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Meaning of Words or Expressions

• Abase - To lower in rank, prestige or esteem/Humiliate (8.00)
• Aberration - Moral or mental lapse (8.00)
• Abeyance - Suspension of an activity (5.83)
• Abrogate - Abolish (5.57)
• Accord - In agreement/Harmony (6.25)
• Acerbic - Harsh/Bitter (8.00)
• Acquit - Pardon/Pronounce not guilty (6.00)
• Acrimony - Bitterness/Resentment (8.00)
• Acuity - Sharpness of mind/Acuteness (7.50)
• Acumen - Ability to make good decisions (7.00)
• Adam's Ale - Water (7.50)
• Adhere - To stick/Hold fast (8.00)
• Admonish - Warn (4.50)
• Adolescent - Teenager/Immature (8.50)
• Adroit - Skilful/Deft (5.00)
• Aesthetic - Appreciation of beauty or good taste (8.00)
• Affadavit - Signed sworn statement (5.00)
• Affect (verb) - Alter & Effect (verb) - Bring into existence (8.00)
• Ague - A fever (usually linked to Malaria) or a Fit of Shivering (5.88)
• Ailment - Illness (7.09)
• Alchemy - Seemingly magical power or process of transmuting (7.50)
• Alimony - Payment made by one person (usually divorced) for the support of another (8.00)
• Aliquot - Part/Fraction/Sample (7.00)
• Alliteration - The use of the same sound at the start of words occurring together, as in Round the rugged rock the ragged rascal ran (8.00)
• Altruism - Unselfish/Considerate (8.00)
• Alumni - Former pupils of a school, college or university (8.50)
• Amalgam - Combination/Blend (6.00)
• Amatory - Romantic (9.00)
• Ambiguous - Doubtful/Uncertain/Having more than one interpretation (8.00)
• Amicable - Friendly (6.50)
• Anachronism - Person or thing that belongs to another time (7.50)
• Anaemic - Pale/Lacking vitality/Having anaemia (7.50)
• Anathema - Detested person or thing (9.00)
• Ancillary - An Auxiliary/Accessory/Extra (5.00)
• Anodyne - Pain relief (7.50)
• Anomaly - Irregular/Abnormal (5.25)
• Anomie - Social instability resulting from a breakdown of standards and values (7.50)
• Antipathy - Strong dislike/Hostility (9.00)
• Antithesis - Exact opposite (9.00)
• Antonym - Opposite (normally word definition i.e hot & cold) (5.82)
• Apathetic - Showing lack of interest or concern (8.50)
• Apex - Highest Point/Tip (4.00)
• Aphasic - Loss of ability to articulate ideas or comprehend written or spoken language (8.00)
• Apiary - Place for housing bees (6.60)
• Aplomb - Self-confident assurance (9.00)
• Apocryphal - Fictitious/Questionable authenticity (8.50)
• Apogee - The Highest/Farthest Point (8.08)
• Apostate - Defector (7.88)
• Apotheosis - Glorified example (8.00)
• Apparition - Ghostly figure/Sudden or unusual sight (5.67)
• Appease - Calm/Pacify/Soothe (7.00)
• Appellation - Name/Title (7.75)
• Apposite - Apt/Appropriate/Suitable/Relevant (9.00)
• Approbation - Approval (9.00)
• Arbiter - Person empowered to judge in a dispute (8.00)
• Arcane - Known by a few/Mysterious (8.64)
• Ardent - Passionate (8.00)
• Ardour - Passion/Eagerness (5.00)
• Argot - Slang/Jargon/Specialised vocabulary (8.00)
• Assailant - Attacker/Aggressor (5.50)
• Assegai - Light spear from South Africa/The Tree its made from (9.00)
• Assiduous - Persevering/Hard-working (8.00)
• Assignation - Secret rendez-vous (especially lovers) (5.00)
• Assuage - Soothe (5.08)
• Atrophy - Wasting away/Deterioration (8.67)
• Augment - To make greater, as in size, extent or quantity (6.40)
• Auspicious - Good omen/Favourable (6.50)
• Austere - Stern/Severe (7.71)
• Autopsy - Medical examination of a dead body to determine cause of death (8.50)
• Avarice - Greed (8.00)
• Avatar - Phase (4.83)
• Aviary - Bird Enclosure (8.67)
• Avid - Very keen/Enthusiastic (8.00)
• Azzurri, meaning 'The Blues', is a nickname for the Italian football & rugby teams (4.00)
• Baccalaureate - Farewell address to a graduating class (8.00)
• Baccarat - Gambling card game (7.50)
• Bacchanalian - Riotous, drunken revelry (8.60)
• Badinage - Playful banter (7.38)
• Bastion - Person (or thing) regarded as upholding or defending an attitude or principle (5.50)
• Beatitude - Happiness (8.50)
• Befit (verb) - Suit (6.67)
• Beguile - Charm (7.00)
• Behemoth - Huge person or thing (7.00)
• Beleaguered (adjective) - Struggling against criticism or difficulties (7.50)
• Bellicose - Warlike in manner/Aggressive (8.00)
• Benevolent - Showing kindness (9.00)
• Benight - Make darker/Obscure (8.00)
• Benign - Gentle/Mild/Kind/Harmless (9.00)
• Bequeath - Dispose of (property) by a Will (5.88)
• Berate - Scold angrily/Tell off (7.00)
• Bigamy - Crime of having two spouses simultaneously (7.25)
• Bigot - Intolerant person (esp Religious, Political & Race issues) (7.00)
• Bloodstock - Thoroughbred horses esp for racing (8.00)
• Bodacious - Impressive/Excellent/Bold/Audacious (0.00)
• Boon - Blessing/Benefit/Extremely useful (8.00)
• Bordello - Brothel (8.29)
• Brace - Pair (normally game birds) (6.00)
• Broadside - Verbal abuse (9.00)
• Brouhaha - Uproar/Hubbub (6.40)
• Bulimic - Eating disorder often involving self-induced vomiting (8.33)
• Burgeon - Grow & Flourish (7.00)
• Burka - Long enveloping garment worn by Muslim women in public (5.33)
• Busby - Soldier's hat (beehive shaped) (6.00)
• Cabal - Group of plotters/ Scheme (6.50)
• Cachet - Distinctive mark or quality (7.00)
• Cacophony - Harsh, discordant noise (8.00)
• Cadaver - Dead body/Corpse (7.00)
• Callous - Insensitive/Cold-blooded (8.00)
• Calumny - Slander or Defamation (6.45)
• Canard - False report/Misleading story (8.00)
• Candid - Frank/Straightforward/Open/Honest (6.50)
• Candour - Honesty/Frankness (7.00)
• Canticle - Hymn derived from the bible (8.00)
• Cantonese - Language spoken in Canton (now Guangzhou), China (8.00)
• Capricious - Unpredictable (7.00)
• Carapace - Protected shell-like covering (5.33)
• Carbunkle - An Abscess (7.17)
• Carpet (verb) - Reprimand/Tell off (8.00)
• Carrion - Dead and rotting flesh (7.25)
• Castigate - Severely punish/Harshly criticise (7.50)
• Caucasian - White person (9.40)
• Caulk - To make watertight or airtight by filling (9.00)
• Caustic - Capable of burning or causing a burning sensation (6.25)
• Cenotaph - A monument erected in honour of a dead person whose remains lie elsewhere (7.00)
• Cerebral - Using intellect rather than emotion (8.00)
• Chagrin - Annoyance/Disappointment/Embarrassment (6.00)
• Chandler - Candlemaker or retailer (9.00)
• Changeling - Child secretly exchanged for another (9.00)
• Chary - Cautious (7.00)
• Chasten - Correct by punishment (7.00)
• Chide - Express disapproval/Scold mildly (7.00)
• Chipper - Cheerful/Self-confident (8.00)
• Chivalry - Courteous behaviour/Gentlemanly (9.00)
• Chutzpah - Supreme self-confidence (7.00)
• Clemency - Showing mercy (9.00)
• Climes - Climate (in search of warmer climes) (8.00)
• Cogent - Persuasive/Convincing (7.63)
• Cojones - Testicles/Manly courage (Spanish) (5.50)
• Combative - Inclined to fight/Aggressive (8.67)
• Complicit - Associated with a questionable act or crime (7.00)
• Concubine - A Courtesan/Prostitute (5.63)
• Conduit - A means by which something is transmitted (8.00)
• Confabulation ('Confab') - Talk casually/Chat (5.50)
• Conjugal - To do with the relationship of husband and wife (8.00)
• Conspicuous - Clearly visible/Obvious (5.67)
• Consummate (adj) - Supremely skilled/Complete/Extreme (8.00)
• Convivial - Sociable/Jovial/Merry (8.00)
• Cornucopia - Abundance/Huge supply (5.78)
• Corroborate - Strengthen or support with evidence (5.67)
• Corsair - Pirate (7.75)
• Coruscate - Flashes of light/Sparkling virtuosity (6.00)
• Coterie - Small, exclusive group or club (8.22)
• Countenance - Facial expression/Face (9.00)
• Courtesan - High-class Prostitute/Mistress (8.00)
• Covert (adj) - Concealed/Secret (9.00)
• Cower - Cringe/Tremble/Crouch in fear (9.00)
• Cowl - The hood of a Monk's habit/The hood-shaped covering of a chimney (7.25)
• Craven - Coward/Cowardly (8.00)
• Credo/Creed - Belief (7.00)
• Crossing the Rubicon - Crossing the line (When Caesar crossed this river in 49BC, it was an act of war) (8.63)
• Cruciverbalist - Crossword compiler (7.50)
• Cuckold - Husband of an adulteress (6.20)
• Culpable - Guilty/Deserving of blame (7.00)
• Cumulus - Dense, white (or dark grey), fluffy cloud with a flat base (8.00)
• Curate's Egg - Something with good and bad qualities (7.00)
• Curator - Person in charge of a museum or art gallery (7.67)
• Curfew - Deadline (8.00)
• Curmudgeon - A resentful ill-tempered person. (5.50)
• Dado Rail - Moulding around the perimeter of a room to protect the wall from furniture (6.33)
• de facto - Existing in fact, whether legally recognized or not (8.00)
• Dearth - Scarcity (6.57)
• Decadent - Self-indulgent/Moral decay (5.25)
• Decimate - Destroy/Kill (9.11)
• Defenestrate - Throw someone or something out of a window (6.67)
• Deference - Respect (6.33)
• Defile - Pollute/Corrupt (8.00)
• Demeanour - The way someone behaves/Manner (8.00)
• Demonym - Members of a people/Inhabitants of a place (6.33)
• Denizen - Inhabitant/Resident (8.50)
• Denouement (pronounced denoomor) - The final unravelling of a plot/End of a story (6.86)
• Derring-do - Heroic/Brave (5.25)
• Diaspora - Dispersion of people, language or culture (6.00)
• Diatribe - Verbal abuse (7.17)
• Dichotomy - Division into two/The result of (7.20)
• Diffident - Shy (8.00)
• Dilatory - Wasting time/Tending to delay (8.00)
• Diligence/Diligently - Attentive care (8.00)
• Diphthong (pronounced difthong) - A vowel sound that changes in a syllable i.e boil (7.00)
• Discern/Discerning - Perceive/Detect/Recognise (8.00)
• Discombobulate - Throw into confusion (8.80)
• Discourse - Conversation (7.10)
• Discursive - Covering a wide field of subjects/Rambling (8.00)
• Disdain - Despise/Showing contempt (3.33)
• Disingenuous - Insincere (7.33)
• Dissolute - Immoral (7.14)
• Dogma - Belief (8.67)
• Doldrums - Depressed/Bored state of mind (9.33)
• Dotage - Feeble-mindedness through senility (7.38)
• Doughty - Brave/Valiant (6.57)
• Draconian - Extremely harsh or severe (especially laws/rules) (9.43)
• Dreich - Dreary & Bleak (9.00)
• Duplicity - Deception/Double-dealing (6.10)
• Dyspeptic - Indigestion/Irritable (6.14)
• Dystrophy - Degenerative disorder caused by inadequate or defective nutrition (6.50)
• Ebullient/Ebullience - Enthusiastic/Joyously unrestrained (8.00)
• Edify - To improve someone's intellect or morality by instruction (8.00)
• Efface - Wipe-out/Erase/Rub-out (6.67)
• Efficacy - Effectiveness (7.00)
• Effigy - Crude figure or dummy of a hated person or group (8.50)
• Egalitarian - a person who believes that all people should be equal (7.33)
• Egoist/Egotist - Selfish, conceited person (9.00)
• Egregious - Shockingly bad/Offensive (8.00)
• Elan - Enthusiasm/Distinctive Style (8.00)
• Elixir - Substance which supposedly prolongs life (9.00)
• Elysian Fields - Place of supreme happiness & bliss/The abode of the blessed after death (8.00)
• Emaciate - Grow thin & weak (normally by starvation) (7.00)
• Emancipate - Free from restraint (7.00)
• Embargo - Prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation/Ban (5.83)
• Emollient - Soothing and softening/Calming (5.50)
• Empirical - Guided by practical experience not theory (9.00)
• Endemic - Native to or confined to a certain region (8.00)
• Ennui - Boredom (7.14)
• Ephemeral - Lasting for a short time (8.00)
• Epicure - Person with refined taste especially in food & wine (6.75)
• Epiglottis - a thin flap of cartilage at the back of the mouth that covers the entrance to the larynx during swallowing (7.00)
• Epiphany - Moment of great or sudden revelation (5.67)
• Erin - Anglo-Irish for Eire (5.80)
• Erstwhile - Former/Previous (6.00)
• Eschew - Avoid (7.00)
• Escrow - Written agreement given to a third party to be returned after a condition has been fulfilled (8.00)
• Esoteric - Confined to a small group/Confidential (5.75)
• Espionage - Spying, especially on governments or business competitors (7.00)
• Espy - Catch sight of/Glimpse (8.00)
• Ethereal - Heavenly/Spiritual/Refined (8.00)
• Eulogy - Tribute to someone who has died/High praise (8.00)
• Euphemism - Inoffensive word or phrase substituted for one considered offensive or upsetting (6.00)
• Euphoria - Great happiness (sometimes exaggerated) (4.00)
• Eviscerate - Take away a vital part of/Remove the contents of/Disembowel (8.00)
• Execrable/Execrate - Detestable/Abominable/To curse (8.25)
• Exhume - Remove from a grave (7.33)
• Exigent - Requiring immediate action/Demanding (8.00)
• Exiguous - Scanty/Meagre/Small (8.00)
• Expiate - Make amends/Atone (9.00)
• Eyewash (alternative meaning) - Nonsense/Rubbish (6.33)
• Facetious - Humorous at inappropriate times (6.20)
• Facile - Easy (8.00)
• Faeces - Number twos/Poo (4.13)
• Fatuous - Foolish/Inanely silly (8.00)
• Fatwa - Legal opinion issued by an Islamic scholar (8.50)
• Faustian - Bargaining with the devil (8.00)
• Fecund - Fertile/Fruitful (6.40)
• Felon - Person who has committed a serious crime (8.00)
• Feral - Wild/Untamed (8.00)
• Fetid - Stinking (7.50)
• Filibuster - Tactically obstructing legislation by prolonged speechmaking (7.50)
• Fillip - Something that adds stimulation or enjoyment (5.20)
• Fire sale - Sale of assets at very low prices typically when the seller faces bankruptcy (orig fire-damaged goods) (8.00)
• Firmament - Sky/Heavens (8.00)
• Fiscal - Involving financial matters (8.00)
• Fissure - Long, narrow opening/Division (8.50)
• Flagellate - Whip or flog/Scourge (7.33)
• Flocculate - To form lumpy or fluffy masses/Wool-like (7.00)
• Foetus - Unborn young of a mammal (8.00)
• Foible - Slight peculiarity/Minor weakness (8.33)
• Folly - Foolish action or idea (6.33)
• Fop - A man who is excessively concerned with fashion/Dandy (8.00)
• Foraging - Searching (especially food) (8.00)
• Forensic - Relating to an argument (usually in a court of law) (8.00)
• Fourth Estate - The Press (4.00)
• Frigid - Extremely cold/Lacking warmth of feeling (7.50)
• Fulminate - To issue a thunderous verbal attack/Explode (8.75)
• Futile - Useless/Foolish (7.25)
• Gait - Manner of walking (7.00)
• Galvanise - Excite/Spur/Startle (9.60)
• Gambol - Leap about playfully/Frolic (5.75)
• Ganglion - Group of nerve cells/Centre of power or activity (6.75)
• Garb - Distinctive style or form of clothing/Dress (6.25)
• Garish - Crudely bright or colourful (5.25)
• Garner - Gather/Store (8.00)
• Garrulous - Talkative/Constantly chattering (8.00)
• Gauche - Tactless/Bad manners (8.00)
• Gaudy - Vulgarly bright or colourful (6.67)
• Gazetteer - Geographic dictionary or index (9.00)
• Geiger Counter - an instrument for detecting and measuring radiation (after Hans Geiger, physicist) (7.00)
• Gerrymander - Manipulate or adapt to ones advantage (7.14)
• Gnome (alternative meaning) - Short saying expressing a general truth (8.00)
• Gossamer - Very fine fabric/Filmy cobweb (9.00)
• Grandee - Person of eminence or high rank (orig Spain & Portugal) (7.33)
• Gravid - Pregnant (5.50)
• Harbinger - Forerunner (8.00)
• Harridan - Vicious woman (8.00)
• Hedonist - Someone devoted to the pursuit of pleasure (7.00)
• Hegemony - Leadership (6.20)
• Heresy - Belief thought to be contrary to official or established theory (5.67)
• Hiatus - Gap/Interruption (8.00)
• Hide - Skin (usually an animal) (4.00)
• Hierarchy - Class system/Pecking order (9.11)
• Hinterland - Remote & undeveloped area (8.00)
• Hippocampus - Part of the brain that has a central role in the formation of memories (8.00)
• Hirsute - Hairy/Untrimmed (7.83)
• Hogmanay - New Year's Eve in Scotland (8.00)
• Hoi Polloi - The Common People/Masses (derogatory) (8.00)
• Holistic - Concerned with wholes rather than analysis or separation into parts (8.00)
• Homily - Moralising talk or writing (8.00)
• Homophone - Word that sounds like another but has a different meaning (6.67)
• Hubris - Arrogance/Pride (7.33)
• Hyperbole - An obvious, intentional exaggeration (8.50)
• Hypocritical - Pretending to be something you are not/False belief (8.00)
• Ibex - Wild goat (8.00)
• Ignominy - Personal dishonour/Shameful action (7.60)
• Ikebana - Japanese Flower Arranging (8.00)
• Ilex - Holly (7.00)
• Imbibe - Drink (7.30)
• Imbue - Inspire (6.50)
• Impasse - Situation in which progress or escape is impossible/Deadlock/Stalemate (8.00)
• Impecunious - Without money/Penniless (8.00)
• Impervious - Incapable of being penetrated or affected (7.00)
• Imprecate - Curse/Invoke evil upon (6.00)
• Impudence - Rude (5.44)
• In the main - Generally (4.00)
• Incandescent - Shining brilliantly/Brilliance (8.00)
• Incendiary - Create strife or violence/Causing fire (8.00)
• Incessant - Never stopping/Continuing without interruption (8.00)
• Incongruous - Out of place/Absurd (6.60)
• Incumbent - Currently holding a specified office/Obligatory (8.25)
• Indictment - Formal charge of crime/Serious criticism (5.50)
• Indolent - Lazy (6.75)
• Ineffable - Indescribable/Not to be uttered (7.50)
• Inexorably - Relentlessly (8.00)
• Infamy - Bad reputation/Infamous act (8.00)
• Infer - Deduce (6.50)
• Infra dig (adj) - Beneath one's dignity/Demeaning (5.50)
• Iniquity - Injustice/Wickedness (8.00)
• Innate - Natural/Inborn (6.71)
• Insidious - Crafty (5.80)
• Insipid - Lacking flavour/boring/dull (8.00)
• Insolent - Arrogant (6.17)
• Insubordinate/Insubordination - Disobedient/Rebellious (8.00)
• Insurgent - A rebel (9.00)
• Integrity - Honesty/Morality/Righteousness (7.00)
• Interjection - A word added to a sentence to show emotion. (8.00)
• Interloper - Intruder (6.22)
• Intern (noun) - Trainee doctor (7.25)
• Internecine - Mutually destructive/Slaughter/Carnage (8.00)
• Intimacy - Personal relationship (8.00)
• Intransigent - Stubborn (7.50)
• Invidious - Cause resentment or unpopularity (8.00)
• Irascible - Easily angered/Hotheaded (7.50)
• Iridescent - Rainbow-like (5.67)
• Irk - Irritate (7.00)
• Irrepressible - Uncontrollable (8.50)
• Irreverent - Disrespectful/Satirical (8.83)
• Iterate - Repeat (7.33)
• Jettison - Throw overboard/Discard (8.00)
• Judicious - Sensible/Prudent (8.67)
• Ken - Knowledge/Understanding (6.17)
• Kith - Friends/Acquaintances (7.25)
• Lacerate - Rip/Cut/Tear (8.00)
• Laconic - Brief/Terse/Concise (8.29)
• Lalochezia - Emotional relief gained by using indecent or vulgar language (4.50)
• Larceny - Theft (8.00)
• Largesse - Generous giving of gifts, money or favours (8.00)
• Lascivious - Driven by lust/Sexual desire (8.00)
• Lassitude - Weariness/Diminished energy/Listlessness (7.33)
• Latent - Hidden/Not Evident/Not yet developed (8.00)
• Laud - Praise/Glorify (7.50)
• Legacy - Something handed down to a successor (7.00)
• Leviathan - Huge or powerful thing (8.00)
• Lewd - Obscene/Indecent (8.00)
• Libel - A false publication that damages a person's reputation. (6.17)
• Lie doggo - Hide/Keep quiet (8.75)
• Lief - Readily/Willingly (4.67)
• Ligature - Link/Bond (7.00)
• Limpid - Clear/Transparent/Easily understood (8.00)
• Lissom - Supple/Flexible/Nimble (8.00)
• Litany - A tedious, repetitive recital (8.00)
• Literacy - Ability to read & write (8.00)
• Litoral (noun) - Misprint/Misspelling/Typo (8.00)
• Loco - Mad/Insane (8.00)
• Loquacious - Talkative (5.50)
• Louche - Dodgy/Disreputable (8.00)
• Lycanthropy - Delusion that one is a wolf (8.00)
• Macabre - Strange & horrible/Gruesome (8.00)
• Madrigal - A Medieval Song (7.00)
• Maelstrom - Violent or turbulent situation/Whirlpool (7.33)
• Maenad - Frenzied Woman (6.80)
• Malaise - Vague feeling of unease, illness or depression (6.86)
• Malevolent - Wishing evil to others/Spiteful (8.33)
• Mammal - Warm-blooded animal where the female produces milk to feed the baby (9.00)
• Mandate - Authoritative command or instruction (6.75)
• Manifold - Many & Various (5.75)
• Mannequin - Human dummy/Model (7.00)
• Manque - Unfulfilled or frustrated in realising an ambition (pronounced 'marnkay') (6.75)
• Mantilla - A lightweight lace or silk scarf worn over the head and shoulders (Spanish origin) (5.50)
• Mantra - Commonly repeated word or phrase (8.00)
• Marionette - Stringed puppet (8.14)
• Mastic - Adhesive (7.50)
• Masticate - Chew (7.00)
• Mata Hari - Seductive woman (8.33)
• Maw - Stomach (6.00)
• Mea culpa - Acknowledgement of guilt ('my fault') (7.00)
• Melancholy - Sad (8.00)
• Melee - Noisy riotous crowd (8.33)
• Melliferous - Honeyed (4.57)
• Mentor - Advisor/Guide (7.50)
• Mercurial - Lively/Volatile/Unpredictable (8.00)
• Metaphor - One thing conceived as representing another, a symbol. (7.00)
• Metathesis - Transposition within a word of letters, sounds or syllables (6.67)
• Metier - Trade/Profession (7.33)
• Milliner - Hat maker & seller (7.00)
• Millstone - Heavy flat stone/Burden (i.e millstone around my neck) (8.00)
• Misanthropy - Hatred of mankind (7.50)
• Misdemeanour - Misbehaviour/Minor Offence (8.33)
• Missive - Formal or Official Letter (5.60)
• Mitigate - To moderate/Make less severe i.e mitigating circumstances (8.00)
• Mollify - Appease (6.80)
• Moniker - Nickname (8.67)
• Moon (verb) - To wander about or pass time languidly and aimlessly (5.89)
• Moot - Open to debate (7.00)
• Moribund - Approaching death/Stagnant/No vitality (7.00)
• Multifarious - Having great variety/Diverse (6.60)
• Mundane - Ordinary/Not very interesting (7.00)
• Mysogyny - Hatred of women (7.00)
• Nadir - The lowest point of despair (8.00)
• Narcissism - Love of oneself (6.60)
• Nefarious - Wicked/Evil (8.00)
• Nemesis - Cause of great suffering or distress/retribution/vengeance (9.00)
• Neurosis - Nervous disorder (8.71)
• Nexus - Link/Bond/Connected group or series (8.33)
• Nirvana - Paradise/Heaven/Ideal condition of joy (8.33)
• Nomenclature - List of names used in a particular subject (9.00)
• Nonchalant - Casually unconcerned/Indifferent (6.50)
• Nong - Stupid or incompetent person (8.00)
• Nous (pronounced 'nouse') - Common sense (8.00)
• Nuncio - Papal Ambassador (7.00)
• Obtuse - Dull/Slow to understand (7.50)
• Ochre - Yellow, orange mineral used as pigment (5.00)
• Oestrogen - Female steriod sex hormone (8.00)
• Oeuvre - Work of Art/ Lifework of an artist, writer or composer (5.80)
• Oleaginous - Servile/Creepy/Oily/Obsequious (6.40)
• Oligarch - Member of a small governing faction (prevalent in the ex-Soviet Union States) (6.50)
• Omen - Sign of something about to happen, good or bad. (9.00)
• Onomatopoeia - Formation or use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to i.e the roar of a lion (8.00)
• Opprobrium - Disgrace/Bad Reputation (6.33)
• Opus - Creative work (esp musical) (9.00)
• Oxymoron - Figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory terms (7.00)
• Paean - Song (or expression) of joyful praise or exultation (7.00)
• Palindrome - Word, phrase or sentence that reads the same backward or forward (6.25)
• Palliative - Something that alleviates or lessens a problem or illness (6.67)
• Pandora's Box - Source of many unforseen troubles (8.00)
• Panhandle (noun) - Narrow strip of land projecting from some larger area (7.00)
• Papacy - Pope's Office/Catholic Church System (8.00)
• Paradox - Absurd but well-founded statement (8.00)
• Paragon - Model of perfection/Ideal instance (8.00)
• Pariah - Social outcast (8.86)
• Parlance - Manner of speaking associated with a particular group (6.67)
• Parley - To have a discussion, especially with an enemy. (7.00)
• Parlous- Dangerous/Difficult/Risky (8.50)
• Parody - Feeble imitation (8.20)
• Parsimony - Penny-pinching/Frugal (8.00)
• Pas de deux - A ballet dance for two ('pace of two') (8.00)
• Pastor - Member of the Clergy/Shepherd (8.00)
• Paucity - Scarcity (8.00)
• Pauper - Extremely poor person (6.50)
• Payola - A bribe to secure special treatment (5.33)
• Pedagogy - Teaching as a profession (6.50)
• Pedestrian (alternative meaning) - Dull/Ordinary (8.00)
• Pejorative (adj) - Tending to make worse/Disparaging (7.50)
• Peloton - Main body of riders in a bicycle race (6.67)
• Penchant - Liking/Inclination (5.70)
• Penitent - Feeling regret for ones sins/Repentant (8.00)
• Pensive - Deeply thoughtful (8.00)
• Perfidy - Guilty, Treacherous or Deceitful (5.13)
• Perfunctory - Showing little interest/Dull (7.75)
• Peri - Beautiful, graceful girl (7.00)
• Perilous - Dangerous/Unsafe (8.00)
• Perimeter - Boundary around something (8.00)
• Peripatetic - Itinerant or Journeyman (7.78)
• Peripheral - Outer part/Minor relevance (7.00)
• Pernicious - Deadly/Wicked/Malicious (9.00)
• Persona - One's public image or personality (8.00)
• Pervade - To be present throughout (9.33)
• Pettifog - Quibble/Argue over petty things (7.00)
• Petulant - Impatient/Irritable (8.00)
• Pharmaceutical - Relating to drugs or pharmacy (7.75)
• Pharmacy - Chemist/Drugstore (9.00)
• Pheromone - Chemical secreted by an animal that influences the development of others of the same species, often functioning as an attractant of the opposite sex. (5.75)
• Philanderer - Womaniser/Male flirt (9.50)
• Philanthropy - An activity performed with the goal of promoting the well-being of fellow man i.e charity (8.00)
• Phonetic (pronounced Fernetic) - Relating to the sounds of a language (7.00)
• Pied-a-terre - Temporary or secondary place of lodging (6.50)
• Pinguid - Fatty/Oily/Greasy (6.25)
• Pinion (more than one meaning) - Small cogwheel (7.50)
• Pious - Religious/Devout (6.38)
• Pique - Resentment or irritation due to one's pride being hurt (7.20)
• Placebo - Substance, with no medication, given as a pacifier (6.25)
• Plangent - Loud & Resounding/Expressing sadness & mournful (6.00)
• Platitude - Trite or unoriginal remark (9.33)
• Po-faced - Disapproving or humourless expression (6.00)
• Polemics - The art of dispute or argument (7.50)
• Polygamy - Having more that one wife or husband at the same time (6.50)
• Pontificate - Pompously dogmatic (5.33)
• Portent - Omen (7.00)
• Portmanteau Word - Word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings ie Smog - Smoke & Fog (7.50)
• Posit - Lay down as a basis for argument/Suggest (8.00)
• Postulate - Take for granted (9.00)
• Potpourri (pronounced 'Po poory') - Assortment (especially dried scented flower petals) (8.00)
• Prandial - Meal related (7.20)
• Precis - Summary (7.00)
• Prefix - Letter(s) put at/before the beginning of a word to make a new word/expression ie (dis)believe or Mr (9.00)
• Prescient - To have foresight/Knowledge beforehand (9.50)
• Privet - Shrub used for hedges (6.00)
• Proboscis - Prominent nose/Long snout or trunk (5.83)
• Procrastination - Defer or put off an action (8.00)
• Procure - To buy or obtain (5.67)
• Prognosis - Forecast/Prediction (7.00)
• Proletariat - The Lowest Class of Citizens (5.67)
• Promulgate - Officially announce/Make widely known (9.00)
• Propaganda - Information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause (5.25)
• Propagate - Breed/Reproduce (7.08)
• Prosaic - Unimaginative (8.00)
• Prostrate - Lying face down in adoration or submission (8.00)
• Prudent - Wise/Sensible/Careful (6.00)
• Prurient - High interest in sex (5.71)
• Pseudonym - Fictitious name (8.00)
• Ptarmigan - Plump bird found in cold northern regions (8.00)
• Puce - Dark red (8.00)
• Pule - Whine/Whimper (7.60)
• Punitive - Punishing/Inflicting punishment (8.00)
• Purdah - Veil or 'to veil' (6.75)
• Purge - Free from impurities or unwanted elements (7.18)
• Pusillanimous - Cowardly (7.11)
• Quasi - Seemingly/Not really/As if (8.44)
• Querimony - Complaint (7.75)
• Quid - A Cut of Tobacco (5.20)
• Quintessential - Perfect example (8.00)
• Ragamuffin - A shabbily clothed, dirty child. (5.20)
• Raiment - Clothing (6.86)
• Rancid - Stale smell/Nasty (7.33)
• Rancour - Deep bitter hate (8.00)
• Rebarbative - Tending to irritate/Repellent (6.75)
• Recalcitrant - Willfully disobedient/Stubborn person (8.00)
• Recap is short for Recapitulate (7.00)
• Recondite - Difficult to understand (8.00)
• Redolent - Suggestive/Reminiscent/Smelling of (7.50)
• Refrain (noun) - Repeated utterance/Song/Phrase (7.00)
• Rejoinder - Retort (7.33)
• Remiss - Careless/Negligent (esp duties) (8.00)
• Remorse - Deep regret (usually for some misdeed) (6.33)
• Repast - Meal (7.25)
• Repose - Peace (8.00)
• Reprove, Reproach & Rebuke - Blame or Criticise (8.00)
• Repudiate - Reject the validity of or refuse to acknowledge something (7.00)
• Repugnant/Repugnance - Extreme dislike/Aversion (8.50)
• Rescind - Declare invalid/ Make void (6.67)
• Retro - Reminiscent of the past (usually 'fashion') (8.00)
• Reverie - Daydream (8.78)
• Rhetoric - Using speech or writing to persuade or influence (8.00)
• Ribald - Vulgar or offensive person (8.00)
• Risable - Laughable/Ludicrous (4.56)
• Rite of Passage - Significant event in a transitional period of someone's life (8.00)
• Rood - Cross/Crucifix (5.50)
• Rote (learn by) - Repetition (5.20)
• Ruly - Neat & tidy (8.00)
• Sagacity - Wisdom/Discernment (8.50)
• Sage - Having wisdom (7.33)
• Salacious - Lustful (7.50)
• Saltpetre - Potassium Nitrate (9.00)
• Salutation - Greeting (8.00)
• Sanguine - Cheerfully confident/Optimistic/Red (8.00)
• Sapient - Wise (9.00)
• Sardonic - Scornfully or cynically mocking (6.00)
• Sarong - Loose wrap-around skirt (6.33)
• Sartorial - Tailored clothing (6.33)
• Saturnine - Bitter/Scornful/Melancholy (7.50)
• Schadenfreude - Enjoying someone's misfortunes (8.00)
• Schism - Separation or division into factions (pronounced 'Skizum') (5.67)
• Scintilla - Minute amount/Trace/Spark/Flash (8.00)
• Scotch (verb) - Put an end to/Cut/Score (8.00)
• Scunner - Strongly dislike (8.00)
• Seamless - Consistent (8.00)
• Secede - Withdraw from an organisation (7.00)
• Secular - Not related to religion (5.80)
• Seer - Someone who can see into the future/Prophet/Clairvoyant (8.00)
• Segue - Proceed without interruption in music or talk (7.67)
• Seminal - Highly original, influential & creative (8.00)
• Septum - Partition between two tissues or cavities, i.e the bit between the nostrils (6.25)
• Serendipity - Fortuitous chance meeting/discovery (9.50)
• Serf - Slave (7.00)
• Sesquipedalian - Long word (5.10)
• Shaman - Witch Doctor/Medicine Man (8.00)
• Shard - Broken piece of glass or pottery (9.00)
• Shrill - High-pitched tone or sound (4.60)
• Siesta - Afternoon nap (normally in hot countries) (8.00)
• Simile - Figure of speech comparing two unlike things, often introduced with the word 'like' or 'as' (8.00)
• Sinecure - Plum job i.e a salaried job that requires very litle work (7.00)
• Sinew - Muscles/Strength (6.60)
• Slattern - Untidy, dirty woman (6.50)
• Sloth - Laziness (7.00)
• Smorgasbord - Buffet meal featuring a varied number of dishes/Varied collection. (7.14)
• Sobriquet - Nickname (5.00)
• Sojourn - A temporary stay (as a guest) (4.00)
• Solecism - Grammatical error/Non-standard usage (8.00)
• Sommelier - Wine Waiter (7.64)
• Sop - Dip into liquid/Food dipped into liquid/Bribe (4.29)
• Sophomore - 2nd year college student in America (6.00)
• Soporific - Sleepy/Drowsy (8.00)
• Sorority - Association or society of women (9.00)
• Soupcon (pronounced 'Soups on') - Very small amount (4.50)
• Spartan - Strict, simple way of life with no luxuries (8.67)
• Spectre - Ghost/Vision in one's imagination (8.00)
• Stakhanovite work ethic - Working hard to over-achieve (5.70)
• Stasis - Inactivity (6.67)
• Steed - Horse (9.00)
• Stellar - Relating to the stars/Outstanding (8.00)
• Stevedore - A Ship loader (6.00)
• Stigma - Mark of social disgrace (6.33)
• Stipend - Salary (8.00)
• Stolid - Showing little emotion or interest (8.00)
• Subaltern - Lower in position or rank (usually below captain)/Secondary (6.00)
• Subjective - Personal/Based on a person's emotions (8.00)
• Subjugate - Bring under control/Conquer/Enslave (9.00)
• Subservient - Eager to carry out someone's wishes/Of less importance or rank (8.00)
• Subversive - Rebellious (8.00)
• Succour - Help in time of difficulty (3.75)
• Suffix - Letter(s) added to the end of a word to form another word (8.00)
• Suffrage - The Right of Voting (7.67)
• Sullen - Sulky/Morose/Gloomy (8.00)
• Sully - Taint/Ruin (reputation) (8.00)
• Superannuate - Retire or pension someone/Discard as old-fashioned or obsolete (8.00)
• Supercilious - Behaving in a superior or arrogant manner (5.00)
• Surfeit - Excessive amount (especially food & drink) (7.67)
• Surly - Bad-tempered (6.50)
• Surreal - Resembling a dream/Unrealistic (8.33)
• Suture - Stitch (noun) (8.00)
• Swain - Male lover (8.00)
• Sward - Turf (5.40)
• Taboo - Ban/Restriction (5.50)
• Taciturn - Habitually silent/Reserved (5.00)
• Tactile - Connected with or perceived by touch (4.50)
• Taffeta - Fine Silk (6.40)
• Take umbrage - Take offence (7.17)
• Tam-o'-shanter - Scottish woollen hat (8.00)
• Tangential - Superficially relevant (8.00)
• Tardy - Late/Sluggish (7.50)
• Tawdry - Cheap (5.20)
• Taxonomy - Structure of Organisms/Origin (6.29)
• Tenacity/Tenacious - Persistent determination (8.00)
• Termagent - Scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman (8.00)
• Terrain - Area of land (6.00)
• Tertiary - Third in degree, order or rank (7.00)
• Teutonic - Relating to the German people (6.80)
• Threnody - Lament for the dead (8.00)
• To give the third degree (as opposed to the 4th or 5th) (8.00)
• Tome - A Large Book (8.00)
• Torpid - Lethargic or Lazy (4.75)
• Torque - Turning or twisting force (9.00)
• Tort - Civil wrong or injury (7.50)
• Totemic - Emblem of a clan or family and sometimes revered as its founder, ancestor, or guardian. (8.00)
• Trade Wind - Steady wind blowing from East to West above & below the Equator (7.50)
• Traduce - Speak badly of (8.00)
• Trenchant - Forthright (5.33)
• Troubadour - Poet or Singer (5.83)
• Truck - Dealings/Commercial Exchange (6.33)
• Truculent - Very aggressive/Bad-tempered (7.63)
• Truncate - Shorten by cutting (6.50)
• Tryst - Secret meeting (especially lovers) (8.00)
• Tyro - Beginner/Novice (8.00)
• Uber - Super (7.67)
• Ubiquity/Ubiquitous - Seeming to be everywhere at once (8.69)
• Unction - Excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm (8.50)
• Unkempt - Untidy/Uncombed (4.67)
• Untenable - Incapable of being defended or justified (7.50)
• Urbane - Polite, elegant and sophisticated in manner (7.75)
• Usurp - Seize power without authority (8.00)
• Vacillate - Waver (5.38)
• Valediction - Farewell speech (6.67)
• Validation - The act of determining the properties of something (8.00)
• Varicose - Abnormally swollen or knotty (8.00)
• Venerable - Respected because of great age or wisdom (6.67)
• Veracity - Truth/Accuracy (7.00)
• Verbatim - Word for word (5.71)
• Verbose - Long-winded/Using more words than necessary (8.00)
• Vestige - Trace of evidence (8.00)
• Veto - Forbid/Refuse to give consent (7.00)
• Vicarious - Felt indirectly by imagining what another person experiences/Substituted/Delegated (8.14)
• Vicissitude - Change or variation (normally unexpected) (6.00)
• Virement - Transferring of funds from one budget to another (7.33)
• Vis-a-vis - Face to face with/Opposite to/Compared with (6.60)
• Visceral (the 'c' is silent) - characterised by intuition or instinct rather than intellect (9.00)
• Vitriol/Vitriolic - Verbal Abuse (8.00)
• Vivacious - Full of animation and spirit/Lively (8.00)
• Voluble - Talk easily and at length/Fluent (8.20)
• Voracious - Ravenous/Extremely hungry (4.80)
• Wabbit - Exhausted/Weary (7.75)
• Wain - Wagon (8.00)
• Whelm - Overcome with emotion (6.33)
• Winsome - Charming often in a childlike way (7.00)
• Wiseacre - Smart Alec (5.20)
• Wizened - Shrivelled/Wrinkled (esp with age) (6.00)
• Woad - Body dye (5.17)
• Zeitgeist - Spirit of the time/moment (8.46)
• Zenith - Peak (i.e of your career) (8.20)

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