Notes

abhor hate
accord agreement
adamant stubborn
adept skilled
agile able to move quickly and easily
akin having similar qualities or character
ambiguous unclear, open to interpretation
ambivalent having mixed feelings
amorphous shapeless
anguish agonizing physical or mental pain
animosity hatred
annex to add or attach
arbitrary random
arid extremely dry
aspiration a strong desire for achievement
assent agreement
assert to state or express firmly
barren not productive, bare
bashful shy
bastion a fortified place, stronghold
benign harmless
brash prone to act in a hasty manner
brazen bold and without shame
candid completely honest, straightforward
coerce to compel, force
commodities agricultural or mineral products
concise expressing much in a few words
condescending treating people as weak or inferior
condone to pardon or overlook
confine keep within limits; restrict
conform adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
congenial getting on well with others; agreeable, pleasant
consensus a general agreement
contemplation thoughtful observation
contented satisfied
conundrum a difficult problem
conniving cunning; scheming
cunning cleverness; slyness
credible believable
creed a statement of belief
dawdle to waste time
decree an order having the force of law
defiant boldly resistant or challenging
dejection depression
deliberate (v.) proceed carefully, (adj.) done consciously and intentionally
desolate deserted and lonely
detest loathe, hate
detrimental harmful
dilute to make a liquid less concentrated
disavow to deny responsibility for or connection with
dismayed struck with fear, dread, or consternation
distasteful provoking dislike or disapproval
distort to give a false or misleading account of; to twist out of shape
dubious doubtful
economize to save money
egotist excessively self-centered; conceited
elongate to make longer
endeavor a serious attempt or effort
entrust to commit trust to
euphemism an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that's considered an unpleasant exalt
to glorify exemplify to serve as a good example
exile banish
extravagant excessive
fathom to understand
feeble weak
flaccid limp, not firm; lacking vigor or effectiveness
flourish to thrive, to grow well
foolhardy reckless; bold without judgement
frank honest
genuine authentic
glean to gather bit by bit
glint a tiny, quick flash of light
grievances a complaint or resentment (against something or someone)
haphazard by chance; not planned; lacking order
hardship adversity
haughty chillingly proud and scornful
hoard (v.) to store up, save; (n.) a hidden store or supply
idealism pursuit of noble goals
immaculate perfectly clean
imply to suggest
incidental minor
incisive sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)
indignant angered at something unjust or wrong
inhabit to live in
insolent boldly disrespectful
integrate to bring together and make whole
intricate complex
inundate to overwhelm; to cover with water
irate angry
jest to joke
kinetic having to do with motion; lively; active
legitimate justified, reasonable
limber flexible
lofty very high
lucrative profitable
meager lacking in quantity or quality
meddle to interfere
mirage optical illusion
noncommittal not revealing one's position or purpose
nostalgic longing for the past
noxious harmful
novice a beginner
obstinate stubborn
omit to leave out
overbearing bossy; domineering and arrogant
pacify to calm down
perplexed confused
pervasive spread throughout
pessimistic expecting the worst in this worst of all possible worlds
petty unimportant
pinnacle a high peak or point
plausible believable
porous full of holes; permeable to liquids
prejudice a negative attitude toward an entire category of people, often an ethnic or racial minority.
presume to take for granted
pristine fresh and clean; uncorrupted
prototype first model
ravenous extremely hungry
reluctant unwilling
reminisce the act or practice of recalling the past
rendezvous an arranged meeting
repress to hold back; to put down or check by force
residual left over; remaining
revere to honor, to regard with respect
robust strong and healthy
rue to regret
rustic rural
salvage to save from fire or shipwreck
scant not enough or barely enough
sincere truth
solemn serious
solitary alone
somber dark, gloomy; depressed or melancholy in spirit
speck a mote, a very small spot
steadfast loyal
subtle not obvious
taper to decrease in thickness or width
tenacious holding fast; holding together firmly; persistent
thwart prevent; frustrates
tiresome boring, annoying
toil hard work
unruly difficult or impossible to control; disobedient
uproot destroy
utilize to use
weary tired
wily clever; deceptive
zeal enthusiasm
colleague an associate or coworker of similar status
compatible able to get along or work well together; capable of use with some other model or system
accommodate help out; oblige
amiable (adj.) friendly, good-natured
aloof distant
nonchalant cool and confident, unconcerned
apathetic feeling or showing little emotion
indifferent having no preference
sentimental emotional
hysterical emotionally out of control
benevolent kind
compassionate feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.
empathy an understanding of another's feelings
charismatic charming
engaging charming; attractive
gracious kind in a generous way (to someone less important)
courteous polite
cordial warm and friendly
tact skill in dealing with people in difficult situations
emulate to copy; to try to equal or excel
flatter praise
fidelity faithfulness
fickle changeable
headstrong stubborn; willful
exasperate to irritate, annoy, or anger
infuriate to make very angry
mock to make fun of
malicious intended to hurt or harm
exploit (v.) to make use of, develop; to make improper use of for personal profit; (n.) a feat, deed
belittle to make something appear smaller than it is; to refer to in a way that suggests lack of importance
snub to refuse to acknowledge; reject outright and bluntly
condescend to talk down to
disdain intense dislike
hypocrite a person who claims to be what he is not
admonish to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a d
reprimand to scold
vivacious lively, full of energy
animated lively
extrovert an outgoing person
introvert a shy person
reserved formal or self-restrained
timid shy
subdued quiet, controlled, lacking in intensity
passive doesn't require energy
cynical believing that people act only out of selfish motives
initiate to begin or put into practice
fatigue extreme tiredness
diligent hard working
industrial having to do with manufacturing
valiant brave, courageous
endure to put up with
withstand stand up against; resist successfully
resilient able to recover quickly
pragmatic practical
fret worry
adversity hardship
plight a difficult or dangerous condition or situation
predicament difficult situation
rigor thoroughness
strenuous requiring tremendous energy or stamina
fallacious false
paragon model of excellence or perfection
pugnacious eager to fight
rebuff to refuse someone; to reject an offer
salutation a greeting
surmise guess, infer
voluminous very large, numerous
accede to agree
accentuate emphasize
advocate to support, speak in favor of
aghast horrified
allay to lessen; ease; soothe
abbreviation a shortened form of a word or phrase
abrupt sudden or unexpected
abyss an extremely deep hole
acknowledge recognize; admit
adapt changing to fit a new environment
adhesive glue
affiliation association, relationship, connection, alliance
aggravate to irritate
aggregate gathered into a whole; total
ail to suffer from sickness
aimless without purpose or direction
alarmed frightened or worried
alter to change
analyze to break down into separate parts in order to study
ancient very old
approximate not exact, but close enough to be reasonably correct
assess evaluate
assured guaranteed; promised confidently
astonish to surprise or amaze
audible able to be heard
authentic genuine and true, not fake
barrage a rapid, large-scale outpouring of something; heavy attack
barrier obstacle
bewilder to confuse
biased favoring one side unduly; prejudiced
brittle easily broken
cautious careful
censor to remove offensive material from
compassion sympathy
compel to force, to convince
comprehensive complete
conceal hide
confer to exchange ideas
contradiction a statement in opposition to another
counsel to advise
deceive mislead, trick
decline decrease
defensive used to defend or protect
deficient lacking
delicate fragile
despair hopelessness
devotion commitment
dignity 1) the quality of being worthy of respect 2) self-respect
disgraced loss of honor or respect
disputed disagreed with
dissect to cut apart for the purpose of investigation
diversity a range of different things
domestic having to do with the home
dominate to rule over by strength or power, to have command or control over
dormant asleep or inactive
doubtful questionable
drastic extreme, severe
dread be afraid or scared of
drenched soaked
duration length of time something lasts
eager happily excited
elegant graceful, sophisticated
envy jealousy
equivalent equal
eradicate to wipe out; to destroy
erratic unpredictable, irregular
esteem respect evacuate to make empty
evade to avoid excavate
excel to do well
exquisite beautifully made
extend make longer or wider
falter to hesitate, stumble, lose courage
feisty aggressive; lively; energetic
fortunate lucky
fundamental basic
furious very angry
gap an opening or space between two things
generous charitable
graceful elegant
gratified pleased or satisfied
hazards potential sources of danger
hesitate to pause
hideous ugly
homely unattractive, plain looking
illuminate to light up or make clear
illustrate to explain or make clear using examples
incision a cut made in order to get inside something
infiltrate to pass through or enter secretly
ingenuity cleverness
innovate to create something new
inquiry question
insight a sudden realization of the solution to a problem
integrity honesty, high moral standards
intermission a break between acts of a play
justify to demonstrate that something is right
keen intellectually sharp; perceptive
lament to express sorrow or regret; to mourn
legend 1. a key to a map; 2. a myth or story
liberate to set free
linger to be slow in leaving or going away
luminous bright, brilliant, glowing
lure tempt
meander to wander aimlessly
menace a threat
merge come together
mimic imitate
misery sadness
myth a widely held but false belief or idea.
mystify to confuse or puzzle someone
navigate to find one's way
neglect fail to care for properly
notorious famous for something bad
novel new
obstacle barrier
occupy 1) to live in, fill or take up something 2) be busy with
optimistic hopeful and confident about the future
overt obvious
pact an agreement, treaty
paltry insignificant
particle a very small piece of something
peak highest point
persevere persist
precise exact
primary first or most significant
prone having a tendency to do something
prophesy prediction
puzzled perplexed
reckless rash
refute disprove
reject turn down
remote far away
replenish to fill up again
restore to bring back to an original state
resume continue
reveal to make known
routine regular way of doing something
ruthless cruel
savor to enjoy
scarce rare
seldom not often
sequence the order in which things happen or should happen
sinister evil
soothe to make calm and relaxed
spirited full of life; courageous
spontaneous not planned in advance
subside settle down; descend; grow quiet
superb excellent
suppose assume
task job
taunt tease
thrive prosper; flourish
torment torture
tragedy 1) a terrible event 2) a serious play with a sad ending
ultimate final, most important
unique one of a kind
viewpoint an opinion
vigorous energetic; forceful; strong and healthy
vivid clear, bright
vow promise
voyage a journey to some distant place
wrath anger
writhe to twist