TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.

Wordlist

...

2.

One Word Substitution

...

83

3.

Roots, Prefixes, Suffixes

...

88

4.

Lists of Words Commonly Confused And Misused ...

92

5.

List Of Compound Words

...

94

6.

List of Homonyms

...

95

7.

Special Vocabulary

... 101

8.

List Of Animal Related Words

... 102

9.

List Of Words For Specific Places

... 104

10.

List Of Some Colourful Adjectives

... 105

11.

List Of Words Denoting Various Sounds

... 105

12.

List Of Fields Of Study And Profession

... 106

13.

List Of Words Denoting Groups

... 107

14.

Test 1-Verbal Analogy

... 108

15.

Test 2-Synonym Test-1

... 109

16.

Test 2-Synonym Test-2

... 110

17.

Test 3-One Word Substitution

... 111

18.

Test 4-Special Vocabulary

... 112

19.

Test 5- Idioms

... 114

20.

Test 6-Antonyms Test-1

... 115

21.

Test 6-Antonyms Test-2

... 116

22.

Answer key

... 117

VOCABULARY BUILDER

A
ABATE (v)
Cue : A B A T E . bate to reduce, to lessen in intensity
Mean : (1) to make less in amount, degree, force
Ex : Rather than leaving immediately, they waited for the
storm to abate.
Mean : (2) bated: holding your breath in fear or excitement;
anxiously
Ex : We watched with bated breath as the killer in the movie
crept up behind the unsuspecting
heroine.
Syn : Decrease; Ebb; Lay Back; Lessen; Mellow Out; Quell;
Recede; Reduce; Slacken; Slack off;
Subdue; Subside; Wane
Ant : Amplify; Enhance; Increase; Intensify; Magnify; Rise;
Surge
RW : Debate; Rebate; abbatoir
ABBREVIATE (v)
Cue : A B B R E V I A T E . brev/brief to shorten
Mean : shorten
Ex : (i) We abbreviate United Nations Organization as
U.N.O.
(ii) The abbreviated version of the treatise will adequately
serve your purpose.
Syn : Abridge; Compress; Condense; Nutshell; Summarize;
Epitomize; Shorten
Ant : Broaden; Elongate; Enlarge; Expand; Increase; Inflate;
Lengthen
RW : Abridge (to condense, summarize, shorten Ex: The
abridged version of the classic is not half
as appealing as the original); Brief; Briefing; Brevity;
Breviary (book containing daily hymns)
ABDICATE (v)
Cue : A B D I C A T E . lies in roots: ab . away from or
apart + dict to speak, to say
(announce) . announce renunciation (a giving up formally
or voluntarily)
Mean : (1) to give up a position of authority
Ex : Parents cannot abdicate their responsibilities
Mean : (2) to give up a throne
Ex : By abdicating his throne, the prince surprised
everybody.
Syn : Abandon; Abjure; Abnegate; Disclaim; Renounce
Ant : Arrogate; Assert; Assume power; Claim; Maintain;
Retain; Take charge; Usurp
ABDUCT (v)
Cue : A B D U C T . ab away + duct lead . to lead
away i.e. to kidnap
Mean : to take away a person unlawfully; kidnaps
Ex : Kidnappers abduct people and hold them to ransom.
Syn : Carry off; Kidnap; Steal
Ant : Deliver; Liberate; Rescue; Salvage; Save
RW : Conduct; Ductile (malleable); Induct; Product
ABECEDARIAN (adj/n)
Cue : When you were trying to learn English alphabet in
your nursery school, you were an abecedarian
i.e. Related to ABC. From this, we can generalize its
second meaning - any beginner
VOCABULARY BUILDER

Mean : any beginner or novice

Ex : (i) He is an abecedarian, learning his first lessons in
English in the nursery school.
(ii) An abecedarian has to be put through the paces before
you expect him to deliver.
Syn : Apprentice; Beginner; Dabbler; Dilettante; Jackleg;
Neophyte; Novice
Ant : Expert; Professional; Virtuoso
ABERRANT (adj)
Cue : A B E R R A N T . in the roots: ab . away + err . to
wander i.e. . deviation
Mean : (1) differing from what is normal or accepted or considered
to be right
Ex : Given the aberrant nature of the data, we came to doubt the
validity of the entire experiment.
Mean : (2) mental derangement or lapse
Ex : Survivors of a major catastrophe are likely to exhibit
aberrations of behavior because of the
trauma they have experienced.
Syn : Anomalous; Atypical; Deviant; Errant; Strange;
Unconventional
Ant : Conventional; Natural; Normal; Typical; Usual
RW : Errant (roving or wandering, esp. in search of adventure);
Erring; Error; Itinerant
(traveling from place to place or on a circuit)
ABJECT (adj)
Cue : A B J E C T . from ject throw i.e. thrown down
Mean : (1) hopelessly low, wretched; contemptible
Ex : The implementation of the proposal has turned out to be an
abject failure.
Mean : (2) extremely or excessively humble, e.g. in making an
apology or request
Ex : He made an abject apology for missing out on the important
meeting last night.
Syn : (1) Miserable; Squalid
Ant : Comfortable; Prosperous
Syn : (2) Contemptible; Servile; Shameful
Ant : Dignified; Exalted; Noble
RW : Conjecture (inference); Inject; Reject; Subject
ABJURE (v)
Cue : A B J U R E . ab away + jure to swear i.e. to swear
to give up something publicly
Mean : (1) to give up (opinions) publicly (n abjuration)
Ex : History is replete with instances when people were forced to
abjure their disbelief in God.
Mean : (2) to give up (rights, allegiance, etc) on oath; renounce
Ex : The terrorists declared their intent to abjure violence.
Syn : Abdicate; Cede; Disclaim; Recant; Relinquish; Renounce;
Repudiate
Ant : Arrogate; Assert; Assume Power; Claim; Usurp
RW : Adjure (urge solemnly); Conjure (to practice magic; to
appeal to)
ABLUTION (n)
Cue : A B L U T I O N . ab away or remove + Lut/Luv/Lav
wash
Mean : a washing of the body, esp. as a religious ceremony
Ex : After performing his ablutions in the river, he went to the
temple.
Syn : Purgation; Purge; Purification; Ritual; Sanctification
RW : Deluge (a great flood; a heavy rainfall; an overwhelming
amount of something); Dilute;
Diluvium; Lavatory
ABNEGATION (n)
Cue : A B N E G A T I O N . negate to deny/blacken
Mean : renunciation; selfsacrifice

Ex : Their act of abnegation to give up on their love was necessary

to preserve the kingdom.
Syn : Abstinence; Continence; Denial; Eschewal; Forbearance;
Giving up; Relinquishment; Renouncement; Renunciation;
Sacrifice; Self-Denial; Self - Renunciation; Stonewall
Ant : Acquiescence; Concession; Indulgence
RW : Self-abnegation is often used instead of abnegation.
Denigrate; Negative; Negro
ABOMINATE (v)
Cue : A B O M I N A T E . ab away or remove + omen
considering as a bad omen
Mean : (1) to feel hatred and disgust for; detest; dislike intensely
Ex : Civilized people abominate acts of violence.
Mean : (2) causing great dislike
Ex : Rape is an abominable crime.
Syn : Abhor; Despise; Detestable; Loathe; Odious; Reprehensible;
Repugnant
Ant : Admire; Appreciate; Cherish; Adore; Love
ABORT (v)
Cue : ab away + orient to arise, appear i.e. disappear
Mean : (1) to cancel or stop before completion
Ex : Technical problems forced us to abort the mission.
Mean : (2) unsuccessful
Ex : Terrorists made an abortive attempt to seize power.
Syn : (1) Abandonment; Calling off; Termination
(2) Futile; Ineffectual
Ant : Fruitful; Full term; Successful; Triumphant; Unyielding;
Victorious; Viable
RW : Disorientation; Oriental
ABRASIVE (adj)
Cue : Peg substances like sandpaper or emery, used to scrape
off for polishing
Mean : rude manner, causing annoyance or dislike
Ex : Just as abrasive cleaning powders can wear away a shiny
finish, abrasive remarks can wear
away a listeners patience.
Syn : Chafing; Jarring; Scraping; Strident
Ant : Soothing
RW : Abrade (to scrape or rub off due to friction Ex: The waves
abraded the rocks.)
ABROGATE (v)
Cue : A B R O G A T E . ab away + rog ask, to question a
law i.e. to abolish
Mean : to cancel or repeal by authority; abolish
Ex : By abrogating the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA),
the government has conceded a
long standing demand of the Association of Exporters.
Syn : Annul; Invalidate; Quash; Repeal; Rescind; Retract; Revoke;
Withdrawal
Ant : Approve; Authorize; Enact; Institute; Legalize; Ratify;
Sanction; Uphold
RW : Interrogate; Prerogative (a prior or exclusive right or
privilege); Rogatory (Requesting
information: Used especially of a request by one court to another,
often foreign court for aid in
obtaining desired information); Surrogate (a deputy or substitute)
ABSCESS (n)
Cue : A B S C E S S . ab away + cede go living tissue in
the body yielding place to pus
Mean : an inflamed swelling in which pus has collected
Ex : A carelessly administered injection may even cause abscess
formation.
Syn : Boil; Canker; Ulcer
RW : Accession (the act of coming to or attaining - a throne,
power, etc); Concede; Precede;
Procedure; Recede; Secede, Accede

VOCABULARY BUILDER

ABSCOND (v)
Cue : A B S C O N D . in the roots . ab away + conc hide
i.e. to hide or conceal
Mean : to go away secretly because of having done something
wrong
Ex : The burglar absconded under the cover of darkness.
Syn : Flee; Slip away; Steal off
RW : Conceal; Ensconce (hiding in safety); Reconcile (to make
friendly again or win over to a
friendly attitude); Recondite (obscure or concealed);
Reconnaissance (an exploratory survey or
examination, as in seeking out information about enemy positions
or installations, or as in making
a preliminary geological or engineering survey)
ABSOLVE (v)
Cue : A B S O L V E . ab from + solve free or to loosen
i.e. to free from something .
pardon (an offense)
Mean : (1) to free from a debt, obligation, promise or ruling
(2) to acquit as of guilt or wrongdoing; forgive
Ex : (i) The employer magnanimously absolved the retiring
employee of his debt obligation.
(ii) The judge absolved the accused of the murder charge.
Syn : (1) Excuse; Exempt
Ant : Bind; Oblige
Syn : (2) Amnesty; Condone; Exculpate; Exonerate; Pardon
Ant : Condemn; Convict or Blame; Inculpate; Indict
ABSONANT (adj)
Cue : A B S O N A N T . ab away or apart + son sound +
ant . sound not in harmony
Mean : discordant; dissonant
Ex : (i) The show was a complete flop as the absonant singer
could not make an impact.
(ii) Even absonant personalities may fall deeply in love with each
other.
Syn : Harsh; Inharmonious; Strident; Tuneless
Ant : Consonant; Harmonious; Soft
RW : Assonance; Consonant (harmony); Dissonant
(discordant); Sonorous
ABSTINENT (adj)
Cue : A B S T I N E N T . from abstin, you can remember
abstain i.e. doing without
Mean : refraining from or doing without certain foods, drinks or
pleasures ; denying ones appetite
completely
Ex : Roman Catholics observe abstinence from specific foods like
meat on days of penitence.
Syn : Celibate; Chaste; Sober; Temperate; Virtuous
Ant : Indulgent; Intemperate
RW : Abstinent differs slightly from abstemious in two respects:
(1) It refers to all appetites and desires, whereas abstemious
tends to refer only to food and
drink, or even more specifically to alcoholic drink alone
(2) Abstinent suggests total self-denial; abstemious simply
suggests moderation
(3) Abstain (to keep away)
ABYSMAL (adj)
Cue : A B Y S M A L . a without + bys bottom i.e. without
bottom. Abysmal frequently implies
being hopelessly beyond correction or redemption
Mean : very deep, bottomless, immeasurably bad / Resembling an
abyss (An immeasurably deep
chasm; Hell)
Ex : (i) You need to put in lot of hard work. Your performance so
far is abysmal.
Syn : Endless; Immeasurable; Limitless
Ant : Fathomable; Finite; Limited; Measurable; Slight
RW : Abyss

ACCESS (n)
Cue : A C C E S S . in the roots . ac to + cess to go or
move
Mean : (1) a way of approaching or reaching; to obtain or retrieve
Ex : (i) This path is the only access to my farmhouse.
(ii) We asked the examiner in the end whether we could access
the solutions to the test.
Syn : Admittance; Entree; Introduction; Passage; Path; Way
Ant : Egress; Outlet
RW : Accessible; Incessant (Unstoppable); Predecessor;
Process; Recess; Success
Accessory (additional; extra; helping in a secondary or
subordinate way Ex.: (i) The vacuum
cleaner has several accessories. (ii) He is suspected to be an
accessory to the jailbreak)
ACCLAIM (n)
Cue : A C C L A I M . ac to + clam/claim cry out i.e. utter
aloud; often with surprise or joy
Mean : (1) to greet with loud applause or approval; applaud
Ex : The spectators acclaimed every victory of their team and
decried every defeat.
Mean : (2) to acknowledge or declare with enthusiastic approval
Ex : He is the acclaimed authority on superconductors.
Syn : Applause; Cheer; Citation; Commendation; Encomium;
Eulogy
Ant : Belittle; Billingsgate; Degrade; Disapprove; Disgrace;
Disparage; Execrate; Odium; Vituperation;
RW : Clamor (a loud outcry); Exclamation; Proclamation;
Reclamation
ACCLIVITY (n)
Cue : A C C L I V I T Y . ac up + cliv slope
Mean : an upward slope of the ground; sharp upslope of a hill
Ex : The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear.
Syn : Ascent
Ant : Declivity
RW : Declivity (reducing); Proclivity (towards)
ACCRETION (n)
Cue : A C C R E T I O N . ac to + cret/cres grow
Mean : growth or increase in size by gradual external addition,
fusion or inclusion
Ex : With the accretion of new shareholders the corpus of the
company has grown.
Syn : Accumulation; Addition; Augmentation; Buildup; Growth;
Increment; Raise; Rise
Ant : Dispersal; Scattering; Shrinkage
RW : Concrete; Crescendo (gradually increasing in loudness);
Crescent; Decrease, Increase
ACEPHALOUS (adj)
Cue : A C E P H A L O U S . in the roots . a without +
cephalous head
Mean : headless, without a leader
Ex : With the sudden demise of their party leader, their party is
rendered acephalous.
RW : Cephalic; Encephalitis
ACERBIC (adj)
Cue : A C E R B I C . in the roots . acer/acri/acid bitter, sour,
sharp
Mean : (1) sour or bitter in taste
(2) bitterness of speech and temper
Ex : The board meeting was marked with such acerbic statements
that the Chairman got
disgusted and went away.
Syn : Acidic; Biting; Caustic; Piquant; Severe; Sour; Tart; Vinegary
Ant : Bland; Honey; Sugary; Sweet
RW : Acerbate (to make harsh or bitter; dont link it with root bate);
Acidity; Acrid; Acrimony

VOCABULARY BUILDER

ACME (n)
Cue : A C M E . Acme / acro high
Mean : the highest point of achievement; the highest point (of
something) peak
Ex : He has reached the acme of the corporate ladder through dint
of hard work.
Syn : Apogee; Highest Point; Meridian; Summit; Ultimate; Vertex;
Zenith
Ant : Bottom; Lowest; Nadir; Pit; Valley
RW : Acrobat; Acrophobia (an abnormal fear of being in high
places); Acropolis
ACQUIESCE (v)
Cue : A C Q U I E S C E . ac to + quies quiet i.e. to accept
quietly
Mean : to agree or consent quietly without protest, but without
enthusiasm; often with in
Ex : Although she appeared to acquiesce to her employers
suggestions, I could tell she had
reservations about the changes he wanted to make.
Syn : Complaint; Comply; Concur; Consent; Submit; Yielding
Ant : Adverse; Carp; Oppose; Rebel
ACQUIT (v)
Cue : A C Q U I T . in the roots . ac to + quit free, clear i.e.
to free from charge
Mean : (1) to free of charge, to declare innocent
Ex : The mafia leader was acquitted by the court for want of
evidence.
Mean : (2) to act or behave in a certain way
Ex : You must acquit yourself with dignity.
Syn : (1) Absolve; Amnesty; Clear; Exculpate; Exonerate;
Vindicate
(2) Act; Bear; Comport; Conduct
Ant : Convict
ACRIMONIOUS (adj)
Cue : A C R I M O N I O U S . acri bitter, sharp
Mean : bitterness of language or manner; ill feeling
Ex : (i) She replied with acrimony, showing rage.
(ii) They were great friends once; now the relations are
acrimonious.
Syn : Bitter; Caustic; Mordant; Rancorous; Sarcastic; Scathing;
Scornful
Ant : Agreeable; Amicable; Harmonious
RW : Acerbic; Acrid
ACRONYM (n)
Cue : A C R O N Y M . acro tip, end + nym name i.e. name
formed from the tip of words
Mean : an abbreviation consisting of the first letters of each word in
a phrase, pronounced as a word
(used as an abbreviation)
Ex : (i) AIDS is an acronym for 'Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome'.
(ii) NATO is the acronym for North Atlantic Treaty organization.
RW : Acrobat; Acrophobia (an abnormal fear of being in high
places);
ACUMEN (n)
Cue : A C U M E N . in the roots . acu needle i.e. sharp + men
mind i.e. sharpness of mind
Mean : sharpness of mind; shrewdness; the ability to judge well
Ex : Though Dhirubhai Ambani didnt have high sounding degrees,
no one could ever question his
business acumen.
Syn : Astuteness; Brilliance; Insight; Mental Keenness; Perception;
Sharpness
Ant : Obtuseness; Shallowness; Stupidity
RW : Accurate; Acuity (keenness of perception); Acupuncture
(treatment of disorders by inserting needles into the skin in specific
parts of the body); Acute

ADDUCE (v)
Cue : A D D U C E . ad to + duc lead to give a lead i.e. to
explain your point with an
example
Mean : to give as a reason or proof; cite as an example
Ex : Can you adduce any evidence in support of your point?
Syn : Cite; Proffer; Propose; Put forward
Ant : Disprove; Refute
RW : Duct; Induce; Seduce
AD HOC (adj)
Cue : A D H O C . ad to, for + hoc this . for this (specific
purpose)
Mean : (1) for the specific purpose, case, or situation at hand and
for no other, temporary
Ex : The committee was formed ad hoc to address the issues of
health insurance problems.
Mean : (2) informal, not previously planned
Ex : Problems will be dealt with on an ad hoc basis as they arise.
RW: Ad Infinitum, Ad Interim
ADJUNCT (adj/n)
Cue : A D J U N C T . ad to + junct join i.e. to add
Mean : (1) a thing added to something else, but secondary or not
essential to it
Ex : I hoped I would find the computer course a useful adjunct to
my other studies.
Mean : (2) a person connected with another as a helper or
subordinate associate
Ex : I was working under him as an adjunct lecturer.
Syn : Affiliate; Aide; Associate; Auxiliary; Collaborator; Supplement
RW : Adjunctive; Junction; Juncture
ADJURE (v)
Cue : A D J U R E . ad to + jure to swear i.e. to swear
under oath
Mean : (1) to command or charge solemnly, often under oath or
penalty
Ex : The judge adjured him to answer truthfully.
Mean : (2) to urge or advise earnestly
Ex : The teachers adjuration to the students to work hard was of
no avail.
Syn : Beseech; Entreat; Implore; Importune; Petition; Plead;
Propose; Urge
Ant : Deny; Disclaim; Refuse; Revoke
RW : Abjure; Adjuratory; Perjury
ADMONISH (n)
Cue : A D M O N I S H . ad to + mon/monit warning
Mean : to warn (gently but firmly); to reprove mildly
Ex : The teacher admonished the students for not working hard
with the wordlists.
Syn : Castigate; Chide; Rebuke; Reprimand; Reproach; Scold;
Upbraid
Ant : Approve; Commend; Compliment; Countenance; Laud;
Praise
RW : Monitor; Premonition (a forewarning)
AD NAUSEAM (adv)
Cue : A D N A U S E A M . ad to + nauseam nausea,
sickness
The literal meaning is to nausea. In Latin, nausea refers to
seasickness.
Mean : ridiculous excess, to a sickening degree; endlessly
Ex : I am as fond of cricket as he is, but his love for cricket went on
ad nauseam.
(This expression has a stronger sense of unendurable boredom
than ad infinitum).
ADROIT (adj)
Cue : A D R O I T . in the roots: a to + droit right hand; as
your right hand is more skillful than
your left hand, which means that adroit is being Skillful
Mean : skillful; clever; expert

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : His adroit handling of the awkward situation saved the day for
us.
Syn : Deft; Dexterous; Ingenious
Ant : Amateur; Awkward; Clumsy; Incompetent; Maladroit
RW : Adroitness; Maladroit (awkward; clumsy)
ADUMBRATE (v)
Cue : A D U M B R A T E . in the roots: ad to + umbre
shadow i.e. to shadow forth
Mean : (1) to give a faint shadow or slight representation of; to
outline
Ex : Adumbrate the main ideas of this book.
Mean : (2) to suggest beforehand; foreshadow in a vague way
Ex : The famous economist had adumbrated the recession of the
economy two years ago.
Mean : (3) to obscure; overshadow
Ex : The clouds adumbrated the sun.
Syn : Obfuscate
RW : Penumbra {the partly lighted area surrounding the complete
shadow (umbra) of a body, as the
moon, during an eclipse}; Umbra
ADVENT (n)
Cue : A D V E N T . in the roots: ad to + ven/vent come i.e.
to come
Mean : a coming or arrival of an event, invention or person
Ex : The advent of Internet has revolutionized communication.
Syn : Arrival; Embark; Ingress; Landing; Outset
Ant : Departure; Ending
RW : Avenue; Circumvent (to surround or circle around);
Convene; Convenient; Convent;
Event; Intervene; Invent; Venture; Venue
AD VALOREM
Cue : A D V A L O R E M . ad to + valor value i.e.
according to the value
Mean : in proportion to the value: a phrase applied to certain duties
and taxes levied on goods, property,
etc. as a percentage of their value
Ex : The goods were taxed ad valorem.
ADVERT (v)
Cue : A D V E R T . in the roots: ad to + vert turn i.e. to turn
Mean : to call attention or turn ones attention (to); refer or allude
Ex : Let us advert to the earlier issue and address it properly.
RW : Advertise; Convert; Revert; Adversary (a person who
opposes or fights against another;
opponent); Adversity
AEROBATIC (n)
Cue : A E R O B A T I C . in the roots . aero air + bat walk,
go aerial stunts
Mean : spectacular feats done with an airplane, as loops or rolls
Ex : The squadron put on a display of breathtaking aerobatics.
RW : Aerosol (a metal container in which liquids are kept under
pressure and forced out in a spray);
Aerate; Aerial; Aerobics; Aerodrome (an airport, esp. a small
one); Aerodynamics (the
science dealing with the movement of objects through the air);
Aeronautics (the science
of how aircraft operate and fly); Aerospace
AESTHETIC (adj)
Cue : guided by good taste or beauty
Mean : general appreciation of beauty; artistic
Ex : (i) Aesthetics appeal more to female than to male students.
(ii) Modern architecture has abandoned aesthetic considerations in
favour of functional
efficiency.
Syn : Artistic; Tasteful
Ant : Philistine

AFFLICT (v)
Cue : A F F L I C T . flict to strike or knock down i.e. trouble,
distress
Mean : (1) to cause pain or suffering to; distress very much
Ex : Hunger and disease still afflict India.
Mean : (2) an illness or disease
Ex : He suffered from heart affliction.
Syn : Torment; Trouble
RW : Conflict; Inflict (cause suffering; force on something)
AFFRONT (n/v)
Cue : A F F R O N T . af to + front i.e. to encounter face to
face
Mean : to insult or offend deliberately and openly
Ex : Affronted by his teacher in front of the entire class, he walked
out of the class.
Syn : Abuse; Impertinence; Indignity; Insult; Offend; Offense;
Provoke
Ant : Esteem; Regard; Respect
RW : Confront (to face; stand or meet face to face); Effrontery
AGNOSTIC (n)
Cue : AGNOSTIC . in the roots: a not + gnostic/ cognoac
to know i.e. not to be known
Mean : someone who believes that it is impossible to know
whether or not God exists
Ex : An agnostic believes that only material phenomena can be
known.
Syn : Doubter; Dubious; Freethinker; Heathen; Infidel; Skeptic;
Unbeliever
Ant : Believer; Gnostic
RW : Cognition (the process of knowing in the broadest sense,
including perception, memory
and judgment); Cognoscente (a person with special knowledge in
some field, esp. in the fine
arts; expert); Gnosis (knowledge of spiritual things); Gnosticism;
Incognito (with true identity
unrevealed or disguised); Prognosis (a forecast or forecasting;
esp., a prediction of the probable
course of a disease in an individual and the chances of recovery);
Recognize
AGORAPHOBIA (n)
Cue : A G O R A P H O B I A . agora open spaces + phobia
fear i.e. fear of open spaces
Mean : fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places
like markets; fear of leaving a
safe place
Ex : She never goes out of her house as she suffers from
agoraphobia.
Ant : Claustrophobia (fear of closed spaces)
AISLE (n)
Cue : Isle a small island
Mean : (1) a passageway, especially between rows of seats in a
church, theatre, aircraft, etc
Ex : The bride and groom walked down the aisle.
Syn : Gangway; Passageway; Walkway
LA MODE (adj/adv)
Cue : LA MODE . French: in + la - the + mode
fashion
Mean : (1) according to the latest fashion or ideas
Ex : The wearing of skirts is la mode this summer.
Syn : Chic; Fashionable; In Style; In Vogue; Modish
RW : A la (in the manner of imitating - Ex: She tried to sing the
song la Lata Mangeshkar
A la carte ( by + la the + carte card. i.e. according to
the menu);
Cartel (group of businesses controlling market; alliance of likeminded political groups);
Cartilage

VOCABULARY BUILDER

ALCOVE (n)
Cue : al the + cove/cave depression as in a wall
Mean : a small space in a room, formed by one part of a wall being
further back than the parts on
the other sides
Ex : We are using the alcove in our room for studies.
Syn : Anteroom; Bay; Cubicle; Niche; Nook; Recess
ALEXIA (n)
Cue : A L E X I A . in the roots: a without + lexis word,
speech i.e. inability to read
Mean : loss of the ability to read, caused by lesions of the brain;
word blindness
Ex : Due to her prolonged illness, alexia has set in.
Syn : Visual Aphasia; Word Blindness
ALGOMETER (n)
Cue : A L G O M E T E R . in the roots: alg/algo pain + meter
measurement i.e.
measurement of pain
Mean : a device for measuring the intensity of pain caused by
pressure
Ex : Algometer has a piston rod with a blunted tip which is pressed
against the skin.
Syn : Odynometer
RW : Algophobia (an abnormal fear of pain); Analgesic;
Cardialgia (a feeling of pain or discomfort in
the region of the heart); Myalgia (pain in a muscle or muscles);
Neuralgia (severe pain along the
course of a nerve or in its area of distribution); Nostalgia (orig.
painful memories of things that
have happened in the past)
ALIAS (n)
Cue : A L I A S . in the roots: ali/allo/alter other
Mean : (1) a false, assumed name
Ex : The terrorist used an alias when he registered at the hotel.
Mean : (2) otherwise known as
Ex : (i) The assassin used an alias when he registered at the hotel.
(ii) Cassius Clay, alias Muhammad Ali, was a famous boxer.
RW : Alibi (an excuse); Alien; Alloy (a substance that is a
mixture, as by fusion, of two or more
metals or of a metal and something else); Alter; Alter Ego
(another aspect of oneself; a very
close and trusted friend); Altruism (unselfish concern for the
welfare of others; selflessness)
ALLEGIANCE (n)
Cue : Peg Loyalty with this word
Mean : (1) loyalty, especially to a country, sovereign or cause
Ex : As an Indian who'd lived for a long time in Australia, he felt a
certain conflict of allegiance when
the two countries played cricket.
Mean : (2) total devotion or faithfulness
Ex : The Japanese owe allegiance to nothing but an endless
pursuit of excellence.
Syn : Adherence; Affiliation; Devotion; Fealty; Fidelity; Loyalty
Ant : Perfidy; Subversion; Treachery
ALLITERATION (n)
Cue : A L L I T E R A T I O N . al to + liter letter i.e. using
the same letter
Mean : the use, especially in poetry, of the same sound or sounds,
especially consonants, at the
beginning of several words that are close together
Ex : (i) What a tale of terror now their turbulence tells uses
alliteration.
(ii) Sing a song of sixpence uses alliteration.
ALLUDE (v)
Cue : A L L U D E . ad to + lud/lus play i.e. make a fanciful
reference to

Mean : (1) to refer to indirectly, without being specific (to); to

mention briefly, in passing
Ex : (i) Although she may allude to her past failures, she never
gives any details.
(ii) The allusions to a foreign hand behind every terrorist attack are
merely attempts to
fool the public.
Syn : Advert; Connote; Insinuate
RW : Allusive; Delusion (a mistaken belief); Elude (to avoid
capture or understanding); Elusive (an
elusive style is one whose effects are hard to define); Illusion (a
mistaken perception);
Ludicrous (laughable)
ALMA MATER (n)
Cue : A L M A M A T E R . in the roots: alma nourishing +
mater/matri mother i.e. fostering
mother
Mean : (1) the school, college or university that one has attended
Ex : During the annual function, I always check to see how my
alma mater is doing.
Syn : Institution; Place of graduation; Place of matriculation
RW : Maternal (of, like, or characteristic of a mother or
motherhood); Matriach (a mother who
rules her family or tribe; specif., a woman who is head of a
matriarchy); Matriarchate;
Matrimony (the act or state of being married; marriage); Matron;
Almanac (calendar, chronicle,
yearbook)
ALTAR (n)
Cue : A L T A R . in the roots: alt high
Mean : (1) an elevated place or structure before which religious
ceremonies may be enacted or upon
which sacrifices may be offered
Ex : The place in a Gurudwara, where the Guru Granth Sahib is
kept is an altar.
RW : Altimeter (a device used in an aircraft to measure how high
it is from the ground); Altitude
ALTRUISM (n)
Cue : A L T R U I S M . in the roots: alt/alter other + ism i.e.
the principle of living for others
Mean : (1) unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness
Ex : Complete altruism is truly an unattainable goal for any human
being.
Mean : (2) the doctrine that the general welfare of society is the
proper goal of an individuals actions
Ex : Contributing his prize money for the welfare of his city shows
his altruistic nature.
Syn : Benevolence; Philanthropy; Unselfishness
Ant : Cynicism; Egoism; Selfishness
AMATEUR (adj)
Cue : A M A T E U R . in the roots: ama/ama love, fondness for
Mean : (1) a person who engages in some art, science, sport, etc.
for the pleasure of it rather than for
money; a nonprofessional
Ex : Earlier, the Olympics were only for amateurs.
Mean : (2) somewhat inexperienced or lacking skill
Ex : Her amateurish attempt at baking resulted in bread that didnt
rise.
Syn : Avocational; Dabbler; Dilettantish; Incompetent; Inept;
Inexperienced; Unskilled
Ant : Adept; Competent; Deft; Masterful
RW : Amatory (of, causing, or showing love, esp. sexual love);
Amorous (full of love or fond of
making love); Enamored (to fill with love and desire)
AMBIDEXTROUS (adj)
Cue : A M B I D E X T R O U S . ambi/amphi both + dextrous
right handed i.e. able to use

VOCABULARY BUILDER

both hands with equal ease

Mean : (1) capable of using either hand with equal ease
Ex : She is an ambidextrous writer as she writes as coherently with
the left hand as with the right
Mean : (2) unusually skilful; adroit
Ex : He is just seven years old and yet so ambidextrous at making
web programmes.
Mean : (3) deceptive or hypocritical
Ex : Dont go by her innocent looks, she is ambidextrous and
would rob you off your current job.
Syn : (For meaning 3) Deceitful; Double-dealing; Duplicitous;
Janus-faced; Two faced
RW : Ambiguous (having two or more possible meanings;
obscure); Ambilevous (left-handed on
both sides, clumsy); Ambitendency (the coexistence within an
individual of positive and
negative feelings towards a person or object); Ambivalence
(simultaneous conflicting feelings
toward a person or thing, as love and hate; indecisiveness);
Amphibious (able to live on land
and water); Amphitheater (a round or oval building with an open
space (arena) surrounded by
rising rows of seats used for multiple activities)
AMBIENT (adj)
Cue : A M B I E N T . ambi around
Mean : surrounding, in the immediate environment
Ex : (i) The ambient temperature of planet Earth is steadily rising
due to Greenhouse
Effect.
(ii) The open space of this restaurant provides a delightfully
peaceful ambience.
RW : Ambience {atmosphere or character of a place (usually
congenial; milieu)}; Ambit
AMBLE (v/n)
Cue : A M B L E . in the roots: ambl/ambul walk
Mean : to walk slowly or leisurely; stroll
Ex : Its so pleasant today; lets go and amble in the park.
Syn : Canter; Gallop; Perambulation; Promenade; Ramble;
Saunter; Stroll; Trot
RW : Ambling; Ambulance; Ambulant (moving about, walking);
Ambulatory (able to walk and
not confined to bed); Noctambulation (walking in ones sleep);
Perambulate (to walk through,
over, around, about); Somnambulate (to get up and move about
in a trancelike state while
asleep)
AMELIORATE (v)
Cue : mel - sweet Improve
Mean : to make better; cause a situation to improve
Ex : The social clauses in the GATT treaty aim at ameliorating
the conditions of the disadvantaged
in the developing world economies.
Syn : Amend; Improve; Meliorate; Upgrade
Ant : Worsen
RW : Meliorate; Melody
AMIABLE (adj)
Cue : A M I A B L E . in the roots: ami friendly + able
forming adjective
Mean : (1) having a pleasant and friendly disposition; good-natured
(usually used to describe people)
Ex : That old man seems amiable.
Syn : Affable; Amicable; Congenial; Cordial; Friendly; Genial
RW : Amity (friendly, peaceful relations, as between nations;
friendship); Amicable (done in a friendly
way - used to describe things or action); Amicus Curiae (friend of
the court - one brought into a legal proceeding to provide general
advice and counsel regarding the social or legal issues
involved)

AMNESIA (n)
Cue : A M N E S I A . a no + mne/mem remember i.e. loss
of memory
Mean : partial or total loss of memory caused as by brain injury or
by shock
Ex : After the haemorrhage, she suffered from amnesia.
Syn : Blackout; Memory loss
RW : Memento (a keepsake); Memorabilia (things worth
remembering or recording); Memory;
Reminisce (to think, talk, or write about remembered events or
experiences)
AMORTIZE (v)
Cue : A M O R T I Z E . mor mortal i.e. dead and relate it with
money . to pay your
installments: as you got to pay your installments every year, so this
money would be dead.
Mean : (1) to liquidate (a debt, such as a mortgage) by installment
payments or payment into a sinking
fund
Ex : The value of the machinery is amortized over five years.
Mean : (2) accounting: to write off expenditure for (office
equipment, for example) by prorating over a
certain period
Ex : An accountant amortizes cost of a long-term asset by
deducting a portion of that cost against
income in each period.
Syn : Capitalize; Deduct; Depreciation
RW : Morbid (of, having, or caused by disease; unhealthy;
diseased); Moribund (dying; having little or
no vital force left); Mortician (a person who manages a funeral
home and is usually a licensed
embalmer); Mortuary; Mortgage
ANACHRONISM (n)
Cue : A N A C H R O N I S M . in the roots: an/ana not/back,
against + chrono time i.e.
against time . something or someone misplaced in time
Mean : (1) the representation of someone as existing or something
as happening in other than
chronological, proper or historical order
Ex : Monopoly is an anachronism in todays competitive
environment.
Mean : (2) old-fashioned, belonging to the past
Ex : Typewriter seems an anachronism these days.
Syn : Antedate; Metachronism; Misdate; Prochronism; Prolepsis
Ant : Incongruity
RW : Anaemia (a condition in which there is a reduction of the
number, or volume, of red blood
corpuscles or of the total amount of hemoglobin in the
bloodstream, resulting in paleness,
generalized weakness, etc); Anaesthesia (total or partial loss of
sensation, especially tactile
sensibility, induced by disease, injury, acupuncture, or an
anesthetic, such as chloroform or
nitrous oxide); Analgesia (a fully conscious state in which a
person does not feel painful stimuli);
Analgesic (painkiller); Anarchy (the complete absence of
government, lawlessness)
ANDROGYNOUS (adj)
Cue : A N D R O G Y N O U S . in the roots: andro male +
gyne female i.e. both male and
female characteristics
Mean : (1) Biology: having both female and male characteristics;
hermaphroditic
(2) being neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine, as in
dress, appearance or behavior
Ex : He wore a weird, androgynous costume to the fancy-dress
party last evening.
RW : Gynecologist; Polyandrous (the state or practice of having
two or more husbands at the same

VOCABULARY BUILDER

time); Polygynous (the state or practice of having two or more

wives at the same time)
ANIMADVERT (v)
Cue : A N I M A D V E R T . in the roots: anim mind, spirit,
breath + advert to turn to i.e. to
turn the mind to . i.e. to criticize
Mean : to remark or comment critically, usually with strong
disapproval or censure
Ex : He only had words of animadversion for his son's failure at
school.
Syn : Admonition; Censure; Criticism; Remonstrance; Stricture
RW : Animal; Animated (lively); Animosity (a feeling of strong
dislike or hatred, ill will, hostility);
Animus (an animating force; intention and also animosity);
Magnanimous; Unanimous (unison)
ANNALS (n)
Cue : A N N A L S . in the roots: ann/enn year
Mean : record of events in a year wise fashion
Ex : (i) The annals of Biomedicine.
(ii) In the annals of Cricket, Kapils name will be written in gold.
Syn : Chronicle; History
RW : Anniversary; Annual; Annuity (an investment or insurance
policy which pays a yearly sum of
money after a specific date or age); Biennial (two years);
Centennial (100 years); Perennial
(lasting or active throughout the whole year); Superannuated
(retired, old fashioned);
Semiannual; Annuity (an investment or insurance policy which
pays a yearly sum of money
after a specific date or age); Annus Mirabilis (a remarkable year)
ANNIHILATE (v)
Cue : A N N I H I L A T E . nihil nothing
Mean : (1) to destroy completely; put out of existence
Ex : An atomic bomb can annihilate a city.
Mean : (2) to consider or cause to be of no importance or without
effect; to defeat completely; nullify
Ex : Failing in the finals of competition annihilated his ambitions.
Syn : Decimate; Demolish; Destroy; Eradicate; Exterminate;
Obliterate; Slaughter
ANNUNCIATE (v)
Cue : A N N U N C I A T E . annuncia could be rhymed with
announce
Mean : to announce, to make known
Ex : Jagjit Singhs entry on the stage was annunciated by the host.
Syn : Broadcast; Promulgate
Ant : Denunciate
ANODYNE (n)
Cue : Peg free from pain with this word
Mean : (1) a medicinal drug which lessens pain
Ex : The doctor prescribed an anodyne for his muscular pain
Mean : (2) something which comforts or distracts a troubled mind
Ex : He finds that playing piano is an anodyne for all his everyday
problems.
Syn : Analgesic; Painkiller
ANOINT (n)
Cue : A N O I N T . oint ointment or oil
Mean : (1) to rub oil or ointment on; to put oil on someone in a
religious ceremony, especially when
consecrating a king or priest
Ex : Oil was used for the anointment of the king.
Mean : (2) to choose someone to do a particular job, usually by a
person in authority
Ex : Lets see whom the Chairman will anoint as his successor.
Syn. : Consecrate; Embrocate

ANONYMOUS (adj)
Cue : A N O N Y M O U S . in the roots: an without +
onym/nom name i.e. without name
Mean : (1) with no name known or acknowledged
Ex : An anonymous caller informed the police about the murder.
Syn : Authorless; Incognito; Nameless; Pseudonymous;
Unacknowledged; Unnamed; Unsigned
Ant : Acknowledged; Named; Signed
RW : Anon (an abbreviation for anonymous); Anonymity;
Antonym; Cognomen (a surname);
Misnomer (an incorrect name); Nomenclature; Nominal (existing
in name only); Nominate (to
appoint); Homonym (words pronounced or spelled the same way
having different meanings);
Pseudonym (a fictitious name); Synonym
ANTECEDENT (n)
Cue : A N T E C E D E N T . in the roots: ante before + cede
move, go i.e. going before
Mean : (1) an event or circumstance occurring earlier than another;
preceding
Ex : Phrenology was an antecedent of modern neuroscience.
Mean : (2) your ancestors, ancestry or past life
Ex : My antecedents were Indian.
Syn : (1) Anterior; Foregoing; Former; Past; Precedent;
Precursory; Preliminary; Previous; Prior
(2) Antecessor; Descent; Forebears; Forefather; Genealogy;
Primogenitor; Progenitor; Stock
Ant : (1) Posterior; Subsequent
(2) Descendant; Successor
RW : Antebellum (before the war); Antedate (to put a date on that
is earlier than the actual date; to
occur at an earlier date); Antediluvian (Extremely old and
antiquated); Antenatal (for pregnant
women; occurring or present before birth); Antepenultimate (last
but one); Anteroom (a room
leading into a larger room, especially a waiting room); Antiquary
(someone who studies, collects
or trades in objects of the past); Antiquated (Outdated, Oldfashioned); Antique; Concede (to
admit as true or valid; acknowledge); Recede (to go or move back)
ANTHROPOMORPHIC (adj)
Cue : A N T H R O P O M O R P H I C . in the roots: anthrop
man, human + morph form,
shape i.e. having human form
Mean : attributing human shape or characteristics to a god, animal
or inanimate thing
Ex : With their human characteristics, most of the gods in Hindu
mythology were anthropomorphic.
Syn : Anthropoid; Hominoid; Humanoid; Manlike; Personification
RW : Amorphous (shapeless); Anthropoid (resembling a human;
being that is human in form only
esp. a manlike ape); Anthropologist; Anthropology (the study of
the origin, development and
behavior of mankind); Anthropomorphous; Metamorphosis
(transformation); Misanthrope (a
person who hates or distrusts all people); Morphology (the form
and structure of an organism);
Philanthropy (a desire to help mankind)
ANTIPATHY (n)
Cue : A N T I P A T H Y . in the roots: anti/ant against,
opposite + path/pass feel, suffer i.e.
dislike
Note: anti is different from ante, which means in front of
(anteroom) or earlier than
(antenatal)
Mean : (1) a feeling of strong dislike or hostility; an aversion
Ex : I have some sort of antipathy towards smokers.
Syn. : Abhorrence; Abomination; Acrimony; Aversion; Detestation;
Hatred; Hostility; Loathing;
Repellence; Repugnance; Repulsion; Revulsion

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ant : Affection; Fondness; Sympathy

RW : Antagonize (to oppose or counteract); Anticlimax; Antigen;
Antiptosis (the substitution of one
grammatical case for another); Antitank; Antithesis; Apathy (lack
of interest); Empathy (to
understand and share the feelings of another); Impassioned
(arouse the passions); Pathogen;
Pathos (a quality that arouses emotions, strong feelings);
Sympathy; Telepathy Anti-Semitism
(hostility toward or prejudice against Jews or Judaism);
Antivivisection (opposition to medical
research on living animals), Antithesis
A PRIORI (adj/adv)
Cue : A P R I O R I . a from + priori former i.e. from the
former
Mean : from the former, already known. In philosophy and logic, a
priori reasoning works from the
general to the particular: it deduces individual facts from principles
that are already known
literally, from the former
Ex : Famous detectives are known for their a priori reasoning.
RW : A posteriori (what essentially follows)
APARTHEID (n)
Cue : A P A R T H E I D . apart i.e. separate
Mean : a policy or practice of separating or segregating groups
Ex : Apartheid was the policy of strict racial segregation and
political and economic discrimination
against nonwhites in South Africa.
APHASIA (n)
Cue : A P H A S I A . a without and peg it with speech i.e.
without speech
Mean : a total or partial loss of the power to use or understand
words, usually caused by brain disease
or injury
Ex : As he had suffered multiple injuries on his head during an
accident, he suffered from aphasia
for a long time.
RW : Aphasic; Dysphasia
APOCRYPHAL (adj)
Cue : A P O C R Y P H A L . cryp hide i.e. hiding truth
Mean : not likely to be true although often told and believed by
some people to have happened
Ex : He told an apocryphal story about the actors life.
Syn : Fictitious; Spurious; Unauthenticated
Ant : Authentic; Doubtless; Real; Substantiated
RW : Apocrypha (of doubtful authenticity or authorship); Cryptic;
Encrypt
APOGEE (n)
Cue : A P O G E E . apo away from + gee earth i.e. away
from the earth
Mean : (1) the point farthest from the earth in the orbit of the moon
or of a man-made satellite
Ex : To set the satellite at the right apogee is the most important
aspect of satellite launching.
Mean : (2) the highest point of power or success
Ex : At the apogee of its history, ancient Athens was an
architectural marvel.
Syn : Acme; Apex; Climax; Culmination; Peak; Pinnacle; Summit;
Top; Zenith
Ant : Perigee (the point nearest to the earth in the orbit of the
moon or of a man-made satellite)
APOSTATE (n)
Cue : A P O S T A T E . apo away from + state to stand
i.e. away from what you stand for
Mean : (1) a person who has given up religion or left a political
party

Ex : When he deserted the gang, his friends treated him as an

apostate.
Mean : (2) an abandoning of what one has believed in, as a faith,
cause or principle
Ex : In old days, apostasy was punishable by death.
Syn : Defector; Heretic; Renegade; Turncoat
Ant : Adherent; Faithful; Follower; Loyalist
APOSTLE (eposel) (n)
Cue : A P O S T L E . Peg Religious preacher or messenger with
this word
Mean : (1) one of the disciples (traditionally 12) chosen by Christ to
spread the gospel
Ex : The apostle named Peter was a fisherman.
Mean : (2) a person who leads or advocates a faith or cause
Ex : He was an apostle of conservation.
Syn : Catechizer; Disciple; Evangelist; Herald; Messenger
APOTHEOSIS (n)
Cue : A P O T H E O S I S . in the roots: apo special use of this
prefix, meaning, here is change +
the/theo God i.e. make (someone) a god or forming the best
example
Mean : (1) the best or most extreme example of something
Ex : Most people agree that her acting career achieved its
apotheosis in this film.
Mean : (2) the act of raising a person to the status of a god;
deification
Ex : One of the large paintings showed the Apotheosis of the
Emperor Trajan.
Syn : Consecration; Exaltation; Honor
RW : Atheism; Monotheism; Polytheism; Theocracy
(government by a person or persons claiming
to rule with divine authority); Theology (systematic study of
religion)
APPARITION (n)
Cue : A P P A R I T I O N . a + par seeming to be, but not human
Mean : (1) the spirit of a dead person appearing in a form which
can be seen
Ex : Natives were amazed at the apparition of this white stranger.
Mean : (2) a sudden or strange sight
Ex : The clown was a strange apparition in baggy trousers and a
mask.
Syn : Boggle; Phantom; Specter; Spirit; Visitant; Wraith
APPEND (v)
Cue : A P P E N D . ap to + pend could be rhymed with
pendant . a pendant is attached to
something, therefore, peg attach/to add with this word
Mean : (1) to add something to the end of a piece of writing
Ex : The author appends a short footnote to the text explaining the
point.
Mean : (2) an attachment
Ex : This section is a later appendage.
Mean : (3) associated with as a consequence
Ex : When he was promoted, he got an increment as an
appendant.
Syn : Affix; Annex; Conjoin; Supplement
Ant : Disjoin; Remove; Subtract
APROPOS (adj/adv)
Cue : A P R O P O S . ap to + propos purpose i.e. to the
purpose
Mean : (1) being at once opportune and to the point; fitting the
situation; appropriate
Ex : Your comment is very apropos.
Mean : (2) with regard to; concerning
Ex : Apropos our date for lunch, I can't go.
Syn : Appropriate; Germane; Pertinent
Ant : Untimely

VOCABULARY BUILDER

AQUAMARINE (n)
Cue : A Q U A M A R I N E . aqua water + marine of the
sea . of the sea water i.e. greenish
blue colour
Note: the different meanings of aqua in UK and US
UK specialized: water, when it is used in make-up and beauty
products
US: a greenish-blue colour
Mean : a pale greenishblue transparent type of beryl used as a
gemstone, or the colour of this stone.
Ex : The aquamarine dress reflected the colour of her eyes.
RW : Aqua pura (pure water; esp., distilled water); Aquacade (an
aquatic exhibition or entertainment
of swimming, diving, etc., often to music); Aquaculture (the
regulation and cultivation
of water plants and animals for human use or consumption);
Aquanaut (a person trained to live
and work in a watertight underwater chamber in and from which he
can conduct oceanographic
experiments); Aquarium; Aquatic; Aqueduct (a bridge or channel
built to carry water);
Aqueous; Arroyo (a short water course, often dry gully or a rivulet
or stream)
ARCHAEOLOGY (n)
Cue : A R C H A E O L O G Y . In the roots: archa/archaios
ancient, primitive + logy study
i.e. the study of ancient things
Mean : the study of the material remains of cultures of the past
Ex : Thanks to archaeology many ancient civilizations could be
unearthed.
RW : Archaean (Geol. designating or occurring in the earlier part
of the Precambrian Era; esp.
designating the highly crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks
formed during that time);
Archaic; Archives (a place where historical documents are
stored)
ARCHETYPE (n)
Cue : A R C H E T Y P E . arch first + type model i.e.
original pattern from which copies are
made
Mean : (1) the original pattern, or model, from which all other
things of the same kind are made;
prototype
Ex : The Parthenon in ancient Athens was the archetype for many
later buildings.
Mean : (2) a recurring theme or symbol in art of literature
Ex : His statues were archetypal images of women.
ARMADA (n)
Cue : A R M A D A . pick up arm and peg it as weapons . tools,
implements of war
Mean : a fleet of war ships
Ex : During the Second World War, the American armada in Pearl
Harbor was destroyed
completely by the Japanese.
Syn : Fleet; Flotilla; Squadron
RW : Armageddon (decisive battle); Armistice; Artillery (these
words are explained in the
subsequent pages)
ARROGATE (v)
Cue : A R R O G A T E . ar (prefix AD3 used before r) to + rog
ask i.e. to claim for oneself
Mean : to claim or seize without right; appropriate (to oneself)
arrogantly
Ex : They arrogate to themselves the power to punish people.
Syn : Assume; Embrace; Imitate; Seize; Take Over; Usurp
Ant : Delegate
RW : Abrogate (to ablish); Arrogant (claiming false superiority);
Derogatory (tending to lessen or

10

air; disparaging); Interrogate (to question); Rogatory (asking or

requesting)
ARTEFACT/ ARTIFACT (n)
Cue : A R T E F A C T . arte art + fact things made i.e.
anything made by human art
Mean : an object that is made by a person, such as a tool,
weapon, utensil or work of art, especially one
that is of historical interest
Ex : The museum's collection includes artifacts dating back to
prehistoric times.
Syn : Masonry; Relic
Ant : Natural object
RW : Artifice (clever or artful skill); Artisan (craftsman); Artless
(without guile; open and honest)
ARTHROPOD (n)
Cue : A R T H R O P O D . arthro jointed + pod/podos/ped
foot i.e. those with jointed feet
Mean : invertebrate animals with jointed legs, a segmented body
and an exoskeleton, including insects,
crustaceans, arachnids
Ex : Centipedes are arthropods.
RW : Antipode (anything diametrically opposite, exact opposite);
Arthralgia (pain in a joint or joints);
Arthritis (inflammation of a joint or joints, esp. as in rheumatoid
arthritis); Impede (get feet in a
trap); Osteoarthritis (a slowly progressive form of arthritis, found
chiefly in older people,
characterized by cartilage deterioration and bone enlargement);
Pedestrian; Podiatry (the
profession dealing with the specialized care of the feet and, esp.,
with the treatment and
prevention of foot disorders); Tripod (three-legged stand)
ASPERSION (n)
Cue : A S P E R S I O N . spers scatter i.e. an attempt to
scatter ones reputation
Mean : (1) an abusive attack on a person's character or good
name
Ex : How easy it is to cast aspersions on anothers character!
Mean : (2) a disparaging remark
Ex : In the 19th century any reference to female sexuality was
considered a vile aspersion.
Syn : Calumny; Defamation; Denigration; Derision; Detraction;
Slander; Slur
RW : Disperse (to break up and scatter in all directions; spread
about); Sparse; Asperity (harshness
or sharpness of temper)
ASSIDUOUS (asijoo!s) (adj)
Cue : A S S I D U O U S . sid/sed sit . having a long and hard
sitting
Mean : very diligent, constantly hardworking, industrious
Ex : (i) He is assiduous in his work.
(ii) We commend him for his assiduity.
Syn : Indefatigable; Laborious; Persevering; Persistent;
Pertinacious; Resolute; Sedulous; Unflagging;
Unremitting
Ant : Careless; Dilatory; Lazy; Negligent
RW : Insidious (deceptive); Reside (live in); Residence; Sedate
(calm or relieve by means of a
sedative drug); Sedentary (lack of physical activity); Supersede
(replace something less
efficient; succeed somebody or something)
ASTRAL (adj)
Cue : A S T R A L . aster/astr star
Mean : (1) relating to the stars
Ex : Today the night sky is beaming with astral rays.
Mean : (2) relating to unknown forces; supernatural
Ex : Astral spirits; unusual astral occurrences; astral current.
Syn : Celestial; Heavenly; Planetary; Stellar

VOCABULARY BUILDER

RW : Asteroid; Aster; Asterisk {a starlike sign (*) used in printing

to indicate footnote references,
omissions}; Astrology; Astronaut; Astronomy; Celestial
ATROPHY (n/v)
Cue : A T R O P H Y . a without + trophy i.e. un nourished
. wasting away
Mean : a wasting away, of any part of the body or the failure of an
organ or part to grow or develop,
because of insufficient nutrition
Ex : (i) Muscles that are not used will atrophy.
(ii) Drug addiction sooner or later leads to atrophy.
Syn : Degeneration; Deterioration; Emaciation; Shrinking; Wasting
Away; Withering
RW : Hypertrophy (a considerable increase in the size of an
organ or tissue, caused by enlargement
of its cellular components)
ATTRITION (adj/n)
Cue : Have you ever seen the edge of the well that has been worn
down due to the constant pull of the
rope? Thats attrition
Mean : (1) wearing down to weaken or destroy
Ex : (i) Addition of nickel and chrome inhibits the attrition of iron.
(ii) Rocks are worn down by the attrition of waves.
Mean : (2) loss of personnel in an organization in the normal
course of events, as by retirement or
resignation
Ex : The attrition rate has increased because of poor wages. Syn
: Abrasion; Decline; Depreciation; Erosion; Friction; Gradual
disintegration; Grinding Down;
Reduction; Rubbing; Weakening; Wearing away; Wearing down
Ant : Appreciation; Buildup; Increase
AUDITORY (adj)
Cue : A U D I T O R Y . audi/audio hearing, sound
Mean : of or having to do with hearing or the organs of hearing
Ex : He has developed auditory problem due to ear infection.
RW : Audible; Audience; Audition; Auditorium; Aural
(pertaining to the ear)
AUGUR (oger) (v/n)
Cue : When astrologers predict your future; they augur your future
i.e. foretelling is the peg for this
word
Mean : (1) to be a sign of what will happen
Ex : Your diligence and honesty augur well for your future.
Mean : (2) the custom in ancient Rome of foretelling the future by
omens
As a noun, augur refers to the Roman official who made
predictions from omens or by extension
to any prophet or soothsayer
Ex : The Roman general depended on augury to show if the time
was right to attack.
Syn : Bode; Conjecture; Foretell; Omen; Portend; Predict;
Presage; Prognosticate; Prognosis
Ant : Propitiate
RW : August
AURORA (n)
Cue : Ancient Roman goddess of the dawn
Mean : (1) the rising light of the morning; the dawn of day; the
redness of the sky just before the sun
rises.
Ex : (i) With the aurora, everything comes out of the nights
darkness and creates a new hope
of life.
(ii) Old people like to get up at the auroral time.
Mean : (2) atmospheric phenomena consisting of streams of light
RW : Aurora Australis (aurora of the southern hemisphere);
Aurora Borealis (the aurora of the
northern hemisphere); Aura

11

AUTARCHY (otarki) (n)

Cue : A U T A R C H Y . auto self + archy to rule i.e. self
or absolute rule
Mean : (1) absolute rule or sovereignty; autocracy
Ex : Even in the 21st century, people in certain countries have to
suffer atrocities under an autarchy.
Mean : (2) self-sufficiency, especially economic self-sufficiency as
applied to nations
Ex : No country can achieve total autarky.
Syn : Autocracy; Liberty
RW : Autism; Autobiography; Autocracy; Autocrat;
Autogenous; Autographed; Auto-Immune;
Automatic; Automation; Automobile; Autonomy; Autopsy
AVALANCHE (n)
Mean : (1) a mass of loosened snow, earth, rocks, etc. suddenly
and swiftly sliding down a mountain,
often growing as it descends
Ex : Workers scrambled to find the living and the dead, the victims
of a sudden and massive
avalanche.
Mean : (2) any large, overwhelming quantity that comes suddenly
Ex : The program brought an avalanche of mail.
Syn : (1) Icefall; Landslide; Landslip; Mudslide; Rockslide;
Snowslide
(2) Deluge; Flood; Plenty; Torrent
AVANT-GARDE (n)
Cue : French expression advance guard
Mean : the leaders in new or unconventional movements, esp. in
the arts
Ex : Only the avant-garde could bring radical changes in their
respective fields.
Syn : Cutting edge; Liberal; Unconventional; Vanguard
AVERSE (adj)
Cue : A V E R S E . AVERT . a ab - from, away + vertere
to turn i.e. turned away
Mean : (1) opposed, reluctant or disinclined
Ex : The govt. is averse to the idea of releasing criminals for the
release of kidnapped foreigners.
Mean : (2) a strong dislike
Ex : She has an aversion for classical music.
Syn : Antipathetic; Indisposed; Loath; Recalcitrant; Reluctant;
Uneager; Unwilling
Ant : Enthusiastic; Interested; Willing
RW : Adverse (opposed, hostile, antagonistic) is not used of
people
Aversion also differs from antipathy and abhorrence. Aversion
stresses avoidance or rejection,
and antipathy stresses on active hostility whereas abhorrence
implies a feeling of extreme
aversion or repugnance
AVIARY (n)
Cue : A V I A R Y . avi bird + ary relating to place i.e. a
place in which birds are kept.
Remember; its different from apiary i.e. a beehive
Mean : a large cage or building for keeping birds
Ex : The aviary at Jeejeebhoy Gardens has fascinating collections.
Syn : Birdhouse; Enclosure; Zoo
RW : Aviation; Aviator; Avicide; Aviculture; Apiary (a place
where bees are kept)
AVOCATION (n)
Cue : A V O C A T I O N . a away + vocation a specified
profession or trade i.e. additional
vocation
Mean : an activity taken up in addition to one's regular work or
profession, usually for enjoyment; a
hobby

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : Even after he owned a book shop, he continued teaching at

his old institute as an avocation.
Syn : Minor occupation; Side-business
AWRY (adv)
Cue : Askew peg for this word
Mean : (1) with a twist to a side; not straight; askew
Ex : The picture was hanging awry.
Mean : (2) amiss, wrong
Ex : Our plans of going on a picnic went awry.
Syn : (1) Aslant; Cockeyed; Crooked; Lopsided; Skew-whiff; To
one side; Wonky
(2) Astray; Haywire
RW : Wry (perverse, disdainful, also with distorted facial
expression)

B
BALLISTICS (n)
Cue : B A L L I S T I C S . throw a ball; related to the study of
motion of firearms
Mean : (1) the science dealing with the motion and impact of
projectiles, such as bullets, rockets, bombs
and the effects firing has on fire-arms (usually singular)
Ex : (i) The ballistics will explain the launch of that rocket.
(ii) The ballistics will show whether that gun fired this bullet or not.
Mean : (2) a weapon that is directed long distances by remote
control
Ex : A ballistic missile is powered and guided for only part of its
flight.
Mean : (3) go ballistic (colloq.): to become so angry as to lose
emotional control
Ex : Your father will go ballistic if you fail this year also.
RW : Balloon; Bullet
BARRAGE (baraaj)
Cue : B A R R A G E . bar . barrier forms the peg for this word
Mean : (1) continuous firing of large guns to protect soldiers
advancing on an enemy
Ex : Our guns kept up a continuous barrage on the enemy lines.
Mean : (2) a heavy, prolonged attack of words, blows, etc
Ex : He faced a barrage of questions over his failure of the project.
Mean : (3) a man-made barrier across a stream, river, etc. to store
the water or channel it for irrigation,
dam
Ex : The Farrakka Barrage has considerably mitigated the flood
problem in Bengal and Bihar.
BEDLAM (n)
Cue : Originally the name of a mental asylum. Later used
figuratively to mean a madhouse
Mean : (1) a place or activity filled with chaos and commotion,
noisy and unruly activity
Ex : The scene in the children's room, when their parents returned,
was one of complete bedlam
and disorder.
Mean : (2) a scene of uproar and confusion
Ex : The parliament plunged into bedlam once again.
Syn : Commotion; Fluster; Pandemonium; Tumult; Turmoil
BEDRAGGLE (v)
Cue : B E D R A G G L E . be to make, cause + draggle i.e. to
make wet, limp, and dirty, as
by dragging through mire
Mean : to make wet, limp, and dirty
Ex : Tourists got caught in the heavy rain and returned to their
room thoroughly bedraggled.
BEEF (v)
Cue : Beef is a full-grown ox, cow, bull, or steer esp. one bred and
fattened for meat; generalizing, it

12

signifies muscle and thereupon strength. Complain is also

one of its meaning
Mean : (1) to grumble repeatedly; complain
Ex : He is always beefing about inflation and the cost of living.
Mean : (2) muscular, brawny
Ex : He wouldnt like to tackle that beefy wrestler.
Mean : beef up: to strengthen or build up
Ex : My mothers illness has left her thin and weak, she needs
beefing up with a good tonic.
BEFUDDLE (v)
Cue : B E F U D D L E . be to make, cause + fuddle to get
drunk i.e. to confuse as though
with drink
Mean : (1) to make somebody confused or perplexed as with
alcoholic liquor
Ex : Drinking too much wine has befuddled him.
Syn : Baffle; Bewilder; Fuddle; Inebriate; Muddle
BEGRUDGE (v)
Cue : B E G R U D G E . be to make, cause + grudge feel
or show dissatisfaction
Mean : (1) to resent someone having something you think he
doesnt deserve; to envy
Ex : I dont begrudge her topping the university as she has worked
harder than any of us.
Mean : (2) to give with reluctance
Ex : I begrudge giving him money as I know he will squander it.
RW : To begrudge suggests envy; to grudge suggests
reluctance; Beleaguer; Beholden: Belabor;
Bemoan; Beguile (deceive)
BELCH (v)
Cue : B E L C H . relate with belly . belly out i.e. gas from belly
out
Mean : (1) to expel (gas) through the mouth from the stomach,
burp
Ex : Aerated drinks can make you belch.
Mean : (2) to throw forth (its contents) violently, often in spasms
Ex : The volcano belched flame.
Syn : Eruct; Erupt
BELIE (v)
Cue : B E L I E . lie is the peg for this word
Mean : contradict; give a false impression
Ex : (i) He belied his innate crookedness with his genial exterior
and fine behaviour.
(ii) His smile belies his anger.
Syn : Disguise; Gainsay; Garble; Repudiate
BELLICOSE (adj)
Cue : B E L L I C O S E . belli war i.e. wishing to fight
Mean : of a quarrelsome or hostile nature, eager to fight or quarrel
Ex : His bellicose manner led to a fight with his colleague.
Syn : Belligerent; Contentious; Hostile; Pugnacious; Warlike
RW : Antebellum (before war); Bellicosity; Belligerent; Casus
Belli (an event provoking war or used
as a pretext for making war); Rebellion
BEMUSE (v/adj)
Cue : B E M U S E . be not + muse to think deeply and at
length i.e. to make utterly
confused
Mean : (1) to cause somebody to be confused or puzzled
Ex : He was bemused by all the attention he was receiving.
Mean : (2) to cause to be engrossed in thought
Ex : The scientific article in the newspaper left him somewhat
bemused.
Syn : Bewilder; Daze; Distrait; Muddle
RW : It differs from amuse in the sense that when you bemuse
people, you confuse them

VOCABULARY BUILDER

BENEDICTION (n)
Cue : B E N E D I C T I O N . bene well, good + diction to
speak i.e. to speak well of, bless
Mean : a blessing, an invocation of divine blessing, esp. at the end
of a religious service
Ex : The priest pronounced the benediction.
Syn : Benison; Blessing; Good Wishes; Invocation; Sanctification
Ant : Curse; Malediction
RW : Benefactor (a person who has given help, esp. financial
help; patron); Benefic; Beneficent
(doing good-used of people); Beneficial (doing good-of things or
abstractions); Beneficiary (a
person entitled to benefits of a policy); Benefit; Benevolent
(wanting to do good; charitable);
BENIGN (kindly, well-disposed)
The following example would clear any confusion, if any: A
benevolent philanthropist of benign
temperament may become a beneficent patron of the arts by
making donations that will have
beneficial effects
BENEVOLENCE (adj)
Cue : B E N E V O L E N C E . bene well, good + vol will,
to wish
Mean : wanting to do good, generous, charitable nature
Ex : His benevolence turned out to be a deception to cover his
nefarious activities.
Syn : Donation; Largesse; Philanthropy
Ant : Baleful; Enmity; Malice; Malignancy
RW : Malevolent (wishing evil or harm to others); Volunteer;
Volition (exercise of the will as in
deciding what to do)
BEQUEATH (v)
Cue : Peg it with pass down
Mean : (1) to leave (property) to another by last will and testament
Ex : Her father bequeathed her family fortune in his will.
Mean : (2) to hand down or pass on to subsequent generations
Ex : Gandhiji has bequeathed us Indians with the traditions of
nonviolence.
Syn : Accord; A Legacy; Bestow; Grant; Hand out
RW : Bequest (that which is bequeathed - He left a bequest of his
valuable paintings to his son);
Bestow
BESEECH (v)
Cue : B E S E E C H . Seek
Mean : to ask (someone) earnestly; entreat; implore
Ex : (i) He came again and again, beseeching money.
(ii) She beseeched me to help her with her project.
Syn : Adjure; Entreat; Implore; Importune
RW : Benighted (overtaken by darkness or ignorance)
BESIEGE (v)
Cue : B E S I E G E . be around + siege - a seat, implying
the sense of an army sitting down
before a fortress
Mean : (1) to bring about the surrender of a fortified area or city by
surrounding it with an army, lay
siege to
Ex : The Greeks set out to besiege Troy.
Mean : (2) to crowd around somebody or hemmed in
Ex : The actor was besieged by his fans.
Mean : (3) to harass a person or organization with insistent
demands or complaints
Ex : The box office was besieged by fans wanting tickets.
Syn : Beset; Blockade; Enclose; Surround
Ant : Defense; Retreat; Withdrawal
BESMIRCH (v)
Cue : B E S M I R C H . be + smear to sully, defile
Mean : (1) to make dirty, soil

13

Ex : The child besmirched his clothes by falling into a ditch.

Mean : (2) to bring dishonor to; sully
Ex : Dont try to besmirch his fair name.
Syn : Calumniate; Defame; Denigrate; Malign; Scandalize;
Slander; Slur
BESTIAL (adj)
Cue : B E S T I A L . beast + ial i.e. like a beast
Mean : marked by brutality or depravity
Ex : (i) The soldiers were accused of bestial acts against unarmed
civilians.
(ii) The bestiality of the attack on the woman was loathsome.
Syn : Brutal; Brutish; Depraved; Feral; Inhumane; Savage
Ant : Humane; Noble
BEWITCH (v)
Cue : B E W I T C H . Witch forms the peg for this word
Mean : (1) to use witchcraft or magic on; cast a spell over
Ex : She is afraid the ogress will bewitch her.
Mean : (2) to attract and delight irresistibly; enchant; fascinate
Ex : He found her beauty utterly bewitching.
Syn : (1) Enchant; Invoke; Voodoo; Exorcise
(2) Beguile; Captivate; Capture; Enthrall; Fascinate; Mesmerize;
Trance
Ant : Disenchant; Disgust; Repulse
BIANNUAL (adj)
Cue : B I A N N U A L . bi two, twice + annual year
Mean : coming twice a year; semiannual
Ex : Our company publishes a biannual report in June and
December.
RW : Bicentennial (happening once in a period of 200 years);
Bicuspid (having two points);
Bimonthly; Binary; Bi-Partisan; Biped; Bisexual; Bivalve;
Biennial (coming once in two
years)
BIBLIOPHILE (n)
Cue : B I B L I O P H I L E . bibl book + phil love i.e. one
who loves books
Mean : a person who loves or collects books
Ex : Bibliophiles are so engrossed while reading that they hardly
notice anything else.
RW : Bible; Biblical; Bibliography; Bibliolatry (excessive
veneration of books);
Bibliomancy (prediction based on a Bible verse or literary
passage chosen at random);
Bibliomania (a craze for collecting books, esp. rare ones);
Bibliopegy (the art of bookbinding);
Bibliopole (a bookseller, esp. one dealing in rare works);
Philanthropy; Philosophy
BIBLIOGRAPHY (n)
Cue : BIBLIOGRAPHY . biblio book + graphy (something)
drawn or written i.e. sources of
books for writing
Mean : a list of books on a particular topic or by a single author
Ex : (i) I am compiling a bibliography on Indian culture and
traditions.
(ii) The bibliography at the end of his project shows the extent of
his research.
RW : Autograph; Biography; Demography (the statistical
science dealing with the distribution,
density, vital statistics, etc. of human populations); Geography;
Graphic (describing or
described in realistic and vivid detail; vivid); Graphology (the
study of handwriting, esp. as a clue
to character, aptitudes); Lexicography (the act, process, art or
work of writing or compiling a
dictionary or dictionaries); Telegraph
BIBULOUS (adj)
Cue : B I B U L O U S . bibul to drink
Mean : (1) addicted to or fond of drinking

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : He cannot be a member of this club unless he shuns his

bibulous ways.
Mean : (2) very absorbent, as paper or soil
Ex : This paper would soak all the ink as it is bibulous.
BIGOT (n)
Cue : B I G O T . Originally a derogatory swearing in the name of
God. bi by + got God i.e. by
God
Mean : Derogatory term for a person who holds utterly intolerant
opinion for a particular creed, race
Ex : (i) A bigot would never rationalize.
(ii) He is reasonable in most things but is extremely bigoted when it
comes to religion.
(iii) The bigotry of the clergy led to the Holy- Crusades in Europe.
Syn : Chauvinist; Doctrinaire; Dogmatist; Extremist; Fanatic;
Partisan; Racist; Radical; Zealot
BIZARRE (adj)
Mean : (1) peculiar, strange, odd; eccentric
Ex : We stared at her bizarre dress made out of dishcloths.
Mean : (2) Unexpected and Unbelievable, Fantastic
Ex : What a bizarre sequence of events!
Syn : Freakish; Grotesque; Outlandish; Outr; Unconventional
BLANCH (blahnch) (v)
Cue : B L A N C H . To blanc / blank by removing color i.e.
to whiten
Mean : (1) to grow pale or whiten; to remove colour from
Ex : (i) The terrible news caused her to blanch.
(ii) Strong sunlight may blanch the curtains.
Mean : (2) to plunge fruit, vegetables, etc, briefly into boiling water
Ex : If you blanch almonds, the skins will peel off easily.
Syn : Blench; Etiolate; Parboil; Whiten
RW : Blench also means to draw back or shy away, as from fear;
flinch (Ex. He blenched at the sight
of vultures hovering around a carcass); Bleach is never used of
people except metaphorically
(Ex. She is a woman bleached of all emotions)
BLAND (adj)
Mean : (1) without much taste (of food etc.), mild; uninteresting
Ex : (i) Without seasoning, food tends to be bland.
(ii) Pop music these days is so bland.
Mean : (2) showing no strong feelings or other noticeable qualities
Ex : He has rather a bland style of writing.
Syn : Insipid; Prosaic; Savorless; Suave; Tasteless; Unexciting;
Unstimulating; Vapid
Ant : Piquant
RW : Blandishment (coax by flattery)
BLASPHEMY (n)
Cue : B L A S P H E M Y . Blas evil + Phem speech /
utterance. Could be pegged with
profane i.e. showing lack of respect (usu.) to God or religion
Mean : profane or contemptuous speech, writing, or action
concerning God or anything held as divine
Ex : (i) Christians regard the irreverent use of Gods name as
blasphemy.
(ii) In many states, blasphemous statutes have been repealed.
Syn : Desecration; Disrespect; Heresy; Irreverence; Lewdness;
Profanity; Reviling; Sacrilege
Ant : Piety; Prayer; Reverence; Worship
BLATANT (adj)
Mean : Loudly offensive
Ex : The whole episode was a blatant attempt to gain publicity.
Syn : Brazen; Flagrant; Vociferous
Ant : Furtive; Unobtrusive
RW : Blatant is often confused with flagrant, as both attribute
conspicuousness and offensiveness to
certain acts. Blatant describes something that is both very
noticeable and offensive, especially if

14

it is loud and noisy. It has a negative meaning and does not simply
mean obvious. Flagrant
describes something even worse; implies shocking wrongness and
breaks laws and trust. It
carries a stronger sense of wrongdoing than blatant does,
suggesting notoriety or even evil. A
flagrant violation of law is not only an open and unashamed
defiance but a particularly wicked
one as well. The following example would make the difference
more clear: a violation of human
rights might be either blatant or flagrant. If it is committed with
contempt for public scrutiny, it is
blatant. If its brutal behaviour is extremely huge, it is flagrant
BLITHE (adj)
Cue : blissful
Mean : (1) happy, cheerful or gay
Ex : Her blithe personality makes her the life of a party
Mean : (2) carelessly or casually
Ex : (i) He talked incessantly, blithely unaware of our boredom.
(ii) He blithely agreed to the contract without realizing what its
consequences would be.
Syn : Buoyant
Ant : Grave
RW : Blitheness; Blithesome
BLITZ (n)
Cue : From the German word blitzkrieg meaning lighting war
Mean : (1) a sudden, intensive attack, especially from the air
Ex : The Israeli air forces blitz at Entebbe remains a landmark
rescue operation till date.
Mean : (2) any concentrated effort
Ex : The company launched its new product with a massive
advertising blitz.
Syn : Assault; Barrage; Blitzkrieg; Lightning attack; Onslaught;
Raid
BLOND/ BLONDE (n)
Mean : a person of fair complexion and light coloured hair
Ex : Marilyn Monroe was a blonde.
RW : Brunette
BODE (v)
Mean : to be an omen of
Ex : (i) These changes will bode ill for the company's future.
(ii) This fine weather bodes well for tomorrows hockey match.
RW : Forebode
BOHEMIAN (adj)
Mean : a person, esp. an artist, poet, etc., who lives in an
unconventional, nonconforming way
Ex : (i) M.F. Hussein is known for his Bohemian ways.
(ii) His Bohemian ways are in total contrast to his conservative
upbringing.
Syn : Nonconformist; Unorthodox
BOISTEROUS (adj)
Mean : loud, rough and violent behavior
Ex : The boisterous behavior of my boss at the party took me by
complete surprise.
Syn : Clamorous; Obstreperous; Raucous; Rowdy; Tumultuous;
Turbulent
Ant : Peaceful; Placid; Quiet; Shy; Timid
BONHOMIE (n)
Cue : B O N H O M I E . bon good + homme man i.e. good
nature
Mean : a disposition to be friendly and approachable; geniality
Ex : The newfound bonhomie between the erstwhile rivals is being
appreciated.
RW : Bona fide (in good faith)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

BOOTLEG (v)
Cue : boot + leg - the trick of concealing something in the leg of a
high boot
Mean : to make, carry, or sell alcohol illegally; hence, such illegal
alcohol or other items
Ex : The police seized many cases of bootlegged whisky from the
wine store.
RW : Bootlegger
BOURGEOIS (boorzhwa) (n/adj)
Cue : Middle class
Mean : (1) a derogatory term used for the attitudes and behavior
characteristic of the middle class
Ex : Theyre such a boring, bourgeois couple, concerned only with
their material wellbeing.
Mean : (2) the middle classes
Ex : According to the Marxist theory, the bourgeois exploit the
working class.
RW : Proletariat (working class)
BOWDLERIZE (v)
Cue : From Thomas Bowdler, English editor who in 1818
published a notorious expurgated
Shakespeare, "in which those words and expressions are omitted
which cannot with propriety be
read aloud in a family"
Mean : to remove passages considered offensive from (a book,
play, etc)
Ex : The author was asked to bowdlerize the novel before its final
printing.
Syn : Edit; Expurgate; Expunge; Sanitize
BRACKISH (adj)
Cue : B R A C K I S H . brack salty
Mean : (1) somewhat salty, as the water of some marshes near the
sea
Ex : Brackish water is salty, dirty, and unpleasant.
Mean : (2) having an unpleasant taste; nauseating
Ex : I could not eat the brackish porridge for dinner.
Syn : Saline
RW : Brine (water full of salt as of the sea, ocean); Briny (of or
like brine; very salty)
BRAGGADOCIO (n)
Cue : B R A G G A D O C I O . brag . bragging i.e. boasting
Mean : empty boasting or bragging, or a person who engages in
such bragging
Ex : Never trust him; his words are nothing but empty braggadocio.
Syn : Gasconade; Rodomontade; Swaggering
RW : Braggart
BRAVURA (adj/n)
Cue : B R A V U R A . brav / brave
Mean : a daring or brilliant display
Ex : He thrilled the audience with his bravura performance.
RW : Bravado (pretended courage or defiant confidence where
there is really little or none)
BRAZEN (adj)
Cue : B R A Z E N . Braz brass brash or brassy
Mean : (1) showing no shame, bold
Ex : His brazen lie could not stand scrutiny.
Syn : Audacious; Blatant; Bumptious; Impertinent; Impudent;
Insolent; Unashamed
Ant : Polite; Respectful; Reserved; Shamed
BREVITY (n)
Cue : B R E V I T Y . brev . brief i.e. short
Mean : briefness; conciseness of language
Ex : His essays are models of clarity and brevity.
Syn : Briefness; Conciseness; Concision; Pithiness; Shortness;
Terseness

15

Ant : Lengthiness; Wordiness

RW : Breviary (short prayer book used by Catholic priests)
BRIDLE (n/v)
Cue : leather strap used by a rider to control a horse.
Generalizing, anything that controls
Mean : anything that controls or restrains
Ex : (i) His common sense is a bridle to his quick temper
(ii) Responsibility is the best bridle for the impetuousness of youth.
Syn : Check; Control; Curb; Deterrent; Hackamore; Halter;
Restraint
Ant : Aid; Assist; Encouragement; Facilitate; Foster; Spur; Unbridle
BRIGAND (n)
Cue : B R I G A N D . Brig fight
Mean : a bandit, usually one of a roving band
Ex : The brigands of Chambal ruled the ravines for almost half a
century.
Syn : Cheat; Freebooter; Outlawed criminal; Thug
RW : Brigade (unit of a fighting force)

Mean : (1) imaginary hobgoblin or terror used to frighten children

into good conduct; bugbear
Ex : (i) It is psychologically impairing for children to be frightened
with bugaboos.
(ii) The bugaboos of boredom, laziness and failure, keep the
workaholic running.
Mean : (2) a source of concern; a recurring or persistent problem
Ex : The old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them.
Syn : Anathema; Bte noire; Bogeyman/Boogeyman
RW : Bogy
BULWARK (n)
Cue : B U L W A R K . Bul earth + werk work a
defensive wall
Mean : (1) a wall or embankment raised as a defensive
fortification; a rampart
Ex : The high wall serves as a bulwark against attack.
Mean : (2) something serving as a defense or safeguard
Ex : My savings are to be a bulwark against unemployment.
Syn : Bastion; Embankment; Fort; Fortress; Outwork; Parapet;
Rampart

BRINK (n)
Cue : bank/ edge
Mean : (1) the upper edge of a steep, high place; the edge of a
stretch of water
Ex : She stood on the brink of the gorge wondering if the water
was cold.
Mean : (2) very near something exciting or dangerous
Ex : (i) The firm was on the verge of bankruptcy but the new owner
took us back from the brink.
(ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major new discovery.
Syn : Brim; Edge; Verge
RW : Brinksmanship

BUOY (v)
Mean : (1) to keep afloat or aloft
Ex : (i) The life vest will keep her buoyed up while she is learning
to swim.
(ii) The boat was tested for its buoyancy.
Mean : (2) to hearten or inspire; uplift; happy
Ex : (i) He was buoyed up by the team spirit.
(ii) She was in buoyant spirits and looking forward to the trip.
Mean : (3) to maintain at a high level; support; resilient
Ex : The property market is buoyant despite the recession

BRISTLE (v)
Cue : Prickly hair prick
Mean : (1) showing anger; react in an angry or offended manner
Ex : She bristled at his impertinent remarks about her mother.
Mean : (2) full of, overflowing
Ex : It was a pleasant day and the central part of the town was
bristling with activity.
Syn : (1) Fulminate; Rage; Rant; Rave
Ant : Appease; Assuage; Calm; Simmer down
Syn : (2) Abound; Exuberate

BURLESQUE (n/adj)
Cue : To mock something would form the peg for this word
Mean : a type of writing or acting that tries to make something
serious seem ridiculous; parody
Ex : (i) The comedians joined hands to make a burlesque
presentation on the idiosyncrasies
of the present day politicians.
(ii) The antics of the defense attorneys turned the trial into a
burlesque of justice.
Syn : Caricature; Farce; Lampoon; Mockery; Parody; Pastiche;
Revue; Satire; Travesty
Ant : Factual; Historical

BROWBEAT (v)
Cue : B R O W B E A T . brow eyebrow + beat to beat with
stern looks
Mean : to intimidate with harsh, stern looks and talk
Ex : Usually the rich try to browbeat the poor.
Syn : Badger; Cow; Frighten; Hector; Pester; Swagger
Ant : Embolden; Encourage; Inspirit; Persuade
BRUNETTE (n)
Cue : Brunette is the antonym of blonde
Mean : a woman with dark brown hair
Ex : Is your girlfriend a blonde or a brunette?
BUCOLIC (adj)
Cue : B U C O L I C . bu ox/bovine + kol keeper
herdsmen, later taken to mean rustic
Mean : (1) of or characteristic of the countryside or its people,
rustic
Ex : The painting shows a typically bucolic environ, with peasants
harvesting crops in a field.
Mean : (2) Of or characteristic of shepherds or flocks, pastoral
Ex : Thanks to the governments heavy subsidies, bucolic pursuits
can now earn handsome returns.
Syn : Agrarian; Arcadian; Campestral; Countrified; Rustic; Uncouth
Ant : City; Metropolitan; Urban
BUGABOO (n)
Cue : Bogyboo Bug + boo bugbear, imaginary scare

VOCABULARY BUILDER

BURNISH (v/n)
Cue : B U R N I S H . burn / brun brown, bright, polished
Mean : to make shiny or smooth by rubbing, to polish
Ex : (i) Burnish the car with wax.
(ii) I like that antique statue with a coppery burnish.
Syn : Furbish; Glaze; Gloss; Pumice; Scour
Ant : Corrode; Dull; Erode; Tarnish
BUTTRESS (bu-tris) (n/v)
Cue : Peg support with this word
Mean : (1) a projecting structure, generally of brick or stone, built
against a wall to support or reinforce it
Ex : The north wall of the church has a beautiful stone buttress.
Mean : (2) to support or strengthen something
Ex : She needs to buttress her argument with more facts.
Syn : Back Up; Beef Up; Bolster; Bulwark; Prop; Reinforcement;
Stanchion; Strengthen; Sustain;
Uphold
Ant : Let down; Weaken
RW : Buttress differs from bastion and bulwark in the way that
buttress acts as a supporting
structure and the other words provide strong defense or protection
BYZANTINE (adj)
Cue : Byzantine refers to (a style developed in ancient city of
Byzantium and E. Europe.,

16

characterized by domes over square areas, round arches,

elaborate mosaics), originally used
of art style; later generalised to anything that is complex
Mean : difficult to understand and complicated i.e. characterized by
elaborate scheming and intrigue
Ex : The countrys tax structure is Byzantine and tedious.
Syn : Complex; Convoluted; Devious; Intricate; Knotty;
Labyrinthine; Tangled; Tortuous
Ant : Easy; Simple; Straightforward

Ex : He preferred to stay back at office till late at night rather than

to go home to his captious
wife.
RW : Capable; Capacity; Captivate (enchant, enthrall); Captive

CAROUSEL (n)
Cue : C A R O U S E L / C A R O U S A L . carro chariot/
stately carriage
Mean : (1) originally a playful tournament of knights on Chariots;
now drinking revelry
(2) a merry-go-round
Ex : The late night parties often culminate in carousels.
RW : Car; Carriage

CABAL (adv)
Cue : C A B A L . originally, an acronym for five intriguing
ministers of Charles II, namely:
Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley and Lauderdale
Mean : group of conspirators or plotters particularly one formed for
political purposes; group of
people joined by a secret
Ex : Cabals and courtiers let the king down.
Syn : Clique; Conspirators; Intriguers
CACOETHES (n)
Cue : C A C O E T H E S . kakos bad + ethos habit /
disposition
Mean : itch or irresistible urge/ mania
Ex : His intense love for dogs is almost a cocoethes.
RW : Cackle (laugh harshly and shrilly, say something with harsh
shrill laugh); Cacodemon (an
evil spirit); Cacophony (bad + sound/voice . an unpleasant
combination of loud, often jarring,
sounds)
CADENCE (n)
Cue : C A D E N C E . cadare to fall . flow of rhythm in verse or
music
Mean : rhythm / inflection / modulation of voice
Ex : the cadence of Jagjit Singhs voice held the audience
spellbound.
RW : Cadaver (here fall metaphorically means to die - of or like a
corpse); Cascade (waterfall);
Decadent (undergoing a process of decline or decay, especially in
morals)
CANDID (adj)
Cue : C A N D I D . candere to shine/white
Mean : frank, free from prejudice, clear
Ex : Politicians are expected to be diplomatic, not candid.
Ant : Cagey; Cunning; Diplomatic; Sly
RW : Candidate (original use - white-robed); Candle; Candor
CANNIBAL (n)
Mean : an eater of the flesh of its own species
Ex : Some of the tribes of aborigines were rumored to be
cannibals.
Syn : Anthrophagite; Anthropophagus
RW : Cannibalize (to strip old or worn equipment of parts for use
in other machines; similarly, to
take personnel from ones old organization to build up a new one)

CARNIVOROUS (adj)
Cue : C A R N I V O R O U S . carn flesh + vorare devour
Mean : flesh eating
Ex : Carnivorous animals flourish when herbivores do.
RW : Carnage; Carnal; Incarnation

CARRION (n)
Cue : C A R R I O N . caro corpse, flesh
Mean : dead and old meat unfit for consumption, food for
scavengers
Syn : Improper disposal of carrion often leads to epidemics.
RW : Carcass
CASSANDRA (n)
Cue : Originally the name of a Greek princess having gift of
prophecy which no one believed
Mean : a person whose gloomy prophecies are disregarded
Ex : Pay no heed to the cassandras and do your best.
CATACHRESIS (n)
Cue : C A T A C H R E S I S . kata against + chres use
Mean : misuse of a word or phrase
Ex : His use of English language is full of catachresis.
RW : Catechesis (esp. religious teaching as in question answer
form)
CATACLYSM (n)
Cue : C A T A C L Y S M . cata down + clysm wash
Mean : a deluge or upheaval
Ex : Cataclysms like the French Revolution change the course of
history.
RW : Catalyst (a person or substance that facilitates change);
Catapult (sling shot); Cataract
(waterfall/ eye disease); Catastrophe (great disaster)
CATHARSIS (n)
Cue : A Greek expression meaning purging or cleaning
Mean : purification of emotions through lifes tragic experiences or
difficulties
Ex : Every emotional crisis in life is an experience in Catharsis.
RW : Catheter (a tube for purging waste body fluids)

CAPE (n)
Cue : C A P E . relate with cap
Mean : (i) a hooded cloak, an outer wear
: (ii) a piece of land jutting into a body of water (headland)
Ex : Cape Comrin is the southernmost tip of India.
RW : Capital; Caption; Capitulate (yield, submit)

CAVALCADE (n)
Cue : C A V A LC A D E . caval relating to horse.a procession
on horseback (originally a
parade of horsemen and horse-driven carriages)
Mean : any procession or occurring of events in succession
Ex : Escalating violence in the region resulted in a cavalcade of
bomb attacks.
RW : Cavalier (originally a gallant and courteous horseman,
currently taken to mean an
informal, easygoing approach); Cavil (trivial fault finding,
quibbling); Cavort (horse +
vault.horse around leap, prance); Chivalry (valor)

CAPTIOUS (adj)
Cue : C A P T I O U S . capare to catch/ take hold and captio
fallacious argument
Mean : hyper critical, only for the sake of fault-finding

CAVEAT (n)
Cue : Latin expression - take heed/beware
Mean : filing a petition in court seeking notice/information on any
new development / plea from the

VOCABULARY BUILDER

17

opposing party
Ex : The petitioner filed a caveat in the court for getting information
on the documents or pleas
filed by the respondent.
CEDE (v)
Cue : C E D E . cedere to yield
Mean : transfer / yield title
Ex : He has ceded his real estate to the school for the deaf and
dumb.
RW : Cesspool (a covered pit to receive sewage/ a centre of
moral fifth); Concede; Recede;
Secede
CELERITY (n)
Cue : C E L E R I T Y . celer swift
Mean : swiftness, agility
Ex : Jackie Chans celerity holds the audience spellbound.
Syn : Alacrity; Promptness
Ant : Delay; Lassitude
CENSOR (v)
Cue : Censere . to judge
Mean : authorized examination, deletion of objectionable
publication, movies, news items, etc.
Ex : The mail of armed services personnel is routinely censored
RW : Censorious (fault-finding, captious); Censure; Census
(evaluating property/opinions
of people)
CENTRIFUGAL (adj)
Cue : C E N T R I F U G A L . centri + fugere flow
Mean : force radiating/departing from the centre
Ex : We use centrifugal pumps to push water up to the rooftop
storage tanks.
RW : Centrifuge (whirling / expelling machine); Centripetal
(centre + petera fall i.e. force
radiating towards the centre); Concentric; Eccentric
CEREBRATION (n)
Cue : C E R E B R A T I O N . cerebral product
Mean : brainwave, thought
Ex : Philosophical studies require quite a bit of cerebration.
CERVINE (adj)
Cue : C E R V I N E . cerv deer
Mean : of or like a deer
Ex : The dancers cervine movements hardly betray her physical
handicap.
RW : Bovine; Canine; Cervid (of the deer family); Columbine (of
or like a dove); Feline;
Leonine (of or like a lion); Vulpine (of or like a fox)
CHAFF (n)
Mean : husk, anything worthless, trash
Ex : We cant accept chaff at the price of grain.
RW : Chafe (to wear-off by rubbing, abrade); Chaffing (good
natured teasing, bantering)
CHARADE (n)
Cue : Chatter / gossip
Mean : a guessing game / a riddle
Ex : All his emotive talk is a charade to hoodwink the gullible.
RW : Charisma (gracefulness / charm); Charlatan (pronounced
sharleton. a quack/phony)
CHATTEL (v)
Cue : Originally applied to cattle
Mean : piece of movable personal property
Ex : He lost his estate and chattel at the time of partition.
RW : Chateau (a French feudal castle; a large country house and
estate)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

\HERUBIC (adj)
Cue : C H E R U B I C . cherub a winged chubby child angel
Mean : angelic, innocent-looking
Ex : The cherubic child radiated innocence.
RW : Cherubim
CHIROGRAPHY (n)
Cue : C H I R O G R A P H Y . chiro hand/foot/body parts +
graphy writing
Mean : handwriting, penmanship
Ex : Chirography has become a rare art nowadays.
RW : Chiropody (treatment of hand and foot diseases);
Chiropractic (practice of restoring
health through manipulation of body parts, particularly spine)
CHOLERIC (adj)
Cue : C H O L E R I C . chole bile
Mean : hot tempered
Ex : The marriage failed due to the choleric temperament of both
the spouses.
Syn : Irascible; Irritable; Peevish
RW : Agreeable; Mild mannered; Pleasant
CHRONICLE (v/n)
Cue : C H R O N I C L E . chron time
Mean : to record in chronological order
Ex : HuenTsang has chronicled the events of his stay in India.
RW : Anachronistic (out of times); Chronic; Synchronize
CHUTE (shoot) (n)
Cue : Peg it with a fall
Mean : a steep slide through which something may be slid or
dropped
Ex : The filled bags are dropped through the chute down to the
loading platform.
RW : Parachute
CIRCUMAMBULATE (v)
Cue : C I R C U M A M B U L A T E . circum around +
ambulate move
Mean : to walk round about
Ex : The thief circumambulated through the lanes, waiting for an
opportune moment to break
into the house.
RW : Ambulance; Circlet (small ring/circle); Circuitous (round
about); Circumlocution
(circum + log - to speak); Circumscribe (to draw a line around);
Circumspect (cautious);
Circumvent (to go around; to gain an advantage over)
CLAIRVOYANT (adj)
Cue : French Expression: C L A I R V O Y A N T . clair clear +
voyant having vision
Mean : (1) having great insight, keenly perceptive, discerning,
judicious
(2) having foresight / intuition
Ex : Clairvoyance thrives on mans fear of the future.
CLAUSTROPHOBIA (n)
Cue : C L A U S T R O P H O B I A . claustrum enclosure +
phobia
Mean : abnormal fear of being locked in a closed/ secluded place
Ex : A claustrophobic will always prefer to sleep in the open.
RW : Cloister (part of monastery closed off to the laity/ a covered
arcade/a secluded existence)
CLEMENCY (n)
Cue : Clemens mercy
Mean : (i) mild / lenient dispositions
: (ii) mildness of weather/climate
Ex : Having failed to get relief from the Supreme Court, the convict
appealed for Presidential
clemency.
Ant : Harshness

18

COALESCE (v)
Cue : C O A L E S C E . co together + lesce to grow
Mean : blend, fuse, combine, amalgamateEx : We need to
coalesce the best of oriental and western civilizations.
CODA (n)
Cue : Cauda tail
Mean : concluding part of any musical composition
Ex : The coda was a befitting finale to the opera.
RW : Codex (manuscript of a scripture); Codicil (an appendix or
supplement to a will)
COEVAL (adj)
Cue : C O E V A L . co together + evam age + al
Mean : of the same age, contemporary
Ex : Gautam Buddha and Vardhman Mahavira were almost
coevals.
RW : Primeval; Medieval
COGITATE (v)
Cue : C O G I T A T E . co + agitate Put your heads down to
thought
Mean : to give serious consideration / thought
Ex : It is high time the government cogitates to introduce ecofriendly legislation.
Syn : Contemplate; Meditate; Ponder; Ruminate
RW : Cognatus {co + gnatus (to be born) . of common descent,
family, root}
COGNITION (n)
Cue : C O G N I T I O N . Cogn to know
Mean : broad knowledge, understanding, perception
Ex : The success of the new economic policy will largely depend
upon cognition of international
market forces
RW : Cognizant (aware or informed); Cognomen (nomen . name
. surname, family name,
nickname); Cognoscente (having specialized knowledge
particularly in fine arts.
connoisseur)
COHERENT (adj)
Cue : C O H E R E N T . co + here to stick
Mean : lucid, clear, logical
Ex : The union government is yet to frame a coherent power policy
RW : Adherent; Cohere; Cohesion; Cohesive; Heredity;
Inherent
COHORT (n)
Cue : C O H O R T . co + hort inner circle
Mean : retinue, confidant, armed band
Ex : Hitler and his cohorts seriously believed that they could
conquer the world.
RW : Exhort
COLISEUM (v)
Cue : Variant of ancient colosseum amphitheater of Rome
Mean : an amphitheater or a large theater for public performances
Ex : The coliseum was jam-packed on the occasion of Jagjit Singh
nite.
RW : Auditorium; Collegium (a group of individuals with equal
power or authority);
Gymnasium; Stadium
COLLATE (v)
Cue : To bring together
Mean : to compile, examine, compare and consolidate
Ex : The anthropologists have collated data from varied sources to
arrive at their conclusions.
RW : Collaborate; Collage (an artwork of assembled fragments);
Collateral (additional /
concomitant); Collation (n also a light meal)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

COLLOQUY (n)
Cue : C O L L O Q U Y . co together + loqui speak
Mean : a formal discussion
Ex : His timid query was lost is the colloquy.
RW : Colloquial (informal/non-literary talk); Colloquium (a
conference/seminar); Eloquent
COMEUPPANCE (n)
Cue : C O M E U P P A N C E . come + up + ance come up
(for judgement)
Mean : deserved punishment /rebuke
Ex : One has to face comeuppance for ones deeds.
COMMISERATE (v)
Cue : C O M M I S E R A T E . com + misery
Mean : to sympathize, console, condole
Ex : Most commiserate for the poor, few lend a helping hand.
RW : Commissary (an authority, an officer, a deputy)
COMMUNE (n)
Cue : C O M M U N E . To make Common / Share
Mean : a group of people living together/ a small territorial division.
Ex : Some of the erstwhile communes in China were reported to
be worse than ghettos.
RW : Communal; Communion (the art of sharing); Communist;
Community; Communiqu
(official announcement)
COMMUTE (v)
Cue : C O M M U T E . com + mut to change
Mean : (1) to exchange for something less severe (make
punishment less severe)
(2) to travel (go back and forth to work)
Ex : The President commuted the death sentence to life
imprisonment.
RW : Mutable; Permutation
COMPASSION (n)
Cue : C O M P A S S I O N . com together + pathos
suffering
Mean : sharing pain and suffering, sympathy, forbearance
Ex : Educating the poor and helping them in other ways is the best
way to show compassion
for them.
RW : Dispassionate; Impassive
COMPLAISANT (adj)
Cue : C O M P L A I S A N T . com with/together + place to
please
Mean : of pleasing nature; affable; obliging
Ex : Beware of overly complaisant friends
RW : Complacent (self-satisfied); Implacable (cannot be
pleased); Placebo (substance having
pretence of cure for the patient); Placid (Pleasantly calm)
COMPLIANT (adj)
Cue : C O M P L I A N T . com + ply to bend . of bending
nature
Mean : yielding, submissive
Ex : He is compliant and ready to do as asked.
Syn : Acquiescent; Obsequious
Ant : Adamant
RW : Complicity (partnership in wrong doing)
COMPENDIUM (n)
Cue : C O M P E N D I U M . com together + pend weigh
(to weigh together)
Mean : concise but comprehensive summary
Ex : The compendium covers all the essentials of the original
treatise.
RW : Appendage; Appendix; Compendious; Depend; Pendant;
Pendulum

19

COMPORT (v)
Cue : C O M P O R T . Com together + port carry
Mean : to carry oneself/behave/conduct oneself
Ex : She comports herself in a dignified manner.
COMPOSURE (n)
Cue : C O M P O S U R E . com with/together + pos
place/state
Mean : in a state of tranquility, calmness
Ex : He does not lose his composure easily
Syn : Equanimity; Poise; Repose; Sangfroid; Serenity;
Unflappability
Ant : Excitability; Hotheadedness
RW : Composite; Position
COMPUNCTION (n)
Cue : C O M P U N C T I O N . com + punc / pung to prick
Mean : a sense of prick (guilt or remorse) twinge of coercion
Ex : He has no compunctions about using and discarding others to
suit his own convenience.
Syn : Contrition; Penitence; Qualm; Scruple
RW : Punctilious (exact in formalities/details); Puncture;
Pungent
CONCATENATE (v)
Cue : C O N C A T E N A T E . con with + catena chain
Mean : link as in a chain
Ex : The three accidents concatenate as they were caused by the
same truck having a drunken
driver.
CONCAVE (adj)
Cue : C O N C A V E . con + cave hollow . originally the cave
was supposed to be a
hollow in the wild or in the hilly terrain)
Mean : hollow, curved like the inside of a bowl
Ex : The lenses are concave, not convex.
Syn : Cupped; Sunken
RW : Cave; Cave-in; Cavity
CONCLAVE (n)
Cue : C O N C L A V E . con + cla/clo shut/close . Meeting in
an enclosure
Mean : a private meeting, a convention
Ex : The Congress Party is holding a conclave in Goa.
RW : Enclave
CONCOCT (v)
Cue : con + coc cook
Mean : to cook up, fabricate, invent
Ex : You have to concoct a new story every time you are late at
office.
CONCORD (n)
Cue : C O N C O R D . con with + core heart
Mean : unity of feeling, harmony, amity
Ex : Neighbors should learn to live in concord.
RW : Concordance (agreement); Cordial; Coronary; Discord
CONDESCEND (v)
Cue : C O N D E S C E N D . con + descend .to let oneself down
Mean : stoop to make a concession
Ex : The mill-owner condescended to talk to the union
representatives.
RW : Condescending (patronizing disdainful, supercilious)
CONDOMINIUM (n)
Cue : C O N D O M I N I U M . con together + dominium
sovereignty. joint
sovereignty / ownership
Mean : commonly owned apartment house
Ex : Gurgoan is fast developing into a concrete jungle of
condominiums.
RW : Domain; Domination; Dominion

VOCABULARY BUILDER

CONDIGN (adj)
Cue : C O N D I G N . con + dign worth . worthy
Mean : worthy of punishment for wrong doing; deserved
Ex : No crime should escape condign punishment.
RW : Dignified; Dignitary
CONDUIT (n)
Cue : C O N D U I T . con + duct to lead
Mean : a pipe/channel for leading / carrying; a go-between
Ex : He worked as a conduit for the drug smugglers.
RW : Abduct; Conduct; Induct; Product
CONFETTI (n)
Cue : C O N F E T T I . con + fac/fig to make
Mean : candies or their imitation (or bits of coloured paper)
scattered at carnivals
Ex : The stall had been well decorated with balloons and confetti.
RW : Confection (Sweet meat); Configuration (arrangement of
parts); Effigy; Factory
CONFLAGRATION (n)
Cue : C O N F L A G R A T I O N . con + flag/flam to burn
Mean : (i) a devastating fire
(ii) a devastating riot/dispute
Ex : The conflagration in the shopping complex destroyed property
worth tens of crores.
RW : Flagrant; Flambeau (a light torch); Flamboyant; Flame
CONFLUENCE (n)
Cue : C O N F L U E N C E . con + flu to flow
Mean : a flowing together or coming together of rivers/people
Ex : Allahabad is situated at the confluence of the Ganga and the
Yamuna.
RW : Affluence; Effluence; Fluent; Fluid; Mellifluous (pleasing
music)
CONGENIAL (adj)
Cue : C O N G E N I A L . con + gen of birth or race
Mean : suited to ones temperament, disposition; favorable,
amenable
Ex : The U.S. is congenial to enterprise.
Ant : Abhorrent; Disgusting
RW : Carcinogenic; Congenital (from birth inborn, innate);
Genetics; Progeny

CONJECTURE (n)
Cue : C O N J E C T U R E . con + ject throw . a throwing, a
guess
Mean : forming of opinion without proof, an inference from
incomplete data
Ex : To act on conjecture may sometimes put you in a problem.
Ant : Speculation; Surmise
RW : Deject; Inject; Project; Reject; Trajectory
CONJURE (v)
Cue : C O N J U R E . con + jur to swear. to swear by a spell of
trick, magic
Mean : to summon a spirit through a spell of magic, to perform
legerdemain, to invent
Ex : You have to conjure up something new to save your marriage.
RW : Abjure (renounce); Adjure (beg); Perjury (lying on oath)
CONNOISSEUR (n) French expression
Cue : Related with cognition (expert knowledge)
Mean : a discerning judge/expert usu. in fine arts/foods
Ex : The distilleries employ highly-paid connoisseurs to taste their
product before it is sent to
the market.
RW : Aesthete; Bon vivant; Epicure; Gastronome

20

CONNUBIAL (adj)
Cue : C O N N U B I A L . com + nub to marry/bride
Mean : pertaining to marriage
Ex : Connubial litigation in India is on the rise.
Syn : Conjugal (Con + jug----yoke/joining); Marital; Nuptial
CONSECRATE (v)
Cue : C O N S E C R A T E . con + secr sacred
Mean : to set apart as holy, sacred
Ex : The Konark Temple is consecrated to the Sun god.
Ant : Baptize; Blessed; Hallowed; Sanctified
RW : Execration (to curse/hate); Sacrament; Sacred; Sacrifice;
Sanctuary
CONSPICUOUS (adj)
Cue : C O N S P I C U O U S . con + spec to see
Mean : attracting attention; easy to see
Ex : The convener of the show was conspicuous by his absence.
Ant : Apparent; Marked; Noticeable; Striking
RW : Perspicacious (having keen mental perception);
Retrospect; Spectrum (broad range of
related things); Suspicious
CONTEMN (v)
Cue : C O N T E M N . con with + temn scorn
Mean : vehement disapproval, to treat with contempt, scorn,
disdain
Ex : The teacher contemned the casual approach of the students
towards studies.
RW : Contempt; Contention; Contentious
(argumentative/belligerent)
CONTIGUOUS (adj)
Cue : C O N T I G U O U S . con + ting to touch upon
Mean : adjacent, adjoining, abutting
Ex : Nepal is contiguous to India.
RW : Contingency; Contingent (Conditional); Tinge
CONTINENCE (n)
Cue : C O N T I N E N C E . con + tin/tain/ten to hold
Mean : self-restraint; sexual chastity
Ex : The priests and nuns have to vow to a life of continence.
Syn : Abstinence; Celibacy; Moderation
RW : Contain; Continent; Sustenance
CONTRAPTION (n)
Cue : C O N T R A P T I O N . con for contrive+ trap + tion
Mean : a contrived, makeshift appliance
Ex : Surprisingly the contraption worked perfectly.
RW : Contrive (to being about / plan)
CONTRITE (adj)
Cue : C O N T R I T E . con + trit wear out/rub
Mean : penitent, apologetic
Ex : Corrupt politicians, when brought to book, become contrite.
RW : Attrition (loss of personnel; wearing out. A siege is a battle
of attrition); Contrition
CONTUMACIOUS (adj)
Cue : C O N T U M A C I O U S . con + tumere to swell up
Mean : obstinate, stubborn, resisting authority
Ex : The contumacious ways of leaders like Khrushchev and
Brezhnev have much to do with
the ultimate disintegration of U.S.S.R.
RW : Contumelious (scornful, opprobrious); Contumely (n
haughty and contemptuous
rudeness); Tumor
CONVIVIAL (adj)
Cue : C O N V I V I A L . con together + viv live. happy to
live together
Mean : companionable, gregarious, socialite
Ex : Many an executive own his promotion to convivial spouses.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

CONVOKE (v)
Cue : C O N V O K E . con together + voke call
Mean : to call together (for a meeting)
Ex : The general body meeting was convoked by the Board to
seek endorsement of its
decision to diversify.
Ant : Convene
RW : Avocation; Convocation; Invoke; Vocabulary
CONVOLUTED (adj)
Cue : C O N V O L U T E D . con together + vol wish
Mean : coiled around, intricate, complicated
Ex : The whole matter has been convoluted into a jumble of fact
and fiction.
Ant : Knotty; Labyrinthine; Perplexing; Tangled
RW : Benevolent; Volition; Voluntary
COPIOUS (adj)
Cue : C O P I O U S . co + opus riches
Mean : plentiful, abundant
Ex : The copious supply of goods has helped keep the prices
down.
RW : Cornucopia (corn . horn + copia --- symbol of abundance);
Corpulent (obese/fleshy);
Opulence; Opus
CORPOREAL (adj)
Cue : C O R P O R E A L . corpus body
Mean : of bodily or material nature
Ex : The spiritual rewards of success far outweigh the corporeal
ones.
RW : Corporation; Corpse; Corpulence (obesity, stoutness of
body); Corpus (body of
principal amount); Incorporate
CORTEGE (n)
Cue : C O R T E G E . corte court
Mean : group of attendants / courtiers, retinue, entourage
Ex : The country can ill-afford the costs of foreign jaunts of large
corteges of politicians.
RW : Court
COUP (n) pronounced Koo
Cue : French expression originally meaning a box on the ear
Mean : a sudden blow or stroke, a revolt
Ex : Because of repeated military coups democracy could never
develop firm roots in Pakistan.
RW : Coup de grace (a stroke of grace to put an end to misery, a
death blow); Coup de main
(a sudden overpowering stroke); Coup de maitre (master stroke);
Coup de tat (stroke of
the State an overthrow of regime); Coupe (a closed carriage for
seating two)
COVERT (adj)
Cue : C O V E R T . co + vert to turn/direct
Mean : concealed; secret; hidden
Ex : The intelligence agencies undertake several covert
operations.
RW : Controversy; Divert; Extrovert; Inadvertent;
Incontrovertible; Overt; Revert
COWER (v)
Cue : C O W E R . Relate with Cow
Mean : to crouch/shrink down due to fear
Ex : The corrupt official cowered on being caught red-handed by
the Anti-corruption Bureau.
Syn : Cringe; Flinch; Quail
RW : Cow (intimidate); Cow down; Coy (Shrinking from familiarity
with others, bashful, shy)
CREDENCE (n)
Cue : C R E D E N C E . cred belief /trust

21

Mean : belief in testimony of another

Ex : I dont give any credence to his version of the story.
RW : Credentials; Creditable; Credo (set of beliefs); Creed
(system of beliefs); Credulous
(gullible)
CRESCENDO (n)
Cue : C R E S C E N D O . cre to grow + scendo sound
Mean : gradual increase in intensity usu. of sound
Ex : There is a crescendo of demand for reservation of seats for
women in parliament.
RW : Create; Crest; Crestfallen
CREVICE (n)
Cue : C R E V I C E . cre to grow
Mean : a crack, fissure
Ex : The domestic insecticides are believed to linger in the nooks
and crevices for a long time.
RW : Accretion; Crack; Creak (grating sound as of a door),
Creek (a narrow winding inlet on a
coastline or a brook); Crevasse (a deep fissure in a glacier, levee
etc); Increment
CRYPTIC (adj)
Cue : C R Y P T I C . cryp hidden
Mean : encoded, secret
Ex : Archaeologists have deciphered the most cryptic and ancient
languages.
Syn : Puzzling
Ant : Candid; Exoteric
RW : Apocryphal (of doubtful authenticity); Crypt (Secret
vault/chamber)
CULMINATE (v)
Cue : C U L M I N A T E . culmen Peak/summit
Mean : to reach the highest point/end up
Ex : His effort has finally culminated into success
Syn : End; Finalize; Terminate
RW : Column
CULPABLE (adj)
Cue : C U L P A B L E . culp crime
Mean : blameworthy; censurable; reproachable
Ex : Sheltering a criminal is a culpable offence.
RW : Culprit; Exculpate; Inculpate; Mea Culpa
CUMBER (v)
Cue : C U M B E R . cumb to hinder / to lie down
Mean : to burden in a troublesome way, hamper
Ex : He worked really hard unencumbered by the problems at
home
Syn : Fetter; Shackle; Trammel
RW : Cumbersome; Encumbrances; Succumb
CURIO (n)
Cue : Shortened form of curiosity
Mean : any unusual or rare article (originally such items from Far
East)
Ex : There are number of curio shops around places of tourist
interest.
RW : Curator (Person in charge of a museum)
CURMUDGEON (n)
Mean : an ill-natured; churlish person
Ex : The wealthy man pretends to be a curmudgeon, but has been
funding many charities
secretly.
RW : Smudge (Smear/Stain)
CUTANEOUS (adj)
Cue : C U T A N E O U S . cutis skin
Mean : relating to the skin

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : The diabetics should remain alert to cutaneous

eruptions/injuries.
RW : Cute; Cuticle (hard skin around fingernails)

D
DAINTY (adj)
Cue : D A I N T Y . dain/dign worth
Mean : (1) delicately pretty or lovely
Ex : She was a small, dainty child, unlike her elder sister who was
large and had big feet.
Mean : (2) difficult to please, fastidious
Ex : As a child, she used to be a dainty eater and her mother used
to spend long hours patiently
trying to feed her.
Syn : Charming; Comely; Cute; Petite
Ant : Coarse; Rough
RW : Condign (well deserved); Deign (do something that one
considers to be below one's dignity,
condescend); Disdain (to regard or treat as unworthy or beneath
ones dignity)
DE JURE (adj/adv)
Mean : by right, legal rightfully
Ex : During the political turmoil in the country after the revolution,
the army general ran the
government, but the Prime Minister remained the de jure head of
state.
Syn : Legitimate
Ant : De facto (existing or being such in actual fact though not by
legal or official recognition)
DEADPAN (adj)
Cue : D E A D P A N . pan (in slang sense of face) . dead faced
Mean : an expressionless face
Ex : His deadpan demeanour was an exterior to hide the emotional
turmoil he was passing through.
Syn : Blank; Impassive
Ant : Animated; expressive; lively.
RW : Dead-end; Deadlock (complete stand still)
DECAPITATE (v)
Cue : D E C A P I T A T E . de off + cap head
Mean : to cut the head off, behead
Ex : In ancient times, the most common mode of death penalty
was decapitation.
Syn : Decollate {de + collum - neck (as in collar); guillotine (after
the name of a French physician
who recommended beheading in preference to less humane
method)
RW : Capital; Capitation (payment /fee per capita or per head);
Capitulate; Caption
DECIDUOUS (adj)
Cue : D E C I D U O U S . de off, down + cid/cad fall . to
fall off
Mean : (1) falling off or out at a certain season or stage of growth,
as some leaves, antlers, insect wings,
or milk teeth
(2) of trees or shrubs, shedding leaves annually
(3) not permanent, transitory, short lived
Ex : Deciduous trees are more common than evergreen plants.
Ant : Evergreen
RW : Accident; Cadence (modulations as in music); Cascade;
Decadence; Recidivist (relapsing as
into crime)
DECIMATE (v)
Cue : D E C I M A T E . deci one tenth + mare destruction
. destruction of onetenth/selective killing.

22

Mean : orig., to select by lot and destroy or kill a large part of

Ex : Wildlife in Africa has been mercilessly decimated by the
poachers.
DECLIVITY (n)
Cue : D E C L I V I T Y . de down + cliv slope
Mean : a downward slope
Ex : The hill people utilize land declivity for setting up water-mills.
RW : Acclivity (an upward slope of ground); Climax; Declination;
Declivitous (fairly steep);
Disinclination; Proclivity (inclination); Recline
DECOCT (v)
Cue : D E C O C T . de down + coct cook i.e. to boil down
Mean : to extract the essence or flavor by boiling
Ex : The traditional Indian system of medicine utilizes herbal
decoctions extensively.
RW : Concoct (to make by combining various ingredients; to
devise, invent or plan)
DCOLLET (adj)
Cue : D C O L L E T (French) . de + collet collar
Mean : cut low so as to bare the neck and shoulders, as some
dresses
Ex : Dcollet dresses are the fad of the times.
RW : Decollate (behead); Dcolletage (the neckline across
shoulders)
DEFLAGRATE (v)
Cue : D E F L A G R A T E . de intensive prefix completely +
flag to burn
Mean : to burn rapidly with intense heat
Ex : Bush fires deflagrate very fast during hot and dry part of the
year.
RW : Conflagration (large destructive fire); Flagrant (glaringly
bad; notorious)
DEFOLIATE (v)
Cue : D E F O L I A T E . de from, off + folium leaf
Mean : to strip (a plant, tree, or forest) of leaves
Ex : By defoliating the crop, the farmer managed to control the
spread of the disease to the rest of the
field.
Syn : Denude
RW : Deflower; Defoliant (n - a chemical that causes leaves to
fall, especially when used as a military
tactic. Ex. Agent Orange was highly poisonous herbicide used as a
defoliant by the Americans
in Vietnam); Deforest; Exfoliate {to remove (a layer of bark or
skin, for example) in flakes or
scales; peel}; Foliage
DEIFY (v)
Cue : D E I F Y . deus God + fac to make . to make God
Mean : (1) to make a God of, worship as a God
Ex : In ancient times, some religions used to deify the sun.
Mean : (2) to glorify or adore in an extreme way, regard as a God;
idolize
Ex : In South India, film actors are deified to such an extent that
one actress even has a temple
exclusively devoted to her.
Syn : Apotheosize; Consecrate; Idolize
RW : Deictic (proving directly, e.g. deictic logic); Dei gratia (by
the grace of God); Deism
(belief in the existence of God); Deist (believer); Deity; Factitious;
Factory
DEIGN (n)
Cue : D E I G N . dign to deem worthy
Mean : to unwillingly condescend to do something below ones
dignity
Ex : At last, the company management deigned to invite the union
leaders for discussion.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Syn : Descend; Stoop; Vouchsafe

RW : Dainty; Dignitary; Disdain
DJ VU (n)
Cue : French expression meaning already seen
Mean : (1) already seen, unoriginal
(2) illusion of having already experienced
Ex : Most of the Hindi movies fill me with dj vu because the
storyline is repetitive.
RW : Deja entendu (already heard, say, music); Deja lu (already
read); Prominesia (from previous
memory)
DELECTABLE (adj)
Cue : D E L E C T A B L E . delec delight
Mean : delightful, delicious
Ex : The delectable performance by the child artist enthralled the
audience.
Syn : Appetizing; Delicious; Exquisite; Luscious
RW : Delicacy; Delectation (pleasure)
DELIRIOUS (adj)
Cue : de off, away + lira line i.e. be deranged," literally "be
out of your track
Mean : (1) mentally confused or excited (marked by restlessness,
confused speech, and hallucinations),
especially due to illness
(2) wild with excitement
Ex : The patient is delirious with high fever. Call in the doctor
immediately.
Syn : Deranged; Ecstatic; Frantic; Frenetic; Frenzied; Hallucinated
Ant : Sane; Sober
RW : Delineation (portrayal, tracing of outline); Delinquent
(derelict, wayward); Deliquesce (to
become liquid by absorbing moisture); Delirium (a temporary state
of extreme mental
excitement, marked by restlessness, confused speech, and
hallucinations: it sometimes occurs
during a fever or in some forms of insanity)
DELUDE (v)
Cue : D E L U D E . de down + lud to play . to mock /
deceive
Mean : to make someone believe something that is not true; to
deceive
Ex : Do not delude yourself by thinking that you are going to be
promoted this year.
Syn : Beguile; Cozen; Deceive; Dupe; Mislead; Trick
RW : Allusion; Delusion; Elude; Illusion; Ludicrous (laughable,
ridiculous); Prelude (introduction,
preface)
DELUGE (v/n)
Cue : D E L U G E . de away + luge/ luv wash
Mean : (1) a flood of water; a cloudburst
Ex : When it rains heavily, the little stream can become a deluge
and can destroy many homes.
Mean : (2) an overwhelming, flood like rush of anything
Ex : The Company was deluged with applications for the job.
Syn : Glut; Inundation; Overabundance; Surfeit; Torrent
RW : Ablution; Ante diluvian (Occurring or belonging to the era
before the Flood; extremely old and
antiquated); Lavatory (wash room)
DEMAGOGUE (n)
Cue : D E M A G O G U E . demos people + agogos
leader
Mean : (1) orig., a leader of the common people
(2) a person who tries to stir up the people by appeals to emotion,
prejudice, etc. in order to win
them over quickly and so gain power
Ex : A demagogue wins support by appealing to peoples emotions
rather than by rational argument.

23

Syn : Agitator; Rabble-rouser

RW : Democracy; Demogogy/Demogoguery (the methods or
practices of a demagogue); Demotic
(pertaining to common people); Endemic; Epidemic; Pandemic
DEMUR (v)
Cue : D E M U R . mur a pause, delay
Mean : to voice opposition; object
Ex : Nobody dared demur when the boss shot down the proposal.
Syn : Disagree; Dispute; Challenge
RW : Demurrage (compensation for delay/ holding up)
Note its difference from demure (modest, serious and quiet)
DENDROID (adj/ n)
Cue : D E N D R O I D . dendro tree
Mean : branching off like a tree
Ex : The veins and arteries are spread dendroid like in human
body.
RW : Dendriform (treelike in form); Dendrite (branching figure like
a shrub, tree or moss); Dendritic
(branching form); Dendrochronology (study of annual growth
rings of trees to determine age);
Dendrology (botanical study of trees and shrubs); Philodendron
(a plant that clings to trees)
DENIGRATE (v)
Cue : D E N I G R A T E . de completely + nigr black . to
blacken/ defame completely
Mean : to defame/ deprecate
Ex : It is mean to denigrate a person for the natural flaws in his
physique.
Syn : Asperse; Belittle; Blacken; Calumniate; Degrade; Malign;
Traduce; Vilify
RW : Negate; Negro
DEPONENT (adj/ n)
Cue : D E P O N E N T . de down + pon / pos put, place .
to lay down/ set down
Mean : a person who testifies under oath, esp. one who makes a
deposition, offering testimony
Ex : The deponent could not withstand persistent cross
examination by the lawyer.
Syn : Testifier; Witness
RW : Deposit; Deposition; Exponent; Position; Postpone;
Prepone; Proponent
DEPREDATION (n)
Cue : D E P R E D A T I O N . de thoroughly + predate
plunder
Mean : act of plundering, damage or devastation (often used in the
plural)
Ex : (i) The foreign invaders of Delhi repeatedly engaged in
depredation and orgy.
(ii) Hiroshima and Nagasaki have suffered the depredations of
atom bomb.
(iii) Depredation of the environment is destroying many species
each year.
Syn : Havoc; Marauding; Pillaging; Plunder; Ravaging; Ruination
Ant : Building; Construction; Creation; Restoration
RW : Predator
DERELICT (adj/n)
Cue : D E R E L I C T . de thoroughly + relinq abandon /
forsake, originally, abandoning of
vessels at sea
Mean : abandoned, negligent, abandoned property or forsaken
person
Ex : (i) The derelict theatre is too broken down to be repaired.
(ii) He was placed under suspension for his derelict behavior.
Syn : Bereft; Deserted; Desolate; Forlorn; Forsaken; Lorn
Ant : Attended; Cherished; Kept up; Maintained; Prized
RW : Dereliction (failure in duty); Relic

VOCABULARY BUILDER

DERIDE (v)
Cue : D E R I D E . de down + rid/ ris laugh/ mock
Mean : to laugh at, mock at, treat scornfully
Ex : The city people often deride the innocence of the rural people.
Syn : Gibe; Jeer; Lampoon; Ridicule; Scoff; Sneer
Ant : Applaud; Commend; Praise
RW : Derisive; Derisory; Riddle; Ridicule
DERMATOLOGIST (n)
Cue : D E R M A T O L O G I S T . dermis skin + log
speech/ study
Mean : one who studies and treats skin ailments
Ex : For every small skin problem, we need not rush to the
dermatologist.
RW : Dermatitis (inflammation of the skin); Dermatosis (any
disorder of the skin); Epidermis (the
outermost layer of the skin in vertebrates, having no blood vessels
and consisting of several
layers of cells, covering the dermis); Pachyderm (any of certain
large, thick-skinned, hoofed
animals, as the elephant, rhinoceros, and hippopotamus)
DERNIER CRI (French)
Cue : D E R N I E R C R I . dernier last + cri cry
Mean : the latest fashion, the last word
Ex : Discotheques are the dernier cri of the youth today.
Syn : Fad; In vogue; Rage
RW : Dernier resort (last resort)
DESOLATE (adj)
Cue : D E S O L A T E . de completely + sole lonely
Mean : (1) lonely, left alone, a barren state
Ex : The kidnappers took the victim to a desolate building.
Mean : (2) to be overwhelmed with grief
Ex : She was desolated by the death of her husband.
Syn : Abandoned; Derelict; Deserted; Forlorn; Forsaken; Lorn
Ant : Crowded; Inhabited; Mobbed; Populated
Syn : Bereft; Despondent; Dolorous; Gloomy; Melancholy;
Somber; Wretched
Ant : Cheerful; Comforted; Happy
RW : Desert; Solitary; Solitude
DESPISE (v)
Cue : D E S P I S E . de down + spic/spec look . look
down upon
Mean : to feel a strong dislike for someone or something because
you think it is bad or worthless
Ex : Discrimination ought to be despised.
Syn : Abhor; Abominate; Contemn; Detest; Disdain; Loathe;
Revile; Scorn; Vile
Ant : Admire; Appreciate; Cherish; Esteem; Praise
RW : Conspicuous; Despicable; Perspicacious; Suspicious
DESPONDENCY (n)
Cue : D E S P O N D E N C Y . de down + spond promise
. having no promise/ hope
Mean : loss of courage or hope; dejection
Ex : Dont let failure fill you with despondency.
Syn : Despair; Desperation; Doldrums; Gloom; Melancholy
Ant : Delight; Joy
RW : Respond
DESULTORY (adj)
Cue : D E S U L T O R Y . de down/ from + sal / sult leap/
jump
Mean : moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
Ex : The previous session of Parliament carried on a dull and
desultory conversation.
Syn : Aimless; Capricious; Disconnected; Discursive; Erratic;
Irregular; Stray,
Ant : Methodical; Directed; Focused; Guided; Planned; Purposeful;
Resolute; Systematic

24

RW : Assault (a violent attack, either physical or verbal); Insult;

Salient; Somersault (an acrobatic
stunt: often used figuratively, as of a complete reversal of opinion,
sympathies, etc)
DTENTE (n)
Cue : French expression . de away + tend/ tent/ tens
stretch . to loosen/ release
Mean : a lessening of tension or hostility, esp. between nations, as
through treaties, trade agreements,
etc
Ex : The detente between India and Pakistan augured well for the
success of SAARC Summit.
Syn : Rapprochement
RW : Contentious; Entente (an understanding or agreement
between nations); Tendentious
(characterized by a deliberate tendency, advancing a definite point
of view); Tentative
DETRACTION (n)
Cue : D E T R A C T I O N . de away + tract pull/ drag . to
take or draw away
Mean : to take away, to make something less valuable or less
deserving of admiration
Ex : (i) No writer of worth can brook the detraction of his creativity
by the critics.
(ii) Her bad moods detract from her charm.
Syn : Calumny; Derogation
RW : Attract; Contract; Protracted; Tractor
DEVIOUS (adj)
Cue : D E V I O U S . de off, from + via road . out of the
way
Mean : (1) not in a straight path; roundabout
Ex : to avoid the city centre, he took a devious route.
Mean : (2) not straightforward or frank; dishonest
Ex : His devious ways brought him into disrepute.
Syn : (1) Circuitous; Meandering; Roundabout; Tortuous; Winding
(2) Crafty; Cunning; Diabolic; Furtive; Sly; Stealthy
RW : Deviate; Via
DEVOLVE (n)
Cue : D E V O L V E . de from/down + volve roll
Mean : to roll down, to pass on to others
Ex : Under the system of Panchayati Raj, authority and
responsibility is devolved to the lowest
rung of elected representative.
Syn : Assign; Delegate
RW : Devolution; Involve
DEXTEROUS (adj)
Cue : D E X T E R O U S . dexter right hand
Mean : skilled in using ones hands, body or mind
Ex : The dexterous plastic surgeon put the mutilated facial
contours of the accident victim into
original shape.
Syn : Adept; Adroit; Agile; Deft; Skillful
Ant : Clumsy; Gauche (n gaucherie)
RW : Ambidextrous
DICTUM (n)
Cue : D I C T U M . dict to say, pronounce
Mean : an authoritative saying, statement or pronouncement
Ex : Students have to follow the dictums of the authorities.
RW : Contradict; Dictation; Dictator; Diction (style of speaking
or writing); Edict; Interdict; Predict;
Verdict
DIDACTIC (adj)
Cue : D I D A C T I C . dac/dens teach/learn/wisdom
Mean : (1) intended to teach, especially in a way that is too
determined or eager, and often fixed and
unwilling to change

VOCABULARY BUILDER

(2) intended to teach people a moral

Ex : Teachers must often moderate their didactic approach to
make learning more exciting.
Syn : Academic; Pedantic
RW : Indoctrinate; Prudence (capable of exercising sound
judgment in matters of ones own interests)
DIFFIDENCE (n)
Cue : D I F F I D E N C E . dif (prefix DIS3: used before f) away
+ fid 'trust . distrusting
oneself
Mean : lack of self-confidence
Ex : Diffidence is sure to mar your chances of selection in the
interview.
Syn : Hesitance; Reticence; Shyness; Timidity
Ant : Boldness; Confidence
RW : Affidavit; Confidence; Fidelity; Fiduciary (trustee); Infidel
DILETTANTE (n)
Cue : D I L E T T A N T E . an amateur who is into something for
delight /out of superficial interest
Mean : a dabbler in art, science or literature; not professional
Ex : A.R. Rehman has proved that he is not a dilettante.
Syn : Amateur; Tyro
DILUVIUM (n)
Cue : D I L U V I U M . di away + luv/lave to wash . wash
away
Mean : inundation or flood
Ex : The diluvium left the city submerged for days.
RW : Antediluvian; Dilution; Diluvial (pertaining to flood or
deluge); Divulge; Lavatory
DINGY (adj)
Cue : D I N G Y . relate to dung . dark, dull and stale like dung
Mean : lacking brightness/cheer, dull
Ex : The dingy atmosphere at home was stifling for the extrovert
boy.
Syn : Dinghy (a small boat carried on a ship)
DIPSOMANIA (n)
Cue : D I P S O M A N I A . dipsa thirst + mania morbid
thirst for alcohol
Mean : an irresistible urge/craving for an intoxicating drink / alcohol
Ex : Dipsomania ruins your health, wealth and character.
DISCOMFIT (v)
Cue : Probably a corrupted form of discomfort . to confuse,
confound, frighten and drive away
Mean : (1) disconcert (confuse)
(2) frustrate the plans
(3) defeat
Ex : The strategy will discomfit the competitor.
RW : Discombobulate (disconcert); Discomfiture; Discommode
(to cause botheration);
Discompose (upset the composure)
DISCORD (n)
Cue : D I S C O R D . dis apart + cor heart
Mean : disagreement, disharmony, non-conformity
Ex : The discord between the two brothers ultimately led to their
separation.
Syn : Dissonance; Strife
Ant : Agreement; Harmony
RW : Accord; Concord; Cordial
DISCRETE (adj)
Cue : D I S C R E T E . dis used as an intensifier + cretus
/cern separate
,mMean : separated, distinct, detached
Ex : Brain is divided into two discrete hemispheres.
RW : Criterion; Discreet (prudent, discerning, judicious);
Discretion

25

DISDAIN (n)
Cue : D I S D A I N . dis + deign/dign worth
Mean : treat with contempt, scorn
Ex : Dont treat your rivals with disdain.
Ant : Deign; Dignified
RW : Condign (well deserved); Dignified
DISGORGE (v)
Cue : D I S G O R G E . dis + gorge throat / gullet
Mean : (1) to force out through the throat, vomit
(2) to force to give up
Ex : He disgorged the entire food when the plane took off.
Syn : Eject; Regurgitate; Throw up
RW : Gorge (throat, deep chasm, canyon); Gorgeous (elegant
but originally jewelry adorning
the neck); Gurgle
DISINGENUOUS (adj)
Cue : D I S I N G E N U O U S . dis + in + gen produce
Originally, not native, not indigenous; later not with the virtues of
natives i.e. deceitful
Mean : crafty, lacking in candor, not straight forward
Ex : Women often encounter disingenuous people in the film world.
Ant : Candid; Frank; Nave; Sincere
RW : Congenital; Generous; Genetics; Genial
DISORIENT (v)
Cue : D I S O R I E N T . dis away + orient east /earliest .
to turn away from the east
Mean : to cause to lose ones perception, bearings
Ex : The accident victim did not suffer serious injury, but looked
dazed and disoriented.
Syn : Befuddle; Confound; Confuse; Disconcert; Perplex
RW : Orientation

DISPORT (v)
Cue : D I S P O R T . dis away + port carry . to carry away
(mind) from serious matters
Mean : amuse, frolic
Ex : People disport themselves in the New Year revelry.
RW : Importune (excessively persistent); Purport; Sport
(diversion, amusement, play)
DISQUISITION (n)
Cue : D I S Q U I S I T I O N . qu / quis to seek/ask . originally
a subject of investigation, later, a
long speech
Mean : a formal discourse or treatise in which a subject is
examined and discussed
Ex : The commission of inquiry delivered the operative part of its
findings, but sought an extension for
submission of detailed disquisition.
Syn : Dissertation
RW : Acquisition; Exquisite; Inquisition; Perquisite; Requisite
DISRUPT (v)
Cue : D I S R U P T . rupt break/split . to cause to split or
divide
Mean : to disturb orderly course and cause turmoil
Ex : Some of the back benchers were hell-bent to disrupt the
meeting.
RW : Interrupt; Rupture
DISSECT (v)
Cue : D I S S E C T . dis apart + sect cut
Mean : to cut apart
Ex : Frogs are used for dissection by medical students.
Syn : Anatomize; Dismember
RW : Bisect; Insect; Intersection; Section

DISPARAGE (v)
Cue : D I S P A R A G E . dis + parage rank/parity
Mean : to lower in esteem by insinuation / belittle
Ex : It is not uncommon to see people disparaging rivals.
Syn : Discredit; Underrate
Ant : Extol; Magnify; Praise
RW : Apartheid; Disparate (basically different/unrelated);
Disparity; Par; Peer

DISSEMBLE (v)
Cue : D I S S E M B L E . dis + semble
Mean : to conceal the true nature /character; to present a false
appearance
Ex : In the face of sustained interrogation, the prisoner could not
dissemble and broke down.
Syn : Camouflage; Disguise; Dissimulate; Feign; Pretend
RW : Assemble; Resemblance; Resemble

DISPEL (v)
Cue : D I S P E L . dis apart + pel drive / push. drive/push
apart
Mean : cause to vanish, drive away
Ex : Education dispels ignorance.
RW : Compel; Expel; Impel

DISSOLUTE (adj)
Cue : D I S S O L U T E . solute to loosen up . of loose conduct
Mean : loose in morals, conduct
Ex : The profligate and dissolute characterization in films has
deleterious effect on young minds.
Syn : Debauched; Licentious; Profligate
RW : Dissolution; Resolute; Solvent

DISPENSATION (n)
Cue : D I S P E N S A T I O N . dis - used as an intensifier +
pend weight / pay. grant weight
/ permission
Mean : (1) dispensing /distribution
(2) a system or arrangement
Ex : (i) Dispensation of medicines.
(ii) Feeling suffocated under the new dispensation of the company,
some of the older and
loyal employees felt obliged to quit.
RW : Compensation; Depend; Indispensable; Pendant
DISPERSION (n)
Cue : D I S P E R S I O N . dis apart + sper scatter
Mean : scattering, diffusion
Ex : Standard deviation is a measure of dispersion of data from the
centre.
Ant : Collection; Combination
RW : Diaspora (any scattering of people with a common origin,
background, beliefs, etc); Sparse;
Sprout

VOCABULARY BUILDER

DISSONANCE (n)
Cue : D I S S O N A N C E . dis apart + sonus sound
Mean : lack of harmony or agreement
Ex : The dissonance of views between the two brothers led to the
split up of the company.
Syn : Discord; Incongruity
RW : Resonance
DISTEND (v)
Cue : D I S T E N D . dis out/apart + tend stretch . to
stretch out
Mean : to expand, swell out
Ex : The excision of appendicitis involves surgical removal of the
distended end of large intestine.
Syn : Bloat
Ant : Contract; Shrink
RW : Distend; Extend; Tensile; Tension
DIVERT (v)
Cue : D I V E R T . di + vert/vers turn
Mean : distract from a course, direction

26

Ex : Due to foggy conditions in winter, the air traffic often gets

diverted.
Syn : Deflect; Detract
RW : Advertisement (that turns prospective clients towards your
product); Ambivert; Controversy;
Divagate (di + vag/wander . to wander / stray/digress in speech);
Diverse; Divorce (legal
separation from spouse); Extrovert; Introvert
DOCILE (adj)
Cue : D O C I L E . doc to teach
Mean : readily taught, easy to manage, obedient, submissive
Ex : She is well-mannered and docile by nature.
Syn : Complaisant; Compliant; Malleable; Meek; Pliant
Ant : Obstinate
RW : Decent; Docket (agenda/ list of legal cases); Doctrinaire
(dogmatic); Doctrine; Document
DOGGED (adj)
Cue : D O G G E D . like a dog (not giving in readily, like a dog)
Mean : determined, stubborn, persistent, tenacious, diligent
Ex : He is working doggedly for his CAT examination.
RW : Crabbed (intricate ill-tempered like a crab); Shrewish (illtempered like a shrew); Wicked (from
witch)
DOLOROUS (adj)
Cue : D O L O R O U S . dolor grief, suffering, sorrow
Mean : very sad, mournful, gloomy
Ex : He put an end to his own dolorous existence by committing
suicide.
Syn : Condolence; Doleful; Melancholy
RW : Doldrums (wretchedness); Dole (charity/ allowance to
relieve suffering); Doleful
DOMINEER (v)
Cue : D O M I N E E R . domin lord
Mean : to lord it over
Ex : The domineering attitude of the union leader was resented by
the workmen.
RW : Domain (sphere of influence); Dominate; Dominion (self
governing colony)
DORMANT (adj)
Cue : D O R M A N T . dorm to sleep
Mean : quiet, still, inactive, at rest
Ex : Mt. Etna has been lying dormant for a long time now, not
spewing any lava.
Syn : Idle; Inactive
RW : Dormer (window set upright in a sloping roof originally
window of a sleeping room); Dormitory
community sleeping chamber)
DOTE (v)
Mean : (1) to be excessively (even foolishly) in love
(2) to be childish/ weak-minded out of age
Ex : People tend to dote on their grandchildren.
RW : Anecdote; Antidote; Dotage (foolish, affection, senility);
Dotard (n imbecile, doddering old
person)
DOWER (n)
Cue : D O W E R . dow to be worthy/ giving
Mean : the portion of a deceased husbands property passed on to
the widow
Ex : Brothers of the deceased tried to block transfer of dower to
the name of the widow.
RW : Doughty (resolute); Dowager (a woman who holds dower, a
lady of high social position);
Dowdy (shabby, unfashionable esp. a woman); Dowry; Endow

Cue : D O X O L O G Y . dox glory/ praise + logos

speaking
Mean : a hymn of praise to God
Ex : Her repertoire of doxology is impressive.
DUBIOUS (adj)
Cue : D U B I O U S . du two . taken to be two
Mean : causing doubt, ambiguity, suspicion
Ex : The dubious credentials of some of the politicians will make
interesting scoop material.
RW : Doubt; Dub; Dubiety (uncertainty); Indubitable
DULCET (adj)
Cue : D U L C E T . duleis sweet
Mean : sweet sounding, melodious, pleasant to the ear
Ex : The urbanites are so used to shrill noise that they have almost
forgotten the dulcet cooing of the
birds.
RW : Dulcify (mollify, appease); Dulcimer (an old stringed
musical instrument); Dulcinea (ladylove,
sweetheart)
DURESS (n)
Cue : D U R E S S . dure hard/ severe
Mean : coercion, intimidation, constraint
Ex : Signatures obtained under duress are rendered null and void
in a court of law.
Ant : Free will; Volition; Voluntary
RW : Dour; Durable; Durance (long confinement); Endure
DYSPEPSIA (n)
Cue : D Y S P E P S I A . dys impairment + pepsis
digestion
Mean : impaired digestion
Dyslexia: (dys + lexis) . impaired reading
Dysphagia: (dys + phag to eat) . impaired swallowing
Dysphasia: impaired speaking/ understanding of words due to
lesion in brain
Dysphonia: (dys + phon/sound) . impaired speech due to
hoarseness
Dysphoria: a generalized feeling of ill-being; esp., an abnormal
feeling of anxiety, discontent,
physical discomfort
Dyspnea: dys (impaired) + pneuma (air/ breath) . shortness of
breath
Dysthymia: dys + thym (spirit) . feeling of depression/
despondency
Dystrophy: faulty nutrition and hence impaired growth

E
ECCENTRIC (adj)
Cue : E C C E N T R I C . ec out of + centre
Mean : off centre, deviating from the norm, as in conduct; out of
the ordinary; odd
Ex : Hes quite an eccentric with his collection of cats.
Syn : Crotchety; Erratic; Queer; Unconventional
RW : Concentric (having common centre); Epicenter
ECLECTIC (adj)
Cue : E C L E C T I C . ec out of + lectic choose; originally
a group of ancient philosophers
who selected doctrines from every system
Mean : selecting from various sources, made up of material from
various sources; wide-ranging
Ex : (i) He has an eclectic taste in art, ranging from Picasso to M.
F. Hussein.
(ii) The eclectic collection of furniture in her new house was not
matching.
RW : Collect; Elect; Lecture; Predilection (favorable inclination);
Select

DOXOLOGY (n)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

27

ECOLOGY (n)
Cue : E C O L O G Y . eco environment or habitat + logy
study
Mean : the scientific study of the relationships of living things to
one another and to their environment
Ex : The forest fire has been an ecological disaster for the animal
and bird life.
RW : Ecosystem (a biological community of interacting organisms
and their physical environment)
Difference between ecology and environment: Ecology is the
study of living things in

Syn : Audacity; Impudence; Insolence

Ant : Decency; Decorum; Deference; Etiquette; Propriety
RW : Affront; Confront
EFFUSIVE (adj)
Cue : E F F U S I V E . ef out + fus fus is not related to fusion
or joining, instead it implies
fundere pour i.e. pour forth, spread abroad
Mean : expressing excessive emotion in an unrestrained manner;
too demonstrative
Ex : I was embarrassed by their effusive thanks for my small gift.
RW : Confusion; Diffusion; Effusion

EDUCE (n)
Cue : E D U C E . duce to lead or bring to
Mean : to elicit or draw out (usu. from data), extract
Ex : The policemen are trained to educe truth out of criminals.
RW : Adduce (to cite as an example or means of proof in an
argument); Deduce; Reduce; Seduce

EGREGIOUS (adj)
Cue : E G R E G I O U S . e out + greg flock / herd . out of
the herd
Mean : outstanding for undesirable qualities; remarkably bad;
flagrant
Ex : His egregious behaviour brought him into disrepute.
RW : Gregarious (living in herds or flocks; fond of the company of
others; sociable)

EFFACE (v)
Cue : E F F A C E . ef prefix EX: used before f, out of + face
underline
Mean : to destroy the surface of, to erase
Ex : Hitlers attempts at effacement of the Jews finally proved
futile.
Syn : Erase; Obliterate
RW : Deface; Surface
EFFEMINATE (adj)
Cue : E F F E M I N A T E . ef out of + fem female i.e.
make a woman of
Remember it doesnt mean the same as feminine
Mean : having the qualities generally attributed to women, as
weakness, timidity, delicacy, etc.; unmanly;
not virile i.e. of a man or boy, like a woman
Ex : He has quite an effeminate voice for someone so large and
brawny.
RW : Feminine
EFFETE (adj)
Cue : E F F E T E . ef out + fete fetus that has brought
forth offspring, exhausted
Though derived from Latin effetus, applied to women only, its
proper meaning today
is exhausted
Mean : weak or worn out, exhausted
Ex : After years of luxurious life, he has now become effete
Syn : Debilitated; Decadent; Enervated; Spent
EFFLUENT (n)
Cue : E F F L U E N T . ef out + flu flow i.e. to flow out
Mean : something that flows out, especially liquid waste or sewage
Ex : The factory effluents have contaminated our rivers.
RW : Affluent (opposed to effluent, meaning wealthy, prosperous);
Fluent
EFFLUVIUM (n)
Cue : E F F L U V I U M . ef out + flu flow i.e. flowing out
Mean : a real or supposed outflow in the form of a vapor or stream
of invisible particles; noxious odor;
exhalation
Ex : The effluvium of dried fish along Indian beaches causes many
to throw up.
Syn : Emanation; Exhalation; Exhaust; Odor
RW : Note its difference from effluent (effluvium is related to smell
or fumes)
EFFRONTERY (n)
Cue : E F F R O N T E R Y . ef from + front frons actually
implies forehead i.e. putting
forth the forehead, which is being bold, shameless
Mean : unashamed boldness; impudence
Ex : The effrontery of the junior staff was intolerable.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

EGRESS (n)
Cue : E G R E S S . e out + gress/gradi step, go i.e. go out
Mean : exit; the act of going out or forth; emergence
Ex : The egress of the cinema hall is narrow and not well lit.
RW : Regression (going back; return; movement backward);
Retrogression (any retrogressing)
ELEVATE (v)
Cue : E L E V A T E . e out + lev to make light, lift i.e. to
raise
Mean : to lift, raise
Ex : He was elevated to the rank of Major General.
Syn : Ennoble; Exalt
Ant : Depress; Pull down; Suppress
RW : Alleviate (to make less hard to bear; lighten or relieve);
Levee (an embankment built alongside a
river to prevent high water from flooding bordering land); Lever;
Levitate
ELLIPSIS (n)
Cue : ellipse (a regular, oval-shaped figure)
Mean : the leaving out of a word or words from a sentence, usually
represented by three dots in
succession ()
Ex : We use ellipses all the time even if symbolically, such as
using if possible for if it is possible.
RW : Ellipse (oval shaped); Ellipses (plural); Elliptical (having
the form of an ellipse; marked by
omissions in speech or writing)
ELOQUENT (adj)
Cue : E L O Q U E N C E . e out + loqui to speak i.e. to
speak out, utter
Mean : (1) of speech, writing: fluent and persuasive i.e. ability to
speak well
Ex : The defense lawyer made an eloquent plea for his clients
acquittal.
Mean : (2) visibly or vividly expressive
Ex : The pictures were an eloquent reminder of the power of the
tsunami disaster.
Syn : Fluency; Glibness; Volubility
Ant : Inarticulate; Misrepresented; Mumbled; Tongue-tied; Unclear;
Unintelligible
RW : Colloquial (designating or of the words, phrases and idioms
characteristic of
informal speech and writing and does not indicate substandard or
illiterate usage); Loquacious
ELUCIDATE (v)
Cue : E L U C I D A T E . luc light / clear
Mean : to throw light upon, to make clear

28

Ex : The teacher elucidated the theory in such a way that the

concept became clear.
Ant : Obfuscate
RW : Lucid (transparent; clear to the mind); Translucent
EMACIATE (v)
Cue : E M A C I A T E . e out + macies lean i.e. made very
thin and weak
Mean : thin and wasted especially from hunger or illness
Ex : A long serious illness has left her emaciated. But she has
started putting on weight now.
Syn : Atrophied; Degenerated
Ant : Invigorated; Stout
RW : Emasculate (take away masculinity, to effeminate; to take
away all the strength from)
EMBARGO (v)
Cue : E M B A R G O . bar restriction
Mean : an official or government order that forbids trade,
movement of ships, etc i.e. a ban on commerce
or other activity
Ex : The embargo on oil supplies put several countries in a fix.
Syn : Impediment; Prohibition
Ant : Allow; Permit
RW : Disembark; Embark (to put or go on board a ship or an
aircraft; to set out on a new venture)
EMOLLIENT (n)
Cue : E M O L L I E N T . mollis soften
Mean : (1) making soft and supple
(2) having soothing qualities
Ex : Apply an emollient to the sores.
Syn : Balm; Liniment; Salve; Unguent
Ant : Callous; Frangible; Irritant
RW : Mollify
EMPATHY (n)
Cue : E M P A T H Y . em in + pathos feeling i.e.
identification with others feeling
Mean : the ability to imagine how another person is feeling and so
understand his or her emotions
Ex : To be able to empathize with the client results into quality
service.
RW : Apathy; Antipathy; Sympathy
ENAMOUR (v)
Cue : E N A M O U R . amour love
Mean : to inflame with love / charm
Ex : The amorous person felt enamoured with every pretty girl.
RW : Amateur; Amiable; Amicable
ENCIPHER (v)
Cue : E N C I P H E R . cipher a number, a code
Mean : to translate a message into code
Ex : The sensitive information is enciphered before transmission.
Ant : Decipher
RW : Decipher; Encapsulate; Encode
ENCUMBER (v)
Cue : E N C U M B E R . en in + cumb obstruction, barrier
i.e. to hold back motion or action
Mean : (1) to hold back the motion or action of, as with a burden;
hinder
(2) to load or weigh down, as with claims, debts, etc
Ex : The company is encumbered with heavy liabilities, which is
the reason for its poor performance.
Syn : Burden; Hamper; Hinder; Obstruct

. training in a circle, which is implied as general education

Mean : a book or set of books giving information on all or many
branches of knowledge, generally in
articles alphabetically arranged
Ex : Her encyclopedic knowledge makes her excellent at quizzes.
Syn : Almanac
RW : Pedagogue (a teacher; specif. a pedantic, dogmatic
teacher); Pedantic (a narrow-minded
teacher who insists on exact adherence to a set of arbitrary rules);
Pediatrics
ENDEMIC (adj)
Cue : E N D E M I C . en in + dem people i.e. native,
indigenous
Mean : (1) native to a particular country or region: said of plants,
animals and sometimes customs
(2) constantly present in a particular region: said of a disease that
is generally under control
Ex : (i) The endemic disease has put the local authorities on high
alert.
(ii) The problem of pollution is endemic in an industrial city.
Ant : Pandemic
RW : Pandemic (existing in the form of a widespread epidemic
that affects people in many different
countries. AIDS is currently considered to be pandemic) and
epidemic (refers to a disease that
spreads rapidly among many people and then dies out)
ENERVATE (v)
Cue : E N E R V A T E . e out + nerve nerveless, weak
Dont misunderstand it to mean either to energise, invigorate or
to irritate
Mean : to deprive of nerve, vitality or strength
Ex : I was enervated by long illness.
Syn : Debilitate; Enfeeble; Weaken
Ant : Animate; Invigorate; Strengthen
RW : Energize
ENIGMA (n)
Cue : Enigma is to speak in riddles
Mean : anything that is difficult to understand; mystery
Ex : Ive known her since childhood, but she remains an enigma to
me.
Syn : Conundrum; Puzzle; Riddle; Sphinx
RW : Enigmatic
ENNUI (n)
Cue : E N N U I . rhyme it with annoy i.e. weariness due to
prolonged use
Mean : weariness and dissatisfaction resulting from inactivity or
lack of interest; boredom
Ex : The ennui of a long cruise is relieved by shipboard activities.
Syn : Depression; Languidness; Lassitude; Listlessness;
Melancholy; Tedium
Ant : Excitement; Interest; Stimulation
ENSANGUINE (v)
Cue : E N S A N G U I N E . en make + sanguine blood
Mean : to stain with blood; make bloody
Ex : The Victims ensanguined body was found in the kitchen.
RW : Sanguinary (bloody); Sanguine (cheerful and confident,
hopeful)
ENSCONCE (v)
Cue : en (in) + conc (hide/conceal)
Mean : to settle or establish yourself in a comfortable or secure

Ant : Disburden; Unload

RW : Cumbersome; Incumbent; Succumb

place
Ex : He ensconced himself in an armchair.

ENCYCLOPEDIA (n)
Cue : E N C Y C L O P E D I A . en - in + cyclos circle +
pedia education, child-rearing

ENTENTE (n)
Cue : E N T E N T E . en in, at + tent/tend to stretch . to
stretch out for, aim at

VOCABULARY BUILDER

29

Mean : an understanding or agreement, as between nations; a

mutual agreement
Ex : The recent entente between India and Pakistan still holds
strong
Syn : Rapprochement
Ant : Dtente
RW : Dtente (a lessening of tension or hostility, esp. between
nations); Intend; Intent
ENTOMOLOGY (n)
Cue : E N T O M O L O G Y . entomo insects + logy study
Mean : study of insects
Ex : Entomology is part of graduate course in biology.
RW : Dont confuse it with etymology (the study of the history or
derivation of words)
ENUMERATE (v)
Cue : E N U M E R A T E . numeral / counting
Mean : to name one by one, list; to count
Ex : The teacher enumerated the benefits of consistent study.
RW : Innumerable; Supernumerary
ENUNICIATE (v)
Cue : E N U N I C I A T E . rhyme enuncia with pronounce and
announce
Mean : (1) to pronounce words or parts of words clearly
Ex : In elocution classes, we are taught to enunciate with each
syllable of the word carefully.
Mean : (2) to state and explain a plan or principle clearly or
formally
Ex : The government could not enunciate its economic policy.
Syn : (1) Articulate; Pronounce
(2) Announce; Proclaim
Ant : Disclaim; Inarticulate; Mispronounce; Mumble
RW : Denunciation; Renunciation
EPICURE (n)
Cue : From Epicurus - Gr. philosopher: founder of the Epicurean
school, which held that the goal of
man should be a life characterized by serenity of mind and the
enjoyment of moderate pleasure
Mean : a person who takes a special interest in and gets great
pleasure from good food and drink
Ex : Hes a real epicure who knows all the best restaurants in
town.
Syn : Bon vivant; Connoisseur; Gastronome; Gourmand; Gourmet
RW : Epic (a long literary work, full of brave action and
excitement); Epigram (short, witty
composition); Epilogue (concluding section of a work); Epitaph
(inscription in memory, on a
grave)
EQUANIMITY (n)
Cue : E Q U A N I M I T Y . equi even + anim mind / spirit
i.e. evenness of mind and temper
Mean : the quality of remaining calm and undisturbed; evenness of
mind or temper; composure
Ex : The Finance Ministers equanimity in the face of opposition
tirade was creditable.
Syn : Composure; Poise; Serenity
Ant : Agitation; Excitability
RW : Equable (tranquil/ steady); Equilibrium; Equinox (the time
when days and nights are equal);
Equity; Equivocal (ambiguous)
ERGONOMICS (n)
Cue : E R G O N O M I C S . ergo work + nomos
systematized knowledge
Mean : the scientific study of people and their working conditions,
especially done in order to improve
effectiveness
Ex : Ergonomically designed chair has relieved me of my
backache.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

RW : Ergophobia (fear of work)

ERRANT (adj)
Cue : E R R A N T . err wander / go astray
Mean : going astray esp. doing wrong
Ex : The errant bank official should be brought to book.
Syn : Rambling; Straying
Ant : Steady; Unwavering
RW : Aberrant (turning away from what is right, true); Errand (a
trip to carry a message or do a
definite thing, often esp. for someone else); Errata {a list of errors
with their corrections, inserted
on a separate page (errata page) of a published work}; Erratic
(strange); Erroneous; Error
ERUDITE (adj)
Cue : E R U D I T E . e not + rudis rude i.e. one who is
refined, not rude
Mean : having deep and extensive knowledge, scholarly, educated
Ex : The erudite discourses of J. Krishnamurthy are not easily
comprehensible.
Syn : Learned; Scholastic
Ant : Ignorant; Unlettered
RW : Rude; Rudimentary
ESOTERIC (adj)
Cue : E S O T E R I C . eso inner, within . refers to anything
that is inner and occult. Esoteric
originally referred to the secret (vs public) teachings of Greek
philosophers. Esoteric today refers
to anything that is inner
Mean : that is complex and difficult to grasp except by the fewer,
more perceptive or aware
Ex : The esoteric concept of existentialism is not understood by
ordinary beings.
Syn : Abstruse; Arcane; Recondite
Ant : Exoteric (understood by all)
ETHNOLOGY (n)
Cue : E T H N O L O G Y . ethno race / nation + logy
study
Mean : the branch of anthropology that studies comparatively the
cultures of contemporary or recent,
societies or language groups
Ex : Archaeology and ethnology have lots in common.
Syn : Cultural anthropology; Study of customs; Study of mores
RW : Ethnicity; Ethnocentrism (the emotional attitude that ones
own ethnic group, nation, or culture
is superior); Ethos (beliefs of a group)
ETYMOLOGY (n)
Cue : E T Y M O L O G Y . etymos true, real + logy a word,
study i.e. the true sense of a
word
Mean : the study of the origin and history of words, or a study of
this type relating to one particular word
Ex : Etymology is related to lexicology.
RW : Etiology/Aetiology (the philosophical study of causation;
study of the causes of diseases)
EULOGY (n)
Cue : E U L O G Y . eu good, well + logy speaking i.e. to
speak well of
Mean : a speech or piece of writing praising a person or thing,
especially someone who has recently
died or stopped working
Ex : (i) Shakespeares eulogy for his beloved is expressed in his
sonnets.
(ii) No one had imagined that the tone of his speech would be
eulogistic.
Syn : Commendation; Glorification; Laudation; Panegyric
Ant : Denunciation; Malignancy

30

RW : Eugenics (the movement devoted to improving the human

species through the control of
hereditary factors in mating); Euphoria (exaggerated feeling of
happiness); Eureka (expression
of triumph/discovery I found it); Eurhythmics (art of harmonious
body rhythm); Euthanasia
(mercy killing)
EUPHEMISM (n)
Cue : EUPHEMISM . eu good + phem to say, speak i.e. to
use words of good omen
Mean : a mild inoffensive word or phrase used instead of one
thought to be harsh or embarrassing
Ex : (i) Remains is a euphemism for corpse.
(ii) It is a euphemism to say to an employee I am letting you go
rather than to say youre
fired.
EVANESCENT (adj)
Cue : E V A N E S C E N T . vanes vanish + escent starting
to be, being or becoming i.e.
vanishing, tending to fade from sight
Mean : lasting for only a short time, then disappearing quickly and
being forgotten
Ex : Material pleasures are evanescent.
Syn : Ephemeral; Fleeting; Fugacious; Transient
Ant : Longevity
RW : Adolescent; Convalescent; Incandescent (glowing with
heat); Obsolescent; Reminiscent
EVANGELIST (n)
Cue : E V A N G E L I S T . angel Christian mythological
character
Mean : a person who tries to persuade people to become
Christians, often by traveling around and
organizing religious meetings
Ex : Some Christian evangelists have rendered yeoman service to
the tribals.
Syn : Missionary; Preacher; Revivalist; Televangelist
RW : Evangelism (a preaching of, or zealous effort to spread the
gospel); Evangelize (to try to
persuade people to become Christians)
EVOCATIVE (adj)
Cue : E V O C A T I V E . e out + voc/vok to call, summon
Mean : that which calls out or brings up emotions and/or memories
Ex : For me, this sound is evocative of the sea.
Syn : Conjure; Invoke; Summon
RW : Advocate; Avocation (something done in addition to a
principal vocation); Equivocate; Evoke;
Invoke; Vocabulary; Vociferous
EXACERBATE (v)
Cue : E X A C E R B A T E . ex thoroughly + acer sharp /
bitter
Mean : (1) to make more intense or sharp; aggravate (disease,
pain, annoyance, etc)
(2) to exasperate; annoy; irritate
Ex : The police action might exacerbate the already tense
situation.
Syn : Aggravate; Intensify; Worsen
RW : Acerbic (sour/ harsh); Acrid (biting taste or smell);
Acrimonious (bitter)
EXCISION (v)
Cue : E X C I S I O N . ex out + cis cut i.e. cut out, removed
Mean : to remove, especially by cutting
Ex : (i) The dry branches of the plant need excision.
(ii) During a three-hour operation, the tumor was excised from the
patient's brain.
RW : Abscission; Decision; Excise (government tax on certain
goods produced inside a country);
Exorcise (to seek to expel an evil spirit out of); Incision

VOCABULARY BUILDER

EXCORIATE (v)
Cue : E X C O R I A T E . ex out of /off + corium skin i.e.
strip the skin from
Figurative sense would be to denounce, censure
Mean : (1) criticize severely, express a very bad opinion of a book,
play
Ex : Critics excoriated the actor for his bad performance in the film.
Mean : (2) to strip, scratch or rub off the skin of
Ex : Poachers hunt down snakes and mercilessly excoriate them
to manufacture belts and purses.
Syn : (1) Condemn; Criticize; Flay
(2) Abrade; Chafe; Flay
Ant : Acclaim; Commend; Eulogize; Extol; Laud; Praise
EXCRUCIATE (v)
Cue : E X C R U C I A T E . ex thoroughly + crucify related
with cross / suffering i.e. to
torture, crucify
Mean : (1) to cause intense bodily pain to; torture
(2) to subject to mental anguish; torment
Ex : The excruciating tooth ache is unbearable.
RW : Crucification
EX GRATIA (Latin)
Cue : E X G R A T I A . Latin expression - ex out of + gratis
for sake of
Mean : as an act of grace, favour
Ex : The ex gratia payments do not absolve the govt. of the
responsibility for the damages/losses
incurred.
RW : Exempli gratia; Grace; Gratification
EXHUME (v)
Cue : E X H U M E . ex out + humus earth / soil
Mean : (1) to dig out of the earth; disinter
Ex : The police exhumed the body of the dead from the grave.
Mean : (2) to bring to light; disclose; reveal
Ex : The intricacies of the bank scam are yet to be exhumed.
Syn : Disentombed; Disinter; Excavate; Expose; Unearth
Ant : Bury; Inhume; Inter
RW : Humble; Humiliate; Inhume
EXPOUND (v)
Cue : E X P O U N D . ex out + pound to put i.e. to put
forth
Mean : to elaborate, carry forth
Ex : Plato expounded the philosophy of Socrates.
Syn : Delineate; Elucidate; Explicate
RW : Compound; Propound
EXSCIND (v)
Cue : E X S C I N D . ex out + scind to cut off
Mean : to cut off, excise, extirpate
Ex : The doctors had to exscind his limb to save his life.
RW : Abscind; Abscission; Scissors
EXTEMPORANEOUS (adj)
Cue : E X T E M P O R A N E O U S . ex out + tempore
time i.e. offhand, in accordance with
(the needs of) the moment
Mean : without planning or preparation; unrehearsed
Ex : (i) His extemporaneous comments brought forth the wrath of
the boss.
(ii) When you lecture extempore, you do so without notes.
Syn : Ad lib; Impromptu; Spontaneous; Unexpectedly;
Unpremeditated
EXTENUATING (adj)
Cue : E X T E N U A T I N G . ex out + ten stretch/ make
thin i.e. to lessen
Mean : to lessen the seriousness of (an offense, guilt, etc.) by
giving excuses or serving as an excuse

31

Ex : The extenuating circumstances of the crime helped him

secure the bail.
RW : Attenuating
EXTORT (v)
Cue : E X T O R T . ex out + tort twist i.e. to twist or turn
out
Mean : to secure/obtain by threat and/or misuse of authority
Ex : The kidnapping mafia has turned extortion into an industry.
Syn : Extract; Wrench; Wrest
RW : Distort; Retort
EXTRAVAGANT (adj)
Cue : E X T R A V A G A N T . extra beyond + vagant
wander, roam i.e. wander outside or
beyond bounds
Mean : going beyond reasonable limits; excessive or unrestrained
Ex : His extravagant ways have put the entire family into financial
difficulties.
RW : Exorbitant (going beyond what is reasonable, just, proper,
usual; excessive, said esp. of
charges, prices, etc); Extravaganza; Vagaries (unexpected and
uncontrollable events or
changes which have an influence on a situation. Ex : The success
of the event will be
determined by the vagaries of the weather)

F
FACET (n)
Cue : F A C E T . face aspect
Mean : surface or anatomy of an object or various aspects
Ex : (i) His multi faceted personality has put everyone in doubt.
(ii) The facet of a diamond establishes its value in the market.
Syn : Appearance; Demeanor; Form; Perspective
Ant : Core; Interior
FACILE (adj)
Cue : Latin facilis `easy to do'
Mean : done or achieved with little effort or difficulty, resourceful or
expressing yourself readily
Ex : (i) The crisis had put everyone in trouble, when the manager
came up with a facile
solution for a complex problem.
(ii) The politician dazzled everyone with his facile tongue.
Syn : Accomplished; Adept; Articulate; Easy; Effortless; Eloquent;
Fluent; Silver-tongued
Smooth-Spoken
Ant : Arduous; Complicated; Inarticulate; Laborious; Taciturn
FACETIOUS (adj)
Cue : from factie jest
Mean : playful or humorous esp. at an inappropriate time
Ex : Though everyone loved his sense of humor, it was not
appreciated when he interrupted the
serious discussions with his facetious remarks.
Syn : flippant; frivolous; ludicrous; merry; punning; ridiculous
Ant : Formal; Grave; Lugubrious; Serious; Sober; Somber
FACTIOUS (adj)
Cue : Relate it with faction
Mean : arrived at without due care or effort, causing dissension;
quarrelsome
Ex : His factious comments at the press conference worsened the
situation.
Syn : Contentious; Divisive
Ant : Cooperative; Harmonious; Obedient; Tractable
FACTOTUM (n)
Cue : Latin facere to do

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Mean : an employee or assistant who serves in a wide range of

capacities
Ex : Every new employee is treated as a general factotum, running
messages, transferring files
etc. So that he knows the general layout of the office thoroughly.
Syn : Laborer; Maid; Menial; Scullion; Servant; Toiler
FALLACY (n)
Cue : from Latin fallcia deceit
Mean : a false notion, a statement or an argument based on a
false or invalid inference
Ex : (i) It is a fallacy to say that women are dependent on men.
(ii) To say that wealth is everything in life is fallacious.
Syn : Aberration; Ambiguity; Artifice Chicanery; Deception;
Deceptiveness; Delusion; Falsehood
Ant : Accuracy
FALLIBLE (adj)
Cue : Latin fallere - to deceive, (fall + able)
Mean : capable of making an error
Ex : (i) Every human is fallible.
(ii) Human fallibility has caused many disasters.
Syn : Errant; Erring; Faulty; Fallacious
Ant : Correct; Inerrant; Infallible; Perfect; Reliable; Unerring
FALLOW (n)
Mean : cultivated land that is not seeded for one or more growing
seasons
Ex : Leaving the agricultural land fallow for a season restores its
fertility and replenishes the
lost nutrients.
Syn : Hibernating; Inactive; Inert; Unexploited; Unploughed;
Unplowed
Ant : Active; Fertile; Planted; Productive; Prolific
FASCISM (n)
Mean : a political theory advocating an authoritarian hierarchical
government (as opposed to
democracy or liberalism)
Ex : Fascism originated in Italy around 1922, under the rule of
Benito Mussolini.
Syn : Absolutism; Autocracy; Demagogy; Despotism;
Totalitarianism; Tyranny
Ant : Anarchy; Democracy; Republic
FASTIDIOUS (adj)
Cue : F A S T I D I O U S . fastus disdain + tedious
tiresome
Mean : possessing or displaying careful, meticulous attention to
detail, difficult to please
Ex : He writes extremely esoteric music, of which the sound is
fastidiously calculated and yet
agreeably spontaneous and imaginative.
Syn : Choosy; Critical; Finical; Finicky; Fussbudgety; Meticulous
Ant : Indifferent; Sloppy; Uncouth; Uncritical; Undemanding
FECUND (adj)
Mean : capable of producing offspring or vegetation, fruitful or
marked by intellectual productivity
Ex : (i) The breeder was very pleased with fecundity of the new
she-horse he had bought.
(ii) Children have a fecund imagination which needs proper
guidance and direction.
Syn : Breeding; Fertile; Fructiferous; Fruitful; Generating;
Proliferant; Prolific; Propagating;
Reproducing; Rich; Spawning; Teeming
Ant : Barren; Fruitless; Impotent; Infertile; Sterile; Unproductive
RW : Fetus
FERVENT (adj)
Cue : FERVENT . ferv to boil
Mean : having or showing great emotion or zeal or extremely hot,
glowing

32

Ex : Raja Ram Mohan Roy had a fervent desire to change the

outlook of society
Syn : Animated; Ardent; Blazing; Burning; Vivacious.
Ant : Apathetic; Cool; Dispassionate; Dispirited; Indifferent;
Unenthusiastic; Unexcited
RW : Fervency; Fervid; Fervor
FIDELITY (n)
Cue : from Latin fid lis, faithful
Mean : (1) faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances
(2) exact correspondence with a given quality, condition, or event
(3) the degree to which an electronic system accurately
reproduces the sound or image of its
input signal
Ex : (i) The fidelity to ones spouse is a priori in successful
matrimony.
(ii) Each company aims at satisfying its consumers with the fidelity
of its products.
(iii) The high fidelity sound produced by the DJ put everyone in a
dancing mood.
Syn : Allegiance; Fealty; Loyalty
Ant : Infidelity; Treachery; Treason; Unfaithfulness
FILIAL (adj)
Cue : from L. filus "son," filia "daughter"
Mean : of or befitting a son or daughter
Ex : The young boy showered filial love and attention on the old
woman who had no child.
RW : Filicide (the act of killing ones son or daughter)
FILIBUSTER (n)
Cue : Filigrana, filum/fila "thread" stretching like a thread
Mean : (1) delay or prevent legislation or decision by making a
long speech
(2) an adventurer who engages in a private military action in a
foreign country
Ex : The opposition indulged in filibuster tactics to obstruct the
passage of the bill.
Syn : Adjournment; Delay; Hindrance
Ant : Expedite; Hasten; Hurry; Rush; Speed
FILIGREE (n)
Cue : Filigrana, filum/fila "thread" + granum "grain"
Mean : delicate and intricate ornamental work made from gold,
silver, or other fine twisted wire
Ex : The filigree brooch she was wearing attracted a lot of attention
in the party.
Syn : Crochet; Edging; Netting; Tatting; Threadwork
FLABBERGASTED (v)
Cue : F L A B B E R G A S T E D . flabby not firm + aghast
Mean : to cause to be overcome with astonishment, astound
Ex : The world was flabbergasted at the September eleventh
attack on WTC.
Syn : Addled; Aghast; Astonished; Astounded; Awed; Awe-struck;
Baffled
Ant : Clear; Oriented
FLAGELLATE (vt)
Cue : from flagellum "whip"
Mean : (1) to punish or impel as if by whipping
(2) biology: resembling or having the form of a flagellum, whip-like
Ex : (i) Flagellation was widely used for penance by religious
masses in India.
(ii) Flagellate microbes were the earliest formed living organisms.
Syn : Horsewhip; Spank; Strike; Swat; Thrash; Thrash
RW : Flay
FLAGRANT (adj)
Cue : flagare (to burn)
Mean : conspicuously bad, offensive, or reprehensible; or flaming,
blazing

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : A flagrant violation of the suspects civil rights helped him to

gain the jurys sympathy.
RW : Conflagration (con intense + flagare, to burn)
FLAIL (n)
Cue : from flagellum = whip
Mean : (1) a manual threshing device with a free-swinging stick
(2) to beat or strike with or as if with a flail
(3) to wave or swing vigorously
Ex : (i) The trader flailed his horses with the reins.
(ii) The boxers were flailing at each other in the ring.
Syn : Batter; Beat; Blow; Jolt; Knock; Pound; Pummel; Strike;
Swat; Thrash
FLAK (n)
Cue : German, from fl(ieger)a(bwehr)k(anone) - aircraft-defense
gun
Mean : (1) antiaircraft artillery
(2) excessive or abusive criticism or dissension
Ex : (i) As the bomber neared the target, it had to face heavy flak.
(ii) She came in for some heavy flak from her parents for not doing
well in her exams.
Syn : Complaint; Condemnation; Disapprobation; Disapproval;
Disparagement; Grievance
FLEDGLING (n)
Mean : a young bird that has recently acquired its flight feathers or
a young or inexperienced person
Ex : (i) The fledgling chic was tethering on the end of the branch.
(ii) A fledgling business, like a fledgling plant, needs utmost care.
Syn : Callow; Abecedarian; Amateur; Apprentice; Apprentice
Ant : Expert; Master; Veteran
FLOTILLA
Cue : from float and fleet
Mean : a fleet of small craft (or) a group of vehicles owned or
operated as a unit
Ex : The flotilla of fishing boats looked very dramatic against the
setting sun.
Syn : Navy; Squadron; Armada
FLOTSAM
Cue : from float
Mean : (1) Wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has
sunk
(2) Discarded odds and ends (or) vagrant, usually destitute people
Ex : (i) We wandered along the shore, stepping over the flotsam
that had washed up during the
night.
(ii) The homeless sleep in doorways and stations like so much
human flotsam.
RW : Jetsam (Goods thrown to save a ship from sinking)
FLUX
Cue : from flu (flow)
Mean : (1) Continuous change
(2) A discharge of large quantities of fluid
Ex : (i) Our plans are in a state of flux right now.
(ii) The flux from oceanic oil carriers has endangered many
species.
Syn : Oozing; Outflow; Outpouring; Liquefy
Ant : Coagulate; Congeal; Harden; Solidify; Thicken
RW : Influx; Reflux; Fluxion; Fluxional or Fluxionary
FOIL
Cue : from Latin folium "leaf", folia leaves"
Mean : (1) To prevent from being successful; thwart
(2) A thin, flexible leaf or sheet of metal
(3) The reflective metal coating on the back of a glass mirror
Ex : (i) The prisoners attempt to escape was foiled when police
received a tip off.
(ii) Silver foil on a looking glass enhances the quality.
RW : Foliage (cluster of leaves); Hydrofoil

33

FOMENT
Cue : from L. fomentum "warm application, poultice"
Mean : (1) To promote the growth of; incite.
(2) to treat with moist heat (as for easing pain)
Ex : (i) Politicians often foment trouble for their own vested
interests.
(ii) We use hot and cold fomentation to relieve pains.
Syn : Agitate; Arouse; Inflame; Instigate; Kindle
Ant : Quell; Repress; Suppress; Calm; Lull; Pacify; Quiet
FORE
Cue : before
Mean : Located at or toward the front; (or) earlier in order of
occurrence; former (or) a prefix
Ex : Various ecological issues have come to the fore since the
discovery of hole in the ozone
layer.
RW : Forecast; Forecastle; Forefront; Foreground; Foreman;
Foremost; Forerunner;
Foresee; Forestall; Afore; Before; Forbear; Forelegs
FORSAKE
Cue : for + sake (purpose)
Mean : (1) To leave someone especially when he needs you
(2) To leave altogether; abandon
Ex : (i) People who pretend to be your friend forsake you as soon
you face troubles in your life.
(ii) Gautam Budh decided to forsake his kingdom for the search of
truth and wisdom.
Syn : abdicate; renounce; abjure; desert; deviate
Ant : adopt; cherish; claim; continue; defend; keep; maintain;
possess; pursue; retain
RW : Forswear (To swear falsely; commit perjury)
FORTE
Cue : fortis, sturdy, strong - The strong part of a sword blade,
between the middle and the hilt
Mean : Something in which a person excels
Ex : I think cooking is not my forte.
Syn : aptitude; adroitness
Ant : Fatal Flaw; Weak Point; Weakness Incapability;
Incompetence
FORTITUDE
Cue : from fortis "strong, brave"
Mean : strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity
with courage
Ex : He showed remarkable fortitude even in the face of severe
adversity.
Syn : Endurance; Perseverance; Grit; Guts; Stamina
Ant : Cowardice; Powerlessness; Spinelessness; Timidity;
Weakness
FORTUITOUS
Cue : "by chance"
Mean : Happening by accident or chance
Ex : The collapse of its rivals brought fortuitous gains to the
company.
Syn : impromptu; improvised; impulsive; incidental
Ant : Determined; Directed; Focused; Goal-Oriented; Guided;
Motivated; Planned; Pointed;
Purposeful; Resolute
FRACAS
Cue : from fracassare, to make uproar
Mean : A noisy, disorderly fight or quarrel; a brawl
Ex : He was badly injured in Saturday night fracas outside a disco.
Syn : Altercation; Bickering; Brawl; Squabbling; Tangle; Trouble;
Tumult; Turmoil
FRUGAL
Cue : related to fruit, sense evolved as profitable to economical
Mean : Costing little; inexpensive (or) avoiding waste

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : A frugal meal of soup and bread was all he could afford.

Syn : Conserving; Discreet; Meager; Moderating; Restraining;
Calculating; Cautious
Ant : Extravagant; Spendthrift; Wasteful
FUGACIOUS
Cue : from stem of fugere "run away, flee"
Mean : passing away quickly; evanescent (or) withering or
dropping off early, as in flowers
Ex : The rose is fugacious; it does not even bloom for a week.
Syn : Fleeting; Brief; Evanescent; Fleeting; Flitting
Ant : Tangible; Enduring; Eternal; Everlasting; Lasting
RW : Fugitive
FULSOME
Cue : full + some
Mean : Originally offensively flattering or insincere now also
abundant
Ex : The guests were in fulsome praise about the food at the Hotel.
Syn : (in the sense of insincere) Buttery; Oily; Oleaginous;
Smarmy; Unctuous; Fawning;
Flattering; Glib

G
GADFLY (n)
Cue : GADFLY . gad restless +fly as in flies
Mean : (1) persistent irritating critic; a nuisance
Ex : The child was a gadfly who couldnt be satisfied with anything
he was given.
Mean : (2) one that acts as a provocative stimulus; a goad
Ex : Her taunting nature aptly explains her nickname - gadfly
Mean : (3) any of various flies that bite or annoy livestock and
other animals
Ex : Gadflies are a source of trouble for cattle during summers.
RW : Gadabout (a person who moves aimlessly or restlessly)
GAFF (n)
Cue : old French gaffe "boat hook"
Mean : (1) an iron hook with a handle; used for landing large fish
Ex : He used a gaff to fish in the stream.
Mean : (2) a blatant mistake or misjudgment
(3) a clumsy social error
Ex : His tactless remark in front of the mourning family was a real
gaff.
RW : Gaffe (a blunder or a mistake)
GAINSAY (v)
Mean : (1) to oppose, especially by contradiction
(2) to declare false, deny
Ex : Parents often need to gainsay the desires of teenagers so as
to inculcate responsible
behavior in them.
Syn : Confute; Contradict; Contravene; Deny; Negate; Oppose;
Repudiate
Ant : Affirm; Attest; Prove
GALUMPH (v)
Cue : Perhaps blend of gallop, and triumph
Mean : to move or run clumsily or heavily
EX : The giant turtles galumphed around in their pen
Syn : Plod; Stump
GALVANIZE (v)
Cue : French galvaniser, after Luigi Galvani (he was the first to
discover that nerve cell and
muscle produce electricity)
Mean : (1) to stimulate to action
Ex : Western charities were galvanized into action by TV pictures
of earthquake-hit regions.

34

Mean : (2) to cover with zinc

(3) to stimulate (muscles) by administering a shock
Ex : After being hit by the whip, the horse galvanized to a gallop.
Syn : Animate; Arouse; Jazz up; Jolt; Motivate; Pep up; Perk up;
Pique
Ant : Dampen; Deflate; Depress; Discourage; Dishearten; Dispirit
GAMBOL (n)
Cue : from gambate to leap around
Mean : to leap about playfully; frolic
Ex : Lambs were gamboling about in the spring sunshine.
Syn : Cavort; Disport; Frisk; Frolic; Lark; Rollick; Romp; Skylark
GARGANTUAN (adj)
Cue : After the amiable giant king in a 16th century satirical novel
Gargantua
Mean : of immense size, volume, or capacity, gigantic
Ex : An elephant has a gargantuan appetite.
Syn : Elephantine; Giant; Jumbo; Leviathan; Mammoth; Massive;
Monstrous
Ant : Insignificant; Lilliputian; Microscopic; Minute; Pocket-sized;
Small; Tiny
GARGOYLE (n)
Cue : G A R G O Y L E . Somewhat related to gargle + yle
Mean : (1) a grotesque ornamental figure or projection with a long
neck / spout for throwing rainwater
clear of a building
(2) a person of bizarre or grotesque appearance
Ex : Gargoyles can be often found on the rooftops of old church
buildings.
GARNER (n)
Cue : variant of granary
Mean : (1) to gather and store in or as if in a granary
Ex : Squirrels garner nuts and various tit bits for winters.
(2) to amass, acquire
Ex : NASA garnered sufficient information about planet Sedna or
VB12.
Syn : Accumulate; Amass; Gather; Heap; Hoard; Stash; Stow
Ant : Disburse; Disperse; Dissipate; Divide; Scatter; Spend
GARNISH (n)
Cue : G A R N I S H . garnir to provide/protect
Mean : to provide with something ornamental (or) to bring
garnishment proceedings
Ex : Garnish the dish with condiments.
RW : Garnishee (a third party who has been notified that money
or property in his or her hands but
belonging to a defendant has been attached by legal writ);
Garniture (adornment)
GARRULOUS (adj)
Cue : From garrire to chatter
Mean : (1) full of trivial conversation (2) Wordy and rambling
Ex : Garrulous children often attract attention and win over hearts
easily.
Syn : Babbling; Chatty; Effusive; Flap jaw; Gabby; Loquacious
Ant : Inhibited; Laconic; Quiet; Reserved; Restrained; Silent;
Withdrawn
GASCON (adj)
Mean : (1) Native of Gascony, a region in France inhabitants of
which were known for their
boastfulness
(2) A boastful person; a braggart
Ex : Whenever he won we were exposed to his gasconade.
Syn : Boaster; Brag; Braggadocio; Egotist
RW : Gasconade (boastful talk, show off)
GASTRONOME (n)
Cue : G A S T R O N O M E . Gastro stomach

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Mean : a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment

(especially good food and drink)
Ex : (i) Being a gastronome he insisted on a five course meal daily.
(ii) The dish was a gastronomic delight.
Syn : Bon vivant; Epicure; Epicurean; Gourmet
RW : Gastritis; Gastroenteritis; Gastroenterology; Gastrology;
Gastronomist (n); Gastronomy
(the science of good eating, or a particular style of cooking);
Gastroscopy; Gastrotomy
GAUCHE (adj)
Cue : from Fr. Gauche = "awkward, tactless"
Mean : Lacking social polish; tactless
Ex : "The excellent manners followed by the rich always make me
feel gauche"
Syn : Gawky; Graceless; Uncouth; Uncultivated; Uncultured
Ant : Adroit; Agile; Coordinated; Dexterous; Graceful;
Sophisticated
RW : Gaucherie
GENE (n)
Cue : from Greek genos "birth, race"
Mean : (1) a segment of DNA that is involved in producing a
polypeptide chain; it is considered a unit
of heredity
(2) also a suffix, variant of -gen, -genous, -geny, -gony: bearing,
producing, giving birth,
producer
Ex : Mental retardation is believed to be caused by a defective
gene.
RW : Genealogy (study of complete family ancestry); Genera (pl
of genus); Generic; genre
(belonging to a class (or) a genus); Genetics (study of heredity);
Genocide (mass killing of a
particular kind); Genome (full DNA set of a human); Genotype
(group of organisms sharing a
specific genetic constitution); Genus (species)
GENESIS (n)
Cue : Related to genos race, birth, descent
Mean : (1) the coming into being of something; the origin
(2) even used as a suffix which means origin; production
Ex : Research on genesis of cancer has raised more questions
than answers.
Syn : Alpha; Birth; Commencement; Creation
Ant : Conclusion; End; Ending; Expiration; Finish; Termination
RW : Biogenesis (the production of living organisms from other
living organisms); Parthogenesis
[partho (virgin) + genesis; birth without fertilization]; Pathogenesis
(the origination and
development of a disease); Teratogenesis [the development of
defects in an embryo]);
Xenogenesis [the alternation of two or more different forms in the
life cycle of a plant or
animal])
GENIAL (adj)
Cue : Greek geneion chin
Mean : (1) of or relating to the chin or median part of the lower jaw
Ex : In the accident he suffered a fracture in the genial region.
Mean : (2) having a pleasant or friendly disposition or manner
Ex : His genial and pleasant manner made him popular among his
employees.
Mean : (3) conducive to life, growth, or comfort
Ex : The genial climate of Shimla worked wonders with his health.
Syn : Affable; Agreeable; Amiable
Ant : Cold; Disdainful; Grumbling; Grouchy; Impolite; Miserable;
Unfriendly
RW : Congenial (suitable to your needs)
GENITOR (n)
Cue : From generator
Mean : (1) a natural father or mother

35

(2) one who produces or creates

EX : Genitors take care of their progeny till they are grown up
enough to sustain themselves.
RW : Primogenitor (the earliest ancestor); Progenitor (an
ancestor in the direct line); Progeny
GENUFLECT (v)
Cue : G E N U F L E C T . Genu knee + Flectere bend
Mean : to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground,
as in worship
Ex : People often genuflect in front of an altar while praying in a
church.
Syn : Bow; Buckle; Camber; Careen; Court; Crouch; Grovel
(prostrate)
Ant : Align; Square; Straighten
GEOLOGY (n)
Cue : G E O L O G Y . Geo earth + logy speech/study
Mean : the science dealing with the physical nature and history of
the earth
Ex : The science of Geology has taken rapid strides over the past
few decades.
RW : Geode (a hollow rock or nodule with the cavity usually lined
with crystals); Geodesic /
Geodesy (the branch of geology that studies the shape of the
earth); Geophagy
(eating earth or clay or chalk); Geography; Geocentric;
Geopolitical
GERMANE (adj)
Cue : Of the same seed or embryo, of the same blood
Mean : having close kinship and appropriateness
Ex : "The manager asked questions that were germane and
central to the labor problem issue"
Syn : Applicable; Apt; Material; Proper; Related; Relevant
Ant : Impertinent; Inapplicable; Irrelevant; Unsuitable
RW : Germicide (an agent that destroys microorganisms that
might carry disease); Germinal
(containing seeds of later development); Germinate (cause to
grow or sprout)
GERONTOCRACY (n)
Cue : G E R O N T O C R A C Y . Geronto old + cracy rule
Mean : government based on rule by elders
Ex : Gerotocracy is now present only in households where joint
families stay.
RW : Gerontology (science dealing with aging)
GERRYMANDER (v)
Cue : Early 19th century. Blend of Elbridge Gerry + Salamander,
from the shape of an electoral
district he created to favor his own party
Mean : to divide (a geographic area) into voting districts so as to
give unfair advantage to one party in
elections
Ex : The boundary changes were denounced as blatant
gerrymandering by the opposition party.
GESTATE (v)
Cue : from Latin gestare to carry in womb
Mean : (1) to carry within the uterus from conception to delivery
(2) to conceive and develop in the mind as in plans and thoughts
Ex : (1) The Asiatic Elephant has the longest gestation period of
608 days.
(2) Disaster Management, as a plan had a gestation period of
almost 10 years in India.
Syn : Anticipating; Expectant; Fecund; Fertile; Hopeful; Pregnant
GILD (v)
Cue : From old English gylden gold covered with gold
Mean : (1) decorate with, or as if with, gold leaf or liquid gold
(2) a formal association of people with similar interests (also guild)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : The famous gilded temple of Amritsar attracts a huge number

of tourists each day.
Mean : (3) to give an often deceptively attractive or improved
appearance to
Syn : Adorn; Aureate; Aurify; Beautify; Garnish; Glamorize
Ant : Disfigure; Mar; Spoil; Whitten
RW : Gilt-edged (of the highest quality or value as if gold-edged)
GIRTH (n)
Cue : Variant of girdle = belt on the horse
Mean : (1) the distance around something; the circumference
Ex : The trees girth is more than a meter.
Mean : (2) strap encircling an animal's body in order to secure a
load or saddle on its back, a cinch
(3) the distance around a person's body
EX : If the girth is not secured properly, the rider is in the risk of
slipping while riding the horse.
Syn : Amplitude; Area; Breadth; Broadness; Diameter; Expanse;
Span
Ant : Inside; Interior; Leanness; Loosen; Middle; Unfasten
GLEAN (v)
Cue : From L.L. glennare make a collection
Mean : (1) to gather grain left behind by reapers
Ex : The gleaners provide an enriched fodder for the cattle.
Mean : (2) to collect bit by bit
Ex : The project reports have been prepared on hard core facts
gleaned from various
anonymous sources.
Syn : Accumulate; Amass; Garner; Gather; Reap
Ant : Disperse; Dissemble; Forgo; Scatter; Separate
RW : Gleaner (the person who gleans)
GLIB (adj)
Cue : Short form from old German, gliberrig slippery
Mean : (1) performed with a natural, offhand ease
(2) showing little thought, preparation, or concern
Ex : The politicians glib answers on latest scandals could not
convince his party members.
Syn : Adept; Adroit; Articulate; Easy; Eloquent
GLUT (v)
Cue : From O.Fr. gloter to swallow, gulp down
Mean : (1) to eat or indulge in something excessively
Ex : The vultures glutted themselves when the predator had its fill
on the prey.
Mean : (2) an oversupply
Ex : Today brand names for various household utilities are in a glut
in the market.
Syn : Excess; Nimiety; Oversupply; Plenitude; Superabundance;
Surplus
Ant : Dearth; Deficiency; Insufficiency; Lack; Shortage
RW : Glutton (one who eats a lot); Gluttony (habit of overeating)
GNOME (n)
Cue : From L. gnomus
Mean : (1) legendary creature resembling a tiny old man, lives in
the depths of the earth and guards
buried treasure
(2) a short pithy saying expressing a general truth
Ex : Gnomes are often known to all of us but we do little to follow
them.
Syn : Adage; Aphorism; Axiom; Catchphrase; Dictum; Dwarf ling;
Dwarf; Elf; Epithet; Gnomic
saying; Lilliputian; Midget; Proverb
Ant : Giant
RW : Gnomist (a writer of aphorisms); Gnomology (a collection of
anthology or aphorisms)
GORGE (n)
Cue : gurges gullet, throat, jaws
Mean : (1) a deep narrow passage with steep rocky sides, a ravine
(2) a narrow entrance into the outwork of a fortification

36

(3) the throat, the gullet

(4) instance of gluttonous eating
(5) the contents of the stomach; something swallowed
(6) a mass obstructing a narrow passage
Ex : (i) The gory sight made my gorge rise.
(ii) A shipping lane got blocked by an ice gorge.
(iii) The children who came to the party gorged themselves with
candy.
Syn : Esophagus; Gullet
RW : Gurgle; Ingurgitate
GORY (adj)
Cue : From gore blood
Mean : (1) covered or stained with gore; bloody
(2) full of or characterized by bloodshed and violence
Ex : The gory details of the operation left the listeners weak at their
knees.
Syn : Blood-soaked; Blood-spattered; Bloodstained; Ensanguined;
Hematic
GOSSAMER (n)
Mean : (1) characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy
(2) so thin as to transmit light
Ex : The dew drops have outlined the fine gossamer of the spiders
web.
Mean : (3) a gauze fabric with an extremely fine texture
(4) filaments from a cobweb
Ex : The bride wore a veil of fine gossamer.
Syn : Delicate; Diaphanous; Fibrous; Fine; Flimsy; Light; Silky
Ant : Earthly; Heavy; Indelicate; Opaque; Substantial; Thick
GOURMET (n)
Cue : Originally a variant of glutton, later taken to mean a person
of refined tastes
Mean : (1) a person devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment
(especially good food and drink)
Ex : He is a gourmet when it comes to wine.
Mean : (2) a connoisseur of fine food and drink
Ex : The restaurant is known for its gourmet food.
Syn : Bon vivant; Epicure; Epicurean; Foodie; Gastronome
GRANDILOQUENT (adj)
Cue : G R A N D I L O Q U E N T . grandis great + loqu to
speak
Mean : pompous or bombastic speech or expression
Ex : Though her speech was full of grandiloquent language yet it
contained no new ideas to
impress the board members.
Syn : Aureate; Big-talking; Bombastic; Declamatory; Overblown;
Pompous
Ant : Humble; Quiet; Reserved; Restrained; Subtle; Understated
GRATIS (adj)
Cue : Contraction of gratiis for thanks
Mean : without charge
Ex : Disabled children were taken to the amusement park ex
gratis.
Syn : Complimentary; Freebie; Gratuitous; Unpaid
Ant : Expensive; Fee; For a; Paid; Solicited
RW : Grateful; Gratification; Gratitude; Gratuity
GREGARIOUS (adj)
Cue : From L. gregare herd
Mean : (1) Seeking and enjoying the company of others, sociable
(2) tending to form a group with others of the same kind
Ex : Man is a gregarious animal.
Syn : Affable; Amicable; Neighborly; Outgoing
Ant : Inhibited; Nongregarious; Quiet; Reserved; Restrained;
Silent; Withdrawn
GRIT (n)
Cue : From greot sand, dust, earth, gravel
Mean : (1) minute rough granules, as of sand or stone

VOCABULARY BUILDER

(2) a coarse hard sandstone used for making grindstones and

millstones
(3) indomitable spirit, pluck
(4) to clamp (the teeth) together
(5) to make a grinding noise
(6) to cover with grit
Ex : (i) Roads covered with snowfall and sludge need to be
covered with grit to avoid slipping
of tyres.
(ii) It requires real grit to admit wrongdoing in public.
(iii) He gritted his teeth in silent fury.
Syn : Courage; Determination; Firmness; Fortitude; Gravel; Guts;
Lumps; Pebbles
Ant : Chicken heartedness; Cowardice; Faintheartedness;
Wimpiness
RW : Grits (a coarsely ground corn dish); Gritty (grainy, coarse);
Integrity (complete totality);
Nitty-gritty (crux of a matter)
GROTESQUE (adj)
Cue : from Grotto, caves
Mean : (1) characterized by ludicrous or incongruous distortion, as
of appearance or manner
(2) outlandish or bizarre, as in character or appearance
(3) a work of art executed in this style
Ex : The hall of mirrors showed a grotesque reflection in each
mirror.
Syn : Bizarre; Deformed; Distorted; Freakish; Incongruous; Queer;
Ridiculous; Surrealistic; Weird
Ant : Commonplace; Familiar; Normal; Ordinary; Plain; Prosaic
GROTTO (n)
Mean : (1) a small cave or cavern
(2) an artificial structure or excavation made to resemble a cave or
cavern
Ex : The grotto in Italy is a lovely place to visit.
Syn : Catacomb; Cave; Cavern; Cell; Chamber; Compartment;
Sepulcher; Tomb; Undercroft; Vault
RW : Grot (a small cave)
GRUEL (n)
Cue : From old French, grute = coarse meal, malt
Mean : (1) a thin watery porridge
(2) severe punishment
Ex : (i) Gruel was not enough to sustain them through the severe
winter this year.
(ii) Gruel has been banned in army training programmes.
RW : Grueling (tiring or punishing hard work); Gruesome (horribly
repugnant)
GUBERNATORIAL (adj)
Cue : G U B E R N A T O R I A L . gubernor governor + ial
Mean : of or relating to a governor
Ex : The gubernatorial elections are proposed to be held next
month this year.
GUILLOTINE (n)
Cue : On the name of its inventor J Guillotine
Mean : (1) a device, invented in France, consisting of a sharp
blade in a tall frame which was used in
the past for killing criminals by cutting off their heads
(2) a limit on the amount of discussion allowed about a particular
law in Parliament
Ex : (i) King Louis XVI was executed with a guillotine during the
French revolution.
(ii) The bill was finally discussed under guillotine due to its
controversial nature.
Syn : Assassinate; Behead; Execute; Slaughter
GUNG-HO (adj)
Cue : gng work + he together
Mean : extremely enthusiastic and dedicated

37

Ex : Mrs. Parsons had organized the village fte with her

customary gung-ho zeal.
Syn : Enthusiastic; Self possessed; Sure; Zeal
GUST (n)
Cue : Probably originally in Eng. as a nautical term
Mean : (1) a sudden strong wind
(2) used figuratively for something happening suddenly
Ex : A sudden gust of wind blew my umbrella inside out.
RW : Gustatory; Gusto (vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment);
Gusty
GUTTURAL (adj)
Cue : from Latin guttur, throat
Mean : (1) of or relating to the throat
(2) having a harsh grating quality, as certain sounds produced in
the back of the mouth
Ex : The two friends were arguing in loud and guttural voices.
Syn : Glottal; Grating; Gruff; Harsh; Hoarse; Husky; Rasping;
Thick; Throaty
Ant : Mellow; Mild; Pleasant; Soft; Soothing
GYROSCOPE (n)
Cue : G Y R O S C O P E . gyro a spinning device + scope
Mean : a device containing a wheel which spins freely within a
frame, used on aircraft and ships to
help keep them horizontal
Ex : Gyroscope exerts very little force on its surface ensuring very
little friction.
RW : Gyration (spiral motion); Gyrocompass (navigational
instrument); Gyrus
(convulsion of the brain)

H
HABEAS CORPUS (n)
Cue : HABEAS CORPUS . habeas to have, to hold + corpus
person . body
Mean : to present in person (in a court of law)
Ex : Not finding a clue to the whereabouts of his son, who had
earlier been taken away by the police,
the father filed a habeas corpus petition.
HABILIMENT (n)
Cue : H A B I L I M E N T . habile to make suitable
Mean : attire, dress, apparel
Ex : A nuns habiliment is typical.
RW : Habilitate; Habit; Habitant; Habitat (dwelling place);
Habitation; Habituate; Rehabilitation
HACKNEYED (adj)
Mean : worn out by overuse
Ex : The film flopped as its plot was hackneyed.
Syn : Commonplace; Time worn; Trite
Ant : Fresh; Original
RW : Hack (cut); Hacker (one who gains unauthorized access to
compute records); Hacksaw
HAEMATOLOGY (n)
Cue : H A E M A T O L O G Y . haema blood + logy study
Mean : study of blood
Ex : Haematology has come to the centre stage due to the spread
of AIDS.
RW : Anaemia; Haemoglobin; Haemophilia (tendency to
profuse/prolonged bleeding);
Haemorrhage (discharge from blood vessels)
HALCYON (adj)
Cue : H A L C Y O N . hal sea + alkyon kingfisher . A
legendary bird, identified with the
kingfisher, supposed to have a peaceful, calming influence on the
sea.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Mean : usually used in the phrase halcyon days . a period in the

past which was completely happy
and free of trouble
Ex : I remember my school life as those wonderful halcyon days
when there were hardly any worries
in my life.
Syn : Calm; Restful; Serene; Tranquil
Ant : Agitated; Flustered; Miserable; Restive; Turbulent
HALITOSIS (n)
Cue : H A L I T O S I S . halitus breath + osis suffix
forming nouns state, condition, action
Mean : having bad breath
Ex : You have to keep your distance while talking to him as he
suffers from halitosis.
HALLOW (v)
Cue : H A L L O W . halli holy
Mean : to make holy or sacred
Ex : The hallowed appearance of the saint among them
rejuvenated the gathering.
Syn : Beatify; Consecrate; Sanctify
Ant : Defile; Desecrate; Profane
RW : Halo (a circle of light surrounding a shining body; an aura of
glory around an idealized being)
HALLUCINATION (n)
Mean : an illusive perception of seeing or hearing things, indicating
disorder of the nervous system
Ex : Drugs generate hallucinations.
Syn : Apparition; Delirium; Delusion; Illusion; Phantasm
RW : Hallucinogenic (drugs that induce hallucinations)
HAMADRYAD (n)
Cue : H A M A D R Y A D . hama together with + dryad
tree
Mean : a classical myth about a nymph who inhabits a tree and
dies with it
Ex : My grandma used to tell weird stories like fairies and
hamadryads.
RW : Hamlet (a cluster of houses esp. in country); Hammy (slang
- tending to overact);
Druidism (worship of trees)
HAPLESS (adj)
Cue : H A P L E S S . hap suitable/luck + less
Mean : luckless, unfortunate
Ex : The car ran over the hapless beggar lying beside the road.
Ant : Fortunate; Lucky
HARANGUE (v)
Cue : H A R A N G U E . related to harass . a scolding speech
that would harass you
Mean : a long, blustering, noisy or scolding speech; tirade
Ex : The father harangued the teenager for being late at night.
RW : Harrow (a spiked farm instrument used to pulverize and level
earth); Harrowing (tormenting,
nerve- racking); Harry (to torment or worry; harass)
HARBINGER (n)
Cue : H A R B I N G E R . heri army + berga shelter
{Originally a person sent ahead (of a fighting force) to arrange for
lodgings}
Mean : a sign of something to come, heralding the events to come
Ex : Newton is widely perceived to be the harbinger of modern
science.
Syn : Forerunner; Herald; Portent; Precursor
Ant : Follower
RW : Harbor (shelter)
HAUGHTY (adj)
Cue : H A U G H T Y . haute high in ones own estimation
Mean : proud, arrogant
Ex : A haughty attitude creates enemies.

38

Syn : Contemptuous; Disdainful; Imperious; Pompous; Snobbish;

Supercilious
Ant : Servile
RW : Hauteur (haughty manner, arrogance)
HAUNT (n/v)
Cue : H A U N T . habitat; your favourite hang out, where you visit
frequently
Mean : to frequent, to recur, to linger in the mind, to be visited by
ghosts
Ex : (i) This restaurant is my favourite haunt.
(ii) Memories of the hospital haunt me.
(iii) This house is haunted.
HAVEN (n)
Cue : H A V E N . related to have a place of safety
Mean : (1) a port; harbor
(2) any sheltered, safe place; refuge
Ex : (i) Mauritius is a tax haven; Goa is a tourist haven.
(ii) The Dons house provided a safe haven to the fugitive.
Syn : Anchorage; Asylum; Retreat
RW : Haversack (a bag slung on ones shoulder); Havoc (great
devastation/carnage)
HEADSTRONG (adj)
Mean : stubborn, self-willed, unyielding
Ex : The headstrong girl who was in love, refused to marry the
man of her parents choice.
Ant : Capitulative; Relenting; Succumbing
RW : Heading; Headlines; Headlong (hasty/rash involving
yourself headlong in the affairs of
others); Headway (progress); Heady (intoxicating)
HEDONISM (v)
Cue : H E D O N I S M . hedon pleasure
Mean : the belief that pleasure is the most important thing in life; a
lifestyle devoted to enjoyment
Ex : Our politicians believe more in hedonism than in public good.
HEGEMONY (n)
Cue : H E G E M O N Y . hegemon leader
Mean : leadership or dominance, esp. that of one state or nation
over others
Ex : American hegemony has resulted into a unipolar world.
Syn : Authority; Imperialism; Sway
HELIOS (n)
Cue : H E L I O S . heli sun/spiral
Mean : (Greek) mythical sun-god who drove his chariot daily
across the sky
Ex : Do the Greeks still worship Helios?
RW : Heliocentric (having the sun at the centre); Heliotrope
(flower that faces the sun); Helm
(steering wheel); Helmsman (the person at the helm; one who
steers a ship or boat)
HERESY (n)
Cue : (Greek) heiresis opinion
Mean : an opinion contrary to accepted beliefs, non-conforming
Ex : Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake for heresy.
Syn : Apostasy; Dissent; Schism
RW : Heresiarch (the founder or head of a heresy or heretical
sect); Heretic (opposed to established
opinion)
HETERODOX (adj)
Cue : H E T E R O D O X . hetero different + dox belief
Mean : departing from or opposed to the usual beliefs or
established doctrines, esp. in religion;
inclining toward heresy; unorthodox
Ex : A myth-breaking opinion has always been considered
heterodox.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Syn : Deviant; Eccentric; Idiosyncratic; Maverick; Unconventional

Ant : Analogous; Cognate; Generic
RW : Heterogeneous; Heteronym (one or more words with
identical spellings but different
meaning); Orthodox; Paradox
HIBERNATION (n)
Cue : H I B E R N A T I O N . hibernal of or pertaining to winter;
wintry
Mean : to pass the winter in a state of sleep/torpid state
Ex : Lizards go into hibernation in winter.
Ant : Aestivation (also, estivation)
(i) a dormant period of escape from heat and drought
(ii) arrangement of petals in a flower bud before it opens
HIDEBOUND (adj)
Cue : H I D E B O U N D . hide skin + bound tight
Mean : having fixed ideas; narrow minded
Ex : A hidebound attitude in life does not pay; one must change
according to the times.
Syn : Conservative; Obstinate; Stubborn; Unchangeable
Ant : Open-minded
RW : Hideous (offensive/ugly)
HIEROCRACY (n)
Cue : H I E R O C R A C Y . hier sacred + cracy
governance
Mean : government by priests
Ex : Vatican is a hierocracy.
RW : Hieroglyphic (a symbol or character representing the word)
HILARIOUS (adj)
Cue : H I L A R I O U S . hilaris cheerful
Mean : very funny, jolly, mirthful
Ex : The film is a hilarious comedy.
Ant : Glum; Morose; Sullen
RW : Exhilarated; Hilarity
HINDSIGHT (n)
Cue : H I N D S I G H T . hind back + sight
Mean : ability to see, after the event, what should have been done
Ex : With hindsight, we see the mistakes we have made.
Ant : Anticipation; Foresight; Premonition
RW : Hindmost; Hindrance; Hinterland (wilderness, backcountry)
HIRCINE (adj)
Cue : H I R C I N E . hircus goat + ine like
Mean : of or like a goat; esp., smelling like a goat
Ex : Why do you all accept everything passively like a hircine
flock?
RW : Bovine (of an ox or cow); Canine (of or like a dog); Feline
(of a cat or the cat family); Feminine;
Hirsute (rough with hair or bristles, hairy)
HISTRIONIC (adj/n)
Cue : H I S T R I O N I C . histrio actor i.e. pertaining to an
actor
Mean : (1) to do with acting or the theatre
Ex : The histrionic talents of this schoolboy have surpassed those
of a professional actor.
Mean : (2) behaving or done in a too theatrical way, esp. in
showing feelings that are insincere or
pretended i.e. exaggerated emotional displays, indulged in purely
for effect
Ex : In a display of histrionics, she sobbed at her ex husbands
funeral.
Syn : Melodramatic; Thespian
Ant : Unaffected
RW : It is different from hysterical (emotionally uncontrolled and
wild). Take care not to debase
hysterical by using it simply as a synonym for overexcited

39

HOARY (adj)
Mean : (1) very old and familiar and therefore, not interesting or
amusing
(2) (of a person) very old and white or grey-haired
Ex : Nobody laughed at his hoary old jokes.
Syn : Antique; Decrepit; Doddering; Grizzled
HOLISTIC (adj)
Cue : H O L I S T I C . Relate with hol/whole
Mean : considering things as a whole/in totality
Ex : Treatment of diseases like cancer needs holistic approach.
RW : Holocaust (hol + caust . a thorough destruction;
manslaughter); Holster (pistol case, usually
of leather and attached to a belt, saddle or shoulder strap)
HOMEOSTATIS (n)
Cue : H O M E O S T A T I S . Homos same + statis state
Mean : tendency of a system to maintain relative stability
Ex : There is a close relationship between the bodys immune
system and homeostasis.
RW : Homonym (words identical in pronunciation, but different in
meaning); Homespun (home
made); Homestead (home and adjoining land)
HOMILY (n)
Cue : H O M I L Y . homilia sermon
Mean : a tedious moralizing lecture or discourse, usu. on how one
should behave
Ex : The principals constant homilies about the need to maintain
discipline in the
school did not have any effect on the group.
Syn : Preachment; Sermon
RW : Homiletics
HONE (v)
Cue : H O N E . hon stone
Mean : sharpen, as on a stone; make something suitable for its
purpose
Ex : Talent has to be honed with diligence and hard work to
achieve success.
Ant : Blunt
HOODLUM (n)
Cue : H O O D L U M . relate with lumpen contemptible rowdy
Mean : a rowdy, street bully, petty criminal; thug or gangster
Ex : The police rounded up the hoodlums.
Syn : Brawler; Hooligan; Ruffian
RW : Hoodoo (voodoo bad omen); Hoodwink (deceive); Hooey
(nonsense)
HOOPLA (n)
Cue : H O O P L A . hoop a circular band, ring or arch
Mean : (1) referring to funfair game in which rings are thrown over
prizes
(2) showy publicity, great excitement designed to bewilder
Ex : The film-maker created a lot of hoopla; but the movie flopped
at the box-office.
Syn : Ballyhoo
HORS DOEUVRE (r durv)
Mean : From French, food served as an appetizer at the start of a
meal
Ex : I was so stuffed with the hors doeuvres served at the party
that I had to skip the main course.
HORLOGE (n)
Cue : H O R L O G E . horo time/hour + loge logic
Mean : a time-piece, clock
RW : Horology (science of measuring time); Horoscope (relative
position of zodiac signs at a
particular time)
HORRENDOUS (adj)
Cue : H O R R E N D O U S . relate with horror

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Mean : horrible, dreadful, frightening

Ex : The horrendous triple murder shocked everybody.
Syn : Atrocious; Heinous; Outrageous
RW : Horrible; Horrid (hideous/repulsive)
HORTATORY (adj)
Cue : H O R T A T O R Y . hortare cheer/energy
Mean : serving to encourage or urge to good deeds; exhorting,
giving advice
Ex : The speeches of mass leaders are invariably hortatory.
HOSPICE (n)
Cue : Related to hospitality
Mean : lodging for travelers, spec. a nursing home for the
terminally ill
Ex : Too ill to stay at home, the AIDS patient spent his last days at
the hospice.
RW : Hospitable; Hospital; Host; Hostage; Hostel; Hostile
HUE (n)
Cue : H U E . hue form, appearance
Mean : (1) orig., general appearance; aspect
(2) variety of colour
Ex : (i) He is a man of somber hue.
(ii) The diamond in her ring reflected all the hues of the rainbow.
RW : Hue and cry (loud cry of disapproval . Ex. they raised a hue
and cry when they discovered the
thief in their home); Hueless
HUMBUG (n)
Cue : H U M B U G . humus earth/soil + bug, which implies
nonsense
Mean : (1) talk or behaviour intended to deceive, nonsense
(2) a person who is not what he claims to be; impostor
Ex : Dont believe his stories; they are all humbug.
RW : Humdinger (an excellent or exceptional person or thing);
Humdrum (dull, monotonous);
Hummock (a small hill or hump; a ridge of ice in an ice field);
Humiliate
HUNCH (n)
Cue : H U N C H . Relate hun with hint
Mean : (1) a strong intuitive feeling
(2) a bent or crooked posture
Ex : (i) I have a hunch that we shall win the match.
(ii) The old age has caused a hunch in his posture.
RW : Hump; Hunch-back
HUSBANDRY (n)
Mean : (1) to manage or use thriftily in order to save your
resources
(2) farming
Ex : (i) He saved a lot for his old age by way of husbandry.
(ii) Animal husbandry is a side-business for farmers.
RW : Husband (v conserve/save)
HYBRID (n)
Cue : H Y B R I D . relate with breed
Mean : a mixture of two different things, usu. of a better quality
than the individual things
Ex : The hybrid variety of wheat heralded the Green Revolution.
Ant : Pure-bred
HYPERVENTILATE (v)
Cue : H Y P E R V E N T I L A T E . hyper excessive + vent
to move
Mean : to breathe abnormally fast
Ex : Asthma often causes hyperventilation in patients.
RW : Hyperacidity; Hyperbole {(short hype) exaggeration for
effect and not meant to be taken
literally . Ex. Hes as strong as an ox}; Hyperglycemia (high
concentration of sugar in blood);
Hyperopic (far-sighted); Hyperplasia (excessive talking)

40

HYPOCHONDRIA
Cue : H Y P O C H O N D R I A . hypo beneath/less than +
chondros cartilage i.e. illness
without a specific cause
Mean : an unreasonable anxiety about health; imaginary illnesses
Ex : She suffers from hypochondria and thinks that each sneeze is
the onset of a fatal disease.
Syn : Despondency; Depression; Melancholia
RW : Hypocorism (a pet name); Hypocrisy (projecting a false
image); Hypothetical (based on
assumption); Hypomania (a mild form of mania); Hypothermia
(abnormally low body
temperature)
HYPHENATED WORDS
1. HARUM SCARUM . reckless / irresponsible
2. HELTER SKELTER . confused
3. HOB NOB . to associate familiarity
4. HOCUS POCUS . a magicians trick or trickery
5. HODGE PODGE . heterogeneous mixture
6. HOI POLLOI . the masses
7. HOODOO . something that brings bad luck
8. HULLA BULLA . a confused noise
9. HUNKY DORY . quite satisfactory
10. HURLY BURLY . uproar / tumult
11. HUBBLE BUBBLE . confusion
12. HURRY SCURRY . confusion and bustle
13. HUSTLE BUSTLE . energetic activity / jostling and shoving

I
ICONOCLAST (n)
Cue : I C O N O C L A S T . icon image
Mean : a person opposing conventional beliefs
Ex : Human civilization owes a lot to iconoclasts and original
thinkers.
Syn : Maverick; Nonconformist
Ant : Conservative; Orthodox; Traditional
IDIOSYNCRASY (n)
Cue : I D I O S Y N C R A S Y . idio ones own, peculiar +
syn together + crasy
eccentricity i.e. temperament, mixture of personal
characteristics
Mean : peculiarity of temperament or mental constitution, oddity
Ex : The idiosyncrasies of the aged are very difficult to put up with.
Syn : Abnormality; Eccentricity; Quirk
Ant : Generality; Normality; Reasonability
RW : Idiocy (extreme mental deficiency); Idiom (a style of
speaking); Idiot
IDYLLIC (adj)
Cue : Relate idyllic to ideal environment
Mean : relating to a pleasant (almost ideal) phase of one's life,
usu. in a peaceful, non-urban
environment
Ex : The hill station will be an idyllic setting for me, providing a big
relief from the
stressful environment I am working in.
RW : Idyll (a short poem or prose work describing a simple,
peaceful scene of rural or pastoral
life)
IGNEOUS (n)
Cue : I G N E O U S . ignis agni (fire) + ous having property
of
Mean : produced by fire, volcano
Ex : Igneous rocks have been made out of volcanic lava.
RW : Ignite; Ignition

VOCABULARY BUILDER

IGNOMINIOUS (n)
Cue : I G N O M I N I O U S . ig not + nom name i.e. loss of
a (good) name
Mean : shameful, dishonorable, disgraceful
Ex : Indian Cricket team suffered an ignominious defeat at the
hands of cricketing minnows,
Bangladesh.
Syn : Base; Contemptible; Degrading; Despicable; Humiliating;
Vile
Ant : Distinguished; Honorable; Reputable
RW : Ignoble (dishonorable, something to be ashamed of);
Ignominy (a state of shame or
dishonor; also, an act of shameful behavior); Ignoramus (ignorant
person)
ILLICIT (adj)
Cue : I L L I C I T . il prefix in (not) before L + licit law
Mean : unlawful, unauthorized, forbidden
Ex : Illicit liquor is the creation of prohibition.
Syn : Felonious; Illegal; Prohibited
Ant : Lawful; Legal
ILLUSTRIOUS (adj)
Cue : I L L U S T R I O U S . lustr . luster (to light up, bright)
Mean : distinguished, renowned, eminent
Ex : An illustrious personality like Gandhiji is a beacon of light for
generations to come.
RW : Illuminate; Illustrate; Lackluster; Luminary
IMBUE (v)
Mean : (1) to fill with color; dye; tinge
(2) to permeate or inspire (with principles, ideas, emotions, etc.)
i.e. you imbue something
or someone with a quality
Ex : The experience imbued him with a confidence that was
invaluable.
Syn : Indoctrinate; Infuse; Ingrain
RW : Imbrue (stain, soak, saturate esp. with blood)
IMMACULATE (adj)
Cue : I M M A C U L A T E . im not + maculate spot
Mean : spotless, free from error, pure, clean
Ex : He is always immaculately dressed.
Syn : Exquisite; Flawless; Stainless; Undefiled; Unsullied;
Untainted
Ant : Sloppy; Sullied; Unkempt; Untidy
IMMURE (v)
Cue : I M M U R E . im in + muris wall i.e. to enclose within
four walls
Mean : to imprison, confine within four walls
Ex : Great thinkers immure themselves to gain privacy and
concentration.
Syn : Incarcerate
Ant : Liberate
RW : Mural (n - a picture, esp. a large one, painted directly on a
wall or ceiling)

IMMUTABLE (adj)
Cue : I M M U T A B L E . im not + mut change
Mean : unchangeable, determinate, constant
Ex : Nothing is immutable in life.
Ant : Capricious; Changeable; Mutable; Protean
RW : Commute (interchange); Mutation; Permutation
IMPALE (v)
Cue : I M P A L E . im in + pale pole i.e. to pierce or fix with
a pointed object
Mean : to torture or kill by fixing on a sharp stake (pole), pierce

41

Ex : He was impaled by the spear hurled at him.

RW : Palisade (a pointed fence, barricade, stockade)

force or motivation); Petition; Petulant (unreasonably irritable or

ill-tempered; peevish)

IMPALPABLE (adj)
Cue : I M P A L P A B L E . im not + palp touch / feel
Mean : which cannot be felt, touched or understood
Ex : The dust particles in the air are almost invisible and
impalpable.
Ant : Manifest; Tactile; Tangible
IMPECUNIOUS (adj)
Cue : I M P E C U N I O U S . im not + pecunia money,
property . without money
Mean : having little or no money, poor
Ex : The rich can afford to be charitable as they are not
impecunious.
Syn : Broke; Impoverished; Indigent; Insolvent; Penniless
Ant : Affluent; Flushed; Opulent; Prosperous
RW : Pecuniary (of or involving money; involving a money penalty
or fine); Peculate {to steal or
misuse money or property entrusted to ones care, esp. public
funds}

IMPLACABLE (adj)
Cue : I M P L A C A B L E . im not + plac please i.e. hard
to please
Mean : not able to be appeased, reconciled or changed
Ex : He is implacable; you just cant do anything to gratify him.
Syn : Intransigent; Stubborn
IMPLICATE (v)
Cue : I M P L I C A T E . im in + plic involve, entangle
Mean : to show to be involved, usu. in an unlawful act
Ex : The top brass of the bank have been implicated in the scam.
Syn : Embrangle; Embroil; Incriminate; Inculpate
Ant : Defend; Pardon; Support
RW : Duplicity; Explicate (to make clear or explicit - something
obscure or implied); Explicit;
Implication; Implicit; Replica

IMPEL (v)
Cue : I M P E L . im into + pel to push into motion
Mean : urge or drive by force
Ex : He was impelled by events to take a stand.
Syn : Actuate; Coerce; Force; Goad; Induce; Instigate
Ant : Dissuade; Repress; Suppress
RW : Compel; Impeller; Propel
IMPERIOUS (adj)
Cue : I M P E R I O U S . relate imper with imperial but in a
negative tone
Mean : arrogant or overbearing; domineering or dictatorial
Ex : Imperious government officials close their eyes to the plight of
the public.
Syn : Commanding; Haughty
Ant : Obsequious
RW : Imperial; Imperative
IMPERTINENT (adj)
Cue : I M P E R T I N E N T . im not + pertinent pertain i.e.
unconnected, unrelated
Mean : (1) not pertinent; having no connection with a given matter;
irrelevant
(2) not showing proper respect or manners; not respectful
Ex : The pupil was punished for his impertinent questions to the
teacher.
Syn : Impudent; Insolent; Saucy
Ant : Polite; Refined; Respectful
IMPERVIOUS (adj)
Cue : I M P E R V I O U S . im not + pervious letting things
through . incapable of
passing through
Mean : (1) incapable of being penetrated e.g. by moisture
(2) not affected by: with to
Ex : His addictions have made him impervious to sound advice.
Syn : Impenetrable; Impermeable; Resistant
Ant : Penetrable; Permeable; Porous
IMPETUOUS (adj)
Cue : I M P E T U O U S . im in + pet to seek, to rush at,
fall
Mean : marked with impulsive vehemence; quick to act without
thinking
Ex : A share broker cant afford to be impetuous.
Syn : Hasty; Heedless; Headlong; Impulsive; Precipitate; Rash;
Vehement
Ant : Calm; Cautious; Circumspect; Considered; Reflective;
Thoughtful; Wise
RW : Centripetal (moving or tending to move toward a center);
Compete; Impetus (a moving

VOCABULARY BUILDER

IMPLORE (v)
Cue : I M P L O R E . im upon + plore to cry out / weep
i.e. invoke with weeping
Mean : to seek earnestly, appeal, beg
Ex : The accused implored the judge to have mercy.
Syn : Beseech; Entreat; Supplicate
Ant : Answer
RW : Deplore; Explore
IMPORTUNE (v)
Cue : I M P O R T U N E . im not + port harbour i.e. having
no harbour
Mean : to make repeated and forceful requests for something, usu.
in an annoying and
inconvenient way
Ex : The moment you step into the market, you are importuned for
money by beggars.
Syn : Badger; Beleaguer; Implore; Pester; Plead
RW : Deport; Export; Import {Im (into) + port (carry) i.e. bring in
goods from abroad};
Importance (the sense of be significant in is on the same lines
as of import); Purport;
Report (to profess or claim as its meaning); Opportune (right for
the purpose)
IMPOTENT (adj)
Cue : I M P O T E N T . im not + potent power i.e. having
no power to accomplish
anything
Mean : weak, powerless, lacking physical strength
Ex : He found himself impotent to resist the urge for drugs.
Syn : Ineffective; Impuissant; Infirm
Ant : Powerful; Virile
RW : Omnipotent; Potent; Potential
IMPROMPTU (adj)
Cue : I M P R O M P T U . im in + prompt readiness i.e. in
readiness
Mean : not planned ahead of time; offhand; on the spur of the
moment
Ex : He had to put up an impromptu show when his name was
suddenly announced.
Syn : Extempore; Spontaneous; Unrehearsed
Ant : Planned; Rehearsed
RW : Improvise (to invent, compose or recite without any
preparation)
IMPUDENT (adj)
Cue : I M P U D E N T . im not + pudence modesty /
shame
Mean : shamelessly brazen, arrogant, rude
Ex : The impudent ways of the neo-rich often bring them into
disrepute.

42

Syn : Impertinent; Insolent

Ant : Civil; Respectful
RW : Imprudent (lacking caution, thoughtless)
IMPUGN (im-pewn) (v)
Cue : I M P U G N . im upon + pugn to fight i.e. to assault,
to attack
Mean : to attack by argument or criticism; oppose or challenge as
false or questionable
Ex : The defense lawyer impugned the witnesss testimony, which
set back the prosecutions case.
Syn : Challenge; Contradict; Dispute; Gainsay; Inveigh
Ant : Endorse; Praise; Support
IMPUNITY (n)
Cue : I M P U N I T Y . im not + pun punishment i.e.
unpunished
Mean : freedom from punishment; freedom from danger and regret
Ex : We flout the traffic rules with impunity.
Syn : Dispensation; Exemption
Ant : Incarceration; Imprisonment; Liability
RW : Punishment; Punitive
INANIMATE (adj)
Cue : I N A N I M A T E . in not + anim life / mind / spirit
Mean : lifeless, spiritless, dead matter
Ex : The inanimate objects too have an aura of their own.
Syn : Dormant; Inactive; Still
Ant : Active; Lively; Vigorous
RW : Animal; Animated; Animosity; Magnanimous;
Unanimous
INCARNATION (n)
Cue : I N C A R N A T I O N . in + carn flesh i.e. physical form:
appearance in human form
Ex : Hinduism and Buddhism believe in reincarnation and rebirth.
Syn : Embodiment; Personification
RW : Carnage; Carnal; Carnivorous
INCENDIARY (n)
Cue : I N C E N D I A R Y . in + cend/cin fire
Mean : capable of causing fire; hence, tending to cause trouble or
rouse passions
Ex : The communal strife appears to be the handiwork of an
incendiary.
Syn : Agitator; Arsonist; Ignitable; Incense; Inflammatory;
Provocative; Seditious
Ant : Benevolent
RW : Incinerate (burn to ashes); Incense (something that burns to
give off scent)
INCESSANT (adj)
Cue : I N C E S S A N T . in not + cess to stop
Mean : never ceasing, continual
Ex : There has been an incessant demand by some politicians for
a uniform civil code.
Syn : Perpetual; Repeated; Unceasing; Uninterrupted
Ant : Interrupted; Irregular; Occasional; Sporadic
RW : Ceaseless; Cessation; Predecessor
INCIPIENT (adj)
Cue : I N C I P I E N T . cip/cept begin, to take
Mean : just beginning to appear; in an initial stage
Ex : The incipient democracy in Pakistan was soon overwhelmed
by an overbearing military junta.
Syn : Budding; Embryonic; Inchoate; Nascent
Ant : Concluding; Eventual; Ultimate
RW : Inception; Perception; Susceptible
INCISIVE (adj)
Cue : I N C I S I V E . in + cis to cut
Mean : cutting into; going directly to the main point of the matter;
clear, penetrating

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : An incisive analysis of performance needs feedback also.

Syn : Acute; Trenchant
Ant : Sauve
RW : Concise; Exorcise {to expel (an evil spirit) by or as if by
incantation, command, or prayer);
Incision; Incisor (a sharp-edged cutting tooth at the front of the
mouth); Scissors; Precise
INCITE (v)
Cue : I N C I T E . in + cite arouse / urge
Mean : to urge to action, stir up, egg on
Ex : Slick ads incite materialism.
Syn : Exhort; Foment; Goad; Impel; Instigate; Prod; Provoke
Ant : Check; Dampen; Daunt; Deter; Discourage; Dissuade;
Restrain
RW : Citation; Excite; Recite
INCLEMENT (adj)
Cue : I N C L E M E N T . in not + clement mild, placid
Mean : (1) (of weather or climate) physically severe, not favorable
(2) used of persons or behavior; showing no clemency or mercy
Ex : The inclement weather put paid to all his plans.
Syn : Harsh; Rigorous; Ruthless
Ant : Clear; Clement; Mild; Sunny
RW : Clemency (leniency or mercy, as toward an offender or
enemy; mildness, as of weather)
INCOGNITO (adj)
Cue : I N C O G N I T O . in not + gno/cogn to know
Mean : true identity unrevealed or disguised
Ex : The minister took a round of the office premises incognito.
Syn : Anonymous; Camouflaged; Disguised; Pseudonym
RW : Agnostic; Diagnosis; Incognizable; Ignoramus
(uninformed/unknowledgeable person);
Ignore; Prognosis (a forecast); Recognize
INCOMMUNICADO (adj/adv)
Cue : I N C O M M U N I C A D O . in not + comm/commun
together
Mean : in solitary confinement, cut-off from communication
Ex : The prisoners were held incommunicado in solitary
confinement.
Syn : Isolate; Sequestered
RW : Accommodate; Communicate; Community;
Incommodious (not spacious)
INCONDITE (adj)
Cue : I N C O N D I T E . in not + con with, together
Mean : not well put together
Ex : His presentation was incondite.
Syn : Crude; Inharmonious; Unrefined
RW : Incongruous; Recondite (beyond the grasp of the ordinary
mind or understanding)
INCONTROVERTIBLE (adj)
Cue : I N C O N T R O V E R T I B L E . in not + contro
against + vert turn .
which cannot be turned against
Mean : indisputable, unquestionable, undeniable
Ex : The incontrovertible evidence nailed his guilt.
Ant : Debatable; Questionable
RW : Controversial
INCORPOREAL (adj)
Cue : I N C O R P O R E A L . in not + corp body
Mean : having no material body or form
Ex : The sages of ancient India are said to have had incorporeal
powers.
Syn : Angelic; Celestial; Deistic; Ethereal; Intangible; Spiritual
RW : Corporation; Corpse; Incorporated

43

INCUBATE (v)
Cue : I N C U B A T E . in on + cub/cumb cubare to lie
down
Mean : (1) keep eggs warm till they are hatched (2) plan an idea
over a period of time
Ex : The plans for opening an old age home has been incubating
in his mind for several months but
now he has finally decided to go ahead.
RW : Cubicle; Incubator; Incubus (lie as burden, nightmare;
oppressive burden)
INCULPATE (v)
Cue : I N C U L P A T E . in + culp blame
Mean : put to blame
Ex : The witness was inculpated for perjury.
Syn : Implicate; Incriminate; Indict
Ant : Acquit; Discharge; Emancipate
RW : Culpable; Culprit; Exculpate (to free from blame; declare or
prove guiltless)
INCUMBENT (adj/n)
Cue : I N C U M B E N T . in on + cumb to lie down /
recline
Mean : (1) lying, resting or pressing with its weight on something
else
(2) currently in office
Ex : The onus lies on the incumbent to disprove the charge.
Syn : Binding; Obligatory; Occupant
RW : Cumbersome (burdensome); Recumbent (reclining);
Succumb
INCUR (v)
Cue : I N C U R . in into/upon + cur to run i.e. run into or
against
Mean : to suffer or become liable for; to bring upon yourself
Ex : The drunkard had to incur the wrath of his wife.
RW : Current; Cursive; Cursory; Excursion; Incursion (a raid /
hostile invasion); Recur
INDENTURE (n)
Cue : I N D E N T U R E . in + dent tooth
Mean : a binding contract, a deed under seal, esp. of an
apprentice or a servant
Ex : The new recruit had to sign an indenture to serve his
employers for at least two years after
completion of his apprenticeship.
RW : Denture (set of false teeth); Indentation (deep recess)
INDICT (v)
Cue : I N D I C T . in in + dict/dit to say
Mean : to accuse of, or to charge with, a crime
Ex : The minister was indicted by the Supreme Court for severe
dereliction of duty.
Syn : Arraign; Incriminate; Inculpate
Ant : Acquit; Discharge
RW : Contradict; Dictate; Dictionary; Interdict (for bid); Predict;
Verdict
INDIGNATION (n)
Cue : I N D I G N A T I O N . in not + dign worth i.e. regard
as unworthy, be angry or
displeased at
Mean : anger at something considered to be unjust or wrong
Ex : Fear the indignation of the righteous.
Syn : Irateness; Pique; Resentment
RW : Dignified; Dignitaries; Dignity; Indignant
INDITE (v)
Cue : I N D I T E . in in + dit/dict to say
Mean : to put into words, compose, set down in writing say a
speech or a poem
Ex : He indited many letters to her in order to revive the
relationship.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Syn : Compose; Pen; Write

Ant : Blot out; Efface; Erase; Obliterate
RW : Dictate; Erudite
INDOLENT (adj)
Cue : I N D O L E N T . in not + dol grieving, suffer pain .
freedom from pain,
insensibility
Mean : habitually lazy, disinclination to exert
Ex : In summers, we tend to become indolent.
Syn : Lethargic; Otiose; Slothful; Sluggish
Ant : Active. Indefatigable
RW : Condolence; Doldrums (low spirits; sluggishness);
Dolorous (full of sorrow, grief)
INDUBITABLE (adj)
Cue : I N D U B I T A B L E . in not + dub doubt
Mean : certain; doubtless; unquestionable
Ex : The limitations of allopathic medication are indubitable.
Syn : Incontrovertible; Indisputable; Irrefutable
RW : Dubiety; Dubious
INDUCTIVE (adj)
Cue : I N D U C T I V E . duct to lead . leading from specific to
general
Mean : pertaining to induction i.e. proceeding from specific to
general; also introductory
Ex : The inductive reasoning has led to many inventions.
RW : Abduct (kidnap); Conduct; Deduce; Deduction (the act or
process of deducing i.e.
reasoning from the general to the specific); Induce; Induction;
Induct (install / place in
office); Reduction
INEFFABLE (adj)
Cue : I N E F F A B L E . in not + fab effabilis . (to speak) .
not utterable
Mean : too overwhelming to be expressed in words
Ex : The ineffable grief of the victims parents was heart-rending.
Syn : Taboo; Unspeakable
RW : Fable; Fabulous
INEPT (adj)
Cue : I N E P T . in not + ept apt fit, suitable
Mean : clumsy, incompetent, lacking skill
Ex : The inept handling of the case led to failure of the project.
Syn : Awkward; Gauche; Maladroit
Ant : Adept; Adroit; Deft; Dexterous
RW : It differs from inapt (inappropriate, unsuitable), though
derived from the same root
INEXORABLE (adj)
Cue : I N E X O R A B L E . in not + exor to move by
entreaty
Mean : that cannot be moved or influenced by persuasion or
entreaty; unrelenting; stubborn
Ex : The inexorable suffering toughened him up.
Syn : Adamantine; Implacable; Obstinate; Relentless
Ant : Flexible; Lenient; Merciful; Remorseful; Yielding
INFERNAL (adj)
Cue : I N F E R N A L . inferior . of the lower regions
Mean : (1) like, or related to, hell; devilish
(2) extremely unpleasant, terrible
Ex : The child labour is often made to work in infernal conditions.
Syn : Diabolical; Fiendish; Hadean; Nether
Ant : Divine; Ethereal; Supernal
RW : Furnace; Inferno (a place or situation like hell, especially a
terrible fire)
INFIDEL (n)
Cue : I N F I D E L . in not + fid faith
Mean : a non-believer
Ex : Certain groups recommend strong action against infidels.

44

Syn : Atheist; Heathen

RW : Affidavit; Confide; Fidelity; Fiduciary (of a trust)
INFINITESIMAL (adj)
Cue : I N F I N I T E S I M A L . in not + fin end + simal
small
Mean : infinitely small
Ex : The number of people offering to donate their organs after
death is infinitesimal.
Syn : Microscopic; Miniscule
Ant : Significant
RW : Confine; Definitive; Final; Infinite
INFLECT (v)
Cue : I N F L E C T . in + flect bend
Mean : (1) to alter (the voice) in tone or pitch; modulate
(2) to turn from a course or a specified alignment; bend
Ex : People inflect their voices according to their audience.
Syn : Modulate
RW : Deflect; Reflect

INNOCUOUS (adj)
Cue : I N N O C U O U S . in without + noc harm
Mean : (1) that does not injure or harm; harmless
(2) not controversial, offensive or stimulating; dull and uninspiring
Ex : The innocuous looking medicine caused a strong reaction.
Syn : Bland; Inoffensive; Weak
Ant : Malefic; Malignant; Nocuous; Odious; Sinister
RW : Innocent; Nocuous; Obnoxious (very unpleasant,
objectionable, offensive)
INQUEST (n)
Cue : I N Q U E S T . que/qui to seek
Mean : an official esp. judicial inquiry, court of legal proceedings
Ex : Criminals have to face court inquest.
RW : Conquest; Inquisitive; Query; Quest
INSALUBRIOUS (adj)
Cue : I N S A L U B R I O U S . in not + salus health
Mean : unwholesome, not healthful
Ex : Fast food is often junk food, which is insalubrious.

INFRACTION (n)
Cue : I N F R A C T I O N . fract/fringe to break
Mean : breach, violation of law or custom
Ex : The infraction of defense treaty between the two countries
was a forgone conclusion.
Syn : Contravention; Infringement; Transgression; Trespass;
Violation
RW : Fracture; Infrangible (unbreakable)

INSIDIOUS (adj)
Cue : I N S I D I O U S . sid to plan / plot / lie in wait
Mean : deceptive, treacherous, devious; apparently harmless, but
deadly
Ex : An insidious trap set up by the enemy caused the explosion.
Syn : Crafty; Deceitful; Ensnaring; Sly; Stealthy
RW : Assiduous (industrious, persevering); Dissident (not
agreeing, dissenting)

INFUSION (n)
Cue : I N F U S I O N . in + fus to pour
Mean : pouring in, stimulation
Ex : The infusion of criminals in politics is a bad omen indeed.
Syn : Brew; Immersion; Strain
RW : Diffuse; Profuse (lavish); Transfusion

INSIPID (adj)
Cue : I N S I P I D . in not + sip tasty, having a taste
Mean : dull, tasteless, flat, lacking flavour
Ex : His performance on the stage was insipid and boring.
Syn : Banal; Bland; Dull; Vapid
Ant : Flavorful; Savoury

INGENUOUS (adj)
Cue : I N G E N U O U S . in + genus creation i.e. that which is
inborn . freeborn, noble
Mean : straight forward, free from deception, often
nave/unsophisticated, innocent
Ex : An ingenuous villager will not find life to be easy in a
metropolis.
Syn : Guileless; Gullible; Innocent; Trusting
Ant : Astute; Smart
RW : Ingenious (marked by a special aptitude skill); Ingnue (an
innocent, inexperienced, unworldly
young woman)

INSOMNIA (n)
Cue : I N S O M N I A . in not + somn sleep
Mean : sleeplessness, inability to sleep
Ex : Since he suffers from insomnia he takes sleeping pills.
RW : Somnambulist (sleep walker); Soporific (that causes
sleep); Somnolent (drowsy)

INGRATE (adj)
Cue : I N G R A T E . in + grat to please / favour
Mean : ungrateful
Ex : The ingrate makes us cherish the faithful.
Ant : Beholden; Obliged
RW : Grateful; Gratuity; Ingratiate (to bring oneself into favour /
good grace)
INIQUITOUS (adj)
Cue : I N I Q U I T O U S . in not + iqui equal / just
Mean : very unjust or wicked, unrighteous; a sin or immoral act
Ex : The dictator is invariably an iniquitous ruler.
Syn : Nefarious
Ant : Equitable; Fair; Impartial
RW : Iniquity (inequality, injustice or unfairness)
INNATE (adj)
Cue : I N N A T E . in + nat natural / inborn
Mean : inborn, natural, inherent
Ex : The strong physique of the Africans is innate.
Syn : Ingrained; Inherent
RW : Cognate (blood relation); Native

VOCABULARY BUILDER

INSURGENCE (n)
Cue : I N S U R G E N C E . surge rising . one who rises in
revolt
Mean : a rising in revolt, uprising
Ex : The insurgence in north-east is yet to be tamed completely.
RW : Insurrection; Surging
INTER (v)
Cue : I N T E R . in + terra earth
Mean : to bury, entomb, inhume
Ex : The body was interred in the burial ground.
Ant : Exhume; Unearth
INTERCEDE (v)
Cue : I N T E R C E D E . inter between + cede to
yield/give
Mean : to act as peacemaker between two parties, to arbitrate
Ex : The U.N. had to intercede in Bosnia.
Syn : Intervene; Mediate
RW : Recede; Secede
INTERDICT (v)
Cue : I N T E R D I C T . inter between + dict to say i.e. to
speak between
Mean : prohibit, forbid
Ex : Nations must interdict violent and terrorist acts.
Syn : Enjoin; Proscribe
RW : Diction; Prediction

45

INTERLOCUTION (n)
Cue : I N T E R L O C U T I O N . inter between + locu/loqu
to speak
Mean : taking part in a dialogue, conference
Ex : Any talk show involving representatives of rival parties
requires an interlocutor who
moderates.
RW : Locution (a particular style of speech; phraseology);
Loquacious (excessively talkative);
Interlude; Intermittent
INTERNECINE (adj)
Cue : I N T E R N E C I N E . inter mutual + necare kill /
destroy
Mean : deadly to both sides, mutually destructive
Ex : The internecine conflicts among various tribes / communities
in Afghanistan have hindered
the development of the country.
INTERPOLATE (v)
Cue : I N T E R P O L A T E . inter between + polate polish
/ alter
Mean : to insert, interject
Ex : While editing a poetic anthology, interpolation often becomes
necessary.
RW : Extrapolate; Polish
INTERREGNUM (n)
Cue : I N T E R R E G N U M . inter between + regn/rex
reign, to rule
Mean : period between two reigns, governments, when the country
has no sovereign
Ex : Prolonged interregnum has occasionally been the cause of
civil wars in the past.
RW : Regal (of a monarch, royal); Regent (acting in place of a
king or ruler); Regicide; Interrex
INTESTATE (adj)
Cue : I N T E S T A T E . test witness. Also relate with estate
(property)
Mean : dying without making a will
Ex : An intestate death often leads to family feuds.
Ant : Testator
RW : Attest; Testament; Testify; Testimonials
INTIMIDATE (v)
Cue : I N T I M I D A T E . tim fear / frighten
Mean : frighten, inspire with fear
Ex : The US is trying to intimidate the fledgling democracy.
Syn : Bludgeon; Browbeat; Bulldoze; Bully
Ant : Assist; Encourage; Help
INTREPID (adj)
Cue : I N T R E P I D . in not + trep/trem shake . that cant
be shaken
Mean : daring, brave, fearless
Ex : The intrepid Air Force fliers are the backbone of our armed
forces.
Syn : Bold; Undaunted
Ant : Cowardly; Craven
RW : Trepidation (apprehension)
INTROMIT (v)
Cue : I N T R O M I T . intro on the inside, within +
mit/mission cause to enter
Mean : to let in, introduce, send in
Ex : The judge did not permit the defense lawyer to intromit the
witness again.
RW : Admit; Permit; Remit; Submit
INVEIGH (v)
Cue : I N V E I G H . in + vehere bring in/to carry
Mean : to make a violent verbal attack; talk or write bitterly
(against)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : The self-serving politicians often inveigh against corrupting

western influences.
Syn : Belabor; Censure; Diatribe; Disparage; Rail; Reproach
Ant : Laud
RW : Invective (abusive language, vituperation); Inveigle (entice
or cajole)
INVESTITURE (n)
Cue : I N V E S T I T U R E . in + vest to dress, clothe . to
clothe in the official robes of
an office
Mean : a formal investing as with an office or authority, often with
appropriate symbols or robes
Ex : The investiture ceremony was attended by a number of
dignitaries.
Syn : Induction; Ordination
RW : Investment (giving one's capital a new form); Vest; Vesture
(clothing, garments)
INVETERATE (adj)
Cue : I N V E T E R A T E . vetus old
Mean : deep-rooted, long standing, habitual, by age or persistence
Ex : He has an inveterate fear of the unknown.
RW : Veteran
INVIDIOUS (adj)
Cue : I N V I D I O U S . vid to see or related it with envious
Mean : likely to provoke ill-will, envy or hatred
Ex : An invidious approach can put you to peril.
Syn : Odious; Offensive; Repugnant
RW : Video; Evident
IPSO FACTO (Latin expression)
Mean : by the very fact
Ex : His hurried arrival ipso facto reveals his anxiety.
RW : Ipso Jure (by the law itself)
IRASCIBLE (adj)
Cue : I R A S C I B L E . ira/ire anger
Mean : easily angered, irritable
Ex : The irascible scholar is kind at heart.
Syn : Bilious; Cantankerous; Chantry; Choleric; Excitable; Irksome;
Peevish; Splenetic
Ant : Placid
RW : Irate (angry, wrathful); Ire (anger, wrath); Irksome
(annoying, tedious)
Irenic (promoting peace) and Irenics (the doctrine or practice of
promoting peace)
IRIDESCENT (adj)
Cue : I R I D E S C E N T . iris rainbow + escent reflecting
light
Mean : showing colors like those of rainbow, changing color with
position
Ex : The iridescent hues of the dancers dress were shimmering in
the interplay of lights.
RW : Incandescent (glowing with intense heat, esp. white-hot);
Iris (part of eye, rainbow)
IRREVOCABLE (adj)
Cue : I R R E V O C A B L E . voc to call . that cant be called
back
Mean : that cant be revoked/recalled/repeated/brought back
Ex : The words that leave your mouth are irrevocable.
Syn : Irretrievable; Irreversible; Unalterable
RW : Convocation; Convoke (to call together); Evoke; Revoke;
Vocabulary
IRRUPT (v)
Cue : I R R U P T . rupt break
Mean : to break in, to burst suddenly
Ex : Election time is also the time for the irruption of opposition
rallies.

46

Syn : Disrupt
RW : Abrupt; Corrupt; Interrupt; Rupture
ISLET (n)
Cue : I S L E T . is related with isolated + let small
Mean : very small island, isle
Ex : The Indonesian archipelago consists of several islands and
islets.
RW : Piglet (a little pig, esp. a suckling)
ISOTOPE (n)
Cue : I S O T O P E . iso uniform / similar + topos
land/place
Mean : two or more element atoms similar in properties but
different in atomic mass
Ex : Study of isotopes of uranium and plutonium led to the
development of the nuclear bomb.
RW : Isomer (different chemical compounds having same atomic
mass); Isosceles (triangle
having two equal sides); Topography; Topology
ITINERANT (adj)
Cue : I T I N E R A N T . itin travel
Mean : traveling from place to place, wandering
Ex : A bohemians life-style is itinerant.
Syn : Gypsy; Nomadic; Peripatetic; Roving; Vagrant
RW : Itinerary (route of a traveler/journey/plan of a trip)

J
JACKASS (n)
Cue : J A C K A S S . Jack male + ass donkey
Mean : stupid person
Ex : Contrary to appearances, he is not a jackass.
Syn : Blockhead; Dolt
JACTATION (n)
Cue : J A C T A T I O N . Jactare/ jectare toss about/ throwing
Mean : boasting, bragging; also relates to toss about
Ex : His jactation is laughed about at his back.
RW : Abject; Inject; Reject
JADED (adj)
Mean : tired; worn-out; dulled or satiated, as from overindulgence
Ex : The jaded socialist was suffering from ennui.
Syn : Exhausted; Fatigued; Listless; Surfeited
Ant : Invigorated; Refreshed; Stimulated
RW : Jade (pale green colour)
JANITOR (n)
Cue : J A N I T O R . Janus gate/arched passageway + tor
suffix agent
Mean : caretaker of a building, attendant, gatekeeper
Ex : The janitor of the building is absent today.
RW : January (beginning month of the year); Janus (guardian god
of beginnings and endings)
JAUNTY (adj)
Cue : J A U N T Y . gentis genteel
Mean : having an easy, sprightly manner
Ex : A jaunty salesman is most likely to notch up good sales.
Syn : Blithe; Dapper; Debonair; Vivacious
Ant : Reserved; Sedate; Staid
RW : Jaunt (to go on trip, excursion, journey for pleasure)
JETTISON (v)
Cue : J E T T I S O N . Jactare/ jectare toss about/ throw
Mean : to toss/ throw cargo overboard; to lighten and save a ship
Ex : (i) The ship had to jettison lot of cargo to stabilize itself during
the heavy seastorm.
(ii) As the share index began to nosedive, I jettisoned my entire
share holding.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Syn : Discard; Exclude

RW : Jetsam (the cargo jettisoned); Jetty (a landing wharf)
JIGSAW (n)
Cue : Jig + saw a vertical reciprocating saw
Mean : jigsaw puzzle . a puzzle involving pieces cut out in
irregular pattern required to be put
together to solve the puzzle
Ex : Let us all make an effort to solve this jigsaw puzzle.
RW : Jig (a form of jerky dance - e.g. performing a jig)
JOCOSE (adj)
Cue : Relate with Joke
Mean : full of jokes, wit, jocular, humorous
Ex : His jocose manner managed to lighten the atmosphere a little,
but many people thought it
was unsuitable for such a solemn occasion.
Syn : Comical; Facetious; Farcical; Ridiculous
Ant : Grave; Morose; Serious; Solemn
RW : Jocular (intended to cause amusement, joking); Jocund
(genial, playful); Jollity; Jovial
(full of hearty, playful good humor)
JUDICIOUS (adj)
Cue : J U D I C I O U S . Relate with judge
Mean : possessing sound judgement
Ex : Judicious use of time and energy is the key to success.
Syn : Astute; Expedient; Perspicacious; Prudent; Sagacious
Ant : Impetuous; Impulsive; Imprudent; Injudicious; Rash
RW : Judicature (administration of justice); Prejudice
JUGGERNAUT (n)
Cue : J U G G E R N A U T . Corrupted form of Jagannath
ruling deity of Puri. The massive
Jagannath rath yatra (Chariot drive) so excited the devotees that
they threw themselves under
the huge wheels and got crushed
Mean : huge force destroying everything in its path, a massive
object
Ex : The juggernaut of German warship Bismarck caused terror
among the allied naval forces.
JUGULAR (adj)
Cue : J U G U L A R . Junctus to join
Mean : of neck (that joins the head to the trunk)
Ex : The carnivores invariably go for the jugular parts of their prey
(for an easy kill).
RW : Junction; Juncture; Jugular vein
JUNKET (n)
Cue : J U N K E T . A picnic basket
Mean : a pleasure trip / a picnic/ an excursion made at public
expense
Ex : The foreign junkets of VIP families are an unnecessary strain
on public exchequer.
Syn : Expedition
RW : Junk (trivia)
JURISPRUDENCE (n)
Cue : J U R I S P R U D E N C E . Juris law + prudence
knowledge, a foreseeing i.e.
knowledge of law
Also Jur to swear
Mean : the science of law and its administration; the system of
laws
Ex : The Chief Justice of India has expressed concern over the
quality of jurisprudence especially in
the lower courts.
RW : Jurisdiction

47

K
KALEIDOSCOPE (n)
Cue : K A L E I D O S C O P E . Kalos beautiful + eidos
form + scope to see i.e.
observer of beautiful forms
Mean : (1) an optical toy showing variety of forms through
reflection in mirrors of loose bits of
coloured glass
(2) constant changes
Ex : Life is a Kaleidoscope.
KEEL (n/v)
Mean : (1) the timber or steel structure along the base of a ship, on
which the ships framework is
built, to prevent buckling/sagging
(2) to turn over so that the keel comes up (to keel over), capsize
(3) poised/ balanced (an even keel)
Ex : The union Budget is on an even keel.
Syn : Plunge; Stumble; Totter
RW : Keelhaul (to rebuke harshly originally a punishment by
hauling a person through water/land)
KERNEL (n)
Cue : Corn i.e. core or central part of anything
Mean : (1) the softer, usually edible part inside the shell of a nut or
fruit stone; the whole seed of a
cereal
(2) the essential or most important part of
Ex : The kernel of the Presidential message was that peace should
not be a source of
advantage or disadvantage for anyone.
Syn : Core
Ant : Hull; Husk; Pod; Shell; Shuck
KINDRED (adj)
Cue : K I N D R E D . of your kind type
Mean : (1) related, congruous, akin
(2) (For a person) who has the same opinions, feelings and
interest as you
Ex : (i) Sharing a kindred temperament is rare among husbands
and wives.
(ii) I have found a kindred spirit who likes wrestling as much as I
do.
Syn : Allied; Germane
RW : Kinship; Kinsman; Kith (familiar friends); Kin (relatives or
family)
KINESICS (n)
Cue : K I N E S I C S . kines movement + ics study
Mean : study of body movements/ facial expressions as
accompaniments to speech (body
language)
Ex : His kinesics ooze out confidence.
RW : Kinetic (relating to motion, e.g. kinetic energy)
KINK (n)
Cue : A bend, say, at knee relate with kick
Mean : (1) a short twist/ bend
(2) a mental twist/quirk
Ex : If a ruler goes by his kinks, he may play havoc with the
governance.
RW : Kinky (sexually perverted / eccentric)
KITSCH (n) (kich)
Cue : German - Kitschen to smear
Mean : work in any of the arts that is pretentious, inferior or in bad
taste
Ex : The kitsch provided by film magazines is despicable.
Syn : Gaudiness; Trash
RW : Kitschy

VOCABULARY BUILDER

KLEPTOMANIA (n)
Cue : Kleiptein thief/ theft
Mean : person who has a compulsive desire to steal (not driven by
need)
Ex : People suffering from kleptomania need counseling as well as
psychiatric treatment.
Syn : Pilferer
RW : Kleptocracy (a government characterized by rampant greed
and corruption)
KNACK (n)
Cue : Relate with knock a sharp blow
Mean : a special skill/ talent/ way of doing things
Ex : The knack of hitting the headlines often turns one into a
celebrity.
Syn : Dexterity; Proficiency; Trick
RW : Knapsack (rucksack - a bag strapped onto the shoulders);
Knickknack (trivial
articles, small ornaments; this is the only word in English having
four ks)
KNAVE (n)
Mean : a deceitful fellow, a servant boy
Ex : Money power turns a knave into a knight.
Syn : Charlatan; Conman; Dishonest; Phony
RW : Knavish
KNOTTY (adj)
Cue : K N O T T Y . full of knots
Mean : intricate, difficult, hard to solve / explain
Ex : Corruption is proving to be a knotty problem in India.
Syn : Convoluted; Gnarled; Tangled
KOWTOW (v)
Cue : K O W T O W . Chinese . Ko bump + tou head
Mean : (1) kneeling and touching the ground with forehead to show
great deference/ servile respect
(2) doing others bidding
Ex : You dont have to kowtow to every whim and fancy of your
boss.
Syn : Genuflect; Obsequious act
KUDOS (n)
Cue : K U D O S . kud glory/ fame
Mean : credit or praise for an achievement; glory; fame
Ex : Kudos to the boy who won the marathon.
Syn : Adulation; Applause; Commendation; Credit; Honour

L
LACHRYMOSE (adj)
Cue : L A C H R Y M O S E . lacri tear a person inclined to
shed tears
Mean : a mournful character
Ex : He is a morose and lachrymose character.
Ant : Blithe; Cheerful; Gay; Lively
LACKADAISICAL (adj)
Cue : L A C K A D A I S I C A L . lack + dais day lack-a-day
(spirit)
Mean : lacking life, spirit or zest
Ex : These lackadaisical efforts will take you nowhere.
Syn : Enervated; Indolent; Languid; Lethargic; Listless; Sluggish
RW : Lackey (errand runner)
LACKLUSTRE (adj)
Cue : L A C K L U S T R E . lack + lus/ lucere light/ shine
Mean : lacking gloss/ radiance; dull, dreary
Ex : The lackluster performance of the previous government led to
its defeat at the Hustings.
RW : Lustrous

48

LACONIC (adj)
Cue : Supposedly a resident of Laconia town, residents of which
were known to be very brief and terse
Mean : very brief and to the point
Ex : A laconic reply is least expected of a salesman.
Syn : Curt; Succinct; Terse
LACUNA (n)
Cue : L A C U N A . lacus a pit/ lake a missing portion/ a
depression
Mean : a cavity, gap, shortcoming
Ex : There are several lacunae in the Indian Banking systems.
RW : Lacustrine (pertaining to lake); Lagoon (a shallow water
body linked to a larger body); Loch
(lake, land locked lagoon)
LAISSEZ FAIRE (n)
Cue : French let do
Mean : a general principle of government noninterference in the
economy
Ex : Laissez faire is meant for mature economies handled by
educated masses.
LAITY (n)
Cue : L A I T Y . lay + ity laymen
Mean : ordinary men, common masses
Ex : The laity is, in fact, the backbone of an economy.
Ant : Clergy; Gentry; Nobility
RW : Layette (a clothing outfit for a newborn); Lay-off (disemploy); Lay-out (arrangement)
LAMPOON (n)
Cue : Relate with a lumpen act
Mean : a personal satire, caricature, mocking
Ex : The cartoonist turns lampooning into an art.
Ant : Adulate; Commend; Exalt; Glorify
RW : Lambaste (to beat soundly; thrash)
LANGUID (n)
Cue : Relate with lax
Mean : lacking in vigor and vitality
Ex : A languid workforce is the biggest liability of the public sector.
Syn : Drooping; Listless; Slack; Slothful; Sluggish
Ant : Energetic; Vigorous
RW : Languish (to become languid, losing animation, strength,
Ex. Languishing PSUs in India are a
national drag; Languor (indolence, lassitude, lethargy)
LAPSE (n/v)
Mean : (1) error of omission
Ex : (i) The British followed the doctrine of lapse to annex princely
states.
(ii) This is a serious lapse on your part.
Mean : (2) a passage of time
Ex : The validity period of the contract has lapsed.
Mean : (3) sink or slip gradually
Syn : Default; Error; Omission; Slip
RW : Elapse; Relapse
LARCENY (n)
Cue : L A R C E N Y . larcin theft
Mean : theft, embezzlement, pilferage esp. of property
Ex : The larceny of the public property could not have taken place
without the connivance of revenue
officials.
LARGESSE (n)
Cue : L A R G E S S E . large abundance
Mean : a gift generously given, bountiful reward
Ex : The mysterious beneficiary of the largesse arouses suspicion.
Syn : Bounty; Magnanimity
Ant : Cheeseparing; Niggardliness; Stinginess; Triviality

VOCABULARY BUILDER

LATITUDE (n)
Cue : L A T I T U D E . latus side / wide
Mean : (1) freedom from narrow limitations; broadmindedness
(2) North / South distance from equator (in degrees)
Ex : Too much latitude may spoil the children and turn them into
squanderers.
Ant : Confinement; Constraint; Curb; Restriction
RW : Lateral (belonging to the sides); Lateral thinking (seeking
new ways to look at a problem);
Latitudinarian (a broadminded person); Multilateral; Longitude
(east west distance from the
meridian (in degrees)
LAUREATE (adj)
Mean : crowned with laurels
Ex : Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was a multilateral
genius.
RW : Laud; Laudatory (expressing praise)
LEASE (v)
Cue : Original French laissier to release
Mean : to grant property for a term, on a charter, hire, rent
Ex : Hong Kong was on a 100year lease from China to Britain.
RW : Lax; Laxative; Leasehold; Leash; Lessee; Lesser (one
who gives or lease)
LECTERN (n)
Cue : L E C T E R N . legere to read
Mean : podium for standing reader
Ex : The audience was all ears towards the lectern.
RW : Lector (lecturer); Lyceum (a hall for public lectures)
LEEWAY (n)
Mean : room for freedom of action
Ex : For a successful married life, each partner should allow
leeway to the other.
Syn : Latitude; Margin
RW : Leeward (situated away from land)
LEGEND (n)
Cue : L E G E N D . legere to read
Mean : (1) a story, folklore, fable
(2) explanatory list of symbols on a map
RW : Legacy (inheritance); Legendary; Legion (a unit of army/
exservicemen)
LEGERDEMAIN (n)
Cue : L E G E R D E M A I N .French leger light + de of +
main hand . light of hand
Mean : sleight of hand, tricks of a magician
Ex : Magic is nothing but legerdemain.
RW : Manual; Manuscript
LENITIVE (adj)
Cue : L E N I T I V E . Levitus to soften
Mean : alleviating pain or acrimony.
Ex : His fathers sound advice acted as a lenitive for the agitated
son.
RW : Leniency; Lenity (leniency); Sedative
LEUKEMIA (n)
Cue : L E U K E M I A . leuk leukocytes + emia condition
or disease of the blood
Mean : blood cancer
Ex : Leukemia is a dreadful disease.
RW : Anemia; Leukocytes (white blood corpuscles)
LEVEE (n)
Cue : L E V E E . levare to raise
Mean : embankment to prevent overflow of rivers
Ex : The floods have seriously breached the levee system.
RW : Level; Lever

49

LEVITATION (n)
Cue : L E V I T A T I O N . levis lightness
Mean : (1) rising due to lightness
(2) an illusory raising of body without any physical support
Ex : Some yogis are said to attain powers of levitation after years
of penance.
RW : Alleviate; Leaven (the fermentation and subsequent
lightness and expansion/raising of dough
due to substances like yeast); Levity (lightness of approach, lack
of seriousness, frivolity, ant:
solemnity)
LEXICON (n)
Mean : the vocabulary book, world book
Ex : The lexicon is a great help in language improvement.
Syn : Glossary; Thesaurus
RW : Lexicographer
LIBERTARIAN (n)
Cue : L I B E R T A R I A N . liber free
Mean : an advocate of the doctrine of free will
Ex : The libertarians have been ruthlessly crushed in China.
RW : Libertine (debauched person i.e. free of morals)
LICENTIOUS (adj)
Cue : L I C E N T I O U S . license
Mean : (1) disregarding accepted norms
(2) morally unrestrained, lewd, lascivious
Ex : His licentious way of life proved to be his nemesis; he
contracted HIV infection.
Syn : Libertine; Libidinous
LIEN (n)
Cue : Ligare to bind / tie
Mean : a right to possess a property unless the owner pays back a
debt
Ex : The bank took a lien on house property as security against the
housing loan.
RW : Legato (in music smooth and connected i.e. without
breaks); Ligament (a tough tissue
connecting bones); Ligature (something that binds / ties);
Staccato (in music with distinctive
breaks, related with stick)
LIEU (n)
Mean : in place of
Ex : He gave up his car in lieu of the loan amount.
RW : Lieutenant (lieu + tenant . one who takes the place of a
higher authority)
LIGNEOUS (adj)
Cue : L I G N E O U S . lign wood
Ex : It looks ligneous, but is hard as stone.
RW : Lignite (a form of brownish black soft coal having woody
texture)
LINCHPIN (n)
Cue : L I N C H P I N . lei to bend + pin a bent pin
Mean : (1) a locking pin inserted crosswise, as through the end of
an axle to keep the wheel from
coming off
(2) someone holding a group together
Ex : The grand old man is the linchpin that has kept the family
together.
LINEAMENT (n)
Cue : L I N E A M E N T . line an outline of facial contours
Mean : features, distinguishing mark, contour
Ex : The lineament of Brahms Symphony is its universal appeal.
RW : Lineal (hereditary); Liner (a ship or an aeroplane); Liniment
(ointment used externally to ease
pain)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

LINGUA FRANCA (n)

Cue : L I N G U A F R A N C A . Lingua tongue / language
Franca of France, meaning
of Europe
Mean : common language for communication
Ex : English has become the lingua franca of the world.
RW : Lingual (produced by the tongue); Linguist; Linguistics
LISSOME (adj)
Cue : Variant of lithesome
Mean : nimble, flexible, supple, agile
Ex : P.T. Usha was a lissome athlete.
Syn : Limber; Lithe
LITANY (n)
Cue : litanos pleading
Mean : a prayer consisting of repetitive recitations said alternately
by a leader and a group
Ex : There is invariably a litany of invocations at all religious
congregations.
LITERATI (n)
Cue : Relate with literate
Mean : men and women of letters, scholarly people, intelligentsia
Ex : The exhibition attracted the literati of the town.
RW : Literal; Literatim (verbatim); Liturgy (rites for worship,
rituals)
LOATHE (v)
Mean : to dislike intensely
Ex : Loathe sin, not the sinner.
Syn : Abhor; Abominate; Detest; Despise; Hate
RW : Loath (averse, disinclined, reluctant); Loathsome (disgusting
/ repulsive)
LOCUS STANDI (n)
Cue : L O C U S S T A N D I . locus place / position + standi
standing / status
Mean : the right to stand / interfere
Ex : Being an outsider, you dont have a locus standi in our family
dispute.
LOGISTICS (n)
Cue : L O G I S T I C S . loger to place + ics arrangement.
Log (study)
Mean : related with arrangements for movement of men and
materials
Ex : Army maneuvers need support from logistics.
RW : Lodge (boarder); Loge (a small cabin); Loggerhead; Logic;
Logistic; Logjam (deadlock)
LOQUACIOUS (adj)
Cue : L O Q U A C I O U S . loqui to speak
Mean : excessively talkative
Ex : You dont have to be loquacious to be a successful salesman.
Syn : Garrulous; Glib; Verbose
Ant : Reticent; Taciturn; Uncommunicative
RW : Eloquence (powerful speaking); Interlocution; Locution
(phraseology)
LUCRE (n)
Cue : Booty, gain, reward
Mean : flush with money
Ex : The lucre of the neo-rich spoils their children.
RW : Lucrative; Lucubration (laborious study / meditation)
LUDICROUS (adj)
Cue : L U D I C R O U S . ludere to play
Mean : provoking or deserving derision; amusingly absurd
Syn : ridiculous; absurd; comical; outlandish
Ex : His statements range from rash to ludicrous.
RW : Interlude; Ludo (a game); Prelude

50

LUMEN (n)
Cue : L U M E N . lum light
Ex : the brightness of a bulb can be measured in lumens
Mean : a unit of light
RW : Limn (to portray in drawing or words; describe); Luminary (a
body emitting light / a dignitary);
Luminous; Lummox (a clumsy, stupid person)
LUSCIOUS (adj)
Cue : Relate with delicious
Mean : highly gratifying to taste or smell, sensuous
Ex : People added luscious details to the sordid rape case.
Syn : Juicy; Succulent
Ant : Bland; Shriveled; Withered
RW : Lush (soft, succulent, profuse)

M
MACADAM (adj)
Cue : Named after Scot. civil engineer John L. McAdam who
gave us the modern concept of roadbuilding
Mean : a paved surface having compressed layers of broken rocks
held together with tar
Ex : The macadam surface has made traveling by road very
smooth and fast.
RW : Tarmac
MACERATE (v)
Cue : from Latin macere to soften
Mean : (1) to make soft by soaking or steeping in a liquid
(2) to separate into constituents by soaking
(3) to cause to become lean, usually by starvation; emaciate
Ex : The winemaker allowed the juice and skin of the grapes to
macerate overnight before
processing them.
Syn : Absorb; Drown; Dunk; Immerse; Marinate; Saturate
RW : Lacerate (to tear jaggedly; mangle)
MACHIAVELLIAN (adj)
Cue : From the name of its originator Niccolo Machivellan
Mean : Suggestive of or characterized by expediency, deceit, and
cunning
Ex : Machiavellian thinking is most important for political gains
today.
Syn : Crafty; Crooked; Cunning; Deceitful; Sneaking; Treacherous
Ant : Artless; Gullible; Ingenuous; Naive; Sincere
MACHISMO (n)
Cue : From macho extreme masculine sense
Mean : (1) a strong or exaggerated sense of masculinity stressing
attributes such as physical courage,
virility, domination of women, and aggressiveness
(2) an exaggerated sense of strength or toughness
Ex : Machismo is no longer considered an asset in todays
generation.
Syn : Dude; Hunk; Macho; Potent; Stud; Virile
Ant : Prissy; Sissy; Womanlike
MACROCOSM (n)
Cue : M A C R O C O S M . macro large/great + cosmos
Mean : (1) the whole universe
(2) a large/overall picture/structure
Ex : In a way, family is a miniature parallel of the macrocosm of
society.
Syn : Totality
RW : Macrobiotics (the science that deals with lengthening life as
by organic diets grown without
chemical treatment); Macrophage (a large amoeboid);
Macroscopic
MADONNA (n)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Cue : M A D O N N A . From Italian, ma my + donna lady

Mean : (1) an image or figure of the Virgin Mary
(2) used as a form of polite address for a married woman in an
Italian-speaking area
Ex : The Sforza castle in Milan depicts a 6 ft tall sculpture by
Michelangelo of Madonna and child.
Syn : Blessed Virgin Mary; Holy Mother; Mater Dolorosa; Mother of
God; Our Lady
RW : Prima Donna (literally first lady the principal artist; also a
vain woman)
MAGNANIMOUS (adv)
Cue : M A G N A N I M O U S . magnus great + animus
soul
Mean : (1) courageously noble in mind and heart
(2) Generous in forgiving; eschewing resentment or revenge;
unselfish
Ex : He accepted defeat magnanimously by saying The best man
won.
Syn : Altruistic; Benevolent; Chivalrous; Gracious; Liberal; Noble;
Unselfish
Ant : Cold-hearted; Malevolent; Malicious; Mean; Misanthropic;
Obdurate; Petty; Selfish; Unkind
RW : Magnum opus
MAGNATE (n)
Cue : M A G N A T E . magnus great
Mean : a powerful or influential person, especially in business or
industry
Ex : In view of the high social status enjoyed by them, business
magnates have a greater
responsibility toward society.
Syn : Baron; Czar; Mogul; Tycoon
Ant : Commoner; Unimportant
MAGNILOQUENT (adj)
Cue : M A G N I L O Q U E N T . magnus great + loquent
speak
Mean : lofty and extravagant in speech; grandiloquent
Ex : Politicians usually engage in magniloquent speech.
Syn : Aureate; Balderdash; Declamatory; Euphuistic; Flowery;
Fustian; Grandiloquent; Loudmouth;
Rhapsodic; Rhetorical; Verbose; Wordy
Ant : Humble; Quiet; Reserved; Restrained; Subtle; Understated
RW : Eloquent; Grandiloquent; Magnificent; Magnitude
MAGNUM OPUS (n)
Cue : M A G N U M O P U S . magnus great + opus work
Mean : (1) a great work, especially a literary or artistic masterpiece
(2) the greatest single work of an artist, writer, or composer
Ex : Paradise Lost is John Miltons magnum opus.
Syn : Masterpiece
RW : Magnum (a large bottle for spirits)
MALARIA (n)
Cue : M A L A R I A . mal bad + aria air from the earlier
belief that malaria is caused by bad
air
Mean : a disease caused by parasitic protozoans, transferred to
humans through anopheles mosquitoes
Ex : The spread of malaria is on the wane in economically
developed economies, due to improved
sanitation.
MALLEABLE (adj)
Cue : M A L L E A B L E . mallet + able . capable of being
shaped by hammering
Mean : flexible, adaptable, impressionable
Ex : Gold is highly malleable.
Syn : Adaptable; Compliant; Ductile; Flexible
Ant : Inadaptable; Inflexible; Invariable; Nonconforming;
Unbending
RW : Mallet; Maul

51

MAMMON (n)
Cue : personification of riches as a deity
Mean : the pursuit of riches and the belief that this is the most
important thing in life
Ex : Worship of mammon is the creed of the day.
MANACLE (n/v)
Cue : M A N A C L E . manus hand
Mean : (1) a device for confining the hands, usually consisting of a
set of two metal rings that are
fastened about the wrists and joined by a metal chain
(2) Something that confines or restrains
Ex : The perpetrators of heinous crimes are often manacled to
prevent their escape.
Syn : Bridle; Chain; Confine; Constrain; Curb; Curtail; Hold;
Impound
Ant : Free; Loose; Loosen; Unbind; Unfasten; Unravel; Untie
RW : Manicure; Manual; Manuscript
MANDATE (n/v)
Cue : M A N D A T E . manus hand
Mean : (1) an authoritative command or instruction (handed down)
(2) power or authority given to the government by its people
(handed over)
Ex : The new government has been mandated to rule for five
years.
Syn : Consent; Permission; Sanction; Validation
Ant : Deny; Disallow; Disapprove; Invalidate; Oppose; Refuse;
Reject
RW : Mandatory (required or commanded by authority; obligatory)
MANDARIN (n)
Cue : From mantrin (councilor) in Sanskrit
Mean : a high government official or bureaucrat
Ex : It often seems that true power lies with the Civil Service
mandarins, rather than with MPs and
cabinet ministers.
MANEUVER (n/v)
Cue : M A N E U V E R . manus hand + oper work
Mean : a skillful move
Ex : The army engages in a number of maneuvers to ensure its
war-preparedness.
Syn : Plot; Scheme; Stratagem
RW : Manacle; Manicure; Manual
MANGE (n)
Cue : from manger (trough for animals to eat)
Mean : any of several chronic skin diseases of mammals caused
by parasitic mites and characterized by
skin lesions, itching, and loss of hair
Ex : Mange, if not treated properly can lead to severe
complications in the pet.
RW : Mangy (filthy or mean); Manger (container from which the
animals take their feed)
MANIFESTATION (n)
Cue : M A N I F E S T A T I O N . manus hand + fest strike
. literally struck with a hand
Mean : an indication of the existence, reality, or presence of
something
Ex : His insomnia is a manifestation of his deep depression.
Syn : Clue; Example; Expression; Illustration; Reflection
Ant : Ambiguity; Latency; Mystery; Obscurity
RW : Fist; Infest; Manifest; Manifesto
MANOR (n)
Mean : (1) a landed estate belonging to a lord
(2) the main house on an estate
Ex : The Lords manor was auctioned to recover unpaid debts.
Syn : Chateau; Estate
RW : Mansion

VOCABULARY BUILDER

MANSUETUDE (n)
Cue : M A N S U E T U D E . manus hand + suetus to
grow accustomed
Mean : Gentleness, Mildness
Ex : The brides mansuetude was highly appreciated by her inlaws.
MANUMIT (v)
Cue : M A N U M I T . manus hand + emit to set free
Mean : to free from slavery or bondage; emancipate
Ex : He worked hard to manumit women in rural India.
Syn : Absolve; Acquit; Free; Liberate
Ant : Capture; Confine; Confine; Enslave; Incarcerate
MARINATE (v)
Cue : M A R I N A T E . marine of the sea
Mean : to soak food in a liquid before boiling
Ex : Marinated food gets cooked quicker.
Syn : Douse; Immerse; Souse dunk
RW : Mariner (sailor); Marina (a yacht station); Marinade (the
soaking liquid); Maritime (pertaining to
the sea); Marsh; Mermaid
MARSHAL (v)
Cue : marah horse/mare + scalh servant
Mean : (1) a military officer of the highest rank in some countries
(2) to arrange, place, or set in methodical order
Ex : I tried to marshal all facts in preparation for my exam
Syn : (i) provost
(ii) Align; Arrange; Collate; Collect; Consolidate
Ant : Disperse; Dissemble; Scatter
RW : Mare
MARTIAL (adj)
Cue : From Mars Roman god of war. Also relate with martial arts
Mean : characteristic of or relating to war
Ex : The martial law remained in force for well over six months
after the military coup.
Syn : Combative; Military; Warlike
MARTINET (n)
Cue : After French General Jean Martinet
Mean : (1) a rigid military disciplinarian
(2) one who demands absolute adherence to forms and rules
Ex : Army generals are usually martinets.
Syn : Authoritarian; Commander; Disciplinarian
Ant : Democrat; Liberal
MASCOT (n)
Cue : mascus . ghost, later taken to mean a talisman
Mean : a person, animal, or object believed to bring good luck
Ex : The giant panda is the mascot of their team.
Syn : Amulet; Charm; Talisman
RW : Mask; Masquerade
MASOCHISM (n)
Cue : After Sacher Masoch who described this psychiatric
condition
Mean : the deriving of pleasure from being physically or
emotionally abused, especially out of injury
inflicted upon self
Ex : According to Freud, childhood neglect leads to masochism.
RW : Sadism
MASTICATE (v)
Cue : A tree yielding chewing gum
Mean : (1) to chew (food)
(2) to grind and knead (rubber, for example) into a pulp
Ex : Some Ayurvedic drugs need to be masticated.
Syn : Munch; Ruminate
RW : Masticatory (medicine to promote secretion of saliva
through chewing)

52

MATRON (n)
Cue : M A T R O N . From matri mother
Mean : (1) a married woman or a widow, especially a mother of
dignity, mature age, and established
social position
(2) a woman who acts as a supervisor or monitor in a public
institution, such as a school,
hospital, or prison
Ex : The matron of a hostel or hospital has to be tactful but strict.
RW : Alma mater; Matriarchal; Matriarchy; Matricide; Matrix
(parent stem)
MAUDLIN (adj)
Cue : After Mary Magdalene, portrayed in art as a weeping
penitent
Mean : effusively or tearfully sentimental
Ex : She showed maudlin expressions of sympathy.
Syn : Emotional; Lachrymose; Mushy
MAVERICK (n)
Cue : After Samuel Maverick who refused to brand his cattle as
per common practice
Mean : a non-conformist, unorthodox person
Ex : Bobby Fisher, a maverick, never played an international
tournament after winning the world
chess championship.
Ant : Conformist; Orthodox
MAWKISH (adj)
Cue : M A W K I S H . Like a mawk (moth) gnawing vermin
Mean : sickening, insipid, sickeningly sentimental
Ex : Your mawkish demeanor puts me off.
Syn : Maudlin; Mushy; Nauseating
Ant : Exhilarating; Invigorating; Refreshing
RW : Maggot; Moth
MAXIM (n)
Cue : M A X I M . maximus . the greatest proposition
Mean : a truth stated pithily, saying
Ex : The Bible and the Bhagvada Gita are replete with spiritual
maxims.
Syn : Adage; Aphorism
RW : Axiom; Maximum
MAYHEM (n)
Cue : Akin to maim
Mean : (1) inflicting injury with intent to mutilate
(2) a violent destruction or confusion
Ex : There was mayhem at the site of the accident.
RW : Maim
MEANDER (v)
Cue : After the river Meanderes, noted for its winding course
Mean : to wander aimlessly in movement or in speech
Ex : Narmada meanders through the Vindhayas.
Syn : Convolute; Ramble; Wend; Wind
MEDIEVAL (adj)
Cue : M E D I E V A L . medi middle + eval time/age
Mean : of the middle ages
Ex : Medieval Europe was notorious for its barbarism.
RW : Media; Median; Mediate; Mediocre; Mediterranean;
Meridian literally midday
MEDLEY (n)
Cue : M E D L E Y . medlee to mix
Mean : a mixture of heterogeneous elements. An assortment of
music
Ex : The medley of events at the athletic meet could not attract
spectators in great numbers.
Syn : Conglomeration; Jumble; Mlange; Potpourri
RW : Meddle; Melee

VOCABULARY BUILDER

MEGALOMANIAC (n)
Cue : M E G A L O M A N I A C . mega large, great (also the
number one million) + mania
obsession
Mean : a person suffering from a condition of obsessive delusions
of grandeur; a passion for doing
big
Ex : The breed of megalomaniacs is on the increase.
RW : Megacephalic (large-headed); Megahertz (a million cycles
per second); Megalith (huge stone /
rock); Megalopolis; Megaphone (a device for magnifying the
sound)
MELANCHOLY (n)
Cue : M E L A N C H O L Y . melano black, gloomy + choly
bile
Mean : a gloomy, sorrowful state of mind
Ex : Ecstasy and melancholy are part of life.
Syn : Dejected; Depressed; Dispirited
Ant : Delight; Ecstasy
RW : Melancholia (depression); Melanic (adj dark or black);
Melanin (a dark pigment as in human
hair)
MELLIFLUOUS (adj)
Cue : M E L L I F L U O U S . mel honey + flu flow .
flowing / sweetened with honey
Mean : sweetly flowing; very smooth
Ex : The mellifluous tunes of Beetles made them living legends of
pop music.
Syn : Euphonious; Melodious
RW : Ameliorate; Meliority (superiority); Melliferous (honeybearing); Mellow; Melody; Melorism
(the doctrine that human effort makes the world better); Mildew (a
plant fungus)
MENDACITY (n)
Cue : M E N D A C I T Y . mend a flaw
Mean : untruthfulness, falsity
Ex : He is a compulsive liar. His mendacity is well known.
Syn : Prevarication
RW : Amend; Mendacious
MENDICANT (adj)
Cue : M E N D I C A N T . Formerly of a religious sect that
depended on charity
Mean : a beggar
Ex : To Churchill, Gandhi Ji was all but a mendicant in a loin cloth.
Syn : Begging friar; Pauper
RW : Mendacity
MERCANTILE (adj)
Cue : M E R C A N T I L E . Mercans buyer or merx goods
Mean : Related to merchants, commercial activity
Ex : A mercantile attitude towards friends and acquaintances is
most deplorable
RW : Mercenary; Merchandising planning, advertising and
other activities to promote sales
MERCURIAL (adj)
Cue : Mercurius Roman god of commerce, eloquence and
travel. Also changeable, active like
mercury
Mean : (1) lively or quick
(2) flexible, fickle
Ex : (i) The mercurial chief executive has been largely instrumental
in the companys success.
(ii) Mercurial government policy creates instability.
Syn : Agile; Enthusiastic; Fluctuating; Sprightly
Ant : Rigid; Stable; Steady

53

MERETRICIOUS (adj)
Cue : M E R E T R I C I O U S . merere to earn + trix show
. a show for money
Mean : alluring by vulgar attractions
Ex : Harlots often indulge in meretricious acts to attract customers.
Syn : Flashy; Garish; Gaudy; Tawdry
MESMERIZE (v)
Cue : Hypnotism as induced by Dr. Franz Mesmer through
magnetism, compelling attraction
Mean : (1) to Hypnotize
(2) to fascinate, captivate
Ex : Her charm has a mesmerizing quality.
Syn : Cast a spell; Stupefy
METAMORPHOSE (v)
Cue : M E T A M O R P H O S E . meta after/beyond + morph
transformation
Mean : complete change of form, structure or substance
Ex : The pupa metamorphoses into butterflies.
Syn : Mutate; Transmute
MICROCOSM (n)
Cue : M I C R O C O S M . micro small + cosmos
Mean : (1) a world in miniature (a miniature that has all the
features of the larger whole)
(2) theory treating human beings at the center of universe
Ex : The family is a microcosm of society.
Ant : Macrocosm
RW : Microanalysis; Microbe; Microlite (microscopic crystal);
Micrology (undue attention to petty
detail); Micron (one millionth of a meter); Microscope
MINCE (v)
Cue : M I N C E . min Small
Mean : (1) to cut into small pieces
(2) to soften or moderate
(3) to act with affected elegance
Ex : He does not mince words and comes to the point straightaway
RW : Mincemeat; Mincing Affectedly dainty; Minion a
person of minor importance; Minuend a
number form which another is subtracted; Minuscule; Minutely
MIRAGE (n)
Cue : Mir(ror) reflection
Mean : (1) an optical illusion where distant objects appear inverted;
an unreal reflection
(2) something illusory
Ex : Elimination of poverty, hundred per cent literacy etc. have
become a mirage in our country.
MISCEGENATION (n)
Cue : M I S C E G E N A T I O N . mis mistaken/mix + gen
race/species
Mean : a marriage between people of different races
Ex : The Anglo Indians are the product of miscegenation.
RW : Misappropriate; Misbegotten; Misbehave; Miscellaneous;
Mischief (mis + achieve);
Miscible; Miscue; Misdemeanor; Misfeasance (The wrongful
performance of a normally lawful
act.); Misgivings; Mishap; Misnomer
MITE (n)
Mean : (1) very small object or creature
(2) small coin (figuratively small amount)
Ex : (i) Cockroaches are among the most ancient mites
(ii) We should contribute our mite to a noble cause
RW : Mitigate; Termite
MNEMONIC (adj)
Cue : Mnemosyne (Greek goddess of memory)
Mean : Meant to aid ones memory

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : Numbers, words, things etc. can be remembered through

mnemonic tricks.
RW : Amnesia (Loss of memory); Mnemonics (Science dealing
with the techniques for developing
ones memory)
MODUSOPERANDI (n)
Cue : Latin expression mode + opus
Mean : the manner of operating/functioning
Ex : The modusoperandi of the crime was a clear pointer to the
hand of mafia.
RW : ModusVivendi (Manner of living; also a temporary
agreement)
MOLLIFY (v)
Cue : M O L L I F Y . moll to crush / soften + fy / fac make
Mean : to soften ruffled feelings
Ex : Her pleasant talk mollified the boss.
Syn : Appease; Assuage; Placate
RW : Emollient; Mollycoddle
MONODY (n)
Cue : M O N O D Y . mono single + ode poem . singing
alone
Mean : (1) an ode sung by a single voice, as in a tragedy; lament
(ii) in music, style of composition in homophony, as distinguished
form polyphony
Ex : The sole surviving Beetle now sings monodies in the memory
of his deceased friends
RW : Monarchy; Monochromatic; Monolithic; Monocle;
Monocracy; Monogamist; Monogram
(Two or more letters interlaced to signify brand); Monologue;
Monomania; Monopoly;
Monopsony; Monotheism; Monotonous
MORATORIUM (n)
Cue : M O R A T O R I U M . mor/mort death
Mean : temporary cessation of activity
Ex : In a democracy the government simply cannot put moratorium
on strikes.
RW : Immortal; Morbidity (the proportion of sickness or death);
Morgue; Moribund (In a dying state);
Mortal; Mortgage; Mortician (Undertaker); Mortify; Mortuary
MORDANT (adj)
Cue : M O R D A N T . mordre to bite
Mean : (1) caustic or biting
(2) any corrosive substance
Ex : Celebrities fear the mordant coverage of their private life by
the press.
Syn : Bitter; Sharp; Stringent
RW : Mordacious; Moron (A feebleminded person); Morose
(gloomy, illhumored person)
MOTE (n)
Mean : a speck or particle as of dust
Ex : If you make a man stand at the sea shore or at the foot of a
mountain or in a dense forest, he
will soon realize his position as being even smaller than a mote
RW : Motif (a distinctive and recurring form, shape, etc.; a theme);
Motley (consisting of
heterogeneous, assorted, diverse elements); Mottled (Spotted)
MOTILITY (n)
Cue : M O T I L I T Y . mot to move
Mean : ability to move spontaneously
Ex : (i) Motility of spores is so remarkable that they can travel for
miles before taking rest.
(ii) Certain organisms are astonishingly motile.
Syn : Movement
Ant : Stagnation; Stasis
RW : Demote; Motion; Motorcade (Motor + Cavalcade); Promote

54

MUGGY (adj)
Cue : M U G G Y . mug mist
Mean : foggy, damp, oppressive atmosphere
Ex : The muggy climate of Mumbai in May is sometimes intolerable
Syn : Soppy; Sultry
Ant : Dry
RW : Muck (farmyard dung, decaying vegetable matter in a moist
state; filth); Mug (Slang a thug;
ruffian); Mulch (a covering of manure or straw around plant-roots
to prevent excessive
evaporation or erosion); Murky (misty, hazy, gloomy)
MUNDANE (adj)
Mean : of or pertaining to earthly matters
Ex : We get so engrossed in mundane affairs that we hardly have
time for spiritual pursuits.
Syn : Materialistic; Prosaic; Temporal
Ant : Celestial; Divine; Supernal
MUSE (v)
Cue : M U S E . musus mouth
Mean : to study in silence, to meditate
Ex : William Wordsworth mused over the beauty of daffodils well
after he had visited the blessed
vale
Syn : Meditate; Ponder; Reflect
RW : Museum; Music; Musings; Muzzle (The mouth as of a gun)
MUTABLE (adj)
Cue : M U T A B L E . mut change
Mean : variable, subject to change
Ex : The mutable government policies keep the investors at bay.
Syn : Fickle; Protean; Unsteady; Vacillating; Wavering
Ant : Constant; Stable; Steady
RW : Mutation; MutatisMutandis (Latin expression meaning, the
necessary changes have been
made); Mute (To muffle or reduce the intensity); Mutual
(Interchange)

N
NADIR (n)
Cue : From Arabic nazir (opposite) opposite of zenith
Mean : an extreme state of adversity, the lowest point of anything
Ex : Their fortunes have touched the nadir.
Syn : Depth(s); Foot; Lowest point
Ant : Apex; Peak; Pinnacle; Roof; Summit; Top; Zenith
NAG (v)
Cue : From gnaw to bite
Mean : to annoy by continual scolding, faultfinding, complaining,
urging, etc
Ex : The half-remembered quotation nagged at my mind.
Syn : Annoy; Pester; Vex

NATAL (adj)
Cue : Nasci to be born
Mean : of, relating to, or accompanying birth
Ex : Natal injuries ought to be taken pretty seriously.
Syn : Hereditary; Implanted; Inborn; Inbred; Indigenous
Ant : Acquired; Learned
RW : Innate; Neonate
NATATION (n)
Cue : Nare to swim
Mean : the act or art of swimming
Ex : He is a state champion in notation.
Syn : Swimming
RW : Natant; Natatorial; Natatorium (indoor swimming pool)
NATTY (adj)
Cue : Obsolete form of neaty (neat) elegant
Mean : trim and smart in appearance or dress
Ex : He was dressed in a natty suit.
Syn : Chic; Smart; Well-dressed
RW : Nattily; Nattiness
NAUSEA (n)
Cue : N A U S E A . Naus a ship originally sea-sickness
Mean : a feeling of sickness at the stomach, with an impulse to
vomit
Ex : Roller coasters may generate nausea.
Syn : Queasiness; Sickness; Vomiting
RW : Nauseating; Nauseous; Navy; Nautical
NAVE (n)
Cue : N A V E . the hub of a wheel
Mean : In the middle
Ex : He loves to be in the nave of matters.
Syn : Core; Hub; Middle
RW : Navel
NECROMANCY (n)
Cue : N E C R O M A N C Y . necro death + mancy
divination
Mean : witch craft; communication with the dead
Ex : Some people still believe in acts of witchcraft like necromancy.
RW : Necrology; Necrolatory (worship of, or excessive reverence
for, the dead); Necrophagous
(feeding on the dead); Necropolis (large cemetery); Necropsy
(autopsy); Necrosis (disease
relating to death of a tissue)
NEMESIS (n)
Cue : The goddess of divine retribution
Mean : (1) a source of harm and ruin
(2) an opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome. One that
inflicts retribution or vengeance
Ex : Uncritical trust is my nemesis
Syn : Atrophy; Bane

NARCISSISM (n)
Cue : From Narcissus - A young man who pined away in love for
his own image in a pool of water
and was transformed into the flower that bears his name
Mean : excessive love or admiration of oneself
Ex : His narcissism allows him to live in a world of make-believe.
Syn : Arrogance; Pomposity; Self-admiration; Vainglory; Vanity

NEOLOGISM (n)
Cue : N E O L O G I S M . neo new + logy speech/study +
ism
Mean : the creation or use of new words or senses of existing
words
Ex : Motel is a neologism, derived from the words motor and
hotel.
Syn : Coinage; Neology; New phrase
RW : Biology; Dialogue; Neologistic

NASCENT (adj)
Cue : Nasci to be born
Mean : beginning to form, start, grow, or develop: said of ideas,
cultures, etc
Ex : At the time of the Indo-China war, India was still a nascent
republic.
Syn : Emergent; Emerging; Incipient
RW : Renaissance; Nee

NEOPHYTE (n)
Cue : N E O P H Y T E . neo new + phyt produce
Mean : one just beginning a new kind of life, work, etc
Ex : He is a neophyte; he needs a little time to pick up the nuances
of salesmanship.
Syn : Amateur; Beginner; Novice; Tyro

VOCABULARY BUILDER

55

NEOTERIC (adj)
Cue : N E O T E R I C . neo new
Mean : of recent origin; modern
Ex : The content of the book is based on a rather neoteric
philosophical thought.
Syn : Brand-new; Newfangled; Novel; Original

Cue : N O M D E P L U M E . nom name + de of + plume

pen
Mean : a fictitious name esp. used by a writer
Ex : Amit writes under the nom-de-plume of A Myth.
Syn : Pen name; Pseudonym
RW : Nom de guerre; Nomenclature

NESCIENT (n)
Cue : N E S C I E N T . ne nil/not + science knowledge
Mean : Lacking in knowledge or awareness; ignorant
Ex : His nescient ways led to a big loss for his firm.
Syn : Agnostic

NONAGENARIAN (adj)
Cue : N O N A G E N A R I A N . nonageni ninety each
Mean : a person 90 years old or between 90 and 100 years old
Ex : Most occupants of the old age nursing home are
nonagenarian.

NESTLE (vi)
Cue : From nest
Mean : to settle down comfortably and snugly
Ex : The little boy nestled against his mother and slept peacefully.
Syn : Cuddle; Nuzzle; Snuggle

NONCHALANT (adj)
Cue : non not + chaloir to care for
Mean : seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent
Ex : A nonchalant person is not likely to become warm or heated
about anything.
Syn : Apathetic; Casual; Cool; Imperturbable; Indifferent;
Insouciant; Lackadaisical; Unconcerned;
Unruffled
Ant : Anxious; Attentive; Concerned
RW : Nonchalance; Noncommittal; Nondescript

NETTLE (n)
Cue : From ned to twist together a family of weeds with
stinging hairs
Mean : to irritate or annoy
Ex : The bitter remark of his boss kept nettling him for days.
Syn : Annoy; Irritate; Pester
RW : Nettlesome (causing irritation; easily provoked)
NEURASTHENIA (n)
Cue : N E U R A S T H E N I A . neuro of nerves + asthenia
lack of bodily strength
Mean : characterized by chronic fatigue and weakness, loss of
memory, and generalized aches
Ex : The octogenarian is suffering from neurasthenia and needs
intensive care.
Syn : Nervousness
RW : Neurasthenic; Neuron (nerve cell); Neurotic
NIHILISM (n)
Cue : N I H I L I S M . nihil nothing
Mean : (1) an extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence
(2) a doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing
can be known or
communicated
Ex : Nihilism has no place in modern progressive thinking.
Syn : Pessimism
RW : Annihilation; Nihilist
NIT-PICKING (adj)
Cue : N I T-P I C K I N G . nit louse egg or young louse +
picking doing petty things
Mean : to be concerned with or finding fault with insignificant
details
Ex : Her constant nit picking drove me mad.
Syn : Captious; Censorious; Faultfinding; Hypercritical;
Pettifogging
NOCTURNAL (adj)
Cue : noctis night
Mean : of, relating to, or occurring in the night
Ex : Nocturnal animals are active at night.
Ant : Diurnal
RW : Nocturne a romantic or dreamy musical composition
appropriate to the night
NOISOME (adj)
Cue : N O I S O M E . From annoy + some tending to be
Mean : offensive to the point of arousing disgust, harmful or
dangerous
Ex : The noisome odor is almost unbearable.
Syn : Baneful; Pernicious; Unwholesome
Ant : Moral; Pleasant
NOM DE PLUME (n)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

NONPAREIL (adj)
Cue : N O N P A R E I L . non + pareil equal
Mean : a person or thing that has no equal, someone or something
unequaled or unrivaled
Ex : The Yankees have a cener forward who is virtually nonpareil.
Syn : Model; Paragon; Pick; Prime
Ant : Loser
RW : Compare; Parity
NONPLUS (n)
Cue : N O N P L U S . non not + plus more
Mean : (1) to put at a loss as to what to think, say, or do, bewilder
(2) a state of perplexity, confusion, or bewilderment
Ex : Dianas candid interview nonplussed many
Syn : Amaze; Baffle; Bewilder; Dumbfound; Flummox; Perplex;
Puzzle
NON SEQUITUR (n)
Cue : N O N S E Q U I T U R . non not + sequi follow
Mean : (1) a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it
(2) (logic) a conclusion that does not follow from the premises
Ex : His reply to the reporters query was non sequitur.
Syn : Ambiguity; Equivocation; Fallacy; Illogical conclusion
Ant : Truth; Understanding; Verity
RW : Sequel
NOSEGAY (n)
Cue : N O S E G A Y . nose + gay gay object for the nose
Mean : a small arrangement of flowers that is usually given as a
present
Ex : A nosegay was presented to the chief guest.
Syn : Posy
NOSTALGIA (n)
Cue : nostos a return home
Mean : (1) a bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of
the past
(2) the condition of being homesick
Ex : I felt very nostalgic when I visited my school after fifteen
years.
Syn : Homesickness; Wistfulness
NOTA BENE
Cue : N O T A B E N E . nota note + bene well- note
well/take notice
Mean : used to direct attention to something particularly important
Ex : The margins of his book were generously supplied with Nota
Benes in pencil.
RW : Notarize

56

NOUVEAU RICHE (n)

Cue : N O U V E A U R I C H E . nouveau newly + riche
rich
Mean : one who has recently become rich, especially one who
flaunts newly acquired wealth
Ex : The sons of nouveaux riches often indulge in vulgar display of
their new-found riches.
Syn : Nouveau arrive; Parvenu
NOVICE (n)
Cue : novus new
Mean : a person new to a field or activity, a beginner
Ex : One should be considerate towards the novices and afford
them a chance to learn.
Syn : Amateur; Apprentice; Beginner; Neophyte
Ant : Expert; Professional; Veteran
RW : Innovation; Novelty
NOXIOUS (adj)
Cue : From noxa harm
Mean : harmful to the health, harmful to the mind or morals
Ex : Noxious chemical wastes are often discharged into the water
bodies, putting public health to risk.
Syn : Baneful; Deleterious; Pernicious
Ant : Benign; Harmless; Healthful; Healthy; Innocuous
RW : Obnoxious; Pernicious
NUGATORY (adj)
Cue : From nugari to trifle
Mean : of little or no importance, trifling
Ex : The students treated the talk of the principal regarding need
for discipline just nugatory.
Syn : Inadequate; Piddling; Trifling; Worthless
Ant : Great; Important; Serious
RW : Nugget
NULLIFY (vt)
Cue : N U L L I F Y . null none + facere to make, do
Mean : (1) to make null, invalidate
(2) to counteract the force or effectiveness of
Ex : An act loses its legal force once it is nullified.
Syn : Annul; Invalidate; Quash; Repeal; Void
Ant : Validate
RW : Annul
NUMISMATIST (adj)
Cue : N U M I S M A T I S T . nomisma a coin
Mean : a person who studies or collects coins and often medals
Ex : The numismatists collection is unique because the historical
details of the coins have been
meticulously maintained.
RW : Nummary (pertaining to coins); Nummular (coin-shaped)
NUMSKULL (n)
Cue : N U M S K U L L . numb weakened + skull
Mean : a stupid person
Ex : What a numskull! Can he do anything right?
Syn : Jackass; Nitwit; Simpleton
NUPTIAL (adj)
Cue : nubere to marry
Mean : (1) of or relating to marriage or the wedding ceremony
Ex : The nuptials were performed in a hurry as the grooms party
was getting late for the return flight.
Syn : Conjugal; Connubial; Marital
NURTURE (n)
Cue : From nurse or nourish
Mean : the act of bringing up, raising, or promoting the
development
Ex : They nurtured their fledgling business with utmost care and
devotion.
Syn : Conjugal; Connubial; Marital

VOCABULARY BUILDER

O
OBCORDATE (adj)
Cue : O B C O R D A T E . ob to + cord+ ate heart shaped
Mean : heart-shaped, with the point of attachment at the narrow
end
Ex : the tree has obcordate leaves.
RW : Cardiac; Cordial
OBDURATE (adj)
Cue : O B D U R A T E . dur hard
Mean : hardened against feeling, hardhearted
Ex : An obdurate miser.
Syn : Adamant; Bullhead; Callous; Hang tough; Hard-boiled;
Obstinate; Stubborn
Ant : Amenable; Compliant; Flexible
RW : Duress; Obdurately
OBFUSCATE (vt)
Cue : O B F U S C A T E . ob to + fuscare darken
Mean : to make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to
perceive or understand, to cloud over
Ex : A great effort was made to obfuscate the truth.
Syn : Adumbrate; Becloud; Befog; Blur; Conceal; Darken; Eclipse;
Muddle; Perplex
Ant : Clarify; Display; Reveal; Uncover; Unfog
RW : Confuse
OBITER DICTUM
Cue : saying by the way
Mean : (1) an opinion voiced by a judge that has only incidental
bearing on the case in question and is
therefore not binding
(2) an incidental remark or observation; a passing comment
Ex : The remark that the convicted was sorry for his misdeeds was
just an obiter dictum and therefore
not fit for consideration.
Syn : Remark
RW : Dictation; Diction; Dictum
OBITUARY (n)
Cue : obitus death
Mean : a published notice of a death, sometimes with a brief
biography of the deceased
Ex : It was only when I read his obituary in the newspaper that I
came to know about our former
principals death.
Syn : Eulogy; Necrology
OBJURGATE (vt)
Cue : O B J U R G A T E . ob + jugare to scold
Mean : to scold or rebuke sharply
Ex : She objurgated him for his insensitive remarks.
Syn : Berate; Chasten
OBLITERATE (vt)
Cue : O B L I T E R A T E . From litter letter to
erase/efface/blot out
Mean : (1) to do away with completely so as to leave no trace
(2) to wipe out, rub off, or erase (writing or other markings)
Ex : The burn scars were obliterated after the plastic surgery
Syn : Annihilate; Annul; Black out; Blot out; Call off; Destroy
OBLOQUY (n)
Cue : O B L O Q U Y . ob towards + loqui to speak
Mean : (1) abusively detractive language or utterance
(2) the condition of disgrace suffered as a result of abuse or
vilification; ill repute
Ex : Dont indulge in obloquy; come up with your specific
complaint.
Syn : Aspersion; Calumny; Curse; Slander
Ant : Credit; Praise

57

OBNOXIOUS (adj)
Cue : O B N O X I O U S . ob towards + noxa harm
Mean : (1) very annoying or objectionable; offensive or odious
(2) deserving of or liable to censure
Ex : I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious
laws so effective as their stringent
execution (Ulysses S. Grant).
Syn : Abhorrent; Abominable; Annoying; Despicable;
Objectionable
OBSCURE (adj)
Cue : O B S C U R E . ob towards + scure to cover,
conceal, hide, darken
Mean : (1) deficient in light; dark
(2) far from centers of human population
(3) out of sight; hidden. (An obscure village)
(4) not readily noticed or seen; inconspicuous (an obscure retreat)
(5) of undistinguished or humble reputation (an obscure family)
(6) not clearly understood or expressed; ambiguous or vague
Ex : He likes to remain obscure and hard to get.
Syn : Abstract; Abstruse; Ambiguous; Blurred; Complex;
Complicated
Ant : Clear; Comprehensible; Distinct; Lucid

Mean : to anticipate and dispose off effectively; render

unnecessary
Ex : While swimming, wearing a lifejacket obviates my fear of
drowning.
Syn : Hinder; Prevent; Restrain
Ant : Allow; Invite; Permit; Seek
OCCLUDE (v)
Cue : O C C L U D E . claud/clued to close/shut
Mean : to cause to become closed, obstruct; to prevent the
passage of
Ex : The occluded artery seriously hampered the smooth flow of
blood.
Syn : Block; Choke; Clog; Curb; Impede
Ant : Include; Release; Unblock; Unclog
RW : Conclude; Include; Seclude
ODIOUS (adj)
Cue : From odium hatred
Mean : arousing or meriting strong dislike, aversion, or intense
displeasure
Ex : The odious remarks were full of contempt.
Syn : Abhorrent; Abominable; Detestable
Ant : Agreeable; Delightful; Pleasant

OBSECRATE (v)
Cue : O B S E C R A T E . ob towards + sacrare to declare
as sacred
Mean : to beg for something or ask on religious grounds
Ex : The beggars indulge in obsecration to get more alms in the
name of God.
Syn : Beseech; Supplicate or Implore

ODORIFEROUS (adj)
Cue : O D O R I F E R O U S . odor smell + ferous bearing
Mean : having or giving off an odor, especially a fragrant one
Ex : The odoriferous morning confirmed the advent of an early
spring.
Syn : Aromatic; Fragrant; Perfumed; Redolent

OBSEQUIOUS (adj)
Cue : O B S E Q U I O U S . ob towards + sequent follow
Mean : (1) full of or exhibiting servile compliance
(2) attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
Ex : The obsequious shop assistants dont let go off a prospective
customer easily.
Syn : Boot-licking; Fawning
RW : Consequence; Sequence

ODYSSEY (n)
Cue : After Homers epic poem of Odysseuss long and arduous
journey from troy
Mean : an extended adventurous voyage or trip in the face of
hardships. An intellectual or spiritual quest
Ex : The space odyssey of Kalpana Chawla resulted into her
death.
Syn : Journey

OBSTREPEROUS (adj)
Cue : O B S T R E P E R O U S . ob towards +strepere to
make a loud noise
Mean : (1) noisily and stubbornly defiant
(2) aggressively boisterous
Ex : The boys kept up an obstreperous clamor
Syn : Boisterous; Clamorous; Rambunctious; Raucous

OFFAL (n)
Cue : O F F A L . off to a side + fall
Mean : waste parts, especially of a butchered animal. refuse;
rubbish
Ex : After slaying the goat, the butcher fed the offal to the dogs.
Syn : Crap; Debris; Dregs

OBTRUDE (vt)
Cue : O B T R U D E . ob + trud to thrust
Mean : (1) to impose (oneself or one's ideas) on others with undue
insistence or without invitation
(2) to thrust out; push forward
Ex : The poachers tried to obtrude themselves in the Panchayat of
the tribals, but did not succeed.
Syn : Interrupt; Intrude; Meddle
RW : Extrude; Intruder; Protrude
OBTUSE (adj)
Cue : From obtund blunt
Mean : (1) lacking quickness of perception or intellect (an obtuse
remark)
(2) not distinctly felt (an obtuse pain)
(3) having an obtuse angle (an obtuse triangle)
Ex : The littrateur just ignored the obtuse remarks of the
detractor.
Syn : Bird-brained; Blunt; Doltish; Dumb; Edentate
Ant : Bright; Clever; Honed; Intelligent; Sharp
OBVIATE (vt)
Cue : From obviare ob to prevent + via way

VOCABULARY BUILDER

OLFACTORY (adj)
Cue : ol smell + facare make
Mean : of, relating to, or contributing to the sense of smell
Ex : His olfactory nerves are very strong; he can smell food from
afar.
OLIGARCHY (n)
Cue : O L I G A R C H Y . ligo small, scant, few + archy
government
Mean : government by a few, especially by a small faction of
persons or families
Ex : There are very few countries in this world today under an
oligarchic rule.
RW : Oligarch; Oligopoly
OMBUDSMAN (n)
Cue : O M B U D S M A N . ombud an official or representative
(acting on both sides ambi)
Mean : a man who investigates complaints and mediates fair
settlements, especially between aggrieved
parties such as consumers or students and an institution or
organization
Ex : (1) My mother always acts as an ombudsman between me
and my father.
Syn : Judge

58

OMINOUS (adj)
Cue : O M I N O U S . omni omen
Mean : menacing; threatening or being an omen, especially an evil
one
Ex : The farmer looked wistfully at the ominous black clouds that
threatened a deluge.
Syn : Apocalyptic; Augural; Baleful; Direful

(2) a person, such as a priestess, through whom a deity is held to

respond when consulted
(3) an authoritative or wise statement or prediction
(4) a command or revelation from God
Ex : The scriptures are called "living oracles" because of their
visionary script.
Syn : Apocalypse; Augury; Canon; Commandment; Revelation

OMNIPOTENT (adj)
Cue : O M N I P O T E N T . omni all + potent powerful
Mean : having unlimited or universal power, authority, or force; allpowerful
Ex : God is omnipotent.
Syn : Almighty
RW : Omnificent; Omnipresent; Omniscient; Omnivorous;
Omnibus

ORDINANCE (n)
Cue : From ordain
Mean : an authoritative command or order. A custom or practice
established by long usage
Ex : Because of the urgency of the matter, the government had to
issue an ordinance.
Syn : Canon; Decree; Dictum; Direction; Edict; Enactment;
Mandate; Precept; Prescript; Regulation

ONEROUS (adj)
Cue : O N E R O U S . oner burden
Mean : troublesome or oppressive, burdensome
Ex : Preparing income tax returns is an onerous task.
Syn : Arduous; Backbreaking; Burdensome; Crushing;
Cumbersome
Ant : Easy; Effortless; Painless; Simple
RW : Exonerate; Onus

ORIENT (n)
Cue : oriri, to arise, or to set in motion
Mean : (1) the countries of Asia, especially of eastern Asia
(2) the luster characteristic of a pearl of high quality
(3) to make familiar with or adjusted to facts, principles, or a
situation
(4) to become adjusted or aligned
Ex : The new students of our college were called in for an
orientation session.
Syn : Acclimatize; Adapt; Adjust; Align; Consociate; Coordinate
Ant : Confuse; Disorient; Occident

ONSLAUGHT (n)
Cue : From slagen to strike
Mean : a violent attack; an overwhelming outpouring
Ex : The onslaught by the enemy began at dawn.
Syn : Attack; Barrage; Onrush; Onset
RW : Slaughter
OPALESCENT (adj)
Cue : O P A L E S C E N T escent giving off or reflecting light
Mean : exhibiting a milky radiance like that of an opal
Ex : The clouds had a milky opalescent luster
Syn : Iridescent; Nacreous; Pearlescent; Pearly
RW : Opulent
OPPROBRIUM (n)
Cue : ob against + probum reproach
Mean : disgrace arising from exceedingly shameful conduct
Ex : He was quite opprobrious in his speech against the
educational system.
Syn : Discredit; Disesteem; Dishonor; Disrepute; Humiliation;
Ignominy; Infamy
Ant : Esteem; Honour; Regard; Respect
OPPUGNANT (adj)
Cue : O P P U G N A N T . oppugn oppose with argument
Mean : opposing, hostile
Ex : The oppugnant forces of the neighbouring country forced India
to declare war against them.
Syn : Ornery; Pugnacious; Rancorous; Sour; Spiteful; Unfriendly;
Unpropitious
Ant : Favourable; Friendly; Helpful
RW : Impugn; Pugilism; Pugnacious
OPUS (n)
Cue : ops to work
Mean : a creative work, especially a musical composition
numbered to designate the order of a
composer's works
Ex : The opus consisted of four parts.
Syn : Composition; Creation; Music
RW : Cooperate; Inoperable; Magnum opus; Opera
ORACLE (n)
Cue : From orare to plead/speak
Mean : (1) a shrine consecrated to the worship and consultation of
a prophetic deity, as that of Apollo at
Delphi

VOCABULARY BUILDER

ORNATE (adj)
Mean : (1) elaborately, heavily, and often excessively ornamented
(2) flashy, showy, or florid in style or manner
Ex : An ornate speech is also sometimes referred to as a flowery
speech.
Syn : Embellished; Flamboyant; Flashy; Ornamented; Rococo;
Showy; Snazzy
Ant : Austere; Plain; Stark; Unadorned
RW : Ornament
OSSEOUS (adj)
Cue : O S S E O U S . From os, oss bone
Mean : composed of, containing, or resembling bone, bony
Ex : The outer shell of the turtle is osseous.
RW : Ossiferous (containing fossilized bones); Ossification
OSTENTATION (n)
Cue : From os + tendere to stretch/show off
Mean : (1) pretentious display meant to impress others; boastful
showiness
(2) lack of elegance as a consequence of being pompous and
puffed up with vanity
Ex : The stage had been set up with much ostentation and had
ended up looking gauche.
Syn : Flamboyance; Flash; Flaunting; Magnificence; Pompous;
Pretentious
Ant : Modesty; Unpretentiousness
OSTRACIZE (v)
Cue : To exile by votes written on tiles or bones osteo
Mean : to exclude from a group, to banish by ostracism
Ex : Ever since I spoke up against the manager, my colleagues
have ostracized me.
Syn : Ban; Banish; Blackball; Boycott; Expel; Shun
Ant : Accept; Adopt; Embrace; Invite; Welcome
OVERWEENING (adj)
Cue : O V E R W E EN I N G . OVER excess + WEEN
imagine
Mean : excessively arrogant or proud
Ex : Alexander had an overweening ambition to rule the whole
world.
Syn : Cocksure; Conceited; Confident; Egotistical
Ant : Humble; Meek; Modest; Uncertain

59

OVIPAROUS (adj)
Cue : O V I P A R O U S . OVI egg or ovum + PAROUS
bringing forth
Mean : producing eggs that hatch outside the body
Ex : Hen is an oviparous bird.
Syn : Ovoviparous
Ant : Viviparous
OXYTONE (adj)
Cue : O X Y T O N E . oxus sharp + tone sound
Mean : relating to or being a word that has a heavy stress of
accent on its last syllable
Syn : Shrill toned
RW : Oxymoron (expression using apparently contradictory
terms)

PANDORAS BOX (n)

Cue : after Pandora a woman in Greek Mythology who was sent
a box by Zeus and despite the
latters warning, opened the box and released all the evils into the
world
Mean : a source of many problems or great suffering
Ex : Telling my weaknesses to my colleagues was like opening
Pandoras Box as it aggravated my
troubles.
PANTHEISM (n)
Cue : P A N T H E I S M pan + theos God + ism theory
Mean : belief in God being present throughout nature or identical
to nature
Ex : Pantheism is under attack in this materialistic world.
RW : Heathenism; Paganism; Pantheon (temple dedicated to all
gods / all encompassing);
Polytheism

PACHYDERM (n)
Cue : P A C H Y D E R M pachys thick + derma skin
Mean : an animal with a thick skin
Ex : Elephant is a pachyderm.
RW : Dermatitis; Dermatology

PARABLE (n)
Cue : P A R A B L E pare compare + able
Mean : story from which a moral lesson can be drawn
Ex : Panchatantra parables are the best of the ancient ones.
Syn : Allegory; Fable; Moral story; Myth
RW : Parody

PALATABLE (adj)
Cue : P A L A T A B L E palate Roof of mouth/sense of
taste + able
Mean : fit to be eaten or drunk
Ex : Smiths bunkum is not palatable.
Syn : Appetizing; Eatable; Edible; Luscious; Tasty

PARADIGM (n)
Cue : P A R A D I G M para + deigma model/standard
Mean : a model of conduct
Ex : Tatas and Birlas are the paradigms of successful business
groups.
RW : Paragon; Paradox; Paramour

PALEONTOLOGY (n)
Cue : P A L E O N T O L O G Y pale old + onto being +
logy
Mean : the branch of geology which deals with life forms of the
past
Ex : Paleontology has revealed a lot about evolution of life on
earth.
Syn : Archeology; Paleology

PARALOGISM (n)
Cue : P A R A L O G I S M para + logizestal to reason
illogically
Mean : a violation of principles of valid reasoning
Ex : Ten being smaller than nine, is an example of paralogism.

PALINDROME (n)
Cue : P A L I N D R O M E palin to turn again
Mean : a word/phrase which is spelt the same backwards and
forwards
Ex : (Madam, Malayalam). Poor Dan is in a droop is a
palindrome.
PALL (v)
Mean : a cover for a coffin or tomb, a gloomy atmosphere
Ex : The calamity cast a pall over the festivities.
RW : Pall bearers; Palliate; Pallid
PALPABLE (adj)
Cue : pal to touch or feel
Mean : that which can be felt or seen
Ex : The anxiety of the investors is palpable.
Syn : Detectable; Noticeable; Obvious
RW : Palpate (Examine by touch); Palpitation
PANDEMIC (adj)
Cue : P A N D E M I C pan all + dem people
Mean : A wide ranging epidemic, affecting the majority of people
Ex : It is an illusion that AIDS has not reached pandemic
proportions in our country.
Ant : Endemic
Syn : Rampant
RW : Demagogue; Epidemic; Pandemonium; Panacea;
Panorama

VOCABULARY BUILDER

PARAMOUNT (adj)
Cue : P A R A M O U N T mount up the hill to the top
Mean : more important than anything else
Ex : Good character and ethics are paramount in whatever one
does.
Syn : Eminent; Predominant; Preeminent; Supreme
PARANOIA (n)
Cue : para + nous mind
Mean : an extreme feeling that other people are going to harm you
or have a bad opinion about you
Ex : Someone has been following me. I swear its not just
paranoia.
Syn : Fear; Fright
RW : Paranoid
PARIAH (n)
Cue : From Tamil paraiyar- a drummer, a person of low caste
Mean : a person not accepted by a social group
Ex : Galileo was declared a pariah due to his beliefs.
Syn : Leper; Outlaw; Scapegoat
PARLANCE (n)
Cue : parley conference or discussion
Mean : a style of speaking used by a particular group of people
Ex : Teenage parlance often shocks parents.
Syn : Conference; Council; Discussion; Meeting
PAROCHIAL(adj)
Mean : showing interest only in a narrow range of matters,
restricted to a small, area or scope
Ex : Globalisation has failed to change the parochial outlook of
most national leaders.
Syn : Biased; Conventional; Prejudiced; Provincial

60

PARSIMONY (n)
Cue : parcere to save + monia action/condition
Mean : a tendency to be over careful in spending; unreasonable
frugality
Ex : The tycoon is rather infamous for his parsimony.
Syn : Economy; Providence; Selfishness; Stinginess; Tightwad
PARVENU (n)
Mean : a person who has suddenly acquired wealth, riches or
power
Ex : The parvenus often indulge in vulgar display of their newly
found riches.
Syn : Nouveau riche (French); Upstart
PASTORAL (adj)
Cue : P A S T O R A L pastor shepherd
Mean : (1) of shepherds or their work
(2) portraying rural life i.e. peaceful, simple and natural
(3) of or pertaining to a pastor
Ex : Pastoral pursuits provide tremendous relief from the hustle
and bustle of city life.
Syn : Agrarian; Rural; Rustic; Simple
RW : Pastor; Pasture
PATENT (adj)
Mean : (1) open to examination by public
(2) obvious, plain, evident, protected by a right
Ex : The submissions of the defense attorney were nothing but
patent lies.
The patent laws protect intellectual property rights.
Syn : Apparent; Copyrighted; Evident; Licensed; Obvious; Open
Ant : Obscure
PATHOLOGY (n)
Cue : P A T H O L O G Y pathos suffering + logy study
Mean : the branch of medicine dealing with the nature of diseases
Ex : A doctor sifts the psychological elements from the pathological
symptoms.
RW : Pathetic; Pathogenic; Pathos
PATRIACH (n)
Cue : patri father + archein to rule
Mean : the father or ruler of a family or tribe
Ex : Sam Walton was the patriarch of a vast empire.
Syn : Chief; Head of family; King; Ruler
RW : Expatriate; Patriarchal; Patriarchy; Patron; Patronage;
Patrimony
PECCADILLO (n)
Cue : pecado sin
Mean : a small sin or a fault
Ex : A perfectionist goes into frenzy over peccadilloes.
Syn : Frailty; Imperfection; Misdeed; Offense; Sin
PECULATION (n)
Cue : pecunia money
Mean : to steal or misuse money entrusted to ones care
Ex : The cashier was accused of peculation.
Syn : Embezzlement.
RW : Pecuniary; Impecunious
PEDAGOGGUE (adj)
Cue : pedo child + agein (lead) a childs tutor
Mean : A dogmatic or pedantic teacher
Ex : The pedagogues just put their pupils off and, in a way, add to
the number of drop-outs.
Syn : Pedant; Dogmatist.
RW : Pedagogy; demagoguery; pedagogic
PEJORATIVE (adj)
Cue : P E J O R A T I V E pejor worse
Mean : to lower in esteem or credit

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : The pejorative opposition remarks against the Minister forced

the Prime Minister to intervene.
Syn : Deprecatory; Derisive; Derogatory; Disparage
PELLET (n)
Cue : pila a ball
Mean : (1) a small lead ball used in shotguns
(2) a little ball or a rounded mass of any substance
(3) mass regurgitated by some predators
Ex : Pellets of gunfire were scattered everywhere at the scene of
the battle.
RW : Bullet; Palletize
PELLUCID (adj)
Cue : lucere shine
Mean : (1) transparent or translucent
(2) easy to understand
Ex : A pellucid explanation of the complex mathematical problem.
Syn : Clear; Crystalline; Limpid; Lucid; Simple; Transparent
Ant : Obscure; Opaque
PENANCE (n)
Cue : penitence regret/repentance
Mean : punishment accepted to make amends for some sins
committed earlier
Ex : He agreed to do penance for his sins.
Syn : Purgation; Repentance
RW : Penal; penitent
PENSIVE (adj)
Cue : P E N S I V E pend/pens to think/weigh
Mean : engaged in deep thought
Ex : He sat pensively throughout the meeting.
Syn : Brooding; Cogitating; Contemplative; Reflective; Ruminative
PENULTIMATE (n)
Cue : paene almost + ultimus last
Mean : next to the last
Ex : The penultimate chapter reveals the murderer.
RW : Peninsula; Penumbra
PERAMBULATE (v)
Cue : amble walk
Mean : formal walk or travel on foot from place to place
Ex : Cattle are perambulating in the field.
Syn : Amble; Wander
PERCOLATE (v)
Cue : per + colander strainer
Mean : to filter through a porous surface or substance
Ex : The attitude of the boss percolates down to the staff.
PERFIDIOUS (adj)
Cue : P E R F I D I O U S per against + fid faith/trust
Mean : deceitful, disloyal
Ex : The perfidious servant drugged his master and made off with
the valuables.
Syn : Crafty; Treacherous
RW : Peremptory
PERFUNCTORY (adj)
Cue : P E R F U N C T O R Y per against + funct
function
Mean : Carried out with a minimum of effort or thought.
Ex : He lost out on his wife because of perfunctory medical
examinations and treatment.
Syn : Apathetic; Automatic; Mechanical; Superficial
PERIGEE (n)
Cue : P E R I G E E peri around + ge earth
Mean : point in the orbit of a satellite at which it is nearest to the
earth..
RW : Perihelion (point nearest to the sun); Periphery

61

PERJURY (n)
Cue : P E R J U R Y from per against + jure swear/oath
Mean : deliberately telling a lie in court when under oath
Ex : It was shocking to know that his perjury led to his freedom.
Syn : Lying; Mendacity.
PERNICIOUS (n)
Cue : P E R N I C I O U S nic harm
Mean : having a harmful effect
Ex : Alcohol and tobacco have a pernicious effect.
Syn : Bad; Evil; Harmful
PERPETUAL (adj)
Cue : P E R P E T U A L per through out + pet toward
Mean : never ending or changing.
Ex : They have perpetual financial worries.
Syn : Ceaseless; Chronic; Continual; Enduring; Everlasting
RW : Centripetal; Impetuous; Petition
PERQUISITES (n)
Cue : per + acqisition Derived from acquisition
Mean : special privilege enjoyed as a result of ones position
Ex : Perquisites attract people to government jobs.
Syn : Benefit; Bonus; Emolument
PERSECUTE (v)
Cue : per + sequence harass persistently
Mean : treat in a cruel or unfair way over a long period
Ex : Galileo was persecuted for his beliefs.
Syn : Abuse; Afflict; Maltreat
PERSIPICACIOUS (adj)
Cue : per + spic seeing clearly
Mean : quickly gaining an insight into and understanding things
quickly
Ex : Russell was a perspicacious thinker.
RW : Perspicuous; Persipquity
PERTURB (v)
Mean : make anxious or unsettled
Ex : He gets perturbed over minor troubles.
Syn : Bother; Disturb; Make anxious
RW : Disturb; Turbid
PERVERT (n)
Cue : P E R V E R T vert to turn
Mean : a person inclined to do immoral acts
Ex : He was a pervert and always did what was least expected.
Syn : Debauchee; Profligate
RW : Convert; Perverse; Perversion; Subvert
PETRIFY (v)
Cue : peter rock or stone
Mean : to turn to stone, to horrify or scare
Ex : I was petrified at the sight of the accident.
RW : Petroleum
PETULANT (adj)
Mean : childishly sulk or bad tempered. Getting annoyed over
trifles
Ex : He was petulant as he was not invited for the party.
Syn : Bad tempered; Irritable
PHILOLOGY (n)
Cue : P H I L O L O G Y phil love + ology (study) love
of learning
Mean : study of language
Ex : Many philologists aspire to evolve a new universal language.
RW : Philatelist (lover and collector of stamps)
PIETY (n)
Cue : from pious
Mean : being deeply religious

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : Mother Teresa was full of piety for all human beings.

Syn : Dedication; Devotion; Piousness
Ant : Irreverence
PILLAGE (n)
Mean : to rob or steal with violence (esp. in war time), to take as
wartime booty
Ex : The pillage has ruined the Czech countryside.
RW : Depredation; Plunder
PIQUANT (adj)
Cue : from pique to feel hurt
Mean : having a pleasantly sharp or spicy taste
Ex : They have dragged me into a piquant situation.
Syn : Pungent; Salty; Sharp; Spicy; Tangy
RW : Pique
PITHY (adj)
Cue : P I T H Y pith the soft inner part the core
Mean : concise and expressing a point clearly
Ex : Bacons essays are the best examples of pithy writing.
Syn : Concise; Succinct
PREHENSILE (adj)
Cue : P R E H E N S I L E hens to grasp
Mean : capable of grasping things by wrapping around a support
Ex : Monkeys have prehensile tails.
RW : Prehensible (capable of grasp / understanding);
Prehension (mental grasp)
PRISTINE (adj)
Cue : pri first + state
Mean : in its original condition, clean and fresh as if new
Ex : Archaeologists want to restore important historical monuments
to their pristine glory.
Syn : Original; Pure; Uncorrupted; Virginal
RW : Primordial
PROGNOSTICATE (v)
Cue : P R O G N O S T I C A T E pro + gno to know
beforehand
Mean : to make a forecast about
Ex : Many economists had prognosticated the depression in Indian
economy.
Syn : Foresee; Foretell
RW : Proclivity; Prognosis; Prognostication; Proponent
PYRRHIC (adj)
Cue : An ancient Greek king who achieved victory at too great a
cost
Mean : a victory in which there is more of a loss than gain
Ex : The Kargil war was a pyrrhic victory for India as we lost many
of our soldiers.

Q
QUACK (n)
Cue : Q U A C K Characteristic cry of a duck. Quack lacks
medical acumen
Mean : a person who dishonestly pretends to have medical skills
or knowledge
Ex : Dont visit him for consultation, hes a quack.
Syn : Charlatan; Cheat; Fraud; Mountebank
RW : Quackery - medical methods that do not work and are only
intended to make money
QUAGMIRE (n)
Mean : (1) an area of soft wet ground which you sink into if you try
and walk on it
(2) difficult and dangerous situation
Ex : Since the re-elections, the country has sunk deeper into a
quagmire of violence and lawlessness.

62

Syn : Bog; Dilemma; Marsh; Quandary; Quicksand; Swamp

RW : Mire
QUANDARY (n)
Cue : Q U A N D A R Y relate it to wondering confused over
what decision to take
Mean : a state of uncertainty or perplexity
Ex : I have two job offers, and I'm in a real quandary over which
one to accept.
Syn : Dilemma; Enigma; Predicament; Puzzle
Ant : Ease; Resolution
QUARANTINE (n)
Cue : Q U A R A N T I N E space of forty days from
quaranta forty. So called, from the
Venetian custom of keeping ships from plague-stricken countries
waiting off its port for 40
days. The extended sense of "any period of isolation"
Mean : a period of time during which a person or animal that might
have a disease is kept away from
other people or animals so that the disease does not spread
Ex : The horse had to spend several months in quarantine when it
reached Britain.
Syn : Arrest; Confinement; Seclude; Separate; Sequester
Ant : Integrate
RW : Quaternary; Quadruplet; Quartet; Quaternion
QUEASY (adj)
Mean : likely to vomit
Ex : As soon as I sat in the airplane, I had a queasy feeling.
Syn : Discomfort; Groggy; Nauseated.
Ant : Comfortable; Relaxed
QUELL (v)
Cue : to kill
Mean : (1) to put down forcibly; suppress (2) to pacify; quiet
Ex : The police quelled the riot.
Syn : Annihilate; Kill; Quash; Quench; Vanquish
Ant : Intensify; Magnify; Prolong
RW : Quench
QUIBBLE (n)
Cue : Relate it to Cribber
Mean : (1) to evade the truth or importance of an issue by raising
trivial objections
(2) to find fault or criticize for petty reasons
Ex : I advised them not to quibble over pennies.
Syn : Bicker; Carp; Cavil; Niggle; Nitpick; Pettifog
Ant : Agree; Compliment; Concede; Concur; Praise
RW : Quip
QUIESCENCE (n)
Cue : From quiet
Mean : state of being quiet, inactive
Ex : The volcano erupted after years of quiescence.
Syn : Calmness; Dormancy; Inactiveness; Peace; Silence
Ant : Action; Activity
RW : Quietude
QUINQUENNIAL (adj)
Cue : Q U I N Q U E N N I A L quin five + enni year
Mean : happening once every five years; a period of five years
Ex : Elections to the Parliament ought to be quinquennial.
RW : Quintet; Quintuplet
QUINTESSENCE (n)
Cue : Q U I N T E S S E N C E quint + essence: This word for
the ultimate, the purest form, has
its origin in ancient philosophy. The ancient Greeks believed that
there were five elements, four
you could see or feel earth, air, fire, and water. And the fifth
which was more mystical was a

VOCABULARY BUILDER

spiritual element that was present in the spiritual bodies and latent
in all things. The Romans
translated their word for this element: it was the fifth (quint)
element which was the essence of all
things that made up our universe
Mean : the pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing; the purest
or most typical instance
Ex : An American football game is considered the quintessence of
machismo.
Syn : Core; Crux; Element; Essential; Substance
Ant : Inessential; Peripheral
RW : Essence; Essentiality
QUIVER (n)
Mean : (1) to shake slightly, often because of strong emotion
(2) a long thin container for carrying arrows
Ex : His lower lip quivered and tears welled up in his eyes.
Syn : Tremor; Twitter; Vibration
Ant : Steady; Still
RW : Quake; Quaver
QUIXOTIC (adj)
Cue : Q U I X O T I C from Don Quixote, a romantic,
impractical hero of Cervantes' satirical novel
Mean : having or showing ideas that are imaginative but not
practical or likely to succeed
Ex : His ideas are quixotic and not worth a dime.
Syn : Idealistic; Impractical
Ant : Practical; Realistic; Sensible
QUOTIDIAN (adj)
Cue : Q U O T I D I A N dian day
Mean : ordinary, everyday
Ex : Television has become a part of our quotidian existence.
Syn : Commonplace; Daily; Routine
Ant : Exceptional; Occasional; Rare; Uncommon

R
RAGE (n)
Cue : rabia rage, madness
Mean : (1) a furious, uncontrolled anger, esp., a brief spell of
raving fury
(2) a great force, violence, or intensity, as of the wind
(3) strong emotion, enthusiasm, or desire
Ex : I was frightened because I had never seen him in such a rage
before.
Syn : Fulmination; Fury; Ire; Uproar; Wrath
Ant : Appeasement; Calm; Forbearance
RAIL (v)
Cue : From railler to tease, joke
Mean : to express objections or criticisms in bitter, harsh or
abusive language; to complain angrily
Ex : He railed at the injustices of the system.
Syn : Berate; Complain; Rant; Revile
Ant : Laud; Praise
RW : Raillery (joking or laughing at someone in a friendly way;
good-natured teasing or ridicule)
RAMBLE (n)
Cue : Relate it to roam, which means to walk around aimlessly
Mean : (1) to walk aimlessly
(2) to talk incoherently
Ex : It was difficult to sit through his long rambling speech.
Syn : (1) Saunter; Promenade; Stroll
(2) Blather; Maunder; Digress; Drivel; Stray
Ant : Clear; Direct; Straight
RAMPANT (adj)
Cue : R A M P A N T ramp raised
Mean : (1) spreading unchecked, widespread

63

(2) of an animal: standing on its back legs with its front legs raised
Ex : Rampant inflation means that the increase in our wages soon
becomes worth nothing.
Syn : Abundant; Excessive; Unchecked; Uncontrolled;
Unrestrained
Ant : Confined; Contained; Controlled; Meager
RW : Rampage; Rampart (a defensive fortification made of an
earthen embankment, often topped by
a low protective wall)
RAMSHACKLE (adj)
Cue : R A M S H A C K L E ram strike + shackle shake
Mean : poorly maintained or constructed and seeming likely to fall
apart or collapse
Ex : There's a ramshackle old shed at the end of the road.
Syn : Dilapidated; Rickety
Ant : Well-maintained
RW : Ramrod; Ramification
RANCID (adj)
Cue : rancere be spoiled or rotten
Mean : (1) having a disagreeable odor or taste of decomposing oils
or fats
(2) repugnant, nasty
Ex : Her rancid remarks greatly upset her mother.
Syn : Decayed; Decomposing; Noxious; Offensive; Putrid;
Repulsive; Rotten; Stinking
Ant : Aromatic; Fragrant; Fresh; Pleasant
RW : Rancour/Rancor (a continuing and bitter hate or ill will; deep
spite or malice); Rankle
RAPACIOUS (adj)
Cue : From rapere to seize
Mean : (1) taking by force, plundering
(2) greedy grasping, especially for money, and sometimes willing
to use unscrupulous means to
obtain what is desired
Ex : She has a rapacious appetite for fame and money.
Syn : (1) Destructive; Vicious
Ant: Harmless
Syn : (2) Avaricious; Covetous; Insatiable; Ravenous; Voracious
Ant Temperate
RW : Rape; Rapid; Rapine (carrying off by force others property,
plunder, pillage); Rapt; Raptor
(Predator); Rapture
RAPPORT (n) (RAEPO)
Mean : a good understanding of someone and an ability to
communicate well with them
Ex : She has an excellent rapport with her staff.
Syn : Affinity; Camaraderie; Compatibility; Harmony
Ant : Discord; Dissension; Friction; Strife
RAPPROCHEMENT (n)
Cue : R A P P R O C H E ME N T re + approach to
approach someone again for the purpose
of reconciliation
Mean : (1) the state of reconciliation or of cordial relations
(2) a re-establishing of cordial relations
Ex : There are growing signs of rapprochement between the
warring factions.
Syn : Accord; Agreement; Conciliation; Entente; Reconciliation
Ant : Hostility
RAREFIED (adj)
Cue : R A R E F I E D rare + fy to make i.e. to make rare
Mean : (1) describes an atmosphere that has a low density,
especially owing to a low oxygen content
Ex : The building atop a steep peak had rarefied atmosphere.
Mean : (2) to make or become more refined, subtle, or lofty;
belonging to reserved for a select group
Ex : Academicians from the rarefied atmosphere of the university
life find difficulty in coping up
with the rough regimen of politics.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Syn : (1) Tenuous; Thin

(2) Esoteric; Exalted; Exclusive
Ant : Dense; Simple
RW : Rara Avis (a rare or unique person or thing)
RATIFY (v)
Cue : R A T I F Y from rati fixed, valid + fy to make i.e.
to approve or confirm
Mean : to make an agreement official, to approve and give formal
sanction to
Ex : All parties present at the convention ratified the peace treaty.
Syn : Approve; Authorize; Confirm; Sanction
Ant : Reject; Repudiate; Revoke
RW : Rate, Ratification
RATIOCINATION (n)
Cue : R A T I O C I N A T I O N from ratio reason,
calculation
Mean : to reason methodically and logically
Ex : Ratiocination is the most important trait a lawyer should
possess.
Syn : Inference; Reasoning
Ant : Illogical; Irrational
RW : Ration; Rational; Rationale (the reasons or intentions for a
particular set of thoughts or actions);
Rationalization (bringing into conformity with reason; to
rationalize)
RAVENOUS (adj)
Cue : R A V E N O U S from raven to consume greedily;
devour
Mean : extremely hungry, voracious, greedy
Ex : Growing boys have ravenous appetites.
Syn : Avaricious; Covetous; Devouring; Starving; Voracious
Ant : Satiated; Satisfied
RW : Raving (outrageous, frenzied talk); Ravish (carry off,
plunder); Ravishing (enchanting)
Ravine; Ravage
RAZE (v)
Cue : relate with razor scrape
Mean : to completely destroy, to tear down
Ex : The town was razed to the ground in the bombardment - not a
single building was left standing.
Syn : Annihilate; Bulldoze; Demolish; Destroy
REITERATE (v)
Cue : R E I T E R A T E re again + iterate to repeat
Mean : to say, state, or perform something again or several times
Ex : The government reiterated its refusal to compromise with
terrorists.
Syn : Ingeminate; Rehearse; Repeat; Restate
Ant : Ignore; Understate
RELINQUISH (v)
Cue : linquere to leave
Mean : to give up claim, forego
Ex : On receipt of her transfer order, she relinquished the charge
the same day.
Syn : Abdicate; Renounce; Surrender
Ant : Cherish; Maintain; Usurp
RW : Rejuvenate; Relegate
REMINISCENCE (n)
Cue : rem to remember/re (again)+ minisci to think ofgenerate in the mind
Mean : the act or process of recollecting past experiences or
events
Ex : The novel contains endless reminiscences about the authors
youth.
Syn : Recall; Recollect; Remember
Ant : Amnesia; Forgetfulness

64

REMIT (v)
Cue : R E M I T re back + mittre to send
Mean : (1) to reduce the period of time someone must spend in
prison; (2) to send money to someone
(3) to refer the matter to someone in authority to deal with
Ex : (i) His prison sentence was remitted to two years.
(ii) I request you to kindly remit Rs. 1000 to the savings account.
RW : Remission to let go/pardon; Intermittent; Remittent
(abating for a time)
REMONSTRATE (v)
Cue : Re + monstere to show to state something with
authority
Mean : to complain/protest
Ex : He went to the boss to remonstrate against the new rules.
Ant : Accept; Approve; Endorse; Maintain
RW : Demonstrate; Remonstrance protest/objection
REMUNERATION (n)
Cue : R E M U N E R A T I O N muner to give/bestow +
munus to gift
Mean : fee/compensation/payment
Ex : They demanded adequate remuneration for their work.
Syn : Earning; Pay; Salary; Wage
RW : Munificent
RENAISSANCE (n)
Cue : re again + nascent early stages
Mean : rebirth, revival
Ex : Theatre in India is enjoying a long-awaited renaissance.
Syn : Rejuvenation; Renewal; Restoration; Revitalization
Ant : Disappearance; Downturn
RENDEZVOUS (n)
Cue : R E N D E Z V O U S rendre present + vous you
Mean : meeting place, appointment
Ex : This restaurant is a popular rendezvous for artists.
Syn : Assemble; Get-together
RENEGADE (n)
Cue : negare to deny, blacken
Mean : one who rejects a religion, cause, allegiance, or group for
another; a deserter, an outlaw
Ex : A group of renegades captured the prince and held him to
ransom.
Syn : Apostate; Deserter; Rebel; Recreant; Turncoat
Ant : Adherent; Follower; Loyalist
RW : Renege To fail to keep a promise or agreement
RENOUNCE (v)
Cue : nunce to state
Mean : to give up, especially by a formal announcement
Ex : He renounced his claim to the family house.
Syn : Abdicate; Quit; Relinquish; Resign
Ant : Cherish; Maintain; Pursue; Support
RW : Announce; Denounce; Renunciation
REPEAL (v)
Cue : re back + apeler to call
Mean : to revoke or call back
Ex : Considering the public furor it had generated, the government
repealed the law.
Syn : Annul; Rescind; Revoke
Ant : Legalize; Ratify; Support
RW : Appeal
REPLETE (adj)
Cue : R E P L E T E plete filled up
Mean : filled to capacity, abundantly supplied
Ex : This car has an engine replete with the latest technology.
Syn : Abounding; Abundant; Teeming
Ant : Deficient; Meager; Scant; Scarce
RW : Deplete

VOCABULARY BUILDER

REPOSITORY (n)
Cue : R E P O S I T O R Y posit to place
Mean : a place where things can be stored; a person with great
store of specific knowledge
Ex : She is a repository of knowledge about our family history.
Syn : Storehouse; Treasury; Vault; Warehouse
RW : Deposit; Position
REPREHENSIBLE (adj)
Cue : R E P R E H E N S I B L E re + prehend seize
Mean : deserving rebuke or censure, unacceptable
Ex : His act of crime was reprehensible.
Syn : Blameworthy; Condemnable; Culpable; Felonious;
Objectionable
Ant : Creditable; Praiseworthy
RW : Apprehend; Comprehend
REPRIMAND (v)
Mean : to express strong disapproval
Ex : His boss reprimanded him for being late.
Syn : Berate; Censure; Chide; Rebuke; Reproof
Ant : Commendation; Compliment; Praise
RW : Reproach; Reprove
REPROBATE (n)
Cue : R E P R O B A T E re reverse + probate
worthy/proper
Mean : a person of bad character and habits
Ex : Every time I see you, youre drunk, you old reprobate.
Syn : Immoral; Sinful; Villainous; Wicked
Ant : Exalted; Honest; Praiseworthy; Reputable
RW : Approbate to authorize
REPUGNANT (adj)
Cue : re back + pugnare to fight
Mean : something unpleasant or causing a feeling of disgust
Ex : The idea of cheating in an exam is repugnant to me.
Syn : Abominable; Repulsive
Ant : Alluring; Appealing; Commendable
RW : Pugnacious debatable
REQUIEM (v)
Cue : We usually remain quiet for a few minutes at someones
death
Mean : a mass to honour and pray for the dead; a piece of music
written for the dead
Ex : The requiem for the deceased was a very solemn affair.
Syn : Dirge
RESCIND (v)
Cue : R E S C I N D re back + scindere to cut, split
Mean : to cancel
Ex : The policy of charging air travelers for meals proved
unpopular and has already been rescinded.
Syn : Abrogate; Annul; Quash; Repeal; Repudiate
Ant : Enforce; Ratify; Validate
RW : Exscind
RESILIENT (adj)
Cue : R E S I L I E N T sal/sil leap/jump to spring back
Mean : able to quickly return to previous condition (say, after a
shock)
Ex : Shes a resilient girl she wont be unhappy for long.
Syn : Alterable; Flexible; Pliable
Ant : Inflexible; Invariable; Rigid
RW : Resilience; Salient
RESOLVE (n)
Cue : S O L V E solve to loosen
Mean : determination
Ex : With a strong resolve, one can achieve anything.
Syn : Determined; Steadfast; Stubborn
RW : Absolve; Resolute; Resolution; Solve

65

RESONANT (adj)
Cue : R E S O N A N T From son (sound) filled with sound
Mean : echoing, resounding
Ex : His voice resonated in the empty church.
Syn : Booming; Resounding; Reverberating
RW : Consonant; Sonorous
RESPLENDENT (adj)
Cue : R E S P L E N D E N T spledent Splendid
Mean : shining brightly, splendid
Ex : I saw her at the other end of the room, looking resplendent in
a red cocktail dress.
Syn : Brilliant; Glorious; Grand; Magnificent; Majestic
Ant : Grotesque; Humble; Unattractive
RW : Splendor

REVERT (v)
Cue : R E V E R T re back + vert direction
Mean : to return to a former condition, practice, subject, or belief
Ex : To understand this point better, please revert to the earlier
chapter.
Syn : Backslide; Regress
Ant : Advance
RW : Ambivert; Extrovert; Introvert
REVITALIZE (vt)
Cue : R E V I T A L I Z E re back + vital life
Mean : to give new life, energy, activity or success to something
Ex : Foreign investments have revitalized the Indian economy.
Syn : Rejuvenate; Renew; Revive
RW : Vital; Vitality; Vitamins

RESTRAINT (n)
Cue : R E S T R A I N T strain draw back tightly
Mean : confine, check, control
Ex : Try and observe some restraint when you go on your next
shopping spree.
Syn : Abstinence; Restriction
Ant : Excess; Freedom; Indulgence; liberty
RW : Restrain; Self-restraint; Strain

REVOKE (v)
Cue : R E V O K E re back+ vicare to call
Mean : to call back
Ex : The authorities have revoked their original decision to allow
development of this rural area.
Syn : Abrogate; Annul; Cancel; Rescind
Ant : Maintain; Uphold
RW : Convoke

RESUSCITATE (v)
Cue : R E S U S C I T A T E From re again + sus + citare
to raise, revive
Mean : to bring something or someone back to life or
consciousness
Ex : Her heart had stopped, but the doctors successfully
resuscitated her.
Syn : Invigorate; Rejuvenate; Revitalize
RW : Citation; Cite; Incite; Resurrect

REVULSION (n)
Mean : a strong, often sudden, feeling that something is extremely
unpleasant
Ex : I turned away in revulsion when they showed a close-up of the
operation.
Syn : Abhorrence; Abomination; Detest; Disgust; Hate;
Repugnance; Revolt
Ant : Esteem; Reverence

RETORT (n)
Cue : R E T O R T re back + torquere to twist
Mean : a quick, sharp reply
Ex : Her retort was simple but chilling.
Syn : Rejoinder; Repartee
RW : Distort
RETRACTION (n)
Cue : contract to agree on an offer. R E T R A C T I O N re
back+ tract take back the
offer
Mean : withdrawal; to take back an offer or an earlier statement
Ex : The newspaper printed a retraction for their previous error.
Syn : Annul; Rescind; Revoke
Ant : Affirm; Approve
RW : Retractable; Contract
RETROGRADE (v)
Cue : R E T R O G R A D E retro backwards + grade
step
Mean : returning to older and worse conditions, methods, ideas,
etc
Ex : He said it would be a retrograde step to remove the single
parent benefit.
Syn : Regressive; Retrogressive
Ant : Progressive
RW : Degrade; Grade; Retroactive
RETROSPECT (v)
Cue : R E T R O S P E C T retro back + spect to look at
Mean : thinking about the past, to look back
Ex : In retrospect, I think my marriage was doomed from the
beginning.
Syn : Remembrance; Reminiscence
Ant : Forget
RW : Inspect; Spectacle (specere means to look at)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

RHETORIC (n)
Cue : R H E T O R I C rhea to flow smooth flow of words
Mean : art of speaking forcefully and eloquently; persuasive
speech or writing
Ex : I was swayed by her rhetoric into donating all my savings to
the charity.
Syn : Articulate; Bombastic; Grandiloquence; Pompous
Ant : Inarticulate
RIFT (n)
Cue : drift is to move away; similarly rift is a break/crack - moving
away of two things or persons
Mean : (1) a large crack in the ground or in a rock
(2) a break in friendly relations
Ex : The property dispute caused a rift between the brothers and
they even stopped speaking to
each other.
Syn : Fissure; Hiatus; Rupture; Sever
Ant : Bridge (the gap); Connection
RIPOSTE (n)
Cue : R I P O S T E riposta a reply," from rispondere "to
respond
Mean : a quick, sharp and clever remark, often made in answer to
a criticism
Ex : She made a sharp riposte and left everyone gaping at her.
Syn : Counterstroke; Rejoinder; Repartee; Reply; Retort
ROCOCO (adj)
Cue : R O C O C O roc rock originally used for intricate
rock engraving, later used for intricate
artwork
Mean : highly decorated
Ex : Rococo style in furniture and architecture has evolved over
the years.
Syn : Elaborate; Embellished; Extravagant; Flamboyant;
Ornamented; Ornate
Ant : Austere; Modest; Ordinary; Plain; Unadorned; Undecorated
RW : Rock

66

ROTE (n)
Cue : Corrupted form of routine. The phrase by rote means to
memorize by heart
Mean : a memorizing process using repetition, often without full
attention or comprehension; memorize
without thought for meaning
Ex : The students were asked to learn the lesson by rote.
RUMINATE (v)
Cue : ruminare to chew the cud, turn over in the mind
Mean : to think carefully and for a long period about something
Ex : She ruminated for weeks about whether to tell him the truth or
not.
Syn : Contemplate; Deliberate; Meditate; Mull over; Muse
RW : Rumen (the first stomach of ruminating mammals);
Ruminant
RUSTIC (adj)
Mean : (1) simple; typical of the countryside
(2) boorish or uncouth
Ex : The property has a certain rustic charm
Syn : Agrarian; Pastoral; Peasant; Rural
Ant : Urbane
RW : Rustication act or fact of living in a country; Rusticate (to
send for sojourn in country)

S
SACRILEGE (n)
Cue : S A C R I L E G E sacr "sacred" + legere "collect
Mean : desecration, profanation, misuse, or theft of something
sacred
Ex : The extremists often indulge in acts of sacrilege to inflame
communal passions.
Syn : Abuse; Blasphemy; Defilement; Impiety; Irreverence
Ant : Civility; Consecration; Honor; Praise; Sanctification
RW : Sacred; Sacrosanct
SACROSANCT (adj)
Cue : S A C R O S A N C T sacr- sacred + sanctus, "make
holy"
Mean : regarded as sacred and inviolable (or) thought to be too
important or too special to be
changed (humorous)
Ex : I'm willing to help on any weekday, but I'm afraid my
weekends are sacrosanct.
Syn : Beatified; Consecrated; Divine; Exalted; Glorified; Holy;
Inviolable; Religious
Ant : Condemned; Cursed; Damned; Disapproved; Unholy
RW : Sacrilege (treating holy thing with disrespect); Sacristan
(somebody responsible for Christian
church contents); Sacristy (room for sacred objects); Sacrum
(triangular bone in lower back)
SADISM (n)
Cue : Coined after Count D.A.F. de Sade, notorious for his
perversions
Mean : hurting others for sexual pleasure (or) being cruel for fun
(or) cruelty
Ex : Marquis de Sades compulsive abuse of others gave rise to
the term sadism.
Syn : Brutishness; Cruelty; Ferocity; Savagery
Ant : Caring; Gentility; Humaneness; Kindness
SAGACIOUS (adj)
Cue : S A G A C I O U S from Latin sagac of quick
perception
Mean : having or showing keen discernment, sound judgment, and
farsightedness;
an animal exceptionally intelligent seeming to reason and
deliberate

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : (i) He planned for his final exams with great sagaciousness.

(ii) A dog is a sagacious animal often showing utmost loyalty and
intelligence.
Syn : Astute; Clever; Intelligent; Judicious; Perceptive; Prudent;
Rational; Sage; Sensible; Sharp
Ant : Dumb; Idiotic; Naive; Obtuse; Retarded; Slow; Stupid;
Unintelligent
RW : Sagacity; Sage
SALUBRIOUS (adj)
Cue : From Latin salus health
Mean : (1) conducive or favorable to health or well-being
(2) a place that is pleasant, clean, and healthy to live in
Ex : He doesn't live in a very salubrious part of the town.
Syn : Healthy; Hygienic; Invigorating; Salutary; Wholesome
Ant : Dirty; Impure; Indecent; Unhealthy; Unwholesome
RW : Salutary
SANCTUARY (n)
Cue : from French sanctus holy
Mean : (1) a refuge: a safe place, especially for people being
persecuted
(2) place where wildlife is protected
(3) holy place
(4) most sacred part of holy building: the most sacred part of a
consecrated building, e.g. the
area around the altar in a Christian church
Ex : (i) The chapel became a sanctuary for the refugees.
(ii) Corbett Park is a well known wildlife sanctuary in India.
Syn : Asylum; Protection; Refuge; Reserve; Safe haven; Safe
house; Shelter
SANGUINE (adj)
Cue : sanguis blood
Mean : (1) of a healthy, reddish color; ruddy
(2) cheerfully confident; optimistic
Ex : (i) Her sanguine complexion spoke volumes about her happy
state.
(ii) They are less sanguine about the prospects for peace.
Syn : Bloody; Enthusiastic; Expectant; Flushed; Glowing; Hopeful;
Lively; Optimistic; Red; Rubicund;
Ruddy; Spirited
Ant : Agitated; Flustered; Ill-at-ease; Mixed up; Nervous; upset;
Worried
RW : Sangria (Spanish red wine); Sanguinaria (root of
bloodroot/beetroot); Sanguinary (Involving
bloodshed or being bloodthirsty)
SAP (n)
Cue : a variant of sap- milk, nectar, juice
Mean : (1) the liquid that carries food to all parts of a plant
(2) to weaken someone or take away strength or an important
quality from someone
(3) a stupid person who can easily be tricked or persuaded to do
something
(4) something extremely emotional in an embarrassing way (or)
Ex : (i) Maple syrup is obtained from the sap of the sugar maple
tree.
(ii) Constant criticism saps you of your confidence.
(iii) He's a sap and can be easily taken for a ride.
(iv) It's a sappy film - take some tissues when you see it.
Syn : Health; Juice; Fluid; Latex energy; Life; Liquid; Strength;
Vigor; Vitality
RW : Sapid (having strong and pleasant taste); Sapient (full of
wisdom); Sapling (a young tree with a
slender trunk)
SARCASM (n)
Cue : from sarcasmos a sneer, jest, taunt, mockery
Mean : the use of remarks which clearly mean the opposite of what
they say, and which are made in
order to hurt someone's feelings or to criticize something in an
amusing way

67

Ex : "You have been working hard", he said with sarcasm, as he

looked at the empty pages.
Syn : Derision; Irony; Lampooning; Mockery; Ridicule; Satire;
Scoffing; Scorn; Sneering
Ant : Civility; Compliment; Kindness; Praise; Suavity; Sweetness
RW : Irony; Sardonic (disdainfully mocking)
SATIATE (adj/v)
Cue : From Latin, satis to fill
Mean : (1) to satisfy (an appetite or desire) fully
(2) to satisfy to excess
Ex : He drank greedily until his thirst was satiated.
Syn : Cloy; Content; Fill; Glut; Indulge; Pall; Sate; Saturate; Slake;
Stuff; Surfeit
Ant : Deprive; Dissatisfy; Insatiable; Starve; Entice; Tantalize;
Whet
RW : Satiety
SAVANT (n)
Cue : Latin sapere be wise
Mean : a learned person; a scholar
Ex : Blind Tom had a physical and mental handicap; and yet was a
well-known savant and pianist.
Syn : Expert; Guru; Philosopher; Pundit; Sage; Scholar; Thinker
Ant : Ignorant; Primitive; Regressive; Uncultured; Uneducated;
Unsophisticated
RW : Sapient
SAVOUR (n)
Cue : from Old French savour taste
Mean : (1) to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to
appreciate it as much as possible
(2) pleasure and interest
Ex : It was the first chocolate he'd tasted for over a year, so he
savoured every mouthful.
Syn : Appreciate; Experience; Feel; Luxuriate in; Relish; Revel in;
Sapidity; Smack; Tang
RW : Savory (An herb with aromatic leaves); Savoy (a winter
cabbage with crinkled leaves)
SCABBARD (n)
Cue : S C A B B A R D scab to scrape, sword + berd
protect
Mean : a sheath, as for a dagger or sword
Ex : Scabbards and swords were offered to gods in old cultures.
Syn : Case; Casing; Cover; Covering; Sheath
RW : Scab (crust over healing wounds); Scabies (skin disease
having intense
itching, inflammation and red papules covered with scabs); Scaby
(covered with scabs);
Scabrous
SCAMPER (v)
Cue : to run away as if from a camp
Mean : to run or go quickly and light out
Ex : The children scampered off into the garden.
Syn : Dart; Dash; Hurry; Run; Scoot; Scurry; Scuttle
Ant : Amble; Stroll; Dally; Dawdle; Delay; Languish; Linger;
Saunter
RW : Decamp; Scamp (a mischievous youngster, or to perform in
a careless manner)
SCATHING (adj)
Cue : scald to burn with liquid
Mean : (1) to harm or injure, especially by scorching
(2) to criticize or denounce severely; excoriate
Ex : She spoke scathingly of the poor standard of work done by
her predecessor.
Syn : Belittling; Biting; Caustic; Cutting; Harsh
Ant : Complimentary; Gentle; Mild
SCEPTIC/SKEPTIC (n)
Cue : ? is what skeptic people love!

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Mean : one who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or

disagrees with assertions or generally
accepted conclusions
Ex : People say consuming turmeric can cure colds, but I'm a bit of
a sceptic
Syn : Cynic; Disbeliever; Doubter; Mocker; Pessimist; Questioner
Ant : Believer; Faithful one; Optimist
SCHISM (n)
Cue : S C H I S M schiz/ cis to split
Mean : a division into two groups caused by a disagreement about
ideas, especially in a religious
organization
Ex : Property is the root cause of schism between the two
brothers.
Syn : Alienation; Break; Disaffection; Disagreement; Discord;
Disharmony; Division
Ant : Accord; Agreement; Conciliation; Harmony; Peace
SCINTILLA (n)
Cue : Spark
Mean : (1) a minute amount; an iota or trace
(2) a spark; a flash
Ex : There's not even a scintilla of truth in what he says.
Syn : Bit; Crumb; Fragment; Grain; Iota; Molecule; Morsel; Ounce;
Particle
Ant : Compound; Subatomic particle
RW : Scintillate; Scintillating
SEAR (v)
Cue : peg it with scath / hot
Mean : (1) to burn the surface of something with sudden very
strong heat
(2) to fry a piece of meat quickly at a high temperature, in order to
prevent liquid and flavour
escaping from it
(3) to have a strong unpleasant effect on someone's feelings or
memories
(4) catch for gunlock
Ex : The heat from the explosion seared their hands and faces.
Syn : Burn; Carbonize; Cauterize; Cook; Dehydrate; Desiccate
RW : Searing (hot feeling like temperature or a caustic remark)
SECESSION (n)
Cue : S E C E S S I O N cede/ cess yield, let go
Mean : a formal withdrawal from an organization, state, or alliance
Ex : The groups secession from the main political party was
caused due to leadership conflicts.
Syn : Alienation; Break; Difference; Disaffection; Disagreement;
Discord
Ant : Accord; Adherence
RW : Incessant; Recession; Secede (to become independent of
a country or area of government)
SECTARIAN (adj)
Cue : S E C T A R I A N sect cut
Mean : (1) of, relating to, or characteristic of a sect
(2) adhering or confined to the dogmatic limits of a sect or
denomination; partisan
(3) narrow-minded; parochial
Ex : The sectarian violence can be curbed through involvement of
intelligentsia from allcommunities.
Syn : Biased; Dogmatic; Narrow; Narrow-Minded; Obstinate
Ant : Broad-Minded; Humanitarian; Open-Minded; Tolerant;
Unprejudiced
RW : Bisect; Insect; Section
SEDATE (adj)
Cue : sedare to quieten sedere to sit
Mean : (1) tending to avoid excitement or great activity and to be
calm and relaxed
(2) to cause a person or animal to be very calm or go to sleep by
giving a drug

68

Ex : The fight against a chemical storage site has transformed a

normally sedate village into a battleground.
Syn : Anesthetized; Calm; Composed; Cool; Demure; Placid;
Serene; Tranquillized
Ant : Boisterous; Exciting; Revived
RW : Sedation; Sedentary (not moving, sitting); Sedimentary
(particles collected at the bottom of a
water body)
SEDITION (n)
Cue : se(d) "apart" + ition "going"
Mean : language or behaviour that is intended to persuade other
people to oppose their government
Ex : She was arrested for remarks that the government considered
to be akin to sedition.
Syn : Apostasy; Bad Faith; Deceitfulness; Infidelity; Treachery;
Unfaithfulness
Ant : Allegiance; Commitment; Dedication; Loyalty
SEDULOUS (adj)
Cue : S E D U L O U S se without + dolus deception
Mean : (1) working with great zeal and persistence
(2) carried out with great care, concentration, and commitment
Ex : Kiran Bedis sedulous pursuit for moral values and principles
marked her success in life.
Syn : Active; Attentive; Busy; Constant; Diligent; Eager
Ant : Casual; Lax; Lazy; Negligent
SENESCENT (adj)
Cue : SENESCENT sen old + escent
Mean : growing old; aging
Ex : Senescent times make people forgetful of small things.
Syn : Aged; Ancient; Crumbling; Fading; Graying; Hag; Old
Ant : Prime; Young; Youthful
SENTIENT (adj)
Cue : SENTIENT Prefix senti is related to emotional being
Mean : experiencing sensation or feeling
Ex : Sentient people are against animal abuse.
Syn : Conscious; Impressionable; Kindhearted; Passionate;
Perceptive; Sensitive
Ant : Apathetic; Insensitive
RW : Sentiment; Sentimental
SENSUAL (adj)
Cue : relate it with senses
Mean : (1) suggesting a great deal of physical, especially, sexual
pleasure
(2) relating to the body or the senses as opposed to the mind or
the intellect
Ex : His sensual appetite was a sure recipe for disaster.
Syn : Lascivious; Lecherous; Lewd; Libidinous; Lustful; Salacious;
Wanton
Ant : Chaste; Godly; Moral; Pure; Spiritual
RW : Sensory; Sensuality; Sensuous
SEMINAL (adj)
Cue : S E M I N A L semen seed + al
Mean : (1) of, relating to, containing, or conveying seed
(2) of, relating to, or having the power to originate; creative
(3) containing important new ideas and being very influential on
later work
Ex : (i) Seminal fluid found on the murder scene helped the police
catch the killer.
(ii) The open door policy in India played a seminal role in its
economic development.
Syn : Distinguished; Esteemed; Famous; Fluid; Sperm
Ant : Commonplace; Irrelevant; Unimportant
RW : Seminar; Seminary
SERAPHIC (adj)
Cue : S E R A P H I C seraph an angel of the highest order
Mean : (1) befitting a seraph/angel

VOCABULARY BUILDER

(2) beautiful in a way that suggests goodness and purity

Ex : Sleeping infants look seraphic.
Syn : Adorable; Angelic; Archangelic; Heavenly; Innocent
Ant : Dark; Demonic; Devilish; Fiendish
SERENDIPITY (n)
Cue : from a tale called The three princes of Serendip
Mean : (1) the accidental discovery of something pleasant,
valuable, or useful
(2) gift for making such a discovery
Ex : Life is a journey full of serendipitous surprises.
Syn : Destiny; Fate; Fortune; Karma; Luck
Ant : Design; Misfortune; Planned
SERRATED (adj)
Cue : from Latin origin, serrere a saw
Mean : having or forming a row of small sharp projections
resembling the teeth of a saw
Ex : One needs a knife with serrated ends to cut bread evenly.
Syn : Jagged; Ragged; Ridged; Toothed
Ant : Smooth; Straight
SERVILE (adj)
Cue : peg it with the word serve
Mean : one who is too willing to serve others and to do menial
works
Ex : As an employee one must obey the boss but must not be
servile.
Syn : Groveling; Humble; Obedient; Underfoot
Ant : Assertive; Bossy; Dignified
RW : Servant; Service; Serviette (a napkin); Serving; Servitor
(one who serves, a servant);
Servitude (state of slavery, restricting, obedient)
S H I N D I G (n)
Cue : SHINDIG shin + dig - literally a leg-dance
Mean : a noisy and festive party or celebration also called Shindy
Ex : Shindig get-togethers are quite common in college life.
Syn : Bash; Get-togethers; Party
SIDLE (v)
Cue : side
Mean : (1) to cause to move sideways
(2) to walk towards or away from someone, trying not to be noticed
Ex : When we saw our teacher in the cinema, we sidled past her,
pretending that we had not seen her.
Syn : Creep; Inch
SILHOUETTE (n)
Cue : An eponym based on the name of a French Finance
Minister, characterized by his ineptness
both in the ministry and in amateur portrait making
Mean : (1) a drawing consisting of the outline of something,
especially a human profile, filled in with a
solid color
(2) an outline that appears dark against a light background
Ex : (i) Ancient Greek vases in the Black Figure style show figures
in black silhouette against a
background of red clay
(ii) Batmans silhouette always formed an imposing backdrop
behind the villain.
Syn : Figure; Line; Outline; Profile; Shadow; Shape
SIMILITUDE (n)
Cue : Sim for same
Mean : similarity; resemblance to something
Ex : The similitude between the identical twins is only superficial,
their personality is very different.
Syn : Alikeness; Alliance; Analogy; Association
Ant : Difference; Dissimilarity
RW : Similar; Similarity; Simile; Simillimum (most appropriate
homeopathic remedy);
Simpatico (sharing similar tastes)

69

SINECURE (n)
Cue : S I N E C U R E Latin sine without + cure care
Mean : a position or office that requires little or no work but
provides a salary
Ex : Being a relative of the boss, he has a sinecure job at a high
post.
RW : Sin qua non (indispensable, literally without which not);
Sine prole (without progeny)
SINISTER (adj)
Cue : Left-handedsupposedly a bad omen, opposite of dexter
Mean : (1) suggesting or threatening evil
(2) presaging trouble; ominous
(3) attended by or causing disaster or inauspicious circumstance
Ex : The smile of a villain is sinister.
Syn : Baleful; Creepy; Disturbing; Evil; Menacing; Ominous
Ant : Benevolent; Good; Innocent
RW : Sin (doing something wrong, evil); Sinistral (left- handed);
Sinistrorse (plants growing upward
in a clockwise spiral); Sinuous (devilish, having many curves, lithe
movements)
SLOTH (n)
Cue : S L O T H slow + th suffix forming nouns
Mean : (1) a slow-moving mammal that uses its long claws to hang
upside down from tree branches
(2) aversion to work or exertion; laziness; indolence
Ex : (i) Sloths are found in Central America.
(ii) The governments sloth to tackle corruption in
India has posed serious problems for all.
Syn : Apathy; Indolence; Sluggishness; Languor; Lethargy
Ant : Active; Energetic; Lively
SLUGGARD (n)
Cue : S L U G G A R D peg it with slug snail like slowmoving creature, with no shell,
Slug also relates to a hard hit
Mean : somebody who avoids work or physical exertion
Ex : Being a sluggard at work will not help you.
Syn : Dopey; Down; Dragging; Dull; Heavy; Inactive; Indolent; Inert
Ant : Active; Brisk; Energetic; Lively
RW : Slugfest (a heated and intense argument); Slugger (a boxer
who delivers hard blows);
Sluggish (very slow)
SNIPPET (n)
Cue : S N I P P E T Peg it with snip to cut something with
short strokes
Mean : a small and often interesting piece of news, information or
conversation
Ex : Snippets of information gathered by the paparazzi often lead
to scandalous events
Syn : Bit; Extract; Piece; Scrap
RW : Snipe (shot from a concealed place); Sniper (hidden
shooter); Snippy (sharp tongued)
SOBRIETY (n)
Cue : Peg it with sober
Mean : (1) abstinence from or moderation in the use of alcohol or
drugs
(2) the quality of being serious and thoughtful
Ex : (i) On-road sobriety tests taken by traffic police can avoid
many accidents.
(ii) Presence of the Principal instilled a little sobriety in the
auditorium.
Syn : Abstinence; Calm; Gravity; Moderation; Solemnity;
Temperance; Thoughtfulness
RW : Sobriquet (an unofficial nickname, especially a humorous
one)
SOJOURN (n)
Cue : S O J O U R N relate journ for journey
Mean : a short period when a person stays in a particular place

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : His sojourn to Japan has changed his attitude and done to

him a word of good.
Syn : Stay; Stop; Stopover; Visit
SOLARIUM (n)
Cue : S O L A R I U M solar means related to sun
Mean : room built for the purpose of enjoying sunlight, usually with
large windows or glass walls,
especially a room in a hospital or other health-care establishments
Ex : Solariums are a regular feature in hospitals and are more
often used by the senior citizens.
Syn : Conservatory; Lounge; Sun Lounge; Sun Porch; Sunroom
RW : Aquarium; Auditorium; Solar; Solaria (plural for solarium);
Solarimeter (Instrument to
measure solar radiation); Solace (somebody or something that
provides warmth and comfort)
SOLICIT (v)
Cue : peg this word with pleading
Mean : (1) to ask someone for money, information or help
(2) to seek to obtain by persuasion, entreaty, or formal application
Ex : Though illegal, yet soliciting money for favors by public
officials is on a high in India.
Syn : Beg; Crave; Importune; Petition For; Plead For; Request;
Seek
RW : Solicitor (top legal officer, one who pleads for a case);
Solicitous (concerned and meticulous);
Solicitude (expressed concern)
SOLILOQUY (n)
Cue : S O L I L O Q U Y sole lone + loq speech
Mean : (1) a dramatic or literary form of discourse in which a
character talks to himself or herself or
reveals his or her thoughts without addressing a listener
(2) the act of talking to oneself
Ex : Soliloquy in drama plays an important role in capturing the
attention of the audience.
Syn : Declamation; Monologue; Oration; Speech
RW : Loquacious
SOMBER (adj)
Cue : From umbra shade
Mean : (1) serious, sad (without humour or amusement)
(2) dark and plain
Ex : (i) The somber atmosphere of the house made me fill up with
dread.
(ii) He wore a somber black suit for the funeral.
Syn : Dingy; Dull; Drab; Gloomy; Subdued
Ant : Ashen; Chalky; Cheerful; Encouraging; Hopeful; Ivory; Joyful
SOMNAMBULISM (n)
Cue : S O M N A M B U L I S M somn sleep + ambul
walk
Mean : sleep walking disorder in a person
Ex : Somnambulism generally happens due to anxiety and
tensions taken by an individual, and
can be treated with proper therapy.
RW : Somnifacient (drug to induce sleep); Somnolence (a state
of drowsiness); Somnolent
(tending to fall asleep)
SONIC (adj)
Cue : sonus sound
Mean : (1) of or relating to audible sound
(2) relating to speed of sound
(3) extremely exciting and fast-paced
Ex : (i) Sonic waves and their usage have revolutionized the
human society.
(ii) The sonic lifestyle of Backstreet Boys took its toll on their
health.
Syn : Acoustic; Afferent; Audible
RW : Sonics (study of sound); Sonobuoy (a buoy that detects
underwater sounds and transmits them

70

via radio); Sonogram (graphical representation of sound);

Sonorous (producing sound,
impressive manner of speaking); Super sonic
SOPHIST (n)
Cue : sophos skilled in a craft, clever, wise. Originally teachers
of philosophy
Mean : (1) one skilled in elaborate and devious argumentation
(2) a scholar or thinker
Ex : (i) No sophist would do a thing for charity.
(ii) Sophists like to mingle with their own kind.
RW : Sophisticated; Sophistry; Sophomoric (lacking judgment)
SORORATE (n)
Cue : S O R O R A T E soror sister
Mean : the custom of marrying a wifes sister esp. after the
formers death
Ex : Several Indian communities have the custom of sororate
marriage.
RW : Sororicide; Sorites (chain of syllogisms where one
conclusion is the premise of the next);
Sorority (a society/club of women)
SOPHOMORE (n)
Cue : sophos skilled in a craft, clever, wise" + mros "dull"
Mean : (1) a second-year student in a college or university
(2) Intellectually immature
Ex : Sophomores are at the most crucial stage of their teens and
need a lot of care and attention.
Syn : Green; Guileless; Inexperienced; Jejune
Ant : Experienced; Mature; Sophisticated; Worldly
RW : Philosophy; Sophisticated; Sophomoric (showing a naive
lack of judgment)
SOPORIFIC (adj)
Cue : S O P O R I F I C sopor sleep + fic/fac make
Mean : sleep inducing
Ex : The soporific characteristic of some off-the-shelf cough
syrups, is well known
Syn : Anesthetic; Sedative; Somnolent; Soporiferous; Tranquilizer
SPARTAN (adj)
Cue : of or relating to people of Sparta (Spartan characteristics)
Mean : (1) rigorously self-disciplined or self-restrained
(2) simple, frugal, or austere
(3) marked by brevity of speech; laconic
(4) courageous in the face of pain, danger, or adversity
Ex : (i) Being a diabetic, he is used to Spartan diet.
(ii) She prefers to lead a Spartan life, with no luxuries and only
basics.
Syn : Austere; Bold; Frugal; Hardy; Severe; Simple
Ant : Lavish; Luxurious
SPECIOUS (adj)
Cue : S P E C I O U S spec to look
Mean : (1) appearing to be true but really false
(2) superficially attractive but actually of no real interest or value
Ex : His specious arguments failed to win the day for him.
Syn : Baseless; Erroneous; Fallacious; Hollow; Inaccurate;
Unfounded
Ant : Frank; Honest; Open; Straightforward
SPUR (n/v)
Cue : Old English spura to kick
Mean : (1) to encourage an activity or development or make it
happen faster
(2) a sharp, metal, wheel-shaped object which is fixed to the heel
of boots worn by people riding
horses
(3) a high piece of land which sticks out from a mountain or a
group of mountains
Ex : (i) Rising profits have the effect of spurring the company to
faster growth.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

(ii) Usage of spurs is most prevalent in Texas.

(iii) Spurs are generally popular with tourists for their serene and
secluded environment.
Syn : Activation; Catalyst; Goad; Impetus; Incentive; Needle; Prick;
Stimulant
Ant : Counter; Denounce; Deter; Discourage; Dissuade
RW : Spurious (not genuine); Spurn (To reject something
contemptuously); Spurt
SQUALID (adj)
Cue : Latin squalus filthy
Mean : (1) dirty and wretched, as from poverty or lack of care
(2) lacking in honesty, dignity, and moral value
Ex : (i) The interior of the city was a squalid slum area.
(ii) The usual squalid tales of betrayal and drug-abuse are featured
in the gossip columns of
the newspapers.
Syn : Dirty; Fetid; Foul; Nasty; Neglected; Unclean
Ant : Clean; Immaculate; Splendid; Spotless
RW : Squall (shriek, sudden and violent commotion, wind etc);
Squalor
STAID (adj)
Cue : Stay-ed
Mean : serious, boring and slightly old-fashioned; of sedate
character; a color-less kind of correctness
Ex : In an attempt to change the staid outlook of the magazine,
new sections for young readers
have been added.
Syn : Calm; Collected; Composed; Cool; Decorous; Demure;
Dignified; Sober
Ant : Carefree; Frivolous; Nonchalant; Wild
STASIS (n)
Cue : Greek stasis, standstill, used as a suffix too
Mean : (i) a motionless state, or a state of no change
(ii) a condition in which body fluids such as blood or the contents of
the bowel are prevented
from flowing normally through their channels
Ex : After being married for nearly 30 years, she was fed up with
the stasis in her life.
Syn : Continuity; Inertia; Stability; Status Quo; Stillness
RW : Homeostasis (Stable State)
STEADFAST (adj)
Cue : S T E A D F A S T stead steady + fast
Mean : (i) firmly fixed or constant
(ii) firm and unwavering in purpose, loyalty, or resolve
Ex : The labor union remained steadfast in its protest even though
many of its members had to face
severe consequences.
Syn : Steady; Unbendable; Unfaltering; Unshakable; Unwavering
Ant : Ephemeral; Fleeting; Impermanent; Passing; Short-lived;
Temporary; Transient
STEALTHY (adj)
Cue : Peg it with steal
Mean : trying to avoid being noticed
Ex : Many countries acquire nuclear weapons by stealth.
Syn : Clandestine; Furtive; Skulking; Sly; Sneak; Surreptitious
STENTORIAN (adj)
Mean : extremely loud
Ex : Suddenly a stentorian voice boomed across the room
Syn : Booming; Clangorous
Ant : Faint; Quiet; Soft; Weak
STOIC (adj)
Cue : Pertaining to the school of philosophy that men should be
free of passions
Mean : someone who does not complain or show emotions
Ex : She listened stoically as the guilty verdict was read out.
Syn : Apathetic; Calm; Cool; Detached; Dispassionate; Stolid

71

STRATIFICATION (n)
Cue : Peg it with strata layers
Mean : to arrange the different parts of something in separate
layers or groups
Ex : In order to remove stratification in the social scenario, various
programs were started after
Independence.
RW : Strata; Straticulate (describes a rock formation that is made
up of thin layers); Stratiform
(composed of layers); Stratigraphy (study of rock strata);
Stratocumulus (extensive low
- lying cloud formation)
STUPEFY (v)
Cue : stupe senseless
Mean : to dull the senses or faculties of, to amaze; astonish, stun
Ex : Stupified by the shocking news, she just lay in her bed staring
blankly at the ceiling.
Syn : Benumb; Mesmerize; Astonish; Astound; Bewilder
Ant : Anticipate; Expect
RW : stupid; stupor (dazed state)
SUBJUGATE (v)
Cue : S U B J U G A T E sub under + jug yoke
Mean : to bring a people or a nation, under the control of another,
e.g. by military conquest
Ex : They resisted the subjugation by enemy kingdom and fought
for their freedom.
Syn : Defeat; Overcome; Overpower; Subdue; Suppress; Vanquish
Ant : Liberate; Surrender
SUBLIME (adj/n)
Cue ; Latin sublimus elevation
Mean : (1) so awe-inspiringly beautiful as to seem almost heavenly
(2) of the highest moral or spiritual value
Ex : The book contains sublime passages and the best poems.
Syn : Exalted; Marvelous; Noble; Splendid; Superb; Uplifting;
Wonderful
Ant : Crude; Distasteful; Gross; Inelegant
SUBPOENA (n/v)
Cue : Sub (under) + poena (penalty)
Mean : a written legal order summoning a witness or requiring
evidence to be submitted to a court or
similar deliberative body
Ex : Subpoena was issued to several government employees for
accepting bribes and corruption.
Syn : Call; Order; Summons; Writ
SUBSTANTIATE (v)
Cue : sub + stand giving substance/ standing
Mean : (1) to confirm that something is true or valid
(2) to give something an actual physical existence
Ex : During the trials of the Jessica Lal case, the lawyers could not
find enough witnesses to
substantiate the allegations against the accused.
Syn : Actualize; Affirm; Approve; Attest to; Authenticate
Ant : Belie; Deny; Refute
SUBSUME (v)
Cue : S U B S U M E sub + sume take
Mean : to include or incorporate something into a larger order,
category, or classification
Ex : Many soldiers of different nationalities have been subsumed
to form the peace keeping force of
the UN.
Syn : Include; Incorporate; Count; List; Consider
RW : Assume; Consume; Presume
SUBTERFUGE (n)
Cue : S U B T E R F U G E sub + fugere to flee
Mean : a plan, action, or device designed to hide a real objective,
or the process thereof

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : Information gained by subterfuge could not serve as

substantive evidence in the court of law.
Syn : Artifice; Deception; Dodge; Maneuver; Ploy; Ruse;
Stratagem
SUBTERRANEAN (adj)
Cue : S U B T E R R A N E A N sub under + terra
ground, earth
Mean : (1) existing or situated below ground level
(2) existing or carried on in secret
Ex : Subterranean bunks were very popular during the two world
wars as they provided both safety
and guard.
Syn : Below Ground; Buried; Concealed; Deep; Hidden
Ant : Open; Path
SUBVERT (v)
Cue : S U B V E R T sub + vert to turn
Mean : to undermine or corrupt / destroy
Ex : The extremists in J & K have repeatedly tried to subvert the
peace process between India and
Pakistan.
Syn : Corrupt; Demolish; Destroy; Ruin; Supersede; Supplant;
Suppress; Undermine
RW : Convert; Invert; Pervert; Subversion
SUCCULENT (adj)
Cue : S U C C U L E N T succus juice
Mean : soft and juicy; having fleshy tissues; full of vigor
Ex : The larva feeds on succulent leaves and branches of the
plants on which it is born.
Syn : Fleshy; Pulpy; Tasty
RW : Suck
SUCCUMB (v)
Cue : S U C C U M B suc + cumb to weigh down/ to lie
Mean : to yield
Ex : The accident victim succumbed to his injuries while on his way
to the hospital.
Syn : Bow; Capitulate; Submit
RW : Cumbersome; Encumbrances; Incumbent
SULLAGE (n)
Cue : S U L L A G E sol / sul mud
Mean : waste matter floating on molten metal; waste matter
Ex : The purification process involves complete removal of sullage.
Syn : Effluent; Sewerage
RW : Slough (swamp); Sullen (gloomy); Sully (tarnish)
SUPERABLE (adj)
Cue : S U P E R A B L E super above/ beyond + able
Mean : capable of being overcome
Ex : The problem is difficult but not insuperable.
Syn : Surmountable
RW : Superfluous; Supernumerary; Supersede (to sit above/
beyond)
SURMISE (v)
Cue : S U R M I S E sur super / above + mis send
Mean : to infer or conclude without adequate evidence/ information
Ex : His evidence is based on surmise and not bare facts.
Syn : Guess; Imagination; Likelihood; Supposition
RW : Mission; Missive; Surmount; Surname; Surpass
SURREPTITIOUS (adj)
Cue : S U R R E P T I T I O U S sur sub + rep / rap
snatch
Mean : obtained in a clandestine manner
Ex : The pick - pocket surreptitiously moved behind the victim and
ran away after snatching the purse.
Syn : Covert; Furtive; Stealth
RW : Surrogate (a substitute); Surveillance

72

SWIPE (n/v)
Cue : variant of sweep
Mean : (1) a strong, sweeping blow
(2) taking a dig at somebody
Ex : The batsman made a wild swipe with the bat but missed the
line of the ball and was clean
bowled.
RW : Swirl (moving with a whirling motion); Swish (to make a
whipping/ flogging movement with a
stick etc.); Swivel (movement on a pivot); Swoop (to swipe down
in a manner of attack)
SYNCHRONOUS (adj)
Cue : S Y N C H R O N O U S syn together + chron
time
Mean : occurring at the same time
Ex : The synchronous movement of gears provides movement to
vehicles/ machines.
RW : Symphony; Synergy (combined action); Synopsis;
Synthesis (unifying ideas)

T
TABERNACLE (n)
Cue : T A B E R N A C L E taberna hut
Mean : (1) any canopied place of worship (or) a temporary dwelling
(2) a case or box on a church altar containing the consecrated
bread and wine of the Eucharist
Ex : In the Roman Catholic Church, the consecrated bread and
wine are kept in a tabernacle.
Mean : (3) the ancient Jewish portable shrine, the Jewish temple
Ex : The Israelites carried the Ark of the Covenant in the
Tabernacle through the desert.
RW : Tavern
TABLEAU (tab-loh)
Cue : Tablet variant of table a picture on a table?
Mean : (1) a representation of a scene; a vivid or graphic
representation
Ex : (i) The museum has a realistic tableau Dinosaurs in the
Jurassic Park.
(ii) The movie was a tableau of a soldier's life.
Mean : (2) a pause on stage when everyone stands like a statue
Ex : The curtain rose to reveal a dramatic tableau which suddenly
came to life.
RW : Tableau vivant (a representation of a scene, picture, etc. by
a person or group in costume,
posing silently without moving); Tableaux/Tableaus (plural)
TACIT (adj)
Cue : tacit to be silent
Mean : understood or assumed without being directly expressed
Ex : The management has given its tacit approval to the plan.
Syn : Incommunicable; Reserved; Reticent; Tightlipped
Ant : Garrulous; Talkative; Voluble
RW : Taciturn
TACTILE (adj)
Cue : tact/tang touch
Mean : pertaining to the sense of touch
Ex : (i) Blind people use their tactile sense to read Braille.
(ii) His paintings have a tactile quality. When you touch them, it
seems as if you are
touching the soft skin of a child.
Syn : Haptic; Palpable; Tactual; Tangible
RW : Contact; Contagious; Contiguous; Contingent; Intact;
Intangible; Tangent; Tangible
TALISMAN (n)
Cue : good luck charm
Mean : (1) charm to bring good luck and avert misfortune

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : For his final match at the National level, he carried

Tendulkars autograph, which he regarded
as a talisman.
Mean : (2) thing capable of working wonders
Ex : The British Empire ultimately yielded to Gandhijis talismanic
weapon of non-violence.
Syn : Amulet; Charm; Fetish; Periapt
TANGENTIAL (adj)
Cue : T A N G E N T I A L tang touch
Mean : (1) (a) merely touching or slightly connected. (b) only
superficially relevant; divergent
Ex : The arguments put forth against the project were rather
tangential; they were not even
linked with the basic idea.
Mean : (2) go off (or fly) on a tangent: to break off suddenly from
a line of action or train of thought and
pursue another course
Ex : We were discussing politics when she flew off at a tangent
and started talking about yesterdays
party.
RW : Tangent; Tangible
TANTALIZE/TANTALISE (v)
Cue : Tantalus, according to Greek Mythology, was a king, son
of Zeus, doomed in the lower world
to stand in water that always recedes when he tries to drink it and
under branches of fruit that
always remain just out of reach
Mean : to tease or torment by the sight, smell, promise, etc, of
something desirable but unobtainable
Ex : The smell of the meat being fried in the kitchen tantalized the
dog, making it to wander near
the kitchen.
Syn : Bait; Entice; Make one's mouth water
TAXIDERMY (n)
Cue : T A X I D E R M Y taxi arrangement + derm skin
i.e. arrangement of skin of dead
animals
Mean : stuffing and mounting the skins of dead animals for
exhibition in a lifelike state
Ex : Taxidermy enables us to see lifelike animals in museums.
RW : Pachyderm; Epidermis; Taxonomy
TEETER (v)
Cue : T E E T E R Teeter could be rhymed with totter i.e. to
shake
Mean : (1) to walk or move unsteadily or unsurely; totter
Ex : Those little girls were teetering in their mothers shoes.
Mean : (2) to hesitate or be indecisive
Ex : The management teeters between giving in to labour union
demands and calling for a new
set of labour.
Syn : Falter; Lurch; Stagger; Stumble; Vacillate; Wobble
Ant : Stabilize; Steady
RW : Teeterboard (seesaw); Teeter-totter (seesaw)
TELEOLOGY (n)
Cue : T E L E O L O G Y teleo end, last + logy study
i.e. study of final causes
Mean : (1) the study of design or purpose in natural phenomena
(2) the fact or quality of being directed toward a definite end or of
having an ultimate purpose,
esp. as attributed to natural processes
Ex : Teleology is a belief that natural phenomena are determined
not only by mechanical causes but
by an overall design or purpose in nature.
TEMPERATE (adj)
Cue : T E M P E R A T E temper to mix, proportion,
moderate properly
Mean : (1) moderate, self-restrained

73

Ex : He practices self-control and keeps away from alcohol and

such temperate habits have kept him healthy.
Mean : (2) characterized by moderate temperatures, weather, or
climate; neither hot nor cold
Ex : The region around the Mediterranean sea is a temperate
zone.
Syn : (1) Abstemious; Abstinent
: (2) Balmy; Warm
Ant : Drunk; Inebriated; Uncontrolled
RW : Temperament; Temperance
TEMPO (n)
Cue : T E M P O tempo time
Mean : (1) the speed or rhythm at which music is performed
Ex : Their dance steps are not matching the tempo of this melody.
Mean : (2) the rate or motion of activity
Ex : One from the rural background would find the tempo of city life
too fast.
Syn : Pace; Speed; Velocity
RW : Contemporary; Extemporaneously; Pro Tem (temporary);
Temporal; Temporary; Temporize
TENABLE (adj)
Cue : T E N A B L E ten/tin/tain hold
Mean : (of an opinion or position) able to be defended successfully
or held for a particular period of time
Ex : The belief that malaria is caused by bad air is not tenable in
the light of the recent discoveries.
Syn : Defensible; Sustainable
RW : Abstain; Contain; Content; Continent; Detain; Detention;
Obstinate; Pertain;
Pertinacious (stubbornly persistent); Retain; Retentive;
Tenacious; Tenant; Tenement;
Tenure
TENACIOUS (adj)
Cue : T E N A C I O U S ten/tin/tain hold
Mean : (1) holding or tending to hold persistently to something,
such as a point of view
Ex : There has been tenacious local opposition against the
organization of the Miss World
contest in the city.
Mean : (2) holding together firmly, cohesive
Ex : The lion seized its prey in a tenacious grip.
Mean : (3) of memory, retentive
Ex : This child is a genius; he never forgets anything as he has a
tenacious memory.
Syn : Dogged; Dour; Pertinacious; Unyielding
Ant : Yielding
RW : Tenacity
TENSILE (adj)
Cue : T E N S I L E tens/tend/tent stretch/strain
Mean : capable of being stretched and maintaining tension
Ex : Escalators and lifts rely on the high tensile strength of the
wires.
Syn : Ductile; Malleable; Pliable; Pliant; Tactile
RW : Contend; Contentious; Distend (to swell out); Extend;
Extent; Intend;
Ostensible (apparent); Pretend; Pretense; Superintend;
Tendency; Tender; Tension
TENUOUS (adj)
Cue : T E N U O U S Peg it with thin
Mean : (1) (of something non-physical) having little meaning or
strength
(2) very thin
Ex : The connection between the novel Devdas and the movie is
quite tenuous and it cannot
be said that the movie is based on the novel.
Syn : Flimsy
Ant : Important; Substantial; Thick
RW : Attenuate; Extenuate

VOCABULARY BUILDER

TERGIVERSATION (n)
Cue : T E R G I V E R S A T I O N vers,/ vert turn. An
evasive person: trying to avoid giving a
direct answer to a straight question
Mean : (1) to change opinion or attitude repeatedly: equivocation
(2) desertion of a cause, position, party or faith
Ex : The tergiversation of his speech left his listeners confused
about where he really stood on the
issue.
TERMAGANT (n and adj)
Cue : Termagan was an imaginary Muslim deity represented in
medieval morality plays as
extremely violent and turbulent person, in long, flowing eastern
robes, a dress that led to his
acceptance as a woman and that is why the name came to be
applied to a shrewish,
quarrelsome, violently abusive and tyrannizing woman
Mean : a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman; a shrew
Ex : In this movie, she plays the role of a termagant old woman
who picks up a fight at the
smallest pretext, though the role is most unlike her kind and gentle
nature in real life.
Syn : Virago (a noisy or scolding or domineering woman)
TERRESTRIAL (adj)
Cue : terra earth/land
Mean : (1) of the earth or land
Ex : Aquatic regions have been explored lesser than the terrestrial
ones.
Mean : (2) worldly, earthly, mundane
Ex : If they are concerned more with terrestrial than with spiritual
matters, Church leaders would bring
religion into disrepute.
Syn : Tellurian; Telluric; Temporal; Terrene
Ant : Cosmic; Heavenly; Otherworldly
RW : Extraterrestrial (originating outside Earth); Subterranean
(being or operating under the surface of the earth); Terra
incognito (an unknown or unexplored land or region); Terrain (a
piece of land, especially its natural features); Terrarium (an
enclosure in which to keep small land animals); Territory
TESTAMENT (n)
Cue : T E S T A M E N T test witness/see
Mean : a written statement of beliefs or convictions; tangible proof
Ex : Nehrus writings are a testament of his love for India and its
people.
Syn : Covenant; Evidence; Testimonial
RW : Attest (to certify); Detest (to dislike intensely); Intestate
(having made no will)
THEANTHROPISM (n)
Cue : T H E A N T H R O P I S M the God + anthro an or
human being + ism signifies
an activity, ideology or belief
Mean : (1) the representation of objects (especially a god) as
having human form or traits
(2) (theology) the doctrine that Jesus was a union of the human
and the divine
Ex : Most humans have strong belief in theanthropism
THERAPEUTIC (adj)
Cue : T H E R A P E U T I C therap heal, cure; treatment +
ic act
Mean : the treatment or curing of physical and mental disorders,
diseases
Ex : (i) After his stroke, he needed speech therapy to learn to talk.
(ii) Talking to a sympathetic friend can be therapeutic if youre
depressed.
Syn : Curative; Healing; Remedial
RW : Hypnotherapy (the treatment of a disease by hypnotism);
Therapist.

74

THERMODYNAMICS (n)
Cue : T H E R M O D Y N A M I C S therm heat +
dynamics force producing motion
Mean : the science of the relations between heat and other forms
of energy
Ex : The principles of thermodynamics are being used to design
more efficient engines.
RW : Hypothermia (abnormally low body temperature); Thermal;
Thermometer; Thermonuclear; Thermostat (a device that
automatically controls temperature)
THESPIAN (n)
Cue : Characteristic of the great 6th century Greek poet Thespis
Mean : Connected with acting and theater. Also, a famous actor or
actress with a lot of experience
Ex : Amitabh Bachchan would always be one of the greatest
thespians of the Indian cinema.
THRENODY (threnudee) (n)
Cue : T H R E N O D Y threnos sorrow + ode song
Mean : a song or hymn of mourning composed or performed as a
memorial to a dead person; funeral
song
Ex : Some vocal artists specialize in threnodies.
Syn : Dirge; Elegy; Keen - a funeral lament sung with loud wailing;
Lament; Requiem
THROTTLE (n/v)
Cue : From throat
Mean : (1) to choke a person by squeezing the throat; to strangle
Ex : The attacker tried to throttle her.
Mean : (2) to suppress
Ex : The teachers harsh criticism has throttled the pupils
creativity.
TIMOROUS (adj)
Cue : Peg with timid
Mean : full of or subject to fear, timid
Ex : The childs timorous shouts at the fierce dog had no effect.
Syn : Apprehensive; Browbeaten; Cowed; Cowering; Daunted;
Frightened; Hesitant; Intimidated;
Nervous; Pusillanimous; Spineless; Spiritless; Tremulous;
Unnerved
Ant : Bold; Confident; Fearless
RW : Intimidate (fill with fear)
TITULAR (adj)
Cue : T I T U L A R Titular is formed from title
Mean : in name only, without real power
Ex : The president is the titular head of the nation but the real
power lies with the prime minister.
Syn : Eponymous; Nominal
TOPOGRAPHY (n)
Cue : T O P O G R A P H Y lies in its roots: topos place +
graphy to write, record or
describe description of he place
Mean : physical features of a region
Ex : (i) I have a fair idea of the topography of a region.
(ii) A topographic/topographical map shows hills, rivers and builtup areas.
RW : Topology; Toponym (name derived from name of a place)
TORMENT (v/n)
Cue : T O R M E N T tor/tort twisting to cause suffering
Mean : (1) to inflict or cause physical or mental pain, anguish
Ex : The family said they had endured years of torment and abuse
at the hands of the neighbours.
Mean : (2) to tease, annoy
Ex : The dog finally bit its tormentor.
Syn : Agonize; Distress
RW : Distort; Extort; Tortuous; Torture

VOCABULARY BUILDER

TORTUOUS (adj)
Cue : T O R T U O U S lies : tort twist
Mean : (1) winding or twisting with many bends
Ex : Its a tortuous road through the hills.
Mean : (2) not straightforward; devious; tricky
Ex : The ministers tortuous arguments did nothing to convince us.
Syn : (1) Askew; Serpentine; Sinuous; Snaky; Twisting; Winding
Ant : Direct; Straight; Unbent
Syn : (2) Debauched; Deceitful; Devious; Perverse; Reprobate;
Tricky
Ant : Good; Virtuous; Pure
RW : Contort (distort violently); Distort; Extort; Retort (to turn (an
insult, epithet, deed, etc. back upon the person from whom it
came); Torsion (Twisting, esp. of one end of body while the other
end is held fixed); Torture; Torturous
TOXICOLOGY (n)
Cue : T O X I C O L O G Y tox/toxic poison + logy
study/science
Mean : the science dealing with poisons and their effects and with
antidotes for poisons
Ex : Toxicology is the scientific study of poisons.
RW : Antitoxin; Intoxicate (to cause a loss of control; make
drunk),
TRACTABLE (adj)
Cue : T R A C T A B L E tract draw, pull + able
Mean : (1) easily managed, taught or controlled; docile; compliant
(2) easily worked; malleable
Ex : (i) Young minds are often tractable
(ii) The river water dispute turned out to be rather less tractable
than I had expected.
Syn : Amenable; Docile; Pliant; Submissive
Ant : Forward; Intractable; Obstinate
RW : Abstract (a thought drawn away from material objects; not
concrete); Attract; Protract ; Subtract; Subtract (the number to
be drawn away from another)
TRADUCE (v)
Cue : T R A D U C E tra trans + duce lead
Mean : to cause humiliation or disgrace to by making malicious
and false statements
Ex : The article in the paper traduced her reputation.
Syn : Asperse; Calumniate; Denigrate; Malign; Slander; Vilify
RW : Duct; Seduce; Transcend; Transparent
TRANQUILLITY (n)
Mean : calmness, peace
Ex : I like my native village most of all because of its immense
tranquillity and unhurriedness,
far removed from the hectic and troubled pace of life in the city.
Syn : Placidity; Quiet; Repose; Serenity
Ant : Chaos; Turbulence
RW : Tranquillize; Tranquillizer (to make clam or sleepy,
especially by administering a drug)
TRANSCEND (v)
Cue : T R A N S C E N D trans beyond + scend to
climb
Mean : (1) to go beyond the range or limit of human experience,
belief
Ex : The story of this film would transcend your belief.
Mean : (2) Excellent, Superior, Supreme
Ex : The transcendent genius of Newton revolutionized scientific
thinking.
Mean : (3) to surpass or exceed; to rise above
Ex : The annual profit of the company this year transcends all the
previous ones.
Syn : Excel; Rise above; Transform
Ant : Fail; Loose
RW : Transcendence; Transcendental; Transcendentalism;
Transcendently; Transcript;
Transcription; Transgress; Transmute; Transpire

75

TRANSIENT (adj)
Cue : T R A N S I E N T trans through
Mean : (1) passing away with time; not permanent; temporary
(2) temporary visitor, worker etc
Ex : The city has a large transient population of daily-wage
workers who come to work in the city from the adjoining areas.
Syn : Ephemeral; Evanescent; Fleeting; Provisional; Transitory
Ant : Permanent
RW : Transitory
TRANSLUCENT (adj)
Cue : trans through + lucere to shine i.e. to shine through
Mean : allowing some light through so that objects can be seen
through it but not very clearly; semitransparent
Ex : Translucent glass panes are not see through; at the same
time light comes through them.
RW : Lucid; Pellucid
TREACHERY (n)
Cue : T R E A C H E R Y Rhyme treach with cheat
Mean : an act of betrayal or one of treason
Ex : Pakistans treachery against India in 1999 was the biggest
lesson Indians could have learnt.
Syn : Betrayal; Perfidy; Treason
Ant : Faithfulness; Fidelity; Loyalty
RW : Treason (the betrayal of your country)
TREMULOUS (adj)
Cue : T R E M U L O U S in the root: trem/trep
tremble/shake
Mean : (1) trembling, wavering, Shaking
(2) timid or fearful; timorous
Ex : He is too tremulous to give a speech in the public.
Syn : Quavering; Quivering; Twittering
Ant : Confident; Steady
RW : Intrepid (fearless); Tremolant / Tremulant (vibrating tone);
Tremor (An involuntary trembling or
vibration); Trepidation (tremulous or trembling movement)
TRIFLE (n)
Mean : something of little value or importance; trivial thing, idea,
etc.; paltry matter
Ex : Why are you arguing over such a trifling matter?
Syn : Frippery; Frivolity; Triviality; Trinket
RW : trivial
TRUCKLE (n/v)
Mean : to yield or submit obsequiously i.e. to be servile or
submissive
Ex : He was nearly shaking with fear and easily truckled under the
pressure applied by the police, revealing all that he had seen the
other night.
Syn : Cringe; Fawn; Grovel; Toady
TRUCULENT (adj)
Mean : defiant and aggressive
Ex : The MP is known to be rather aggressive, but his truculence
during the session was unusually severe.
Syn : Belligerent; Hostile
Ant : Docile
TUMID (adj)
Cue : Tumere swelling
Mean : (1) swollen; bulging; (2) inflated or pompous
Ex : You must consult a doctor about the tumid outgrowth on your
head.
Syn : Bulging; Protruding
RW : Tumefaction; Tumefy; Tumescent; Tummy; Tumultous
TURBID (adj)
Cue : T U R B I D in the root: turb disturb or to stir up
Mean : (1) having sediment or foreign particles stirred up or
suspended; muddy and cloudy (of liquids)

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Ex : Turbid waters of the stream are home to many fish.

Mean : (2) thick, dense or dark, as clouds or smoke
Ex : The turbid smoke from the factories is polluting the air of this
city.
Mean : (3) confused; disordered
Ex : That mentally sick man had turbid thoughts.
Syn : (1) Murky; Roiled
(2) Addled; Confounded; Confused; Muddled; Perplexed
Ant : Clear
RW : Disturb; Perturbation (agitation); Turbidity; Turbulent
(violently agitated)
TURGID (adj)
Cue : Relate it with Tumid
Mean : (1) swollen; distended
Ex : The wound on his leg was red and turgid, making him unable
to walk.
Mean : (2) overly pompous in style or language; bombastic
Ex : The book is overly turgid and hence not eminently readable.
Syn : (1) Bloated; Distended; Puffed; Tumescent; Tumid
(2) Bombastic; Grandiloquent; Orotund; Tumid
Ant : Deflated; Flaccid
RW : Turgescent; Turgidity
TURMOIL (n)
Cue : T U R M O I L Relate turm with turb i.e. disturb
Mean : (1) state of confusion, uncertainty
(2) to agitate, trouble
Ex : The country is in a state of turmoil.
Syn : Agitation; Commotion; Tumult; Turbulence; Uproar
Ant : Calm; Harmony; Order; Peace
TYRO (n)
Mean : a beginner, novice
Ex : Despite his being a tyro, he surprised his boss by giving a
wonderful project report.
Syn: Amateur; Apprentice; Beginner; Fledgling; Neophyte
Ant : Expert

U
UBIQUITOUS (adj)
Cue : U B I Q U I T O U S ubi where + qui every i.e.
turning up everywhere
Mean : existing or being everywhere at the same time
Ex : The Irish are not alone in finding their language under
pressure from the ubiquitous spread of
English.
Syn : Omnipresent; Universal
Ant : Rare; Scarce
RW : Ubiety (the condition of being in a particular place)
ULTRAMARINE (adj/n)
Cue : U L T R A M A R I N E ultra beyond, + marine of
the sea i.e. beyond the sea
Mean : (1) a blue pigment orig. made by grinding lapis lazuli to a
powder
(2) a vivid or strong blue to purplish blue
Ex : Ultramarine is so called because the blue pigment from Asia
came to Europe from across the
sea.
RW : Ultrasonic (beyond the range of human hearing)
UMBRAGE (n)
Cue : U M B R A G E umbra shade, shadow
Mean : the feeling of being overshadowed; as by standing in one's
light or way; hence, suspicion of
injury or wrong (to take umbrage)
Ex : The minister took umbrage to the article that had criticized him
severely.
Syn : Grudge; Pique; Vexation

76

UNANIMOUS (adj)
Cue : U N A N I M O U S uni one + animus mind i.e. of
one mind.
Mean : in complete agreement, united in opinion
Ex : (i) The decision was unanimous with no dissent.
(ii) If we cant reach unanimity, well take a vote.
Syn : Concord; Consensus
Ant : Contested; Discord
RW : Unify; Unilateral; Unit
UNCANNY (adj)
Cue : U N C A N N Y un not + canny know how to
associated with the supernatural
Mean : seemingly supernatural or mysterious; strange
Ex : His predictions turned out to be uncannily accurate.
Syn : Eldritch; Freakish; Unearthly; Weird
Ant : Earthly; Natural
UNCONSCIONABLE (adj)
Cue : U N C O N S C I O N A B L E un not + conscion
conscience + able showing no
regard for conscience
Mean : (1) not guided or restrained by conscience; unscrupulous
Ex : The unconscionable retailer does not hesitate to fleece
whenever he can.
Mean : (2) unreasonable in degree or amount
Ex : The moneylender has been charging unconscionable rate of
interest.
Syn : Conscienceless; Extortionate; Outrageous; Steep; Usurious
Ant : Decent; Good; Moral
RW : Unassailable; Unassuming; Unbridled; Undaunted;
Unearth; Unerring
UNCOUTH (adj)
Cue : U N C O U T H un not + couth refined; polished;
civilized
Mean : not having good manners, awkward or impolite in speech
and behavior
Ex : His uncouth mannerism has earned him notoriety at the
university campus.
Syn : Awkward; Boorish; Clumsy; Discourteous; Uncultured
Ant : Agile; Couth; Graceful; Polished; Refined; Sophisticated
UNCTUOUS (adj)
Cue : unct is ointment or oil; it would form the peg for this word
Mean : praise, interest, friendliness, etc., in a way that is false and
unpleasant; too suave or oily in speech or manner
Ex : Except for a few friends and relatives whose grief appeared
genuine, rest of the people at the funeral were overflowing with
unctuous sympathy for the young widow.
Syn : Fulsome; Ingratiating; Obsequious; Oily; Oleaginous
RW : Unction
UNEQUIVOCAL (adj)
Cue : U N E Q U I V O C A L un not + equivocal that can
have more than one
interpretation
Mean : completely clear, allowing no possibility of doubt
Ex : All political parties have expressed their unequivocal support
for the economic reforms.
Syn : Evident; Explicit; Unambiguous
Ant : Ambiguous
UNFETTERED (v)
Cue : U N F E T T E R E D un not + fetter anything that
holds in check; restraint
Mean : free from restraint of any kind; liberate
Ex : Being an unfettered man, he has the guts to oppose injustice
and oppression anywhere.
Syn : Emancipate; Liberate
Ant : Fettered

VOCABULARY BUILDER

UNGAINLY (adj)
Cue : U N G A I N L Y un not + gainly shapely and
graceful; comely
Mean : not graceful, awkward in movement; clumsy
Ex : Please improve upon your awkward and ungainly gait or else
you will never make a good dancer.
Syn : Awkward; Lubberly; Lumpish; Uncouth; Unwieldy
Ant : Graceful
UNGUENT (n)
Cue : unct is ointment or oil; it would form the peg for this word
Mean : a healing or a soothing ointment for sores, burns or the like
Ex : She applied an unguent to the wound.
Syn : Balm; Cerate; Demulcent; Emollient; Liniment; Ointment;
Salve
RW : Unguinous (oily/greasy)
UNIMPEACHABLE (adj)
Cue : U N I M P E A C H A B L E un not + impeach to
challenge or discredit
Mean : that cannot be doubted, questioned or discredited i.e.
unquestionably honest, trustworthy
Ex : Mother Teresa was a woman of unimpeachable integrity and
character.
Syn : Blameless; Exemplary; Impeccable; Irreproachable
UNISON (n)
Cue : U N I S O N uni one + son sound i.e. having one
sound, harmonious agreement
Mean : (1) singing or playing all together at the same pitch
Ex : Choirs sing in unison
Mean : (2) uttering the same words, or producing the same sound,
at the same time
Ex : The rescuers can not hear us; lets shout in unison.
Mean : (3) complete agreement; concord; harmony
Ex : All the oil companies increased their prices in unison.
Syn : Accord; Consonance; Unanimous
Ant : Disagreement; Discord; Disharmony; Dissension; Disunity
RW : Unanimous; Universal
UNKEMPT (adj)
Cue : U N K E M P T un not + kempt / kembed wellcombed, neat
Mean : unitidy; neglected
Ex : The overgrown grass in the garden looks very unkempt.
Syn : Disheveled; Slovenly
Ant : Kempt; Tidy
RW : Unmitigated; Unhinged
UNOBTRUSIVE (adj)
Cue : U N O B T R U S I V E un not + obtrusive
obtruding itself esp. calling attention to itself in a displeasing
way
Mean : not undesirably noticeable or blatant; not drawing attention
Ex : He led a quiet, unobtrusive life of self-denial.
Syn : Obscure; Unnoticeable
Ant : Flaunting; Noticeable
UNRAVEL (v)
Cue : U N R A V E L un + ravel orig. to make complicated or
tangled
Mean : to solve or work something out
Ex : The psychiatrist unraveled the reasons for her strange
behavior.
Syn : Decipher; Explain; Resolve
UNREQUITED (adj)
Cue : U N R E Q U I T E D un not + requite to make
return or repayment
Mean : of feelings, not returned or reciprocated
Ex : (i) He had helped her on several occasions before, but his
favors and love had always gone unrequited.
Syn : Unanswered; Unreciprocated

77

UNRUFFLED adj
Cue : U N R U F F L E D un not + ruffle to disturb the
smoothness of
Mean : not agitated; calm; regular and smooth
Ex : Despite the fear of losing his job, he appeared quite unruffled.
Syn : Placid; Serene; Tranquil; Unflustered; Unperturbed
UNSAVOURY (adj)
Cue : U N S A V O U R Y un not + savoury pleasing to
the taste or smell; morally acceptable; respectable
Mean : distasteful or offensive
Ex : (i) The smell of these stale vegetables is unsavoury.
(ii) The minister is involved in an unsavoury scandal with a
younger woman.
UNSCATHED (adj)
Cue : U N S C A T H E D un not + scathe to hurt, injure
Mean : without suffering any injury
Ex : Despite the head-on collision, he came out unscathed
because he had been wearing the seatbelt.
Syn : Unharmed; Unhurt
Ant : Wounded
UNSCRUPULOUS (adj)
Cue : U N S C R U P U L O U S un not + scrupulous
moral, honest
Mean : without moral principles; dishonest
Ex : One should not earn money through unscrupulous means.
Syn : Conscienceless; Ruthless; Unconscionable; Unethical
Ant : Ethical; Good; Principled
UNSOLICITED (adj)
Cue : U N S O L I C I T E D un not + solicit to ask or
seek earnestly or pleadingly
Mean : not asked for; given voluntarily
Ex : Her unsolicited advice to the director of the play irritated him.
Syn : Unsought
Ant : Asked; Requested
UNTENABLE (adj)
Cue : U N T E N A B L E un not + ten to hold, keep,
stretch
Mean : (1) incapable of being maintained
(2) (of a position esp. in an argument) impossible to defend or
show to be reasonable
Ex : The troops had to withdraw from their untenable positions in
enemy territory.
Syn : Indefensible; Unreasonable; Unsupportable
Ant : Supportable
RW : Tensile; Tentative
UNTOWARD (adj)
Cue : U N T O W A R D un not + toward
Mean : (1) inappropriate, improper
Ex : Her untoward remarks at the conference table made her lose
the job.
Mean : (2) unfortunate; adverse, inauspicious
Ex : The untoward incident proved portentous to her.
UNWIELDY (adj)
Mean : not easily handled; too large or cumbersome
Ex : Of all the items, this piano is so unwieldy that it is just
impossible to get it down the stairs.
Syn : Cumbersome; Unmanageable
Ant : Manageable
UNWITTINGLY (adv)
Cue : U N W I T T I N G L Y un not + wit to know
Mean : not knowing or intentional
Ex : Unwittingly, he revealed details of the new project to the
competitors.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Syn : Accidental; Ignorant; Inadvertent; Involuntary; Nescient;

Unaware; Unsuspecting
Ant : Conscious; Deliberate; Intentional; Knowing; Realizing
UNYIELDING
Cue : U N Y I E L D I N G un not + yield
Mean : not giving way; firm
Ex : The company was unyielding to the demands of the labour
union.
Syn : Recalcitrant; Resolute; Steadfast; Obdurate; Obstinate
Ant : Irresolute; Surrendering; Yielding
UPBRAID (v)
Cue : braid to twist/pull
Mean : to forcefully criticize others for having done something
wrong
Ex : The teacher upbraided the student for being late.
Syn : Censure; Chastise; Rebuke; Reprehend; Reprimand;
Reprove; Vituperate
Ant : Adulate; Commend; Extol; Praise
UPSHOT (n)
Cue : U P S H O T up + shot i.e. the final shot
Mean : the outcome or final result
Ex : The upshot of the discussions is that the company would
launch its new product in the next month, instead of launching it
now.
Syn : Conclusion; Consequence; Corollary; End
Ant : Cause; Origin; Source
UPSURGE (n/v)
Cue : U P S U R G E up + surge to rise i.e. to surge up
Mean : a sudden increase or rise
Ex : There has been an upsurge of liquor consumption among the
youth in our country.
URBANE (adj)
Cue : U R B A N E urban city; i.e. one having the manners
of townspeople
Mean : sophisticated or refined
Ex : The urbane rich are often ignorant of the ground realities
facing the common folk.
Syn : Courteous; Mannerly; Suave; Svelte
Ant : Uncivilized; Uncouth; Unsophisticated
RW : Suburban (contemptibly dull and ordinary); Urbanite;
Urbanity
USURP (v)
Cue : U S U R P from usu (use) + rapare (seize) i.e. to take
into use by force
Mean : to seize and hold another's place, authority, or possession
by force and without legal authority
Ex : The Land Mafia is usurping the lands in our cities.
Syn : Arrogate; Confiscate; Expropriate
Ant : Give in; Relinquish; Surrender
USURY (n)
Cue : Peg it with interest
Mean : lending of money at excessively high rate of interest
Ex : Even in the present times, the poor peasants in rural India
often become the victims of usury of
the rich money lenders, who lend the money at exorbitant rates of
interest.
UTILITARIAN (adj)
Cue : U T I L I T A R I A N utilit utility + arian one
advocating
Mean : stressing usefulness over beauty or other considerations;
practical
Ex : (i) These plastic chairs are too utilitarian for my taste.
(ii) The utilitarian are scornful of the profligacy of the rich.
Syn : Expedient; Functional; Pragmatic
Ant : Futile; Impractical; Nonfunctional; Useless

78

UTOPIA (n)
Cue : U T O P I A : U not + top place i.e. any perfect
place
Mean : an imagined perfect place or state
Ex : The idealism of the new Prime Minister is utopian.
Syn : Eden ; Elysian; Paradise
Ant : Actuality; Dystopia; Hell; Reality
RW : Dystopia (a hypothetical place, society, or situation in which
conditions and the quality of life are
dreadful)

Ant : Enthusiastic; Lively; Spirited; Stimulating

RW : Vapor

UXORIAL (adj)
Cue : U X O R I A L in the root: uxor wife
Mean : pertaining to ones wife
Ex : In his anxiety to outperform others in the career pursuits, the
husband cannot afford to
sidestep uxorial duties.
RW : Uxoricide (the murder of a wife by her husband); Uxorious
(irrationally fond of or submissive to
ones wife)

VAUNT (v)
Cue : Related to vain
Mean : to show off, brag about something
Ex : The much vaunted show did not go according to our
expectations.
Syn : Boast; Brag
Ant : Downplay; Modesty; Unpretentiousness
RW : Vanity

V
VACILLATE (n)
Cue : vacillare to sway to and fro
Mean : to sway to and fro; to be continually changing from one
opinion or feeling to another
Ex : He seems to be vacillating between the decision of accepting
the new position and retiring.
Syn : Fluctuate; Stagger; Totter; Waver
Ant : Resolve
VACUOUS (adj)
Cue : V A C U O U S vac empty
Mean : empty of matter, showing lack of interest, intelligence or
thought
Ex : His vacuous comments do not affect me.
Syn : Blank; Empty; Inane; Void
Ant : Sane; Wise
RW : Evacuate (to remove the contents); Vacant; Vacation;
Vacuity; Vacuole (cavity within a cell);
Vacuum
VAGRANT (n)
Cue : Latin vagari to wander
Mean : a person who wanders from place to place
Ex : His parents could not coax him out of his vagrant ways.
Syn : Aimless; Itinerant; Nomadic; Tramp
RW : Vagabond; Vagary; Vague
VAINGLORY (n)
Cue : V A I N G L O R Y vain worthless + glory honour
Mean : extreme self-pride and boastfulness
Ex : The politicians vainglorious speech was meant to outshine his
opponents.
Syn : Arrogance
Ant : Humility; Modesty
RW : Vain; Vanity
VALOROUS (adj)
Cue : V A L O R O U S val/vail/valu value, strength
Mean : bravery or courage
Ex : The valorous young man refused to give in to injustice.
Syn : Chivalrous; Intrepid; Valiant
RW : Ambivalent (uncertain)
VAPID (adj)
Cue : Latin vapidus stale wine
Mean : without strength, lacking interest
Ex : The vapid tone of the lecturer made the class feel sleepy.
Syn : Bland; Dull; Insipid; Stale; Unexciting; Uninteresting

VOCABULARY BUILDER

VATIC (adj)
Cue : From Latin vates prophet
Mean : resembling or characteristic of a prophet or prophecy
Ex : Nostradamus wrote vatic book with ready and infallible
predictions.
Syn : Divinatory; Mantic; Oracular; Sibylline
RW : Vatican; Vaticide; Vaticinate (Prophesy)

VEHEMENT (adj)
Cue : vehere to move/carry
Mean : showing or caused by strong feelings, usually negative;
forceful
Ex : They were vehement in their protestations.
Syn : Fervent; Forceful; Impetuous
RW : Vehicle
VENAL (adj)
Cue : Venalis for sale
Mean : open to do dishonest things / capable of being obtained for
a price
Ex : His venal ways led to his conviction and imprisonment for five
years.
Syn : Corrupt; Dishonorable; Unscrupulous
Ant : Charitable; Ethical; Honest; Scrupulous
RW : Vend; Vendee; Vending machine; Vendor
VENERABLE (adj)
Cue : Venerari to worship
Mean : worthy of respect or reverence by reason of age or dignity,
character, or position
Ex : The venerable scholar was the chief guest of the function.
Syn : August; Esteemed; Respected; Reverend
Ant : Dishonorable
RW : Reverence; Venerate
VENIAL (adj)
Cue : V E N I A L From Latin venia forgiveness / grace / love
Mean : easily excused or forgiven
Ex : His was a venial offence and so he was let off with a severe
reprimand.
Syn : Exculpable; Excusable; Pardonable; Peccadillo; Vindicatory
Ant : Deadly; Serious
RW : Venus
VERACITY (adj)
Cue : V E R A C I T Y ver/veri true
Mean : truthfulness, honest, accuracy
Ex : The veracity of his statement remains to be established.
Syn : Candor; Genuineness; Trustworthiness
Ant : Deceit; Deviousness; Evasion
VERBOSE (adj)
Cue : V E R B O S E verb word
Mean : using or containing too many words
Ex : The judge was patient enough to listen to the verbose
argumentation of the attorney.
Syn : Prolix; Wordy
Ant : Breviloquent; Taciturn
RW : Verbal; Verbatim; Verbosity

79

VERDURE (n)
Cue : V E R D U R E Verd green
Mean : (1) green growing plants and trees
(2) a fresh, healthy, or flourishing condition
Ex : The verdure of the garden provided a refreshing interlude in
the concrete jungle.
Syn (1) Flora; Greenery; Lushness; Vegetation
(2) Abundance; Freshness; Healthiness; Luxuriance; Richness
Ant : Barren; Meagerness
VERSIMILITUDE (n)
Cue : V E R S I M I L I T U D E ver/veri true
Mean : appearance of truth, likeliness to reality
Ex : The verisimilitude of the artists work is laudable indeed.
Syn : Authenticity; Validity
Ant : Falseness; Fantasy
VERTIGO (n)
Cue : V E R T I G O from vert/vers to turn
Mean : the sensation of dizziness; a confused, disoriented state of
mind
Ex : After the roller-coaster ride, I was in vertigo for a few
moments.
Syn : Dizziness; Giddiness; Reeling; Unsteadiness
RW : Aversion (intense dislike)
VERNACULAR (n)
Cue : V E R N A C U L A R from verna native
Mean : the everyday language spoken by a people as
distinguished from the literary language; a variety
of such everyday language specific to a social group or region
Ex : The vernaculars of Punjab vary from region to region.
Syn : Colloquial speech; Dialect; Lingo; Patois
VEX (v)
Cue : V E X from vexare to agitate
Mean : to annoy or irritate
Ex : Dont vex me with so many silly questions.
Syn : Bother; Irk; Irritate
Ant : Appease; Assuage; Comfort; Soothe
RW : Vexation; Vexatious
VIABLE (adj)
Cue : from viv/vit alive, life
Mean : (1) capable of living, developing, or germinating under
favorable conditions
(2) capable of success or continuing effectiveness
Ex : A human fetus is considered viable when it weighs 500 grams
or more.
Syn : Alive; Functional; Growing; Performable; Possible;
Practicable; Promising; Workable
Ant : Impractical; Inconceivable; Unfeasible
VICARIOUS (adj)
Cue : V I C A R I O U S From vic/vicis change, substitute
Mean : experienced through someone elses feelings or actions
Ex : The husbands vicarious enjoyment of his wifes success was
refreshing.
Syn : Empathetic; Substituted
Ant : Callous; Unsympathetic
RW : Vicar (a person who acts in place of another; deputy)
VICISSITUDE (n)
Cue : V I C I S S I T U D E vic/vicis change, substitute
Mean : (1) a condition of constant change or alternation, as a
natural process
(2) [pl.] unpredictable changes or variations that keep occurring in
life, fortune, etc.; shifting
circumstances; ups and downs
Ex : The vicissitudes of life have taken a toll on her looks.
Syn : Fluctuations; Uncertainty
Ant : Stability; Stagnation; Uniformity

VOCABULARY BUILDER

VILIFY (v)
Cue : V I L I F Y from vil base, mean
Mean : to make malicious and abusive statements about
somebody
Ex : The judge cautioned the prosecution against attempts to vilify
the defendants without evidence.
Syn : Calumniate; Defame; Malign; Revile; Slander
Ant : Compliment; Glorify; Honour; Praise
RW : Revile (to make a fierce or abusive verbal attack on
somebody or something); Vile (disgusting);
Vilipend; Villain
VILIPEND (v)
Cue : V I L I P E N D vil base, mean+ pend to weigh /
consider
Mean : (1) to treat or view somebody with contempt
(2) to make malicious or contemptuous statements about
somebody
Ex : The rich vilipend the lower classes for the latters lack of
enterprise.
Syn : Belittle; Decry; Derogate; Disesteem
Ant : Compliment; Praise
VINDICATE (v)
Cue : vindicare to claim, set free
Mean : (1) to clear of blame or suspicion
(2) to prove the truth of something under dispute; to justify
Ex : Falsely implicated in a case, his position was ultimately
vindicated.
Syn : (1) Absolve; Acquit; Free
(2) Bear out; Justify; Warrant
Ant : Accuse; Blame; Convict
RW : Vindicator; Vindictive (spiteful, vengeful)
VIRILE (adj)
Cue : V I R I L E from vir man
Mean : showing qualities of a grown up man; having manly
strength or vigor; forceful
Ex : He was as athletic and virile as his father.
Syn : Macho; Masculine
Ant : Effeminate; Impotent; Unmanly
RW : Virtue; Virtuoso
VIRTUOSO (n)
Mean : a person with masterly ability, technique, personal style,
skill or technique in the arts
Ex : Beethoven was considered a virtuoso in music.
Syn : Ace; Adept; Connoisseur; Crackerjack; Maestro; Whiz;
Wizard
Ant : Amateur; Bench-warmer; Neophyte; Novice; Rookie; Tyro
VIRULENT (adj)
Cue : From virus poison
Mean : (1) extremely poisonous or injurious; deadly
Ex : The virulence of the 1918 flu epidemic caused many deaths.
Mean : (2) figuratively: bitterly antagonistic or spiteful; full of hate
and enmity
Ex : Infuriated by his criticism in the media, the minister made a
virulent attack on the press.
Syn : Hostile; Rancorous; Spiteful; Venomous; Vituperative
VISCERAL (adj)
Cue : V I S C E R A L viscera internal organs (the large
organs inside the body, including the
heart, stomach, lungs and intestines)
Mean : proceeding from instinctive and emotional reactions rather
than from reasoned thinking
Ex : Her approach is visceral rather than intellectual.
Syn : Instinctive; Intuitive
Ant : Reasoned

80

VITRIOLIC (adj)
Cue : V I T R I O L I C vitriol is an old-fashioned word for
sulphuric acid
Mean : bitterly abusive feeling or expression
Ex : His constant vitriolic criticism has earned him a bad name.
Syn : Acerbic; Biting; Caustic; Cutting; Malicious; Offensive;
Rancorous; Sarcastic; Sharp; Stinging
Ant : Kind

Ex : The new resident of the building was shunned by neighbors

for being a voyeur.
Syn : Peeping Tom

VITUPERATE (v)
Cue : vitium `vice, fault' + perare `to prepare'
Mean : to make harsh criticism, to be abusive
Ex : Use of vituperative language should be avoided in front of
children.
Syn : Abuse; Asperse; Berate; Blame; Calumniate; Castigate;
Censure
Ant : Compliment; Praise
RW : Vitiate

WAIF (n)
Cue : From veif anything flapping about (wave)
Mean : (1) a person who has no home or friends such as an
orphaned or forsaken child
(2) something found and unclaimed, as an object cast up by the
sea, or a stray animal
Ex : The poor little waif was desperately seeking shelter from the
rain.
Syn : Homeless; Ragamuffin; Stray; Urchin
RW : Vibrate; Waft; Wave

VIVACIOUS (adj)
Cue : From Viv/vita/vivi alive, live
Mean : full of life and animation, lively
Ex : Her vivaciousness makes her the life and soul of every party.
Syn : Animated; Bubbly; Spirited
Ant : Dispirited; Languid; Lethargic; Lifeless; Sloth-like; Sluggish
RW : Viva (long live); Viviparous; Vivisection

WAIVE (v)
Cue : From veifa to fluctuate / abandon
Mean : (1) to give up a claim or a right voluntarily
(2) to refrain from enforcing a rule or penalty
Ex : If you apologize, Ill waive off your penalty.
Syn : Abandon; Dispense with; Forgo; Reject; Relinquish
Ant : Assert; Assume; Claim; Retain

VIVIPAROUS (adj)
Cue : from vivi alive
Mean : giving birth to living offspring that develops within the
mother's body
Ex : Most mammals, including human beings, are viviparous.
Ant : Oviparous (producing eggs which hatch after leaving the
body of the female)

WANTON (adj)
Cue : W A N T O N wan lacking + togen discipline
Mean : (1) sexually promiscuous
(2) without regard for propriety
Ex : That wanton woman has a string of lovers.
Syn : Immoral; Licentious; Malicious; Uncontrolled; Unprovoked;
Unrestrained
Ant : Decent; Moral; Righteous
RW : Wane

VOCIFEROUS (adj)
Cue : V O C I F E R O U S voc/vok/vow voice + -ous full
of
Mean : loud, noisy or vehement in making ones feelings known
Ex : His vociferous complaints were not paid heed to.
Syn : Blatant; Boisterous; Clamorous; Strident
Ant : Quite; Silent; Subtle
RW : Advocate
VOLITION (n)
Cue : V O L I T I O N From vol will, wish
Mean : power to make a decision
Ex : He left the job of his own volition.
Syn : Accord; Desire; Will; Wish
VOLUPTUOUS (adj)
Cue : V O L U P T U O U S volupt pleasure
Mean : suggestive of unrestrained pleasure to the senses
Ex : The voluptuous sculptural beauties in the Ajanta caves are
renowned works of art.
Syn : Enticing; Erotic; Seductive; Sensual; Sensuous
RW : Voluptuary
VORACIOUS (adj)
Cue : V O R A C I O U S vor eat
Mean : (1) greedy in eating; devouring or eager to devour large
quantities of food
Ex : My younger sister has a voracious appetite.
Mean : (2) very greedy or eager in some desire or pursuit;
insatiable
Ex : He is a voracious reader, and keeps his nose always in a
book.
Syn : Avid; Gluttonous; Insatiable; Rapacious; Ravenous
Ant : Quenched; Satiated
VOYEUR (n)
Mean : a person who habitually and furtively gets sexual
satisfaction from ogling etc

VOCABULARY BUILDER

WARD (n/v)
Cue : wer to turn / warth to guard
Mean : (1) a division
(2) a person under guard
(3) a defense
Ex : (i) The sick industrialist has been admitted to a private ward in
the hospital.
(ii) Schools expect parents to bear complete responsibility of their
wards before and after
school - hours.
WELTER (n)
Cue : wella to roll / boil up
Mean : (1) to roll about or wallow as in mud
(2) to be deeply involved
(3) to be soaked in blood
(4) a surging, rolling, or heaving motion made by the sea or waves
(5) a state of turmoil, commotion
Ex : He was so weltered in work that he didnt feel the tremors of
the earthquake.
Syn : Entangle; Flounder; Grovel; Immerse; Muddle
WHET (v)
Mean : (1) sharpen by rubbing
(2) stimulate (interest or desire)
Ex : (i) He decided to whet the knife before slaughtering the goat.
(ii) My appetite was whetted by the aromatic fragrance of the cake.
Syn : File; Grind; Hone; Motivate
Ant : Blunt; Dampen; Dishearten
WHIT (n)
Cue : Used in negative constructions
Mean : The least bit, smallest particle
Ex : He has changed not a whit.
Syn : Bit; Iota; Jot; Mite
Ant : Lot; Maximum; Most

81

WILY (adj)
Cue : wile a sly trick
Mean : full of evil
Ex : Hes a wily little boy who always gets his own way.
Syn : Crafty; Cunning; Sly; Sneaking

Ex : Dont yammer; tell me how the job can be done.

YANK (v)
Mean : to pull suddenly
Ex : The electrician yanked the nail out.
Syn : Jerk; Pull; Tug; Wrench

WINNOW (v)
Cue : Peg it with wind air in motion
Mean : to blow or chaff away in order to separate the grain
Ex : The new HR manager winnowed out three candidates out of a
list of 15 candidates.
Syn : Scatter; Separate; Sieve; Thresh

YEOMAN (n /adj)
Cue : corrupted form of youngman
Mean : (1) a farmer who cultivates his own land
(2) valiant manner or service
Ex : Leaders of the freedom struggle have rendered yeomans
service to the cause of the nation.

WONT (n /v /adj)
Cue : wunian to be accustomed
Mean : custom, habit
Ex : (i) He was wont to rise early.
(ii) As was his wont, he rose up early.
Syn : Custom; Fashion; Habit; Practice

YOKE (n /v)
Cue : Sanskrit yuga for two
Mean : (1) harness for joining together a pair of oxen
(2) oppressive domination
Ex : (i) The farmer yoked the cattle together for ploughing the
fields.
(ii) Gandhi played a stellar role in getting India freed from the
British yoke.
Syn : Crossbar; Harness; Splice
Ant : Separate; Sever
RW : Yokel (a rustic)

WRAITH (n)
Cue : warth guardian angel
Mean : apparition of a person appearing just before his death
Ex : The wraith-like woman was obviously very ill.
Syn : Apparition; Ghost; Phantom; Specter
RW : Ward
WREST (v)
Cue : wer to turn, bend, twist
Mean : to seize after grappling for; to pull away
Ex : The armed forces have repeatedly wrested power in countries
like Pakistan.
Syn : Extort; Solicit; Squeeze; Wrench
RW : Wrench; Wrestle; Wriggle; Wring; Wrist; Writhe; Wry
WRIT (n)
Cue : From write
Mean : (1) a legal order permitting or prohibiting some action
(2) something written
Ex : A writ is filed in a court of law.
Syn : Decree; Order; Subpoena; Summons; Warrant

X
XENOPHOBIA (n)
Cue : X E N O P H O B I A xeno alien /stranger + phobia
fear
Mean : fear of strangers or anything foreign or strange
Ex : All fears of the washing up of Indian industry against
competition of MNCs have just proved to
be xenophobia.
Syn : Jingoism; Provincialism; Ultra-nationalism
XEROGRAPHY (n)
Cue : X E R O G R A P H Y xero dry + graphy
Mean : a dry copying process involving static electricity
XYLOGRAPHY (n)
Cue : X Y L O G R A P H Y xylo wood + graph
Mean : art of engraving on wood
Ex : Xylography as an art is not being pursued by many.
RW : Xylophagous (feeding on wood); Xylotomy (art of wood
cutting)

YONDER (adj)
Mean : farther, more distant
Ex : Look no yonder; join in if you really want to achieve success.
Syn : Distant; Farther
RW : Beyond; Thither

Z
ZANY (n/adj)
Mean : (1) a clown or a buffoon
(2) strange, surprising or uncontrolled in an amusing way
Ex : She thought she looked pretty at the party but I found her
dress rather zany with those multicoloured
frills looking like a clowns dress.
Syn : Buffoon; Dumb
ZEALOT (n)
Cue : Z E A L O T From zeal intense enthusiasm
Mean : one who is driven by zeal, often to an extreme or excessive
degree
Ex : A non-catholic zealot tried to assassinate the Pope.
Syn : Dogmatist; Faddist; Fanatic; Partisan
ZENITH (n)
Mean : the point in the sky directly above the head of an observer,
acme or peak
Ex : He has reached the zenith of his career at a rather early age.
Syn : Acme; Pinnacle; Summit
Ant : Nadir
ZEPHYR (n)
Cue : Z E P H Y R From zephyrus Greek god of wind
Mean : a soft gentle breeze
Ex : While lying under a tree in a garden, we enjoyed the late
evening zephyr.
Syn : Breeze; Draft; Waft; West wind
ZOANTHROPY (n)
Cue : Z O A N T H R O P Y zoa animal + anthropes
mankind
Mean : the belief that one is or can become a beast
Ex : Some people still believe in Zoanthropy.
RW : Zoologist

YAMMER (v)
Cue : geomor sad
Mean : to whine, whimper or complain

VOCABULARY BUILDER

82

CHAPTER 2
ONE-WORD SUBSTITUTION
1. One who looks at the bright side of things
2. One who looks at the dark side of things
3. One who does not believe in God
4. One who believes in God
5. One who knows everything
6. One who is present
7. One who is all-powerful
8. One who cannot read and write
9. One who acts against religion
10. One who offers ones services
11. One who is unable to payoff ones debt
12. One who loves mankind
13. Love for mankind
14. One who hates mankind
15. One who is out to destroy the government
16. One who eats human flesh
17. One who lives on flesh
18. One who lives at the same time
19. One who is more than a hundred years old
20. One who is eighty years old
21. One for whom the world is a home
22. One who is indifferent to pain and pleasure
23. One who champions the cause of women
24. One who is given to pleasures of the flesh
25. One that lives on others
26. One who is sympathetic to mankind
27. One who walks on foot
28. One who studies things of the past
29. One who is gifted with several talents
30. One who does not drink wine
31. One who is new to a profession
32. A short literary description marked by delicacy
33. One who settles in another country
34. One who knows many languages
35. One who carves in stones
36. One who One who cuts precious stones
37. One who deals in cattle
38. One who cures eye diseases
39. One who sells sweets and pastries
40. One who collects postage stamps
41. One who mends shoes
42. One who loads and unloads ships
43. One who compiles a dictionary
44. One who walks in ones sleep
45. One who talks in ones sleep
46. One who has an irresistible tendency to steal
47. One who breaks images or church omaments
48. One who retires from society to live a solitary life
49. One who has special skill in judging art, music, etc.
50. One who is devoted to the pleasures of eating and drinking
51. One who is given to the sensual pleasures of body
52. One who pretends to be what he is not
53. One who imitates the voice and gestures of another
54. A professional rider in horse races
55. A place with gambling tables
56. A number of sheep
57. A number of sailors working on a ship
58. A collection of flags
59. A number of ships
VOCABULARY BUILDER

optimist
pessimist
atheist
theist
omniscient
omnipresent
omnipotent
iliterate
heretic
volunteer
bankrupt
philanthropist
philanthropy
misanthrope
anarchist
cannibal
carnivorous
contemporary
centenarian
octogenarian
cosmopolitan
stoic
feminist
epicure
parasite
humanitarian
pedestrian
antiquarian
versatile
teetotaller
novice
vignette
immigrant
polygot
sculptor
lapidist (lapidary)
drover
oculist
confectioner
philatelist
cobbler
stevedore
lexicographer
somnambulist
somniloquist
kleptomaniac
iconoclast
recluse
connoisseur
epicure
voluptuary
hypocrite
mimic
jockey
casino
flock
crew
bunting
fleet
83

60. A cluster of houses in a village

61. A number of stars grouped together
62. The house of a Eskimo
63. The house of an Arab
64. A factory for manufacturing beer
65. A place for the collection of dried plants
66. A building for lodging of soldiers
67. A place where money is coined
68. A place where orphans are housed
69. An institution for reforming young offenders
70. A place for improving ones health
71. A case in which the sword is kept
72. A substance that destroys germs
73. A medicine which produces insensitivity
74. A medicine to counteract poison
75. An instrument for listening to heart and lungs sounds
76. Free from infection
77. A cure for all diseases
78. A place where dead bodies are kept
79. A place where dead bodies are interred
80. A place where dead bodies are kept for identification
81. An examination of a dead body
82. Occurring after death
83. An inscription on a tomb
84. The dead body of an animal
85. The science of colours
86. The science of the structure of human body
87. The art of effective speaking
88. The study of mankind
89. The study of the human mind
90. The study of physical life
91. The study of plants
92. The study of animals
94. The study of birds
95. The study of mountains
96. The study of languages
97. The study of stars
98. The study of the origin and history of words
99. The study of ancient writing
100. The art of beautiful handwriting.
101. The art of preserving skin
102. Government by the nobility
103. Government by a few
104. Government by departments of state
105. Government of, for and by the people
106. The right of self government
107. The period between two reigns
108. A council of clergymen
109. The ceremony at which a man becomes a priest
110. Violating religious things
111. One intolerantly devoted to a particular creed
112. A man who has more than one wife at a time
113. A woman who has more than one husband at a time
114. A hater of women
115. One who is vowed to unmarried life
116. A man whose wife is dead.
117. A woman whose husband is dead
118. Engaged to be married
119. An instrument for recording the revolutions of the earth
120. An instrument for measuring electric current
121. Smuggled goods
VOCABULARY BUILDER

hamlet
constellation
igloo
dowar
brewery
herbarium
barrack
mint
orphanage
reformatory
resort
sheath
antiseptic
anaesthetic
antidote
stethoscope
immune
panacea
mortuary
cemetery
orgue
post-mortem
posthumous
epitaph
carcass
chromatics
anatomy
elocution
anthropology
psychology
biology
botany
zoology
ornithology
oralogy
philology
astronomy
etymology
palaeography
calligraphy
taxidermy
aristocracy
oligarchy
bureaucracy
democracy
autonomy
interregnum
synod
ordination
sacrilege
bigot
polygamist
polyandrist
misogynist
celibate
widower
widow
betrothed
horoscope
ammeter
contraband
84

122. The act of spying

123. A knife fixed on the end of a gun
124. Soldiers on horses
125. Soldiers on foot
126. A book of accounts showing debit and credit
127. A book containing information on all branches of knowledge
128. A record of one's life written by oneself
129. A record of one's life written by somebody else
130. A speech by the dramatist at the beginning of a play
131. A speech by the dramatist at the end of the play
132. A poem of mourning
133. A hollow space in a wall for a statue
134. Unable to payoff one's debt
135. Language that has been very much used
136. Correct spelling
137. A place where ancient works are kept
138. A very private room
139. A place where mad men are kept
140. A war of religion
141. A lover of books
142. Animals that live in water
143. A written declaration made on an oath
144. A bunch of flowers
145. A child born of unlawful marriage
146. A game or battle where no party wins
147. A persons first speech
148. Killing a man
149. Killing ones king
150. Killing ones mother
151. Killing ones father
152. Killing ones brother
153. Killing oneself
154. Animals that suckle their young
155. A speech made without preparation
156. A decision on which all agree
157. A writer who steals ideas from another
158. One that lives on others
159. A medicine that loosens the bowels
160. A speech made to oneself
161. The place where clothes are kept
162. A persons last utterance
163. Asking everyone for an opinion
164. Separation from other people to avoid nfection
165. An imaginary ideal
166. A thing kept in memory of an event
167. That which can be heard
168. That which cannot be heard
169. That which can be read
170. That which cannot be read
171. Liable to catch fire easily
172. That which can be eaten
173. That which can be carried
174. Incapable of being corrected
175. Commonplace remarks
176. Belief of god in nature
177. The green colouring matter in the leaves of plants
178. The animals of a certain region
179. The plants and vegetation of a region
180. Incapable of being burnt
181. An instrument for seeing distant things
182. A disease that ends in death
183. A person suffering from nervous breakdown
VOCABULARY BUILDER

Edu MENTO R Edu ca tio n al Ser vice s

espionage
bayonet
cavalry
infantry
ledger
encyclopaedia
autobiography
biography
prologue
epilogue
elegy
niche
insolvent
hackneyed
orthography
museum
sanctum sanctorum
lunatic asylum
crusade
bibliophile
aquatic
affidavit
bouquet
bastard
draw
maiden speech
homicide
regicide
matricide
patricide
fratricide
suicide
mammals
extempore
unanimous
plagiarist
parasite
laxative
soliloquy
wardrobe
swan song
referendum
quarantine
utopia
souvenir
audible
inaudible
legible
illegible
inflammable
edible
portable
incorrigible
platitudes
pantheism
chlorophyll
fauna
flora
incombustible
telescope
fatal
neurotic
85

184.
185.
186.
187.
188.
189.
190.
191.
192.
193.
194.
195.
196.
197.
198.
199.
200.
201.
202.
203.
204.
205.
206.
207.
208.
209.
210.
211.
212.
213.
214.
215.
216.
217.
218.
219.
220.
221.
222.
223.
224.
225.
226.
227.
228.
229.
230.
231.
232.
233.
234.
235.
236.
237.
238.

A book or paper written by hand

Government which honours all religions
A word no longer in use
An instrument for detecting earthquakes
An instrument for measuring gases
The property left to someone by a will
Promise given by a prisoner not to escape
An exaggerated statement
War-like
A person who lives in a foreign country
Too much official formality
One extremely fond of ones wife
A list of things to be discussed at a meeting
Unduly attached to ones own opinions
Very exact or scrupulous in the observance
of forms, of etiquette, ceremony or behaviour
One who is completely self-satisfied
Simple and easily deceived
One who has delusions of ones grandeur
The most capable part of a group, town or place
One who flaunts newly acquired wealth
The intelligent and educated group or class
of a society or country
Weariness of and sadness for life and world
Boredom and frustration in life
Shy, timid, unwilling to face a situation
One who looks at everything from a personal point of view
One who is chivalrous, idealistic and unpractical
One who is grave and gloomy
One who gets pleasure in others trouble and pain
The act of enjoying or having an experience indirectly
The tendency to postpone things for future
To relax in a countryside far away from the humdrum of town
To spend life without purpose and initiative
One who is interested in the welfare of other people
One who believes in keeping things as they are
A girl who flirts egregiously
A woman who lures men to destroy them
A tall, strong, masculine kind of woman
A loud-mouthed turbulent kind of woman
A traitor who can sell out even his friend
A person with vulgar taste
A person who flaunts learning all the time
Understanding without the interference of feelings
An embarrassing mistake
A medley or heterogeneous mixture of great variety
A slang of the underworld
A language of a region having its own usage
A language of a special group
The ascribing of human motivation, characteristics or behaviour
to inanimate objects, animal or natural phenomena
A payment not legally binding but for which some moral
obligation is felt
One who gives directions from behind the scene on a stage
A washing or cleansing of the body especially in a religious
ceremony
Something perfectly neat and tidy
A legal defence by which an accused person tries to show that
he was somewhere else when the crime was committed
The money that a court ask a man to pay to his divorced or legally
separated wife
A treatise on one subject

VOCABULARY BUILDER

manuscript
secular
obsolete
seismograph
manometer
legacy
parole
hyperbole
belligerent
hyperbole
red-tapism
uxorious
agenda
opinionated
punctilious
complacent
gullible
megalomania
elite
parvenu
intelligentsia
weltschmerz
ennui
diffident
egocentric
quixotic
saturnine
sadistic
vicariously
procrastination
rusticate
vegetate
altruist
conservative
coquette
Circe
Amazon
virago
Judas
vulgarian
pedant
empathy
a faux pas
potpourri
argot
dialect
patois
anthropomorphism
ex-gratia
prompter
ablution
immaculate
alibi
alimony
monograph
86

239.
240.
241.
242.
243.
244.
245.
246.
247.
248.
249.
250.
251.
252.
253.
254.
255.
256.
257.
258.
259.
260.
261.
262.
263.
264.
265.
266.
267.
268.
269.
270.
271.
272.
273.
274.
275.
276.
277.
278.
279.
280.
281.
282.
283.
284.

A speech uttered by one person

Mental derangement confined to one idea
An airplane with one pair of wings
Exclusive possession or control of anyone thing
The group, especially in the arts, regarded as being
the most experimental
Words or action showing deliberate contempt for sacred things
An official bulletin
An agreement entered between two or more parties
A passage with only one end
Something very brightly colourful
The art of painting on a plaster surface
A record or table showing the descent of a person or a family
A connoisseur of food and drink
A person or thing that goes before and announces
the coming of something
A persistent anxiety about ones health
An odd, atypical or eccentric trait
Not planned ahead of time
To compensate a person, etc., for loss or damage
Originating or occurring naturally in the place or country where found
A time between periods or events
A plan for or the route to be followed on a journey
A group of persons who band together for some secret purpose,
especially for political intrigue
A short journey for pleasure
A swiftly changing scene or pattern
A lightly constructed open booth generally used as a newsstand
That cannot be pacified
A written attack using humour to provoke contempt
A false written statement to damage a persons repute
A phrase or sentence that is comical or nonsensical because
the speaker used a wrong
An instruction from an electorate to its representative
A full-size model of a complete or partial human figure
Personal reminiscences in a narrative form
The manner of operating or proceeding
A long wandering journey
An authoritative decree or law of the government
A person having authority to inquire into grievances of citizens
against public authorities
A speech or writing praising a person or a thing
A lover, specially one who unlawfully takes the position of a
wife or a husband
An expression of the popular will concerning some important
questions given by a direct vote of the people
The presentation to the people of a proposed bill for decision
by vote
A portrait of a person with only the outline of the profile
Causing or tending to cause sleep
Retired on account of age usually with pension
A substitute
A close watch kept over someone
Existing only in name

VOCABULARY BUILDER

monologue
monomania
monoplane
monopoly
avant-grade
blasphemy
communiqu
covenant
cul-de-sac
flamboyant
fresco
genealogy
gourmet
harbinger
hypochondria
idiosyncrasy
impromptu
indemnify
indigenous
interim
itinerary
junta
jaunt
kalleidoscope
kiosk
implacable
lampoon
libel
malapropism
mandate
mannequin
memoir
modus operandi
odyssey
ordinance
ombudsman
panegyric
paramour
plebiscite
referendum
silhouette
soporific
super-annuated
surrogate
surveillance
titular

87

CHAPTER 3
ROOTS, PREFIXES, SUFFIXES
ROOTS

MEANING

WORD

alter
ami, amicamphi
ann, enni
anthrop
aqua, aque
arch
arthro
aud
bell
biblio
biobrev
cap
carn
ced
chromchroncogn
cord/chord
corp
crac, crat
cred
cruc
crusta
crypt
culp
dei
demodent
dermdic
dox
duc, duct
duo
dynamego
equ
fac
fil
frater
gamgeoglyph
grad, gress
graphgym
gynhemo, hema, hem
holo
hydro, hydr
iso
ject
jud
leg, lect
liter
loc
log

Other
Love
both ends or all sides
Year
human, man
Water
chief, leader, ruler
Joint
Sound
War
Book
Life
Short
take, seize
Meat
yield, go
Color
Time
Know
Cord
Body
rule, ruler
Believe
Cross
Shell
Hidden
Guilt
God
People
Tooth
Skin
speak, say
belief, opinion
Lead
Two
Power
Self
Equal
make, do
Threadlike
Brother
Marriage
Earth
vertical groove
Step
writing, printing
Naked
Woman
Blood
whole, entire
Water
equal, identical
Throw
Judge
read, choose
Letter
Place
Word

alternate, alter ego

amiable, amicable
amphibian
anniversary, annual, biennial, perennial
anthropology, anthropomorphic, misanthrope
aquatic, aquarium, aqueduct
archangel, monarch, archaic, archenemy
Arthritis
auditorium, audible, audiologist, audiotape
belligerent, bellicose
bibliography, bibliophile
biography, autobiography, biology, antibiotic
brief, abbreviate
capture, captivate, capacity
carnivorous, chili con carne
recede, secede, proceed, intercede, concession
chromatic, monochrome, polychrome
chronicle, chronology, chronometer, synchronize
recognize, cognitive, incognito
Harpsichord
corpus, corpse, corporal
autocrat, democracy, bureaucrat, democracy
credible, credulous, credibility, credit, credo
crucifix, crucial
Crustacean
cryptogram, cryptology, cryptic
culpable, culprit
deity, deify
demography, democracy, epidemic
dentist, dentifrice, dentin
dermatology, epidermis, hypodermic
dictate, predict, diction, indict
orthodoxy, paradox, heterodoxy
induce, deduce, seduction, conduct, abduct
Duo
dynamo, hydrodynamics
egotist, egomania
equal, equity, equanimity, equate, equidistant
manufacture, factory, benefactor
filament
fraternal, fraternize
monogamy, polygamy, bigamy
geopolitical, geology, geography, geothermal
HieroglyphicsEgyptian sky writing
gradual, progression, transgression
graphology, biography, telegraph, geography
Gymnasium
gynecologist, androgynous
hemophilia, hematology, hemoglobin
Holograph
dehydrate, hydraulics, hydroelectric, hydroplane
Isolate
inject, reject, subject, projection
judicial, judge, adjudicate
legible, lectern, lecturer, election
literature, illiterate, literal
local, location
monologue, epilogue

VOCABULARY BUILDER

88

luc
magn
man
mar
mater
mere
meta, met
metri, metermin
mit, miss
mob, mot, mov
mon
mor, mort
morph
mut
neuro
nomen /nomin
nov
nym, onym
odonto
orthopac
pater
path
ped, pod
pel, puls
pend
phon-, phonoplan
pneum
pod
port
pot
psychpugna
quer, quis
scent, scend
schizo, schiz
sci
sciss
scrib, script
sec, sect
sed, sess
sens, sent
sequ, secu
serv
simil
siphon
sol
son
soph
spec, spic
spir
spir
spond, spons
spont
stat
tang, tact
temp
ten, tent
terr
theo
thermVOCABULARY BUILDER

Light
Large
Hand
Sea
Mother
part, segment
behind, between
Measure
Small
Send
Move
Warn
Death
form, structure
Change
Nerve
Name
New
word, name
Tooth
straight, correct
Peace
Father
feeling, suffering
Foot
Push
hang, weigh
sound, voice
Flat
Lung
Feet
Carry
Power
soul, spirit, mind
Fight
Ask
Climb
division, split
Know
Cut
Write
Cut
Sit
feel, be aware
Follow
serve, protect
Same
Tube
Sun
Sound
wisdom, knowledge
look, see
Coil
Breathe
promise, answer for
by one's own force
stay, position
Touch
Time
Hold
Earth
god, deity
Heat

lucid, elucidate
magnify, magnate, magnificent
manufacture, manual, manuscript
marine, mariner
maternal, maternity, matriarchy, matricide
Mere
Metacognitionbehind the thinking
geometric, thermometer, odometer
minority, minuscule, minute
permit, submission, mission, emit,
mobile, automobile, motion, promote, movie
premonition, admonition
mortal, mortician, immortality
metamorphosis, amorphous, morphology
mutant, mutability, mutate
neurology, neurosis, neurobiology
nominal, nominate, nomenclature
novel, renovate, innovation, novella
synonym, acronym, anonymous, pseudonym
orthodontistone who straightens teeth
orthodox, orthodontist, orthopedic
pacify, Pacific Ocean, pacifist
paternal, paternity, patricide, patrilineal, patriotic
sympathy, apathy, empathy, telepathy, pathology
pedal, pedometer, centipede, gastropod
pulsate, repulsive, impulse, compel, propel
pendulum, pendant, suspend, pending
telephone, euphony, cacophony, phonograph
planar, plantation, plane
Pneumatic
Podiatrist
portable, transport, portage, report,
potent, omnipotent, potentate
psychology, psychic, psychobiography
pugnacious, pugilist
query, inquisition,
ascend, ascent
Schizophrenic
Scientific
Scissors
manuscript, scribe, proscribe, scripture
dissect, section
sedentary, session
sensible, sentient
sequence, sequel, consecutive
Service
similar, assimilate, simile, facsimile (fax)
Siphon
Solar
sonar, resonate, unison
philosophy, sophisticated, sophomore (wise fool)
spectacles, spectator, inauspicious, prospect
Spiral
inspire, respiration, conspire, perspiration
respond, responsible
Spontaneous
Station
tactile, tangible
temporary, temporize
tentative, tenable, tenuous
subterranean, terrain, terrestrial, disinter
theology, polytheism, atheist, monotheism
thermal, thermos, thermometer
89

trophy
uro
vac
ven, vent
ver
vert
vit
voc
zoo

nutrition, food
Urine
Empty
come, go
Truth
Turn
Life
Call
Animal

atrophywithout nutrition
urologist
vacation, vacuum, vacuous, vacant
intervene, convene, contravene
veracity, verify, verity
introvert, irreversible, vertigo
vital, revitalize, vitamin
revoke, invocation, vocal, evocative, convocation
zoo, zoology, zoolatry

PREFIXES
PREFIX
a-, anabadambianaantiapoautobenecata-, catcentro, centricircumcomconcontradedia-, didisdyseectoen-, emendoepiesoeuexheterohomohyperhypoilimiminininterintrairmacromal, malemetamicromononeoobVOCABULARY BUILDER

MEANING
not, without
away from
to, toward
Both
up, back, again
Against
from, away from
Self
Good
down, against
around, center
Around
with, together
with, together
Against
down, away
through, across
apart, not
ill, difficult, bad
out of, from
on the outside
in
within, inside
upon
inward, within
well, good
out of, from
other, different
same
over
under
not
not
into
not
into
between
within
not
large
bad, evil
beyond
small
one, single
new, recent
against

EXAMPLES
amoral, anesthetic, apolitical, asocial
abduction, abstain, abnormal
adjoin, adjacent (lying near to)
ambidextrous, ambivalent
analogy, anatomy, anagram
antipathy, antiwar, antisocial
apology, apologize
autobiography, automobile, autocracy, automaton
benediction benevolent benefactor
catastrophe--a turning down
concentric, centrifugal
circumlocution circumference, circumvent
communal, community
connect, confide conspire
contradict, contravene
descend, deject (cast down)
diameter, division
disengage, discord, discomfort
dysfunctional, dysentery
elect (choose out of), eject (throw out)
ectoderm--outer skin
empathyfeeling in
endoscope--instrument for observing inside
epitaph epidermis, epicenter
esoteric--more inward, esophagus
euthanasiagood death
exhume, exhale, exodus
heterosexual, heterodoxy, heterodox heterogeneous
homosexual, homogeneous, homogenized
hypertension, hypersensitive, hyperactivity
hypotension, hypodermic
illegitimate, illicit, illegal, illegible
imperfect, impolite, impossible
imbibe (drink in, take in)
indiscreet, invisible
incorporate (take into the body)
intervene (come between), interstate
intrastate, intramural
irregular, irrational, irredeemable
macrocosm, macroeconomics
malediction malevolent, malnutrition
Metaphysical
microscope, microcosm, microeconomics
monologue, monotheism, monarchy, monogamy
neologism, neo-liberal, neonatology. neolithic
object, obstruct (build against)
90

palin-, palipanparaperperiphil-, philopolypostpreproprosprotopseudo

reretrosesubsur-, supersyn-, sym-, syl-, systele-

back, again
all, every
false
through
around
like, lover of
many, several
after
before
for, forward
toward, in front
first
false
again, back
back
away from
under
over, above
with, together
distant, far off

Palindrome
pantheism, Pan-Hellenic, panorama, pandemic
paramilitary, paralegal, parachute
percolate (flow through) perforate (punch through)
perimeter, periscope
philosophy, Francophile, bibliophile, philanthropy
polygon, polygamy, polytechnic, polytheism
postgraduate, posthumous postpone
precede, predict (tell before)
promote, project
prospectview in front, something coming up
prototype, protoplasm, protobiology
pseudonym, pseudoscience
repeat, recede, regress (step back)
retrogression, retroactive
seduce (lead away), secede
submarine, subject, subhuman subterranean
superhuman, superego, superintend, surpass
symphony, synonym, system, syllable
telephone, telepathy, television, telegram

SUFFIXES
SUFFIX
-agog, -agogue
-cide
-ectomy
-ia, -y
-ic, -tic, -ical, -ac
-ics
-isk, -iscus
-ism
-ist
-ite
-logy
-oid
-or, -er
-phobia
-sis

DEFINITION
leader
kill(ing)
cutting
act, state
having to do with
things having to do with
small
the belief in
one who believes in
one connected with
study field of
resembling, like-shaped
one who takes part in
exaggerated fear
act, state, condition of

VOCABULARY BUILDER

EXAMPLE
demagogue, pedagogue
patricide, infanticide, herbicide. suicide
appendectomy, splenectomy
amnesia, mania, democracy, anarchy
anthropomorphic, dramatic, biblical, cardiac
optics, physics
asterisk--a little star
pacifism, terrorism, socialism, communism
pacifist, terrorist, socialist, communist
meteorite, polite, cosmopolite
biology, geology, etymology, cardiology
asteroid, spheroid
doctor, actor, teacher, driver
photophobia, claustrophobia, agoraphobia
analysis

91

CHAPTER 4
LIST OF WORDS COMMONLY CONFUSED AND MISUSED WORDS
WORD

MEANING

USAGE

Accept

To receive with favour, willingness or consent

All the boys accept Sunil as their leader.

Except

Other than but; otherwise than

They invited everybody to their party except me.

Accede

To give ones consent

Sunita will accede to the wishes of her husband.

Exceed

To surpass or go beyond the limit

You can save petrol if you do not exceed the 80km/hour speed limit.

Advise

Counsel given to encourage or dissuade(used as

noun)
To give advice, to notify, to recommend(it is a verb)

Adapt

To adjust to a situation or environment

The workers had to adapt to the cold climate of Jammu and Kashmir.

Adopt

To take as ones own

The union will adopt a new constitution.

Adept

Highly skilled, proficient

An adept tennis player will win the match.

Advise

Affect
Effect

To influence; to produce a change (note the a in

affect and in change)
As a verb means to bring about, to achieves as
noun means the result(note e in effect and in
result)

The lawyer will offer advice to the client.

Your lawyer will advise you to sign o contract.

This warm weather will affect growth of the palm trees

The Prime Minister will effect a change in his cabinet. She stressed
the effect of wars on the economy.

Already

Before or by the time specified

They have already completed the project.

All ready

Completely prepared

We are all ready to go to the game

Altogether

Wholly or thoroughly

That type of rule is altogether unnecessary.

All together

In a group

They were all together in the hall.

Anyone

Any person

Anyone can sweep the floor.

Any one

A specific person or thing in a group

Any one of these man can sweep the floor

Assure

To make something certain; to promise

She assured me that my vacation would not be postponed

Ensure

To make something certain; to promise

Registering the letter will ensure its delivery.

Insure

Protect against loss or risk

All states require car owners to insure their vehicles.

Beside

By the side of

I sat beside the window.

Besides

In addition to

Sanjay has income besides his salary

Complement

Something which completes(note the e in the

middle of complete and complement)

A good sauce will complement the flavour of the curry.

Compliment

A flattering comment, or, as a verb, to flatter

The teacher paid a compliment to Neetu. The teacher wishes to

compliment his students on their good work.

Complementary

Completing or supplying needs

His talents and hers are complementary.

Complimentary

Expressing praise or given free

He made several complimentary remarks.

Council

A group of elected or appointed people

The matter is before the Church Council.

Counsel

As a noun, means advice; or a lawyer; as a verb

means, to advise

We offer counsel to all who ask.

She acted on the advice of her counsel. They will counsel him to act
wisely.

Discreet

Tactful; careful not to say or do anything wrong

Ashi is a discreet lady.

Discrete

Disconnected from others; separate or distinct

The programmer will study several discrete systems.

Everyone

Every person

Everyone is ready to leave.

Every one

Every person of a group

Every one of the team members is ready to leave.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

92

Formerly

In a manner prescribed by custom or established

procedure
Beforehand; previous

Forever

Continuously

He was forever complaining about the bus service.

For ever

Enternally

I shall be here for ever if the bus doesnt come.

Imply

To suggest without stating(the writer or speaker

implies)

His statement implies that he will resign. You letter seems to imply
that I have refused to see him.

Infer

To reach a conclusion based on evidence(the

reader or listener infers)

From his statement I infer that he will resign. I effused to see him.

Formally

Likely

The president acted formally at the commencement.

Formerly, she had been a member of the council.

Probable, or to be expected
Legally responsible, susceptible to something
unpleasant.

My favourite song is likely to win an award.

Moral

Pertaining to right conduct or ethical

What is the moral of this story? It is your moral duty.

Morale

A cheerful, confident state of mind

Has the morale of the team improved?

Principal

As an adjective, means chief and as a noun means

chief official

Principle

Rule or fundamental truth

The principal of the college is the person in charge. If you put an

amount of money in your saving account, the principal earns interest
for you.
What principal guides your life? This principal of law protects women
and minorities.

Sight

Act of seeing; that which is seen

The Rockies are a beautiful sight.

Site

Place or location

The site of the new building is near the bus stand.

Cite

To bring forward as proof to quote an authority; to

summon to appear in court.

We can cite several authors to support our view. The judge will cite
the defendant.

Stationery

Letter paper

Did your receive our letter written on new stationery?

Stationary

Standing still, motionless

The flywheel turns, but the boiler is stationary.

Liable

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Rakesh is liable to cut his foot with the power saw.

93

CHAPTER 5
LIST OF COMPOUND WORDS
Some common compound words may be either written as one word or as two separate words depending on the context. The
following is a list of some such words:
a)

almost and all most

The train was almost five hours late.
almost is an adverb meaning nearly.
We are all most in agreement with the new
proposal.
All most means all very much.

b)

Already and all ready

The goods have already been despatched.
Already is an adverb meaning previously.
The order is all ready to be despatched.
All ready is used as all prepared.

c)

d)

Altogether and all together

She is altogether too lazy to complete the job.
Altogether is used as an adverb, meaning
entirely.
The files are all together on his desk.
All together means in a group.
Always and all ways
Ramesh has always done his work efficiently.
Always means at all times.
They have tried in all ways to solve the problem.
All ways is used as by all means.

e)

Anyone and any one

Anyone could understand the motive.
Anyone means anybody.
Any one of you could have gone to the meeting.
Any one is used as any person of a group.

f)

Anyway and any way

Anyway, we cant let him go this time.
Anyway is used as an adverb, meaning in any
case.
If I can be of help in any way, please let me know.
Any way is used a noun; i.e. in any manner.

g)

h)

Everyday and every day

The new accountant soon picked up the everyday
routine of the department.
Everyday is used as an adjective, meaning daily
o or ordinary.
She has telephoned almost every day this week.
Every day means each day.
Everyone and every one
Everyone likes to be admired.
Everyone means everybody.
Every one of the employees was paid.
Every one means each person, without
exception.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

i)

Indifferent and in different

Ram was an indifferent worker in our factory.
Indifferent is used as an adjective, meaning
without interest.
He appreciated our idea, but he wished it
expressed in different words.
In different is used as other.

j)

Indirect and in direct

Indirect lighting is very satisfactory in an office.
Indirect is used as an adjective, meaning not
direct.
This order is in direct conflict with the policy of our
company.

k)

Into and in to
She immediately walked into my office.
Into implies motion from without to within.
All documents are to be sent in to the Chief
Engineers office.
Sheela came in to see me in the morning.
In to is a two-word phrase in which in is an
adverb.

l)

Maybe and may be

If I dont receive al letter today, maybe was should
send a FAX message to him.
Maybe is an adverb, meaning perhaps.
Mr Satish Kumar may be (used as a verb) in his
office tomorrow.

m) Nobody and no body

There was nobody in the office today.
Nobody means no peerson.
No body of the staff is more efficient than you.
n)

Someone and some one

Someone should do this typing.
Someone means somebody.
Some one of the staff has done this.
Some one is used as one particular person.

o)

Sometime, sometimes and some time

The goods will be shipped sometime next month.
Sometime is an adverb, meaning an unspecified
Or indefinite time, usually in the future.
Sometimes reports in newspapers are wrong.
Sometimes is used as an adverb, meaning
usually
Or now and then.
It took her some time to compile the report.
Some time is a two-word phrase that refers to
passage of time.

94

CHAPTER 6
LIST OF IMPORTANT HOMONYMS
Homonyms are similar sounding words that differ in their meanings and spellings.
Addenda
Agenda

additional items
list of things to be done

Aphasia
Asphyxia

loss of speech
suffocation

Atone
Attain

to make amends
to reach or achieve

Avert
Overt

to anticipate and ward off

not concealed

By law
Bylaw

according to law
local or corporate rules; adopted by an organization

Carpus
Corpus

wrist
body

Collaborate
Corroborate

to work or act jointly

to confirm

Courtesy
Courtesy

polite behaviour
husbands right in dead wifes land

Cynosure
Sinecure

one that attracts

easy job

Decedent
Dissident

deceased(dead) person
one who disagrees

Depositary
Depository

one who receives a deposit

place were something is deposited

Disseminate
Dissimilate
Dissimulate

to spread widely
to make or become dissimilar
to hide under a false appearance

Engross
In gross

to prepare a text; to purchase in quantity; to absorb full attention

existing independently; in a large quantity or sum

Forego
Forgo

to precede
to give up

Furlong
Furlough

one-eight of a mile
leave of absence

Incredibility
Incredulity

unbelievable
disbelief

In jure
Injure

according to law
to harm

Interpellate
Interpolate

to question formally
to insert words in a text

Lumbar

relating to vertebrae of the lower back

VOCABULARY BUILDER

95

Lumber
Malfeasance
Misfeasance
Non-feasance

timber ready for use (n), To move clumsily (v)

wrongful conduct
improper performance of a legal act
failure to do what ought to be done

Misalliance
Misalliance

a poor marriage
an improper alliance

Misogamy
Misogyny

hatred of marriage
hatred of women

None
Nun

not any; nothing

woman with a religious order

Ode
Odd
Owed

a lyrical poem
unconventional; strange; ( way of behaviour); a number not divisible by two
obligated to

Official
Officious

authenticated; authourised
volunteering ones services where neither asked nor needed

Opposite
Apposite

contrary; set against something that is at the other end or side

appropriate; relevant

Ordinance
Ordnance

authoritative decree or director

military supplies, weapons, ammunition, etc.

Overseas
Oversees

beyond or across the sea; foreign

surveys; supervises

Packed
Pact

crammed; wrapped
an agreement; accord

Pail
Pale
Paltry
Poultry

bucket
yellowish, deficient in colour
inferior; trivial; small
domestic fowls(birds)

Paced
Paste

covered at a walk; measure by pacing

adhesive material; a kind of dough

Parameter
Perimeter

an arbitary constant whose value characterises a member of system; a factor

boundary; outer limits

Parcel
Partial

package; unit ( as of land)

biased; not the whole

Parlay
Parley

to increase or otherwise transform into something of much greater value

to confer; to discuss terms with an enemy

Parol
Parole
Payroll

word of mouth (parol evidence)

conditional release of a prisoner
salary or wages register

Person
Person

a clergyman
an individual human being

Patience
Patients

the ability to bear pains, trails or delays without complaint

individuals awaiting or under medical care

Pause
Paws

a temporary stop
feet of animals

VOCABULARY BUILDER

96

Peace
Piece

a state of tranquillity or quiet; freedom from war

a part of a whole

Peak
Peek

summit; a pointed or projected part; highest level

a brief look; glance

Peal
Peel

to ring (as a bell)

to strip off an outer layer (as peeling an orange)

Pedal
Peddle

to operate a foot lever (cycle pedal)

to sell or offer to sell from place to place

Peer
Pier

person of equal standing with another

a supporting structure, as for adjacent ends of two bridge spans

Pencil
Pensile

a writing instrument
suspended

Pendant
Pendent

something suspended, as an ornament

supported from above; suspended

Presentiment
Presentment

premonition or prejudgement
offering of something to be dealt with

Perpetrate
Perpetuate

to bring about; to commit

to cause to last indefinitely

Persecure
Prosecure

to harass
to follow to the end; to institute and carry on legal proceedings

Personal
Personnel

relating to a person; private

member of an office force, labour or staff

Perspective
Prospective

outlook; vista, view

likely to happen; expected

Partition
Petition

division; something that divides; an internal dividing wall

an earnest request; entreaty

Piety
Pity

quality or state of being pious

compassion

Pistil
Pistol

ovule-bearing organ of a seed plant or flower

a small fire arm

Plum
Plumb

a fruit
straight down or up

Plain
Plane

an extensive area of level or rolling treeless country

an airplane; a flat or level surface

Pole
Poll

a rod
casting or recording of votes

Poplar
Popular

a kind of tree
well-known

Populace
Populous

the common people

densely populated

Procede

to surpass in rank; come ahead

VOCABULARY BUILDER

97

Proceed
Praise
Prays
Preys

to continue; to advance
an expression of approval
entreats; request
seizes and devours; commit violence

Precedence
Precedents

the fact of preceding in time; priority

adjuged cases or decision considered as authority for similar Cases later

Precis
Precise

concise summary of essential points

minutely exact

Premise
Promise

something taken for granted

a pledge

Prescribe
Proscribe

to lay down as a guide, direction or rule of action

to condemn or forbid as harmful; prohibit

Pretest
Pretext

a preliminary test
an excuse; an action that cloaks the real intention or state of affairs

Preview
Purview

advance view
part or scope of a statute

Princes
Princess

male member of a royal family

a kings daughters

Prophecy
Prophesy

a prediction
to foretell

Prostate
Prostrate

a gland in male
stretched out with face on ground, prone

Purpose
Propose

to intend
to suggest; to set forth

Quiet
Quit
Quite

tranquillity; calm
to cease
wholly; to a considerable extent; rather

Rain
Rein
Reign

to fall as water; to pour down

to check or stop
to rule

Rack
Wrack

to cause to suffer, torture

to ruin utterly; to destroy

Radish
Raddish

a vegetable
somewhat red

Racket
Racquet

clamour
a lightweight implement used in games

Raid
Rayed

hostile or predatory incursion

shone in or on; radiated

Raise
Rays
Raze

elevate; build
beams of light
to destroy to the ground(razor)

Recession
Recision
Recission

ceding back; withdrawn

cancellation
bringing to an end

VOCABULARY BUILDER

98

Recede
Receed

to withdraw; to recoil
to cede again

Recover
Re-cover

to obtain a right
to cover again

Refuse
Refuse

to decline (verb)
waste (noun)

Release
Re-lease

to give up; to free

to lease again

Saver
Savour

one who saves

the taste or smell of something

Scam
Scan

a scandal
to examine closely

Scrip
Script

paper currency or token issued for temporary use (share certificates)

something written; text; manuscript

Shear
Sheer

to cut as hair or wool

to deviate from a course(verb); complete or absolute;
Transparent and see-through

Sewage
Sewer
Sewerage

refuse or waste matter

pipelines to carry off waste matter
a system of sewers

Side
Sighed
Site

lateral
uttered a sigh
a place

Simulate
Stimulate

to copy; represent
to excite to activity or growth; arouse

Slay
Sleigh

to kill
a sled; vehicle used on snow

Sleight
Slight

dexterity; stratagem
slim, frail, meagre

Smooth
Soothe

to make things more agreeable; to palliate

to calm

Soar
Sore

to rise to heights; to glide

painful; wound type

Soared
Sword

rose
a weapon with a long blade

Spacious
Specious

roomy
having a false look of truth or genuineness

Stair
Stare

any one step of a series for ascending or descending from one level to another
a fixed look

Statue
Statute

sculpture
law or rule

Straight

direct; uninterrupted; upright

VOCABULARY BUILDER

99

Strait
Stricture
Structure

narrow; constricted
a hostile criticism; a narrowing or restriction
building

Suite
Suit

a set of rooms
a set of garments

Summary
Summery

quickly executed, brief

fit for summer; or like summer

Tail
Tale

rear appendage
story

Team
Teem

to yoke or join in a team

to abound; to become filled to overflowing

Tear
Tier
Tare

to separate parts of or pull apart by force

a row; a layer of articles
a deduction from the gross weight to allow for weight of container

Tenant
Tenet

leasee; occupant
a principle; belief; doctrine held to be true

Tenor
Tenure

the highest natural male singing voice

act of holding; period

Troop
Troupe

a group of soldiers
a group of theatrical performers

Vacation
Vocation

period for rest or holiday

the work n which one is regularly employed

Vain
Vane
Vein

conceited; worthless; futile

device showing wind direction
a narrow channel; blood vassel

Vary
Very

to change; to devate
exceedingly

Veracious
Voracious

truthful
greedy in eating

Veracity
Voracity

truthfulness
the state of being voracious

Vial
Vile
Viola

a small vessel for liquids

evil, foul
stringed musical instrument

Vertex
Vortex

the highest point of something

a whirling mass of fluid; something resembling a whirlpool

Vice
Vise

a moral fault or failing

a tool with tight-holding jaws

Vicious
Viscous

mean; violent; fierce

sticky; vicid

Waist
Waste

the narrowed part of the body

rejected material; garbage

Waive

to relinquish voluntarily, to strike off

VOCABULARY BUILDER

100

CHAPTER 7
SPECIAL VOCABULARY
List of Phobias
A phobia is the unreasonable, unrealistic and excessive fear to a particular object, objects or situation.
Achluophobia: darkness
Acousticophobia: noise
Acrophobia: heights
Agliophobia: pain
Ailyrophobia: cats
Alliumphobia: garlic
Androphobia: men
Anthophobia: flowers
Arachnophobia:spiders
Arithmophobia: numbers
Atychiphobia: failure
Aurophobia: gold
Bibliophobia: books
Cacophobia: ugliness
Carcinophobia:cancer
Ceraunophobia: thunder
Cheatophobia: hair
Chrometophobia: money
Cibophobia: food
Dipsophobia: drinking
Dentophobia: dentists
Domatophobia: houses
Electrophobia: electricity
Emetophobia: vomiting

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Enochlophobia: crowds
Febriphobia: fever
Gerascophobia: growing old
Heliophobia: the sun
Iatrophobia: doctors
Insectophobia: insects
Kenophobia: empty spaces women
Lachanophobia:vegetables
Lockiohobia: childbirth
Methyphobia: alcohol
Motorphobia: automobiles
Noctiphobia: night
Nosocomephobia: hospitals
Ombrophobia: rain
Ophidiophobia: snakes
Pharmacophobia: medicines
Plutophobia: wealth
Rhytiphobia: getting wrinkles
Siderodromophobia:trains
Tachophobia: speed
Trypanophobia: injections
Venustrophobia: beautiful
Xenophobia: strangers
Zoophobia: animals

101

CHAPTER 8
LIST OF ANIMAL RELATED WORDS
OFFSPRINGS (YOUNG ONES) OF ANIMALS / BIRDS

ANIMAL/BIRD
Ass, donkey
Bear
Butterfly
Camel
Cat
Cow
Deer
Dog.
Duck
Elephant
Fish
Fox
Frog
Goat
Goose

OFFSPRING
Foal ,colt (male),filly(female)
Cub
Caterpillar
Foal
Kitten
Calf(male),heifer(female)
Fawn, calf, kid, pricket /brocket (M)
Puppy, pup, whelp
Duckling
Foal, calf
Minnow
Cub
Tadpole
Kid, yearling
Gosling

ANIMAL/BIRD
Hare
Hen
Horse
Kangaroo
Leopard/lion
Peacock
Pig
Rabbit/rat
Rhinoceros
Sheep
Stag
Swan
Tiger
Wolf
Zebra

OFFSPRING
Leveret
Chicken, pullet
Colt , foal(m), filly(f)
Joey
Cub
Peachicken
Piglet, pigling, shoat, gilt(F)
Nestling
Calf
Lamb, teg, hog
Steer
Signet
Cub
Cub, whelp
Foal, colt(M), filly(F)

MALE / FEMALE

ANIMAL
Ass,donkey
Boar
Cat
Cattle
Deer
Dog
Elephant
Fox
Goat
Hare
House
Kangaroo
Leopard
Lion
Pig
Rabbit
Rat
Rhinoceros
Sheep
Tiger
Walrus
Wolf
Zebra

MALE
Jack, jackass, dicky
Boar
Tom,gib/gib-cat
Bull,ox(castrated)
Buck,stag,hart
Dog, hound
Bull
Dog, vix
Billy, buck
Buck, jack
Stallion, horse,sirestud,gelding(castrated)
Buck, boomer
Leopard
Lion
Boar, hog (castrated)
Buck
Buck
Bull
Ram, tup, wether(castrated)
Tiger
Bull
Dog, he-wolf
Stallion

VOCABULARY BUILDER

FEMALE
Jenny,she-ass
Sow
She-cat,queen,tabby,puss
Cow
Doe, hind
Bitch
Cow
Vixen
Nanny,doe
Doe,puss
Mare, dam
Doe, blue, flier
Leopardess
Lioness
Sow, gilt
Doe
Doe
Cow
Ewe
Tigress
Cow
Bitch, she-wolf
Mare

102

WORDS DENOTING SOUNDS MADE BY ANIMALS / BIRDS

ANIMAL /
BIRD
Apes
Bears
Bees
Birds
Bulls
Beetles
Calves
Camels
Cats
Cocks
Crows
Cows
Dogs
Doves
Ducks
elephants

SOUND THEY
MAKE
Gibber
Growl
Buzz; hum
Humsing, chirp
Bellow
Drone
Bleat
Grunt
Mew
Crow
Caw
Moo
Bark
Coo
Quack
Trumpet

ANIMAL /
BIRD
Flies
Frogs
Foxes
Geese
Goats
Hawks
Hens
Horses
Jackles
Kittens
Lambs
Larks
Lions
Mice
Monkeys
Nightingales

SOUND
THEY MAKE
Buzz
Croak
Yelp
Cackle
Bleat
Scream
Cluck
Neigh, snort
Howl
Mew
Bleat
Sing
Roar
Squeak
Chatter
Warble

ANIMAL /
BIRD
Owls
Parrots
Pigeons
Pigs
Puppies
Ravens
Swans
Thrushes
Serpents
Sheep
Squirrels
Tigers
Turkey
Wolves
Sparrows
Swallows

SOUND
THEY MAKE
Hoot
Talk
Coo
Grunt
Yelp
Croak
Cry
Whistle
Hiss
Bleat
Squeak
Roar; growl
Gobble
Yell
Chirp; twitter
Twitter

MAJOR TYPES OF ANIMALS

Aquatic

animals living in or near water, such as fish, whales, ducks etc.

Arboreal

animal living in trees, as most birds, monkeys, etc.

Biped

an animal having only two feet, such as man, apes and birds.

Carnivorus

an animal that feeds chiefly or exclusively on meat, like dogs, wolves, lions, tigers.

Herbivorous

an animal that feeds mainly on vegetable matter, plant eating.

Marsupial

order of mammals whose females nourish and protect their new born in a pouch in the
abdomen for e.g. kangaroos and opossums.

Monotreme

a member of the lowest order of mammals, whose females lay and hatch egg like the
duck animals that are billed like platypus.

Nocturnal

animals that are more active during the night than in the day time, like bats, certain birds,
some cats etc.

Oviparous

animals belonging to a class whose females lay and hatch eggs, like birds, most fish, and
reptiles.

Pachyderm

any of certain thick-skinned, non-ruminant hoofed animals like the elephant,

hippopotamus and rhinoceros

Prehensile

animals in the limbs capable of or adapted for grasping or holding. For e.g. hands or
paws of man and some apes, monkeys, bears, opposums etc. and the tails of
certain monkeys.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

103

CHAPTER 9
LIST OF WORDS FOR SPECIFIC PLACES
Aerodrome
Acquarium
Apiary
Arsenal
Bakery
Brewery
Cage
Cemetery
Cloak room
Confectionery
Crematorium
Dockyard
Distillary
Dispensary
Garage
Granary
Guest annexe
Graveyard
Hosiery
Hatchery
Kiln
Mint
Mortuary
Museum

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

Pharmacy
Studio
Tennery
Treasury
Wardrobe
Zoo
Convent
Monastery
Barracks
Palace
Hive
Nest
Byre
Kennel
Stable
Den
Barn
Burrow
Pen
Web
Lair

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

VOCABULARY BUILDER

where aeroplanes are kept

enclosure for keeping domestic fishes
where bees are kept
where arms and weapons are stored/kept
where bread/biscuits are manufactured
where wine is produced
enclosure for domestic animals/birds
where deadbodies are buried
luggage storing place a a railway station
where confections or sweets are prepared
where deadbodies are cremated
where ships are built
where liquor/sprits/whiskey is produced
out-patient department where medicines are dispensed.
where cars/vehicles are kept
storage place of grains
special room in a house for guests
where deadbodies are buried
where knitted-wear is manufactured
where eggs/chickens are produced
where bricks are baked
where coins are made
where deadbodies are temporarily kept (in hospitals)
a building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of
permanent value are kept and displayed.
where medicines are prepared
where films are produced and processed
where leather is processed and produced
where treasure (wealth) is kept
an almirah in which clothes are kept
where animals/birds are kept
where nuns live
where monks live
where soldiers live
where kings lives
where bees live
where bird live
where cows live
where dogs live
where horses live
where lions live
where owls live
where rabbits live
where sheep live
where spiders live
where tigers live

104

LIST OF SOME COLOURFUL ADJECTIVES

Ribald
Pristine
Raucous
Mundane
Cacious
Picaresque
Nostalgic
Innocuous
Precocious
Sallow
Svelte
Phlegmatic
Blas
Grandiose
Flaccid
Posthumous
Statuesque
Saladroit
Tacit
Aquiline
Dolorous
Niggardly
Obstreperous
Pallid
Sumptuous
Piquant
Grisly
Poignant
Resilient
Oblique
Hoary

VOCABULARY BUILDER

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

coarse and indecent

unspoiled primitive
boisterous
routine or ordinary
unfeeling
pertaining to a type of fiction with a rougue as central character.
wistfully sentimental
harmless
showing premature development
Yellowish in color
slender
sluggish
bored
imposing
flabby
happening after death
graceful and dignified
clumsy and awkward
unspoken
hooked or curved like an eagles beak
sad
stingy
unruly
pale
luxurious
having a pungent test
gruesome
painful and distressing to the feelings.
elastic
slanting or indirect
gray with age

105

CHAPTER 11
LIST OF WORDS DENOTING VARIOUS SOUNDS
The beating of drums
The whistling, blowing, howling of the wind
The clanging of arms
The creaking of doors or shoes
The chattering of teeth
The babbling of brooks or streams
The tick of a clock
The twang of a bow

VOCABULARY BUILDER

The jingling, ringing of bells

The clank of chains
The rustling of leaves
The crackling of fire
The blowing of pugles
The rolling or numbling of thunder
The toot of a horn

106

CHAPTER 12
LIST OF FIELDS OF STUDY AND PROFESSIONS
FIELDS OF STUDY
Acoustics
Aerostatics
Agronomy
Agrostology
Anthropology
Archaeology
Astronautics
Cosmography
Cryogenics
Demography
Ecology
Entomology
Ethnology
Etiolgy
Etymology
Eugenics
Genealogy
Genetics
Geology
Ichthyology
Metrology
Numismatics
Ornithology
Orthograph
Paleonthology
Philology
Seismology
Sericulture
Theology
Toxicology

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

science of sound
study of ballooning
study of scientific farming
study of grasses
the development of man
excavation and study of physical remains of early civilizations
science of exercises for promoting beauty and strength.
description and mapping of the universe.
science of very law temperatures
science of vital and social statistics
science of environment
scientific study of insects
science of origin of races
study of causes of diseases
study of derivation of words
study of production of better offsprings
a record of family descent
study of heredity of individuals
study of rocks, soils and minerals
study of fishes
scientific study of weather conditions
study of coins and metals
study of birds
the science of spellings
Study of past life forms through fossils
study of words or literature
science of earthquakes and earths movements
study of silk-worn breeding
study of religion
science and medical study of dealing with poisons.

PEOPLE AND THEIR PROFESSIONS

Agronomist
Anthropologist
Antiquary
Archaeologist
Choreographer
Elymologist
Entomologist
Ichthyologist
Lexicographer
Ornithologist
Philatelist
Philogist
Plagiarist
Zoologist

VOCABULARY BUILDER

:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:

an expert in soil management and production of field crops

one who studies the origin, development and structure of people and their societies.
a student of antiquities.
one who uncovers and studies the remains of early human cultures.
one who devices dance movements and patterns.
an expert in the derivation of words.
one who studies insects
an expert in fishes.
one who writes or compiles a dictionary
study of birds
one who collects and studies stamps
a student of words and languages
one who copies without acknowledgement
one who studies the development and structure of animals.

107

CHAPTER 13
LIST OF WORDS DENOTING GROUPS
A herd of deer/swine
A flock of geese/sheep
A pair of shoes/pants/pajamas/jeans
A bunch of keys/plantains
A tribe of Arabs
A suit of clothes
A pack of wolves/ hounds
A bundle of hay
A group of islands
A regiment of soldiers
A chain of mountains
A hive of swarm of bees
A fall of snow or rain
A herd of cattle
A crowd, or throng, or concourse, or multitude
Of people
A sheaf of arrows
A brood or flock of chickens
A bunch or bouquet of flowers
A group of figures in a painting
A brace of pigeons
A crew of sailors
A string of camels
A brace of pistols
A brew of beer
A posy of flowers
A team of players
A board of directors
A flock of bird
A horde of savages
A host of men
A muster of peacocks
A team of oxen
A basket of fruit
A clique of people
A colony of people
A family of sardines
A galaxy of beauties
A museum of art
A packet of cigarettes
A panel of jurymen
A quiver of arrows
A bench of magistrates
A troupe of actors
A company of actors
A division of troops
A congregation of worshippers
A syndicate of merchants
A detachment of soldier
A constellation of delegates
An orchard of fruit trees

VOCABULARY BUILDER

A shoal of fish
A stack of corn/wood/arms
A flight of steps/birds
A swarm of flies
A shower of rain
A sheaf of wheat/grain
A series of events
A bundle of sticks
A gang of labourers
A convoy of partridges
A nest of swarm of ants
A heap of mass of ruins/stones/sand
A clump or grove of trees
A drove of cattle
A cluster of galaxy of stars.
A flight or swarn of locusts
A gang of thieves or robbers
A range of hills or mountains
A collection of relies or curiosties
A bevy of ladies
A fell of hair
A band of musicians
A box of cigars
A pipe of arms
A stud of horses
A yoke of oxen
A brood of hens
A hoard of gold
A leash of hounds
A litter of puppies
A nursery of plants
A staff of officials
A cellar of wine
A clutch of eggs
A faggot of sticks
A flight of stairs
A kennel of dogs
A master of soldiers
A squad of soldiers
A pose of arrows
A suite of rooms
A throng of people
A battery of guns
A gallery of pictures
A shrubbery of shrubs
A jamboree of boy scouts
A commission of enquiry
A conference of delegates
An outfit of clothes
An assembly of people

108

REVIEW TESTS

VOCABULARY BUILDER

109

TEST I
VERBAL ANALOGY
Direction: In each of the following questions, identify the pair of words which has a relationship similar to the pair in the
questions.
1. Wool : Acrylic
a) Rayon : Silk

b) Winter : Spring

2. Germ : Disease
a) Man : Woman

b) War : Destruction c) Doctor : Medicine

d) Owner : Shop

3. Gazelle : Swift
a) Horse : Swallow

b) Swan : Graceful

c) Lion : Roar

d) Lamb : Bleat

4. Pilgrim : Shrine
a) Traveller : Destination

b) Accident : Injury

c) Peace : War

d) Flight : Escape

5. Roar : Engine
a) Whisper : Noise

b) Echo : Sound

c) Crack : Whip

d) Tinkle : Bell

6. Wood : Carve
a) Clay : Mould

b) Pipe : Blow

c) Paper : Bum

d) Trees : Sway

7. Spasm : Pain
a) Sound : Noise

b) Flash : light

c) Touch : Delicate

d) Love : Hate

8. Sober : Mercurial
a) Redundant : Concise

b) Saturn : Venus

c) Heavenly : Starry

d) Wolf : Sly

9. Celebrate : Marriage
a) Window : Bedroom

b) Pot : Pan

c) Crime : Penalty

d) Lament : Bereavement

10. Emulate : Mimic

a) Slander : Defame

b) Praise : Flatter

c) Aggravate : Promote d) Express : Imply

11. Zeal : Bigotry

a) Sweetness : Bitterness b) Envy : Jealousy

c) Cotton : Terylene

c) Good : Bad

d) Rubber : Plastic

d) Fanaticism : Intolerance

12. Leash : Dog

a) Reins : House

b) Tyranny : Despot c) Weapon : Peace d) Democracy : Peace

13. Scholarly : Erudite

a) Teacher : Lawyer

b) Reader : Hermit

c) Ignorant : Illiterate d) Master : Hunger

14. Social Worker : Delinquent

a) Patient : Doctor
b) Officer : Soldier

c) Evangelist : Sinner d) Soldier : Enemy

15. Practice : Practise

a) Noun : Adverb

c) Gone : Going

VOCABULARY BUILDER

b) Advice : Advise

d) Do : Done

110

TEST I
SYNONYMS: TEST 1
1. Perspicacious
a. clear
c. shrewd

b. hazy
d. bad

11. Compunction
a. regret
c. wonder

b. appreciate
d. anger

2. Proscribe
a. allow
c. banish

b. prescribe
d. advance

12. Obstreperous
a. cheerful
c. calm

b. noisy
d. obstinate

3. Obfuscation
a. confusing others
c. to darken

b. prone
d. infer

13. Ostracise
a. welcome
c. expedite

b. include
d. cut off

4. Prone
a. thrown forward
c. supine

b. disease
d. inactive

14. Deplete
a. take away
c. make greater

b. fill
d. to exhaust

5. Ugly
a. ugly
c. selfish

b. fearless
d. coward

15. Osmosis
a. gradual acceptance
c. abrupt ending

b. slow recovery
d. crowded

6. Vernal
a. luxuriant
c. scale

b. spring-like
d. dirty

16. Sycophant
a. Bootlicker
c. Skeptic

b. patriot
d. Chauvnist

7. Gluttony
a. happiness
c. satisfaction

b. contentment
d. greed

17. Glib
a. Ugly
c. Smooth

b. Beautiful
d. Ignorant

8. Incensed
a. incited
c. encouraged

b. affected
d. inspired

18. Adroit
a. Gauche
c. Skilful

b. Clumsy
d. Awkward

9. Sozzled
a. cultured
c. moderate

b. drunk
d. burning

19. Equivocal
a. Equal voice
c. Balanced

b. Ambiguous
d. Certain

10. Vituperate
a. encourage
c. abuse

b. appraise
d. appreciate

20. Credulous
a. Credible
c. Gullible

b. Reliable
d. Skeptical

VOCABULARY BUILDER

110

Edu MENTO R Edu ca tio n al Ser vice s

TEST II
SYNONYMS: TEST 2
1.

2.

modest most nearly means

a. attractive
b. clever
c. current
d. humble

11.

aloof most nearly means

a. above
b. tidy
c. clever
d. reserved

custom most nearly means

a. dessert
b. habit
c. ethic
d. deliver

12.

resolve most nearly means

a. turn
b. puzzle
c. decide
d. want
congregate most nearly means
a. worship
b. gather
c. disturb
d. hurry

3.

prolong most nearly means

a. extend
b. inquire
c. relax
d. wait

4.

hustle most nearly means

a. dance
b. hurry
c. busy
d. clean

5.

13.

14.

utter most nearly means

a. express
b. defer
c. borrow
d. laugh

15.

fearless most nearly means

a. powerful
b. cowardly

solemn most nearly means

a. amusing
c. speech

b. harmful
d. serious

c.
6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

brave

d. careful

imply most nearly means

a. suggest
b. stab
c. thick
d. destroy

16.

negligible most nearly means

a. insignificant b. arguable
c. careless
d. dark

ramble most nearly means

a. knot
b. confuse
c. wander
d. wonder

17.

placid most nearly means

a. calm
b. lazy
c. solemn
d. devious

beneficial most nearly means

a. help
b. advantageous
c. charity
d. wise

18.

rake most nearly means

a. thin
b. scoundrel
c. gentleman d. shovel

flare most nearly means

a. judicial
b. temper
c. style
d. blaze
negligent most nearly means
a. pajamas
b. morbid
c. careless
d. dark

VOCABULARY BUILDER

19. dupe most nearly means

a. rancher
b. trick
c. simpleton
d. drug
20. stigma most nearly means
a. stain
b. trial
c. difficulty
d. holines

111

Edu MENTO R Edu ca tio n al Ser vice s

TEST III
ONE WORD SUBSTITUTION
Direction : Choose the option which best explains the given word.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Level-headed
(a) plain headed person
(b) wild person
(c) intractable person
(d) sensible and reasonable person
clich
(a) an overused phrase or idea
(b) unknown phrase or idea
(c) spicy and interesting phrase or idea
(d) foreign phrase or idea
barter
(a) trade involving foreign currencies
(b) trade involving exchange of goods
(c) trade involving speculation
(d) to mash and squeeze something
bizarre
(a) commonplace
(b) strikingly odd in shape or appearance
(c) reasonable and understandable
(d) lovable
clique
(a) a defunct group
(b) a ruling military group
(c) a small exclusive group
(d) a hosiery shop
junta
(a) a defunct group
(b) a small exclusive group
(c) a ruling military group
(d) a hosiery shop
margarine
(a) butter made from animal or vegetable fat
(b) type of fruit jam
(c) alcoholic pastry
(d) alcoholic chocolate
peignoir
(a) type of womans nightgown
(b) womans razor

VOCABULARY BUILDER

(c) animals bed

(d) butchers knife
9.

pulchritude
(a) impertinence
(b) abject misery
(c) with great speed
(d) beauty

10.

catamaran
(a) type of boat
(b) type of cannon
(c) Jewish place of worship
(d) Zoroastrian place of worship

11.

microcosm
(a) very big sample
(b) very small sample
(c) very stealthy
(d) deadly

12.

paradox
(a) embarrassing or humiliating
(b) churlish
(c) self-contradictory but true
(d) charlatan

13.

discredit
(a) make an account
(b) damage reputation of
(c) withdraw money
(d) praise a person

14.

foray
(a) a short raid
(b) make advances
(c) build a road
(d) have an appetizer

15.

impart
(a) satisfy oneself
(b) be invisible
(c) to give or bestow
(d) be partial

112

TEST IV
SPECIAL VOCABULARY
Direction : For numbers 110, you will find sentences that describe a personality type or character trait. Read each
sentence carefully and then circle the vocabulary word that best describes the person or character trait.
1.

To please her boyfriend, Charlotte changed the

way she dressed to a style that he preferred.
Charlotte is being
a. apathetic
c. complaisant

2.

3.

At the end of his life, the reclusive billionaire

lived in a small apartment with a bed and a
bible as his only possessions, even though
he could have had almost any luxury.

b. apathetic.
d. imperious.

b. facetious.
d. peremptory.

The billionaire chose a lifestyle that was

a. insouciant.
b. morose.
c. ascetic.
d. facetious.
8.

When working at the scene of an accident, rescue

workers often hide their emotions and maintain a
professional countenance. The rescue workers
are being
a. audacious.
b. morose.
c. apathetic.
d. impassive.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

Susan absolutely insisted that we come along;

she wouldnt take no for an answer.
Susan was being
a. adamant.
c. peremptory.

My future mother-in-law continually gives me

suggestions on planning my wedding. She even
ordered the flowers without consulting me first.
The mother-in-law is being
a. officious.
b. flippant.
c. ebullient.
d. complaisant.

5.

7.

Its my way or the highway! said George.

George is being
a. impassive.
c. morose.

4.

Mistakenly believing his boss was speaking ill of

him, Angelo burst through the door and yelled: I
quit! to his boss.
Angelo was being
a. imperious.
b. ebullient.
c.impetuous.
d. querulous.

b. lippant
d. impetuous.

Although he failed another exam, Ivan didnt seem

to care.
Ivan is being
a. adamant.
c. querulous.

6.

9.

Raj was someone who, no matter how

perfect the day, would always find
something to complain about.
Raj is very
a. nonchalant.
c. officious.

10.

b. querulous.
d. audacious.

b. vitriolic.
d. querulous.

You fatuous boor! Youve ruined my life! I never

want to see you again!
This statement is
a. morose.
c. insouciant.

b. vitriolic.
d. apathetic.

113

Direction : For numbers 1120, you will find sentences describing a personality trait or attitude followed by a fill in the
blank exercise. Read each sentence carefully and choose the vocabulary word from the list below that best completes the
second sentence. Write the correct answer in the blank.

audacious

insouciant

ebullient

mettlesome

facetious

morose

flippant

nonchalant

imperious

sanctimonious

11.

Even after the rain began, Latisha continued to push forward and finish the marathon. Latisha is a

12.

Though the hurricane was approaching, the surfers thought it would be a great time to go surfing regardless of
the risk. The surfers are being
.

13.

When friends came to play, Rachel would only let them play the games she selected; she even dictated where her
friends would sit and what they could eat. Rachel is being

14.

At work, To m boasted that he and his family never missed church on Sunday mornings; he did not mention that
they always left services without saying hello to any of their friends or neighbors. Toms boastful statements
are
.

15.

Having already won two awards, the movie director coolly and calmly walked up to the podium to collect his third
award of the evening. The directors manner is very
.

16.

Chang has been sulking in her room after learning she wasnt accepted by the college of her choice. She is even
saying that she may not go to college at all. Chang is feeling
.

17.

Tom shocked the jurors when he stuck his tongue out at the judge during the court proceedings. Tom is
being
toward the judge.

18.

person.

Reynaldo was a popular guest at dinner parties because of his ability to turn a phrase and to make funny, witty
remarks. Reynaldo is very
.

19.

Though she was only an office assistant, Adele marched boldly into the vice presidents office and calmly told him
she would someday be his boss. Adele is being

20.

The teenage girls were jumping up and down in the aisles as their favorite band took the stage. The girls are
acting in a(n)
.manner.

VOCABULARY BUILDER

114

TEST V
IDIOMS
Direction : Each of the following sentences contains an idiom (which is underlined). Pick the correct meaning of the idiom
from the answer choices.
(b) tears of a crocodile
1.

The authorities took him to task for his

negligence.
(a) gave him additional work
(b) suspended his assignment
(c) reprimanded him
(d) forced him to resign

2.

I am sure they will fight tooth and nail for

their rights.
(a) with all their might
(b) without any other weapon
(c) resort to violence
(d) are cowards

3.

The detective left no stone unturned to

trace the culprit.
(a) took no pains
(b) did very irrelevant things
(c) resorted to illegitimate practice
(d) used all available means

4.

He was in high spirits when I met him in the

restaurant.
(a) He was in a drunken state
(b) He was very cheerful
(c) He talked incoherently
(d) He was deeply engrossed in thoughts

5.

Harassed by repeated acts of injustice, he

decided to put his foot down.
(a) not to yield
(b) to give up
(c) to accept the proposal unconditionally
(d) to with draw

6.

There has been bad blood between the two

communities even before the shootng.
(a) impure blood
(b) ill-feeling
(c) bloody fights
(d) quarrels

7.

He acts so much like his father, truly, he is a

chip of the old block.
(a) outdated in mannerisms
(b) very similar to his father
(c) a good actor
(d) an honourable man

8.

Don not imagine that Dharemendra is really

sorry that his wife died. Those are only
crocodile tears.
(a) pretended sorrow

VOCABULARY BUILDER

115

(c) weeping crocodile

(d) mild regret
9.

He struck several bad patches before

the made good.
(a) came across bad soil
(b) had a bad time
(c) went through many illness
(d) had many professional difficulties.

10.

Mohan always keeps to himself.

(a) is too busy
(b) is selfish
(c) is unsociable
(d) does not take sides

11.

He never liked the idea of keeping his

wife under thumb and so he let her do
what she liked.
(a) pressed down
(b) unduly under control
(c) below his thumb
(d) under tyrannical conditions

12.

Its no longer easy to strike gold in

Shakespeares research since much
work has already been done on him.
(a) hit a golden spot
(b) come across gold
(c) come across the word gold
(d) uncover or find a valuable line
of argument or information

13.

You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

(a) enjoy for ever
(b) have it both ways
(c) run away from responsibility
(d) absolve yourself of guilt

14.

You have to be a cool customer and

be patient if you want to get the best
buys.
(a) be calm and not be excitable
(b) have a cool head
(c) be uncommunicative
(d) be choosy

15.

In his youth, he was practically rolling

in money.
(a) spending more then his income
(b) borrowing money liberally
(c) very rich
(d) wasting a lot of money

VOCABULARY BUILDER

116

TEST VI
ANTONYMS: TEST 1
1. Instil
(A) extract
(C) express

(B) eradicate
(D) expand

15. Neophyte
(A) Laudatory
(C) quiet

(B) defamatory
(D) in admirable

2. Esoteric
(A) external
(C) native

(B) familiar
(D) pleasant

16. Amalgamate
(A) Reduce
(C) Endure

(B) Steady
(D) Separate

3. Ponderous
(A) simple
(C) empty

(B) thoughtless
(D) light

17. Blithe
(A) Dim
(C) Grave

(B) Sturdy
(D) Laconic

4. Nominal
(A) huge
(C) real

(B) clear
(D) solid

18. Deference
(A) Aversion
(C) Suspicion

(B) Resignation
(D) Contempt

5. Parallelism
(A) obliquity
(C) disparity

(B) contrast
(D) divergence

19. Untoward
(A) Anticipated
(C) Necessary

(B) Decisive
(D) Confident

6. Antiquity
(A) common
(C) innovation

(B) recent
(D) youthfulness

20. Pertain
(A) Apathetic
(C) Irrevocable

(B) Illegitimate
(D) Irrlevant

7. Swear
(A) support
(C) deny

(B) reject
(D) praise

8. Transparent
(A) translucent
(C) blind

(B) vague
(D) opaque

9. Extrovert
(A) boaster
(C) introvert

(B) mixer
(D) social

10. Virtuous
(A) vicious
(C) miserly

(B) vulgar
(D) dimestic

11. Sophisticated
(A) rustic
(C) civil

(B) rural
(D) domestic

12. Genuine
(A) rotten
(C) unsound

(B) bogus
(D) impure

13. Exonerate
(A) reject
(C) accuse

(B) contract
(D) admit

14. Husbandry
(A) misters hood
(C) discipline

(B) subordination
(D) wastefulness

VOCABULARY BUILDER

117

TEST VI
ANTONYMS: TEST 2
1. detain is most opposite to
(a) release
(b) silence
(c) forget
(d) prosper

11. cursed is most opposite to

(a) swore
(b) pious
(c) unfortunate
(d) lucky

2. famous is most opposite to

(a) boring
(b) poor
(c) obscure
(d) untalented

12. candid is most opposite to

(a) unkind
(b) blunt
(c) valid
(d) dishonest

3. colossal is most opposite to

(a) easy
(b) tiny
(c) graceful
(d) roof

13. flaunt is most opposite to

(a) regard
(b) sink
(c) hide
(d) propose

4. fluid is most opposite to

(a) solid
(b) liquid
(c) afraid
(d) decent

14. heal is most opposite to

(a) sew
(b) foot
(c) good
(d) maim

5. continue is most opposite to

(a) curve
(b) argue
(c) carry
(d) pause

15. pacify is most opposite to

(a) excite
(b) land
(c) coddle
(d) unhand

6. labor is most opposite to

(a) amuse
(b) cat
(c) rest
(d) strive

16. sullen is most opposite to

(a) dirty
(b) cheerful
(c) clean
(d) risen

7. brawny is most opposite to

(a) swift
(b) weak
(c) strong
(d) pale

17. assure is most opposite to

(a) alarm
(b) reassure
(c) quiet
(d) unsure

8. fickle is most opposite to

(a) steady
(b) kind
(c) please
(d) finagle

18. fallacious is most opposite to

(a) perfect
(b) truthful
(c) accidental
(d) disarming

9.

19. gumption is most opposite to

(a) seriousness
(b) apathy
(c) levity
(d) despair

inept is most opposite to

(a) clumsy
(b) infer
(c) competent
(d) foolish

10. pivotal is most opposite to

(a) turning
(b) wavy
(c) unimportant
(d) clear

VOCABULARY BUILDER

20. ecstasy is most opposite to

(a) hate
(b) agony
(c) languor
(d) fatigue

118

ANSWERS
TEST I: VERBAL ANALOGY:
1

10

11

12

13

14

15

TEST II: SYNONYMS TEST 1:

1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

TESTII: SYNONYMS TEST 2:

1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

TESTIII: ONE WORXD SUBSTITUTION

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

10

11

12

13

14

15

TEST IV: ANSWERS SPECIAL VOCABULARY

1. To be complaisant is to comply with others and be willing to do what pleases others.
2. To be apathetic is to show a lack of interest or concern; to be indifferent.
3. To be peremptory is to be dictatorial, not allowing contradiction, or putting an end to debate or action.
4. To be officious is to be meddlesome, bossy, and eagerly offering unwanted advice.
5. An impassive person does not show his or her feelings, emotions, or pain.
6. To be impetuous is to display sudden, forceful energy or emotion, especially without thought or consideration of
consequences.
7. Someone who is ascetic practices self-denial and does not allow him or herself pleasures or luxuries.
8. Someone who is adamant is unyielding to requests, appeals, or reason.
9. To be querulous is to complain and be generally discontented.
10. Something or someone who is vitriolic is savagely hostile or bitter.
11. Someone who is mettlesome is courageous and high-spirited.
12. To be insouciant is to be unconcerned, carefree, and indifferent.
13. Someone who is imperious is overbearing, bossy; domineering.
14. To be sanctimonious is to be hypocritically pious or devout; excessively self- righteous.
15. To be nonchalant is to be indifferent or cool; not showing anxiety or excitement.
16. To be morose is to be gloomy, sullen, or melancholy.
17. To be flippant is to not show proper seriousness or to be disrespectful.
18. To be facetious is to be humorous and witty; cleverly amusing.
19. To be audacious is to be fearlessly or recklessly daring; bold.
20. To be ebullient is to be bubbling over with enthusiasm, exuberant.
TEST V: IDIOMS
1
2
3
4
C

10

11

12

13

14

15

TEST VI: ANTONYMS TEST 1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
B B D C D B C D

9
C

10
A

11
A

12
B

13
C

14
D

15
D

16
D

17
C

18
D

19
A

20
D

TEST VI: ANTONYMS TEST 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A C B A D C B A

9
C

10
C

11
D

12
D

13
C

14
D

15
A

16
B

17
A

18
B

19
B

20
B

VOCABULARY BUILDER

119

ALL THE BEST

VOCABULARY BUILDER

120