barron词汇 P |
barron词汇 P
2441. pachyderm
释义: thick-skinned animal
例句: The elephant is probably the best-known pachyderm.
2442. pacifist
释义: one opposed to force; antimilitarist
例句: The pacifists urged that we reduce our military budget and recall our troops stationed overseas.
2443. pacify
释义: soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue
例句: Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify them.
2444. paean
释义: song of praise or joy
例句: paeans celebrating the victory filled the air.
2445. painstaking
释义: showing hard work; taking great care
例句: The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking efforts on the part of our research staff.
2446. palatable
释义: agreeable; pleasing to the taste
例句: Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were palatable to me.
2447. palatial
释义: magnificent
例句: He proudly showed us through his palatial home.
2448. paleontology
释义: study of prehistoric life
例句: The professor of paleontology had a superb collection of fossils.
2449. palette
释义: board on which a painter mixes pigments
例句: At the present time, art supply stores are selling a paper palette that may be discarded after use.
2450. palimpsest
释义: parchment used for second time after original writing has been erased
例句: Using chemical reagents, scientists have been able to restore the original writings on many palimpsests.
2451. pall
释义: grow tiresome
例句: The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep.
2452. pallet
释义: small, poor bed
例句: The weary traveler went to sleep on his straw pallet.
2453. palliate
释义: ease pain; make less severe or offensive
例句: If we cannot cure this disease at present, we can, at least try to palliate the symptoms.
2454. pallid
释义: pale; wan
例句: Because his occupation required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.
2455. palpable
释义: tangible; easily perceptible
例句: I cannot understand how you could overlook such a palpable blunder.
2456. palpitate
释义: throb; flutter
例句: As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and more erratically.
2457. paltry
释义: insignificant; petty
例句: This is a paltry sum to pay for such a masterpiece.
2458. pan
释义: criticize harshly
例句: Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously.
2459. panacea
释义: cure-all; remedy for all diseases
例句: There is no easy panacea that will solve our complicated international situation.
2460. panache
释义: flair; flamboyance
例句: Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style.
2461. pandemic
释义: widespread; affecting the majority of people
例句: They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.
2462. pandemonium
释义: wild tumult
例句: When the ships collided in the harbor, pandemonium broke out among the passengers.
2463. pander
释义: cater to the low desires of others
例句: The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of pandering to the masses' taste of violence.
2464. panegyric
释义: formal praise
例句: The modest hero blushed to hear the speakers delivering panegyrics about his valorous act.
2465. panoramic
释义: denoting an unobstructed and comprehensive view
例句: On a clear day, from the top of the World Trade Center you can get a panoramic view of New York City and neighboring stretches of New Jersey and Long Island.
2466. pantomime
释义: acting without dialogue
例句: Because he worked in pantomime, the clown could be understood wherever he appeared.
2467. papyrus
释义: ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant
例句: The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on papyrus.
2468. parable
释义: short, simple story teaching a moral
例句: Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this parable teaches.
2469. paradigm
释义: model; example; pattern
例句: Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-response experiment in behavioal psychology.
2470. paradox
释义: statement that looks false but is actually correct; a contradictory statement
例句: Wordworth's "The child is father to the man" is an example of paradox.
2471. paragon
释义: model of perfection
例句: The class disliked him because the teacher was always pointing him out as a paragon of virtue.
2472. parallelism
释义: state of being parallel; similarity
例句: There is a striking parallelism between the twins.
2473. parameter
释义: limit; independent variable
例句: We need to define the parameters of the problem.
2474. paramount
释义: foremost in importance; supreme
例句: Proper nutrition and hygiene are of paramount importance in adolescent development and growth.
2475. paramour
释义: illicit lover
例句: She sought a divorce on the grounds that her husband had a paramour in another town.
2476. paranoia
释义: psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution
例句: Suffering from paranois, he claimed everyone was out to get him; ironically, his claim was accurate; even paranoids have enemies.
2477. paraphernalia
释义: equipment; odds and ends
例句: His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writing craft.
2478. paraphrase
释义: restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author
例句: In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article.
2479. parasite
释义: animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant
例句: The tapeworm is an example of the kind of parasite that may infest the human body.
2480. parched
释义: extremely dry; very thirsty
例句: The parched desert landscape seemed hostile to life.
2481. pariah
释义: social outcast
例句: I am not a pariah to be shunned and ostracized.
2482. parity
释义: equality; close resemblance
例句: I find your analogy inaccurate because I do not see the parity between the two illustrations.
2483. parlance
释义: language; idiom
例句: All this legal parlance confuses me; I need an interpreter.
2484. parley
释义: conference
例句: The peace parley has not produced the anticipated truce.
2485. parochial
释义: narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes
例句: Although Jane Austen writes novels set in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial.
2486. parody
释义: humorous imitation; travesty
例句: We enjoyed the clever parodies of popular songs that the chorus sang.
2487. paroxysm
释义: fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage
例句: When he heared of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a paroxysm of rage.
2488. parquet
释义: floor made of wood strips inlaid in a mosic-like pattern.
例句: In laying the floor, the carpenters combined redwood and oak in an elegant parquet.
2489. parry
释义: ward off a blow
例句: He was content to wage a defensive battle and tried to parry his opponent's thrusts.
2490. parsimonious
释义: stingy; excessively frugal
例句: His parsimonious nature did not permit him to enjoy any luxuries.
2491. partial
释义: incomplete
例句: In this issue we have published only a partial list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge everyone.
2492. partial
释义: biased; having a liking for something
例句: I am extremely partial to chocolate eclairs.
2493. partiality
释义: inclination; bias
例句: As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid any evidence of partiality when I award the prize.
2494. partisan
释义: one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
例句: On certain issues of conscience, she refused to take a partisan stand.
2495. passe
释义: old-fashioned; past the prime
例句: Her style is passe and reminiscent of the Victorian era.
2496. passive
释义: not active; acted upon
例句: Mahatma Gandhi urged his followers to pursue a program of passive resistance as he felt that it was more effective than violence and acts of terrorism.
2497. pastiche
释义: imitation of another's style in musical composition or in writing
例句: We cannot even say that her music is a pastiche of this or that composer; it is rather, reminiscent of many musicians.
2498. pastoral
释义: rural
例句: In these stories of pastoral life, we find an understanding of the daily tasks of country folk.
2499. patent
释义: open for the public to read; obvious
例句: It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth.
2500. pathetic
释义: causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching
例句: Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished his pathetic tale about the orphaned boy.
2501. pathological
释义: pertaining to disease
例句: As we study the pathological aspects of this disease, we must not overlook the psychological elements.
2502. pathos
释义: tender to sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings.
例句: The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never degenerated into the maudlin or the overly sentimental.
2503. patina
释义: green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting
例句: Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist.
2504. patois
释义: local or provincial dialect
例句: His years of study of the language at the university did not enable him to understand the patois of the natives.
2505. patriarch
释义: father and ruler of a family or tribe
例句: In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the patriarch.
2506. patrician
释义: noble; aristocratic
例句: We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance
2507. patronize
释义: support; act superior toward
例句: Experts in a field sometimes appear to patronize people who are less knowledgeable of the subject.
2508. paucity
释义: scarcity
例句: They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate.
2509. pauper
释义: very poor person
例句: Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was by no means a pauper.
2510. peccadillo
释义: slight offense
例句: If we examine these escapades carefully, we will realize that they are mere peccadilloes rather than major crimes.
2511. pecuniary
释义: pertaining to money
例句: I never expected a pecuniary reward for my work in this activity.
2512. pedagogue
释义: teacher
例句: He could never be a stuffy pedagogue; his classes were always lively and filled with humor.
2513. pedagogy
释义: teaching; art of education
例句: Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in pedagogy, it took years before her teaching techniques became common practice in American schools.
2514. pedant
释义: scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities
例句: Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher as a pedant rather than a scholar.
2515. pedantic
释义: showing off learning; bookish
例句: Leaving his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Walker was not at all pedantic legal scholar.
2516. pedestrian
释义: ordinary; unimaginative
例句: Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian prose.
2517. pediatrician
释义: physician specializing in children's diseases.
例句: The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child's ailment.
2518. pejorative
释义: negative in connotation; having a belittling effect.
例句: Instead of criticizing Clinton's policies, the Republicans made pejorative remarks about his character.
2519. pellmell
释义: in confusion; disorderly
例句: The excited students dashed pellmell into the stadium to celebrate the victory.
2520. pellucid
释义: transparent; limpid; easy to understand
例句: After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find his pellucid style very enjoyable.
2521. penance
释义: self-imposed punishment for sin
例句: The Ancient Mariner said, "I have penance done and penance more will do," to atone for the sin of killing the albatross.
2522. penchant
释义: strong inclination; liking
例句: He had a strong penchant for sculpture and owned many statues.
2523. pendant
释义: hanging down from something
例句: Her pendant earrings glistened in the light.
2524. pendant
释义: ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.)
例句: The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and pendant engraved with the school's motto.
2525. pendulous
释义: hanging; suspended
例句: The pendulous chandeliers swayed in the breeze as if they were about to fall from the ceiling.
2526. penitent
释义: repentant
例句: When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became remorseful and penitent.
2527. pensive
释义: dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness
例句: The pensive youth gazed at the painting for a long time and then sighed.
2528. penumbra
释义: partial shadow (in an eclipse)
例句: During an eclipse, we can see an area of total darkness and a lighter area, which is the penumbra.
2529. penurious
释义: stingy; parsimonious
例句: He was a penurious man, averse to spending money even for the necessities of life.
2530. penury
释义: extreme poverty
例句: When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his days in penury.
2531. peon
释义: landless agricultural worker; bond servant
例句: The land reformers sought to liberate the peons and establish them as independent farmers.
2532. perceptive
释义: insightful; aware; wise
例句: Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her blind sports: she could never see flaws in the work of her friends.
2533. percussion
释义: striking one object against another sharply
例句: The drum is a percussion instrument.
2534. perdition
释义: damnation; complete ruin
例句: Praying for salvation, young Daedalus feared he was damned to eternal perdition.
2535. peregrination
释义: journey
例句: Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo.
2536. peremptory
释义: demanding and leaving no choice
例句: From Jack's peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he would not give up until she let him in.
2537. perennial
释义: something long-lasting
例句: Tese plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years.
2538. perifidious
释义: treacherous; disloyal
例句: When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious friend.
2539. perforate
释义: pierce; put a hole through
例句: Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate the plastic safety seal that covers the cap.
2540. perfunctory
释义: superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm
例句: The auditor's perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked many errors.
2541. perigee
释义: point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth
例句: The rocket which was designed to take photographs of the moon was launched as the moon approached its perigee.
2542. perimeter
释义: outer boundary
例句: To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of the four sides.
2543. peripatetic
释义: walking about; moving
例句: The peripatetic school of philosophy derives its name from the fact that Aristotle walked with his pupils while discussing philosophy with them.
2544. peripheral
释义: marginal; outer
例句: We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of the great city.
2545. periphery
释义: edge, especially of a round surface
例句: He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of his vision.
2546. perjury
释义: false testimony while under oath
例句: When several witnesses appeared to challenge his story, he was indicted for perjury.
2547. permeable
释义: porous; allowing passage through
例句: Glass is permeable to light.
2548. pernicious
释义: very destructive, harmful
例句: He argued that these books had a pernicious effect on young and susceptible minds.
2549. peroration
释义: conclusion of an oration
例句: The peroration was largely hortatory and brought the audience to its feet clamoring for action at its close.
2550. perpetrate
释义: commit an offense
例句: Only an insane person could perpetrate such a horrible crime.
2551. perpetual
释义: everlasting
例句: Ponce de Leon hoped to find perpetual youth.
2552. perquisite
释义: any gain above stipulated salary
例句: The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates.
2553. personable
释义: attractive
例句: The man I am seeking to fill this position must be personable since he will be representing us before the public.
2554. perspicacious
释义: having insight; penetrating; astute
例句: The brillant lawyer was known for his perspicacious deductions.
2555. perspicuity
释义: clearness of expression; freedom from ambiguity
例句: One of the outstanding features of this book is the perspicuity of its author; her meaning is always clear.
2556. perspicuous
释义: plainly expressed
例句: Her perspicuous comments eliminated all posibility of misinterpretation.
2557. pert
释义: impertinent; forward
例句: I think your pert and impudent remarks call for an apology.
2558. pertinacious
释义: stubborn; persistent
例句: He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit.
2559. pertinent
释义: suitable; to the point
例句: The lawyer wanted to know all the pertinent details.
2560. perturb
释义: disturb greatly
例句: I am afraid this news will perturb him and cause him grief.
2561. perusal
释义: reading
例句: I am certain that you have missed important details in your rapid perusal of this document.
2562. pervasive
释义: spread throughout
例句: Despite airing them for several hours, she could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothbals that clung to them.
2563. perverse
释义: stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and unacceptable
例句: When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh of his victims.
2564. perversion
释义: corruption; turning from right to wrong
例句: Inasmuch as he had no motive for his crimes, we could not understand his perversion.
2565. pessimism
释义: belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess
例句: The good news we have been receiving lately indicates that there is little reason for your pessimism.
2566. pestilential
释义: causing plague; baneful
例句: People were afraid to explore the pestilential swap.
2567. pestle
释义: tool for mashing or grinding substances in a hard bowl
例句: From the way in which the elderly pharmacist pounded the drug with his pestle, young George could tell that his employer was agitated about something.
2568. petrify
释义: turn to stone
例句: His sudden and unexpected appearance seemed to petrify her.
2569. petty
释义: trivial; unimportant; very small
例句: She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too minor to state.
2570. petulant
释义: touchy; peevish
例句: The feverish patient was petulant and restless.
2571. pharisaical
释义: pertaining to Pharisees, who paid scrupulous attention to tradition; self-righteous; hypocritical
例句: Walter Lippmann has pointed out that moralists who do not attempt to explain the moral code they advocate are often regarded as pharisaical and ignored.
2572. phenomena
释义: observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation
例句: We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the course of these experiments.
2573. philanderer
释义: faithless lover; flirt
例句: Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman, Jack assured Jill he was no philanderer.
2574. philanthropist
释义: lover of mankind; doer of good
例句: As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and benefactor of the needy.
2575. philatelist
释义: stamp-collector
例句: When she heard the value of the Penny Black stamp, Phyllis was inspired to become a philatelist.
2576. philistine
释义: narrow-minded person, uncultured and exculsively interested in material gain
例句: We need more men of culture and enlightenment; we have too many philistines among us.
2577. philology
释义: study of language
例句: The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an international language.
2578. phlegmatic
释义: calm; not easily disturbed
例句: The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies.
2579. phobia
释义: morbid fear
例句: Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real phobia.
2580. physiognomy
释义: face
例句: He prided himself on his ability to analyze a person's character by studying his physiognomy.
2581. physiological
释义: pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms
例句: To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its physiological aspects but also its psychological elements.
2582. piebald
释义: of different colors; motled; spotted
例句: You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; he is the only piebald horse running.
2583. pied
释义: variegated; multicolored
例句: The pied piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore.
2584. piety
释义: devoutness; reverence for God
例句: Living her life in prayer and good works, Mother Teresa exemplifies the true sprit of piety.
2585. pigment
释义: coloring matter
例句: Van Gogh mixed various pigments with linseed oil to create his paints.
2586. pillage
释义: plunder
例句: The enemy pillaged the quiet village and left it in ruins.
2587. pillory
释义: punish by placing in a wooden frame; subject to criticism and ridicule
例句: Even though he was mocked and pilloried, he maintained that he was correct in his beliefs.
2588. pine
释义: languish, decline; long for, yearn
例句: Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff but loving grandfather.
2589. pinion
释义: restrain
例句: They pinioned his arms against his body but left his legs free so that he could move about.
2590. pinnacle
释义: peak
例句: We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.
2591. pious
释义: devout
例句: The pious parents gave their children a religious upbringing.
2592. piquant
释义: pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating
例句: The piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal.
2593. pique
释义: irritation; resentment
例句: She showed her pique by her refusal to appear with the other contestants at the end of the contest.
2594. piscatorial
释义: pertaining to fishing
例句: He spent many happy hours at the lake in his piscatorial activities.
2595. pithy
释义: concise; meaty
例句: I enjoy reading his essays because they are always compact and pithy.
2596. pittance
释义: a small allowance or wage
例句: He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of revenue.
2597. pivotal
释义: central; critical
例句: De Klerk's decision to set Nelson Mandela free was pivotal; without Mandela's release, there was no possibility that the African National Cogress would entertain talks with the South African government.
2598. placate
释义: pacify; conciliate
例句: The teacher tried to placate the angry mother.
2599. placebo
释义: harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill
例句: In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given erythromycin tablets; the control group received only placebos.
2600. placid
释义: peaceful; calm
例句: After his vacation in this placid section, he felt soothed and rested.
2601. plagiarize
释义: steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own
例句: The editor could tell that the writer had plagiarized parts of the article; he could recognize whole paragraphs from the original source.
2602. plaintive
释义: mournful
例句: The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call
2603. plasticity
释义: ability to be molded
例句: When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable.
2604. platitude
释义: trite remark; commonplace statement
例句: The platitudes in his speech were applauded by the vast majority in his audience; only a few people perceived how trite his remarks were.
2605. platonic
释义: purely spiritual; theoretical; without sensual desire
例句: Accused of impropriety in his dealings with female students, the professor maintained he had only a platonic interest in the women involved.
2606. plauditory
释义: approving; applauding
例句: The theatrical company reprinted the plauditory comments of the critics in its advertisement.
2607. plausible
释义: having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious
例句: Even though your argument is plausible, I still would like to have more proof.
2608. plebeian
释义: common; pertaining to the common people
例句: His speeches were aimed at the plebeian minds and emotions; they disgusted the more refined.
2609. plenary
释义: complete; full
例句: The union leader was given plenary power to negotiate a new contract with the employers.
2610. plenitude
释义: abundance; completeness
例句: Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and pickles we had preserved during the summer.
2611. plethora
释义: excess; overabundance
例句: She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings.
2612. pliable
释义: flexible; yielding; adaptable
例句: In remodeling the bathroom, we replaced all the old, rigid lead pipes with new, pliable copper tubing.
2613. pliant
释义: flexible; easily influenced
例句: Catherine's disposition was pliant; she was like putty in her suitor's hands.
2614. pluck
释义: courage
例句: Even the adversaries of young Indiana Jones were impressed by the boy's pluck in trying to rescue the archeological treasure they had stolen.
2615. plumb
释义: vertical
例句: Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from the ceiling as a guide.
2616. plummet
释义: fall sharply
例句: Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the rise in interest rates.
2617. plutocracy
释义: society ruled by the wealthy
例句: From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think our society is a plutocracy rather than a democracy.
2618. podiatrist
释义: doctor who treats ailments of the feet
例句: He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches.
2619. podium
释义: pedestal; raised platform
例句: The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the podium.
2620. poignancy
释义: quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion
例句: Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and child, the social worker was touched by the poignancy of the scene.
2621. polarize
释义: split into opposite extremes or camps
例句: The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and anti-abortion camps.
2622. polemic
释义: controversy; argument in support of point of view
例句: Her essays were, for the main part, polemics for the party's policy.
2623. politic
释义: expedient; prudent; well devised
例句: Even though he was disappointed, he did not think it politic to refuse the offer.
2624. polity
释义: form of government of nation or state
例句: Our polity should be devoted to the concept that the government should strive for the good of all citizens.
2625. polygamist
释义: one who has more than one spouse at a time
例句: He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed complaints about him.
2626. polyglot
释义: speaking several languages
例句: New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands of immigrants who settle there.
2627. pomposity
释义: self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt
例句: Although the commencement speaker had some good things to say, we had to laugh at his pomposity and general air of parading his own dignity.
2628. ponderous
释义: weighty; unwieldy
例句: His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always ponderous.
2629. pontifical
释义: pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious
例句: From the very beginning of his ministry it was clear from his pontifical pronouncements that John was destined for a high pontifical office.
2630. pore
释义: study industriously; ponder; scrutinize
例句: Determined to become a physician, Beth spends hours poring over her anatomy text.
2631. porous
释义: full of pores; like a sieve
例句: Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready passage of water and air.
2632. portend
释义: foretell; presage
例句: The king did not know what these omens might portend and asked his soothsayers to interpret them.
2633. portent
释义: sign; omen; forewarning
例句: He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil.
2634. portly
释义: stout; corpulent
例句: The salesclerk tactfully referred to the overweight customer as portly rather than fat.
2635. poseur
释义: person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others
例句: Some thought Dali was a brillant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur.
2636. posterity
释义: descendants; future generations
例句: We hope to leave a better world to posterity.
2637. posthumous
释义: after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death)
例句: The critics ignored his works during his lifetime; it was only after the posthumous publication of his last novel that they recognized his great talent.
2638. postulate
释义: self-evident truth
例句: We must accept these statements as postulates before pursuing our discussions any further.
2639. posture
释义: assume an affected pose; act artificially
例句: No matter how much Arnold boasted or postured, I could not believe he was as important as he pretended to be.
2640. potable
释义: suitable for drinking
例句: The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic States has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of making sea water potable.
2641. potent
释义: powerful; persuasive; greatly influential
例句: The jury was swayed by the highly potent testimony of the crime's sole eyewitness.
2642. potentate
释义: monarch; sovereign
例句: The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne.
2643. potential
释义: expressing possibility; latent
例句: The juvenile delinquent is a potential murderer.
2644. potion
释义: dose (of liquid)
例句: Tristan and Lsolde drink a love potion in the first act of the opera.
2645. potpourri
释义: heterogeneous mixture; medley
例句: He offered a potpourri of folk songs from many lands.
2646. poultice
释义: soothing application applied to sore and inflamed portions of the body
例句: He was advised to apply a flaxseed poultice to the inflammation.
2647. practicable
释义: feasible
例句: The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and agreed to undertake the project.
2648. practical
释义: based on experience; useful
例句: He was a practical man, opposed to theory
2649. pragmatic
释义: practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
例句: This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic test of the value of my conversational French class.
2650. pragmatist
释义: practical person
例句: No pragmatist enjoys becoming involved in a game that he can never win
2651. prate
释义: speak foolishly; boast idly
例句: Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves.
2652. prattle
释义: babble
例句: The children prattle endlessly about their new toys.
2653. preamble
释义: introductory statement
例句: In the preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth.
2654. precarious
释义: uncertain; risky
例句: I think this stock is a precarious investment and advise against its purchase.
2655. precedent
释义: something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action
例句: This decision sets a precedent for future cases of a similar nature.
2656. precedent
释义: preceding in time, rank, etc.
例句: Our discussions, precedent to this event, certainly did not give you any reason to believe that we would adopt your proposal.
2657. precept
释义: practical rule guiding conduct
例句: "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile precept.
2658. precipice
释义: cliff; dangerous position
例句: Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of a precipice.
2659. precipitate
释义: headlong; rash
例句: Do not be precipitate in this matter; investigate further.
2660. precipitate
释义: throw headlong; hasten
例句: The removal of American political support appeared to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos regime.
2661. precipitous
释义: steep; overhasty
例句: This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well.
2662. precise
释义: exact
例句: If you don't give me precise directions and a map, I'll never find your place.
2663. preclude
释义: make impossible; eliminate
例句: This contract does not preclude my being employed by others at the same time that I am working for you.
2664. precocious
释义: advanced in development
例句: By her rather adult manner of discussing serious topics, the child demonstrated that she was precocious.
2665. precursor
释义: forerunner
例句: Though Gray and Burns share many traits with the Romantic poets who followed them, most critics consider them precursors of the Romantic Movement, not true Romantics.
2666. predatory
释义: plundering
例句: The hawk is a predatory bird.
2667. predecessor
释义: former occupant of a post
例句: I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late predecessor in this office.
2668. predilection
释义: partiality; preference
例句: Although the artist used various media from time to time, she had a predilection for watercolors.
2669. preeminent
释义: outstanding; superior
例句: The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent surgeon in the field to perform the operation.
2670. preempt
释义: head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself; supplant
例句: Hoping to preempt any attempts by the opposition to make educational reform a hot political issue, the candidate set out her own plan to revitalize the public schools.
2671. preen
释义: make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction
例句: As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her shining hair, she couldn't help preening herself on her good looks.
2672. prefactory
释义: introductory
例句: The chairman made a few prefactory remarks before he called on the first speaker.
2673. prehensile
释义: capable of grasping or holding
例句: Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their prehensile tails in traveling through the trees.
2674. prelate
释义: church dignitary
例句: The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates visited the Russian Orthodox seminary.
2675. prelude
释义: introduction; forerunner
例句: I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious attacks.
2676. premeditate
释义: plan in advance
例句: She had premeditated the murder for months, reading about common poisons and buying weed killer that contained arsenic.
2677. premise
释义: assumption; postulate
例句: Because Jack had based his argument upon a faulty premise, his opponent cheerfully pointed out the holes in his logic.
2678. premonition
释义: forewarning
例句: We ignored these premonitions of disaster because they appeared to be based on childish fears.
2679. premonitory
释义: serving to warn
例句: You should have visited a doctor as soon as you felt these premonitory chest pains.
2680. preponderance
释义: superiority of power, quantity, etc.
例句: The rebels sought to overcome the preponderance of strength of the government forces by engaging in guerrilla tactics.
2681. preposterous
释义: absurd; ridiculous
例句: When the candidate tried to downplay his youthful experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled, we all thought, "What a preposterous excuse!"
2682. prerogative
释义: privilege; unquestionable right
例句: The President cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the legislative branch of government.
2683. presage
释义: foretell
例句: The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery of the corpse in the desert.
2684. prescience
释义: ability to foretell the future
例句: Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take prescience for me to foresee problems in our future trade relations with Japan.
2685. presentiment
释义: premonition; foreboding
例句: Hamlet felt a presentiment about his meeting with Laertes.
2686. prestige
释义: impression produced by achievements or reputation
例句: The wealthy man sought to obtain social prestige by contributing to popular charities.
2687. presumptous
释义: arrogant; taking liberties
例句: It seems presumptous for one so relatively new to the field to challenge the conclusions of its leading experts.
2688. pretentious
释义: ostentatious; ambitious
例句: I do not feel that your limited resources will permit you to carry out such a pretentious program.
2689. preternatural
释义: beyond that which is normal in nature
例句: John's mother's total ability to tell when he was lying struck him as almost preternatural.
2690. pretext
释义: excuse
例句: He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his aunt.
2691. prevail
释义: induce; triumph over
例句: He tried to prevail on her to type his essays for him.
2692. prevalent
释义: widespread; generally accepted
例句: A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with the conservative views prevalent in the America of his day.
2693. prevaricate
释义: lie
例句: Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard the statement as a "white lie."
2694. prey
释义: target of a hunt; victim
例句: In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey not wild beasts but wild plants.
2695. prim
释义: very precise and formal; exceedingly proper
例句: Many people commented on the contrast between the prim attire of the young lady and the inappropriate clothing worn by her escort.
2696. primogeniture
释义: seniority by birth
例句: By virtue of primogeniture, in some cultures the first-born child has many privileges denied his brothers and sisters.
2697. primordial
释义: existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary
例句: The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.
2698. primp
释义: dress or groom oneself with care
例句: She primps for hours before a dance.
2699. pristine
释义: characteristic of earlier times; primitive, unspoiled
例句: This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.
2700. privation
释义: hardship; want
例句: In his youth, he knew hunger and privation.
2701. privy
释义: secret; hidden; not public
例句: We do not care for privy chamber of government.
2702. probe
释义: explore with tools
例句: The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it.
2703. probity
释义: uprightness; incorruptibility
例句: Everyone took his probity for granted; his defalcations, therefore, shocked us all.
2704. problematic
释义: perplexing; unsettled: questionable
例句: Given the many areas of conflict still awaiting resolution, the outcome of the peace talks remains problematic.
2705. proclivity
释义: inclination; natural tendency
例句: The cross old lady has a proclivity to grumble.
2706. procrastinate
释义: postpone; delay
例句: It is wise not to procrastinate; otherwise, we find ourselves bogged down in a mass of work that should have been finished long ago.
2707. procurement
释义: obtaining
例句: The personnel department handles the procurement of new employees.
2708. prod
释义: poke; stir up; urge
例句: If you prod him hard enough, he'll eventually clean his room.
2709. prodigal
释义: wasteful; reckless with money
例句: The prodigal son squandered his inheritance.
2710. prodigious
释义: enormous; marvelous
例句: He marveled at her prodigious appetite when he saw all the food she ate.
2711. prodigy
释义: highly gifted child; marvel
例句: Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old.
2712. profane
释义: violate; desecrate
例句: Tourists are urged not to profane the sanctity of holy places by wearing improper garb.
2713. profilgate
释义: dissipated; wasteful; licentious
例句: In this profilgate company, she lost all sense of decency.
2714. profound
释义: deep; not superficial; complete
例句: Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker.
2715. profusion
释义: lavish expenditure; overabundant condition
例句: Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion as at the wedding feast.
2716. progenitor
释义: ancestor
例句: The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth century, settled in Peru, Illinois.
2717. progeny
释义: children; offspring
例句: He was proud of his progeny but regarded George as the most promising of all his children.
2718. prognosis
释义: forecasted course of a disease; prediction
例句: If the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.
2719. prognosticate
释义: predict
例句: I prognosticate disaster unless we change our wasteful ways.
2720. projectile
释义: missile
例句: Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy whether in the form of stones or of highly explosive shells.
2721. proletarian
释义: member of the working class
例句: The aristocrats feared mob rule and gave the right to vote only to the wealthy, thus depending the proletarians of a voice in government.
2722. proliferate
释义: grow rapidly; spread; multiply
例句: Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage countless get-rich-quick schemes to proliferate
2723. prolific
释义: abundantly fruitful
例句: She was a prolific writer who produced as many as three books a year.
2724. prolix
释义: verbose; drawn out
例句: Her prolix arguments irritated and bored the jury.
2725. prolong
释义: extend; draw out; lengthen
例句: In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.
2726. prominent
释义: conspicuous; notable; protruding
例句: Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him resemble the big-eared character in Mad comics?
2727. promiscuous
释义: mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly sexually
例句: In the opera La Boheme, we get a picture of the promiscuous life led by the young artists of Paris.
2728. promontory
释义: headland
例句: They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.
2729. prompt
释义: cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor
例句: Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you're on a diet?
2730. promulgate
释义: make known by official proclamation or publication
例句: As soon as the Civil Service Commission promulgates the names of the successful candidates, we shall begin to hire members of our staff.
2731. prone
释义: inclined to; prostrate
例句: She was prone to sudden fits of anger.
2732. propagate
释义: multiply; spread
例句: Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms clean.
2733. propellant
释义: substance that propels or drives forward
例句: The development of our missile program has forced our scientists to seek more powerful propellants.
2734. propensity
释义: natural inclination
例句: Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others.
2735. prophetic
释义: having to do with predicting the future
例句: In interpreting Pharaoh's prophetic dream, Joseph said that the seven fat cows eaten by the seven lean cows represented seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.
2736. prophylactic
释义: used to prevent disease
例句: Despite all prophylactic measures introduced by the authorities, the epidemic raged until cool weather set in.
2737. propinquity
释义: nearness; kinship
例句: Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity: they were more than relatives; they were true friends.
2738. propitiate
释义: appease
例句: The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods.
2739. propitious
释义: favorable; kindly
例句: I think it is advisable that we wait for a more propitious occasion to announce our plans; this is not a good time.
2740. proponent
释义: person who supports or proposes (an idea)
例句: After the bill had been amended and re-amended in committee, even its original proponents didn't want to vote in its favor.
2741. propound
释义: put forth for analysis
例句: In you discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us consider each one separately.
2742. propriety
释义: fitness; correct conduct
例句: I want you to behave at this dinner with propriety; don't embarass me.
2743. propulsive
释义: driving forward
例句: The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-driven plane.
2744. prosaic
释义: dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual
例句: Though the ad writers had come up with a highly creative campaign to publicize the company's newest product, the head office rejected it for a more prosaic, down-to-earth approach.
2745. proscenium
释义: part of stage in front of curtain
例句: In the theater-in-the-round there can be no proscenium or proscenium arch.
2746. proscribe
释义: ostracize; banish; outlaw
例句: Antony, Octavius and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar.
2747. proselytize
释义: induce someone to convert to religion or belief
例句: In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of view.
2748. prosody
释义: the art of versification
例句: This book on prosody contains a rhyming dictionary as well as samples of the various verse forms.
2749. prosperity
释义: good fortune; financial success; physical well-being
例句: Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike.
2750. prostrate
释义: stretch out full on ground
例句: He prostrated himself before the idol.
2751. protean
释义: versatile; able to take on many forms
例句: A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any role.
2752. protocol
释义: diplomatic etiquette
例句: We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests.
2753. prototype
释义: original work used as a model by others
例句: The crude typewriter on display in this museum is the prototype of the elaborate machines in use today.
2754. protract
释义: prolong
例句: Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations endlessly, but the union representatives saw through their strategy.
2755. protrude
释义: stick out
例句: His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves.
2756. protuberance
释义: protrusion; bulge
例句: A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor (generally benign) that develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a protuberance.
2757. provenance
释义: origin or source of something
例句: I am not interested in its provenance; I am more concerned with its usefulness than with its source.
2758. provender
释义: dry food; fodder
例句: I am afraid of a severe winter because I have stored a large quantity of provender for the cattle.
2759. provident
释义: displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies
例句: In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.
2760. provincial
释义: pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
例句: As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada.
2761. provisional
释义: tentative
例句: The appointment is provisional; only on the approval of the board of directors will it be made permanent.
2762. proviso
释义: stipulation
例句: I am ready to accept your proposal with the two proviso that you meet your obligations within the next two weeks.
2763. provoke
释义: stir up anger; cause retaliation
例句: In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not provoke our foe.
2764. proximity
释义: nearness
例句: The deer sensed the hunter's proximity and bounded away.
2765. proxy
释义: authorized agent
例句: Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in my absence.
2766. prude
释义: excessively modest or proper person
例句: The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes.
2767. prudent
释义: cautious; careful
例句: A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy.
2768. prune
释义: cut away; trim
例句: With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her manuscript into publishable form.
2769. pseudonym
释义: pen name
例句: Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain.
2770. psychiatrist
释义: a doctor who treats mental diseases
例句: A psychiatrist often needs long conferences with his patient before a diagnosis can be made.
2771. psychopathic
释义: pertaining to mental derangement
例句: The psychopathic patient suffers more frequently from a disorder of the nervous system than from a diseased brain.
2772. psychosis
释义: mental disorder
例句: We must endeavor to find an outlet for the patient's repressed desires if we hope to combat this psychosis.
2773. pterodactyl
释义: extinct flying reptile
例句: The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.
2774. puerile
释义: childish
例句: His puerile pranks sometimes offended his more mature friends.
2775. pugilist
释义: boxer
例句: The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali.
2776. pugnacious
释义: combative; disposed to fight
例句: As a child he was pugnacious and fought with everyone.
2777. puissant
释义: powerful; strong; potent
例句: We must keep his friendship for he will make a puissant ally.
2778. pulchritude
释义: beauty; comeliness
例句: I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss America from this collection of female pulchritude.
2779. pulmonary
释义: pertaining to the lungs
例句: In his researches on pulmonary diseases, he discovered many facts about the lungs of animals and human beings.
2780. pulsate
释义: throb
例句: We could see the blood vessels in his temple pulsate as he became more angry.
2781. pulverize
释义: crush or grind into very small particles
例句: Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first pulverized them into a fine powder.
2782. pummel
释义: beat
例句: The severity with which he was pummeled was indicated by the bruises he displayed on his head and face.
2783. punctilious
释义: laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; precise
例句: We must be punctilious in our planning of this affair, for any error may be regarded as a personal affront.
2784. pundit
释义: learned Hindu; any learned person; authority on a subject
例句: Even though he discourses on the matter like a pundit, he is actually rather ignorant about this topic.
2785. pungency
释义: sharpness; stinging quality
例句: The pungency of the cigarette smoke made me cough.
2786. punitive
释义: punishing
例句: He asked for punitive measures against the offender.
2787. puny
释义: insignificant; tiny; weak
例句: Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile.
2788. purchase
释义: firm grasp or footing
例句: The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock.
2789. purgatory
释义: place of spiritual expiation
例句: In this purgatory, he could expect no help from his comrades.
2790. purge
释义: clean by removing impurities; clear of changes
例句: If you are to be purged of the charge of contempt of Congress, you must be willing to answer the questions previously asked.
2791. purport
释义: intention; meaning
例句: If the purport of your speech was to arouse the rabble, you succeeded admirably.
2792. purveyor
释义: furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer
例句: As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell.
2793. pusillanimous
释义: cowardly; fainthearted
例句: You should be ashamed of your pusillanimous conduct during this dispute.
2794. putative
释义: supposed; reputed
例句: Although there are some doubts, the putative author of this work is Massinger.
2795. putrid
释义: foul; rotten; decayed
例句: The gangrenous condition of the wound was indicated by the putrid smell when the bandages were removed.
2796. pyromaniac
释义: person with an insane desire to set things on fire
例句: The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had set these costly fires.
2797. pyre
释义: heap of combustible material, esp. for burning a corpse.
例句: The mortician put pyre on the corpse before burning a corpse.
2798. pest
释义: troublesome or annoying person
例句: He was a pest; always bothering people.
2799. prohibitive
释义: extremely high (of prices etc.)
例句: The super computer's price was prohibitive.
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