🔙 Quay lại trang tải sách pdf ebook Webster Essential Vocabulary Ebooks Nhóm Zalo www.SachVui.Com ® ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY www.SachVui.Com www.SachVui.Com ® ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY by David A. Herzog www.SachVui.Com Webster’s New World® Essential Vocabulary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or oth erwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600. 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PE1449.H445 2005 428.1—dc22 2004022068 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 www.SachVui.Com Acknowledgments The author would like to thank Willis, Gizmo, Lefty, and Archie for their furry invalu able assistance. v www.SachVui.Com www.SachVui.Com Dedication This book is dedicated to the memories of Rose and George Herzog, Henry Smolinski, and Allan Shaw, and to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren on four continents. vii www.SachVui.Com www.SachVui.Com Contents Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Pronunciation Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 Parts of Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 PART I: SAT® Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Quick Review #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Quick Review #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Quick Review #3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Quick Review #4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Quick Review #5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Quick Review #6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Quick Review #7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Quick Review #8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Quick Review #9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Quick Review #10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Quick Review #11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Quick Review #12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Quick Review #13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Quick Review #14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Quick Review #15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Quick Review #16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Quick Review #17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Quick Review #18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Quick Review #19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Quick Review #20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Quick Review #21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Quick Review #22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Quick Review #23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Quick Review #24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Quick Review #25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 ix x Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com Quick Review #26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Quick Review #27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 Quick Review #28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Quick Review #29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Quick Review #30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Quick Review #31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 Quick Review #32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 Quick Review #33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 Quick Review #34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Quick Review #35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Quick Review #36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106 Quick Review #37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109 Quick Review #38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110 F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 Quick Review #39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Quick Review #40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 G – H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Quick Review #41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120 Quick Review #42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Quick Review #43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Quick Review #44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 Quick Review #45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Quick Review #46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Quick Review #47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 Quick Review #48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 Quick Review #49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Quick Review #50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 J – K . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Quick Review #51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 Quick Review #52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Quick Review #53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152 M – N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Quick Review #54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 Quick Review #55 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158 Quick Review #56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 Quick Review #57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Quick Review #58 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 www.SachVui.Com Contents xi O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Quick Review #59 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 Quick Review #60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172 P – Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 Quick Review #61 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175 Quick Review #62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177 Quick Review #63 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179 Quick Review #64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 Quick Review #65 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185 Quick Review #66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187 Quick Review #67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .190 Quick Review #68 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192 Quick Review #69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195 R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 Quick Review #70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197 Quick Review #71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .200 Quick Review #72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202 Quick Review #73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204 Quick Review #74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206 S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 Quick Review #75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .210 Quick Review #76 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 Quick Review #77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Quick Review #78 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219 Quick Review #79 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222 T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Quick Review #80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225 Quick Review #81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227 Quick Review #82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230 U – Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231 Quick Review #83 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233 Quick Review #84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235 Quick Review #85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238 Quick Review #86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .240 PART II: GRE® Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241 A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243 Quick Review #87 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .245 Quick Review #88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247 Quick Review #89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250 Quick Review #90 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .252 xii Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Quick Review #91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .255 C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 Quick Review #92 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258 Quick Review #93 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .260 Quick Review #94 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .263 Quick Review #95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265 Quick Review #96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267 D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268 Quick Review #97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .270 Quick Review #98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .272 Quick Review #99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .275 E – F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 Quick Review #100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .278 Quick Review #101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281 Quick Review #102 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .283 Quick Review #103 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286 Quick Review #104 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .288 G – H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289 Quick Review #105 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291 Quick Review #106 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293 I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294 Quick Review #107 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296 Quick Review #108 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .299 Quick Review #109 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301 J – L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302 Quick Review #110 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303 Quick Review #111 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 M – N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306 Quick Review #112 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .308 Quick Review #113 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311 O – P . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312 Quick Review #114 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .314 Quick Review #115 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .316 Quick Review #116 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .319 Quick Review #117 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .322 Q – R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323 Quick Review #118 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .324 Quick Review #119 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327 Quick Review #120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329 www.SachVui.Com Contents xiii S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330 Quick Review #121 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .332 Quick Review #122 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .335 T – U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 Quick Review #123 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .338 V – Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 Quick Review #124 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .341 PART III: Answers to Quick Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343 Quick Review Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345 SAT Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .345 GRE Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .362 PART IV: Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .371 Appendix A: Prefixes and Suffixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373 Appendix B: Foreign Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381 www.SachVui.Com www.SachVui.Com Introduction How’s your vocabulary? Is it okay, pretty good, or exceptional? Whatever your answer to these questions, this is the book for you. For those whose vocabulary ranges from okay to pretty good, here is the opportunity to improve it. The main content is grouped into sets of words that have been taken from the SAT and GRE examinations over the past 10 years. These approximately 1,500 words are expected by the examiners to be familiar in one form or another to college and graduate school applicants. They need to become familiar to you, too. If your vocabulary is exceptional, this is the opportunity to see whether you real ly understand what the words you think you know mean and whether you can cor rectly use them in a sentence. Each word comes complete with a label indicating its part of speech, at least one definition (often more), and usually at least two sentences using the word. Most entries also include synonyms and other forms of the word, such as past tense and gerund forms (for verbs) and adverbial and noun forms (for adjectives). Following each group of vocabulary words is a matching test so that you can check what you’ve just studied. Check Appendix A for some very useful prefixes and suffixes that often affect the meanings of words. I also recommend you check Appendix B, which lists some foreign words that have insinuated themselves into the English language. These words are commonly used by the more literate among us — in addition to everyday words like sandwich, which reminds the author that he’s getting hun gry. Read on and have an enlightening and, hopefully, enjoyable experience. PRONUNCIATION KEY I’ve never much cared for the pronunciation keys used by most dictionaries because they use a whole different alphabet and set of symbols, which one must either memorize or keep referring to just to understand the sounds being represented. The key used here makes use of standard alphabet characters used in familiar words. The following is a list of the letters that are used and the sounds they make. These pronunciations are based on phonetic sounds. You might want to put a bookmark here so that you can get back to it quickly when needed. We indicate the stressed syllable of each word by using capital (KAP i tl) letters. 1 2 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com Letter(s) Makes a Sound Like . . . In the Word . . . a a hat ae ai hair ah o on aw aw saw ay a day ch ch chip e e bed ea ea ear ee ee bee g g go i i bid ing ing sing oe o work oh o go oo oo moon ow ow cow oy oy toy s s kiss th th think TH th that u oo took uh u rug y y my zh s measure www.SachVui.ComPARTS OF SPEECH Introduction 3 Parts of speech are indicated by italicized abbreviations: adj. (adjective), adv. (adverb), conj. (conjunction), n. (noun), pn. (pronoun), pr. (preposition), vi. (intran sitive verb), and vt. (transitive verb). To review a little grammar very briefly, a noun is a person, place, or thing. An adjective modifies a noun. For example, a pretty girl gets more attention than a plain girl. In the preceding sentence, both pretty and plain are adjectives modifying two separate occurrences of the noun, girl. A verb is an action word. If the verb is transitive, it carries the action to an object. Consider the following sentence: Peter ate a grape. In that sentence, the grape receives the action of the transitive verb, to eat (past tense, ate). The verb, to eat, can also be intransitive, if nothing is receiving the action. For example, when I go to dinner, I eat. An adverb modifies a verb, another adverb, or an adjective. Look at the follow ing sentence: The boat moved quickly. Quickly is an adverb modifying the verb, moved. www.SachVui.Com www.SachVui.Com Part I SAT® WORDS Answers to Quick Review questions are found in Part III. Words followed by an asterisk (*) also have appeared as vocabulary words on the Graduate Record Examinations® (GRE®). www.SachVui.Com www.SachVui.Com A abandon (uh BAN dn) vt. 1. to give up something forever; 2. to leave in a time of danger • Abandon all hope of seeing your family again. • We must abandon the boathouse until the storm is over. [-ed, -ing, abandonment n.] [Syn. quit, desert, forsake (Each of these has a slightly differ ent emotion attached to it.)] abbreviate (uh BREE vee ayt) vt. to shorten something by leaving a part, or parts, out • We might abbreviate this word abbrev. • The student abbreviated most of the words in his or her class notes to keep up with the teacher’s lecture. [-d, abbreviating, abbreviation n.] ability (uh BIL etee) n. 1. being able; having power to do something; 2. skill, expertise, power • You have the ability to succeed at what you attempt. • Einstein had exceptional mathematical ability. • An automobile lacks the ablility to pull a freight train. abridge (uh BRIJ) vt. 1. to reduce in scope; 2. to shorten while maintaining the essence • Condensed books abridge the original to appeal to a less than scholarly audience. • The 9-hour Lord of the Rings trilogy was abridged to 1 1/2 hours for its tele vision broadcast. [-d, abridging] abscond (ab SKAHND) vi. to run away and hide; especially to avoid capture by law enforcers • Jesse James absconded just ahead of the sheriff. • To abscond often results in a false sense of security. [-ed, -ing, absconder n.] absolve (ab ZAHLV) vt. 1. to declare free from guilt; 2. to free from duty or a promise • The Lord absolved the sinner and forgave him. • The jury absolved the accused of any wrongdoing. • Dad absolved Junior of his promise to wash the car. [-d, absolving, absolver n.] [Syn. pardon, forgive, acquit] 7 8 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com absorb (ab ZAWRB) vt. 1. to suck up; 2. to take up the full energy or attention of; engross; 3. to take in and incorporate; 4. to assume the full cost • The sponge absorbed the entire spill. • Learning fractions absorbed Hailee’s full attention. • If we fail to absorb the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat them. • I’ll absorb the charge for the window replacement. [-ed, -ing, absorbant adj.] abstain (ab STAYN) vi. to hold back (from); refrain from • I shall abstain from smoking or drinking. • Three voted for the bill, two against it, and one abstained. [-ed, -ing, abstention n.] abstract (ab STRAKT for adj., AB strakt for n., v.) adj. 1. not concrete; thought of apart from any material object; 2. not easily understood —n. a brief statement of the content of a book, court case, article, etc.; a summary —vt. to remove or take away; to summarize • I had an abstract idea of what he meant, but nothing solid. • Frankie’s ideas were too abstract to fully comprehend. • We knew about the case from having read the abstract. • Abstract the story, stating only the relevant facts. [-ed, -ing, abstraction n., abstractly adv.] absurd (ab SOERD or ab ZOEHRD) adj. 1. so obviously untrue as to be laugh able; 2. laughably different from what is reasonable • The story that his arms were tired because he had just flown in from Los Angeles was absurd. • The outfit that Gino wore with the red and white striped shirt and the green and yellow checked pants was absurd. [absurdly adv., absurdity n.] accentuate (ak SEN choo ayt) vt. 1. to pronounce or mark with a stress or accent; 2. emphasize • When you tell people about your vacation, accentuate the high points and play down the low points. • Wear clothing that accentuates your youthful looks. [-d, accentuating, accentuation n.] acceptable (ak SEPT ibl) adj. adequate; tolerable; bearable; okay • Eating peas at a restaurant using only your knife is not considered accept able manners. • Dressing in a toga is considered acceptable at certain fraternity parties. www.SachVui.ComQUICK REVIEW #1 A: SAT Words 9 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. abandon 2. abbreviated 3. ability 4. abridge 5. abscond 6. absolve 7. absorb 8. abstain 9. abstract 10. absurd 11. accentuate 12. acceptable a. condense b. refrain c. engross d. theoretical e. forsake f. ridiculous g. acquit h. tolerable i. emphasize j. expertise k. shortened l. flee acceptance (ak SEP tins) n. 1. being accepted; 2. an approval • Jack’s acceptance by Jill’s family made him very happy. • Ian’s acceptance of full responsibility for the telephone charges got Kira off the hook (so to speak). access (AK ses) n. 1. the act of coming near to; approach; 2. a way of approach ing something; 3. the right to enter or use something —vt. to gain or have use of a database • The access to the house was through the side door. • Sebastian gained access to his car through the driver’s window. [-ed, -ing] accommodate (uh KOM uh dayt) vt. 1. to make fit; to adapt; adjust; 2. to rec oncile; 3. to do a service or favor for; 4. to have room for • An adapter is needed for your sink to accommodate the dishwasher hose. • Even though I don’t want to do it, I’ll accommodate you. • The hotel accommodates its guests with room service. • The kitchen accommodates seating space for four. [-d, accommodating] 10 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com accommodation (uh kom uh DAY shun) n. 1. adjustment; adaptation to a cer tain use; 2. reconciliation of differences; 3. a convenience; 4. living or traveling space • Myles made an accommodation to staying up all night and annoying his parents by sleeping most of the day. • The employee and his former boss reached an accommodation over the mat ter of severance pay. • Having coffeemakers in each room was an accommodation for motel guests. • The train’s compartment had sleeping accommodations for up to four passengers. accomplice (uh KOM plis) n. a person who knowingly assists in committing a crime; partner in crime • While Bob was robbing the bank, his accomplice, Louise, was behind the wheel of the getaway car. [Syn. associate] accomplish (uh KOM plish) vt. 1. to do or succeed in doing; 2. to perfect; to complete • Rocio accomplished her task of bathing the dog. • The human fly never failed to accomplish its mission. [-ed, -ing, accomplishment n.] [Syn. perform, reach] accord (uk AWRD) vt. 1. to make agree; to reconcile; 2. to grant or concede —vi. mutual agreement —n. 1. an informal agreement, as between two states or coun tries; 2. consent; permission • Our objectives are in accord. • I intend to accord you every courtesy. • Jakob had his dad’s accord to use the family car. [-ed, -ing, (in) accordance n.] accost (uh KAWST) vt. to approach and greet first (often in an intrusive way) • I wouldn’t be so bold as to accost someone who did not greet me first. • I was walking along, minding my own business, when I was accosted by a street peddler. [-ed, -ing] account (uh KOWNT) vt. to tell, consider, or judge —vi. 1. to furnish a reckon ing of money collected and/or payed out; 2. to make acceptable amends for; 3. to give acceptible reasons for —n. 1. a counting or calculation; 2. a record of monetary funds; 3. a bank account; 4. a record of transactions • The detective asked Jim to account for his time on Sunday. • The cashier had to account for her daily receipts. • The criminal must account for his or her evil action. • Karen accounts for her funds in her checkbook register. • There’s no accounting for people’s tastes. • Jason keeps track of what is due to him in his accounts receivable ledger. [-ed, -ing, accountable n.] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 11 accuracy (AK yur isee) n. the quality of being correct or exact; exactness, preciseness • Weather forecasts are not renowned for their accuracy. • Robin Hood could shoot an arrow with great accuracy. accurate (AK yur it) adj. 1. careful and precise; 2. free from errors; 3. sticking closely to a standard (like a scale) • Ian made an accurate drawing of his pet pug Willis. • Sarah had to be accurate in math to get a grade of 100%. • Making candy requires a very accurate thermometer. [accurately adv.] [Syn. precise] achieve (uh CHEEV) vt. 1. to succeed in doing; 2. to get somewhere; to attain; to gain —vi. to succeed • Franklin Roosevelt achieved election to the U.S. presidency four separate times. • It is difficult to achieve the lead in the Tour de France bicycle race. • When Hillary tried to climb Everest, the goal was his to achieve. [-d, achieving, achievement n.] [Syn. reach, perform] QUICK REVIEW #2 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. acceptance 2. access 3. accommodate 4. accommodation 5. accomplice 6. accomplish 7. accord 8. accost 9. account 10. accuracy 11. accurate 12. achieve a. adjust b. perform c. careful d. judge e. precision f. approach g. gain h. approval i. associate j. consent k. adaptation l. intrude 12 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com acknowledge (ak NAH lidzh) vt. 1. to admit to be true; confess; 2. to recognize the claims or authority of; 3. to answer a greeter, respond to an introduction, etc.; 4. to express thanks for; 5. to affirm the reception of something • Roxane acknowledged the charges against her. • The insuror acknowledged the claims of the victim. • The chair acknowledges the senator from Neverland. • I’d like to acknowledge both my parents for the gift of life. [-d, acknowledging, acknowledgment n.] acquire (ak WYR) vt. 1. to gain or get something; 2. to take possession of; obtain • You would do well to acquire a good education. • We all acquire some of our parents’ traits by heredity. • The United States acquired the Louisiana Territory by purchasing it from France. • An appreciation for caviar is an acquired taste, unlike a love for creamed corn, which is, of course, innate. [-d, acquiring] acquisition* (AK wuh zi shuhn) n. something or someone obtained • A developer’s acquisition of the old Bethlehem Corp.’s property is seen as a good thing for Easton. • Tania’s acquisition of a new PDA made her very happy. • Ali’s acquisition of a new chauffeur pleased her to no end. [acquisitive adj., acquisitively adv., acquisitiveness n.] acrimony (AK ruh moh nee) n. bitterness, sharpness, or harshness of speech, manner, or temper • The acrimony of the temper of a scorned woman is legendary both in litera ture and in life. • Dylan greeted the news that his new DVD player did not work at all with considerable acrimony in his oaths. [acrimonious adj., acrimoniously adv.] [Syn. asperity] acute (uh KYOOT) adj. 1. sharply pointed; 2. shrewd; quick of mind; 3. sensitive to something (like acute hearing); 4. severe and sharp (like acute pain); 5. serious; severe • An acute angle forms a sharp point. • Geoffrey’s acute mind made short work of the crossword. • The eagle’s acute eyesight can pick up a mouse on the ground from hun dreds of meters in the air. • Certain pains, like John, are acute but of short duration. • There is an acute shortage of labor in some job categories. [-ly adv., acuity n.] [Syn. sharp, keen, critical] adapt* (uh DAPT) vt. 1. to make suitable or to make fit by changing; 2. to change oneself to fit new or changed conditions • Jim thought it perfectly sensible to adapt his gas stove’s IN line to connect to the hot water line from his sink. • When Mary travels between Miami and Juneau, she adapts her wardrobe— especially outerwear—accordingly. [-ed, -ing, -able adj., -ation, -er, adaptability n.] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 13 adept (uh DEPT) adj. very skilled, expert —n. a person who is very skilled in some field of endeavor or knowledge • George Jetson will be a very adept widget maker. • When it comes to guarding those Academy Award winners, the accounting firm of Price Waterhouse has shown itself to be adept. [adeptly adv., adeptness n.] [Syn. expert] adhere* (ad HEER) vi. 1. to stick to something; stick to a plan; 2. to stay firm in support of a leader or a plan • Peanut butter will adhere to one’s teeth almost every time. • The candidate adhered to her promise to support the health plan, even after she was elected. • The secretary adhered to his boss’s story, even after the latter had changed it. [-d, adhering, adherer, adherence n.] [Syn. stick] adjudicate (uh JOO dik ayt) vt. to hear and decide a court case —vi. to serve as a judge to decide some dispute or problem • Judge Judy adjudicates cases on television five days a week. • Melissa agreed to adjudicate a dispute between two of her neighbors on how high to construct a fence between their backyards. [-d, adjudicating] admirable (AD muh ruh bl) adj. inspiring or deserving admiration or praise; excellent; splendid • Melissa’s success in totally renovating the house with limited available resources is admirable. • The varsity hockey team did an admirable job defending against their opponent’s star shooter. • The orchestra performed admirably at last night’s concert. [admirably adv.] admire (ad MYR) vt. 1. to look upon with approval, wonder, and delight; 2. to have a high regard for • Any basketball fan has to admire the effortlessness with which Jason Kidd dishes the rock to his teammates. • Students of the Korean police action of the 1950s admire General MacArthur’s daring in landing his troops and equipment behind the enemy lines at Inchon. [-d, admiring, admiration n.] adorn (uh DAWRN) vt. 1. to be ornamental to; add beauty or distinction to; 2. put decorations on; ornament • Many ornaments are hung on a Christmas tree to adorn it. • Jewelry often adorns a woman’s arms and neck. • In summer, a house’s lawn is often adorned by colorful flowers. [-ed, -ing, adornment n.] [Syn. beautify, decorate, bedeck] 14 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com QUICK REVIEW #3 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. acknowledge 2. acquire 3. acquisition 4. acrimony 5. acute 6. adapt 7. adept 8. adhere 9. adjudicate 10. admirable 11. admire 12. adorn a. harshness b. bedeck c. decide d. approve e. stick f. confess g. splendid h. gain i. change j. hire k. expert l. serious adulate (AD joo let) vt. 1. to praise too highly or flatter in a servile manner; 2. to admire to an excessive degree • In the king’s presence, his subjects often adulate him. • Ali always adulates her husband Joe when she’s looking to get him to do something for her. [-d, adulating, adulation, adulator n., adulatory adj.] advantageous (AD van TAY juhss) adj. resulting in having an advantage; prof itable; favorable • The outbreak of war in Europe was quite advantageous for American industry. • Because they get to bat last, the home team in a baseball game is in an advantageous position. adversarial* (AD voer SER ee uhl) adj. of or characterized by disagreement, opposition, hostility, etc. (as would be the case between adversaries) • A prosecutor and a defense attorney have an adversarial relationship—at least while they are in court. • During the U.S. Civil War, the Union and the Confederacy were adversarial. adversary (AD vuhr SER ee) n. a person who fights against another; one who is in opposition to something • Muhammad Ali was Joe Frasier’s adversary in the boxing ring on three sepa rate occasions. • The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox are legendary adversaries in baseball’s American League. • In World War II, the U.S.’s Pacific adversary was Japan. [Syn. enemy, opponent] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 15 adversity (ad VER si tee) n. a state of poverty and trouble; a condition of mis fortune or wretchedness; an instance of calamity • Those who lived through the Great Depression of the early 1930s learned how to triumph over adversity. • The only solution to the adversity of those living in the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma in the 1930s was to move away. • The Japanese automobile and electronics industries helped the country to recover from the adversity of defeat. aerate (AER ayt) vt. 1. to open to air or to cause air to circulate through; 2. to get oxygen to the blood (as in respiration); 3. to charge a liquid with gas (such as making soda pop) • To improve the taste of drinking water, huge plants aerate it before it is sent to your home. • Your lungs aerate the blood that is brought there from your heart as part of your pulmonary circulation. • Soft drink makers aerate their drinks by forcing carbon dioxide to dissolve under pressure. [-d, aerating, aeration n.] aesthetic* (es the tik) adj. 1. of beauty; 2. sensitive to art and beauty; demon strating good taste; being artistic • Van Gogh’s Starry Night has an aesthetic quality that defies being expressed in words. • Aaron was touched by the aesthetic arrangement of the flowers blooming in the garden. [aesthetically adv., aesthetical, aesthete n.] affect (uh FEKT) vt. 1. to influence; to produce a change; 2. to move or cause an emotional response; 3. to pretend to be, have, feel, or like —n. an emotional response; an emotion or feeling attached to an idea • Both crosswind and current affect our ability to row straight across to the other side of the river. • Seeing the photos of the liberated concentration camp inmates affects many people. • As the voice of Shrek, Mike Meyers affects the role of a lovable green ogre. [-ed, -ing, affectable adj.] [Syn. assume (sense 3)] affront (uhf RUHNT) vt. 1. to openly or purposefully insult; offend; slight; 2. to confront in a defiant manner —n. an open or deliberate insult • Don’t affront Bill’s mother by telling her the chicken she prepared tasted like the take-out chicken’s bucket. • When you tell your parents you’ll do anything you want regardless of what they think, you affront them. • Debbie’s not inviting Sally to her birthday party was a deliberate affront. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. offend] 16 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com agenda* (uh JEN duh) n. a list of things to be done; especially, a program of things to be done at a meeting • Jason wanted to settle down and have children, but his brother Dylan had a totally different agenda. • “Old Business” was the second thing on the agenda for the meeting, just after the reading of the minutes from the last meeting. agile (A juhl) adj. 1. able to move quickly and easily; deft and active of body or mind; 2. keen and lively (of mind) • The ballerina showed how agile she was as she effortlessly danced and frol icked about the stage. • The comedian was agile of mind as he moved from one quip seamlessly to the next. [agilely adv., agility n.] agrarian (uhg RAR ee uhn) adj. 1. relating to land in general; 2. relating to farms, farmers, and agriculture • The agrarian laws of the late twentieth century had the government paying farmers to not grow certain crops. • Agrarian schools teach farmers about crop rotation and how alternating certain crops replenishes soil nutrients. QUICK REVIEW #4 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. adulate 2. advantageous 3. adversarial 4. adversary 5. adversity 6. aerate 7. aesthetic 8. affect 9. affront 10. agenda 11. agile 12. agrarian a. hostile b. carbonate c. list d. offend e. fawn f. agricultural g. keen h. artistic i. profitable j. calamity k. assume l. opponent www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 17 agreement (uh GREE mnt) n. 1. being in harmony or accord; 2. an understand ing between two parties; 3. a contract • Tania and Ali came to an agreement on who’d bring what to the Cinco de Mayo party. • Canada and the U.S. have an agreement concerning the openness of their shared border. • Calling a strike would violate the union’s agreement with the automaker. ailment (AYL mnt) n. disease; illness; any mental or physical disorder, especial ly a mild but persistent one • Marley walked with a limp as a result of a bout with rickets, an ailment that had affected him as a puppy. • Delusions of grandeur describes an ailment that afflicts many teenaged boys. alacrity (uh LAK ri tee) n. eager readiness or willingness, usually demonstrated by quick and lively action • Consuela ate her dinner with alacrity, eager to leave to go to the movie theater. • Willis wagged his tail rapidly indicating his alacrity to go for a walk when he heard Jim getting his leash. alchemy (AL ku mee) n. 1. an early combination of magic, chemistry, and philosophy from the Middle Ages, the main purposes of which were to turn base metals into gold and to find the elixir for eternal youth; 2. a process or power for turning one thing into a better thing as if by miraculous means • Four-year-old Francesco was positive that his grandfather could practice alchemy to change his pennies into quarters. • Anyone who believes that a cottage sitting on a quarter acre of land can be turned into a mansion believes in the teachings of alchemy. [alchemical adj., alchemically adv., alchemist n.] alienate (AY lee en ayt) vt. 1. to transfer land ownership to another; 2. to estrange; make unfriendly; 3. to cause to be detached or withdrawn; 4. to cause a change of affection • That to sell a piece of property to another is to alienate it is a rarely used meaning of the word in the U.S. • When you ask a friend’s former girlfriend for a date, you’re likely to alien ate that friend. Ask a friend’s current boyfriend for a date and you’re cer tain to alienate her. • Snatching a dog’s food from his mouth is likely to alienate the dog—espe cially if it’s not your own pet. • Sally told Suzie stories about Cheryl’s past dealings with her friends that were sure to alienate Suzie from Cheryl and, she hoped, gain Suzie’s friend ship for herself. [-d, alienation n.] 18 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com ally* (uh LY for vt., A ly for n.) vt. 1. to unite or join with for a certain purpose; 2. to relate by similarity of purpose, structure, or other character —n. 1. a country, group, or individual joined with others for a common end; 2. plants or animals closely related by some characteristic • A marriage was often used to ally two royal European families during the Middle Ages and beyond. • The U.K. was our ally in both wars with Iraq. • The lilly and the onion are two closely allied bulbs. [allied, allying, allies pl., alliance n.] [Syn. associate] alter (AWL ter) vt. 1. to cause to change in detail but not in substance; modify; 2. to take parts of a garment and resew them for a better fit; 3. to neuter (an animal) —vi. to change; become different • Mike and Alice altered their plans for the evening. • The tailor had to alter the gown to make it fit Jan better. • Alter your pet to keep down an overpopulation of strays. • The Fab Five altered Al’s style of dress and his lifestyle. [-ed, -ing, alteration n.] [Syn. change, vary] although (awl THOH) conj. despite the fact that; granting that; though • Mike sat down to dinner, although he had eaten less than a half hour before. • Although Mary claimed to not care for opera, she had to admit that the music from Il Trovatore was exceptional. altruism (AL troo i zm) n. unselfish concern for others’ well-being • It had to be altruism as well as bravery that caused Maria to run into the burning house to rescue the crying child. • It is uncommon to see a case of pure altruism, where there is no thought of personal gain. [altruist n.] [Syn. selflessness] ambiguous* (am BIG yoo uhs) adj. 1. having more than one possible meaning; 2. unclear; vague; indefinite • The third base coach’s ambiguous signals left the batter not knowing whether to swing away or bunt. • Roxane was ambiguous in her instructions for feeding the cat while she was away. [-ly adv., -ness, ambiguity n., ambiguities pl.] [Syn. obscure] ambivalence (am BIV uh lens) n. having conflicting feelings about a person or thing at the same time, such as love and hate • Karen had a real ambivalence about being invited to Uncle Bob’s cabin; she loved visiting but hated the four-hour trip. • David showed ambivalence about serving artichokes because, while they are delicious, they’re a pain to prepare. www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 19 amenity (uh MEN i tee) n. 1. pleasing quality; attractiveness; 2. a pleasant or desirable feature; something that adds to one’s comfort —pl. the courteous manners and pleasant acts of polite social behavior • The tropical scenery is only one amenity of Hawaii. • Hawaii’s climate is an additional amenity of the place. • The restaurant’s servers and hostesses demonstrated all the amenities one would expect at those prices. [amenities pl.] QUICK REVIEW #5 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. agreement 2. ailment 3. alacrity 4. alchemy 5. alienate 6. ally 7. alter 8. although 9. altruism 10. ambiguous 11. ambivalence 12. amenity a. magic b. vary c. selflessness d. despite e. conflict f. contract g. unclear h. pleasantness i. estrange j. illness k. associate l. eagerness amicable (AM i kuh bl) adj. feeling friendly; demonstrating goodwill; peaceable • Alice and her husband Ted had an amicable discussion about putting in a flower garden in the spring. • Bob and Carol separated on amicable terms. [amicably adv., amicability n.] among (uh MUHNG) prep. 1. In the midst of; surrounded by; included in a group of; 2. from place to place in; 3. in the number or group of; 4. by or with a lot of • You are among friends. • He passed among the crowd. • Ralph is included among the supporters of the president. • Machiavelli’s work is popular among business executives. 20 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com amorphous (uh MAWR fuhs) adj. 1. lacking definite form; shapeless; 2. of no specific type; anomolous; 3. indefinite; vague • Sulfur is a yellow, nonmetallic element that is found in crystal and amor phous forms. • To one unfamiliar with the game of rugby, the game appears to be gov erned by amorphous rules. • When Gino tried to pin Hailee down to a specific time, all he could get from her was an amorphous response. [amorphously adv.] amphibian (am FIB ee en) n. 1. any one of a class of cold-blooded vertebrates without scales (including frogs, newts, salamanders, and toads) that starts life with gills, living in the water, and later develops lungs; 2. any plant or animal that is at home both on land and in water; 3. any aircraft or vehicle that can operate on land and in water • It is not unusual to find amphibians in and around a pond. • The early Pan American Airways Clippers were amphibians that loaded and unloaded their passengers on land but took off from and landed on water. [amphibious adj.] amplify* (AMP li fy) vt. 1. to make bigger and stronger; increase or extend (power, authority, etc.); 2. to strengthen by adding details, examples, etc.; 3. (electronics) to strengthen an audio signal or electrical current • Caesar Augustus amplified the reach of the Roman Empire. • The robbery victim amplified his story by providing the license plate num ber of the felon’s car and a thorough description of his height, build, and clothing. • The sound of the lead singer’s voice is almost inaudible, but the sound engineer will amplify it to make it stand out. [amplified, amplifying, amplification, amplifier n.] amusement (uh MYOOZ mnt) n. 1. the condition of being entertained; 2. a thing or activity that amuses or entertains; entertainment • Randy’s amusement was Claire’s main occupation. • Marcia played solitaire for her own amusement. • The antics of the dancing bears was a source of great amusement for the audience. amusing (uh MYOOZ eeng) adj. 1. entertaining; diverting; 2. causing laughter or merriment • The comedian’s stand-up routine was very amusing. • An amusing incident takes one’s mind off his or her woes. • Jose’s amusing facial contortions made everyone laugh. [Syn. funny] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 21 anachronism (un AK ron i zm) n. 1. the putting forth of something as having happened outside its appropriate time, especially earlier; 2. anything that seems to be out of its proper time frame in history • The depiction in some movies of people interacting with dinosaurs is an often-portrayed anachronism. • Anachronism is a frequently used tool of literature because it allows all sorts of interactions that would be otherwise impossible. • Having a conversation with the founding fathers or interviewing Abe Lincoln or Marie Curie are but three literary uses for anachronism. [anachronistic adj., anachronistically adv.] analogy (uh NAL uh gee) n. 1. a likeness in some ways between things that are otherwise not alike; 2. the likening of one thing to another based on some shared similarity • There is an analogy between polar bears and humans, in that both are mammals and both live on earth. • Mork’s analogy convinced Mindy that her problem closely resembled the one Curtis had last month; the circumstances were the same although the names and locations differed. [analogous adj., analogously adv.] [Syn. likeness] analysis* (uh NA lis is) n. 1. breaking up or separating a whole into its parts so that they can be inspected to determine their nature, proportions, functions, etc.; any detailed inspection; 2. a statement of the results of this process • The statement is undergoing detailed analysis to determine its true meaning. • The specimen was sent to the laboratory for analysis. • The historian’s analysis of the spaghetti company’s battle for supremacy is available in his latest book, Pasta for You. analytical (an uh LIT ik uhl) adj. 1. something that separates into constituent parts; 2. skilled at using analysis • Greg’s analytical mind breaks each problem into tiny parts and carefully examines each and every one. • The more one practices analytical procedures, the more skilled at them he or she is likely to become. [analytic, analytically adv.] [Antonym: synthetic] analyze (AN i LYZ) vt. 1. to separate into constituent parts so as to determine their nature, proportion, interrelationship, etc.; 2. to examine in detail to find out the nature, tendencies, etc. of something; 3. to psychoanalyze • Heat is often very handy as a tool to help analyze the composition of sub stances, because once vaporized the substances’ unique light spectra can be recorded. • A microscope is a useful tool to analyze things that are invisible to the naked eye. • Some people need analyzing by a shrink. [-d, analyzing, analyzer n.] 22 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com QUICK REVIEW #6 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. amicable 2. among 3. amorphous 4. amphibian 5. amplify 6. amusement 7. amusing 8. anachronistic 9. analogy 10. analysis 11. analytical 12. analyze a. entertainment b. examine c. likeness d. examination e. vague f. untimely g. separating h. friendly i. funny j. within k. increase l. caecilian anarchy (AN er kee) n. 1. a complete lack of government; 2. characterized by political disorder and violence; lawlessness; 3. disorder in any area of activity or endeavor • With no government in power, anarchy reigned supreme. • In the current state of anarchy, looting and violence were the everyday state of affairs. • With no proven theory as to the mechanism of the Copelia virus, anarchy prevailed in the field of viral research. [anarchic, anarchical adj., anarchist n., anarchically adv.] ancestor (AN ses toer) n. 1. someone from whom one is descended, especially one earlier than a grandparent; forefather; forebear; 2. an earlier kind of animal from which later types have evolved; 3. anything regarded as a forerunner of a thing that developed later • My neighbor Bryan claims that Davey Crockett was his ancestor. • The sabertooth tiger is thought to be an ancestor of today’s big cats as well as domesticated cats. • The British Morris Mini is considered the ancestor of all modern compact cars with sideways-mounted engines. [ancestral adj.] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 23 ancient (AYN shent) adj. 1. belonging to the distant past, especially prior to the end of the Western Roman Empire (476 A.D.); 2. having been in existence a long time; very, very old; 3. antiquated; old-fashioned —n. 1. a person who lived in ancient times; 2. a very old person • In ancient days, Athens and Sparta were great city-states. • Baltimore’s Fort McHenry is an ancient structure. • Barbara thinks her mom’s notions of proper behavior are totally ancient, dude. • Julius Caesar was an ancient; so is my grandfather. [Syn. old] ancillary (AN sil er ee) adj. 1. underling or subordinate, often used with to; 2. that serves as an aid; auxiliary • On the Minnow, Gilligan was ancillary to the Skipper. • While the main body of a news article imparts primary information, side bars usually contain ancillary or related facts. anecdote (AN ik doht) n. 1. a short, entertaining account of something that happened, usually personal or biographical; 2. (obsolete) a little-known amusing fact • Jonah related the anecdote about himself and the whale. • Many are unaware of the fact that some social studies books once con tained the anecdote that Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin that he’d built with his own hands. [anecdotal adj., anecdotally adv.] [Syn. story] animate (AN i mayt) vt. 1. to bring to life; to give life to; 2. to cause to be ener getic or spirited; 3. to move to action; inspire • Skillful puppeteers are able to convincingly animate lifeless, wooden, marionettes. • You can rely on Harold to join in a dull discussion and, by so doing, to immediately animate it. • The group of soldiers sat around acting glum, until Sergeant Jones animated them to take action. [-d, animating, animation n.] antagonist* (an TAG uh nisst) n. 1. a person who competes against or opposes another; adversary; opponent; 2. a muscle, drug, etc. that acts to opppose another • The Boston Red Sox baseball team is the chief antagonist of the New York Yankees baseball team. • For every muscle in your body that causes a body part to move in a certain direction, an antagonist muscle exists to return the part to its original position. [-ic adj., -ically adv., antagonism n.] [Syn. opponent] 24 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com anthology (an THOL i jee) n. a collection of short stories, songs, poems, excerpts, etc. compiled into a single book • Every poetry collection is an anthology if more than a single poet’s works are included. • Almost every CD of popular music is an anthology of songs. [-logies pl., -logize vt., -logizer, -logist n., -logistic adj.] antiquated (an tik WAY tid) adj. 1. no longer useful or used; obsolete; out of date; old fashioned; 2. very aged • A very small part of this book was typed on an antiquated IBM Selectric typewriter—a very small part. • I usually drive an antiquated Toyota from the mid-1980s. [antiquate vt.] [Syn. old] antiseptic (AN ti SEP tik) adj. 1. disallowing infection, decay, etc. by slowing the growth of microbes; 2. free from infectious agents or infection; 3. very clean; sterile; 4. untouched by life’s problems, emotions, etc. —n. a cleaning agent meant to prevent the growth of bacteria and viruses • When you get a cut, it’s a good idea to use an antiseptic cream to prevent its becoming infected. • An operating room should be in antiseptic condition. • You need not keep your room antiseptic; just neat will do. • The hermit led an antiseptic life, locked away in his penthouse apartment with no contact with the outside. [-ally adv.] anxiety (ang ZY i tee) n. 1. a state of uneasiness, apprehension, or worriedness about what the future might hold; 2. feeling powerless and unprepared to deal with threatening (usually imaginary) events; 3. an eager but often uneasy concern (to do well) • Karen always felt anxiety about her investments in the stock market and was nervous about losing money. • Lou’s biggest anxiety concerned earthquakes, which was especially unusual because he lived in New York City. • Anxiety hung heavily in the air of the SAT exam room. [anxieties pl.] [Syn. care] apathetic (AP uh THET ik) adj. 1. feeling emotionless; unmoved; 2. disinterested; listless • That most Americans were apathetic to the election was evidenced by the very low turnout. • Football fans are rarely apathetic to the fortunes of their home teams; they yell and cheer for them, even on TV. [-ally adv., apathy n.] [Syn. impassive] www.SachVui.ComQUICK REVIEW #7 A: SAT Words 25 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. anarchy 2. ancestor 3. ancient 4. ancillary 5. anecdote 6. animate 7. antagonist 8. anthology 9. antiquated 10. antiseptic 11. anxiety 12. apathetic a. auxiliary b. impassive c. clean d. aged e. collection f. care g. lawlessness h. inspire i. story j. forebear k. opponent l. obsolete appalling (uh PAWL ing) adj. creating horror, shock, or dismay • The children’s lack of attention while crossing the busy street was absolute ly appalling. • An appallingly large number of the general public have no notion of what March Madness means. [-ly adv., appall vt. (appalled)] [Syn. dismaying] apparent (uh PAR int) adj. 1. easily seen; visible; 2. readily understood or per ceived; obvious; evident; 3. seeming (but not necessarily) true • Your coat’s location is apparent; I can see it on the rack. • It was clearly apparent that when the judge decided the case, she did not have all the information. • Ian has an apparent knowledge of the stock, but I don’t think you should buy it until the research has been completed. [-ly adv.] [Syn. evident] appearance (uh PEER enss) n. 1. a coming forth or becoming visible; 2. the outward look or aspect of a person or thing; 3. any thing or person seen; 4. an out ward pretense; 5. how things seem to be (but are not necessarily) • She made an appearance at the Oscar presentations. • Gina’s appearance was one of calm and stateliness. • The groundhog’s appearance was ever so brief, and it soon disappeared back into its burrow. • Though only of middling means, Genghis and Sylvia Kahn liked to keep up an appearance of being well off. • From all appearances, he’s innocent. 26 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com appreciate (uh PREE shee AYT) vt. 1. to think well of; to understand or enjoy; esteem; 2. to recognize and be thankful for; 3. to estimate the quality or value of (especially favorably); 4. to be sensitively aware of; 5. to increase the price or value of • We all appreciate how well mannered Shewana is. • Many of her students appreciate the educational experience Mrs. Sheridan provides in her applied physics class. • The connoisseur appreciated the fineness of the woodwork. • The college entrance committee fully appreciates all the applicants’ concern for its ethnic and racial blindness. • The price of fine art continues to appreciate even as you are reading this sentence. [-d, appreciating, appreciation n.] [Syn. treasure, cherish, pride] approach (uh PROHch) vt. 1. to come close or closer to; 2. to be similar to; to approximate; 3. a proposal or request to; to make advances; 4. to start dealing with • You may approach the rim of the Grand Canyon, but don’t approach it too closely—for obvious reasons. • Digital audiotape approaches the quality of CD sound. • Do you have the nerve to approach your boss for a raise? • It’s time to approach the matter of clearing the flood waters’ debris out of the basement. [-es pl., -ed, -ing, -able adj., -ability n. (also approach n.)] appropriate (uh PROH pree AYT for v., uh PROH pree it for adj.) vt. 1. to take for one’s exclusive use; 2. to take without permission or improperly; 3. to set aside for a certain use or particular person —adj. right for the purpose; suitable; fit; proper • The Duchess has been known to appropriate the entire seating area of a town’s only restaurant when she desires to have tea. • Jane’s mother overruled Jane’s attempt to appropriate her neighbor’s lawn chair. • Farmer Jack had to appropriate the horse to draw the sleigh—at least until the snowmobile was fixed. • A bathing suit is appropriate for the swimming pool but not at all appropri ate for the igloo. [-d, appropriating, -ness, appropriation n.] [Syn. fit] aquarium (uh KWAER ee uhm) n. 1. a tank, usually having glass sides, or a pool, bowl, etc. for keeping live water plants, fish, and/or aquatic mammals; 2. a building used to put such collections on exhibit • Margie had tropical fish in the 20-gallon aquarium that she kept against a wall of the living room. • The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, is a major tourist attrac tion in that city’s inner harbor. www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 27 arable (AR i bl) adj. appropriate for plowing and, therefore, for growing crops —n. cultivatable land • A farm is only as useful as its arable land. • Thomas bought the field on the basis of its arability. [arability n.] arbitration (AHR bit RA shn) n. the act of settling a dispute by a person or group picked to hear both sides and make a decision [arbitrator n. the person(s) who so decide(s)] • Jackie’s dispute with the cable company was settled by binding arbitration, meaning that the arbitrator’s decision was final and had to be abided by. • Nonbinding arbitration is more like advice after a fair hearing because nei ther party has to follow that advice. arboreal (ahr BAWR ee uhl) adj. 1. having to do with trees; 2. living in trees or adapted to living in trees • A tropical rain forest is an arboreal habitat—full of trees. • Certain monkeys and sloths are arboreal and spend their entire lives in the trees, while squirrels are equally at home on the ground and out on a limb. architect (AHRK i tekt) n. 1. a person whose job is to design and draw up plans for buildings, bridges, etc.; 2. any similar designer in a specific field; 3. a planner or creator • Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture is impressively displayed in New York City’s Guggenheim Museum of Art, where visitors begin at the top and walk continuously downhill. • Perhaps our most celebrated naval architect was Admiral Hyman Rickover, the father of the nuclear submarine. • The men who wrote the U.S. Constitution were the architects of American democracy. arena (uh REE nuh) n. 1. The central part of an ancient Roman amphitheater, where gladators fought and shows were put on; 2. an area used for sporting and other events, usually surrounded by rows of seats; the building containing same; 3. any area of struggle or conflict • In the arenas of Rome, gladiators’ swords often clashed. • Basketball is the most frequent conflict in today’s sports arenas, like the Staples Center or Madison Square Garden. • Both candidates rolled up their sleeves and joined combat in the political arena, just two weeks before election day. 28 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com QUICK REVIEW #8 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. appalling 2. apparent 3. appearance 4. appreciate 5. approach 6. appropriate 7. aquarium 8. arable 9. arbitration 10. arboreal 11. architect 12. arena a. esteem b. tank c. creator d. plowable e. wooded f. shocking g. approximate h. evident i. theater j. look k. settlement l. fit argument (AHR gyoo mint) n. 1. a reason or reasons offered for doing or not doing something; 2. the putting forth of such reasons; 3. a discussion containing disagreement; debate; dispute • The argument for preserving our natural resources is that they are irreplace able and in many cases unrenewable. • Randi might make the argument that iced drinks, drunk too fast, make you feel like they’re freezing your brain. • The candidates had an argument about the pros and cons of trying to eat French toast through a straw. arid* (AR id) adj. 1. absent enough water for things to grow; dry; barren; 2. dull; lifeless; of no interest • Most of Nevada is arid desert, despite the Colorado River. • Moesha’s social life is as arid as a mouthful of unsalted, fat-free tortilla chips. [-ness, -ity n., -ly adv.] [Syn. dry] aristocratic (uh RIS tuh KRAT ik) adj. 1. of, characteristic of, or favoring rule by an elite group as a form of government; 2. of the upper class or nobility; 3. like a member of the upper class or nobility in manner and/or taste or carrying oneself (used favorably, as proud, distinguished, etc. or unfavorably as snobbish, haughty, etc.) • During the French Revolution, aristocratic government was rejected by the revolutionaries, but it wasn’t long until Napoleon changed all that. • The aristocratic class in England sits in the House of Lords. • William was much admired for his aristocratic demeanor. • Elaine’s aristocratic manner was loathed by most, who felt she was looking down her blue-blooded nose at them. [aristocratically adv.] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 29 arrogant (AR uh gnt) adj. full of or due to undeserved pride and self importance; overbearing; haughty • The entertainer in the lounge seemed very arrogant for one who was not even close to being a headliner. • The arrogant bearing of the heavyweight champion was justly rewarded when he was knocked out in round one. [-ly adv., arrogance n.] [Syn. proud] artist (AHRT ist) n. 1. a person who is skilled in or works in the techniques of fine arts, especially in drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.; 2. someone who does any thing very well, imaginatively, and with a feeling for form, effect, etc.; 3. one in any of the performing arts (dance, theater, etc.) • When asked how he’d managed to sculpt Muhammad Ali so realistically, the artist replied, “I used Cassius clay.” • Mark Twain was an artist with the spoken and written word. • The Beatles were the most prolific recording artists of their day. artistic (ahr TIS tik) adj. 1. of or by art or artist(s); 2. skillful and tasteful; aes thetically satisfying; 3. sensitive to artistic values • Life in Tahiti was romanticized by the artistic touch of Paul Gaugin’s paint ings of the islanders’ customs. • Van Gogh’s Sunflowers is very artistic, with a balanced composition that is very pleasing to the eye. • Picasso’s revulsion by the Spanish Civil War comes through in his artistic antiwar statement, Guernica. [-ally adv.] artwork (AHRT woerk) n. a single work of art, or works of art, collectively • Leonardo daVinci’s Mona Lisa is an artwork that has withstood the test of time. • If you get to Paris, don’t miss the opportunity to check out the magnifi cent artwork that’s housed in the Louvre. ascetic (uh SET ik) adj. self-denying; austere —n. 1. a person who lives a life of rigorous self-denial for whatever purpose; 2. anyone living with strict self-discipline and renouncing the usual comforts and pleasures • Gandhi led an ascetic life, permitting himself few comforts. • The ascetic refused to buy chairs with any kind of cushions or padding, lest he be thought of as pampering himself. [-ally adv., -ism n.] [Syn. severe] ascribe (uhs KRYB) vt. 1. to credit to or blame something on a specific cause, event, person, etc.; 2. to regard something as being the work of or belonging to someone • The falling of nuclear power plants into mistrust and disrepute is ascribed to events at Chernobyl in the USSR. • The Iliad and The Odyssey are epics that were passed down over the cen turies as part of oral tradition, until they were finally written down and ascribed to Homer. [-d, ascribing] 30 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com aspect (AS pekt) ) n. 1. how a person appears or looks; 2. how something looks from a specific point of view; 3. any of the numerous ways in which a problem, idea, etc. can be looked at; 4. a certain part or quality; element; 5. a side facing in a certain direction • Linda’s aspect is bright, cheery, and happy-go-lucky. • As viewed from my aspect, the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer are rather old fashioned and stilted. • In deciding whether to build a new water main, the problem must be viewed from the aspect of the contractor as well as that of the eventual consumer. • How well a chess player uses his or her knights is just one aspect of the game. • The northern aspect of Glenn’s house never got sunlight. assert* (uh SOERT) vt. 1. to declare; affirm; to state positively; 2. to defend or maintain (rights, claims, etc.); 3. to insist • Harold had to assert that he was actually himself rather than the culprit who had stolen his identity. • You must assert your right to vote by registering and then by showing up to cast your vote on election day. • When summoned to court, Dolores asserted her right to be represented by counsel. • Rodrigo asserted his innocence. [-ed, -ing, -ion n.] assess (uh SES) vt. 1. to estimate the value of something (for example, property) for the purpose of taxing it; 2. to set the amount of (a tax, a fine, damages, etc.); 3. to impose a fine, tax, etc.; 4. to estimate or determine the significance, importance, or worth of something; to evaluate • The city assesses each lot and its improvements to determine what the property owner must pay to city hall. • For being late in paying her parking ticket, the judge assessed Eleanor a penalty of $40. • The town decided to assess a 1% sales tax on top of the 6% already charged by the state. • For purposes of insurance, the appraiser assessed the painting’s value at $1,200 to $1,500. [-ed, -ing, -ment n.] www.SachVui.ComQUICK REVIEW #9 A: SAT Words 31 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. argument 2. arid 3. aristocratic 4. arrogant 5. artist 6. artistic 7. artwork 8. ascetic 9. ascribe 10. aspect 11. assert 12. assess a. affirm b. painting c. assign d. severe e. tasteful f. evaluate g. element h. debate i. proud j. dry k. sculptor l. noble assiduous (uh SID yoo uhss) adj. 1. gone about with constant and careful atten tion; 2. industrious; persevering • Nuclear submarines must be built by assiduous workers. • To learn algebra well, you must be assiduous in doing your homework assignments. • The difference between a mediocre potter and an exceptional craftsman is that the latter is assiduous. [-ly adv., -ness n.] [Syn. busy] assist (uh SIST) vt. 1. to aid; give help to; 2. to work as a helper —n. helping someone to do something • Dawn likes to assist her parents with the laundry; she dirties it. • Freddie assists at the school library by reshelving returns. • May I give you an assist with starting your car? [-ed, -ing] [Syn. help] 32 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com associate (uh SOH shee ayt for vt., uh soh SHEE it for n. and adj.) vt. 1. to con nect; combine; join together; 2. to bring a person into a relationship (friendship, partnership, etc.); 3. to connect mentally —n. 1. somebody with whom one is con nected, such as a partner, friend, fellow worker, etc.; 2. a member of some group, firm, society, etc. with less than full status; 3. anything joined to some other thing —adj. 1. joined with others in some kind of work; 2. of less than full status; 3. con nected; accompanying • Barry and Bob have chosen to associate and form The Killer Bees—a com pany that will make buzzers. • For their advertising needs, The Killer Bees have decided to associate with Bell Star and Associates. • I often associate peanut butter with jelly; don’t you? • The non–chief justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are associate justices. • Betty and Veronica are associates in a certain comic book. • Jim earned an associate degree from County College. • Barry is a sales associate at a major appliance store. [-d, -ciating] assume (uh SOOM or uh SYOOM) vt. 1. to put on or take on the appearance, job, form, etc. of; 2. to grab; usurp; 3. to personally undertake; 4. to take for granted; 5. to feign; pretend to have • When Jodi put on the costume, she assumed the appearance of a human sized mouse. • After a coup, Napoleon assumed the power to rule France. • Marty will assume the task of providing refreshments. • I assumed that Geri had bought tickets, and I was wrong. • You may assume the role of the nuclear scientist, even though you failed to pass arithmetic. [-d, assuming] assumption (uh SUHMP shn) n. 1. (religious) the taking up of a person into heaven; a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating the Virgin Mary’s being taken up; 2. a taking upon one’s self, taking over, or taking up; an assuming; 3. anything taken for granted; a supposing • The Feast of the Assumption is a Roman Catholic holiday. • The First Bank just completed the assumption of Harry and Peter’s mortgage loan, so from now on, the monthly checks should be made out to First Bank. • Napoleon’s assumption of the title of emperor gave the rest of Europe some thing to be concerned about. • The assumption that you were going to get a B or better in chemistry does not appear to have been well founded. astute (ast OOT, ast YOOT) adj. being clever or shrewd of mind; cunning; crafty; wily • Getting out of the dot.com stocks just before they crashed was an astute move on Jerry’s part. • A fox is a very astute animal, often referred to as cunning. • If Hal were astute, he’d pick up on Lynn’s hint to call her. [-ly adv., -ness n.] [Syn. shrewd] www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 33 athlete (ATH leet) n. someone trained in exercises, games, or contests requiring physical strength, speed, skill, stamina, etc. • It takes a trained athlete to perform on the parallel bars. • Tammy proved her ability as an athlete when she ran the 100-meter sprint in less than 11 seconds. [athletic adj., athletically adv.] attain (uh TAYN) vt. 1. to gain; accomplish; achieve; 2. to reach or come to; arrive at • Sherry worked very hard to attain a B+ average. • It took Lillian and Bob the better part of two days’ worth of climbing to attain the peak of Mount Hood. [-ed, -ing, -able adj., -ability n.] [Syn. reach] attention (uh TEN shn) n. 1. the act of keeping one’s mind on something or the ability to do that; concentration; mental readiness for such concentration; 2. observation or notice; 3. care or consideration; 4. thoughtfulness for the needs of others; courtesy; 5. the military command to come to erect posture • Debbie had to pay attention to navigate the treacherous winding road. • Mike’s attention wasn’t always on his work. • Farah’s smile caught Todd’s attention. • This matter will receive our immediate attention. • Smart congressmen always pay careful attention to the needs of their constituents. • The sergeant barked the order to come to attention. attitude (AT i tood) n. 1. the position or posture assumed by the body in con nection with an action, feeling, mood, etc.; 2. a manner of acting, thinking, or feel ing that shows one’s disposition, opinion, etc.; 3. one’s disposition, opinion, men tal set, etc.; 4. the position of an air- or spacecraft with respect to a given line or plane, such as the horizon • Victor assumed a humble attitude as he prayed. • Phyllis made it clear that she was not impressed by Wilma’s haughty atti tude of self-righteousness. • The coach was impressed by Joe’s positive attitude. • The plane’s attitude changed as it banked 45° to port. [attitudinal adj.] [Syn. posture] attribute (at TRIB yoot for vt., AT rib YOOT for n.) vt. 1. to think of as belong ing to, produced by, resulting from, or originating in; assign; ascribe to; 2. assign as a characteristic or quality —n. 1. a characteristic or quality of a person or thing; 2. a thing in art or literature used as a symbol for a person, office, etc. • Scholars attribute many sonnets to Shakespeare without having any real evidence that he wrote them. • The motion picture Gentle Ben attributes the quality of gentleness to a bear. • The attribute of winged sandals is often used to represent the Greek god Hermes, or Roman Mercury. [-d, attributing, attributable adj., attribution n.] [Syn. ascribe, quality] 34 Essential Vocabulary www.SachVui.Com atypical (ay TIP i kl) adj. not usual; not characteristic; abnormal • Failing to run away when people came near was atypical behavior on the part of the raccoon. • It was atypical for Ryan to display poor manners. [(also atypic), -ly adv.] QUICK REVIEW #10 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. assiduous 2. assist 3. associate 4. assume 5. assumption 6. astute 7. athlete 8. attain 9. attention 10. attitude 11. attribute 12. atypical a. feign b. posture c. crafty d. reach e. quality f. combine g. courtesy h. unusual i. attentive j. supposition k. skilled one l. aid audacious* (aw DAY shuhs) adj. 1. bold or daring; fearless; 2. not restrained by a feeling of shame or impropriety; rudely bold; brazen • Severely outnumbered, the platoon’s audacious attack caught the enemy by surprise. • After Sonya had had one drink too many, her audacious behavior toward the host got her ejected from the party. [-ness n., -ly adv.] [Syn. bold] audience (AW dee ens) n. 1. a group of people assembled to see and hear a speaker, play, concert, etc.; 2. everybody who is tuned in to a particular TV or radio show; 3. everybody who hears what one says or who reads what one writes; one’s public; 4. a chance to have one’s ideas heard; 5. a formal interview with a person in a high position • The audience completely filled the theater to see Aida. • The Superbowl always draws a large TV audience. • Stephen King has a ready audience for whatever he writes. • The TV networks all gave the candidates an audience so that the public might hear their positions. • Very few are fortunate enough to get an audience with the president of the United States. www.SachVui.Com A: SAT Words 35 augment* (awg MENT) vt. to increase in quantity, strength, size, etc.; enlarge —vi. to become larger; increase • Sam worked nights to augment his income. • The chili’s heat was augmented by adding canned jalapenos. [-ed, -ing, -ation n.] authentic (awth EN tik) adj. 1. trustworthy; believable; reliable; 2. real; in fact; genuine; 3. legally executed, as a deed • The news report from the Middle East seemed authentic. • That is an authentic diamond ring that Jill is wearing. • The raised seal on the document proves that it’s authentic. [-ally adv.] authenticate (awth EN tik AYT) vt. 1. to valididate or make authentic; 2. to verify; establish the truth of; 3. to prove to be real, genuine, or as represented or advertised • The immigration agent authenticated the passport with a raised seal. • The painting was authenticated by the art expert to be an actual work of Lambrou Mourioti. • The maker’s hallmark on the silver vase was used to authenticate it as hav ing been made around 1870. [-d, authenticating, authentication n.] [Syn. confirm] avarice (A voer is) n. greed; too great a desire for wealth • Many pirates were driven by avarice. • Avarice drives certain CEOs to cheat their stockholders. [avaricious adj., avariciously adv., avariciousness n.] aversion (uh VER zhin) n. 1. an intense or decided dislike; repugnance; 2. what ever is causing that dislike • Many children have an aversion to seeing a doctor for shots. • Barry, who had a fear of heights, was made to go to high places as a form of aversion therapy. avoid (uh VOYD) vt. 1. to stay away from; evade; shun; 2. to not let happen; 3. to turn away from • As part of her weight-loss diet, Maria tries to avoid people who are eating as well as commercials for food. • Driving carefully helps to avoid accidents. • Being shy, Vance tries to avoid the eyes of others. [-able adj., -ably adv.] [Syn. escape] aware (uh WAER) adj. realizing or knowing; informed; conscious • Fran was well aware of the No Parking sign. • Bill was not aware that he kept clicking his teeth together. • Maribel was made aware of the restriction on eating peas by picking them up with one’s knife. [-ness n.] 36 Essential Vocabulary awe (AW) n. a mixed feeling of fear, respect, and wonder brought on by some thing majestic, sacred, sublime, etc. • The first time Ron saw Mt. Kilamanjaro, he was filled with awe. • Ruth stood in awe of her older brother David, the rocket scientist. QUICK REVIEW #11 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. audacious 2. audience 3. augment 4. authentic 5. authenticate 6. avarice 7. aversion 8. avoid 9. aware 10. awe a. confirm b. wonder c. shun d. antipathy e. conscious f. enlarge g. bold h. greed i. public j. reliable B barricade (BAR I kayd) n. 1. a defense barrier hastily thrown up, as in street fight ing; 2. any obstacle or barrier —vt. to keep out or in by use of a barrier; to obstruct • Police put up barricades to keep the crowd off the parade route. • Barricades consisting of piled-up rubble were used for defense by soldiers in the cities of post–D-day Europe during World War II. • The people of Stalingrad barricaded the streets to keep out the invading Germans. [-d, barricading] barter (BAHR toer) vi. to trade goods or services without the use of money —vt. to swap goods or services in return for other goods and services; trade —n. 1. the act of swapping; 2. anything swapped • In colonial days it was common for settlers to barter knives and hatchets to Native Americans for beaver pelts. • Barter that hat for two pairs of socks and a Hershey bar. • Al and Frank often do business by barter. • This hat cost me nothing; I got it from Alice by barter. [-ed, -ing, -er n.] basic (BAY sik) adj. 1. of or at the beginning; fundamental; essential; 2. making or being a support or introduction; elementary • A basic course in weaving might be helpful to rug makers. • A knowledge of mathematics is basic to learning physics. • Honesty is a basic principle to live by. basis (BAY sis) n. 1. the start, foundation, or main support of anything; 2. the main ingredient of anything; 3. the underlying philosophy; 4. a timed plan or pro cedure; 5. a certain attitude • “What is the basis for your accusing me of eating on the job?” Gail asked, quickly swallowing what was in her mouth. • That all men are created equal is the basis of the U.S. Constitution. • We pay for cable TV on a monthly basis. • Mark and Louise are on a friendly basis these days. battle (BA tl) n. 1. a fight—as that between armed units on the sea, land, or in the air; 2. war or armed combat; fighting; 3. any conflict or fight —vt. to oppose; fight —vi. 1. to participate in a fight or struggle; 2. to fight • One of the most intense battles in the Pacific during WWII was for the island of Iwo Jima. • There was a street battle between two rival gangs. • The landlord and tenant had an ongoing battle over upkeep. • Nemo’s father battled the move to expel him from school. • Geoffrey was in the battle for human rights in El Salvador. • Oscar de la Hoya and Ray Mancini were in a real ring battle. [-d, battling] 37 38 Essential Vocabulary behalf (be HAF) n. on (or in) behalf of; in the interest of; speaking for; representing • Harriet spoke in behalf of the truth’s being known. • The lawyer appeared on behalf of his client, Mr. Jones. behavior (be HAYV yoer) n. 1. how anybody acts; conduct; deportment; 2. any organism’s reaction to stimulus—especially a recordable response; 3. noticeable actions or responses of any person, animal, or machine • Nora’s behavior seemed perfectly normal to Dennis. • Juanita thought Ted’s behavior to be rather strange when she saw him hit his finger with a hammer and laugh. • Amy was disturbed by her car engine’s rough behavior. being (BEE eeng) n. 1. existing or living; life; existence; 2. basic or essential nature; 3. someone or thing that is alive or exists; 4. all the qualities, physical and mental, that make up a person; personality • Any living thing is in a state of being. • Any plant or animal can be thought of as a being. • Very few people acknowedge a fly as a being, but it is one. • Most religions believe in the existence of a Higher Being. belie (bee LY) vt. 1. to disguise; misrepresent; 2. to disappoint or leave unful filled; 3. to prove false or show to be untrue • Al’s good-natured smile belies his evil intentions. • Sally hated to belie her customer by telling her the cake she had ordered was not yet ready. • It is a debunker’s job to belie the tricks of charlatans. [-d, belying] belief (bee LEEF) n. 1. a conviction that some things are true or real; 2. faith, especially in a religious sense; 3. confidence in; trust in; 4. something accepted as true; 5. an opinion; an expectation; a judgment • Geoffrey’s belief that there is a tooth fairy is based on a chapter from his book of bedtime stories. • Maribel’s beliefs are between her and her pastor—and are none of our business. • Valerie had complete belief in Harper’s honesty. • It was her belief that Santa would show up later. • Your accomplishments are totally beyond belief. belligerent* (bel IDG oer ent) adj. 1. at war; 2. relating to war; of fighting; 3. showing an eagerness to fight; spoiling for a fight • During World War I, the belligerents engaged in four years of unmoving trench warfare. • The belligerent adversaries duked it out in the ring. • Veronica’s attitude was always belligerent, as if she were seeking to get into an argument. [belligerently adv.] [Syn. bellicose] B: SAT Words 39 beneficial (BEN e FISH uhl) adj. 1. to the advantage of; helpful; 2. getting bene fit; 3. in one’s best interest • Mary’s friendship turned out to be beneficial to Evelyn around holiday time. • Having auto insurance proved quite beneficial for Tania when a reckless driver ignored the stop sign and hit her car. • It is beneficial for you to have an individual retirement plan. [-ly adv.] benefit (BEN e fit) n. 1. a helpful, charitable act; 2. an advantage; a gain —vt. to help; aid —vi. to gain; to profit from • The singer sang at a benefit to raise money for the group. • The cab waited an additional 10 minutes for Bob’s benefit. • My singing publicly benefited the business of all ear doctors in the neighborhood. • A playwright benefits from each performance of her play. [-ed, -ing] berate (be RAYT) vt. to scold or strongly rebuke (with wagging finger) • Don’t berate me for acting the way you act. • Audrey berated Robert for driving after having had a drink. [-d, berating] [Syn. scold] QUICK REVIEW #12 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. barricade 2. barter 3. basic 4. basis 5. battle 6. behalf 7. behavior 8. being 9. belie 10. belief 11. belligerent 12. beneficial 13. benefit 14. berate a. disguise b. conduct c. opinion d. profit e. quarrelsome f. helpful g. conflict h. existence i. scold j. elementary k. representing l. procedure m. trade n. obstruct 40 Essential Vocabulary bereft (bi REFT) adj. 1. without; devoid (of); deprived; 2. bereaved • For his crime, the criminal was bereft of his freedom. • The crime victim was bereft of her feeling of security. • The bereft twins mourned the death of their uncle. betray (bit RAY) vt. 1. to aid the enemy, or make vulnerable to the enemy in a traitorous way; 2. to break faith with; to not act up to expectations; 3. to deceive; 4. to give away secret information • Benedict Arnold betrayed his defenses to the British. • Bill went to the broker so as not to betray Anne’s faith in his ability to get tickets for Cats. • Nan got Sue to join the team, convincing her that they’d have fun togeth er; then she betrayed her by quitting. • During the game, Sue betrayed Hal’s hiding place to Jim. [-d, -ing, -al, -er n.] [Syn. deceive, reveal] between (bit WEEN) prep. 1. in or through the area separating two things; 2. in the time separating two things; 3. along a path that connects two things —adv. 1. in a middle location, time, space, or function; 2. in the midst of; 3. in confidence • The gate is between the third and fourth fence posts. • Lunchtime comes between breakfast and dinner times. • That color is between blue and green. • Second gear is between first and third gears. • In between jobs, Hannah and her sisters took a vacation. • Let’s keep this between you and me. bewilder (bee WIL der) vt. to thoroughly confuse, as by something very involved and complicated; befuddle; puzzle • Jose was bewildered by the Times’ crossword puzzle. • Alice’s disappearing coin trick served to bewilder Francine. • On Ian’s visit to the art supply store, he was faced with a bewildering selec tion of brushes and palette knives. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. puzzle] bias (BY uhs) n. 1. a line cut or sewn on the diagonal to the weave of a cloth; 2. a mental partiality or slant; bent; partiality; inclination —vt. to have a prejudice; to influence • The seamstress sewed the hem on a bias. • As Jason aged, his childhood bias in favor of dark-meat chicken had changed to one for white meat; go figure. • The attorney feared that the judge might be unduly biased by his client’s unsavory reputation. • Kira’s wallpaper choice is biased by her love of earth tones. [-ed, -ing] B: SAT Words 41 bicker (BI kuhr) vi. 1. to quarrel in a petty manner; to squabble; 2. (rare) to move with quick, rippling noises —n. 1. a little quarrel; 2. a rippling or a pattering sound • Carl and Violet bicker all the time about everything. • The brook bickers in the breeze. • Carl and Violet just had another minor bicker. • One can barely hear the bicker of a snake coming down the path. [-ed, -ing] bilk (BILK) vt. 1. to thwart; 2. to swindle; cheat; defraud; 3. to escape or flee leaving unpaid debts; 4. to elude • The raccoon bilked all attempts to catch him. • The investors were bilked out of millions by crooked management. • Nate bilked the bank by his failure to make payments. • The crook bilked the police. [-ed, -ing] biological (BY uh LAH gzhi kl) adj. 1. of or connected to living things; 2. relat ed genetically, in contrast to by adoption • A botanist is only interested in the plant part of the biological sciences. • Mark’s scientific interests are purely biological. • Your biological parents are your real mother and father. [-ly adv. (also biologic)] blueprint (BLOO print) n. 1. a plan drawn in white on a blue background and used by architects or engineers; 2. any exact or detailed plan • The contractor checked the blueprint of the house to see what materials he would need to order. • With its adoption in 1789, the U.S. Constitution became the blueprint for American democracy. bog (BAHG) n. wet, spongy area of ground, noted for smelly decaying mosses that form peat —vi., vt. to get stuck in; mired (usually with down) • For organic matter, Martha used peat from the nearby bog to enrich her garden soil. • The Medicare revisions got bogged down in committee. [-ged, -ging] bore (BAWR) vt. 1. to make a hole with a drill; 2. to dig a well, tunnel, etc. with a turning helical tool; 3. to push one’s way (through) —vi. to tire of or lose interest in —n. 1. a hole made by a drill; 2. the interior of a hollow tube • Before hanging the door, I must bore holes for the hinges. • Gino bored holes for the deck’s concrete footings. • Gracie bored through the rush-hour crowd. • Go away; you bore me. • The plot was very predictable, and therefore very boring. • The hole in the wall was a very shallow bore. • Shotgun barrels come in various bores. [-d, boring, -dom n.] 42 Essential Vocabulary brain (BRAYN) n. 1. the mass of tissue inside the skull of vertebrates; the organ that is the destination for the spinal cord, the main center of reasoning and inter preter of senses, as well as the director of motor functions; 2. a comparable organ in an invertebrate; 3. (often pl.) mental capacity; intelligence; 4. (usually pl.) the chief organizer or planner of a group event; head director —vt. to hit hard on the head • No computer can yet equal the human brain. • A flea’s brain is not very complex. • You don’t need instructions; just use your brains. • When it comes to planning, Kevin’s the brains of this outfit. • Roger got brained by the baseball bat. [-ed, -ing] brandish (BRAEN dish) vt. to wave about or shake, in a threatening or chal lenging way; flourish • When you brandish that saber, everyone ducks for cover. • Helen brandished the fireplace poker as if she wanted to strike someone with it. [-ed, -ing] burden (BOER din) n. 1. a load; anything carried; 2. something one has to put up with; a heavy load; hard work; sorrow or responsibility —vt. to weigh down; to oppress • The drywall was a heavy burden for the roof of the car. • When Jill sat on the jury, she had the burden of deciding the guilt or inno cence of the defendant. • Certain trucks are classified by the burden they can carry. • I hate to burden you with the job of deciding what to wear. [-ed, -ing] burrow (BOER o) n. 1. a hole dug by an animal or a tunnel in the ground; 2. any hole or passage serving as a shelter, refuge, etc. —vi. 1. to dig (into, under, etc.); 2. search as if by digging —vt. to make burrows in the ground • Groundhogs live in burrows of their own making. • Some animals often find shelter in burrows dug by others. • Burrowing through old files led to finding the real murderer. • Construction crews burrowed beneath the English Channel to build the Chunnel, connecting the U.K. and France. [-ed, -ing] buttress* (BUH tris) n. a brace, usually of brick or stone, built against a wall to support or reinforce it; a prop —vt. 1. to support or reinforce with such a structure; 2. to prop up; bolster • Many Gothic buildings sport buttresses to reinforce them. • Flash cards can be thought of as buttresses for rote learning of facts. • Buttress your argument against the tax hike by having the documentation concerning the results of previous hikes. [-ed, -ing] QUICK REVIEW #13 B: SAT Words 43 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. bereft 2. betray 3. between 4. bewilder 5. bias 6. bicker 7. bilk 8. biological 9. blueprint 10. bog 11. bore 12. brain 13. brandish 14. burden 15. burrow 16. buttress a. influence b. elude c. planner d. related e. plan f. mire g. devoid h. drill i. deceive j. puzzle k. squabble l. amidst m. threaten n. search o. oppress p. reinforce C cajole (kuh JOHL) vt. to coax with insincere talk; to flatter in hopes of getting one’s way; to wheedle • Maxine tried to cajole her husband into going to the movies. • Barney cajoled Lois to accompany him to the book sale. [-d, cajoling, -ry n., cajolingly adv.] [Syn. coax] calamity (kuh LAM i tee) n. 1. deep trouble; misery; 2. any great misfortune entailing sorrow and loss; disaster • The loss of a loved one is always a calamity. • The attack on the World Trade Center ranks with Pearl Harbor among the U.S.A.’s greatest calamities. [calamitous adj., calamitously adv.] [Syn. disaster] camaraderie (kam uh RAD oer ee) n. warm, friendly feelings of loyalty among comrades; comradeship • Camaraderie is most likely to develop among military comrades who have been through some combat together. • A general feeling of camaraderie pervaded the air as the business associates gathered in the tavern to relax and share their tales on a Friday afternoon. campaign (kam PAYN) n. 1. a sequence of military operations aimed at a cer tain objective; 2. a series of organized actions for some specific purpose —vi. to be involved in a campaign • The Second World War’s European campaign was fought to liberate the cap tive nations and to defeat Germany. • Andrea was involved in the presidential election campaign. • She campaigned enthusiastically for (then) Senator Kerry. [-ed, -ing, -er n.] [Syn. battle] canvass (KAV vuhs) vt. 1. to look over carefully; 2. to go to or among (people) to seek votes, orders, etc. —vi. to try to get votes, orders, etc.; solicit —n. the act of asking a targeted group of people questions such as who they voted for, what brands they use, etc., especially in an attempt to estimate the outcome of an elec tion, sales campaign, etc. • Charlie canvassed the canvas with the art appraiser to determine the insur ance value of the painting. • Samantha canvassed the mothers at the soccer game, trying to get some orders for Daryl’s school fund-raiser. • Canvassing potential voters was how the paper was able to predict the out come of the election. [**Alert** Do not confuse with canvas, the cloth.] [-ed, -ing, -er n.] 44 C: SAT Words 45 captive (KAP tiv) n. 1. one captured and held prisoner; 2. a person enthralled, as by love or beauty —adj. 1. taken or held prisoner; 2. unable to act independently; 3. made to watch/listen (as in a captive audience) • The captive was behind bars. • The first time Iris saw San Francisco, she became captive to its charm. • A babysitter is captive to his or her charge. • For many years, Poland was a captive nation of the USSR. • Ian loves to play his guitar before a captive audience. career (kuh RIR) n. 1. one’s way of earning a living; lifework; 2. a profession or occupation for which one trains and which one pursues for life —adj. adapting a normally temporary activity as a lifework • One’s career is not always the one prepared for. • Some veterinarians pursue that career deliberately, while for others it is a booby prize for failing medical school. • Herbert decided to become a career soldier. carnivore* (KAHR ni VAWR) n. 1. any of a number of fanged, flesh-eating mammals, like lions and tigers and bears; 2. an animal that eats other animals; 3. a plant that eats small animals—especially insects. • Unlike herbivores, who eat plants, and omnivores, who eat both plants and animals, a carnivore prefers a diet of meat. • The Venus flytrap is a plant that can be categorized a carnivore. [carnivorous adj., carnivorously adv.] QUICK REVIEW #14 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. cajole 2. calamity 3. camaraderie 4. campaign 5. canvass 6. captive 7. career 8. carnivore a. solicit b. wheedle c. battle d. friendliness e. lifework f. dependent g. flesh eater h. disaster 46 Essential Vocabulary carnivorous (kahr NIV oer uhs) adj. 1. flesh eating (as opposed to herbivorous); 2. insect eating (applying to some plants); 3. of the carnivores • Wolves hunt mostly mammalian prey because they are carnivorous. • The sundew represents a class of carnivorous plants. • Having canine teeth, or fangs, is a carnivorous trait. cartographer (kahr TOG ruh fuhr) n. a person who designs and makes maps or charts • Mercator is the name of the man who is probably the best-known cartogra pher who ever lived. • Robinson is another well-known cartographer. castigate* (KAS ti gayt) vt. to punish or bawl out, especially by using harsh public criticism • The police chief proceeded to castigate the officers for showing poor judgment dealing with the demonstrators. • The nine-year-old castigated the president for not being able to pronounce “nuclear.” [-d, castigating, castigation, castigator n., castigatory adj.] [Syn. punish] catalyst* (KAT uh list) n. 1. an agent in a chemical reaction that causes the reaction to speed up, but does not itself undergo any permanent change; 2. a per son or thing that speeds up a result • During the process of photosynthesis, chlorophyll is the catalyst for plants combining water and carbon dioxide to manufacture sugar and oxygen in the presence of light. • The catalyst for Karen and David giving their realtor an immediate deposit on the house was another couple’s interest in it. catnap (KAT nap) n. a doze; a short, light sleep —vi. to take a snooze • The watchman often takes two- or three-minute catnaps. • Karen often catnaps while watching TV at night. [-ped, -ping] cautious (KAW shus) adj. very careful; trying to avoid danger; wary; circumspect • The bomb-squad member was very cautious in his approach to the mysteri ous package. • Cautious people regret less later. [-ness n., -ly adv.] [Syn. careful] celebrate (SEL eb RAYT) vt. 1. to perform some kind of public and formal ritual; 2. to mark an anniversary, a holiday, etc. with ceremony or festiveness; 3. to praise or honor publicly; 4. to perform cheerful activity to mark an occasion • Melissa and Gino invited 200 people to celebrate their wedding. • Let’s celebrate Arbor Day with a tree-planting ceremony. • We join with Timmy to celebrate Lassie’s heroics yet again. • Get out the noisemakers and funny hats so that we can celebrate the ring ing in of the New Year. [-d, celebrating, celebration n.] [Syn. commemorate, observe] C: SAT Words 47 censor (SEN soer) n. 1. an official with the power to examine books, movies, TV programs, etc. and to remove anything objectionable; 2. an official in times of war who reads mail, news articles, etc. and removes anything he/she thinks might help the enemy —vt. to put a book, writer, etc. to such treatment as just described • Comic George Carlin made a living from parodying the TV censor with his routine about seven words you can’t say on TV. • During the Second World War, people at home received mail from their relatives in the armed forces that had whole paragraphs blacked out by the censors. • In the Soviet Union, every newspaper article was censored. [-ed, -ing, -ship n.] century (SEN che ree) n. 1. any span of 100 years; 2. a specific period of 100 years dating from the beginning of the Christian (or Common) Era; 3. a series, group, or subdivision of 100 • A century passed between the beginnings of the American Civil War and our involvement in Vietnam. • Alexander the Great lived in the fourth century B.C. • Roman legions were divided into centuries, each of which consisted of 100 men. cerebral (SIR ib ril or sir EEB ril) adj. 1. concerning the brain or the cerebrum; 2. appealing to the intellect—not the emotions; intellectual • A cerebral hemorrhage is not a pleasant prospect. • The cerebral cortex is where higher brain functions occur. • Tchaikovsky’s music is more emotional than cerebral. certain (SOER tin) adj. 1. fixed, settled, or specific; 2. certain to occur; inevitable; 3. undoubtable; unquestionable; 4. reliable; dependable; 5. an amount, but not very much • We’ll get a certain trade-in allowance for the old car. • The sun is certain to rise tomorrow. • It is certain that Gary committed the robbery. • You can be certain of a fair hearing. • A certain number of people will believe anything. [-ty n.] [Syn. sure] challenge (CHA linj) n. 1. a demand for identification; 2. questioning; a demand for proof or for an explanation; 3. a dare or an urge to participate; 4. any job that requires special effort; 5. a questioning of a vote or one’s right to vote —vt. to do any of the preceding things • The sentry gave the challenge to the incoming patrol. • It’s a challenge to explain Tom’s behaving so strangely. • The Count answered the Marquis’ challenge to a duel. • Getting the dog to behave properly is quite a challenge. • The committee member challenged the visitor’s right to take part in the group’s vote. • I was challenged to show my ticket at the theater door. [-d, challenging] 48 Essential Vocabulary QUICK REVIEW #15 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. carnivorous 2. cartographer 3. castigate 4. catalyst 5. catnap 6. cautious 7. celebrate 8. censor 9. century 10. cerebral 11. certain 12. challenge a. sure b. intellectual c. doze d. hundred e. evaluator f. demand g. mapmaker h. expediter i. meat eating j. wary k. punish l. observe character (KAR ik tir) n. 1. a special mark; 2. any symbol or letter that’s used in writing and printing; 3. style of printing or handwriting; 4. a magical symbol or mystic emblem; a code or cipher; 5. a distinctive quality or trait; an attribute; a characteristic; 6. essential quality; nature; 7. the personality of an individual or group; 8. status; position; 9. a part in a play, movie, etc. • The cabinetmaker marked the drawer bottom with his own character to identify it as having been made by him. • Omega is the final character of the Greek alphabet. • Arabic characters are used in our system of numerals. • Philip’s handwriting has a great deal of character. • A pyramid with an eye is a character on the Great Seal of the United States of America. • It is the character of the scorpion to sting indiscriminately. • I recommend Edith as having character of the highest sort. • Sheep have the character of flocking together. • The character of the presidency is one of great power. • Don’t always take the advice of an actor, just because the character he plays is that of a doctor on TV. [Syn. disposition, quality] C: SAT Words 49 circumstance (SIR kuhm STAENS) n. 1. a fact or event that goes with another, as an essential factor or incidentally; 2. any situation; event; 3. conditions affecting a person • When there is thunder, the presence of lightning is an inescapable circumstance. • A circumstance for buying cotton candy is a circus visit. • Charles was in difficult financial circumstances. cite (SYT) vt. 1. to demand an appearance before a court; 2. to quote (a passage, book, writer, speech, etc.); 3. to refer to or bring up (as precedent) • Henry was cited to appear in traffic court next Wednesday. • Mary always cites some classical composer as the inspiration for her musi cal compositions. • Brown v. Board of Education is a case lawyers often cite when arguing for equal educational opportunities in court. [-d, citing, citation n.] civil (SI vil) adj. 1. of a citizen or citizens; 2. of a community of citizens or their interactions; 3. cultured; 4. courteous or polite • All citizens are entitled to certain civil rights. • Civil war is an oxymoron, like military intelligence. • Civil people should develop an appreciation for the arts. • It is important to be civil, rather than rude, to one another. clarifiy (KLA ri fy) vi., vt. 1. to make or become clear (especially liquids); 2. to make or become easier to comprehend • The chef passed the chicken soup through a strainer to clarify the broth. • Jane clarified the point she was trying to get across. • Often a map will serve to clarify the directions to a place. [clarifies, clarified, -ing, clarification* n.] classical (KLAS i kl) adj. 1. of the highest class; excellent; 2. having a balanced and simple style; restrained; the name of an era bestowed by historians, such as the Classical Era in music history, which preceded the Romantic Era; 3. typical of or based on the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome; 4. well versed in Greek and Roman literature and culture; 5. music in the European style, as distinct from folk, popular, or jazz • The Rolex watch is classical and worth every thousand. • The Jaguar XJ6 has absolutely classical (or classic) lines. • Shakespeare’s tragedies followed those of Sophocles and Euripides as being both classical and timeless. • Until the 1950s, the college graduates of modern Europe and those from Ivy League colleges were given classical educations, with a knowledge of Latin being essential. • Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven are generally considered the greatest classi cal composers, although Beethoven bridges the Classical and Romantic eras. [-ly adv., -ity n.] 50 Essential Vocabulary clique (KLEEK or KLIK) n. a small, exclusive circle of people; snobbish or narrow coterie (Common interest and snobbery are implied.) • The cheerleaders kept together in their own clique. • The Obscure Poets Society was a self-important, highbrow clique that gener ally looked down on others. [-ish or cliquish adj., cliquishly adv., cliquishness n.] [Syn. coterie] cloying (KLOY ing) adj. 1. displeasing or distasteful due to excess; 2. excessively sweet, sentimental, etc. • The romance novel was cloying in its sentimentality. • The date can have a cloying sweetness that causes many people to avoid eating that fruit unless it is only one of several ingredients, as in date-nut bread. [-ly adv., (to) cloy vt.] cohere (koh HEER) vi. 1. to stick together; 2. to be connected naturally or logi cally, as by some common idea or principle; 3. to become or stay united in action; be in accord • Grapes appear to cohere until you notice the tiny stems. • Freedoms of religion and press seem to logically cohere. • The U.S. and U.K. cohered from 1941 through 1945 in their fight against the Nazis. [-d, cohering, -nt adj., -nce, cohesion, cohesiveness n.] [Syn. stick] colleague (KAH leeg) n. a fellow worker; one in the same profession • Matt and Louise were colleagues at the electric company. • Dr. Lang and Dr. Griffith were colleagues at Lehigh Hospital. [Syn. associate] collect (kuh LEKT) vt. 1. to bring together; assemble; 2. to call for and receive (for example, taxes); 3. to regain control (of oneself); 4. to pick up; go get —vi. to gather; assemble —adj., adv. to be payed for by the recipient • Libby collects bottle caps as a hobby. • The news boy collects fees weekly from his patrons. • You need to collect your wits before reading another word. • June collects aluminum cans to turn in for the 10¢ deposit. • The crowd collected outside the ballpark. • When you get there, call collect. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. gather] collection (kuh LEK shin) n. 1. the act or process of accumulating; 2. the things collected; 3. a pile; an accumulation; 4. money collected, as by a fund-raiser • A weekly collection of garbage is essential for urban living. • Laurie has quite an extensive stamp collection. • Ian has some collection of dirty clothes in his room. • After the religious service, a collection plate was passed. QUICK REVIEW #16 C: SAT Words 51 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. character 2. circumstance 3. cite 4. civil 5. clarify 6. classical 7. clique 8. cloying 9. cohere 10. colleague 11. collect 12. collection a. stick b. coterie c. accumulation d. excessive e. assemble f. associate g. quote h. clear i. situation j. polite k. nature l. restrained collector (kuh LEK toer) n. a person or thing that accumulates (for example, a person whose job is to collect overdue bills, taxes, etc. or a person whose hobby is collecting stamps, books, etc.) • The tax collector has very few friends in town. • When told that everyone should collect something, Allan replied that he is a collector of dust. colloquial (kuh LOH kwee il) adj. 1. normal conversational style; 2. used to describe words, phrases, etc. that are used in everyday speech; informal • It ain’t necessarily so is all right to use as a colloquial expression, but it would be improper in formal speech or writing. • Personally, hearing a person say, “How are youse today?” (meaning the two of you), hurts my ears, yet the phrase is in widespread colloquial use. [-ly adv.] collusion (kuh LOO zhin) n. a secret agreement for illegal or fraudulent pur pose; conspiracy • The court found that there was collusion between Daniel and Joy to defraud the royal family. • Collusion to commit robbery is a felony punishable by jail. [collusive adj., collusively adv.] 52 Essential Vocabulary comedic (kuh MEE dik) adj. of or having to do with comedy; humorous • John Cleese had a comedic walk in Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks routine. • Mike Meyers’ comedic portrayals appeal to some people more than they do to others. [-ally adv.] commencement (kuh MENS mint) n. 1. the beginning or start; the time of same; 2. the school or college ceremonies at which degrees or diplomas are award ed; 3. the day upon which this takes place • The commencement of the show will be at 8 P.M. • Lafayette High School’s commencement will be held at the field house. • Yale’s commencement is often on a Thursday. comment (KOM ent) n. 1. a note that explains, criticizes, or illustrates some thing written or said; annotation; 2. a remark or observation made to express criti cism or opinion; 3. talk; chatter; gossip —vi. to comment on; to make remarks • George just had to make a comment on Paul’s theories. • When Sue remarked that it was hot in the room, Pam felt it necessary to comment in her support. • With gossips, it’s just one comment after another. • Some people find it necessary to comment on practically anything and everything. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. remark] commercial (kuh MER shil) adj. 1. of or connected to trade; 2. of or having to do with stores, office buildings, etc.; 3. of a lower grade or for use in large amounts in industry —n. paid radio or TV advertisement • The ship was engaged in international commercial trade. • Beth’s neighborhood was zoned for commercial use, so she had no recourse when the grocery opened next door. • The warehouse club sells mayonnaise in gallon jars, suitable for commercial use but kind of large for use at home. • Some of the most entertaining television these days is to be found in soft drink commercials. commitment (kuh MIT mint) n. 1. a delivering for safekeeping; 2. official internment of a person to a prison or a mental institution; 3. a promise to do something; 4. dedication to a long-term involvement; 5. a financial liability • A burial service accompanied the commitment of the naval officer’s body to the ocean depths. • It’ll take a court order to affect the commitment of this book’s author to the booby hatch. C: SAT Words 53 • The Heart Association is looking for a commitment to contribute and for you to encourage your neighbors to do so, too. • The U.S. has a commitment to defend the Americas. • Getting a mortgage is a long-term financial commitment. communication (kuhm YOO ni KAY shuhn) n. 1. a giving or exchanging of information, messages, etc.; 2. the information so exchanged; 3. a medium for exchanging information; 4. the art of expressing ideas; 5. the science of transmit ting information • There was good communication among the jury members. • The communication received from the spy satellite held obsolete plans for a Spacely sprocket. • Satellites permit almost instant communication by electronic signals any where on earth. • Vera has less-than-admirable communication skills. • The armed forces communication system is constantly being upgraded with the latest bells and whistles. comparative (kuhm PA ruh tiv) adj. 1. estimated by relating it to something else; relative; 2. comparing one thing to another —n. 1. in grammar, the compara tive degree (words ending in er); 2. a word or form in this degree • Height is one comparative way to relate buildings. • Comparative linguistics notes similarities and differences between lan guages, both in grammar and vocabulary. • The comparative degree in grammer goes from tall to taller, as opposed to the superlative, which is tallest. • Bigger, smaller, newer, and older are all comparatives. [-ly adv.] comparison (kuhm PAR is uhn) n. 1. estimation of similarities and differences; 2. sufficiently similar in likeness to make a relating of one to the other possible • Apples and watermelons are two fruits with seeds, but any further compari son might prove fruitless. • A comparison of lemons and limes might be made with respect to their col ors, tartness, and climatic habitats. compassion (kuhm PA shin) n. sorrow for the suffering or problems of another or others, often accompanied by an urge to help; deep sympathy; pity • Tina had great compassion for the families of the victims of the earthquake. • Rosita was driven by her compassion for the homeless to volunteer twice weekly at the local shelter. [-ate adj., -ately adv.] [Syn. pity] 54 Essential Vocabulary QUICK REVIEW #17 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. collector 2. colloquial 3. collusion 4. comedic 5. commencement 6. comment 7. commercial 8. commitment 9. communication 10. comparative 11. comparison 12. compassion a. humorous b. annotation c. exchange of ideas d. sympathy e. pledge f. relation g. relative h. conspiracy i. acquirer j. beginning k. informal l. advertisement compel (kuhm PEL) vt. 1. to force; constrain; 2. to get or cause by force • Eve had to compel Adam to try her applesauce. • Iraq used its army to compel Kuwait to share its oil income. [-led, -ling, -lable adj., -ler n.] [Syn. force] competent (KOM pit int) adj. 1. well qualified; capable; fit (sometimes used with to); 2. sufficient; adequate; 3. permissible or properly belonging • Vi’s M.A. made her quite competent academically to apply for the teaching position. • One doesn’t need to be an electrician to have competent credentials to change a lightbulb. • The judge ruled Jack competent to stand trial for murder. [-ly adv.] [Syn. able] competition (kom pet ISH in) n. 1. the act of competing; rivalry; 2. a contest or match; 3. official participation in an organized sport; 4. the opposition in a con test; 5. the person or persons against whom one competes • Jimmy Connors and Andre Agassi were often competition for one another on the tennis courts. • The 100-meter hurdles competition will start at 2 P.M. • To paticipate in the competition, an application form must be filed, and an entry fee must be paid. C: SAT Words 55 • The New York Yankees have been the Boston Red Sox’s fiercest competition over the years for the AL crown. • Lucy was always Desi’s competition when it came to getting attention from an audience. competitive* (kuhm PET it iv) adj. 1. of, involving, or based on competing; 2. having a chance in a competition • When it comes to job opportunities, quarterback is the most highly com petitive field. • Jerri was always competitive with her twin sister, Merri. • The Pacers basketball team’s eight-foot-tall center gave them a competitive edge over all their likely opponents. [-ness n., -ly adv.] complain (kuhm PLAYN) vi. 1. to announce or express pain, displeasure, etc.; 2. to find fault; state annoyance; 3. to make an accusation; make formal objection; bring charges • Frank’s mom loves hearing Frank complain how his toe hurts where he stubbed it; just ask her. • Barb’s neighbors often complain about her loud stereo. • Betty complained to the police that Archie had damaged her front lawn when he and Reggie trespassed on it. [-ed, -ing, -er, -t n.] complex (kuhm PLEKS for adj., KOM pleks for n.) adj. 1. made up of two or more related parts; 2. not simple; 3. involved or complicated —n. 1. a collection of interrelated ideas, activities, etc. that form a single whole; 2. a group of units, such as buildings or roads, that together form a single whole; 3. an unconscious psycho logical condition related to a particular thing or activity • A complex sentence has at least two clauses, one of which is independent and one or more of which is subordinate. • A camera is too complex an instrument to repair yourself. • The interrelationship of characters in a Shakespearean play is usually quite complex. • The vitamin-B complex consists of at least 12 parts. • A housing complex might contain a few storefronts for the convenience of the tenants. • The fact that April suffered from an inferiority complex did not necessarily mean that she was not inferior. [-ity adv.] composure* (kum POH zhur) n. a calmness of mind or manner; tranquillity; self-possession; one’s togetherness • Though all about him were rife with excitement or dismay, Winston Churchill seldom lost his composure. • Composure is one of the most important conditions to retain to behave rationally in an emergency. [Syn. equanimity] 56 Essential Vocabulary comprehensive (KOM pri HEN siv) adj. 1. dealing with all or many of the rele vant details; inclusive; 2. able to understand fully; 3. a type of property insurance covering many risks in the same policy • A comprehensive survey should test the mood of the voters on many differ ent issues. • Hailee has a comprehensive mind, which allows her to grasp ideas in their entirety. • Carrying comprehensive insurance that will cover scratches and malicious mischief on your car is rarely recommended for older vehicles. [-ly adv., -ness n.] compromise (KOM pri MYZ) n. 1. a settlement in which each side gives up something to reach a middle ground; 2. an adjustment of opposing principles, sys tems, etc. by modifying some aspects of each; the result of such an adjustment; 3. something midway between two others in quality, position, etc.; 4. a baring of one’s reputation to danger, suspicion, or disrepute —vt. 1. to settle or adjust by con cessions on both sides; 2. to lay open to danger, suspicion, or disrepute; 3. to weak en one’s principles, ideals, etc. to expedite things • The Missouri Compromise permitted Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state. • A compromise is the result of two sides coming together to close the dis tance between them. • Joe was on the extreme right, Debbie was on the extreme left, and Mike compromised, midway between them. • Being seen with you might cause my reputation to be compromised. • If we all compromise, we’ll be out of here a lot sooner. • Do you expect me to compromise my principles just to get us out of here in a shorter time? [-d, compromising] compulsion (kuhm PUHL shin) n. 1. being forced; being coerced; constraint; 2. something that forces; 3. an irresistible irrational impulse to perform an act • Jane felt a compulsion to seek out chocolate ice cream, despite the rather late hour. • The subpoena was compulsion enough for Bill to show up. • The news junkie watched one news broadcast after another, unable to shake the compulsion to stay informed. [compulsive, compulsory adj., compulsorily adv.] concept (KON sept) n. 1. an idea or thought, especially one of an abstract nature; 2. an original idea, design, or concept; 3. a central unifying idea or theme • The automaker had a concept of what the car of the future should look like and be able to do. • Given the job to create a perfect building for milking cows, the architect sketched out a few concepts. • The décor was in keeping with the concept of a Vietnamese theme restau rant and lounge. [Syn. idea] C: SAT Words 57 concern (kuhn SOERN) vt. 1. to be about or to involve; 2. to draw in; engage or involve; 3. to cause to feel uneasy or anxious —n. 1. a matter of interest or impor tance to one; 2. interest in or regard for a person or thing; 3. relation; reference; 4. worry; anxiety • The Iliad concerns a war between Greece and Troy. • A good teacher tries to concern parents with their children’s day-to-day school experiences. • It concerns Lois that she has not yet heard from her tax preparation person. • Mark’s well-being is a concern of Diane’s. • Sandy has a financial concern in the company’s health. • The stock market’s fall was a great concern of those nearing retirement. [-ed, -ing; also -ed adj. and -ing prep.] [Syn. care] QUICK REVIEW #18 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. compel 2. competent 3. competition 4. competitive 5. complain 6. complex 7. composure 8. comprehensive 9. compromise 10. compulsion 11. concept 12. concern a. opponent b. inclusive c. care d. calmness e. modify f. idea g. accuse h. urge i. force j. contested k. intricate l. able concert (KON soert) n. 1. mutual agreement; concord; togetherness of action; 2. a music program in which a number of musicians perform together • Pete and Andy were careful to paddle the canoe in concert. • Getting the car out of the snow took a concerted effort. • Five singing groups performed at the April concert. [-ed adj. (in) concert] 58 Essential Vocabulary conclusion (kuhn KLOO zhn) n. 1. the end or final part; 2. the result of the reasoning process; judgment; decision; an opinion reached after investigating; the last in a chain of events • The coda is the conclusion of many musical pieces and is used to reinforce the main idea. • After thinking it through thoroughly, the conclusion that the butler had done it was unavoidable. • Scotland Yard’s investigator reached the same conclusion. • The “Waltz of the Flowers” is the conclusion to Tchaikowsky’s The Nutcracker Suite. condemn (kuhn DEM) vt. 1. to blame; strongly disapprove of; censure; 2. to declare guilty of wrongdoing; to doom; pronounce penalty on; 3. to claim private property for public use by using the power of eminent domain; expropriate; 4. to declare unfit for service • We all condemn the actions of the 9/11 hijackers. • Let us condemn the serial killer to a life in jail. • The city condemned five private homes to make room for the football stadi um’s parking lot. • The run-down tenement will be condemned and demolished. [-ed, -ing, -er n.] [Syn. criticize] condescend (KON dis END) vi. 1. to lower oneself to the level of the person one is dealing with; to graciously and willing do something regarded as beneath one’s dignity; deign; 2. to deal with others in a proud or haughty way • The judge may condescend to explain his decision to the convicted felon, even though the law does not require it. • Our cat condescends to hang out with the dog from time to time, even though she makes it abundantly clear that she occupies a much higher social level than he does. • The elite castes in traditional India would not condescend to speak with an untouchable. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. stoop] condition (kuhn DISH uhn) n. 1. anything that’s a requirement before perform ing or doing something else; 2. any prerequisite to the happening of another thing, event, etc.; 3. something that modifies or restricts the nature, existence, or occur rence of something else; 4. state of being; health; 5. social position; rank; station —vt. 1. to set as a requirement; to stipulate; 2. to impose rules on; 3. to affect, mod ify, or influence; 4. to bring to a desired state • Being paid in advance is a condition of my not singing at charity concerts; if you heard me sing, you’d know why. • Fertile soil is one condition of good crop growth. • Lack of sun is a condition preventing my having a nice lawn. • Alex’s condition has improved since he saw the doctor. • The vice president’s condition keeps him in close touch with the pulse of the Senate. C: SAT Words 59 • Sarah’s mom conditioned her going to the party on her being home by 10 P.M. at the latest. • Ulie’s outer garb is conditioned on the weather report. • After shampooing, it helps to condition one’s hair. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. state] conduct (KON duhct for n., kuhn DUHCT for vt.) n. 1. the process or way of managing or directing; 2. how one acts; behavior —vt. 1. to show the way to; to lead; to guide; to escort; 2. to manage, control, or direct; 3. to behave; 4. to be able to transmit, convey, or carry • Hands-on conduct is how Rocio handles her investments. • Richard has never been sent to the office for bad conduct. • The tour guide conducts a new group every half hour. • While Leonard Bernstien was music director of the New York Philharmonic, he frequently conducted his own works. • Children should conduct themselves properly in public. • Aluminum conducts heat better than steel but not as well as copper. [-ed, -ing, -ible adj., -ibility adv.] confirm (kuhn FIRM) vt. 1. to strengthen; establish; encourage; 2. to make valid by formal approval; to ratify; 3. to prove truth, validity, or authenticity of; 4. to cause to go through the religious ceremony of confirmation • We should confirm our reservations to make sure they hold our spaces on tomorrow morning’s flight. • The appointment of a Supreme Court justice must be confirmed by a two thirds vote of the Senate to be valid. • Ruth contacted the manufacturer to confirm that the model on sale was the latest one. • Ray’s parents arranged for him to be confirmed. [-ed, -ing, -ation n.] [Syn. verify, validate] confiscate (KON fis kayt) vt. 1. to seize (private property) for the public treas ury, usually as a penalty; 2. to seize by or as by authority; appropriate —adj. 1. taken away; 2. having property seized • In some states, automobiles driven while under the influence of an intoxi cant are confiscated. • A counterfeit bill is always confiscated by the bank teller who spots it, on authority of the Treasury Department. • Vera sued the city, trying to recover her confiscated car. • Bill hadn’t yet delivered his confiscated handgun. [confiscated, confiscating, confiscator, confiscation n.] conflate (kuhnf LAYT) vt. to combine or mix (for example, two different read ings into a single text); to bring together; to fuse; to join or meld • There is a tendency in some corners to conflate all drug use into a single dreadful statistic. • Ralph’s film conflates the the past and present through skillful use of flashbacks. 60 Essential Vocabulary conflict (kuhn FLIKT for vi., KON flikt for n.) vi. to be contradictory; be in opposi tion; clash —n. 1. a fight or struggle, especially a lengthy one; war; 2. sharp disagree ment or opposition; clash; 3. emotional disturbance resulting from a clash of impulses • Sometimes Fran’s emotions conflict with her brain, her heart pulling one way and her head pulling the other. • The Hundred Years’ War was a very lengthy conflict. • Todd’s sweet tooth is in a conflict with his need to diet. • Emotional conflict can often result from a desire to do two or more things at the same time. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. fight, struggle] confront (kon FRUHNT) vt. 1. to stand or meet face-to-face; 2. to face or oppose boldly or defiantly; 3. bring face-to-face with • The boxers first confronted each other over a couple of Philadelphia cheese steak sandwiches. • Two fencers confront each other with staple guns drawn. • Eric learned to confront his fear of pussycats by getting his very own kitten. [-ed, -ing, -ation n., -ational adj.] confuse (kuhn FYOOZ) vt. 1. to mix up; put in disorder; 2. to mix up mentally; perplex; bewilder; 3. to fail to distinguish between; err in identifying • To confuse Gino, Jim walked backward with his arms extended in front of him. • Anna confused real events with imaginary ones. • Charlie confused a Chevrolet with an Oldsmobile. [-d, confusing, confusion n.] [Syn. puzzle] QUICK REVIEW #19 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. concert 2. conclusion 3. condemn 4. condescend 5. condition 6. conduct 7. confirm 8. confiscate 9. conflate 10. conflict 11. confront 12. confuse a. face b. meld c. state d. together e. clash f. seize g. perplex h. verify i. stoop j. result k. behavior l. doom C: SAT Words 61 congruous (KON groo uhs) adj. 1. congruent; 2. fitting; suitable; appropriate • Congruous figures are exactly the same shape and size. • When appearing in public, a member of Congress is expected to demon strate congruous behavior at all times. [-ly adv., -ness n.] connection (kuhn NEK shuhn) n. 1. a coupling, a joining or unifying; a unifi cation 2. a means of joining; 3. a relationship; 4. a business associate; 5. the means of changing from one train, bus, etc. en route to somewhere; 6. a circuit in electric ity; a line of communication between two points in telegraphy, telephony, etc. • A connection is made between two pipes by means of some type of coupling. • Connection from car engine to radiator is by rubber hose. • You can just sense that Ted and Alice have a connection. • Bill was looking for an MP3 player, and he thought his connection with the appliance store worker might help him to get one at a good price. • When Juanita flew from New York to Miami, she had to make a connection at Atlanta. • Most electrical connections are made by sticking a plug into a wall outlet. consciousness* (KON shuhs nes) n. 1. the state of being aware; awareness of one’s own feelings or one’s surroundings; 2. the totality of one’s thoughts, feelings, etc. • Having been out cold, Ali gradually regained consciousness. • Stream of consciousness entails saying or writing whatever pops into your head in the order that it does. • Consciousness implies both an awareness of and an inclination to interact with the world around you. consensus (kuhn SEN suhs) n. 1. an opinion held by all or most; 2. general agreement of opinion • There is a consensus among Americans that democracy is a superior form of government to autocracy. • There is a consensus among men that male drivers are superior to female drivers. • Amazingly, the exact opposite consensus exists among women and, aston ishingly, is supported by statistical data. consequence (KON si KWENS) n. 1. a result of an action; outcome; effect; 2. a logical conclusion; 3. the relation of effect to cause; 4. importance • A consequence of buying a new pen is a handwritten note. • Having the correct time can be a consequence of keeping a fresh battery in your wristwatch. • The consequence of consuming a lot of dairy products as a child will be strong teeth and bones as an adult. • The Emperor Maximillian’s presence in Mexico during the American Civil War was of no consequence in the war’s outcome. [consequent adj., consequently adv.] [Syn. effect, importance] 62 Essential Vocabulary consider (kuhn SID uhr) vt. 1. to think about; ponder; 2. to keep in mind; take into account; 3. to be thoughtful of others • In studying World War I, one must consider the alliances that had been formed among the nations of Europe. • Her health is really very good, if you consider her age. • We cannot give our security contract to a new provider without considering its effect on our current provider. [-ed, -ing, -ation n.] [Syn. contemplate, weigh] consist (kuhn SIST) vi. 1. to be made up of; 2. to be contained or inherent in; 3. to be characterized by • Water consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. • Wisdom consists of more than just knowing facts. • Her cultural pursuits consist of watching television. construct (kuhn STRUHKT for v., KAHN strukt for n.) vt. 1. to create; 2. to draw a figure to meet specifications —n. 1. something built or put together systematically; 2. a concept or theory devised to unify diverse data • Some children love to construct buidings with interlocking plastic blocks, and so do I. • Suzanne was asked to construct an isosceles triangle congruent to the one in her geometry book. • The plan for the new field house was a construct that had taken two years and hundreds of meetings to achieve. • The big-bang theory is a construct to explain discoveries and observations of astronomers over the last century. contaminate (kuhn TAM in AYT) vt. to corrupt, make impure, infect, etc. by adding something that shouldn’t be there; pollute; defile; taint • Truck exhaust fumes contaminate the air we all breathe. • Salt contaminates seawater, making it undrinkable for us. • The nuclear accident at Chernobyl contaminated much of northern Europe’s pasturelands. [-d, contaminating, contaminator n.] [Syn. defile, taint, corrupt] contemplate (KON tem PLAYT) vt. 1. to stare at intently; 2. to think about carefully; study intently; 3. to keep in mind as a possibile plan of action • Jerry contemplated the telephone bill, studying the total charges in disbelief. • The coach contemplated whom to put into the starting lineup for the next day’s game. • To improve our property value, please contemplate running away from home (please). [-d, contemplating, contemplation n.] [Syn. consider] C: SAT Words 63 contemporary* (kuhn TEM poer ery) adj. 1. living or occurring in the same time frame; 2. around the same age; 3. from recent times; modern —n. a person who lived at the same time as another/others; the same age as another/others • The first Super Bowl was contemporary with the Dodgers and Giants moving from New York to California. • Willis is Francesco’s contemporary, both of them having been born about six years ago. • Michael Schelle’s compositions are exemplary of contemporary serious music. • Composer Franz Joseph Haydn was a contemporary of George Washington but outlived him by 10 years. [contemporaneous adj.] contemptuous (kuhn TEMP choo uhs) adj. full of scorn; full of contempt; disdainful • Ramses II was contemptuous of Moses’ attempt to free his people (at least in the Charlton Heston version of The Ten Commandments). • Marie Antoinette was contemptuous of the French peasants’ being unable to afford bread when she remarked, “. . . then let them eat cake.” [-ly adv., -ness n.] QUICK REVIEW #20 Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most nearly the same thing. 1. congruous 2. connection 3. consciousness 4. consensus 5. consequence 6. consider 7. consist 8. construct 9. contaminate 10. contemplate 11. contemporary 12. contemptuous a. composed b. effect c. scornful d. simultaneous e. build f. stare at g. taint h. suitable i. awareness j. agreement k. join l. weigh 64 Essential Vocabulary contentment (kuhn TENT mint) n. a feeling of being satisfied; a feeling of well-being • Dinner having been finished, Gerald felt total contentment. • Her life being one of complete contentment, Susan had no desire for any thing she did not already have. context (KON tekst) n. 1. the spoken or written information immediately around a certain word or passage that helps to determine its meaning; 2. the entire ty of the situation in which an event occurs • Quoting her out of context, one might believe that Margaret had found a dress to be particularly lovely, while what she had actually said was “I don’t find that dress to be particularly lovely.” • To appreciate the significance of the latest explorations of Mars, we must look at it in the context of our exploration of the entire solar system. [-ual adj., -ually adv.] contract (KON trakt for n. and sometimes v., kuhn TRAKT for most v.) n. 1. an agreement between two or more parties to do something in exchange for some thing else; 2. a formal agreement of marriage or engagement; 3. the document detailing the terms of the agreement —vt. 1. to arrange or agree to do something; 2. to get or incur (a debt, an illness, etc.); 3. to get or make smaller; to shorten; to nar row; to shrink; 4. to restrict • I just made a contract with a flooring company to replace that seedy look ing living-room floor. • Wedding contracts are really obsolete in the twenty-first century. • Keep a copy of the contract in your desk or filing cabinet. • Lynn’s going to contract for new kitchen cabinets. • Olga seems to have contracted a nasty case of the flu. • It would be good to contract the size of your debt. • Regulations have contracted the number of people allowed to be in airline waiting rooms. [Syn. shrink, deflate, reduce] contrary (KON tre ree) adj. 1. opposed to; against; 2. opposite in nature, order, direction, etc.; completely different; 3. posturing oneself to consistently disagree; perverse —n. the opposite • Democrats and Republicans have contrary positions on many issues. • Contrary to popular opinion, Calbert can dance quite well. • Carla is disagreeing with everything just to be contrary. • George often says one thing and then does the contrary. contrast (KON trast for n., kun TRAST for v.) vt. to compare so as to notice or point out the differences; to make a side-by-side comparison —vi. to show differ ences when compared —n. 1. a difference, especially a striking one, between two things; 2. showing a striking difference, in color or tone, between different parts of a painting, photograph, or video image • It’s easy to contrast Hal’s easygoing mannerisms with R. Lee’s drill-sergeant demeanor. • Contrast the appearance of a 10-karat-yellow gold ring to a 14-karat one, and the difference is immediately obvious. C: SAT Words 65 • Look at a rectangle next to another parallelogram, and you will immediate ly recognize the contrast. • Adjusting the contrast on a television will soften or harden the way objects next to each other are differentiated. [-ed, -ing] [Syn. compare] contribute (kun TRIB yoot) vt. 1. to give to a common fund or cause; 2. to write and give or sell a piece of writing to a magazine, newspaper, or other publica tion; 3. to furnish or donate knowledge, ideas, expertise, etc. • Pat always contributes to cancer-fighting organizations. • James Thurber contributed many humorous cartoons and short stories to various editors during his lifetime. • Many scientists of the Manhattan Project contributed the ideas and calcula tions that led to Robert Oppenheimer’s becoming the father of the atomic bomb. [-d, contributing, contribution n.] contrite (kun TRYT) adj. 1. feeling sorrow; remorse; 2. showing or resulting from repentance; regretting having done wrong • Kathy was contrite for having taken Rhoda’s car without first having gotten permission. • Bob’s avoiding meeting Gary’s eyes after having damaged his boat was the result of his feeling contrite. [-ly adv., contrition n.] [Syn. penitent] controversial (KON truh VER shee uhl) adj. subject to or likely to cause dis agreement; debatable • The question of whether or not to build a new parking garage was the most controversial subject on the agenda. • Controversial topics are often the subject of public debate and can polarize opinions. [-ly adv., controversy n.] controvert (KON truh voert) vt. 1. to argue against; dispute; deny; contradict; 2. to argue about; debate; discuss • It is becoming increasingly difficult to controvert the notion that life might have once existed on Mars. • Magellan’s voyage should have been enough to controvert all notions of the world’s being flat. [-ed, -ing, -ible adj., -ibly adv.] [Syn. disprove] conundrum (kuh NUHN drm) n. 1. a riddle in which the answer contains a pun (play on words); 2. any puzzling question or problem A conundrum’s sense #1 is illustrated in the following Q & A: Q. What’s the difference between a jeweler and a jailer? A. One sells watches, and the other watches cells. • Having been invited to three different New Year’s Eve parties, and not wanting to hurt anyone’s feelings, Olive felt that deciding how to act was a conundrum.