Vocabulary for the College Bound Student: Chapter 3, Sections 21-25

analogy

likeness in some respects between things otherwise different; similarity; comparison

arbitrary

autocratic; despotic; tyrannical; proceeding from a whim or fancy (ant. legitimate)

arbitrate

decide a dispute, acting as an arbiter or arbitrator (judge)

axiom

self-evident truth; maxim

axiomatic

self-evident; universally accepted as true

bias

opinion formed before there are grounds for it; prejudice; predilection; partiality

bigoted

intolerant; narrow-minded

bigotry

views or behavior of a bigot (one intolerantly devoted to one’s own beliefs and prejudices); narrow-mindedness; intolerance

cogitate

think over; consider with care; ponder; deliberate

criterion

standard; rule or test for judging

crux

most important point; essential part

deduce

derive by reasoning; infer

dilemma

situation requiring a choice between two equally bad alternatives; predicament

dogmatic

asserting options as if they were facts; opinionated; asserted without proof; doctrinaire

eclectic

choosing (ideas, methods, etc.) from various sources; selective

fallacious

based on a fallacy (eroneous idea); misleading; deceptive (ant. sound; valid)

fallible

liable to be mistaken (ant. infallible)

heterodox

rejecting regularly accepted beliefs or doctrines; heretical; nonconformist (ant. orthodox)

hypothetical

supposed; having the characteristics of a hypothesis, a supposition made as a basis for reasoning or research. (If supported by considerable evidence, hypothesis becomes a theory, and eventually, if no exceptions are found, a law.)

illusion

misleading appearance; false impression; misconception

indubitable

certain; incontrovertible; indisputable (ant. questionable; doubtful)

orthodox

generally accepted, especially in religion; conventional; approved (ant. heterodox; unorthodox)

paradoxical

having the characteristics of a paradox (a self-contradictory statement which may nevertheless be true)

plausible

apparently trustworthy; superficially true or reasonable

preposterous

senseless; absurd; irrational

rational

able to think clearly; having the power to reason

rationalize

invent excuses for one’s actions, desires, failures, etc.

sophistry

clever but deceptive reasoning

specious

superficially true, reasonable, attractive, or just, but not really so

speculate

reflect; meditate; conjecture

tenable

capable of being maintained or defended; defensible (ant. untenable)

amorphous

shapeless; having no definite form; unorganized

concave

curved inward, creating a hollow space (ant. convex)

contour

outline of a figure

distort

twist out of shape

malleable

capable of being shaped by hammering, as a metal

rotund

rounded out; plump

sinuous

bending in and out;winding; serpentine

symmetrical

balanced in arrangement; capable of division by a central line into smaller halves (ant. asymmetrical)

symmetry

balance; harmony

grave

deserving serious attention; weighty; momentous

nugatory

of little or no value; trifling; worthless; useless

paltry

practically worthless; trashy; piddling; petty

paramount

chief; above others; supreme

relevant

bearing upon the matter in hand; pertinent (ant. irrelevant; extraneous)

coy

pretending to be shy

demure

falsely modest or serious; coy

diffident

lacking self-confidence; unduly timid; shy

modest

not thinking to highly of one’s merits; unpretentious; humble (ant. ambitious)

modesty

freedom from conceit or vanity; unpretentiousness; humility

staid

settled; of quiet disposition; sedate

brazen

shameless; impudent

egoism

excessive concern for oneself; selfishness; conceit (ant. altruism)

ostentatious

done to impress others; showy; pretentious

overweening

thinking too highly of oneself; arrogant; presumptuous

pert

too free in speech or action; bold; saucy; impertinent

vain

conceited; excessively proud or concerned about one’s personal appearance or achievements