oracular
ADJ. prophetic; uttered as if with divine authority; mysterious or ambiguous.
orator
N. public speaker.
ordeal
N. severe trial or affliction.
ordinance
N. decree.
orient
V. get one’s bearings; adjust.
orientation
N. act of finding oneself in society.
orthodox
ADJ. traditional; conservative in belief.
oscillate
V. vibrate pendulumlike; waver.
ostensible
ADJ. apparent; professed; pretended.
ostentatious
ADJ. showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention.
ostracize
V. exclude from public favor; ban.
outmoded
ADJ. no longer stylish; old-fashioned.
outspoken
ADJ. candid; blunt.
outstrip
V. surpass; outdo.
outwit
V. outsmart; trick.
overbearing
ADJ. bossy and arrogant; decisively important.
overt
ADJ. open to view.
overwrought
ADJ. extremely agitated; hysterical.
pacifist
N. one opposed to force; antimilitarist.
pacify
V. soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue.
pact
N. agreement; treaty.
painstaking
ADJ. showing hard work; taking great care.
pall
V. grow tiresome.
palliate
V. lessen the violence of (a disease); alleviate; moderate intensity; gloss over with excuses.
palpable
ADJ. tangible; easily perceptible; unmistakable.
pandemonium
N. wild tumult.
panoramic
ADJ. related to an unobstructed and comprehensive view.
pantomime
N. acting without dialogue.
parable
N. short, simple story teaching a moral.
paradigm
N. model; example; pattern.
paradox
N. something apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct.
paragon
N. model of perfection.
parallelism
N. state of being parallel; similarity.
parameter
N. boundary; limiting factor; distinguishing characteristic.
paramount
ADJ. foremost in importance; supreme.
paraphernalia
N. equipment; odds and ends.
paraphrase
V. restate a passage in one’s own words while retaining thought of author.
parasite
N. animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant.
pariah
N. social outcast.
parity
N. equality in status or amount; close resemblance.
parochial
ADJ. narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes.
parody
N. humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty.
partial
ADJ. (1) not complete or whole; (2) favoring one side over another; (3) particularly fond of.
partiality
N. inclination; bias.
partisan
ADJ. one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party.
partition
V. divide into parts.
passive
ADJ. not active; acted upon.
passport
N. legal document identifying the bearer as a citizen of a country and allowing him or her to travel abroad.
patent
ADJ. open for the public to read; obvious.
pathetic
ADJ. causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching.