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CATapult Courseware
Wordlistchapter
Wordlst
WORDLIST
A
‘Abase: (v:) 10 lower In rank, office, prestige, or esteem - 1 wouldn't abase myself by getting into
‘an argument with him. Noun: abasement.
Abdicate: (v.) abdicate: to cast off; discard; to relingulsh - He abdicated all responsibility for the
Work to his elder son, Noun: abdication.
‘Aberrant: (ad). straying from the right or normal way: deviating from the usual or natural type:
atypical ~ His aberrant behaviour after his failure worried his friends. Nouns: aberrant (person who
behaves exhibits aberrant behaviour) aberrance; aberrancy.
Abeyance: (7.) a state of temporary suspension or inactivity ~The plan was held in abeyance till
the funds could be arranged,
Abnegation (n) 4 denial; self-denial; Abnegation of responsibility is bringing with it the anarchy,
chaos and violence in society
Abrogate (v.) to cancel by authority - The treaty can be abrogated only by the President himselt
‘Abstemious (a0): marzed by restraint especially In the consumption of food or alcohol ~ The
hermit led an abstemious way of lite.
‘Abstruse (ad) hard to understand; deep; recondite - The concept was too abstruse for the average
student to grasp.
Acerbie (ad}}) tasting sours; harsh In language or temper - The opposition party's acerbic comments
about the Prime Minister was met with wide disapproval
Acquiesce (v.) to agree without protest - The students acquiesced to the fee hike even though
they were opposed to it.
‘Acrimony (n.): harsh or biting sharpness especially of words, manner, or disposition - There was
too much acrimony between the brothers for the dispute to be solved amicably.
Adjure (v. to command solemnly; to urge or advise earnestly; beg ~ The judge adfured the witness
to speak honestly and truthfully
Adroit (adj) having or showing skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations; clever;
dexterous ~ His adroit handling of an awkward situetion won him praise from everyone.
Aesthetic (a0), of, relating to, or dealing with the beautiful aesthetic theories; artistic a work of
aesthetic value; pleasing in appearance aesthetic features - His review made one wonder what
kind of aesthetic taste the critic hae.
Aggrandize (1) to make more powertul; increase; enlarge ~ He exploited the situation to aggranck
himself&.
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‘Alacrity (n.) promptness in response; cheerful readiness ~ She accepted the invitation with alacrty.
Alleviate (v.10 relleve; lessen; 10 make (as suffering) more bearable. Her sympathy alleviated
his distress
Altruism (0.) unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of - There are certainly people who
‘Take Up causes thet help people they have never met with pure altruism,
Ambivalent (2q)) simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings (as attraction and repulsion)
toward; continual fluctuation (as between one thing and its opposite); uncertainty as to which
approach to follow ~ Many parents are ambivalent about giving thelr child @ cell phone, worried
that their child will spend all their time chatting to their friends.
Ameliorate («) to improve or make better- There are several biologically plausible reasons why
zine may help In ameliorating symptoms of the common cold.
‘Anachronism (n.) 2 chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs In regard to
each other. The film about Ice Age had an anachronism in one of the frames with 2 car in the
background.
Angint (v.) to smear with ointment or apply an olly substance; choose by or as If by divine
intervention - She was anointed the head of the Christian fundamentalist group.
Anomaly (.) an oddity, inconsistency; 2 deviation from the norm ~ The defence lawyer pointed
‘out a glaring anomaly In the evidence.
Antagonism (1) hostility; opposition ~ The antagonism was created by a misunderstanding,
Antipathy (0.) & strong dislike or repugnance ~ She had an antipathy towerd meat as she was @
vegetarian.
Apocalypse (n) one of the Jewish and Christian writings of 200 B.C. to A.D, 480 marked by
seudonymity, symbolic Imagery, and the expectation of an Imminent cosmic cataciysm In which
God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom;
revelation; something viewed as a prophetic revelation; Armageddon - science-fiction movies seem,
to relish apocalyptic visions ~ In the nuclear age, w live in the shadow of the apocalypse.
Apocryphal (2dj.) counterfeit; of doubtful authorship or authes
about terrorist attacks raced through the city
ty ~ Wildly apocryphal rumours
‘Arcane (ad).) obscure; mysterious; understood only by a few ~ The old men found the technical
‘consultant's explanation of the problem arcane.
Archetype (r.) original pattern or model; prototype; a perfect example ~ Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr.
Jekyll and Mr, Hyde are the archetypes that have Influenced many horror stories.
Assiduous (ad) carefully attentive ~ She tended her garden with assiduous attention
‘Assuage (v.) to relieve; ease; make less severe ~ Medication should assuage the pain.chapter
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Attenuate (x) to thin out; to weaken- Mecicine attenuated the fever’s eifect
Austere (2d) having a stern look; having strict self-discipline ~ Gandhifi led an austere tte
Avarice (n) excessive or insatiable desie for wealth or gain; geediness ~ His avarice for money
made him work long hours and without rest.
‘Azure (ad}) the clear blue colour of the sky - The azure sky made the plenic day perfect.
Baleful (adj) harmful, malign, deadly or pernicious in influence; foreboding evil - The Florida eagles
have @ flerce baleful look.
Banal (a0) tite; without freshness or originality ~ this Is the hundredth Hindi flm that 1 have
seen with the banal tale of unrequited love.
Baneful (adj) deadly or causing distress; seriously harmful ~ He was ruined by the banefal habit
of cocaine.
Bastion (n.) 2 fortified place or strong defence ~ The sirength of the hastion saved the soldiers
inside of it.
Batten (v,) to grow fat; to feed glutionously; to grow prosperous especially at the expense of
another ~ Politicians batten themselves on the helpless.
Bellicose (ac) quarrelsome; ware ~ The belices® guest would not be invited back again.
Beneficent (ed) doing or producing good: especially, performing acts of kindness and charity - He
Is @ beneficent person, always helping people In need.
Berate (v) scold; reproach; criticize ~ The child was derated by the parents for telling les.
Bilateral (ad}.) having two sides; affecting reciprocally two nations or parties - The dllateral
agreement between the neighbouring countries prevented war between them at all times
Blasphemous (ac, irveligious; away from acceptable standards; speakingill of using profane language
= The upper-class parents thought that it was blasphemous for thelr son to marty a waitress.
Blatant (ac) obvious; unmistakable; crude; vulgar ~ She broke down at his words uttered with
blatant disregard for a person's feelings.
Bode (v.) foretell; to Indicate by signs; presage ~ The controversy about who should be chief bodes
ill for both of the candidates.
Boor (7.) @ rude person ~ The not invited, the boor turned up for the party.
Broach («) to open up (@ subject) for discussion, to make known forthe frst ime ~ We broached
our plans for the new year.2
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Brusque (ad) abrupt In manner or speech- His brusque answer was nelther acceptable nar polite.
Bueolle (ad) relating to or typical of rural life ~ The bucolic setting Inspired the artist,
Burgeon (\.) to grow or develop quickly ~ Many people view the quickly burgeoning populstion of
the cities as = problem.
Burlesque (n.) a literary or dramatic work that seeks to ridicule by means of grotesque exaggeration
‘or comic Imitation; a mockery ~ The antics of the defence attorneys tumed the trial Into a burlesque
of Justice,
Burly (2dj.) strong; bulky; muscular ~ Her bodyguard was a burly man.
c
Cache (n.) ¢ hiding place for goods - The cache of arms was hidden under the bec.
Cacophony (0.) a harsh and discordant sounds; dissonance ~ Rock music was termed by his
grandfather as mere cacophony.
Cajole (v) to persuade with flattery or gentle urging; to decelve with scathing words or false
promises ~The contractor resorted to lies in order to cafofe the disgruntled workers back to work.
Callow (e0j) lacking adult sophistication; immature ~ Although the girl could be considered an
‘adult, the action was very callow.
alumny (7.) a misrepresentation intended to blacken another's ; slander - It is pure calumny 10
say that the tribal worship thelr Idols in a way any different from ours.
Canard (n) false or unfounded report or story ~ The ruling cealition is trying to prove that the
scam was @ canard contrived by the opposition.
Caprice (n.) @ sudden, impulsive, and seemingly unmotivated notion or action; a sudden usually
Unpredictable condition, change, or series of changes - I'm tired of the olé man and his caprices.
Captious (adj) disposed to find fault - A captious attitude often causes difficulties in a relationship.
carte blanche (.) unlimited authority - The interior designer was given carte bianche to do the
house,
astigate (v.) to punish through public criticism - The Minister castigated the bureaucrat for the
delay In the Implementation of the scheme,
Cataclysm (n.) flood, deluge, catastrophe ; an event that brings great changes - The stress of
puberty is the most intense natural cataclysm that @ growing child has to undergo.
‘catharsis (n.) 4 purging or relieving of the bedy or mind ~ The city may be in mourning, but the
numerous prayers and candlelight vigils help provide some emotional catharsis.Chapter
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Censure (v) to criticize or disapprove of ~ He was censured by his employers for the impolite
behavior with @ client.
Chate (v) to annoy, to lertate; to wear away or make sore by rubbing ~ His constant teasing,
cchafed het
‘Chagrin (o.) cisquietude or cistress of mind caused by humiliation, diseppcintment, or failure - To
her chagrin, the party ended just as she arrived.
Chicanery (n.) trickery or deception ~ The swindler seemed to be well-irained in chicanery:
‘Chimera (n.) an Impossible fancy ~ Pethaps he saw a fiying saucer, but perhaps it was only &
chimera.
Circumspect (adj) careful considering all circumstances anc passible consequences; prudent —
Alter the frst fallure they became circumspect In all thelr decisions.
‘Cogent (ad) appealing forcibly to the mind or reason convincing ~ The lawyer made a cogent and
compelling presentation of the case In favour of the defendant.
ogitate (v) to think hard; ponder; meditate - It Is necessary to cogitate on decisions which
affect lite goals,
Cognitive (ec) possessing the power to think; capable of perception — an estimated 239 of,
people over 65 years of age suffer from mild cognitive impairment,
‘Cohesion (n.) the act of holding together; unity ~ The staff lacked cohesion In pursuing the common
goals of the company.
‘Commiserate (v) to show sympatiny for ~ When I lost, she commiserated over my failure
‘complacent (ad) content; sef-setisfied; smug - He had become complacent after years of success.
Complalsance (o.) the quality of being agreeable or eager to please ~ the complalsant walter
was in no hurry for us to leave.
CConeeit (n.) an exaggerated personal opinion ~ The film star's bellef that he was the most popular
factor in the industry was pure conceit.
Coneiliatory (ec).) reconciling, anpeasing - The two neighbouring nations never seem to find any
‘conciliatory grouné between them .
‘Conclave (n.) any private meeting or closed assembly - The conclave was to mest outside the city.
‘Connoisseur (n.) expert; authority (usually refers to = wine or food expert) - Let him cheose the
wine — he's the connoisseur.
Conseerate (v.) to declare sacred; to dedicate - The park was consecrated to the memory of the
missing soldiers.
Consternation (n.) amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion = The two friends
stared at each other In consternation, and neither knew what 10 doD cetera
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Contiguous (2c).) being in actual contact : touching along = boundary or at point - Maharashtra,
Gujerat, and Rajasthan are contiguous States.
Contravene (\.) to act contrary to; to oppose or contradict ~ the management cannot frame rules
that contravene the law of the state.
Contrite (2dj.) regretfuls sorrowful; having repentance ~ The contrite man apologized profusely.
Conundrum (n.) ¢ puzzle or riddle ~ I spent two hours trying to figure out the conundrum.
Corroborate (v) to support with evidence; confirm ~ The account given by the accused was not
corroborated by the statement of the witnesses.
Covenant (n.) 4 binding and solemn agreement - With the exchange of vows, the
complete,
ower (v) 10 huddle and tremble - The hostages cowered In thelr seats.
Culpable (adj) deserving blame; guilty ~ she was the one who committed the crime but he was
culoable alse
Curmudgeon (9.) an ill-tempered person - The curmudgeon asked the children not to play near
his house.
Cursory (ad) rapidly and often superficially performed; hasty ~ A cursary reading of the report
Convinced him about her involvement in the crime.
Gynie (n) a faultfinding captious crite; one who believes that human conduct is motivated wholly
by self-interest - A cynic might see this charity drive as simply @ ploy to make us gart with more
money.
D
Dauntless {ad}. fearless; not discouraged - The dauntless firefighters rescued the child.
Debacle (n.) disaster; collapse; @ rout ~ The new regulations by the SEBI are meant to prevent
another debacle in the stock markets.
Debase (\.) to make lower in quality ~ People from the North complain that people in Mumbai
have debased the Hindi language.
Debauchery 0.) extreme indulgence in sensuality - It suits you so badly- ell this debauchery,
dissipation, and the rest of I
Debititate (v.) to enfeeble; to wear out - The prolonged illness debilitated him to the point that
fhe was unable to walk
Decadence (0. decline in morals or art; implies # reaching and passing the peak of development
fand a turn downward with @ consequent loss In vitality or energy - Lave of luxury a3 4 sign of
cultural decadence .Chapter
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Deery (v.) to denounce or condemn openly ~ The eritics decried the fllm for its lack of technical skill,
Deferential (edj.) respect and esteem due a superior or an elder; affected or ingratiating regarc)
for another’s wishes ~ The student was polite and deferential while speaking to his professor.
Deleterious (adj.) harmful; hurtful; noxious - Deleterious fumes escaped fram the overturned truck
carrying chemicals
Delineate (v.) to ou
to contre! prices,
te describe ~ the Minister delineated the steps taken by the government
Demur («; n.) to delay, hesitate - She hated alr travel, so when the subject of the vacation came
up she demurred.
Depreeate (\.) to express disapproval of; to protest against ~ The environmentallsts deprecated
the cutting Gown of trees for the new road,
Desuttory (adj) moving in a random, directionless manner ~ Most of the audience felt that his
speech was desultory.
Determinate (ad) distinct limits - The new laws were very determinate as far as what was allowed!
and what was not allowed,
Dexterous (ad}.) skilful, quick mentally or physically; clever - The batsman showed dexterous
ingenuity with the bat .
Diatribe (n. a bitter or abusive speech - Graceless In loss, he burst Into @ dlatribe against nis
rivals when he lost the championship.
Didactic (29). instructive; dogmatic; preachy ~ Our teacher’s didactic technique boosted our scores.
Dilettante (nan admirer of the fine arts; a dabbler; an amateur ~ Though she played the plano
like a professional, she was merely a dilettante
Disarray (n.) (state of) clsorder - The thief left the house In disarray.
Discreet (ad}) showing good judgment in conduct; prudent ~ 1 told her about my affalr, because
1 could trust her to be discreet.
Discrete (ad) separate; individually distinct; composed of distinct parts - these are two discrete
Issues; they need to be ciscussed separately.
Disdain (1. Intense dislike; lock down upon; scorn ~ The prablem with my friend Is that If F don’t
agree with him, he shows great disdain for me.
Disingenuous (ac) not frank or candid; decelvingly simple ~ Hs answers are always dlsingenucus;
you cannot make out what he really means,
Disinterested (adj.) neutral; unbiased ~ His decision will be fair to everyone as he is the mest
disinterested party in this controversy.®@
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Disparage (v.) to belittle; undervalue; to discrecit ~ She disparaged her student's efforts in the
event when she took the credit far its success all for herself.
Disparate (ac) unequal; dissimilar; different ~ He and his poor friend come from starkly disparate
backgrounds.
Dissemble («) to pretend; to feign; to conceal by pretense - The man dissembled his assets to
‘avold paying taxes.
Distension (1.) inflation or extension ~ The wooden table distended and lost shape after being
left In the rain,
Dither (v) to act indecisively; a confused condition - She althered every time she had to make
a decision.
Dogmatic (ad) stubborn; biased; opinionated ~ When the professor became too dogmatic in his
Speech, the students began to leave his lectures.
Dormant (ad}) as if asleep ~ They say that only one third of one's vocabulary Is active:
Js dormant,
Wo third
Doughty (adj) orave and strong - The daughty fireman saved the women’s life
Duplicity (n.) deception - She broke up with him for his duplicity
Duress (7) imprisonment; the use of threats ~ The convict pleaded in the court that his contession
to the police was made under duress.
E
Ebullience (n.) an overflowing of high spirits; effervescence - she emanated ebuillence as she
learnt about her first rank In the exam.
Eclectle (ad) selecting what appears to be best In various doctrines, methods, or styles; composed
of elements drawn from various sources ~ To be good in reading Comprehension your reading
should be eclectic
Edlify (v) to bulld or establish; to Instruct and Improve the mind; enlighten ~ The students found
their philosophy professor's lectures to be edifying.
Efface (u) to erase; to make inconspicucus ~ Dayllght effaced the stars.
Effrontery (7) errogance - The effontery of the young man was offensive.
Etfusive (ad}) pouring out or forth; overflowing ~ The effusive currents rush through the broken dam.
Egress (n) a way out; exit - The doorway provides an egress trom the chember
Ellipsis (0.) omission of words that would make the meaning clear ~ The accidental alls confused
all those who heard the speech.Chapter
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Elucidate () to make clear; to exolain - The first sentence of the chapter elucidated its purpose.
Elusive (ad.) hard to catch - The thiet proved to be to:
cateh him,
sve for the police, they could never
Emanate (v) to emit ~ Thick smioke emanated from the building that was on fire,
Embellish (v) to make beautiful with omamentation; decorate ~ His fanciful account thet embellishes
the true story.
Encomium (0.) formal expression of high preise ~ The actor's speech was along encomium for his
producer and director as he recelved the award.
Eneumber (v.) to hold back; to hinder; to burden, w
been encumbered with responsibilities.
down ~ His was a life that has always
Endemic (ad]) native to a particular area; constantly present In a particular country or locality ~
The endemic fauna was of great Interest to the anthropologist,
Enervate (v.) to weaken; to deprive of nerve or strength - The sickness enervates Its victims
completely.
Engender (v) 0 cause to exlst; produce - The group attempted to engender changes to the lew.
Enlgmatie (26)) baffling - the enigmatic murder puzzled the detective,
Ennui (n.) boredom: apathy - Ennul set in when the children had broken all the toys.
Ephemeral (2dj.) very short-lived; lasting only = short time ~ His happiness was always ephemeral
a he lived alone; it was soon replaced by boredom.
Epicure (n.) a person who has good taste in food and drink - As an epicure, he visits only the
best restaurants in town.
Epitome (n.) model; typical or ideal example - The student chosen to represent the school was
the epitome of dedication and excellence.
Equivocal (adj) doubtful; uncertain ~ His equivocal behavior increased the uneasiness.
Erudite (ad),) learned, having a wide knowledge acauired through reading ~ He was erudite scholar
In philosophy.
Eschew (\.) to shun; to avoid ~ Gandhili exhorted people to eschew violence.
Esoteric (acj.) understood by only a chosen few; confidential ~ The esoteric language was only
known by the select group.
Evanescent (ed).) vanishing quickly; dissipating like @ vapor ~ The evanescent mirage could only
be seen at a certain angle.
Exculpate (v.) to free from guilt - Though he was innocent he did not try to exculpate from the
crime he was charged with.oe
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Exhume (v) to unearth; to reveal ~ The sclentists exhumed the body from the grave to test the
body's DNA.
Exigent (2¢)) a situation calling for immediate attention ~ The exigent request for more assistance
was answeres quickiy.
Exonerate (v) to declare or prove blameless - Hopefully, the Judge will exoner
wrongdoing.
fou of any
Expedient (ad),) convenient in obtaining a result; gulded by self-interest - To drop the case against
the minister was politically expedient decision,
Expedite (v.) to hasten the action of ~ We can expedite the transaction if we tell them it is an
emergency.
F
Facetious (sd) joking In an awkward or Improper manner ~ When I called you @ fool, r'm sure
you realized I was only being very facetious.
Fallibte (20},) lable to be mistaken or erroneous - The sick man kept repeating that he was in
the hands of God, not fallible human doctors.
Fanatic (n) enthusiast; extremist - The terrorist group was comprised of fanatics.
Fastidious (2d]) difficult to please; dainty - The fastidious girl would not accept any offers as
suitable
Fathom (v.) to understand - it was dificult to fathom why he sold his business.
Fatuous (ad}) lacking In seriousness; vain and silly ~ This Is going to sound completely fatuous,
bt it's my honest answer
Fecund (acj.) productive; fertile; prolific - Zebrafish are highly fecund -each female is capable of
laying 200 eggs per clutch.
Felgn (v) pretend- It Is not uncommon for a child to feign liness In order to stay home from
school.
Ferret (v) 10 force out of hiding; to search for - The police wll ferret the fugitive out of his hiding
place.
Fetish (n.) anything to which one gives excessive devotion; fixation ~ She has made fetish of
Cleanliness, cleaning her house several times a day.
Finesse (1.) the ability to handle situations with skill and diplomacy - she managed that situation
with great finesse.
Flaccid (adj) lacking firmness ~ His muscles have become completely flaccid.Chapter
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Flagrant (a¢j) glaringly wrong ~ The flagrant foul curing the game was apparent to everyone.
Flamboyant (ad}) being too showy or ornate - They were all very flamboyant women, very well
dressed with lots of jewelry.
Flippant (adj) talkative; disrespectful - The teacher became upset with the fllopant answer from
the student.
Flux (n.) 4 flow; @ continual change ~ Fashion is always in a state of flux
Foray (w.) to raid for spoil; @ venture or an initial attempt outside one’s usual area - An actor’s
foray iota polities.
Forbearance (o.) patience; seli-restiaint - He exhibited remarkable forbearance when his boss
insulted him in public.
Forensle (ad) belonging to, used In, or sultable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and
debate; argumentative; metorical; relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge
to legal problems forensic medicine forensic sclence forensfc pathologist forensic experts ~The
forensic squad dealt with the legel investigation.
Fortitude (.) rm courage; strength - He showed great fortitude during his long illness
Fortultous (ad].) happening accidentally ~ His fortultcus meeting with his flend proved lucky for him.
Fractious (ad}) rebellious; apt to quarrel ~ Fractious siblings aggravate thelr parents,
Frenetic (adj) frenzied ~ The police received frenetic call from the scene of the crime.
Forward (ac) not willing to yield or comply with what is reasonable - The executive had to deal
with a forward peer who was becoming increasingly difficult.
Fulminate (v) to blame, denunciate ~ The social activist in
cchicanery.
speech fulminated against political
Furtive (ad]) secretive; sly ~ He cast @ furtive glance In her direction
G
Gaffe (n.) a blunder ~ Calling his fiancée by the wrong name was @ huge gaffe.
Gainsay (v) to speak against; to contradict; to deny ~ During the group discussian, he tried 19
gainsay me, but T was well prepared with facts.
Galvanize (y.) 10 stimulate as if by electric shock; startle; excite ~ The group is trying to galvanize
support for the victimized woman.
Gamut (0.) a complete range; any complete musical scale ~ SRK's roles In films run the entire
amut of villain to superhero to comedian.
a®@
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Gatish (adj.) gaudy, showy ~ The gold fixtures seemed garish.
Garner (v.) to gether up and store; to collect ~ The squirrels garnered nuts for the winter.
Garrulous (20).) extremely talkative or wordy ~ He became more garrulous after drinking @ couple
of beer
Gauche (20) awkward; lacking social grace - would it be gauche of me to ask her how old she Is?
Gauntlet (n.) a protective glove - The gauntlet saved the man's hand from being burned in the
fire. (An open challenge (@s to combat) —used In phrases lke throw down the gauntlet)
Genre (adj.) designating a type of film or book ~ The genre of the book is popular science,
Germane (adj.) pertinent; related; to the point - My personal opinion isn’t germane to our iscussion
of the facts of the case,
Gerrymander (\.) to gain advantage by manipulating unfairly ~ Te geramander during negotiations
Is considered untai.
Glib (ac).) smooth and slippery; speaking or spoken ina smooth manner ~ The salesman was so
gillb that the customers failed to notice the defects in the product
Glutton (n.) overester ~ He is such @ glutton that he ate the whole cake,
Gourmand (n.) on who Is excessively fond of eating and drinking: - He Is such 9 gourmand that
he vacationed to Europe every year just for the wine.
Grandiose (ec).) magnificent; flamboyant ~ He was always full of grandiose ideas.
Gregarious (ad) fond of the company of others ~ she Is outgoing and gregarious.
Guile (0.) siyness; deceit ~ By using his guile, the gambler almost always won at the card table.
Gullible (ad) easily fooled - They sell overpriced Items to gullible tourists,
Hackneyed (2d)) lacking in freshness or originality; commonplace; trite - It may be hackneyed,
but itis true that the harder you work, the luckier you get.
Haggard (e0)) untamed having worn looke She looked tired and haggard after the illness.
Haleyon (2d) cranqull; happy ~ 1 keep remembering the haleyon years of growing up in a village
Hapless (adj) unlucky; unfortunate - The injured and hapless captain could net lead the team
to vietory.
Harangue (v) @ speech addressed to a public assembly; a ranting speech or writing - The chief
guest launched Into @ long Aarangue about the evils of pop culture.Chapter
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Harbinger (n.) forerunner; Indication ~ The new year wes seen as a harbinger of better times.
Haughty (ed) proud of oneself and scornful of others - The haughty ways she displayed her
work tured off her peers.
Hedonist (2d), living for pleasure ~ Thelr vacation to Switzerland turned to be hedonistic adventure
Hegemony (1.) dominance, especially of one nation over others ~ Colonization was an example of
imposing British hegemony over other regions.
Heresy (0. opinion contrary to popular bellet or Ideology ~ The fact that the earth Is round was
considered heresy at one time,
Hiatus (o.) Interval; break; period of rest - summer vacation provided @ much-needed Alatus for
the students.
Hierarchy (n.) a system of persons or things arranged according to rank ~ When I joined the
company I was at the bottom of the hierarchy.
Homily (n) solemn moral talk; sermon- We listened to another one of hls homilles about the
value of public service,
Hubris (0) arrogance ~ His fallure In life was brought on by his Aubris.
Histrionle (¢¢j) theatrical ~ she had a tendency to throw things, bang doors, and other histrfonic
cisplays of temper
Holocaust (n) destruction by fire ~ we live In the shadow of a nuclear holocaust
Horticulture (n) the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants
= Women constitute the majority ef workers in African export horticulture.
Humane (sd) marked by kindness or consideration — it Is not humane to treat animals that way.
Husbandry (7) frugally; thrift; also agriculture ~ In accordance with his practice of goad nusbandry,
he never buys anything on credit.
Hybrid (n.) anything of mixed origin - The flower was a hybrid of three different flowers,
Hyperbole (n.) an exaggeration, not to be taken seriously - The snake In the garden was 20 feet
long, he said with @ measure of hyperbole.
Hypechendrlae (9.) person unduly worried about his health; worrler without cause about Illness ~ My
brother is 2 real hypochondriac, Every time he reads about some new disease, he thinks he has it.oS
CaTapult
Wordist
Teonoslast (1.) one who destroys revered Images; an attacker of cherished beliefs HI criticism
cof the government, religion, and cusiom made him an iconoclast.
Tdiosynerasy (0.) any personal peculiarity, mannerism - Her tendency to bite her nails is an
{dlosyncrasy.
Imbue (v) to soak oF stain; permeate ~ The values that he had imbued from education remained
with im all his fe
Immaculate (ad) perfectly clean; correct; pure — He always dressed immaculately.
Imminent (ad) likely to happen without delay ~ The clouds signaled the imminent rains.
Immutable (2d) unchangeable; permanent ~ Natures laws are immutable.
Impasse (n.) a situation that has no solution or escape; deadlock ~ An arbitrator Is necessary to
break the impasse in the negotiations.
Impassive (ad) showing no emotion - The culprit remained (mpasstve throughout the tral.
Impecuntous (ed) poor; having no money ~ They were mpecunious and did not buy any gift for
the host
Impede (v2) to stop the progress of; obstruct ~ The rain impeded the work on the building.
Impenitent (ac}.) without regret, shame, or remorse ~ His impenitent remark proved thet he gid
not regret the crime
Imperious (ad) arrogant; urgent ~ Her imperious manner cast her all her friends.
Imperturbable (adj) calm; net easily excited ~ He remained imperturbable throughout the argument.
Impervious (ac},) impenetrable; not allowing anything to pass through; unaffected ~ The polltcian
wore a vest that was impervious to bullets.
Impetuous (2c) moving with great force; done with little thought ~ The young man had an
impetuous temperament
Impiety (0.) irreverence toward God; lack of respect - Gandhiji considered all forms of violence
as impiety.
Implacable (aci.) unwilling to be pacified or appeased - She was implacable after she heard the
news about her friene’s accident.
Imprecate (\.) to pray for evil; to Invoke @ curse ~ Witches are knawn to Imprecate people through
Impromptu (2cj.) without preparation ~ His witty impromptu dialogues entertained everyone.Chapter
Wordlist
Improvident (adj) not providing for the future - An improvident person may end up destitute in
latter fe.
Impudent (adj) disrespectiul and shameless - Impudent actions caused him to be unpopular
Impugn (y.) te attack with words; to question the truthfulness or integrity — He impugned his
rival's character
Imputation (f.) to charge, to attribute a fault or misconduct to another ~ I resent the imputation
that T am nice to her because she has money.
Inadvertent (2dj.) not on purpose; unintentional ~ It was an inadvertent error on my part
Inchoate (ad) not yet fully formed; rudimentary ~ The outline of the thests was the inchoate
form of a very complex theory.
Incisive (a0) getting to the heart of things; to the point - She's known for her incisive mind and
quick wit.
Incognito (ad)) unidentified; cisgulses; concealed ~ The actor preferred to travel incognita.
Ineredulous (ad}) skeptical ~ Many people were incredulous that the Investigating agency could
not identify the murderer.
Inculeate (v) to Impress upon the mind, as by Insistent urging ~ A mother tries to inculeare good
habits in her child.
Incursion (p.) an entry into, especially when not desired ~ The Air-force does not allow any
{incursion into the country’s air space.
Indelible (2d) that which cannot be blotted out or erased ~ The storles that his grandmother
told him left an indelible impression on his ming.
Indemnity (v) to Insure against or pay for loss or damage - It Is Important to Indemnity your
valuables with an insurance company.
Indiet (v.) charge with @ crime ~ The court indicted him for theft
Indigenee (n.) the condition of being poor ~ The family’s fnaigence was obvious In the way they
Lived.
Indigenous (2d)) native to @ region; inborn or Innate - The plants are [ndigenous to the Deccan
Plateau,
Indignant (24}.) expressing anger to an Injustice - He was Indgnant over the way he wes treated
Indolent (a0)) lazy; Inactive ~ The indolent man slept all day.
Indomitable (ad) not easily discouraged or defeated ~ Theugh Injured his indomitable spirit helped
him win the match, even against unbearable pain
35oo
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Wordlist
Indubltable (ad) unquestionable; sure - The student was the Indubltable leader of the group.
Ineluctable (ad).) something inevitable ~ The sick man was preparing for the ineluctable death
Ingenious (ad)) clever, resourceful ~ His ingenious ideas helped to market the product well.
Ingenuous (ac) showing innacent or childlike simplicity and candidness; lacking craft or subtlety
= The child’s ingenuous admission of guilt touched everyone's heart.
Ingratiate (v) 10 bring Into one’s good graces - The man was hoping to Ingratlate himself with
his boss by enquiring after his children.
Inimical (2dj.) hostile, unfriendly ~ When T mentioned her boyfriend, she gave me an inimical stare,
Iniquitous (e4).) wicked; unjust - The insult to the man was truly iniquitous.
Innate (adj) natural; inborn ~ she has an Innate talent for art
Innecuous (2d),) harmless; dull; innocent ~ His comment about the professor was inappropriate
but innocuous.
Innuendo (p.) an Indirect remark; insinuation - The office was rife with innwendo that @ takeover
was in the works.
Insinuate (v.) to work into gradually and indirectly - He was insinuating the need for a break by
saying that they must be tired.
Insipid (26) u
finished,
resting, boring flat, dull - Many people left the insipfd movie before It was
Insolvent (acj) unable to pay debts ~ Unable to pay off his debts he declared himself insolvent.
Insular (ad]) having the characteristics of an Island; narrow-minded, provincial ~ The insular
‘community was not receptive to new ideas.
Intercede (\.) to plead on behalf of another; mediate - India does not want any nation to intercede
between Pakistan and india.
Intermittent (2d).) periodic; occasional ~ The patient experienced intermittent pain in the chest.
Intractable (ac) stubborn, obstinate; not easily taught or disciplined - Every teacher In the school
became frustrated with the intractable student and sent him to the principal's office.
Intransigent (24).) uncompromising ~ She was Intransigent; no argument could change her mind
Intrepid (adj) fearless, bold ~ The intrepid reporter went right to the scene of the battle during
the war.
Inundate (¥) t0 flood; to overwhelm with a large amount of ~ after the show's success he was:
inundated by congratulatory calls.
Inured (sd) accustomed to pain ~ The common man has become /aured to constant price rise
in commodities.
ryChapter
wordlist
Inveterate (ad) a practice settled on over a long period of time — He Is an inveterate liar.
Irascible (ac) prone to anger ~ He hes an ‘rascibie disposition
Itinerary (n.) travel plan; schedule; course - Their trip's itinerary was disrupted by unexpected
bad weather.
J
‘Jaded (24) worn-out ~ The people are Jaded by the number of scams in the government.
Jargon (p.) Incoherent speech; specialized vacabulary In certain felds ~ The doctor spoke In
medical jargon which we could not understand.
Jeopardy (n.) danger; perll - The firefighters routinely put their lives into Jeopardy.
Jettison (¥.) to throw overboard goods to lighten a vehicle; to discard - With his ship rapidly
sinking, the captain ordered a last-ditch Jettison of much of Its cargo.
‘ingoism (0.) extreme chauvinism or nationalism marked especially by a belligerent foreign policy
= When the war began many people were caught up in wave of jingoism.
udicious (adj) to have or show sound judgment ~ Judicious planning now can prevent problems
later
Juggernaut (n.) Irresistible crushing force - There was no escaping the Juggernaut of hype for the
‘tim maker's biggest summer blockbuster
‘Juneture (n.) critical point; meeting - Negotiations between the countries reached a critical juncture.
unket (n.) trip, especially one taken for pleasure by an official at public expense ~ The minister
‘was criticized for his expensive junkets to foreign countries.
Junta (7.) group of persons joined in political intrigue; cabal ~ Although the country Is very strictly
ruled by a military junta, people are allowed to attend church.
uxtapose (v.) place side-by-side ~ In the film, scenes of extravagance were often juxtaposed
with scenes of scarcity.
7carapatt
Wordist
K
Kleptomania (1.)_ an sbnormal, persistent Impulse or tendency to steal, not prompted by need ~
The film star caught shoplifting admitted that he was suffering from kieptomanta
Knavery (n.) a dishonest act ~ The teacher made it clear no knavery will be tolerated in the school.
Knead (v.) mis; massage - Alter mixing the ingredients, she kneaded the dough and set it aside
to rise.
Knotty (ad) to be puzzling or hard to explain ~ In the group discussion, the candidates cautiously
gave their views on an array of knotty issues.
L
Labyrinth (n.) meze; something extremely complex er tortuous in structure ~ The culture that 1
gyew up in was a labyrinth of customs and rules
Lacerate (v.) to tear or rend roughly; to cause sharp mental or emotional pain to; distress ~ The
broken glass lacerated his ‘eet.
Laconie (2c) sparing of words; terse, pithy ~ He was generally laconic, but always to the polat
Laggard (1.; ad) a person who has fallen behind; moving slowly ~ ¥ hate being stuck behing
laggard motorists on the highway.
Lambaste (v) to scold or beat harshly ~ His father lambasted him for falling in his exams,
Lament («: 9.) to moum or grieve; expression of grief or sorrow ~ The boy is lamenting tne loss
of his book.
Languld (adj) lacking vitality; indifferent ~ The languld student was always late to class
Larceny (0.) theft; stealing ~ He was found gully of larceny for stealing from a shoo,
Lascivious (ac.) indecent; Immoral; involves lust ~ He was dismissed from his job for making
lascivious comments to a female co-worker.
Lassitude (n) a state of being tired or lstless ~ Lassitude set In after they had worked for several
continuous days.
Latency (0.) @ period of inactivity - The buds went from latency to full bloom in a few days.
Laud («) pralse ~ He lauded his daughter for winning the trophy.
Lecherous (ed) Impure in thought and act ~ The men at the bar were lecherous and were looking
for some action
Lethargie (ac) lazy: passive ~ Feeling very lethargic, he watched television or slept the whole day.
18Chapter
Wordist
Levity (n.) lack of seriousness; instability - The teacher did not tolerate any sign of levity during
the class.
‘Lewd (ad) lustful; wicked - The comment was so lewd It could not be repeated In tront of children.
Lalson (n.) connection; link ~ The union leader served as a liaison between the management and
the workers.
Lcentious (ad) morally lacking In restraint ~ The culture in the entertainment industry Is seen
to be licentious and corrupt.
Lithe (adj) easily bent; pliable; supple - A gymnast needs to be lithe
Livid (adj) discoloured, as if bruised; extremely angry; furious ~ the boss was livid when yet
another deadline was missed,
Loquacious (ac) very talkative; garrulous ~ The racie jockey was @ loquacious person,
Lueld (20) shiny; clear minded ~ The eld man recognized his sons only In his lucia moments.
Lurid (adj) glowing through haze; shocking, sensational ~ The tabloid was famous for lurid stories
about celebrities.
Luxuriant (adj) to grow with energy and in great abundance ~ She had a lwwuriant garden in front
of her house,
M
Magnanimity (0.; ad} a quality of nobleness of mind, disdain of meanness or revenge; unselfish
= The rich man was well known also for his magnanimity and his large contributions to charity:
Maledietion (n.) putting a curse on someone; talking negatively about another - The two old
women began cursing end heaping maledietions upon one ancther
Malefactor (n.) an evil person ~ She regards anyone who would cause the breakup of a family as
8 malefactor of the worst sor.
Malevolent (acj,) wishing evil (opposite: benevolent) ~ Hindi films are generally about the struggle
between relentlessly malevolent vilains on one side and faultiess saints on the other.
Matinger (v) to pretend to be ill in order to escape work - He will malinger on Friday so he can
0 to the movies.
Malleable (ad) easy to shape or bend; pliable ~ clay Is malleable.
Mandate (n) order; charge ~ The winning political party believed that It had been given a mandate
for change.
19carapult
Wordlist
Maudlin (adj) foolishly and tearfully sentimental ~ He became maudlin and started crying Uke a
child.
Maverick (9.) a person who does not conform to the norm - There's always one maverick who
has to go his own way.
Meander (vad) wind, wander; winding, wandering aimlessly ~ The stream meanders through
the valley.
Mellifluous (2d) having @ sweet sound ~ The mellfluous sound of the flute held the audience
captive
Menagerie (0.) 2 collection of wild or foreign animals kept especially for exhibition ~ The living
room had a menogerte of glass animals.
Mendacious (sd,) given to or characterized by deception or falsehcod or divergence from absolute
truth ~ The newspaper story was mendacious and hurtful.
Mercenary (adj.) working or done for payment only; @ soldier - It became apparent that his
affection was pretended and he was taking care of us only for mercenary reasons.
Metamorphosis (n.) change of form ~The caterpillar becomes a butterfly in @ beautiful metamorphosis.
Meticulous (adj.) exacting: precise - The lab technicians must be meticulous in thelr measurements
to obtain exact results.
Mien (0,) appearance, demeanor ~ The professor’s mien suggested that she would not put up
with nonsense.
Minatory (ad).) threatening ~ A minatory black ghost is said to haunt that house.
Misanthrope (0.) a person who dlstrusts everyching: a hater of mankind - after the man sul
all of the woman's savings, she became # misanthrope,
Mitigate (v) alleviate; lessen; soothe ~ Government has announced mytiad schemes to mitigate
the suffering of the poor.
Modulate (v) to regulate or adjust; to vary the pitch - He modulated the knob until the heater
vwas just the right tempersture.
Mollify (v) to soften; to make less intense — All attempts to mollify the extremists have failed
Moot (adi.) subject to or open for discussion or debate ~ Theorizing a work by such an emotive
director is very tempting, but somewhat moot.
Mordant (ad) cutting: sarcastic - Her mordant remark made me feel miserable.
Morase (ed).) moody, despondent - The fans were morose after the team lost.
Motif (n.) theme ~The novel contained several recurring motifsChapter
Wordlist
Mundane (ed) ordinary; commonplace ~ The city girls found the small town mundane and bering
Munificent (adj) giving generously ~ The wealthy man made munificent donation for the blind.
Myriad (n.) a large number ~ There are @ myriad of options avaliable to us.
Narcissism (n.) self-love, excessive interest In ones appearance, comfort, abilities, etc.
narcissistic actor was difficult to get along with.
The
Nascent (ad].) starting 10 grow or develop — His singing career Is stl In ts nascent stages.
Nebulous (adj) unclear or vague - These philosophical concepts are nebulous.
Nefarious (adj) morally bad; wicked ~ The criminals hatched nefarfous scheme to cheat people
‘out of their money.
Nemesis (1.) @ person who inflicts just punishment; retribution; a rival ~ Batman Is the Joker's,
main nemesis and always foils his wicked plots.
Neophyte (n) beginner; newcomer ~ The neophyte dancer was overcome by the fast tempo.
Nettle (¥.) annoy; Initate ~ The younger brother nettled his older sister until she slapped him.
Nolsome (ed}) harmful to health; having a foul odor ~ Nolsome garbage was strewn all over the
street.
Nostalgia (ad) longing for the past; homesickness ~ A wave of nostalgia swept over me when 1
‘saw my childhood home.
Noxious (e¢).) harmful to one’s health ~ The factory was shut down for releasing noxious waste
into the river.
Nugatory (adj) trifling; futile; insignificant - The book is entertaining, but its contributions to
scholarship are nugatary.
Oo
‘Obdurate (ac) stubbor- The cbdurate child refused to take medicines.
Obelsance (n.) a gesture of respect or reverence — He touched the feet of the dead man paying
cobeisance to him.
‘Obfuscate (v.) to darken, confuse, bewilder ~ The explanation only helped to obfuscate and confuse
the Issue.
aD ceenutt
wordlist
Obliterate («) destroy completely ~ The steep increase in property rates obliterated my plans of
buying a house.
Obloquy (n.) widespread condemnation or abuse; disgrace or Infamy resulting from this - the
stranger became a victim of obloquy and hatred,
Obsequious (ad) servilely attentive; fawning ~ He Is obsequious to anyone In authority
Obsolete (ad) out of date ~ cassettes have become obsolete with the popularity of compact
discs and memory sticks,
Obtrude (v.) to force oneself or one’s ideas upon another ~ Stop obtrudting in others’ affairs.
Obtuse (ed).) dull; slew to understand or perceive — he is too obtuse to take the hint.
Obviate (v) to make unnecessary - Computers have obviated the use of typewriters.
Odious (ad),) hateful; disgusting ~ Tt wes an odious and unforgivable insult
tigarchy (n) form of government in which the supreme power is placed in the hands of = small,
exclusive group ~ The oligarchy took control after the king was overthrown,
‘Ominous (adj.) being or exhibiting an omen ~ An ominous threat of war loomed over the standett.
‘Omniscient (adj) having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight- God Is omnisefent.
Opprobrious (ec) abusive - Nobody liked working for him because he was so opprobrious.
Oputence (n.) wealth; fortune - in some parts of the city nearly unimaginable opulence can be
found side by side with nearly unthinkable poverty.
Ostensible (adj) apparent ~ The astensible reason for the meeting turned out to be a trick to get
him to the surprise party.
Ostentatious (ad) being showy ~ He wears an ostentatious diamond ring on his litle finger
Ostracize (0)
to exclude - The students tend to ostracize the children they dislike,
P
Paean (o.) & song of praise or triumph; @ work that praises or honors someone ~ His farewell
arly featured many paeans for his excellent service to the company
Palindrome (o.) @ word or phrase which reads the same backwards and forwards - “Dad,” and
“madam” are examples of palindromes.
Palpable (2d).) touchable; clear, obvious - I felt = palpable sense of relist.
Panegyrle (7) formal or elaborate praise - His panegyrie of the opponent wes met with widespread
disapproval.
22Chapter
Wordlist
Paradigm (n.) madel, prototype; pattemn- James Joyce's Ulysses set a new paradigm for the novel
Paraphernalia (n.) equipment; accessories ~ The soldiers carried the paraphernalia of war with them.
Pariah (.) an outcast ~ The match fixing charges against the captain made him a garlah in the
worle of cricket.
Parochial (adj) narrow-minded The protest against the influx of people into cities is sometimes
lcoked upon 8 the expression of @ parochial attituce.
Parody (n.) 2 plece of work Imitating another In a satirieal manner ~ The film was a parody of
the affairs of the actor himself.
Parsimonious (a¢),) very ‘rugel; unwilling to spend ~ The parsimonious customer argued that a
hundred rupees was too much for @ shirt
Peccadillo (n.) a slight fault or offense ~ We need to at all times forgive a child's peccadilloes.
Pecuniary (acl.) pertaining to money ~ The company forbids giving or accepting pecuniary aitts
Pedagogue (n.) a teacher ~ He considered his teacher a true pedagogue.
Pedantle (0) characterized by a narrow, often ostentatious concern for book learning and formal
rules - The pedantic attention to details resulted in the students not getting the big picture.
Pejorative (2d) making things worse - The pejorative comment deepened the dislike between
the two.
Pellucid (ed).) transparent ~ The pellucict root of the tent was not = shield form the sun,
Penchant (1.) 6 liking for ~ I have a penchant for vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce.
Penitent (adj) feeling sorry for whet one has done ~ The penitent man asked for forgiveness.
Pensive (adj) reflective; contemplative ~ He was pensive and requested to be left alone,
Perfidious (2d). faithless; treacherous ~ The business failed as one of the partners indulged in
perfiious deals.
Perfunctory (adj) done in a routine, mechanical way, without interest ~ He was bored with Is job
‘and did all his tasks perfunctorily.
Perlury (7.) the practice of lying ~ Lying while on the witness stand is perjury.
Pernicious (ad) dangerous; harmful - She thinks television has a pernicious influence on our children.
Peruse (v.) to read carefully; to study ~ The letter stated all the facts of the case for his perusal.
Petulant (ad).) peevish; cranky: rude - The long illness put the boy in # petulant mood.
Philanthropy (n.) charity; unselfishness ~ Among the industrialis’s philantiropies was @ home for
the bling.D ceenutt
wordlist
Phlegmatic (ac) without emotion or interest: sluggish and dull - The phlegmatic child rarely went
outside to play.
Pique (7.) resentment at belng slighted - He slammed the door In a fit of pique.
Pithy (ad) terse and full of meaning - His comments are always pithy.
Placate (v.) to appease or pacify ~ The angry customer was not placuted by the salesman’s apology.
Placid (@cl.) undisturbed and calm — in the morning the lake was placid and beautiful.
Plaintive (ad) being mournful or sad ~ The song was plaintive and melodious.
Platonic (ad):) idealistic or impractical; not amoraus or sensual - They had a platonic ‘riendship,
not a romantic one.
Plausible (2dj.) probable; feasible — We could not find a plausible explanation for our failure.
Plethora (n) 2 superabundance ~ He thought an MBA would open a plethora of options.
Pondlerous (a6j,) unwieldy trom weight; dull or labored ~ the students fell asleep during the
ponderous lecture.
Portend (v.) to ke an omen of; signify - The thunder partends of an oncoming storm.
Pragmatic (ed)) matter-of-fact; practical ~ His pragmatic view comes from years of experience.
Precipitate (v.) to cause to happen; happening quickly ~ The insult to his wife precipitated the
fight between them,
Precocious (ad) developed or matured earlier than usual - The precocious eight year-old could
write poems.
Presage (n.) 2n omen; a foreshadowing characteristic ~ The lull presages a storm.
Prescience (n.) knowing about something before it happens ~ My prescience that I would win
came true.
Prevaricate (u) 19 speak equivocally or evasively, (ole - When questioned about his aa,
he began to prevaricate,
Pristine (adj. primitive, pure, uncorrupted ~ My native village Is still in its pristine condition.
Privy (ad].) private; confidential - He was one of a handful of people privy to the news of the
pending merger.
Probity (n.) honesty - The defense lawyer questioned the probity of the witness
Proliferate («.) to reproduce quickly ~ Rumors about the secret wedding of the celebrity prolife
(on the Internet.
24chapter
Wordlst
Prolific (2dj.) producing fruit; marked by abundant inventiveness or productivity ~ Winsten Churchill
was @ prolife writer too.
Propensity (r.) 4 natural tendency towards; bias - She has a propensity to hire men over women,
Propinguity (9.) closeness in time or place; closeness of relationship - The propinguity of the
disasters put the community In chaos.
Propitiate («) to win the goodwill of ~ The superstitious community performed animal sacrifices
to propitiate the gods.
Prosale (2d) tlresome; ordinary ~ He wanted to escape from his prosaic life of a farmer.
Proselytize (v.) to convert fram one belief or religion to another ~ The preacher's efforts to
proseiytize the villagers were met with resistance.
Provincial (ai
too provincial.
|) regional; unsophisticated ~ Accustomed to city fe, he found his family back home
Quatt (v) to drink deeply ~ We stopped at a bar and quaffed a few beers
(Quagmire (7.) marshy lane; a citfcult, precarious, or entrapping position ~ The protracted custody
dispute between the divorced couple became a judicial quagmire.
Quaint (adj) old-fashioned;
mnusual; odd ~ The book describes the quaint customs of the natives.
Qualm (n.) sudden feeling of uneasiness or doubt - He accepted thelr offer without # qualm.
Quandary (n.) dilemma - I'm in @ quandary about whether I should try to repair my stereo or
buy 2 new one.
‘Quarantine (0.) isolation of a person oF persons to prevent the spread of disease - The astronauts
\were put under quarantine when they returned.
Quiescent (adi) inactive, at rest - On Sunday moming everyone is quiescent,
Quintessence (
class,
) the pure essence of anything - This scam is the quintessence of India's political
Quirk (n.) peculiar behaviour; starting twist ~ Wearing white shoes everyday is one of his quirks
28BD | crteputt
wordlist
Rabid (20); n.) furious; going to extreme lengths in expressing or pursuing @ feeling, interest, oF
opinion ~ He is a rabid supporter of the political party
Raconteur (n.) 2 person who excels in telling stories ~ Apart from being good in his subject, our
teacher is also an excellent raconteur.
Ramification (n.) the arrangement of branches: consequence - We should take into the account
the ramifications of the decision.
Rampant (0).) growing unchecked; widespread ~ Rumors were rampant about the imminent crash
In the stock market.
Rancid (ad) having @ bad odor - Left out too long, the oll turned rancid
Rancor (7.) strong il will; enmity ~ Rancor filled every line that he wrote in the letter.
Ratify (v) to make valid: confirm ~ The parliament ratifed the new lav.
Raucous (adj) disagreeable to the sense of hearing: harsh; hoarse ~The street was full of raucous
protesters.
Rebuttal (1) refutation ~ He noted the points made by hls rival for @ systematic rebuttat during
the debate.
Recaleltrant (ad),) stubbornly rebellious - The recalcitrant girl did whatever the others did not
want her to do.
Recidivism (n.) habitual or chronic relapse of criminal or antisocial offenses ~ The erlminal was
sent back to prison as he experienced several episodes of recidivism.
Recondite (ad}) hard to understand; concealed - Many quantum physics theories are reconaite.
Recusant (adj) disobedient of authority ~ A recusant attitude will lead to denial of privileges.
Refurbish (v) to make new; renovate ~ He Is refurbishing his old house.
Refute (v:) challenge; disprove ~ She refuted the allegations against her.
Relterate (v) 10 repeat ~ The teacher reiterated the Instructions for those whe may have not
understood,
Relegate (v) banish; put t0 a lower pasition - The eritish used to relegate political rebels 10
faraway islands.
Relinguish (v) to let go; abandon — In the face of flerce criticism he relinquished his position
Remonstrate (v.) to protest or object to - The public remonstrated against the faulty verdict in
the murder case.
26chapter
Waratist
Renegade (n.) 2 person who abandons something; a traitor ~ The opposition welcomed Into thelr
fold the renegade form the ruling party.
Repast (0.) food that is eaten ~ She offered us a light repust belove we set out on our trip.
Reprehend («) to ciilicize - Without exception, book reviewers repreliended the novel's tired plot.
Reproach (w) to scold - The major reproached his troops for not following orders.
Reprobate (v,) to condemn strongly 35 unworthy, unacceptable, or evil ~ Without hesitation she
reprobated such an indecent idea,
Reproof (n) 8 rebuke - For all hls hard work, all he got was a reproof of his efforts
Repuldiate (\:) t0 disown; to deny support for; reject; cancel - The offer was repudiated because
of Its cost
Repugnant (adj) Inconsistent; offensive or repulsive ~ The walls were full of repugnant graft
Resplendent (adj) dazzling and shining ~ Her new diamond was resplendent In the sunshine
Resurgent (ad)) rising or tending to rise again ~ A resurgent wave of enthusiasm erupted fram
the crowd,
Reticent (adj) silent; reserved: shy ~ The reticent chilé played lone.
Retract (v) to draw or take back ~ You should not retract from your commitments.
Reverie (n.) trance; dieamy ~ He was lost in a reverie
Revile (.) to be abusive in speech - 1
not appropriate for a teacher to revile a student.
Rhetorical (2¢.) having to do with verbal communication; artificial eloquence - In posing a rhetorical
question, he hoped to get people thinking
Ribald (ed) vulger joking or mocking - Some of the ribald scenes were removed from the movie.
Ruclimen
Fy (0) elementary ~ This class requires a rudimentary knowledge of number system.
Ruminate (y.) 12 consider carefully - He ruminated aver tne implications of their decision
Rummage (v) search thoroughly ~ He rummaged the attic for his caln callection.
Rustic (ad) plain and unsophisticated; rural ~ The suburb has a rustic atmosphere.
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‘Sagacious (adj,) wise - The old man gave sagacfous advice,
Salient (2}) noticeable; prominent ~ Her most sallent feature Is her dark eves.
‘Salubrious (a¢j,) promoting good health - The salubrious air of the hills helped him recover from
his illness.
Salutatory (ad}) of or containing greetings ~ The institute sent out salutarory letters to every student.
‘Sanguine (ac.) optimistic; cheerful; red ~ Her sanguine temperament was infectious,
‘Sareasm (1) [ronic; bitter humor ~ His unhappiness was evident in the petty sarcasms that he
resorted to in his speech.
Sardonie (ad}.) having 2 sarcastic quality - H.L. Mencken was known for his sardonic writings on
political figures.
Satire (0) @ literary work helding up human vices and follles to ridicule or scorn ~ This novel Is
2 political satire
‘Saunter (v) to walk at a leisurely pace; stroll ~ Net knowing what to do with his time, he sauntered
Inte the par.
‘Savant (p.) one who is intelligent ~ He is ¢ savant in the ‘eld of fuel cells.
Schism (0.) 2 division in an org:
of the party
1d group - The Issue exposed the schism between the members
Scourge (.) to whip severely ~ The tralner will scourge the animal i It atacks someone.
‘Scrupulous (adj) morally upright; careul ~ She is always scrupulous about her behavior and work
Scurrilous (ad) vulgar ~ His scurtlous language offended everyone.
Sealtion (p) 9 revolt ~ The leaders of the tribal people were charged and arrested for seltion.
Sequester (v.) to separate or segregate ~ The suspects were sequestered in special room for
identification by witnesses.
Serendipity 0.) making fortunate discoveries accidentally - They found each ather by pure serendipty
Servile (26) slavish; groveling - He maintained a semile attude around people with money.
‘Sinuous (ac) full of curves; twisting and turning ~ The mountain oad was sinuous and dangerous.
Skeptic (0.) doubter ~ Skeprics heve pointed out flaws in the theory.
‘Skulk () to mave secretly ~ The burglar skulked in the area observing each house.
Sandler (v) defame; maliciously misrepresent ~ The celebrity filed suit against the critic for slander.
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Slovenly (adv) sloppy ~ His teachers did not approve of his slovenly manner.
Sojourn (v) to stay temporerlly ~ The family will sojourn et thelr ancestral house
Solace (n.) hope; comfort during a time of grief ~ When she was sad she found solace in her friend.
Solemn (20) marked by the Invcestion of a religious sanction; sublime ~ They made # solemn
‘vow to love each other for ever.
Somber (ad) gloomy ~ The sad story had put everyone in @ somber mood.
Soporifc (ad) causing sleep ~ As the medicine was soporife, he avoided it while ériving
Sordid (ac) flthy; base; lle ~ He shared the sored details of his past
Sovereign (ac) supreme ~ It isthe government's sovereign duty to protect the rights ofits citizens.
Specious (sc),) having a false lock of truth or genuineness ~ We could see through his specious
reasoning meant to deceive us.
Spurious (adj) not genuine, false; bogus - The newspaper was notorious for spurious information.
Squalid (ac) flthys wretched (trem squalor) ~ We were touched by the squall conditions in the
slum,
Stagnant (60) motionless - The stagnant water became breeding place for mosquitoes.
Staid (ad) marked by self-control; serious ~ Were surprised by the joke form a usually stata
professor.
Stigmatize (v2) to characterize or make as disgraceful ~ The pilerage she committed in her first
job stigmatized her career.
Stoic (2d) calm, indifferent to pleasure or pain ~ She bore the lass of her mother with stoic calm.
Stolid (20j.) showing no emotion - With 2 stolid expression, the man walked away from the
confrontation.
Strident (a¢).) harsh, loud ~ The procession ralsee strident slogans against the government,
Stupor (r.) 2 stunned or bewildered condition ~ The hit on the head sent him into @ stupor.
Stymie (u) to hinder or obstruct ~ My efforts were stymied by lack of funds.
Suave (ad}) effortlessly gracious ~ As a public relations officer he was suave In his dealings with
others.
Subjugate (\.) to bring under control - The royal family subjugated the peasants.
Subeume (v) to Include within a larger group - Red, green, and yellow are subsumed under the
term ‘color’
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‘Subtlety (n.) understatement; barely noticeable ~ Please state your demand clearly and do not
resort to subtleties.
Sueeinet (ad].) clearly stated; characterized by conciseness - The speech was succinct yet emational.
Suecor (n.) sid; assistance - The government provided succor to the victims of the earthquake in
the rellet camps.
Supplant (\.) to take the place of - Can you supplant my position in the team iF 1 cannct play?
‘Suppliant (ac),) asking earnestly anc submissively ~ He said he was a sugpliant sinner asking
forgiveness from god.
Surreptitious (ad) done secretly ~ She gave a surreptitious glance in hls diction
Susceptible (ed),) easily Imposed; Inclined ~ she Is susceptible to all kinds of allergies.
Syeophant (n) flatterer ~ He is sycophantic to anyone in authority.
‘syllogism (n.) reasoning in order from general to particular; deductive reasoning ~ ‘Every virtue is
laudable; kindness Is 4 virtue; therefore kindness Is laudable’ Is 2 syilogism.
‘Synergy (F) interaction of discrete agencies as industrial firms), agents (2s drugs), or conditions
such that the total effect Is greater than the sum of the Individual effects ~ The synergy created
by the merger is expected to reduce the cost of operations,
T
Tacit (ad)) not volced or expressed ~ she felt that she had the tacit approval of her parents to
marry her boyfriend
Taclturn (ad) Inclined to silence; speaking litle ~ Being tactturn, he never initiates a conversation,
‘Tawedry (adj) cheap and gaudy in appearance or quality; ignoble ~ The celebrity's personal life as
reported in the tabloid was a tawdry affair.
Temerity (0. foothardiness; recklessness ~ He was punished for his temerity
‘Tenacious (adj) persistent ~ He was fenactous in his pleas; she fnally agreed.
Tenet (n) a principle accepted as authoritative - The tenets af soclalsm were explained in the book.
Tenuous (ad}) thin; weak ~ His clelm ta the ownership of property was fenuous
Terrestrial (ad|) pertaining to the earth ~ cows are terrestrial animals; Ash are aquatic.
Timorous (ad) lacking courege: timid - The timerous child hié behind his parents
Tortuous (adj. full of twists and turns ~The tortuous path had too many hairpin turns.
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‘Tractable (adj) easily managed - He Is very tractable child
Tranquillity (0.) peace; stillness; harmony - The tranquility of the sunset filed with joy
Transpire (v) to take place; come about ~ Tell me what transpired in that room.
Trenchant (adj) cutting; keen oF incisive words - He was a writer with trenchant
‘Trepidation (n.) apprehension; uneasiness ~ He felt trepidation at agreeing to their proposal
Truculent (2dj.) fierce, savage, cruel - The dies hard fans became truculent and violent when thelr
team lost,
Truncate («) to shorten by cutting ~ The session was truncated owing to lack of time,
Tumult (n.) 8 noisy commotion; disturbance - The teacher had to shout 10 be heard over the rummult
Turbid (acl) thick and dense; cloudy - The river turned turbid after the rains.
Turpitude (n) vileness - Have you ever been arrested or convicted for an offense Involving moral
turpitude?
Tyranny (n.) absolute power: autocracy - The king sought an absolute tyranny over the colonies.
U
Ubiquitous (e¢).) omnipresent; present everywhere ~ Nowadays cell phones are ubiquitous,
mbrage (9.) offense or resentment ~ The student took umbrage at the remark of hs mentor.
Uncanny (60) of 4 strange nature; welrd - She had an uncanny resemblance to someone I had
seen before.
Undermine (v.) to weaken; often through subtle means - The scams have undermined people's
confidence in the government.
Unequivoeal (adj) clear anc unambiguous ~ It was an unequivocal mandate with 60-0 votes.
Ungainty (ad) clumsy ang unattractive - The ungainly man knocked over the expensive flawer vase.
Unobtrusive (ac) out of the way; remalning quietly In the background - The shy man found an
unobtrusive seat in the far comer of the room,
LUpshot (n) the final act or result - The upshot of the debate was that the bill would be released
to the floor
urbane (ed).) cultured; suave} notebly polite ar polished in manner ~ He was the most urbane in
the group of aristocrats.
Usurp (v.) to take something by force - I shall not allow him to usurp my authority.
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Utopia (r.) Imaginary land with perfect social and politcal systems - Voltaire wrote of a utopia
where the streets were paved with gole,
v
Vacuous (ad) empty; lacking In Ideas; stupid ~ He had @ vacuous expression In hls face,
vagary (n.) caprice; whim ~ Mast of my grandmether’s Ideas were dismissed as mere vagaries
of age,
Valedictory (adj) pertaining to farewell ~ The valedictory speech by the Principal was very emotional
Vapid (ad) dull and unimaginative; insipid - In her interview she came across as very vapid and
antfcial person.
Varlegated (@).) many-colored ~ The dancers wore varlegated costumes.
Vendetta (0.) blood feud; series of retaliatory, vengeful, or hostile acts ~ He waged a personal
vendetta against these who opposed him.
Venerable (ad) deserving high respect ~ The venerable old man was a source of advice for the
villagers.
Venison (n.) the meat of 8 deer ~ venison Is sald to be low In fat,
Veracity (p.) truthfulness ~ we questioned the veracity of hls statements.
Verdant (ad) green; lush In vegetation ~ Soon after the rains the hills were verdant
Verisimilitude (7.) appearance of truth, likelihood ~ the novel's degree of verisimiltude Is compromised
by 18th-century characters who speak in very 21st-century English
Vernal (aci.) pertaining to spring ~ The trees and flowers were In vernal bloom.
Viable (ac).) practical or workable; capable of maintaining life ~ The plan dic nat apgear viable
at all
Viearious (2d].) experienced Imaginatively through another person ~ she had never seen the
Himalayas but through the description of her friends she could experience its grandeur vicariously.
Vicissitude (o.) change of fortune - A business run on moral grounds may not survive the
lolssiuces of the market.
Vignette (0.) picture; short literary sketch — The film Is a serles of vignettes about I
ing with cancer,
Vindleate (u) clear from blame; exonerate; justify or support ~ she will be completely vindicated
by the evidence,
Vindictive (2d) out for revenge; malicious ~ You are being vindictive for no apparent reason.
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Virtuoso (1) highly skilled artist ~ Ronald Is a computer virtuoso.
Virulent (aaj.) extremely poisonous; hostile; bitter ~ The disease is caused by a virulent bacterium.
Vitiate (adj) spoll the effect of; make inoperative ~ Th
acting.
pact of the fllm was vitiated by poor
(e0)) corrosive; sarcastic ~ His speech was vitriolic.
‘ituperative (e,) containing or characterized by verbel abuse - The discussion was In danger of
becoming a vituperative, schoolboy argument,
Vociferous (ac) clamorous; noisy - The decision was made over thelr vociferous objections.
Voluble (ad) fluent; gio; talkative - Voluble consumer groups help build public opinion.
Voracious (ad]) ravenous ~ He has a voracious appetite
Vulpine (adj) like a fox; crafty ~ They were taken in by his vuloine charms.
Ww
Watt («) move gently by wind or breeze ~ The aroma of food cooking wafted out of the kitchen,
Waive (v) to give up: to out off until later Seeing his citficulty, the Principal waived part of the
fees for the course.
Wan (adj) lacking color; sickly pale - Her face became wan at the sight of blood.
‘Wanton (adj) playfully mean or cruel; mischievous ~ They were accused of wanton cruelty toward
animals.
Warrant (.) justify; authorize ~ The punishment he received was not warranted
‘Whet (v) to sharpen by rubbing: to stimulate ~ The ads are trying to wher the consumers’ appetite.
‘Whimsical (ac) fanciful; subject to erratic behaviour or unpredictable change ~ I is difficult to
make plans with such a whimsical fiend.
wily (26)) concealing: sly ~ He turned out to be @ wily negotlater.
insome (ad),) charming; sweetly attractive — His winsome words moved the crowd to love him
ned (ad) shriveled; withered ~ The wizened face of the old man was covered by his hat.
‘wrath (9.) violent or unrestrained anger; fury ~ 1 welted until my Inkial wrath had eased before
voicing my complaint.
Wreak (\) to give vent; to inflict ~ Gangs have been wreaking mayhem in the city.carapatt
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Wrest (.) to pull o force away by a violent twisting ~ He wrested the book out of her hands.
Wry (2d).) mocking cynical ~ He has 8 wny sense of humour wich offends people.
xX
Xenophobia (7.) fear of foreigners — He was apprehensive of going abroad to study because of
the stories of violence due to xenophobia.
Y
Yeoman (n.) one that performs great and loyal service ~ The Principal has done = yeoman's job
In enhancing the reputation of this institute,
Yoke (n.) harness; collar; bondage ~ India was able to throw off the yoke of Imperialism and
embrace freedom,
Yore (7.) time past and especially long past ~ My favourite stories are about the kings, princes
and princesses of yore.
Zz
Zealot (n.) a believer, fanatic ~ The zealots on both sides of issue resorted to threats,
Zenith (r.) point directly overhead in the sky: highest point ~ The zenith of her career came when
she became the CEO.
Zephyr (0.) 2 gentle wind; breeze - Tt was a beautiful day, with a zephyr adding to the pleasant chil