Word List 01

Group 1

Abhor
hate

Bigot
narrow-minded, prejudiced person

Counterfeit
fake; false

Enfranchise
give voting rights

Hamper
hinder; obstruct

Kindle
to start a fire

Noxious
harmful; poisonous; lethal

Placid
calm; peaceful

Remuneration
payment for work done

Talisman
lucky charm

Group 2

Abrasive
rough; coarse; harsh

Bilk
cheat; defraud

Covert
hidden; undercover

Engender
cause

Hangar
storage area (like garage) for a plane

Knotty
complex; difficult to solve

Nuance
something subtle; a fine shade of meaning

Plagiarism
taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas

Renown
fame

Tangent
going off the main subject

Group 3

Abasement
humiliation; degradation

Billowing
swelling; fluttering; waving

Cower
recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from

Enhance
improve; make better or clearer

Harangue
noisy, attacking speech

Labyrinth
a maze

Nullify
to counter; make unimportant

Plaintiff
petitioner (in court of law)

Replete
full

Tangible
can be touched

Group 4

Abrogate
cancel; deny; repeal

Blasphemy
speech which offends religious sentiments

Credible
believable

Enigma
puzzle; mystery

Harbingers
indicators; bringers of warnings

Labyrinthine
complicated; highly convoluted

Nuzzle
cuddle; snuggle

Plaudit
statement giving strong praise

Reprehensible
shameful; very bad

Tardy
slow; late; overdue; delayed

Group 5

Absolution
forgiveness; pardon; release

Blatant
obvious

Creditable
praiseworthy

Ensconce
establish firmly in a position

Hasten
hurry; accelerate; rush

Laceration
a cut

Obdurate
stubborn

Plausible
can be believed; reasonable

Reprieve
a respite; postponement of a sentence

Tawdry
of little value; gaudy

Group 6

Abstain
desist; go without; withdraw

Blighted
damaged; destroyed; ruined

Credulous
gullible; ready to believe anything

Enshroud
cover

Haughtiness
arrogance; pride

Lachrymose
tearful; sad

Obfuscate
deliberately make something difficult to understand

Plethora
an excess

Repudiate
shun; eschew

Tedium
boredom

Group 7

Abstemious
self denying; refraining from indulging

Blithe
free-spirited; carefree

Crepuscular
active at dawn and dusk

Enunciation
clear pronunciation; accent; articulation

Headstrong
stubborn; willful

Lackluster
dull; monotonous; bland

Objective
unbiased; not subjective

Pliable
flexible; not stubborn

Rescind
retract; repeal

Temper
to moderate; soften

Group 8

Abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure

Blunderbuss
1. ancient weapon (type of gun); 2. a clumsy person

Cringe
recoil; flinch; shy away

Envenom
to cause bitterness and bad feeling

Hedonism
self indulgence; pleasure-seeking

Laconic
using few words; brief; to the point

Oblique
indirect; slanting

Plumage
feathers of a bird

Resignation
acceptance of fate

Tenacious
stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose

Group 9

Accolade
tribute; honor; praise

Bolster
support; prop up

Cryptic
puzzling; enigmatic

Ephemeral
short-lived

Hedonist
a pleasure seeker

Lamentation
expression of regret or sorrow

Obliterate
destroy; demolish; eradicate

Plummet
fall suddenly and steeply

Resolution
determination

Tentative
not certain

Group 10

Acquiesce
to agree to; give in to

Bombast
arrogant, pompous language

Curtail
cut short

Epicure
someone who appreciates good food and drink

Heed
listen to

Lampoon
ridicule; spoof

Oblivious
totally unaware

Podium
raised platform

Resonant
echoing

Tenuous
flimsy; not solid