A zany and whimsical human being

zeal
eager enthusiasm (to a cause or ideal); ADJ. zealous

The zeal of the students was commendable

zealot
one who is zealous; fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal

He’s a zealot

zenith
point directly overhead in the sky; summit; acme; highest point

She reached a zenith in her profession

zephyr
gentle breeze; west wind

Shelley eulogized the zephyr

She had a yen for travel

yeoman
man or farmer owning small estate; middle-class farmer

A yeoman of the guard

yield
amount produced; crop; income on investment; profit obtained from an investment; V: produce; give in; surrender

The yield was not very good this year

yoke
join together; unite; N: crossbar used to joining two draft animals

The chain was yoked

yokel
rustic; country bumpkin

He is a yokel

yore
time long past

In the days of yore people were innocent

He is a xenophobe

He waffled during the meeting

waft
move gently (in air or in seas) by wind or waves

They saw leaves wafting past the window

waggish
humorous; mischievous; tricky

He narrated a waggish tale

wag
shake repeatedly from side to side

The dog wagged its tail

waif
homeless child or animal

The land has waifs and strays

waive
give up temporarily; yield; N. waiver: waiving a right or claim

A document that waives a right or claim

wake
trail of ship or other object through water; path of something that has gone before

Hunger followed in the wake of the war

wallow
roll in mud; indulge in; (of a ship) roll in a rough sea; become helpless

The buffaloes wallowed in the mud

wan
having a pale or sickly color; pallid

She wore wan colored clothes

wanderlust
strong longing to travel

They found in him a wanderlust

wane
decrease in size or strength (after being full); grow gradually to an end

The moon waxes and wanes every month

wangle
achieve by cleverness or trick; wiggle out; fake

She tried to wangle an invitation to the party.

wiggle
wriggle; move from side to side with irregular twisting motions

The worm wiggled in the mud

wanton
unrestrained; gratuitously cruel; willfully malicious; unchaste; sexually improper; promiscuous

As flies to wanton boys are we to gods

warble
(of a bird) sing; babble; N.

The baby bird warbled

warp
twist out of shape; N.

The kids warped the wire

warranted
justified; authorized

His explanation was warranted

warrant
justification; written order that serves as authorization (esp. a judicial writ); Ex. search/death warrant; V: justify; guarantee

The police came to arrest him with a warrant

warranty
guarantee; assurance by seller

The salesman gave a two years warranty to the product

warren
tunnels in which rabbits live; overcrowded living area; crowded conditions in which people live

Rabbits live in warrens

wary
very cautious; watchful

He was wary in his approach

wastrel
waster; profligate

He is a wastrel

wax
increase gradually (as the moon); grow

The moon waxes

waylay
ambush; lie in wait for and attack

The army waylaid along the lanes

wean
accustom a baby not to nurse; accustom (the young of a mammal) to take nourishment other than by suckling; give up a cherished activity; cause to gradually leave (an interest or habit);

Wean oneself from cigarettes

weather
pass safely through (a storm or difficult period)

To endure the effects of weather or other forces

welt
raised mark from a beating or whipping

A welt on his forehead

welter
confusion; turmoil; confused mass; bewildering jumble

There lay a welter of data

welter
wallow (as in mud or high seas); lie soaked (as in blood)

The victims weltered in their blood.

wheedle
deceive, persuade, or obtain by flattery; cajole; coax

He wheedled a promise out of her

whelp
young animal (esp. of the dog or cat family); young wolf, dog, tiger, etc.

She domesticated a whelp

whet
sharpen; stimulate

Whet someone’s appetite

whiff
puff or gust (of air, scent, etc.); short-lasting smell; hint

She took a whiff of perfume

whimsical
capricious; fanciful; amusingly strange

His whimsical nature was hard to understand

whim
sudden capricious idea; fancy

They fell a prey to his whim

whimsy
whim; tendency to behave amusingly strangely

A story full of whimsy

whinny
neigh like a horse; CF. neigh: make the sound which horses make

We heard a whinny sound

whit
small amount; smallest speck

He has not a whit of humor

whittle
pare; cut away thin bits (from wood); fashion in this way; reduce gradually; trim

The girl whittled the flower

whorl
ring of leaves around stem; ring; circular arrangement; Ex. whorls on the fingers

willful
wilful; intentional; headstrong

A willful behavior

wilt
loose freshness; droop

Flowers wilt

wily
crafty; cunning; artful; N. wile: deceitful stratagem

He had a wily nature

wince
move back suddenly; shrink back; flinch

She winced as she touched the cold body

windfall
fallen fruit; unexpected lucky event

She never expected a windfall of events

winnow
sift; separate the chaff from grain by blowing; separate good parts from bad; CF. wind

The girl winnowed the flour

winsome
charming (in a childlike way); agreeable; gracious; engaging

He’s a winsome young man

wispy
thin; slight; barely discernible

He has a wispy build

wisp
small bunch (of hair); faint streak (of smoke)

She held her hair in a wisp

wistful
sadly thoughtful (because of desires or memories); sadly pensive; vaguely longing

He has a wistful nature

withdrawn
introverted; retiring; remote

She is usually found withdrawn into her own world

wither
(of a plant) dry up from loss of moisture; lose freshness; shrivel; decay

The pot has a withered plant

withhold
refuse to give; hold back;

The citizens were withholding tax

withstand
stand up against; resist successfully

It was hard to withstand his irony

witless
lacking intelligence or wit; foolish; idiotic

His speech is boring is witless

wizardry
sorcery; magic

He excels in wizardry

wizened
shriveled; withered;

She held a wizened apple

woe
great sorrow; deep inconsolable grief; affliction; suffering;

He was elucidating his financial woes

woeful
sad; (of something bad) deplorable; deplorably bad; Ex. woeful housing conditions

Their living condition was woeful

wont
(the stated person’s) habit or custom; habitual procedure; ADJ. wonted: customary

He was wont to rise at dawn

worldly
engrossed in matters of this earth; not spiritual; of the material world

He was engrossed in worldly affairs

wrangle
quarrel noisily; obtain through arguing; herd cattle; N.

The boys wrangled

wrath
anger; fury

His wrath made them to cower

wreak
inflict

Wreak one’s vengeance on

wrench
twist; pull; strain

He wrenched the gun out of her hands.

wrest
obtain by pulling violently; pull away; take by violence

Wrest victory from their grasp

writ
written command issued by a court (telling someone to do or not to do something)

The court issued to him a writ

writhe
twist in coils; contort in pain

He writhed in pain

wry
(esp. of an expression of the face) twisted; with a humorous twist (expressing displeasure)

She pulled a wry expression

He always vacillates from making decisions

vacuous
empty; lacking in ideas; inane; stupid;

She made a vacuous expression

vagabond
wanderer (without a permanent home); tramp

He lived the life of a vagabond

vagary
capricious happening; caprice; whim; CF. wander

The vagaries of their life are hard to define

vagrant
wandering from place to place; roving; stray; moving in a random fashion

It’s hard to control these vagrant thoughts

vainglorious
boastful; excessively conceited; N. vainglory: great vanity

His speech was vainglorious

valedictory
pertaining to farewell; N: farewell address (esp. at graduation exercises)

She could not attend the valedictory function

valid
logically convincing; sound; legally acceptable; effective

That is not valid reasoning

validate
make valid; confirm; ratify

The argument was validated

valor
bravery; ADJ. valiant: possessing valor; brave

They demonstrated unusual valor

vampire
ghostly being that sucks the blood of the living

A vampire haunts the [palace

vanguard
forerunners; foremost position of an army; advance forces; foremost position in a trend or movement; CF. rearguard

The most efficient were made the vanguards

vantage
position giving an advantage (such as a strategic point); CF. vantage point

She shot from the vantage point

vapid
lacking liveliness; dull and unimaginative; insipid and flavorless

She made a vapid lecture

vaporize
turn into vapor (steam, gas, fog, etc.)

The chemical vaporizes in no time

variegated
(esp. of a flower or leaf) many-colored

A variegated leaf

vassal
in feudalism, one who held land of a superior lord; subordinate or dependent

A vassal to the duke

vaunted
boasted; bragged; highly publicized; V. vaunt: boast; brag

That was a vaunted issue

veer
change in direction; swerve

The vehicle veered to the left

vegetate
live in a monotonous way (without interests or activity); CF. vegetation: plants of an area; CF. vegetarian; CF. vegan

They vegetated in the fort years together

vehement
forceful; intensely emotional; with marked vigor; strong; N. vehemence

She made a vehement speech

velocity
speed

The automobile has far greater velocity than expected

venal
capable of being bribed; corrupt; CF. vernal

He has a venal attitude

vendetta
blood feud (esp. between two families); CF. Nina Williams

She sought a vendetta

vendor
seller

She bargained with the vendor

veneer
thin surface layer (of good quality wood, glued to a base of inferior material); cover; surface show

His veneer of honesty is a deceptive one

venerable
deserving high respect; commanding respect; CF. command: deserve and get

She is a venerable writer

venial
(of a fault or sin) forgivable; trivial

That’s a venial mistake

venison
meat of a deer; CF. cow: beef; CF. pig: pork, ham, bacon; CF. calf: veal; CF. sheep: mutton; CF. lamb: lamb

They served venison to the royal guests

venom
poison (of an animal); hatred

Her remarks were full of venom

vent
small opening; outlet (as of fumes or a gas)

He gave vent to his anger by kicking the chair.

vent
release or discharge through a vent; express (esp. unfairly); utter

He vented his wrath on his family.

ventilate
admit fresh air into to replace stale air

The room was ventilated

ventral
abdominal

The dissection displays the ventral view

ventriloquist
someone who can make his or her voice seem to come from another person or thing (without moving lips or jaws); N. ventriloquism, ventriloquy

He specializes in ventriloquism

venture
risk; expose to risk; dare; undertake a risk; N

He did not want to be part of the venture

venue
location; place (of a crime, trial, gathering, etc.); CF. come

The venue was easy to locate

veracious
(of a person) truthful

A veracious judgment

veracity
truthfulness; adherence to the truth

The king’s known for his veracity

verbalize
put into words; ADJ. verbal: of words; spoken rather than written; oral; of a verb

The plan was verbalized

verbatim
word for word; in the same words; repeating the actual words exactly

She reproduced verbatim

verbiage
pompous array of words; too many unnecessary words; wordiness

The novel has nothing but some unnecessary verbiage

verbose
wordy; N. verbosity

His speeches are usually verbose

verdant
green; covered with green plants or grass; lush in vegetation;

They walked through the verdant meadows

verdigris
green coating or patina on copper which has been exposed to the weather

The verdigris on copper has to be removed

verge
border; edge, rim, or margin; Ex. on the verge of: very near to; V: border on

The species is on the verge of extinction

verisimilar
having the appearance of truth or reality; probable or likely to be true; plausible

Verisimilar statements

verisimilitude
appearance of truth; quality of appearing to be true or real; likelihood

Verisimilitude of her performance as Lady Macbeth

veritable
being truly so; real or genuine; actual; not false or imaginary

A veritable premise

verity
quality of being true; lasting truth or principle

The verity of his testimony was undisputable

vernacular
living language (as compared to the official language); language spoken in a country or region; natural style; Ex. lapse into the vernacular

It was hard to understand their vernacular

vernal
pertaining to spring

The beauty of vernal woods as depicted by the romantic poets

versatile
having many talents; capable of working in many fields; having many uses or functions; N. versatility

She is a versatile genius

vertex
summit; highest point; PL. vertices

She reached the vertex of performance

vertigo
severe dizziness; giddiness

She suffers from vertigo

verve
enthusiasm (as in artistic performance or composition); liveliness; vigor

The verve of her performance was remarkable

vestige
trace; remains

Vestiges of some ancient religion

veto
vested power to reject a bill; exercise of this right; V: prevent or forbid by exercising the power of veto

The legislature has the veto

vex
annoy; distress

The child vexed his parents

viable
capable of maintaining life; feasible; practical or workable

It was apparently a viable scheme

viand
food; CF. live

They offered viands and victuals to the deity

vicarious
experienced as if one were taking part in the experience of another; done by a deputy for other people; acting as a substitute

She experiences vicarious thrill at the movies

vicar
parish priest; representative

He is the vicar of the county

vicissitude
change (esp. from good to bad); change of fortune; CF. the last emperor of China

vie
contend; compete

They vied for the position

vigilant
watchful; on the alert; watchfully awake; alert to spot danger; N. vigilance

She has a vigilant eye over her children

vigilante
one who without authority assumes law enforcement powers

The hero in the novel is a vigilante

vigor
active strength; energy; enthusiasm; ADJ. vigorous

His performance had vigor

vignette
small drawing placed at the beginning or end of a chapter; picture; short literary sketch; short written description of a character or scene

The book has many vignettes

vilify
slander; speak evil of; N. vilification

It was hard to bear the vilification of the enraged public

vindicate
clear from blame; free from blame or accusation (with supporting proof); exonerate; substantiate; justify or support; avenge; Ex. vindicate one’s client

Vindicate one’s claim

vindictive
disposed to revenge; vengeful; out for revenge; spiteful; intended to cause harm; malicious

She has a vindictive streak

vintner
wine merchant; winemaker; seller of wine

They bought the wine from the vintner

viper
poisonous snake

A viper is a poisonous snake

virile
manly; having masculine spirit or strength; full of strength

She has a virile energy

virtual
in essence; existing in essence though not in actual form; for practical purposes; She is a virtual celebrity

virtue
goodness; moral excellence; good quality; advantage; Ex. by virtue of;

Make a virtue of necessity

virtuoso
highly skilled artist (esp. in music)

She is a piano virtuoso

virulent
(of a disease or poison) extremely harmful or poisonous; (of a feeling) hostile; bitter; N. virulence; CF. virus; CF. venom

They extracted the virulent form of the bacterium

virus
disease communicator

Virus is a deadly parasite

visage
face; appearance

She has a gorgeous visage

visceral
felt in one’s inner organs; N. viscera: internal body organs; CF. eviscerate

She has a visceral hatred for him

viscid
adhesive; gluey

A viscid liquid

vise
vice; tool for holding work in place; clamping device

A vise is a clamping device

visionary
produced by imagination; fanciful; mystical; showing foresight; N: one having foresight; one given to speculative impractical ideas

He was a visionary

vital
full of life; animated; vibrant and lively; critical; of great importance; necessary to stay alive; of life; living; breathing; N. vitality; V. vitalize

Protein is one of the vital body building substances

vibrant
full of vigor or energy; vibrating

He has a vibrant personality

vitiate
spoil the effect of; make inoperative; corrupt morally

A vitiated bureaucracy

vitreous
of glass; pertaining to or resembling glass; V. vitrify: change into glass; CF. petrify

A vitreous substance

vitriolic
causing sharp pain to the mind; caustic; corrosive; sarcastic; of vitriol; N. vitriol: sulphuric acid (which burns flesh deeply); bitterly abusive expression; caustic expression; CF. glass

A vitriolic expression

vituperative
abusive; scolding; V. vituperate: berate; scold; rail against abusively

He used against her a vituperative language

vivacious
lively or animated; sprightly

A vivacious young lady

vivisection
act of dissecting living animals

The vivisection of frog

vixen
female fox; ill-tempered woman; CF. shrew

An obnoxious vixen

vociferous
clamorous; noisy; V. vociferate: cry out loudly (when complaining)

His vociferous tone caught my attention

vogue
popular fashion

Jeans became the vogue.

volatile
changeable; of a quickly changing nature (as of temper); mercurial; tending to violence; evaporating rapidly

He has a volatile character

volition
act of using one’s will; act of making a conscious choice

She selected this dress of her own volition.

voluble
fluent; talkative; glib; N. volubility

She is voluble and loud

volley
simultaneous discharge of a number of shots; V.

A volley of protons

voluminous
having great volume (as of a garment or container); bulky; large

That book is voluminous

voodoo
religion practiced chiefly in Haiti

That clan practices voodoo

voracious
ravenous; eating large quantities of food; exceedingly eager; insatiable; Ex. voracious animal/reader

He’s a voracious reader

vortex
whirlwind; whirlpool; center of turbulence; predicament into which one is inexorably plunged

The box disappeared into the vortex

vouchsafe
grant condescendingly; guarantee

Vouchsafe your fair return on your investment

vouch
give a personal guarantee

I can vouch for his integrity

vulnerable
susceptible to wounds or attack; N. vulnerability

A vulnerable and gullible girl

vulpine
like a fox; crafty

An animal that’s vulpine

vulture
carrion-eating birds

A vulture is a carnivorous bird

vying
contending

The opponents are vying for the post

ubiquitous
being everywhere; omnipresent; N. ubiquity

The organization is ubiquitous

ulterior
intentionally hidden; beyond what is evident; situated beyond; unstated and often questionable

I feel he has an ulterior motive

ultimate
final; not susceptible to further analysis; fundamental

The sun is the ultimate source of energy.

ultimatum
last demand; last warning; last statement of conditions that must be met

They have ignored our ultimatum.

umbrage
resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult

She has taken umbrage at his rudeness

unaccountable
inexplicable; impossible to account for; unreasonable or mysterious

The scam is unaccountable

unanimity
complete agreement; ADJ. unanimous

Their verdict was unanimous

unassailable
not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question

His position is unassailable

unassuaged
unsatisfied; not soothed

Her pain remained unassuaged

unassuming
modest

The champion’s unassuming manner attracted one and all

unbridled
violent; uncontrolled; Ex. unbridled rage/greed

Unbridled anger

uncanny
strange; mysterious

He has an uncanny knack

unconscionable
unscrupulous; not guided by conscience; excessive; beyond reason; Ex. unconscionable demand

He is an unconscionable liar

uncouth
boorish; clumsy in speech or behavior; outlandish

An uncouth youth

unction
the act of anointing with oil

The unction of the prince took publicly

underlying
lying below; fundamental

They got the underlying principle

undermine
weaken gradually; sap; dig a mine beneath

Their strength was undermined

underscore
underline; emphasize

The lecture underscored the importance of the principle

undulating
moving with a wavelike motion; V. undulate; CF. und: wave

An undulating membrane

unearth
dig up; discover (facts) by careful searching

He unearthed some secrets about her

unearthly
not earthly; supernatural; weird; ghostly

It was an unearthly performance

unequivocal
plain; clear; obvious

He made an unequivocal speech

unerringly
infallibly; ADJ. unerring: making no mistakes

The project was carried unerringly

unexceptionable
entirely acceptable; not offering any basis for criticism

An unexceptionable presentation

unfaltering
steadfast; firm; not changing

He has an unfaltering character

unfeigned
genuine; real

She has unfeigned interest in the subject

unfetter
liberate; free from chains; V. unfetter

He unfettered her from obsolete rituals

unfledged
immature; not having the feathers necessary to fly; CF. fledgling

He’s an unfledged artist

unfrock
defrock; strip a priest or minister of church authority

The priest was unfrocked

ungainly
(of someone) awkward in movement; clumsy; (of something) unwieldy

She’s an ungainly dancer

uniformity
sameness; monotony; ADJ. uniform: the same all over

There was no uniformity in their decision

unilateral
one-sided; involving or affecting only one side

They made a unilateral declaration

unimpeachable
that cannot be impeached; beyond doubt or question; blameless and exemplary

He has an unimpeachable conduct

uninhibited
unrepressed; free in behavior and feelings

She announced her plans uninhibitedly

unique
without an equal; single in kind

She came up with a unique idea

unison
unity of pitch (in musical performance); complete accord

The choir sang in unison.

universal
characterizing or affecting all; general; present everywhere; of the universe; cosmic; Ex. universal agreement

It’s a subject of universal interest

unkempt
disheveled; uncared for in appearance; not combed; CF. comb

She looked unkempt

unmitigated
(of something bad) not moderated; unrelieved or immoderate; without qualification; absolute;

An unmitigated disaster

unobtrusive
inconspicuous; not blatant

Their proceedings were unobtrusive

unprecedented
having no previous example; novel; unparalleled

He made an unprecedented decision

unprepossessing
unattractive

Her appearance was unprepossessing

unravel
disentangle; solve

The Egyptologist unraveled the mystery of the pyramid

unrequited
not requited; not reciprocated

Hers was an unrequited love

unruly
disobedient; lawless; difficult to control

He’s an unruly student

unsavory
distasteful; disagreeable; morally offensive

They indulged in an unsavory activity

unscathed
unharmed

She escaped the accident unscathed

unseemly
unbecoming; not proper in behavior; indecent

He left in unseemly haste

unsightly
ugly; unpleasant to look at

An unsightly presentation

unsullied
untarnished; CF. sully

She came out of the trial untarnished

untenable
(of a position, esp. in an argument) indefensible; not able to be maintained

The situation grew untenable

untoward
unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky;

It was an untoward encounter

unwarranted
unjustified; having no justification; groundless; baseless; undeserved

It was an unwarranted attack

unwieldy
awkward (to carry or move); cumbersome; unmanageable

An unwieldy situation

unwitting
not knowing; unaware; unintentional

She was their unwitting accomplice

unwonted
unaccustomed; unusual

He arrived with unwonted punctuality.

upbraid
reprimand; severely scold

He was upbraided for unprofessional behavior

uproarious
marked by commotion or uproar; very noisy (esp. with laughter); hilarious; causing loud laughter; extremely funny

An uproarious crowd

upshot
outcome; final result

We are waiting for the upshot

urbane
suave; refined in manner; elegant

They got attracted to his urbane manners

urchin
mischievous child (usually a boy); CF. urchin: hedgehog; CF. porcupine: pig with spikes

He grew up as an urchin

ursine
bear like; pertaining to a bear

The figure looks ursine

usurp
seize another’s power or rank (without legal authority); supplant; appropriate; N. usurpation; CF. take for one’s own use

He is an inveterate usurper

usury
lending money at illegal high rates of interest

Certain religions prohibit usury

utopia
ideal place, state, or society; ADJ. utopian

His utopian philosophy is unacceptable

uxorious
excessively submissive or devoted to one’s wife; CF. uxor: wife

He became popular for being uxorious

sacrilegious
desecrating; profane; N. sacrilege: desecration, misuse, or theft of something sacred
That was a sacrilegious act
sacrosanct
inviolably sacred; most sacred; inviolable
The book’s a sacrosanct
sadistic
inclined to cruelty; N. sadism: delight in cruelty
He has a sadistic mentality
saga
Scandinavian myth; any legend; long heroic narrative
A melancholic saga
sagacious
wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity
He’s a sagacious and prudent individual
sage
person celebrated for wisdom; wise person; ADJ: wise
His transformation into a sage is a sheer miracle
salacious
lascivious; lustful
A salacious monk
salient
prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous
She was reading the salient features of the theory
saline
salty
Some species of fish dwell in saline waters
sallow
(of the skin) yellowish and unhealthy-looking; sickly in color
She became sallow due to jaundice
salubrious
healthful; conducive to health or well-being; socially desirable
That’s a salubrious area
salutary
tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome
The punishment had a salutary effect on the boy
salvage
rescue (goods or property) from loss; N: saving; property saved
A salvage of property
sanctimonious
displaying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness; N. sanctimony: hypocritical piety
He shows a sanctimonious reverence
sanction
approve; ratify; N: permission; penalty intended to enforce compliance
The requisites were sanctioned
sanctuary
place of refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place;
The outlaw was granted sanctuary in the church.
sanguinary
bloody; with much bloodshed
That was a sanguinary battle
sanguine
optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the color of blood; red
He has a sanguine nature

sap
diminish; weaken; undermine the foundations of (a fortification)
The element kryptonite sapped his strength.
sarcasm
cutting ironic remark; scornful remarks; stinging rebuke; ADJ. sarcastic
His speech is usually sarcastic
sardonic
scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic; cynical
She wore a sardonic smile
sartorial
pertaining to tailors or tailoring
He’s a man of great sartorial elegance
sate
satisfy to the full; satisfy to excess; cloy
The luscious food sated her hunger
satellite
small body revolving around a larger one
Moon is a natural satellite
satire
form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
He specializes in satire
saturate
soak thoroughly; imbue; impregnate; charge; fill to capacity
Saturated body fluids

saturnine
morose; gloomy
Do not be misled by his saturnine countenance.
satyr
half-human, half-bestial being in the court of Dionysus (resembling a goat), portrayed as wanton(unrestrained) and cunning; lecher; CF. faun; CF. goat: lecherous man
A satyr is half man and half goat
saunter
stroll(go for a leisurely walk) slowly; N.
The girls sauntered leisurely
savant
scholar; learned person; CF. savoir: know
He’s a savant of Vedas
savor
enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality; N: taste or smell; distinctive quality
The children savored the quality of luscious food
savory
pleasant in taste; tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable;
She enjoys a savory reputation
scabbard
case for a sword blade; sheath
A golden scabbard
scad
a great quantity
He distributed scads of clothes
scaffold
temporary platform for workers (to work at heights above the ground); bracing framework; platform for execution
The workers stood on the scaffold
scale
climb up; ascend; remove or come off in scales; N: flake of epidermis; ascending or descending series of musical tones
The professional scaled heights
scanty
meager; insufficient
Scanty resources are available in the country
scapegoat
someone who bears the blame for others; whipping boy; CF. escape+goat
He always becomes the scapegoat of his seniors wrath
scavenge
hunt through discarded materials for usable items or food; search, especially for food; N. scavenger: one who scavenges; animal that feeds on refuse and carrion
They are professional scavengers
scenario
plot outline; screenplay(script for a movie); opera libretto; outline of possible future events
There is no growth in such a scenario
schematic
of a schema or scheme; relating to an outline or diagram; using a system of symbols; N. schema: diagrammatic representation; outline
They practice a schema based learning
scheme
systematic plan; plot; clever dishonest plan; orderly arrangement of elements; Ex. health insurance scheme; Ex. a scheme to escape taxes; Ex. a color scheme, V: contrive a scheme
That’s a story with no scheme;

schism
division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split
The schism of main groups
scintilla
trace; minute amount; shred; least bit
There is not a scintilla of truth
scintillate
sparkle; flash; be animated; be full of life
That’s a scintillating conversation
scoff
laugh (at); mock; ridicule
The kids scoffed at their threats
scotch
stamp out(put an end to); thwart; hinder
They tried hard to scotch the rumor
score
number of points; written form of a musical composition; reason; group of 20; notch or incision; Ex. full/vocal score; Ex. Don’t worry on that score; V: mark with lines or notches
Score the paper to make it easy to fold
stamp
step on heavily (so as to crush or extinguish); put an end to; imprint or impress with a mark, design, or seal; shape with a die; characterize; Ex. machine stamping out car bodies; Ex. newspaper stamping him as a liar; N. stamping; implement used to stamp; impression stamped; mark
Her remarks bear the stamp of truth.
scourge
lash; whip (formerly used for punishment); source of severe punishment; V: whip; afflict
The police unleashed a scourge on the victim
scruple
hesitate for ethical reasons; fret about; N: uneasy feeling arising from conscience; conscience
She did not scruple to read his diary
scrupulous
conscientious; extremely thorough
He’s a scrupulous worker
scrutinize
examine closely and critically; N. scrutiny
They submitted the form for scrutiny
scuffle
struggle confusedly; move off in a confused hurry; N
Scuffling twins
shuffle
mix together; jumble; move (something) from one place to another; slide (the feet) along the ground while walking;
The workers shuffled papers from one pile to another
scurrilous
abusive; obscene; indecent;
They  made scurrilous remarks
scurry
move hastily; hurry; move briskly
The workers scurried past the CEO’s cabin
scurvy
contemptible; despicable; N: disease caused by deficiency of Vitamin C
The child suffers from scurvy

scuttle
sink (a ship) by cutting holes in the hull; scrap; discard; N: small hatch in a ship’s deck or hull
The scuttled boat lies in the harbor
seamy
sordid; base; filthy; unwholesome
She saw the seamy side of city life
sear
burn the surface of; char or burn; brand; parch; cause (a plant) to wither
She walked along the searing desert sands
seasoned
experienced
He’s a seasoned writer
seasonal
of a particular season
There’s a seasonal rise in employment
secession
withdrawal; V. secede: withdraw formally from membership
The secession of funds
seclusion
isolation; solitude; V. seclude: set apart from others; isolate
She spent the rest of her life in seclusion
secret
conceal; hide away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism; CF. secretive
They carried out the plan in a secretive way
sect
separate religious body; faction; group of people with common beliefs within a larger group
She belongs to the catholic sect
sectarian
of a sect; narrow-minded; parochial; N: member of a sect; narrow-minded person
I don’t believe in sectarian politics
secular
worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion; temporal
He was a secular politician
sedate
composed (with no excitement); grave; V: administer a sedative to; CF. sedative
I found her in a sedate mood
sedentary
requiring sitting; done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled; Ex. sedentary job/population
I prefer a sedentary job
sedition
conduct or language inciting rebellion; rebellion; resistance to authority; insubordination; ADJ. seditious
A seditious language
sedulous
diligent; assiduous; paying attention; N. sedulity
He’s a sedulous writer
seedy
run-down; decrepit; disreputable; having many seeds
He runs a seedy downtown hotel
seemly
(of behavior) proper; appropriate
A seemly behavior

seep
pass slowly through small openings; ooze; trickle; N. seepage
The culture was seeping through the country
seethe
be violently disturbed; boil; (of a liquid) move about wildly as if boiling;
The nation was seething with discontent.
seine
seine net; net for catching fish
They specialize in designing seines
seismic
pertaining to earthquakes
The seismic waves of high intensity were recorded
semblance
outward appearance; guise
We called in the troops to bring a/some semblance of order to the city.
seminal
related to seed or semen; germinal; creative; providing a basis for further development; influencing future developments
A seminal research is being conducted in a new field
seminary
school for training future ministers; secondary school, especially for young women
A seminary school
senility
old age; feeblemindedness of old age; ADJ. senile: resulting from old age; showing the weakness of body or mind from old age;
The old man is suffering from senile dementia

sensitization
process of being made sensitive or acutely responsive to an external agent or substance; V. sensitize: make or become sensitive
Sensitization of indicators
sensual
devoted to the pleasures of the sense; carnal; voluptuous; Ex. sensual woman/curves/lips
A sensual treat
sententious
pithy; terse; concise; aphoristic
A sententious write-up
sentient
capable of sensation and conscious; aware; sensitive; Ex. sentient creature; N. sentience
A sentient creature
sentinel
sentry; lookout
He’s the sentinel of the jail
septic
of or causing sepsis; putrid; producing putrefaction; N. sepsis: poisoning of part of the body (producing pus)
The wound turned septic
sepulcher
tomb; V: place in a sepulcher; ADJ. sepulchral
A gloomy sepulcher
sequester
isolate; segregate; seclude; retire from public life
The diseases person was sequestered

serendipity
gift for finding valuable things by accident; accidental good fortune or luck; CF. The Three Princes of Serendip
serenity
calmness; placidity; ADJ. serene
A serene atmosphere
serpentine
winding; twisting; of or like a serpent; N. serpent: snake
The serpentine course of the river
serrated
having a saw toothed edge;
A serrated leaf
servile
slavish; cringing; N. servility
A servile person
sever
separate; cut off (a part) from a whole; break up (a relationship); N. severance; CF. severance pay: extra pay given an employee upon leaving a position
They severed the hands of the thief
severity
harshness; intensity; sternness; austerity; ADJ. severe: harsh; strict; extremely violent or intense
They did not pay heed to the severity of the situation
sextant
navigation tool used to determine a ship’s latitude and longitude (by measuring the altitudes of stars)
The sextant ran weird near the Bermuda Triangle

shackle
chain; fetter; confine with shackles; N.
It was hard for her to break open the shackles of tradition
sham
pretend; feign; ADJ: not genuine; fake; Ex. sham jewelry; N: something that is not what it appears; impostor; pretense
The agreement was a sham.
shambles
(place or scene of) complete disorder or ruin; wreck; mess;
After the hurricane, the coast was a shambles.
shard
fragment generally of broken pottery (glass, clay bowl, or cup)
She picked up a shard of pottery
shaving
very thin piece, usually of wood (cut from a surface with a sharp blade)
sheaf
bundle of stalks of grain; any bundle of things tied together
The sheaf were piled up
sheathe
place into a case; insert into or provide with a sheet
He sheathed his dagger; N. sheath: case for a blade
sherbet
flavored dessert ice
Sherbet is famous in Arabia
shimmer
shine with a flickering light; glimmer intermittently
The moonlight shimmered on the water; N.

shirk
avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger
She shirks the work willingly
shoddy
made of inferior material; sham; not genuine; inferior; dishonest
He got used to performing shoddy tricks
shrew
scolding woman; very small mouse like animal
Katherine is a shrew
shrewd
clever; astute
He made shrewd remarks
shun
keep away from; avoid deliberately
She has been shunned by her neighbors.
shunt
move (a railway train) from one track to another; turn aside; divert; sidetrack
The police shunts the traffic around an accident
sidetrack
switch (a railroad car) to a siding; divert from a main issue; N. CF. siding: short section of railroad track connected by switches with a main track
She deliberately sidetracked the issue
sibling
brother or sister
There are four siblings in the family
sibylline
prophetic; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet (in the ancient world)
The words she uttered were sibylline

sidereal
relating to stars
It’s a sidereal day
silt
sediment deposited by running water (at the entrance to a harbor or by a bend in a river)
They found a few gold coins in the silt
simian
monkeylike; N: ape or monkey
The monkey belongs to the group of simian pongids
simile
comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as
A simile is an indirect comparison
simper
smirk; smile in a silly way; smile affectedly
The man simpered at the performance
simplistic
oversimplified
That’s a simplistic version of the original
simulate
feign; imitate
The students were put through simulated conversations
sinecure
well-paid position with little responsibility; CF. sine cure: without care; CF. San Serif
He holds a sinecure job

sinewy
(of meat) tough; strong and firm; muscular; N. sinew: tendon; strong cord connecting a muscle to a bone
The wrestler has a sinewy build
singular
being only one; individual; unique; extraordinary; odd
Hers is singular beauty
sinister
evil; ominous
His presence was sinister
sinuous
twisting; winding; bending in and out; not morally honest
The river flowed through a sinuous path
skeptic
sceptic; doubter; person who suspends judgment until he has examined the evidence supporting a point of view; ADJ. skeptical; N. skepticism; skepticism
He has a skeptic’s view over everything
skiff
small light sailboat or rowboat
They sailed in a skiff
skimp
provide or use scantily; live very economically; Ex. skimp on necessities; ADJ. skimpy: inadequate in amount; scanty; stingy; niggardly
He skimps on necessities
skinflint
miser; stingy person
A skinflint like him is hard to bear

skirmish
minor fight; minor battle in war; V.
There was a skirmish between the two friends
skittish
inconstant; capricious; frivolous; not serious;
She’s a charming but skittish young woman; CF. skit
skullduggery
dishonest behavior or action
There was evident skullduggery in the election
skulk
move furtively and secretly;
He skulked through the less fashionable sections of the city.
slacken
slow up; loosen; make or become slack
Extreme heat slackened his pace
slag
glassy residue from smelting metal; dross; waste matter
The slag has essential minerals
slake
satisfy (thirst); quench; sate
The crow slaked its thirst from the river
slander
defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements; V. ADJ. slanderous
He made at her a slanderous outburst
slapdash
hasty and careless; haphazard; sloppy(carelessly done)
A slapdash comedy

sleazy
shabby and dirty; flimsy; insubstantial; Ex. sleazy back-street hotel/fabric
He waited for the gang at a sleazy back street hotel
sleeper
one that achieves unexpected success; something originally of little value or importance that in time becomes very valuable
The play was the sleeper of the season
sleight
dexterity; CF. sleight of hand: legerdemain; quickness of the hands in doing tricks
The world hath many subtle sleights. –Latimer
slew
large quantity or number
The project unraveled a slew of errands left
slight
insult to one’s dignity; snub; V: treat as if of small importance; insult; snub; ADJ. small in size; of small importance
She considered not being invited an unforgivable slight.
slipshod
slovenly; careless; sloppy; untidy; shabby; Ex. slipshod work
That was a slipshod performance
slither
slip or slide
The fish slithered from her palms
sloth
slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness; ADJ. slothful: lazy; indolent
He is a sloth of a person

slough
(of a snake) shed or cast off (dead outer skin); N: outer layer that is shed
They found snake’s slough
slovenly
untidy; careless in work habits; slipshod; N. sloven: one who is habitually untidy or careless
She dressed up in a slovenly way
sledge
large sled drawn by work animals
The sledge was drawn by wolves
sluggard
lazy person
A sluggard like him could never be trusted
sluggish
lazy; slow; inactive; lethargic; CF. slug: nail with no shell
There work pace was rather sluggish
sluice
artificial channel for directing or controlling the flow of water (with a gate to regulate the flow)
The dam has sluice gates
slur
slander; insult to one’s character or reputation; V.
The meting was a slur to her reputation
slur
pronounce indistinctly; speak indistinctly; mumble
Her speech is slurred
smattering
slight knowledge; small scattered number or amount
Smattering of German

smelt
melt (ore) for separating and removing the metal; melt or blend ores changing their chemical composition
smirk
conceited smile; offensively self-satisfied smile (often at someone else’s misfortune); V.
The villain smirked at the protagonist’s suffering
smolder
smoulder; burn slowly without flame; be liable to break out at any moment; exist in a suppressed state
We could see a smoldering anger within him
snicker
half-stifled(suppressed) laugh; V.
The naughty students snickered at the teacher
snivel
complain or whine tearfully; run at the nose; snuffle
Don’t come back sniveling to me.
snuffle
sniffle; sniff repeatedly (in order to keep liquid from running out of the nose)
The dog snuffled the purse
sobriety
moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness
He lacks sobriety
sober
serious; solemn; not drunken; abstemious or temperate; V: make or become sober
He is a sober human being

sodden
thoroughly soaked; dull or stupid as if from drink
He made a sodden performance
sojourn
temporary stay; V: stay for a time
He undertook an extraordinary sojourn
solace
comfort in sorrow or trouble; consolation; V: comfort or console in time of sorrow or trouble
His words offered her a great solace
solder
repair or make whole by using a metal alloy; N: metal alloy (usually tin and lead) used in the molten state to join metallic parts
The broken parts of the machine were soldered
solecism
nonstandard grammatical construction; construction that is flagrantly incorrect grammatically; violation of social etiquette
solemnity
seriousness; gravity
Solemnity marked the occasion
solicit
entreat; request earnestly; seek to obtain; Ex. solicit votes; CF. solicitor: one who solicits; chief law officer
They solicited his presence
soliloquy
talking to oneself (esp. in a play); CF. monologue: soliloquy; long speech by one person (often monopolizing a conversation)
The soliloquy of Hamlet in Hamlet is in Iambic Pentameter

solitude
state of being alone; seclusion; ADJ. solitary: existing or living alone (esp. by choice); remote or secluded; single; sole; Ex. solitary life/inn;
There was no solitary piece of proof
solstice
point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator
soluble
able to be dissolved in a liquid; able to be worked out or solved
Oil is not soluble in water
solvent
able to pay all depths; N. solvency
He is now in a solvent condition
somatic
pertaining to the body; bodily; physical
The somatic cells have the ability to restore
somber
dark; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; CF. shadow
The house has a somber atmosphere
somnambulist
sleepwalker; V. somnambulate; N. somnambulism
He’s a somnambulist
somnolent
half asleep; drowsy; N. somnolence
The drug causes somnolence
sonorous
resonant; producing a full deep sound; producing sound
The music was sonorous

sonnet
14-line poetic verse form with a fixed rhyme pattern
Sonnets were originally composed by the Italian poets
sophist
teacher of philosophy; quibbler; employer of fallacious reasoning; N. sophism: plausible but fallacious argument
Amir Khusro was a sophist
sophisticated
worldly wise and urbane; refined; complex; N. sophistication; V. sophisticate
They sought for a sophisticated approach
sophistry
seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning; sophism
Sophistry is being irrational
sophomoric
immature; half-baked; like a sophomore
His sophomoric year in the college was tough
soporific
sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness; drowsy
That’s a soporific drug
sordid
filthy; foul; base; vile; Ex. sordid bed/story
A sordid affair
spangle
small shiny metallic piece sewn to clothing for ornamentation
Her clothes had spangles of gold
sparse
not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
Sparsely available natural resources

spartan
without attention to comfort; lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined;
A spartan living condition
spasmodic
fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; N. spasm: sudden involuntary muscular contraction; sudden burst of energy or emotion
A spasmodic grief
spat
squabble; minor dispute; minor quarrel
The girls indulged in a spat
spate
sudden flood or rush;
The government recorded a spate of accidents
spatial
relating to space
A spatial concept
spatula
broad-bladed instrument used for spreading or mixing
The chemical is extracted using a spatula
spawn
lay eggs (in large numbers); produce offspring (in large numbers); N: eggs of aquatic animals
A frog spawn
specious
seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
A specious argument

spectral
ghostly; N. specter: specter; ghost; phantom
She usually narrated spectral concepts
spectrum
colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism; broad and continuous range
That’s a whole spectrum of modern thoughts
spendthrift
someone who wastes money; CF. thrift: accumulated wealth
She’s a spendthrift
sphinx-like
enigmatic; mysterious
His ideas are sphinx-like
splice
join together end to end to make one continuous length; fasten together; unite; We tried to splice two strips of tape
spontaneity
lack of premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint; ADJ. spontaneous: self-generated; unpremeditated; happening without being planned
Poetry needs spontaneity
spoonerism
accidental transposition of sounds in successive words; Ex. “Let me sew you to your sheet” for “Let me show you to your seat”; CF. William Spooner
Spoonerism is one of the errors of language usage
sporadic
occurring irregularly; intermittent
A sporadic spread of the disease
sportive
playful; frolicsome; merry; CF. sport: play or frolic; CF. sportsmanlike
She was not very sportive

spruce
neat and trim in appearance; smart
Be spruce for your job interview
spry
(esp. of older people) vigorously active; nimble
He’s spry and dexterous
spurious
false; counterfeit; forged; illogical
They indulged in spurious arguments
spurn
reject disdainfully; scorn
She spurned all offers of help.
squabble
minor quarrel; bickering; V: engage in a minor quarrel
We found squabbling children near the street
squalor
condition of being squalid; filth; degradation; dirty neglected state; ADJ. squalid: dirty; sordid; morally repulsive
That was a squalid story
squander
waste; spend foolishly
They were told not to squander money
squat
short and thick; stocky
That’s an ugly squat tower

staccato
played in an abrupt manner; marked by abrupt sharp sound
A staccato applause
stagnant
(of water) not flowing (often bad-smelling); motionless; stale; not developing; inactive; dull
The neglected stagnant industrial output
staid
serious and sedate; sober
They all stood staid during the funeral ceremony
stalemate
deadlock; situation in which further action is blocked
The fight was drawn to a stalemate
stalwart
physically strong; brawny; steadfast; strong in mind or determination; Ex. stalwart supporter;
He’s a stalwart follower
stamina
power of endurance; strength; staying power
She had no stamina to fight more
stanch
stop or check flow of blood
The doctor stanched the gushing wound
stanza
division of a poem (composed of two or more lines)
The poem has three stanzas
static
having no motion; unchanging; lacking development; N. stasis: stable state
A static condition
statute
law enacted by the legislature
We have to abide by the statute
statutory
created by statute or legislative action; regulated by statute;
There’s a statutory age limit for the post
steadfast
steadily loyal; unswerving; steady
He’s a  steadfast individual
stealth
action of moving secretly or unseen; slyness; sneakiness; secretiveness; ADJ. stealthy
He has stealthy looks
steep
soak; saturate;
We have to steep the fabric in the dye bath
stellar
pertaining to the stars; of a star performer; outstanding;
He was the stellar attraction of the entire performance
stem
stop or check (the flow of);
The doctors had to stem the bleeding from the slashed artery
stentorian
(of the voice) extremely loud; CF. Stentor: a loud herald in the Iliad
He has a stentorian tone
stereotype
one regarded as embodying a set image or type; fixed and unvarying representation; standardized mental picture often reflecting prejudice; Ex. stereotype of the happy slave; V: make a stereotype of; represent by a stereotype; Ex. stereotyped answer
It is wrong to stereotype people
stickler
perfectionist; person who insists things be exactly right
He’s a stickler to rules
Stifle
suppress; extinguish; inhibit; smother or suffocate
She stifled her son’s expression

smother
kill from lack of air; suppress; cover thickly
The page was smothered in little stickers
suffocate
die or kill from lack of air; suppress
The murderer suffocated the woman to death
stigma
token of disgrace; brand; V. stigmatize: mark with a stigma; characterize as disgraceful
There are still many societal stigmas
stilted
bombastic; stiffly pompous; Ex. stilted rhetoric; CF. stiff: formal
He made a stilted speech
stint
set limits in amount or number; be thrifty; ADJ. stinting, unstinting; CF.
Stint savings
stint
supply; allotted amount of work; assigned portion of work; limitation; Ex. two-year stint in the army;
They worked without stint

stipend
pay for services
The girl receives a monthly stipend
stipple
paint or draw with dots or short strokes
A stippled scarf
stipulate
state as a necessary condition (of an agreement); make express conditions; specify
He stipulated payment in advance
stock
standard; kept regularly in stock or supply; typical; routine; common; Ex. stock excuse/character; N: goods for sale in a shop; OP. unique
Stock sizes of paper
stockade
wooden enclosure or pen; fixed line of posts used as defensive barrier
They were told not to cross the stockade
stodgy
dull; stuffy; boringly conservative
That’s a stodgy book
stoic
stoical; impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; N. CF. stoicism
The artist made a stoic performance
stoke
stir up a fire or furnace; feed plentifully
The fire was stoked

stolid
dull; impassive; showing little emotion when strong feelings are expected
He made a stolid presentation
stratagem
deceptive scheme; clever trick
They designed a stratagem
stratified
divided into classes; arranged into strata; V. stratify
Ours was a stratified society
stratum
layer of earth’s surface; layer of society; PL. strata
There are different strata in the earth’s surface
strew
spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter
The flower girl was strewing rose petals
striated
marked with parallel bands; striped; grooved; Ex. striated rocks; V. striate; N. stria: thin groove or line
They stood over striated rocks
stricture
severe and adverse criticism; critical comments; limit or restriction
It was hard to bear the critic’s stricture
strident
loud and harsh; insistent; N. stridency
The machine produced a strident and loud sound
stringent
(of rules) binding; rigid; marked by scarcity of money
They lived in stringent economic conditions
strut
pompous walk; V: walk in a self-important manner
The minister struts along the pavilion
studied
carefully contrived; calculated; deliberate; thoughtful;
He made a studied remark
stultify
make stupid in mind; cause to appear or become stupid or inconsistent; suppress; frustrate or hinder; Ex. stultifying effect of uninteresting work;
Stultify free expression
stupefy
stun; make numb (as with a drug); amaze
They got stupefied at the actor’s performance
stun
make unconscious or numb as by a blow; amaze; astound
A stunning performance
stygian
unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly; CF. Styx: the chief river in the subterranean land of the dead
We saw a stygian black horse
stymie
thwart; present an obstacle; stump
A stymied expression
stump
base of a tree trunk left after the rest has been cut down; V: walk in a heavy manner; baffle; puzzle
The girl stumped after being hurt

suavity
urbanity; polish; ADJ. suave: smooth and courteous
His suave manners attracted one and all
subaltern
subordinate
He holds a subaltern position
subdue
less intense; quieter; Ex. subdued lighting; Ex. subdue: conquer; make less intense; quiet;
It was had for him to subdue his anger
subjective
influenced by personal feelings; occurring or taking place within the mind; unreal; Subjective sensation of the ghostly presence
subjugate
conquer; bring under control
The enemies were subjugated
sublimate
refine; purify; replace (natural urges) with socially acceptable activities; change between a solid state and a gaseous state
The solution has to be sublimated
subliminal
below the threshold of conscious perception
They believed in subliminal advertisement
submissive
willing to obey orders; yielding; timid
The girl was very submissive
subordinate
occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive; N. V: put in a lower rank or class
He was made a subordinate

subpoena
writ(written command issued by a court) summoning a witness to appear in court;
He received a summon with a subpoena
subsequent
following in time or order; later
The film has a subsequent plot
subservient
behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious; subordinate; N. subservience
His subservient nature irritated her

sink to a lower level; settle down; sink to the bottom (as a sediment); descend; grow quiet; become less; moderate; abate
The quarrel subsided
subsidiary
serving to assist; subordinate; secondary; of a subsidy; N.
They received a subsidiary allowance
subsidy
direct financial aid by government, etc.; V. subsidize: assist with a subsidy
The company received a subsidy
subsistence
existence; means of subsisting; means of support; livelihood; V. subsist: exist; maintain life (at a meager level)
Agriculture was their sole subsistence
substantial
of substance; material; solid; essential or fundamental; ample; considerable; well-to-do; wealthy
They got a substantial support from the company

substantiate
support (a claim) with evidence; establish with evidence; verify
Nothing could substantiate the loss
subsume
include (as a member of a group); encompass
The responsibility subsumed traveling
subterfuge
stratagem(deceptive scheme); pretense; evasion;
They resorted to a harmless subterfuge
subtlety
perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy; ADJ. subtle: delicate; so slight as to be difficult to detect; able to make fine distinctions; clever;
She has a subtle mind
subversive
tending to overthrow or ruin; V. subvert: overthrow completely (an established system); destroy completely; CF. undermine ?
A subversive attack
succor
assist (someone in difficulty); aid; comfort; N.
She succored her parents
succulent
juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness; N: succulent plant such as a cactus
Cactus is succulent
succumb
yield (to something overwhelming); give in; die
She succumbed to the illness
suffragist
advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women); CF. suffrage
He is the suffragist of the policy

suffuse
spread through or over (with a color or liquid); charge
A blush suffused her cheeks.
sully
defile; soil; tarnish
Sully one’s hands in menial labor
sultry
(of weather) hot; sweltering; sensual; voluptuous
A sultry weather
summation
act of finding the total; summing-up; summary (esp. one given by the judge at the end of a trial)
A summation of total trail
sumptuous
grand suggesting great expense; lavish; rich
They arranged for a sumptuous feast
sunder
separate; part; CF. asunder
The chunk was rent asunder
sundry
miscellaneous; various; several; N. sundries: small miscellaneous items
She invited all and sundry
superannuated
retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete
A superannuated model

supercilious
haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing; CF. eyebrow, cilium
A supercilious attitude
supererogatory
superfluous; more than needed or demanded
A supererogatory usage of words
superficial
of the surface; not deep; shallow; not thorough; trivial;
He made a superficial analysis
superimpose
place over something else
The files were superimposed
supernumerary
person or thing excess of what is necessary; extra; ADJ: additional to the usual or necessary number
A supernumerary staff
supersede
replace; cause to be set aside; make obsolete; N. supersession
His power superseded
supine
lying on back; passive; inactive; Ex. supine acceptance of the decision
The defeated pugilist lay supine
supplant
take the place of unfairly; usurp; replace
The minister supplanted his opponent
supple
flexible; limber; pliant
The acrobat has a supple body
supplicate
petition humbly; pray to grant a favor
The villagers supplicated their requirements
supposition
assumption; hypothesis; surmise; V. suppose
The villagers survived in suppositions
suppress
put an end to forcibly; subdue; stifle; overwhelm; inhibit the expression of; check; prevent from being published or made public; Ex. suppress the magazine/truth
She tried hard to suppress a smile
surfeit
satiate; feed or supply to excess; stuff; indulge to excess in anything; N: surfeiting; excessive amount;
There was surfeit of food
surly
bad-tempered; rude; cross
A surly natured girl
surmise
guess; N
The students were asked to surmise
surmount
overcome
The problem had to be surmounted
surpass
exceed
The girl surpassed her seniors
surreptitious
done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden
It was a surreptitious affair

surrogate
substitute; person or thing used in place of another;
A surrogate mother
surveillance
close observation of a person (esp. one under suspicion); watching; guarding
The officer was involved in a surveillance
susceptible
impressionable; easily influenced; sensitive; having little resistance as to a disease; likely to suffer; receptive to; capable of accepting; Ex. susceptible to persuasion/colds
The agreement is not susceptible of alteration; N. susceptibility
sustain
suffer (harm or loss); experience; support; prop; maintain; keep in existence; nourish (to maintain life);
She has to sustain the family
sustenance
sustaining; means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment; something that maintains life; food
He was the only source to provide them with sustenance
suture
stitches sewn to hold the cut edges of a wound or incision; material used in sewing; V: sew together a wound
She had nine sutures on the laceration
swarthy
(of a skin or complexion) dark; dusky;
A swarthy Italian

swathe
swath; wrap around; bandage
His head was swathed in bandages
swelter
(of a person) suffer from oppressive heat; be oppressed by heat
They sweltered in heat
swerve
deviate; turn aside sharply from a straight course; Ex. swerve from the principle

The car swerved to the right.
swill
drink greedily
The cat swilled the milk
swindler
cheater
She unknowingly spoke to a swindler
sybarite
lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury; CF. Sybaris: an ancient Greek city in Italy
He leads life of a sybarite
sycophant
servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man; ADJ. sycophantic
He is a sycophant
syllogism
logical formula consisting of a major premise, a minor premise and a conclusion; deceptive or specious argument
Syllogism is the main component of the examination
sylvan
pertaining to the woods or the country
A sylvan bird

symbiosis
interdependent relationship (between groups, species) often mutually beneficial; ADJ. symbiotic; CF. together + life
Some bacterium and plants share a symbiotic relationship
symmetry
arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity; ADJ. symmetrical
Symmetrical triangles
synchronous
similarly timed; simultaneous with; occurring at the same time; V. synchronize
She specializes in synchronous swimming
synoptic
providing a general overview; summary; N. synopsis
She just read the synopsis of the story
synthesis
combining parts or separate things into a whole; the whole so formed; PL. syntheses; V. synthesize
The synthesis of benzene
synthetic
not natural; artificial; resulting from synthesis; Ex. synthetic fiber; N.
Nylon is a synthetic fiber

They drew a tacit agreement

taciturn
habitually silent; talking little

He’s a taciturn

tactile
pertaining to the organs or sense of touch

The patient lost tactile response

tact
skill or sensitivity in dealing with people without causing offence

He obviously lacks tact while speaking

taint
contaminate; cause to lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad; Ex. tainted reputation; N: stain; touch of decay or bad influence; CF. touch

Her reputation got tainted

talisman
charm; object believed to give supernatural powers to or protect its bearer

The tribe believed that the talisman would cast away evil

talon
claw of bird

The bird tore the flesh with it’s talon

tangential
only slightly connected; not central; peripheral; digressing; showing divergence; CF. tangent

The evidence is tangential

tangible
able to be touched; real; concrete; palpable; possible to realize or understand; They were talking about tangible assets

tanner
person who turns animal hides into leather

He’s a professional tanner

tan
convert (hide) into leather; make brown by exposure to the sun

Constant exposure to sun tanned her skin

tantalize
tease; excite by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach; torture with disappointment; CF. Tantalus: Greek mythological figure

They tantalized the girl showing a letter

tantamount
equivalent in effect or value

This invasion is tantamount to a declaration of war

tantrum
fit of bad temper; fit of petulance; caprice

The child went into tantrums.

taper
very thin candle; gradual decrease in the width of a long object; V. make or become gradually narrower toward one end

The table has a tapering edge

tarantula
venomous spider

A tarantula is a poisonous spider

tarry
linger; delay in starting or going; dawdle

The child tarried in the park

taut
tight; strained; tense; ready; OP. slack

The sclerenchymatous cells are taut

tautological
needlessly repetitious; Ex. “It was visible to the eye”; N. tautology: needless repetition of the same sense; statement that is always true

A tautological statement

tawdry
cheap and gaudy;

She wore tawdry jewelry

taxonomist
specialist in classifying (animals, etc.); CF. taxonomy: science of classification

He was a taxonomist

tedium
boredom; weariness; ADJ. tedious

The work caused tedium

teetotalism
practice of abstaining totally from alcoholic drinks; N. teetotaler;; ADJ. teetotal; CF. T + total

She was fortunate to marry a teetotaler

temerity
boldness; nerve; rashness; Ex. temerity to ask for a pay increase after only three day’s work

The acrobat demonstrated temerity

temper
moderate; make less severe; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) as by alternate heating and cooling

She has an ill-temper

temperament
characteristic frame of mind; disposition; emotional excess; ADJ. temperamental: of temperament; having frequent changes of temper; Ex. temperamental dislike of sports;

Meena Kumari was a temperamental actress

temperate
moderate; restrained; self-controlled; moderate in respect to temperature; CF. temperance: moderation and self-restraint; abstinence of alcoholic drinks; Ex. temperance society

The country lies in the temperate zone

tempestuous
stormy; violent; impassioned; N. tempest: violent storm

They drove in a tempestuous weather

tempo
speed of music

It was hard to keep with the tempo

temporal
of time; not lasting forever; limited by time; temporary; secular; worldly

That’s a temporal phase

temporize
gain time as by postponing an action; avoid committing oneself

The team temporized the project

tenacious
holding fast (as to a belief); persistent

The lizard has a tenacious grip

tendentious
promoting a particular point of view; biased; having an aim; designed to further a cause; Ex. tendentious rather than truth-seeking; CF. tend: move in a certain direction

A tendentious action

tender
offer formally; extend; Ex. tender one’s resignation/the exact fare; N: formal offer; money; Ex. legal tender; ADJ: young and vulnerable; sensitive to the touch; sore; soft; delicate; Ex. child of tender years; Ex. tender wound

The wound was still tender

tenet
doctrine; dogma

The tenets of the religion are hard to follow

tensile
capable of being stretched; of tension

Rubber’s tensile in nature

tension
stretching; condition of being stretched; mental strain; strained relationship between groups or people

Tension grew among the groups

tentative
not fully worked out or developed; provisional; experimental; uncertain; hesitant; not definite or positive; Ex. tentative agreement/reply

They drew a tentative plan

tenuous
thin; slim; rare

She has a tenuous build

tenure
holding of an office or real estate; time during which such an office is held

The tenure of his office is five years

tepid
lukewarm; slightly warm; half-hearted; not eager;

He’s a tepid supporter of the party

termination
end; V. terminate

He was asked to terminate his services

terminology
terms used in a science or art; study of nomenclature

The terminology is a bit difficult to follow

terminus
last stop of railroad; end

She had to get down at the terminus

terminal
part that forms the end; railroad or bus station; ADJ. forming an end; ending in death; fatal; Ex. terminal cancer

He was suffering from a terminal illness

terrestrial
on or relating to the earth

Birds belong to the terrestrial habitat

terse
concise; abrupt; pithy

She made a terse comment

tertiary
third in order or rank

He occupies a tertiary grade in the office

tessellated
mosaic; inlaid

The floor has a tessellated pattern

testator
maker of a will; CF. testatrix

He’s an official testator

testy
irritable; impatient and bad-tempered; short-tempered; N. testiness

He has a testy nature

tether
tie (an animal) with a rope or tether; N: rope or chain to which an animal is tied; limit of one’s endurance

The lamb was tethered to the pole

thematic
of a theme; relating to a unifying motif or idea

They were interested in the thematic explanation of the product

theocracy
government run by religious leaders

Theocratic rule pervades still in many countries

theoretical
based on theory; not practical or applied; hypothetical

The course was more theoretical

therapeutic
curative; N. therapy

The plant has therapeutic properties

thermal
pertaining to heat; producing heat; warm; Ex. thermal bath; N: rising current of warm air

India has a few major Thermal Power plants

thespian
pertaining to drama; N: actor or actress

A thespian of high prowess

thrall
slave; bondage; slavery

Her beauty held him in thrall

threadbare
worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor; hackneyed;

She got used to his threadbare excuses

thrifty
careful about money; economical; N. thrift

She was thrifty in spending

thrive
prosper; flourish

People thrived during his rule

throes
violent anguish

It was hard to bear their throes

throng
crowd (of people or things); V.

She had to squeeze her way through a throng of protesters

throttle
strangle; regulate the speed of with a throttle; N: valve that regulates the flow; CF. throat

He throttled her with an intention to kill

thwart
block or hinder; baffle; frustrate

His unexpected arrival thwarted their plans

tightwad
miser; excessively frugal person

He’s a tightwad to deal with

tiller
handle used to move boat’s rudder (to steer)

The tiller in the boat was missing

timbre
quality of a musical tone produced by a musical instrument (which distinguishes it from others of the same pitch)

Timbre is the quality of pitch

timidity
lack of self-confidence or courage

He was both timid and shy

timorous
fearful; timid; demonstrating fear

The people grew timorous in the dictator’s regime

tipple
drink (alcoholic beverages) frequently; N: alcoholic drink

He tippled often

tirade
long angry denunciatory speech; diatribe; harangue; extended scolding; denunciation

The tirade went on for hours

titanic
gigantic; N. titan

A titanic ship

tithe
tax of one-tenth (contributed to a church)

They had to pay a tithe

titillate
tickle; excite pleasantly;

Their goal was not to titillate the audience but to enlighten it

tickle
touch (the body) lightly so as to cause laughter; please

She tickled the kid to please him

title
name (of a book, film, etc.); mark of rank; formal appellation as of rank or office (such as Lord or General); right or claim to possession; championship; Ex. title as head of the family;

He holds the title to the estate

titter
nervous giggle; nervous laugh; V

She threw a titter at him

titular
of a title; in name only; nominal; having the title of an office without the obligations

He’s the titular head of the company

toady
servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; V: be a toady to; fawn

He is a toady subordinate

toga
Roman outer robe

He was asked to buy a toga for the performance

tome
large volume; book

The incantations are found in the tome

tonsure
shaving of the head especially by person entering religious orders; V.

The pilgrims were tonsured before they entered into the shrine

topography
physical features of a region (such as the shape and height); CF. topo-: place

They were determining the topography of the place

torpedo
underwater explosive apparatus; V.

They set in a torpedo using a submarine

torpor
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy; ADJ. torpid: lethargic; lazy; inactive; (of an animal) dormant; hibernating

She was in torpor

torque
twisting force; force producing rotation

The torque of a fan

torrent
rushing stream; flood

The rain fell in torrents.

torrid
(of weather) hot or scorching; passionate

It was a torrid love affair

torso
trunk of statue with head and limbs missing; human trunk

The torso of the politician was erected

trunk
main wooden stem of a tree; human body excluding the head and limbs; torso; prehensile nose of an elephant

The elephant blew water with its trunk

tortuous
winding; full of curves

They had to pass through a tortuous mountain road

totter
shake or move unsteadily; sway as if about to fall

The old man tottered before he collapsed

touchstone
stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys; criterion; standard

Her analysis was considered a touchstone

touchy
oversensitive; easily offended; irascible; delicate; needing delicate handling; Ex. touchy situation

A touchy tale

tout
promote or publicize (one’s goods or service); praise excessively (as a form of advertisement); CF. advertise

The executives touted the product

toxic
poisonous; N. toxicity

The plant’s latex has toxic qualities

tract
propaganda pamphlet (esp. by a religious or political group); expanse of land; region of indefinite size; system of related organs

The problem lay in the digestive tract

tractable
docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or molded; N. tractability

Students of that class are tractable

traduce
expose to slander

The criminal was traduced

trajectory
path taken by a projectile

The trajectory of a bullet

tranquility
calmness; peace

She has tranquil eyes

transcendent
exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing; V. transcend: go beyond; exceed; surpass; N. transcendence

His philosophy was transcendental

transcribe
copy; write a copy of; N. transcription

The symbols had to be transcribed

transgression
violation of a law; sin; V. transgress: go beyond (a limit); violate; do wrong

The rebellious lot transgress the rules

transient
staying for a short time; momentary; temporary; N: one that is transient

Any phase in life is transient

translucent
partly transparent

A translucent liquid

transmute
transform; change; convert to something different

The chemical transmutes periodically

transparent
permitting light to pass through freely; easily detected; obvious; clear; Ex. transparent lie

The company has all transparent policies

transpire
(of a fact) become known; be revealed; happen; give off (watery waste matter) through pores

Transpired policies

transport
strong emotion; rapture; Ex. in a transport/transports of; V: move to strong emotion; enrapture

There is no proper transport to the village

trappings
outward decorations; ornaments (as an outward sign of rank)

They got confused seeing the trappings

traumatic
(of an experience) deeply shocking; pertaining to an injury caused by violence; N. trauma: serious wound; emotional shock that causes lasting psychological damage

A traumatic incident

travail
strenuous work; toil; painful labor; labor of childbirth

The travails of childbirth

traverse
go through or across

The river traverses the rocks

travesty
copy or example of something that completely misrepresents the true nature of the real thing; comical parody or imitation; treatment aimed at making something appear ridiculous;

It was a travesty of justice

treatise
article treating a subject systematically and thoroughly

It is a treatise on occult

trek
travel; journey; V: make a long difficult journey

They trekked through the hills

tremor
trembling; slight quiver (as of the earth or from nervous agitation)

Tremors were registered all around the city

tremulous
trembling; wavering

The wire was tremulous

trenchant
cutting; incisive; keen

She made trenchant comments at him

trepidation
fear; nervous apprehension

They had to overcome the trepidation

tribulation
suffering; ordeal; distress; trial

She underwent a noxious tribulation

tribunal
court of justice

They submitted the papers in the tribunal

tribune
official of ancient Rome elected by the plebeians to protect their rights; protector of the people

They had complete faith in the tribune

tribute
tax levied by a ruler; payment made by one nation to another in acknowledgment of submission; mark of respect (such as praise or gift);

The citizens paid tribute to the assassinated leader

trident
three-pronged spear

The goddess holds a trident

trifling
trivial; unimportant

They fought over trifling matters

trifle
something of little importance or value; small amount; Ex. a trifle; V: treat without seriousness; flirt

He trifled with girls

trigger
set off; start

The debate triggered fight

trilogy
group of three related works (connected by a shared subject but each complete in itself)

The film’s a trilogy

trinket
knickknack; bauble; cheap jewelry

She wore trinkets

trite
hackneyed; commonplace

That’s a trite concept

trivia
trifles; unimportant matters

The page has trivia

troth
pledge of good faith especially in betrothal; betrothal

By my troth

trough
long narrow container for feeding farm animals; lowest point (of a wave, business cycle, etc.); long narrow depression as between waves

The liquid was poured into a trough

truculence
aggressiveness; ferocity; ADJ. truculent: aggressive; pugnacious; fierce

His truculent nature gets him no friends

truism
self-evident truth

There was truism in his speech

truncate
cut the top off; shorten

They were asked to truncate the argument

tryst
meeting arranged by lovers; arrangement between lovers to meet

She was late for the tryst

tumid
(of a part of the body) swollen; distended; bombastic; pompous

He made a tumid speech

tumult
commotion of a great crowd; riot; noise; uproar; ADJ. tumultuous: noisy and disorderly

That was a tumultuous situation

tundra
rolling treeless plain in Siberia and arctic North America

Polar bears are found in the Tundra regions

turbid
(of a liquid) having the sediment disturbed; muddy; thick

The water in the pond is turbid

turbulence
state of violent agitation; ADJ. turbulent: violently agitated or disturbed

The ocean’s in turbulence

tureen
deep dish for serving soup

The soup was served in a tureen

turgid
swollen; distended (as from liquid)

The grain became turgid after it was soaked in water

turmoil
extreme confusion; great commotion and confusion; Ex. throw the country into turmoil

The teenage turmoil

turncoat
traitor

He was a turncoat

turpitude
depravity; baseness; Ex. moral turpitude

His turpitude was hard to bear

tutelage
guardianship; training; function of a tutor; instruction

She studied under the convent’s tutelage

tutelary
protective; pertaining to a guardianship

The Egyptians believed in tutelary deities

tycoon
wealthy and powerful businessperson; wealthy leader; magnate

He’s a business tycoon

typhoon
tropical hurricane or cyclone

The typhoon destroyed the crops

tyranny
oppression; cruel government; ADJ. tyrannical: of a tyrant or tyranny; despotic; V. tyrannize: treat tyrannically; oppress

People famished under his tyrannical rule

tyro
beginner; novice

A tyro like him should be given more number of chances

He’s no good doctor, he’s a quack

quadruped
four-footed animal; ADJ. CF. biped

A cow is a quadruped

quaff
drink with zest; drink with relish(zest; hearty enjoyment)

He quaffed the drink hastily

quagmire
bog; marsh; soft, wet, boggy land; predicament; complex or dangerous situation from which it is difficult to free oneself

He has to squeeze his way through the quagmire

quail
cower; shrink back in fear; lose heart

The kitten quailed at the sight of a dog

quaint
odd in an old-fashioned way; odd; old-fashioned; picturesque

He dressed in a quaint way

qualified
limited; restricted; V. qualify: limit the meaning of; modify

He’s qualified enough to analyze

qualms
uneasy feelings; misgivings; uneasy fears especially about matters of conscience

I have no qualms about giving this assignment to Helen

quandary
dilemma; state of uncertainty

She is in a quandary about whether to go.

quarantine
isolation of a person, place, or ship to prevent spread of infection;

The patient was isolated in quarantine

quarry
person or animal of pursuit; victim; object of a hunt; prey

quarry
dig into (to get stone); N: mine

The police lost their quarry in the crowd

quash
crush; suppress; squash; subdue; annul; Ex. quash a rebellion/the decision of the low court

quay
dock; wharf; pier; landing place (for boats)

The quay could not land all the boats

queasy
experiencing nausea; nauseated; easily nauseated; squeamish

I feel a little queasy

quell
suppress; put an end to; put down forcibly; extinguish; quiet

“Army Quells Rebellion”

quench
assuage or satisfy (thrust); slake; douse or extinguish; put out; suppress

Her thirst for knowledge could not be quenched

querulous
given to complaining; complaining; fretful; whining

A querulous student

query
inquiry; question; V

Her queries are generally genuine

queue
line (of waiting people or vehicles)

The boy had to wait in a long queue

quibble
minor objection or complaint; V: raise minor objections; carp; cavil

She quibbles over petty things

quiescent
dormant; temporarily inactive; at rest; N. quiescence

The seeds of lotus lie quiescent for generations together

quietude
tranquility; calmness

The quietude of the place is remarkable

quintessence
purest and highest embodiment; perfect example; apotheosis; most essential element; Ex. quintessence of wit; ADJ. quintessential; CF. fifth essence

quip
taunt; clever sarcastic remark; V.

Her quipped at the right time

quirk
sudden sharp turn or twist; startling twist; caprice; idiosyncrasy; peculiarity of behavior

By a quirk of fate

quisling
traitor who aids invaders;

The Quisling made arrangements for the terrorists to stay

quiver
case for arrows

He put back the arrow into the quiver

quixotic
idealistic but impractical; CF. Don Quixote

Her plans are usually quixotic

quizzical
curious; suggesting puzzlement (without saying); questioning; teasing; mocking; bantering;

He gave a quizzical glance

quorum
minimal number of members necessary to conduct a meeting

The quorum has not formed yet

quotidian
daily; commonplace; customary

That’s a monotonous quotidian routine

A piebald horse

piecemeal
one part at a time; gradually; in stages;

Read a novel piecemeal

piety
devoutness; reverence for God; ADJ. pious

She has both piety and devoutness

pigment
coloring matter (usually powder to be mixed with water or oil)

Chlorophyll is a plant pigment

pillage
plunder

The barbarians pillaged every conquered city

pillory
punish by placing in a wooden frame or pillory; subject or expose to criticism and ridicule; N.

The pillory of the critics was hard to bear

pine
long for; yearn; languish from longing or grief; decline

She pined over the lost opportunity

pinion
restrain or immobilize by binding the wings or legs; N: bird’s wing

Pinion a bird’s wings

pinnacle
peak; highest point; acme

She rose to the pinnacle of fame

pious
devout; religious; N. piety

She has earned a name owing to her pious deeds

piquant
pleasantly tart-tasting; spicy; pleasantly stimulating;

I was placed in a piquant situation when my old enemy asked for my help

pique
irritation; resentment from wounded pride (eg. loss in a contest); V: provoke; arouse; annoy; cause to feel resentment;

Occult piques her curiosity

piscatorial
pertaining to fishing; CF. Pisces

A piscatorial painting

pitfall
hidden danger; concealed trap

There was every chance of falling into the pitfall

pith
core or marrow; sponge like substance in the center of stems; essence; substance

The pith is the most nutritious part of the plant

pithy
concise and meaningful; substantial; meaty

She is known for her pithy poems

pittance
small amount (of money); small allowance or wage

The workers were paid a pittance

pivotal
of a pivot; central; critical; crucial

He played a pivotal role in the family

placate
pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease

Pain placates with time

placebo
harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

The hypochondriac was given a placebo

placid
peaceful; calm; Ex. placid child/lake

The placid lake was resort for many families

plagiarize
steal another’s ideas or writings and pass them off as one’s own; Ex. ideas plagiarized from my article; N. plagiarism; CF. kidnap

Copying and plagiarizing are two different things altogether

plaintive
expressing sorrow; mournful;

She sang a plaintive song

plait
braid; interwine; interweave strands or lengths of; make by weaving strands together;

Her mother plaited her hair

plasticity
ability to be molded; ADJ. plastic: capable of being shaped or molded;

He spoke of a plastic material such as clay

platitude
trite remark; commonplace statement; ADJ. platitudinous

The platitude of the film’s plot annoyed me

platonic
purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire

A platonic relation such as theirs

plaudit
praise; enthusiastic approval; round(succession or series) of applause; ADJ. plauditory; CF. applaud

A plaudit of great words

plausible
conceivably true; having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious

A plausible idea.

plebeian
common; vulgar; pertaining to the common people; N: common people in ancient Rome; CF. patrician

A movie made for the plebeian

plebiscite
direct vote by the entire electorate (on an important issue)

Plebiscite we have lately taken, in popular use, from the French. –Fitzed. Hall

plenary
(of