December - High frequency words

DECEMBER THREAD - Updated regularly

Make sure to do all words from April/ May/ June/ July/ September/ October/ November threads also...

1. Covert - Existing or operating in a way so as to ensure complete concealment and confidentiality; lying beyond what is obvious or avowed; something that physically protects, especially from danger; a hiding place; clandestine, underhanded; something that serves to conceal or shelter
2. Fir - Any of various evergreen trees of the genus Abies, having single flattened needles and erect cones with deciduous scales; wood of these trees
3. Truculent - Disposed to fight; pugnacious; expressing bitter opposition; scathing; disposed to or exhibiting violence or destructiveness; fierce; belligerent, hateful; defiantly aggressive
4. Bore - One that is wearingly dull, repetitive, or tedious; to make a hole in or through, with or as if with a drill; proceed or advance steadily or laboriously; high, often dangerous wave caused by the surge of a flood tide upstream in a narrowing estuary or by colliding tidal currents; unpleasant, tiresome person; hollow out (a gun barrel or other tube)
5. Insipid - Lacking flavor or zest; not tasty; lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull
6. Dispassionate - Devoid of or unaffected by passion, emotion, or bias; feeling or showing no strong emotional involvement; free from bias in judgment; unfeeling, impartial; unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
7. Quandary - A state of uncertainty or perplexity; delicate situation; state of doubt or puzzlement; a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one; state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options
8. Gaunt - Thin and bony; angular; emaciated and haggard; drawn; bleak and desolate; barren; skinny, pale; having little flesh or fat on the body; worn and lean, as from hunger or illness
9. Dank - Disagreeably damp or humid; clammy; slightly wet; unpleasantly damp or cold
10. Malaise - A vague feeling of bodily discomfort, as at the beginning of an illness; general sense of depression or unease; general feeling of discomfort or uneasiness, often the first indication of an infection or other disease
11. Stagnant - Not moving or flowing; motionless; showing little or no sign of activity or advancement; not developing or progressing; inactive; lacking vitality or briskness; sluggish or dull; motionless
12. Luminary - An object, such as a celestial body, that gives light; person who is an inspiration to others; person who has achieved eminence in a specific field; celebrity; a famous person
13. Bummer - A great disappointment or regrettable fact; one who begs habitually or for a living; an experience that is irritating or frustrating or disappointing; a bad reaction to a hallucinogenic drug; beggar; a loafer or idler; one that depresses, frustrates, or disappoints
14. Expurgate - To remove erroneous, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable material from (a book, for example) before publication; examine (material) and remove parts considered harmful or improper for publication or transmission; censor, cut
15. Obstinate - Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action; obdurate; difficult to manage, control, or subdue; refractory; difficult to alleviate or cure; stubborn, determined
16. Swarthy - Having a dark complexion or color; of a complexion tending toward brown or black; dark-complexioned
17. Crass - So crude and unrefined as to be lacking in discrimination and sensibility; coarse, insensitive; lacking in delicacy or refinement
18. Kiosk - A small open gazebo or pavilion; small structure, often open on one or more sides, used as a newsstand or booth; cylindrical structure on which advertisements are posted; an independent stand from which merchandise is sold, often placed in the common area of a regional shopping center
19. Coy - Tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved; affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest; annoyingly unwilling to make a commitment; very modest; not forward but reticent or reserved in manner; given to flirting; shy
20. Matter-of-fact - Relating or adhering to facts; literal; straightforward or unemotional; realistic, unembellished; lacking liveliness, charm, or surprise; having or indicating an awareness of things as they really are; with little or no emotion or expression
21. Shadowy - Lacking distinctness; faint; lacking substance; unsubstantial; relating or resembling a shadow; full of shade; dark; lacking clarity; indistinct
22. Caustic - Capable of burning, corroding, dissolving, or eating away by chemical action; so sharp as to cause mental pain; burning, corrosive; sarcastic; destroying living tissue by chemical burning action; enveloping surface formed by light rays reflecting or refracting from a curved surface, especially one with spherical aberration; causing a burning or stinging sensation, as from intense emotion
23. Boastful - Characterized by or given to boasting; exhibiting self-importance
24. Aphid - Any of various small, soft-bodied insects of the family Aphididae that have mouthparts specially adapted for piercing and feed by sucking sap from plants; A small sucking insect that feeds primarily on new soft growth
25. Wary - On guard; watchful; characterized by caution; vigilantly attentive; trying attentively to avoid danger, risk, or error; careful, cautious; openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
26. Gull - A person who is easily tricked or cheated; a dupe; any of various chiefly coastal aquatic birds of the family Laridae, having long wings, webbed feet, a thick, slightly hooked beak, and usually gray and white plumage; person who is easily deceived or victimized; get money or something else from by deceitful trickery
27. Laconic - Using or marked by the use of few words; terse or concise; short, to the point
28. Befriend - To behave as a friend to; make social acquaintance; support
29. Bolster - To support or prop up with or as if with a long narrow pillow or cushion; to buoy up or hearten; keep from yielding or failing during stress or difficulty; help; short horizontal timber or steel member placed on top of a column to support and decrease the span of beams or girders; to support; reinforce. To give a boost to someone
30. Transgression - A violation of a law, command, or duty; exceeding of due bounds or limits; relative rise in sea level resulting in deposition of marine strata over terrestrial strata; an act or instance of breaking a law or regulation or of nonfulfillment of an obligation or promise; violation, misbehavior
31. Peep - To utter short, soft, high-pitched sounds, like those of a baby bird; cheep; to speak in a hesitant, thin, high-pitched voice; slight sound or utterance; to peek furtively; steal a quick glance; to peer through a small aperture or from behind something; quick look; glance; first glimpse or appearance
32. Intangible - Incapable of being apprehended by the mind or the senses; indefinite, obscured; incorporeal; incapable of being realized or defined
33. Pinch - To be severely sparing in order to economize; take (another's property) without permission; take into custody as a prisoner; a seizing and holding by law; very small amount; predicament
34. Centigrade - A temperature scale in which 0 degrees if freezing and 100 degrees is boiling; a thermometer scale, divided into 100 degrees, in which 0°C is the freezing point of water and 100°C is the boiling point; celsius
35. Ostracize - To exclude from a group; to exclude from normal social or professional activities; to force to leave a country or place by official decree; exile, banish; to put into public disfavor
36. Formulaic - Characterized by or in accordance with some formula; being of no special quality or type; average
37. Inclined - Sloping, slanting, or leaning; having a preference, disposition, or tendency; having a preference, disposition, or tendency; at an angle to the horizontal or vertical position; having made preparations; used especially of the head or upper back
38. Paralyze - To deprive of the power to move or feel in a part of the body; make powerless and unable to function; cause to be paralyzed and immobile; impair the progress or functioning of; make inoperative or powerless
39. Addle - To muddle; confuse; to become confused; to become rotten, as an egg; to cause to be unclear in mind or intent; mix up or confuse
40. Encipher - To put (a message, for example) into cipher; convert plain text into unintelligible form by means of a cipher system
41. Emulate - To take as a model or make conform to a model; to strive against (others) for victory; to imitate with intent to learn; strive to equal or excel, especially through imitation; compete with successfully; approach or attain equality with; ambitious; emulous
42. Saunter - To walk at a leisurely pace; stroll; leisurely pace; leisurely walk or stroll; stroll; walk in a confident manner; act of walking, especially for pleasure
43. Succor - Assistance in time of distress; relief; one that affords assistance or relief; to give assistance to in time of want, difficulty, or distress; give support or assistance
44. Pulchritude - Great physical beauty and appeal
45. Abate - To lessen; to subside; in metalwork, to cut away or beat down so as to show a pattern or figure in low relief
46. Peremptory - Urgent; imperative; overbearing, authoritative; tending to dictate; offensively self-assured; dictatorial; having the nature of or expressing a command; urgent; not allowing contradiction or refusal; imperative; putting an end to all debate or action
47. Timorous - Full of apprehensiveness; timid; easily frightened
48. Formulate - To convey in language or words of a particular form; form a strategy for; to use ingenuity in making, developing, or achieving; prepare according to a specified formula; devise or invent; express in systematic terms or concepts; state as or reduce to a formula
49. Disparate - Fundamentally distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar; containing or composed of dissimilar or opposing elements; at odds, different; not like another in nature, quality, amount, or form; including markedly dissimilar elements; fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind
50. Tantalizing - Enticingly in sight, yet often out of reach; arousing desire or expectation for something unattainable or mockingly out of reach; very pleasantly inviting
51. Vile - Very evil; unpleasant; so objectionable as to elicit despisal or deserve condemnation; heavily soiled; very dirty or unclean; extremely unpleasant to the senses or feelings; having or proceeding from low moral standards; offensive, horrible; loathsome; disgusting
52. Vex - To trouble the nerves or peace of mind of, especially by repeated vexations; distress, bother; disturb or annoy; to cause perplexity in; puzzle; to debate or discuss (a question, for example) at length; to toss about or shake up
53. Dauntless - Incapable of being intimidated or discouraged; fearless; having or showing courage; bold, courageous
54. Vapid - Lacking liveliness, animation, or interest; dull; lacking taste, zest, or flavor; flat; uninteresting
55. Cameo - To make into or like a gem or shell carved in relief; to portray in sharp, delicate relief, as in a literary composition
56. Herculean - Of extraordinary size and power; displaying superhuman strength or power
57. Trifling - Of slight worth or importance; frivolous or idle; insignificant, worthless; contemptibly unimportant; the deliberate act of wasting time instead of working
58. Observable - Possible to observe; deserving or worthy of note; noteworthy; apparent; readily seen, perceived, or understood
60. Polemical - Polemic; controversial; disputatious; given to arguing; of or involving dispute or controversy
61. Bromide - A tiresome person; a bore; a commonplace remark or notion; a platitude; a binary compound of bromine with another element, such as silver; sedative; trite expression or idea
62. Hackneyed - Over familiar through overuse; trite
63. Gratuitous - Costing nothing; not required, necessary, or warranted by the circumstances of the case; not necessary; free
64. Wedding - Marriage rite
65. Ladle - a long-handled spoon with a deep bowl for serving soup, stew etc
66. Spartan - Resolute in the face of pain or danger or adversity; unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment; practicing great self-denial; austere; laconic; simple
67. Malice - A desire to harm others or to see others suffer; extreme ill will or spite; the intent, without just cause or reason, to commit a wrongful act that will result in harm to another; hate, vengefulness; state of mind that disregards the law and legal rights of others but that does not necessarily involve personal hate or ill will
68. Teetotaler - One who abstains completely from alcoholic beverages; a total abstainer; practice of refraining from use of alcoholic liquors
69. Aggrandize - To increase the scope of; extend; make greater in power, influence, stature, or reputation; cause something to seem or be greater, bigger
70. Banquet - An elaborate, sumptuous repast; ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest or occasion; honor at or partake of a banquet; large meal elaborately prepared or served; dinner
71. Dire - Warning of or having dreadful or terrible consequences; calamitous; urgent; desperate; terrible, ominous; urgent; crucial
72. Comprehensive - So large in scope or content as to include much; full; including everything; inclusive; covering a wide scope
73. Oaf - A person regarded as stupid or clumsy; large, ungainly, and dull-witted person; person who is clumsy, stupid; awkward person
74. Complaisance - Agreeableness; disposition or tendency to yield to the will of others
75. Veto - To forbid or prohibit authoritatively; refusal of permission
76. Maverick - An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it; one that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter; being independent in thought and action or exhibiting such independence; radical
77. Accolade - An expression of approval; praise; special acknowledgment; an award; ceremonial embrace, as of greeting or salutation; ceremonial bestowal of knighthood; recognition; ornamental treatment, used over an arch, a door, or a window, composed of two curves meeting in the middle; often a richly decorated molding; approval
78. Gully - A deep ditch or channel cut in the earth by running water after a prolonged downpour; to wear a deep ditch or channel in; deep ditch cut by running water
79. Surreptitious - Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means; sneaky, secret; trickily secret; conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods; Marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
80. Schism - A separation or division into factions; disunion; discord; state of disagreement and disharmony; condition of being divided, as in opinion; interruption in friendly relations
81. Penurious - Unwilling to spend money; stingy; yielding little; barren; poverty-stricken; destitute; mean; poor; ungenerously or pettily reluctant to spend money
82. Volatile - Following no predictable pattern; explosive, changeable; having a tendency to evaporate rapidly; flying or capable of flying; ephemeral; fleeting; inconstant; fickle; lighthearted; flighty
83. Harangue - A long pompous speech, especially one delivered before a gathering; speech or piece of writing characterized by strong feeling or expression; a tirade; long, violent, or blustering speech, usually of censure or denunciation; speak in a loud, pompous, or prolonged manner; lecture; long passionate speech
84. Mollify - To calm in temper or feeling; soothe; lessen in intensity; temper; reduce the rigidity of; soften; ease the anger or agitation of; ause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of; make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else; moderate
85. Candid - Free from prejudice; impartial; characterized by openness and sincerity of expression; unreservedly straightforward; unposed informal photograph; not posed or rehearsed; manifesting honesty and directness, especially in speech; honest
86. Belie - To give a false representation to; misrepresent; to show to be false; contradict; deceive
87. Accrue - Accumulate or increase; increasing by addition of growth, often financial
88. Bliss - Extreme happiness; ecstasy; ecstasy of salvation; spiritual joy; condition of supreme well-being and good spirits; be in a state of great happiness or joy
89. Fretwork - Ornamental work consisting of three-dimensional frets; geometric openwork; design of short bars or lines fitted together
90. Repudiate - To refuse to recognize or acknowledge; reject; turn one's back on; disown
91. Gainsay - To declare false; deny; to oppose, especially by contradiction; refuse to admit the truth, reality, value, or worth of
92. Ungainly - Lacking grace or ease of movement or form; clumsy; Difficult to move or use; unwieldy; awkward; lacking dexterity and grace in physical movement; difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape
93. Falter - To be unsteady in purpose or action, as from loss of courage or confidence; waver; speak hesitatingly; stammer; to operate or perform unsteadily or with a loss of effectiveness; stumble, stutter; to move in a shaky or unsteady way
94. Alluring - Tending to seduce; charming; tempting; highly attractive and able to arouse hope or desire; enticing
95. Bestow - To present as a gift or honor; give, allot; to store or house; to provide with often temporary lodging; give formally or officially
96. Couch - A sofa; convey in language or words of a particular form; ie down; recline, as for rest; lie in ambush or concealment; lurk; be in a heap or pile, as leaves for decomposition or fermentation; to word in a certain manner; phrase; to embroider by laying thread flat on a surface and fastening it by stitches at regular intervals; lower (a spear, for example) to horizontal position, as for an attack; frame or floor on which grain, usually barley, is spread in malting; priming coat of paint or varnish used in artistic painting; a layer of grain, usually barley, spread to germinate
97. Esteem - To regard with respect; prize; favorable regard; think highly of; have a high opinion of; recognize the worth, quality, importance, or magnitude of; feeling of deference, approval, and liking
98. Venerate - To regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference
99. Din - A jumble of loud, usually discordant sounds; stun with deafening noise; instill by wearying repetition; sounds or a sound, especially when loud, confused, or disagreeable; uproar
100. Temerity - Foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness; nerve, audacity; rash or presumptuous daring
101. Probity - Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness; quality or state of being morally sound; fairness, honesty; virtue or integrity tested and confirmed
102. Pervasive - Having the quality or tendency to pervade or permeate; spreading throughout; extending; suffusing
103. Ineluctable - Not to be avoided or escaped; inevitable; certain; impossible to avoid or evade
104. Fraught - Filled with a specified element or elements; charged; marked by or causing distress; emotional; freight; cargo; marked by distress; filled with or attended with
105. Placidity - The quality or state of being placid; calmness; serenity; a feeling of calmness; a quiet and undisturbed feeling; a disposition free from stress or emotion
106. Mishap - Bad luck; an unfortunate accident; unexpected and usually undesirable event; an instance of misfortune; unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate
107. Happenstance - An unexpected random event
108. Intermittent - Stopping and starting at intervals; alternately containing and empty of water; irregular, sporadic; happening or appearing now and then
109. Agility - The state or quality of being agile; nimbleness; deftness (physical or mental)
110. Visa - An official authorization appended to a passport, permitting entry into and travel within a particular country or region; to endorse or ratify (a passport)
111. Pithy - Precisely meaningful; forceful and brief; consisting of or resembling pith
112. Procrastinate - To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness; postpone or delay needlessly; delay, put off doing
113. Imbue - To inspire or influence thoroughly; pervade; to permeate or saturate; to stain or dye deeply; to cause to be filled, as with a particular mood or tone; infuse, saturate
114. Playbill - A poster announcing a theatrical performance; a theatrical program
115. Conformist - A person who uncritically or habitually conforms to the customs, rules, or styles of a group; marked by conformity or convention; conventionalist, traditionalist
116. Voluble - Marked by a ready flow of speech; fluent; turning easily on an axis; rotating; talkative; marked by a ready flow of speech
117. Mulish - Stubborn and intractable; recalcitrant; unreasonably rigid in the face of argument or entreaty or attack
118. Opine - To state as an opinion; speak one's opinion without fear or hesitation; expect, believe, or suppose
119. Pundit - A source of opinion; a critic; learned person; usually elderly person noted for wisdom, knowledge, and judgment; person who is authority
120. Equivocation - Intentionally vague or ambiguous; falsification by means of vague or ambiguous language; a statement that is not literally false but that cleverly avoids an unpleasant truth; expression or term liable to more than one interpretation; use or an instance of equivocal language
121. Go-getter - An enterprising person; someone whose career progresses rapidly; intensely energetic, enthusiastic person
122. Glacier - A huge mass of ice slowly flowing over a land mass, formed from compacted snow in an area where snow accumulation exceeds melting and sublimation
123. Crouch - To stoop, especially with the knees bent; to press the entire body close to the ground with the limbs bent; bend servilely or timidly; cringe; to bend (the head or knee, for example) low, as in fear or humility; act of bending low with the limbs close to the body
124. Intimidate - To make timid; fill with fear; to coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats; frighten, threaten
125. Odious - Arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense displeasure; hateful, horrible; so objectionable as to elicit despisal or deserve condemnation
126. Indelible - Impossible to remove, erase, or wash away; permanent; unable to be forgotten; memorable; indestructible; cannot be removed, washed away or erased
127. Reify - To regard or treat (an abstraction) as if it had concrete or material existence; interpretation of an abstract idea or concept, such as the state, as real or concrete; consider an abstract concept to be real
128. Natatorium - An indoor swimming pool; pool that provides a facility for swimming; building containing a swimming pool; a swimming pool
129. Luculent - Easily understood; clear or lucid; (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
130. Qurush - 20 qurush equal 1 riyal in Saudi Arabia
131. Gravitas - Substance; weightiness; a serious or dignified demeanor; high seriousness; formality in bearing and appearance
132. Skulduggery - Crafty deception or trickery or an instance of it; verbal misrepresentation intended to take advantage of you in some way
133. Limpid - Admitting light so that objects beyond can be seen; characterized by transparent clearness; calm and untroubled; serene; clear; comprehensible
134. Modicum - A small, moderate, or token amount
135. Mirth - Gladness and gaiety, especially when expressed by laughter; state of joyful exuberance; great joy; joyfulness with laughter
136. Avarice - Immoderate desire for wealth; cupidity; excessive desire for more than one needs or deserves; extreme greed; greed or passion for money or riches



ANALOGIES:

1. fir:tree
2. truculent:light
3. insipid:bore
4. dank:moisture
5. insect:aphid
6. wary:gulled
7. ruler:length
8. peep:sound
9. degree:centigrade
10. hardness:mass
11. pinch:quantity
12. saunter:walk
13. cameo:sculpture
14. herculean:trifling
15. marriage:wedding
16. gratuitous:justification
17. bromide:hackneyed
18. soup:ladle
19. banquet:meal
20. comprehensive:dire
21. gully:erosion
22. candy:sugar
23. unstable:volatile
24. harangue:mollify
25. appointment:official
26. fretwork:ornament
27. mishap:accident
28. ineluctable:avoid
29. fraught:placidity
30. visa:country
31. mulish:persuaded
32. pundit:opine
33. equivocation:ambiguous
34. glacier:snow
35. approach:intimidate
36. indelible:forget



ISSUE TOPICS:

1. It is impossible for an effective political leader to tell the truth all the time. Complete honesty is not a useful virtue for a politician
2. Humanity has made little real progress over the past century or so. Technological innovations have taken place, but the overall condition of humanity is no better. War, violence, and poverty are still with us. Technology cannot change the condition of humanity
3. When research priorities are being set for science, education, or any other area, the most important question to consider is: How many people's lives will be improved if the results are successful?
4. Children must be skeptic and they will ask questions to teachers insraec of listening like a def and dumb people
5. Telecast of proceedings of government helps in development of society
6. The surest indicator of a great nation is not the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but the general welfare of all its people
7. The surest indicator of a great nation is not the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but the general welfare of all its people
8. In order to improve the quality of instruction at the college and university level, all faculty should be required to spend time working outside the academic world in professions relevant to the courses they teach



ARGUMENT TOPICS:

1. The following is a recommendation from the personnel director to the president of Acme Publishing Company.

"Many other companies have recently stated that having their employees take the Easy Read Speed-Reading Course has greatly improved productivity. One graduate of the course was able to read a five-hundred-page report in only two hours; another graduate rose from an assistant manager to vice president of the company in under a year. Obviously, the faster you can read, the more information you can absorb in a single workday. Moreover, Easy Read costs only $500 per employee — a small price to pay when you consider the benefits to Acme. Included in this fee is a three-week seminar in Spruce City and a lifelong subscription to the Easy Read newsletter. Clearly, Acme would benefit greatly by requiring all of our employees to take the Easy Read course."

2. The following is a recommendation from the business manager of Monarch Books.

"Monarch Books should open a cafe in its store to attract more customers and better compete with Regal Books, which recently opened a cafe. Monarch, which has been in business at the same location for more than twenty years, has a large customer following because it is known for its wide selection of books on all subjects. Opening the cafe would clearly attract more customers. The cafe would require relatively little space. Space could be made for the cafe by discontinuing the children's book section, which will likely become less popular given that the last national census indicated a significant decline in the percent of the population who are under age ten."

3. Statistics collected from dentists indicate that three times more men than women faint while visiting the dentist. This evidence suggests that men are more likely to be distressed about having dental work done than women are. Thus, dentists who advertise to attract patients should target the male consumer and emphasize both the effectiveness of their anesthetic techniques and the sensitivity of their staff to nervous or suffering patients

4. The following appeared in a medical newsletter.

"Doctors have long suspected that secondary infections may keep some patients from healing quickly after severe muscle strain. This hypothesis has now been proved by preliminary results of a study of two groups of patients. The first group of patients, all being treated for muscle injuries by Dr. Newland, a doctor who specializes in sports medicine, took antibiotics regularly throughout their treatment. Their recuperation time was, on average, 40 percent quicker than typically expected. Patients in the second group, all being treated by Dr. Alton, a general physician, were given sugar pills, although the patients believed they were taking antibiotics. Their average recuperation time was not significantly reduced. Therefore, all patients who are diagnosed with muscle strain would be well advised to take antibiotics as part of their treatment."

5. The following appeared in an article in a magazine for writers

"A recent study showed that in describing a typical day's conversation, people make an average of 23 references to watching television and only 1 reference to reading fiction. This result suggests that, compared with the television industry, the publishing and bookselling industries are likely to decline in profitability. Therefore, people who wish to have careers as writers should acquire training and experience in writing for television rather than for print media."

November - High frequency words

NOVEMBER THREAD - Updated regularly

Make sure to do all words from April/ May/ June/ July/ September/ October thread also...

1. Stench - A strong, foul odor; a stink; a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant
2. Temper - To make or become less severe or extreme; temporary state of mind or feeling; person's customary manner of emotional response; angry outburst; tendency to become angry or irritable; prevailing quality, as of thought, behavior, or attitude; angriness; bad mood; calmness; calm, moderate; harden
3. Protuberance - Something, such as a bulge, knob, or swelling, that protrudes; unevenness or elevation on a surface; lump, outgrowth
4. Prescribe - To set down as a rule or guide; enjoin; to order the use of (a medicine or other treatment); establish rules, laws, or directions; to set forth expressly and authoritatively
5. Flashy - Cheap and showy; gaudy; giving a momentary or superficial impression of brilliance; flamboyant, in poor taste
6. Assuage - To make less severe or more bearable; soothe, relieve; reduce fear, excitement, pain, or disease
7. Venerate - To regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference
8. Bogus - Counterfeit or fake; not genuine; fraudulently or deceptively imitative
9. Engrossed - Preoccupied; attentive to
10. Teem - To be full of things; abound or swarm; to be or become pregnant; bear young; give birth to; be abundantly filled or richly supplied
11. Decrepit - Weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use; deteriorated, debilitated; showing signs of wear and tear or neglect
12. Hoary - Gray or white with or as if with age; covered with grayish hair or pubescence; old as to inspire veneration; ancient; elderly; trite
13. Sturdy - Having or showing rugged physical strength; substantially made or built; stout; marked by resoluteness or determination; firm; solid, durable; strong and hardy
14. Homely - Not attractive or good-looking; lacking elegance or refinement; of a simple or unpretentious nature; plain; characteristic of the home or of home life; not beautiful, ordinary; having a feeling of home; cozy and comfortable; without artificial refinement or elegance
15. Sober - Exercising moderation and self-restraint in appetites and behavior; having or indicating an awareness of things as they really are; full of or marked by dignity and seriousness; calm, peaceful; dull; not partaking of alcohol; having a serious attitude
16. Melodious - Of, relating to, or containing a pleasing succession of sounds; tuneful; agreeable to hear; containing or constituting or characterized by pleasing melody
17. Trademark - A name, symbol, or other device identifying a product, officially registered and legally restricted to the use of the owner or manufacturer; distinctive characteristic by which a person or thing comes to be known; label (a product) with proprietary identification; register (something) as a trademark
18. Scepter (sceptre) - A staff held by a sovereign as an emblem of authority; ruling power or authority; sovereignty; invest with royal authority; a king's staff of office, the sign and symbol of his authority
19. Monarch - One who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right, especially; sovereign, such as a king or empress, often with constitutionally limited authority; sole and absolute ruler
20. Signatory - Bound by signed agreement; one that has signed a treaty or other document; someone who signs and is bound by a document
21. Seal - A device for impressing characteristic marks into a soft surface, often to indicate ownership. Seals may be in the form of stamps or cylinder seals; authentication; stamp; ensure, finalize; make airtight; affix a seal to in order to prove authenticity or attest to accuracy, legal weight, quality, or another standard
22. Palliate - To make (an offense or crime) seem less serious; extenuate; make less severe or intense; mitigate; relieve the symptoms of a disease or disorder; loss over; cover up
23. Concord - Harmonious mutual understanding; formal, usually written settlement between nations; pleasing agreement, as of musical sounds; agreement, treaty; unity, harmony
24. Cascade - A waterfall or a series of small waterfalls over steep rocks; something, such as lace, thought to resemble a waterfall or series of small waterfalls, especially an arrangement or fall of material; succession of stages, processes, operations, or units; series of components or networks, the output of each of which serves as the input for the next; to fall or cause to fall in or as if in a cascade
25. Fabrication - The making or construction of something; act of fabricating, framing, or constructing; construction; manufacture; that which is fabricated; a falsehood; lie
26. Melancholy - Sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom; affected with or marked by depression of the spirits; sad; pensive; thoughtful
27. Divulge - To make known (something private or secret); to proclaim publicly; disclose in a breach of confidence; confess
28. Unsubstantial - Lacking material substance; insubstantial; lacking firmness or strength; flimsy; lacking basis in fact; lacking material form or substance; unreal
29. Oscillate - To swing back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm; to waver, as between conflicting opinions or courses of action; vacillate; vary between alternate extremes, usually within a definable period of time; change back and forth; move rhythmically back and forth suspended or as if suspended from above
30. Untactful - Lacking sensitivity and skill in dealing with others; lacking or showing a lack of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others
31. Palpable - Capable of being handled, touched, or felt; tangible; obvious; concrete, real
32. Pomp - Dignified or magnificent display; splendor; vain or ostentatious display
33. Willowy - Slender and graceful; planted with or abounding in willows
34. Uncanny - Peculiarly unsettling, as if of supernatural origin or nature; so keen and perceptive as to seem preternatural; of a mysteriously strange and usually frightening nature; very strange, unusual
35. Insouciant - Marked by blithe unconcern; nonchalant; easygoing, casual
36. Puckish - Mischievous; impish; naughtily or annoyingly playful
37. Assiduous - Constant in application or attention; diligent; unceasing; persistent; hard-working
38. Hapless - Luckless; unfortunate; involving or undergoing chance misfortune
39. Pillory - A wooden framework on a post, with holes for the head and hands, in which offenders were formerly locked to be exposed to public scorn as punishment; to expose to ridicule and abuse; a wooden framework in which an offender is fastened to boards for punishment and is exposed to public scorn
40. Canyon - A narrow chasm with steep cliff walls, cut into the earth by running water; a gorge; gulf in mountain area; long, narrow valley with high cliffs on each side
41. Gully - A deep ditch or channel cut in the earth by running water after a prolonged downpour; to wear a deep ditch or channel in; deep ditch cut by running water
42. Illicit - Not sanctioned by custom or law; unlawful; not legal; forbidden
43. Pacify - To ease the anger or agitation of; to end war, fighting, or violence in; establish peace in; appease
44. Infuriate - To make furious, enrage; make very angry
45. Ripen - To make or become ripe or riper; mature
46. Modicum - A small, moderate, or token amount
47. Derogate - To take away; detract; to deviate from a standard or expectation; go astray; to disparage; belittle; to think, represent, or speak of as small or unimportant
48. Prodigal - Rashly or wastefully extravagant; giving or given in abundance; lavish or profuse; wasteful; a recklessly extravagant consumer
49. Prevaricate - Misleading or equivocate
50. Bungle - To work or act ineptly or inefficiently; handle badly; botch; clumsy or inept performance; proceed or perform in an unsteady, faltering manner; blunder, mess up
51. Ossified - Changed to bone or something resembling bone; hardened by deposits of mineral matter of any kind; -- said of tissues; rigid, unimaginative convention; process of becoming set in a rigidly conventional pattern, as of behavior, habits, or beliefs
52. Pantry - A small room or closet, usually off a kitchen, where food, tableware, linens, and similar items are stored; small room used for the preparation of cold foods; small room off a kitchen where dishes, food, etc are stored; room for preparing refreshments, not complete meals; serving room between kitchen and dining space
53. Toil - To labor continuously; exhausting labor or effort; something that binds, snares, or entangles one; an entrapment; hard work; walk heavily, slowly, and with difficulty; to exert one's mental or physical powers, usually under difficulty and to the point of exhaustion
54. Zealot - excessive enthusiasm or u can say excessive zeal; or fanatic
55. Persecutor - One who persecutes, or harasses
56. Nebulous - Cloudy, misty, or hazy; lacking definite form or limits; vague; liable to more than one interpretation; confused, obscure
57. Gall - The quality or state of feeling bitter; the state or quality of being impudent or arrogantly self-confident; to make (the skin) raw by or as if by friction; to trouble the nerves or peace of mind of, especially by repeated vexations
58. Aberrant - Deviating from the proper or expected course; deviating from what is normal; untrue to type; not being normal
59. Ephemeral - Lasting for a markedly brief time
60. Obdurate - Stubborn and unfeeling
61. Relinquish - To retire from; give up or abandon; put aside or desist from (something practiced, professed, or intended); to let go; surrender; to cease holding physically; release; give up a possession, claim, or right
62. Unsubstantiated - Unsupported by other evidence
63. Whet - To sharpen (a knife, for example); hone; make more keen; stimulate; sharpen; arouse; excite
64. Witless - Lacking intelligence or wit; foolish; (of especially persons) lacking sense or understanding or judgment
65. Succor - Assistance in time of distress; relief; one that affords assistance or relief; to give assistance to in time of want, difficulty, or distress
66. Testy - Irritated, impatient, or exasperated; peevish; touchy; easily annoyed
67. Infelicitous - Inappropriate; ill-chosen; not happy; unfortunate; defective
68. Incorrigible - Incapable of being corrected or reformed
69. Mendicant - Depending on alms for a living; practicing begging; beggar; member of an order of friars forbidden to own property in common, who work or beg for their living; one who begs habitually or for a living
70. Irk - To be irritating, wearisome, or vexing to
71. Range - A row of connected mountain; limits within which there are changes or differences; line of objects in direct succession, as a range of columns
72. Tenacious - Holding or tending to hold persistently to something, such as a point of view; holding together firmly; cohesive; clinging to another object or surface; adhesive; tending to retain; retentive; sticky; strong
73. Exaggerated - Enlarged beyond bounds or the truth; overstated, embellished; have made to seem larger or greater than it really
74. Hyperbole - A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect; act or an instance of exaggerating; exaggeration
75. Proofread - To read (copy or proof) in order to find errors and mark correction; to read copy or proof for purposes of error detection and correction
76. Versed - Acquainted through study or experience; knowledgeable or skilled; experienced, informed
77. Abate - To lessen; to subside; in metalwork, to cut away or beat down so as to show a pattern or figure in low relief
78. Glide - To move smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly; float
79. Starry-eyed - Having a naively enthusiastic, overoptimistic, or romantic view; unrealistic; unrealistically or naively optimistic
80. Bibliography - list of books or articles about a particular subject or by a particular author. There is a usual bibliography at the end of each chapter; list of the works of an author; a list of works pertaining to one subject
81. Pragmatic - Practical; sensible; dealing or concerned with facts or actual occurrences; person given to intruding in other people's affairs
82. Phlegmatic - Without emotion or interest; having or suggesting a calm, sluggish temperament; unemotional
83. Infinitesimal - Immeasurably or incalculably minute; function or variable continuously approaching zero as a limit; very small; immeasurably small
84. Mettle - Courage and fortitude; spirit; inherent quality of character and temperament; boldness, strength of character; quality of mind enabling one to face danger or hardship resolutely
85. Taciturn - Disinclined to speak. or inclined to silence; untalkative
86. Congeal - To solidify by or as if by freezing; coagulate; jell; cause to solidify or coagulate or to undergo a process likened to solidification or coagulation
87. Raving - Talking or behaving irrationally; wild; exciting admiration; delirious, irrational speech; talking or behaving irrationally
88. Effrontery - Brazen boldness; presumptuousness; state or quality of being impudent or arrogantly self-confident; nerve, boldness; impudence; arrogance
89. Dank - Disagreeably damp or humid; clammy; slightly wet; unpleasantly damp or cold
90. Topple - To push or throw over; overturn or overthrow; to totter and fall; fall or knock over; overthrow; fall down, as if collapsing; to undergo capture, defeat, or ruin
91. Arduous - Demanding great effort or labor; difficult; testing severely the powers of endurance; strenuous; hard to traverse, climb, or surmount; difficult, hard to endure; requiring great or extreme bodily, mental, or spiritual strength
92. Exacting - Making severe demands; rigorous; requiring great care, effort, or attention; demanding; requiring precise accuracy; having complicated nutritional requirements; especially growing only in special artificial cultures
93. Unctuous - Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness; slippery; greasy; affectedly and self-servingly earnest; too polite in speech or manner
94. Schism - A separation or division into factions; disunion; discord; state of disagreement and disharmony; condition of being divided, as in opinion; interruption in friendly relations
95. Frail - Physically weak; delicate; fragile; morally weak; rush basket for holding fruit, especially dried fruit; quantity of fruit, such as raisins or figs, that such a basket can hold; breakable, weak
96. Luculent - Easily understood; clear or lucid; (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable
97. Immutable - Not subject or susceptible to change; incapable of changing or being modified; unchangeable
98. Altered - Changed
99. Implacable - Impossible to placate or appease; firmly, often unreasonably immovable in purpose or will; merciless, cruel; incapable of being pleased
100. Propitiated - To conciliate (an offended power); appease; ease the anger or agitation of; gain the favor of or make peace with
101. Untenable - Incapable of being defended or justified
102. Discommode - To put to inconvenience; trouble; annoy; cause inconvenience or discomfort to
103. Veracious - Honest; truthful; accurate; precise; consistently telling the truth; conforming to fact
104. Insipid - Lacking flavor or zest; not tasty; lacking qualities that excite, stimulate, or interest; dull
105. Trenchant - Forceful, effective, and vigorous; caustic; cutting; distinct; clear-cut; possessing or displaying perceptions of great accuracy and sensitivity; sarcastic, scathing; having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect
106. Aerie - The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place; house or stronghold perched on a height; any habitation at a high altitude
107. Inextricable - So intricate or entangled as to make escape impossible; difficult or impossible to disentangle or untie; too involved or complicated to solve; unavoidable; inescapable; not permitting extrication; incapable of being disentangled or untied
108. Crouch - To stoop, especially with the knees bent; to press the entire body close to the ground with the limbs bent; bend servilely or timidly; cringe; to bend (the head or knee, for example) low, as in fear or humility; act of bending low with the limbs close to the body
109. Qurush - 20 qurush equal 1 riyal in Saudi Arabia
110. Gaunt - Thin and bony; angular; emaciated and haggard; drawn; bleak and desolate; barren; skinny, pale; having little flesh or fat on the body; worn and lean, as from hunger or illness
111. Tame - Brought from wildness into a domesticated or tractable state; not timid; submissive; docile; fawning; insipid, flat; sluggish; languid; inactive; to tone down; soften; to subdue or curb; dull, uninteresting; domesticated, compliant
112. Racy - Having a distinctive and characteristic quality or taste; strong and sharp in flavor or odor; piquant or pungent; vigorous; lively; risque, vulgar; energetic, zestful
113. Cartographer - An individual who makes charts or maps
114. Novelist - Someone who writes novels
115. Conductor - One who directs an orchestra or other such group; substance or medium that conducts heat, light, sound, or especially an electric charge; lightning rod, as on a house or barn; one who is in charge of a railroad train, bus, or streetcar
116. Instrumentalist - One who plays an instrument; someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)
117. Director - A person who supervises the creative aspects of a dramatic production or film and instructs the actors and crew; one who is highest in rank or authority; person having administrative or managerial authority in an organization; long, slender, grooved instrument for guiding a knife or other surgical instrument
118. Disavowal - The act of disavowing, disclaiming, or disowning; rejection and denial
119. Pervasive - Having the quality or tendency to pervade or permeate; spreading throughout; extending; suffusing
120. Symphony - Pleasing agreement, as of musical sounds; harmony, especially of sound or color
121. Esteem - To regard with respect; prize; favorable regard; think highly of; have a high opinion of; recognize the worth, quality, importance, or magnitude of; feeling of deference, approval, and liking
122. Abet - To give support or assistance; assist, help in wrongdoing; approve, encourage, and support (an action or a plan of action); urge and help on
123. Lofty - Of imposing height; elevated in character; exalted; arrogant; haughty; affecting grandness; pompous; exceedingly dignified in form, tone, or style; of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
124. Haunter - One who, or that which, haunts
125. Imbue - To inspire or influence thoroughly; pervade; to permeate or saturate; to stain or dye deeply; to cause to be filled, as with a particular mood or tone; infuse, saturate
126. Insurgent - Rising in revolt against established authority, especially a government; rebelling against the leadership of a political party; person who rebels; participating in open revolt against a government or ruling authority
127. Insane - Afflicted with or exhibiting irrationality and mental unsoundness; so senseless as to be laughable; mentally ill; foolish; immoderate; wild; exhibiting, or afflicted with insanity
128. Fringe - A fairly narrow line or space forming a boundary; periphery of a city or town; to put or form a border on; border, trimming; those members of a group or political party holding extreme views; any of the light or dark bands produced by the diffraction or interference of light
129. Dilapidate - To bring or fall into a state of partial ruin, decay, or disrepair; bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin by neglect or misuse
130. Slight - Small in degree, especially of probability; to think, represent, or speak of as small or unimportant; to refuse to pay attention to (a person); treat with contempt; to fail to care for or give proper attention to; act or instance of neglecting; act that offends a person's sense of pride or dignity; insult, disrespect; offend; thin, small in build; to pay little or no attention to
131. Laze - To be lazy; loaf; to pass time without working or in avoiding work; relax; be idle; exist in a changeless situation
132. Circumspect - Heedful of circumstances and potential consequences; prudent; trying attentively to avoid danger, risk, or error; cautious, discreet
133. Imprudent - Unwise or indiscreet; not prudent; without much thought; foolish; not careful; rash or heedless
134. Magniloquent - Lofty and extravagant in speech; grandiloquent; characterized by language that is elevated and sometimes pompous in style; boastful
135. Forte - Something in which a person excels; strong part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt; in a loud, forceful manner. Used chiefly as a direction; note, passage, or chord played forte
136. Hauteur - Haughtiness in bearing and attitude; arrogance; machine-estimated mean fiber length in a top of wool; the basis for the pricing of tops; overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
137. Obstreperous - Noisily and stubbornly defiant; aggressively boisterous; unruly; not submitting to discipline or control; offensively loud and insistent
138. Lubricant - A substance, such as grease or oil, that reduces friction when applied as a surface coating to moving parts; one that helps reduce difficulty or conflict; a substance capable of reducing friction by making surfaces smooth or slippery
139. Fretwork - Ornamental openwork pattern consisting of strips of wood cut with a fret saw
140. Pretentious - Claiming or demanding a position of distinction or merit, especially when unjustified; making or marked by an extravagant outward show; ostentatious; snobbish, conceited; characterized by an exaggerated show of dignity or self-importance; marked by outward, often extravagant display
141. Scad - A large number or amount. often used in the plural; an indeterminately great amount or number; any of a number of fishes of the family Carangidae
142. Brazen - Marked by flagrant and insolent audacity; having a loud, usually harsh, resonant sound; made of brass; resembling brass, as in color or strength; to face or undergo with bold self-assurance; brash, unashamed; rude and disrespectful; characterized by or done without shame
143. Exude - To ooze forth; to discharge or emit (a liquid or gas, for example) gradually; to exhibit in abundance; to flow or leak out or emit something slowly; display, emit
144. Temerity - Foolhardy disregard of danger; recklessness; nerve, audacity; rash or presumptuous daring
145. Isthmus - A narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land; a narrow strip of tissue joining two larger organs or parts of an organ; narrow passage connecting two larger cavities; narrow strip of land that connects two larger bodies of land and has water on both sides
146. Strait - A narrow channel joining two larger bodies of water. Often used in the plural with a singular verb; A position of difficulty, perplexity, distress, or need. Often used in the plural; crisis, difficulty
147. Despise - To regard with contempt or scorn; dislike intensely; loathe; regard as unworthy of one's interest or concern; look down on; scorn
148. Plumage - The covering of feathers on a bird; feathers used ornamentally; elaborate dress; finery; the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds; Aa bird's feathers
149. Agape - In a state of wonder or amazement, as with the mouth wide open; wide open; love as revealed in Jesus, seen as spiritual and selfless and a model for humanity
150. Rebuff - A blunt or abrupt repulse or refusal, as to an offer; check or an abrupt setback to progress or action; unkind refusal or rejection; snub; turning away; ignoring
151. Gainsay - To declare false; deny; to oppose, especially by contradiction; refuse to admit the truth, reality, value, or worth of
152. Din - A jumble of loud, usually discordant sounds; stun with deafening noise; instill by wearying repetition; sounds or a sound, especially when loud, confused, or disagreeable; uproar
153. Natatorium - An indoor swimming pool; pool that provides a facility for swimming; building containing a swimming pool; a swimming pool
154. Aphid - Any of various small, soft-bodied insects of the family Aphididae that have mouthparts specially adapted for piercing and feed by sucking sap from plants; A small sucking insect that feeds primarily on new soft growth
155. Passion - A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger; very strong interest; adoration, love; strong emotion
156. Dissection - The separation of a whole into its parts for study; cutting up; act or an instance of dissecting; a detailed examination or analysis
157. Escalation - The act of increasing or rising; intensification; the use of successively more powerful types of weapons in war
158. Coy - Tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved; affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest; annoyingly unwilling to make a commitment; very modest; not forward but reticent or reserved in manner; given to flirting; shy
159. Grating - A grill or network of bars set in a window or door or used as a partition; a grate; diffraction grating; irritating; scraping; disagreeable to the sense of hearing
160. Crunch - To grind or move over with a noisy, crushing sound; bite and grind with the teeth; to rub together noisily; period of financial difficulty characterized by tight money and unavailability of credit; critical moment or situation, especially one that occurs because of a shortage of time or resources
161. Alter - To change or make different; modify; to adjust (a garment) for a better fit; to castrate or spay (an animal, such as a cat or a dog); to change or become different; change
162. Disguise - To alter the look of something as to conceal it; mask; misrepresent; to change or modify so as to prevent recognition of the true identity or character of; deceptive outward appearance; display of insincere behavior
163. Quibble - To evade the truth or importance of an issue by raising trivial distinctions and objections; find fault or criticize for petty reasons; cavil; petty distinction or an irrelevant objection; objection, complaint; beat around the bush; engage in a quarrel
164. Obstruction - Something that impedes or prevents entry or passage; obstacle, impediment; act of causing a delay or an attempt to cause a delay in the conduct of business, especially in a legislative body; an obstacle
165. Gratuitous - Costing nothing; not required, necessary, or warranted by the circumstances of the case; not necessary; free
166. Tedium - The quality or condition of being tedious; tediousness or boredom; dullness, monotony; state or condition of being bored; monotony
167. Adulation - Excessive flattery or admiration; excessive, ingratiating praise; overenthusiastic praise; servile flattery; exaggerated and hypocritical praise
168. Jocose - Given to joking; merry; characterized by joking; humorous; intended to excite laughter or amusement
169. Intangible - Incapable of being apprehended by the mind or the senses; indefinite, obscured; incorporeal; incapable of being realized or defined
170. Excise - An internal tax imposed on the production, sale, or consumption of a commodity or the use of a service within a country; a licensing charge or a fee levied for certain privileges; remove, delete
171. Jargon - Unintelligible or foolish talk; variety of a language that differs from the standard form; specialized expressions indigenous to a particular field, subject, trade, or subculture; specialized language; dialect; specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar group
172. Altercation - A vehement quarrel; discussion, often heated, in which a difference of opinion is expressed; fight, often verbal; angry fight or dispute
173. Matter-of-fact - Relating or adhering to facts; literal; straightforward or unemotional; realistic, unembellished; lacking liveliness, charm, or surprise; having or indicating an awareness of things as they really are; with little or no emotion or expression
174. Lithe - Readily bent; supple; marked by effortless grace; flexible, graceful and slender; limber, graceful and quick
175. Swagger - To walk with exaggerated or unnatural motions expressive of self-importance or self-display; a proud stiff pompous gait; discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate; act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner
176. Coherent - Having all parts connected in a proper way; understandable; marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts
177. Divest - To make bare; to take or keep something away from; dispossess; take off; deprive or dispossess especially of property, authority, or title
178. Maverick - An unbranded range animal, especially a calf that has become separated from its mother, traditionally considered the property of the first person who brands it; one that refuses to abide by the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; a dissenter; being independent in thought and action or exhibiting such independence; radical
179. Nimble - Quick, light, or agile in movement or action; deft; dexterous, smart
180. Collude - To act together secretly to achieve a fraudulent, illegal, or deceitful purpose; conspire; to work out a secret plan to achieve an evil or illegal end; act in unison or agreement and in secret towards a deceitful or illegal purpose
181. Green - Lacking training or experience
182. Pelf - Wealth or riches, especially when dishonestly acquired
183. Rapport - Relationship, especially one of mutual trust or emotional affinity; understanding between people; harmonious mutual understanding
184. Culpable - Deserving of blame or censure as being wrong, evil, improper, or injurious
185. Condemnation - A comment expressing fault; blaming, conviction; pronouncing as ill-advised, reprehensible, wrong, or evil or being pronounced as reprehensible or wrong
186. Whimsy - An odd or fanciful idea; a whim; quaint or fanciful quality; an impulsive, often illogical turn of mind; the trait of acting more from whim or caprice than from reason or judgment
187. Transgression - A violation of a law, command, or duty; exceeding of due bounds or limits; relative rise in sea level resulting in deposition of marine strata over terrestrial strata; an act or instance of breaking a law or regulation or of nonfulfillment of an obligation or promise; violation, misbehavior
188. Volatile - Following no predictable pattern; explosive, changeable; having a tendency to evaporate rapidly; flying or capable of flying; ephemeral; fleeting; inconstant; fickle; lighthearted; flighty
189. Irascible - Prone to outbursts of temper; easily angered. Characterized by or resulting from anger
190. Extol - To praise highly; exalt; pay tribute or homage to; sing the praises of; praise in the highest terms; to honor (a deity) in religious worship
191. Hull - Dry outer covering of a fruit or seed or nut; the frame or body of ship
192. Fix - Difficult or ticklish situation; cook a meal; determine, decide; establish, make firm; focus on; manipulate, influence an event; mend, repair; prepare, plan ahead; wreak vengeance on
193. Thrifty - Practicing or marked by the practice of thrift; wisely economical; industrious and thriving; prosperous; growing vigorously; thriving, as a plant; not wasteful
194. Miserly - Ungenerously or pettily reluctant to spend money; greedy, stingy; relating to one who stores riches selfishly
195. Grueling - Physically or mentally demanding to the point of exhaustion; difficult, taxing
196. Accolade - An expression of approval; praise; special acknowledgment; an award; ceremonial embrace, as of greeting or salutation; ceremonial bestowal of knighthood; recognition; ornamental treatment, used over an arch, a door, or a window, composed of two curves meeting in the middle; often a richly decorated molding; approval
197. Transitoriness - The quality or state of being transitory; speedy passage or departure
198. Abjectness - The state of being abject; abasement; meanness; servility
199. Majesty - Something meriting the highest praise or regard; impressiveness in scale or proportion; the state and title of a king; greatness and dignity of a sovereign; sovereignty and power of God; royal personage; grandeur; stately splendor; magnificence, as of style or character
200. Oaf - A person regarded as stupid or clumsy; large, ungainly, and dull-witted person; person who is clumsy, stupid; awkward person
201. Fossilization - The process of converting, or of being converted, into a fossil
202. Banquet - An elaborate, sumptuous repast; ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest or occasion; honor at or partake of a banquet; large meal elaborately prepared or served; dinner
203. Pulchritude - Great physical beauty and appeal
204. Denunciation - The act or an instance of denouncing, especially a public condemnation or censure; act of accusing another of a crime before a public prosecutor; comment expressing fault; charging of someone with a misdeed; condemnation, criticism



ANALOGIES

1). engrossed:occupied
2). furniture:sofa
3). stench:nose
4). fingerprint:identification
5). trademark:manufacturer
6). rescue:save
7). tilt:level
8). punish:pillory
9). canyon:gully
10). illicit:permission
11). pacify:infuriate
12). ripen:mature
13). drain:empty
14). amorphous:structure
15). abridge:length
16). assuage:irk
17). credibility:belief
18). range:mountain
19). mendicant:beg
20). exaggerated:hyperbole
21). proofread:document
22). glide:effort
23). starry-eyed:pragmatic
24). phlegmatic:arouse
25). bibliography:publication
26). infinitesimal:small
27). immutable:altered
28). implacable:propitiated
29). untenable:debated
30). trenchant:insipid
31). novelist:book
32). conductor:instrumentalist
33). cartographer:map
34). director:actor
35). conductor:symphony
36). abet:nebulous
37). everlasting:permanent
38). rebellious:insurgent
39). abet:nebulous
40). obstreperous:control
41). oil:lubricant
42). rebellious:insurgent
43). fretwork:ornamentation
44). ardent:zeal
45). strait:water
46). isthmus:land
47). strite:novel
48). plumage:bird
49). aphid:insects
50). passion:emotions
51). crunch:support
52). disguise:alter
53). quibble:obstruction
54). gratuitous:justification
55). nimble:movement
56). collude:cooperation
57). insouciant:worry
58). experience:green
59). theater:play
60). culpable:condemnation
61). gully:erosion
62). banquet:meal
63). censure:denunciation



ISSUE TOPICS:

1. Both parents and communities must be involved in the local schools. Education is too important to leave solely to a group of professional educators
2. Most people recognize the benefits of individuality, but the fact is that personal economic success requires conformity
3. The function of science is to reassure; the purpose of art is to upset. Therein lies the value of each
4. Governments must ensure that their major cities receive the financial support they need in order to thrive, because it is primarily in cities that a nation's cultural traditions are preserved and generated
5. Although innovations such as video, computers, and the Internet seem to offer schools improved methods for instructing students, these technologies all too often distract from real learning
6. There is no such thing as purely objective observation. All observation is subjective; it is always guided by the observer's expectations or desires
7. Many people know how to attain success, but few know how to make the best use of it
8. Public figures such as actors, politicians, and athletes should expect people to be interested in their private lives. When they seek a public role, they should expect that they will lose at least some of their privacy
9. As people rely more and more on technology to solve problems, the ability of humans to think for themselves will surely deteriorate
10. How we teach our kids socialization highly influences the future society. We need to adopt better ways to make sure that we have a good society in future
11. In many countries it is now possible to turn on the television and view government at work. Watching these proceedings can help people understand the issues that affect their lives. The more kinds of government proceedings---trials, debates, meetings, etc.---that are televised… the more society will benefit
12. In order to improve the quality of instruction at the college and university level, all faculty should be required to spend time working outside the academic world in professions relevant to the courses they teach
13. The only responsibility of corporate executives, provided they stay within the law, is to make as much money as possible for their
companies
14. It is often necessary, even desirable, for political leaders to withhold information from the public
15. To truly know your own culture, you need to know atleast one other culture so as to understand the difference
16. Most people choose a career on the basis of such pragmatic considerations as the needs of the economy, the relative ease of finding a job, and the salary they can expect to make. Hardly anyone is free to choose a career based on his or her natural talents or interest in a particular kind of work
17. In most professions and academic fields, imagination is more important than knowledge



ARGUMENT TOPICS:

1. The vice president for human resources at Climpson Industries sent the following recommendation to the company's president.

"In an effort to improve our employees' productivity, we should implement electronic monitoring of employees' Internet use from their workstations. Employees who use the Internet from their workstations need to be identified and punished if we are to reduce the number of work hours spent on personal or recreational activities, such as shopping or playing games. By installing software to detect employees' Internet use on company computers, we can prevent employees from wasting time, foster a better work ethic at Climpson, and improve our overall profits."

2. The following appeared in a letter to the school board in the town of Centerville.

"All students should be required to take the driver's education course at Centerville High School. In the past two years several accidents in and around Centerville have involved teenage drivers. Since a number of parents in Centerville have complained that they are too busy to teach their teenagers to drive, some other instruction is necessary to ensure that these teenagers are safe drivers. Although there are two driving schools in Centerville, parents on a tight budget cannot afford to pay for driving instruction. Therefore an effective and mandatory program sponsored by the high school is the only solution to this serious problem."

3. The following appeared as part of an article in a health and beauty magazine.

"A group of volunteers participated in a study of consumer responses to the new XXX face cream. Every morning for a month, they washed their faces with mild soap and then applied XXX. At the end of that month, most volunteers reported a marked improvement in the way their skin looked and felt. Thus it appears that XXX is truly effective in improving the condition of facial skin."

4. The following appeared in an article written by Dr. Karp, an anthropologist.

"Twenty years ago Dr. Field, a noted anthropologist, visited the island of Tertia and concluded from his observations that children in Tertia were reared by an entire village rather than by their own biological parents. However, my recent interviews with children living in the group of islands that includes Tertia show that these children spend much more time talking about their biological parents than about other adults in the village. This research proves that Dr. Field's conclusion about Tertian village culture is false and thus that the observation-centered approach to studying cultures is invalid. Because they are using the interview-centered method, my team of graduate students working in Tertia will establish a much more accurate understanding of child-rearing traditions there and in other island cultures."

5. The following appeared in a letter to the editor of a newspaper serving the villages of Castroville and Polluxton.

"Both the villages of Castroville and Polluxton have experienced sharp declines in the numbers of residents who pay property taxes. To save money and improve service, the two villages recently merged their once separate garbage collection departments into a single department located in Castroville, and the new department has reported few complaints about its service. Last year the library in Polluxton had 20 percent fewer users than during the previous year. It follows that we should now further economize and improve service, as we did with garbage collection, by closing the library in Polluxton and using the library in Castroville to serve both villages."

6. The following appeared in a letter to the editor of the Balmer Island Gazette.

"The population of Balmer Island increases to 100,000 duing the summer months. To reduce the number of accidents involving mopeds and pedestrians, the town council of Balmer Island should limit the number of mopeds rented by each of the island's six moped and bicycle rental companies from 50 per day to 30 per day during the summer season. By limiting the number of rentals, the town council is sure to attain the 50 percent reduction in moped accidents that was achieved last year in the neighboring island of Torseau, when Torseau's town council enforced similar limits on moped rentals."