote in a literary

journal, “Bankim and some other conservative 19th
266. Emblem
century thinkers had often sent their contemporary
Symbol, badge
readers on the lunatic fringe and sparked many acts of
communal violence” [DS Ent] “Over two hundred lactating mothers demonstrated
261. Veteran on the premises of Lalmonirhat municipality office on
Experienced, old Wednesday demanding action against a ward
councillor who allegedly took bribe for issuing cards
262. Lunatic for benefit from 'fund for assistance to lactating
Crazy, insane
mothers” [DS]
263. Fringe 267. Lactating
Periphery, boundary Producing or secreting milk

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“Pheu Thai won a majority of 265 in the 500-seat
parliament - a margin big enough to rule alone
without forming a coalition - and Yingluck is poised to
become Thailand's first female prime minister.” [DS]
268. Poised
Ready, prepared; having self confidence
“Law enforcers charged truncheons and lobbed
teargas to foil a BNP procession brought out in the
capital yesterday to protest the indictment of party
Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman in the August
21, 2004 grenade attack cases.” [DS]
269. Truncheon
A short, thick stick carried as a weapon by a police
officer
270. Lob
Throw or hit (a ball or missile) in a high arc
New Delhi has heaved a sigh of relief at Dhaka's
decision on Sunday not to make any formal statement
on Manmohan Singh's remarks after the Indian
external affairs ministry had issued a clarification that
the remarks should not be seen as “judgemental”. -
[DS]
271. Heave
Lift, raise
“They said the official announcement of Indian Prime
Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh on
September 6-7 also came expeditiously following
Dhaka's decision not to proceed with the remarks.”
[DS]
272. Expeditiously
Quickly; efficiently
“A team of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk)
yesterday pulled down around 250 hoardings and
signboards of seven illegal housing projects in Dumni,
Isapura, and Patira and in a part of the river Balu
under Khilkhet Police Station.” [DS]
273. Hoarding
Billboard
“21 fishermen abducted by pirates rescued.” [DS]
274. Pirate
জলদস্যু
“An elegant and upbeat Rupa arrived in a bright red
jamdani, leaving little doubt in associating her with
her pursuits in promoting and performing Bengali
elocution at home and abroad.” [Poets are
wordsmiths]
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275. Upbeat
Cheerful, optimistic
“Living in Rocky Mount in North Carolina, USA,
Adrienne is reeling with heartache as her husband,
Jack breaks up their marriage and leaves for a
younger woman.” [Poets are wordsmiths]
“A fierce battle between rebel troops and Syrian forces
rocked a Damascus district bristling with security
facilities on Monday, even as the capital was reeling
from deadly weekend bombings.” [AFP]
276. Reel
Be shaken; be shocked; stagger
“As they spend the first two days Paul finds Adrienne
very attractive with her natural flawless skin, the soft
brown curly hair and the hazel eyes.” [Upheavels of
emotion, DS Lit.]
277. Hazel
of a light brown or yellowish brown color
“Jack's rejection of her had left her soul bleeding and
she has not found anybody who could console her
weary heart.” [Cont…]
278. Weary
Tired, exhauasted
“The silence of passion, a softness borne on the wings
of desire, sends a woman into indefinable rapture as
the faraway strains of a flute reach her yard and move
on to caress the heaving bosom of her rising passion.
The breeze sweeps gently by, the ripples in the pond
circle away from one another in widening
circumferences.” [Cont…]
279. Rapture
Ecstasy; a state of elated bliss
280. Heave
Lift, raise
“If a stone is dropped in pond, we see a circular
pattern of ripples emanating from the place where the
stone hits the water.” [Lec14]
281. Ripple
Ruffle, wave also v: undulate
158
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“I had to play a girl who slowly loses her mind and
tries to commit suicide over and over again. The
madness, screams and hysterical laughs put me in a
trance that was hard to come out of when the camera
went off.” [Ritchie Solaiman]
282. Trance
A dazed or unconscious condition; enchantment;
ecstasy
“Tidal surges batter coast; crops, hundreds of houses
damaged; embankments crack.” [DS]
283. Surge
Wave, heave
284. Batter
Beat, strike against forcefully
“In an announcement on its Web site, Vietnam’s state-
run Northern Maritime Safety Corporation said that
nine hours of naval exercises would be held on
Monday off the country’s central coast, and it warned
other vessels to avoid the area. This is the first time
that the government has publicized a live-ammunition
drill, The Associated Press reported.” [NYT]
285. Ammunition
A supply or quantity of bullets and shells
“The diplomatic flare-up is the most serious
confrontation this year in a territorial dispute that also
involves the Philippines, Malaysia and Taiwan.” [DS]
286. Flare-up
Ignite quickly and suddenly; outbirst
“China staged three days of military exercises in the
South China Sea and plans to boost its offshore
maritime patrol force, state media said yesterday, as
tensions with its neighbors simmer.” [DS]
287. Simmer
Boil
“Nightmare grips school kids as they try to get into
buses. The photos were taken from Kakrail
intersection in the city yesterday morning.” [DS]
288. Grip
Grasp, hold firmly, deeply affect
“You're well-read, well-dressed and snoozing away on
a public street.” [Roman Holiday]
289. Snooze
Sleep lightly or for a short period of time
“Even if they could finance their campaigns more
broadly, moderate candidates on both sides of the
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
aisle who are willing to compromise and make the
dramatic economic, environmental and energy policy
changes our country needs cannot survive partisan
primaries.” [NYTimes]
290. Aisle
A long narrow passage
“My reflexive response was to explain that they didn't
understand our politics; after all, that is so often what
citizens of other countries tell Americans when we
opine oh-so-knowingly about their politics.”
[NYTimes]
291. Opine
Express one's opinion openly and without fear or
hesitation
“Fierce fighting erupts in Yemen.” [NYTimes]
292. Erupt
Start abruptly, intensify suddenly, to violently eject
“A dictator who oppressed his own people and
sponsored terrorism abroad, Gaddafi's legacy will be
stained by violence.” [NYTimes]
293. Stain
Tarnish, make dirty or spotty
His "voluptuous" Ukrainian nurse: For a decade,
Galyna Kolotnytska, a Ukrainian nurse often described
in the press as "voluptuous," was regularly seen at the
dictator's side. Kolotnytska was described in a leaked
diplomatic cable as one of Gaddafi's closest aides and
was rumoured to have a romantic relationship with
him. [ABC News]
294. Voluptuous
Juicy: having strong sexual appeal, bosomy
“Part of the reason Gaddafi loved travelling with that
tent of his was because he was worried about lodging
in a hotel where he'd have to ride an elevator.” [ABC
News]
295. Lodging
A place in which someone lives or stays temporarily
“Already straining to host seven billion souls, Earth is
set to teem with billions more, and only a revolution in
the use of resources can avert an environmental
crunch, experts say.” [DS]
296. Strain
Use to the utmost; exert vigorously or to full capacity
“The film is an awkward blend of whimsy and
moralizing.” [Google]
297. Whimsy /ˈ(h)wimzē/
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 Normal Word List
Playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor adj. Mimic, imitate
whimsical
“Gibreel adopting heraldic postures” [Cont..]
“Tolling like that must be for a governor at least.”
[Love in the Time of Cholera] 308. Heraldic
Armorial
298. Toll /tōl/
(of a bell) Sound with a slow, uniform succession of “I know there are girls who cannot choose with whom
strokes, as a signal or announcement to marry. I know there are girls whose genitals are
“Tolling like that must be for a governor at least.”
mutilated. I know there are girls whose virginity is
[Love in the Time of Cholera]
checked before they marry.” [Nyamko Sabuni]
309. Genitalia
299. Toll /tōl/
Genitals, external sex organ
(of a bell) Sound with a slow, uniform succession of
strokes, as a signal or announcement “All the random mingling and idle talk made him hate
literary parties.” [WordWeb]
“Imagine, no flogging of female skin for the crime of
showing an inch of it.” [Cont..] 310. Mingle
Mix together in close association
300. Flog
Beat severely with a whip; scourge; lash

“Comets foretold the death of princess.” [Cont..]

301. Comet /ˈkämit/
ধূমকেতু
“Satan is without any certain abode; this is certainly
part of his punishment.” [Satanic Verses]
302. Abode
Dwelling place, home, residence, habitation

“Satan, without any fixed place, or space, allowed him

to rest the sole of his foot upon, as punishment.”
[Cont..]
303. Sole
Undersurface of a person’s feet, alone
“To land upon the bosomy earth, first one needs to fly.
Tat-taa! Taka-thun! How to ever smile again, if first
you won't cry? How to win the darling's love, mister,
without a sigh?” [Cont..]
304. Bosomy
(of a woman) Having large breasts
“Gibreel and Saladin plummeted like bundles dropped
by some carelessly open-beaked stork.” [Satanic Verses]
311. Beaked Stork
চঞ্চুবিশিষ্ট সারস পাখি
“Chamcha commenced to feel a low irritation at the
other's refusal to fall in plain fashion.” [Cont…]
312. Commence
Begin; start
“Watery reincarnation of Gibreel and Saladin” [Cont…]

I tell you, you must die, I tell you, I tell you," and thusly 313. Reincarnation
Rebirth
and so beneath a moon of alabaster until a loud cry
crossed the night, "To the devil with your tunes," the 314. Disquiet
words hanging crystalline in the iced white night, "in V. Disturb, worry, concern, agitate
the movies you only mimed to playback singers, so N. A feeling of anxiety or worry
spare me these infernal noises now. [Cont..]  She felt disquieted at the lack of interest the girl
had shown.
305. Alabaster
A very light white “I am extremely grateful to Josh Timonen for the
artistry, professionalism and sheer hard work that he
306. Crystalline
is putting into it.” [Richard Dawkins in God Delusion]
Very clear, having the structure and form of a crystal
315. Artistry
307. Mime

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Significant artistic skill Achieve something by means of trickery or devious
methods
316. Sheer
Absolute; pure; utter “His style is slick and visually exciting.” [FreeDic]
“He was delirious but asked for you by name.” 325. Slick
[Inception] Efficient, professional, smart

“Downdown they hurtled, and the winter cold frosting “He's telling us to scram!” [Laborer on losing work
their eyelashes and threatening to freeze their hearts permit, Syrianna]
was on the point of waking them from their delirious 326. Scram
daydream.” [Satanic Verses cont] Bugger off, leave, go away

317. Delirious /diˈli(ə)rēəs/ “Don't ply vessels with excess passengers: PM” [DS]
Experiencing delirium
“Ferries ply across a strait to the island” [Google]
“The cable guy fell. He hit his head on the tub.
327. Ply
He may have a concussion.” [DH S01E04] Travel a route regularly
“Gibreel was in concussed, plummeting condition.” “Don't see many occidentals these days.” [Syriana]
[Satanic Verses cont]
328. Occidental
318. Concussion /kənˈkəSHən/ Western; denoting or characteristic of countries of
Injury to the brain caused by a blow; usually Europe and the western hemisphere
resulting in loss of consciousness
“Corruption is why you and I are prancing around in
“I never told you this, but my mother had a serious here instead of fighting over scraps of meat out in the
gambling problem. She went into debt. She dipped street.” [Syriana]
into her savings, started hocking jewelry.” [Carlos about
his mom, DH S01E06] 329. Prance
319. Dip Strut; to walk or move about spiritedly
Take small amount from; withdraw “Racketeers eat up Tk 50cr subsidy, pocket up to Tk
320. Hock 160cr a year by spiking prices.” [DS]
Leave as a guarantee in return for money; pawn 330. Racketeer
“Bullets riddled the bar top, glasses shattered, bottles A person who engages in dishonest and fraudulent
business dealings; blackmailer
exploded.
The window was shattered by a stone.” [Google] “A quasi-mystical response to nature and the universe
321. Shatter /ˈSHatər/
is common among scientists and rationalists.” [God
Delusion]
Smash; break; crush
331. Quasi
Unaccustomed to such slackness the man tries the Nearly; resembling or having a likeness to something
parrot’s approach “I’ve asked you twice for a coffee, “Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death,
go and get it now or I’ll kick you”. [Flight Attendants the most exalted object which we are capable of
Joke]
conceiving, namely, the production of the higher
322. Slackness animals, directly follows.
Lethargy; negligence
There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several
“I don't know if I can bite this. It's crunchy.” [Syrianna] powers, having been originally breathed into a few
323. Crunchy forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has
Making a sharp noise when bitten or crushed and (of gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity,
food) pleasantly crisp from so simple a beginning endless forms most
“Through finagling, we have an audience with the beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are
emir. being, evolved.” [God Delusion]
He wrote the strategy, and he's not slick.” [Syrianna] 332. Grandeur
324. Finagle /fəˈnāgəl/ Nearly; resembling or having a likeness to something

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“She goes so far as to call herself a 'Religious “I hate'em all. Look at them, they're just leering at
Naturalist'. Yet a careful reading of her book shows us.” [Susan; Cont..]
that she is really as staunch an atheist as I am.” 343. Leer
[Cont…] To look with a sidelong glance, indicative especially
of sexual desire or sly and malicious intent
333. Staunch
Firm and steadfast
“He said to his friend, "If the British march

“I am going to go out and find the most vindictive By land or sea from the town to-night,
lawyer can find, and together, we are going to Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
eviscerate you.” [Bree to Rex on Hospital, DH S01E10]
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
334. Eviscerate /iˈvisəˌrāt/
To remove the entrails of; disembowel; to take away One if by land, and two if by sea;
a vital or essential part of
And I on the opposite shore will be,
“She was a wretched pig of a woman, and the day she
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
died, this world became a better place.” [Edie to
Martha’s Sister, DH S01E11] Through every Middlesex village and farm,
335. Wretch For the country folk to be up and to arm.” [DH E01S17,
In a deplorable state of distress or misfortune; Paul Revere's Ride, Wordsworth]
miserable
344. Belfry
“Everyone'll think I'm an arsonist.” [Susan Mayer, DH A bell tower, especially one attached to a building
S01E12]
336. Arsonist
A criminal who illegally sets fire to property;
incendiary

“I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife.”

[Love Actually]
337. Proclaim
Announce officially and publicly

“Maisy gibbons, you're under arrest for solicitation.”

[DH S01E16]
338. Solicitation
Urgent request, plea, or entreaty; enticing, asking

“We should be ashamed of ourselves for reveling in

that woman's misery.” [Lynette about being entertained
on Maisy Gibbon’s scandalous arrest, cont..] 345. Arch
A curved structure, normally in the vertical plane,
339. Revel
that spans an opening
To take great pleasure or delight

“Can you imagine the fallout when it goes public?”
[Cont..]
340. Fallout
An incidental result or side effect
“Well, I guess I know what it's like to have your heart
stomped on.” [Edie on Susan’s depression; Cont..]
341. Stomp
To tread or trample heavily or violently on
“And don't forget to do something with that skanky
hair.” [Edie to Susan; Cont..]
342. Skanky
Dirty; foul-smelling, or unattractive
“You can stop this now. I'm not going to a stupid camp
for juvenile delinquents.” [Andrew; DH S01E17]
346. Juvenile
Young, youthful, or immature n. juvenescence
347. Delinquent
Young offender; a person who transgresses moral or
civil law Young, youthful, or immature
“Something's been nagging me, I want to talk to you.”
[Paul to Edie, DH S0E120]
348. Nag
Worry persistently; bother persistently with trivial
complaints

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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“Just as there will always be those who prefer to sit in
the dark brooding over everything they've lost.”
[About Zach, Cont…]
349. Brood
Think moodily or anxiously about something
“CU students pay dearly for politics.” [DS]
“I would dearly like you to go.” [FreeDic]
350. Dearly
At a great cost; very much
“16 shops, 4 factories gutted in city furniture market
fire.” [DS]
351. Gut
Remove or destroy completely the internal parts of (a
building or other structure)
“According to Mark Garnett, who worked with
Sherman on his memoirs, ‘Instead of subsiding
towards the Right in easy stages, he soon became an
indefatigable freemarket crusader.” [DS]
352. Crusader
Reformist; warrior
“Shawkat Jamil who died at age 56, at the peak of his
career, will be remembered for his amiable disposition
and tireless work as a photojournalist.” [DS Mag]
353. Disposition
A person's usual temperament or frame of mind
354. Sterling
Highest in quality; greatest; superlative
“Amid the celebrations of independence
commemorating war heroes, it was clear that the
spirit of the Liberation War had permeated the
country.” [DS]
355. Commemorate
To honor or keep alive the memory of
“On the night before his arrest, Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman issued a proclamation of
independence. Awami League leader MA Hannan on
the following day read out Bangabandhu's message
on air from Chittagong.” [Cont...]
356. Proclamation
A formal public statement
“Scalping of train tickets at Chittagong Railway
Station is not being curbed despite the railway
authorities' preventive measures.” [New System, Old
Result, DS]
357. Scalp
Sell illegally, as on the black market
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The convicts went to the gallows on the orders of the
justice minister.” [DS]
358. Gallows
Execution by hanging
“US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Wendy Sherman will arrive here on April 5 to discuss
bilateral issues with top government officials,
opposition leaders and civil society members.” [DS]
359. Bilateral
Affecting or undertaken by two sides equally; binding
on both parties
“Are you a lame person? Don’t be ashamed to admit it
– this is your chance to up the ante on your lameness
and astound the world.” [DS]
360. Astound
To astonish and bewilder; amaze
“The symptoms you describe is common to all those
who have faced child abuse. I want to convey my utter
condemnation for those who continue to do this and
get away due to social norms.” [Mita, Star]
361. Condemnation
An expression of strong disapproval; pronouncing as
wrong or morally culpable; disapprobation
“I spent many years in Canada, but always felt that
home was beckoning me.” [Moushumi Nag, Actress]
362. Beckon
To attract because of an inviting or enticing
appearance
“The government is all set to confer awards on some
110 foreign nationals and organizations for their
outstanding contributions in the Liberation War.” [DS]
363. Confer
Bestow; award; present
“Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in separate drives
arrested three drug peddlers and seized 1,440 cans of
beer and 780 yaba tablets worth about Tk 7.44 lakh
from Feni and the port city yesterday.” [DS]
364. Peddler
A person who sells illegal drugs, esp narcotics
“But when Mr. Samad, 60, walked into his mud-walled
dwelling here on Sunday morning and found 11 of his
relatives sprawled in all directions, shot in the head,
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 Normal Word List
stabbed and burned, he learned the culprit was not a
Taliban insurgent.” [DS]
365. Sprawl
Spread in a rambling or irregular way
“The American soldier is accused of killing 16 people in
all in a bloody rampage that has further tarnished
Afghan-American relations and devastated Mr.
Samad, a respected village elder whose tired eyes
poured forth tears one minute and glared ahead in
anger the next.” [NYTimes]
366. Rampage
A course of violent, frenzied behavior or action
“They had fallen through the transformations of the
clouds, Chamcha and Farishta, and there was a
fluidity, an indistinctness, at the edges of them, and
as the sunlight hit Chamcha it released more than
noise.” [NYTimes]
367. Fluidity
The property of flowing easily
368. Indistinct
Unclear; obscure; vague
“Educational institutions have a responsibility to
dissuade students from pursuing fields of study in
which they are unlikely to succeed.” [Analytical
Writing, Akriti Bahal]
369. Dissuade
Turn away from by persuasion; deter
“About 100 yards down the road Mokseda Begum was
seen all drenched in rain and smeared in mud.” [Slum
demolition, DS]
370. Smear
Coat or mark (something) messily or carelessly with
a greasy or sticky substance
“Myanmar's army-backed ruling party yesterday said
it would lodge an official complaint about poll
irregularities after being trounced in by-elections by
democracy opponents led by Aung San Suu Kyi.” [DS]
“Why Microsoft thinks windows live hotmail will
trounce Google's gmail?”
371. Trounce
Defeat heavily in a contest
“Ms. Houston, 48, was found submerged in a bathtub
in her suite at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Feb. 11 and
was pronounced dead at the scene.” [NYTimes]
372. Submerge
Sink; flood; inundate; deluge
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“At the Grammy Awards the night after her death, the
rapper LL Cool J opened the show with a prayer in her
honor, and Jennifer Hudson sang “I Will Always Love
You,” a Dolly Parton song that was Ms. Houston’s
biggest hit, in tribute. In the following weeks, her
album sales soared, and millions watched her funeral
on television.” [NYTimes]
373. Soar /sôr/
Rise rapidly; go up; surge
“For the last 50 years, the military has held sway over
this impoverished nation, deploying its dictatorial
powers to extract the natural wealth of the country;
its timber and vast reserves of natural gas while
keeping at bay the ethnic and political forces that
have historically opposed the military junta.” [DS]
374. Impoverished
Destitute; indigent; poor
“Hectic lobbying for BNP secy general post” [DS]
375. Hectic
Very busy; rushed; frenzied
“She lands at the doorstep of a young clergyman, St.
John Rivers (Jamie Bell), and his two sisters (Holliday
Grainger and Tamzin Merchant) who take her in and
nurse her back to health.” [DS Lit.]
376. Clergyman
A member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the
Christian Church
“She lands at the doorstep of a young clergyman, St.
John Rivers (Jamie Bell), and his two sisters (Holliday
Grainger and Tamzin Merchant) who take her in and
nurse her back to health.” [DS Lit.]
377. Clergyman
A member of the clergy and a spiritual leader of the
Christian Church
“Like drops of rain on famished plants these little
exchanges of love kept them alive, the infrequent
meetings were like life elixir to them.” [Cont…]
“Well, I'm famished. Let's eat.” [500 Days of Summer ]
378. Famished
Very hungry; starved
“When the scarlet 'shimul” flowers stared up at the
brilliant blue sky of spring, when the fat drops of first
spring showers fell on the thirsty boughs and grass,
Abir and Ruma could be found standing on the river
bank. All around them birds would be clamouring and
butterflies would be fluttering.” [Cont..]
379. Clamour
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 Normal Word List
Very hungry; starved
“Troops with sniffing dogs, aided by helicopters, were
frantically trying to find signs of life in the snow after
the avalanche engulfed the remote camp in
mountainous Gayari, Siachen, in disputed Kashmir.”
[DS]
380. Engulf
Immerse; plunge; absorb; soak up
“U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, seeking to end
the conflict in Syria..” [DS]
381. Envoy
Messenger; delegate
“Nor have the BRICS sponsored a common candidate
for the World Bank's presidency. They have been silent
on the US nomination of Korean-American Jim Yong
Kim for the post. They are still reluctant to challenge
the transatlantic hegemony of the two institutions --
despite their calls for democratising them.” [DS]
382. Transatlantic
Concerning countries on both sides of the Atlantic
“These stunts are being pulled at the same time as
national governments are wringing their hands about
what to do in the event of a concerted network attack
that takes out some critical infrastructure
component," said veteran cyber crime analyst Brian
Krebs.” [A brief history of hacking]
383. Wring
Squeeze, press, twist
“You thought he was a murderer.
And that was your cue to come and flirt?” [Susan and
Eddie, DH S01E22]
384. Cue
Clue; sign; mark
“Here's an extract to whet your appetite.” [Google]
385. Whet
Stimulate; sharpen
“Some of our findings have been surprising and
somewhat counterintuitive.” [yourDic]
386. Counterintuitive
Contrary to what common sense would suggest;
unreasonable; not showing good judgment
“We have a certain biological reciprocity with plants,
don't we?” [yourDic]
387. Reciprocity
Reciprocality; compeltementarity; a relation of
mutual dependence or action or influence
“Bombers were gathered together to reenact the
historic first air attack.” [Google]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
388. Reenact
Recreate; enact; ordain
“Smoke could be seen rising from some buildings, and
witnesses told Reuters that smoke appeared to be
billowing from the German embassy.” [Google]
389. Billow /ˈbilō/
Soar upwards; surge; swell, surge, or undulating
mass of water, smoke or sound
“Instead, the successes of the Govt notched since Mr.
Obama escalated antiterrorism operations upon
taking office — crowned by the killing of Osama bin
Laden in May and then punctuated by Friday’s drone
strike against the American-born leader, Anwar al-
Awlaki — are overshadowed almost completely by his
failure to reduce unemployment.” [NYT]
“Nokia notched up a rare victory against arch-rival
Apple as the iPhone maker agreed to settle a long-
running row over patents.” [DS]
390. Notch
Score or achieve (something)
“Art is long, and Time is fleeting,and our hearts,
though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are
beating Funeral marches to the grave.” [Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow]
391. Stout
Having or showing courage and determination
:A major critical and commercial success, it revitalized
the career of its leading man, John Travolta, who
received an Academy Award nomination.” [NYT]
392. Revitalize
Revive; animate; resuscitate
“She is dismayed, she said, that the news reports
described her as a prostitute, as if she walks the
streets picking up just anyone.” [NYT]
393. Dismay
Concern and distress caused by something
unexpected; frighten; appall
“By the time he was a teenager, Shin had watched a
teacher beat a 6-year-old girl to death for hoarding
five kernels of corn; worse, he had betrayed his own
mother and brother, and had witnessed their public
execution without remorse.” [NYT]
394. Hoard
Accumulate (money or valued objects) and hide or
store away
“What strikes you is how the shackles of
totalitarianism are being corroded by bribery, barter
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 Normal Word List
and black-marketeering, including a thriving cross- Make a rattling sound
border trade with China.” [NYT] 402. Thud
Dull, heavy sound, such as that made by an object
395. Barter
falling to the ground
Exchange goods without involving money; swap,
swop, change, trade “If you flunk an interview, you don't move onto the
“The young Queen Hatshepsut was now a widow with next interviewer.” [Web]
a stepson too young to become Pharaoh. So 403. Flunk
Hatshepsut became regent, taking the reins of the Fail
kingdom.” [Documentary on Pharaoh] “But one thing's certain. Something about you
396. Regent stumped him that night. That's why you're famous.”
Someone who rules during the absence or incapacity [Harry Potter 1]
or minority of the country's monarch; acting or
404. Stump
functioning as a regent or ruler
Baffle; cause to be perplexed or confounded
“There is no assurance that her infant child will not be
“The very word 'religions' is bowdlerized to
ravished from her breast.
'communities', as in 'intercommunity warfare'.” [God
An angry father who suspects that his daughter has Delusion]
been ravished.
405. Bowdlerize /ˈbōdləˌrīz/
Ravished by a sunny afternoon, she had agreed Expurgate
without even thinking.” [Oxford Dic]
“This jinn vouched that he could bring Queen Sheba’s
“You look ravishing, Chenault.” [The Rum Diary cont] mansion before Solomon could stood up.” [Islamic
397. Ravish Voodoos]
Archaic seize and carry off by force; dated (of a man)
rape (a woman); literary fill with intense delight; “I won't vouch for nobody I don't know.” [Donnie
enrapture, enchant adj. ravishing: delightful; Brasco]
entrancing
406. Vouch
“Her brother was slim where she was rotund. Guarantee, warrant, certify
rotund speeches..” [Oxford Dic] “l guess brilliant people often have the most
398. Rotund persuasive demons..” [About Scientist Alfred, i’Robot]
Filled or well-supplied; (of speech or literary style)
407. Persuasive /pərˈswāsiv/
sonorous; grandiloquent
Potent; conclusive; cogent
“She traced the contours of his face with her finger. “It appears that he was gunned down right in the
the contours of American life.. middle of the Waterloo Station concourse around 3:45
The compartment has been contoured with smooth this afternoon in full view of hundreds of commuters.”
rounded corner.” [Oxford Dic] [The Bourne Ultimatum]
399. Contour 408. Concourse /ˈkänˌkôrs/
n & v. Outline; profile A wide hallway in a building where people can walk;
crowd
“I have no way of knowing how Steve talked to his
team during Apple’s darkest days in 1997 and 1998, “This is why we're here, Unobtanium. Because this
when the company was on the brink and he was little gray rock sells for 20 million a kilo. Now, those
forced to turn to archrival Microsoft for a rescue.” [The savages are threatening our whole operation.”
Steve Jobs I Knew, Walt Mossberg] [Avatar]

400. Brink 409. Savage

Edge; verge A member of an uncivilized people; a cruelly
rapacious person
“The clattering roar of the train muffled the thud of
“Stephane was in hysterics, which is great, because
her fall onto the ground more than a metre below. She
he's been very sullen recently for some reason.”
was knocked out.” [Reader’s Digest]
[YourDic]
401. Clatter
410. Sullen

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Bad-tempered and sulky
“They had married as young impulsive teenagers
Perhaps he's regretting his impulsive offer..” [Google]
411. Impulsive
Characterized by undue haste and lack of thought or
deliberation; impetuous
“Summer's employment at the Daily Freeze during her
sophomore year coincided with an inexplicable 212%
increase in revenue.” [500 Days of Summer]
412. Inexplicable
Unable to be explained or accounted for;
unaccountable, incomprehensible
“And maybe she's an uppity, "better than everyone"
superskank.” [Summer cont..]
413. Uppity
Unable to be explained or accounted for;
unaccountable, incomprehensible
“It did mattere not how many foes he faced. They
were no match for his bodacity!” [Kung Fu Panda, 2008]
I think technically the "girl of my dreams"... would
probably have, like, a really bodacious rack, you know.
[Summer cont..]
414. Bodacious
Excellent, admirable, or attractive; incorrigible;
audacious
“Then you know what happens when I flex my pinky.”
[Shiffu, Panda cont..]
415. Pinky
Little finger: the finger farthest from the thumb
“Come on. I'm a blur. You've never seen bear style..”
[Panda cont..]
416. Blur
Confuse: make unclear, indistinct (can be because of
fast)
“Put that down. The only souvenirs we collect here are
bloody knuckles and broken bones.” [Shiffu, Panda
cont..]
417. Knuckle
Joint
“I thought you said acupuncture would make me feel
better.” [Panda cont..]
418. Acupuncture /ˈakyəˌpəNGkCHər/
Treatment of pain or disease by inserting the tips of
needles at specific points on the skin
“My point is that Carlos is an angry, jealous
Neanderthal. But he's not a gay-basher.” [DH S01E23]
419. Neanderthal
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
An uncivilized, unintelligent, or uncouth person, esp.
a man
“It is surprising that so many portrait paintings hang
in art museums, since the subject matter seems to
dictate a status closer to pictures in the family photo
graph album than to high art.” [ETS]
420. Dictate
Prescribe, enjoin, order, command
“In stark contrast to his later activism, Simpson was
largely indifferent to politics during his college years,
despite the fact that the campus he attended was rife
with political activity.” [ETS]
“His position on civil rights is in stark contrast to that
of his liberal opponent.
The stark reality of life for deprived minorities.
He came running back in stark terror.
A human body lying stiff and stark by the stream.”
[Google]
421. Stark
Utter, sheer, complete, stiff, absolute, outright, total,
rigid
“In holistic scoring, readers are trained to assign
scores based on the overall quality of an essay in
response to the assigned task. If the two scores differ
by more than one point on the scale, the discrepancy
is adjudicated by a third GRE® reader.” [ETS]
422. Holistic
Emphasizing the organic or functional relation
between parts and the whole
“You may be the scariest bandit in Haijin Province but
you're a lousy tipper.” [Kung Fu Panda, 2008]
423. Bandit
An armed thief who is (usually) a member of a band;
brigand, robber, gangster
424. Lousy
Very bad; vile; nasty
425. Tipper
A person who leaves a specified sort of tip as a
reward for services they have received
“I said you are free to eat. Have a dumpling.” [Kung Fu
Panda cont]
426. Dumpling
Dessert made by baking fruit wrapped in pastry
“Christianity, too, was spread by the sword, wielded
first by Roman hands after the Emperor Constantine
raised it from eccentric cult to official religion, then by
the Crusaders, and later by the conquistadores and
167
 Normal Word List
other European invaders and colonists, with
missionary accompaniment.” [GD cont]
427. Wield
Have and exercise; manage; handle
428. Conquistadores
Spanish soldiers engaged in the conquest of America
429. Colonist
Settler: a person who settles in a new colony or
moves into new country
“Nowadays, the ground has shifted so far that deists
are more likely to be contrasted with atheists and
lumped with theists.” [GD cont]
430. Lump
Have and exercise; manage; handle
“The religious views of the Founding Fathers are of
great interest to propagandists of today's American
right, anxious to push their version of history.” [GD
cont]
431. Propagandist
A person who disseminates messages calculated to
assist some cause or some government
“I suppose it is possible that England has wearied of
religion after an appalling history of interfaith
violence, with Protestants and Catholics alternately
gaining the upper hand and systematically murdering
the other lot.” [GD cont]
432. Weary
v. tire, fatigue, bore
“Heydrich apparently hates the moniker the good
people of Prague have bestowed on him.” [Inglorious
Bastards]
433. Moniker
Nickname; name
“It's a hostile world, indeed. If a rat were to scamper
through your front door, right now would you greet it
with hostility?” [IB cont..]
434. Scamper
Rushing about hastily in an undignified way; run
“Yet, they're both rodents, are they not?” [IB cont..]
435. Rodents
A gnawing mammal of an order that includes rats,
mice, squirrels, hamsters, porcupines, and their
relatives, distinguished by strong constantly growing
incisors and no canine teeth. They constitute the
largest order of mammals
“He is gracious without being gregarious. Ask him to
explore an idea and he’ll rummage happily. But he
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
keeps the door to his private life firmly latched.” [On
Rickhard Dawkins, NYT]
436. Latch
fasten (a door or gate) with a latch: a metal bar with
a catch and lever used for fastening a door or gate
“Bangla literature since the time of the Caryapadas
has extolled the value of religious syncretism. The
medieval Bangali poet Chandidas said: “Man is true
above everything, nothing is higher than man.” [DS
Lit.]
437. Syncretism
The union (or attempted fusion) of different systems
of thought or belief
A large number of women “live at the mercy of their
husbands during the subsistence of marriage” and
even after a separation or divorce they are financially
dependent on their natal family. [For Indian Women,
Divorce Is a Raw Deal, NYT]
438. Natal /ˈnātl/
Of or relating to the place or time of one's birth;
native
“Other institutions have found ways to manipulate the
data without outright dishonesty.” [Gaming the
College Rankings, NYT]
439. Outright
Open and direct; not concealed; utter, direct,
absolute, total, complete
“In 2009, a number of institutions were found to be
inflating their percentages of full-time professors —
another criterion used in ranking systems.” [NYT cont]
440. Inflate
Exaggerate or make bigger
“More heavily weighted criteria include academic
reputation, student retention, faculty resources and
the school’s finances.” [NYT cont]
441. Retention
The act of retaining something
“Lectures were called off so students could cram for
finals.” [NYT cont]
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442. Cram
Study intensively over a short period of time just
before an examination
“There are all kinds of thangs I want for Christmas.”
[backstate]
“l should shake my thang.” [Britney Spears - Boys]
443. Thang
A thing, attractive item [etym. African American]
He added a postscript: “Leaving tomorrow. [Google]
“Star magazine has a postscript section on its last
page.” [SA]
444. Postscript
Addendum: textual matter that is added onto a
publication; usually at the end
445. Picturesque /ˌpikCHəˈresk/
Visually attractive; strikingly expressive; visually
vivid and pleasing; scenic
“Big leafy trees branched skyward in great friendliness
and the shadows lazed on the green fields and lawns.”
[Spring Symphony in DU cont..]
“She spent the day at home, reading the papers and
generally lazing around.” [Google]
446. Laze
Be idle; be lazy; waste time
“Big leafy trees branched skyward in great friendliness
and the shadows lazed on the green fields and lawns.”
[Spring Symphony in DU cont..]
“His statements which, although literally true, are
nevertheless misleading.” [Google]
“While we disliked each other, nevertheless we
agreed.” [Word Web]
447. Nevertheless /ˌnevərT͟Həˈles/
In spite of that; notwithstanding; all the same
“Every time there’s a high-profile IPO, a few clever
journalists will wheel out their contrarian take.”
[Reuters Blog]
“The comment came more from a contrarian
disposition than moral conviction.” [Google]
448. Contrarian
n. an investor who deliberately decides to go against
the prevailing wisdom of other investors; adj. a
person who opposes or rejects popular opinion, esp.
in stock exchange dealing
“As the CEO of a public company, Zuckerberg has a
fiduciary responsibility to his shareholders, and you
can be quite sure that his shareholders are going to
get very noisy and upset if he doesn’t give them what
they want.” [Reuters cont..]
449. Fiduciary
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Involving trust
“From here on in, by contrast, Zuckerberg is going to
be judged by Facebook’s share price: a minute-to-
minute plebiscite on how he’s doing.” [Reuters cont..]
450. Plebiscite /ˈplebəˌsīt/
A referendum, especially one that concerns changes
in sovereignty
“World leaders and commentators like to point to
Indonesia as a model of tolerance and pluralism and
an example of how Islam and democracy are not
incompatible. To a certain extent they are right —
Indonesia does have a great tradition of pluralism, a
generally tolerant brand of Islam, and has made a
remarkable transition from authoritarianism to
democracy.” [Indonesia's Rising Religious Intolerance,
NYT]
451. Pluralism
A political theory or system of power-sharing among
a number of political parties; a social organization in
which diversity of racial or religious or ethnic or
cultural groups is tolerated
“There should be a stairway down to the water, a
porch, a deck.” [Alex about the glass house, cont]
452. Porch
Veranda, piazza, portico, gallery
“Up there, if you engage in what the federal
government calls illegal activity, but what we call just
a man trying to make a living for his family selling
moonshine liquor, it behooves oneself to keep his
wits.” [Jew Hunter, Inglorious Bastards]
“It ill behooves the opposition constantly to decry the
sale of arms to friendly countries.” [Google]
453. Behoove
Be appropriate or necessary; behove; befit; need
“A separate North African section documented the
inebriating first days of the Arab Spring.” [Out of
Adversity, Visions of Life, NYT]
“He had been known to get hopelessly inebriate.”
[Oxford Dict]
454. Inebriate /iˈnēbrēˌāt/
Intoxicate, fuddle, make drunk, get drunk n.
drunkard
If the child’s mind was a tabula rasa — a clean slate
upon which, as Mao Zedong once put it, “the most
beautiful characters could be written” — then a
person’s character and mind-set would not be
immutable and God-given, but shaped and honed in
the environment. Nature would take a back seat to
nurture. [Lefties Aren’t Special After All, NYT]
455. tabula rasa /ˈtäbyo͝olə ˈräsə/
169
 Normal Word List
A young mind not yet affected by experience; the
human mind, esp. at birth, viewed as having no
innate ideas
“Left-handers do have an edge in one-on-one sports
like tennis, boxing and baseball, and left-handedness
clearly tends to become less pronounced with age.”
[NYT cont]
456. Pronounced
Very noticeable; marked; conspicuous
“He was stoned and irresponsive when I went to see
him.” [SA]
457. Stoned
Very drunk; under the influence of drugs, esp.
marijuana
“For each response, the reader commentary points out
aspects that are particularly persuasive as well as any
that detract from the overall effectiveness of the
essay.” [ETS]
458. Persuasive
Convincing, potent, cogent, conclusive
“Most people commute to work in an automobile that
runs on an internal combustion engine.” [ETS]
“She commuted from Westport in to Grand Central
Station.” [Google]
459. Commute /kəˈmyo͞ot/
A regular journey of some distance to and from your
place of work; exchange; switch
“The activists’ energetic work in the service of both
woman suffrage and the temperance movement in
the late nineteenth century undermines the assertion
that the two movements were inimical.” [ETS]
460. Temperance
Abstinence from alcoholic drink; moderation,
sobriety, restraint, continence
“Outwardly, at least, this week’s royal pageant will
bear a strong resemblance to the last of the great
royal weddings, when Prince Charles married Lady
Diana Spencer in 1981.” [ETS]
461. Pageant /ˈpajənt/
A rich and spectacular ceremony
“A downtrodden proletarian struggling for social
justice..” [Google]
462. Downtrodden
Oppressed
“Following speculation about the biopic, the Bajan
star revealed she has not been approached by movie
bosses.” [Rihanna dismisses Whitney rumours, Yahoo
News]
“There has been widespread speculation that he plans
to quit.” [Google]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
463. Speculation
Guess: a message expressing an opinion based on
incomplete evidence; a hypothesis that has been
formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with
little hard evidence
464. Biopic
A biographical movie
465. Bajan
A native of the island of Barbados, Caribbean
“Last month, Rihanna gushed that Whitney was
someone she “looked up to” and the superstar had
inspired her to pursue a music career.” [Yahoo News
cont]
“Best-looking smartphone operating system in the
industry,” gushes slate.com. [About WP7, NYT]
466. Gush
Burbling: uttered with unrestrained enthusiasm; be
effusive
“Last month, Rihanna gushed that Whitney was
someone she “looked up to” and the superstar had
inspired her to pursue a music career.” [Yahoo News
cont]
“Long ridiculed as the tech industry dullard, Microsoft
actually has a hit, at least with the technorati.” [NYT
cont]
467. Dullard
A slow or stupid person; blockhead; dunce; numskull
468. Technorati
Those who are skilled at using, or knowledgable
about, technology
“It’s cellphone software called Windows Phone — and
they need it to be a blockbuster here at Microsoft
Central.” [NYT cont]
469. Blockbuster
An unusually successful hit with widespread
popularity and huge sales
“Microsoft gave its handset partners detailed
specifications of the types of technical innards
required, including processors with certain amounts of
power and screen technologies.” [NYT cont]
470. Innard
Internal workings (of a device or machine); entrails
“Handset makers grumbled about the rules, but the
result was phones that ran better.” [NYT cont]
471. Grumble
Complain, murmur, growl
“Bangladesh is now the second-largest apparel
exporting nation with about $18 billion worth of
clothes shipped abroad last year.” [Killing of
170
 Normal Word List
Bangladeshi Labor Organizer Signals an Escalation in
Violence, NYT]
472. Apparel
Clothing; raiment; dress
“Activists say the murder of Mr. Islam would represent
a disturbing escalation in violence.” [NYT cont]
473. Escalate
Increase in extent or intensity
“Dr. Spelke is a pioneer in the use of the infant gaze as
a key to the infant mind — that is, identifying the
inherent expectations of babies as young as a week or
two by measuring how long they stare at a scene in
which those presumptions are upended or unmet.”
[Insights From the Youngest Minds, NYT]
474. Gaze
A steady intent look; stare
“Heard about this one bloke, he walks into a bank
with a portable phone and he robs.” [Pulp Fiction]
475. Bloke
A man; a fellow
“We keep on robbing the stores, one of these gook
fuckers gonna make us kill him.” [Pulp Fiction cont]
476. Gook
A derogatory term for Asians, which came to
prominence in the context of warfare to refer to
enemy soldiers
“You see, this business is filled to the brim with
unrealistic motherfuckers.” [PF cont]
477. Brim
Filled to capacity; brink; edge; border
“I don't want to be a burden or a nuisance.” [Fabienne,
PF cont]
478. Nuisance /ˈn(y)o͞osəns/
Annoyance, trouble, inconvenience, vexation, pest
“I think I cracked a rib from the fight.” [Butch cracked
his bone, PF cont]
479. Rib
Each of a series of slender curved bones articulated
in pairs to the spine (twelve pairs in humans),
protecting the thoracic cavity and its organs
“Oh, man, I shot Marvin in the face. It was an
accident. We probably went over a bump or
something.” [Vincent, PF cont]
480. Bump
A light blow or a jolting collision
“If I'm curt with you, it's because time is a factor.”
[Wolf, PF cont]
481. Curt
Rudely brief; short; abrupt; concise
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Looks like we got a vigilante in our midst.
- Shoot him in the face!” [Pumkin Yolanda, PF cont]
482. Vigilante
A member of a self-appointed group of citizens who
undertake law enforcement in their community
without legal authority, typically because the legal
agencies are thought to be inadequate
“These benighted investigations cannot generate first-
class knowledge, for they provide no predictive laws
for human behavior.” [NYT]
483. Benighted
Lacking enlightenment or knowledge or culture;
ignorant
“The definitive poem in English on the subject of
cultural nostalgia may be a short verse by Robert
Browning called “Memorabilia.” It begins with a gasp
of astonishment — “Ah, did you once see Shelley
plain?” — and ends with a shrug: “Well I forget the
rest.” Isn’t that always how it goes? The past seems so
much more vivid, more substantial, than the present,
and then it evaporates with the cold touch of reality.
The good old days are so alluring because we were not
around, however much we wish we were.” [NYT
review of Midnight of Paris, opening lines]
484. Shrug
Raising (one's shoulders) slightly and momentarily to
express doubt, ignorance, or indifference
“The old man grew sulky and grouchy.” [Google]
485. Grouchy
Irritable and bad-tempered; grumpy; complaining;
grumpy; peevish
486. sweep off
Overwhelm emotionally; sweep away
“The process repeats itself each night, granting Gil
V.I.P. access to a nonstop Lost Generation party. It
would be the height of bad manners to list every
cultural hero he runs into — it’s a remarkably
comprehensive catalog of the varieties of modernism
percolating in Paris between the wars — but he
makes the requisite pilgrimage to visit Gertrude Stein,
who graciously agrees to read his manuscript.” [NYT
review cont]
487. Percolate
Spread gradually through an area or group of people
488. Pilgrimage
A journey to a sacred place
He is another classic Woody Allen type, the know-it-all
pseudo-intellectual, and as such the obvious foil for
Mr. Wilson’s passionate, self-deprecating schlemiel. If
Paul ever met T. S. Eliot, he would spout revised
171
 Normal Word List
footnotes for “The Waste Land.” For his part, Gil cries
out, “Prufrock is my mantra!” [NYT review cont]
“Pretty girls like plain friends as foils.” [Google]
489. Foil
Anything that serves by contrast to call attention to
another thing's good qualities
490. Schlemiel /SHləˈmēl/
A stupid, awkward, or unlucky person
497. Daze
Stun: overcome as with astonishment or disbelief;
stupefy, dazzle, astonish
“I know, but we haven't even found a house yet, and
we're trying to keep expenses down, so I don't have to
take any crummy rewrite jobs.” [Gil , Paris cont]
498. Crummy
Dirty, unpleasant, or of poor quality

“That a shared love of Porter’s music allows Gil to
forge a connection in the present (and conceivably the
future) with a young Parisian woman is a sign that his
fetishizing of bygone days has been based on a
mistake.” [NYT review cont]
491. Fetishize /ˈfetiˌSHīz/
Have an excessive and irrational commitment to or
obsession with
“If anything, Allen seems to be rebuking himself, ever
so mildly, for his compulsive romanticism, his
obsession with the past and his disconnection from
contemporary American life. Allen has baked us a
sweet, airy Parisian dessert with just a sense of
sentimental substance in the finish.” [IMDB Midnight
on Paris]
492. Compulsive
Having an irresistible impulse to act, regardless of
the rationality of the motivation; compulsory;
coercive; forced
“And the hill was soggy from days of rain, and the hill
sloped down toward a road, and there were many
German soldiers on the road.” [Hemingway, Paris
cont]
499. Soggy
Wet and soft; boggy; moist; damp
“I'm pushing for a little attic in Paris with a skylight.“
[Gil , Paris cont]
500. Attic
A space or room just below the roof of a building;
garret; loft
“You really like my book? Because it’s not final yet, I'm
still kind of tinkering.“ [Gil to Adriana, Paris cont]
501. Tinker
Mend
“If you look around, every every street, every
boulevard in Paris is its own special art form.“ [Gil to
Adriana, Paris cont]

“You know, if I'd stayed here and written novels, and

not gotten, you know, caught up in that, just, grinding
out movie scripts...” [Midnight on Paris, 2011]
493. grind out
Produce in a routine or monotonous manner

“I can see myself just strolling along the Left Bank with
a, you know, baguette under my arm, headed to Café
de Flore to scribble away on my book.” [Paris cont]
494. scribble away (at something)
To write hard and fast at some task

“If you're going to stay here and drink with him, I'm
502. Boulevard
going with the toreador.” [Zelda, Paris cont]
A wide street in a town or city, typically one lined
495. Toreador with trees
Bullfighter: someone who fights bulls
“It's not incredible. I bought it from the flea market.“
“I'm not gonna be competitive with you. [Gil to Inez, Paris cont]
Hemingway: You're too self-effacing. It's not manly. If 503. flea market
you're a writer, declare yourself the best writer!” [Paris A market, typically outdoors, selling secondhand
cont] goods
496. Self-effacing “I'm staying here, and it has nothing to do with, you
Bullfighter: someone who fights bulls know, your romantic fling; Paris is Paris.“ [Gil to Inez,
“What're you thinking about? You seem like you're in Paris cont]
a daze.” [Inez to astounded Gil , Paris cont] 504. Fling

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

172
 Normal Word List
A short period of enjoyment or wild behavior
“We both like pita bread. I guess it's called naan.“ [Gil,
Paris cont]
505. Pita bread
Naan
“Opposition leader said the government itself has to
reinstate the non-party caretaker system as it had
removed it from the constitution.“ [DS]
506. Reinstate
Restore to the previous state or rank
“In the sacristy the church of Saint-Sulpice, is the Rose
Line.” [The Da Vinci Code, 2006]
507. Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments (such as
the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings,
sacred vessels, and parish records
“That symbol represents devil's pitchfork.” [Vinci Code
cont]
508. Pitchfork
a long-handled hand tool with sharp widely spaced
prongs for lifting and pitching hay
“That symbol represents devil's pitchfork.” [Vinci Code
cont]
509. Pitchfork
a long-handled hand tool with sharp widely spaced
prongs for lifting and pitching hay
“Understanding our past determines actively our
ability to understand the present. So how do we sift
truth from belief?” [Prof Langdon, Vinci Code cont]
510. Sift
Sieve: distinguish and separate out
“Silas atoned sins by self-flagellation.” [SA, Vinci Code
cont]
511. Flagellation
Beating as a source of erotic or religious stimulation;
whipping
“The pentacle is a pagan religious icon. It's not about
devil worship. It's the pentacle before that, which is a
symbol for Venus. It represents the female half of all
things...” [Vinci Code cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
512. Pentacle
A star with 5 points
“Prof Langdon, do you have eidetic memory?” asked
Sophie while he was trying to decrypt an anagram.
[Vinci Code cont]
513. eidetic memory /īˈdetik/
The ability to recall things extremely accurately,
especially when it comes to visual images
“Treading water all night long, screaming his lungs out
to the echoes screaming back. When they found him,
he was nearly catatonic.” [Teabing about Langdon’s
childhood incident, Vinci Code cont]
514. Catatonic
Characterized by catatonia especially either rigidity or
extreme laxness of limbs
“What did he want from us? To find her
sarcophagus?” [Perplexed Sohpie, Da Vinci Code]
515. Sarcophagus /särˈkäfəgəs/
A stone coffin (usually bearing sculpture or
inscriptions)
“Gibreel had departed, up, down or sideways, but
certainly and unarguably vamoosed.” [Satanic Verses
cont]
“We'd better vamoose before we're caught.” [Google]
516. Vamoose
Depart hurriedly
“It was a long time before people understood how sick
the great man was. Gibreel, the star. Gibreel, who
vanquished the Nameless Ailment. Gibreel, who
feared sleep.” [SV cont]
517. Vanquish
Defeat thoroughly
“What's with all the moping?” [Looking at gloomy
son, Cal, Crazy Stupid Love]
“No use moping—things could be worse.” [SV cont]
518. Mope
Be apathetic, gloomy, or dazed
“He became Gibreel Farishta, but for four years he did
not become a star, serving his apprenticeship in a
173
 Normal Word List
succession of minor knockabout comic parts.” [SV
cont]
519. Knockabout
Denoting a rough, slapstick comic performance
“So he preferred to stay awake and force himself to
rehearse some part of his general knowledge in order
to blot out the tragic feeling of being endowed with a
larger-than-usual capacity for love, without a single
person on earth to offer it to.” [SV cont]
520. blot out
Obliterate, efface, erase, wipe out, expunge, delete
“So does a roster of droppable names that includes
recent Oscar winners, the current first lady of France
and a pantheon of credibly impersonated artistic
immortals.” [NYT review of Midnight of Paris,
opening lines]
“Once the formula of making films based on the
puranas, and adding the usual mixture of songs,
dances, funny uncles etc., had paid off, every god in
the pantheon got his or her chance to be a star.” [SV
cont]
“the deities of the Hindu and Shinto pantheons..”
[Google]
521. Pantheon
All the gods of a people or religion collectively
“It's a very serious offense to impersonate a police
officer.” [Google]
522. Impersonate
Personify, personalize, personate, embody,
represent; pretend to be (another person) as
entertainment or in order to deceive someone
“After that it didn't take long for her to touch his lips
and deliquesce into his arms.” [SV cont]
“This type of salt deliquesces easily.” [Google]
523. Deliquesce /ˌdeliˈkwes/
Melt away in the process of decay
“Gibreel Farishta had begun to haemorrhage all over
his insides for no apparent reason, and was quite
simply bleeding to death inside his skin.” [SV cont]
524. Haemorrhage
Bleeding: the flow of blood from a ruptured blood
vessel; hemorrhage
“The crowd that gathered in Warden Road was so
large that the police had to disperse it with lathi-
charges and tear-gas, which they used even though
every one of the half-million mourners was already
tearful and wailing.” [SV cont]
525. Wail
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Lament: a cry of sorrow and grief
"Don't you get it?" he shouted after her, spewing
sausage fragments from the corners of his mouth. [SV
cont]
526. Spew
Spit: expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum)
from the mouth
"He should have known it was a mistake to go home,
after so long, how could it be other than a regression;
it was an unnatural journey; a denial of time; a revolt
against history; the whole thing was bound to be a
disaster.” [SV cont]
527. Regression
Returning to a former state; regress
"Perspiration ran down his forehead.” [SV cont]
528. Perspiration
Sweat: excrete perspiration through the pores in the
skin; transpiration
"Salahuddin Chamchawala had understood by his
thirteenth year that he was destined for that cool
Vilayet full of the crisp promises of pounds sterling at
which the magic billfold had hinted, and he grew
increasingly impatient of that Bombay of dust,
vulgarity, policemen in shorts, transvestites, movie
fanzines, pavement sleepers and the rumored singing
whores of Grant Road who had begun as devotees of
the Yellamma cult in Karnataka but ended up here as
dancers in the more prosaic temples of the flesh.” [SV
cont]
529. Crisp
Pleasantly cold and invigorating; briskly decisive and
matter-of-fact, without hesitation or unnecessary
detail; fresh, crispy, crunchy, nippy
530. Billfold
Wallet; purse
531. Transvestite /transˈvesˌtīt/
n. a person, typically a man, who derives pleasure
from dressing in clothes appropriate to the opposite
sex
532. Fanzine /ˈfanˌzēn/
A magazine, normally produced by amateurs,
intended for people who share a common interest
"After that Salahuddin never went to the rocks at
Scandal Point; nor did he tell anyone what had
happened, knowing the neurasthenic crises it would
unleash in his mother and suspecting that his father
would say it was his own fault.” [SV cont]
533. Neurasthenic /ˌn(y)o͝orəsˈTHēnik/
Related to neurasthenia: nervous breakdown
534. Crises
Plural of crisis
174
 Normal Word List
"Salahuddin tried to prove he was a man by fasting
right along with his father, trying to outlast him, but
he never managed it, and when the pangs got too
strong he went out of the hotel to the cheap joint
nearby where you could buy take-away roast chickens
that hung greasily in the window, turning slowly on
their spits.” [SV cont]
535. Pangs
A mental pain or distress
536. Greasy
Smeared or soiled with grease or oil; oily; fatty;
slippery
“Our first speaker is not only the class salutatorian but
is also one of the most spirited young men I've ever
had the pleasure of teaching.” [Crazy Stupid Love]
537. Salutatorian /səˌlo͞otəˈtôrēən/
A graduating student with the second highest
academic rank; may deliver the opening address at
graduation exercises
“Oracle is also very reluctant to talk about product
roadmaps for fear that future products will
cannibalize existing ones.” [businessinsider]
538. Cannibalize /ˈkanəbəˌlīz/
Reduce the sales of (one of its products) by
introducing another similar product
“While these technologies predate the Oracle
acquisition of Sun, it's clear that Oracle has invested
significantly in making them into actual products—
products that integrate tightly with everything else
Oracle sells.” [arstechnica]
539. Predate /prēˈdāt/
Exist or occur at a date earlier than (something)
“I tazered him, but he will be waking up in under 90
seconds. So better move.” [Clyde to the Villain, Law
Abiding Citizen, 2009]
540. Taser /ˈtāzər/
Fire a taser at (someone) in order to incapacitate
them temporarily; tazer
“In other words, you can’t move, but you feel
everything. It does absolutely nothing to blunt the
pain.” [Clyde cont, Law Abiding Citizen]
541. Blunt
Make dull; weaken; make less intense; reduce
“I believe those cots are bolted into the cells.
- Well that's what wrenches are for, dumbass.” [Clyde,
Law Abiding Citizen cont]
542. Cot
Make dull; weaken; make less intense; reduce
543. Bolt
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Fasten (a door or window) with a bar that slides into
a socket
544. Wrench
A tool used for gripping and turning nuts, bolts,
pipes, etc reduce
“That contraption that killed Cantrell, it was a
weaponized bomb disposal robot.” [Clyde, Law
Abiding Citizen cont]
545. Contraption
A machine or device that appears strange or
unnecessarily complicated, and often badly made or
unsafe
“Born in Bombay to a Muslim family (which later
moved to Karachi, Pakistan), Salman Rushdie has
spent the last two decades living in England, and in all
his fiction, he has used his multi-cultural perspective -
what he calls his ''stereoscopic vision'' - to look at the
subcontinent both from within and without.” ['The
Satanic Verses': What Rushdie Wrote, NYT]
546. stereoscopic vision
3D vision produced by the fusion of two slightly
different views of a scene on each retina
"Shame," published in 1983, focused even more
closely on political issues, using Mohammad Zia ul-
Haq's brutal rise to power as the President of Pakistan
as a springboard for creating a phantasmagorical
portrait of a country that was "not quite Pakistan."
[NYT cont]
547. Phantasmagorical
An exhibition of optical effects and illusions;
characterized by fantastic imagery and incongruous
juxtapositions
“In fact, the central (and most persuasively written)
sections of ''The Satanic Verses'' deal with what
appears to be a thinly disguised autobiographical
material - a man named Saladin Chamcha, who has
moved to England and become an Anglophile, returns
home to Bombay to visit his aging father, and is forced
to come to terms with his own past, his anomalous
condition as a spiritual and cultural exile." [NYT cont]
548. Anglophile /ˈaNGgləˌfīl/
An admirer of England and things English
“Mr. Rushdie is not a radio celebrity like Saladin, does
not survive a 29,002-foot fall from a plane, and
contrary to what his critics believe, he has not
175
 Normal Word List
sprouted horns and a tail (as Saladin does in the
book)." [NYT cont]
“The plant sprouted early this year.” [Word Web]
549. Sprout
Put forth and grow sprouts or shoots
''What is being expressed is a discomfort with a plural
identity,'' Mr. Rushdie said last autumn. ''And what I
am saying to you - and saying in the novel - is that we
have got to come to terms with this. We are
increasingly becoming a world of migrants, made up
of bits and fragments from here, there. We are here.
And we have never really left anywhere we have
been.'' ['The Satanic Verses': What Rushdie Wrote?,
NYT EOF]
550. Discomfort
An uncomfortable feeling of mental painfulness or
distress
“The littIe fart is getting too big for his britches!” [City
of God, 2002]
551. Fart
A reflex that expels intestinal gas through the anus
552. Britch
Informal term for breech: posterior, backside
“Why me? Let that dork do that.” [City of God cont]
553. Dork
Jerk: a dull stupid fatuous person; vulgar. the penis
“I'm gonna sell a lot of fish. And don't laugh. You
grinned when I got slapped.” [City of God cont]
554. Grin
Smile broadly, esp. in an unrestrained manner and
with the mouth open
“Your fidgeting behind me makes me nervous.” [City
of God cont]
555. Fidget
Move restlessly; disquiet, inquietude, disquietude,
restlessness
“The City teemed with addicts.” [City of God cont]
556. Teem
Be full of or swarming with; abound
“Thanks for being lenient, Master Liu.” [Ip Man, Ip
Man (2008)]
557. Lenient
Permissive, merciful, or tolerant
“Cut me some slack. No need to pull the trigger.” [Ip
Man to Police, Ip Man (2008) cont]
558. cut/give (someone) some slack
To make an allowance for (someone), as in allowing
more time to finish something
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Talk to me if you're not happy. No need to throw a
tantrum.” [Ip Man to mistress]
“When you are a grown-up, you don't throw a
tantrum if something offends you, you discuss it.”
[Free Dic]
559. throw a (temper) tantrum
To become very angry and unreasonable
“Don't dillydally. Are you scared?” [Ip Man (2008) cont]
560. Dillydally
Postpone doing what one should be doing;
procrastinate
“I think I'll go home and mull this over
Before I cram it down my throat
At long last it's crashed
Its colossal mass
Has broken up into bits in my moat
Lift the mattress off the floor.” [Music plays, Garden
State (2004)]
“Govt. mulls relaxing sentences.” [DS]
561. Mull
Think about (a fact, proposal, or request) deeply and
at length; muddle
562. Moat
Ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with
water
“Oh, fuck, that was nosy. l'm sorry.” [Sam, Garden
State (2004)]
563. Nosy
Offensively curious or inquisitive
“Let's go. L got to see a guy about a nitrous tank.”
[Garden State (2004)]
564. see about
To investigate; to attend to
“He was captivated by her beauty.” [Google]
565. Captivate
Strongly attract; fascinate, charm, enthrall, enchant
“Aderm already indurated in Scott’s body.” [Bishop,
Fringe S01E01]
566. Indurate /ˈind(y)əˌrāt/
Harden, stiffen
“We're supposed to protect the world, where one
breath of the wrong air can incinerate you from the
inside our. I mean, how do we protect people, when
corporations have higher security clearances than we
do.” [Charlie to Liv, Fringe S01E01]
567. Incinerate /inˈsinəˌrāt/
Burn something completely; reduce to ashes
“Well, waking up's not gonna be a problem, but thank
you for the gentle nudge.” [Olivia replies Philip,
Fringe S01E02]
176
 Normal Word List
“Editors smiled and nudged one another as the silly
tents came down the bare plywood runway.” [Like
Mona Lisa, Ever So Veiled, NYT]
568. Nudge
Push against gently; jog
“The newborn was convulsing, screaming in obvious
pain.” [Fringe S01E02]
569. Convulse
Shake uncontrollably
“What formula are you rattling off, Bishop?” [Peter,
Fringe S01E04]
570. rattle off
Recite volubly or extravagantly
“You're assuming I have any understanding of how
that man's addled brain works.” [Peter, Fringe S01E04]
571. Addled
Confused and vague; used especially of thinking
“Scandal and scrutiny hem in murdoch’s empire.”
[NYT Headline]
572. hem someone or something in
To surround someone or something
“They’re persona non grata right now as a bidder on
assets.” [Scandal and Scrutiny Hem In Murdoch’s
Empire, NYT]
573. persona non grata /pərˈsōnə nän ˈgrätə/
An unacceptable or unwelcome person
“Oh, look at yourself. Tuck in your shirt. Put a comb
through your hair, for god's sake.” [To the Mysterious
guy, Fringe S01E05]
“Please tuck your shirttail into your pants. Tuck in your
shirt tail. When you make the bed, you have to tuck
the sheets in.” [FreeDic]
574. tuck something in (to) something and tuck
something in
Fold or stuff something into something
“Nine months ago, a maglev train in Tokyo plowed
through a crowded station.” [To the Mysterious guy,
Fringe S01E05]
“The ship plowed through the water.” [Word Web]
575. Plow
Move in a way resembling that of a plow cutting into
or going through the soil
“They have amplified a person's electromagnetic field.
And in fact, it is the residual energy from that person
that is making this heart pump.” [Bishop, Fringe
S01E05 cont]
576. Residual /riˈzijo͞oəl/
n. remainder; residue; ramnant; adj. residuary;
remaining
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“The pain you are suffering it’s subdermal.” [Doctor
Fischer, Fringe S01E05 cont]
577. Subdermal
Just below the skin
“Look at these: subcutaneous injection marks; she
was being given medicine intravenously.” [Doctor
Fischer, Fringe S01E05 cont]
578. Subcutaneous/ˌsəbkyo͞oˈtānēəs/
Situated or applied under the skin
579. Intravenous
Within or by means of a vein
“I'm his son. I'm not a puppeteer. I don't have a
remote control. There's no master switch I can flick
and turn him into the man I wish had raised me.”
[Peter reacts about his Dad, Fringe S01E07 cont]
580. Puppeteer
One who operates puppets or marionettes
“Secondly, while I'm here on active investigation, this
division is under my purview.” [Villain Boss, Fringe
S01E11 cont]
581. Purview /ˈpərˌvyo͞o/
Scope, range, sphere, extent, reach
“The tilted mirrored wall rising at the back of the
theater — like a humongous disco ball squashed flat.”
[A Midsummer Night’s Dream Stage Performance
Review, NYT]
582. Humongous /(h)yo͞oˈmäNGgəs/
Huge; enormous
“The production provides a feast of similarly arresting
imagery: a bearded female fairy strumming a harp; a
madcap array of costumes worn by the impish Puck of
Taylor Mac; a hilarious pitched battle that finds
Hermia and Helena frantically mussing each other’s
hair in an airborne catfight, straddling the shoulders
of the shirtless, six-pack-sporting Demetrius.” [NYT
Theater Review cont]
583. Imagery
Imagination: the ability to form mental images of
things or events
584. Strum
Sound the strings of (a string instrument); play
guitar or keyboard instrument
177
 Normal Word List
585. Harp
A musical instrument, roughly triangular in shape,
consisting of a frame supporting a graduated series
of parallel strings, played by plucking with the fingers
(the modern orchestral harp has an upright frame,
with pedals that enable the strings to be retuned to
different keys)
586. Madcap
Amusingly eccentric also n: an impulsive, hasty,
capricious person; impulsive, hasty or reckless;
capricious
587. Impish
Mischievous, naughty
588. Puck
A mischievous sprite of English folklore
589. Muss
Make someone's hair or clothes untidy or messy;
rumple; ruffle
590. Airborne
Moved or conveyed by or through air
591. Struddle
Stand, walk, or sit with one's legs wide apart
“With a few exceptions — notably the delightful Mr.
Mac as the frisky Puck and the distinguished Theseus
and Oberon of Anthony Heald — the actors in the
central roles handle the verse with a bluntness or
blandness that often smothers its lyricism.” [NYT
Theater Review cont]
“He smothers the kids with the love of his heart.” [DS
Lit]
592. Smother /ˈsməT͟Hər/
 Stifle, choke, suffocate, strangle, asphyxiate,
throttle, suppress; kill by covering their nose and
mouth so that they suffocate
 Cover; surround
“Ms. Ricci and Ms. Gross are similarly well matched
with their delicate frames and finely chiseled beauty.”
[NYT Theater Review cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
593. Chiseled /ˈCHizəld/
(of a face) having strongly defined facial features;
shaped or cut with a chisel
“She tends to slather emotion over the words as if
pouring syrup over a stack of pancakes, so the
rhythms and sometimes the sense are lost.” [NYT
Theater Review cont]
594. Slather /ˈslaT͟Hər/
Spread or smear (a substance) thickly or liberally;
waste, throw away, misspend
“It was unclear what the practical consequences of
emergency rule would be; the military and the police
in Myanmar, also known as Burma, already wield
significant power despite the country’s move toward
democracy.” [Crisis in Myanmar Over Buddhist-
Muslim Clash, NYT]
“Unlike Jews, however, who are notoriously one of the
most effective political lobbies in the United States,
and unlike evangelical Christians, who wield even
greater political power, atheists and agnostics are not
organized and therefore exert almost zero influence.”
[God Delusion]
595. Wield
Manage, handle, operate
“For now, the government appears to be confident
that the clashes can be contained.” [Clash with
Rohingya in Myamnar, NYT]
“She was scarcely able to contain herself as she
waited to spill the beans.” [Google]
596. Contain
Control: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in
restraint; hold or keep within limits
“Rohingya were not one of the country’s accepted
nationalities and the “international community” must
find a solution to the problem of their statelessness.”
[NYT cont]
597. Stateless
Homeless: without nationality or citizenship
“His presumptive challenger Mitt Romney and
Republican leaders in Congress tried, with limited
success, to steer the focus of the presidential
campaign back to the nation’s sluggish economy.”
[NYT cont]
178
 Normal Word List
598. Presumptive
Having a reasonable basis for belief or acceptance;
probable
“The last 48 hours have been a heady period for Mr.
Biden, according to people close to him. He has heard
from many people — especially gay-rights advocates
— that he is a hero who nudged a reluctant president
on an issue of historic resonance.” [NYT cont]
599. Heady
Having a strong or exhilarating effect; impetuous,
intoxicating
“Sanderson, a wealthy entrepreneur, hires Paul to
flack for a group of investors who plan to buy an
island near the capital and build a resort.” [The Rum
Diary, imdb]
600. Flack
Having a strong or exhilarating effect; impetuous,
intoxicating
“A mild lark disguised as a wild bender, “The Rum
Diary” is also a touching tribute to Thompson himself.
Thompson’s alter ego, a young writer named Paul
Kemp, is played by Johnny Depp.” [The Rum Diary,
NYT Review]
601. Lark
Skylark, frolic, fun, joke, prank
602. Bender
An object or person that bends something else; a
wild drinking spree
603. alter ego
Another side of oneself; a second self; an intimate
friend or a constant companion
“This makes the new film a prequel of sorts to Terry
Gilliam’s “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998), in
which Mr. Depp impersonated Thompson in his full
Gonzo glory, with Hawaiian-print shirts draped over
his torso and wild hallucinations sprouting from his
balding pate..” [NYT Review cont]
604. Prequel
A story or movie containing events that precede
those of an existing work
605. Gonzo
Bizarre or crazy; of or associated with journalistic
writing of an exaggerated, subjective, and
fictionalized style
“His colleagues include a burly, shaggy photographer
named Bob Sala and a filthy, booze-addled wraith
known as Moberg.” [NYT Review cont]
606. Burly
(Of a person) large and strong; stout, sturdy, robust
607. Shaggy
Having long, thick, unkempt hair or fur
608. Booze
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Alcohol, esp. hard liquor
“His nemesis — every superhero needs one — is Hal
Sanderson, a great white sharpie who seems to
possess everything Paul desires, is a flack for the
predatory, moneyed interests.” [NYT Review cont]
609. Sharpie
A dishonest and cunning person, esp. a cheat
610. Flack
A publicity agent
“He witnessed hundreds of people beheaded by
Cossacks marauding through his town.” [A Reset in
Jewish Thinking , NYT]
611. Marauding
adj. raiding and pillaging; killing in wanton fashion;
killing domestic animals; predatory
“But can the Jewish people segue from deeply
ingrained victimhood to the moral and practical
dictates of being a major power?” [A Reset in Jewish
Thinking , NYT]
“And now this ham-handed (not skilled) segue into
your questionnaire. It won’t do.” [Silence of lambs]
612. Segue /ˈsegwā/
Proceed without interruption; in music or talk;
continue
“As the general election heats up, a central battlefield
promises to be the fights for suburban women in
crucial swing states like Florida, Ohio and Colorado,
and both camps are now trying to prove their bona
fides with that population.” [In Strategy Shift, Obama
Team Attacks Romney From the Left , NYT]
613. bona fides /ˈbōnə ˌfīdz/
A person's honesty and sincerity of intention;
authenticity; sincerity
“I have to treat this matter with the utmost delicacy.”
[Google]
“She has a delicate, changeable beauty, more like
Cate Blanchett than Pamela Anderson. When a
colleague tells Olivia after a harrowing day that she
looks terrible, she at least looks a little pale, and her
hair is messy.” [Fringe Review, NYT]
“The issue of the Rohingya is so delicate that even
Myanmar’s leading defender of human rights and
democracy, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has been oblique
and evasive about the situation.” [Rohingya, NYT]
“And taking time from your hectic lives to relax with
friends and family whether it is enjoying the flowers in
our bountiful gardens or sampling the myriad
delicacies prepared by chefs from our prosperous
home.” [Syriana]
614. Delicacy
179
 Normal Word List
Daintiness, tenderness, subtlety, dainty, fineness,
nicety; diplomacy; a choice or expensive food adj.
delicate: easily broken or damaged; fragile, highly
sensitive
“Fringe” invokes some of the sillier forms of television
devices — teleportation, psychokinesis,
transmogrification and even bionic prostheses — but
still manages to seem smart and stylish. [Fringe Review,
NYT]
615. Psychokinesis /ˌsīkōkəˈnēsis/
The supposed ability to move objects by mental
effort alone
616. Transmogrification
The act or process of being transformed into a
different form
617. Prosthesis /präsˈTHēsis/
An artificial body part, such as a leg, a heart, or a
breast implant
“The French profess not to care about the personal
lives of candidates, but even they are bemused by the
roundelay of the first already divorced man to get
divorced as president and the first never married
father of four to get elected president.” [Désamour and
Amour, Paris, NYT]
618. Profess
An open avowal (true or false) of some belief or
opinion; declare
619. Bemuse /biˈmyo͞oz/
Puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone); stun; daze
“The next morning, he and his family jetted off to a
billionaire’s yacht moored off Malta and feasted on
lobsters.” [Désamour and Amour, Paris, NYT]
620. Jet
Travel by jet aircraft
621. Moor
(of a boat) Be made fast somewhere in this way
“Three days after experiencing the strange shudder
inside his head, Sarkin began hearing a high-pitched
screech.” [The man who couldn't stop drawing, Guardian]
“The disclosure of the cables is sending shudders
through the diplomatic establishment, and could
strain relations with some countries, influencing
international affairs in ways that are impossible to
predict.” [Leaked Cables Offer Raw Look at U.S.
Diplomacy, NYT]
622. Shudder /ˈSHədər/
Shiver, tremble, shake
“Each morning he prayed the excruciating noise
would be gone; when it wasn't.” [Guardian cont]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that
he was compelled to invent laughter.” [Friedrich
Nietzsche]
“And I have told you every excruciating detail of my
failed marriage.” [Olivia’s Sister, Fringe S01E13]
623. Excruciate
To inflict severe pain on; torture adj excruciating:
agonizing; intensely painful
“A young resident at the nurse's station walked briskly
in.” [Guardian cont]
624. Brisk
Alert: quick and energetic
“Mommy gets grumpy if I wake her too early.” [Ella,
Fringe S01E15]
“Well, let's look at the grumpy man in the morning.”
[Fabienne, PF cont]
625. Grumpy
Bad-tempered and sulky; peevish
“Maybe you should get your own breakfast and not
poach mine.” [Bishop to Peter locked in altercation, Fringe
S01E15]
“People are poaching elephants for their ivory.”
[Google]
626. Poach
Hunt illegally
“I thought you might have teleported to New York in
your sleep and killed her. Wouldn't that have been
wondrous?” [Bishop to Olivia about bad dream, Fringe
S01E17]
“The magic of Meryl Streep has reached wondrous
heights with the biopic The Iron Lady. She won the
2011 Oscar Award for the Best Actress for her sterling
performance as Lady Margaret Thatcher, the first
female Prime Minister of United Kingdom.” [DS Mag]
627. Wondrous
Marvelous; extraordinarily good or great; used
especially as intensifiers
“Many among those who have posted angry
comments on Internet sites have equated the
Rohingya with other Muslims scattered around
Myanmar.” [Internet Unshackled, Burmese Aim Venom at
Ethnic Minority, NYT]
628. Equate
Compare: consider or describe as similar, equal, or
analogous
“Mr. Thein Sein’s government is trying to rein in the
news media to limit violence against the Rohingya.”
[Internet Unshackled, Burmese Aim Venom at Ethnic
Minority, NYT]
180
 Normal Word List
629. rein in
Stop or check by or as if by a pull at the reins of a
horse
“Many online commentators in Myanmar have called
for the expulsion of the Rohingya — or worse.” [NYT
cont]
630. Expulsion
Banishment, deportation, eviction, exclusion
“Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is putting a powerful personal
imprimatur of democratic legitimacy on a system built
by the former military junta, analysts say.” [NYT cont]
631. Imprimatur /ˌimprəˈmätər/
Sanction: formal and explicit approval
“The precarious balance — between a military that is
fighting to retain a dominant role in a new system and
the democracy movement that wishes to subjugate
soldiers to civilian masters — was an uneasy subtext
to the day..” [NYT cont]
632. Subtext
An underlying and often distinct theme in a piece of
writing or conversation; overtune
“He spent weeks at the center of Al Qaeda’s most
dangerous affiliate.” [Rare Double Agent Disrupted
Bombing Plot, NYT]
633. Affiliate
Subsidiary; branch
“Al Qaeda’s growing number of training camps,
including small compounds have churned out dozens
of new fighters who, in turn, help expand the area
under the insurgents’ control.” [NYT cont]
634. churn out
Produce something at a fast rate or in an abundant
and automatic manner
“If indeed there is a soul, we must consider then that
there is still time for redemption. We're not being
hauled off to be judged yet, Nicholas.” [Walter, Fringe
S01E17 cont]
635. haul off
To shift operations to a new place; to move away
“It's a restaurant in Chinatown.
- Doesn't exactly scream Z.F.T. hive of activity.”
[Broyes, Fringe S01E17 cont]
636. Hive
A teeming multitude; swarm
“But each of these in-demand young actresses has
taken to the stage here to demonstrate how romance
is as likely to prickle, sting and even kill as it is to
tickle.” [All Over London, Love Hurts, NYT]
637. Prickle
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Experience a tingling sensation, esp. as a result of
strong emotion; tingle, sting, smart
“Up on the stage, Sheryl K. Sandberg, Mr. Zuckerberg’s
No. 2 and the polished, corporate yin to his nerdy,
coder yang, vamps a little: You know Zuck, she
shrugs.” [The Education of Mark Zuckerberg, NYT]
638. Yin
(in Chinese philosophy) The passive female principle
of the universe, characterized as female and
sustaining and associated with earth, dark, and cold
“yin and yang together produce everything that
comes into existence.” [Word Web]
639. Yang
(in Chinese philosophy) The active male principle of
the universe, characterized as male and creative and
associated with heaven, heat, and light
“As chief executive, Mr. Zuckerberg has proved himself
a savvy negotiator of deals.” [The Education of Mark
Zuckerberg, NYT]
640. Savvy /ˈsavē/
Shrewd and knowledgeable in the realities of life
“Last Monday at the Sheraton, for instance, some took
issue with his dorm-room wear, considering it a snub
to the financial industry.” [NYT cont]
641. Snub
Rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully
“Her last film, "A Cinderella Story," raked in more than
$50 million at American theaters earlier this year.”
[Just Wants to Have (Clean) Fun, Hilary Duff, NYT]
642. rake in
Earn large sums of money
“A near stampede erupted as young girls pushed and
climbed over one another to grab posters of Ms. Duff.”
[Just Wants to Have (Clean) Fun, Hilary Duff, NYT]
“When he shouted `fire' there was a stampede to the
exits.” [Google]
643. Stampede /stamˈpēd/
A headlong rush of people on a common impulse
“Some industry observers wonder how long Ms. Duff
can sustain her good-girl persona before she loses her
relevance.” [NYT cont]
644. Persona
Character, personage, personality
“The rights of religious and ethnic minorities are
routinely trampled in Indonesia.” [NYT]
645. Trample
Tread: tread or stomp heavily or roughly
“It was a weekend of laughs. For the atheist
community, it was an important morale booster,
181
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demonstrating that we can have jamborees that are
stimulating – even if we don't sing and dance like
some faiths.” [The atheist jamboree, NationalTimes]
646. Jamboree /ˌjambəˈrē/
A large celebration or party, typically a lavish and
boisterous one
“What gave the frisson to the conference was the
presence of the heroes of atheism. Richard Dawkins,
Geoffrey Robertson, Daniel Dennett, AC Grayling, PZ
Myers, Ben Elton and the simply amazing Ayaan Hirsi
Ali are huge international attractions and there was a
palpable air of enchantment buzzing through the
place.” [NationalTimes cont]
647. Frisson /frēˈsôN/
A sudden strong feeling of excitement or fear; a thrill
“In the absence of liturgy and ritual, what do atheists
have other than interminable speeches? Well, at this
global confab we had stand-up comedians.”
[NationalTimes cont]
648. Liturgy /ˈlitərjē/
A rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship
“She analysed the Arab Spring of 2011 and found that
despite the failure of North Africa to embrace
democracy universally and the pre-eminence of the
Muslim Brotherhood in those few elections that have
been held, there is hope in a growing secular
movement and the influence of diaspora
communities.” [NationalTimes cont]
649. Diaspora
The body of Jews (or Jewish communities) outside
Palestine or modern Israel
“Although the ideas in his manifesto are radical, Bell
wouldn't do these horrendous things. There must had
been another chapter.” [Walter, Fringe S01E19]
“And some of these people have horrendous facebook
pics.” [The Social Network]
650. Horrendous /həˈrendəs/
Extremely unpleasant, horrifying, or terrible
“Perhaps I'm not one of your street thugs that you can
bully, phillip.” [Nina, Fringe S01E19 cont]
651. Thug /THəg/
A violent person, esp. a criminal; hoodlum, killer,
cutthroat, gangster, murderer, assassin
“Gordon is a vicious man. He has no regard for human
life.” [Broyles, Fringe S01E19 cont+Lec13]
“A vicious circle of poverty, conflict and dependence.”
652. Vicious
Deliberately cruel or violent
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Don't be such a grinch. I've told you, science should
be fun.” [Broyles, Fringe S01E05 cont]
653. Grinch
A person who is mean-spirited and unfriendly
“Phillip, when you filed those fingerprints on your
suspect, it went wide. They're gonna take this case
from you and demand you cease and desist.” [Broyles,
Fringe S02E06 cont]
654. Desist
Cease, stop, quit
“Located in southeastern Bangladesh, Cox’s Bazar is
miles away — physically and metaphorically — from
the long-developed beaches of Thailand or Vietnam.”
[Hitting the Beach in Bangladesh, NYT]
655. Metaphorical
Figurative; characteristic of or relating to metaphor
“He would eventually find a simpatico outsider with
management chops: Sheryl Sandberg, the former
Google executive he personally recruited and hired as
chief operating officer in 2008.” [How Mark
Zuckerberg Hacked the Valley, NYT]
656. Simpatico
Having or characterized by shared attributes or
interests; compatible relating to metaphor
“He would eventually find a simpatico outsider with
management chops: Sheryl Sandberg, the former
Google executive he personally recruited and hired as
chief operating officer in 2008.” [How Mark
Zuckerberg Hacked the Valley, businessweek]
657. Simpatico
Having or characterized by shared attributes or
interests; compatible relating to metaphor
“Facebook’s platform spawned a flurry of invention—
Zynga, the social game maker, came into being
around this time—and allowed the company to focus
on what it was good at: making the social network
available and appealing to even more people.”
[businessweek cont]
658. Spawn
Engender: call forth; breed also n.
659. Flurry
A sudden short period of commotion or excitement;
gust also v
“One area Facebook will have to prove itself in is
mobile. Earlier this month, it amended its public filings
with the SEC to disclose that it doesn’t collect any
meaningful revenue from smartphones and tablets,
and its failure to do so is dampening per-user revenue.
Mobile has flummoxed the company for years.”
[businessweek cont]
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“he was completely flummoxed by the question.”
[Google]
660. Flummox /ˈfləməks/
Perplex (someone) greatly; bewilder; confound
“Facebook has beefed up its staff in Washington to
improve its relations with the government.”
[businessweek cont]
“Govt. decided to beef up the defense budget.”
[FreeDic]
661. beef up
To make or become greater or stronger
“Last year, Facebook agreed to 20 years of FTC privacy
audits stemming from the government’s investigation
into how it revamped users’ privacy controls at the
end of 2009.” [businessweek cont]
“Forensic experts at the F.B.I.’s bomb laboratory are
assessing whether the bomb could have evaded
screening machines and security measures revamped
after the failed 2009 plot.” [NYT cont]
662. Revamp
To patch up or renovate; mend, remodel
“Facebook, like Twitter, tries to leverage an obvious
advantage in dealing with Washington: politicians’
own dependency on the social network to connect
with constituents.” [businessweek cont]
663. Leverage
Investing with borrowed money as a way to amplify
potential gains (at the risk of greater losses) also n.
“Windows Phone 7 has rightly received a lot of flak
from reviewers for not having some features that
many owners take for granted on their current
smartphones.” [pcworld]
664. Flak
Strong criticism
“In the past decade they have got worse. The
administration Mrs Zia headed from 2001 to 2006 was
a brutal kleptocracy. It was followed by army-backed
unelected technocrats.” [economist cont]
665. Kleptocracy
A corrupt and dishonest government characterized by
greed
666. Technocrat
An advocate of technocracy: the government or
control of society or industry by an elite of technical
experts
“With all four of her children in the room, Farzana
Ahmed, 49, then grabbed a plastic bag and began
pushing it into her daughter’s mouth. Shafilea, 17,
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
tried to fend her off but was overpowered by both her
mother and her father.” [telegraph]
667. fend off
Prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening;
avert
“Greece teetered on the verge of political chaos on
Monday, with few signs that any party could form a
governing coalition and the prospect of the nation
leaving the euro zone looming increasingly large.”
[Political Tumult in Greece After Uncertain Elections,
NYT]
“As Juanita teetered dangerously close to the white
light, Lynette and Tom were headed into a black hole.”
[Carlos mom accident, DH S01E07]
668. Teeter /ˈtētər/
Move unsteadily; swing
“Three days later, his battered body was found in a
mass grave, his eyes gouged from his head.”
[Bangladesh Faces Atrocities of Its Independence Era,
NYT]
669. Battered
adj. injured by repeated blows or punishment
670. Gouge
Cut or force something out roughly or brutally
(primary meaning); hollow out
“Some Latin American countries have held successful
trials for war crimes, Mr. Dicker said, but the perils of
a local tribunal were evident in the trials of Saddam
Hussein and his associates in Iraq.” [NYT cont]
671. Peril
Serious and immediate danger; jeopardy, hazard,
risk, menace, threat
“One engineer who formerly worked at Apple and
worked on the iPhone said he had met with Mark
Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, who then
peppered him with questions about the inner
workings of smartphones.” [NYT cont]
“Another burst of enemy bullets peppered his
defenseless body.” [Google]
672. Pepper
Attack and bombard with or as if with missiles
“Ms. Singh, a tall beauty who was a former Indian
beauty pageant winner, was raised in a remote
northern town, where, she said, the porn films the
audience sees being churned out in “Miss Lovely” were
the only sort of movie that was shown.” [NYT cont]
673. Pageant /ˈpajənt/
Attack and bombard with or as if with missiles
183
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“India’s political establishment indulges this
competition of hurts because catering to group
prejudices tends to bring electoral gains. This is the
reason that no one in Parliament — not from the
liberal left, not from the Hindu right — challenged
those who were offended by the Ambedkar cartoon.”
[Too Many Sacred Cows, NYT]
“Oh, come on. Indulge your father. Can't you take a
little joke, for God's sake?” [Alex’s Dad made sarcastic
remark, The Lake House]
674. Indulge
To yield to a temptation or desire; to satisfy the
wishes or whims of; to grant an extension to the
deadline of a payment
“Alex is the first atheist in Indonesia to be jailed for his
belief, but his case is symptomatic of a wider increase
in religious intolerance in the world’s largest Muslim-
majority nation.” [Indonesia's Rising Religious
Intolerance, NYT]
675. Symptomatic
Diagnostic: characteristic or indicative of a disease
“The Ahmadiyya Muslim community is perhaps the
most persecuted.” [NYT cont]
“Imagine no persecution of Jews as 'Christ-killers', no
Northern Ireland 'troubles', no 'honour killings'.” [God
Delusion]
676. Persecute
Cause to suffer; torment; pursue
“His government made progress in tackling terrorism,
but it should not shirk its responsibility to fight the
ideology that underpins terror.” [NYT cont+ETS]
“Their sole motive is to shirk responsibility and rip off
the company.” [Google]
677. Shirk
Evade work or duty; Fiddle, avoid, dodge, shun,
elude
678. Underpin
Corroborate, support, prop up, buttress
“We may be hardened by battles past, but our future
is digital, wireless, ubiquitous and, we hope, pacific.”
[Daddy, What Were Compact Discs? NYT]
679. Pacific
Peaceful in character or intent; relating to the Pacific
Ocean; peaceful, peaceable, tranquil, placid
“The bus crash in the Bronx last year that killed 15
passengers might have been avoided if the bus's sleep-
deprived driver had not been barreling along at
speeds as high as 78 miles per hour, the fastest it
could go, federal investigators concluded on Tuesday.”
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
[Driver Fatigue and Speed Caused Fatal Bus Crash,
NYT]
680. Barrel
Drive or move fast
“Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, kicked off her first visit to
Europe after nearly a quarter of a century on
Thursday.” [Aung San Suu Kyi Begins Triumphant
Visit to Europe, NYT]
681. kick off
To begin
Her comment came as the United Nations’ special
rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, Tomás Ojea
Quintana, warned, “The underlying tensions that stem
from discrimination against ethnic minorities pose a
threat to Myanmar’s democratic transition and
stability.” [NYT cont]
682. Rapporteur /ˌraˌpôrˈtər/
A person appointed by an organization to report on
the proceedings of its meetings; reporter
“Dr. Kevorkian, outraged by what he saw as the
medical profession’s lack of compassion for the
terminally ill, began in 1989 to work with patients to
end their lives.” [You don’t know Jack review, NYT]
683. Compassion
Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or
misfortunes of others; sympathy, commiseration,
ruth, clemency
“No, why would I?” he told Mr. Cooper. “I wouldn’t
have started if I thought I was going to regret it. I
knew what I was stepping into. I knew I was getting
into one of the most illegal things in the world. It was
the right thing to do. ... That doesn’t mean I’m
stronger than most people. It just means I’m loonier.”
[NYT cont]
684. Loony
Crazy or silly
“So what went wrong? The country's growth spurt
was fueled by the garment industry, where some 2.5
million workers toiled for about $40 a month, a third
of wages in southern China.” [The Rise and Fall of One
of the World's Worst-Performing Stock Markets,
times.com]
685. Spurt
A sudden marked burst or increase of activity or
speed; gush; spout
686. Toil
Labor: work hard; plod
“Analysts say the country's larger banks are solvent
enough to continue lending to companies and
184
 Normal Word List
individuals, albeit at double-digit interest rates.”
[times cont]
“He was making progress, albeit rather slowly.”
[Google]
687. Albeit
conjunction: although; despite its being
"Before wrapping up her 20-hour Dhaka tour
yesterday, Hillary said she had followed the problems
stemming from a change in the management in
Grameen Bank.” [US sides with Grameen Bank, DS]
688. stem from (something)
Result from something
"Stocks ended the day up by more than 15% following
government pressure on the country's financial
authorities to stabilise the market. However, some
analysts warned that the rebound might be short-
lived.” [Bangladesh stock market recovers after heavy fall,
BBC]
689. Rebound
Bounce: spring back; spring away from an impact;
recoil
"Teachers and students started demanding his ouster
after the murder of Zubair Ahmed, a student of English
department, by some BCL activists on Jan 9.” [Anwar
given JU reins, DS]
690. Ouster
Dismissal or expulsion from a position; eviction
"Under the provisions of the Acts that give autonomy
to these universities, the nature of their organizational
structure is supposed to be democratic. However, the
de facto state of these universities is that VCs get
appointed and dismissed according to shifts in
national politics.” [The Star Mag]
691. de facto
Exercising power or serving a function without being
legally or officially established; actually
We have even gone to the VC's office twice to talk
about the matter,” says Professor Sadrul Amin, Dean,
Arts Faculty. He regrets that none of their endeavors
bore any fruit. [The Star cont]
“Enthusiasm is a vital ingredient in all human
endeavor.” [Google]
692. Endeavor
Strive, try, effort
“For the last two decades it has been common
practice for a new VC to assume office selected by the
new government with the previous government-
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
selected VC being unceremoniously removed” [The Star
cont]
“He was dismissed unceremoniously.” [Word Web]
693. Unceremonious
Without ceremony or formality; informal
“Preliminary ballistics confirms that officer Williams
fired all three shots.” [Broyles, Fringe S02E07 cont]
694. Ballistics
The study of the effects of being fired on a bullet,
cartridge, or gun
“We have a chopper shadowing the vehicle. We need
all assets rerouted to that vicinity.” [Olivia to rescue
Peter from mind-controlling boy, Fringe S02E07 cont]
“He always blames someone else in the immediate
vicinity.” [Word Web]
695. Vicinity /vəˈsinətē/
A surrounding or nearby region; neighborhood,
nearness, vicinage, proximity
“I hypothesize a Naga Jolokia from India, otherwise
known as the King Cobra chili. I once ate one. The
flatulence was horrible. Very embarrassing.” [Walter,
Fringe S02E08]
696. Flatulence
The state of having gas, often malodorous, trapped
(and often released, frequently with noise) in the
digestive system of a human and some other
animals; wind; and when released, a flatus
“Well. It appears you've been busy. Your actions took
us all by surprise. I take it you've come here to explain
yourself.” [The Boss to the Guilty Observer, Fringe S02E08]
697. take by surprise
Astonish; amaze; capture unexpectedly or catch
unprepared
“One of the drugs that Dr. Paris prescribed is sirolimus
-- It's an anti-rejection drug. It's absolutely useless for
a paranoid schizophrenic.” [Walter, Fringe S02E10]
698. Sirolimus
Astonish; amaze; capture unexpectedly or catch
unprepared
699. Schizophrenia
Any of several psychotic disorders characterized by
distortions of reality and disturbances of thought and
language and withdrawal from social contact adj.
suffering from some form of schizophrenia
“One of the drugs that Dr. Paris prescribed is sirolimus
-- It's an anti-rejection drug.” [Walter, Fringe S02E10]
700. Sirolimus
Astonish; amaze; capture unexpectedly or catch
unprepared
185
 Normal Word List
"Innermost subtle consciousness is ever present. It
never leaves the body even in death."
- You got a lot of mileage out of a coaster. [Peter &
Olivia, Fringe S02E11]
701. Mileage
A travel allowance at a given rate per mile traveled
"It looked like a cousin of bigfoot.
- That's clearly wrong. This boy bears no resemblance
at all to a sasquatch”. [Peter & Walter, Fringe S02E12]
702. Bigfoot
A large, hairy, apelike creature resembling a yeti,
supposedly found in northwestern America; snowman
703. Sasquatch
Bigfoot
"So yes, I believe we may be looking for some kind of
therianthrope.” [Walter, Fringe S02E12 cont]
704. Therianthropy
Therianthropy refers to the metamorphosis of
humans into other animals
"The pentagon files have been almost entirely
redacted.” [Broyles about files on metamorphosis of
bigfoot, Fringe S02E12 cont]
705. Redact
Edit: prepare for publication or presentation by
correcting, revising, or adapting
"When the Victoria, the last surviving ship, returned to
its harbor of departure after the first
circumnavigation of the Earth, only 18 of the original
237 men were on board.” [Walter telling story to the Kids,
Fringe S02E13]
706. Circumnavigate
Traveling around something (by ship or plane)
"We got a deceased male, age 50. We believe he's
from the Netherlands. He walked into Vitas Petrol at
7:30 this morning, and his veins ruptured.” [Broyles to
Walter, Fringe S02E13]
"Shattering the wall between universes would rupture
the fundamental constants of nature.” [Fringe S02E16]
707. Rupture
Break or burst suddenly; sever; crack
"Well, uh, vasculitis could be a cause. Or, uh, an
arteriovenous fistula, which is an abnormal channel
between the vessels.” [Walter’s retort, Fringe S02E13 cont]
708. Vasculitis
Inflammation of a blood vessel or blood vessels
709. arteriovenous fistula
An arteriovenous fistula is an abnormal connection or
passageway between an artery and a vein
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
"Petechial hemorrhaging..” [Walter’s looking at corpse,
Fringe S02E14]
710. Vasculitis
Inflammation of a blood vessel or blood v
“We were asleep when we suddenly heard the
screams of people on fire,” said a survivor interviewed
on the Televicentro television network outside the
prison, where a proverb over the entrance reads, “Let
justice be done even if the world perishes.” [Blaze at
Prison Underscores Broad Security Problems in Honduras,
NYT]
"And anyone not related to her survived, along with
one grandchild who I think might be illegitimate.
- Therefore, not a blood relative, or I suspect he would
have perished too.” [Astrid & Walter, Fringe S02E14 cont]
711. Perish
Die; pass away
"Emergency services secured this entrance into the
building, scouring the place for survivors.” [Fringe
S02E15 cont]
712. Scour /skou(ə)r/
Subject (a place, text, etc.) to a thorough search in
order to locate something; clean, scrub, rub, wash
"Emergency services secured this entrance into the
building, scouring the place for survivors.” [Fringe
S02E15 cont]
713. Scour /skou(ə)r/
Subject (a place, text, etc.) to a thorough search in
order to locate something; clean, scrub, rub, wash
"I designed a device intended to cross the time-space
continuum and retrieve my dying son.” [Walter, Fringe
S02E18]
714. Continuum /kənˈtinyo͞oəm/
A continuous nonspatial whole or extent or
succession in which no part or portion is distinct or
distinguishable from adjacent parts
"Walter, I know that you've been in a funk or the last
couple of weeks.” [Peter, Fringe S02E18]
715. Funk
A state of nervous depression; fright, fear, dread
"A vile firm that never missed an opportunity to
exploit the little guy. Profiteering off the creativity of
others.” [Walter telling story to Ella, Fringe S02E20]
716. Vile
Mean, base, villainous, nasty
717. Profiteer
Someone who makes excessive profit (especially on
goods in short supply)
"I knew you were a good dancer. You really cut a rug
out there.” [Peter to Olivia, Fringe S02E20]
186
 Normal Word List
"Twenty disco classics on one CD. Now there's music
to cut a rug to.” [Free Dic]
718. cut a rug
Dance
* Who can take the sunrise *
* sprinkle it with dew *
* the candy man can * [Walter singing, Fringe S02E20]
719. Sprinkle
Scatter with liquid; wet lightly; spray, splash, strew,
spatter, besprinkle
"I'm sort of known here by the regulars for my
playlists. I base my tracks on people's aura.” [Girl in
Restaurant, Fringe S02E21]
720. Aura
Air: a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a
person or thing
"You said back at the precinct that that I was trying to
rationalize that he was still alive.” [Police Officer, Fringe
S02E21 cont]
“Even if it was possible that the Robot killed the
scientist, it better be in somebody else´s precinct.”
[i’Robot]
721. Precinct
Division of a city for election or police purposes;
space that surrounds a building ex. precincts of the
college
"I'm just presenting them with the possibilities. I put a
sheen on it.” [Leap Year, 2010]
722. Sheen
Splendor; radiance; shininess; to shine; to glisten;
beautiful, good-looking, attractive; radiant; shiny
"You wanna sleep on that bed. That's very gallant.”
[Leap Year cont]
723. Gallant
Brave, valiant, courageous, valorous, chivalrous
"He's a plongeur or something. He washes dishes or
takes out the garbage. He doesn't cook.” [Ratatouille,
2007]
724. Plongeur
A male (or female) dishwasher
"What can I do? I am a figment of your imagination.”
[Ratatouille cont]
725. Figment
A thing that someone believes to be real but that
exists only in their imagination; fiction, invention,
fabrication
"To say that both the meal and its maker have
challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
gross understatement. They have rocked me to my
core.” [Critic, Ratatouille]
726. Gross
Complete; blatant; coarse, rude, thick, rough
"Chef asked Languini what he was blathering about.”
[Ratatouille]
727. Blather
Babble; talk foolishly; chatter
"It's a bit nippy out there. He should have wrapped
himself up a bit more.” [Landlady about Watson, Sherlock
S01E03]
728. Nippy
Crisp: pleasantly cold and invigorating
"Well, maybe next time I'll let you kip at the end of my
bed, you know.” [Woman to Watson, Sherlock S01E03
cont]
729. Kip
Sleep, slumber, doss also n
"Sherlock's business seems to be booming since you
and he became pals.” [The brother, Sherlock S01E03 cont]
730. Booming
Having a period of great prosperity or rapid economic
growth
"Honduran prisons are rife with overcrowding, rioting
and abuse on a normal day, but on Tuesday night,
when officials say an inmate set fire to his mattress,
things turned unimaginably worse, and this nation,
already sinking into turmoil from a wave of drug
trafficking, was staggered by yet another crisis.” [Blaze
at Prison Underscores Broad Security Problems in Honduras,
NYT]
"The staggering bills for maintenance and repair..”
[Google]
731. Stagger /ˈstagər/
n & v. astound or overwhelm, as with shock; shake
"The victims in the latest fire were burned to death or
asphyxiated in their cells, prison officials told local
news media.” [NYT cont]
732. Asphyxiate /asˈfiksēˌāt/
Smother: deprive of oxygen and prevent from
breathing; suffocate, choke, stifle, throttle, strangle
"And the nation’s prisons are so overwhelmed that in
2010 the government declared a state of emergency in
the system, acknowledging that nearly half of its
prisons did not meet the minimum requirements for
penitentiaries.” [NYT cont]
733. Penitentiary /ˌpenəˈtenSHərē/
A prison for people convicted of serious crimes;
prison, jail, gaol, reformatory
187
 Normal Word List
"People like Kenneth Miller could be called a
"godsend" to the evolution lobby because they expose
the lie that evolutionism is, as a matter of fact,
tantamount to atheism. People like me, on the other
hand, rock the boat.” [Militant Atheism, Richard
Dawkins, TED]
734. rock the boat
Cause trouble where none is welcome; to disturb a
situation that is otherwise stable and satisfactory
"Now, it may sound as though I'm about to preach
atheism, and I want to reassure you that that's not
what I'm going to do. In an audience as sophisticated
as this one, that would be preaching to the choir.
Instead what I want to urge upon you is militant
atheism.” [Militant Atheism, Richard Dawkins, TED]
“Why the hell is he joining jazz choir so late?” [Girls
wondering about Oz, AP (1999)]
735. Choir /ˈkwīr/
A chorus that sings as part of a religious ceremony
736. Urge
Recommend or advocate strongly; try earnestly or
persistently to persuade (someone) to do something;
press; impel also n.
"My problem with humanism only is its apparent
anthropocentrism. One of the things we've learned
from Darwin is that the human species is only one
among millions of cousins, some close, some distant.”
[Militant Atheism, Richard Dawkins, TED]
737. Anthropocentric /ˌanTHrəpōˈsentrik/
Human-centered; having inclination to evaluate
reality exclusively in terms of human values
"To be born again," sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling
from the heavens. [Satanic Verses]
"Remember those walls I built?
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make a sound.” [Halo, Beyonce
Knowles]
738. Tumble
Fall down, as if collapsing; topple; drop, somersault
"To be born again," sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling
from the heavens. [Satanic Verses]
"Yes, you got it made I've seen you promenade a time
or two
He might have lots of dough but I know he ain't right
for you.” [Halo, Beyonce Knowles]
739. Promenade
Walk, stroll, saunter, prom also v
740. Dough
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Paste, money, cash
"But once I realized the problem was not you, but
within me, I found inner peace. And was able to
harness the flow of the universe.” [Kung Fu Panda 2,
2011]
741. Harness /ˈhärnis/
Control and make use of (natural resources), esp. to
produce energy; exploit the power of
"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Now we got the
pleasantries out of the way, please leave my house.”
[Peacock Shen, Kung Fu Panda 2 cont]
742. Pleasantry /ˈplezntrē/
An agreeable or amusing remark; jest, joke, fun,
jocosity
"You think knowing will heal you, uh? Fill some craters
in your soul.” [Peacock to Panda, Kung Fu Panda 2 cont]
743. Crater
A cavity or hole in any surface
"And have some opportunities for yourself. I'm sure
you'd love to be free, maybe go out and meet some
Latin guy that can dance, grind up on you, make you
feel dangerous but also safe.” [Jeremy consulting on
marriage, Wedding Crashers (2005)]
"Instead the things that make the difference between
a life that’s worth living and a daily grind that drags
them down.” [Austerity Faces Sharper Debate After
European Elections, NYT]
"Tectonic plates that inexorably grind against each
other..” [Google]
744. Grind
 v. rub or cause to rub together gratingly; mill,
sharpen, crush, whet, pound
 n. hard dull work
"I'm tired, okay? My feet hurt. My voice is hoarse.”
[John no more interested on wedding, Wedding Crashers
cont]
745. Hoarse /hôrs/
Sounding rough and harsh, typically as the result of a
sore throat or of shouting
“As Gil sulks one night at a quiet crossroads, an
antique roadster comes rattling by, and he is swept off
to a soirée by none other than Scott and Zelda
Fitzgerald.” [NYT review cont]
"Well, at the Buckner nuptials you were sitting and
sulking in the corner.” [Jeremy, Wedding Crashers cont]
746. Sulk
Be silent, morose, and bad-tempered out of
annoyance or disappointment; pout
188
 Normal Word List
"He says he believes in art, but all I've seen him do is
dribble his own blood on a canvas and smear it
around with a stick!” [Cleary about his son, Wedding
Crashers cont]
747. Dribble
Drip: flowing in drops; the formation and falling of
drops of liquid; trickle, drop also n
748. Smear
Stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance;
daub, soil, sully
"Half of these people are here because of my dad.
They're all just, you know, suckling at the power teat.”
[Claire, Wedding Crashers cont]
749. Teat
Nipple: the small projection of a mammary gland
"One out of four Americans believes that Jesus will
return to Earth in their lifetime. See, that's religion.
Ego. Masquerading as humility.” [But I'm not wrong, Bill
Maher]
"His masquerade ended when he was arrested..”
[Google]
750. Masquerade /ˌmaskəˈrād/
Mask, disguise, a false show or pretense
"I've got to frisk you, so turn around. On your knees,
facing me.” [Captain, The Godfather cont]
751. Frisk
Search as for concealed weapons by running the
hands rapidly over the clothing and through the
pockets
"I guess I'm getting too old for my job. Too grouchy..”
[Captain, The Godfather cont]
752. Grouchy
Irritable and bad-tempered; grumpy; complaining;
crabbed; sulky; grumpy
"You think I'm skimming off the top?” [Retort when
Michael offers to buy out Casino, The Godfather cont]
753. skim off
Remove from the surface; pick the best
"Things have been so Ionely since my wife, Debbie,
passed on. It's like my heart is a tooth, and it's got a
cavity that can only be filled with children.” [Despicable
Me]
754. Cavity
Hollow, hole, socket, pit, cave, cavern; a decayed
part of a tooth
"By the authority of his Majesty's government vested
in me, I declare them united man and wife.” [Out of
Africa]
755. Vest
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Confer or bestow (power, authority, property, etc.)
on someone; give, invest, grant, robe
“We recognise that you are a plaintiff in one suit
involving Facebook and a witness in another.”
[Lawyer, The Social Network cont]
756. Plaintiff
A person who brings a case against another in a
court of law; complainant
“How much do you drink?
- I suppose at the upper end of "social." I'm poised to
give up.” [The Rum Diary, 2011]
757. Poise
Be ready to do something
“This is a schizoid society, Kemp. They got two
languages, two flags, two loyalties, two anthems. We
bring them stuff they never had.” [The Rum Diary
cont]
758. Schizoid
Relating to or characteristic of schizophrenia
“I just snuck out and unzipped.
- Well, that's very courageous of you.” [The Rum Diary
cont]
759. Snuck
Past participle of sneak; sneaked
“Two of the best scoops you ever had came out of my
brain.” [Moburg, The Rum Diary cont]
760. Scoop
A piece of news published by a newspaper or
broadcast by a television or radio station in advance
of its rivals
“Two of the best scoops you ever had came out of my
brain.” [Moburg, The Rum Diary cont]
761. Scoop
A piece of news published by a newspaper or
broadcast by a television or radio station in advance
of its rivals
“You want to suffer some voodoo?
- You twerp!” [Moburg & Editor, The Rum Diary cont]
762. Voodoo
A black religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and
the southern US, combining elements of Roman
Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and
religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit
possession
763. Twerp /twərp/
A silly or annoying person
“You're the earliest opportunity. You understand what
I'm saying, Kemp?
- I think I get the drift.” [The Rum Diary cont]
189
 Normal Word List
"He didn't understand much Greek, but he got her
drift.” [Google]
764. Drift
The general intention or meaning of an argument or
someone's remarks; v. float
“How long can this blizzard of shame go on?” [Kemp
about the show on Binocolar TV, The Rum Diary cont]
765. Blizzard
An overabundance; a deluge; snowstorm, ice storm
“Sometimes you just got to spew over the side and
keep rowing.Thousands trodden on before you wake
up for breakfast.” [Editor, The Rum Diary cont]
766. Spew
Eject or send out in large quantities, also
metaphorical; vomit
767. Tread
Crushed by being walked on p.p. trodden
“Not going glum on us, are you?” [Chenault, The Rum
Diary cont]
"They looked glum but later cheered up.” [Google]
768. Glum
Looking or feeling dejected; morose; gloomy, sullen,
somber, sombre, morose, sulky, saturnine, dismal,
cheerless, moody, surly
“Literally despoliation of a paradise. A thousand
people will be swept into the sea like garbage.”
[Kemp, The Rum Diary cont]
769. Despoliation
Spoil: the act of stripping and taking by force;
despoilment, spoliation, robbery, pillage, ravin,
plunde
Soften the effect of one's words
“Fed up and rueful, Harry Reid, the Senate majority
leader, made a startling admission on Thursday: he
should have reined in the filibuster rule last year,
when he had a chance.” [Not Too Late to Curb the
Filibuster, NYT]
773. Rein
Cause (a horse) to stop or slow down by pulling on
its reins; control, restrain, curb, bridle also n
“Armed with pads, pencils and cameras, they had two
hours to carry out their mission: making drawings of
service members wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. A
naval petty officer shuttled them through the wards
to patients who’d agreed to participate.” [Not Too
Late to Curb the Filibuster, NYT]
774. petty officer
A non-commissioned officer or equivalent in many
navies
775. Shuttle
Travel back and forth between two points
“As he spoke, he struggled to sit taller, cradling what
remained of his left leg in his arms — body language
that Mr. Juhasz captured in a diptych-like drawing
that shows the man on one side, looking intently at
the viewer, and his sons on the other, separated by the
bed railing and a jumble of medical equipment.”
[Portraits of War, NYT]

“I asked you to tidy up the booze, you couldn't even

sweep out a room.” [Kemp, The Rum Diary cont]
770. tidy up
Put (things or places) in order

“My witch doctor is a hermaphrodite.” [Moburg, The

Rum Diary cont] 776. Cradle
Hold gently and protectively; place (a telephone
771. Hermaphrodite receiver) in its cradle
n. having both male female reproductive organs;
androgyne Museums were once temples for the contemplation of
the profound. Today, he says, they offer pallid cultural
“This is no time to mince words: Her one-size-fits-all
smorgasbords: “While exposing us to objects of
austerity program has been a failure, pushing heavily
genuine importance, they nevertheless seem
indebted countries deeper into recession, making it
incapable of adequately linking these to the needs of
even harder for them to pay off their debts.”
our souls.” [Alain de Botton's 'Religion for Atheists',
[Germany, the Crisis and the G-8, NYT]
NYT]
As Taslima Nasreen, seldom one to mince words, said
777. Smorgasbord /ˈsmôrgəsˌbôrd/
recently on Twitter, “It looks like 34 years of fake/mild A wide range of something; a variety
communism was replaced by real Stalinism in West
Bengal.” [NYTimes]
772. mince words

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

190
 Normal Word List
“You don't need to come to a place like Lookout Point
and spout off cheeseball lines to be romantic.” [Jessica,
AP (1999)]
778. spout off
Brag or boast about someone or something
“Oh, thanks, Jim, that's great.
- That's really reassuring.” [Oz, AP cont]
779. Reassuring
Restoring confidence and relieving anxiety; soothing;
sedative
“- Sherman, what's goin' on?
Yeah, uh… Don't you think you fellas could try a little
tact?” [AP cont]
780. Tact
Adroitness and sensitivity in dealing with others or
with difficult issues; delicacy, finesse
“And this is a much more exotic magazine. Now, they
have decided to focus on the, uh, pubic region.” [Jim’s
dad, AP cont]
781. Pubic
Relating or near the pubis ; the area on and around
the genitals
“Jason Ross of the Marines, 28, an explosive ordnance
disposal technician who was wounded 15 months ago;
subsequent infections have left him a bilateral hip
amputee.” [NYT cont]
782. Ordnance
Mounted guns; artillery; cannon, cannonry
Commander West said. “The illustrators aren’t
showing them as monstrosities. They’re showing them
as people — different from the rest of society, but it’s
still a body and there’s still a person there.” [NYT cont]
783. Monstrosity
Something hideous or frightful; freak
God, it's like just because I don't get drunk and barf
every weekend that people say, "Oh, look. There's this
Goody Two-Shoes choirgirl priss." [Heather, AP cont]
784. Barf
Vomit; regurgitate
“Hal becomes king, he has to take on the
responsibilities of leadership and turn his back on his
old, drunken friend, Falstaff. Hal is going through a
rite of passage, much like you all are.” [Teacher
lecturing, AP cont]
785. rite of passage
A significant event in a transitional period of
someone's life
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“I saw you making fun of me with your lacrosse
buddies." [Heather, AP cont]
786. Lacrosse
A game invented by American Indians; now played
by two teams who use long-handled rackets to catch
and carry and throw the ball toward the opponents'
goal
“See, Coach, he was givin' us this speech about not
slacking off when you see the opportunity to score."
[Oz, AP cont]
787. slack off
Decrease in activity or intensity
“This may sound a little corny, but I feel like I've
already won." [Oz, AP cont]
788. Corny
Trite, banal, or mawkishly sentimental; hackneyed
“Now, I have two rubbers. Wear them both. It'll
desensitize you." [Michelle, AP cont]
789. Desensitize
Make less sensitive
“The fact that ''American Pie'' happens to have more
than twice as many gross-out jokes as its forerunner
doesn't mean that this studiously raunchy movie,
directed by Paul Weitz from a screenplay by Adam
Herz, is twice as funny." [AP Review, NYT]
790. Raunchy
Earthy, vulgar, and often sexually explicit
“The dumbest and horniest is Jim (Jason Biggs), a
compulsive onanist who resembles a younger, more
addlebrained Adam Sandler with a roll of baby fat."
[NYT cont]
791. Addlebrained /ˈadlˌbrānd/
Stupid and confused
“The jock of the group is Oz (Chris Klein), a handsome
lumbering star of the high school lacrosse team who
shambles around with a big grin and is in dire need of
tutoring in the techniques of seduction." [NYT cont]
792. Shamble
Move with a slow, shuffling, awkward gait
She said. “But my husband is the Midwest meat-and-
potatoes man. Coming home to vegetable-stuffed
green peppers doesn’t turn him on as much as a steak
and baked potato would.” [The Challenge of Going
Vegan, NYT]
793. Steak
Move with a slow, shuffl
794. Baked
A thick slice of such beef or other high-quality meat
or fish ex. a salmon steak
191
 Normal Word List
“Dynamic verbs are the classic action words. They turn
the subject of a sentence into a doer in some sort of
drama. But there are dynamic verbs — and then there
are dynamos. Verbs like has, does, goes, gets and puts
are all dynamic, but they don’t let us envision the
action. The dynamos, by contrast, give us an instant
picture of a specific movement. Why have a character
go when he could gambol, shamble, lumber, lurch,
sway, swagger or sashay?” [Make-or-Break Verbs,
NYT]
“…the gamboling lambs in the meadows." [Google]
795. Gambol
Run or jump about playfully also n
“The boat gave a violent lurch, and he missed his
footing.
The car lurched forward.
Stuart lurched to his feet.
He was lurching from one crisis to the next." [Google]
796. Lurch
Make an abrupt, unsteady, uncontrolled movement
or series of movements; stagger
“He swaggered along the corridor." [Google]
797. Swagger
Strut: a proud stiff pompous gait
“Louise was sashaying along in a long black satin
dress." [Google]
“…after cautious sashays into the field." [Word Web]
798. Sashay
Walk in an ostentatious yet casual manner, typically
with exaggerated movements of the hips and
shoulders; excursion: a journey taken for pleasure
“Sportswriters and announcers must be masters of
dynamic verbs, because they endlessly describe the
same thing while trying to keep their readers and
listeners riveted." [NYT cont]
799. Rivet /ˈrivit/
Attract and completely engross; Join or fasten with
rivets adj. riveting
“A duck stands up, shakes out its feathers and peers
above the still grass at the edge of the water. The skin
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
of the lake twitches suddenly and a fish springs loose
into the air, drops back down with a flat splash.
Ripples move across the surface like radio waves. The
sun hoists itself up and gets busy, laying a sparkling
rug across the water, burning the beads of dew off the
reeds, baking the tops of our mothers’ heads." [NYT
cont]
“He has incurred much criticism from his academic
peers." [Google]
800. Peer
 v. Look keenly or with difficulty at someone or
something; peep
 n. a person of the same age, status, or ability as
another specified person; ord, nobleman, noble,
equal
“High overhead great cranes hoisted girders."
[Google]
801. Hoist
Raise (something) by means of ropes and pulleys;
raise or haul up
“Milton Friedman may have opposed fiscal activism,
but he very much supported monetary activism to
fight deep economic slumps, to an extent that would
have put him well to the left of center in many current
debates." [NYT cont]
“She slumped against the cushions." [Google]
802. Slump
Fall, sink; decline
“This put a dent in their international success, but they
returned to the charts in 1988, with the album Starfish
and the US Top 40 hit "Under the Milky Way".
Subsequent commercial success proved elusive,
however, and the band weathered several line-up
changes in the early 1990s." [The Church Band,
Wikipedia]
“This neither deterred him nor dented his
enthusiasm." [Google]
“I'd like to put a dent in his head.” [Donnie, Donnie
Brasco]
803. Dent
A diminishing effect; a reduction; an impression in a
surface (as made by a blow)
She insisted that the fiscal pact negotiated with Mr.
Sarkozy and endorsed by 25 European Union member
states was “not negotiable.” [Austerity Faces Sharper
Debate After European Elections, NYT]
804. Pact
A formal agreement between individuals or parties;
treaty; contract; convention
192
 Normal Word List
“The nub of the ideological and fiscal contest lay in the
Continent’s traditional driving axis between Berlin and
Paris, with Mr. Hollande promising to rewrite the
austerity-driven pact struck between Mr. Sarkozy and
Ms. Merkel." [NYT cont]
“The nub of the problem lies elsewhere." [Google]
805. Nub
The crux or central point of a matter; kernel; lump;
essence
“Mr. Sarkozy was celebrated across the country a few
weeks ago on a national holiday to mark the
anniversary of the day that French military planes
swooped down to stop a column of Qaddafi tanks
from marching into the rebel stronghold of Benghazi,
where many of the country’s current interim leaders
had huddled together in fear of an impending
massacre." [NYT cont]
“The eagle swooped down upon the lamb." [Google]
806. swoop down (up)on someone or something
Dive or plunge downward on someone or something
“She has certain pet peeves about fashion blogging."
[Kim France, Starting Over at 48, NYT]
“His pet peeve is not having answers for questions
from players." [Google]
807. pet peeves
A minor annoyance that an individual identifies as
particularly annoying to a person, to a greater degree
than others may find it
“There are a lot of people out there looking for any
excuse not to exercise,” said William Haskell, emeritus
professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention
Research Center. [Kim France, Starting Over at 48,
NYT]
808. Emeritus
(of the former holder of an office, esp. a college
professor) Having retired but allowed to retain their
title as an honor
“We must realise that capitalism, communism or, for
that matter, any other -ism has failed to deliver the
goods. India does not have to hanker after sterile
philosophies.” [DS]
809. Sterile /ˈsterəl/
Incapable of reproducing; barren, infertile,
unproductive, aseptic, sterilized
“Project Prevention, a charity, pays women with drug
or alcohol addictions $300 cash to get sterilized or
undertake long-term contraception? Some 4,100
women have accepted this offer." [Kim France,
Starting Over at 48, NYT]
810. Sterilize
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Make infertile
811. Contraception
The use of a device or procedure to prevent
conception as a result of sexual activity
“I can never remember when and from where the
elements come together in my head. I trust synergy
and change.” [Like Mona Lisa, Ever So Veiled, NYT]
812. Synergy
Two or more agents working together to produce a
result not obtainable by any of the agents
independently
“Most of the fairy tales that have become fixtures of
modern popular culture — including those, like “Snow
White,” published by the Brothers Grimm in the early
19th century — emerged from the dark, violent folk
landscape of early modern Europe.” [The Darker Side
of the Story, NYT]
813. Fixture
A person or thing that is established in a particular
place or situation
“I’m not sure this counts as a spoiler of anything other
than Universal’s sleek and seductive marketing
campaign — which has properly emphasized crows,
swords and Charlize Theron’s hair — but there are
actually some dwarfs in the new movie “Snow White
and the Huntsman.” The small fellows who befriend
the exiled princess here are nothing like the grumpy,
sneezy, dopey guys you remember from the Disney
version.” [Snow white and the huntsman review cont]
814. Sleek
Smooth, slick, glossy, polished
815. Sneeze
Make a sudden involuntary expulsion of air from the
nose and mouth due to irritation of one's nostrils
816. Dopey
Anserine: having or revealing stupidity
“All articles that coruscate with resplendence are not
truly auriferous.” [Ref Dic]
“His playing coruscated throughout the concert hall.”
[Google]
817. Coruscating /ˈkôrəˌskātiNG/
Sparkling; be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity
“Evolution is not the ultra-fine teleological shaping
tool people often mistake it to be.
Editor doesn't seem to understand the danger of
teleological argumentation.
His approach, on the other hand, is entirely
teleological.” [Ref Dic]
818. Teleology
193
 Normal Word List
Teleology is any philosophical account which holds
that final causes exist in nature, meaning that design
and purpose analogous to that found in human
actions are inherent also in the rest of nature
“You have a glazed look in your eye. Stunned.
Stupefied. Anesthetized. Lobotomized.” [Zelda
Fitzgerald, Midnight in Paris]
819. Lobotomize
Reduce the mental or emotional capacity or ability to
function of; perform lobotomy: surgical interruption
of nerve tracts to and from the frontal lobe of the
brain; often results in marked cognitive and
personality changes
820. Monocoque
An aircraft or vehicle structure in which the chassis is
integral with the body
“Out of the fire that burns inside me,
A phoenix is rising.
If you don't feel that you can love me,
I won't shoot you down.” [Call the Shot – Girls Aloud]
821. Phoenix
 A person or thing regarded as uniquely
remarkable in some respect
 (in classical mythology) A unique bird that lived
for five or six centuries in the Arabian desert,
after this time burning itself on a funeral pyre
and rising from the ashes with renewed youth to
live through another cycle
“The artists were attacked for being a narcissistic,
pavonine, and self-regarding group.” [The
Independent (London, UK)]
822. Pavonine /ˈpavəˌnīn/
Resembling a peacock or the colours, design, or
iridescence of a peacock's tail
“And they all have decreased activity in the right
parietal lobe of the brain.” [Ref Dic]
823. Parietal
Bones that form part of the top and sides of the
skull; মধ্যকপাল
“The inflection with which a statement is conveyed is
frequently more important to the listener in
determining the intended meaning.” [Princeton
Review]
824. Inflection
Modulation: a manner of speaking in which the
loudness or pitch or tone of the voice is modified
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
"The citizen was not able to stave the mugger off. The
army staved off the attackers for three hours without
letup." [DSFreeDic]
“Although most medical, preventative ointments
commonly in use would have staved off an infection,
the particular one Helen applied to her sores actually,
much to her dismay, contributed to her affliction.”
[Princeton Review]
“What compromises, what deals, what betrayals of its
secret nature must it make to stave off the wrecking
crew, the exterminating angel, the guillotine?” [Satanic
Verses]
“In the late nineteenth century, the invention of the
tractor staved off a Malthusian disaster.” [Princeton
Review]
825. stave off
Debar: prevent the occurrence of; to keep or hold
off; repel
826. Ointment
A smooth oily preparation that is rubbed on the skin
for medicinal purposes or as a cosmetic; unguent,
salve, liniment, unction, grease
“Interestingly, in the late twentieth century the
discovery of genetic engineering, which provides a
means of increasing rice and maize production, met
with equal resistance, this time from the
environmental movement.” [Princeton Review]
827. Maize
Corn: tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on
large ears; ভুট্টা
“The maladaptive behavior of isolated children was
difficult to change.” [Princeton Review]
828. Maladaptive
Unsuitably adapted or adapting poorly to (a situation,
purpose, etc)
“Indeed, without this mundane structure (telemere),
every cell division would be a step into senescence,
and the onset of old age would begin at birth.”
[Princeton Review]
829. Senescence /səˈnesəns/
Grow old or older; senility adj. senesce
“The gallery has no phone, but your hotel concierge
will know how to find it.” [Ref Dic + Lec44.14]
830. Concierge /kôNˈsyerZH/
(esp. in France) A caretaker of an apartment complex
or a small hotel, typically one living on the premises;
doorkeeper, doorman, gatekeeper
“William Shakespeare’s Macbeth was based upon a
highly embellished/colored version of events that the
playwright wrought from Raphael Holinshed’s
194
 Normal Word List
Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland; King
Duncan’s death at the hand of Macbeth comprises the
play’s only historical truth.” [Princeton + Lec44.15]
831. Wrought
(of metals) Beaten out or shaped by hammering
“His father was an agronomist and the family had a
farm.” [Ref Dic + Lec44.14]
832. Agronomist
An expert in soil management and field-crop
production
“Yet the treatments that are available-- pneumatic
pumps, injections, surgical implants--are far from
satisfactory.” [Ref Dic + Lec44.14]
“She's the one with the pneumatic lips and breasts?
Lee and his pneumatic wife just arrived to the party.”
[Google]
833. Pneumatic
Air-powered, air-driven; large as if inflated; having
large breasts
“The first snows of winter lay thick and flocculent.”
[Google + Lec44.16]
834. Flocculent
Having a fluffy character or appearance; shaggy;
hairy
“Music education in America emerged in the early
eighteenth century out of a desire to ensure that
church goers could sing the weekly hymns in tune.”
[Princeton Review]
“The ancients sang a Hellenistic hymn to Apollo.”
[Google]
835. Hymn /him/
A religious song or poem, typically of praise to God or
a god; anthem, canticle, psalm, chant
“In the same year that Tufts’s publication emerged,
Reverend Thomas Walter published The Ground Rules
of Music Explained, which, while also focusing on
preparing students to sing religious music, took a
note-based approach by teaching students the
rudiments of note reading from the onset.” [Princeton
Review]
“Amazingly, the bogus injection relieved the soldier's
agony and prevented the onset of shock.” [Google]
836. Onset
 (in phonetics and phonology) a syllable onset is
the part of a syllable that precedes the syllable
nucleus
 Beginning; inception; commencement
 A military attack; assault; outslaught
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Though many medieval women possessed devotional
books that had belonged to their mothers, formal
written evidence of women bequeathing books to their
daughters is scarce, which suggests that such
bequests were customary and required no
documentation.” [Lec44.22]
837. Customary
Usual; habitual; ordinary; accustomed
“Stay attune to the weather conditions as your
seedlings emerge.” [Ref Dic + Lec43.16]
838. Attune
Adjust or accustom (a person or thing); acclimatize;
tune (a musical instrument)
“..an avant-garde writer who subverts novelistic
conventions.” [Lec43.20]
839. Subvert
Overthrow, overturn, demolish, undermine, n.
subversion
“…a seamstress who makes a ball gown using several
different types of fabric.” [Lec43.20]
840. Seamstress
Dressmaker, needlewoman, sempstress, sewer
“Relying on college kids to win a race normally
controlled by geriatrics was thought to be tactical
folly.” [Lec43.20]
841. Folly
Foolish or senseless behavior; silliness, foolery,
nonsense
“You know what "fine" stands for, don't you? Freaked
out, Insecure, Neurotic, Emotional.” [The Italian Job
(2003)]
842. Neurotic
Abnormally sensitive, obsessive, or tense and
anxious; affected with emotional disorder also n
“You have gone to Venice, with your parole officer's
approval, of course.” [The Italian Job (2003)]
843. Parole Officer
Parole officers and probation officers play a role in
criminal justice systems by supervising offenders who
have been released from incarceration and, often, in
recommending sentencing in courts of law
844. Parole
Release a criminal from detention and place him on
parole
"Money. It's a gas.
Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.”
[Backgorund Music, The Italian Job (2003)]
"She has a secret stash. She sends me stuff every
month.” [Astrid & Walter, Fringe S02E15]
195
 Normal Word List
845. Stash would still rejoice.” [Princess, Roman Holiday cont]
A secret store of something
852. Sod
"New car, caviar, four-star daydream... The surface of the ground, with the grass growing on
it
Things will come and things will go.” [Backgorund
Music, The Italian Job cont] "You're well-read, well-dressed and snoozing away on
846. Caviar a public street.” [Joe to Princess, Roman Holiday cont]
The pickled roe of sturgeon or other large fish, eaten 853. Snooze
as a delicacy Sleep lightly or for a short period of time also n
"Sorry... Couldn't pin the corsage on my prom date "You might discover little news events little items of
either.” [To Stella to pin American Flag, The Italian Job general interest that might prevent you in the future
cont] from getting immersed.” [Editor to Joe, Roman Holiday
cont]
“I want you to immerse yourself into this paper,
because you got the talent and I think you got the
will.” [Editor, The Rum Diary]
854. Immerse
Dip, submerge, plunge, sink, dive, steep
847. Corsage
"l am going to win that money and buy a one-way
Bouquet: an arrangement of flowers that is usually
given as a present ticket back to New York.
- Go on. I love to hear you whine.” [Joe & Editor, Roman
"Okay, I heard a rumor about a heist in Venice; 35 Holiday cont]
million in bricks, with an imprint of a Balinese dancer
“You were like this rooster prick. What the hell is a
on them.” [Gold Middleman, The Italian Job cont]
rooster prick? You were like a boy whining because all
848. Heist /hīst/
the attention wasn't focused on him.” [Celine, Before
Robbery, burglary also v: rob; bruglarize
Sunrise (1995)]
"He's flying the coop. His security guard called for a 855. Whine
private helicopter at 4:00 PM.” [The Napster, The Italian Make a long, high-pitched complaining cry or sound
Job]
856. Rooster
"I couldn't stand the party, so I flew the coop. The Cock, an adult male chicken
prisoner flew the coop at the first opportunity.” [Free
"And when I'm back in a real newsroom, I'll enjoy
Dic]
thinking about you sitting here with an empty leash in
849. fly the coop
Escape; to get out or get away (alludes to a chicken your hands and nobody to twitch for you.” [Joe to
escaping from a chicken coop) Editor, Roman Holiday cont]
857. Twitch
"Please put on your slippers and come away from the Move or pull with a sudden motion
window.” [The Servant to Princess Ann, Roman Holiday
(1953)] "The princess goes slumming.” [Irving, Roman Holiday
cont]
850. Slipper
A comfortable slip-on shoe that is worn indoors "Rich tourists are slumming among the quaintly
dangerous natives.” [Google]
"I'm too tired to sleep. I shan't sleep a wink.” [Princess
Ann, Roman Holiday cont] 858. Slum
Spend time at a lower socio-economic level than
"He smiled, winked and nodded, giving his seal.” one's own, motivated by curiosity or desire for
[Google] adventure
851. Wink "At midnight l'll turn into a pumpkin and drive away in
Blink eye, twinkle also n
my glass slipper.” [Princess, Roman Holiday cont]
"If I were dead and buried
and I heard your voice
beneath the sod
my heart of dust

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

196
 Normal Word List
859. Pumpkin
Usually large pulpy deep-yellow round fruit of the
squash family maturing in late summer or early
autumn; কুমড়া
"Since then, it's become sort of a shrine. People come,
and whenever their wishes are granted they put up
another one of these little plaques.” [Irving, Roman
Holiday cont]
860. Plaque
Brass: a memorial made of brass
"I was indisposed. I am better.” [Princess, Roman
Holiday cont]
861. Indisposed
Ailing; unwell
"It is difficult to pinpoint the source of his life's
inspiration.” [Google]
862. Pinpoint
v. find or locate exactly; adj. absolutely precise; n. a
tiny dot or point
“If there is something that appears to lie beyond the
natural world as it is now imperfectly understood, we
hope eventually to understand it and embrace it
within the natural. As ever when we unweave a
rainbow, it will not become less wonderful.” [GD cont]
863. Unweave
Undo strands that have been woven together
“Her stories are woven through with a wide range of
complex themes, such as the importance of naming,
the nature of identity, and courage in the face of the
self, which draw from such eclectic sources as the
work of Carl Jung and the Tao Te Ching.” [McGrawHill’s
GRE]
864. Weave
Creating fabric
“.. a picayune amount. I didn't want to seem picayune
by criticizing.” [McGrawHill’s GRE]
865. Picayune /ˌpikiˈyo͞on/
Petty; worthless; paltry, trifling, piddling
“Made of metal, this mechanism is approximately the
size of a shoebox. It was found in 1901 by divers
working off the isle of Antikythera. Uncertain of the
mechanism’s function, the divers named it after the
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
island near which it was found. At the time, the
Antikythera was in terrible shape from being
underwater for solong. Its pieces had merged into a
broken mass and all experts could deduce was that it
had something to do with astronomy. Recently, thanks
to a combination ofadvanced imaging methods and x-
ray computer tomography, scientists have been able
to re-create the possible design of the apparatus.”
[ETS]
866. Tomography
Imaging: (medicine) obtaining pictures of the interior
of the body
“I am convinced African dogs could clobber their
American counterparts. The relationship between a
typical African and his dog is one of tangible
mutualism.” [McGrawHill’s GRE]
867. Clobber
Defeat heavily; beat; strike heavily; thrash
“Some inventors fizzle out because they don’t succeed
as hoped.” [Lec11]
“It's not so bad if tonight is our only night, right?
People exchange numbers, addresses. They end up
writing once, calling each other once or twice.
- Right. Fizzles out.” [Before Sunrise]
868. fizzle out
End in a disappointing way
“In spite of its popularity, The Merchant of Venice
remains a controversial play, with many critics
debating the extent of Shakespeare's anti-Semitism.”
[Kaplan]
869. anti-Semitism
Hostility to or prejudice against Jews
“Although thomas paine was famous for his political
pamphlets, he was in fact a prolific writer on many
different subjects.” [Lec13]
870. Pamphlet
Tract: a brief treatise on a subject of interest;
published in the form of a booklet
“Though the poet’s work was praised highly by critics,
sales of his anthologies were scanty.” [Lec13]
871. Anthology
A published collection of poems or other pieces of
writing
“No matter how mercilessly a Sci-Fi movie is panned
by the critics, Charles will always attend opening
night; so unflinching is his devotion to the genre.”
[magoosh]
872. Pan
197
 Normal Word List
Criticize harshly
“Streets filled with rubble and detritus.”
[Google+Lec13]
873. Detritus
Debris
“There was bedlam in the courtroom.” [Google+Lec13]
874. Bedlam
Chaos: a state of extreme confusion and disorder;
pandemonium; pejorative terms for an insane asylum
“Despite a long career at famous establishments, the
noted croupier chose instead to join the new casino.”
[Lec13]
875. Croupier /ˈkro͞opēˌā/
The person in charge of a gaming table, gathering in
and paying out money or tokens
“The poor prospects for the steel industry”
[Google+Lec13]
876. Prospect
The possibility of future success
“He sat on the carpet contemplating his image in the
mirrors.” [Google+Lec14]
877. Contemplate
Look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
“The author’s use of the term “seized upon” evokes an
image of collusive behavior on the part of the
enterpreneurs.” [Lec14]
878. Collusive
Acting together in secret toward a fraudulent or
illegal end
“She reached the crest of the hill.” [Google]
879. Crest
The top line of a hill, mountain, or wave
“Rosa's parents emigrated from Argentina.”
[Google+Lec14]
880. Emigrate
Leave one's own country in order to settle
permanently in another; migrate, immigrate
“He created a language of body signals, and his
repertoire included the famously stiff elocution and
walk.” [Ref Dic+Lec]
881. Repertoire
A collection of works (plays, songs, operas, ballets)
that an artist or company can perform and do
perform for short intervals on a regular schedule;
repertory
“On religious matters between the founder of the
friends and the great Puritan there was a deep
division.” [your Dic+McGrawHill]
882. Puritan
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
Strict and austere in conduct and religion; prude: a
person excessively concerned about propriety and
decorum adj: puritanical, puritanic
“She holds her skirt with her hand as she dances, with
stately precision, after the manner of the grandes
dames.” [your Dic]
883. Dame
An elderly or mature woman; (in the UK) the title
given to a woman equivalent to the rank of knight
“Children are constrained to work in the way the book
dictates.” [Google]
884. Constrain
Stiffen: restrict; force, compel, coerce
“Panegyric of love, and many have done so. A speech
praising a new political theory is an example of a
panegyric.” [YourDic+Lec]
885. Panegyrical /ˌpanəˈjirik/
Formally expressing praise
“Despite a long career at famous establishments, the
noted croupier chose instead to join the new casino,
where he felt he was properly appreciated for his
professional mien/demeanor and efficiency at the
table.” [Lec13]
886. Mien /mēn/
Bearing: dignified manner or conduct; look, aspect,
appearance, countenance, air, face
“The coal miner's son aspired to a white-collar
occupation as a bookkeeper.” [FreeDic]
887. white-collar
adj. relating to workers whose work usually does not
involve manual labor and who are often expected to
dress with a degree of formality
“It becomes so hot that the lizards retreat into the
shade.” [your Dic]
“Sunset is the idyllic seaside retreat for touring, you
are close to all amenities.” [Google]
888. Retreat /riˈtrēt/
Retrograde: move back; withdraw: pull back or move
away or backward; recede, fall back, draw back also
n
“The ghost's appearance was an ill omen.
A rise in imports might be an omen of recovery.
The raven seemed a bird of evil omen.” [Google]
889. Omen
A phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future,
often signifying the advent of change; portend;
presage; augury; prognostication
198
 Normal Word List
"From this morose conversation, it is clear that 899. Meliorate
Tolstoy’s characters are probably not going to be Improve, ameliorate, better, mend
bland or blithe." [Lec31] 900. Solipsism /ˈsälipˌsizəm/
Philosophical idea that only one's own mind is sure to
“The person spoke with blithe ignorance of the true exist. It is an epistemological or ontological position
situation.” [Google] that knowledge of anything outside one's own specific
890. Blithe /blīT͟H/ mind is unjustified
Carefree and happy and lighthearted; merry,
cheerful, jocund, mirthful, gleeful, hilarious, jaunty "Her reputation was macluated after the affair with a
married man." [Google]
891. Depilation
901. Maculate
Hairlessness; the act of removing hair
Foul: spot, stain, or pollute
“The radiance of the sunset dwindled and died.
"The American civil war began after the Confederate
… the radiance of her countenance.” [Google] States of America seceded from the Union." [Lec22.17]
892. Radiance 902. Secede /siˈsēd/
The quality of being bright and sending out rays of Seperate
light; an attractive combination of good health and
happiness "Foods indispensable to good nutrition..." [Google]
“The geological record is littered with plant and 903. Indispensable
Absolutely necessary; pivotal
animals species falling extinct under the pressures of
climatic and geographical changes.” [Lec17] "There are actually more fatalities each year from
“News pages have been littered with doom and gloom lightning strikes than from Shark attacks." [Lec22.19]
about company collapses.” [Google] 904. Fatality
A death resulting from an accident or a disaster;
893. Litter
doom; fate
Fill (a text, history, etc.) with examples of something
unpleasant; refuse, rubbish, trash, garbage, "Spectacular mountain scenery... the party suffered a
stretcher spectacular loss in the election " [Google]
W.C Handy's self-conferred sobriquet "The father of 905. Spectacular
the blues" is widely disputed/contestd. [Lec19] Outstanding; dramatic
894. Sobriquet "Buried thousands of years ago inside various
Nickname, cognomen, surname sediments, recently discovered fossils are time
"Modern entomologists are primarily engaged in the capsules." [Lec25.4]
research of insects that provide a direct benefit, or 906. Sediment
cause direct harm, to human interests." [Lec19] Matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid; dregs
895. Entomology পলি, তলানি
The branch of zoology that studies insects;
insectology
"I don't understand why you had to dredge up this
story." [Google]
"Although cellophane is not immediately thought of
"Sand replenishment project involves dredging up 2
as a paper product, it is, in fact, just that." [Lec22]
million cubic yards of sand from the ocean bottom at a
896. Cellophane
cost $25 million." [Lec25.4]
A thin transparent wrapping material made from
viscose

"Cornell put up a plucky game, strong at all times in

team work." [Ref Dic+Lec22]
897. Plucky
Brave, courageous, bold, gallant, valiant

"The literary critic arrived at the pat judgement that

no satisfactory satisfactory definition of tragedy has
been offered to date." [Lec22]
898. Pat
Opportune, suitable, appropriate, proper
907. Dredge
Bring up or clear (something) from a river, harbor, or
other area of water with a dredge

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

199
 Normal Word List
"Beavers construct dams and birds build nests."
[Lec26]
908. Beaver /ˈbēvər/
A large semiaquatic broad-tailed rodent that is native
to North America and northern Eurasia. It is noted for
its habit of gnawing through tree trunks to fell the
trees in order to feed on the bark and build dams
"In case of earthquake seek the cover of a sturdy
table, and hold on." [Lec28]
"He had a sturdy, muscular physique." [Google]
909. Sturdy
Strong, robust, firm, stout, stalwart, lusty, tough,
solid, vigorous
"The Kirtland’s warbler is a plump, yellow-breasted
bird that can be found nesting almost exclusively in
the upper half of Michigan’s Lower Penisula." [Lec28]
910. Warbler
A small active songbird
911. Plump
Chubby, fat, corpulent, round, stout
"… a disease of unknown etiology." [Google]
"One such etiological myth originated from
Cherokee." [Lec29]
912. Etiology
The study of causation, or origination
“bowls in assorted colors. a great assortment of cars
was on display. an arrangement of assorted spring
flower.." [Google+Lec31]
913. Assorted
Of many different kinds; mixed, miscellaneous
“Some local groups united to form confederate
councils. confederate army.." [Google+Lec31]
914. Confederate
Allied: united in a confederacy or league; federate
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“People were unprepared for the ferocity of the
blizzard of 1888." [Google+Lec31]
915. Blizzard
A severe snowstorm with high winds and low visibility
“Mackenize King often used séances to contact to his
dead pet dog for advice." [Google+Lec32]
916. Séance
A meeting of spiritualists
“His face lit up with impish glee." [Google+Lec32]
917. Glee
Mirth, joy, gaiety, rejoicing, merriment; gloat:
malicious satisfaction adj. gleeful: elated
“There's a bonny bay beyond." [Google+Lec40]
918. Bonny
Pretty, nice, handsome, good-looking, lovely,
beautiful
“Farmers most affected by the drought, hope that
there may yet be sufficient rain early in the growing
season.
When England defeated Pakistan it ended a ten-year
drought." [Google+Lec40]
919. Drought
Aridity, dryness, dry; a prolonged shortage adj.
droughty
“Earlier Buddhist art was largely aniconic." [Lec40]
920. Aniconic
Of or pertaining to representations without human or
animal form
“This creature’s brain volume was between that of the
higher primates and that of current humans." [Lec40]
921. Primate
An animal order including lemurs and tarsiers and
monkeys and apes and human beings
“Use short, succinct sentences.." [Google]
922. Succinct
Concise, terse, brief, laconic, compendious; curt;
pithy
923. Mephitic
Foul-smelling; noxious; noisome
“A child in a bed nearby began to whimper." [Google]
924. Whimper
Make weak, crying noises; whine, pule, snivel, wail
“The snoopy neighbor watched us all day." [Word
Web]
925. Snoopy
Nosy: offensively curious or inquisitive v. snoop: spy:
watch, observe, or inquire secretly
“Gently but firmly the police again interposed and
demanded explanations." [your Dic]
200
 Normal Word List
926. Interpose
Intervene, interfere, insert, interject, interpolate
“.. piteous appeals for help"; "pitiable homeless
children"; "a pitiful fate.." [Google]
927. Piteous /ˈpitēəs/
Pitiable, pitiful, pathetic, miserable, wretched
“The plaster started to crumble." [Google]
“Thunder rumbling
Castles crumbling
I'm wide awake
I am trying to hold on." [Wide Awake]
928. Crumble
Decay; fall apart; disintegrate
“… a plowed field slanted up to the skyline.. slanted
news coverage." [Google]
929. Slanted
Inclined, oblique, sloping, slanting; biased
“The shortcomings of Mr. Brooke’s analysis are offset
by his clarity in explaining financial complexity and the
sheer importance of his text." [BTest]
930. Offset
Cancel; make up for
“The shortcomings of Mr. Brooke’s analysis are offset
by his clarity in explaining financial complexity and the
sheer importance of his text." [Barrons, p70]
931. Contrary
Opposite; adverse n & adj. also n. contrariness:
stubborness
“a rugged competitive examination. the rugged
conditions of frontier life.." [Word Web+Barrons, p70]
“His mighty bulk towered rugged and mountain-like
into the zenith." [Letters from Earth]
932. Rugged
Sturdy and strong in constitution or construction;
rough; tough; coarse
"Normally an individual thunderstorm lasts about 45
minutes, but under certain conditions the storm may
endure/persist, becoming even more severe.” [Out of
Africa cont]
"If we're tested at all, it's for patience for doing
without for how well we can endure loneliness.” [Out
of Africa cont]
933. Endure
Suffer patiently, tolerate, last; sustain, undergo
“She is pouting because she didn't get what she
wanted." [Google]
934. Pout
Sulk; make a sad face and thrust out one's lower lip
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
“Heathen Valley, ''the valley that forgot God,'' is
hidden in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains
of North Carolina, far from anything that could be
confused with civilization." [NYT]
935. Heathen /ˈhēT͟Hən/
Pagan; not acknowledging the God of Christianity and
Judaism and Islam
“Technologies advance so rapidly that today's
meaningful examples can quickly become tomorrow's
historical curios." [your Dic+Barrons NEW GRE]
936. Curio
Something unusual -- perhaps worthy of collecting
“Winery is the main industry, and the province has its
wine vintage." [your Dic+Barrons NEW GRE]
937. Vintage
Of, relating to, or denoting wine of high quality; the
oldness of wines
“Just as insincerity is the mark of the hypocrite,
boastfulness is the mark of the braggart." [your
Dic+Barrons NEW GRE]
938. Braggart
Of, relating to, or denoting wine of
“Colleen suggests meg should see a doctor about her
memory lapses." [your Dic+Barrons NEW GRE]
939. Lapse
End, at least for a long time; expire; error; mistake
“The doughty warrior found a deep joy in battle."
[Google]
940. Doughty
Brave and persistent
“The newly discovered genus of arachnids is
distinguishd from its close relatives by its gossamer
silk." [KapTest]
941. Gossamer
Thin, slight, subtle, fine
“the frangible skull of an infant.." [Google+KapTest2]
942. Frangible
Fragile; brittle
“Ancient Greek Poetry captured reader’s interest with
a combination well-developed characters and intricate
story lines. … intricate lacework..." [Google+KapTest2]
943. Intricate
Having many complexly arranged elements;
elaborate; complicated; involved
“To be fair his podium talks were ok, if at times a little
wayward." [your Dic+KapTest2]
944. Wayward
Difficult to control or predict because of unusual or
perverse behavior; wilful, capricious, whimsical
201
 Normal Word List
“Her efforts will redound to the general good. His
latest diplomatic effort will redound to his credit. May
his sin redound upon his head!" [your Dic+KapTest2]
945. Redound
Have an effect for good or ill; contribute; help
“Loan fees can be amortized over the life of the
mortgage." [Google+KapTest2]
946. Amortize
Liquidate gradually; the reduction of the value of an
asset by prorating its cost over a period of years;
redeem
“the peripatetic nature of military life.."
[Google+KapTest2]
947. Peripatetic
Itinerant; traveller, wayfarer
“any plan that is made is liable to be disrupted by
supervening events." [Google+KapTest2]
948. Supervening
Occurring later; postliminary
“The car salesman had snared three potential
customers." [Google+ETS]
949. Snare
Trap; noose; pitfall
“Cementing a relationship, Monalisais back from New
York." [DS]
“The two firms are expected to cement an agreement
soon." [Google]
950. Cement
Settle or establish firmly
“Garcia Marquez, the Columbian writer and winner of
the 1982 Nobel Prize for Literature, is suffering from
dementia." [DS]
951. Dementia
Madness, senility, lunacy, insanity
“The state that catapulted Obama’s first campaign for
the presidency, dovetailed with the barrage of
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
criticism his campaign unleashed Monday against the
Romney-Ryan ticket." [NYT]
952. Dovetail
Fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail
“Dhaka district administration and Bangladesh Inland
Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) started
demarcation of the Buriganga and part of the Turag
and Balu rivers from Keraniganj in December last as
per cadastral survey (CS) records." [DS]
953. Cadastral
Showing the extent, value, and ownership of land,
esp. for taxation
“Ministers' comments on Prof Muhammad Yunus and
microcredit draw flak." [DS]
954. Flak
Fire: intense adverse criticism
“The Vatican does not advertise the dilemma of past
pontiffs, since the institution is sacred." [DS]
955. Pontiff /ˈpäntəf/
The Pope
"You helped yourself, Bell. You pilfered this world for
profit.” [Walter, Fringe S02E23]
"2 top passport men are involved in MRP pilferage.”
[DS]
956. Pilfer
To steal in small quantities, or articles of small value;
to practice petty theft
"We cannot accept this type of aggression and
attempt to sow discord. These irresponsible actions
yield no good and draw attention away from real
problems like the conflict in Syria, the fate of the
Palestinians and the lack of stability in the Middle
East.” [Egypt’s President Morsi, Anti-Islam film is a
distraction]
"When the thorn bush turns white that's when I'll
come home,
I am going out to see what I can sow.” [DS]
202
 Normal Word List
"He cleverly sowed doubts into the minds of his rivals.”
957. Sow
Disseminate; spread; seed, plant

"On “Kiss” Ms. Jepsen is a pop star without an agenda

or a mission, just a mandate.” [NYT]
958. Mandate
Assigned as authority

"The new albums are much fleeter than her older

material, and it resonates with a sweet, nervous
energy, but at root it’s much the same: Lonely girl
sings about evasive love.” [NYT]
959. Fleet
Fast and nimble in movement

"Ratko Mladic assumed the mantle of the criminal 964. Altar

goal of ethnically cleansing Bosnia," prosecutor
Dermot Groome told judges as the trial opened at the
Yugoslav war crimes court in The Hague. [AFP]
“The houses were covered with a thick mantle of
snow." [Google]
960. Mantle
Cloak; cover; coat
"Although the arid piety of cleric and mosque are
rejected in these poems for the pleasures of the
bedroom and tavern, they do not display a prurient
interest in sin but rather an exercise in freedom, where
even the most observant Muslim can adopt a critical
distance from the regulations of his faith." [NYT]
961. Cleric
A priest or religious leader in any religion
962. Tavern
Pub, inn, saloon, bar
"Katie has actually got a great personality and she
used to be spunky and feisty. She changed so much
when she was with Tom, she became downtrodden
and insipid.." [DS Ent]
963. Spunky
Courageous and determined; mettlesome; brave
"Mr. Romney genuflected at the altar of distant fund-
raising thrones in New York and Los Angeles." [NYT]
A raised structure on which gifts or sacrifices to a god
are made; shrine
"Of course, Hamas sputtered rejections and the
Iranians hyperbolically accused Romney of “kissing the
foot” of Israel — shrill criticisms easily dismissed in the
West." [NYT]
965. Sputter
Spit up in an explosive manner; splutter
"Like peas in a pod or twins in a crib, American foreign
policy and Israel’s desires move in tandem. Palestine
plays no role whatsoever in this cozy (cosy) equation."
[Romney, NYT]
966. Pod
The vessel that contains the seeds of a plant (not the
seeds themselves)
967. Crib
A young child's bed with barred or latticed sides; cot;
manger; cradle
968. Tandem
Bicycle-built-for-two: a bicycle with two sets of
pedals and two seats
"Palestinians were genuinely saddened, however, by
the fact that he deliberately chose to ignore us. There
was nary a word about our plight, our day-to-day
challenges, our rights and our future. We were here,
just meters away from his entourage, yet we were not
on his radar or on his agenda." [About Romney, NYT]
969. Entourage
Cortege: the group following and attending to some
important person; retinue; suite; surroundings

"Palestinians were genuinely saddened, however, by

the fact that he deliberately chose to ignore us. There
was nary a word about our plight, our day-to-day
challenges, our rights and our future. We were here,
just meters away from his entourage, yet we were not
on his radar or on his agenda." [About Romney, NYT]

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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970. Entourage
Cortege: the group following and a
“While the likes of Apple have captured our
imaginations with nifty products like the iPhone,
Microsoft has produced a long list of flops, from smart
wristwatches to the Zune music player to the Kin
phones.” [NYT cont]
“There she was in her little blue dresses and her nifty
sunglasses.” [Katie Holmes, Calculated Breakup, NYT]
971. Nifty
Smart; natty; neat
“Hundreds of city dwellers were left stranded on
streets yesterday after pro-hartal pickets vandalised
several buses forcing many of them to stay put in their
garage.” [DS]
972. Strand
Leave, ground, marroon
“Given the strength of Pakistan’s military, attempts to
pull off a putsch like the one Brigadier Khan was
accused of planning could well fail. But even a
botched coup could unleash devastating results: army
crackdowns, a state of emergency, terrorist attacks
and a suspension of civilian government.” [Another
threat in Pakistan, NYT]
973. Putsch
Coup d’etat
974. Botch
Bungle, carry out badly or carelessly
“AL, BNP only crave power.” [DS]
975. Crave
Desire intensely
“Kelvin believed that life had been designed, and he
investigated the age of the Earth in part to rebut
Darwin’s theory of natural selection.” [NYT]
976. Rebut
Refute, disprove, deny, repulse, repel
“Something's screwed up. My list says some kind of
sarcophagus.” [The Thomas Crown Affair]
977. Sarcophagus
Stone coffin (usually bearing sculpture or
inscriptions)
“Third Generation Company, you think they would
have shown more grit.” [The Thomas Crown Affair]
978. Grit
Courage and resolve, strength of character
“Hey, Bobby, I've been evicted from the Gallery. The
Impressionist Gallery, closed for cleaning.” [The
Thomas Crown Affair cont… ]
SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]
979. Evict
Oust, eject, expel, dislodge
“And they were wearing rappelling harnesses
underneath their clothes.” [The Thomas Crown Affair
cont… ]
980. Rappel
Lower oneself with a rope coiled around the body
from a mountainside; a descent made by rappeling
981. Harness
A support consisting of an arrangement of straps for
holding something to the body (especially one
supporting a person suspended from a parachute)
“Prince Charles has his strapping sons Will and Harry.”
[NYT, Op-Ed]
982. Strapping
Big and strong, sturdy, robust, hefty
“Unlike the system in the United States, courts in
Europe generally prohibit class-action lawsuits, do not
allow contingency fees for lawyers who win cases and
require losing parties to pay legal fees for both sides.”
[NYT, U.S. Retailers See Big Risk…]
983. Contigency fee
A sum of money that a lawyer receives as a fee only
if the case is won
“In yet another case, men abducted and raped a
working-class woman in a transit van as it wended
through densely populated areas.” [NYT, Public Rapes
Outrage Brazil…]
984. Wend
Go in a specified direction, typically slowly or by an
indirect route
“Critics alike debated whether Ms. Lawrence was
suited for the part, carping online about her physique
and relative newcomer status.." [NYT, Jennifer
Lawrence in Silver…]
985. Carp
Criticize; charge, cavil, nag, nibble
“She began acting as a teenager, appearing as the
snarky daughter on the TBS sitcom “The Bill Engvall
Show.." But it was her first major screen role — as
Ree, the hardscrabble girl trying to hold her family
together in Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone” — that
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was her breakthrough.” [NYT, Jennifer Lawrence in
Silver…]
986. Snarky
Sharply critical; snide and sarcastic; usually out of
irritation; often humorously
987. Hardscrabble
Returning little in exchange for great effort; barely
satisfying a lower standard

“Climate gnaws at Bangladesh.” [DS]

988. Gnaw
Bite at or nibble something persistently; distress,

“Never one to eschew life’s pleasures, only recently

had Paul devoted himself entirely to hedonistic
pursuits.” [Manhattan]
989. Hedonistic
Engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-
indulgent

SA, CS, DU [http://saos.co.in]

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