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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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) |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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