pachyderm n.#thick-skinned animal. The elephant is probably the best-known pachyderm.#pacifist n.# one opposed to force; antimilitarist. During the war, though the pacifists refused to bear arms, they nevertheless served in the front lines as ambulance drivers and medical corpsmen.#pacify v.#soothe; make calm or quiet; subdue. Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify them.#pact n.#agreement; treaty. Tweedledum and Tweedledee made a pact not to quarrel anymore.#paean n.#song of praise or joy. Paeans celebrating the victory filled the air.#painstaking adj.#showing hard work; taking great care. The new high-frequency word list is the result of painstaking efforts on the part of our research staff.#palatable adj.#agreeable; pleasing to the taste. Neither Jack's underbaked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were palatable to Jill.#paleontology n.#study of prehistoric life. The paleontology instructor had a superb collection of fossils.#palette n.#flat surface on which painter mixes pigments; range of colors commonly used by a particular artist. The artist's apprentices had the messy job of cleaning his brushes and palette. Through chromatic analysis, the forgers were able to match all the colors in Monet's palette.#pall v.#grow tiresome. The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep.#palliate v.#lessen the violence of (a disease); alleviate; moderate intensity; gloss over with excuses. Not content merely to palliate the patient's sores and cankers, the researcher sought a means of wiping out the disease. palliative, adj. #pallid adj.#pale; wan. Because his job required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.#palpable adj.#tangible; easily perceptible; unmistakable. The patient's enlarged spleen was palpable: even the first year medical student could feel it.#palpitate v.#throb; flutter. As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and more erratically.#paltry adj.#insignificant; petty; trifling. One hundred dollars for a genuine imitation Rolex watch! Lady, this is a paltry sum to pay for such a high-class piece of jewelry.#pan v.#criticize harshly. Hoping for a rave review of his new show, the playwright was miserable when the critics panned it unanimously.#panacea n.#cure-all; remedy for all diseases. The rich youth cynically declared that the panacea for all speeding tickets was a big enough bribe.#panache n.#flair; flamboyance. Many performers imitate Noel Coward, but few have his panache and sense of style.#pandemic adj.#widespread; affecting the majority of people. They feared the AIDS epidemic would soon reach pandemic proportions.#pandemonium n.#wild tumult. When the ships collided in the harbor, pandemonium broke out among the passengers.#pander v.#cater to the low desires of others. The reviewer accused the makers of Lethal Weapon of pandering to the masses' taste for violence.#panegyric n.#formal praise. Blushing at all the praise heaped upon him by the speakers, the modest hero said, "I don't deserve such panegyrics."#panoramic adj.#related to an unobstructed and comprehensive view. From Inspiration Point we had a magnificent panoramic view of the Marin headlands and San Francisco Bay. panorama, n.#pantomime n.#acting without dialogue. Artists in pantomime need no words to communicate with their audience; their only language is gesture. also v.#papyrus n.#ancient paper made from stem of papyrus plant. The ancient Egyptians were among the first to write on papyrus.#parable n.#short, simple story teaching a moral. Let us apply to our own conduct the lesson that this parable teaches.#paradigm n.#model; example; pattern. Pavlov's experiment in which he trains a dog to salivate on hearing a bell is a paradigm of the conditioned-response experiment in behavioral psychology. Barron's How to Prepare for College Entrance Examinations was a paradigm for all the SAT-prep books that followed.#paradox n.#something apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct. Richard presents a bit of a paradox, for he is a card-carrying member of both the National Rifle Association and the relatively pacifist American Civil Liberties Union.#paragon n.#model of perfection. Her fellow students disliked Lavinia because Miss Minchin always pointed her out as a paragon of virtue.#parallelism n.#state of being parallel; similarity. Although the twins were separated at birth and grew up in different adoptive families, a striking parallelism exists between their lives. #parameter n.#boundary; limiting factor; distinguishing characteristic. According to feminist Andrea Dworkin, men have defined the parameters of every subject; now women must redefine the limits of each field.#paramount adj.#foremost in importance; supreme. Proper nutrition and hygiene are of paramount importance in adolescent development and growth.#paranoia n.#psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution. Suffering from paranoia, Don claimed everyone was out to get him; ironically, his claim was accurate: even paranoids have enemies.#paraphernalia n.#equipment; odds and ends. His desk was cluttered with paper, pen, ink, dictionary and other paraphernalia of the writing craft.#paraphrase v.#restate a passage in one's own words while retaining thought of author. In 250 words or less, paraphrase this article. also n.#parasite n.#animal or plant living on another; toady; sycophant. The tapeworm is an example of the kind of parasite that may infest the human body.#parched adj.#extremely dry; very thirsty. The parched desert landscape seemed hostile to life.#pariah n.# social outcast. If everyone ostracized singer Mariah Carey, would she then be Mariah the pariah?#parity n.#equality in status or amount; close resemblance. Unfortunately, some doubt exists whether women's salaries will ever achieve parity with men's.#parochial adj.#narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes. Although Jane Austen sets her novels in small rural communities, her concerns are universal, not parochial.#parody n.# humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty. The show Forbidden Broadway presents parodies spoofing the year's new productions playing on Broadway.#paroxysm n.#fit or attack of pain, laughter, rage. When he heard of his son's misdeeds, he was seized by a paroxysm of rage.#parry v.#ward off a blow; deflect. Unwilling to injure his opponent in such a pointless clash, Dartagnan simply tried to parry his rival's thrusts. What fun it was to watch Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy parry each other's verbal thrusts in their classic screwball comedies!#parsimony n.# stinginess; excessive frugality. Furious because her father wouldn't let her buy out the clothing store, Annie accused him of parsimony.#partial adj.#incomplete; having a liking for something. In this issue we have published only a partial list of contributors because we lack space to acknowledge everyone. I am extremely partial to chocolate eclairs.#partiality n.#inclination; bias. As a judge, not only must I be unbiased, but I must also avoid any evidence of partiality when I award the prize.#partisan adj.# one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party. On certain issues of principle, she refused to take a partisan stand, but let her conscience be her guide. Rather than joining forces to solve our nation's problems, the Democrats and Republicans spend their time on partisan struggles. also n.#partition v.#divide into parts. Before their second daughter was born, Jason and Lizzie decided each child needed a room of her own, and so they partitioned a large bedroom into two small but separate rooms. also n.#passive adj.#not active; acted upon. 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.#passport n.#legal document identifying the bearer as a citizen of a country and allowing him or her to travel abroad. In arranging your first trip abroad, be sure to allow yourself enough time to apply for and receive your passport: you won't be allowed to travel without one.#pastiche n.#piece of writing or music made up of borrowed bits and pieces; hodgepodge. Her essay was a pastiche of fragments of articles she had found on the Internet.#pastoral adj.#rural; simple and peaceful; idyllic; related to shepherds. Tired of the stress of life in the city, Dana dreamed of moving to the country and enjoying a simple pastoral life.#patent adj.#open for the public to read; obvious. It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth. also n.#pathetic adj.#causing sadness, compassion, pity; touching. Everyone in the auditorium was weeping by the time he finished his pathetic tale about the orphaned boy.#pathological adj.#related to the study of disease; diseased or markedly abnormal. Jerome's pathological fear of germs led him to wash his hands a hundred times a day. pathology, n.#pathos n.#tender sorrow; pity; quality in art or literature that produces these feelings. The quiet tone of pathos that ran through the novel never degenerated into the maudlin or the overly sentimental.#patina n.#green crust on old bronze works; tone slowly taken by varnished painting. Judging by the patina on this bronze statue, we can conclude that this is the work of a medieval artist.#patriarch n.#father and ruler of a family or tribe. In many primitive tribes, the leader and lawmaker was the patriarch.#patrician adj.#noble; aristocratic. We greatly admired her well-bred, patrician elegance. also n.#patronize v.#support; act superior toward; be a customer of. Penniless artists hope to find some wealthy art-lover who will patronize them. If some condescending wine steward patronized me because he saw I knew nothing about fine wine, I'd refuse to patronize his restaurant.#paucity n.# scarcity. They closed the restaurant because the paucity of customers made it uneconomical to operate.#pauper n.#very poor person. Though Widow Brown was living on a reduced income, she was by no means a pauper.#peccadillo n.#slight offense. When Peter Piper picked a peck of Polly Potter's pickles, did Pete commit a major crime or just a peccadillo?#pecuniary adj.#pertaining to money. Seldom earning enough to cover their expenses, folk dance teachers work because they love dancing, not because they expect any pecuniary reward.#pedagogy n.#teaching; art of education. Though Maria Montessori gained fame for her innovations in pedagogy, it took years before her teaching techniques were common practice in American schools.#pedant n.#scholar who overemphasizes book learning or technicalities. Her insistence that the book be memorized marked the teacher as a pedant rather than a scholar.#pedantic adj.#showing off learning; bookish. Leavening his decisions with humorous, down-to-earth anecdotes, Judge Walker was not at all the pedantic legal scholar. pedant, pedantry, n.#pedestrian adj.#ordinary; unimaginative. Unintentionally boring, he wrote page after page of pedestrian prose.#pediatrician n.#expert in children's diseases. The family doctor advised the parents to consult a pediatrician about their child's ailment.#peerless adj.#having no equal; incomparable. The reigning operatic tenor of his generation, to his admirers Luciano Pavarotti was peerless: no one could compare with him.#pejorative adj.#negative in connotation; having a belittling effect. Instead of criticizing Schwarzenegger's policies, the Democrats made pejorative comments about his character.#pellucid adj.#transparent; limpid; easy to understand. After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find Bertrand Russell's pellucid style very enjoyable.#penchant n.#strong inclination; liking. Dave has a penchant for taking risks: one semester he went steady with three girls, two of whom were stars on the school karate team.#pendant n.#ornament (hanging from a necklace, etc.) The grateful team presented the coach with a silver chain and pendant engraved with the school's motto.#penitent adj.#repentant. When he realized the enormity of his crime, he became remorseful and penitent. also n.#pensive adj.#dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative. The pensive lover gazed at the portrait of his beloved and deeply sighed.#penury n.# severe poverty; stinginess. When his pension fund failed, George feared he would end his days in penury. He became such a penny pincher that he turned into a closefisted, penurious miser.#perceptive adj.#insightful; aware; wise. Although Maud was a generally perceptive critic, she had her blind spots: she could never see flaws in the work of her friends.#percussion adj.#striking one object against another sharply. The drum is a percussion instrument. also n.#perdition n.#damnation; complete ruin. Praying for salvation, young Steven Daedalus feared he was damned to eternal perdition.#peregrination n.#journey. Auntie Mame was a world traveler whose peregrinations took her from Tiajuana to Timbuctoo.#peremptory adj.#demanding and leaving no choice. From Jack's peremptory knock on the door, Jill could tell he would not give up until she let him in.#perennial n.#something that is continuing or recurrent. These plants are hardy perennials and will bloom for many years. also adj. #perfidious adj.#treacherous; disloyal. When Caesar realized that Brutus had betrayed him, he reproached his perfidious friend. perfidy, n.#perforate v.#pierce; put a hole through. Before you can open the aspirin bottle, you must first perforate the plastic safety seal that covers the cap.#perfunctory adj.# superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm. The auditor's perfunctory inspection of the books overlooked many errors. Giving the tabletop only a perfunctory swipe with her dust cloth, Betty promised herself she'd clean it more thoroughly tomorrow.#perimeter n.#outer boundary. To find the perimeter of any quadrilateral, we add the lengths of the four sides.#peripheral adj.# marginal; outer. We lived, not in central London, but in one of those peripheral suburbs that spring up on the outskirts of a great city.#periphery n.#edge, especially of a round surface. He sensed that there was something just beyond the periphery of his vision.#perjury n.#false testimony while under oath. Rather than lie under oath and perhaps be indicted for perjury, the witness chose to take the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer any questions on the grounds that he might incriminate himself.#permeable adj.#penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through. If your jogging clothes weren't made out of permeable fabric, you'd drown in your own perspiration (figuratively speaking).#permeate v.#pass through; spread. The odor of frying onions permeated the air.#pernicious adj.# very destructive. Crack cocaine has had a pernicious effect on urban society: it has destroyed families, turned children into drug dealers, and increased the spread of violent crimes.#perpetrate v.#commit an offense. Only an insane person could perpetrate such a horrible crime.#perpetual adj.#everlasting. Ponce de Leon hoped to find the legendary fountain of perpetual youth. #perpetuate v.# make something last; preserve from extinction. Some critics attack The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because they believe Twain's book perpetuates a false image of Blacks in this country.#perquisite n.#any gain above stipulated salary. The perquisites attached to this job make it even more attractive than the salary indicates.#persevere v.#persist; endure; strive. Despite the church's threats to excommunicate him for heresy, Galileo persevered in his belief that the earth moved around the sun.#persona n.#public personality or facade. Offstage the comedian was a sullen, irritable grumbler, a far cry from his ever-cheerful adopted stage persona.#personable adj.#attractive. Though not as strikingly handsome as a movie star, James was nonetheless a personable young man.#perspicacious adj.#having insight; penetrating; astute. "Absolutely brilliant, Holmes!" cried Watson, as Holmes made yet another perspicacious deduction. perspicacity, n.#pert adj.#impertinent; forward. The matron in charge of the orphanage thought Annie was pert and disrespectful.#pertinacious adj.#stubborn; persistent. He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him to quit.#pertinent adj.#to the point; relevant. Virginia Woolf's words on women's rights are as pertinent today as they were when she wrote them nearly a century ago.#perturb v.#disturb greatly. The thought that electricity might be leaking out of the empty lightbulb sockets perturbed my aunt so much that at night she crept about the house screwing fresh bulbs in the vacant spots. perturbation, n.#peruse v.#read with care. After the conflagration that burned down her house, Joan closely perused her home insurance policy to discover exactly what benefits her coverage provided her. perusal, n.#pervasive adj.# pervading; spread throughout every part. Despite airing them for several hours, Martha could not rid her clothes of the pervasive odor of mothballs that clung to them. pervade, v.#perverse adj.#stubbornly wrongheaded; wicked and perverted. When Jack was in a perverse mood, he would do the opposite of whatever Jill asked him. When Hannibal Lecter was in a perverse mood, he ate the flesh of his victims. Jack acted out of perversity. Hannibal's act proved his perversion.#pessimism n.# belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess. Considering how well you have done in the course so far, you have no real reason for such pessimism about your final grade.#petrify v.#turn to stone. His sudden, unexpected appearance shocked her into immobility: she was petrified.#petty adj.#trivial; unimportant; very small. She had no major complaints to make about his work, only a few petty quibbles that were almost too minor to state.#petulant adj.#touchy; peevish. If you'd had hardly any sleep for three nights and people kept phoning and waking you up, you'd sound pretty petulant, too. #phenomena n.# observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation. We kept careful records of the phenomena we noted in the course of these experiments.#philanderer n.#faithless lover; flirt. Swearing he had never so much as looked at another woman, Ralph assured Alice he was no philanderer.#philanthropist n.# lover of mankind; doer of good. In his role as philanthropist and public benefactor, John D. Rockefeller, Sr., donated millions to charity; as an individual, however, he was a tight-fisted old man.#philistine n.#narrow-minded person, uncultured and exclusively interested in material gain. A philistine knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing.#philology n.#study of language. The professor of philology advocated the use of Esperanto as an international language.#phlegmatic adj.#calm; not easily disturbed. The nurse was a cheerful but phlegmatic person, unexcited in the face of sudden emergencies.#phobia n.#morbid fear. Her fear of flying was more than mere nervousness; it was a real phobia.#phoenix n.#symbol of immortality or rebirth. Like the legendary phoenix rising from its ashes, the city of San Francisco rose again after its destruction during the 1906 earthquake.#phylum n.#major class of plants; primary branch of animal kingdom; division. In sorting out her hundreds of packets of seeds, Katya decided to file them by phylum.#physiological adj.#pertaining to the science of the function of living organisms. To understand this disease fully, we must examine not only its physiological aspects but also its psychological elements.#picaresque adj.#pertaining to rogues in literature. Tom Jones has been hailed as one of the best picaresque novels in the English language. #piebald adj.#mottled; spotted. You should be able to identify Polka Dot in this race; it is the only piebald horse running.#piecemeal adv.#one piece at a time; gradually. Tolstoy's War and Peace is too huge to finish in one sitting; I'll have to read it piecemeal.#pied adj.#variegated; multicolored. The Pied Piper of Hamelin got his name from the multicolored clothing he wore.#piety n.# religious devotion; godliness. The nuns in the convent were noted for their piety; they spent their days in worship and prayer. pious, adj. #pigment n.#coloring matter. Van Gogh mixed various pigments with linseed oil to create his paints.#pillage v.#plunder. The enemy pillaged the quiet village and left it in ruins.#pine v.#languish, decline; long for, yearn. Though she tried to be happy living with Clara in the city, Heidi pined for the mountains and for her gruff but loving grandfather.#pinnacle n.#peak. We could see the morning sunlight illuminate the pinnacle while the rest of the mountain lay in shadow.#pious adj.#devout; religious. The challenge for church people today is how to be pious in the best sense, that is, to be devout without becoming hypocritical or sanctimonious. piety, n.#piquant adj.#pleasantly tart-tasting; stimulating. The piquant sauce added to our enjoyment of the meal. piquancy, n.#pique n.#irritation; resentment. She showed her pique at her loss by refusing to appear with the other contestants at the end of the competition. also v.#pique v.#provoke or arouse; annoy. "I know something you don't know," said Lucy, trying to pique Ethel's interest.#pitfall n.# hidden danger; concealed trap. Her parents warned young Sophie against the many pitfalls that lay in wait for her in the dangerous big city.#pithy adj.# concise; meaningful; substantial; meaty. While other girls might have gone on and on about how uncool Elton was, Liz summed it up in one pithy remark: "He's bogus!" #pittance n.#a small allowance or wage. He could not live on the pittance he received as a pension and had to look for an additional source of revenue.#pivotal adj.#crucial; key; vital. The new "smart weapons" technology played a pivotal role in the quick resolution of the war with Iraq.#placate v.# pacify; conciliate. The store manager tried to placate the angry customer, offering to replace the damaged merchandise or to give back her money right away.#placebo n.#harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill. In a controlled experiment, fifty volunteers were given aspirin tablets; the control group received only placebos.#placid adj.#peaceful; calm. Looking at the storm-tossed waters of the lake, Bob wondered how people had ever come to call it Lake Placid.#plagiarism n.#theft of another's ideas or writings passed off as original. The editor recognized the plagiarism and rebuked the culprit who had presented the manuscript as original.#plagiarize v.#steal another's ideas and pass them off as one's own. The teacher could tell that the student had plagiarized parts of his essay; she could recognize whole paragraphs straight from Barron's Book Notes.#plaintive adj.#mournful. The dove has a plaintive and melancholy call.#plasticity n.#ability to be molded. When clay dries out, it loses its plasticity and becomes less malleable.#platitude n.#trite remark; commonplace statement. In giving advice to his son, old Polonius expressed himself only in platitudes; every word out of his mouth was a commonplace.#plaudit n.#enthusiastically worded approval; round of applause. The theatrical company reprinted the plaudits of the critics in its advertisements. plauditory, adj. #plausible adj.#having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious. Your mother made you stay home from school because she needed you to program the VCR? I'm sorry, you'll have to come up with a more plausible excuse than that.#plenitude n.#abundance; completeness. Looking in the pantry, we admired the plenitude of fruits and pickles we had preserved during the summer.#plethora n.#excess; overabundance. She offered a plethora of excuses for her shortcomings.#pliable adj.#flexible; yielding; adaptable. In remodeling the bathroom, we have replaced all the old, rigid lead pipes with new, pliable copper tubing.#pliant adj.#flexible; easily influenced. Pinocchio's disposition was pliant; he was like putty in his tempters' hands.#plight n.#condition, state (especially a bad state or condition); predicament. Many people feel that the federal government should do more to alleviate the plight of the homeless. Loggers, unmoved by the plight of the spotted owl, plan to continue logging whether or not they ruin the owl's habitat.#plumage n.#feathers of a bird. Bird watchers identify different species of bird by their characteristic songs and distinctive plumage.#plumb adj.#checking perpendicularity; vertical. Before hanging wallpaper it is advisable to drop a plumb line from the ceiling as a guide. also n. and v.#plumb v.#examine critically in order to understand; measure depth (by sounding). Try as he would, Watson could never fully plumb the depths of Holmes's thought processes.#plummet v.#fall sharply. Stock prices plummeted as Wall Street reacted to the crisis in the economy.#plutocracy n.#society ruled by the wealthy. From the way the government caters to the rich, you might think our society is a plutocracy rather than a democracy.#podiatrist n.#doctor who treats ailments of the feet. He consulted a podiatrist about his fallen arches.#podium n.#pedestal; raised platform. The audience applauded as the conductor made his way to the podium.#poignancy n.#quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion. Watching the tearful reunion of the long-separated mother and child, the social worker was touched by the poignancy of the scene. poignant, adj. #polarize v.#split into opposite extremes or camps. The abortion issue has polarized the country into pro-choice and anti-abortion camps. polarization, n.#polemical adj.# aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious. Lexy was a master of polemical rhetoric; she should have worn a T-shirt with the slogan "Born to Debate."#politic adj.#expedient; prudent; well advised. Even though he was disappointed by the size of the bonus he was offered, he did not think it politic to refuse it.#polygamist n.#one who has more than one spouse at a time. He was arrested as a polygamist when his two wives filed complaints about him.#polyglot adj.#speaking several languages. New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands of immigrants who settle there.#pomposity n.#self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt. 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. pompous, adj. #ponderous adj.# weighty; unwieldy. His humor lacked the light touch; his jokes were always ponderous.#pontifical adj.#pertaining to a bishop or pope; pompous or pretentious. From his earliest days at the seminary, John seemed destined for a high pontifical office. However, he sounded so pompous when he pontificated that he never was chosen pontiff after all.#pore v.#study industriously; ponder; scrutinize. Determined to become a physician, Beth spent hours poring over her anatomy text.#porous adj.#full of pores; like a sieve. Dancers like to wear porous clothing because it allows the ready passage of water and air.#portend v.#foretell; presage. The king did not know what these omens might portend and asked his soothsayers to interpret them.#portent n.#sign; omen; forewarning. He regarded the black cloud as a portent of evil.#portly adj.#stately; stout. The overweight gentleman was referred to as portly by the polite salesclerk.#poseur n.#person who pretends to be sophisticated, elegant, etc., to impress others. Some thought Salvador Dali was a brilliant painter; others dismissed him as a poseur.#posterity n.#descendants; future generations. We hope to leave a better world to posterity.#posthumous adj.#after death (as of child born after father's death or book published after author's death). 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.#postulate n.#essential premise; underlying assumption. The basic postulate of democracy, set forth in the Declaration of Independence, is that all men are created equal.#potable adj.#suitable for drinking. The recent drought in the Middle Atlantic states has emphasized the need for extensive research in ways of making sea water potable. also n.#potent adj.#powerful; persuasive; greatly influential. Looking at the expiration date on the cough syrup bottle, we wondered whether the medication would still be potent. potency, n.#potentate n.#monarch; sovereign. The potentate spent more time at Monte Carlo than he did at home on his throne.#potential adj.#expressing possibility; latent. The cello teacher viewed every new pupil as a potential Yo-Yo Ma. also n.#potion n.#dose (of liquid). Tristan and Isolde drink a love potion in the first act of the opera.#practicable adj.#feasible. The board of directors decided that the plan was practicable and agreed to undertake the project.#practical adj.#based on experience; useful. He was a practical man, opposed to theory.#practitioner n.#someone engaged in a profession (law, medicine). In need of a hip replacement, Carl sought a practitioner with considerable experience performing this particular surgery.#pragmatic adj.# practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something. This coming trip to France should provide me with a pragmatic test of the value of my conversational French class.#pragmatist n.#practical person. No pragmatist enjoys becoming involved in a game he can never win.#prank n.#mischievous trick. Is tipping over garbage cans on Halloween merely a childish prank, or is it vandalism? #prate v.#speak foolishly; boast idly. Despite Elizabeth's obvious disinclination for the topic, Mr. Collins prated on and on about his wonderful prospects as a husband, thanks to his noble patron, Lady Catherine de Burgh.#prattle v.# babble. Baby John prattled on and on about the cats and his ball and the Cookie Monster.#preamble n.#introductory statement. In the Preamble to the Constitution, the purpose of the document is set forth.#precarious adj.# uncertain; risky. Saying the stock would be a precarious investment, the broker advised her client against purchasing it.#precedent n.#something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action. If I buy you a car for your sixteenth birthday, your brothers will want me to buy them cars when they turn sixteen, too; I can't afford to set such an expensive precedent. The law professor asked Jill to state which famous case served as a precedent for the court's decision in Brown II.#precept n.#practical rule guiding conduct. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a worthwhile precept.#precinct n.#district or division of a city. Ed McBain's detective novels set in the 87th precinct provide an exciting picture of police work.#precipice n.#cliff; dangerous position. Suddenly Indiana Jones found himself dangling from the edge of a precipice.#precipitate adj.#rash; premature; hasty; sudden. Though I was angry enough to resign on the spot, I had enough sense to keep myself from quitting a job in such a precipitate fashion.#precipitate v.#throw headlong; hasten. The removal of American political support appears to have precipitated the downfall of the Marcos regime.#precipitous adj.#steep; overhasty. This hill is difficult to climb because it is so precipitous; one slip, and our descent will be precipitous as well.#precis n.#concise summing up of main points. Before making her presentation at the conference, Ellen wrote up a neat precis of the major elements she would cover.#precise adj.#exact. If you don't give me precise directions and a map, I'll never find your place.#preclude v.# make impossible; eliminate. The fact that the band was already booked to play in Hollywood on New Year's Eve precluded their accepting the New Year's Eve gig in London they were offered.#precocious adj.# advanced in development. Listening to the grown-up way the child discussed serious topics, we couldn't help remarking how precocious she was. precocity, n.#precursor n.#forerunner. 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.#predator n.# creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others. Not just cats, but a wide variety of predators-owls, hawks, weasels, foxes-catch mice for dinner. A carnivore is by definition predatory, for he preys on weaker creatures.#predecessor n.# former occupant of a post. I hope I can live up to the fine example set by my late predecessor in this office.#predetermine v.#predestine; settle or decide beforehand; influence markedly. Romeo and Juliet believed that Fate had predetermined their meeting. Bea gathered estimates from caterers, florists, and stationers so that she could predetermine the costs of holding a catered buffet. Philip's love of athletics predetermined his choice of a career in sports marketing.#predicament n.#tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma. Tied to the railroad tracks by the villain, Pauline strained against her bonds. How would she escape from this terrible predicament?#predilection n.#partiality; preference. Although Ogden Nash wrote all sorts of poetry over the years, he had a definite predilection for limericks.#predispose v.#give an inclination toward; make susceptible to. Oleg's love of dressing up his big sister's Barbie doll may have predisposed him to become a fashion designer. Genetic influences apparently predispose people to certain forms of cancer. #preeminent adj.#outstanding; superior. The king traveled to Boston because he wanted the preeminent surgeon in the field to perform the operation.#preempt v.#head off; forestall by acting first; appropriate for oneself; supplant. 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. preemptive, adj. #preen v.#make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction. As Kitty preened before the mirror, carefully smoothing her shining hair, she couldn't help preening over how pretty she looked.#prehensile adj.#capable of grasping or holding. Monkeys use not only their arms and legs but also their prehensile tails in traveling through the trees.#prelate n.#church dignitary. The archbishop of Moscow and other high-ranking prelates visited the Russian Orthodox seminary.#prelude n.#introduction; forerunner. I am afraid that this border raid is the prelude to more serious attacks.#premeditate v.#plan in advance. She had premeditated the murder for months, reading about common poisons and buying weed killer that contained arsenic.#premise n.#assumption; postulate. Based on the premise that there's no fool like an old fool, P. T. Barnum hired a ninety-year-old clown for his circus.#premonition n.#forewarning. In horror movies, the hero often has a premonition of danger, yet he foolishly ignores it.#preposterous adj.#absurd; ridiculous. When he tried to downplay his youthful experiments with marijuana by saying he hadn't inhaled, we all thought, "What a preposterous excuse!"#prerogative n.#privilege; unquestionable right. The president cannot levy taxes; that is the prerogative of the legislative branch of government.#presage v.#foretell. The vultures flying overhead presaged the discovery of the corpse in the desert.#prescience n.#ability to foretell the future. Given the current wave of Japan-bashing, it does not take prescience for me to foresee problems in our future trade relations with Japan.#presentiment n.#feeling something will happen; anticipatory fear; premonition. Saying goodbye at the airport, Jack had a sudden presentiment that this was the last time he would see Jill.#prestige n.#impression produced by achievements or reputation. Many students want to go to Harvard College not for the education offered but for the prestige of Harvard's name.#presumptuous adj.# overconfident; impertinently bold; taking liberties. Matilda thought it was somewhat presumptuous of the young man to have addressed her without first having been introduced. Perhaps manners were freer here in the New World.#pretentious adj.# ostentatious; pompous; making unjustified claims; overly ambitious. None of the other prize winners are wearing their medals; isn't it a bit pretentious of you to wear yours?#preternatural adj.#beyond what is normal in nature. Malcolm's mother's total ability to tell when he was Iying struck him as almost preternatural.#pretext n.#excuse. He looked for a good pretext to get out of paying a visit to his aunt.#prevail v.#induce; triumph over. He tried to prevail on her to type his essay for him.#prevalent adj.# widespread; generally accepted. A radical committed to social change, Reed had no patience with the conservative views prevalent in the America of his day.#prevaricate v.#lie. Some people believe that to prevaricate in a good cause is justifiable and regard such a statement as a "white lie."#prey n.#target of a hunt; victim. In Stalking the Wild Asparagus, Euell Gibbons has as his prey not wild beasts but wild plants. also v.#prim adj.#very precise and formal; exceedingly proper. Never having worked as a governess before, Jane thought it best to assume a very prim and proper manner so that her charges would not take liberties with her.#primordial adj.#existing at the beginning (of time); rudimentary. The Neanderthal Man is one of our primordial ancestors.#primp v.#groom oneself with care; adorn oneself. The groom stood by idly while his nervous bride-to-be primped one last time before the mirror.#pristine adj.#characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled. This area has been preserved in all its pristine wildness.#privation n.#hardship; want. In his youth, he knew hunger and privation.#probe v.#explore with tools. The surgeon probed the wound for foreign matter before suturing it. also n.#problematic adj.#doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing. Given the way building costs have exceeded estimates for the job, whether the arena will ever be completed is problematic.#proclivity n.#inclination; natural tendency. Watching the two-year-old voluntarily put away his toys, I was amazed by his proclivity for neatness.#procrastinate v.#postpone; delay or put off. Looking at four years of receipts and checks he still had to sort through, Bob was truly sorry he had procrastinated for so long and not finished filing his taxes long ago.#prod v.#poke; stir up; urge. If you prod him hard enough, he'll eventually clean his room.#prodigal adj.# wasteful; reckless with money. Don't be so prodigal spending my money; when you've earned some money yourself, you can waste it as much as you want! also n.#prodigious adj.#marvelous; enormous. Watching the champion weight lifter heave the weighty barbell to shoulder height and then boost it overhead, we marveled at his prodigious strength.#prodigy n.#marvel; highly gifted child. Menuhin was a prodigy, performing wonders on his violin when he was barely eight years old.#profane v.# violate; desecrate; treat unworthily. The members of the mysterious Far Eastern cult sought to kill the British explorer because he had profaned the sanctity of their holy goblet by using it as an ashtray. also adj. #profligate adj.# dissipated; wasteful; wildly immoral. Although surrounded by wild and profligate companions, she nevertheless managed to retain some sense of decency.#profound adj.# deep; not superficial; complete. Freud's remarkable insights into human behavior caused his fellow scientists to honor him as a profound thinker. profundity, n.#profusion n.# overabundance; lavish expenditure; excess. Freddy was so overwhelmed by the profusion of choices on the menu that he knocked over his wine glass and soaked his host. He made profuse apologies to his host, the waiter, the bus boy, the people at the next table, and the attendant handing out paper towels.#progenitor n.#ancestor. The Roth family, whose progenitors emigrated from Germany early in the nineteenth century, settled in Peru, Illinois.#progeny n.#children; offspring. He was proud of his progeny in general, but regarded George as the most promising of all his children.#prognosis n.#forecasted course of a disease; prediction. If the doctor's prognosis is correct, the patient will be in a coma for at least twenty-four hours.#projectile n.#missile. Man has always hurled projectiles at his enemy, whether in the form of stones or of highly explosive shells.#proletarian n.#member of the working class; blue collar person. "Workers of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains" is addressed to proletarians, not preppies. So is Blue Collar Holler. proletariat, n.#proliferation n.# rapid growth; spread; multiplication. Times of economic hardship inevitably encourage the proliferation of countless get-rich-quick schemes. proliferate, v.#prolific adj.# abundantly fruitful. My editors must assume I'm a prolific writer: they expect me to revise six books this year!#prolixity n.#tedious wordiness; verbosity. A writer who suffers from prolixity tells his readers everything they never wanted to know about his subject (or were too bored to ask). prolix, adj. #prologue n.#introduction (to a poem or play). In the prologue to Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare introduces the audience to the feud between the Montagues and the Capulets. #prolong v.#make longer; draw out; lengthen. In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.#prominent adj.#conspicuous; notable; sticking out. Have you ever noticed that Prince Charles's prominent ears make him look like the big-eared character in Mad comics?#promiscuous adj.#mixed indiscriminately; haphazard; irregular, particularly sexually. In the opera La Boh&egrave;me, we get a picture of the promiscuous life led by the young artists of Paris.#promontory n.#headland. They erected a lighthouse on the promontory to warn approaching ships of their nearness to the shore.#promote v.#help to flourish; advance in rank; publicize. Founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman ceaselessly promotes the welfare of young people everywhere.#prompt v.#cause; provoke; provide a cue for an actor. Whatever prompted you to ask for such a big piece of cake when you're on a diet?#promulgate v.#proclaim a doctrine or law; make known by official publication. When Moses came down from the mountaintop all set to promulgate God's commandments, he freaked out on discovering his followers worshipping a golden calf.#prone adj.#inclined to; prostrate. She was prone to sudden fits of anger during which she would lie prone on the floor, screaming and kicking her heels.#propagate v.#multiply; spread. Since bacteria propagate more quickly in unsanitary environments, it is important to keep hospital rooms clean.#propellants n.#substances that propel or drive forward. The development of our missile program has forced our scientists to seek more powerful propellants.#propensity n.#natural inclination. Convinced of his own talent, Sol has an unfortunate propensity to belittle the talents of others.#prophetic adj.#foretelling the future. I have no magical prophetic powers; when I predict what will happen, I base my predictions on common sense. prophesy, v.#propinquity n.#nearness; kinship. Their relationship could not be explained as being based on mere propinquity; they were more than relatives, they were true friends.#propitiate v.#appease. The natives offered sacrifices to propitiate the gods.#propitious adj.#favorable; fortunate; advantageous. Chloe consulted her horoscope to see whether Tuesday would be a propitious day to dump her boyfriend.#proponent n.#supporter; backer; opposite of opponent. In the Senate, proponents of the universal health care measure lobbied to gain additional support for the controversial legislation.#propound v.#put forth for analysis. In your discussion, you have propounded several questions; let us consider each one separately.#propriety n.#fitness; correct conduct. Miss Manners counsels her readers so that they may behave with due propriety in any social situation and not embarrass themselves.#propulsive adj.#driving forward. The jet plane has a greater propulsive power than the engine-driven plane.#prosaic adj.#dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual. Though the ad writers came up with an original way to publicize the product, the head office rejected it for a more prosaic, ordinary slogan.#proscribe v.#ostracize; banish; outlaw. Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus proscribed all those who had conspired against Julius Caesar.#proselytize v.#convert to a religion or belief. In these interfaith meetings, there must be no attempt to proselytize; we must respect all points of view.#prosperity n.#good fortune; financial success; physical well-being. Promising to stay together "for richer, for poorer," the newlyweds vowed to be true to one another in prosperity and hardship alike.#prostrate v.#stretch out full on ground. He prostrated himself before the idol. also adj. #protean adj.#versatile; able to take on many shapes. A remarkably protean actor, Alec Guinness could take on any role.#protege n.#person receiving protection and support from a patron. Born with an independent spirit, Cyrano de Bergerac refused to be a protege of Cardinal Richelieu.#protocol n.#diplomatic etiquette. We must run this state dinner according to protocol if we are to avoid offending any of our guests.#prototype n.#original work used as a model by others. The National Air and Space Museum displays the Wright brothers' first plane, the prototype of all the American aircraft that came after.#protract v.#prolong. Seeking to delay the union members' vote, the management team tried to protract the negotiations endlessly.#protrude v.#stick out. His fingers protruded from the holes in his gloves. protrusion, n.#protuberance n.#protrusion; bulge. A ganglionic cyst is a fluid-filled tumor that develops near a joint membrane or tendon sheath, and that bulges beneath the skin, forming a protuberance.#provident adj.#displaying foresight; thrifty; preparing for emergencies. In his usual provident manner, he had insured himself against this type of loss.#provincial adj.# pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated. As provincial governor, Sir Henry administered the Queen's law in his remote corner of Canada. Caught up in local problems, out of touch with London news, he became sadly provincial.#provisional adj.#tentative. Kim's acceptance as an American Express card holder was provisional: before issuing her a card, American Express wanted to check her employment record and credit history.#provocative adj.#arousing anger or interest; annoying. In a typically provocative act, the bully kicked sand into the weaker man's face.#provoke v.#stir to anger; cause retaliation. In order to prevent a sudden outbreak of hostilities, we must not provoke our foe. provocation, n.; provocative, adj. #prowess n.#extraordinary ability; military bravery. Performing triple axels and double lutzes at the age of six, the young figure skater was world famous for her prowess on the ice.#proximity n.# nearness. Blind people sometimes develop a compensatory ability to sense the proximity of objects around them.#proxy n.#authorized agent. Please act as my proxy and vote for this slate of candidates in my absence.#prude n.#excessively modest person. The X-rated film was definitely not for prudes. prudish, adj. #prudent adj.# cautious; careful. A miser hoards money not because he is prudent but because he is greedy. prudence, n.#prune v.#cut away; trim. With the help of her editor, she was able to prune her overlong manuscript into publishable form.#prurient adj.#having or causing lustful thoughts and desires. Aroused by his prurient impulses, the dirty old man leered at the sweet young thing and offered to give her a sample of his "prowess."#pseudonym n.#pen name. Samuel Clemens' pseudonym was Mark Twain.#psyche n.#soul; mind. It is difficult to delve into the psyche of a human being.#pterodactyl n.#extinct flying reptile. The remains of pterodactyls indicate that these flying reptiles had a wingspan of as much as twenty feet.#puerile adj.#childish; immature. Throwing tantrums! You should have outgrown such puerile behavior years ago.#pugilist n.#boxer. The famous pugilist Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammed Ali.#pugnacity n.#combativeness; disposition to fight. "Put up your dukes!" he cried, making a fist to show his pugnacity. pugnacious, adj. #pulchritude n.#beauty; comeliness. I do not envy the judges who have to select this year's Miss America from this collection of female pulchritude.#pulverize v.#crush or grind into dust. Before sprinkling the dried herbs into the stew, Michael first pulverized them into a fine powder.#pummel v.#beat or pound with fists. Swinging wildly, Pam pummeled her brother around the head and shoulders.#punctilious adj.#laying stress on niceties of conduct or form; minutely attentive to fine points (perhaps too much so). Percy is punctilious about observing the rules of etiquette whenever Miss Manners invites him to stay. punctiliousness, n.#pundit n.#authority on a subject; learned person; expert. Some authors who write about SAT I as if they are pundits actually know very little about the test.#pungent adj.#stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic. The pungent odor of ripe Limburger cheese appealed to Simone but made Stanley gag.#punitive adj.#punishing. He asked for punitive measures against the offender.#puny adj.#insignificant; tiny; weak. Our puny efforts to stop the flood were futile.#purchase n.#firm grasp or footing. The mountaineer struggled to get a proper purchase on the slippery rock. (secondary meaning)#purge v.#remove or get rid of something unwanted; free from blame or guilt; cleanse or purify. When the Communist government purged the party to get rid of members suspected of capitalist sympathies, they sent the disloyal members to labor camps in Siberia. #purported adj.#alleged; claimed; reputed or rumored. The purported Satanists sacrificing live roosters in the park turned out to be a party of Shriners holding a chicken barbecue.#purse v.#pucker; contract into wrinkles. Miss Watson pursed her lips to show her disapproval of Huck's bedraggled appearance.#purveyor n.#furnisher of foodstuffs; caterer. As purveyor of rare wines and viands, he traveled through France and Italy every year in search of new products to sell.#pusillanimous adj.#cowardly; fainthearted. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's friend the Cowardly Lion wishes he were brave and not pusillanimous.#putrid adj.#foul; rotten; decayed. When we removed the bandage, we could tell from the putrid smell that the wound had turned gangrenous. putrescence, n.#pyromaniac n.#person with an insane desire to set things on fire. The detectives searched the area for the pyromaniac who had set these costly fires.#