300 ABBEY A building or buildings where monks ornuns live a religious life. ABJURE To renounce ABSOLUTION Forgiveness ACCOLADE A ceremony which marks the conferring of knighthood. ACHROMATIC Without color or hue. ALIBI A claim or proof that one was not present when a crime was committed. ALLEMANDE A court dance popular in France duringthe 17th and 18th centuries. ALLIACEOUS Resembling garlic or onion. AMBASSADOR A person in the government sent on a diplomatic mission to a foreign land. ANDIRON Either of two metal supports used for holding wood in a fireplace. ANTIPATHY Aversion or dislike. APHORISM A concise saying full of meaning. APLOMB Self-assurance; poise. APOCRYPHAL Fictitious. APPRENTICE A person who works for a skilled worker in order to learn a trade. APPURTENANCES Appendages; adjuncts. ARABESQUE An ornamental design with fancy interlacing lines. ARCADE An arched passageway. ARCHAIC Antiquated ARCHIPELAGO A group of islands. ARCHITECT A person whose work is to design and draw plans for buildings. ARDENT Zealous, impassioned. ARDUOUS Difficult ARGOT A special vocabulary or dialect. ARIDITY Dryness AROMATIC Having a strong smell. ARTERIAL Having a channel of communication. ASHRAM The secluded dwelling of a Hindu sage. ASKANCE With a sideglance of disapproval ASTUTE Shrewd AUCTION A public sale at which things are soldto the person who bids the most money.AVID Eager, interested BANAL Commonplace BANISTER A railing along a staircase, and the posts that support this railing. BARD A singer BARRISTER An attorney BEDLAM Confusion, uproar BEGUINE A popular dance of the islands of Saint Lucia and Martinique. BENEFACTOR One who performs acts of kindness or charity. BONA FIDE Made in good faith without fraud or deceit. BORDEREAU A detailed note or memorandum. BOWER A shelter made of twined tree boughs or vines. BUNTING A thin cloth used primarily for makingflags and other patriotic decorations.BUTTRESS A support or prop. CACOPHONY Unpleasant or discordant sound. CAPTIOUS Faultfinding, tricky. CARNIVAL A festival of merrymaking often involving elaborate masquerading. CAROCHE A luxurious or stately carriage. CHARY Hesitant, cautious. CHATTEL An item of tangible property. CHAUVINISTIC Excessively patriotic CLARION Brilliantly clear. CLEF A sign placed on a musical staff CLEMENCY Mercy, kindness. COGENT Compellingly convincing. COLLYWOBBLES Bellyache CORDON A line of persons or objects which enclose an area. CORIACEOUS Resembling leather. CYGNET A young swan. DESCRY To catch sight of a distant object. DEVIATION Departure from; turning away from. DEVOID Lacking DIAPHANOUS Ethereal DIATRIBE Bitter and abusive speech or writing. DIDACTIC Instructive; containing moral lessons. DIFFIDENT Unduly timid or shy. DILATE To enlarge; to open wide. DILATORY Slow in doing things. DILETTANTE A dabbler; an amateur. DIMINUTIVE A shortening or abbreviation. DINGHY A small, light boat. DISCOMBOBULATE To upset or confuse. DISCURSIVE Passing from one subject to another. DISHEVELED Untidy or rumpled appearance. DISPARAGING Depreciating or lessening in rank. DISPARITY Inequality; difference. DISPERSION A spreading or scattering. DISSEMBLE To disguise or misrepresent. DISSEMINATED Distributed widely. DISSENTER One who is opposed to something. DISSONANCE Lack of agreement; discord. DISSUADE To advise a person to turn aside from something. DISTRAUGHT Mentally agitated; conflicted. DIURNAL Recurring every day. DIVULGE To make publicly known. DOGMA A set of ideas or beliefs. DOLEFUL Sad, sorrowful. DOWRY The money or property that a woman brings to her husband when she weds. DOYENNE The senior woman of a group. DROMEDARY A one-humped camel. DUCTILE Capable of being easily bent. DULCET Melodious; soothing. DUPLICITY Double dealing, deception. EBULLIENT Characterized by exuberance. ECSTATIC Overwhelmingly thrilled or excited. EDICT A public notice issued by an official authority. EDIFICATION Instruction or improvement. EEL A long thin fish that looks like a snake. EFFULGENCE Brilliance, brightness. EGREGIOUS Conspicuously bad. ENCOMIUM A formal expression of praise. ENMITY Hatred ENNUI Boredom ENSCONCE To settle comfortably. ENSUE To take place afterward or as a result. ENTICE To tempt or to arouse desire. ENTITLEMENT To have a legal right to something. ENTREPRENEUR A person who organises, manages, and assumes the risks of a business. ENTROPY A state of inert uniformity. ESCRITOIRE A writing desk. EXORBITANT Excessively expensive. EYRIE The nest of a bird of prey. FALLOW Land for crops that is not being used. FECUND Very inventive or intellectually productive. FERVENT Impassioned FESTOON To hang decorative chains between two points. FEUD A quarrel. FIDUCIARY Of or relating to a confidence or trust. FIEND Demon FIGMENT Something that is not true. FILAMENT The fine wire in a light bulb that gives off light. FILBERT A hazelnut. FILCH To steal furtively. FLAMINGO A pink or red bird that has a long thin neck and legs and webbed feet. FLATCAR A type of railroad car. FLOUT Mock or insult. FOCALIZATION Bringing to a focus. FOMENT To instigate or incite. FOOTY Poorly kept. FORETHOUGHT Premeditation FORTUITOUS Happening by chance. FRAUGHT Full of FREEDOM A condition which Thomas Jefferson advocated. FRIAR A member of a Roman Catholic religious order. FROGMAN A swimmer who is equipped to stay underwater for an extended time. FROND The leaf of a fern. FRUCTIFY To make fruitful. FRUSTRATE Thwart, discourage. GANGPLANK A movable board or bridge used for getting on and off a boat or ship. GNOME A small being commonly found in fables GOURMET An expert in eating and drinking. GRANDILOQUENT Eloquent on a grand scale. GREGARIOUS Tending to live in groups. GROTESQUE Absurd, incongruous, bizarre. GUILLOTINE A machine popular during the French Revolution. GYRATION The motion of revolving around an axis. HABERDASHER A dealer in men's clothing. HABILIMENTS Clothes, attire. HABITAT The place where a thing is commonly found. HACKNEYED Commonplace or trite. HAGGARD Having a wild, wasted look. HARLOT A woman of ill-repute. HEINOUS Outrageously evil HOLSTER A leather case for carrying a gun. IGLOO A dome-shaped hut. IMPORTUNE To request persistently. INERT Inactive. INSCRUTABLE Incapable of being understood. INSIDIOUS Sly, treacherous. INSOUCIANCE A lighthearted lack of concern. INSULATION Nonconducting material used to prevent passage of electricity. INTELLIGENTSIA The highly educated and cultured INTERCESSOR One who acts between two parties INTERIM Intervening time. INTERSTELLAR Among or between the stars. INTERSTICES Spaces between two things. INTRANSIGENT Irreconcilable, uncompromising. INTREPID Characterized by fearlessness. INURED Accustomed JEOPARDY Danger LABYRINTH A maze LACKADAISICAL Disinterested LATCH A fastening for holding a door, window, or gate closed. LAUREL Something signifying honor or accomplishment. LEI A circle of leaves or flowers woven together. MAUDLIN Overly sentimental. MERCENARY Only interested in money. MISTLETOE A common Christmas decoration. MODICUM A small quantity or portion. MODULATE To regulate or adjust sounds or electrical frequencies. MOLASSES A thick brown syrup recovered during the manufacture of sugar. MOLLIFY To allay someone's rage. MOMENTOUS Of great importance. MONOGRAPH A written account on a single subject. MUZZLE A set of straps that are made to fit over the mouth and jaws of an animal. MYRRH An aromatic resin with a bitter taste obtained from a tree in Arabia. NECTAR A drink for the gods. NEFARIOUS Evil, vicious NEMESIS A formidable rival. NEPOTISM Favoritism shown to relatives. NIGGARDLY Stingy NOISOME Offensive to the smell; disgusting. NOMADIC Wandering around with no fixed residence. NOMINAL In name only. NONPAREIL Without equal. NONPLUSED Puzzled NOOSE A loop of rope with a special knot that lets the loop tighten when pulledOCELOT A medium-sized American wildcat OCHRE An earthy red or yellow color. ODIOUS Worthy of hatred. OEUVRE The lifework of a writer, artist or composer. OFFICIOUS Forcing one's services upon another. ONOMATOPOEIA The use of words which sound similar to the meaning which they convey. OPPROBRIUM Public disgrace that results from conduct considered grossly wrong. OPULENT Extremely wealthy OSTRACIZED Banished PANACEA A cure-all PANDEMONIUM Disorder on a grand scale. PANEGYRIC A formal speech of praise. PANORAMIC Having a complete view of a region in all directions. PAPYRUS A water plant found in Egypt which canbe used to make a paper-like substancePARACHUTE An invaluable accessory for people who like to fly. PARADOX Something that seemingly is self-contradictory. PARAFFIN A colorless, tasteless, and odorless wax. PARAGON The finest example of something. PARAPET A low wall or railing often found at the edge of elevated platforms. PARIAH An outcast PARRY To evade something; usually in a skillful manner. PAVANE A stately court dance introduced to England in the 16th century. PEDAGOGUE A teacher PENINSULA A piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water. PENNANT A long, narrow flag that is shaped like a triangle. PENTHOUSE An apartment built on the roof of a building. PERMEATE To pass through or pervade. PHANTOM Apparition PIXIE A cheerful, mischievous sprite. PNEUMATIC Of or relating to air. POLYGLOT One who speaks or writes several languages. PRECOCIOUS Exceptionally advanced in development. PREVARICATOR One who tells lies. PROLIX Excessively prolonged or drawn out. QUIESCENT At rest QUILL A pen made from the hollow stem of a feather. QUIXOTIC Idealistic to an impractical degree. RACONTEUR A person who tells stories well. RAILLERY Mild ridicule RAIMENT Clothing RAMIFICATIONS Side effects, problems. RECANT To renounce a statement or belief. RECONDITE Of or relating to something obscure or relatively unknown. RESUSCITATE To revive from apparent death. RETICENT Inclined to be uncommunicative. RETRACT To withdraw or take back. RETRENCH To economize. RHETORIC The art of writing effectively. RUDDY Reddish SCARF A piece of cloth that is worn over the shoulders or head. SCATHING Injurious, cutting. SCHISM A division or separation. SCURRILOUS Vulgar, indecent. SERMON A public talk about religion or morals. SHAMROCK A national emblem of the Irish. SHEEN A lustrous appearance. SHIBBOLETH Slogan SHODDY Of inferior quality. SHREW A scolding or brawling woman. SHUFFLE To walk awkwardly, scraping the feet. SIDLE To move sideways. SIMILE A figure of speech that compares two things by likening them to each other.SIMULATED Feigned; pretended. SINECURE A position with little or no responsibility. SINISTER Corrupt or seemingly evil. SKEPTICAL Doubtful. SKITTISH Nervous or easily frightened. SOAPSUDS A byproduct of Mr. Bubble SOBRIETY Temperateness. SOIREE An evening party; a social gathering. SOLICITOUS Showing anxious concern or attention. SOMNAMBULIST One who walks and performs other actions while asleep. SOPHISTICATED Worldly wise SOPORIFIC Causing sleepiness. SPASMODIC Jerky, acting fitfully. SPECIOUS Having a false look of genuineness. SPONTANEOUS Acting from a momentary impulse. SPORADIC Occurring irregularly. SPURIOUS Illegitimate, counterfeit. SQUALID Sordid, dirty. STAG A fully grown male deer or caribou. STAID Dignified, sober. STALACTITE An icicle-shaped lime deposit commonly found in caves. STARK Bare, unadorned. STENTORIAN Extremely loud. STEREOTYPED Conforming to a fixed pattern. STILTED Stiffly formal. STOVEPIPE A hollow structure that is designed tocarry smoke away from a fire. SUPPLE Pliant, elastic SURREY A four-wheeled, two-seater carriage. SYZYGY A linear configuration of three celestial bodies. TEPEE A cone-shaped tent that is made of animal skins stretched over poles. TOBOGGAN A long flat sled without runners TRAJECTORY The curve described by a projectile. TRYST An appointed meeting (as between lovers). UNICORN An imaginary animal that looks similarto a white horse. VERBATIM Word for word. VERBIAGE Wordiness VERBOSE Excessively wordy. VERDANT Green VESTURE Clothing VITIATE To contaminate WINCE To draw back or flinch
