Civil Service Exam: Vocabulary

Resolute

Determined

Vanquish

To defeat or conquer in battle

Cautious

Careful in actions and behaviors

Sullen

Depressed, gloomy

Legible

Possible to read or decipher

Fawn

To act in a servile manner

Adrift

Wandering aimlessly; afloat without direction

Query

A question; to call into question

Impure

Lacking in purity; containing something unclean

Disinterested

Impartial; unbiased

Accept

To take or receive

Except

Leave out

Adverse

Unfavorable

Averse

Opposed or reluctant

Advice

Recommendation as to what should be done

Advise

To recommend what should be done

Affect

To have an impact or influence on

Effect

Result, impact

Altar

An elevated structure, typically intended for the performance of the religious rituals

Alter

To change

Among

Used to compare three or more items or entities

Between

Used to compare two or more items or entities

Assent

Agreement/ to agree

Ascent

Movement upward

Assure

To convince or guarantee

Ensure

To make certain

Insure

To guard against loss

Bazaar

A market

Bizarre

Very strange, weird

Cite

To quote, to refer

Sight

Something seen or visible; the faculty of seeing

Site

Location; to place or locate

Complement

Something that completes; to go with or complete

Compliment

To flatter; a flattering remark

Continual

Repeated regularly and frequently

Continuous

Extended or prolonged without interruption

Decent

Proper, acceptable

Descent

Downward movement

Discrete

Separate, not connected

Discreet

Prudent, modest, having discretion; not allowing others to notice

Disinterested

Impartial, objective

Uninterested

Not interested

Eminent

Outstanding, distinguished

Imminent

About to happen, impending

Incidence

Frequency

Uncountable noun: occurance

Incident

An occurrence of an event or situation

Countable noun: events, cases

Personal

Private or pertaining to the individual

Personnel

Employees

Precede

To come before

Proceed

To go forward

Principal

Head of school or organization, primary participant, main sum of money; main, foremost, more important

Principle

A basic truth or law

Reign

To exercise power; period in which a ruler exercised power or a condition prevailed

Rein

A means of restraint or guidance

Than

Used to compare

Then

At that time, afterwards, next

Weather

Climate conditions, state of the atmosphere

Whether

Used to refer to a choice between alternatives

Synonym

A word that is similar in meaning to another word

Antonyms

Words that have the opposite meaning of one another

Analogies

Compare two words and then extend the relationship to another set of words

Classic Bridges

1. Character

2. Lack

3. Function

4. Degree

5. Example

6. Group

Genuine

Something real