machinations n.#evil schemes or plots. Fortunately, Batman saw through the wily machinations of the Riddler and saved Gotham City from destruction by the forces of evil.#madrigal n.#pastoral song. His program of folk songs included several madrigals which he sang to the accompaniment of a lute.#maelstrom n.#whirlpool. The canoe was tossed about in the maelstrom.#magnanimous adj.#generous; great-hearted. Philanthropists by definition are magnanimous; misers, by definition, are not. Cordelia was too magnanimous to resent her father's unkindness to her; instead, she generously forgave him. magnanimity, n.#magnate n.#person of prominence or influence. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Annie Dillard was surrounded by the mansions of the great steel and coal magnates who set their mark on that city.#magnitude n.#greatness; extent. It is difficult to comprehend the magnitude of his crime.#maim v.#mutilate; injure. The hospital could not take care of all who had been wounded or maimed in the railroad accident.#maladroit adj.#clumsy; bungling. "Oh! My stupid tongue!" exclaimed Jane, embarrassed at having said anything so maladroit.#malady n.#illness. A mysterious malady swept the country, filling doctors' offices with feverish, purple-spotted patients.#malaise n.#uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health. Feeling slightly queasy before going onstage, Carol realized that this touch of malaise was merely stage fright.#malapropism n.#comic misuse of a word. When Mrs. Malaprop accuses Lydia of being "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile," she confuses "allegory" and "alligator" in a typical malapropism.#malcontent n.#person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs. One of the few malcontents in Congress, he constantly voiced his objections to the presidential program. also adj. #malediction n.#curse. When the magic mirror revealed that Snow White was still alive, the wicked queen cried out in rage and uttered dreadful maledictions.#malefactor n.#evildoer; criminal. Mighty Mouse will save the day, hunting down malefactors and rescuing innocent mice from peril.#malevolent adj.#wishing evil. Iago is a malevolent villain who takes pleasure in ruining Othello.#malfeasance n.#wrongdoing. The authorities did not discover the campaign manager's malfeasance until after he had spent most of the money he had embezzled.#malicious adj.# hateful; spiteful. Jealous of Cinderella's beauty, her malicious stepsisters expressed their spite by forcing her to do menial tasks. malice, n.#malign v.#speak evil of; bad-mouth; defame. Putting her hands over her ears, Rose refused to listen to Betty malign her friend Susan.#malignant adj.#injurious; tending to cause death; aggressively malevolent. Though many tumors are benign, some are malignant, growing out of control and endangering the life of the patient.#malingerer n.#one who feigns illness to escape duty. The captain ordered the sergeant to punish all malingerers and force them to work. malinger, v.#malleable adj.#capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable. Gold is a malleable metal, easily shaped into bracelets and rings. Fagin hoped Oliver was a malleable lad, easily shaped into a thief. #malodorous adj.#foul-smelling. The compost heap was most malodorous in summer.#mammal n.#a vertebrate animal whose female suckles its young. Many people regard the whale as a fish and do not realize that it is a mammal.#mammoth adj.#gigantic; enormous. To try to memorize every word on this vocabulary list would be a mammoth undertaking; take on projects that are more manageable in size.#mandate n.#order; charge. In his inaugural address, the president stated that he had a mandate from the people to seek an end to social evils such as poverty. also v.#mandatory adj.#obligatory; compulsory. It is mandatory that, before graduation, all students must pass the swimming test.#maniacal adj.#raging mad; insane. Though Mr. Rochester had locked his mad wife in the attic, he could still hear her maniacal laughter echoing throughout the house.#manifest adj.#evident; visible; obvious. Digby's embarrassment when he met Madonna was manifest: his ears turned bright pink, he kept scuffing one shoe in the dirt, and he couldn't look her in the eye.#manifesto n.#declaration; statement of policy. The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels proclaimed the principles of modern communism.#manipulate v.#operate with one's hands; control or play upon (people, forces, etc.) artfully. Jim Henson understood how to manipulate the Muppets. Madonna understands how to manipulate men (and publicity).#mannered adj.#affected; not natural. Attempting to copy the style of his wealthy neighbors, Gatsby adopted a mannered, artificial way of speech.#marital adj.#pertaining to marriage. After the publication of her book of marital advice, she was often consulted by married couples on the verge of divorce.#maritime adj.#bordering on the sea; nautical. The Maritime Provinces depend on the sea for their wealth.#marked adj.#noticeable or pronounced; targeted for vengeance. He walked with a marked limp, a souvenir of an old I.R.A. attack. As British ambassador, he knew he was a marked man, for he knew the Irish Republican Army wanted him dead.#marquee n.#canopy above an entrance, under which one can take shelter; rooflike shelter above a theater entrance. On stormy days, the hotel doorman keeps dry by standing directly beneath the marquee. The title of Arthur Kopit's play Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad was too long to fit on the marquee.#marred adj.# damaged; disfigured. She had to refinish the marred surface of the table. mar, v.#marshal v.#put in order. At a debate tournament, extemporaneous speakers have only a minute or two to marshal their thoughts before they address their audience.#marsupial n.#one of a family of mammals that nurse their offspring in a pouch. The most common marsupial in North America is the opossum.#martial adj.#warlike. The sound of martial music inspired the young cadet with dreams of military glory.#martinet n.#strict disciplinarian. No talking at meals! No mingling with the servants! Miss Minchin was a martinet who insisted that the schoolgirls in her charge observe each regulation to the letter.#martyr n.#one who voluntarily suffers death for his or her religion or cause; great sufferer. By burning her at the stake, the English made Joan of Arc a martyr for her faith. Mother played the martyr by staying home cleaning the house while the rest of the family went off to the beach.#masochist n.#person who enjoys his own pain. The masochist begs, "Hit me." The sadist smiles and says, "I won't."#material adj.#made of physical matter; unspiritual; important. Probing the mysteries of this material world has always fascinated physicist George Whitesides. Reporters nicknamed Madonna the Material Girl because, despite her name, she seemed wholly uninterested in spiritual values. Lexy's active participation made a material difference to the success of the fund-raiser.#materialism n.# preoccupation with physical comforts and things. By its nature, materialism is opposed to idealism, for where the materialist emphasizes the needs of the body, the idealist emphasizes the needs of the soul.#maternal adj.#motherly. Many animals display maternal instincts only while their offspring are young and helpless.#matriarch n.#woman who rules a family or larger social group. The matriarch ruled her gypsy tribe with a firm hand.#matriculate v.#enroll (in college or graduate school). Incoming students formally matriculate at our college in a special ceremony during which they sign the official register of students.#matrix n.#point of origin; array of numbers or algebraic symbols; mold or die. Some historians claim the Nile Valley was the matrix of Western civilization.#maudlin adj.#effusively sentimental. Whenever a particularly maudlin tearjerker was playing at the movies, Marvin would embarrass himself by weeping copiously.#maul v.#handle roughly. The rock star was mauled by his over-excited fans.#maverick n.#rebel; nonconformist. To the masculine literary establishment, George Sand with her insistence on wearing trousers and smoking cigars was clearly a maverick who fought her proper womanly role.#mawkish adj.#mushy and gushy; icky-sticky sentimental; maudlin. Whenever Gigi and her boyfriend would sigh and get all lovey-dovey, her little brother would shout, "Yuck!" protesting their mawkish behavior.#maxim n.#proverb; a truth pithily stated. Aesop's story of the hare and the tortoise illustrates the maxim "Slow and steady wins the race."#meager adj.#scanty; inadequate. Still hungry after his meager serving of porridge, Oliver Twist asked for a second helping.#meander v.# wind or turn in its course. Needing to stay close to a source of water, he followed every twist and turn of the stream as it meandered through the countryside.#meddlesome adj.#interfering. He felt his marriage was suffering because of his meddlesome mother-in-law.#mediate v.#settle a dispute through the services of an outsider. King Solomon was asked to mediate a dispute between two women, each of whom claimed to be the mother of the same child.#mediocre adj.#ordinary; commonplace. We were disappointed because he gave a rather mediocre performance in this role.#meditation n.#reflection; thought. She reached her decision only after much meditation.#medley n.#mixture. To avoid boring dancers by playing any one tune for too long, bands may combine three or four tunes into a medley.#meek adj.#quiet and obedient; spiritless. Can Lois Lane see through Superman's disguise and spot the superhero hiding behind the guise of meek, timorous Clark Kent? Mr. Barrett never expected his meek daughter would dare to defy him by eloping with her suitor. #melancholy adj.#gloomy; morose; blue. To Eugene, stuck in his small town, a train whistle was a melancholy sound, for it made him think of all the places he would never get to see.#mellifluous adj.#sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious. Italian is a mellifluous language, especially suited to being sung. #membrane n.#thin soft sheet of animal or vegetable tissue. Each individual section of an orange is covered with a thin, transparent membrane. membranous, adj. #memento n.#token; reminder. Take this book as a memento of your visit.#menagerie n.#collection of wild animals. Whenever the children run wild around the house, Mom shouts, "Calm down! I'm not running a menagerie!"#mendacious adj.#lying; habitually dishonest. Distrusting Huck from the start, Miss Watson assumed he was mendacious and refused to believe a word he said.#mendicant n.#beggar. "O noble sir, give alms to the poor," cried Aladdin, playing the mendicant.#menial adj.#suitable for servants; lowly; mean. Her wicked stepmother forced Cinderella to do menial tasks around the house while her ugly stepsisters lolled around painting their toenails.#mentor n.#teacher. During this very trying period, she could not have had a better mentor, for the teacher was sympathetic and understanding.#mercenary adj.# interested in money or gain. Andy's every act was prompted by mercenary motives: his first question was always "What's in it for me?"#mercurial adj.# capricious; changing; fickle. Quick as quicksilver to change, he was mercurial in nature and therefore unreliable.#merger n.#combination (of two business corporations). When the firm's president married the director of financial planning, the office joke was that it wasn't a marriage, it was a merger.#mesmerize v.#hypnotize. The incessant drone seemed to mesmerize him and place him in a trance.#metallurgical adj.#pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores. During the course of his metallurgical research, the scientist developed a steel alloy of tremendous strength.#metamorphosis n.#change of form; major transformation. The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life. metamorphose, v.#metaphor n.#implied comparison. "He soared like an eagle" is an example of a simile; "He is an eagle in flight," a metaphor.#metaphysical adj.#pertaining to speculative philosophy. The modern poets have gone back to the fanciful poems of the metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century for many of their images. metaphysics, n.#methodical adj.# systematic. An accountant must be methodical and maintain order among his financial records.#meticulous adj.# excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous. Martha Stewart was a meticulous housekeeper, fussing about each and every detail that went into making up her perfect home.#metropolis n.#large city. Every evening the terminal is filled with thousands of commuters going from this metropolis to their homes in the suburbs.#mettle n.#courage; spirit. When challenged by the other horses in the race, the thoroughbred proved its mettle by its determination to hold the lead.#miasma n.#swamp gas; heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence. The smog hung over Victorian London like a dark cloud; noisome, reeking of decay, it was a visible miasma.#microcosm n.#small world; the world in miniature. The small village community that Jane Austen depicts serves as a microcosm of English society in her time, for in this small world we see all the social classes meeting and mingling.#migrant adj.#changing its habitat; wandering. Migrant workers return to the Central Valley each year at harvest time. also n.#migratory adj.#wandering. The return of the migratory birds to the northern sections of this country is a harbinger of spring. migrate, v.#milieu n.#environment; means of expression. Surrounded by smooth preppies and arty bohemians, the country boy from Smalltown, USA, felt out of his milieu. Although he has produced excellent oil paintings and lithographs, his proper milieu is watercolor.#militant adj.#combative; bellicose. Although at this time he was advocating a policy of neutrality, one could usually find him adopting a more militant attitude. also n.#mimicry n.#imitation. Her gift for mimicry was so great that her friends said that she should be in the theater.#mincing adj.#affectedly dainty. Yum-Yum walked across the stage with mincing steps.#minuscule adj.#extremely small. Why should I involve myself with a project with so minuscule a chance for success?#minute adj.#extremely small. The twins resembled one another closely; only minute differences set them apart.#minutiae n.#petty details. She would have liked to ignore the minutiae of daily living.#mirage n.#unreal reflection; optical illusion. The lost prospector was fooled by a mirage in the desert.#mire v.#entangle; stick in swampy ground. Their rear wheels became mired in mud. also n.#mirth n.# merriment; laughter. Sober Malvolio found Sir Toby's mirth improper.#misanthrope n.# one who hates mankind. In Gulliver's Travels, Swift portrays an image of humanity as vile, degraded beasts; for this reason, various critics consider him a misanthrope.#misapprehension n.#error; misunderstanding. To avoid misapprehension, I am going to ask all of you to repeat the instructions I have given.#miscellany n.#mixture of writings on various subjects. This is an interesting miscellany of nineteenth-century prose and poetry.#mischance n.#ill luck. By mischance, he lost his week's salary.#misconception n.#mistaken idea. "Sir, you are suffering from a misconception. I do not wish to marry you in the least!"#misconstrue v.#interpret incorrectly; misjudge. She took the passage seriously rather than humorously because she misconstrued the author's ironic tone.#misdemeanor n.#minor crime. The culprit pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor rather than face trial for a felony.#miserly adj.# stingy; mean. Transformed by his vision on Christmas Eve, mean old Scrooge ceased being miserly and became a generous, kind old man.#misgivings n.#doubts. Hamlet described his misgivings to Horatio but decided to fence with Laertes despite his foreboding of evil.#mishap n.#accident. With a little care you could have avoided this mishap.#misnomer n.# wrong name; incorrect designation. His tyrannical conduct proved to all that his nickname, King Eric the Just, was a misnomer.#misrepresent v.#give a false or incorrect impression, often deliberately; serve unsatisfactorily as a representative. In his job application, Milton misrepresented his academic background; he was fired when his employers discovered the truth. The reformers accused Senator Gunbucks of misrepresenting his constituents and claimed he took bribes from the NRA.#missile n.#object to be thrown or projected. After carefully folding his book report into a paper airplane, Beavis threw the missile across the classroom at Butthead. Rocket scientists are building guided missiles; Beavis and Butthead can barely make unguided ones. #missive n.#letter. The ambassador received a missive from the secretary of state.#mite n.#very small object or creature; small coin. Gnats are annoying mites that sting.#mitigate v.# appease; moderate. Nothing Jason did could mitigate Medea's anger; she refused to forgive him for betraying her.#mnemonic adj.#pertaining to memory. He used mnemonic tricks to master new words.#mobile adj.#movable; not fixed. The mobile blood bank operated by the Red Cross visited our neighborhood today. mobility, n.#mock v.#ridicule; imitate, often in derision. It is unkind to mock anyone; it is stupid to mock anyone significantly bigger than you. mockery, n.#mode n.#prevailing style; manner; way of doing something. The rock star had to have her hair done in the latest mode: frizzed, with occasional moussed spikes for variety. Henry plans to adopt a simpler mode of life: he is going to become a mushroom hunter and live off the land. #modicum n.#limited quantity. Although his story is based on a modicum of truth, most of the events he describes are fictitious.#modulate v.#tone down in intensity; regulate; change from one key to another. Always singing at the top of her lungs, the budding Brunhilde never learned to modulate her voice.#molecule n.#the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance, having all the properties of that substance. In chemistry, we study how atoms and molecules react to form new substances.#mollify v.# soothe. The airline customer service representative tried to mollify the angry passenger by offering her a seat in first class. #molt v.#shed or cast off hair or feathers. When Molly's canary molted, he shed feathers all over the house.#molten adj.#melted. The city of Pompeii was destroyed by volcanic ash rather than by molten lava flowing from Mount Vesuvius.#momentous adj.#very important. When Marie and Pierre Curie discovered radium, they had no idea of the momentous impact their discovery would have upon society.#momentum n.#quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus. The car lost momentum as it tried to ascend the steep hill.#monarchy n.#government under a single ruler. Though England today is a monarchy, there is some question whether it will be one in twenty years, given the present discontent at the prospect of Prince Charles as king.#monastic adj.#related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns. Withdrawing from the world, Thomas Merton joined a contemplative religious order and adopted the monastic life.#monetary adj.#pertaining to money. Jane held the family purse strings: she made all monetary decisions affecting the household.#monochromatic adj.#having only one color. Most people who are color blind actually can distinguish several colors; some, however, have a truly monochromatic view of a world all in shades of gray.#monolithic adj.#solidly uniform; unyielding. Knowing the importance of appearing resolute, the patriots sought to present a monolithic front.#monosyllabic adj.#having only one syllable. No matter what he was asked, the taciturn New Englander answered with a monosyllabic "Yep" or "Nope." monosyllable, n.#monotony n.#sameness leading to boredom. What could be more deadly dull than the monotony of punching numbers into a computer hour after hour?#montage n.#photographic composition combining elements from different sources. In one early montage, Beauchamp brought together pictures of broken mannequins and newspaper clippings about the Vietnam War.#monumental adj.#massive. Writing a dictionary is a monumental task.#moodiness n.#fits of depression or gloom. Her recurrent moodiness left her feeling as if she had fallen into a black hole.#moratorium n.#legal delay of payment. If we declare a moratorium and delay collection of debts for six months, I am sure the farmers will be able to meet their bills.#morbid adj.#given to unwholesome thought; moody; characteristic of disease. People who come to disaster sites just to peer at the grisly wreckage are indulging their morbid curiosity.#mores n.#conventions; moral standards; customs. In America, Benazir Bhutto dressed as Western women did; in Pakistan, however, she followed the mores of her people, dressing in traditional veil and robes.#moribund adj.#dying. Hearst took a moribund, failing weekly newspaper and transformed it into one of the liveliest, most profitable daily papers around.#morose adj.# ill-humored; sullen; melancholy. Forced to take early retirement, Bill acted morose for months; then, all of a sudden, he shook off his sullen mood and was his usual cheerful self.#mortician n.#undertaker. The mortician prepared the corpse for burial.#mortify v.#humiliate; punish the flesh. She was so mortified by her blunder that she ran to her room in tears.#mosaic n.# picture made of colorful small inlaid tiles. The mayor compared the city to a beautiful mosaic made up of people of every race and religion on earth.#mote n.#small speck. The tiniest mote in the eye is very painful.#motif n.#theme. This simple motif runs throughout the entire score.#motley adj.#multi-colored; mixed. The jester wore a motley tunic, red and green and blue and gold all patched together haphazardly. Captain Ahab had gathered a motley crew to sail the vessel: old sea dogs and runaway boys, pillars of the church and drunkards, even a tattooed islander who terrified the rest of the crew.#mottled adj.#blotched in coloring; spotted. When old Falstaff blushed, his face was mottled with embarrassment, all pink and purple and red. #muddle v.#confuse; mix up. His thoughts were muddled and chaotic. also n.#muggy adj.#warm and damp. August in New York City is often muggy.#multifaceted adj.#having many aspects. A multifaceted composer, Roger Davidson has recorded original pieces that range from ragtime tangos to choral masses.#multifarious adj.#varied; greatly diversified. A career woman and mother, she was constantly busy with the multifarious activities of her daily life.#multiform adj.#having many forms. Snowflakes are multiform but always hexagonal.#multilingual adj.#having many languages. Because Switzerland is surrounded by France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, many Swiss people are multilingual.#multiplicity n.#state of being numerous. He was appalled by the multiplicity of details he had to complete before setting out on his mission.#mundane adj.# worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday. Uninterested in philosophical or spiritual discussions, Tom talked only of mundane matters such as the daily weather forecast or the latest basketball results.#munificent adj.# very generous. Shamelessly fawning over a particularly generous donor, the dean kept on referring to her as "our munificent benefactor." munificence, n.#mural n.#wall painting. The walls of the Chicano Community Center are covered with murals painted in the style of Diego Rivera, the great Mexican artist.#murky adj.#dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague. The murky depths of the swamp were so dark that one couldn't tell the vines and branches from the snakes.#muse v.#ponder. For a moment he mused about the beauty of the scene, but his thoughts soon changed as he recalled his own personal problems. also n.#mushroom v.#expand or grow rapidly. Between 1990 and 1999, the population of Silicon Valley mushroomed; with the rapidly increasing demand for housing, home prices skyrocketed as well.#musky adj.#having the odor of musk. She left a trace of musky perfume behind her.#muster v.#gather; assemble. Washington mustered his forces at Trenton. also n.#musty adj.#stale; spoiled by age. The attic was dark and musty.#mutability n.#ability to change in form; fickleness. Going from rags to riches, and then back to rags again, the bankrupt financier was a victim of the mutability of fortune.#muted adj.#silent; muffled; toned down. Thanks to the thick, sound-absorbing walls of the cathedral, only muted traffic noise reached the worshippers within.#mutinous adj.#unruly; rebellious. The captain had to use force to quiet his mutinous crew. mutiny, n.#myopic adj.#nearsighted; lacking foresight. Stumbling into doors despite the coke bottle lenses on his glasses, the nearsighted Mr. Magoo is markedly myopic. In playing all summer long and ignoring to store up food for winter, the grasshopper in Aesop's fable was myopic as well. #myriad n.#very large number. Myriads of mosquitoes from the swamps invaded our village every twilight. also adj. #mystify v.#bewilder purposely. When doctors speak in medical jargon, they often mystify their patients, who have little knowledge of medical terminology.#