Word list 15
Group 1
| Abraded | worn away; eroded [abrade (v); abrasion (n)] |
|---|
| Apposite | fitting; suitable |
|---|
| Diatribe | tirade; violent denunciation; stream of criticism |
|---|
| Gerontocracy | government by the aged |
|---|
| Maculated | spotted |
|---|
| Quisling | traitor |
|---|
| Sedulity | thoroughness; perseverance [sedulous (a)] |
|---|
| Seine | type of fishing net |
|---|
| Tender | to offer |
|---|
| Waffle | talk nonsense |
|---|
Back to top
Group 2
| Burlesque | 1. comic play; 2. lampoon |
|---|
| Exemplar | model type [exemplary (a)] |
|---|
| Homiletics | art of preaching and giving sermons |
|---|
| Impugn | challenge; question someone’s honor etc. |
|---|
| Incubus | encumbrance; nightmarish thing |
|---|
| Lope | run with long strides |
|---|
| Macerate | soften or break up by soaking; weaken |
|---|
| Nostrum | remedy |
|---|
| Saw | 1. tool for cutting; 2. wise saying |
|---|
| Sibyl | prophetess |
|---|
Back to top
Group 3
| Brook | 1. small stream; 2. tolerate |
|---|
| Emboss | decorate with a raised design |
|---|
| Eschew | shun; avoid |
|---|
| Limpid | transparently clear |
|---|
| Liturgy | form of worship |
|---|
| Nexus | connection |
|---|
| Odometer | instrument to measure distance covered |
|---|
| Purchase | 1. grip; 2. buy |
|---|
| Quotidian | daily; routine |
|---|
| Seminal | essential; formative |
|---|
Back to top
Group 4
| Agog | amazed; wide-eyed with enthusiasm |
|---|
| Amortize | pay off a debt in installments |
|---|
| Curmudgeon | grumpy person |
|---|
| Dormancy | state of inactivity |
|---|
| Efficacy | effectiveness |
|---|
| Epithet | phrase used as a label or to express the essential nature of |
|---|
| Figurehead | symbol of power; nominal leader |
|---|
| Fracas | fight; disturbance |
|---|
| Jamb | door post |
|---|
| Milk | to squeeze; obtain by application of pressure |
|---|
Back to top
Group 5
| Chorales | simple hymns |
|---|
| Dissonance | discord; disagreement |
|---|
| Frieze | decorative border |
|---|
| Gist | essence; main point |
|---|
| Latent | hidden; real but undeveloped |
|---|
| Partiality | bias |
|---|
| Plodding | walking slowly and heavily; uninspired |
|---|
| Rekindle | relight; revive |
|---|
| Symphony | type of musical composition |
|---|
| Tarnished | made dull; spoil (reputation) |
|---|
Back to top
Group 6
| Compromised | 1. damaged or put in doubt (esp. of reputation); 2. reached an agreement by giving up part of a claim |
|---|
| Drabness | dullness |
|---|
| Endow | give gift; provide with money etc. |
|---|
| Esoterica | obscure details |
|---|
| Falters | hesitates |
|---|
| Prattle | mindless talk |
|---|
| Prohibitive | 1. prohibiting; 2. exorbitantly expensive |
|---|
| Purist | conservative; one who insists on correct forms of language etc. |
|---|
| Quack | charlatan; fake |
|---|
| Taunt | mock; tease |
|---|
Back to top
Group 7
| Arresting (a) | attracting attention; striking |
|---|
| Barrage | extended gunfire to cover an attack; dam across river; deluge or information etc. |
|---|
| Chantey | type of song sung by sailors |
|---|
| Ferrous | concerned with iron or its compounds |
|---|
| Manipulative | scheming |
|---|
| Orate | speak in a pompous manner |
|---|
| Psychosis | severe mental disturbance |
|---|
| Savor | enjoy |
|---|
| Table (v) | put down for future discussion |
|---|
| Underwrite | give guarantee, insure |
|---|
Back to top
Group 8
| Dissident | person who disagrees [dissidence (n)] |
|---|
| Enigmatic | puzzling [enigma (n)] |
|---|
| Foolhardy | reckless [foolhardiness (n)] |
|---|
| Homogeneity | evenness; uniformity |
|---|
| Personification | 1. represent something as a person; 2. a concrete example of |
|---|
| Plaque | 1. surface deposit on teeth or in artery etc.; 2. decorative plate or sign |
|---|
| Plausibility | believability [plausible (a)] |
|---|
| Resilience | resistance; ability to spring back [resilience (a)] |
|---|
| Trilogy | set of three (literary works etc.); tetralogy = set of four |
|---|
| Vagary | something unaccountable; freak |
|---|
Back to top
Group 9
| Aisle | corridor; passageway (esp. between rows of seats) |
|---|
| Discountenance | disallow |
|---|
| Imperative | must be obeyed |
|---|
| Indigent | poor; needy [indigence (n)] |
|---|
| Nadir | lowest point |
|---|
| Paranoia | mental state characterized by delusions or excessive fear |
|---|
| Prudence | caution; wisdom |
|---|
| Resuscitation | revival from unconsciousness [resuscitate (v)] |
|---|
| Shirk | avoid (esp. work) |
|---|
| Teetotalism | total abstinence from alcohol |
|---|
Back to top
Group 10
| Balm | soothing ointment or anything soothing [balmy (a)] |
|---|
| Calibrate | mark an accurate scale on a device |
|---|
| Cataclysmic | violently disruptive [cataclysm (n)] |
|---|
| Impropriety | inappropriate behavior |
|---|
| Pith | center; soft part of stem; essence |
|---|
| Primordial | present from the beginning of time |
|---|
| Reconnaissance | examination or survey conducted in advance [reconnoiter (v)] |
|---|
| Sinistral | left-handed (or counterclockwise) [dextral - right handed] |
|---|
| Tempers | moderates |
|---|
| Undermine | subvert; attempt to overthrow |
|---|
Back to top
