The Hindu Daily Word List {Vocabulary} for SSC CGL, CPO & CHSL Exams 2017-18
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The document provides a comprehensive list of vocabulary words along with definitions and contextual examples for each term. It emphasizes the importance of revisiting vocabulary regularly and understanding the nuances of word meanings instead of just memorizing synonyms. Key topics include various adjectives describing emotions, behaviors, and situations, as well as other important terms related to interests, professions, and qualities.
The Hindu Daily Word List {Vocabulary} for SSC CGL, CPO & CHSL Exams 2017-18
- 1. A Friendly Advice: When u do vocabulary please keep following in mind: # Revision is necessary---if u don’t keep repeating words u learn...u will forget it...please make sure u use them daily.. # for that do limited words only otherwise it is difficult to catch up and foremost # When u do vocabulary don’t blindly follow the synonyms antonyms...in English two words are used differently and their contextual meaning is different Ex. content, delight, felicity, ecstasy are synonyms of happy...but their context is different...u cannot use ecstasy in place of content....vice versa.. # it is better to learn the actual meaning of words rather than mugging up synonyms... Good luck 1. amateur An amateur is a person who does something for enjoyment, not money, like an amateur who paints as a hobby but earns a living another way. A dilettante is a person, often one who pretends to be very knowledgeable. 2. connoisseur A connoisseur is a person who, through study and interest, has a fine appreciation for something, like the connoisseur who can identify the clarinet player on a jazz recording by the sound of his inhalations alone. 3. redemption Redemption is the buying back of something. You might try for redemption by attempting to buy back a bike you sold, or you might attempt to buy back your soul after you steal someone else’s bike. 4. Profane The word profane can also describe behavior that's deeply offensive because it shows a lack of respect, especially for someone's religious beliefs. 5. eviction An eviction is when a renter or tenant is forced to move out by a property owner. If you don't pay rent for months, you run the risk of eviction.
- 2. 6. obdurate Obdurate is a formal word meaning stubborn. If you want to learn in Guitar, but your parents are obdurate that you should go for professional courses, they might go so far as to threaten not to pay your tuition. 7. hitherto Previously, as yet Use the adverb hitherto when you're describing a state or circumstance that existed up until now. When some particular situation has existed so far, up until the moment that you're speaking of, you can use the word hitherto to talk about it. 8. myriad If you've got myriad problems it means you've got countless problems; loads of them; too many to count. Story of everyone's life 9. nadir If a highly forgetful person loses his phone, his wallet, and then his car keys in separate instances all in one day, you could say that he has reached an organizational nadir. This means ―lowest point.‖ more generally to describe the worst point of someone’s life or career. 10.obsequious If you disapprove of the overly submissive way someone is acting — like the teacher's favorite or a celebrity's assistant — call them by the formal adjective obsequious. Obsequious people are usually not being genuine; they resort to flattery ways to stay in the good graces of authority figures. An obsequious person can be called a bootlicker 11.meticulous marked by extreme care in a treatment of details People who are meticulous can be pretty annoying, what with their extreme attention to detail. But if that person is, say, your surgeon or your accountant, you'll want them
- 3. to be meticulous. "Detail oriented" and "perfectionist" are some other words for it 12.morose A morose person is sullen, gloomy, sad, glum, and depressed — not a happy go lucky types. When someone is morose, they seem to have a cloud of sadness hanging over them. This word is stronger than just sad — morose implies being extremely gloomy and depressed. 13.oblivious If you don't notice or aren't aware, it means that the adjective oblivious applies to you! When we think of the adjective oblivious, it is usually in situations that involve being totally unaware of what's staring us right in the face. It can also mean being forgetful and absent-minded. 14.serendipity If you find good things without looking for them, serendipity — unexpected good luck — has brought them to you. The meaning of the word, good luck in finding valuable things unintentionally, refers to the fairy tale characters who were always making discoveries through chance. You can thank serendipity if you find a pencil at an empty desk just at you walk into an exam and realize that you forgot yours. 15.umbrage a feeling of anger caused by being offended When someone takes umbrage at something, they find it offensive, and it probably makes them angry. 16.vociferous Vociferous describes loudmouths. Vociferous isn't just loud, but annoying, too, like when the vociferous fans of the opposing cricket team chant insults... 17.edacious devouring or craving food in great quantities Watching your edacious uncle at an all-you-can-eat buffet would be an alarming experience, since edacious means eating huge amounts of food ravenously. 18.Subsequent Something that come after something else in order When you mention a car crash and subsequent traffic jam or a scandal and
- 4. subsequent investigation, one follows the other in order but a cause and effect relationship is implied too. 19.speculation When you guess about how something is going to come out (or how it happened), that's speculation. You're making an educated guess. 20.vigorous characterized by forceful and energetic action or activity Anything vigorous is done with force and energy. Vigorous exercise makes you sweat, 21.reminisce Reminisce is a dreamy way of saying "remember the past." If you're swapping old stories with friends and remembering all the silly things you used to do, then you're reminiscing. 22.sully To sully is to attack someone's good name and to try to ruin his reputation. 23.Apropos If someone's remarks are suitable and appropriate to the occasion, you can get on their good side by saying: How apropos! 24.felicitous Felicitous describes something that's pleasantly apt or fitting. Felicitous words you write on your friend's birthday card are the ones that perfectly suit the occasion and make her happy when she reads them. 25.prevaricate When you prevaricate, you lie or mislead. it also has the sense of making it hard to know exactly what the lie was. You talk in a confusing way, go back and forth, and as deliberately as possible mislead someone. 26.saturnine Medieval alchemists ascribed to the planet Saturn a gloomy and slow character. When people are called saturnine, it means they are like the planet––gloomy, mean, scowling. Not exactly the life of the party.
- 5. 27.taciturn Someone who is taciturn is reserved, not loud and talkative. The word itself refers to the trait of seeming aloof and uncommunicative. A taciturn person might be snobby, naturally quiet, or just shy. 28.tractable If your little brother quietly obeys your instructions and waits for you at the food court while you and your friends wander around the mall, he's probably a tractable child, meaning he's obedient, flexible, and responds well to directions. 29.malinger When you malinger, you pretend to be sick. If you ever claimed to have a stomach ache in order to stay home from work, you know what it means to malinger. 30.pragmatic To describe a person or a solution that takes a realistic approach, consider the adjective pragmatic. A pragmatic person is sensible, grounded, and practical 31.cadge To cadge is to plead or beg for something. A hungry child might cadge an extra cookie from her mom while she's baking. 32.entice Let's say your friend wants to go to the movies and you don't want to. Your friend might try to entice you by offering to buy you popcorn and a soda. Entice means to persuade with promises of something. 33.diffidence The noun diffidence refers to a lack of self-confidence. Your diffidence might be the reason why you never say "hi" to the cute guy or gal in the elevator or why you never ask for a raise. 34.aficionado If you really like something and make it your business to study up on its history and characteristics, you could be called an aficionado of that subject. The word aficionado implies serious study and fervent interest — it’s often applied to lovers of wine, known as wine aficionados — but you can think of it as just a fancy way to say fan. 35.sinecure If you have a cushy job — one that pays, but involves minimal work — then you have a
- 6. sinecure. "Because he was the brother of the CEO, he was offered a sinecure in the company: he showed up each day and collected a pay check, but others actually did his work." 36.complacent Someone who is complacent has become overly content — the junk-food-eating couch potato might be feeling complacent about his health. A complacent person might be heard saying, "Ehh, don't worry about it!" — when there really is something to worry about. 37.conciliatory If you're in a fight with a friend and you want to end it, you should make a conciliatory gesture, such as inviting her to a party you're having. Conciliatory describes things that make other people less angry. 38.Embankment a long artificial mound of stone or earth; built to hold back water or to support a road or as protection 39.meticulous marked by extreme care in a treatment of details People who are meticulous can be pretty annoying, what with their extreme attention to detail. But if that person is, say, your surgeon or your accountant, you'll want them to be meticulous. "Detail oriented" and "perfectionist" are some other words for it 40.penchant a strong liking A penchant is a strong preference or tendency. If you have a penchant for Chocolate, you either eat it daily or wish you did. 41.insular Insular means "having a narrow view of the world," like insular people who never leave their small town, which enables them to believe that every place in the world is the same and the people are all just like them. 42.inane If something is inane, it's silly or senseless.We call something inane if it states the
- 7. obvious, or is really silly in a way that seems unintelligent. Other synonyms are stupid, vacuous, ridiculous, pointless. 43.infamy Infamy means being famous for something bad or negative.The noun infamy is most often used to talk about famously evil or terrible people or historical events. 44.impeccable The adjective impeccable describes something or someone without any flaws. A stand-up comedian needs impeccable timing for his jokes to work. 45.haughty Someone who is haughty is arrogant and full of pride. When you're haughty, you have a big attitude and act like you're better than other people. 46.flabbergasted When you see your sister come back from the salon with bright green spiky hair and your jaw drops to the floor in total shock, you’re flabbergasted. You are really, really shocked — pretty much speechless. I remember this word frm the time Ranvijay Singh used it in Roadies Auditions old season me 47.candor Candor usually means the quality of being open, honest, and sincere. If someone tells you they think you are dumb, you might reply with, "While I appreciate your candor, I don't think we need to be friends anymore." 48.exculpate To exculpate means to find someone not guilty of criminal charges. If you've been wrongly accused of robbery, you'd better hope a judge will exculpate you, unless you want to go to jail because you've heard prison food is amazing. 49. Enchantment A feeling of great liking for something wonderful and unusual also,a magic spell 50.comely Comely means attractive or appropriate. A comely girl is pretty. A comely hairstyle is flattering. If your manners are comely, it means you know the right way to act to put
- 8. people at their ease. Comely is the opposite of the similar-looking homely, which means plain-looking, almost ugly. 51.retort A retort is a short, clever response to someone's comment or question. To retort is to make a comeback, or a quick, witty answer or remark. It can be a form of payback when someone tries to insult or tease another person, and often, the perfect retort doesn't occur to you till later, when you think "Oh! I wish I had said that earlier!" 52.notion A notion is an idea, often vague and sometimes fanciful.a vague idea in which some confidence is placed 53.repugnant Repugnant refers to something you detest so thoroughly it threatens to make you physically sick, A repugnant thing is a thing offensive, detestable, or obscene. It can be repugnant to your mind or your morals. It can also be physically repugnant, like the smell that comes from a restaurant’s dumpster, which hasn't been emptied since the very exciting "Omelet Week," t. Makes you want to "re-PLUG-nant" your nose! 54.emeritus An emeritus is a retired college professor or minister. When a professor stops teaching, she might be given the title of emeritus, which basically means she can still be remembered as a successful professor 55.ingenue The term is used to describe the innocent girl stock character in film or literature. She's usually gentle, sweet and pretty naive — which makes her susceptible to the harsh dangers of the world. Ingénue can also be used to describe an actress who specializes in playing this kind of character specifically. 56.dalliance A dalliance is a playful flirtation, one that might lead to a casual romance. The king's public dalliance toward the lady in waiting shocked everyone in the court except for the queen.
- 9. 57.demure A demure person can be described as polite and a little shy. A demure outfit is a modest one––think high neckline and low hem. it is used to be a huge compliment for a woman or a girl, for them to be considered shy and quiet and modest. Those days are over, thank goodness, because demure people are nice and all, but they're also a little boring. 58.insolvent Piggy bank empty? Nothing but lint in your pockets? Then you're probably unable to meet any financial obligations. In other words, you are insolvent. Being insolvent isn't just about being poor. A person or business that's insolvent has no resources, no assets and no way to pay any of the bills. 59.Chatoyant Changeable, Varying in color when seen in different lights or from different angles 60.cynosure A cynosure is the main attraction. A figure skater on the ice is the cynosure, or focal point, of a stadium as she triple-axles through the air. All eyes are on her with admiration, hoping that she'll land it. 61.opulent Opulent is a word that you will hear a lot around rich people looking to show off. If you want to remember that opulent is a word describing lavish displays of wealth, you can think of the word opal to help you remember it––opal being a rare gem. 62.surreptitious When someone behaves in a surreptitious way, they're being secretive. They're doing something that they don't want to be seen doing. 63.scintilla a tiny or scarcely detectable amount and also a sparkling glittering particle It might take more than a scintilla of English vocabulary knowledge to know that scintilla means a tiny bit of something. 64.lassitude a feeling of lack of interest or energy If you are feeling lassitude, you're weary and just can't be bothered.
- 10. 65.fraught Fraught means filled with something — often something bad.. If relations between two countries are fraught, they are not getting along with each other. 66.colloquy A colloquy is a formal talk, the opposite of a chat, such as the colloquy you have with your boss about a serious matter — far different from how you'll talk to your friends about it afterward. 67.onerous If one teacher gives you three hours of homework a night, that's rough. But if all of your teachers do it, that makes the task of completing your homework an onerous one, to say the least. If something is onerous, it is very difficult to deal with or do. 68.monotheism Monotheism is the belief in a single all-powerful god, as opposed to religions that believe in multiple gods. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are widely practiced forms of monotheism. monos-, ―alone‖ or ―single,‖ and theo-, ―god.‖ 69.austere The adjective austere is used to describe something or someone stern or without any decoration. Austere is not usually a positive word because it means that a person or a thing isn't pleasurable. For example, if you go on an austere diet, it's likely you wouldn't ever get to have candy 70.apostate An apostate is someone who has deserted his cause. A disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc. 71.sanctimonious The sanctimonious person sounds like a hypocrite when he preaches to a friend about the evils of drugs, while he drinks one beer after another. Though sanctimonious people might try to act like saints, their actions are far from pure or holy, which just makes them sound like hypocrites. 72.stringent That teacher's demands are stringent — she wants the homework typed in her favorite font, on special paper, and each essay must be exactly 45 lines!
- 11. 73.satiate If you just can't get enough popcorn, even the jumbo tub at the movie theater may not be enough to satiate, or satisfy, your desire. antonym- insatiate 74.elixir Miraculous, magical, and maybe a little mysterious, an elixir is a sweet substance or solution that cures the problem at hand. 75.felicity Felicity is a state of happiness or the quality of joy. Sitting on the roof with a telescope and iced tea on a clear, starry night is one way to find perfect felicity — a happy place. elicity comes from the Latin fēlīcitās, meaning "happiness." A synonym for felicity is "blissfulness. 76.quintessential If someone tells you you’re the quintessential rock musician, that means they think that everything about you screams ―rock and roll.‖ Quintessential means embodying or possessing the essence of something. 77.debacle Use debacle to refer to a fiasco, disaster, or great failure. Debacle comes from French débâcler "to clear," from Middle French desbacler, from the prefix des- "completely, utterly" plus bacler "to block." 78.ostentation Ostentation is a pretentious or showy display (gaudy or flashy), usually designed to attract attention. The noun ostentation stems from the Latin word ostentationem, meaning "vain display." It is often associated with material items that showcase one's wealth and luxury. Ostentation might come to the minds of the other parents if you drive a Lamborghini to drop your kids off at school. 79.pique The verb pique means to make someone angry or annoyed. But when something piques your interest or curiosity The word is pronounced "pēk" and borrowed from a French word meaning "irritation," from Old French, from piquer "to prick." 80.disdain If you feel that something isn't worthy of your consideration, you may disdain it (or treat it with disdain).
- 12. In Old French, deignier meant "to treat something as worthy." To disdain something, then, is to treat it with contempt 81.concomitant Concomitant is one of those Latin-based words you can break down into little pieces: con means with, and comit means companion. So something that is concomitant is like the companion of the main event. If you start training really hard at the gym, the main effect is that you become stronger, but there are concomitant effects, like better circulation, or a rosy glow, or getting happy from all those endorphins you’re releasing. 82.mollify To mollify is to calm someone down, talk them off the ledge, make amends, maybe even apologize. Mollify comes from the Latin mollificare to "make soft," and that's still at the heart the word. When you mollify someone, you smooth things over, even if you're maybe still a little mad 83.antagonize To antagonize is to provoke someone to react angrily. If your mother tells you to stop antagonizing your brother, she's asking you to stop making him mad. Antagonize shares the same Greek roots with the word agony, so think about how much agony you cause your siblings when you tease and goad them into getting angry. Bugs Bunny is known to antagonize Elmer Fudd, who hunts but never does catch that wabbit. 84. perpetual Use the adjective perpetual to describe something that never ends or changes. word, perpetual, from the Latin perpetuus, "continuous." 85.facile If someone does something easily, or shows ease, it is described as facile in a good way, but if someone takes the easy way out and shows a lack of thought or care, it is facile in a bad way.
- 13. While it is a lovely sounding French word, facile is both a compliment and an insult depending on how it's used. 86.beseech If you're begging for something but you want to sound formal and a little old- fashioned, say "I beseech you!" It really captures how urgent and desperate you are, yet perhaps saves a shred of your dignity. 87.unfathomable Unfathomable means impossible to ever understand. For most people, the field of quantum mechanics is unfathomable 88.besiege To besiege means to attack with an army, or to pester with many requests. When all your teachers ask you to hand in assignments on the same day, you can end up feeling besieged. Harass, as with questions or requests Encircle as a military tactic 89.rhetoric Rhetoric is speaking or writing that's intended to persuade.Rhetoric comes from the Greek meaning "speaker" and is used for the art of persuasive speaking or writing. When people listened eagerly to long speeches and studied them in school, rhetoric was generally used positively; now it is often a negative term, implying artfulness over real content. If someone gives a clever speech but doesn't really address the problem, you might say, "That's just a lot of rhetoric." 90.scrupulous Scrupulous means very careful to do things properly and correctly, such as paying friends back for money borrowed right away, A scrupulous person is full of scruples, which are concerns about doing things that
- 14. are morally right. Such a person is hesitant or doubtful, and might have trouble deciding what is morally right or wrong 91.caprice A sudden desire The word caprice has its roots in the French for "whim," which comes from the Italian word capriccio for "fright" or "sudden start." A caprice can be just a fun impulsive act, but it also can be something done on a quick whim, without thinking it through or preparing for the change in direction. Having a sudden liking, or caprice, for someone or something can be short-lived too. 92.odium That shivery feeling of disgust and hatred that you get when you see something senseless and horrible is called odium. 93.candid Straightforward and truthful talk might be described with the adjective candid. 94.beguile To beguile is to trick someone, either with deception or with irresistible charm and beauty. You could be beguiled by a super model or by a super con artist. 95.stupendous Stupendous means amazing or awesome. While you might think of stupid as a mean word for someone who isn’t smart, it can also mean senseless or stunned. If something stuns you so much that you are amazed, it is stupendous.When something is big enough to astound, also use this word.
- 15. 96.reticent Reticent means either quiet or restrained. If you're reticent about your feelings, you like to keep them to yourself, and you're probably quiet in rowdy groups where everyone is talking over each other. 97.propensity A propensity is a natural tendency to behave in a certain way. We all have propensities — things we tend to do. If you have a propensity for something, then it's something that comes naturally to you or something you just do a lot. Some people have a propensity to laugh. Other people have a propensity for making others laugh, or for being generous, or for getting angry. It's hard to change your propensities. 98.sultry Stifling, humid and downright oppressive, sultry is an adjective that has everything to do with sweltering heat and a definite need for a tall glass of iced tea. . A sultry atmosphere is thick, almost swampy feeling. And all that heavy heat can certainly get passions stirring — "a sultry look" is one that happens to express steamy desire. 99.amalgamate To amalgamate is to combine different things to create something new. Institutions — such as banks, schools, or hospitals — often join forces and amalgamate with one other. But other things — like musical genres — get amalgamated as well. The verb amalgamate original referred specifically to the mixture of metals, now however, it refers to any mixing or blending. 100. cajole To cajole someone is to persuade them by using insincere compliments or promises. If you say "Please, pretty-please, I'll be your best friend," when asking for a stick of gum, you are cajoling the gum holder.
- 16. 101. veracious Someone who is veracious speaks the truth — like your brutally honest friend who always lets you know what she thinks about your outfits, your hairstyle, your biryani recipe, and your taste in movies. 102. apocryphal Urban legends — They're told as if they're true, but no one can ever identify their origins. 103. euphony Shakespeare's language is a good example of euphony: pleasant, musical sounds in harmony, Use euphony to describe music or poetry. To understand it, break it down: eu- means good; phon- means sound or voice. Of course, just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, euphony is in the ear of the listener — it's subjective 104. effervescence Soda has effervescence. How can you tell? Just look for bubbles. Things that bubble have effervescence. Effervescence derives from French. To pronounce it correctly, say "eff er VES ence." mean "lively," such as the effervescence of someone who has energy and charisma. 105. grandiloquent Grandiloquent is a fancy term for, well, being fancy or pretentious. In fact, you might say grandiloquent is itself a pretty grandiloquent word. The word grandiloquent generally refers to the way a person behaves or speaks. Politicians and schoolteachers are the usual suspects of this manner of behavior, known as grandiloquence, but it can refer to anything that's overbearing or pompous in style or manner. 106. gestate It's unclear just how long it took for the idea for the website to gestate. Did he think of it right away, or did it take months for him to come up with the idea?
- 17. gestate is used to refer to ideas and plans while they're in the development phase. A gestation period is the time it takes for something to be born. Humans, for example, gestate for nine months. 107. Factitious If you create a "diamond" out of plastic, then you’ve created a factitious diamond, meaning that it’s a phony. Word Count Made Up: Fictional, Fictitious, Fictive, and Factitious 108. parsimonious A parsimonious person is unwilling to spend a lot of money. You know those people who count up every penny when it's time to split a restaurant bill? You can call them parsimonious. Or cheap. Stingy is the most common and general synonym, but there are many other near synonyms: thrifty, frugal, penurious, niggardly, penny-pinching, miserly, tight-fisted, tight. The adjective parsimonious was formed in English from the noun parsimony "the quality of being careful in spending" (from Latin parcimonia, from parcere "to spare") plus the suffix –ous "having the quality of." 109. malaise If you are experiencing malaise, chances are you are feeling blue or looking green. Malaise is a slump; you're not feeling your best — either mentally or physically. Mal is French for "bad," and aise means "ease." When experiencing malaise, ease yourself down on the couch to recover. 110. pellucid A sentence that teaches a new vocabulary word should always be pellucid, that is, its style and meaning should be easily understandable so that you can derive the definition from the sentence. You may have heard the word lucid, which means clear. Both lucid and pellucid derive from a Latin word that means "to shine through."
- 18. 111. stultify When something stultifies you, it drains you of your energy, enthusiasm, or pleasure. The verb stultify is sometimes used in place of "bore" or "exhaust," but only if something is so boring or exhausting that it makes you feel as though you might just die. It's a very negative word. If you're in a relationship that's stultifying, you should find a way out. Relationships should make you feel more alive, not less. 112. nexus A nexus is a central link or connection. If you happen to be at the nexus of something, you are right in the middle of it, like standing in the middle of an intersection. 113. connotation an idea or feeling which a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning. When you're talking about the implied subtext of words rather than their literal meaning, reach for the noun connotation. A political boss might not want to be called "boss" because of the negative connotations.A closely related word is implication. 114. assiduity When you do something with assiduity, you really focus your attention on it. If you work with assiduity on a research paper, you're sure to get an A. If you've ever watched professional tennis, you've seen players focus with assiduity on their game. Diligent students, serious chess players, and successful businessmen all make great use of their assiduity to get what they want and do their best work. 115. moribund Something that is moribund is almost dead, like a moribund economy that has been stuck in a recession for years. In Latin, mori means "to die." You probably recognize this root in words like mortal, mortician, and mortuary. Moribund means "near death," but it can also mean something that is coming to an end, nearly obsolete, or stagnant. For example, as
- 19. streaming videos over the Internet becomes a more and more popular way to watch movies and television shows, the DVD has become a moribund medium. 116. iconoclast Are you always challenging the establishment? Or provoking popular thought by attacking traditions and institutions? Then you're definitely an iconoclast. To be called an iconoclast today is usually kind of cool — they're rugged individualists, bold thinkers who don't give a hoot what tradition calls for. 117. credo Credo is Latin for, literally, "I believe," and originally meant a particular religious belief. Now it has the far broader meaning of any system of principles that guide a person or group. 118. arrogate To arrogate is to take over. When the teacher steps out of the classroom and some bossy girl marches up to the front chalkboard? What she's trying to do is arrogate the teacher's authority to herself. 119. hoodwink To hoodwink someone means to trick or mislead them. Conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately pretending to have good intentions so as to gain an end 120. obloquy If you are on the receiving end of obloquy, then society has turned against you and you are in a state of disgrace. If you break the word obloquy into its two Latin roots, you have ob, meaning ―against‖ and loqui, meaning "to speak" — so obloquy means ―to speak against," in an especially mean way. Obloquy can also be the result of public shame, or criticism.
- 20. 121. sybarite If you know someone who's totally addicted to luxurious things and all of life's pleasures, call her a sybarite. 122. fulminate cause to explode violently and with loud noise The word fulminate is made up of the Latin root fulmen meaning "lightning flash." Look up at the sky during a violent thunderstorm and chances are you'll catch thunder and lightning fulminate or explode loudly and violently overhead 123. abysmal If you want to say something is really, really bad — then call it abysmal. 124. faltering Faltering is the action of hesitating or losing strength. A game show contestant's faltering might cause her opponent to win. 125. suave To be suave is to be smooth, polite, and a little bit cool. Men can be suave and debonair, especially the ones riding horses on the covers of romance novels. Suave is from the Latin word suavis which means "agreeable." To be suave is still to be agreeable — a suave person knows how to work the room Suave men know how to talk to the ladies — mustaches, cologne, and ridiculous come-ons could be involved. 126. enamor When you are enamored by something or someone, you love it. It attracts you. You might say that you're enamored with your new car
- 21. 127. mercurial Mercurial describes someone whose mood or behavior is changeable and unpredictable, or someone who is clever, lively, and quick. 128. proclivity A proclivity is a natural tendency to like something, such as your sister's proclivity for restaurants that serve hot, spicy food. When you have a proclivity, it feels automatic — you like what you like; you don't even have to think about it. The origin of the word proclivity supports this feeling. Proclivity comes from the Latin word proclivis, which literally means "sloping forward." 129. squeamish Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted easily made to feel sick or disgusted. 130. gawk When you stare in amazement at something, you gawk at it. You might stand frozen in one position with your mouth and eyes wide open and gawk when you see a famous movie star on the street. 131. prognosticate To prognosticate means to predict something or at least hint at what will happen in the future. When a lot of natural disasters start happening close together, you might prognosticate that the world is ending, a prediction that's actually thousands of years old. 132. banal If something is boring and unoriginal, it's banal. Banal things are dull 133. dilettante A dilettante is an amateur, often one who pretends to be very knowledgeable. , the word implies you're pretending to be more of an artist than you're interested in
- 22. or capable of being, so if you call your friend who likes to paint a dilettante, it's like you're calling him or her a poser. 134. flair Use the word flair to refer to someone’s knack or natural talent for something. Someone might have a flair for throwing fantastic parties, or a flair for solving complex math problems. 135. asperity Asperity is the harsh tone or behavior people exhibit when they’re angry, impatient, or just miserable. 136. cupidity Remember the saying ―Greed is good‖? It could just as easily be ―Cupidity is good,‖ Cupidity means a burning desire to have more wealth than you need. 137. exhort French roots for the word exhort mean "thoroughly encourage," so to exhort is to fill up with encouragement! "When he heard the crowd exhort him with stomping and cheers, he knew that he could finish the marathon." 138. gusto You can do many things with gusto, or hearty enthusiasm, whether playing cricket, or cheering on your favorite team. Some people live their whole lives with gusto 139. enervate To enervate is to weaken, wear down, or even bum out. A three-hour lecture on the history would enervate most people. To enervate someone is to sap their energy, When something enervates you, it does more than get on your nerves; it brings you down.
- 23. 140. cajole To cajole someone is to persuade them by using insincere compliments or promises. If you say "Please, pretty-please, I'll be your best friend," when asking for a stick of gum, you are cajoling the gum holder. 141. dais A speaker stands on a dais, or a platform, when giving a presentation. 142. pejorative Call a word or phrase pejorative if it is used as a disapproving expression or a term of abuse. 143. prerogative A prerogative is someone's special right or privilege. Must have heard the song by Britney Spears "Everybody's talking all this stuff about me Why don't they just let me live? I don't need permission, make my own decisions That's my prerogative 144. mundane An ordinary, unexciting thing can be called mundane "Superman hid his heroic feats by posing as his mundane alter ego, Clark Kent. 145. virtuoso A virtuoso is an incredibly talented musician. You can also be a virtuoso in non- musical fields. A politician who helps pass a lot of bills might be called a legislative virtuoso. A baseball player who hits a lot of home runs is a slugging virtuoso. Usually, this word applies to music. It's very common for a talented pianist or guitarist to be called a virtuoso. Whatever your talent, it's a huge compliment to be called a virtuoso.
- 24. 146. enrapture To enrapture someone is cast an irresistible spell over them, to make them feel "rapture." I was enraptured by her gorgeous voice when someone enraptures another person, they're creating a feeling of wonder, enchantment, and delight that recalls that heavenly feeling. On our first date, I was so enraptured by his charm, humor, and good looks, I knew we would spend our lives together. 147. revelry Revelry is a wild, fun time. If you enjoy the revelry of a New Year's Eve party, you might pay for partying hard the next day. The noun revelry means merrymaking, but because it comes from the French word reveler meaning to rebel, its tone indicates carousing or noisy partying. revelry is a full-throttle festive gathering, where people outwardly enjoy themselves. 148. platitude If an executive gives a speech that begins, "This business is all about survival of the fittest. You need to burn the midnight oil and take one for the team," his employees might get sick of listening to these meaningless clichés and tell him to cut the platitudes. means a trite or obvious remark 149. immaculate Immaculate means spotless, pure, and clean as fresh snow on a far-off mountain. 150. platonic Platonic describes a relationship that is purely spiritual and not physical. If a guy and a girl hang out all the time but aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, they'd describe their friendship as platonic. Platonic love and platonic friendships are marked by the absence of physical or sexual desire. platonic word is used in a famous dialogue of Rajat in Pyaar ka punchnama 2
- 25. 151. credence Credence means truthfulness, or believability Meena talked a lot about the ghost in her house. To most, her story had little credence, but I like a good ghost story, and so, decided to believe. 152. ambiguous Look to the adjective ambiguous when you need to describe something that's open to more than one interpretation Something ambiguous is unclear or vague, like the end of a short story that leaves you scratching your head. 153. ambivalent If you can't decide how you feel about something, declare yourself ambivalent about it. 154. extravagant Extravagant is an adjective that means expensive, excessive, and over the top. 155. discreet Discreet describes someone or something that is appropriately quiet, prudent, and restrained. Often people use discreet not only to indicate modesty or carefulness, but also to show a sort of secretiveness 156. unprecedented Something that is unprecedented is not known, experienced, or done before. 157. repatriate When a country repatriates people, they are usually refugees who are being sent back to their homeland, often against their wishes.
- 26. 158. coffer A coffer is a small safe or lockbox that's meant for keeping precious or valuable items safe. 159. stature Stature is the another way to say "height of a person," means "a high level of respect gained by achievement." For example, after you win a Nobel Prize in literature, your new stature will bring new fans, more sales of your book, invitations to many exclusive dinner parties, and maybe even your picture on magazine covers all over the world. 160. sparse Something that’s sparse is thin, not dense. The room was sparsely furnished 161. affliction An affliction makes you suffer, but you have to deal with it anyway. Diseases are often said to be afflictions, but the word can mean just about anything that causes great suffering. The word can also be used as an exaggeration of something that isn't so bad–– "Homework is often seen as an affliction by students and parents alike." 162. pittance A pittance is a tiny payment or small reimbursement for work — generally an amount that's inadequate. The restaurant may pay you a pittance, but you can do well if you get a lot of good tips. 163. clout When you speak of someone having clout, it usually means that they communicate a sense of power or influence, particularly in the political sense. Clout can also mean to hit someone really hard — either the hit you give or the act of
- 27. hitting (―she clouted him with a baseball bat‖). Of course, the sense of having power and the actual hitting are related 164. indignantly If you are indignant about something, you're offended and mad because someone did something unfair. If you get an F on a paper you worked hard on and that you know is good, you might indignantly demand that your teacher explains the poor grade. 165. glut A glut is too much of something. A glut of gas in the marketplace can lower its price. 166. irreverent If you are irreverent, you don’t show respect toward something, To be irreverent doesn’t necessarily mean you don't like something; it’s just that you don’t display the same honor for it that other people do. You might have a more light- hearted approach, poking fun of the way other people seem to almost blindly show their devotion. 167. nimble If you're nimble, you can move quickly and with ease meaning "quick to grasp," can refer to one's mental quickness or physical agility. 168. vitality Are you full of life? Vigorous and energetic? Lucky you. You have vitality, the state of being strong and in great health. Vitality also has the general meaning of "life force," as in the mysterious power that separates the living from the dead. 169. exacerbate For a formal-sounding verb that means to make worse, try exacerbate. If you're in trouble, complaining about it will only exacerbate the problem.
- 28. A drought will exacerbate a country's food shortage. Worsen, intensify, aggravate and compound are similar, but exacerbate has the sense of an irritant being added in to make something bad even worse. 170. emasculate When you emasculate something or someone, you take away its strength. 171. frenzied The adjective frenzied describes something wild, excited, or rushed. You may have a frenzied morninng when you've overslept and need to get lunches made, the dog walked, and the kids off to school within the next fifteen minutes. Run! 172. buoyancy Buoyancy is a quality that makes things float in water. It's also a type of happiness: if you're full of buoyancy, your mood is light and happy. 173. enraged To be enraged is to be full of anger. Enraged people are in a fury. Rage is anger, and when you're enraged, you are extremely angry. 174. scorn Scorn is open disrespect for someone or something. It can also be disrespect coupled with feelings of intense dislike. The noun scorn describes your feelings of disdain when you encounter something you view as worthless or inferior 175. plight A plight is a situation that's hard to get out of. Learning about the plight of very poor people trying rebuild their homes after a devastating earthquake might inspire you to send money to a charity
- 29. 176. infiltrate If you infiltrate a group or organization, you join it in order to gain information, Infiltrate is a verb that is familiar to international spies and undercover agents, who are all adept at joining a group under false pretenses, fitting in, and working their way up to the highest ranks in order to find out as much information as they can about the group.