Elite Prep 401-500

condescend

to lower oneself to a less formal or less dignified level

enigma

something that is puzzling, ambiguous, mysterious, or inexplicable; a perplexing puzzle

plight

sad situation

impasse

dead-end

ostensible

outwardly appearing as such

sluggish

lacking energy

bland

having a moderate, undisturbed quality (BORING)

hovel

a small, miserable dwelling

compel

to cause to occur by pressure; to force

artisan

a worker trained or skilled in some manual trade

impeccable

flawless

surmount

to overcome (an obstacle) to climb to the top of

pastoral

relating to country life, esp of shepherds

superfluous

unnecessary; extra

avert

to turn away

mandate

a command, an order

proscribe

to prohibit or forbid

consanguinity

blood relationship

prone

tending or likely to do something; lying face down

credible

capable of being believed

complicity

involvement as an accomplice in a crime or wrongful act

kudos

glory; fame

fruitless

without results, unprofitable

paucity

smallness in number; scarcity

sycophant

one who seeks favor by flattering people of wealth or influence

tractable

easily managed or controlled

holistic

dealing with something as a whole rather than its parts

verdant

green

promulgate

to make known by official announcement

skeptical

tending to question or doubt

forte

something at which a person excels

harbinger

someone or something that indicates what’s to come

annul

to make void or invalid

adversity

misfortunate; trouble

castigate

to criticize severely, esp. in public

oratory

public speaking, esp. marked by pompous rhetoric

conduit

a channel for conducting fluids; a means by which something is transmitted

bolster

to support or strengthen

wont

accustomed

recur

to occur again; to repeat

brook

to tolerate

consecrate

to make or set apart as sacred

espouse

to give loyalty or support to; to adopt

dispose

to give a tendency or inclination to

modicum

a small quantity

composed

calm and self-possesed

edifice

a building; architectural monument

reserved

self-restrained and withdrawn in speech and manner

translucent

letting light through, not no visual details

endeavor

a serious attempt or effort

glib

easy and fluent in conversation or writing, often suggesting insincerity or deceitfulness

subtle

not immediately obvious; hard to understand

scurry

to move with light running steps

rabble

a noisy crowd; the lowest, coarsest class of people

tenuous

weak; thin

glutton

one who eats too much

frenetic

wildly excited or active

forthright

direct and without evasion; honest

nominal

appearing in name only; negligible or of low amount

savant

a well-educated person; a scholar

coerce

to force by threat or intimidation

prescient

knowing things before they occur

concise

brief and to the point

opaque

not letting in light; unintelligible

excise

to remove by or as if by cutting

dossier

a group of documents

culminate

to reach the highest point

allot

to distribute; to assign as a portion

conundrum

a riddle or puzzle, esp. one without a solution

bevy

a group, esp. of birds

frowzy

having an uncared-for appearance

diminution

a decrease or diminishing

aplomb

self-assurance; self confidence; poise

cower

to draw back out of fear

affable

friendly or easy to talk to

foliage

leaves

prerogative

an exclusive right or privilege, esp. one that is the result of heredity or official position

capricious

erratic; tending to change abruptly

unilateral

one-sided; unequal

crux

an essential or pivotal point; a perplexing difficulty

manuscript

a book or other documents written by hand; an author’s original copy of a document submitted for publication

segue

an easy, effective or uninterrupted transition

supple

easy to bend

civil

observing accepted social customs; not rude

callous

lacking pity or mercy; unfeeling

procure

to obtain or acquire

apprise

to inform or notify

niche

a place or situation suited for a person or thing; a recess in a wall

creed

a system of beliefs, principles or opinions

discord

conflict or disagreement

parameter

one of a set of measurable factors that determine a system’s behavior and are varied in an experiment

denomination

the name or a special class of persons, such as a religious group

obviate

to stop from occurring; to prevent or make unecessary

aggravate

to worsen

replete

well-filled; abundantly supplied

forbidding

disagreeable; menacing

improvise

to do without preparation

proceeds

money derived from some activity

hyperbole

exaggeration

relentless

harsh; pitiless; persistent