aberration

(n.) something that differs from the norm (In 1974, Poland won the
World Cup, but the success turned out to be an aberration, and Poland
have not won a World Cup since!
abhor
(v.) to hate, detest ("ecause he alwa#s wound up getting hit in the
head when he tried to pla# cric$et, %arcin began to abhor the sport!
acquiesce
(v.) to agree without protesting (&hough %r! Pospies'n# wanted to sta#
outside and wor$ in his garage, when his wife told him that he had
better come in to dinner, he acquiesced to her demands!
alacrity
(n.) eagerness, speed ((or some reason, )imon loved to help his
girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend as$ed him to set
the table he did so with alacrity!
amiable
(adj.) friendl# (*n amiable fellow, +eil got along with ,ust about
ever#one!
appease
(v.) to calm, satisf# (When -err# cries, his mother gives him chocolate
to appeasehim!
arcane
(adj.) obscure, secret, $nown onl# b# a few (&he professor is an e.pert
in arcane/ashubian literature!
avarice
(n.) e.cessive greed (&he ban$er0s avarice led him to amass an
enormous personal fortune!
brazen
(adj.) e.cessivel# bold, brash, clear and obvious (Critics condemned
the writer0sbrazen attempt to plagiarise (ran$ow1C'erwon$o0s wor$!
brusque
(adj.) short, abrupt, dismissive ()imon0s brusque manner sometimes
offends his colleagues!
cajole
(v.) to urge, coa. (%agda2s friends cajoled her into drin$ing too
much!
callous
(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (&he murderer0s callous lac$ of remorse
shoc$ed the ,ur#!
candor
(n.) honest#, fran$ness (We were surprised b# the candor of the
politician0s speech because she is usuall# rather evasive!
chide
(v.) to voice disapproval (3ania chided 4regor# for his vulgar habits
and slopp# appearance!
circumspect
(adj.) cautious (&hough I promised %arta0s father I would bring her
home promptl# b# midnight, it would have been more circumspect not
to have specified a time!
clandestine
(adj.) secret (*nnouncing to her bo#friend that she was going to the
librar#, %aria actuall# went to meet 4eorge for a clandestine liaison!
coerce
(v.) to ma$e somebod# do something b# force or threat (&he court
decided that 5avid "ec$ham did not have to honor the contract
because he had been coercedinto signing it!
coherent
(adj.) logicall# consistent, intelligible (William could not figure out
what 3arold had seen because he was too distraught to deliver
a coherent statement!
complacency
(n.) self1satisfied ignorance of danger ()imon tried to shoc$ his friends
out of theircomplacency b# painting a frightening picture of what might
happen to them!
confidant
(n.) a person entrusted with secrets ()hortl# after we met, he became
m# chiefconfidant!
connive
(v.) to plot, scheme ()he connived to get me to give up m# plans to
start up a new business!
cumulative
(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (&he cumulative effect of hours
spent using the World 6nglish website was a vast improvement in his
vocabular# and general level of 6nglish!
debase
(v.) to lower the 7ualit# or esteem of something (&he large raise that
he gave himself debased his motives for running the charit#!
decry
(v.) to critici'e openl# (*ndr'e, 8epper, the leader of the Polish )elf
5efence part#decried the appaling state of Polish roads!
deferential
(adj.) showing respect for another0s authorit# (5onata is alwa#s
e.cessivel#deferential to an# $ind of authorit# figure!
demure
(adj.) 7uiet, modest, reserved (&hough ever#one else at the part# was
dancing and going cra'#, she remained demure!
deride
(v.) to laugh at moc$ingl#, scorn (&he native spea$er often derided the
other teacher0s accent!
despot
(n.) one who has total power and rules brutall# (&he despot issued a
death sentence for an#one who disobe#ed his laws!
diligent
(adj.) showing care in doing one0s wor$ (&he diligent researcher made
sure to double chec$ her measurements!
elated
(adj.) over,o#ed, thrilled (When he found out he had won the lotter#,
the postman was elated!
eloquent
(adj.) e.pressive, articulate, moving (&he best man gave such
an eloquent speech that most guests were cr#ing!
embezzle
(v.) to steal mone# b# falsif#ing records (&he accountant was fired
for embezzling91:,::: of the compan#0s funds!
empathy
(n.) sensitivit# to another0s feelings as if the# were one0s own (I feel
suchempathy for m# dog when she0s upset so am I;
enmity
(n.) ill will, hatred, hostilit# (-ohn and )cott have clearl# not forgiven
each other, because the enmity between them is obvious to an#one in
their presence!
erudite
(adj.) learned (%# 6nglish teacher is such an erudite scholar that he
has translated some of the most difficult and abstruse <ld 6nglish
poetr#!
extol
(v.) to praise, revere (/amila extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet
to her meat1loving bo#friend!
fabricate
(v.) to ma$e up, invent (When I arrived an hour late to class,
I fabricated some e.cuse about m# car brea$ing down on the wa# to
wor$!
feral
(adj.) wild, savage (&hat beast loo$s so feral that I would fear being
alone with it!
flabbergasted
(adj.) astounded (Whenever I read an *gatha Christie m#ster# novel, I
am alwa#sflabbergasted when I learn the identit# of the murderer!
forsake
(v.) to give up, renounce (I won2t forsake m# conservative principles!
fractious
(adj.) troublesome or irritable (*lthough the child insisted he wasn0t
tired, hisfractious behaviour 1 especiall# his decision to crush his ,am
sandwiches all over the floor 1 convinced ever#one present that it was
time to put him to bed!
furtive
(adj.) secretive, sl# (Claudia0s placement of her drugs in her soc$
drawer was not as furtive as she thought, as the soc$ drawer is the
first place most parents loo$!
gluttony
(n.) overindulgence in food or drin$ (3elen0s fried chic$en tastes so
divine, I don0t $now how an#one can call gluttony a sin!
gratuitous
(adj.) uncalled for, unwarranted (6ver# evening the gu# at the fish and
chip shop gives me a gratuitous helping of vinegar!
haughty
(adj.) disdainfull# proud (&he superstar0s haughty dismissal of her co1
stars will bac$fire on her someda#!
hypocrisy
(n.) pretending to believe what one does not (<nce the politician
began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises,
his hypocrisy became apparent!
impeccable
(adj.) e.emplar#, flawless (If #our grades were as impeccable as #our
brother0s, then #ou too would receive a car for a graduation present!
impertinent
(adj.) rude, insolent (%ost of #our comments are so impertinent that I
don0t wish to dignif# them with an answer!
implacable
(adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated (Watch out= once #ou
shun 4randmother0s coo$ing, she is totall# implacable!
impudent
(adj.) casuall# rude, insolent, impertinent (&he impudent #oung
woman loo$ed her teacher up and down and told him he was hot!
incisive
(adj.) clear, sharp, direct (&he discussion wasn0t going an#where until
her incisivecomment allowed ever#one to see what the true issues
were!
indolent
(adj.) la'# (Wh# should m# indolent children, who can0t even pic$
themselves up off the sofa to pour their own ,uice, be rewarded with a
trip to "urger /ing>
inept
(adj.) not suitable or capable, un7ualified ()he proved how inept she
was when she forgot two orders and spilled a pint of cider in a
customer0s lap!
infamy
(n.) notoriet#, e.treme ill repute (&he infamy of his crime will not
lessen as time passes!
inhibit
(v.) to prevent, restrain, stop (When I told #ou I needed the car last
night, I certainl# never meant to inhibit #ou from going out!
innate
(adj.) inborn, native, inherent (3is incredible athletic talent is innate,
he never trains, lifts weights, or practices!
insatiable
(adj.) incapable of being satisfied (%# insatiable appetite for blondes
was a real problem on m# recent holida# in -apan;
insular
(adj.) separated and narrow1minded? tight1$nit, closed off ("ecause of
the sensitive nature of their ,obs, those who wor$ for %I@ must
remain insular and generall# onl# spend time with each other!
intrepid
(adj.) brave in the face of danger (*fter scaling a live volcano prior to
its eruption, the e.plorer was praised for his intrepid attitude!
inveterate
(adj.) stubbornl# established b# habit (I0m the first to admit that I0m
an inveteratecider drin$erAI drin$ four pints a da#!
jubilant
(adj.) e.tremel# ,o#ful, happ# (&he crowd was jubilant when the
firefighter carried the woman from the flaming building!
knell
(n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death (6choing
throughout our village, the funeral knell made the gre# da# even more
grim!
lithe
(adj.) graceful, fle.ible, supple (*lthough the dancers were all
outstanding, -oanna0s control of her lithe bod# was particularl#
impressive!
lurid
(adj.) ghastl#, sensational ("arr#0s stor#, in which he described a
character torturing his neighbour2s tortoise, was ,udged too lurid to be
published on the 6nglish 8ibrar#2s website!
maverick
(n.) an independent, nonconformist person (-ohn is a
real maverick and alwa#s does things his own wa#!
maxim
(n.) a common sa#ing e.pressing a principle of conduct (%s! )tone0s
eti7uettemaxims are both entertaining and instructional!
meticulous
(adj.) e.tremel# careful with details (&he ornate needlewor$ in the
bride0s gown was a product of meticulous handiwor$!
modicum
(n.) a small amount of something (Befusing to displa# even
a modicum of sensitivit#, %agda announced her boss0s affair to the
entire office!
morose
(adj.) gloom# or sullen (5avid0s morose nature made him ver#
unpleasant to tal$ to!
myriad
(adj.) consisting of a ver# great number (It was difficult to decide what
to do on )aturda# night because the cit# presented us
with myriad possibilities for fun!
nadir
(n.) the lowest point of something (%# da# was boring, but
the nadir came when m# new car was stolen!
nominal
(adj.) trifling, insignificant ("ecause he was moving the following wee$
and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed mone#,
/im sold ever#thing for a nominal price!
novice
(n.) a beginner, someone without training or e.perience ("ecause we
were allnovices at archer#, our instructor decided to begin with the
basics
nuance
(n.) a slight variation in meaning, tone, e.pression (&he nuances of
the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the teacher was
able to point them out!
oblivious
(adj.) lac$ing consciousness or awareness of something (Oblivious to
the burning smell emanating from the $itchen, m# father did not
notice that the rolls in the oven were burned until much too late!
obsequious
(adj.) e.cessivel# compliant or submissive (5onald acted li$e )usan0s
servant, obe#ing her ever# re7uest in an obsequious manner!
obtuse
(adj.) lac$ing 7uic$ness of sensibilit# or intellect (Political opponents
warned that the prime minister0s obtuse approach to foreign polic#
would embroil the nation in mindless war!
panacea
(n.) a remed# for all ills or difficulties (5octors wish there was a
single panaceafor ever# disease, but sadl# there is not!
parody
(n.) a satirical imitation (* hush fell over the classroom when the
teacher returned to find %agdalena acting out a parody of his teaching
st#le!
penchant
(n.) a tendenc#, partialit#, preference ((iona0s dinner parties 7uic$l#
became monotonous on account of her penchant for Indian dishes!
perusal
(n.) a careful e.amination, review (&he actor agreed to accept the role
after a three1month perusal of the movie script!
plethora
(n.) an abundance, e.cess (&he wedding ban7uet included
a plethora of o#sters piled almost three feet high!
predilection
(n.) a preference or inclination for something (-ames has
a predilection for eating toad in the whole with tomato $etchup!
quaint
(adj.) charmingl# old1fashioned (%ar# was delighted b#
the quaint bonnets she saw in Bomania!
rash
(adj.) hast#, incautious (It0s best to thin$ things over calml# and
thoroughl#, rather than ma$e rash decisions!
refurbish
(v.) to restore, clean up (*fter being refurbished the old &riumph
motorc#cle commanded the handsome price of CD:::!
repudiate
(v.) to re,ect, refuse to accept (&om made a strong case for an
e.tension of his curfew, but his mother repudiated it with a few biting
words!
rife
(adj.) abundant ()urprisingl#, the teacher0s writing was rife with
spelling errors!
salient
(adj.) significant, conspicuous (<ne of the salient differences between
*lison and 3elen is that *lison is a couple of $ilos heavier!
serendipity
(n.) luc$, finding good things without loo$ing for them (In an ama'ing
bit ofserendipity, penniless %ar$ found a C@: bill on the bac$ seat of
the bus!
staid
(adj.) sedate, serious, self1restrained (&he staid butler never changed
his e.pression no matter what happened!
superfluous
(adj.) e.ceeding what is necessar# ()amantha had alread# won the
campaign so her constant flatter# of others was superfluous!
sycophant
(n.) one who flatters for self1gain ()ome see the people in the cabinet
as the Prime %inister0s closest advisors, but others see them
as sycophants!
taciturn
(adj.) not inclined to tal$ (&hough %agda never seems to stop tal$ing,
her brother is 7uite taciturn!
truculent
(adj.) read# to fight, cruel (&his club doesn0t reall# attract the
dangerous t#pes, so wh# was that bouncer being so truculent>
umbrage
(n.) resentment, offence (3e called me a lil#1livered coward, and I
too$ umbrageat the insult!
venerable
(adj.) deserving of respect because of age or achievement
(&he venerable 3igh Court ,udge had made several $e# rulings in
landmar$ cases throughout the #ears!
vex
(v.) to confuse or anno# (%# bo#friend vexes me b# pinching m#
bottom for hours on end!
vociferous
(adj.) loud, boisterous (I0m tired of his vociferous whining so I0m
brea$ing up with him!
wanton
(adj.) undisciplined, lewd, lustful (-oanna0s anton demeanor often
made the frat gu#s ne.t door ver# e.cited!
zenith
(n.) the highest point, culminating point (I was too nice to tell 6mil#
that she had reached the absolute zenith of her career with that one
top 1: hit of hers!