Word List 05

Group 1

Anecdote
a brief amusing story

Celerity
speed

Dexterous
skilful with hands

Extraneous
irrelevant

Incoherent
not clear

Maladroit
clumsy; unskillful

Pallid
pale

Presumptuous
assuming too much; arrogant

Scrupulous
careful; diligent; painstaking

Unequivocal
clear; obvious

Group 2

Animosity
hatred; antagonism

Censorious
disapproving; critical

Dichotomy
a division into two parts

Extrapolate
extend; predict on the basis of known data

Incongruous
not fitting in; out of place

Malady
illness

Palpable
easily felt; easily perceived

Pretentious
pompous; self-important

Scrutinize
examine carefully

Unfetter
set free

Group 3

Annex (n)
a building which is an addition to an existing building

Censure
blame

Didactic
intended to teach; instructive

Extrinsic
irrelevant; on the outside

Inconsequential
unimportant; insignificant; negligible

Malediction
a curse

Panacea
remedy for all ills

Prevaricate
speak misleadingly and evasively

Scuttle
sink

Unfrock
to remove a priest from his position

Group 4

Annex (v)
take possession of; seize; capture

Cerebral
intellectual

Diffident
lacking confidence

Fallacious
false

Inconspicuous
not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable

Malefactor
a wrong-doer

Paradigm
1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things

Pristine
unspoiled

Seminary
an institution in which priests are trained

Unprecedented
never having happened before

Group 5

Anomaly
something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity

Certitude
certainty

Digress
wander off the subject

Falter
hesitate; waver

Indelible
cannot be wiped out

Malinger
deliberately avoid work; shirk

Paradox
apparently contradictory statement

Proclivity
tendency towards

Sensuous
appealing to the senses

Unscathed
unharmed; intact; without a scratch

Group 6

Antagonism
hostility; strong opposition

Charlatan
trickster who claims knowledge he doesn't have

Dike
dam; embankment

Fanatical
obsessive; fixated

Indifferent
1. neutral; 2. not outstanding

Malingerer
person who deliberately tries to avoid work

Paragon
a perfect example

Procrastinate
delay; put off

Sentinel
guard; sentry

Unwitting
not deliberate; unconscious

Group 7

Antagonistic
opposed; hostile; aggressive

Chary
wary of; cautious about; reluctant to give

Dilatory
slow; falling behind with one's work

Fanaticism
passion; excessive devotion

Indigenous
native to a particular area

Malleable
flexible; can be shaped

Paramount
of supreme importance

Prodigal
wasteful; extravagant

Sequester
isolate

Upbraid
scold; tell off; reprimand

Group 8

Antediluvian
outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned

Chastises
punishes

Dilemma
puzzling situation

Fastidious
overly particular; finicky

Indolence
laziness

Mallet
1. wooden hammer; 2. stick used for polo

Parasite
1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from another

Prodigious
very large

Serendipity
fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery

Uproarious
hilarious; hysterical; very funny

Group 9

Anthology
a book which is a collection of poems or stories

Chicanery
trickery

Dilettante
person who dabbles in a subject without serious study

Fatuous
silly; foolish

Inductee
novice; beginner

Manipulatable
influencable; controllable

Parched
dried up

Profane
unholy

Serene
calm; peaceful

Upshot
outcome

Group 10

Anthropocentrism
putting man at the center of one's philosophy

Chimerical
changeable; unstable

Diligent
hard-working

Feasible
possible and practicable

Indulgent
pampering; satisfying desires

Marred
damaged; spoiled

Pariah
an outcast from society

Profanity
swearing; cursing

Serrated
jagged; saw-like

Urbane
sophisticated; suave