Pinnacle Vital - Vocabulary Development Book

CONTENTS
ITEM PAGE No.
A few words .............................................................................................................. 3 – 9
Alphabetical Wordlist ................................................................................................ 10 – 188

A .................................................................................................................................. 1 1
B .................................................................................................................................. 3 1
C .................................................................................................................................. 4 0
D .................................................................................................................................. 5 7
E .................................................................................................................................. 6 8
F .................................................................................................................................. 7 8
G .................................................................................................................................. 8 5
H .................................................................................................................................. 9 0
I ................................................................................................................................... 9 5
J & K ........................................................................................................................... 1 0 6
L .................................................................................................................................. 1 0 9
M ................................................................................................................................. 1 1 4
N .................................................................................................................................. 1 2 3
O ................................................................................................................................. 1 2 6
P .................................................................................................................................. 1 3 1
Q ................................................................................................................................. 1 4 6
R .................................................................................................................................. 1 4 8
S .................................................................................................................................. 1 5 7
T .................................................................................................................................. 1 6 9
U .................................................................................................................................. 1 7 6
V .................................................................................................................................. 1 7 9
W, X, Y & Z ................................................................................................................ 184
(2) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

The path to success
is to take massive,
determined action.
A few words ...

Dear Student,
This may be the first time you are contemplating an activity as focused as ‘vocabulary
bui lding’. Some of you may have undertaken i nformal exercises on an i rregular
basis and if you have, then you already know what a pleasure it can be.
Questions based on vocabulary form an important part of most MBA entrance tests
and we need not emphasise the importance of such an exercise. Besides this, a
sound vocabulary will:
1 . help you develop testspecific skills because vocabularybased questions
are one of the fastest and easiest ways to score well
2 . p r o v i d e i n d i r e c t h e l p i n o t h e r t e s t r e l a t e d a r e a s l i k e r e a d i n g
comprehension and language usage
3 . give you a knowle dge asse t that you can leverage throughout your
c a re e r.
This book contains an Alphabetical listing of Words. We have tried our best to
provide you with a list of the most commonly used words in a typical management
entrance test. Enormous efforts have gone into making the content intensive as
well as extensive. Put in a lot of intelligent, dedicated and focused effort and you
will be able to reap rich rewards from this book.
Your w ork does not stop w ith the l earning. Form f ri ends w ho share the same
passion about vocabulary building. Continuous stimulation and reinforcement
of whatever you learn in the classroom are very important.
Before you start, a word of caution. Do not take words for granted. They have a
way of getting even with those who do so.
Happy vocabulary building!
PT Education, All rights reserved.
Ó
Corp. Office: Delhi Regd. Office: Indore
PT centres spread across India ~ Established 1993
Our motto “Kar Ke Dikhayenge” is delivered through our
unique Technology Driven Process Engine (TDpro engine).
Email: pthq@PTeducation.com Web: www.PTeducation.com
IC : PTpntvb01 (3) of (188)

MBA entrance vocabulary
– An overview
There is no need to become a walking dictionary to succeed in entrance tests. What is needed is knowledge of the roots of words and
the ability to relate a word to ‘similar’ or ‘opposite’ kind of words.
Essence of the test of vocabulary: Most tests do not check whether you know exactly what a particular word means. Even if
you do not know the precise dictionary definition, if you have a good idea what the word means, you will score. The tests only want
to see if you have a broad and diverse vocabulary capable of helping you carry out your managerial tasks.
Important observations: Our analysis of test papers over the last few years shows that most tests use the same kind of words.
For example, all the words in the list that follows nearly mean the same thing. They all have something to do with the concept of
criticism. The examination may well test you on one of these words or one of the other synonyms of ‘criticise’.
Criticise/Criticism: Calumny, castigate, chastise, deride, derisive, derogate, diatribe, harangue, lambast, oppugn, pillory, rebuke,
remonstrate.
Some Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How is vocabulary checked in these tests?
A . A few MBA entrance tests check your vocabulary head on. These include analogy questions (determine the relationship
between a pair of words); antonym questions (choose a word opposite in meaning to a particular word); synonym questions
(choose a word similar in meaning); oddmanout type questions (choose the word different in meaning from the other given
words), etc. If you know the meaning of every word in the question, you can easily answer these questions. The more words
you know, the better your chances of narrowing down the choices to the correct one.
Tests can also gauge your vocabulary indirectly, through Reading Comprehension passages and questions, questions that ask
you to correct sentences and other questions based on critical reasoning. Students with a strong vocabulary have an edge
when it comes to these questions.
Q. How are the words chosen for these tests?
A . The tests check if a student possesses a wellrounded vocabulary. This is the kind of vocabulary you need to read, write and
speak effectively in college and beyond. “Testworthy words” include those any educated person might use in speaking or
writing, as well as those that are quite specific to a particular academic field.
Q. What kind of words am I not likely to find in the test? Vibhav Singh

A . It is difficult to be definite about this. However, a few types of words generally excluded from IIMC, L, I, K
tests are:
Ø relatively common words that most graduates and undergraduates already know The language course
Ø highly technical words understood only by specialists or experts in certain academic fields material was thorough
and professions
Ø nonEnglish words that are not widely used among English speakers
and the faculty
Ø jargon, slang or colloquialisms members gave a lot of
Ø archaic English words, which are no longer in common use inputs during the class
sessions that were
extremely effective
while taking the CAT.

How to improve your English?
Learning to speak English (or any language for that matter) is a process. It takes some time and it definitely needs consistency.
1 . Remember that learning English is a gradual process. It does not happen overnight.
2 . Define your learning objectives early. What do you want to learn and why?
3 . Make learning a habit. Try to learn something every day. It is much better to study (or read or listen to English news etc.)
30 minutes each day than study for 4 hours just once a week.
4 . Choose your study material well. You will need material to help you with reading, grammar, writing, speaking and listening.
5 . Vary your learning routine. It is best to do different things each day to help keep the relationships among different areas
active.
6 . Converse and study with friends who are also learning English. Learning English together can be very encouraging.
7. Choose listening and reading material that relate to what you are interested in. Your interest in the subject will make learning
more enjoyable and more effective.
8 . Relate grammar to practical usage. Grammar by itself does not help you use the language. You should practise what you are
learning by employing it actively.
9 . Move your mouth! Understanding something doesn’t mean the muscles of your mouth can produce the sound. Practise
speaking aloud. It may appear strange but it is very effective.
10. Be patient with yourself. Remember that learning is a process. Speaking a language well takes time.
11. Communicate! There is nothing like communicating in English for being successful. Grammar exercises are good. It is fantastic
to have your friend on the other side of the world understand your email.
12. Use the Internet. The Internet is the most exciting, unlimited English resource available and it is right at your fingertips.
To sum up,
Ø Remember that English learning is a process
Ø Be patient with yourself
Ø Practise, practise, practise
How to develop interest and learning skills simultaneously
Let us see some very basic ways to build up interest in reading and thus enrich your word power. Try one or more of these at your
convenience. What appears most appealing will probably work best for you.
1. Make a list of subjects that fascinate you most. The more you enjoy a topic, the easier it is to learn about it. Go to your
local library and search for a dictionary of words specific to the topic. If you like Economics, find a dictionary of words used in
Economics. Not every topic will have its own dictionary but you’ll be surprised how many do. Once you have found a dictionary,
browse through it. Look for words that you have never heard or words you have heard but do not understand. The sheer joy of
discovering the words and their meanings will help them sink into your memory. Since they relate to your favourite topic, you will
practise and use them regularly with all the commitment needed to make them a part of regular conversation.
2. People favour different words in different parts of the country. Try picking up or subscribing to a newspaper from another
part of the country. Enlist a friend or relative from another area to join you in your vocabulary improvement mission. Offer to
send him/her a copy of your heaviest city newspaper in exchange. Or go online and read such a newspaper online for free.
3. In order to make learning easier and more productive, use flash cards to master several words at once. Pick four words that all
have the same or similar meanings and write them on one side. Write their meanings on the other side. You will be learning four
words and one definition with slightly subtle changes. Effectively, you will learn four times as much in about the same time. Such
flash cards are part of the study material accompanying this book. Add your own flash cards to enhace your learning.
4. Object words are easier to learn. You will be learning the definition of a word which is also a tangible item you can picture in your
mind. Go to a curio shop, speciality store or a museum you have never been to before. Pick up brochures or other documents that
describe what you are seeing. Let the mental pictures drive the names of these items and their descriptions deep into your mind
for later recall.
5. You learn a lot more by being humble than by being proud. When you are trying to place an address in a new locality, you should
be willing to stop and ask for directions. Similarly, you shouldn’t be afraid to do some investigation when you encounter a new
word. Look it up or even have the courage to ask. Go on a word hunt. Write down what you did not understand. Do not rest
until you hunt down the word and its meaning. The satisfaction of victory over your ignorance of that one word will bolster your
confidence and you will be pumped up to master many more words.

Easy ways to improve your vocabulary
Ø Ask yourself every week: What do I want to learn this week?
Asking yourself this question every week will help you stop and think about what is most important to you. It is easy to focus
only on the current alphabet, exercise, etc. If you take a moment to stop and set a goal for yourself every week, you will
notice the progress you are making and, in turn, become more inspired by how quickly you are learning English! You will be
surprised at how this feeling of success will motivate you to learn more and more.
Ø Break up the task into small and manageable pieces
Do not try to cram words. Instead, tackle about 20 to 30 words at a time. In this book, you will find that we have divided the
words into manageable chunks.
Ø Learn words in the context of a story
This is a very beautiful way of learning. You learn with reference to the context. Try and write short paragraphs with respect
to some specific words. Also use 10 to 15 newly learnt words in this paragraph.
Ø Discuss words with your friends
Form a small group of friends interested in vocabulary building. You and your friends should be excited to discover and discuss
new words. Use new words while talking to your friends. You should make it a way of your life.
Ø Quickly review important new words shortly before going to bed
Research has shown that our brains process information that is fresh in our mind while we sleep. By going over some exercise,
or by reading before you go to bed, your brain will work away on this information while you sleep! Sounds interesting?
Ø While doing exercises and when alone at home or in your room, speak English aloud
Connect the muscles of your face to the information in your head. Just as understanding the basics of tennis does not make you
a great tennis player, understanding grammar rules does not mean you can automatically speak English well. You need to
practise the act of speaking often. Speaking by yourself at home and reading the exercises will help connect your brain to
your facial muscles, improve pronunciation and make your knowledge active.
Ø Look for situations in which you must speak/read/listen to English
This is probably the most important tip. You need to use English in a real world situation. Learning English in a classroom is
important but putting your English knowledge into practice in real situations will improve your fluency. If you cannot think of any
“real life” situation, create situations by using the Internet or the radio to listen to news, write English responses wherever
possible, exchange emails in English with friends, etc.
Our approach
Exercises
In the classroom sessions, you will be given regular exercises that test and reinforce your vocabularyrelated knowledge on a
continuous basis. If you take these exercises seriously, tremendous advantages will accrue to you.
Pronunciation
Another important part of learning vocabulary is learning the correct pronunciation of each word. You are advised to look up the
pronunciation from a good dictionary whenever you come across a new word. In order to help you with the correct pronunciation of
the words which have rather unusual pronunciations, we have given a very easytouse pronunciation key along with such words.
This way as you improve your vocabulary, you will also improve your spoken language abilities.
Some innovative (but time consuming!)

ways to help yourself
Maintain a personal dictionary/vocabulary book
Develop your own personal dictionary/vocabulary book. This will be a major help in the long run in improving your language abilities.
You can put in important information that is not in other dictionaries. For example,
Ø you can include information in any language (you can write the pronunciation in your mother tongue)

Ø you can draw pictures to help you remember better
Ø you can write the sentence where you first found the word and translate the whole sentence
Ø you can put in collocations (words that often go together; e.g. a light meal)
Ø you can add different connotations (words which describe the same thing but give you a good or bad impression according to the
context; e.g. ‘freedom fighter’ and ‘terrorist’)
Ø you can include different parts of speech for the same headword (for example, you can include various forms of the headword
jump, like jumped, jumping and jumper)
Ø you can compare how to use the word in English and in your own language
Ø you can indicate whether the word is formal or informal; e.g. ‘a meeting’ or ‘a gettogether’.
Using your own dictionary is faster.
Ø It only contains words you need, so it has fewer entries and it is easier to search for the word you need.
Ø You can put in words that are not headwords in a normal dictionary, such as ‘jumped’, rather than ‘jump’.
Ø You can put in any type of information that would otherwise require you to refer to different types of dictionaries. For
example,you can include information from technical, pictorial, monolingual and bilingual dictionaries under one headword.
Therefore, you only need to look in one place to find all the information.
Ø You can do away with confusing abbreviations and write what you need to know in full. For example, you can write
‘Uncountable noun’ instead of [U].
A noun
Word : Fluke
Meaning : Something good that happens by accident and good luck
(It also means a whale’s tail but this is a rare and technical meaning.)
Example : ‘The goal was a fluke as the ball went between the goalkeeper’s legs.’
Pronunciation: /flu:k/ Grammar : Countable noun.
Plurals are unusual but grammatically possible;
e.g. “Their goals were all flukes but ours were skilful!”
An expression
It’s raining cats and dogs.
Meaning: It’s raining heavily.
Note: This expression is a bit oldfashioned, it is not used much nowadays.
A modern equivalent is : “It’s pouring.”
An adverb
Word : Badly
Meaning: adverb of ‘bad’ Examples:
Pronunciation: /bædli/ Ø ‘He did very badly in his test, so he will have to read the study
material again.’
Ø ‘This is a badlywritten assignment.’

An idiom
To swallow a/the dictionary
Meaning: To use long and unnecessarily complicated words and expressions, especially in normal conversation.
Example: “He talks like he has swallowed a dictionary, I can’t understand half of what he says.”
Using a card system

A card system is as good as a personal dictionary or vocabulary notebook but here each entry is on a separate card. And you can
even order the cards into three sections.
Ø Section One : Words you already know well
Ø Section Two : Words you want to revise
Ø Section Three : Words you are now learning
As you learn more, you can move words from Section One to Section Two and then to Section Three.
Here is a sample card.
Front of the card Back of the card
Expression meaning 'extremely rarely'.
Once in a blue moon Example: "He smiles once in a blue moon."
The phrase refers to the appearance of a second full moon within a calendar month, which actually
happens rarely, about every 32 months.
Great vocabulary learning tips
Ø Read, read, read ! Most words are learned from context. The more words you’re exposed to, the better your vocabulary.
While you read, pay close attention to words you don’t know. First, try to figure out their meanings from context. Then look the
words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that you’ll be exposed to many new words. What should you read? Refer
to the Standard Booklist given in the Student’s Handbook.
Ø Practise, practise, practise. Learning a word won’t help very much if you promptly forget it.
Our research shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your Pramod Panvel
vocabulary. It helps to write the word both the definition and a sentence you make up using the IIMA, K
word perhaps on an index card that can later be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word,
start using it.
PT provided the
Ø Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to
platform which helped
activate your auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the
word gargantuan (very large) has a meaning similar to the words gigantic, huge, large, cornucopian me ex c el i n M B A
etc. You could make a sequence: small, medium, large, very large, gargantuan. List as many
entrance exams. In fact,
things as you can that could be considered gargantuan: Godzilla, the fat person, the zit on your
nose, etc. Create pictures related to the word’s meaning that involve strong emotions. Think I would recommend
“the gargantuan creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!” everybody to join PT
Ø Use mnemonics (memory tricks). For example, consider the word egregious (extremely and reap great benefits.
bad). Think EGG REACH US imagine we’ve made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs
at us and a rotten EGG REACHES US. Such funny little mental pictures are fun to make up and will
help you remember what words mean. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone
learns differently!
Ø Get in the habit of looking up words you don’t know. If you have a dictionary program on
your computer, keep it open and handy. Or always keep a good dictionary close to you when you
read or write. Use a thesaurus when you want to use the word that fits best. (Don’t know what
“thesaurus” means? Look it up in the dictionary!)
Ø Play with words. Play scrabble, boggle and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are available on the computer,
so you do not need a partner to play.
Ø Use vocabulary lists and take the tests. For serious vocabulary students, using vocabulary lists like the ones given here
will be a major help. And the tests are great fun even as they let you know where you stand.

Finally, how you should use this book
As you go through the various sections you'll find that in addition to the traditional dictionary approach to vocabulary, we've
also tried to look at words from various other angles like human attributes, animal attributes, manias, phobias, confusing words etc.
You could read this book straight through from cover to cover or focus on certain parts, depending on how you prefer to learn
new words and how much time you have. Here's a brief description of each part, along with some suggestions for using your study
time most effectively.
Ø Alphabetical wordlists
This is an anytime dictionary for you which we have framed as per the test requirements. Here, you can systematically choose
a set of words and go after them. Think of this as the ultimate reference for MBA entrance!
Ø Foreign words in English
English as a language has assimilated a large number of words from different languages and that is one reason it’s often
referred to as a catholic language. Although the words given in this part are essentially foreign, they are used freely as part of
the English language itself.
Ø Topicwise words
This will provide you with a more interesting style of learning wherein you can relate words to human behaviour, animal
characteristics, anatomy, phobias etc. You will benefit more if you are able to relate these words to happenings or observations
from daily life.
Ø Confusing words
While building up your word power, a common happening is that you get yourself entangled among several words. This
special section on confusable will help to make your journey go smoother. Keep returning to this section till you are very sure
of these tricky words.
Ø Idioms and phrases
This section will expose you to various usages popular among English speakers. You may never be asked the meaning directly,
but knowledge of these idioms and phrases will help you in other test areas like Reading Comprehension.
Ø Jargons
Words dealing with specialised areas like law, games, geography etc. are usually missed out. Go through these words and make
sentences so that you are very familiar with these words.
Ø Phrasal verbs
This part deals with usage of verbs (called phrasal verbs), which when followed by various prepositions or adverbs, acquire an
idiomatic sense. This part includes several examples to help you understand the correct usage of these phrasal verbs.
Ø Roots/Suffixes/Prefixes
Vocabulary learning can never be complete without knowing the origin and usage of words. Once you are thorough with this
part, it will be easier for you to understand the meaning of new words.
The following pages are an expressway into the land of words, words that will help you express your way to success. On your marks,
get set and vroooom!
The SMS REMINDERS for EXAM NOTIFICATIONS
PT cares! Value added service for our PTzens. A unique SMS reminders for exam
notifications (SREN) service where registered students will receive around 100 SMSs
on issues like exam notifications, last dates for filling up application forms, exam
reminders etc. related to MBA Entrance Tests.
The process for the students to use this facility will be :
1. The st u dent will regist er for t his facilit y t hr o ugh a link pro vided o n
www.PTeducation.com
2. He/she will update the mobile no. whenever it changes using this weblink itself
3. Students registering for SREN will automatically avail of this facility
All the best ... Kar ke dikhayenge!

Alphabetical Wordlist
(10) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“A”
ABACK Adv. ABET V.
backwards; hence taken aback means taken by surprise to give encouragement, to help, to aid, assist, usually in doing
@ Australia was taken aback when lowly Bangladesh beat them some wrong, encourage a bad act, foment, instigate
in the one day cricket match. þ Syn. be an accomplice, help, support
¬ Ant. oppose, protest, hinder, hamper
ABASE V. @ The law has penalties for those who aid and abet a criminal.
to lower, to degrade, to humiliate
þ Syn. fall, debase, devalue, defile ABEYANCE
¬ Ant. honour, upgrade, grace, elevate temporary suppression or suspension
@ The president is not willing to abase himself before the nation þ Syn. unresolved, incomplete
and admit that he made a mistake. ¬ Ant. continuing, under way
@ Shw eta held all celebrations in abeyance while the coll ege
ABASH V. review board considered her application.
to strike with shame, to embarrass
þ Syn. awe, humiliate, humble, deflate ABHOR
¬ Ant. embol den, reassure to loathe, detest
@ He was a little abashed at being caught redhanded accepting þ Syn. despise, abominate
the bribe. ¬ Ant. love, admire
@ When the theorems became too confusing, Radha began to
ABATE V. abhor geometry.
to lessen, to nullify, to decrease, moderate, slacken, wane
þ Syn. lessen, shrink A BJ ECT
¬ Ant. increase, augment, swell, grow miserable, pitiful
@ The deepest of pain abates with the passage of time. þ Syn. appalling, contemptible
¬ Ant. proud, respected
ABANDON N. @ We took pity on the abject creature and tended to its broken
total lack of inhibition l e g.
V. to leave, give up
þ Syn. recklessness, carelessness, desert, disconti nue A BJ URE
¬ Ant. restraint, caution, retai n, continue to reject, abandon formally
@ With her strict parents out of the w ay, Shi lpa danced al l þ Syn. renounce, repudiate
night with abandon. ¬ Ant. cherish, retain
@ The president claimed that he was misled and publicly abjured
AB DICA TE his old stand.
to give up a position, right, or power
þ Syn. relinquish, renounce ABLUTION
¬ Ant. accept, accede to act of cleansing
@ As the angry mob marched tow ards the pal ace, the ki ng þ Syn. purification, sanctif ication
abdicated his throne and fled. ¬ Ant. contamination, defilement
@ The devotees waited as the priest finished his ablution before
ABDUCT V. ABDUCTION N. opening the temple.
to forcefully take away
þ Syn. kidnap, carry off, steal, nab ABNEGATION N.
¬ Ant. deliver, rescue, salvage, li berate renunci ation, selfsacrif ice
@ The abducti on of rai l w ay passengers i n Bi har i s a usual þ Syn. negation, negati ve, nay
occurrence. @ Walking out on his family like that was a total abnegation of
his responsibilities.
ABERRATION
something different from the usual ABORTIVE
þ Syn. digression, deviation stopped before completion, failed attempt
¬ Ant. normality, regularity þ Syn. unsuccessful, unprogressi ve
@ T he m ar ke ti ng ma na ge r sa i d : “ Th er e ap p ea rs t o be a n ¬ Ant. ef fecti ve, fruitful
aberration in the sales figure.” @ He was frustrated after his abortive attempts for the CEO’s
posi ti on.
IC : PTpntvb01 (11) of (188)

ABOLISH V. ABSTEMIOUS Adj.
to put an end to, to do away with sparing in food, drink or enjoyment, moderate, temperate
þ Syn. eliminate, stop, eradicate, annul þ Syn. sel fdenying, ascetic, sober
¬ Ant. establish, found, start, create ¬ Ant. wi ld, abandoned, unreserved
@ It is important that casteism is abolished in India if any social @ It i s strange t o see the bul gi ng bel l i es of our soc al l ed
harmony is to be achieved. abstemious saints.
ABOMINABLE Adj. ABOMINATE V. ABSTAIN V., abstinence N.

Detestabl e, extremel y unpleasant, very bad to refrain deliberately
þ Syn. repulsi ve, monstrous, detestable @ The best way to abstain from alcohol is to avoid friends who
@ The prisoners are forced to live in abominable conditions. indulge in it.
ABORT V. A B STRA CT

to f ai l to go forw ard or develop as expected, to miscarry, to theoretical , summation
terminate early þ Syn. conceptual, synopsis
þ Syn. end, abandon, stop midstream ¬ Ant. actual, concrete, fullversion
@ The Columbia mission had to be aborted for several reasons, @ She f i nds i t di f fi cul t to understand abstract concepts l ike
one of which was bad weather. beauty and love.
ABRASIVE Adj. ABRASION N. ABRADE V. A BSTRUSE

tending to abrade, annoyi ng, irritating, causti c, rubbing aw ay, difficult to understand
tending to grind down, causing bad feelings of annoyance þ Syn. perplexing, complicated
þ Syn. rough, harsh, rasping, scratchy ¬ Ant. clear, obvious
@ A professional has no business being abrasive in speech or @ The concept was rather abstruse, but the philosopher's simple
acti on. explanation helped the group to understand it clearly.
ABRIDGE ABUNDANT Adj.

to condense, shorten ample, copious, luxuriant, overflowing
þ Syn. condense, compress þ Syn. plentiful, copious, rich, profuse
¬ Ant. expand, enlarge ¬ Ant. meagre, scarce, inadequate
@ The editor made sure that the abridged version of the novel @ We took an abundant supply of food with us when we went
was as exciting as the original. hiking in the mountains.
AB ROGA TE ABUT V.

to put an end to, abolish by authority to end, to touch, to border upon, adjoin
þ Syn. nullify, invalidate þ Syn. be next to, lie alongside
¬ Ant. ratif y, vali date @ The shed abutted the side of the house.
@ Following the firing, the Prime Minister threatened to abrogate
the treaty with the neighbouring country.
Atul Meena
ABSCOND IIMA, B, C, I, K
to depart secretly
þ Syn. flee, run away The CTs and PracCATs
¬ Ant. arrest, stay
gave me the realistic
@ Senior officers were taken by surprise as the policeman under
suspension absconded with a loaded weapon. picture of the CAT and
proved to be very
ABSOLVE beneficial for the
to forgive, free from blame
written tests. The AIRs
þ Syn. acquit, exonerate
were very realistic and
¬ Ant. condemn, incriminate
@ The queen absolved the general from blame for the defeat. helped me benchmark
myself. Thanks!
ABSCESS N.
boil, pimple, ulcer, localised accumulation of pus in body tissues
þ Syn. sore, swelling, eruption, pustule
@ You need a surgeon to remove this abscess.
(12) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ACCEDE A CCOST
to express approval, agree to to approach and speak to someone
þ Syn. endorse, comply þ Syn. conf ront, wayl ay
¬ Ant. refuse, deny ¬ Ant. retreat, withdraw
@ When the mayor proposed lower taxes, the people readi ly @ Furious, Mahima accosted the man who had trampled on her
ac cede d. flower bed and demanded an apology.
ACCENT N. ACCOUTREMENT N.

stress on a word/theory etc., a way of speaking of a particular dress, equipment, habi liment, paraphernalia
group @ The sporti ng accoutrements of today are techni cal ly much
þ Syn. inflection, intonation, twang superior to those of old.
@ His accent gave away his rustic origins.
ACCRETION
ACCESSIBLE growth in size or increase in amount
attainable, availabl e, approachable þ Syn. accumulation, amassing
þ Syn. obtai nable, reachable ¬ Ant. erosion, attrition
¬ Ant. i napproachable, unreachable @ Year after year of bumper crops led to a steady accretion in
@ Pr eet i w as su rpr i s ed tha t t he f a mou s pro f es sor w as so the farmer’s wealth.
accessible, inviting students to visit him at all hours.
ACCRUE
ACCESSORY to accumulate, grow by additions
attachment, ornament, accomplice, partner þ Syn. amass, build up
þ Syn. appendage, appurtenance ¬ Ant. disperse, di ffuse
¬ Ant. principal, adversary @ Bef ore l ong, the accrued interest w as f ar larger than the
@ The tiepin may be just an accessory, but it can make a major principal.
di ff erence to your appearance.
ACE Adj.
ACCLAIM N., V. of highest quali ty, outstanding
commendation, ci tation, eulogy, applaud, announce with great þ Syn. first rate, world class, winner
approval ¬ Ant. miserable, terrible, abysmal
þ Syn. applause, cheer, encomium @ Th e a ce de tec ti v e w as not f ool ed by the nu me rou s r ed
¬ Ant. disapprove, odium, boycott herrings in his path.
@ She w as uni versall y accl ai med f or her contri buti on to the
di scovery. ACERBIC Adj. ACERBITY N.
bitter and sour, corrosive
ACCOMMODATE V. ACCOMMODATION N. þ Syn. acidulous, cutting, caustic, mordant
contain, hold, adjust, reconcile, cater, oblige or help someone; ¬ Ant. mild, gentle, meek, placid, calm
adjust or bring into harmony
@ The chairman was acerbic in criticising the members of the board.
þ Syn. house, lodge, help, adjust
@ She was hurt by the acerbity in his tone.
@ In Mumbai, a pigeonhole often accommodates an entire family.
A CME
ACCOLADE
highest point, summit
praise, di stinction
þ Syn. pinnacle, zenith
þ Syn. honour, recognition
¬ Ant. pit, nadir
¬ Ant. criticism, disparagement
@ The dictator was assassinated just as he reached the acme
@ The winners of the contest beamed as the audience heaped of his power.
accolades on them.
ACOLYTE N.
ACCOMPLICE N.
an assistant, a faithful follower
conspirator, companion, coworker, associate in a crime
@ He h ad ho rd es of ac ol yt es to en su re hi s vi c to ry at t he
þ Syn. accessory, coconspirator el ecti ons.
@ The police nabbed the accomplice after a dramatic chase.
ACOUSTIC Adj. ACOUSTICS pl (N.)
ACCORDANCE Adj. related to theory of sound or hearing, quality that makes a room
conformi ty, agreement, concurrence easy or hard to hear in
þ Syn. agreement, harmony, uni ty þ Syn. audio, aural, auditory, sound
@ In accordance with her wishes, she was buried in France. @ The auditorium has perfect acoustics.
@ Animals use a whole range of acoustic, visual and chemical
signals in their systems of communication.
IC : PTpntvb01 (13) of (188)
ACQUISITION N. ACRONYM N.
possession, property, addition, gain, prize a word formed from the initial letters of other words
þ Syn. attainment, achi evement þ Syn. short form, contraction, ellipsis
¬ Ant. loss, defeat, beating, hammering @ GATT, FERA, Laser, Radar, Maser, TRIPs, TRIMs, VAT etc.
@ Economic reforms have unleashed a spate of acquisitions in N o t e : W T O , O E C D , U N , I C I C I , S B I , M R T P e t c . a r e
the corporate world. abb revi ati o ns a nd n ot a cron yms. An abbr evi a ti on i s the
shortened form of something. An acronym is a word formed
f r o m t h e f i r s t l e t t e r s o f a s e r i e s o f w or d s . U n l i k e a n
ACQUIESCE abbrevi ation, an acronym i s usually pronounced as a w ord
to agree, comply quietly and not letter by letter.
þ Syn. concur with, consent to
¬ Ant. forbid, object ACTUARY N. ACTUA RIAL Adj.
@ The princess acquiesced to the king’s demands, but she was A statistician who computes insurance risks and premiums.
not happy about it. @ Rohit’s father i s an actuary; no wonder hi s know l edge of
statistics is so good.
A CQUITTA L
release from blame ACTUATE V.
þ Syn. discharge, exonerati on to put something into action, to start something, motivate
¬ Ant. conviction, incarceration þ Syn. drive, incite, goad, instigate
@ The public was astonished at the acquittal of the serial killer. ¬ Ant. hinder, deter, restrain
@ The writings of Karl Marx actuated the October Revolution in
ACRIMONY Russ i a.
bitterness, animosity
þ Syn. resentment, causticity ACUITY N.
¬ Ant. goodw ill, benevolence keenness of perception; sharpness
@ The evi dent acrimony between the coupl e made everyone @ Sara’s acuity of taste landed her a winetaster’s job.
feel uncomfortabl e.
ACUMEN
ACRID Adj. sharpness of insight
bitter, pungent, sarcastic, acerbic, vitriolic, caustic, sharp, biting þ Syn. astuteness, sagacity
þ Syn. choki ng, unpl easant, harsh ¬ Ant. witlessness, idiocy
¬ Ant. savoury, delectable @ The portfolio manager's financial acumen helped his clients to
@ Clouds of acrid smoke issued from the building. become rich.
ACRIMONIOUS Adj. ACRIMONY N. ACUTE

full of bitterness in words or manner sharp, poi nted, severe
þ Syn. spiteful, rancorous, hostile þ Syn. excruciating, piercing
¬ Ant. musical, congruent, cordial ¬ Ant. vague, dull
@ The whole issue provoked an acrimonious debate which lasted @ The government has announced certain emergency measures
al l afternoon. to deal with the acute shortage of food.
ACROBAT N. ADA GE

gymnast, tumbler old saying or proverb
þ Syn. trapeze artist, circus performer þ Syn. aphorism, axiom
@ He changes his loyalty with the ease of an acrobat. ¬ Ant. nonsense, paradox
@ I was always fascinated by the acrobats at the circus. @ "A penny saved is a penny earned" is a popular adage.
Mini Re vision Test
Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column.
1 . abdicate a . theoreti cal

2 . aberration b . award
3 . abst ract c . hard to understand
4 . abstruse d . devi ati on
5 . accol ade e . step down from power
5 . (b ) 4 . (c ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (d ) 1 . ( e )
Answer Key Mini Revision Test
(14) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

A D A MA NT ADJUDICATE V. ADJUDICATION N.
uncompromising, unyielding to act as a judge or determiner
þ Syn. uncompromising, obdurate þ Syn. arbitrate, sit in judgment, referee
¬ Ant. flexible, adaptable @ We will adjudicate the matter as soon as al l of the jurors
@ The landlord was adamant and refused to go away until the ar ri ve .
tenant paid the rent.
ADJUNCT N.
A DA P T something or someone attached to but hol di ng a subordi nate
to accommodate, adjust position
þ Syn. acclimatise, conform þ Syn. addition, appendage, extra
¬ Ant. preserve, unf it @ I hoped I would find the computer course a useful adjunct to
my other studies.
@ Although it may be difficult at first, but we all have to adapt
to the new computer system.
ADJURE V.
ADDLE V. to charge on oath or to command solemnly under
become rotten, confuse þ Syn. swear in, entreat, beseech
@ She addled everyone with her plans. @ The judge adjured him to answer truthfully.
ADDUCE V. ADMONISH

to quote examples in a discussion or a debate to caution or reprimand
þ Syn. propose, vol unteer, gi ve þ Syn. reproach, chasti se
¬ Ant. disprove, ref ute, withdraw ¬ Ant. encourage, praise
@ He adduced our presence in a bar as evidence that Shweta @ My mother admonished me for my poor grades.
and I were having an affair.
ADORE V. ADORABLE Adj. ADORATION N.
ADEPT Adj. dote on, idolise, love, w orship, revere, venerate
highly skilled, consummate, proficient, expert at þ Syn. worship, esteem, respect, admire
þ Syn. expert, adroit, clever ¬ Ant. hate, abhorrence, detestati on
¬ Ant. novice, beginner, clumsy, sloppy @ Both girls adored their father very much.
@ Big businessmen have to be adept at handling the press. @ Aishwarya receives a lot of adoration because of her beauty
and humility.
ADHERE
to cling to or follow without deviation ADORN V.
þ Syn. stick to, cohere decorate, beauti fy, garni sh,
¬ Ant. flout, ignore þ Syn. embellish, polish, glamorise
@ He was a strict Catholic who adhered to all the teachings of ¬ Ant. blemish, disfigure, distort
the Church. @ The bride's hair was adorned with pearls and white flowers.
ADIEU N. A DROIT

a farewell skillful, accomplished, highly competent
þ Syn. goodbye, bon voyage, sayonara þ Syn. dextrous, adept
¬ Ant. salutation, w elcome, greet ¬ Ant. clumsy, inept
@ I hate to bid adieu to any loved one. @ The potter shaped the vessel so adroitly that the visitor could
@ She bade him adieu and left for want of quorum. not help applauding.
ADIPOSE Adj. ADULA TION

of or related to animal fat high praise
@ “The adi pose deposi ts around your wai st l ook ugl y,” sai d þ Syn. exaltation, idolisation
Dinesh to his wife. ¬ Ant. detestati on, abhorrence
@ After Adnan's mai den pi ano recital, the adulation was so
ADJOURN V. overwhelming that he shed tears of joy.
to postpone, put off to another date
þ Syn. suspend, diff er, delay, stop, end A DULTERATE
¬ A nt. advance, expedite to corrupt or make impure
@ The Lok Sabha was adjourned as a mark of respect to the þ Syn. contaminate, pollute
departed soul. ¬ Ant. cl eanse, decontaminate
@ It is a common practice to adulterate milk with water.
IC : PTpntvb01 (15) of (188)

ADVA NTAG EOUS AFFA BLE
favourable, usef ul friendly, easy to approach
þ Syn. beneficial, profitable þ Syn. genial, jovial
¬ Ant. detrimental, troublesome ¬ Ant. aloof, frosty
@ After Sehwag’s brilliant knock of 120 runs, India seems to be @ The affable postman was on good terms with everyone on his
at an advantageous position against Australia. ro ut e.
ADVENTITIOUS Adj. AFFECT V.

arising or occurring sporadically or in other than usual location to act on, to influence, to move
þ Syn. casual, accidental þ Syn. involve, shape, touch, disturb
¬ Ant. inherent, innate @ Economic liberalisation has affected the entire nation.
@ The adventitious meeting with her exboyfriend rekindled her
lost love. AFFECTATION N.
an artificial show of manners, haughtiness, pretence, peculiarity
ADVERSE þ Syn. habit, way, exaggeration, artifi ce
unf avorable, unlucky, harmf ul @ His affectation invites ridicule from one and all.
þ Syn. detrimental, pernicious
¬ Ant. benefici al, f avourable AFFINITY
@ They cancel led the basebal l game due to adverse weather fondness, liking, similarity
conditi ons.
þ Syn. inclination, empathy
¬ Ant. dislike, aversion
ADVERSARY N.
@ George felt an instant affinity for his new neighbour when he
opponent, hostile rival, enemy realised that he was another cricket addict.
þ Syn. chall enger, rival
¬ Ant. supporter, follower, fan, backer AFFLICTION N.
@ It is impossible to fight an unknown adversary. the cause of persistent pain or distress; great suffering
þ Syn. ordeal, tribulation
AEGIS N. ¬ Ant. consolation, solace
patronage, support, shi el d, def ence @ Many people remember God only in the time of affliction.
þ Syn. auspices, guidance, protection
@ The nuclear power programme was held under the aegis of AFFLUENT
the Ministry of Defence.
ri ch, abundant
þ Syn. wealthy, propertied
AERATOR, AERATION N.
¬ Ant. poor, impoverished
þ Syn. air, expose, f reshen, let breathe
@ An affluent woman, Mrs. Shastri was able to give large sums
@ All the windows of the house had to be opened for proper of money to charity.
aerat i on.
AFFRONT
A ERIA L
personal off ence, insult
having to do with the air
þ Syn. indignity, aspersion
þ Syn. airborne, inflight
¬ Ant. compliment, justice
¬ Ant. terrestrial, earthly
@ Stephen took the waiter's insulting remark as an affront to
@ Fr om t he p l a ne , w e t oo k se ve ra l ae ri al p i c tu re s of t he his whole family.
mountaintop.
AFICIONADO N.
AERODYNAMIC
an ardent follower, an amateur, a devotee
relating to the movement of air and its effects on objects moving
through the air þ Syn. enthusiast, adherent, f anatic
@ We made the paper airplane more aerodynamic by folding the @ Aficionados of chocolates can be found anywhere.

wings at an angle.
AFTERMA TH N.
AESTHETIC consequence, result, events follow ing
pertaining to beauty or art @ Thousands perished in the aftermath of the drought.
þ Syn. graceful , elegant
¬ Ant. distasteful , unattracti ve AGAPE Adj.
@ The museum curator, with her fine aesthetic sense, created wide open, openmouthed
the perfect lighting for the exhibit. þ Syn. astonished, amazed
@ The crow d stared agape as he cli mbed to the top of the
building.
(16) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

AGENDA AGNOSTIC
plan, schedule one who doubts that God exists
þ Syn. programme, memo þ Syn. di sbeli ever, doubter
@ The board put the unresolved issue at the top of the agenda ¬ Ant. believer, worshipper
for the next meeting. @ The tragedy shook her faith in God; she proclaimed herself
an agnosti c.
AGGLOMERATION N.
coll ection, heap AGONY N.
þ Syn. coherence, accumulation affliction, pain
@ T he s ho pk ee pe r t oo k ho ur s t o sy st em at i c a l l y st ac k th e þ Syn. sufferi ng, anguish, distress
agglomeration of items in the shop. ¬ Ant. relish, delight, exulting, rejoicing
@ Agony w as w ritten large on the face of the vi ctim of the
AGGRANDISE V. AGGRANDISEMENT N. bomb blast.
collect power/wealth, increase or intensify, raise in power, wealth,
rank or honour AG RA RIAN
þ Syn. exaggerate, overdo, enlarge related to farming or rural matters
@ Selfaggrandisement is a common habit of the vain. þ Syn. agricultural, bucolic
@ He always had this ambition to aggrandise his estate. ¬ Ant. urban, metropolitan
@ She returned to the city as she could not adapt to the agrarian
AGGRAVATE V. way of living.
to w orsen, to make more grievous, i ntensi f y, to exacerbate,
burden, irritate AIDE N.
þ Syn. worsen, exaggerate, intensi fy an assi stant
¬ Ant. calm, pacify, quiet, appease @ A Prime Minister’s entourage consists of a lot of aides.
@ The infection aggravated the patient’s condition.
AISLE ( IL ) N.
AG GREG ATE a passage between rows of seats, pathway
collective mass or sum, total þ Syn. passageway, gangway, wal kw ay
þ Syn. cumulative, sum @ In the finale, the actors walked down the aisle much to the
¬ Ant. individual, divided amusement of the audience.
@ You have to write your aggregate marks in this column.
AJA R Adj., Adv.
AGILE partly open, unshut
wellcoordinated, nimble @ We left the door ajar so we could hear what they were saying.
þ Syn. sprightly, lithe
¬ Ant. stiff, clumsy AKIMBO Adj.
@ The agi le monkey sw ung f rom the w indow , snatched the an aggressive standing position with hands on hips and elbows
banana and was away in the blink of an eye. turned outward
þ Syn. oblique, crooked, hooked
AGOG Adj. @ Stand akimbo in front of an Indian policeman and he’ll teach
full of intense interest or excitement you manners.
þ Syn. eager, anxious, keen
¬ Ant. aloof AKIN Adj.
@ Teenagers are all agog over new cellphones. by kin, affiliated, analogous, alike
þ Syn. similar, parallel, like
AG HA ST Adj. @ The situation along the tense IndoPak border has been akin
to w ar.
stupefied with horror, horrified, dumbfounded
þ Syn. amazed, shocked, astonished
A LA CRITY
@ His poor performance and utter lack of concern left his parents
a gh a st . cheerful willingness, eagerness, speed
þ Syn. sprightliness, promptitude
AGITATE V. AGITATION N. ¬ Ant. apathy, clumsiness
to stir violently, excite, perturb, disturb @ The playful dog fetched the stick with alacrity.
þ Syn. trouble, excite, disquiet, rouse
¬ Ant. calm, tranquil, quiet, still, serene ALBEIT Conj.
@ No point getting agitated over the unchangeable. although, even if
@ The police firing changed the nature of the peaceful agitation. þ Syn. though, even though, even if
@ We are moving, albeit backwards.
IC : PTpntvb01 (17) of (188)

ALBINO N. ALLEGE V. ALLEGATION N.
a person/animal with abnormally white skin and pink pupils to assert as true but without proof,
þ Syn. lightness, fairness, snow iness þ Syn. aver, charge, arraign, impute
S o m e s c i e n ti s t s b el i e v e th a t a l bi n o t i ge r s a r e a s e p ar a t e ¬ Ant. reject, rebuff, contradict, refuse
subspeci es altogether. @ It is alleged that he was involved in the misappropriation.
@ The allegations eventually turned out to be baseless and he
ALCHEMY N. was set free.
a medieval chemical science that aimed to convert base metals
into gold, the power or process of transforming something common ALLEGIANCE N.
into something special
total devotion or faithfulness, loyalty
þ Syn. conversion, sorcery
þ Syn. adherence, fidel ity, affiliation
@ She managed, by some extraordi nary al chemy, to turn an
unhappy family into a happy one almost overnight. ¬ Ant. treachery, subversi on, perfi dy
@ The Japanese ow e al legi ance to nothi ng but the endl ess
pursuit of excellence.
ALEXIA N.
loss of the power to read; wordblindness
ALLEGORY
@ The writer survived the accident but, in cruel irony, was to
suffer from alexia for the rest of her life. parable, story with a hidden meaning
þ Syn. myth, apologue
¬ Ant. fact, history
ALFRESCO Adj.
in the open air, outdoors @ The guru used an allegory to explain the spiritual journey to
his disciples.
þ Syn. outdoor, uncovered, external
¬ Ant. inside, interior, enclosed
ALLEVIATE V.
@ Let's eat alfresco this evening it's so hot inside.
to reduce the burden of, to mitigate
þ Syn. rel ieve, assuage, moderate
A LG ORITHM
¬ Ant. heighten, accentuate
mechanical problemsolving procedure
@ All the charities may fail to alleviate the plight of the poor in
@ Sara's new computer used algorithms to solve equations. the world but some sound economic planning may help.
A LIA S ALLEY N.

assumed name a passage, a narrow lane, a corridor
þ Syn. pseudonym, incognito þ Syn. lane, all eyway, path, pathw ay
@ The criminal who goes by the alias "Big Bad Bobby" was just @ He felt he had entered a blind alley by signing the partnership
ar res te d. de ed .
ALIENATE V. ALLIGATOR N.

estrange, set at odds, detach, make hostile, separate a large amphibious reptile related to crocodiles
þ Syn. disaffect, set against, distance @ Ancient Egyptians are known to have kept the alligator as a
¬ Ant. engage, include, contain p e t .
@ All these changes in the newspaper has alienated its traditional
re ader s. ALLITERATION
repetition of the initial sounds of words
ALIGNED @ The alliteration made the poem sound interesting.
precisely adjusted, committed to one side
þ Syn. line up, ally ALLOCATION
@ Ruchi always made sure the folds of her saree were perfectly all owance, portion, share
al igned.
þ Syn. allotment, quota
¬ Ant. declassification, lumping
ALIMONY N.
@ The treasurer w il l be in charge of the al location of f unds
the money paid by a man to his wife after their divorce during the campaign.
þ Syn. maintenance, child support
@ The man accused the woman of cheating him when they were ALLUDE V. ALLUSION N.
married and argued that he was now too poor to pay alimony.
to make indirect/subtle references, refer indirectly, to hint at or
refer to indirectly, without specific mention
ALLA Y þ Syn. denote, suggest, indi cate tacitly
to lessen, ease, or soothe @ During the boardroom debate the members alluded to the
þ Syn. alleviate, mollify change in the strategy of the company.
¬ Ant. increase, intensify
@ The nurse tried to allay the couple's fears about their son's health.
(18) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
ALLURE ALUMNUS N.
to entice by charm, attract a male graduate of a college (plural – alumni)
þ Syn. appeal, seduce @ I am proud to be an almnus of Imperi al Coll ege that has
¬ Ant. repulsion, revulsion produced some of the great leaders of this country.
@ T he v i d e o a r ca d e o w ne r al l ur e d t e en a g e c u st o me r s b y
advertising new games. A MA LG A M A TE
to mix, combine
ALLY N. þ Syn. i ntegrate, incorporate
partner, fri end, associate ¬ Ant. separate, detach
þ Syn. helper, supporter, assistant @ ICICI and ICICI Bank were amalgamated to form ICICI Ltd.
¬ Ant. opponent, adversary, foe, rival
@ During World War I, Turkey and Germany were allies. AMA SS V.
to gather in great quantities, collect
ALMA MATER N. þ Syn. heap, pile, rake, hoard
school or college from where one graduated, fostering mother ¬ Ant. dole out, allocate, supply
@ The vicechancellor is trying to persuade successful former @ We are steadily amassing a lot of garbage on planet earth.
students to support their povertystricken alma mater.
AMA TEUR ( AMETUR ) N.
ALMS N. an enthusiast or admirer, nonprofessional
relief given to the poor out of pity, charity, dole, offering þ Syn. beginner, dabbl er, dilettante
þ Syn. contribution, subscription ¬ Ant. professional, specialist, skilled
@ In the past, people thought it was their religious duty to give @ Lawton was an amateur singer until the age of 40, when he
alms to the poor. turned professi onal.
ALOOF Adv. AMAZEMENT N. AMAZE V.

reserved, conservative, indifferent, uninterested, apart, cool in astoni shment, stupefaction, surprise, wonder, consternati on
manner
þ Syn. wonder, admiration, shock
þ Syn. distant, detached, cold, remote
@ She stared at the photograph in amazement.
¬ Ant. fri endl y, graci ous, responsive
@ Surabhi was amazed at Madhur’s proficiency with numbers.
@ You may remain aloof but that will not solve the problem.
AMAZON N.
ALTAR N.
a tall, strong masculine woman, female warrior
a table for making sacrifices or religious offerings, table used for
communion in churches þ Syn. stream, masculine
@ An Amazon is a member of a legendary race of female warriors
@ Many an ambition has died at the altar of social taboo.
in Scythia and elsewhere.
ALTERCATION N.
AMBIDEXTROUS
a heated di spute, quarrel , noi sy fi ght, angry di spute, heated
di spute able to use both hands equally well
þ Syn. brawl, ruckus, melee, fracas @ The ambi dextrous cook w as able to chop vegetabl es w ith
both hands simultaneously.
¬ Ant. safeguarding, def ense
@ Th e d eba te, w h i ch ha d s tar ted pe ace abl y e nou gh, so on
turned into an altercation that left bitter feelings behind. AMBIENT Adj. AMBIENCE N.
surroundi ng
þ Syn. encompassing, enveloping
A LTRUISM
@ I love dining in the Taj because of its ambience.
unselfish concern for others' welfare
þ Syn. compassion, benevolence
¬ Ant. self ishness, malevol ence A MB IG UOUS
@ The woman’s generosity showed that altruism was alive even uncertain, subject to multiple interpretations
in today’s moneyminded world. þ Syn. ambivalent, enigmatic
¬ Ant. unambiguous, clear
ALTIMETER N. @ His directions were so ambiguous that we were soon lost.
an instrument for measuring height (altitude)
@ An altimeter in an aircraft shows height above sea or ground AMBIVALENCE
l evel . attitude of uncertainty, conflicting emotions
þ Syn. equivocation, indecision
ALUMNA N. ¬ Ant. certainty, deci siveness
a female graduate of a college or school (plural – alumnae) @ The government’s ambivalence over the dam is posing a threat
@ Mrs.Indira Gandhi was the alumna of Shantiniketan. to the environment.
IC : PTpntvb01 (19) of (188)

AMBLE N., V. A MIA BLE
an easy gait, a leisurely walk friendl y, pleasant, likable
þ Syn. saunter, linger, drift þ Syn. aff abl e, agreeable
@ Even in her amble, she looks intelligent. ¬ Ant. unfri endly, disagreeable
@ The new boss was an amiable young man with a smile for
AMBROSIA N. e v e ry o n e .
food of the Greek gods that provided immortal youth and beauty,
anything sweet and pleasing AMICAB LE
þ Syn. del icacy, nectar, perfume friendly, agreeabl e
@ The chocolate mousse she makes is sheer ambrosia. þ Syn. amiable, likable
¬ Ant. unfri endly, disagreeable
AMBULATORY Adj. @ The wise old man persuaded the adversaries to arrive at an
able to walk, not bedridden amicable settlement, ending years of dispute.
þ Syn. mobile, able to move around
@ The recovery took long but finally the patient was happy to A MITY
be ambulatory. fri endship
þ Syn. accord, concord
AMBUSH N.,V. ¬ Ant. animosity, enmity
lying in wait to finally attack by surprise @ Correspondence over the years contri buted to the l asting
þ Syn. holdup, stakeout, trap, raid, storm amity between the women.
@ Thousands of American soldiers were ambushed by guerillas
in the Vietnam war. AMNESIA N.
@ Several innocent passengers were killed in the ambush. loss of memory (amnesiac – one who suffers from amnesia)
þ Syn. forgetfulness
AMELIORA TE @ Every time I request for repayment of loan, he feigns amnesia.
to make better, improve
þ Syn. rectif y, mend AMNESTY N.
¬ Ant. worsen, leave something untended a general pardon, a period during which offenders are exempted
@ The new nurses helped to amel iorate the conditions in the from punishment
hospi tal . þ Syn. exoneration, reprieve, respi te
¬ Ant. punishment, imprisonment
AMENABLE @ On Independence Day many prisoners are granted amnesty.
agreeabl e, cooperati ve
þ Syn. compliant, acquiescent AMOK, A MUCK Adv.
¬ Ant. uncooperative, wild in a violently raging manner
@ The new director seemed rigid, but was amenable to changes @ In the movie, a deadly virus runs amok and threatens the
in the interest of the film. survival of mankind.
AMEND A MO RA L
to improve or correct flaws in unprincipled, unethical
þ Syn. modify, correct þ Syn. unscrupulous, without standard
@ The government should amend the tax law. ¬ Ant. principled, moral
@ The preacher was very agitated about the amoral nature of
AMENITIES N. modern values.
convenient f eatures, courtesi es
þ Syn. facilities, services A M ORO US
@ They have all amenities for the business traveller in the hotel’s strongly attracted to love; showing love
busi ness centre. þ Syn. amatory, ardent
¬ Ant. unloving, cold
AMENITY @ The poet wrote many amorous poems about his love.
pleasantness, something that increases comfort
þ Syn. conveni ence, advantage A MORP HOUS
¬ Ant. i nconvenience, unpleasantness having no definite form
@ The kidnap victim was happy to regain access to the amenities þ Syn. forml ess, structureless
of civilised society after spending several months in the jungle. ¬ Ant. shaped, defini te
@ Flubber was an amorphous cartoon character that looked like
a bouncing blob of jelly.
(20) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

AMORTISE V. AMORTISATION N. ANACONDA N.
to reduce debt by paying small regular amounts a large South American water snake
@ The borrower pleaded with the bank for more time to amortise @ It’s a miracle sighting an Anaconda in Asia.
the loan.
ANAGRAM N.
AMPHIBIAN A word made by rearranging letters of another word
creature equally at home on land or in water þ Syn. wordpl ay, paronomasia
@ The frog is the most common amphibian. Mood – Doom, Stool – Tools etc.
@ Silence is an anagram of license.
AMP LE
abundant, plentif ul ANA LOGOUS
þ Syn. enough, suffici ent comparable, parallel
¬ Ant. insufficient, meagre þ Syn. corresponding, equival ent
@ Though our backpacks were small, we carried ample food for ¬ Ant. dissimilar, unrelated
the hike.
@ Some say the universe is analogous to a mechanical watch,
created by the divine watchmaker.
A MP LIFY
increase, intensi fy ANARCHY
þ Syn. louden, magnify absence of government or law, chaos
¬ Ant. reduce, quieten þ Syn. mobocracy, disorder
@ We will need to ampli fy the music at the wedding so that ¬ Ant. rule of law, order
everyone can dance.
@ Some believe that without a strong police force to keep society
in order, anarchy would soon prevail.
AMPHITHEATRE N.
an oval or circular bui lding with rising tiers of seats arranged A NA THEMA
about an open space
ban, curse, something shunned or disliked
þ Syn. stadium, arena
þ Syn. abhorrent, abomi nation
@ Scores of spectators gathered in the amphitheatre to watch
the unarmed prisoners fighting a lion. ¬ Ant. benediction, blessing
@ The soldier, with his sweaty, soiled clothing was anathema to
the elegant princess.
AMPUTATE V. AMPUTA TION N.
þ Syn. cut of f, remove, sever, separate
ANCILLARY
@ Amputation of the arm is the only medical option, otherwise
the infection will spread. accessory, subordi nate
@ He was forced to amputate the less profitabl e activiti es to þ Syn. accompanying, addi tional
ensure the survival of the company. ¬ Ant. main, prime
@ As reforms were only instituted at the main factory, and not
at the ancillary plants, defects continued to occur.
A MULET
ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
@ Laxmi claimed she was not superstitious, but always wore an ANCHOR N., V.
amulet around her neck. a device to stabili se a structure, a reliable, principal support,
secure or fasten firmly,
ANACHRONISM N. ANACHRONISTIC Adj. þ Syn. attach, new scaster, presenter
out of the present time or age, something or someone misplaced ¬ Ant. unfasten, undo, di sengage

in time, a thing out of place in time, thus a chronological error @ He was my anchor during adverse times.
þ Syn. rel ic, survival , lef tover, holdover @ A huge ship is anchored off the coast of Vishakhapatnam.
@ “Simple living and high thinking” is an anachronism in today’s
public life.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . antithesis a . mysteri ous

2 . a p at h y b . direct opposite
3 . aphorism c . lack of interest
4 . arbi trary d . wi tty sayi ng
5 . ar ca ne e . random
5 . ( a ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (d ) 2 . (c ) 1 . (b )
IC : PTpntvb01 (21) of (188)

ANDROID N. ANNIHILATE V. ANNIHILATION N.
machine in the form of human being to reduce to zero, destroy completely, exterminate, to wipe out,
@ Kids are usually fascinated by androids and cyborgs. to vanquish, abolish
þ Syn. abrogate, obl iterate, l iquidate
ANECDOTE N. ¬ Ant. regenerate, retri eve
a short story of an i nteresting i nci dent, short account of an @ If humans conti nue to destroy natural habitats, more and
amusing or interesting event more animal species will be annihilated.
þ Syn. story, tale, yarn, sketch
@ He regaled the audience with lively anecdotes. ANOINT V.
to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration
ANGUISH N., V. @ King Ashoka anointed Mahendra as the king of Awadh.
excessive pain of body and mind, agony, acute pain, extreme
suf f eri ng ANNOTATE V.
þ Syn. affliction, dolour, bale, torment to provide explanatory notes on a main issue/ topic, elucidate,
¬ Ant. satisf ied, contented, pleased revise, edit, comment, make explanatory notes
@ His anguish at the outcome of the court case was very clear. þ Syn. gloss, interpret, comment on
@ The record company has annotated its new compi lation of
Beatles songs, describing how each recording was made.
ANGULA R
characterised by sharp angles, lean and gaunt
ANNUITY N.
þ Syn. pointed, sharpcornered
a regular payment due each year, yearly allowance
¬ Ant. plump, rounded
þ Syn. pension, allowance, income
@ H er an gu l ar f r a me c o nt r as te d s h ar p l y w i th th a t of he r
overwei ght companion. @ Irregular annuity payments defeat the very purpose.
ANIMADVERSION N. ANNUL

a critical and usually censorious remark; adverse criticism to cancel, or make legally invalid
þ Syn. obloquy, aspersion þ Syn. nullify, declare void
¬ Ant. commendation, laudation ¬ Ant. restore, reinstate
@ He was neutral to animadversions and applause. @ The couple asked the court to annul their marriage, as they
found it difficult to get along.
ANIMA TION
ANOMALY
enthusiasm, excitement
irregularity or deviation from the norm
þ Syn. vivacity, livel iness
þ Syn. aberration, excepti on
¬ Ant. sluggishness, lethargy
¬ Ant. regularity, norm
@ Bobby spoke wi th animati on about his wonderf ul, exci ti ng
trip to London. @ There are a number of anomalies in the present system.
ANIMOSITY ANONYMITY
hatred, hosti li ty condition of having no name or an unknown name
þ Syn. acrimony, antagonism @ Af ter abandoni ng her movie career, Greta Garbo retreated
into relative anonymity.
¬ Ant. af fecti on, friendship
@ The deeprooted ani mosi ty betw een them made it dif ficult
for the cousins to work together. ANONYMOUS Adj. ANONYMITY N.
unattested, uncredited, uni denti fied, unnamed
ANNALS N. þ Syn. unidentified, unspeci fied, secret
record of events in a yearwise fashion ¬ Ant. characteristic, i ndividual, unique
þ Syn. archives, chronicl es, history @ The anonymous letter could not be traced.
@ In the annals of cricket, Kapil’s name will be written in gold. @ For reason s of personal saf e ty, the i nf ormant requested
anonymi ty.
ANNEAL V.
ANTAGONISM N. ANTAGONISTIC Adj.
strengthen; esp.glass temper by subjecti ng to great heat and
slow cooling hostility, active resistance
@ The windscreens of cars are usually made of annealed glass. þ Syn. rivalry, opposition, aggression
¬ Ant. collaboration, assistance, help
@ The underlying antagonism between the tw o men doesn’t
exactly encourage party uni ty.
(22) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ANTECEDENT Adj. ANTISEMITISM N.
before in time; prior the philosophy of hating the Jews
þ Syn. preceding, previous @ Antisemitism raises its ugly head every now and then.
¬ Ant. consequent, subsequent
@ The antecedent to this novel arouses reader’s interest. ANTIPA THY
dislike, hostility, extreme opposition or aversion
ANTEDILUVIAN Adj. þ Syn. abhorrence, antagonism
antiquated, anci ent ¬ Ant. empathy, sympathy
þ Syn. ancient, very old, primitive @ The antipathy between the French and the English regularly
¬ Ant. modern, current, recent, fresh erupted into open warfare.
@ Thei r producti on techniques are posi ti vely antedil uvian by
modern standards. ANTIQUA TED
outdated, obsol ete
ANTENA TAL Adj. þ Syn. bygone, outmoded
before birth ¬ Ant. contemporary, modern
@ E very pregnant l ady has to go to a gynaecol ogist f or an @ The old man's antiquated typewri ter fi nally lost out to the
antenatal checkup. modern computer.
ANTHOLOGY N. ANTIQUITY

book of literary selections by various authors ancient times, the quality of being old
þ Syn. compilation, album, omnibus þ Syn. ancientness, archaism
@ This Bob Dylan anthology incl udes some rare recordings of ¬ Ant. modernity, trendy
his best songs. @ It was obviously a castle of great antiquity, unchanged since
the Middle Ages.
ANTHROPOID N.
manlike ANTITHESIS
þ Syn. manlike, humanoid exact opposite or direct contrast
@ Monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees are anthropoids. þ Syn. contradi ctory, contrari ety
¬ Ant. resemblance, similarity
ANTHROPOLOGIST N. @ The illmannered boy was often described as the antithesis
an expert i n anthropology a science of hi story and study of of his sweet sister.
mankind.
@ An anthropologist has to be an innate archaeologist if not a ANVIL N.
professional one. iron block used in hammering out metals.
@ Hammering of metal sheets on the anvil is necessary to make
ANTHROPOMORPHIC Adj. things, howsoever noisy the process may be.
having human form or characteristics
þ Syn. manlike, theistic APARTHEID N.
@ Anthropomorphi c f eatures can never be avoided from the segregation and separate development of races
images of gods, goddesses and deities. þ Syn. segregation, prejudi ce
@ Apartheid is alive and kicking, only its forms are more subtle
ANTICLIMAX N. no w .
a sudden drop in impressiveness after a steady rise, letdown in
thought or emotion A P A THY
þ Syn. comedown, di sappointment lack of feeling or emotion
¬ Ant. climax, pinnacle, height þ Syn. i ndi fference, unconcern
@ Coming home after a trip somewhere is always a bit of an ¬ Ant. interest, enthusiasm
anticlimax.
@ The apathy of voters is so great that less than half the number
of people eligible to vote bother to do so.
ANTIDOTE N.
anything that prevents an evil or counteracts poison, remedy to APE V., N.
counteract a poison or disease
imitate or mimic; monkey
þ Syn. cure, remedy, solution, answer
þ Syn. copy, reproduce, simulate
¬ Ant. poison, fatal, poisonous
@ No discipl e of Pannalal Ghosh, the flautist, coul d even ape
@ Sal es of nerve gas antidotes increased dramatically bef ore him.
the war.
@ The apes from the nearby forest are causing a nuisance in
the vi llage.
IC : PTpntvb01 (23) of (188)

APERTURE N. APOSTLE N.
opening, cleft, crack, fissure, gap, inlet, hole an early supporter of a cause; promoter, revivalist
þ Syn. opening, space, orifice, crack þ Syn. evangeli st, mi ssionary, advocate
@ Light entered the cave through a small aperture in the rock. ¬ Ant. critic, enemy, attacker, heckler
@ The apostle of peace and nonviolence was revered by many.
APHASIA N. APHASIC Adj.
loss of speech due to injury or illness APOTHECARY N.
þ Syn. speech abnormality a druggist or a pharmacist
@ Due to injuries on the face and the jaw he suff ered from @ Many apothecaries indulged in alchemy in ancient times.
aphasia for a very long time.
@ The girl was aphasic because of brain damage suffered during APOTHEOSIS N.
a difficult birth.
deification, glorification, elevation to godhood, an ideal example
of something
A PHORISM þ Syn. ideal, resurrection, idolisation
old saying or short, pithy statement @ In states like Bihar and Tamil Nadu, the apotheosis of a political
þ Syn. maxim, axiom leader is common.
¬ Ant. nonsense, paradox
@ The country doctor w as given to aphorisms such as "Stil l APPALLING Adj. APPALL V.
waters run deep”. awful, dire, disheartening, dreadful, causing fear, disgust, horror
þ Syn. terrible, horri fying, shocking
APHRODISIAC N. ¬ Ant. magnificent, superb, amazing
sexual stimulant @ Seeing the appalling conditions of the slumdwellers, the social
þ Syn. erotic, amative worker was tearful.
@ Thousands of rhi nos have been mercil essly kill ed for their @ She was appalled on listening to the story of his struggles.
horn which, as is wrongly believed, acts as an aphrodisiac.
APPARITION N.
APLOMB ( EPLOM ) N. visual appearance of a ghost/phantom, a marvel or wonder
coolness, self confidence, poi se þ Syn. spirit, spectre, phantom, ghoul
þ Syn. assurance, cool , style @ He claims to have seen strange apparitions at night.
¬ Ant. awkwardness, inelegance
@ He delivered the speech with aplomb. AP PEASE
to satisfy, calm
APOCALYPTIC Adj. APOCALYPSE N. þ Syn. pacif y, placate
pertaining to the end of the world, prophetic ¬ Ant. infuriate, enrage
þ Syn. revelatory, scri ptural @ We all sang lullabies to try and appease the bawling infant.
@ The apocalyptic prophesies failed to create a stir.
APPLAUSE N. APPLAUD V.
APOCRYPHAL Adj. acclaim, cheering, clapping (v. applaud)
of doubtful origin, dubious, spurious, not genuine, untrue, made þ Syn. commendations, kudos, plaudits
u p
¬ Ant. jeering, mocking, taunts, scoffs
þ Syn. mythical, l egendry, invented
@ The Secretary General deserves appl ause for his efforts to
¬ Ant. true, accurate, ri ght, exact bring about peace.
@ The story is probably apocryphal but sounds credible.
APPOSITE Adj.
APOGEE N. appropriate, f itti ng
the point where a celestial body is farthest from earth, acme, þ Syn. apt, pertinent, rel evant, suitable
apex, highest point
@ The fi lm starts in a graveyard, an apposi te image f or the
þ Syn. summit, pinnacle, zenith, peak decaying society which is the theme of the film.
¬ Ant. base, bottom, foot, pedestal , peri gee
@ To set the satellite at the right apogee is the most important APPRAISAL N. APPRAISE V.
aspect of satellite launching.
the process of judging the value/worth of something
þ Syn. assessment, evaluati on
APOSTATE N.
@ R aj end ra w a s anx i o us ab out t he ou tc ome o f h i s an nu al
one w ho abandons his reli gious fai th or poli tical bel iefs, w ho appraisal .
renounces a faith or a commitment to a previous loyalty
@ He coolly appraised the situation, deciding which person was
þ Syn. trai tor, f ugiti ve, renegade most likely to succeed.
@ Having lost a great deal of weight on the diet, Ashok became
an apostate of his old, unhealthy habits.
(24) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

APPREHEND V. ARBITER N. ARBITRATE V.
to arrest, lay hold of, capture; to recognise, to consider, dread, ARBITRATION N. ARBITRABLE Adj.
percei ve judge, person with final decision power
þ Syn. detain, arrest, capture, pick up þ Syn. ref eree, mediator, moderator
@ The CBI has apprehended almost every worthwhile politician @ The arbiter’s decision w ill be bindi ng on all parties to the
at some point of time! dispute.
@ The issue of ownership has become arbitrable and will now be
APPREHENSION N. APPREHENSIVE Adj. contested in the court.
fear of something, worry, anxiety, suspicion
þ Syn. uneasiness, worry, trepidation ARCADE N.
¬ Ant. poise, assurance, self confidence a row of arches – open or closed, a covered passageway
@ T h e e l d e r l y c o u p l e v i e w e d w i n t e r ' s a p p r o a c h w i t h þ Syn. mall, shopping arcade
apprehension, dreadi ng the i ce storms and snow covered @ The crow ds are throngi ng the l atest shoppi ng arcades i n
st reet s. Gurgaon.
@ The crowd was apprehensive about the filmstar’s condition,
after he was admitted to a hospital.
ARCANE
secret, obscure, known only to a few
APPRISE V.
þ Syn. mysterious, esoteric
to inform, advise, notify, to tell
¬ Ant. common, familiar
þ Syn. tell, describe, impart, acquaint
@ The arcane rituals of the sect were passed down through
@ The President has been apprised of the situation in the state many generations.
by the governor.
ARCH Adj.
APPROBATION N. APPROBATE V.
principal, chief, roguish
approval
@ Real Madrid beat their arch rivals AC Milan 20 to lift the Euro
þ Syn. consent, esteem, good opinion c up .
¬ Ant. condemnation, displeasure
@ He had worked long and hard on the project and, when his A RCHA IC
efforts succeeded, the committee never gave him so much as
antiquated, from an earlier time, outdated
a word of approbation.
þ Syn. dated, oldfashioned
A QUA TIC ¬ Ant. modern, updated
belonging to or living in water @ Her archaic computer could not run the new software.
þ Syn. marine, maritime

¬ Ant. land, terrestrial ARCHAEOLOGY N.
@ The heaviest aquatic creature, the whale, dwarfs the largest scientif ic study of human antiquities by excavations, study of
land animals, as its weight is supported by water. artifacts and relics of early mankind
@ Many anci ent ci vil i sati ons coul d be unearthed because of
man's advancement in the field of archaeology.
AQUILINE Adj.
like an eagle, bent, hooked, curved
ARCHETYPE N.
þ Syn. hooked, curved, an aquiline nose, aquiline features
the original model, prototype, ideal form
@ The statue of Adonis has an aquiline nose.
þ Syn. epitome, standard, classic
@ Carl G. Jung tri ed to explain human behaviour i n terms of
ARAB LE “archetypal patterns” i nheri ted through the generations of
suitable for cultivation collective human experi ence.
þ Syn. generati ve, fruitf ul
¬ Ant. infertile, barren ARCHIVES N.
@ The overpopulated country desperately needed more arable a repository of public records/monuments, etc.
land to grow food for its starving people. þ Syn. documents, annals, collection
@ I've been studying village records in the local archives.
A RB ITRA RY
depending solely on individual will, inconsistent ARCHIPELAGO
þ Syn. peremptory, autocratic large group of islands
¬ Ant. democratic, rational @ Boat taxis are the only form of transportation between villages
@ To everyone’s surpri se, Nutan w as given the priz e, making in the Stockholm archipelago.
the judges' decision appear completely arbitrary.
IC : PTpntvb01 (25) of (188)

ARDENT AROUSE V. AROUSAL N.
passionate, enthusi asti c, f ervent to awaken from sleep
þ Syn. fervid, impassioned þ Syn. provoke, aw aken, whet
¬ Ant. unenthusi astic, dispassionate ¬ Ant. calm, quiet
@ After the last defeat, even the most ardent fans have given @ Shrew d po l i ti ci ans w ere aro usi ng communal pa ssi ons by
up any hope of winning the cup. del iveri ng fi ery speeches.
A RDUOUS ARRAIGN V.

extremely diffi cult, laborious to publicly accuse, to put to trial, impeach, incriminate, indict,
þ Syn. onerous, taxing charge in court
¬ Ant. easy, ef fortless þ Syn. charge, prosecute, have up
@ The climb was so arduous that Anita doubted if she would @ He was arraigned on charges of aiding and abetting terrorists.
make it to the peak.
ARRANT Adj.
ARENA N. downright, utter, thorough
any sphere of action, any place of public contest þ Syn. complete, total, unmitigated
þ Syn. stadium, ground, pitch, dome @ He was an arrant fool.
@ We were surprised to see a new candidate enter the arena
just before the election. A RROG ATE
to demand, claim arrogantly
A RID þ Syn. badger, infringe
extremely dry or deathly boring ¬ Ant. grant, off er
þ Syn. parched, monotonous @ Mary watched in astonishment as her boss arrogated all the
¬ Ant. scintillating, humid credit for Mary's brilliant work.
@ The arid farmland produced no crops.
ARSENAL
ARGOT N. ammunition storehouse
an often more or less secret vocabulary and idiom peculiar to a þ Syn. ordnance depot, armoury
particul ar group @ The soldiers ran for cover as the fire reached the arsenal.
þ Syn. jargon, slang, dialect
@ In the argot of the col lege campus the whol e issue was a ARSON N. ARSONIST N.
“bogey”.
crime of burning properties
þ Syn. incendiarism, firebug
A RMA DA N.
@ “Shoot the arsonists!”, shouted the general.
a fleet of armed ships
@ Police suspect arson as the cause of the cinema fire.
þ Syn. fleet, f lotilla, navy, squadron
@ The Spanish Armada was sent by Ki ng of Spain to invade
England in 1588. ARTICULATE (adj.) – eloquent, fluent
(v) – express, give voice to
ARMAGEDDON N. þ Syn. eloquent, cogent, assert
time or place of great war between forces of good and evil. ¬ Ant. inarticulate, dumb
þ Syn. World War @ She is such an articulate defender of labour that unions are
among her strongest supporters.
@ He said that unless people in western societies change the
w a y i n w hi ch th ey l i ve, t he w o rl d w a ss he ad i ng f o r an
environmental Armageddon. A RTIFA CT
historical relic, item made by human craft, fabrication
ARMOURY N. a storehouse of arms and ammunitions @ The archaeologist discovered hundreds of interesting artifacts
@ The bandits gained access to the armoury after kil ling the in the ruins of the mansion.
guards and helped themselves to more arms.
ARTIFICE N.
AROMA N. AROMA TIC Adj. skill, trickery, contrivance, ingenuity
bouquet, fragrance, perfume, scent, flavour, charm þ Syn. pretence, ploy, deception, lie
þ Syn. smell, odour, whiff @ His remorse is just an artifice to gain sympathy.
@ The aroma of good food makes one’s mouth water.
ARTILLERY N.
offensive weapons of war
þ Syn. arms, guns, armaments, missiles
@ Naval gunfi re and groundbased artillery are generally less
accurate than many aircraftborne w eapons.
(26) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

A RTISA N ASKEW
craftsperson, w right crooked, tilted
þ Syn. craftsman, maker, smith þ Syn. slanted, of fbalance
¬ Ant. novice, amateur ¬ Ant. straight, symmetrical
@ Artisans were among the most valued citizens of the kingdom @ I was so late for work that I rushed out of the house with my
for their skills in toolmaking. hair uncombed and my hat askew.
ARTLESS Adj. ASPERSION N. ASPERSE V.

without guile; free from artificiality, uncultured slander, calumny, false and damaging remark, defamation
þ Syn. simple, natural, open, sincere þ Syn. slur, derision, disdain, verbal jab
¬ Ant. craftiness, wiliness, clever @ How easy it is to cast aspersions on another’s character!
@ The artless comments of an innocent child has two elements:
surprise and curiosity ASPIRE
to have great hopes, to aim at a goal
ASCEND þ þ Syn. desi re, crave
to rise or climb @ Siddhartha had started out in the mailroom, but he aspired to
þ Syn. mount, soar become the CEO some day.
¬ Ant. descend, decline
@ As the old man ascended the stairs, he panted heavily. ASSASSINATION N. ASSASSINATE V.
homicide, killing, murder, slaughter
ASCENDANCY þ Syn. shooting, elimination
state of rising, ascending, power or control @ Following the military coup, it was feared that the president
þ Syn. authority, predomination would be assassinated.
¬ Ant. compliance, servility
@ The dev i ous pol i ti ci a n's ascen danc y to the top r anks of ASSENT N., V.
government seemed inevitable. acceptance, concurrence, accord
þ Syn. consent, nod, approval
ASCERTA IN ¬ Ant. disagree, di ffer, oppose, diverge
to determine, discover, make certain of @ All we need is the assent of the boss for the plan.
þ Syn. verify, discern @ Astha assented to the proposal to merge her company with
¬ Ant. invalidate, doubt mine.
@ Try as he might, the archaeol ogist could not ascertain the
correct age of the skeleton. ASSERTIVE Adj. ASSERT V. ASSERTION N.
dogmatic, emphatic, firm, forceful, pushy
ASCETIC þ Syn. selfconfident, firm, forward
sel fdenying, absti nent, austere ¬ Ant. timid, nervous, shy, fearful, coy
þ Syn. restrai ned, stri ngent @ An assertive leadership has several merits.
¬ Ant. selfi ndulgent, hedonistic @ Assert yourself in front of the panel; otherwise they’ll reject
@ The monk lived an ascetic life, deep in the wilderness, denying y o u .
himself all forms of comfort.
ASSESS V. ASSESSMENT N.
ASCRIBE V. ASCRIPTION N. appraise, estimate, eval uate, gauge, determine, diagnose
to assign, impute, attribute þ Syn. tax, charge, consider, calcul ate
þ Syn. credit, attribute, blame on @ Let’s assess the loss.
@ Though he ascribes his success to hard work his rivals ascribe @ A chartered accountant prepares an assessment of your tax
it to lady luck. liabilities.
ASININE Adj. ASININITY N. A SSIDUOUS

of or like an ass / donkey diligent, persistent, hardw orking
þ Syn. silly, stupid, foolish, idiotic, dim þ Syn. persevering, painstaki ng
¬ Ant. clever, bright, intelligent, smart ¬ Ant. complacent, lazy
@ An asi ni ne approach to economi c reforms cannot possi bl y @ The chauffeur scrubbed the car assiduously, hoping to make
encourage grow th. a good impression on his employer.
IC : PTpntvb01 (27) of (188)

ASSIMILA TION A SYMMETRICA L
act of blending in, becoming similar not corresponding in size, shape, position, etc.
þ Syn. absorption, incorporation þ Syn. disproportionate, skew ed
¬ Ant. dissimilation, separation ¬ Ant. wellproportioned, symmetrical
@ Language classes were offered to help the assimilation of the @ The customer was shocked to find that the new stylist had
immigrants with the natives. left her hair asymmetrical.
ASSORTED Adj. ASSORTMENT N. ASYLUM N.

diverse, mixed, sundry, various, miscellaneous, motley any place of refuge or protection
þ Syn. mixed, various, varied þ Syn. retreat, sanctuary, shel ter
@ The students come from assorted backgrounds. @ Stalin’s daughter had sought political asylum in the US.
@ The assortment of chocolates in this gift pack looks tempting.
ATHEIST N. ATHEISM N.
A SSUA G E sceptic, unbeliever, heathen, infi del
to make less severe, ease, relieve @ Contrary to public notion, Einstein was not an atheist.
þ Syn. al leviate, soothe
¬ Ant. aggravate, i ntensi fy ATONE
@ Like many people, Prem used alcohol to assuage his sense of to make amends for a wrong
despai r. þ Syn. redress, recompense
@ Many peopl e go to church to atone for their sins and seek
ASTEROID N. f orgi v eness.
small celestial body
@ Tha nks to s ci en ce f i cti on, m any of u s ar e f a mi l i ar w i th A TROP HY
asteroids. to waste away, wither from disuse
þ Syn. degenerate, shri vel up
ASTONISH V. ASTONISHMENT N. ¬ Ant. flourish, strengthen
to surprise tremendously, to amaze @ When Mini stopped exercising after the accident, her muscles
þ Syn. astound, bowl over, dumbfound began to atrophy.
@ I was astonished by the news of the divorce;they'd seemed
so happy together. ATROCITY N. ATROCIOUS Adj.
@ To the utter astonishment of her parents, the princess married brutal ity, persecution, savagery
a commoner.
þ Syn. cruel ty, monstrosity
¬ Ant. geniality, benignity, indulgence
A STRA Y Adv.
@ The atrociti es stil l suffered by Indian women and children
out of the right way, in a lost state make a mockery of our tall talk.
þ Syn. off course, off track, off target
¬ Ant. on target, on track A TTA IN
@ Th e y ou th of Ind i a ha ve gon e ast ray, l am ent ed th e o l d to accomplish, gain
soldier.
þ Syn. achieve, bring to fruition
@ It is clear that Clark’s hard work will help him attain the position
ASTRIDE Adv. he's been hoping for.
in a striding position
þ Syn. spanning, across ATTENUATE V. ATTENUATION N.
@ Astride his new bike, Madhur strutted about the lanes of to make thin or lean, to reduce in value or strength
Delhi University.
þ Syn. weaken, lighten, mitigate
¬ Ant. i ntensi f y, exaggerate, deepen
ASTRINGENT
@ Th e ex i t o f Gor ba ch ev h as co ns i d er ab l y at te nu at ed t he
harsh, severe, stern Russian political scene.
þ Syn. austere, sti nging
¬ Ant. gentle, balmy A T TE ST
@ The principal's puni shments seemed overl y astringent, but to testify, stand as proof of, bear witness
the students did not dare to complain.
þ Syn. confirm, verify
¬ Ant. di sprove, deny
A ST UTE
@ A string of low scores attested to the batsman’s poor form.
having good judgment
þ Syn. insightful, ingenious
¬ Ant. stupid
@ The astute Kumarmangalam Birla took his business empire to
new hei ghts.
(28) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
ATTIC N. AURA N.
a small room in the roof of a house a supposed subtl e emanati on f rom al l li vi ng things, di sti nct
þ Syn. loft, top storey, upper floor chara cter
@ I've got boxes of old clothes in the attic, which I really should þ Syn. ambience, atmosphere, air
throw aw ay. @ There is an aura of mystery about MonaLisa’s smile.
@ There's an aura of sadness about him.
ATTIRE V., N.
to dress, accoutre, clad AURAL Adj.
þ Syn. clothing, dress, clothes, outfit pertaining to the ear
@ I feel comfortable attired in casuals. þ Syn. auditory, hearing, acoustic
@ I hardly think jeans are appropriate attire for a wedding. @ The reckless noise will damage my aural senses.
ATTRIBUTE N., V. AUSPICES N.

essenti al quality, ascribe sponsorship or patronage
þ Syn. characteri stic, trai t, feature þ Syn. support, endorsement
@ Earlier a sceptre was used as an attribute of power. @ The function was held under the auspices of the charity club.
@ The plane crash has been attributed to pilot’s negligence.
AUSPICIOUS
ATTRITION N. having favourable prospects, promising
a gradual weakening or wearing down; a reduction in the number þ Syn. propi tious, encouraging
of employees as a result of resignations ¬ Ant. inopportune, inauspicious
þ Syn. erosion, slow destruction @ Tri pti thought that w i nni ng the appreci ati on of the boss
@ Feminists are struggling to stop the attrition of women's rights marked an auspicious start to her new job.
in the country.
@ The BPO industry is plagued by high attrition rates. A USTERE
stern, stri ct, unadorned
A UDA CIOUS þ Syn. serious, unyielding
bold, daring, fearless ¬ Ant. flexible, f ancy
þ Syn. courageous, plucky @ The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to
¬ Ant. timid, unenterprising the untrai ned eye.
@ The peasant was audacious enough to stand up and speak
against the king in public. A UTHORITARIA N
extremely stri ct, bossy
AUDIBLE þ Syn. overbearing, totali tari an
capable of being heard ¬ Ant. lenient, liberal
þ Syn. discernible, perceptible @ The authoritari an manager ali enated hi s subordinates wi th
¬ Ant. inaudible, faint hi s overbearing atti tude.
@ The shy boy's voice was barely audible as he answered the
teacher's questi ons. AUTOCRACY N.
a n ab s ol ut e g ov e rn me n t by on e p er so n , i . e . th e a ut o cr at ,
AUGMENT dictatorshi p, tyranny
to expand, extend þ Syn. dictatorship, monocracy
þ Syn. heighten, el evate ¬ Ant. democracy, social equality
¬ Ant. decrease, abate @ The autocracy of Louis XVI led to the French Revolution.
@ Balraj augmented his salary by doing extra jobs after office. @ T h e v i c t o r y a g a i n s t a u t o c ra c y w a s w on a f t e r y ea r s o f
struggl e.
AUGUR, AUGURY N., V.
a person who predicts the future, prophet, seer, visionary A UTO CRA T
þ Syn. bode, promise, portend, foretell dictator
@ The dark clouds augur a thunderstorm. þ Syn. despot, tyrant
¬ Ant. tol erant, democrat
A UG UST @ Mussol ini has been descri bed as an autocrat w ho di d not
tol erate oppositi on.
dignified, aweinspiring, venerable
þ Syn. prestigious, esteemed
¬ Ant. unimpressive, unimposing
@ The august view of the summit of Everest filled the climbers
with awe.
IC : PTpntvb01 (29) of (188)

AUTONOMOUS AVER V.
separate, i ndependent to declare as true
þ Syn. sovereign, sel fsuffi cient þ Syn. avow, state, claim, declare
¬ Ant. dependant, parasitic ¬ Ant. refute, di sprove, contest, rebut
@ The people wanted autonomous status for their country and @ He averred the veracity of my statement.
were ready to go to war for it.
AVERSE Adj. AVERSION N.
AUTONOMY N. antipatheti c, indi sposed, reluctant
selfgovernance, li berty, freedom þ Syn. recalcitrant, uneager, unw illing
þ Syn. i ndependence, sovereignty ¬ Ant. willing, enthusiastic, interested
¬ Ant. dependence, rel iance, trust @ The government is averse to the idea of releasing criminals
@ IITs and IIMs are autonomous institutes. for release of kidnapped foreigners.
@ The universities are anxious to preserve their autonomy even @ Rajendra’s aversion to love can be ascribed to his failed affair.
as the central government suggests greater government role.
AVERT
AUTOPSY N. to turn (something) away, prevent, hinder
a postmortem examination þ Syn. forestall , preclude
@ The autopsy of Napoleon revealed that his death was due to @ The queasy medi cal school student had to avert her eyes
systematic poisoning. when the operati on began.
AUXILIA RY AVIARY N.

supplementary, reserve a place for keeping birds
þ Syn. accompanying, supporti ve @ The aviary at Jeejeebhoy Gardens has a fascinating collection.
@ Gasping for air, the mountaineer opened his auxiliary can of
o x y g e n .
AVID Adj.
very enthusiastic, ambitious, desirous to the point of greed
AVALANCHE N., V.
þ Syn. keen, enthusi asti c, passionate
a hurtling mass of ice, snow and rock descending a mountain side
¬ Ant. apatheti c, indi ff erent, averse
þ Syn. flood, rush, landslide, storm
@ Avid bird–watchers can never ignore the contribution of Dr.
@ Sometimes a mere clap can trigger an avalanche. Salim Ali.
A VA RICE AVOW V.

greed declare, acknowledge
þ Syn. mercenariness, moneygrabbing þ Syn. affirm, state
¬ Ant. generosity, magnanimity ¬ Ant. deny, refute, reject, rebuff
@ There was no end to his avarice; he wanted more and more @ In spite of the scandals, millions avow that Osho was divine.
gol d.
AVUNCULAR Adj.
AVENGE V. AVENGER N.
like an uncle
to vindicate, to take revenge on behalf of someone else
@ Kids delight in his avuncular indulgence.
þ Syn. retali ate, get revenge, get even
@ T he y s ay t ha t M rs Ga nd h i ’ s as s as si n at i o n p ro mp t ed b y
Operation Blue Star. AWE N., V
reverential wonder or fear (aweinspiring, awestruck)
@ The aven ger as port rayed i n t he mo vi e w a s a v i cti m of
consistent social abuse. þ Syn. fear, terror, dread, fright
@ Nehru’s staunchest critics were in awe of him.
(30) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“B”
BABBLE V., N. BALEFUL
to talk foolishly or inarticulately, to murmur continuously, chatter harmful, with evil intentions
idly þ Syn. menacing, malevolent
þ Syn. blurb, gossip, prattle ¬ Ant. benevolent, fri endly
@ Stop babbling while the lecture is going on! @ The sullen teenager gave his nagging mother a baleful look.
@ You need to talk clearly and forcefully when you are trying to
convince somebody, not just babble.
BALLAD N.
a song accompanying a dance, a narrative composition in verse
BACCHANAL N. BACCHANALIAN Adj. to suit the rhythm of a dance
a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity, an @ The valour of Laxmibai is beautifully described in the ballads
orgiastic revel ry of Bundelkhand.
@ Late night party goers become bacchanals and indulge in acts
that they later regret.
B A LM
medicinal ointment, lotion, something that heals
BACON N.
þ Syn. pomade, emollient
salted and dried flesh of pig
¬ Ant. astri ngent, irritant
@ John prefers bacon and bread for his breakfast.
@ The balm of friendship can work wonders at times of great
sorrow .
BADINAGE N.
light playful talk, banter BALLISTICS N. BALLISTIC Adj.
@ Avoid badinage if you want to be accepted as serious speaker. science of motion of missiles, bullets, projectiles
@ The details of modern ballistics can be traced to puranas.
BAFFLING V., Adj., BAFFLE N. @ Indian scientists test fired a new ballistic missile today.
to frustrate, confound, confuse, bewilder, impede; a device for
controlling the flow of gas, liquid or sound through an opening
BAN
þ Syn. thwart, perplex, stymie
to forbid, outlaw
¬ Ant. aid, contribute, assist
þ Syn. prohibit, debar
@ He was completely baffled by the question.
¬ Ant. permit, admit
@ Nidhi’s baffling behaviour at her birthday party is beyond my
comprehensi on. @ Jagan was banned from the bar for life after he misbehaved
and caused damage.
BAIL V. (usually used with out )

BANAL
to clear water from by dipping and throwing out; to help escape
from a predicament trite, overly common
þ Syn. cli ched, hackneyed
þ Syn. payment, fi nancial guarantee
¬ Ant. original, uncommon
@ After the main batsmen failed, the team was once again bailed
out by the bowlers. @ His lyrics are considered banal and are no longer popular.
@ The IMF tries to bail out many third world economies but its
role is controversial. BANDANA N.
a large coloured spotted handkerchief often used as a neckerchief
BAILIWICK N. @ You can spot gypsies wearing bandanas on the beaches of
distinct area, a person’s normal territory or jurisdiction G oa .
þ Syn. field, domain, dominion, terrain
@ The MP had no decision making power outside of her bailiwick. BANDIT N.
brigand, desperado, f ootpad
BAIT N., V. þ Syn. outlaw, crook, conman
any temptation or allurement as part of a trap; to persecute or @ Travellers started avoiding the PuneNashik highway at night,
exasperate with unjust, malicious or persistent attacks after bandits looted bus passengers.
þ Syn. decoy, enti cement, lure, tease
@ The tiger came for the bait finally. BANE N. BANEFUL Adj.
@ The dancers in the club baited many young professionals. destruction, death, source of evil, curse, source of bad luck or
harm, cause of ruin
þ Syn. scourge, curse, pestil ence
¬ Ant. boon, benef it, advantage
@ Sloth and corruption are the bane of Indian administration.
IC : PTpntvb01 (31) of (188)

BANTER V., N. BARRAGE ( BARAAJ ) N.
to tease playfully and in good humour a heavy or continuous fire, as of questions; a dam
þ Syn. gossipry, smalltalk, chitchat þ Syn. bombardment, onslaught
¬ Ant. debate, deli beration @ Fa rra k ha B ar ra g e h a s c o ns i d e ra b l y m i ti g a t ed t he f l o o d
@ Gandhi’s banter with Charlie is a cherished page of history. problem in Bengal and Bihar.
@ He was surprised to see the violent reaction of his friend on @ S a l m a n d o d g ed a ba r r ag e o f q u e st i o ns a f te r h i s c ou r t
hi s banter. appearance and sped away.
BAPTISE V. BAPTISM N. BASH N.

to give a name to, to administer baptism party, celebration
þ Syn. sanctify, describe, denomi nate, dub
@ A Christian is no Christian unless he is baptised. BASHFUL Adj.
shy, demure, quiet
BARB N. þ Syn. coy, di ffident, nervous
a wounding or wittily pointed remark, a medieval cloth headdress. ¬ Ant. bold, extrovert, gregarious
þ Syn. insult, dig, taunt, sting @ She gave a bashful smile as he complimented her on her good
work.
@ The barbs suffered by Adolf Hitler in childhood transformed
him into the Fuhrer.
BASK V.
BARBAROUS Adj. BARBARIAN N. BARBARIC Adj. to lie in the warmth or sunshine
uncivilised, uncultured, harsh or brute þ Syn. lie around, laze around, relax
@ In the Second World War, the Japanese army was among the @ You can always see tourists basking in the sun on the beaches
most barbarous. of Goa.
@ The barbaric treatment of the prisoners in Iraq by American
armed forces was condemned by the world. BASTION N.
a strongly fortified, secured, guarded place
BARBECUE V., N. þ Syn. bulwark, fort, embankment
to roast or broil on a rack over hot coals; a fireplace for roasting @ The club regarded itself as one of the last bastions of male
meat supremacy.
@ My favourite dish is chicken marinated and barbecued.
BATE V.
BARGE V. BARGE N. to reduce the force or intensity of
to thrust oneself heedlessly or unceremoniously, a roomy pleasure þ Syn. slacken, subside, wane
b oa t @ The hunter waited with bated breath for the lion to take the
@ Ani l sudd enl y barged i nto t he conf erence room and thi s bai t.
annoyed hi s father.
@ Owning a big barge is a sign of affluence among the fishermen BAUBLE N.
in America.
trinket, trifle
@ Young children take pride in showing off their baubles.
BAROQUE N., Adj.
a bold style in architecture, extravagant, ornate, elaborate style
of decoration or presentation BAWDY Adj.
þ Syn. decorative, elaborate, rococo i ndecent, obscene
¬ Ant. plane, basic, pure, bare, obvious þ Syn. coarse, vulgar, lewd
@ We are fascinated by Melinda’s absolutely baroque life; her ¬ Ant. refined, advanced, superi or
huge Victorian house, complex career and elaborate clothing @ The bawdy remarks infuriated Ipshita and she retaliated.
intrigue us.
@ The baroque entrance to the lobby is indeed impressive. BAWL V., N.
cry, lament, grieve, bemoan, wail
BARONIAL Adj. þ Syn. cry, howl, wail, roar, sob, shout
grand, majesti c, august, grandi ose ¬ Ant. whisper, murmur, undertone
þ Syn. grand, impressive, opulent @ She lay there bawling but nobody came to forward to comfort
¬ Ant. humble, modest, poor, meek h e r.
@ The baronial rooms of his house depict opulence.
BAY( v)
to howl long and deep
(n) – large body of water, recess of land
þ Syn. howl, bellow
@ The dog bayed all ni ght, much to the annoyance of the
nei ghbours.
(32) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
BEATIFIC Adj., BEATITUDE N. BEGUILE
supremely happy, angelic, giving bliss, blissful to deceive, mislead, charm
þ Syn. innocent, saintly, virtuous þ Syn. dupe, bewitch
¬ Ant. evil, wrong, depraved, immoral ¬ Ant. be honest or straight
@ The beatific smile on the face of the pilot belied the fact that @ You will be beguiled by his sweet talk.
he was facing certain death.
BEHEST N.
BEAU N. command, an urgent prompting
lover, dandy, boyfriend þ Syn. request, command, order, will
@ Sara broke up with her beau and needed emotional support. @ The world trade no longer functions at the behest of any one
superpow er.
BECKON V.
to make a summoning to, gesture, motion, nod BEHEMOTH
þ Syn. signal, sign, summon, gesture huge creature or thing
¬ Ant. dismiss, release, discharge, sack þ Syn. colossus, goliath
@ The nation beckons you, young man, rise and shine. ¬ Ant. tiny, lilliput
@ The spate of mergers are creating corporate behemoths.
BEDIZEN V., BEDIZENMENT N.
to dress vulgarly BELA TED
@ I was shocked to see girls bedizened in seethrough costumes late, behind time
in the bar. þ Syn. delayed, overdue
¬ Ant. earl y, punctual
BEDRAGGLE V. @ George handed Sushmita a bel ated bi rthday gi ft wi th an
to wet thoroughly apologetic grin.
@ T h e p u p p y w a i t e d o u t s i d e t h e d o o r, b e d ra g g l e d a n d
miserable, hoping to be allowed in. BELEAGUER
harass, surround
BELABOUR V. þ Syn. annoy, badger
to attack verbally, to explain or insist on excessively ¬ Ant. assist, aid
@ You d o n ot h av e t o b el ab ou r t he p o i n t, I ha ve al re ad y @ Manisha’s beleaguered parents finally gave in to her request
accepted my mistake. for a PC.
BEFUDDLE V. BELITTLE
confuse thoroughly to represent as unimportant, make light of
þ Syn. muddle, mix up, bewilder, baffle þ Syn. demean, disparage
¬ Ant. teach, coach, tutor, educate, drill ¬ Ant. praise, applaud
@ The umpire’s strange signal befuddled not just the batsman @ Chandrika’s parents scolded her for constantly belittling her
but also the entire fielding side. younger sister's views.
BEGRUDGE V. BELLICOSE

resent, envy, resi st ready to fight, aggressive
@ They begrudged having to stay with their sick father, but put þ Syn. irascible, hostile
up with it for the sake of the patrimony that awaited them.
¬ Ant. peaceloving, amiable
@ Immediately after defeating one of his enemies, the bellicose
chieftain declared war on another.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . banal a . surrounded
2 . basti on b . unoriginal
3 . bel eaguer c . combative
4 . beli ttle d . stronghold
5 . belligerent e . make to seem little
5 . (c ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (d ) 1 . (b )
IC : PTpntvb01 (33) of (188)

BELLIGERENT BENIGN Adj.
hostile, aggressive, fighter kindly, favourable, gracious, gentle, mild, not malignant
þ Syn. disputatious, quarrelsome þ Syn. humane, clement, humanitarian
¬ Ant. neutral, friendly ¬ Ant. barbarous, cruel, malignant.
@ The bartender real i sed that there w as no subdui ng the @ Her benign presence lent glitter to the occasion.
belligerent drunk.
BEQUEATH V. BEQUEST N.
BELLOW V. to leave by will for another, to leave for posterity
to make a violent cry, to roar out like a bull, scream þ Syn. bestow, accord, hand out
þ Syn. shout, roar, yell, bawl, holler @ Picasso bequeathed Spain and France most of his paintings
¬ Ant. whisper, sigh, rumour, hint and scul ptures.
@ Hitler was known to bellow at his subordinates. @ ‘Liberty, equality and fraternity’ was one of the rallying cries
of the French revolution.
BEMOAN V.
BERATE
to express deep grief or distress over
to scold harshly
@ Ruby bemoaned separation from her lover for six months.
þ Syn. rebuke, admonish
¬ Ant. praise, laud
BEMUSE V. BEMUSEMENT N.
@ Andy was embarrassed when his mother berated him in public
BEMUSED Adj. for damaging the family car.
to put in confusion
þ Syn. bewilder, puzzle, perplex, muddle BERSERK Adj.
@ The bemused parents looked at their son's ponytail carefully. violently frenzied or angry, out of control, mad
þ Syn. maniacal, amok, crazy, mad
BENCHMARK ¬ Ant. sane, sensible, sound, normal
standard of measure @ Denied permission to marry hi s lady l ove, Prince Dipendra
þ Syn. criterion, yardstick went berserk and opened fire on his entire family.
@ The average scores of the previous year's students are used
as a benchmark to assess the new batch. BEREAVE V., BEREAVEMENT N.
to deprive of something, to take away by force, state of sorrow
BENEDICTION N. after the death of a beloved
good wishes, blessings, encouragement, sanction @ He was bereaved of his possessions when his father kicked
him out of the house.
þ Syn. blessing, approval, sanction
@ The entire nation was in bereavement after the death of the
@ Benediction, they say, at the ri ght ti me, i n right amounts, young prime minister.
can inspire one to move mountains.
BESEECH V.
BENEFACTOR
to entreat, to implore, to ask for, to solicit,
someone giving aid or money
þ Syn. beg, request, ask, plead, press
þ Syn. patron, champion
@ He came again and again beseeching for money.
@ A mysterious benefactor paid off Ravina’s debts, making it
possible for her children to attend college.
BESIEGE V.
to surround to force to give up, harass, cause to feel distressed
BENEFICENT
þ Syn. blockade, surround, beset
kindly in action and purpose, charitable, producing good effects
¬ Ant. di vest, uncover, expose
þ Syn. altruistic, philanthropic
@ A f t er t h e co n tr ov er s i a l f i l m w a s t el e ca st t h e te l ev i s i o n
¬ Ant. unkind, mean
company was besieged by angry phone calls and letters.
@ Despite his tough reputation, Kumar was a beneficent man,
and donated millions to worthy charities.
BESMIRCH V.
to make dirty with smoke or soot, to sully, soil, defile
BENEVOLENCE N., BENEVOLENT Adj.
þ Syn. defame, scandalise, malign, slur
charitableness, phi lanthropy, kindness
@ T h e c r i m e s t h e y c o m m i t t e d i n t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r
þ Syn. contributi on, donation, largesse besmirched the country’s name.
¬ Ant. enmity, resentment, malignancy
@ Hi s benevol ence turned out to be a charade to cover hi s BESTOW
nefari ous activi ties.
to give as a gift
@ Hi s benevol ent nature is refl ected i n many of hi s chari ty
þ Syn. confer on, award to
proje cts.
¬ Ant. deprive, refuse
@ The students bestowed many gifts upon the teacher on her
reti rement.
(34) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

BETROTH V., BETROTHAL N. BILLETDOUX N.
become engaged to marry a l oveletter
@ Their betrothal came as a surprise to most of their classmates. @ The lovesmitten scholar handed her a note saying, “Here’s a
little billetdoux,” and the simple lady thought he was giving
her the bill for the food.
BEVY N.
group, assembly, collecti on, cluster, covey, flock
BILLOW V., BILLOWING Adj.
þ Syn. horde, throng, multitude, pack
swelling out in waves, surging
@ He got to see a bevy of beautiful girls at the pageant.
@ The billowing emotions across the country may lead to war.
B IA S
BINGO N., Interjection
prejudice, sl ant
a game, an expression of unexpectedness
þ Syn. partiality, favouritism
@ I was just about to borrow some money when bingo! I won
¬ Ant. impartiality, objectivity the l ottery.
@ Racial bias in employment is illegal in the United States.
BIOPSY N.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
the removal and examination of tissue, cells or fluid from a living
list of books b od y
þ Syn. catalogue, list of references @ Af ter studying the bi opsy report, the doctor assured the
@ Please i nclude a bibliography at the end of the thesis so patient that the growth was benign.
that the reviewer can identify the sources.
BISECT – to cut into two (usually equal) parts
BIBLIOPHILE þ Syn. break in two, split
book lover ¬ Ant. join, unite
þ Syn. bookworm, bibliomaniac @ The new road bi sected the f orest, putting al l the smal l
@ The librarian was a real bibliophile; she knew every author animals at risk.
we mentioned.
BIVOUAC N., V.
BICKER V. a temporary shelter or camp, tent
quarrel, qui bble, argue @ The first time I slept outdoors was when we had to spend the
þ Syn. di spute, debate, squabble night in a bivouac in the last year of school.
¬ Ant. agree, consent, correspond
@ It is pity that educated girls bicker over trivial matters. BIZARRE Adj.
striking; out of ordinary
BIGOT N., BIGOTED Adj. þ Syn. f antastic, extravagant, eccentri c
biased, narrowminded person @ Most fashion designers present bizarre creations.
þ Syn. extremist, dogmatist, hypocrite
@ The bigot was thoroughly disliked for his hatefilled opinions. BLANCH V.
@ She’s so bi goted that she ref uses to accept anyone w ho bleach, whiten; to parboil in water or steam in order to remove
doesn't think like her. the skin
þ Syn. grow pale, lighten, blench
BILATERAL @ Use blanched almonds for this recipe.
twosi ded
þ Syn. twopronged, joint BLAND Adj.
¬ Ant. independent, unilateral smooth, gentle, suave, polite, mild
@ The battle finally came to a halt when the two sides signed þ Syn. insipid, weak, tasteless, plain
a bilateral treaty. ¬ Ant. spicy, pi quant, peppery, zesty
@ Continental food is too bland for the Indian palate.
BILIOUS Adj.
related to lever trouble, irritable, suffering from indigestion BLANDISHMENT N.
@ T h e e n d i n g o f t h e f i n a n c i a l y e a r s e e s m a n y a b i l i o u s coaxing, cajoling, flattering, adulation
businessmen. @ Despi te the blandi shments of f ered by the sal esman, she
resisted buying the product.
BILK V., N.
to cheat out of something valuable, frustrate, escape BLARE V., N.
þ Syn. def raud, baffle, disappoint to roar, to sound harshly, loud, flamboyance
@ The fake fakir bilked the lady of her belongings in the name of þ Syn. blast, boom, make a racket
Go d. @ The blaring horns of the truck will make you deaf one day.
@ His attire this evening is nothing but a blare.
IC : PTpntvb01 (35) of (188)
BLASPHEMY N. BLASPHEMOUS Adj. BLOND (also BLONDE) N., Adj.
w ords/ acti ons meant to mock somethi ng, prof ane speaki ng, a person of fair complexion and golden, light auburn coloured
swearing about something sacred, irreverence, cursing hai r
þ Syn. desecration, impiety, sacrilege þ Syn. fair haired, pale, flaxen
¬ Ant. faithf ulness, godliness, piousness @ Blondes are generally considered beautiful.
@ Blasphemy is punishable by death in certain fundamentalist @ Meg Ryan’s blonde hair gels well with her personality.
countri es.
@ S a l m a n R u s h d i e e a r n e d t h e “ f a t w a ” f o r h i s a l l e g e d l y BLUSH V.
blasphemous writings.
to grow red out of shame and confusion
þ Syn. go red, flush, colour, redden
B LA TANT
¬ Ant. blench, draw back, falter, recoil
glaring, obvious, showy
@ He blushed profusely when she asked him out for dinner.
þ Syn. shameless, evident
¬ Ant. subtle, inconspicuous
BLUSTER V., N.
@ The building was constructed in blatant violation of the law.
to talk or act w ith noisy swaggering threats, threaten emptily,
bully
þ Syn. harangue, bulldoz e, rant, bristle
BLEAK Adj. @ The bully was all bluster and no substance.
colourless, cold, depressing, grim @ Many f ound Fi del Castro’s blusters agai nst the USA quite
þ Syn. barren, exposed, gaunt, open amusing.
¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, smiling, joyful
@ The chances of a majority government at the centre has now BOG V., N.
become bleak. marsh, morass, swamp, slow down
þ Syn. marshland, quagmire, retard
BLEMISH N., V. @ The expansion plans of the company have been bogged down
flaw, stain, def ect, scar, blot by certai n controversies.
þ Syn. mark, imperfection, fault, blotch
@ Morarjibhai’s 75 years in public life were without a blemish. BOGGLING Adj.
something astounding, astonishing, amazing
BLISS N. @ Many mindboggling problems in LR section of CAT 2004 were
the highest happi ness, heavenly happi ness responsible for the student’s poor performance.
þ Syn. ecstasy, paradi se, deli ght
¬ Ant. misery, sadness, grief, sorrow BOHEMIAN N.
@ It’s bliss to be able to lie back and just forget all about your s o m e o n e w h o s e t s s o c i a l c o n v e n t i o n s a s i d e , a n a r t i s t ,
worries. unconventi onal , unorthodox
@ Maqbool Fida Hussein is known for his Bohemian ways.
BLITHE Adj.
cheerful, sprightly, gay, joyous, merry, casual, li ghthearted BOISTEROUS Adj.
þ Syn. carefree, unconcerned, happy wild, noisy and exuberant; turbulent, violent, rough
¬ Ant. tense, anxi ous, bothered, edgy þ Syn. clamorous, obstreperous
@ He blithely ignored the warning and swam out far from the ¬ Ant. quiet, shy, timid
sho re. @ The children were having a boisterous game in the playground.
BLITZ or BLITZKRIEG N. BOLERO N.

a sudden, overwhelming attack; an intensive aerial campaign a Spanish dance ; a loose waistlength jacket open at the front
þ Syn. raid, bombardment, onslaught @ Sofia looked beautiful in a beige bolero.
@ The Israeli blitzkrieg at Entebbe remains a landmark rescue @ There is a bolero being performed at the nightclub tonight.
operation.
@ The launch of the new car was accompanied by a media blitz BOLSTER V.
involving newspapers, magazines, television and radio.
to support, to give a boost to, reinforce
þ Syn. boost, strengthen, encourage
BLOAT V. BLOATED Adj.
¬ Ant. undermine, weaken, challenge
to swell out, to puff out, to dilate
@ Her conf idence in group di scussi ons i s bolstered by many
þ Syn. inflate, blow up, expand, distend practice sessions.
@ The doctor said her face was looking bloated because of water
retenti on.
(36) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

BOMB ASTIC BOURSE N.
using highsounding but meaningless words a E uropean stock exchange
þ Syn. pompous, grandiloquent @ There has been a rise in the number of bourses operating in
¬ Ant. simple, unpretentious E uro pe.
@ T h e d i c t a t o r ’ s s p e e c h e s w e r e m o s t l y b o m b a s t i c ; h i s
outrageous claims had no basis in fact. BOURGEOIS
middleclass
BONANZA þ Syn. conservative, material istic
extremely large amount; something profitable ¬ Ant. proletarian, communist
þ Syn. godsend, windfall @ The bourgeois family found it too difficult to adjust to the
@ Julie was not sure how to use the bonanza when she won new workingclass neighbours.
the l ottery.
BOUT N.
BONHOMIE N., BONHOMOUS Adj. contest, encounter, outbreak
goodnatured easy fri endl iness þ Syn. short period, spell, attack, fit
þ Syn. genial ity, affability @ This first bout with destiny made him maturer.
@ An atmosphere of bonhomie prevailed at the dance party. @ He suffered from a bout of bronchitis.
BOON – blessing, something to be thankful for BOVINE Adj.

þ Syn. godsend, bonus like cow/cattle, dull, placid
¬ Ant. curse, disadvantage @ Democracy is wasted on the bovine and the asinine.
@ Deepak realised that the new employee’s artistic skills would @ He was a gentle, rather bovine man.
be a real boon to the company.
BOWDLERIZE V.
BOOMERANG V., N. to remove objectionable material from a writing, to censor
rebound, backfire; a bent or angular throwing club þ Syn. cut, abridge, expurgate, amend
þ Syn. bounce back, ricochet @ So far Taslima Nasreen has refused to bowdlerize ‘Lajja’.
@ It was ironic that the Vietnam war boomeranged on the USA.
BRACKISH Adj.
BOOR somewhat saline, rather salty, unappealing
crude person, one lacking manners or taste þ Syn. sal ty, briny
þ Syn. lout, ruffian @ Though the w ater i n those marshes i s bracki sh and f oul
¬ Ant. gentlemanly, wellbehaved smelling to us, the birds seem to like it.
@ He beha ved l i ke a boo r, di sturbi ng the reci tal w i th hi s @ Rahul even sipped the brackish tea prepared by his fiancee.
conti nuous chatter.
BRAGGADOCIO N.
BOOZE V., N. arrogant pretension, braggart
to drink excessively þ Syn. braggart, cockiness
@ They always go boozing after their football match. @ Rahul’s braggadocio was beginning to irritate his girlfriend.
@ There’s a party at my hostel room on Friday night – bring
some booze.
BRANDISH V.
to wave and show as a weapon, flourish
BOULEVARD N.
þ Syn. swing, wave about
a broad road bordered by trees, channel, promenade
@ Brandishing black flags, the protesters gheraoed the minister.
þ Syn. avenue, thoroughfare, drive
@ The boul evards of Pari s remai n unparal l eled i n terms of
b e a u t y. BRASH Adj., BRASHNESS N.
reckless, impetuous, impudent, audacious
BOUNTY N., BOUNTIFUL Adj. þ Syn. hasty, foolhardy, aggressi ve
liberality in bestowing gifts ¬ Ant. sluggish, unhurried, measured
þ Syn. reward, prize, payment, generousi ty @ The manager’s brashness was the cause of the company’s
f ai lure.
@ The bounty of politicians at the electiontime is no longer a
@ Don’t you think that suit is a bit brash for a funeral?
s ec r et .
@ The bountiful harvest this year has brought smiles to many a
f a ce . BRAVADO N.
a displ ay of bravery, false show of bravery, swagger, assumed
air of defiance
þ Syn. boldness, daring
@ It was an act of bravado that made him ask his boss to resign.
IC : PTpntvb01 (37) of (188)

BRAZEN BROOK V., N.
bold, shameless, impudent, of or like brass tol erate, endure; a creek
þ Syn. immodest, abashed þ Syn. stream, rivulet, accept
¬ Ant. modest, shy @ I could not just brook the delay.
@ The coach found the decl aration to be rather brazen but @ A f ivestar hotel al ong a brook appears to be a wonderful
hoped his cricket team would pull off a win. i dea.
BREACH BROTHEL N.

act of breaking, violation a building where prostitutes are available
þ Syn. contravention, inf ringement @ Brothels have been in existence since early ages, catering to
¬ Ant. bridge, upholding man’s baser needs.
@ The record company sued the singer for breach of contract
when he recorded for another company. BRUISE N., V.
contusion, discolourati on, sore spot,
BREVITY N. þ Syn. shiner, bump
conciseness, shortness, terseness @ Hi s ego was bruised w hen his sister outperf ormed hi m in
þ Syn. briefness, concision, pithiness tenn i s.
¬ Ant. length, span @ She suffered a few cuts and bruises but nothing serious.
@ Brevity is the hallmark of a seasoned orator.
BRUSQUE Adj.
BREW V., N. abr upt, bl u nt i n man ners, che eky, i mpu dent , sho rt, usua l l y
unpleasant in effect, curt
to prepare by i nf usi on, boi l i ng and f ermentati on, to pl ot; a
beverage ‘concoction made by brewing’ þ Syn. offhand, rough, brisk, gruff
þ Syn. make, ferment, distil, blend ¬ Ant. civil, social, national, communal
@ Caesar hardly realised what was brewing behind his back. @ The brusque young son of the old lady met a tragic end.
@ This local brew is one of the strongest liquors I have ever
h a d . BUCKLE V., N.
to catch, clasp, bend, acquiesce, yield
BRICA BRAC N. þ Syn. clip, fastener, collapse, crumple
old curiosities, knickknacks, ornaments etc. ¬ Ant. undo, unfasten, untie, unbutton
@ Tourists flock to chorbazaar for buying bricabrac. @ It’s the weak who buckle under threats.
BRINK N. BUCOLIC Adj.

cl if ftop, edge, verge related to cattletending, pastoral, rustic, rural
@ Indian economy was on the brink of disaster in 1990. þ Syn. pastoral, country, countrifi ed
¬ Ant. urban, municipal, metropolitan
BRISK Adj. @ Thanks to the government’s heavy subsidies, bucolic pursuits
full of life and spirit, lively earn handsome returns.
þ Syn. bustling, busy, energetic, lively
¬ Ant. slow, sluggish, dawdling BUFFET (v)
@ The cardiologist advised a brisk walk in the evening. to toss about
(n) – a meal consisting of several dishes from which guests serve
themselves
BROACH V., N.
þ Syn. batter, strike repeatedl y and viol ently
to ve er or ya w d ang ero us l y, to pi erc e f or w i thd raw i n g t he
contents, to open up @ The swing, buffeted by the wind, smashed into the tree and
broke.
þ Syn. mention, bring up, approach
@ During his visit, the PM is expected to broach the subject of
forei gn investment. BUFFOON N., BUFFOONERY N.
a person always joking, clown, joker, jester
BROOD V., N. þ Syn. clown, joker, comedian
to meditate silently, to think anxiously for sometime; the young @ Chaplin’s buffoonery was an effective tool of biting sarcasm.
of an animal or a family @ Doesn’t he get tired of playing the buffoon in class?
þ Syn. clutch, litter
@ Shantanu sat at his desk, brooding darkly why she left him. BULGE V., N.
project, protrude, jut, overhang, swell, di late
þ Syn. protuberance, knot, hump
@ Come forties and the battle of the bulge begins.
@ Flesh bulged out where the elasticated clothing was too tight.
(38) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

BULLDOZE V. BURGEON
to intimidate, to bully, to demolish, push, jostle to sprout or flourish
þ Syn. flatten, raze, level , clear, force þ Syn. proliferate, prosper
@ Bulldozing may win you the game but never the match. ¬ Ant. shrink, wither
@ W e w i l l n e ed a m a jo r ex pa n si on t o a cc om mo d at e th e
burgeoning population of the city.
BULLION ( BOOLYEN ) N.
gold and silver in the shape of rods or bars BURGLAR N.
þ Syn. gold, gold bars, gold ingots housebreaker, rai der, sneak thi ef, i ntruder
@ The bullion market came under attack as soon as news of war þ Syn. robber, criminal
sp re ad . @ The antiburglar alarm system failed last night.
BULLY N., V. BURLESQUE N.

a cruel oppressor of the weak, an overbearing fellow l udi crous i mi tation, cheap or vul gar entertai nment, sati re, a
þ Syn. blackmailer, intimidator l i terary or dramati c w ork maki ng f un or ri di cul i ng by comi c
exaggeration, a mockery or caricature, an imitation that ridicules
@ Being an international bully, the USA knows its strengths only
þ Syn. caricature, travesty, lampoon
too well.
@ S tr ee t t he a tr e o f t en at te m pt s t he bu rl e sq ue bu t r er el y
@ Bipasha bullied her way into the meeting. suc ceed s.
BULWA RK BURNISH V., N.

defense wall, anything serving as defense to make bright or lustrous by rubbing
þ Syn. fortifi cation, barricade þ Syn. shine, wax, buff, rub, clean
@ The villagers used logs to construct a bulwark against the @ The car lost its burnish in a year.
invading army. @ A proper coach can burnish your skills in no time.
BUMPTIOUS Adj. BUST V.

e g ot i s t i c, o f t en i r r i t a t i n gl y s e l f a s s ur e d , pu s h y, a r r o g an t , to break, shatter, crack, arrest
unpl easantl y confi dent þ Syn. out of order, broken
þ Syn. boastful , arrogant, brash ¬ Ant. mend, repair, fix, restore
¬ Ant. modest, diffident, humble, meek @ The police busted the gang of drug dealers gang.
@ Often, Ravindra comes across as a bumptious teenager but @ Mary and her boyfriend bust up last week.
he’s really thoughtful and intelligent.
BUTTRESS N., V.
BUNGLE V., N. a support, foundation, base
þ Syn. prop, reinforcement, bolster
to do a job clumsily or awkwardly, goof up
@ Soon after the church w as bui lt buttresses had to be built
þ Syn. botch, mismanage, ruin along the south wall because it was beginning to collapse.
¬ Ant. succeed, thrive, make it
@ Our tour operators really bungled they booked us on the BUXOM Adj.
wrong flight! vigorously or healthily plump, full bosomed
@ Your bungle is going to cost the company dearly. @ A scantily dressed buxom blonde attracted the crowd towards
the new car she was promoting in the trade fair.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . benef actor a . ca ref r ee

2 . beni gn b . middle class
3 . bl at ant c . donor
4 . bli the d . not harmful
5 . bourgeoi s e . of fensively noi sy
5 . (b ) 4 . ( a ) 3 . ( e ) 2 . (d ) 1 . (c )
IC : PTpntvb01 (39) of (188)

“C”
CABAL N. CALAMITY N., CALAMITOUS Adj.
a small party united for a secret purpose, gang, conspiracy, plot catastrophe, af fli cti on, disaster
þ Syn. group, unit, sect, faction, section þ Syn. hardship, distress
@ It is alleged that he was a member of the cabal responsible ¬ Ant. prosperity, tranquillity, blessing
for the bombings. @ They feared the calamitous consequences of yet another war.
@ The UTI scam came as a calamity to the middle class.
CACHE ( KASH ) N.
a h i d i n g p l a c e f o r t r e a s u r e , p r o v i s i o n , a m m u n i t i o n e t c ., CALLIGRAPHY N.
storehouse
beautiful penmanship, a characteristic writing
þ Syn. store, accumul ation, reserve
þ Syn. lettering, handw riting
@ I keep a cache of chocolate at the back of the cupboard.
@ Mary won the calligraphy prize when she was at school.
CACHET ( KASHAY ) N.

CALLOUS Adj., CALLOUSNESS N.
a seal usually used as a mark of official approval, a distinctive
hardened, cruel, insensitive, unfeel ing
stamp of prestige, mark, emblem
þ Syn. apatheti c, cold, hardhearted
þ Syn. status, reputati on
@ The Diners club card was a prized cachet in the notsodistant ¬ Ant. sensiti ve, empathetic, tender
pas t. @ The officialdom is notorious for its callousness.
@ S m r i t i ’ s c a l l o u s b e h a v i o u r i s a n o u t c o m e o f y e a r s o f
CACOPHONY N., CACOPHONOUS Adj. repression.
discord, horrible sound; harsh, displeasing noise

þ Syn. dissonance, di sharmony CALLOW Adj.
¬ Ant. harmony, accord, agreement inexperi enced, immature, juvenil e, unsophi sticated, youthful
þ Syn. naive, adol escent, green
@ There are some people who enjoy even the cacophony of the
st reet s. ¬ Ant. stylish, difficult, urbane, mature
@ Richard was just a callow youth of sixteen when he arrived in
CADAVER N., CADAVEROUS Adj. Pari s.
corpse
þ Syn. dead body, remains, carcass CALUMNIATE V., CALUMNY N.
@ Rivers like the Ganges, the Yamuna etc. have been polluted to spread malicious slander
by human and animal cadavers, in addition to other pollutants. @ Media is always handy in calumniating a politician or a public
@ He is so emaciated that he appears cadaverous. f i gu re.
@ The office was torn apart by calumny; soon nobody trusted
a ny bo dy.
CADENCE N.
Balanced, rhythmic flow, as of poetry or oratory
CAMARADERIE N.
@ The cadence of the parade at the Republic Day always instils
a sense of patriotism in me. good fellowship, the feeling of comradeship
þ Syn. brotherhood, esprit de corps
CAGEY Adj. ¬ Ant. enmity, hostility, antagonism
secretive, artfully shy, marked by cleverness @ Peaceloving nati ons of the w orl d must unite as it is only
thr ough camar ader i e th at th e evi l s of the w orl d can be
þ Syn. wary, guarded, reticent, evasi ve eliminated.
¬ Ant. careless, slapdash, imprudent
@ The secret service is cagey about the whole phonetapping CAMEO N.
busi ness.
shell or jewel carved in relief; a small theatrical appearance
þ Syn. character part, cameo role
CA JOLE
@ He has a cupboard full of cameos.
to fl atter, coax, persuade
@ Even a cameo by Amitabh Bachhan is sufficient to pull the
þ Syn. wheedl e, coax crowds to the theatres.
¬ Ant. bully, coerce
@ She was confident that she could cajole her father into buying CAMOUFLAGE N., Adj., V.
her a new dress.
a device used for disguising oneself to deceive others, conceal
þ Syn. disguise, mask, obscure, facade
@ The chameleon’s camouflage was so good that the bird failed
to spot it.
@ Militarymen wear a camouflage jacket.
(40) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
CANARD N. CANTANKEROUS Adj.
An unfounded or false, deliberately misleading story perverse in temper, testy, quarrelsome
@ The canard of sexual exploitation in the university claimed its þ Syn. argumentative, contentious
first victim as the professor committed suicide. ¬ Ant. quiet, submissive
@ T h e o l d e r s o m e p e o p l e g e t , t h e m o r e d e m a n d i n g a n d
CANDID Adj., CANDIDNESS N., cantankerous they seem to become.
CANDOUR N.
frank, ingenuous, clear, impartial, fair, open and honest, free of CANTER N., V.
bias even to the extent of bluntness an easy gallop/motion
þ Syn. true, veracious, scrupul ous þ Syn. run, gallop, trot, jog, sprint
¬ Ant. fal se, untrue, dishonest, evasi ve @ The horse’s canter was so graceful!
@ A candid judgement is what we all seek from the judiciary.
@ They of ten cri tici sed me f or my candour, but real i sed its CANVASS V., N.
significance when I was given the best manager award.
determine or seek opinions, votes; to do a survey, solicit votes,
opinions or orders; a firm closely woven cloth used as a surface
CANINE Adj., N. for painting
like or pertaining to a dog, related to dogs þ Syn. drum up support, test, poll
@ The feline are loners while the canine move in packs. @ The party w orkers canvassed the whole night for the l ocal
@ Sometimes my canine instinct is aroused but I quickly control candidate.
it. @ Mona Lisa, the canvass by Leonardo Da Vinci is a masterpiece
to many and a mystery to some.
CANNIBAL N., CANNIBALISM N.
one who eats of the flesh of one’s own species CAP ACIOUS
@ It is believed that even today cannibals exist in some parts large, roomy, extensi ve
of our country. þ Syn. spacious, commodious
¬ Ant. small, cramped
CANNY @ We wondered how many stores occupied the capacious mall.
smart, founded on common sense, careful
þ Syn. astute, sharp CAPE N.
¬ Ant. obtuse, unintel ligent a point or extension of land jutting out in water like a peninsula;
@ The executi ve's canny business sense saved the company a sleeveless outer garment that fits closely at the neck and hangs
from bankruptcy. loosely over the shoulders.
þ Syn. isthmus, mantle, promontory, headland
CANOE ( KENOO ) N. @ Ships had to sail around the Cape of Good Hope in order to
reach Indi a.
a boat made of hollowed trunk of a tree
@ Sushmita wore a purple woollen cape for the IFFI awards.
@ Canoes are the cheapest mode of transport in the backwaters
of Kerala.
CAPITOL V.
CANON N. the building in which a legislature convenes (in the US), senate
a law or a rule, standard or criterion @ Following the bomb threat, the capitol was evacuated.
þ Syn. norm, principle, tenet, annals
@ Hard working executives coin their own canons of business CAPITULATE V.
practi ce. to yield or surrender on certain conditions, to give in, acquiesce
þ Syn. cede, succumb, yield, forfeit
CANOPY N., V. ¬ Ant. vanquish, subdue, overcome
aw ning, covering, shade, tester @ The company had to capitulate to the employees’ demand of
þ Syn. cover, shelter, blind, roof a wage hike.
@ We sat drinking our coffee under the canopy, grateful for the
s ha de . CAPRICE N., CAPRICIOUS Adj.
a sudden/abrupt change of mind or opinion
CANT N., V. þ Syn. impulse, quirk, fancy, fad, vagary
a hypocri ti cal or perfunctory styl e of speech, i ncli ne, jargon, @ The caprice of fate caught him unawares.
trite talk, dialect of a particular group
þ Syn. insincerity, false piety, humbug CAPSIZE V.
¬ Ant. seri ousness, earnestness to overturn
@ Despite his cant he cannot pass off as a foreigner. þ Syn. keel over, tip over, upset
@ T he p ol i c e sa i d th at t he b o at h ad c ap si z ed b ec au se o f
overl oading.
IC : PTpntvb01 (41) of (188)

CAP TIOUS Adj. CAROUSAL N., CAROUSE V.
ready to find faults, hypercritical, faultfinding Boisterous drunken merrymaking or revelry
þ Syn. peevish, censorious, hairsplitting @ Sameer lost his senses in the New Year’s eve carousal and
@ He preferred to work overtime than go home to his captious abused Preeti .
wi fe.
CARP V. CARPING N., Adj.
CARAFE N. to criticise unreasonably, nag, scold, berate, cavil, flay, to nitpick,
A glass pot with a pouring spout, used in making coffee or tea find fault in a petty manner
@ “Serve me tea i n a carafe,” he ordered, pushi ng the mug þ Syn. complain, moan, grumble, nag
asi de. @ He’s convinced that however much people carp about junk
mail, most couldn’t live without it.
CARAVAN N., V. @ After years of havi ng to listen to her carping criti cism, he
finally left her.
a group of people travelling together
þ Syn. procession, convoy, motorcade
CARTOGRAPHY N. CARTOGRAPHER N.
@ The VIP caravan will arrive shortly.
the science of mapmaking
@ We take the children camping or caravanning every summer.
@ Cartography originated in Mesopotamia.
@ LeonardodaVinci was a cartographer too.
CARCINOGENIC Adj. CARCINOGEN N.
a substance that promotes growth of cancer
CASANOVA N.
@ Ultraviolet rays of the sun are carcinogenic.
lover esp ; a man who is a promiscuous and unscrupulous
@ Ci g aret te s moke con tai n s ma ny c arci noge ns; that ’s w hy
smoking is banned at public places. @ Commitment in a relationship is not expected of a casanova.
CA RDIOLOGIST CASCADE N., V.

physician specialising in diseases of the heart small waterfall; something falling or rushing forth in quantity
@ Al though a f amous cardiol ogi st perf ormed the operation, þ Syn. flow, pour, drop, spill, tumble
Krishna's heart transplant was unsuccessful. @ A series of cascades had been caused by large boulders which
had fallen into the stream.
CAREEN V. @ Coins cascaded out of the vending machine.
To lurch or swerve while in motion
þ Syn. stagger, sway, swing CA STIG A TE
@ The car careened to a grinding halt as I jammed the brakes. to punish, chastise, criticise severely
þ Syn. reprimand, admonish
CARICA TURE N. ¬ Ant. praise, commend
distorti on, burlesque @ Sunil’s father castigated him for not attending the morning
p ra y e r.
þ Syn. cartoon, drawing, skit, sketch
@ There was a wonderful caricature of the prime minister in the
new spaper yesterday. Shipra Jain
IIML, IIFT, MDI,
CARNAGE N. XLRI, IITB
a massacre, large scale killing of people, blood bath, destruction
of life, slaughter The best part of PT is its
þ Syn. mass killing, bloodshed, butchery
faculty team an d
@ The images of the Godhra carnage still haunt its victims.
material, whether it is
CARNAL Adj. language, Quant or
rel ati ng to or gi ven to crude bodi l y pl easures or appeti tes; Reasoning. The teachers
marked by sexuality
provided total support
@ His tastes lie on the carnal side of life.
that kept me motivated.
CARNIVOROUS The material provided
meateating too was one of the best.
þ Syn. predatory, raptori al
¬ Ant. herbi vorous, vegetari an
@ Do gs ar e ca rni vo rou s ani ma l s an d do no t d o w e l l on a
vegetari an di et.
(42) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

CATACLYSM N. CA USTIC
del uge, upheaval biting, sarcastic, able to burn
þ Syn. catastrophe, disaster, calami ty þ Syn. stinging, scathing
@ The organised killing of millions will have a cataclysmic effect ¬ Ant. kind, soothing
on the small African nation that has been already ravaged by @ Khaled Mohammed is reputed for his wellwritten but caustic
AIDS. movi e revi ews.
CA TA LYST CAUTERIZE V.

something that does not change but causes change to burn/destroy/sear with a hot substance
þ Syn. accel erator, sti mulant @ Cauterisation was the only cure for Rabies in the 18th century.
¬ Ant. bl ockage, anti catalyst
@ The imposition of fresh taxes acted as a catal yst and the CAVALCADE N.
revolution gathered momentum.
a procession or sequence
þ Syn. column, caravan, convoy, line
CA TA RA CT N.
@ The PM’s cavalcade passed through the city an hour ago.
great waterfall; eye abnormality
þ Syn. cascade, chute, torrent, fl ume
CAVALIER (n)
@ Victoria Falls is a mighty cataract.
mounted soldier
@ Di abetes also causes cataract.
(adj) haughty, unceremonious
þ Syn. offhand, contemptuous
CATASTROPHE N. CATASTROPHIC Adj.
¬ Ant. respectful, modest
adversity, affliction, blow, mass destruction, di saster
@ The nobleman's cavali er attitude tow ards the suf feri ng of
þ Syn. calamity, misfortune, ruin the peasants made them hate him.
@ A catastrophic storm ravaged the city.
@ The emigration of scientists is a catastrophe for the country. CAVIL V., N.
to find faults with or raise trivial objections to, to object in an
CATEGORICAL Adj. CATEGORICALLY Adv. unimportant way, to find fault in a captious way
unequivocal, unambiguous, total, definite, absolute þ Syn. carp, quibble, nudge, henpeck
þ Syn. clearcut, uncompromising @ Do not cavil or you will demoralise the young scientist.
¬ Ant. qualified, fit, capable, competent @ They cavilled at the price, although many freebies had been
@ He wanted a categorical reply to his query. incl uded.
@ Though the government categoricall y denied any plans f or
retrenchment, the employees of PSUs were not convinced. CEDE V.
transfer, yield title to, surrender formally
CATHARTIC Adj., N. CATHARSIS N. þ Syn. concede, let go, relinquish
purifyi ng, purgative, cl eansing ¬ Ant. acquire, obtain, attain, buy
þ Syn. liberating, beneficial, energising @ He ceded all his real estate to the school of the handicapped.
@ Mountaineering, the buffs say, is a cathartic experience.
CELERITY N.
CA THOLIC alacrity, cadence, swi ftness, stride, speed, rapidity
universal, broad and comprehensive þ Syn. haste, promptness
þ Syn. generic, unbiased þ Ant. disregard, lassitude
¬ Ant. parochial, limited @ James Bond’s celerity holds the audience spellbound.
@ Hot tea with honey is a catholic remedy for a sore throat.
CELIBACY N. CELIBATE Adj.
CAUCUS N. unmarried state especially under a vow
Any small and influential group within a larger body @ Catholic priests are expected to lead celibate lives.
þ Syn. conclave, committee, conference @ Bhishma of Mahabharata observed celi bacy.
@ In the U S, caucuses are someti mes hel d to deci de w hich
candidate a group will support. CELEBRITY
fame, wellknown person
CA USA LITY þ Syn. stardom, renown
cause and effect relationship ¬ Ant. obscuri ty, anonymity
þ Syn. connection, agent @ The cel ebri ty was mobbed by crazed f ans as soon as he
@ T he re w a s de f i n i t e c au s al i t y b et w e e n th e n ew p e t an d stepped out of the car.
Reshma’s respiratory problems.
IC : PTpntvb01 (43) of (188)

CELLAR N. CHAOS N. CHAOTIC Adj.
basement, bunker, crypt, vault commotion, disturbance, anarchy, confusion, extreme disorder,
þ Syn. vault, underground room conf usion
@ The cellars full of wine casks made a tempting sight. þ Syn. imbroglio, clutter, disarray
¬ Ant. regularity, unif ormity, symmetry
@ Chaos theory is a scientific theory about situations that obey
CEMETERY N.
particular laws but appear to have little or no order.
burial ground, churchyard, graveyard
þ Syn. memorial park
CHAPERON N.
@ The municipal cemetery dotted with tombstones provided the
an older person who supervises and protects younger ones
eerie setting for the finale of the horror movie.
þ Syn. escort, gui de, retinue
@ The family was chaperoned to safety by the commandos.
CENSURE ( SENSHER ) V., N
to condemn, to blame, to express disapproval of
CHARISMA N. CHARISMATIC Adj.
þ Syn. fault, reprimand, knock, scorn
divine gift; great popular charm or appeal
¬ Ant. praise, admire, extol, eulogise
þ Syn. personality, magnetism, allure
@ The directors w ere censured for their lack of deci siveness
@ I can’t understand how a man of so little personal charisma
during the crisis.
came to be the chairman of this company.
@ A charismatic actor like Shahrukh is a known face in Hollywood
CENTRIPETAL t o o .
directed or moving towards the centre
¬ Ant. centrifugal CHA RLA TA N
@ Centripetal force keeps trains from derailing as they round quack, fake
c ur v es . þ Syn. fraud, cheat
¬ Ant. real, genuine
CERULEAN Adj. @ The patient called the doctor a charlatan as the medicines did
sky blue, sea green not work.
þ Syn. azure, cobalt, navy, sapphi re
@ I was mesmerised by her cerulean eyes. CHARY Adj.
careful , prudent, w ary, watchful, ungenerous, stingy, cauti ous
CESSATION N., CEASE V. þ Syn. suspicious, mindful, shy of
a stoppi ng, pause, suspension @ Banks used to lend money to anyone but they’ve grown chary
since the recession.
þ Syn. termination, close, ending, pause
@ The politician asked if the cessation of terrorist activities had
made the Punjab police complacent. CHASM ( KAZM ) N.
a big gap on earth’s surface, abyss, a major difference of opinion
CHAFE V. þ Syn. breach, clef t, canyon, gorge

@ They leaned over the rails and peered down into the dizzying
to wear off by rubbing, to abrade, to get irritate, vex
chasm below.
þ Syn. scrap, scratch, annoy
@ As the tal ks fai l ed, the pol i ti cal chasm betw een the tw o
@ Please make sure that the collar is not too tight or it might countri es w idened.
chafe the dog’s neck.
@ He was a man of vision who chafed against the cruel practices CHASTE Adj.
of his time.
refi ned and pure in style, modest, pure from unl awf ul sexual
i ntercourse
CHAGRIN N. þ Syn. abstinent, maidenly, virginal
something that annoys or causes embarrassment, feeling distress, @ In the past, a woman needed to be chaste to make a good
e m b a r r a s s m e n t , u n h a p p i n e s s b r o u g h t o n b y h u m i l i a t i o n , marriage.
di sappointment, vexati on
þ Syn. mortification
CHASTISE V., CHASTEN ( CHASN ) Adj.
@ Much to his chagrin, he found that the work had not been
to punish, to restrain or moderate, to castigate
compl eted.
þ Syn. reprimand, discipline, chastise
@ To chasten his errant son, the father disowned him.
CHAMPION (v)
@ The kids were chastised for picking their neighbours’ flowers.
to defend or support
(n) – victor, winner
CHAUVINIST N. CHAUVINISM N. CHAUVINISTIC Adj.
þ Syn. proponent, promoter
bl indl y devoted patriot; prejudiced belief i n the superiority of
¬ Ant. opponent, critic one’s own gender
@ Usha continued to champion the rights of the prisoner, as she þ Syn. bigot, sexist
believed that he was innocent.
@ It is male chauvinism, when the few women who have jobs
are ridiculed.
(44) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

CHECKERED/CHEQUERED Adj. CHOLERIC
pa tt ern ed w i th al ter nat i n g s qu are s of col ou r; to va ry w i th easi ly angered, shorttempered
contrasting elements or situations þ Syn. irritable, irascible
@ As the chequered flag went up in the Shanghai Grand Prix, ¬ Ant. amiable, affable
Ferrari won this year’s championship.
@ The choleric principal raged at the students who had come
@ In his checkered career, he lived in palaces as well as barns. late to school.
CHERUBIC Adj. CHOICE (adj.)

angel ic, innocentlooking specially sel ected, preferred
þ Syn. divine, holy, blessed, spiritual (n) – selection, picking
@ Her eyes, her innocent queries and her disarming smile make þ Syn. fi nest, exclusive
her cherubic.
¬ Ant. inferior, mediocre
@ When he took the choi cest cut of the cake f or himself, it
CHIC ( SHEK ) N., Adj. annoyed e verybody.
style, el egance, skill, fashionable
þ Syn. attractive, elegant, modish CHROMATIC – relating to colour
@ She wears chic, expensive clothes with designer labels. þ Syn. hued, bright
@ Chic females in the malls is what attracts boys there. ¬ Ant. wan, pallid
@ As he was colour blind, his chromatic perception was different
CHICANERY from normal people.
trickery, fraud, decepti on
þ Syn. deceit, duplicity CHRONIC Adj.
¬ Ant. honesty, scrupulousness of long duration, continuing
@ The buyer must be on guard against chicanery while buying a þ Syn. prol onged, persistent, extended
used car. @ Sloth is a chronic malady of the Indian psyche.
CHIDE CHURLISH Adj., CHURLISHNESS N.

to scold, express disapproval rude, ungracious, insolent, illmannered
þ Syn. chastise, reprimand þ Syn. boorish, truculent, impolite
¬ Ant. laud, approve ¬ Ant. courteous, poli te, considerate
@ Fatima chided her dog for eating the birthday cake that she @ Riches should not be an excuse for churlishness.
had baked for her friend.
@ They invited me to dinner and I thought it would be churlish
to ref use.
CHIMERA (KI MERA) N. CHIMERICAL Adj.
a wild fancy CHUTZPAH ( HOOTSPE ) N.
þ Syn. f antasy, daydream excessi ve bol dness, nerve
¬ Ant. reality, realism, truth, certainty þ Syn. gall, brashness, ef frontery
@ Precision and quality is a chimera for Chinese manufacturers, @ Bhutto’s chutzpah met an ignominious end.
according to their Indian rivals.
CIRCUITOUS Adj.
CHIVALROUS (SHIVALROUS) Adj. CHIVALRY N.
having a circular or winding route; roundabout
brave, bold, gallant, courteous to ladies
þ Syn. indirect, meandering, winding
þ Syn. courtly, mannerly, gracious
¬ Ant. direct, strai ght, through
¬ Ant. boorish, rude, impolite, rough @ To declare someone very simple is a circuitous way of calling
@ Men, they say, are chivalrous as long as the bride is new or him a fool.
bel ongs to another.
@ Chivalry in tits and bits is still visible in the Indian society.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . cosmopoli tan a . beli evable

2 . co ve rt b . worldly and sophisticated
3 . credible c . mysteri ous
4 . criteri on d . standard
5 . crypti c e . sec ret
5. (c ) 4. (d ) 3 .( a ) 2 .( e ) 1. (b )
Answer Key Mini Revision Tes
IC : PTpntvb01 (45) of (188)

CIRCUMLOCUTION N. CLAMOUR N., CLAMOUROUS N.
expressing an idea indirectly, evasive talk, pleonasm a loud continuous outcry
@ Politicians excel in the art of circumlocution. þ Syn. yell, cry, screech, bawl, holler
¬ Ant. whisper, sigh, rumour, hint
CIRCUMSCRIBE @ Every politician clamours for a place in the cabinet.
to encircle, restrict, confine
þ Syn. surround, demarcate CLANGOUR N.
¬ Ant. liberate, set free loud, resounding noise
@ Pahalgam is circumscribed by rolling mountains. þ Syn. peal, ringing, tolling, dingdong
@ The noise level in today’s life has reached such a level, that
CIRCUMSPECT the clangour destroys all peace.
cautious, wary
þ Syn. guarded, secreti ve CLARITY
¬ Ant. frank, open cl earness, clear understandi ng
@ Repeated failures have made Jack far more circumspect in þ Syn. lucidity, comprehensibility
hi s ventures.
¬ Ant. confusion, incomprehensibility
@ She explained the plan to him with the utmost clarity, but he
CIRCUMVENT still failed to understand.
to go around, avoid
þ Syn. evade, dodge
CLAUSTROPHOBIA N.
¬ Ant. confront, f ace
CLAUSTROPHOBIC Adj.
@ Lal ita circumvented the hospital's rules and remained l ong
after visitng hours, pretending to be a doctor’s relative. fear of small enclosed spaces
@ Because of his claustrophobia, he used to keep the doors of
his room wide open, even when he slept.
CISTERN
@ I feel claustrophobic in crowded suburban trains.
tank for rainwater
þ Syn. reservoir, vat
CLEAVE V.
@ When their water supply was cut off, the family had to rely
on the old cistern. to separate into distinct parts, to split
þ Syn. slice, cut, slash, smite, hew, chop
CITADEL @ Communal politics finally cleaved Indian subcontinent.
fortress or stronghold
þ Syn. castle, fortification CLEMENT Adj., CLEMENCY N.
@ The nobleman retreated to his citadel to protect himself from disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather
an attack.
þ Syn. mercy, forgiveness, moderation
¬ Ant. harshness, austerity, bleakness
CIVIL
@ Wh en th e su pre me co ur t u ph el d t he de at h p en al ty, t he
polite, relating to citizens prisoner prayed to the President of India for clemency.
þ Syn. civilised, polished @ Justice Bhandari is known to be a cl ement judge and has
¬ Ant. impolite, uncultured never awarded the capital punishment.
@ Police officers are instructed to be civil to the general public,
although cases of highhandedness continue to occur.
CLICHE ( KLEESHAY ) N., Adj.
a stereotyped phrase, overw orked expression, banali ty
CLAIRVOYANT Adj., CLAIRVOYANCE N.
þ Syn. commonplace, platitude
Ha vi n g t he pow er to se e o bje cts or ev ent s tha t c ann ot be
percei ved by the senses @ Women’s emancipation has become a cliche.
@ The clairvoyant foretold the rise of India and China as new @ His cliched expressions failed to rouse her empathy for him.
superpow ers.
CLIQUE N.
CLANDESTINE small, exclusive group
secretive, concealed for a darker purpose þ Syn. cabal, faction, clan, gang, coterie
þ Syn. covert, steal thy @ He left the party, claiming that a clique had hijacked its ideals.
¬ Ant. open, above board
@ T h e d o u b l e a ge n t p a i d m a n y c l a n d e s t i n e v i s i t s t o t h e CLOISTER N., V.
president's office in the dead of night.
A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious
seclusion; to seclude
CLAMBER V. @ Dr. Ashok Sen, a nuclear scientist, cloistered himself in his
climb by crawling lab for years, to come up with a nucleus separator.
þ Syn. scramble, scale, mount, crawl
@ He clambered up the cliff inch by inch.
(46) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

CLOSET N., V. COG N.
a small private room, private chambers of a sovereign a spoke in a wheel, an unimportant person in a large organisation
þ Syn. private, cl andestine, secreti ve þ Syn. component, gear, mechanism
¬ Ant. open, unlock, unbolt, unf asten @ Oil the cogs, they say, to keep the wheel moving.
@ Once the CBI enquiry started, the secrets started coming
out of the closet. COGENT Adj.
convi ncing, persuasive, pertinent
CLOUT N. þ Syn. forceful, strong, wellargued, relevant
great influence, especially political or social ¬ Ant. unconvincing, weak, f eeble
þ Syn. wallop, whack, smack, blow @ Hi tl e r’ s c oge nt ar gum ent s w er e e nou gh to co nvi nc e h i s
@ Women in dualearner households are gaining in job status countrymen about the legitimacy of his heinous crimes.
and earnings, giving them more clout at work and at home.
COGITATE V.
CLOYING Adj. to give serious consideration or thought to, to contemplate, think
o v e r
distasteful because excessive, excessively sweet or sentimental
þ Syn. consider, deliberate, ruminate
þ Syn. oversw eet, sticky, sugary
@ For a worldcl ass economy Indi a must cogi tate over eco
¬ Ant. clean, spotless, dirt free, tidy
friendly legislation.
@ Sh e cr i t i c i s ed w ha t sh e de sc ri be d as t he f i l m’ s cl oy i n g
sentimental ity.
COGNOSCENTE ( CONYOSHENTI ) N.
a critical judge of something, a connoisseur, esp. one of arts,
COAX V. wines etc.
to try and persuade by flattery or fondling, to soothe or pet, cajole @ When it comes to wines, he is considered a cognoscente.
þ Syn. wheedle, persuade, enti ce
¬ Ant. force, compel, coerce COHERENT
@ He coaxed his parents into sending him abroad. intelligible, lucid, understandable
þ Syn. rational, comprehensible
COA GULATE ¬ Ant. irrational, muddled
to clot or change from a liquid to a solid @ Chitra was so tired that her speech was barely coherent.
þ Syn. clot, thicken
¬ Ant. liquefy, melt COHORTS N.
@ Haemophil i acs can bl eed to death because thei r bl ood i s henchmen
incapable of coagulating. @ The mafia kingpin arrived in Mumbai along with his cohorts.
COERCE COLLAGE N.

to compel by force, intimidate any work put together from assembled fragments
þ Syn. constrain, pressurise þ Syn. patchwork, collection
¬ Ant. persuade, coax @ India is a veritable collage of cultures and ideologies.
@ The gunwielding thief coerced the cashier into handing over
all the money. COLLATE V., COLLATION N.
to assemble pages of a file or manuscript in proper order, sort,
COCOON N. correlate; a light meal
the silky protective sheath spun by insect larvae while developing þ Syn. collect, gather, assemble, pool
þ Syn. insulate, protect, envelop, w rap @ The anthropologists have more or less collated the history of
¬ Ant. expose, picture, rendering mankind.
@ The onl y way to succeed is to break out of the cocoon of @ Since he invariably reached home late, he preferred a collation
to a heavy meal.
inhibi tions.
@ Rajesh cocooned himself from the world after his failed suicide
attempt. COLLATERAL
accompani ment, security
CODDLE V. þ Syn. corroborati ve, surety
to treat gently, pamper @ The CEO urged the managers to stick to the agenda and not
be distracted by collateral issues.
@ We never coddle our students.
COLLOQUY N.
COFFER N.
m u t u a l d i s c o u r s e , f a i r l y s e r i o u s c o n v e r s a t i o n , d i a l o g u e ,
a chest for holding treasure or money, vault conf erence
þ Syn. casket, strongbox, saf e, treasury þ Syn. discussion, meeting, symposium
@ The government’s forex coffers were empty in 1991. @ John burst into the house eager to tell his good news but,
noticing that his parents were engaged in quiet colloquy, he
decided to wait.
IC : PTpntvb01 (47) of (188)
COLLOQUIAL Adj., N. COMMISSA RY N.
informal talk, unceremonious tal k, pertaining to conversational one to whom any charge is committed, an officer, a deputy
talk @ He is the newly appointed commissary for the region.
þ Syn. idiomatic, everyday
@ His colloquial manner was contrary to the traditional sti ff COMMISERA TE V.
upperlip of the British. to condole with, to express pity for, to sympathise with
þ Syn. empathise, console
COLOSSAL Adj., COLOSSUS N. @ Most commiserate with the poor, only a few lend a helping
huge, enormous; a huge statue han d.
þ Syn. gargantuan, mammoth, titan
@ Th e sw i ndl i ng empl oyee cau sed col o ssal dam age to t he COMMODIOUS Adj.
company. roomy, spacious, comfortable
@ India is ruled by the colossus of bureaucracy. þ Syn. large, ample, big, vast, extensive
¬ Ant. overcrowded, restri cted
COLLUSION N. @ Colonial mansions are commodious and have an ambience.
A secret agreement between two or more parties for a fraudulent,
illegal, or deceitful purpose; connivance COMMONPLACE
@ The collusion between the two terrorist groups is a matter of found every day
grave concern for the police department. þ Syn. ordinary, mediocre
¬ Ant. speci al, exceptional
COMATOSE Adj. @ Computers are commonplace in modern offices.
drowsy, sleepy, affected with coma, unconscious
þ Syn. exhausted, spent, passed out, torpid COMMOTION N.
¬ Ant. energeti c, active, brisk, bouncy activity, ado, action, turmoil
@ The edi torial asked if the intel li gence of the country was þ Syn. disquiet, conf usion, bustle
comatose after the police failed to achieve any breakthrough ¬ Ant. calmness, tranquillity, serenity
in the bomb blasts case. @ The bomb scare created a commotion in the court house.
COMELY Adj. COMMUNICABLE

pleasing and wholesome in appearance; attractive transmittable
@ I would love to have a comely girl as my wife. þ Syn. contagious, infectious
¬ Ant. incommunicable, nontransferable
COMMEMORATE V. @ Nurses must wear surgi cal masks as a precaution agai nst
communicable diseases.
to celebrate, to preserve the memory of
þ Syn. honour, remember, observe
COMM UTE
¬ Ant. ignore, disregard, discount
travel, exchange, reduce penalty
@ A statue has been bui lt to commemorate the 100th bi rth
þ Syn. attenuate, curtail
anniversary of the poet.
¬ Ant. increase, uphold
@ His death sentence was commuted on an appeal filed by his
COMMEND
wi fe.
to compliment, praise
þ Syn. applaud, extol COMPASSION N.
¬ Ant. criticise, condemn pi ty, commi serati on, sympathy, f orbearan ce, aw arene ss and
@ The teacher commended Yukta on her brilliant performance in caring for others, sympathy for others’ misfortunes
the test. þ Syn. empathy, kindness, care
¬ Ant. coldness, chilliness, frostiness
COMMENSURA TE @ “I understand how difficult it must be for you to live without
proporti onal your parents,” she said with compassion.
þ Syn. equivalent, corresponding
¬ Ant. di sproportionate, i nordinate COMPENDIUM N.
@ Steve was given a salary commensurate with his experience. brief summary of a larger work, abstract
@ Th e s tud ent s s hou ted w i th hap pi n ess w h en the te ach er
distributed a glossy compendium of Maths formulae just before
COMMENSURABLE Adj. the test.
capable of being measured by same unit
@ The grief suffered by the innocent victims of the blast and COMPELLING
the alleged injustices meted out to the jailed comrades were
having a powerful and irresistible effect
certainly not commensurable.
þ Syn. enthralli ng, captivating
¬ Ant. boring, dull
@ The defense lawyer's compelling arguments made the jurors
sympathetic towards the accused.
(48) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
COMPENSATE @ The government has eased the procedure for filing tax returns
to repay or reimburse but has made compliance mandatory.
þ Syn. recompense, make amends
@ The moving company had to compensate the customer f or COMPOSURE N.
causing damage to the furniture. mental calmness
þ Syn. equanimi ty, serenity, mixture
COMPLACENT Adj. COMPLACENCY N. COMPLACENCE N.
¬ Ant. agitation, campaigning, protest
satisfied with success and not trying for further improvements
@ You may feel nervous but don't lose your composure in front
þ Syn. contended, pleased with oneself of your interviewer.
¬ Ant. agitated, turbulent
@ The complacent company soon realised that its slow pace of
COMPOUND (adj.)
change had allowed its competitors to spread their tentacles.
@ T h e R o m a n E m p i r e c a n a t t r i b u t e i t s d o w n f a l l t o t h e complex, composed of several parts
complacency of its people. (n) – a mixture of two or more things
þ Syn. composite, blended
COMPLAISA NT Adj. ¬ Ant. simple, synthesized
cheerfully obliging, desirous of pleasing @ A compound word is a combination of two or more words.
@ A c o mp l a i sa n t at t i t u de r e f l e ct s i ns i nc e ri ty to w ar ds th e
organisati on.
COMPRESS
to reduce, squeeze
COMPLEMENT
þ Syn. condense, contract
to complete, perfect
þ Syn. accompaniment, adjunct ¬ Ant. amplify, enlarge
¬ Ant. contrast, disparity @ The campers compressed the sixman tent into a tiny package.
@ G i t a ' s m a r o o n s w e a t e r c o m p l e m e n t e d h e r g o l d e n h a i r
perf ectl y. COMPRISE V.
include, consist of
COMPLIA NT þ Syn. encompass, embrace, involve
submissive and yielding ¬ Ant. exclude, bar, prohibit, prevent
þ Syn. acquiescent, amenable @ India as a nati on compri ses as many cultures as there are
¬ Ant. recalci trant, uncooperati ve s t at e s .
@ The new employee was less quali fied but more compliant, @ The course comprises a class book, a practice book and an
leading to less conflicts in the office. audi o tape.
COMPLICITY N. COMPULSIVE

participation or involvement in a questionable act or crime obsessive, f anatic
þ Syn. responsi bility, connivance þ Syn. distraught, erratic
@ His complicity in the sabotage case led to termination of his ¬ Ant. controlled, flexible
servi ces. @ A compulsive l iar, Ravi claimed that he had once cl imbed
Mount Everest with a yak on his back.
COMPLY V., COMPLIANCE N.
accord, acquiesce, adhere to, agree to COMPUNCTION N.
þ Syn. obey, fulfill, abide by, submit A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt
¬ Ant. def y, contravene, vi ol ate @ Mil i nd l acked compuncti on as he was seen partyi ng af ter
committing the crime.
@ Comply with the dictates of your conscience and you will never
have to regret.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . circumscribe a . f ru stra te

2 . circumspect b . draw a line around
3 . circumvent c . cauti ous
4 . civil d . pol ite
5 . cl emency e . mercy
5 . ( e ) 4 . (d ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (c ) 1 . (b )
IC : PTpntvb01 (49) of (188)

CONCEDE V. CONDESCEND V.
to admit reluctantly, to yield to descend willingly from a superior position, to unbend
þ Syn. grant, allow, compromise, forfeit þ Syn. stoop, deign
¬ Ant. maintain, continue, sustain @ I cannot believe that he could condescend to this level, just
@ The losing candidate conceded at midnight after the polls had to insult me.
cl osed.
CONDIMENTS N.
CONCEIT N., CONCEITED Adj. A substance, such as a relish, vinegar, or spice, used to flavour
Holding or characterised by an unduly high opinion of oneself or complement food.
þ Syn. smug, arrogant, snobbish @ Add a couple of condiments to this bland curry and it will
become delectable.
@ He’s a conceited young man who believes he’s always right
about everything.
CONDOMINIUM N.
CONCEPTUALISE a building or complex in which units of property such as apartments
are owned by individuals and common parts like roof are jointly
to envision, imagine owned; joint sovereignty
þ Syn. visualise, behold @ The condominium of the communist elite is no different from
@ It was easier to conceptualise the new building than construct their erstwhile rulers.
it. @ The all i es f eared that they w ere paw ns i n a superpow er
condominium.
CONCILIATORY Adj. CONCILIATION N.
reconciling, soothing CONDONE V., CONDONATION N.
þ Syn. appeasing, pacifyi ng, assuaging to f orgive, excuse, overlook, to pardon
¬ Ant. provocative, conf rontati onal þ Syn. disregard, close the eyes to
@ He took a conciliatory initiative to end the discord. ¬ Ant. acknowledge, admit, recognise
@ If the government is seen to condone violence, the bloodshed
CONCLAVE N. will never stop.
private meeting, secret meeting, convention
þ Syn. assembly, council, congress CONDUCIVE Adj.
@ The ministers huddled in a conclave to take the decision. helpful, suitable, promoting, furthering, aiding, contributive
þ Syn. favourable, encouragi ng
CONCOCT V., CONCOCTION N. @ A work culture conducive for learning is what management
graduates need in their internship.
to prepare by mixing ingredients, as in cooking; to devise, using
skill and intelligence
þ Syn. contrive, cookup, formulate CONFISCATE
@ This concoction will relieve you of your cold. to appropri ate, seize
@ Shyam concocted a story for his late arrival. þ Syn. extract, annex
¬ Ant. bequeath, relinquish
CONCOMITANT Adj., N. @ The FBI agents conf iscated the shipment and arrested the
drug dealers.
accompanying, occurring along with
þ Syn. attendant, connected, affi li ated
CONFLAGRATION N.
¬ Ant. unrelated, unconnected, di stinct
a deadly and devastating fire
@ Social change is concomitant to economic revolution.
þ Syn. inferno, bush fire, forest fire
@ If there is a shortage, there w ill be a concomi tant ri se in
pri ces. @ The conflagration in the UP hills has damaged the ecosystem
permanentl y.
CONCORD
CONFLUENCE
agreement, harmony
gathering, meeting of two streams
þ Syn. pact, consensus
þ Syn. assemblage, merger
¬ Ant. discord, disagreement
¬ Ant. divergence, split
@ The manager and her empl oyees were in concord over the
changes to the product. @ Allahabad is situated at the confluence of two rivers.
CONCUR CONFOUND V. confuse, puzzle

to agree þ Syn. stun, amaze, mystify, bewilder
þ Syn. accede, acquiesce @ An elderly man from Hoogly has confounded doctors at the
local hospital by getting up and walking after he was officially
¬ Ant. argue, object
declared dead.
@ When the owner suggested that there was a need to put in
extra work to tide over the problem, everyone concurred.
(50) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

CONGEAL CONNOISSEUR N.
to become thick or solid, as a liquid freezing expert, aesthete, critic, judge,
þ Syn. coagulate, clot þ Syn. authority, specialist, aficionado
¬ Ant. dissolve, liquefy @ A connoisseur will be able to tell you the value of that painting
@ The melted butter congealed on the floor, forming a sticky you found in your attic.
mass. @ I’m no connoisseur but I know a good champagne when I
taste one.
CONGENIAL
CONSCIENTIOUS Adj.
similar in tastes and habits
moral, honourable, right
þ Syn. aff able, convivial
þ Syn. diligent, exact, meticulous
¬ Ant. antagonistic, unsociable
@ S h e e t a l i s a n e x c e l l e n t s t u d e n t b r i g h t , a t t e n t i v e a n d
@ Couples with congenial personalities stay together longer than
consci entious.
those who are opposites.
CONSCRIPT N., V.

CONGENITAL
draftee, person forced into military service, to draft or enlist a
existing since birth person by law or force
þ Syn. inherent, innate þ Syn. recruit, enlist, enroll, rookie
¬ Ant. acquired @ One person from a family compulsorily has to be a conscript
@ The i nf ant's congeni tal def o rmi ty w as corrected through in some countries.
su rger y. @ Many young men were conscripted into the army during the
IndoChina war.
CONGLOMERATE
collected group of varied things CONSECRATE V., Adj
þ Syn. aggregati on, assemblage to devote or declare to a sacred cause
¬ Ant. individual, unit þ Syn. bless, anoint, baptise, purify
@ The conglomerate manuf actured everything from chemicals @ The monument is consecrated to the memory of fallen heroes.
to trucks. @ They assembled at that consecrated spot to pray for peace.
CONGRESS CONSENSUS
formal meeting or assembly unanimity, agreement of opinion or attitude
þ Syn. convention, convocati on þ Syn. accord, concord
¬ Ant. dispersion, disbanding ¬ Ant. discord, dissension
@ The parties debated long into the night, but could not reach @ The jurors f i nal l y reached a consensus and decl ared the
a compromise. def endant gui l ty.
CONJECTURE N., V. CONSIGN

surmise, guess, supposition, conclusion to commit, entrust
þ Syn. guess, inference, speculati on þ Syn. delegate, turn over
@ It is dangerous to act on mere conjectures. ¬ Ant. keep, recei ve
@ My aunt consigned her cat to the care of her neighbour while
she vacationed in Kashmir.
CONJUGAL Adj.
Of or relating to marriage or the relationship of spouses
CONSOLATION
@ Today’s youth start enjoyi ng conjugal bl iss even pri or to
marriage. something providing comfort or solace for a loss or hardship
þ Syn. assuagement, all eviation
CONJURE V. ¬ Ant. aggravation, i ntensifi cati on
summon a devil, practise magic; imagine, invent @ The millions she inherited provided little consolation to the
griefstricken widow.
þ Syn. summon, callup, involve
@ A completely happy life has to be conjured up.
CONSOLIDATE
to combine, strengthen
CONNIVE
þ Syn. amalgamate, fortify
to conspire, deliberately ignore
¬ Ant. shatter, fragment
þ Syn. devise, cogitate
@ The author consolidated various articles into one book.
@ The customs officials were found to have connived with the
smugglers.
CONSONANCE N.
harmony, agreement, concord
@ There must be consonance among all departments for the
overall success of the company.
IC : PTpntvb01 (51) of (188)

CONSORT N., V. CONTEMPLATIVE Adj. CONTEMPLATE V. CONTEMPLATION N.
a companion or partner, a group or a company; to keep company, deep in thought, meditative, musing, pensive
unite or associate þ Syn. pensi ve, refl ective, introspecti ve
þ Syn. conform, harmonise, associate @ The contemplative mood of the investors is wreaking havoc
@ The queen governed in consort with her advisers. on BSE.
@ A politician in Bihar is known to consort with gangsters. @ Deepak sought f urther inf ormati on i n contempl ati on of a
career change.
CONSTERNATION N.
worry, concern, di smay, astoni shment CONTEND
þ Syn. disquiet, al arm, anxiety to battle, cl ash, compete
¬ Ant. composure, equanimity þ Syn. conf ront, di spute
@ The entire nation looked on in consternation as the twin towers ¬ Ant. retreat, harmonise
coll apsed. @ No boxer, past or present, would have been able to contend
with Muhammad Ali in his prime.
CONSTITUENT
component, part, citiz en, voter CONTENTIOUS
þ Syn. elemental, essential quarrel some, di sagreeable
¬ Ant. aggregate, composite þ Syn. belligerent, bellicose
@ The leader was voted out of power as his constituents were ¬ Ant. amiable, affable
unhappy with his work.
@ T he c on te nt i ou s ge nt l e m an i n th e b ar a ng ri l y ri di cu l e d
whatever anyone sai d.
CONSTRAINED
forced, compelled, conf ined, restrained CONTINENCE N.
þ Syn. obl igated, coerced voluntarily refraining from sexual intercourse, voluntary control
¬ Ant. allowed, permitted over urinary and fecal discharge
@ The writer, constrained by the limitations his editor imposed @ In the epi c Mahabharat, Bhi shma vowed to l ead a l if e of
upon him, had to cut 200 pages from his book. cel ibacy and continence.
@ As men age, prostate problems can cause l oss of urinary
CONSTRAINT continence.
somethi ng that forces or compel s, something that restrains or
confi nes CONTINGENT Adj., N. CONTINGENCY N.
þ Syn. compulsion, captivity likely but not certain to happen,
¬ Ant. release, liberty an unforeseen eventual ity; f ortui tousness
@ The madman was chained, but this constraint was insufficient þ Syn. emergency, incident, possibility
to prevent him from injuring five persons.
@ The contingencies of life test one’s mettle.
@ The Indian contingent for the Olympics arrived in Rome today.
CONSTRUE
to understand or interpret
CONTORT V., CONTORTION N.
þ Syn. decipher, expli cate
to twist in a violent manner
¬ Ant. confuse, obf uscate
þ Syn. warp, deform
@ She wasn't sure how to construe his remark but decided to
@ E ven under anaesthesia, her contorted face reveal ed the
consider it a compliment, for the sake of peace.
pain she was enduring.
CONSUL N.
CONTOUR N.
an official agent of a govt. appointed in a foreign land to take
care of its citizens’ interests outline, general character or aspect
þ Syn. diplomat, ambassador þ Syn. curve, line, form, outline, shape
@ T h e n e w l y ap p o i n t ed c o n s ul w a s so o n b e l e a g u e r ed b y @ He studied the contour of her face, silhouetted against the
probl ems. darkening sky.
CONSUMMATE Adj., V. CONTRABAND Adj.

CONSUMMATION N. prohibited by law, excluded by law
supreme, complete, perf ect, of the highest quality and order, þ Syn. illegal imports
accomplished, skilled @ The economic reforms led to a drop in contraband trade in
þ Syn. carry out, achi eve, expert Indi a.
@ Michelangelo was a consummate artist.
@ Michelle consummated the business deal quickly and left for
Pari s.
(52) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

CONTRAVENE CONVIVIAL Adj.
to contradi ct, deny, act contrary to social, jovial, gregarious, lively, spirited, congenial
þ Syn. abjure, conflict þ Syn. welcoming, warm, cordial
¬ Ant. agree, approve ¬ Ant. unfriendly, aloof, distant, surly
@ The watchman contravened his official instructions by leaving @ Many an executive owes his promotion to convivial spouses.
his post unmanned for an hour.
CONVOLUTED
CONTRITE Adj.
twisted, complicated, involved
brokenhearted f or sin, penitent, sorry, apol ogeti c, sorrowf ul ,
þ Syn. serpentine, tangled
regretf ul
¬ Ant. straight forward, simple
þ Syn. remorseful , repentant, penitent
@ Although many people bought ‘ A Brief History of Time’ , very
¬ Ant. unapologetic, shameless
few could follow its convoluted ideas and theories.
@ Her set, contrite face told him more about her misery than
words could have expressed.
COPIOUS Adj.
CONTRIVE V., CONTRIVANCE N. suff icient, lavish, abundant, plentiful

to plan, invent, to bring about, arrange, plot þ Syn. profuse, bountiful, numerous
þ Syn. engineer, plan, plot, scheme ¬ Ant. a few, a couple, a handful, some
@ It is believed that ISI contrived with the mil itants to bring @ I took copious notes so that I would have enough material for
about the CharareShari f di saster. my term paper.
CONTUMACIOUS Adj. CONTUMELY N. COQUETTE (KOKET) N. COQUETTISH Adj.

obstinate, scornful, stubborn; scornful i nsolence a flirting woman
@ The contumacious ways of Khruschev and Brez hnev have @ A coquette brings fun to life and brings ulcers as wife.
contributed much to Russia’s present economic condition. @ The coquettish smil e on Deepali’s face i ndicates that she’s
@ He was patient for long but the last contumely was too much only having fun with Rituraj.
to bear and he retaliated in kind.
CORDON V. (usually used with off ), N.
CONUNDRUM N. to form a cordon around (an area) so as to prevent movement in
any puzzling question, a riddle or out
þ Syn. eni gma, quandary @ The troops cordoned off the road leading to the president’s
@ The conundrum of falling rupee has been worrying the finance pa l ac e.
ministry for long.
CORNUCOPIA N.
CONVENE An overflowing store; an abundance
to meet, come together, assemble @ A c o r n u c o p i a o f e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s e x i s t s i n
þ Syn. congregate, convoke metropolitan cities.
¬ Ant. di sperse, scatter
@ The members of the board convene at least once a week. CORONER N.
an officer who inquires into accidental or suspicious deaths
CONVENTIONAL @ In many a murder case only the coroner’s report is crucial.
typical, commonplace
þ Syn. customary, orthodox CORPOREAL Adj.
¬ Ant. unorthodox, bohemian something physical or concrete, tangible, material, substantial
@ Conventional wisdom today says that a good job requires a þ Syn. bodily, animal
col lege educati on. ¬ Ant. cerebral, psychol ogical
@ The spiritual rewards of success far outweigh the corporeal
CONVEX one s.
curved outw ard @ His corporeal needs were few – food and physical comforts
þ Syn. protuberant, cambered meant nothing to him.
¬ Ant. concave, i ncurvate
@ The convex shape of his pot belly contrasted sharply with his CORPULENT Adj., CORPULENCE N.
wife's taut and flat stomach. very fat, obese, chubby
þ Syn. fleshy, rotund, plump, podgy
CONVICT N., V. ¬ Ant. slim, thin, slender, slight, wiry
criminal, culprit, felon, to find or prove to be guilty @ The pol ice commi ssioner has deci ded not to put up wi th
þ Syn. off ender, prisoner, condemn corpulent men among officers.
@ The mixing of hardened convicts with juvenile offenders is
not a good idea.
@ Hiren Thakur was convicted for murdering his wife.
IC : PTpntvb01 (53) of (188)

CORRELATION COUP (KOO) N.
association, relationship between two or more things a master stroke, a sudden blow or stroke
þ Syn. connection, association þ Syn. overthrow , revoluti on, takeover
@ All too often, there is little correlation between a man’s wealth @ The poli tics of coups is the bane of infant democracies of
and his intelligence. Af ri c a.
@ The company pulled off a coup when the product launch party
CORROBORATE V., CORROBORATOR N. was graced by the prime minister himself.
to confirm, to make more certain, to ratify, to support
þ Syn. agree with, substantiate, uphold COUPE N.
¬ Ant. contradict, gainsay, challenge a carriage with seating arrangements; a car with a fixed roof,
@ It is one thing to accuse, another to corroborate it. two doors and usually a sloping back
þ Syn. car, auto, vehi cle, sports car
CORRUGATE V. @ I had reserved a coupe in the train.

to wrinkle or draw into folds
@ Time corrugates the most beautiful of faces. COVENANT N.
a mutual agreement
COSMETIC þ Syn. contract, treaty, promise, pledge
relating to beauty, affecting the surface of something @ The covenants of law ought to be respected for sake of social
order and harmony.
þ Syn. beautifyi ng, superficial
¬ Ant. fundamental, structural
COVERT Adj.
@ Cosmetic surgery such as a nose job is generally not covered
by insurance. covered, concealed, secret, hi dden
þ Syn. clandestine, stealthy, veil ed
COSMOP OLITAN ¬ Ant. open, unlock, unbolt, exposed
b el o n gi n g t o a l l t h e w o rl d , s o ph i st i c at e d, f re e f r o m l o ca l @ T he m ur d er e d s o l di e r b e l o n ge d to an a rm y un i t w h i c h
prejudices specialises in covert operations.
þ Syn. international, multiracial
¬ Ant. provinci al, unsophi sticated COVET V., COVETOUS Adj.
@ What the world needs today is a cosmopolitan outlook rather to wish for enviously; very desirous of something, avaricious,
than narrow racial groupings. g re ed y
þ Syn. envious, jeal ous
COTERIE N. @ The covetous pol iti cian can hardl y f ormul ate a l ongterm
a social, literary or politically exclusive circle, clique, a distinct policy of growth and development.
group of people with common interests, faction @ My daughters are very competi tive and covet each other’s
@ Many of the political blunders of Mr. Rajiv Gandhi are now jobs.
attributed to his coterie.
COWER V.
COUNTENANCE N., V. to sink due to fear, to crouch shrinkingly, to cringe in fear
ap pear ance , es peci al l y th e ex pres si on on the f ac e; t o gi ve þ Syn. cringe, tremble, recoil, shy away
approval to, tol erate
@ The most corrupt politician cowers at the mere mention of a
@ The question left him with a puzzled countenance. public interest litigation against him.
@ The Governess refused to countenance Shilpi’s insolence.
COY Adj., COYLY Adv.
CULL V., N. marked by cute, coquettish, or artful playfulness
to pick out from others; select, to remove þ Syn. bashful, timid, modest, demure
rejected members or parts from (a herd, for ¬ Ant. bold, shameless, audacious
exampl e) @ There i s of ten strong emotional maturi ty behi nd the coy
@ This author has culled the best questions from various books demeanour of a woman.
and compiled them into a new exercise book.
@ Geetika acted coyly when we asked her about her fiance.
CULVERT N.
CRA SS Adj.
a transverse and totally enclosed drain under a road or railway
very unrefined, grossly insensible
@ The road contact with Shimla was lost as the culverts alongway
þ Syn. tactless, stupid, inane, ridiculous
were overf low ing.
¬ Ant. sensitive, recepti ve, percepti ve
@ Crass consumerism has affected the elite most.
COUNTERMAND V.
@ He made crass comments about her w ornout dress even
to give an order cancelling the previous one, to revoke
though he knew she couldn’t afford to buy any more clothes.
þ Syn. cancel, stop, annul, retract
@ Th e s upr eme co urt ha s t he aut hor i ty to co unt erm and a
decision of the lower courts.
(54) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

CRAVEN CREVICE N.
cow ardly, lilylivered an opening crack, fissure, clink, division
þ Syn. fainthearted, timid þ Syn. gap, cl eft, fracture, cranny
¬ Ant. brave, courageous @ The harsh li ght revealed every crevi ce and wrinkl e on his
@ The craven lion looked funny, cringing in a corner, away from f a ce .
the mouse.
CRINGE V.
CRAVING N. shrink back, as if in fear
desire, hunger, longing, lust þ Syn. recoil, wince, shy away, cower
þ Syn. passion, thirst, yearning, yen @ We all cringed at her ribald jokes.
¬ Ant. hatred, aversion, dislike
@ Sometimes Neeta has a craving for chocolates. CRITERION
standard for judging, rule for testing
CREDIBLE Adj., CREDIBILITY N. þ Syn. benchmark, yardstick
which may be believed @ Only recently has intelligence become an important criterion
þ Syn. convincing, plausible in judging beauty pageants.
¬ Ant. incredible, enormous
@ They haven’t produced any credi bl e pol ici es for improvi ng CROTCHET N., CROTCHETY Adj.
the situation. a fancy, a whim, an eccentricity
@ The company lost credibility in the market after it was fined @ The facade of a crotchety old man stood Hercules Poirot, the
for evading taxes. detecti ve, in good stead.
CREDITABLE Adj. CRUCIFY V., CRUCIFIXION N.

prai sew orthy, trustw orthy to put to death on a cross, to torment, to subdue
þ Syn. good, worthy, laudable @ Humanity has always crucified its great only to venerate them
¬ Ant. poor, deprived, reduced, pi tiable later on.
@ Pele’s performance as a football player had been creditable. @ Calgary is the site just outside Jerusalem where the crucifixion
of Christ took place.
CREDULOUS
CRUMPLE V.
gullible, trusting
to crush into irregular wrinkles
þ Syn. naive, i ngenuous
þ Syn. crease, crinkle, crush, screw up
¬ Ant. worldlywise, suspicious
¬ Ant. smooth, flat, level, even, soft
@ Although small children believe in the Easter Bunny, only the
most credulous teenagers do so. @ Sylvie crumpled up the letter and threw it in the bin.
CREED CRYOGENICS N.
statement of belief or principle branch of Physics dealing with very low temperature phenomena
þ Syn. doctrine, dogma, faith @ Indians were surprised at Russia's reluctance to share the
Cryogenic engine technology with them.
@ It was part of the old man's creed to cook his own food.
CRYPTIC Adj.
CREME DE LA CREME (French)
hidden, mysteriousl y obscure, secret, unseen
the best of the elite, the very best
þ Syn. puzzling, baffling
@ The creme de la creme of society were present at the classical
music concert. ¬ Ant. exoteric, easy
@ W he n i t ca m e t o w i n ni ng qu i z co nt e st s, ou r c l a s s w a s @ Archaeologists have deciphered the most cryptic of all ancient
considered the creme de la creme. l anguages.
CRESCENDO N. CUISINE – characteristic style of cooking

a gradual increase in the intensity of a thing þ Syn. cookery
þ Syn. upsurge, swelling, loudening @ The Mexican cuisine is spicy and tangy.
@ The demand for reservation of 33 per cent seats of Indian
Parliament for women is now reaching a crescendo. CULDESAC N.
a blind alley, a trap
CRESTFALLEN Adj. þ Syn. dead end, blind alley
dejected, di spiri ted @ Beware! Your reckless ambition may lead you to a culdesac.
þ Syn. disappointed, down, sad
¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, jovial, merry
@ Saurav strode confidently out on to the pitch but returned
crestfallen a few minutes later, with a score of only two runs.
IC : PTpntvb01 (55) of (188)
CULINARY Adj. CUPIDITY N.
pertaining to the kitchen or cookery covetousness, greed, avarice
þ Syn. cooking, gastronomic þ Syn. sel fishness, meanness, avidity
@ The culinary expertise of the chef made him pricey. @ His success in business is largely due to his cupidity.
CULMINATE V., CULMINATION N. CURA TOR

to reach the highest point caretaker and overseer of an exhibition, especially in a museum
þ Syn. end, terminate, conclude, finish @ The curator resigned when he could no longer bear begging
¬ Ant. start, create, found, establ ish for donations to keep the museum open.
@ Their many years of research have fi nally culmi nated in a
cure for Hepatitis B. CURSORY
hastily done, superficial
CULPABLE Adj. þ Syn. perf unctory, rapid
cri minal, faulty, censurabl e, reproachable ¬ Ant. thorough, painstaking
þ Syn. guilty, blameworthy, liable @ The copy edi tor gave the articl e a cursory glance, missing
¬ Ant. innocent, guiltl ess, naive, pure doz ens of errors.
@ Sheltering a criminal is a culpable offence.
CURTA IL
CULP RIT to shorten, diminish
guilty person þ Syn. reduce, pare
þ Syn. miscreant, off ender ¬ Ant. increase, l engthen
@ The police caught the culprit right outside the bakery, eating @ I had to curtail my vacation because I ran out of money.
the stolen doughnut.
CUTLERY
CULT N. cutting instruments, tablew are
an unorthodox or false religion, a fad, excessive admiration of @ The restaurant w as notori ous for not washing its cutl ery
an idea properl y.
þ Syn. sect, party, trendy, craze
@ The Osho cult still has a tremendous following. CYNICAL Adj., CYNIC N.
misanthropic, disbelieving, distrustful, sceptical
CUMULATIVE Adj., CUMULATE V., CUMULATION N. þ Syn. pessimistic, mocking, sarcastic
growing by addition @ Modern youth tends to be cynical.
þ Syn. increasing, snowballing, swelling @ I ’ v e a l w a y s a b ho r r e d c y n i c s i n m y te a m b e c a u se t h e y
@ Gr ow i n g r i ch i s a cu mul ati v e pr oce ss, w i s e an d r egul ar demoral ise everyone.
investments bring in compunded benefits.
CYNOSURE N.
the focal point or centre of attraction
@ Media plays a very big role in making a Kalpana Chawla or a
Diana Hayden the cynosure of all eyes.
A nt hr op ol og y
The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned
a bo ve .
ANDROID : a robot with a human appearance

BIBELOT : a small item of rarity, beauty, or curiosity, relic; artifact
CONSANGUINITY : relationship by blood
MIDDEN : a dunghill or refuse heap
NOMAD : a pe r s on w h o m o v es a bo u t i n a s e a s on a l pa t t er n ,
especially in search of work and usually without a fixed
home
PETROGLYPH : a prehistoric carving or drawing on stone
RITE : a f ormal ceremoni al act or procedure, of ten part of
solemn religious occasions
SHIBBOLETH : a custom, principle or belief distinguishing a particular
class or group of people.
TOTEM : an object of animal with which a tribe, clan or group of
people identity in its rituals
VENDETTA : a private feud in which kin are obliged to seek revenge
for wrongs done to relatives
(56) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“D”
DABBLER N. DEA RTH
neophyte, beginner lack, insufficiency
þ Syn. amateur, di lettante þ Syn. scarcity, shortage
¬ Ant. adept, professional ¬ Ant. abundance, surfeit
@ The dabblers of yore are today the serious players of share @ The dearth of suppli es w as proving to be a greater threat
market. than the firepower of the enemy.
DAINTY Adj. DEBACLE N.

pleasant to the palate, tasteful; small, dwarfish, petite a complete break up or collapse or failure
þ Syn. charming, lilliputian, delicate þ Syn. disaster, undoing, cataclysm
@ We were given tea and some dainty cakes. ¬ Ant. success, accomplishment
@ Liberalisation may prove to be a debacle in countries that do
DALLY V., DALLIANCE N. not gi ve i t a sustained and consi stent push backed up by
to lose time by idleness; playful flirtation regular policy reforms and political will.
þ Syn. hand about, dawdle, loiter
¬ Ant. hurry, rush, hasten, speed DEBASE
@ The government is dallying over the issue of privatisation of to degrade or lower in quality or stature
telecommunication. þ Syn. demean, humiliate
@ Her dalliance at work place resulted in her removal from the ¬ Ant. dignify, ennoble
j ob . @ The president's shameful actions debased the stature of his
of f i ce.
DANGLE V.
to hang loosely or with a swinging motion DEBA UCH
þ Syn. hand down, suspend, droop to corrupt, mislead from virtue or duty
@ He dangled the puppet in front of the children. þ Syn. indulge in, degenerate
¬ Ant. straighten up, redeem
DANK Adj. @ After the unscrupulous count debauched the mi ni ster, the
damp conspiracy against the king began to take shape.
þ Syn. moist, humid, soggy, wet
@ The rooms of the village school are dank and dirty. DEBILITATE
to weaken, enf eeble
DASTARDLY Adj., DASTARD N. þ Syn. enervate, devitali se
cow ardl y ¬ Ant. strengthen, invigorate
þ Syn. shameful, immoral, base, low @ Debilitated by the flu, the postman was barely able to finish
¬ Ant. dignified, righteous his rounds.
@ The bombing of the houses is yet another dastardly attack
on innocent people. DEBONAIR Adj.
elegant, courteous, of a good appearance
DAUB V., N. þ Syn. suave, smart, refined, charming
to paint carelessly, to smear ¬ Ant. graceless, clumsy, ungainly
þ Syn. spread, slap, appl y, splatter @ The debonair actor was very popular among girls.
@ A canvas daubed with paint is often passed of as modern art.
DEBRIS ( DAYBREE ) N.
DAUNT V. wreckage, rui ns, rubbi sh, garbage, waste
to frighten, to subdue, to lessen the courage of, to cow þ Syn. remains, fragments, rubble, trash
þ Syn. deter, di scourage @ The car was buried in the debris which the landslide had swept
¬ Ant. arouse, awaken down the hill and this made recovery very difficult.
@ The daunting inflation rate had the finance minister worried.
DEBUNK V.
DAZE V., N. expose as fal se, exaggerated, worthless
to stun, to stupefy, to confuse þ Syn. show up, deflate, discredit
þ Syn. shock, astound, bemuse, baffle @ Ram er Pi l l ai ’ s cl a i m to gene rate petr ol f r om pl ants w as
@ The drop in BSE sensex has dazed the economic pundits. debunked fi nall y.
@ She was wandering around in a daze after she got the highest
marks in the university.
IC : PTpntvb01 (57) of (188)
DEBUTANTE DECREPIT Adj.
young woman making first formal entry into high society worn out from ages or overuse, weak, dilapidated, rundown
@ The debutante spent hours dressing for her first ball. þ Syn. old, feeble, frail, weak, infirm
¬ Ant. hearty, vigorous, energetic, vi tal
DECEITFUL Adj. @ A decrepit old man sat on a park bench.
crafty, cunni ng, di shonest @ No one should have to live in a house that’s so rundown and
þ Syn. deceiving, fraudulent, devious decrepi t.
¬ Ant. honest, truthful, sincere, candid
@ The deceitful looks on his face made me wary of the proposal. DECRY
to belittle, openly condemn
DECIDUOUS þ Syn. disprove, berate
losing leaves in the fall, shortlived, temporary ¬ Ant. approve, appreciate
¬ Ant. evergreen @ Governments all over the world decried the dictator's vicious
massacre of hel pless peasants.
@ Deciduous trees are bare in winter.
DEFAMATORY
DECIPHER V.
slanderous, injuri ous to reputation
to decode
þ Syn. libellous, malicious
þ Syn. interpret, transl ate, crack
¬ Ant. complimentary, esteemed
@ Only a chemist can decipher a doctor’s handwriting.
@ The tabloid was sued for making defamatory statements about
the celebrity.
DECLIVITY N.
a place that declines or slopes downwards DEFECTION N.
@ The hill people utilise the declivity of land for setting up water deserti on
mills.
@ His defection from the charity resulted in a drop in the trust’s
projecti ons.
DECOR N.
@ Recent changes in policy have resulted in largescale defection
general decorative effect of a room, scenery from the party.
þ Syn. furnishings, interior decoration
@ Red seats and cream walls may not be the most elegant decor
but it’s a friendly pub.
Pramod Kumar Dubey
IIMK
DECOROUS
proper, tastef ul, sociall y correct At PT, the faculty team
þ Syn. mannerly, dignified
was highly qualified
¬ Ant. indecorous, immodest
@ He was always very decorous in the company of women. and professional in
their approach. Such a
DECORUM focused attitude helped
proper behavi or, propriety me prepare duly for the
þ Syn. etiquette, modesty
CAT and other MBA
¬ Ant. impropriety, immodesty
@ The way he handled the fork and knife, it was clear that he entrance exams. I was
lacked the decorum to fit into high society. regularly given
feedback on my
DECOY N.
performance which
an animal, person or thing used to entrap a victim
þ Syn. lure, trap, snare, distraction, bait further enhanced my
@ They used a girl hitchhiker as the decoy to get him to stop. s k i l l s . T r u l y
Professional!
DECREE N.
a judicial decision, an order by an authority
þ Syn. ruling, verdict, announcement
@ Ayatollahs’ decree to assassinate Rushdie made life difficult
for the author.
(58) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

DEFENDANT DEFUNCT Adj.
person required to answer a legal action or suit dead, no longer in use or existence
þ Syn. appellant, accused þ Syn. obsolete, i nvalid, redundant
¬ Ant. plaintiff ¬ Ant. present, existing, recent, modern
@ Th e de f end ant sat i mp assi vel y as w i t ness af t er w i tne ss @ The credit cooperati ve society w hich f unctioned so well is
described the dreadful crimes she had committed. now def unct.
DEFERENCE N. DEGENERATE V., DEGENERATIVE Adj.

respectful compliance, submission, devotion, esteem become worse, deteriorate, to sink into a lower or less useful
sta te
þ Syn. regard, reverence, admi rati on
þ Syn. disi ntegrate, collapse, rel apse
¬ Ant. contempt, disrepute, insol ence
¬ Ant. improve, get better, recover
@ She covered her head out of deference to the custom at that
@ The debate quickly degenerated into a shouting match.
place of worship.
@ Sufferi ng from a degenerative brai n disease, he asked f or
euthan asi a.
DEFERENTIAL
respectful and polite in a submissive way DEITY N.
þ Syn. courteous, humble god, goddess, divinity, idol
¬ Ant. arrogant, rude þ Syn. holy being
@ The clerk treated the Supreme Court order very deferentially. @ For many, worshipping a deity is more important than finding
empl oyment.
DEFIANT Adj. DEFIANCE N.
disobedient, insubordinate, mutinous DELECTABLE Adj., N, DELECTABILITY N.
þ Syn. insolent, rebellious, bold delightful, pleasing, delicious
¬ Ant. compliant, biddable, submissive þ Syn. appetisi ng, exquisite
@ A defiant Jack Welch went about restructuring the behemoth @ The delectabl e perf ormance by the chil darti st enthrall ed
corporation called GE. many.
@ When I return f rom my busi ness tri ps, I l ove to f east on
homecooked del ectables.
DEFINITIVE
clearcut, expl icit, reliable
DELIBERATE V. DELIBERATE Adj.
þ Syn. conclusive, ultimate consider, debate, meditate, mull, contemplate, plan, intentional,
¬ Ant. provisi onal, unauthoritative calcul ated, contrived, conscious
@ ‘Trains at a glance’ is a def initive guide f or every rai lw ay þ S y n . r e f l e c t , t h i n k , w e i g h u p , p o n d e r, p u r p o s e f u l ,
passe nger. premedi tated
¬ Ant. uni ntenti onal, unplanned
DEFILE V. @ I’ve been deliberating all morning and I still can’t decide what
to do.
to pollute, corrupt, sully, besmirch
@ A de l i berate act of sabotag e has be en unea rthed i n the
þ Syn. tai nt, debase, corrupt, debauch
computer department.
@ Many peopl e bel i eve that the operati on to f l us h out the
terrorists was a deliberate defiling of the place of worship.
DELEGATE (v)
to give powers to another, entrust
DEFLATION
(n) – representative, envoy
decrease, depreci ation
þ Syn. assign, depute
þ Syn. devaluation, reduction
¬ Ant. cling to power, disenable
¬ Ant. inflation, rise
@ After learning to delegate more work to his assistants, the
@ The def lation of the currency resul ted in fi nancial disaster manager reduced his stress level significantly.
for many ordinary Russians.
DELINEATION N., DELINEATE V.
DEFORM the act of representing pictorially
to disfigure, distort þ Syn. portrayal , characteri sati on
þ Syn. misshape, cripple @ We sat for hours with the architect as she delineated each
¬ Ant. shape, boost aspect of our proposed office complex.
@ Bipasha shrieked at the sight of the deformed features of the
circus freak. DELINQUENT Adj., N.
failing in duty
DEFT Adj. þ Syn. criminal, aberrant, offending
neat, skillful ¬ Ant. honest, straight, peaceable
þ Syn. adroit, clever, nifty, nimble @ The delinquent behaviour of insurance employees has stalled
reforms in the insurance sector.
¬ Ant. clumsy, ungainly, maladroit
@ People disagree over whether juvenile delinquents should be
@ The deft welder fixed the broken shaft so well that it does
punished or helped.
not seem to have broken at all.
IC : PTpntvb01 (59) of (188)
DELIRIOUS Adj., DELIRIUM N. DEMOG RA PHICS
wandering in mind, insane; state of extreme happiness study or data relating to human population
þ Syn. deranged, maniacal, raving @ Demographi cs seem to indicate that the population of the
@ Sophie had a high temperature and was delirious all last night. world will double within the foreseeable future.
@ Preeti has been in a state of delirium since Rohit asked her
o u t . DEMOLISH V., DEMOLITION N.
destroy, raz e, nul lif y, overthrow
DELTA þ Syn. knock down, bulldoze, flatten
tidal deposit at the mouth of a river, a Greek alphabet ¬ Ant. build, construct, erect, make
@ The delta of a river is a very impressive aerial sight. @ The Australian pace attack demolished the Kiwi batting line
up for just 87 runs.
DELUDE V., DELUSION N. @ The demolition squad of municipal corporation has taken up
the task of removing encroachments.
to deceive, to cause to accept what is false as true
þ Syn. deceive, cheat, con, fool, trick
DEMOTE
@ The thieves deluded the old lady into thinking that they were
telephone engi neers. to reduce to a lower grade or rank
@ Simon laboured under the delusion that success was at hand. þ Syn. downgrade, humiliate
¬ Ant. promote, aggrandise
DELUGE N., V. @ The army will demote any soldier who disobeys orders.
a flood, an excessive overflow; to inundate
þ Syn. torrent, surf eit, overabundance DEMUR
¬ Ant. drought, dearth, famine to express doubts or objections
@ A deluge of fan mail irked Britney Spears. þ Syn. protest, dissent
¬ Ant. accept, agree
DELVE V. @ Mr Seth demurred when the suggestion was put to him.
to make deep research, probe, investigate, inquire
þ Syn. research, dig DEMURE Adj.
¬ Ant. scan, browse through sober, modest, staid, calm, undisturbed
@ Some historians have delved deep into the past tryi ng to þ Syn. sedate, reserved, shy, retiri ng
unearth mysteries related to the evolution of man. ¬ Ant. bold, brave, daring, courageous
@ A Miss World candidate must know how to be demure.
DEMARCATION @ She gave him a demure smile.
borderline, act of defining or marking a boundary or distinction
þ Syn. separation, delimitation DENIGRATE V.
@ The Berlin Wall formed a clear demarcation between East and to defame, asperse, degrade, deprecate
West Germany. þ Syn. disparage, belittle, malign
DEMEANOUR N. ¬ Ant. praise, admire, extol, eulogise
b eh a v i o u r o f a p e rs o n , c o nd u ct , be h a vi o u r, c om p o rt m e nt , @ I was very hurt when he denigrated my efforts.
beari ng
þ Syn. manner, conduct, character
DENIZEN N.
@ She has the demeanour of a woman who is content with her
lif e. inhabi tant
þ Syn. occupant, resident, dweller
@ Dimple is one of the longerserving denizens of the accounts
department.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . debilitate a . flood
2 . decorous b . express disapproval of
3 . definiti ve c . concl usi ve
4 . del uge d . w eaken
5 . de pre ca te e . proper
5 . (b ) 4 . ( a ) 3 . (c ) 2 . ( e ) 1 . (d )
(60) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

DENOUEMENT N. DEPREDATION N., DEPREDATE V.
the outcome of a sequence of events, the end result state of being ravaged, act of plundering
þ Syn. conclusion, finale, completion þ Syn. ravages, devastati on, havoc
¬ Ant. start, create, found, establ ish @ Depredation of the forests is destroying hundreds of species
@ The denouement in Shakespeare’s tragedies have a cathartic each year.
effect on the audience.
@ The ‘Tehelka’ denouement was strikingly unexpected. DEPRECATE
to belittle, disparage
DENOUNCE þ Syn. disapprove of, deplore
to accuse, blame ¬ Ant. praise, overrate
þ Syn. condemn, criticise @ Anand deprecated his own contribution, and highlighted the
efforts of his coworkers.
¬ Ant. praise, appreciate
@ Shalini denounced her coworkers for stealing pencils from the
of f i ce. DEPRECIATE
to lose value gradually
DENUDE þ Syn. deval ue, cheapen
to make bare, uncover, undress ¬ Ant. appreciate, raise
þ Syn. strip, expose @ Tax laws allow a fixed rate of depreciation on assets.
¬ Ant. cover, shroud
@ Th e mo un ta i n w as c om pl et el y d en ud ed b y un co nt ro l l ed DERELICT Adj., N.
logging. f orsaken, abandoned, negl ected; a desti tute homeless social
misfit
þ Syn. dil apidated, ruined, vagrant
DEPLETE V.
@ Having lost his possessions in betting, Farhan now lives the
to empty, reduce, exhaust, drain
life of a derelict.
þ Syn. drain, diminish, lessen
@ There are plans to redevelop the derelict building near the
¬ Ant. increase, augment, amplify stati on.
@ With all emergency grain supplies depleted, the nation was
headed towards fami ne.
DERIDE V., DERISION N., DERISIVE Adj.
to laugh at, to mock, to treat scornfully
DEPLORE V., DEPLORABLE Adj. þ Syn. scoff, put down, mock, scorn
to regret, to lament, bemoan ¬ Ant. approve, agree, commend
þ Syn. condemn, criticise, deprecate @ I was derided for making such a stupid suggestion.
¬ Ant. approve, support, commend @ Dressed in a short skirt, Rupali became an object of derision
@ Even though I deplore the CEO’s decision, I’ll have to accept among her friends.
it.
@ The inmates in Tihar jail live in deplorable housing conditions. DERIVE
to take from a certain source
DEPLOY þ Syn. procure, acquire
to spread out strategically over an area, dispel ¬ Ant. originate, cause
þ Syn. arrange, disband @ Maple syrup is derived from the sap of maple trees.
¬ Ant. gather, garner
@ T h e g e n e r a l d e p l o y e d h i s t r o o p s a l l o v e r t h e r e g i o n , DERMATOLOGIST N., DERMATOLOGY N.
overwhelming the enemy through sheer numbers.
one who studies the skin and its diseases
@ You need not consult dermatologists for each and every skin
DEPOSE problem; a good beautician can do the job as well.
to remove from a high position
þ Syn. overthrow , overturn DEROGATE
¬ Ant. crown, empower to belittle, disparage
@ After being deposed from his throne, the king spent the rest þ Syn. denigrate, discredit
of his life in exile. ¬ Ant. praise, applaud
@ The sarcastic old man never stopped derogating the efforts
DEPRAVITY N. of his daughter, even after she won the Nobel Prize.
amorali ty, debauchery, degeneracy, perversion
þ Syn. corruption, evil, decandence DEROGATORY Adj.
¬ Ant. goodness, decency, honesty detracting, injurious, disparaging, belittling, negatively critical
@ The depravity of the men running Hitler’s concentration camps þ Syn. insulting, off ensive, deprecating
was unimaginable. ¬ Ant. complimentary, admiring, kind
@ Wri ters usual l y wel come hel pf ul cri ti cism but derogatory
remarks tend to put them on the defence.
IC : PTpntvb01 (61) of (188)
DESCRY DETAIN V., DETENTION N.
to discover by the eye, to spot or perceive retai n, keep, hold, grasp
@ The famous Amarnath cave was descried by a Muslim shepherd þ Syn. arrest, capture, confine, control
who had lost his way. ¬ Ant. rel ease, free, di scharge, liberate
@ I descried a ray of hope in her words. @ The customs detained the lady due to suspicion of smuggling.
@ While in detention, I pondered over my criminal career and
DESECRATE V. felt remorseful.
to treat sacrilegiously, to defile or profane something sacred or
very speci al DETER V., DETERRENT N., Adj.
þ Syn. damage, vandalise, despoil to hinder or prevent
¬ Ant. consecrate, sanctif y, make holy þ Syn. daunt, di ssuade, prevent
@ It’s a crime to desecrate the country’s flag. ¬ Ant. encourage, cheer, persuade
@ A dog deters the thieves from attempting a theft.
DESOLATE Adj., DESOLATION N. @ A nuclear bomb is usually just a deterrent and not intended
l onel y, comf ortl ess, having no inhabi tants, deserted, barren, for actual use.
lifeless
þ Syn. isolated, bleak, wild, barren DETERMINATE
¬ Ant. populous, full of people, packed
having defined limits, conclusive
@ The house looked out over a bleak and
þ Syn. fixed, quantified
desolate l andscape.
¬ Ant. indeterminate, vague
@ Two years of continuous drought brought desolation to the
regi on. @ The priest violated the determinate rules of caste by shaking
hands with the sweeper.
DESPISE V., DESPICABLE Adj.

DETONATION N., DETONATE V.
deride, disdain, look down on
expl osion
þ Syn. hate, abhor, loathe, scorn
þ Syn. ignition, discharge, blast, bang
¬ Ant. love, revere, respect
@ India detonated an underground nuclear device at Pokharan.
@ She despised him for the way he treated her sister.
@ Th e ai rcr af t bl e w ap art af t er t he deto nat i on of a bo mb
@ On e can no t be a des pi cab l e r ogu e and d rea m of so ci al disguised as a radio.
ac cept anc e.
DETOUR N., V.

DESPONDENCY N., DESPONDENT Adj.
diversion, digression, excursion
a feeling of dejection, despair or hopelessness
þ Syn. deviati on, alternative route
þ Syn. sadness, misery, depression
@ The trains had to detour due to the accident.
¬ Ant. Cheerfulness, joyf ulness, cheer
@ The largescale destruction filled the populace with a spirit of
de spon denc y. DETRIMENTAL
causing harm or injury
DESPOTISM N., DESPOT N. þ Syn. injurious, ruinous
dictatorship, tyranny, autocracy ¬ Ant. benign, beneficial
þ Syn. absolutism @ It is well known that cigarette smoking is detrimental to health.
¬ Ant. democracy, equality, consensus
@ In the French Revolution, the Bastille w as a symbol of the DEVIATE
despotism of the monarchy. to stray, w ander
þ Syn. drift, digress
DESTITUTE Adj., DESTITUTION N. ¬ Ant. conform, stay on course
entirely lacking in, very poor, indigent, poverty stricken @ As long as you don't deviate from the trail, you should be
þ Syn. impoverished, i nsol vent, needy back in the camp before sunset.
¬ Ant. in the black, in the chips
@ The destitute refugees of Bosnia looked to the UN for help. DEVIOUS Adj., DEVIOUSNESS N.
@ Continued destitution can lead one to move towards crime. indirect, roundabout, strayed, cunning
þ Syn. deceitful, tricky, designing, wily
DESULTORY Adj. ¬ Ant. strai ghtforward, clear cut
j u m p i n g f r o m o n e t h i n g t o a n o t h e r, w i t h o u t a n y ra t i o n a l @ We knew from Greg’s devious behaviour that he was planning
connection, without set plan, random, haphazard, casual a surprise.
þ Syn. unfocussed, indiscriminate @ You have to be a bit devious if you’re going to succeed in
busi ness.
¬ Ant. methodical, systematic, precise
@ Researc h requi res sci enti f i c metho d and not a de sul tory
app roac h.
(62) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

DEVOUR V., DEVOURING Adj. DIFFIDENT Adj., DIFFIDENCE N.
to swallow greedily, to eat up not selfconfident, lacking self confi dence, shy, unassertive
þ Syn. consume, get through, demolish þ Syn. unsure, i ndecisive
@ The booming industrialisation has devoured the agricultural ¬ Ant. conf ident, sure, dashing
land. @ Di ffi dence i s sure to mar your chances of selection i n the
i ntervi ew .
DEXTEROUS Adj., DEXTERITY N. @ There’s no need to be so diffident about your achievements
skillful, adroit, deft, adept – you’ve done really well!
þ Syn. handy, nimble, agile
¬ Ant. gauche, clumsy, all thumbs DIFFUSION N., DIFFUSE V.
@ A dexterous plastic surgeon would be much in demand. wordiness; spreading in all directions like a gas
@ Her dexterity in mathematical calculations amazes many. þ Syn. dispersion, distribution, flow
@ Your painting suffered from a diffusion of lines.
DIABOLIC or DIABOLICAL Adj. @ He was one of the f irst scientists to study the process of
diffusion in gases.
wicked, like a devil, extremely unpleasant, very bad
@ The diabolic plans to capture power did not succeed.
DIGRESS V., DIGRESSION N.
@ With a diabolical smile, Shanker advanced towards a cowering
S an ge e ta . to depart from the main subject
þ Syn. deviate, wander, stray, ramble
DIALECTIC N. @ The lecturer temporarily digressed from what she was saying
to answer a question.
the art or practice of arriving at the truth by the exchange of
logical arguments
@ The dialectic is a formal method of argument, in which new DILAPIDATED Adj.
positions are reached by testing opposing views against one ruined because of neglect
an ot he r. þ Syn. decrepit, decaying, ramshackle
¬ Ant. pristine, immaculate, unspoiled
DIATRIBE N. @ It needs no pointing out to the authorities that be, that our
a continued discourse, a long bitter speech, historical buildings are dilapidated.
þ Syn. ti rade, i nvective, harangue, rant
@ After di nner he l aunched i nto a l ong di atri be agai nst the DILATORY Adj., DILATE V.
government’s policies. slow, given to procrastination, tardy; to expand
þ Syn. remise, slack, negligent, lagging
DICHOTOMY ¬ Ant. prompt, punctual, quick
division into two parts @ In the era of TQM there is no place for dilatory attitudes.
þ Syn. split, disjunction @ The ophthalmologist instilled a few drops of the medicine to
@ Movies often show a simple dichotomy between good guys dilate the patient’s pupils.
and bad guys.
DILETTANTE N.
DICTUM N. a d abbl e r i n art, sci en ce or l i t eratu re, a n ama teur, novi ce,
something said, a saying, an authoritative saying, diktat ne ophy te
þ Syn. maxim, motto, cliché, truism þ Syn. amateur, dabbler
@ He has always followed the famous American dictum, ‘don’t @ He’s a bit of a dilettante as far as wine selection is concerned.
get mad, get even’.
DILIGENT Adj., DILIGENCE N.
DIDA CTIC steady and earnest in application, industrious, assiduous
excessivel y i nstructi ve þ Syn. hard working, meticulous
þ Syn. doctrinal, heuristic ¬ Ant. lazy, indolent, idle, languid
@ The father was overly didactic with his children, turning every @ Leo is very diligent about his work.
activity into a lesson.
@ It is diligence that is required to crack a competitive exam like
C AT.
DIFFERENTIATE
to distinguish between two items DISAFFECTED
þ Syn. discriminate, discern discontented and di sloyal
@ N a v i n h o p e d t h a t h i s f i a n c e e w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o þ Syn. dissatisfied, disgruntled
di fferentiate between a real diamond ring and the ring he
had bought her. ¬ Ant. contented, loyal
@ The king discovered a plot by di saf fected elements in the
army and immediately punished the conspirators.
IC : PTpntvb01 (63) of (188)

DISBAND V. DISCREPANCY
dissolve, disperse dif ference betw een
þ Syn. break up, scatter, separate þ Syn. di spari ty, variance
@ It is not impossible to disband the gangs of the underworld ¬ Ant. similarity, correspondence
dons in Mumbai.
@ The accountants discovered a discrepancy in the books and
reported it to the management.
DISBURSE
to pay out DISCRETIONARY
þ Syn. spend, splurge subject to one's own judgment
¬ Ant. gather, retain þ Syn. opti onal, voluntary
@ The gov ernm ent di sb urse d mi l l i o ns o f ru pees to ref o rm ¬ Ant. compulsory, obligatory
el ementary school s.
@ Ambassadors have some discretionary powers, though they
must bow to the authority of the secretary of state.
DISCERNING Adj., DISCERN V.
discriminating, observant, acute, sensitive
DISCURSIVE Adj.
þ Syn. sharp, astute, shrewd
desultory, running from one thing to another, moving from one
¬ Ant. haphazard, random, arbitrary topic to another, rambling
@ A discerning art critic would be forthright in her views.
@ M s . W i l s o n ’ s p r e s e n t a t i o n w a s d i s c u r s i v e , y e t h i g h l y
interesting and we enjoyed her digressions into humour.
DISCLA IM
to deny, disavow DISDAIN N., V.
þ Syn. reject, discard a feeling of contempt due to superiority complex, haughtiness
¬ Ant. accept, claim þ Syn. scorn, contempt, di sregard
@ Mridula later disclaimed her silly statement, saying she had ¬ Ant. respect, deference, reverence
never made it in the first place.
@ The high caste people still show disdain towards the low caste
in rural India.
DISCLOSE @ She disdained the idea of sharing her room with her younger
to confess, di vulge brot her.
þ Syn. reveal, make known
¬ Ant. conceal, hide DISENGAGED
@ The CIA agent disclosed that he had been selling top secret di sconnected, disassoci ated
information to the enemy for years. þ Syn. separate, disentangle
¬ Ant. attach, connect
DISCONCERT V. @ Di sengaged from the proceedings, the aged senator didn't
to embarrass, to disturb the composure of, to throw into confusion notice when the warning bell went off.
þ Syn. distress, sadden, trouble, off end
¬ Ant. please, gratify, delight, thrill DISGRUNTLED Adj.
@ It is quite natural to be disconcerted by the unexpected. di sappointed, disgusted
þ Syn. di scontented, unhappy, i rri tated
DISCONSOLATE Adj.
¬ Ant. contented, happy, pleased
without consolation or comfort, griefstricken, cheerless
@ Disgruntled elements in the party can cause a real havoc.
þ Syn. dejected, gloomy, discontent
¬ Ant. satisf ied, contented
DISHEVELLED V.
@ She was disconsolate at the loss of her dog.
not ordered, ruffled, untidy, unkempt
DISCREET Adj., DISCRETION N. @ Dishevelled hair is in fashion these days.
very prudent, cautious, circumspect, tactful in dealing, wary
þ Syn. circumspect, cautious, careful DISILLUSION N., V.
¬ Ant. tactless, indiscreet, clumsy disappointment, disenchantment, anti climax
@ They are very good assistants, very discreet – they wouldn’t þ Syn. disenchant, let down, dishearten
go shouti ng to the press about anythi ng they di scovered ¬ Ant. motivate, encourage, instigate
while working for you.
@ When hard labour goes unapplauded, disillusion sets in.
@ The decision is now at the discretion of the boss.
@ Disillusioned after losing his job, he has become a bitter man.
DISCREDIT
DISINCLINED
to disprove or disgrace
averse, unwilling, lacking desire
þ Syn. confute, dishonour
þ Syn. rel uctant, recal citrant
¬ Ant. prove, honour
¬ Ant. inclined, willing
@ The war hero was discredited after it was revealed that he
had fled in terror from the battle. @ Harry was disinclined to put in a lot of effort into his homework,
since the teacher never checked it.
(64) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
DISINGENUOUS Adj. DISPERSE
crafty, not i ngenuous, insincere, deceitful to break up, scatter
þ Syn. untruthful, hypocriti cal þ Syn. disseminate, sprinkle
¬ Ant. strai ghtforward, simple, easy ¬ Ant. unite, assemble
@ The disingenuous world of Hindi films catches many a victim @ The workers dispersed after receiving their paychecks, many
unaw are. of them heading for the local bar.
DISMAY N., V DISREPUTE

consternati on, amaz ement, dejection; to destroy courage or disgrace, di shonour
resolution by exciting dread or apprehension; to cause to lose þ Syn. infamy, notoriety
enthusiasm
¬ Ant. honour, esteem
þ Syn. shock, consternation, panic
@ The law firm fell into disrepute after one of its lawyers was
¬ Ant. soothe, console, reassure, calm found guilty of jury tampering.
@ Much to Indi a’s di smay, the patent f or Basmati ri ce w as
granted to a US based company RiceTec.
DISSEMBLE
@ Aishwarya was dismayed to hear rumours linking him with a
to pretend, disguise one's motives
billionaire.
þ Syn. deceive, feign
¬ Ant. reveal, expose
DISPARAGE V., DISPARAGING Adj.
@ The villain tried to dissemble his exit by trying to look like
to talk triflingly of, to lower in rank, belittle, downgrade, decry
another shopper but the police was alert enough to nab him.
þ Syn. discredi t, underrate
¬ Ant. admire, commend, honour
DISSEMINATE
@ Only insecure people disparage others.
to spread far and wide
@ On hearing the disparaging remarks about my fiancee, I lost
þ Syn. promulgate, propagate
my temper and indulged in a fistfight with the hooligans.
¬ Ant. conceal, suppress
@ The wire service disseminates information so rapidly that news
DISPARATE Adj., DISPARITY N.
of events reaches all corners minutes after they happen.
basically di fferent, unrelated
þ Syn. unlike, unequal, incongruent DISSENT V., N.
¬ Ant. similar, alike, parallel, analogous to disagree or differ in opinion
@ The two cultures were so utterly disparate that she found it þ Syn. oppose, rebel, dispute
hard to adapt.
¬ Ant. concur, be in agreement, consent
@ There is disparity in their age but their mental age appears
the same. @ In a democracy, dissent has to be respected.
@ The parties dissented on the issue of women’s reservation in
Parl iament.
DISPASSIONATE Adj.
calm, impartial
DISSIMULATE V.
þ Syn. composed, detached, cool
pretend, conceal by feigning
¬ Ant. fiery, burning, blistering, sizzling
@ She tri es to di ssimul ate her tensi ons and worri es by her
@ A journalist should be a dispassionate reporter of facts. geni al ity.
DISPENSE
DISSIPA TE
to distribute, administer
to scatter, to pursue pleasure to excess
þ Syn. disburse, all ocate
þ Syn. evaporate, squander
¬ Ant. coll ect, receive
¬ Ant. i ntensify, save
@ Pharmacists require doctors' prescriptions to dispense some
@ The fog gradually dissipated, revealing all the ships docked
medicines to customers.
in the harbor.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . didactic a . spread seeds

2 . discern b . insi ght
3 . di sparage c . intended to teach
4 . disseminate d . beli ttle
5 . di ssipate e . thin out
5 .(e ) 4 . ( a ) 3 . (d ) 2 . (b ) 1 . (c )
IC : PTpntvb01 (65) of (188)

DISSOCIATE DOCILE
to separate, remove from an association tame, willing to be taught
þ Syn. relate, connect þ Syn. tame, pliant
¬ Ant. associate, detach ¬ Ant. wild, wilful
@ Rajesh dissociated himself from the project when he realised @ Wolves are not as docile as dogs; they are not recommended
the projections were all wrong. as house pets.
DISSOLUTION N., DISSOLUTE Adj. DOCTRINAIRE Adj.

disintegration; looseness in morals un ab l e to co mp rom i s e a bo ut po i nt s of do ctr i n e, do gma ti c,
unyielding
þ Syn. closure, disbanding, suspension
þ Syn. rigid, stern, strict, unbending
@ Prof li gacy and dissolution shown i n some Hindi f ilms in a
melodramatic manner is loathsome. ¬ Ant. liberal, moderate, tolerant
@ I pref er talking to a professor who is less doctrinai re and
more open to debate.
DISTEND V.
to expand from internal pressure, swell out
DOFF V.
þ Syn. bloat, balloon, inflate
take off the hat as a greeting or as a sign of respect
¬ Ant. defl ate, shrink, reduce, puncture
@ His doffing the hat very often has become more a mannerism
@ The patient’s stomach was distended and the doctors thought than an etiquette.
it was a bad sign.
DOGGED Adj.
DISTRESS N., V., Adj determined, stubborn
discomfort, misery, suffering, w retchedness þ Syn. persistent, resolute, gri tty
þ Syn. pain, sorrow, grief @ Her ambition and dogged determination ensured that she rose
¬ Ant. peace, calm, tranquility, silence to the top of her profession.
@ Many of the horses were showing signs of distress at the end
of the race. DOGMA N., DOGMATIC Adj.
@ Sunita was di stressed to see her younger sister in a porn an authoritative doctrine, a settled opinion; strongly opinionated,
vi d eo. di ctatori al
þ Syn. creed, canon, bel ief, vi ew, tenets
DISTRUST (n) @ Raja Rammohan Roy’s crusade agai nst dogmas in the dark
disbelief and suspicion ages was remarkable.
(v) – be wary of, be suspicious of @ Rita tended to be dogmatic about what she believed in.
þ Syn. suspicion, wariness
¬ Ant. trust, faith DOLEFUL
@ An atmosphere of distrust pervaded the office af ter a rash sad, mournful
of burglaries. þ Syn. woeful, sorrowful
¬ Ant. happy, joyous
DITHER V., N. @ Looking into the dolef ul eyes of the lonely puppy, the gi rl
decided to take it home.
to tremble, to shiver; a state of indecisive agitation
þ Syn. hesitate, dal ly, dawdle, vaci llate
DOLOROUS Adj.
@ The government is di thering on hard reforms li ke the exit
pol i cy. very sad, melancholic, gloomy
@ Her music always has a faintly dolorous feel.
DIVEST V., DIVESTITURE N.
strip, deprive; disposal of property, title etc. under a government DOLT N.
order stupid person
þ Syn. rid, deny, rob @ I have never come across such a pack of dolts.
¬ Ant. add, put in, insert, adjoin
@ He was divested of his priestly authority when his promiscuity DONOR
was discovered. benef actor, contri butor
@ The di v esti ture of go vernment’s l es s prof i tabl e b usi ness þ Syn. philanthropist, patron
operations has reduced the burden on the exchequer. ¬ Ant. recipient
@ Donors should be tested f or diseases bef ore their blood is
DIVULGE V., DIVULGENCE N. used for transfusion.
to reveal, to make public, to expose, to make known
þ Syn. reveal , acknow ledge, concede DORMA NT
¬ Ant. conceal, hide, shroud at rest, inactive, in suspended animation
@ The divulgence of trade secrets by disenchanted employees þ Syn. inert, latent
has cost the company dearly. ¬ Ant. acti ve, awake
@ Sources close to the Prime Mi ni ster have di vul ged that he @ The vol cano seemed dormant, but a devastating eruption
would like to retire after the next election. was brewing deep beneath.
(66) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
DORSAL Adj. DRIBBLE V., N.
belonging to the back side, posterior, tail to fall in small drops, move a ball by repeated taps or kicks
@ The sight of a shark’s dorsal fin above the water is enough to þ Syn. trickle, trip, ooz e, seep, salivate
clear the sea of swimmers. @ The dribbl ing gai ns of economic ref orms proved to be too
slow for a populace impatient for results.
DOSSIER N. @ David Beckham is adept at dribbling the ball.
a bundle of documents relating to a person, a brief
þ Syn. fil e, record, report, database DRUDGERY N.
@ The secret service probably has a dossier on all of us. a very hard, boring work; uninteresting toil
þ Syn. labour, hard work, toil, chore
DOTE V. @ E l ectroni c i nformati on retri eval w i l l remove much of the
drudgery of research and leave time for the more interesting
to show excessive love, to treasure bi ts.
@ People tend to dote on their grandchildren.
DUBIOUS Adj.
DOUBLEENTENDRE doubtful, debatable, disputable, equivocal, questionable
(DOUBLE AN TRANDA) N. þ Syn. uncertain, unsure, undeci ded
phrase with two meanings: one of them indecent @ The dubious credentials of the politician will make interesting
@ Hindi films teem with doubleentendres. scoop material.
DUPE V., N.

DOUGHTY Adj.
to deceive others, to trick
valiant, dauntless, fearless
þ Syn. fool, trick, deceive, con
þ Syn. tough, feisty, indomitable
@ The girls were duped by drug smugglers into carrying heroin
¬ Ant. feeble, weak, frail, delicate for them.
@ Tilak, the doughty nationalist, put up his case vehemently in
the court.
DUPLICITY N.
doubledealing, hypocri sy, decepti on
DOUR (DOOR) Adj.
þ Syn. deceit, di shonesty, disl oyal ty
obstinate, sullen, morose, harsh, stubborn ¬ Ant. frankness, i ntegrity, candor
þ Syn. sour, stern, grim, severe, gloomy @ Duplicity is the order of the day and if you are honest and
¬ Ant. kindly, gently, nicely straightforward you are in danger.
@ The perpetual dour expressi on on someone’s f ace can be
quite irritating. DURABILITY – strength, sturdiness
þ Syn. imperishability, permanence
DOWDY Adj. ¬ Ant. perishability, fragility
sl ovenl y, unti dy @ The allterrain pickup truck was built for durability.
þ Syn. drab, plain, dated, dull, dreary
¬ Ant. chi c, stylish, attractive, elegant DURA TION
@ Physical inefficiency and lack of agility makes a person dowdy. period of time that something lasts
þ Syn. span, time scale
DOWRY @ Devi was seasick in her cabin for the entire duration of the
v o y a g e .
money or property given by a bride’s family to the groom’s family
on the occasion of marriage
DURESS N.
@ Her parents were wealthy enough, but Sonal refused to marry
anyone who demanded dowry. imprisonment, constraint
þ Syn. pressure, force, threat, coercion
DRAB N. ¬ Ant. persuasion, inf luence, urging
a dull colour, dullness, monotonous colour @ Signing a document under duress would make it null and void.
þ Syn. plain, dowdy, dreary, dingy

DWINDLE V.
¬ Ant. interesti ng, attractive, appeali ng
depreciate, devalue, diminish
@ The drab surroundings of an orphanage need to be changed.
þ Syn. decrease, decli ne, fall, drop
¬ Ant. increase, add to, augment, boost
DRAFT (v)
@ Dwindling currency reserves sent alarm bells ringing in the
to plan, outline, to recruit government.
(n) – rough sketch, outline
þ Syn. blueprint, conscript DYSPHORIA N.
¬ Ant. final version morbid restlessness, uneasiness, depression and discontent
@ The boys were drafted into the army when they turned 18. @ His dysphoria knew no bounds when he learnt that his friend
had managed to get the promotion.
IC : PTpntvb01 (67) of (188)

“E”
EARNEST Adj., N. EDIFICE N.
sincere, serious; a serious and intent mental state a large and impressive building or structure,
þ Syn. solemn, grave, sober þ Syn. construction, house, shop
¬ Ant. frivolous, playf ul, perky @ The cru mbl i n g ed i f i c e of l aw and o rder i n Indi a can be
@ Earnest eff orts to reform Indian el ecti ons have turned the atttributed to our politicians.
election commission into a powerful entity. @ A white marble edifice called the Taj attracts millions to India
@ Now we can relax in earnest. ev ery yea r.
EBB EDIFY
to f ade aw ay, recede to instruct morally and spiritually
þ Syn. retreat, wane þ Syn. enlighten, educate
¬ Ant. increase, intensify ¬ Ant. to keep in the dark, conceal
@ Madhu enjoyed watching the ebb and flow of the tide from @ Th e gu ru w as pa i d t o ed i f y t he a ct re ss i n t he w ay s of
her beachsi de balcony. Buddhism.
EBULLIENT Adj., EBULLIENCE N. EDITORIALISE
enthusi asti c, excessi vely excited, exuberant to express an opinion on an issue
þ Syn. cheerful , happy, jovial , bright @ T h e o l d j o u r n a l i s t c r i t i c i s e d t h e m o d e r n t e n d e n c y t o
editorialise even regular news items.
¬ Ant. depressing, gloomy, miserable
@ Our ebullient host couldn’t stop laughing and talking.
EFFACE V., EFFACEABLE Adj.,
@ Meg Ryan’s bubbling ebullience is simply infectious.
EFFACEMENT N.
to destroy the surface of, to obliterate, to erase
ECHELON N.
þ Syn. wipe out, eradicate
a group of individuals at a particular level i n an organisation,
hi erarchy ¬ Ant. engrave, etch, carve
þ Syn. level, stratum, rank, height @ Hi tl er’s attempts at ef facement of the Jews fi nally proved
f uti l e.
@ Reaching the highest echel ons of i nternational politics is a
dream for many. @ The police had a difficult task as the culprits had effaced all
evidence from the scene of burglary.
ECLECTIC Adj.
EFFERVESCENT
made up of elements borrowed from different sources, carefully
selected, chosen from the best or various sources bubbly, li vely
þ Syn. assorted, f ree, mi scellaneous þ Syn. vivacious, jaunty
@ Maria reads an eclectic array of books and can always suggest ¬ Ant. depressed, fl at
a good title. @ Tina's effervescent personality made her the perfect game
show host.
ECSTASY N., ECSTATIC Adj.
a feeling of great happiness, exultation, intense delight EFFEMINATE Adj., N.
þ Syn. joy, rapture, del ight feminine, womanly, unmanly
¬ Ant. deject, gloom, agony @ He’s got a very effeminate gait.
@ The agony and ecstasy of motherhood can be onl y f elt by
those who go through it. EFFETE Adj.
worn out, exhausted, no longer useful, outmoded, nonproductive
EDDY @ With nothing to do all day except amuse themselves, the rich
air or wind current kids had grown effete and lazy.
þ Syn. whirlpool, vortex
@ When water gets pulled down a drain, it forms a small eddy. EFFICACY N., EFFICACIOUS Adj.
power to produce the desired effect
EDICT þ Syn. ef fectiveness, useful ness, w orth
law, command, official public order ¬ Ant. incompetence, i nadequacy
þ Syn. diktat, proclamation @ The efficacy of the medicine can be ascertained only after its
prolonged use.
@ Peopl e were angered by the new edict of the dictator that
restri cted free movement. @ For years, people hoped that someone woul d discover an
efficacious treatment for polio.
(68) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

EFFIGY EGRESS N., V.
stuffed doll, likeness of a person exit, issue, emergence, outbreak
þ Syn. dummy, statue þ Syn. way out, door, outlet
@ The antiAmerican militants burned Uncle Sam’s effigy during ¬ Ant. entry, access, way in, arrival
thei r demonstration. @ They egressed from the cinema hall zapped by Shah Rukh’s
perf ormance.
EFFRONTERY
ELATION
impudent boldness, audacity
exhi laration, joy
þ Syn. impertinence, braz enness
þ Syn. delight, glee
¬ Ant. politeness, timidity
¬ Ant. misery, suffering
@ The receptionist had the effrontery to laugh out loud when @ The actress was filled with elation when she heard that she
the visitor tripped and fell. had been awarded the Oscar.
EFFUSIVE Adj., EFFUSION N. ELEGY

pouring out, gushing out mournful poem, usually about the dead
@ His manner of receiving people may be effusive but is not þ Syn. requiem, plaint
necessarily spontaneous and sincere. @ I wrote an elegy for my father.
@ The crow d w as qui te ef f usi ve i n i ts expressi on of anger
against the candidate. ELICIT
to draw out, obtain
EFFULGENCE N., EFFULGENT Adj. þ Syn. extract, educe
radiant splendour, brilliance ¬ Ant. supress, insert
@ The effulgence of diamonds seems to have cast a spell on @ The tough policeman was not able to elicit a confession from
women around the world. the suspect.
EGALITARIANISM N., EGALITARIAN Adj. ELIXIR N.

cureall, something invigorating
a belief in human equality
@ The socalled magical elixir turned out to be nothing but a
þ Syn. democratic, free, classless, equal
cheap alcoholic drink.
¬ Ant. repressive, exploiti ve, brutal
@ Communism aims at an egalitarian society. ELOQUENT Adj., ELOQUENCE N.
strongly expressi ve, arti cul ate, memorabl e because of verbal
EGOCENTRIC skills, moving and forcefully phrased
concerned only about one’s own interests þ Syn. fluent, articulate, pow erful
þ Syn. narcissistic, selfcentred @ Adolf Hitler’s eloquence on Aryan supremacy made millions of
Germans walk behind him to conquer Europe.
¬ Ant. altruistic, magnanimous
@ Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ is widely considered to
@ Chi tranjan w as too egocentri c to noti ce the eff ect of hi s be on e of the mo st el oqu ent a nd ef f ec ti v e s pee ch es i n
comments on his colleagues. American hi story.
EGREGIOUS Adj. ELUCIDATE

outrageously bad, flagrant, profoundly noticeable in a negative to explain, clarify
w a y þ Syn. expound, deli neate
@ T h e e g r e g i o u s b o w l i n g b y t h e S r i L a n k a n s d u r i n g t h e ¬ Ant. confuse, obf uscate
tournament earned them a lot of infamy. @ The teacher elucidated the reasons why she had failed the
student, to his parents.
A rc hi te ct ur e
a bo ve .
AISLE : a passage between rows of seats in a building such as
Church or Theatre , an aircraft or train.
BOULEVARD : a wide street in a town or city typically one lined with trees
CONCOURSE : an open space where several paths meet
EDIFICE : a monument
HOVEL : a shed or poorly constructed or illkept house
MEZZANINE : a low balcony above the ground floor of a building
OBELISK : a tapering (narrowing) column that forming pyramid at
the top
PERISTYLE : a colonnade or row of piers surrounding a building or courtyard
ROCOCO : ornate; highl y decorati ve
VOUSSOIR : a wedgeshaped stone used in making an arch or vault
IC : PTpntvb01 (69) of (188)

ELUDE V., ELUSIVE Adj. EMERITUS Adj.
to escape by trickery officially retired but functioning in a honorary capacity, honourably
þ Syn. evade, dodge, hedge, avoid discharged from public duty
¬ Ant. confront, capture, face @ Dr. Singh has been appoi nted professor emeritus at Delhi
School of Economics.
@ They had minor breakthroughs but real success eluded them.
@ The elusive sandalwood smuggler Veerappan was eventually
killed in a police encounter. EMIGRATE V., EMIGRATION N.
to move from one country to another
EMA CIA TED þ Syn. move abroad, go into exile
skinny, gaunt, especially from hunger @ Millions of Tibetans emigrated from Tibet to India before the
IndoChina war.
þ Syn. scrawny, undernourished
¬ Ant. heal thy, wel lfed
EMINENT Adj., EMINENCE N.
@ T h e e m a c i a t e d m e n d i c a n t be g g e d f o r s c r a p s f r o m t h e
pi cnickers. conspicuous, projecting; importance or prominence
þ Syn. distinction, reputation, fame
EMANCIPATE @ Having achieved eminence as an actress she now intends to
perform a comparable feat in politics.
to set free, liberate
@ The eminent painter had his own idiosyncracies.
þ Syn. unbridle, unyoke
¬ Ant. imprison, restrain
EMOLLIENT
@ After the slaves were emancipated, many of them moved to
big cities in search of opportunities. having soothing qualities, especially for skin
þ Syn. softening, pall iative
EMANATE V. ¬ Ant. i rritant, aggravati ng
to come out from a source @ After a couple of weeks, the emollient lotion changed Divya's
skin from scaly to smooth.
þ Syn. originate, spring
@ Odour emanating from the rotten fruits lying around is making
walking in that alley impossible. EMOLUMENT N.
salary or fees for a job, remuneration, pay or compensation for
work
EMBARGO N.
þ Syn. wage, pay cheque
a prohibition, a ban on trade
@ The lure of fancy emoluments beckons students to the IIMs.
þ Syn. restriction, stoppage
@ The UN embargo on Iraq failed to break Saddam.
EMOTIVE
appealing to or expressing emotion
EMBELLISH V., EMBELLISHMENT N.
þ Syn. sensitive, touchy
to decorate with ornaments, adorn, garnish
¬ Ant. cold, indifferent
þ Syn. embroider, beautify, make fancy
@ The film had a strong emotive appeal, reducing the audience
@ The Maharaja suite is embellished with many Bonsai plants.
to tears.
@ The intri cate embel li shments i n Hindu temples aw e many
forei gn tourists.
EMPA THY
identification with another's feelings
EMBEZZLE V., EMBEZZLEMENT N.
þ Syn. sympathy, compassion
to steal, to fraudulently take as one’s own
¬ Ant. antipathy, coldheartedness
þ Syn. misappropriate, misuse, cheat
@ Having been a teacher herself, Jennifer had great empathy
@ When the chi ef trustee w as charged wi th embez z l ement, for the troubled teacher in the film.
everyone was shocked.
EMULATE V.
EMBROIL
to strive to equal or excel, to imitate
to involve in, cause to fall into disorder
þ Syn. follow, simulate, copy, imitate
þ Syn. entangle, enmesh
@ Adolescents often try to emulate their favourite pop singers
¬ Ant. disentangle, extricate or movie stars.
@ Lawyers became embroiled in the dispute when a compromise
appeared difficult without their help.
ENCORE
additional performance, often demanded by audience
EMBRACE V., N.
þ Syn. replay, repetition
to clasp in the arms; to take up especially readily or gladly
@ Soon as the danseuse finished her performance, the audience
þ Syn. hug, cuddle, cling
enthusiastically demanded an encore.
@ They embraced and kissed before departing.
@ Mata Amritanandmayi Devi is well known for her diseasecuring
embraces.
(70) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
ENCHANT V., ENCHANTING Adj. ENGROSS V.
to bewitch, delight, beguile, charm to absorb, captivate, charm
þ Syn. captivate, f ascinate, enthrall þ Syn. occupy, involve, hold
@ The enchanting music of A.R. Rehman is the only saving grace ¬ Ant. repul se
of the movie. @ He was engrossed in the movie.
@ The guests were enchanted by the actor’s presence at the The poli tician was so engrossed in selfaggrandization that
w eddi ng. he was blind to the misery around him.
ENCEPHALOGRAM N. ENGULF V.

An Xray picture of the brain to swallow up completely
@ The encephalogram clearly shows a tumour on the left side. þ Syn. overw helm, overcome
@ The blue whale can engulf a whole school of fish at a time.
ENCOMIUM N., ENCOMIASTIC Adj.
a eulogy, high commendation or praise ENIGMA N., ENIGMATIC Adj.
@ The encomium “Indira is India” was too farfetched. a confusing statement, mysterious situation or person, riddle, a
thing hard to understand or fathom, conundrum
ENCUMBER V. þ Syn. mystery, riddle, puzzle
to weigh down, burden @ His high energy levels at the ripe age of 80 is an enigma to all
@ His life has always been encumbered with responsibilities. the family members.
@ Ruchi is an enigmatic girl; at times she acts so mature and at
times like a kid.
ENDEMIC
belonging to a particular area, widespread
ENJOIN
þ Syn. indigenous, infectious
command, forbid or prohibit, as by judicial order
¬ Ant. foreign, confined
þ Syn. to urge, order
@ As the outbreak was endemic to the small village, the health
department quarantined the i nhabitants. ¬ Ant. request
@ The judge enjoined the stalker from being present within 100
yards of the complainant.
ENDORSE V.
to give one’s sanction to something; to approve openly
ENMITY
þ Syn. support, sanction, back
hostility, illwill
¬ Ant. oppose, protest
þ Syn. antagonism, animosity
@ The communist leader, of late, has been endorsing economic
ref orms. ¬ Ant. goodwill, friendship
@ We hope that cricket will help to cool down the simmering
enmity between the two countries.
ENDURANCE
ability to withstand hardships
ENNUI N.
þ Syn. forbearance, stami na
a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction
¬ Ant. impatience, weakness
@ A feel ing of ennui sets in if I have to sit at home w ithout
@ Boris built up her endurance by running ten miles every day, work.
as she prepared for the marathon.
ENORMITY
ENERVATE V., ENERVATED Adj.
state of being gigantic or terrible
ENERVATION N.
þ Syn. vastness, massiveness
to depri ve of nerve, strength or vi tali ty, to rob of energy, to
diminish the strength of mind or body ¬ Ant. triviality, smallness
þ Syn. weaken, sap your strength @ The manager underesti mated the enormity of the probl em
and his delay resulted in disaster.
¬ Ant. energise, boost
@ It is normal to feel enervated after a good w orkout i n the
gymnasium. ENRAGE V.
@ The enervated look on your face tel ls me that you haven’t to make angry, bother, irri tate, aggravate
eaten for some days. þ Syn. infuriate, madden
@ He was so enraged at the article about him that he sued the
ENGENDER new sp aper.
to produce, cause, bring about

þ Syn. trigger, instigate ENRAPTURE V.
¬ Ant. thwart, extinguish to fill with delight, please intensely
@ The death of a friend by snakebite engendered the fear of þ Syn. capti vate, enchant, begui le
snakes in him. @ The live pop concert enraptured the audience.
IC : PTpntvb01 (71) of (188)

ENSCONCE V. ENTRENCHMENT N., ENTRENCH V.
to settle, establish a fortification, a defence, a protection
@ The dog jumped up and ensconced itself comfortably in the @ The legal entrenchment of apartheid has been lifted.
sof a. @ By next year, I will have my followers firmly entrenched in
Bihar politics.
ENSEMBLE N.
al l parts of a thi ng taken toget her, a comp l ete c ostume of ENUMERATE
complementary clothing
to count, list
þ Syn. company, group, en masse
þ Syn. itemise, cite
@ She bought a dress and matching hat, gloves and shoes – in
¬ Ant. be vague
fact the whole ensemble.
@ The policeman patiently enumerated the offences while the
motorist tried to plead ignorance of the local rules.
ENSHROUD
to cover, hide
ENUNCIATE V.
@ The hill was enshrouded by clouds and we failed to spot the
go at s. verbal ise, vocali se, arti culate
þ Syn. assert, affirm, proclaim
ENTAIL ¬ Ant. deny, contradict, disclaim
to involve as a necessary result, necessitate @ Th e ma ni f e st o f a i l e d to e nu nc i a te t he pa rt y’ s st an d on
relations with the USA.
þ Syn. assume, warrant
@ The reforms you suggest would entail great expense.
ENVOY N.
a messenger ( especial ly one sent to transact business w ith a
ENTHRALL
foreign government)
to captivate, enchant, ensl ave
þ Syn. representati ve, emissary, herald
þ Syn. beguile, fascinate
@ The Indi an env oy to Paki stan has never b een i n a more
¬ Ant. bore, disillusion comfortable position than now.
@ The children were enthral led by the stunts of the trapeze
artists.
EPHEMERAL
momentary, transient, fleeti ng
ENTITY
þ Syn. transitory, evanescent
something with its own existence or form
¬ Ant. permanent, enduring
þ Syn. individual, exi stence
@ The life of a butterfly is but ephemeral, lasting just a day or
¬ Ant. nonentity, nonexistence t w o .
@ At te mp ts ha ve b ee n mad e to p res er ve H on g K on g as a
terri torial entity, separate from China.
EPICURE
person with refined taste in food and wine
ENTOURAGE N.
þ Syn. gourmet, gourmand
surroundi ngs, fol low ers, attendants, retinue
@ He was popular as an epicure and his columns helped people
þ Syn. associ ates, backup, support
decide where to eat.
@ The rock star arrived in London with her usual entourage of
dancers and backstage singers.
EPIGRAM N.
witty thought or saying, usually short
ENTREAT
to plead, beg þ Syn. axiom, quip, ditty, rhyme
þ Syn. implore, beseech @ Epigrams of Churchill and Bernard Shaw are famous.
¬ Ant. command, demand
@ I entreated him to just tell me what the problem was, but he
re f use d.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . elicit a . bring out

2 . eminent b . strive to equal
3 . emul ate c . well known
4 . endemic d . reduce the strength of
5 . e ne rv at e e . nat i ve
5 . (d ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (b ) 2 . (c ) 1 . ( a )
(72) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

EPILOGUE EQUIVOCATE
concluding section of a literary work to use vague or ambiguous language intentionally
þ Syn. afterword, postscri pt þ Syn. prevari cate, hedge
¬ Ant. prologue, prelude ¬ Ant. confront, f ace
@ In the epilogue of the novel, the author revealed the ultimate @ The smaller parties could not afford to equivocate any longer
fate of the main characters. as the coalition government had to be in place within a week.
ERADICATE
EPITAPH N.
to erase or wipe out
inscription in memory of a dead person,
þ Syn. exterminate, obliterate
writing on a tomb or at the gravesite
¬ Ant. generate, propagate
@ I do not know what my epitaph would read but I never did
invite infamy. @ Politicians promise to eradicate poverty and then renew the
vow before the next el ection.
EP ITOME
EROTIC Adj.
representing the highest feature, summary tending to arouse sexual love or desire
þ Syn. embodiment, conspectus @ The erotic art depicted in the Khajuraho temple makes it world
¬ Ant. complete version, worst f amous.
@ The host w as the epitome of graciousness, maki ng all the
guests feel perfectl y comfortable. ERRANT
straying, mistaken
EPOCH N., EPOCHAL Adj. þ Syn. mischievous, roving
a point of time made remarkable by some great event ¬ Ant. strai ghtforw ard, aboveboard
þ Syn. era, period, time, age, eon @ The errant disciple realised his mistake and returned to the
guru after several weeks of hardship.
@ The president said that the country was moving into a new
epoch of lasting peace with the old rival in the neighbourhood.
@ During his epochal term as the primeminister, Rajiv Gandhi ERRAND N.
changed the face of modern India. a mission, a purpose, a short journey either to deliver or collect
somethi ng
þ Syn. task duty, chore, job
EQUABLE Adj.
@ I am in Singapore running an errand for my father.
tranquil , steady, unif orm
þ Syn. composed, calm, levelheaded
ERUDITE Adj.
¬ Ant. nervous, anxious, w orri ed
schol arl y, learned, wel l cul tured, educated, possessi ng great
@ Compared to the extreme climate of Af ri ca and the West, know ledge
India enjoys an equable climate.
þ Syn. cultured, intell ectual
@ The erudite scholar knew a great deal about ancient history
EQUANIMITY N. but very l ittle about current events.
evenness of mind and temper under stress, calmness
þ Syn. composure, calmness, equability ESCAPADE N.
@ T h e f i n a n c e m i n i s t e r ’ s e q u a n i m i t y i n t h e f a c e o f t h e a usually adventurous action that runs contrary to convention
opposition’s accusations is creditable. @ The escapade in the Amazon jungl es was expected to f ree
the minds of the senior executives of the software giant.
EQUESTRIAN Adj., N.
ESCHEW
related to horse riding; a horserider
to abstain from, avoid
@ They erected an equestrian statue of the prince.
þ Syn. shun, renounce
¬ Ant. indulge in, take liberty of
EQUITABLE Adj.
@ Models generally eschew rich desserts that can be fattening.
fair, impartial, aboveboard, uncoloured
þ Syn. evenhanded, reasonable, just
ESOTERIC
¬ Ant. unfair, unjust, i nequitable, undue
understood by only a learned few
@ There’s a great need for a more equitable tax system. þ Syn. recondite, arcane
¬ Ant. simple, familiar
EQUIVOCAL @ On l y a han df ul of exp erts ar e kn ow l e dgea bl e abo ut t he
ambiguous, open to more than one interpretation esoteric world of particle physics.
þ Syn. indeterminate, ambiguous
¬ Ant. explicit, specific ESPIONAGE N.
@ Poems are inherently equivocal, and diff erent readers may the practice of spying to obtain information about the activities
interpret them di fferentl y. of a foreign country or a rival company
þ Syn. spying, intelligence
@ IB and RAW are the counter espionage agencies in India.
IC : PTpntvb01 (73) of (188)

ESPOUSE V., ESPOUSAL N. EUPHORIA N., EUPHORIC Adj.
to take up and support as a cause; to marry an exaggerated feeling of happiness or wellbeing
@ Irene espoused the cause of educating street children. þ Syn. ecstasy, joy, rapture, excitement
¬ Ant. despair, misery, anguish, gloom
ESPRIT DE CORPS @ The euphori a of Princess Di ana’s happy li fe wi th Al Fayed
a deep loyalty of members towards the group finally turned out to be ephemeral.
@ His leadership kept the team’s esprit de corps intact during @ Yo u ar e e up ho ri c w he n y ou s ee yo ur n ame i n the f i n al
difficult periods. admission list of IIM A.
EUGENICS N. EUTHA NASIA

the science of race improvement by proper gene selection etc. mercy killing; intentional, easy, and painless death
@ Eugenics was the central and most controversial part of his @ The woman argued that giving her terminallyill husband an
social philosophy. overdose of morphine was euthanasia, not murder.
ESTRANGE EVADE V., EVASIVE Adj., EVASION N.

to alienate, keep at a distance to escape or avoid artfully
þ Syn. separate, di vorce þ Syn. avoid, dodge, escape, shirk, skirt
¬ Ant. unite, connect @ During the enquiry his answers were evasive.
@ Abhishek was not aware of the death of his parents, because @ An Olympic gold medal is the only thing that has evaded her
he was estranged from his family for many years. in her remarkable career.
@ Tax evasion has been a major problem in our country.
ETHEREAL
not earthly, spi ritual, delicate EVANESCENT Adj., EVANESCENCE N.
þ Syn. celestial, dainty fleeting, vanishi ng, ephemeral, temporary
¬ Ant. earthly, indelicate þ Syn. passing, brief, momentary
@ Her delicate, ethereal beauty made her a popular model for ¬ Ant. permanent, enduri ng, eternal
preimpressionist artists. @ The evanescent postwar economic boom was quickly followed
by a deep recession.
ETHOS
beliefs or character of a group EVANGELIST N.
þ Syn. ethics, essence missionary, crusader, proselyti ser
@ The wise king was determined to safeguard the ethos of the @ Chri stian evangeli sts are rendering yeoman servi ce to the
people of the country he had just conquered. tribals in several part of India, though some accuse them of
being aggressive in religious conversion.
EULOGY N., EULOGISE V.

EVICT
EULOGISTIC Adj.
to put out or force out
a speech of praise, written praise, laudation, acclaim, encomium
þ Syn. oust, eject
þ Syn. tribute, acclamation
¬ Ant. admit, maintain
¬ Ant. criticism
@ The tenant was evicted from the apartment when she failed
@ Today, everyone sings eulogies of Sonia’s leadership skills.
to pay rent for three months in a row.
EUNUCH N.
EVINCE
one who lacks virility and power, a castrated man
to show clearly, display, signify
@ Eunuchs begging in local trains in Mumbai hurl obscenities to
þ Syn. indicate, exhibit
scare passengers into shelling out money.
¬ Ant. conceal, obscure
@ The new secretary evinced impressive typing and filing skills.
EUPHEMISM
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful
one EVOCATIVE Adj., EVOCATION N.
@ The funeral director preferred to use the euphemism "passed EVOKE V.
away" instead of the word "dead." tending to call up or remind
@ Driving through the bylanes of Mumbai evoked sweet memories
EUPHONY N., EUPHONIOUS Adj. of my childhood.
an agreeable sound, sweet sound, pleasing or agreeable sound @ My evocative journey to my hometown brought tears to my
eyes.
¬ Ant. cacophony
@ The euphony of temple bells in the morning is so soothing to
the soul.
(74) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

EXACERBATE EXCRUCIATE V., EXCRUCIATING Adj.
to aggravate, intensify the bad qualities of to torture, to inflict severe pain
þ Syn. worsen, compound @ The excruciating tooth extraction made my eyes wet.
¬ Ant. improve, reduce @ The President excoriated the Western press for their biased
@ It is unwise to take aspirin to relieve heartburn; the drug will vi ew s.
only exacerbate the problem.
EXCULPATE
EXAGGERATE V., EXAGGERATION N. to clear of blame or fault, vindicate
to magnify unduly, to represent too strongly þ Syn. absolve, acquit
þ Syn. overstate, overstress, embroider ¬ Ant. condemn, indict
¬ Ant. understate, devalue, minimise @ The new legal system is intended to convict those who are
@ The threat of a Pakistani attack along the Line of Control has guilty and to exculpate those who are innocent.
been greatl y exaggerated.
@ A little exaggeration about her disease got her a fortnight’s EXECRABLE
extensi on of leave. utterly detestable, abhorrent
þ Syn. abominable, despicable
EXALT V., EXALTATION N. ¬ Ant. good, admirable
laud, glorify, honour @ E v e r y o n e a t t h e p a r t y w a s a p p a l l e d b y h e r e x e c r a b l e
þ Syn. extol, praise, acclaim behavi our.
¬ Ant. cri ticise, censure, reprove
@ Exalting the dead and criticising the living seems to be our EXECRATE V.
national pastime. to detest utterly
@ Ta ru na e xe crate s th e bi tt er me mo ri es o f h er d ay s as a
EXASPERATE V., EXASPERATION N. ho stag e.
to irritate, to make very angry, infuriate
þ Syn. madden, frustrate, annoy EXEMPLARY Adj.
@ The exasperated parents of the aberrant youth feel helpless serving as a model; outstanding
at times. þ Syn. excellent, consummate, ideal
@ After he lost the match, Andre Agassi broke his racquet in @ Joan of Arc’s exemplary courage was appreciated by all.
exasper ati on.
EX GRATIA Adj.

EXCERPT N., V.
as an act of grace, as a favour and not an obligation
an extract from a source (book, speech etc.), citation, clipping
@ Although the suppliers were shown not to have been negligent,
þ Syn. passage, quote, selection, pi ece they made ex gratia payments to all those affected by the
@ The excerpts contain the essential points of the report. spill age.
@ He has beautifully excerpted The Bhagwad Gita in 10 pages.
EXHILARATE V., EXHILARATION N.,
EXCHEQUER N. EXHILARATING Adj.
government department in charge of the revenues to make cheerful, enliven, excite
@ The poll gimmick of a kilo of rice at two ruppes will bankrupt þ Syn. commove, spirit up
the exchequer. ¬ Ant. di shearten, deject
@ The exhilaration of driving a Porsche at
EXCORIATE V., EXCORIATION N. 200 mph is simply unparalleled.
to wear off the skin of, abrade @ The crow d w ent mad at Shanghai Grand Pri x as Mi chael
þ Syn. criticise, attack, upbraid, rebuke Schumacher put in yet another exhilarating performance.
¬ Ant. commend, praise, acclaim, laud
@ His latest novel received excoriating reviews.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . engender a . intentionall y confusing

2 . enormi ty b . lasting a very short time
3 . ephemeral c . cause to exit
4 . epitome d . brief summary
5 . equivocal e . extreme evil
5 .(a ) 4 . (d ) 3 . (b ) 2 . ( e ) 1 . (c )
IC : PTpntvb01 (75) of (188)

EXHORT V., EXHORTATION N. EXOTIC Adj.
to urge strongly, goad, incite, egg, encourage alien, foreign by nature, strange
þ Syn. press, push, insist, pressure þ Syn. foreign, from abroad
@ Hi s stooges exhorted the voters to reel ect the inef ficient ¬ Ant. familiar, recognisable, common
l e ad er. @ My idea of a vacation is a trip to the exotic locales of Malibu.
@ The jailer’s exhortation to maintain peace fell on deaf ears
and there was a lot of bloodshed.
EXPANSIVE
sweeping, comprehensi ve, tending to expand
EXHUME
þ Syn. spacious, allembracing
to remove from a grave, uncover a secret
¬ Ant. taciturn, restricted
þ Syn. unearth, disclose
@ Some chapters in the book were expansive in their historical
¬ Ant. bury, entomb c ov er a ge .
@ The body was exhumed, but as it failed to provide any new
evidence, it was buried again the next day.
EXP ATRIATE
one who lives outside one's native land
EXIGENCY N., EXIGENT Adj.
þ Syn. refugee, migrant
urgent situation, an urgently demanding time or state of affairs
¬ Ant. native, national
þ Syn. need, emergency, pressure
@ He spent much of his adult life as an expatriate and returned
@ It i s due to an admi nistrati ve exigency that he has been to his own country after retirement.
posted on the front line.
@ An exigent situation cropped up and the General had to rush
to the spot. EXPEDIENT
convenient, effi cient, practical
EXIGUOUS Adj. þ Syn. beneficial, pragmatic
small, minute, scanty ¬ Ant. illadvised, unprofitable
@ The judge said that the evidence was exiguous and gave the @ It was considered more expedient to send the fruit directly
defendant two more weeks for finding more. to the retailer instead of involving a middleman.
EXODUS N. EXPEDITE V., EXPEDITIOUS Adj.

a moving out of many people from a place or country to another to hasten, to speed up, facilitate
þ Syn. mass departure, evacuation þ Syn. accel erate, hurry up, advance
@ There is always an exodus to the coast at holiday times. ¬ Ant. impede, obstruct, hamper, delay
@ T h e g o v e r n m e n t m u s t e x p e d i t e t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d
commissioning of the new power project.
EX OFFICIO Adj.
by virtue of the office; automatically a member because of the
post already held EXPIATE V., EXPIATION N., EXPIABLE Adj.
@ The President i s the exoffi cio supreme commander of the to make amends for, atone for, to make up for, in the sense of
armed forces. atoni ng
þ Syn. make up, redress, apologise
EXONERATE V. @ He bought her a bunch of flowers to expiate for forgetting
her birthday.
exculpate, to free from blame, to acquit, vindicate, to free from
guil t, absolve
þ Syn. absolve, acquit, forgive, pardon EXPIRE
¬ Ant. convict, bl ame, charge to come to an end, die, breathe out
@ After being exonerated from the charges, the minister looked þ Syn. lapse, become obsolete
very happy. ¬ Ant. inhale, inspire
@ Since her driver's licence was about to expire, she had to go
EXORBITANT Adj. and exchange it for a new one.
going beyond normal limits, excessive
þ Syn. very hi gh, inflated, steep EXPLETIVE Adj., N.
¬ Ant. reasonabl e, sensible, rational an obscene exclamation
@ Th e f oo d w as pal ata bl e b ut the bi l l f o r t he di n ne r w as þ Syn. curse, oath, exclamation
exo rbi ta nt. ¬ Ant. blessing, benediction
@ He let out a string of expletives at being pushed so roughly.
EXORCISE V., EXORCIST N.
to free a person from an evil spirit, to get rid of something terrible EXPLICIT
by formal prayer clearly defined, forthright in expression
þ Syn. get rid of, escape, jettison þ Syn. specific, precise
@ We must exorcise ourselves of the ghost of partition. ¬ Ant. vague, general
@ The exorcist stripped the girl and beat her with a broom to @ The owner gave several explicit instructions to the tenants
get rid of the spirit that had possessed her. about the proper maintenance of the house.
(76) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

EXPONENT EXTIRPATE V., EXTIRPATION N.
one who champions or advocates to root out, wipe out
þ Syn. crusader, uphol der @ The military rulers have tried to extirpate all opposition.
¬ Ant. critic, opponent
@ The vice president was an enthusiastic exponent of computer EXTOL
technol ogy. to praise
þ Syn. panegyrise, laud
EXPOSTULATION N., EXPOSTULATE V. ¬ Ant. criticise, demean
protest, remonstrance @ The salesman extolled the virtues of the used car but failed
@ Despi te the IT department’s appeal s, expostul ati ons and to convince the customer.
threats, not much of bl ack money comes out i n amnesty
schemes.
EX TREMITY
outermost or farthest point
EXPOUND
þ Syn. fringe, margin
to elaborate, to expand or increase
¬ Ant. inside, middle
þ Syn. del ineate, eluci date
@ The extremities of the body, such as toes, are vulnerable to
¬ Ant. complicate, obfuscate frostbite in extreme cold weather.
@ The teacher expounded on the theory of relativity for hours,
but failed to impress the students.
EXTRICA TE
to free from, disentangle
EXPUNGE V.
þ Syn. liberate, loosen
to erase, del ete, wipe off, to efface, terminate,
¬ Ant. entangle, involve
þ Syn. obli terate, erase, delete, edit out
@ The fly was unable to extricate itself from the spider’s web.
@ The obscene w ords exchanged by the two general s were
expunged from official records.
EXTRINSIC
not inherent or essential, coming from outside
EXP URGA TE
þ Syn. adventi ti ous, extraneous
to remove all bad parts, censor
þ Syn. make palatable, purify ¬ Ant. intrinsic, internal
¬ Ant. endorse, permit @ The animal population in the jungle is affected by extrinsic
factors like encroachment and poaching.
@ Government propagandists expurgated all negative references
to the dictator from the film.
EXUBERANT Adj., EXUBERANCE N.
EXQUISITE Adj. li vel y, eff usi ve, enthusi astic
delicious, of consummate excellence, impeccable þ Syn. excited, lively, energetic

¬ Ant. lethargic, tired, weary, languid
þ Syn. beautiful, fine, superb, lovely
@ He is a classical dancer with an exuberant, flamboyant style.
¬ Ant. unattractive, hi deous, unsightly
@ I have just bought an exquisite piece of crystal.
EXUDE
EXTEMPORANEOUS – unrehearsed, at the spur of the moment to give off, ooze
þ Syn. unprepared, impromptu þ Syn. emanate, send out
¬ Ant. premeditated, planned ¬ Ant. absorb, take up
@ Jyoti gave an extemporaneous performance of a skit at her @ The candidate exuded an aura of selfconfidence, impressing
surprise birthday party. the i nterviewers.
EXULT V., EXULTANT Adj., EXULTATION N.

EXTENUATING Adj., EXTENUATE V.,
EXTENUATION N. to rejoice exceedingly, to triumph
palliating, reducing the guilt in a crime þ Syn. revel, take pride, gloat, glory
þ Syn. mitigating, justifying @ An exultant Steffi Graff cheered the crowd at Roland Garros
after winning the French Open.
¬ Ant. implicating, corroborating
@ In their exultation, the crowd threatened to strom the ground
@ The extenuating circumstances of the crime helped him secure and mob their team after the match.
bail.
EXTINCTION
end of a living thing or species
þ Syn. eradication, elimination
¬ Ant. survival, activation
@ The dodo was hunted to extinction by man many years ago.
IC : PTpntvb01 (77) of (188)

“F”
FA BRICA TE FALLOW Adj.
to devise, construct left unsown after tilling
þ Syn. make, create þ Syn. uncultivated, unsown, cropfree
¬ Ant. destroy, dismantle ¬ Ant. refined, cul tured, educated
@ Rohit fabricates wonderful stories in selfdefence, whenever @ Farmers have been told they cannot be eligible for government
he is caught doing something wrong. support unless they leave a certain amount of land fallow.
FACADE ( FASAAD ) N. FAMISH V., FAMISHED Adj.

the exterior face of a building, appearance, face, the face you to feel very hungry
show to the world @ To a famished palate no food is insipid.
þ Syn. frontage, portico, f ascia, front @ They w ere ti red and f amished after l ong trek across the
@ The peaceful situation is a mere facade; there is a volcano d es e rt .
simmering within.
@ The DTF shopping mall in Gurgaon has a complete glass and FANATIC Adj., N., FANATICISM N.
steel f acade.
extravagantly or unreasonably zealous, excessively enthusiastic
þ Syn. extremist, uncompromising
FACILE
@ Religious fanaticism leads to bigotry.
very easy
@ The fanatic youth in Pakistan burnt effigies of Musharraf for
þ Syn. simplistic, schematic his support to Bush administration.
¬ Ant. profound, thorough
@ She was alarmingly facile when it came to telling lies; they FANCIFUL Adj.
seemed to roll off her tongue.
whimsical, visionary
þ Syn. imaginary, fantastic, unlikely
FA CILITA TE
@ He ideas may sound fanciful but he is a true visionary.
to aid, assist
þ Syn. enable, expedi te
FARCE N., FARCICAL Adj.
¬ Ant. impede, obstruct
broad comedy, mockery
@ The organisers tried to facilitate social interaction among the
delegates by arranging informal games. þ Syn. shambl es, travesty, circus, sham
@ The whole show turned out to be a farce.
FACTIOUS Adj., FACTION N. @ You have put me into a farcical situation.
turbulent, given to faction, seditious
þ Syn. defiant, rebellious, insubordinate FA SCISM
¬ Ant. obedient, compliant, amenable an extremely authoritarian form of a government
@ The factious teens can go to extremes if their wishes are not þ Syn. despoti sm, dictatorship, tyranny
fulfilled. @ Mussolini played a key role in the rise of fascism in Italy in the
@ There have been hundreds of factions in Congress party. 192 0s.
FAD N. FA STIDIOUS

a transient hobby or craze, an unimportant belief careful with details, finicky
þ Syn. fashion, trend, vogue, whim, cult þ Syn. meticulous, painstaking

@ A palmtop is the latest fad among young executives. ¬ Ant. careless, sl oppy
@ Ajay was normal ly so fastidious that Leena was astonished
to find his desk cluttered.
FAIT ACCOMPLI N.
an ac com pl i she d f act , a th i ng al r ead y d one an d c ann ot be
ch ang ed FA TUOUS Adj.
@ The widening cyberspace is a fait accompli now. silly, imbecilic, foolish, idiotic

þ Syn. stupid, childish, inane, absurd
FALLACIOUS ¬ Ant. sensible, rational, reasonable
wrong, unsound, illogical @ He made some sort of fatuous suggestion about standing on
a chair to do the job.
þ Syn. inaccurate, misguided
¬ Ant. true, correct
FAUNA N.
@ "The Earth is flat" is a fallacious statement.
the animals living in a region or in a particular period
@ She took part in an expedition to explore and describe the
flora and fauna of the Amazon basin.
(78) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

FAUX PAS ( FO PA ) FEIGN N., FEIGNED Adj.
a disastrous blunder, a very big mistake to pretend, disguise
@ He committed a faux pas by walking in front of the dignitary þ Syn. put on, simulate, act as if, invent
instead of staying two steps behind. @ Foxes often feign death to catch an easy prey.
@ The servant f ei gned i gnorance duri ng pol ice i nterrogation,
FAWN V., N., FAWNING Adj. casting a shadow on his possible involvement in the crime.
a young deer; to fl atter in a servil e way; courting favour by
cringing and flattering
FEISTY
þ Syn. yellowishbrown, beige, mushroom, buff
excitable, easily drawn into quarrels
@ The fawning hangerson of a filmstar lead a parasitelike life.
þ Syn. snappish, irritable
@ The journalists fawned over her like she was some sort of a
¬ Ant. cooltempered, unirritable
q ue en .
@ The feisty old lady alienated her neighbours with her habit of
picking up fights with anyone who crossed her.
FAZE V.
to disturb the composure of, disconcert
FELICITOUS Adj., FELICITATION N.
þ Syn. discomfit, rattle
very appropriate, pertinent, well chosen, fortunate, fit, suitable,
¬ Ant. relax, relieve pl easant
@ After suffering the trauma of being a prisoner of war for five
þ Syn. lucky, blessed, fortuitous
years, nothing fazed him anymore.
¬ Ant. out of luck, hapless, unfortunate
@ He thanked the retiring director for his contribution, summing
FEASIBLE
up his achievements in a few felicitous phrases.
possible, capable of being done
þ Syn. viable, practicable
FELINE Adj.
¬ Ant. impossible, nonviable
like a cat
@ As it was not feasible to distribute free CDs, the music store
decided to consider a different method of promotion. þ Syn. catlike, slinky, subtle, graceful
@ The feline grace of Madhu Sapre on the ramps made her a
super model.
FECKLESS
i neff ecti ve, carel ess
FELON N., FELONY N.
þ Syn. irresponsible, incompetent
a person who has committed a serious crime
¬ Ant. worthy, competent
þ Syn. criminal, murderer, thief
@ Anju took on the responsibility of caring for her aged mother,
realising that her feckless brother was not up to the task. @ The weak laws embolden felony.
FECUND FEROCIOUS Adj., FEROCITY N.

fertile, fruitful savage, fierce, cruel
þ Syn. producti ve, generati ve þ Syn. vicious, violent, brutal, very bad
¬ Ant. barren, degenerative ¬ Ant. calm, kind, tender, moderate
@ The outsourcing idea appeared useless in the beginning but @ She fought the robbers with the ferocity of a lioness.
turned out to be very fecund for the organisation. @ The prime minister came in for some ferocious criticism from
the opposition.
Vikas Lokhande FERRET V.

IIMK to investigate carefully and reveal
þ Syn. hunt, rummage, furrow, flush
The personal attention @ I know his name but I haven’t yet managed to ferret out his
addr ess.
g i v en b y f a c ul ty
members helped me to FERVENT Adj., FERVOUR N.
cope with my hot , ar dent, z ea l ous, pas si ona te, f ervi d, f u l l o f str ong and
sincere emotions, impassioned
shortcomings. I am þ Syn. keen, avid, eager, burning
thankful to the entire ¬ Ant. unresponsive, apathetic
team PT for being a @ It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.
@ There was no holding back the crowd’s fervour when Ronaldo
great help to me. arrived on the field.
FERVID
passionate, intense, z ealous
þ Syn. w holehearted, heartfelt
¬ Ant. half hearted, di spassi onate
@ His fans were particularly fervid, doing anything to catch a
glimpse of the great singer.
IC : PTpntvb01 (79) of (188)
FESTER V. FIGMENT N.
to cause increasing irritation, to exist in a state of progressive a fabrication or invention, fiction
deteri oration, rankle þ Syn. creation, illusion, fantasy
@ The municipal corporation allowed slums to fester and today @ Ghosts are just figments of one’s imagination.
they have become a nuisance for the authorities.
FILCH V.
FETE N.
to steal, burglarise, appropriate, to steal in a sneaky way (usually
a festival, a holiday something of minor value)
þ Syn. bazaar, f air, gala, party þ Syn. steal, pinch, rob, thieve, snatch
@ They’re holdi ng the coll ege f ete on the greens adjacent to @ Don’t filch any of those cookies before they’ve had time to
the auditorium. cool.
FETID Adj. FILIGREE N.

stinking, having a foul odour, malodorous delicate, lacelike metalwork
þ Syn. rotten, putrid @ The sunli ght shining through the branches made a fil igree
¬ Ant. fresh, f ragrant pattern on the tiles.
@ The fetid air of the prison cell made her vomit.
FILLIP V.
FETISH N. to stimulate, incite
anything which a person irrationally reveres or worships, charm, þ Syn. boost, tonic, spur, impetus, zest
obsession, talisman, amulet @ The government intends to provide a fillip to infrastructure
þ Syn. thing, fixation, mania, inclination development in India.
@ That old, chewedup square of blanket is of our dog’s fetish.
@ He has a fetish for cleanliness. FILTH N.
obscenity, foul matter
FETTER V., N. þ Syn. dirt, grime, refuse, debris
to restrain from motion; a chain or shackle on the feet @ People complained in the press about the filth on the roads .
þ Syn. tie, bind, chain, confine
@ You cannot be unconventi onal w hen you ar e f ettered by FINESSE N.
tradi tions. highly artful, skilled, superb technique, adroitness
@ He broke the fetters loose and escaped from a high security þ Syn. skill, flair, grace, elegance, poise
prison.
¬ Ant. clumsiness, awkwardness
@ She has handled these difficult negotiations with tremendous
FEUDAL Adj. f i nesse.
pertaining to feuds of fiefs, belonging to feudalism
@ For years the feudal system followed in India was responsible Rachna Jain
for the misery of poor farmers.
IIFT, NMIMS, IITB
FIASCO
PT for me was
disaster, utter fai lure
þ Syn. debacle, wreck
Personalized Training.
¬ Ant. success, triumph The material was
@ After the lead guitarist turned up drunk, it was hardly surprising properly structured into
that the concert ended up being an utter fiasco.
small parts that was easy
FICTITIOUS Adj., FICTION N. to understand. The small
imaginary, invented, madeup, unreal learning eventually
þ Syn. untrue, fabri cated, i nvented helped me get a
¬ Ant. factual, truthful, realistic, honest
compsandeepmrehensi
@ The actor has dismissed the recent rumours about his private
life as fictitious and malicious. ve learning of the
subject. Thanks PT for
FIDELITY
creating such a great
l oyalty, constancy
material!
þ Syn. devotedness, f aithf ul ness
¬ Ant. disloyalty, infidelity
@ A traitor is someone whose fidelity is questionable.
(80) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

FINICKY FLAMB OYANT
fussy, difficult to please flashy, garish, exciting, dazzling
þ Syn. exacti ng, overcriti cal þ Syn. showy, ostentatious
¬ Ant. encouragi ng, undemanding ¬ Ant. modest, restrained
@ The finicky child rejected every dish on the menu much to the @ The actor’s flamboyant clothing made him stick out among
exasperation of his parents. the crowd.
FISSION – process of splitting into two parts
þ Syn. separation, disjuncture FLAUNT V.
¬ Ant. fusion, combination to display in an impudent, brazen, ostentatious or gaudy manner,
@ The di scove ry of the pro cess of nucl ea r f i ss i on ena bl ed to show off
scientists to construct the atom bomb. þ Syn. exhibit, display, parade
@ Guys love flaunting their bikes and girls their mobiles.
FITFUL Adj.
spasmodic, intermittent FLAY V.
þ Syn. disturbed, restless, sporadic to remove the skin from, to subject to severe criticism
¬ Ant. unbroken, constant, steady þ Syn. whip, lash, thrash, criticise
@ I had a fitful sleep last night. @ In Pakistan, liars and robbers are flayed.
@ In prehistoric times, people used flint to flay the animals they
FLABBERGASTED Adj., FLABBERGAST V. killed.
stunned, confounded, confused
þ Syn. shocked, staggered, amazed FLEDGLING N.
@ The successive exposure of scams flabbergasted the Indian novice, unexperienced, tyro
popul ace. þ Syn. baby bird, baby chicken
@ The flabbergasted photographer couldn’t react when Britney @ The current economi c cl i mate i s parti cul arl y di f f i cul t f or
Spears spat on him. fledgl ing businesses.
FLACCID Adj. FLEECE N., V.

flabby, loose, not firm, drooping, not competent wool coat of a sheep; to strip of money or property by fraud or
þ Syn. sagging, lifeless extorti on
¬ Ant. firm, solid, hard, rigid, secure þ Syn. swindle, con, rip off, cheat
@ The flaccid leadership at the company was responsible for its @ The bureaucrats fleeced him but did not manage a licence for
fal l. him.
FLAGRA NT FLICK N., V.

outrageous, shameless a quick, light blow or stroke; the slight sound; a movie
þ Syn. blatant, braz en þ Syn. brush, tap, flip
¬ Ant. unobtrusive, slight @ Cows flick their tails to brush away flies annoying them.
@ His flagrant disregard for the rules resulted in his dismissal @ Are you coming to watch the latest Bond flick this Saturday
from the job. at the multiplex?
FLAIR N. FLIMSY Adj.

a natural aptitude for some art, game or trait weak, thin, without strength
þ Syn. style, finesse, flamboyance þ Syn. fragile, delicate, insubstantial
@ The head o f the department h as a great f l ai r f or publ i c ¬ Ant. strong, powerful, muscular
speaking. @ She looked sensuous and seductive in a flimsy night gown.
@ The storm flattened the flimsy wooden huts that the villagers
lived in.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . fastidi ous a . meticulous

2 . f ec und b . glaringly bad
3 . fi deli ty c . f ertil e
4 . f lagrant d . l oya l ty
5 . flout e . to di sregard contemptuously
5 .(e ) 4 . (b ) 3 . (d ) 2 . (c ) 1 . ( a )
IC : PTpntvb01 (81) of (188)

FLINCH V. FOIL V.
to shrink back due to pain, fear etc. def eat, f rustrate
þ Syn. recoil, strong, shy away, balk þ Syn. thwart, outwit
@ In spite of the anaesthetic, the patient flinched as the doctor @ An attempted coup agai nst the country’s military ruler was
dug his scalpel into her leg. f oi l ed yesterday.
FLIPPANT Adj., FLIPPANCY N. FOLIA TE

talkative, frivolous, impertinent, airy to grow, sprout leaves
þ Syn. offhand, glib, dismissive @ The plant looked dead, so Vicky was astonished when it began
to foliate.
¬ Ant. serious, grave, solemn, somber
@ His flippancy at busy hours of work is despised by all.
FOMENT
@ This article has been written in a very flippant style.
to arouse or incite
þ Syn. instigate, provoke
FLIT V.
¬ Ant. discourage, extinguish
to pass quickly from one place or condition to another
@ The protesters tried to foment public opinion against the war
@ Ramola flits from one boyfriend to another. through their speeches and demonstrations.
FLORID FOOLHARDY Adj., FOOLHARDINESS N.

gaudy, extremel y ornate, ruddy, fl ushed foolishly adventurous and bold; rash
þ Syn. f lamboyant, overelaborate þ Syn. reckless, risky, imprudent
¬ Ant. pale, plain ¬ Ant. sensible, sane, rational, shrewd
@ The palace had been decorated in a florid style; every surface @ He made a foolhardy attempt to climb the tree in order to
had been carved and gilded. rescue the ki tten.
@ It would be foolhardiness on her part to risk all her savings
FLOUNDER on this crazy scheme.
to falter, waver
þ Syn. to muddle, struggle FORAY N., V.
¬ Ant. prosper, make good progress an attempt, a venture or expedition
@ The previ ousl y glib def endant began to f lounder when the þ Syn. rai d, venture, sortie, assault
prosecutor found a hole in his story. @ R e l i a n c e ’s f o r a y i n t o b i o m ed i c a l r e s e a r c h w i l l a l s o b e
successf ul .
@ She forayed into acting before starting a career as a model.
FLOUT
to treat contemptuously, scorn
FOREBODE V., FOREBODING N.
þ Syn. defy, disdain
to prognosticate, to have a premonition of evil
¬ Ant. obey rules
þ Syn. foretell, portend, prophesy
@ The motorist flouted traffic rules and rashly cut across several
l anes. @ Forebodi ngs about the end of the world by the year 2000
were ridiculous.
FLUCTUA TE
FORENSIC Adj.
to alternate, w aver
relating to the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems
þ Syn. vacillate, oscillate
@ Forensic examination revealed a large quantity of poison in
¬ Ant. be steady, unequivocal
the dead man’s stomach.
@ Prices of certain stocks fluctuate so much that it is risky to
invest in them.
FORESHADOW V.
give an i ndication beforehand, portend, prefigure
FLUKE N.
@ The recent outbreak of violence was foreshadowed by isolated
an accidental success incidents in the city earlier this year.
þ Syn. accident, stroke of luck
@ Taiwan’s success in computer hardware is not a fluke. FORESTA LL
to prevent, del ay, anticipate
FLUSTER V. þ Syn. apprehend, hamper
confuse, a nervous state
¬ Ant. encourage, facil itate
þ Syn. bother, agitate, upset, muddle
@ The landlord waited outside the door to forestall the tenant’s
¬ Ant. soothe, cal m, paci fy, appease attempt to slip away.
@ During the enquiry he continuously flustered the cops.
FORETHOUG HT
FOIBLE N. anticipation, foresi ght
a minor weakness, short coming, defect or imperfection þ Syn. insight, prudence
þ Syn. quirk, bad habit, eccentricity ¬ Ant. hindsight, negligence
@ Great leaders have their own foibles that sometimes cost the @ W i t h a l i t t l e f o r e t h o u g h t y o u c o u l d h a v e m a d e y o u r
nati ons greatl y. presentation a lot more effective.
(82) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
FORLORN Adj. FRA CA S
neglected, wretched, quite lost, forsaken noisy dispute
@ The forlorn victims of Bhopal gas tragedy died slow deaths. þ Syn. commotion, scuffle
¬ Ant. concord, harmony
FORMIDABLE Adj. @ When the bandits discovered that the gambler was cheating
causing fear, inspiring awe fostering respect or awe, arousing fear them at cards, violent fracas ensued.
or worry
þ Syn. alarming, dreadful, terrifying FRA CTIOUS
@ A formidable opposition is what every ruling alliance dreads. unruly, rebellious
þ Syn. disobedient, uncontrollable
FORMULA TE ¬ Ant. dutiful, contented
to concei ve, devise, express, state @ The general had a hard time maintaining discipline among his
þ Syn. to draft, plan fracti ous troops.
@ The marketers formulated a new advertising strategy to launch
the product in the market. FRANTIC Adj.
marked by fast and nervous or anxiety driven activity
FORSA KE þ Syn. anxious, f renz ied, frenetic
to abandon, withdraw from ¬ Ant. tranquil, peaceful, calm, still
þ Syn. renounce, di sown @ A frantic search is on for the assassin.
¬ Ant. keep, return to
@ Crimi nals on death penalty tend to feel that everyone has FRAUDULENT
forsaken them. deceitful, dishonest, unethi cal
þ Syn. duplicitous, unscrupulous
FORSWEAR V. ¬ Ant. honest, above board
renounce, abandon @ The factory engaged in fraudulent practices, producing radios
þ Syn. disavow, reject, disown, abjure with spurious components.
@ He was courageous enough to forswear his religion by birth.
FRAUGHT Adj.
FORTE N. filled with, laden, accompanied by
something in whi ch one excel s, special strength or skill, what þ Syn. burdened, full, filled
you’re known for ¬ Ant. lacking, absent, missing
þ Syn. strong point, speciality, gift @ Life is fraught with opportunities if you can see them.
¬ Ant. failing, deteriorating
@ Laila’s forte was bellydancing but she was also an excellent FRENZY N., FRENZIED Adj.
bal leri na.
violent excitement
þ Syn. fury, anger, rage, passion
FORTIFY V., FORTIFICATION N.
¬ Ant. cal mness, serenity, peace
to strengthen, invigorate, confirm, enrich
@ The frenzy of a mob on the rampage is difficult to control.
þ Syn. make stronger, reinforce, brace
@ The frenzied crowd was restless as soon as their f avourite
¬ Ant. weaken, damage, fail, wane, fade
hero alighted from the plane.
@ The Great Wall of China was made to protect Chinese territory
from Mongol attacks.
FRESCO N.
a mode of painting upon walls covered with damp plaster
FORTITUDE N.
þ Syn. wall painting, mural, frieze
courage in endurance, persistence, vi gour
þ Syn. courage, resilience, guts, grit @ The frescoes of Ajanta caves w ere discovered by a Briti sh
ci ti zen.
@ The fortitude of Tilak was inspiring.
FRIGID Adj., FRIGIDITY N.

FORTUITOUS
intensely cold
happening by l uck, fortunate
þ Syn. cold, frosty, chilly, icy, glacial
þ Syn. i nadvertent, accidental
¬ Ant. torrid, hot, stifling, scorching
¬ Ant. predictabl e, foreseen
@ Many parts of Russia are in the frigid zone.
@ R u km i n i g o t h e r st a r t i n th e m us i c i n d u st r y w h e n s h e
fortuitously met a talent scout during a show. @ Her frigidity kept people off her.
FOSTER FRITTER V.

to nourish, cul tivate, promote to waste away little by little, squander, dissipate
þ Syn. encourage, espouse þ Syn. dribble away
¬ Ant. negl ect, suppress ¬ Ant. conserve, save, preserve, keep
@ The record agent fostered the development of his clients by @ Do not fritter away your education in gossip and trivialities.
sending them to singing lessons.
IC : PTpntvb01 (83) of (188)
FRIVOLOUS Adj., FRIVOLITY N. FUNEREAL
silly, trifling mournful, appropriate to a funeral
þ Syn. playful, frolicsome, flippant þ Syn. solemn, gloomy
¬ Ant. seri ous, i mportant, acute, severe ¬ Ant. cheerful , lively
@ My friends enjoyed my frivolity in their leisure but they never @ Dep resse d by the party 's f u nere al at mosph ere, Suz a nne
took me seriously otherwise. decided to leave early.
@ He is generally a good student but he is inclined to be frivolous
in group discussions. FURORE N.
an angry or maniacal fit, frenzy; an outburst of public excitement
FROLIC N., V., FROLICSOME Adj. @ A f ur or e e ru pt e d ov er th e co u rt ’s ve rd i c t o n l e g al i s i n g
gaiety, prank homosexual marri ages.
þ Syn. play, skip, leap, cavort, gambol
@ The kids were frolicking at the party. FURTIVE
@ The two teams were so unevenly matched that the game was secret, steal thy
little more than a frolic for the winning side. þ Syn. surreptitious, sly
¬ Ant. open, above board
FRUGAL Adj., FRUGALITY N. @ Gl enn furtively peered out of the corner of hi s eye at the
economical, sparing, thrifty, sparing, careful about how money stunningly beautiful model.
or goods are used
þ Syn. thrifty, prudent, spari ng FUSILLADE N.
¬ Ant. spendthrif t, wastrel, squanderer simultaneous discharge of firearms, barrage, burst
@ Chetna says she has enough money to last through the month @ Tw e n t y e i g h t d e m o n s t r a t o r s w e r e s h o t d e a d a n d 1 8 8
but only if she is frugal in her spending. wounded in a fiveminute fusillade of automatic fire.
@ Judging by their frugality, you would never guess they were
rich.
FUSION – process of merging things into one
þ Syn. amalgamation, coal escence
FUGITIVE Adj., N.
¬ Ant. f ragmentation, separati on
fl eeing, evanescent, w anderi ng
@ Cement is formed by the fusion of shale and limestone.
þ Syn. escapee, deserter, renegade
@ Fugitive families who fled the fighting in the cities are now
trying to survive in the mountains. FUSSY Adj.
choosy, discriminating, particular, picky
FULSOME Adj. þ Syn. finicky, selective
disgusti ngl y i nsi ncere, immoderate; overabundant, overdone, ¬ Ant. cool, relaxed, tranquil
obsequious or servile @ The old man is fussy.
þ Syn. flattering, excessive, immoderate @ The children are so fussy about the food that I don’t know
@ He earned the fulsome praise of the chief minister. what to cook.
@ The fulsome chrome glitter of escalator dominated the central
hall. FUZZY Adj.
blurred, not clear
þ Syn. hairy, downy, blurry, unclear
¬ Ant. clear, transparent, lucid
@ You can pick up a lot of stations on the car radio but the
sound is usually quite fuzzy.
B i och e m ist ry
a bo ve .
BILIOUS : affected by or associated with nausea or vomiting

CARCINOGEN : any cancercausing substance
CYTOLOGY : the study of cells
DETRITUS : decaying organic matter lying just below the surface
ENZYME : protein which acts as a biological catalyst
IMMISCIBLE : not capable of being mixed
LIPID : a fatlike substance that cannot be dissolved in water
OSMOSIS : di f fusi on of substance i n a l i quid sol ution across a
membrane
SUB STRA TE : an y s ub sta nce w h i c h i s a cte d o n or al t ere d by an
enzyme
VISCERAL : relating to deep inward feelings rather than to intellect
(84) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“G”
GAFFE N. GALVANISE V.
a social or diplomatic blunder, mistake stimulate by shock, stir up; to coat with zinc
þ Syn. faux pas, error of judgement þ Syn. rouse, animate, incite
¬ Ant. righteous move, correct ¬ Ant. make dull
@ I made a real gaffe, calling his new wife by the name of his @ The prospect of his mother coming to stay galvanised him
exw i f e. into action and he immediately set about cleaning the house.
GAINSAY V. GAMBIT N.

to declare to be untrue, to deny, to contradict, to dispute an initial move, sacrifice for gain later on
þ Syn. oppose, naysay, ref ute þ Syn. ploy, manoeuvre, scheme
¬ Ant. agree, concur @ Her clever opening gambit gave her an early advantage.
@ T h e r e ’ s n o g a i n s a y i n g t h e t e c h n i c a l b r i l l i a n c e o f h i s
perf ormance but one mi ght have hoped f or a l ittl e more GAMBOL V.
f eeli ng. to frisk and frolic, leap playfully
@ Seeing her gambol in the amusement park, I remembered my
GALE N. chi ldhood.
a strong wind; an emotional outburst
@ Gales of laughter broke out after he completed the joke. GA MELY Adv.
in a spirited manner, with courage
GALL N., V. þ Syn. willingly, gladly, voluntarily
bi tterness, nerve, brazen boldness; vex ¬ Ant. grudgi ngly, ungenerously
þ Syn. irritate, infuriate, provoke @ Though outclassed, he fought on gamely against the superior
adversary and won the applause of the audience.
¬ Ant. pl ease, entertain
@ I don’t know how she can have the gall to accuse other people
of inefficiency when she’s the most incompetent person! GAMUT N.
@ The loose saddle galled the horse’s back. the whole spectrum or range of anything, the full extent
þ Syn. range, scale, breadth, array
GALLANT Adj., GALLANTRY N. @ In her stories she expresses the w hole gamut of emotions
from happiness to sorrow.
brave, noble, attentive to ladies; splendid, stately
þ Syn. chivalrous, grand, fine, dashing
GARBLE V.
¬ Ant. cow ard, unchivalrous, dastard
to mangle or mutilate, misrepresent, misconstrue
@ Despite fierce competition she made a gallant effort to win
þ Syn. confuse, muddle, distort, jumble
the first medal of the championships.
¬ Ant. arrange properly, display, pose
@ It would appear that there are not many gallant men left in
the big cities, the way women are pushed around in the crowd. @ He left a rather garbled message on my answering machine.
GALORE Adv. GARGA NTUAN

in abundance, plentiful gi ant, tremendous
þ Syn. enormous, monstrous
þ Syn. in great quantity
¬ Ant. tiny, minuscule
¬ Ant. meagre, in short supply
@ Strangel y, for some teenagers, it is a gargantuan task to
@ And for the sweettoothed, this café has desserts galore.
maintain a little order.
Civil Law
The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned above.
BILK : withhold money by deceit or without justification

CHATTEL : movable property (not attached to land)
CODICIL : a legal document which adds to or changes the provisions of a will
DEMUR : to claim that even if another party’s facts are true there is no legitimate claim or legal recourse
FIDUCIA RY : one charged with the legal responsibility for administrating and/or managing another’s assets
NOVATION : substitution of a new contract or obligation for an existing one
QUITCLA IM : to transfer or relinquish title in property to another without any representation as to one’s
legal authority to do so
RECIDIVISM : tending to go back to crime
SUBROG ATE : to substitute one party (e.g., a creditor) for another
VEST : to attain a right or interest without possibility of losing it
IC : PTpntvb01 (85) of (188)

GARISH Adj. GENESIS N.
show y, gaudy, flamboyant, ostentatious generation, producti on
þ Syn. dazz ling, showy, taw dry, kitschy þ Syn. origin, start, birth
¬ Ant. germane, apt, regular ¬ Ant. end, armageddon
@ The sets of most Hindi films are garish. @ Bankerbroker nexus was the genesi s of the Bombay bank
scam.
GARNER @ Scientists are carrying out research into the genesis of cancer.
to gather and store
þ Syn. amass, stockpile GENIAL Adj., GENIALITY N.
¬ Ant. disperse, dissemble kindl y, healthful
@ The businessman managed to garner f inance from several þ Syn. kind, affable, gracious, amiable
sources for his next project. ¬ Ant. antagonistic, inhospi table
@ The geniality of those who receive or deal with the customers
GARRULOUS Adj., GARRULITY N. in any business plays a critical role in its success.
a person who talks a lot, extremely talkative, loquacious, gabby, @ The headteacher is an easygoing genial man.
ve rb os e
þ Syn. loquacious, chattering, babbling GENOCIDE N., GENOCIDAL Adj.
¬ Ant. taciturn, monosyllabic, subdued deliberate extermination of a race or group etc.
@ Af ter hi s daughter’s birth, the normal ly shy Rohan turned @ The genocide of Jews by Hitler was heinous.
garrulous, telling endless stories about his new and perfect @ Saddam’s genocidal policy towards Kurds in northern Iraq was
chi ld. sheer barbarism.
GASTRONOME N. GENRE

a person who relishes drinks and food, epicure, type, cl ass, category
þ Syn. connoisseur, bon vivant þ Syn. ilk, variety
@ Delhi is the Mecca of gastronomes. @ My sister l oves mysteri es, but I can't stand that genre of
books.
GAUCHE Adj.
clumsy, tactless GENUFLECT V.
þ Syn. maladroit, inept to bend the knee as in worship
¬ Ant. debonair, suave @ Thousands of Muslims genuflect simultaneously while offering
@ The finishing school transforms the gauche into suave. namaz at the Jama Masjid .
GAUNT Adj. GERMANE Adj.

excessively thin and angular; barren something relevant, suitable, pertinent, proper, appropriate
@ Supermodel Giselle Bundchen has a characteristic long gaunt þ Syn. useful, connected, of interest
f a ce . ¬ Ant. immaterial, extraneous
@ He r re mark s co ul d not have be en m ore germ ane to t he
GELID Adj. di scussion.
very cold, icy (said of people’s attitudes as well as of substances)
þ Syn. frozen, chilled, dormant GERONTOCRACY N.
¬ Ant. warm, in action government ruled by the old people
@ The haughty old queen gave her subjects a brief, gelid smile @ Gulliver’s Travels describes gerontocracy in a country where
as she informed them that their audience was over. the young are made to serve and the old rule.
GENEALOGY N. GESTATION
a history or study of the descent of a family, ancestry, pedigree growth process from conception to birth
@ My father has produced a genealogy of our family going back þ Syn. incubation, maturation
to 1732. @ The longer the gestation period of an organism, the more
developed is its baby at birth.
GENERIC Adj., N
having a wide appli cation, of a type of cl ass, comprehensive, GESTICULATE V., GESTICULATION N.
uni versal to make vigorous and expressive signals or gestures
þ Syn. basic, common, standard þ Syn. wave, signal, sign, indicate
¬ Ant. explicit, exact, unambiguous @ I n K a t h a k a l i , t h e d a n c e r s c o n v e y t h e i r s t o r y u s i n g
@ Xerox has become a generic term for photocopiers. gesticulations and facial expressions.
@ As he became more excited, he gesticulated more and more
wildly.
(86) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

GHASTLY Adj. GLIB
terrifyingly horrible to the senses fluent in an insincere manner, offhand, casual
þ Syn. terrible, frightening, appalling þ Syn. loquacious, disingenuous
¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, agreeable ¬ Ant. sincere, inarti culate
@ She was wearing the most ghastly outfit you’ve ever seen. @ The slimy politician managed to gain support because he was
a glib speaker.
GIBBER V., GIBBERISH N.

GLIMMER N., V.
to utter senseless or inarticulate talk
feeble rays of light, faint perception
þ Syn. babble, rant, prattle, prate
þ Syn. twinkle, shine, gleam, spark
@ Don’t you gibber in the presence of royalty.
@ I see a glimmer of intelligence in that young lad.
@ Stop that gibberish and tell us exactly what you saw.
GLOAT V.
GIBE V., N.
to look with intense, malicious satisfaction
to scoff at, to make fun of, deride, tease with rude remarks
þ Syn. revel, take pride, glory, triumph
þ Syn. mock, tease, jeer, joke, laugh
¬ Ant. lament, mourn, grieve, bewail
@ The gibes should be well directed so that they entertain and
@ She won’t stop gloating over her new job.
not irritate.
GLOOM N., GLOOMY Adj.

GILD V.
partial darkness, cloudi ness, hopelessness
to cover with gold or goldlike substance
þ Syn. obscurity, shade, shadow, murk
þ Syn. make golden, paint gold
¬ Ant. bri ghtness, i ntensity, clarity
@ If you gild the lily you try to improve or decorate something
which is already perfect and therefore spoil it. @ The article about pollution painted a picture of gloom.
@ A gloomy atmosphere prevailed in the colony where an elderly
couple were murdered the previous night.
GIRTH
circumference, width
GLUT V., N.
@ The young boy marvelled at the girth of the peepul tree.
to feed to satiety, to saturate, to flood
þ Syn. excess, surplus, superfluity
GINGERLY Adj.
¬ Ant. shortage, scarcity, def ici ency
very carefull y @ The glut of electronic goods reflects rampant consumerism.
þ Syn. cauti ous, del icate, gentle
@ Eggs should always be cracked gingerly especially when you GLUTINOUS Adj.
want to separate the white from the yolk.
sticky, gummy
@ The glutinous gel that I plastered my hair with is difficult to
GIRTH N. wash of f.
a measure around the body, circumference
@ Deepak has been growing in gi rth ever since he moved to GLUTTONOUS Adj., GLUTTON N.
Del hi.
voracious, ravenous; a greedy eater
þ Syn. insati abl e, excessi ve
GLARING Adj., GLARE V., N. @ He is gluttonous and obviously suffers from obesity.
highly conspicuous, harshly bright @ For a glutton, he was remarkably slim.
þ Syn. conspicuous, obvious, obtrusive
¬ Ant. inconspicuous, ordinary, subtle GLUTTONY
@ Those wearing glaring clothes will attract a lot of attention eating and drinking in excess
and some jeer too.
þ Syn. greediness, voraci ty
¬ Ant. absti nence, moderation
@ After all the gluttony at the party, the guests took days to
recover thei r appetite.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . f ors ake a . secre ti ve

2 . f ortuitous b . ab and on
3 . f u rti ve c . acci dental
4 . garrul ous d . type of art
5 . genre e . c ha tt y
5. (d ) 4 .( e ) 3 .( a ) 2. (c ) 1. (b )
IC : PTpntvb01 (87) of (188)

GNARL V. GRANDEUR N.
snarl, growl; twist into a state of deformity impressiveness, statel iness, majesty
@ The man gnarled but was helpless with so many policemen þ Syn. splendour, opulence, majesty
surrounding him with guns drawn. ¬ Ant. austeri ty, severi ty, strictness
@ The sight of the old gnarled tree reminded the poet about an @ The grandeur of Taj at night captivates the tourists.
old man.
GRANDILOQUENT Adj. GRANDILOQUENCE N.

GNOME N.
pompous, bombastic, using highsounding language
a dwarf (like an old man) living in a cave
þ Syn. pompous, pretentious, verbose
þ Syn. sprite, goblin, troll, leprechaun
¬ Ant. straightf orw ard, easy, basic
@ The gnomes in children’s books are always kind and magical
but some are quite mischievous. @ He was a performer who loved making grandiloquent gestures.
@ Her speech was full grandiloquence but offered no new ideas.
GOAD N., V.
a sharp pointed stick to drive animals, a stimulus, an instrument GRANDIOSE
or prod used to magnificent and imposing, exaggerated and pretentious
stimulate action þ Syn. resplendent, ostentatious
þ Syn. provoke, drive, prod, push ¬ Ant. unimpressive, humble
¬ Ant. calm, tranquil, peaceful, still, cool @ The house had a grandiose facade that hid its humble interior.
@ They may hate you but you must continue to goad the students
to put in regular hours for their own good. GRAPPLE V.
@ The cowherd made cruel use of his goad to make the animals wrestle, come to grips with
move faster.
þ Syn. struggle, fight, tackle, seize
¬ Ant. let go, release, liberate, free
GOBBLE V.
@ She grappled with the problem but could not find a solution.
to swallow hastily, to eat greedily
þ Syn. guzzle, bolt, gorge, gulp
GRATE V.
¬ Ant. nibble, chew, gnaw, bite, eat
to rub hard or wear away, grind, file, grit
@ Expanding cities are gobbling up agricultural land.
þ Syn. shred, scrape, rasp, annoy
¬ Ant. please, satisfy, gratif y, del ight
GORGE N., V.
@ After a while her voice really started to grate on me.
a ravine; to stuff to capacity
@ I agreed to grate the carrots so that my mother could make
þ Syn. canyon, defile, gap, chasm her tasty Gajar Halwa in the evening.
@ He was only interested in gorging at the party and did not
bother to talk to anybody.
GRATIS Adj.
@ The gorges cut out by the Colorado river in California make a
without payment, f ree, complimentary
spectacul ar sight.
þ Syn. on the house, complimentary
@ The hangerson are forever looking for gratis goods.
GORY Adj.
bloodstai ned
GRATUITOUS Adj.
@ The gory det ai l s of th e rap e an d sub seque nt m urder of
Hannah Foster shocked British society. done for nothing, uncalled for, unwarranted, offered freely, not
necessary under the circumstances
þ Syn. free, complimentary
GOSSA MER Adj., N.
¬ Ant. compulsory
sheer, like cobw ebs, substantial
@ A lot of viewers complained that there
þ Syn. delicate, flimsy, gauzy
was too much gratuitous sex and violence in the film.
¬ Ant. robust, vigorous, hearty
@ The women stood about in the summer evening, their gossamer
dresses stirring in the breeze. G RA TUITY
something given voluntarily, tip
GOURMAND N. þ Syn. gift, fringe benefit
one who is excessively fond of eating and drinking @ Many restaurants add an 18 percent gratuity to the bill if the
dining party is large enough.
þ Syn. glutton, gastronome, foodie
@ The gourmand visited bylanes of Chandni Chowk trying out
every dish that came his way. GREGARIOUS Adj.
fond of the company of others, soci able, extroverted, fond of
groups, convivi al
GOURMET N.
þ Syn. outgoing, sociable, social
an epicure, a person with very fine taste of food and drink
¬ Ant. shy, introverted, withdrawn
þ Syn. gastronome, connoisseur
@ Emma is a gregarious, outgoing sort of person.
@ Our speciality food will appeal to the gourmet.
(88) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

GRIMACE GRUFF Adj.
facial expression showing pain or disgust roughmannered
þ Syn. frown, pout þ Syn. grumpy, bad tampered, snippy
¬ Ant. smile, grin ¬ Ant. fri endl y, graci ous, responsive
@ The manager grimaced when his wife, drunk as usual, spilled @ She spoke to me in a gruff voice, obviously annoyed that she
coffee on the boss. had been disturbed.
GRIMY
GUILD N.
dirty, filthy
an association for mutual aid or help
þ Syn. unclean, grubby
þ Syn. association, union, league, club
¬ Ant. clean, sterile
@ The city’s Writers’ Guild could not help the author when his
@ Betty w as di spl e ased w hen h er date sh ow ed up i n di rty
story was allegedly plagiarised.
clothes.
GRISLY Adj. GUILE

ghastly, fri ghtfully, macabre trickery, decepti on
þ Syn. gruesome, horrible, shocking þ Syn. craf tiness, deviousness
¬ Ant. pleasant, amiable, congenial ¬ Ant. candour, honesty
@ The newspaper descri bed a series of grisly murders where @ Gautam acquired the job with guile, even claiming to be a
people had been hacked to death. retired army off icer.
GRIT N. GUISE N.

persi stence, stamina; sand external appearance, manner, behavi our, dress
þ Syn. gravel, shingle, determination þ Syn. semblance, show, pretext, excuse
¬ Ant. cowardice, fearful ness, fear @ Opportunity often knocks in the guise of a setback.
@ She is a person with a lot of grit and determination.
GULLIBLE Adj., GULLIBILITY N.
GROSS( adj.)
a person easily deceived, easy to fool, ingenuous
obscene, bl atant, fl agrant
þ Syn. nai ve, suscepti ble
(v) – make, earn, bring in
¬ Ant. smart, elegant, neat
þ Syn. vulgar, indecent
@ The local tourist guides delight gullible Western tourists with
¬ Ant. pure, ref ined
unlikely stories.
@ Spike's comment that he liked the casual look was a gross
understatement.
GUNGHO Adj.
GROTESQUE Adj. enthusiasti c, eager, zealous
absurd, f antasti c, unnatural, distorted, ugly þ Syn. competi tive, bl oodthirsty
þ Syn. ugly, gross, fantastic, bi zarre ¬ Ant. passive, i nert, inactive, ref lexi ve
¬ Ant. attractive, good looking @ Tushar is gungho about the market prospects for the next
@ H i s a t t e m p t t o a p p e a r y o u n g w a s g r o t e s q u e a n d y e a r.
embarrassing.
@ Gothic churches are full of devils and grotesque figures. GUSTATORY Adj.
relevant to the sense of tasting
GROUSE V., N. @ The wine produces a whole range of gustatory sensations.
complain, fuss; a reddish brown game bird
þ Syn. complaint, grumble, moan, nag
GUSTO N.
@ Give the new hostellers a little time and soon they will stop
grousi ng about inconveni ences. enjoyment, enthusiasm
þ Syn. delight, pleasure, zest
GROVEL V. ¬ Ant. apathy, indif ference, lethargy
to crawl due to fear, to behave servilely @ It is his habit to accept every assignment with gusto.
þ Syn. plead, beg, cringe
@ I will apologise to him but I won’t grovel. GUTTURAL Adj.
pertaining to the throat
GRUELLING Adj. þ Syn. harsh, rasping, rough, throaty
severe, tough, demanding, exhausting, tiring, punishing ¬ Ant. silky, melodious, harmonious
@ Junior doctors often have to work a gruelling 100hour week. @ Two Egyptians w ere arguing outside the room, their voices
loud and guttural.
GRUESOME Adj.
macabre, bloody, ghastly, gory, grim GYPSY N.
þ Syn. grisly, horrible, horrid travel l er, rover
¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, agreeable @ There was something strange about the gypsy who offered
@ The gruesome tale of the Bhopal gas tragedy can be read on to tell me my fortune.
the faces of its victims.
IC : PTpntvb01 (89) of (188)
“H”
HACKNEYED HALLOW V., HALLOWED Adj.
worn out by overuse to make hol y, venerate
þ Syn. cliched, vapid þ Syn. consecrate, sanctify, bless
¬ Ant. original, fresh ¬ Ant. damage, vandalise, defile, despoil
@ We always mock the old man for his hackneyed expressions @ My mother hallows the puja room every morning by sprinkling
and dated styl e. gangajal .
@ It was a dream come true as I walked through the hallowed
HAEMATOLOGY N. portals of IIMA.
study of blood
@ Haematol ogy has come centrestage due to the rampant HALLUCINATION N., HALLUCINATE V.
spread of AIDS. a delusion, a perception without objective reality
þ Syn. vision, illusion, phantasm
HA EMORRHAG E @ I hallucinated that a big spider was spinning its web around
heavy bl eedi ng me.
@ The haemorrhage w ould have ki lled the soldier but f or the
brave nurse’s timely action. HAMLET N.
a cluster of houses, community, village
HAGGARD N. þ Syn. settlement, small town
an untamed hawk; wild in appearance @ She used to live in a remote hamlet consisting of just 20
þ Syn. worn, fatigued, tired, faded houses and a temple.
¬ Ant. fresh, new, clean, bright

HANGAR N.
@ After hours of dragging out bodies f rom the mangled train
c om p ar t me n ts , t h e r es c ue rs w e r e l oo k i n g h a gg a rd an d a shelter for aircraft
di straught. þ Syn. shed, barn, store, storage place
@ The plane had to parked in the open as there was no room in
HALCYON Adj. the hangar.
calm, peaceful
þ Syn. untroubled, calm, peaceful, happy, golden HAPLESS Adj.
¬ Ant. turbul ent, confused, unstable unlucky, unf ortunate
@ The statistics that you are quoting about the company are of þ Syn. illfated, luckless
its halcyon days. ¬ Ant. fortunate, happy, privileged
@ Rural people are often the hapl ess victi ms of government
Nilufer Jain a p a t h y.
IITB & D, NMIMS,
SIBM, SCMHRD HARAKIRI N.
Japanese way of committing suicide by disembowelment
PT not only provided @ If the company raises its prices, it will be committing economic
me the consolidated haraki ri.
material for the

HARANGUE N.
lan gu age but als o a loud, pompous speech
helped me go through it þ Syn. berate, criticize, sermonize
in a pl anned and @ At the railway station, a drunk was haranguing the passers
b y.
systematic manner. This
really helped me HARBINGER N.
develop on my a pioneer, forerunner, herald, precursor
strengths. Continue þ Syn. portend, omen, indication

@ Einstein was the harbinger of the concept of relativity.
doing the good job!
HARDY
robust, vigorous
þ Syn. sturdy, rugged
¬ Ant. delicate, tender
@ Heena was a strong, hardy girl who beat up her elder brothers
every day.
(90) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
HARROW V., HARROWING Adj. HEGEMONY N., HEGEMONIC Adj.
to torment, vex ; acutely painful or distressing, agonising leadershi p, preponderant infl uence
þ Syn. torture þ Syn. domination, control, supremacy
¬ Ant. comfort, ease ¬ Ant. subservience, surrender
@ F o r e i g n t o u r i s t s , e s p e c i a l l y A m e r i c a n s , a r e f r e q u e n t l y @ The three nations competed for regional hegemony.
harrowed in Islamic countries.
@ I find his firsthand accounts of torture too harrowing. HEINOUS
shocking, wicked, terrible
HA UG HTY þ Syn. atroci ous, reprehensible
arrogant and condescending ¬ Ant. pardonable, admirable
þ Syn. vai n, conceited @ Nobody could believe that the babysitter had committed the
¬ Ant. modest, humble heinous crime.
@ The teacher resented Sita’s haughty attitude and gave her a
D grade for the semester. HENCHMAN N.
a servant, a right hand man, usually doing unl awf ul work f or
HAUTEUR N. someone
arrogance, haughtiness @ Like other politicians, he tried to distance himself from the
þ Syn. concei t, pride, overconf idence dirty deeds carried out by his henchmen.
¬ Ant. modesty, di ffidence, reticence
@ H e pr e si de d o ve r t he f i rs t m ee ti n g w i t h hi s c us t om ar y HERALD V.
detached hauteur. to usher in, to proclaim
þ Syn. messenger, bearer of news, publicise
HAVEN N. @ The silicon chip heralded a new era in computer technology.
a retreat or asylum
þ Syn. refuge, saf e pl ace, sanctuary HERCULEAN Adj.
@ They wanted to provide a safe haven for the refugees. very tough, arduous, superhuman
þ Syn. phenomenal, prodigious, heroic
HEADLONG Adv. ¬ Ant. normal, usual, standard, regular
hasty, rash @ Plagued by several crises and many recent electoral defeats,
þ Syn. headfirst, recklessly the party is requires nothing short of a herculean effort from
its new leader to turn things around.
@ He involves himself headlong in the affairs of others.
@ In the headlong rush to buy houses, many people got into
de bt . HERMETIC
tightly sealed
HEADSTRONG Adj. @ The hermeti c seal preserved the contents of the jar f or a
long time.
stubborn, wilful, unyielding
þ Syn. determined, pigheaded
HETERODOX Adj., HETERODOXY N.
¬ Ant. docile, tractable, compliant
unorthodox, unconventional
@ Everybody calls her headstrong but she is one of the boldest
in her group. þ Syn. heretical, profane, sacrilegious
@ Famous for his heterodox ideas, Kabir was a darling of the
masses.
HEATHEN
pagan, uncivilised and irreligious
HEW
þ Syn. atheist, uncouth
to cut with an axe
¬ Ant. religious, devout
þ Syn. chop down, hack down
@ The missionaries considered it their duty to convert as many
of the heathen natives as possible. @ Varun hewed down the trees in order to build a cabin.
HECKLE V. HEYDAY N.

to harass with questions, challenges and gibes the best period in performance, vigour and prosperity
@ The old inmates hackled the new one and that added to his þ Syn. prime, zenith, glory days
w oes. @ In his heyday, Jitendra was Bollywood’s most polished dancer.
HEDONISM HIATUS N.

pursuit of pleasure as a goal a break in continuity, a gap, a lapse in action
þ Syn. immoderation, affluence þ Syn. pause, interrupti on
¬ Ant. aversion, abhorrence @ Tourists are once again visiting Kashmir after a long hiatus
@ Sanjeev l ay on the couch eati ng cookies all day, claiming caused by terrorism.
hedonism was his philosophy of life.
IC : PTpntvb01 (91) of (188)
HIDEBOUND HISTRIONIC Adj.
excessively rigid, dry and stiff d ra m at i c , a f f e ct e d, o f a ct i ng or dr a m a, so m et i me s ov e rl y
þ Syn. conservative, orthodox dramatic, theatrical
þ Syn. theatri cal, exaggerated, insincere
¬ Ant. liberal, broadminded
¬ Ant. restrained, reserved, controll ed
@ The hidebound old patriarch would not tolerate any opposition
to his orders. @ Her histrionics, obviously borrowed from Hindi films, fooled
no one.
HIDEOUS Adj.
HOA RY
offensive to the senses, grotesque, gruesome
very old, whitish or gray from age
þ Syn. ugly, repugnant, shocking
þ Syn. venerabl e, hackneyed
@ The new concrete structures l ook so hideous next to the
¬ Ant. original, young
simple huts in the serene village.
@ The old man's hoary beard contrasted starkly with the new
stubble of the teenager.
HIEROGLYPHIC N.
picture writing HOAX N.
@ The hieroglyphics on the walls of the pyramid warned everyone a trick, practical joke, deception
of the danger inside.
þ Syn. flimflam, humbug
@ Unfortunately some virus threats are a hoax and simply cause
HILARIOUS Adj., HILARITY N. some panic with no real damage.
very funny, jolly, merry
þ Syn. amusing, comical, entertaining HOBBLE V., N.
¬ Ant. serious, grave, weighty to walk unsteadily or awkwardly
@ Hilarity is improper on serious occasions. þ Syn. limp, hop, shamble, totter
@ He tries to flirt with women half his age, with hilarious results. @ The beggar hobbling along the road presented a painful sight.
HINDSIGHT HOBSON’S CHOICE
an offer where you really have no alternative, the choice between
perception of events after they happen
a thing offered and nothing
@ In hi ndsight, Hari sh realised that eating the entire box of
@ When it came to food, the canteen off ered us a Hobson’s
chocolates was probably not a wise idea.
choi ce.
HINTERLAND N. HOI POLLOI (Greek)

a region lying inland from the coast crowd, masses, general public
@ The hinterland of our country is very fertile and produces a þ Syn. rabble, commoners
number of crops.
¬ Ant. elite
@ Amitabh will be in the VIP lounge where he doesn’t have to
HIRSUTE Adj., HIRSUTISM N. mix with the hoi polloi.
hai ry, rough, shaggy, bristly
þ Syn. bushy, furry, HOLISTIC
¬ Ant. bald, hairless, receding, plain emphasising importance of the whole and interdependence of its
@ The baby looked rather hirsute but the doctor assured the parts
new parents that there was no cause for worry. @ Dr Anu Khanna believes in a holistic approach to healing.
HISPANIC Adj. HOLOCA UST

of Spanish origin, of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries widespread destruction, usually by fire
@ The Hispanic culture is ancient and rich. þ Syn. catastrophe, di saster
@ The city was utterly destroyed by the holocaust.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . grandiose a . uniform
2 . gregarious b . over used
3 . hac kney ed c . soci able
4 . hapl ess d . absurdl y exaggerated
5 . homogenous e . unl ucky
5 .(a ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (b ) 2 . (c ) 1 . (d )
(92) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

HOMA GE HOUND V.
public honour and respect to chase and harass, hassle, intimidate, persecute
þ Syn. tri bute, eulogy þ Syn. pursue, pester, persecute
¬ Ant. criticism, cynicism @ All celebrities are hounded by the press.
@ Upon arriving at the village, the warriors paid homage to its
chief. HOVER V.
to hang fluttering in the air, wait nearby
HOMICIDE N. þ Syn. float, drift, linger
mansl aughter, murder @ The plane kept hovering for an hour before landing.
þ Syn. killing, slaughter
@ The young man was arrested for homicide. HUBBUB N.
confused uproar
HOMOGENEOUS þ Syn. noise, racket, hullabaloo, din
composed of identical parts @ I could hardly hear myself speak above the hubbub in the
þ Syn. consistent, uniform restro bar.
¬ Ant. heterogeneous, dissimilar
@ Finl and w as a very homogenous country unti l i mmi grants HUBRIS N.
began to settle there several decades ago. arrogance, excessi ve self conceit
@ Humility can take you places but hubris often lands you in the
HOMONYM debri s.
w ord i denti cal i n pronunci ati on and spel l i ng but di f ferent i n
meani ng HUDDLE V.
@ "Right" as in the direction and "right" meaning "correct" are to crowd together in disorder
homonyms.
þ Syn. group, cluster, knot, bend
@ The frightened monkeys huddled in their cage.
HONE
to sharpen
HUMANE
þ Syn. strop, grind
merciful, kindly
¬ Ant. blunt, dull
þ Syn. compassionate, sympathetic
@ You might want to hone your writing skills before filling out
college applications. ¬ Ant. cruel, inhumane
@ The camp co mmander ensured that a l l pri so ners of w ar
received humane treatment.
HONORARIUM N.
a voluntary fee paid to a person for his professional services
HUMBUG N.
@ We usual l y of fer our vi si ti ng l ecturers an honorari um of
something designed to deceive or mislead, pretense
Rs.500 per hour.
þ Syn. hypocrisy, insincerity, lip service
HOOLIGAN N., HOOLIGANISM N. ¬ Ant. si nceri ty, honesty, authenti ci ty
a young, violent, rude person @ The government’s claim that it did not know about the arms
deal is a lot of humbug.
þ Syn. punk, gorilla, ruffian, hoodlum
@ The police warned the hooligan and let him go.
HUMDRUM Adj.
@ Hooliganism is the norm of the day when these rioting football
fans meet. dull, monotonous
þ Syn. bori ng, routine, everyday
¬ Ant. exciting, thrilling, stirring
HORDE N.
@ After the metropol is, he found life in the small town quite
crowd
humdrum.
þ Syn. crowd, mass, gang, group, pack
@ Hordes of his admirers await his entry on the stage.
HUSBANDRY N.
@ When they heard the concert was free, they came in hordes.
f r u g a l i t y, t h r i f t , a g r i c u l t u r e , c a r e f u l u s e o f r e s o u r c e s ,
conservati on
HORS D’OEUVRE @ Thanks to his husbandry, they were not short of food even
savoury like olives, sardines etc. to whet the appetite before a when the war prolonged.
meal @ He gave a lecture on crop and animal husbandry.
@ The hors d’oeuvre tasted better than the main course at the
di nn er.
HUTCH
pen or coop for animals, shack, shanty
@ The rabbits bred so rapidly that they outgrew their hutch in
no time.
IC : PTpntvb01 (93) of (188)

HYGIENIC HYPOTHESIS
cl ean, sanitary assumption subject to proof
þ Syn. antiseptic, sterilised þ Syn. conjecture, supposition
¬ Ant. dirty, insanitary @ It's an interesting hypothesis, but I'll need proof.
@ Hygienic living conditions help to keep infections away.
HYPOTHETICAL
HYMN (HIM) N. theoreti cal, speculati ve
a song of praise þ Syn. conjectured, imagined
þ Syn. song, chant, mantra, tune ¬ Ant. real, actual
@ The school choir sang the hymns very well at the festival. @ The of ficial claimed that his radical forecast was based on
hypotheti cal si tuati ons.
HYPERBOLE N.
wil d exaggeration, often deliberate HYSTERIA N., HYSTERICAL Adj.
þ Syn. overstatement an outbreak of wild emotions, panic, chaos, frenzy
¬ Ant. understatement, irony, dryness þ Syn. panic, hysterics, frenzy, madness
@ The blurb at the back was full of the usual hyperbole, but the ¬ Ant. calm, sereni ty, quietness, peace
book was a disappointment. @ There is hysteria among teenagers and pop music lovers over
the arrival of Michael Jackson.
HYPOCHONDRIA N. @ There is always a hysterical crowd at the stadium during an
IndoPak cricket match.
morbid anxiety about health, imaginary illness
@ S h e w a s w o r r i e d t h a t h e r d o c t or w o u l d a c c u s e he r o f
hypochondri a.
HYPOCRITE
person claiming beliefs or virtues he or she doesn't really possess
þ Syn. phony, pretender
@ The docto r w ho advi se d hi s pati e nts to stay aw ay f rom
tobacco was called a hypocrite when he was caught smoking.
Busine ss, Economics, and Finance
a bo ve .
ACCRUE : to accumulate over time (e.g., interest or money owing)
BULLISH : characterized by rising share prices on Stock Exchange
EMBA RG O : an official prohibition or restriction of foreign trade by
one nation against another
ESCROW : a temporary account established to hold funds pending
the completion of investment or purchase transaction
HEDGE : to of f se t t he ri s k o f l oss ( e.g .; f ro m m ark et pri ce
fl uctuations)
PECUNIARY : financial; monetary
RED HERRING : something especial ly a cl ue, w hi ch is i ntented to be
misleading or distracting
SCRIVENER : a professional or public copyist, scribe, or notary
SURETY : one who guarantees the perf ormance (e.g., payment)
on behalf of another
USURIOUS : referring to an extremely high or unlawful rate of interest
(94) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“I”
ICONOCLAST N., ICONOCLASTIC Adj. ILLICIT Adj.
a person opposing conventional beliefs, dissident, agitator unl awful , unauthori sed, forbi dden, (esp. of substances) illegal
þ Syn. misfit, maverick, nonconformist or disapproved of
¬ Ant. conservative, tradi ti onal, orthodox þ Syn. felonious, wrongful
@ Human civilisation largely owes its evolution to its iconoclastic ¬ Ant. legal, lawful
members. @ Illicit liquor is the creation of prohibition.
@ It must have been an iconoclast who conjured up the audacious
dream of space travel. ILLUSORY
unreal , deceptive
IDEA LISM þ Syn. delusory, notional
pursuit of noble goals ¬ Ant. genuine, real
þ Syn. philosophy, principle
@ The l ost travel ler was devastated to discover that the lake
¬ Ant. materialism, cynicism he had seen was illusory, just a mirage.
@ His idealism is admirable, but it will not be easy to support ten
orphans.
ILLUSTRIOUS
famous, renowned
IDEE FIXE N.
þ Syn. eminent, acclaimed
a fixed idea or belief, obsession
¬ Ant. obscure, unknown
@ In thes e troubl ed ti m es characteri sed by rapi d c hanges,
managers should try and rid themselves of every possible @ The illustrious music composer produced one hit after another,
idee fixe. much to the delight of his fans.
IDIOSYNCRASY N. IMBECILE N.

peculiarity of temperament or mental constitution, eccentricity, a f ooli sh, unwi se, stupid person, a person w ho behaves i n a
oddi ty stupid way
þ Syn. abnormality, quirk ¬ Ant. brilliant
@ My grandfather had many lovable idiosyncrasies, one being @ Things have become so bad that only an imbecile can expect
his insistence that dessert be eaten after every meal, even a politician to put country before self.
af ter breakf ast.
IMBIBE V.
IDYLLIC Adj.
to absorb, receive in the mind
simple, innocent, charming
þ Syn. drink, down, swallow
þ Syn. peaceful, calm, tranquil, restful
@ Imbibing the ideals of the great men will be worth the effort.
@ Idyllic scenery of Manali allures thousands every year.
IMBROGLIO N.
IGNOBLE Adj.
of low birth or common origin, plebeian confusion, chaos, embroilment, full of trouble and problems
þ Syn. lowborn base þ Syn. entangl ement, embarrassment
¬ Ant. noble, dignified, highborn @ The Sovi et Uni on became anxi ous to wi thdraw i ts sol diers
from the Afghan imbroglio.
@ Ignoble means to achieve success are despicable.
IGNOMINY N., IGNOMINIOUS Adj. IMBUE

public or profound disgrace, insult to infuse, dye, wet, moisten
þ Syn. humiliation, shame þ Syn. permeate, fill
¬ Ant. honour, respect, admiration ¬ Ant. starve, block
@ Not even the fear of ignomi ny dampens the spiri t of the @ Maithili struggled to imbue her children with decent values, a
crooked. difficult task in this day and age.
@ The ignominious mayor fled from the town, leaving behind a
tangled financial mess. IMMA CULATE Adj.
clean, spotless, pure, exquisite, unsullied
ILLEGIBLE Adj. þ Syn. clean and tidy, perfect, spick
not readable, indistinct, indecipherable
¬ Ant. messy, untidy, muddled, chaotic
þ Syn. scrawled, scribbled
@ Dressed in an immaculate white chiffon Simi Grewal looked
¬ Ant. readable, comprehensi ble angeli c.
@ I am afraid illegible handwriting is not the only qualification
required to become a doctor.
IC : PTpntvb01 (95) of (188)

IMMA TERlA L IMMURE V.
inconsequential, not consisting of matter to imprison, confine
þ Syn. extraneous, nonessential @ Amit used to immure himself in his studyroom for a fortnight
¬ Ant. important, tangible before the exams.
@ For some people, the means are immaterial; results are all
that matters. IMMUTAB LE
unchangeabl e, i nvari able
IMMENSE þ Syn. perpetual , unshakeable
enormous, huge
¬ Ant. transient, vari able
þ Syn. massive, gigantic
@ Poverty was an immutabl e f act of l ife f or the unfortunate
¬ Ant. minute, tiny Arora family; every source of income had run dry.
@ In the main hall of the museum, an immense dinosaur skeleton
towered over the children.
IMPA IR
to damage, injure
IMMERSE
þ Syn. disable, cripple
to bathe, dip, to engross, preoccupy
¬ Ant. enhance, improve
þ Syn. submerge, absorb
¬ Ant. dehydrate, distract @ Years of knitting in poor light had impaired Dora's vision.
@ As the heat became unbearable, the tiger immersed itself in
the zoo pool and stayed there till evening. IMPA SSE
blocked path, dilemma with no solution
IMMINENT Adj. þ Syn. deadlock, stalemate
o v e r h an g i n g , i m p en d i n g , t h re a t e n i n g , ( e s p . o f s o me t h i n g ¬ Ant. breakthrough, resoluti on
unpleasant) likely to happen very soon
@ With both leaders fail ing to budge, the peace process had
þ Syn. looming, depending, on the agenda reached an impasse and the mediator had to act fast.
¬ Ant. distant, remote, outlying, far
@ The Prime Mi ni ster has strenuousl y deni ed reports that a IMPASSIONED
general election was imminent.
with passion
þ Syn. sincere, f ervent
IMMOBILE
¬ Ant. half hearted, di spassi onate
not moveable, still
þ Syn. motionless, stationary @ The protesters made an impassioned plea for the life of the
condemned man.
¬ Ant. mobile, moving
@ Al though Ghanshyam's legs have been immobi le since the
accident, he gets around on his wheelchair. IMPASSIVE
showing no emotion
IMMOLATE V., IMMOLATION N. þ Syn. apathetic, i ndif ferent
t o o f f er i n s a c ri f i c e, t o k i l l ( e s p. y ou r s e l f ) or t o d e s tr o y ¬ Ant. excitable, expressi ve
(something), usually by burning, esp. as an expression of anger @ The ki ng l ooked on i mpassi vely as the trai tor desperatel y
@ Students’ selfimmolation over the Mandal issue was tragic. pleaded for his life.
IMMUNE Adj., IMMUNITY N. IMPEACH

exempt, f ree f rom danger or obl igation, protected agai nst a to charge with misdeeds in public office, accuse
disease by substances in the blood
þ Syn. arraign, indict
þ Syn. resistant, protected, impervi ous
¬ Ant. discharge, acquit
¬ Ant. susceptible, vulnerable, prone
@ The senators debated whether or not the president should
@ Politicians are immune to public criticism. be impeached for his felony.
@ J ou r na l i s t s, h e i n si s te d , m us t n o t h av e i mm u ni t y f ro m
prosecution.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . iconocl ast a . illegal

2 . illicit b . flaw less
3 . impeccable c . pow erl ess
4 . impotent d . attacker of popular beliefs
5 . i naugurate e . begin officially
5 .(e ) 4 . (c ) 3 . (b ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . (d )
(96) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

IMPECCABLE IMPLACABLE
flawless, without fault inflexible, incapable of being pleased
þ Syn. unblemished, blameless þ Syn. unpaci fiable, unyi elding
¬ Ant. imperfect, f aulty ¬ Ant. mollifiable, forgiving
@ The dress rehearsal was impeccable; everythi ng was ready @ Hi s rag e at the betr ayal w as so gr eat that he r emai ned
for the actual performance. implacable for weeks.
IMPENETRABLE Adj. IMPLANT(v)

n ot a bl e t o be p i er ce d o r en te re d , be yo n d un de rs t an di ng , to set securely or deeply, to instill
impossible to enter or go through (n) – transplant, graft
þ Syn. impassable, opaque, enigmatic þ Syn. embed, lodge
@ Ocean’s mysteries are impenetrable. ¬ Ant. extract, draw out
@ The teacher tried to implant good virtues in his students.
IMPENITENT Adj.
not repentant, not sorry or ashamed about something bad you IMPLICATE V., IMPLICATION N.
have done, not peni tent
to involve, to entangle or connect; a possible
þ Syn. not sorry, shameless
si gni fi cance
¬ Ant. remorseful, regretful, sorry
þ Syn. associate, involve, connect, link
@ To this day she remains impenitent about her criminal past.
¬ Ant. cl ear, obvious, apparent, patent
@ The top brass of Global Trust Bank is implicated in the scam.
IMPERATIVE
@ The book has political implications.
essential, mandatory
þ Syn. indispensable, obl igatory
IMPLICIT
¬ Ant. unimportant, optional
implied, not directly expressed
@ It's imperative that you follow the instructions of the crew in
þ Syn. understood, deduci ble
the event of a crash.
¬ Ant. explicit, direct
IMPERIAL Adj. @ He never said so but it was implicit in Ravi’s behaviour that he

wanted to terminate his relationship with Sapna.
royal, noble, aristocratic, grand, of an empire or the person who
rules it
þ Syn. regal, imposing, majestic IMPORTUNE V.
@ All imperial palaces of Europe are tourist attractions. to urge with troublesome persistence
þ Syn. appeal, beg, plead
IMPERIOUS Adj. @ The contesti ng candidates importuned me f or votes ri ght
through the campaigning period.
domi neeri n g, tyr anni ca l , aut hori ta ti ve, di ctat ori al , haugh ty;
intensely compelling
IMP OSE
þ Syn. arrogant, superior
¬ Ant. submissive, obedient, compliant to inflict, force upon
@ Imperious government officials close their eyes to the plight þ Syn. press, compel
of the public. ¬ Ant. bully, refuse
@ We need to find a solution to the imperious problems of new @ Her father refused her request and imposed his will on her
age gizmos like cellphone cameras. against her wishes.
IMPERTURBABLE Adj. IMPOSING

cal m, qui et, w hi ch cannot be perturbed or di sturbed, bei ng dignified, grand
unusually calm and serene, þ Syn. striking, magnificent
þ Syn. tranquil, serene, placid ¬ Ant. unimpressive, mediocre
¬ Ant. excited, frenzied, turbul ent @ The imposing facade of the mansion intimidated the governess
@ She was calmly competent and imperturbable in a crisis, just who had come to work there.
the ideal nurse.
IMPOTENT
IMP IOUS powerless, lacking virility
not devout in religion þ Syn. hel pless, ineffectual
þ Syn. unholy, irreligious ¬ Ant. powerful, eff ecti ve
¬ Ant. holy, pious @ Himself an alcoholic, Chaudhury was impotent to prevent his
@ The nun cut herself of f f rom her impious f ami ly after she daughter's plunge into drug abuse.
entered the convent.
IC : PTpntvb01 (97) of (188)

IMPRECATE V., IMPRECATION N. IMPUNITY N.
to utter curses s af e ty f r o m p un i sh m en t , i mm u ni t y, l i c en c e, f r e ed o m f ro m
@ The girl imprecated the street boys for harassing her. punishment
@ Indians flout traffic rules with impunity.
IMPREGNABLE Adj.
IMPUTE V.
invulnerable, so strong and wellmade that it cannot be broken
into or taken by force to ascribe, charge, attribute (often unfairly)
þ Syn. unassailable, invincible, secure þ Syn. refer, assign
¬ Ant. vulnerable, susceptible, open to @ Each political candidate imputes his opponent of corruption.
@ You can fit your house with burglar alarms and double locks
but your home will never be impregnable against determined INADVERTENT Adj.
thi e ves. unintentional, thoughtless
þ Syn. unintended, chance, involuntary
IMPRESSIONABLE ¬ Ant. deli berate, planned, calculated
easily influenced or affected @ The heavy fog caused an inadvertent delay of the flight.
þ Syn. persuadable, susceptible
¬ Ant. insusceptible, unimpressionable INADVERTENTLY
@ After attending the Spice Girls concert, the impressionable unintenti onal ly
girl began to dress like Posh Spice every day. þ Syn. accidentally, unwi ttingly
¬ Ant. del iberately, intentionally
IMP ROMP TU @ A s h e w a s b a c k i n g o u t o f t h e d r i v e w a y, t h e d r i v e r
spontaneous, wi thout rehearsal inadvertently ran over a rose bush.
þ Syn. extempore, unrehearsed
¬ Ant. premeditated, planned INALIENABLE Adj.
@ Duri ng the interview, the Beatles suddenly decided to give not capable of being removed, undeniable, irrevocable
an impromptu performance of "Love Me Do." þ Syn. absolute, immutable, undeniable
@ The inalienable influence of the British rule on the way of life
IMPROVISE V. and thinking of Indians was radical as well as harmful.
to compose, recite, perform without preparation, better, advance
þ Syn. manage, get by, get along, cope INANE Adj.
@ I hadn’t prepared a speech so I suddenly had to improvise. empty, void, insubstantial
þ Syn. absurd, idiotic, childish
IMPUDENT Adj. ¬ Ant. sensible, sane, reasonable
shamelessly bold, brazenfaced, insolent, rude and not respectful @ There are too many inane quiz shows and imported detective
series on television these days.
þ Syn. cheeky, imperti nent, insolent
¬ Ant. respectful, reverential, reverent
INA UGURATE
@ Impudent behavi our of the neori ch of ten l ands them i n
to begin or start officially, to induct into office
trouble.
þ Syn. institute, establish
¬ Ant. end, wind up
IMPUGN
@ The new headquarters of the company was inaugurated in a
to call into question, attack verbally
lavi sh ceremony attended by thousands.
þ Syn. challenge, assail
¬ Ant. support, praise INCARCERATE V.
@ "How dare you impugn my honourable motives ?" protested to impri son, confi ne, detai n, to l ock up or conf ine agai nst a
the lawyer on being accused of spying. person’s will
þ Syn. jail, intern
IMPULSE @ The judge determi ned that the young of fender shoul d do
sudden tendency, inclination community service rather than be incarcerated.
þ Syn. urge, whim
¬ Ant. premeditated, with forethought INCARNATE
@ On impulse, Sarah bought a leather jacket for her boyfriend, having bodily form
although she couldn't really afford it. þ Syn. embodied in the flesh, in human form
@ The serial killer was so sadistic that the media described him
IMPULSIVE as the devil incarnate.
spontaneous, unpredictabl e
þ Syn. reckless, impromptu INCENDIARY N.
¬ Ant. cautious, premeditated a person who deliberately sets fire, arsonist
@ Last Christmas, she impulsively cancelled the trip to London @ The identical pattern of fires in the city confirm the hand of
and went to Hawaii instead. an incendiary.
(98) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

INCENSE(v) INCOMMUNICADO Adj.
to infuriate, enrage i n soli tary conf inement, not communi cating wi th anyone else
(n) – perfume, fragrance, smell because you do not want to or you are not allowed to
þ Syn. outrage, antagoni se @ He w a s hel d i nco mmu ni cad o f or 48 ho urs af ter h e w as
¬ Ant. placate, please ar res te d.
@ T h e g e n e r a l b e c a m e t h o r o u g h l y i n c e n s e d w h e n h i s
subordinates failed to follow his orders. INCONGRUOUS Adj.
inconsistent, unsuitable, incompatible, seeming out of place or
INCEPTION N. unsui ted
beginning, origin, birth, debut þ Syn. incompatible, inappropriate
þ Syn. setting up, start, initiation ¬ Ant. consistent, steady, constant
¬ Ant. culmination, conclusion, finale @ Do you think it incongruous that a woman should be the editor
@ Si nce its inception i n 1968, the company has been at the of a men’s magazine?
forefront of computer peripherals development.
INCONTINENT Adj.
INCIPIENT lacking selfrestraint, not having voluntary control over excretion
beginning to exist or appear; at an initial stage of urine and faeces
þ Syn. embryonic, nascent @ He thought he was incontinet because he was old but was
¬ Ant. fullblown, fully developed p l es a n t l y s u r pr i s e d w h e n t h e t re a t m e nt m a de a m aj o r
difference and restored his confidence.
@ The symptoms were yet to become evident but the incipient
illness was already affecting her sleep.
INCREDIBLE Adj.
INCISIVE beyond belief, unbelievable, amazing, unimaginable, impossible
percepti ve, penetrating to believe
þ Syn. sharp, astute þ Syn. disembodied, ghostly, spiritual
¬ Ant. rambling, vague ¬ Ant. tangi ble, touchable, physical
@ The psychologist's incisive analysis of her patient's childhood @ T he ne w s t ha t he sc o re d 1 0 0 p er c en t i l e i n CAT s e em s
helped him to understand his own behaviour. incredible but it is true.
INCITE V., INCITATION N. INCREDULITY N., INCREDULOUS Adj.

to move to action, to instigate, to encourage (someone) to do or a tendency to disbelief
f e el
þ Syn. amaz ement, astonishment, doubt
þ Syn. provoke, inflame, rouse, goad
¬ Ant. belief, faith, trust, conviction
¬ Ant. inhibit, hold back, restrain, stall
@ He cast an incredulous glance at the welldressed gentleman
@ Ghulam Mir was kept in solitary confinement because it was who turned out to be a thief.
feared he might incite another riot.
@ He felt a sense of incredulity, anger and pain at the accusation
made against him.
INCLEMENT Adj.
severe, harsh, rigorous (of weather)
INCRIMINATE V., INCRIMINATION N.
þ Syn. stormy, rainy, windy, foul
to charge w i th a cri me, to accuse of bl ame or i mpl i cate as
¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, agreeable bl amew orthy
@ The inclement life amidst Himalayan snows demands tenacity.
þ Syn. accuse, indict, inculpate
¬ Ant. acquit, extenuate, absol ve
INCOGNITO Adj.
@ The i ncrimi nating evidence agai nst the Congressmen is an
unknown, under an assumed name, with a hidden identity eye opener.
þ Syn. in disguise, undercover
¬ Ant. openl y, explicitly, frankly
@ The prince often travels abroad incognito.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . inept a . clumsy
2 . inert b . i nactive
3 . i nf atuated c . conclude
4 . inf er d . fool ish
5 . i ngenuous e . artl ess
5 . ( e ) 4 . (c ) 3 . (d ) 2 . (b ) 1 . ( a )
IC : PTpntvb01 (99) of (188)

INCLINATION INDEFENSIBLE
tendency towards inexcusabl e, unf orgi vabl e
þ Syn. proclivity, propensity þ Syn. unpardonable, refutable
¬ Ant. aversion, disinclination ¬ Ant. justifiabl e, tenable
@ Her natural inclination was to refuse Madhur's invitation to @ I was aghast at the indefensible cruelty of the ruling sect.
dinner, but since he was her boss she could not refuse.
INDELIBLE Adj.
INCLUSIVE
that cannot be removed, washed away or
comprehensive
er as ed
þ Syn. with everything included, allencompassing
@ The whole election turned out to be a f arce when the so
¬ Ant. exclusive, excepti ng called indelible ink smeared on voters’ fingers turned out to
@ It took 30 years, but the publisher managed to produce the be easily washable.
most inclusive encyclopedia on the market.
INDEMNIFY V., INDEMNITY N.
INCONCEIVABLE to secure against or compensate loss
impossible, unthinkable
@ The state provided indemnity f or the steel plant project in
þ Syn. implausible, absurd Ori s sa.
¬ Ant. likely, believable
@ It was inconceivable to the dictator that his subjects could INDICATIVE
hate him, although they obviously did.
showing or pointing out
þ Syn. suggestive of, symptomatic
INCONSEQUENTIAL
@ T h e l o o ti n g o f t he s h op w as i n di c a t i v e o f t h e g e n er a l
unimportant, trivial lawlessness that prevailed in the city.
þ Syn. insignificant, trifling
¬ Ant. significant, important INDICT V., INDICTMENT N.
@ The director di smi ssed the report as i nconsequential and to charge with a crime formally, accuse
ordered a fresh round of research.
þ Syn. impeach, summons
@ The High Court indicted the seer for murder.
INCORRIGIBLE
incapable of being corrected
INDIGENOUS
þ Syn. i ncurable, inveterate
native, occurring naturally in an area
¬ Ant. occasional , repentant
þ Syn. original, initial
@ Shabana is an incorrigible flirt.
¬ Ant. expatriate, migrant
INCREDULOUS @ Palm trees are indigenous to Florida, unlike penguins.
sceptical, doubtful
þ Syn. disbelieving, distrustful INDIGENT Adj., INDIGENCE N.
¬ Ant. credulous, gullible poor, destitute, in need of money
@ Apparently my friend missed the incredulous look on my face þ Syn. poor, needy, impecunious
because he went on to tell another tall story. ¬ Ant. wealthy, rich, prosperous, flush
@ The indigent Chakma refugees live in a pitiable condition.
INCULCATE V. @ Economists or politicians could not find a way to eliminate or
to i nsti l l by repet i ti on , to f i x ( i deas, bel i ef s, f acts etc.) i n even reduce inequalities of wealth and eliminate indigence.
someone’s mind esp. by repeating them often
þ Syn. beat, hammer, pound, repeat INDISCRIMINATE Adj.
@ Right values have to be inculcated right from infancy. choosing at random, confused, promiscuous
þ Syn. haphazard, random, arbitrary
INCUMBENT Adj., N., INCUMBENCY N. @ The indi scriminate use of fertil isers has caused l ongterm
lying, resting, officially having the named position problems in the area.
þ Syn. current, in office, present, now
¬ Ant. past, history, precedent, beyond INDOLENT Adj., INDOLENCE N.
@ The present incumbent is due to retire next month. lazy, sluggish
@ The antiincumbency wave removed NDA from power. þ Syn. lethargic, slothful, idle
¬ Ant. industrious, busy, productive
INDEFATIGABLE @ People living in warm climates tend to be indolent.
never tired @ If you want to make progress you have to shed your indolence
þ Syn. untiring, tenacious f i rst.
¬ Ant. idle, feeble
@ Vasanti seemed i ndef ati gabl e, ready f or a few laps in the
pool after a 10kilometre run.
(100) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
INDOMITABLE Adj. INEXORABLE Adj.
invincibl e, unconquerable, dauntl ess unrelenting, stubborn, obstinate, not movable by any means
þ Syn. strong, resolute, tough þ Syn. unal terabl e, unchangeable
¬ Ant. feeble, weak, frail, delicate @ The storm’s path was inexorable and the best we could do
@ Meenu proved indomitable and she did not let even the fall was prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
affect her preparation for her arangetram .
INEXPLICABLE Adj.
INDUCE incapable of being explained
to persuade, bring about þ Syn. mysterious, unf athomable
þ Syn. prompt, instigate ¬ Ant. understandable, reasonable
¬ Ant. dissuade, prevent @ The sudden change in her mood was inexplicable.
@ Tom thought the prospect of a walk in the hills would induce
his girlfriend to go skydiving with him, but she refused. INFAMY
reputation f or bad deeds
INDUCT þ Syn. notoriety, disrepute
to place ceremoniously in office ¬ Ant. honour, anonymi ty
þ Syn. install in, instate in @ His infamy threatened to degrade the high position he now
¬ Ant. bar from, dismiss occupied.
@ The wicketkeeper was proud to be inducted into cricket’s Hall
of Fame. INFANTILE
childish, immature
INDULGE þ Syn. juvenil e, adolescent
to give in to a craving or desire ¬ Ant. mature, levelheaded
þ Syn. splurge, luxuriate in @ The young man's infantile behaviour in the presence of his
¬ Ant. deny oneself of, stifle mother annoyed his fiancee.
@ Jenny indulged herself with a weekend at a luxurious spa.
INFATUATED
INEBRIATE V., INEBRIATED Adj. strongly or foolishly attached to, inspired with foolish passion,
INEBRIETY N. overly in love
to i ntoxicate þ Syn. besotted, smitten
@ Deepak was caught in an inebriated condition while on duty @ After seeing her picture in a fashion magazine, Lalit became
and was promptly dismissed. completely infatuated with the beautiful model.
INEFFABLE Adj. INFER
causing too much emotion (esp. pleasure) to express in words to conclude, deduce
þ Syn. indescri bable, unspeakable þ Syn. surmise, imply
@ There is ineffable joy in seeing one’s baby start to walk for @ I think we can infer from this study that the quality of old
the first time. age homes needs to be improved.
INEPT INFINITESIMAL Adj.

clumsy, awkward insignificant, small
þ Syn. unskilful, incompetent þ Syn. minute, minuscule, tiny
¬ Ant. competent, expert ¬ Ant. immeasurable, endless, infinite
@ He was so i nept i n the garden that he dug up roses and @ No lapse ought to be treated as infinitesimal.
fertili sed weeds.
INFRINGE V., INFRINGEMENT N.
INERT to violate, trespass, defy
unable to move, inactive þ Syn. break, encroach
þ Syn. immobile, motionless ¬ Ant. obey, mind, follow, observe
¬ Ant. moving, animated @ T he pr i so n er s c l ai m ed th a t t he ne w r e gu l at i on w a s a n
@ In the heat of the desert afternoon, lizards lie inert. infringement of their right to live with dignity.
INEVITABLE INFURIATE V.

certain, unavoi dable to madden, to enrage
þ Syn. i nescapable, inexorable þ Syn. enrage, madden, incense, annoy
¬ Ant. avoidable, uncertain @ The inefficiency of the administration infuriated the public.
@ With all the obstacles in their path, the end of their relationship
was, perhaps, inevi tabl e.
IC : PTpntvb01 (101) of (188)

INGENIOUS INITIATE
ori ginal, clever, inventive to begin, introduce, to enlist, induct
þ Syn. creative, sharpw itted þ Syn. commence, install
¬ Ant. unimaginative, stupid ¬ Ant. complete, expel
@ Ajay f ound an i ngeni ous w ay to sol ve the compl ex math @ He thought the first experimental sip at the bar would initiate
problem. him into manhood.
INGENUOUS INJECT
straightforward, open, naive and unsophi sticated to force into, to introduce into conversation
þ Syn. candid, forthright þ Syn. instil, infuse
¬ Ant. cunning, artful @ Her loud remark injected an element of uneasiness into the
@ She was so ingenuous that her friends feared she would be conversations at the party.
exploited in the big city.
INNATE
INGRATE natural, inborn
ungrateful person þ Syn. inbred, congenital
þ Syn. thankless, unappreci ati ve
¬ Ant. acquired, extraneous
¬ Ant. thankful, grateful
@ Her innate level headedness w ill help her to withstand the
@ When nobody thanked her for the fruit cakes she had sent, enormous pressure of the job.
Neena condemned them all as ingrates.
INNOCUOUS
INGRATIATE V.
harmless, inoffensive
to commend to someone’s grace or favour, to work your way into
þ Syn. peaceful, insipid
someone’s good graces
þ Syn. curry flavour, toady, grovel to ¬ Ant. harmful, obnoxious
@ For once the bureaucrat’s ingratiating manner failed to work @ Some snakes are poisonous, but most are innocuous and pose
and the nononsense minister ordered him to produce results. no danger to humans.
INHIBIT INNOVATE
to hold back, prevent to invent, moderni se, revolutionise
þ Syn. restrict, restrain þ Syn. institute, pi oneer
¬ Ant. allow, encourage @ Coco Chanel innovated a new suit design, transforming the
fashi on industry.
@ Ruchi was too i nhibi ted to tell Amar that she resented his
failure to repay the money he kept borrowing from her.
INNUENDO N.
INIMICAL an indirect derogatory comment, insinuation
hostile, unfriendly þ Syn. aspersion, barb, implication
þ Syn. antagoni sti c, antipathetic @ The many innuendoes about his private life eventually made
¬ Ant. warm, friendly him resign.
@ E v en t ho u g h t h e c e a se f i re w as h ol d i n g, t he t w o s i d e s
remained inimical and the tension did not ease. INNUMERABLE
too many to be counted
INIQUITY þ Syn. numerous, countless
sin, injustice, wickedness ¬ Ant. few, calculable
þ Syn. villainy, immorality @ There are innumerable stars in the sky.
¬ Ant. virtue, goodness
@ The iniquity of his act was apparent to all and it was an easy
decision to bar him from entering the church.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . i ncense a . beginni ng

2 . incipient b . make very angry
3 . incisive c . cutting right to the heart
4 . incorrigible d . incapable of being reformed
5 . indigenous e . nat i ve
5 .(e ) 4 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . (b )
(102) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

INOCULATE V., INOCULATION N. INSOLUBLE
to insert as a bud or a graft, to vaccinate that cannot be solved or dissolved
þ Syn. immunise, vaccinate þ Syn. insolvable, inexplicable
@ It is important to inoculate every infant at the earliest. ¬ Ant. resol vable, interpretable
@ When the mathematician found the solution to the problem
others had declared insoluble, he was hailed as a genius.
INOPPORTUNE Adj.
unseasonable in time
INSOLVENT
þ Syn. illtimed, unfortunate
bankrupt, unable to pay one's debts
¬ Ant. opportune, fitting, apt, right
þ Syn. penniless, ruined
@ Without thinking, I made an inopportune remark that hurt my
f ri e nd. ¬ Ant. solvent, creditw orthy
@ The company became insolvent after overinvesting in many
overambitious projects and had to go out of business.
INORDINATE Adj.
excessive, unrestrained, beyond normal limits,
INSOUCIANT Adj.
þ Syn. immoderate, undue, unw arranted
indifferent, without concern or care
@ Thanks to the inordinate delay in the commissioning of the
power project there is no way to bridge the huge gap between @ Perhaps his youth makes him insouciant but he ought to be
demand and supply. conscious of his official responsibility.
INSATIABLE INSTIGATE
to incite, urge, agitate
never satisfi ed
þ Syn. goad, encourage
þ Syn. unquenchable, unappeasable
¬ Ant. dissuade, discourage
¬ Ant. easily satisfied, content
@ The man who had instigated the rebellion escaped, although
@ Meera's insatiable appetite made it difficult for her to lose
all his followers were arrested.
w ei ght.
INSULAR
INSCRUTABLE Adj.
isol ated, detached
that which cannot be understood, mysterious, difficult to interpret
þ Syn. segregated, separate
þ Syn. enigmatic, deadpan
¬ Ant. tol erant, accessible
@ The inspector’s inscrutable smile gave nothing away as the
accused rambled on. @ Her insular attitude made it very difficult for her to adjust to
the new workplace though others were willing to accommodate
h e r.
INSIDIOUS Adj.
deceptive, treacherous, wily, alluring but dangerous, deceitfully INSURGENT Adj., N., INSURGENCY N.
damaging
rebellious
þ Syn. sinister, menacing
þ Syn. rebel, rising
@ Insidious mortal pleasures make one run after money.
¬ Ant. content, happy, substance
@ The coup was masterminded by the insurgent troops.
INSINUATE V., INSINUATION N.
@ T he a r my ca rr i ed o u t c ou nt e r i n s ur g en cy op er a ti o ns i n
to suggest indirectly, imply Kashmir valley last fortnight.
þ Syn. make out, intimate
@ He w as insi nuati ng that the starl et had succumbed to the INSURRECTION N.
casting couch to bag the role. a rising or revolt, mutiny
þ Syn. rebellion, revolution, mutiny
INSIPID @ This insurrecti on against orthodoxy is necessary for radical
lacking f lavour, without excitement ch an ge .
þ Syn. bland, unpalatable
¬ Ant. tasty, interesti ng INTEGRAL
@ The critic claimed that the soup was insipid, without any spice. central, indi spensable
þ Syn. essential, fundamental
INSOLENT ¬ Ant. incidental, peripheral
impudent, cheeky @ Paper is an integral part of a book.
þ Syn. uncivil, impolite
¬ Ant. polite, courteous INTEGRITY
@ Despite several warnings, the student continued to be insolent decency, honesty; whol eness
and was asked to leave the class. þ Syn. uprightness, morality
¬ Ant. di shonesty, insincerity
@ The candidate's integrity made him a refreshing contrast to
his sleazy political opponents.
IC : PTpntvb01 (103) of (188)
INTERMINABLE INTRANSIGENT
endl ess uncompromising, refusing to be reconciled
þ Syn. incessant, ceaseless þ Syn. inflexible, unbending
¬ Ant. restricted, limited ¬ Ant. flexible, compliant
@ By the time the interminable play ended, the last train home @ The professor was intransi gent and ref used to extend the
had already lef t. deadline for submission of the assignment.
INTERMITTENT INTREPID
starting and stopping fearless, dauntl ess
þ Syn. sporadic, fitful þ Syn. undaunted, unafraid
¬ Ant. steady, continuous ¬ Ant. fearful, cow ardly
@ The flow of traffic was intermittent on the highway. @ The intrepid hiker completed his ascent to the peak, despite
the bleeding wound and the freezing winds.
INTERPOLATE
to insert, change by adding new words or material INTRIGUE (INTREEG) N., V.
þ Syn. append, interject conspiracy, machination, secret af fair
¬ Ant. remove, delete þ Syn. plot, deception, scheme
@ The editor interpolated a few sentences, and the new edition @ The silence of the minister is very intriguing as his ministry is
was ready to print. in the thick of the scam.
INTERROGATE INTRINSIC
to question formally inherent, i nternal
þ Syn. grill, crossexamine þ Syn. inherent, integral
¬ Ant. respond, reply ¬ Ant. acquired, extrinsic
@ The secret police interrogated the suspected rebel for days, @ The intrinsic value of this diamond is already considerable;
demanding to know the names of his coconspirators. the elegant setting makes it truly priceless.
INTERSPERSE
INTRINSICALLY Adv., INTRINSIC Adj.
to distribute among, mix with
essentiall y i nnate, inherently
þ Syn. intermingle, disperse
þ Syn. basi cally, f undamentally
¬ Ant. assembl e, congregate
@ We all like to be judged for our intrinsic worth and not for
@ The gardener interspersed shrubs with flowering plants giving extrinsic things like money or position.
the garden a fresh and colourful look.
INTROSPECTIVE Adj., INTROSPECTION N.

INTERVENE V., INTERVENTION N.
looking within oneself
come between
þ Syn. thoughtf ul, meditative, pensive
þ Syn. arbitrate, mediate, occur
@ Everyone should keep aside some time for introspection.
@ I had to intervene when the heated conversation threatened
to get physical. @ On introspection, I realised my follies and set forth to correct
them.
INTIMATION
INTUITIVE
announcement, suggesti on
instincti ve, untaught
þ Syn. notification, indication
@ As he was away from work without leave, he stood to lose his þ Syn. inborn, inherent
wages for the entire month. ¬ Ant. cerebral, cultivated
@ Riya's talent with numbers was completely intuitive; she had
INTIMIDATE V., INTIMIDATION N. not received any formal training.
browbeat, bully, cow, lean on
þ Syn. threaten, frighten, scare, bully INUNDATE
@ Managements now realise that intimidation does not contribute to cover with water, overwhelm
to eff iciency. þ Syn. submerge, besiege
@ The don’s intimidating presence in the nightclub was disturbing ¬ Ant. afl oat, leave unaf fected
the other patrons. @ The tidal wave inundated the island, which simply vanished
from the face of the earth.
INTRACTABLE
not easily managed INVECTIVE N.
þ Syn. uncontroll able, unmanageable censure, sarcasm, satire, verbal abuse or insult, vituperation
¬ Ant. compliant, obedient þ Syn. diatribe, criticism, tirade
@ The hardened criminals were intractable and the reformer’s ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend, extol
task was not likely to be easy.
@ Their conversations are always laced with invectives.
(104) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
INVEIGH (INVAY) V. IRATE Adj.
to make a bitter verbal attack, to object w ith bitterness, to ang ry
complain forcefully, to rail þ Syn. furious, mad, irritated
þ Syn. di sparage, censure ¬ Ant. calm, tranquil, peaceful, quiet
@ T h e l a w y e r i n v e i g h e d a g a i n s t t h e u n n e c e s s a r i l y s t r i c t @ The irate crowd burnt several buses and cars.
sentence given to his client.
IRIDESCENT
INVEIGLE V.
showing many colours
to e nt i c e, t o co ax b y f l at te ry, to c on vi nc e or p er su ad e by
cl everness or f lattery þ Syn. kaleidoscopic, multicoloured
þ Syn. cajole, wheedle, trick, deceive, con ¬ Ant. monochromatic, colourless
@ Many young Nepali girls are inveigled into the flesh trade in @ The touri sts sighed at the beautiful sight of the i ridescent
Mumbai. tropical butterfly fluttering among the orchids.
INVETERATE Adj. IRKSOME Adj.

deep rooted, stubborn, habitual annoyi ng, tedious
þ Syn. chronic, confi rmed, hardened þ Syn. infuriating, irritating, tiresome
¬ Ant. mild, gentle, kind, soft, calm ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, l ovely
@ An i nveterate l i ar, she seemed to know of no di f f erence @ A pedant that he was, I found his queries irksome.
between truth and fiction.
IRONY N., IRONICAL Adj.
INVIGORATE V. a c o n d i t i o n w h e r e o n e s e e m s t o b e m o c k e d b y f a t e , t h e
to strengthen unexpected, when it is the opposite of what you expected
þ Syn. refresh, revitalise, stimulate þ Syn. satire, sarcasm, mockery
¬ Ant. exhaust, tire, drain, fati gue @ It is an irony of life that good times seem so near, yet so far.
@ The invigorating climate of the hillstation restored my mood. @ Ironical ly, wealth came to him in hi s old age after he had
spent all his youth hankering after it.
INVINCIBLE Adj.
insuperable, unyi elding IRREPROACHABLE Adj.
þ Syn. unbeatabl e, unshakable innocent, guiltless, blameless, impeccable
¬ Ant. yielding, submissive, weak þ Syn. vi rtuous, exemplary
@ I n d i a ’ s s p i n a t t a c k h u m b l e d t h e s e e m i n g l y i n v i n c i b l e @ The irreproachable JRD Tata will always remain a legend.
Austral i ans.
IRRESOLVABLE
INVIOLABLE unable to be resolved, not analysable
safe from violation or assault þ Syn. baffling, inexplicable
þ Syn. untouchabl e, sacrosanct @ The conf lict between Catholics and Protestants in Northern
¬ Ant. vulnerabl e, unprotected Ireland seemed irresolvable until last year.
@ The refugees felt inviolable in the camp under the protection
of the U.N. troops. IRREVERENT Adj.
impious, irreligious, sacrilegious, cheeky, rude
INVOKE
þ Syn. cheeky, mocking, impertinent
to call upon, request help
¬ Ant. respectful, deferential, revent
þ Syn. conjure, evoke
@ Among today’s youth it is a trend to be irreverent.
¬ Ant. respond, reply
@ Varun invoked the assistance of all his relatives when his
IRREVOCABLE Adj.
business ran into serious trouble.
incapable of being revoked, recalled, repealed, brought back
IO TA þ Syn. binding, final, irreversible
very tiny amount ¬ Ant. flexible, supple, lithe, elastic
þ Syn. shred, ounce @ The words that leave your tongue is irrevocable.
@ Duryodhan told Krishna that he would not even give an iota
of land to the Pandavas. ITINERARY N.
a plan for the journey, record of journey, travel route, guidebook
IRASCIBLE þ Syn. schedule, plan, trip
easil yangered @ Our itinerary takes us through the four southern states.
þ Syn. irri table, tetchy
¬ Ant. sweetnatured, cooltempered
@ The dacoit’s irascible and violent nature made all who dealt
with him fear for their lives.
IC : PTpntvb01 (105) of (188)

“J” and “K”
J
JAUNT N., V.
an excursion; to make a short journey
þ Syn. outing, spree, stroll, excursion
@ The soldiers are on extra pay during their jaunt to one of the
JAB V., N. world’s most expensive resorts, Siachen .
to pierce, poke with a sharp object; a short straight boxing punch @ We jaunted through Madhya Pradesh in just three days.
þ Syn. scoff, scorn
¬ Ant. praise, laud, extol JAUNTY Adj.
@ Tyson’s right jab can knock his opponent out in one blow. having a sprightly manner, lively and cheerful in manner
@ She jabbed tw o sti cks i nto the ground and ti ed a stri ng þ Syn. cheerf ul, vivacious
between them.
¬ Ant. gloomy, listless, dull
@ Our mountain guide had a jaunty air about him as we set off
JADED on our trek up the slopes of Himalayas .
tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typical ly after having had
too much of something
JEER V., N.
þ Syn. burned out, wearied
to make fun of, deride, scoff, mock
¬ Ant. fresh
þ Syn. boo, hiss, heckle, taunt
@ While the naive girls stared at the spectacle in awe, the jaded
¬ Ant. applaud, cl ap, congratul ate
matrons dozed in their chairs.
@ She jeered at him after he was expelled from the class.
@ I am no longer disturbed by her jeers.
JACUZZI N.
a special type of bath mechanism where water is agitated to give
a whirlpool effect JEOPARDY N., JEOPARDISE V.
@ I may not have time even for a regular bath on working days danger, insecurity, peril, hazard
but on Sundays you cannot get me out of my jacuzzi. þ Syn. risk, threat
@ International terrorism has put humanity in jeopardy.
JAGGED Adj. @ Indira jeopardised Mohan’s plan to get nominated by filing a
uneven, roughedged, notched sexual harassment case against him.
þ Syn. rough, serrated
¬ Ant. smooth, f lat, even JETTISON V.
@ The jagged rocks i n the rapids of Ganga make whitewater to throw overboard, to eject from an airplane or spaceship in
rafting very dangerous. flight
þ Syn. discard, ditch, dump
JAMBOREE N. ¬ Ant. keep, stay, remain, be, maintain
a boisterous frolic, a spree @ As political instability perseveres, worthless shares are being
þ Syn. party, cel ebration, fête, shi ning jettisoned and the market continues to sink.
@ The issue was ignored during the huge political jamboree of @ Ai r traf fi c control instructed the pil ot to jettison f uel and
prepare for emergency landing.
the polls.
JANGLING JINGOISM N. extremely aggressive and militant patriotism

clashing, jarring, harshly unpleasant (in sound) þ Syn. loyalist, nationalist, partisan
þ Syn. assaulting, fraying ¬ Ant. turncoat, trai tor, deserter, spy
¬ Ant. soothing, pleasing @ He w a s a c onf i rm ed ji ngo i st a nd f re qu ent l y w ar ne d h i s
countrymen agai nst the dangers f rom the other nations of
@ Ritesh stood on the terrace jangling his car keys.
the union.
@ Her jingoistic speech was only an election gimmick but nobody
JARGON questioned her for fear of being labelled unpatriotic.
nonsensical talk, specialised language
þ Syn. argot, technical l anguage JOIE DE VIVRE ( ZHWA DE VEEVR )
¬ Ant. dialect, common lingo the joy of living
@ You need to master technical jargon in order to communicate @ You cannot find the warmth and joie de vivre of Goa anywhere
successfully with engineers. else in India.
JAUNDICED
JOVIAL Adj.
affected by jaundice, prejudiced or embittered
joyous, full of geniality
þ Syn. cyni cal, resentful
þ Syn. cheerful , jol ly, happy, buoyant
¬ Ant. optimistic, charitable
¬ Ant. miserable, unhappy, sad, down
@ T he c yn i ca l ma n a do pt e d a j au nd i c e d vi ew to w ar ds al l
marriages after going through five divorces. @ The jovial boss is a delight to work with.
(106) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

K
JUBILATION N.
cel ebration, el ation, euphoria, exultation
þ Syn. elation, triumph, euphoria, joy
¬ Ant. unhappiness, sorrow , sadness
@ There was great jubi lati on the night India w on the World KALEIDOSCOPE N.,
C u p . KALEIDOSCOPIC Adj.
an optical toy showing a changing variety of forms
JUBILEE @ The kaleidoscopic life of the Gypsies is enticing.
special anni versary @ The street bazaar was a kaleidoscope of colours, smells and
þ Syn. celebration, commemoration soun ds.
@ At the queen's Silver Jubilee, the entire country celebrated
her long reign.
KEEL V., N.
turn or be turned over, to heel or lean precariously; the chief
JUDICIOUS longitudinal structural member of a boat or ship
sensible, showing good judgment
@ F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , t h e a n n u a l b u d g e t o f t h e c e n t r a l
þ Syn. prudent, discerning government was on an even keel.
¬ Ant. injudicious, rash @ We realised that after colliding with the iceberg the boat had
@ The w i s e and di sti ng ui shed judge w as respected f or hi s damaged its keel.
judi cious temperament.
KEN N.
JUGGERNAUT N.
range of knowledge or mental perception
a massive force, campaign that crushes everything on its path
þ Syn. knowledge, awareness
@ The advertising juggernaut launched by the giant company is
calculated to wipe out the small players. @ This maths problem is difficult but it is not beyond my ken.
JUGULA R Adj. KEEN

pertaining to the neck having a sharp edge, intellectually sharp, perceptive
@ The enemy lay dead in a minute as Achilles cut the jugular þ Syn. eager, incisive
veins in a swift move. ¬ Ant. stupid, dull
@ With her keen intelligence, she figured out the puzzle in two
JURISPRUDENCE N. seconds flat.
principles on which laws are based
@ The Ch i ef Justi ce expressed concern ov er the qual i ty of KENNEL N.
juri sprudence.
house for dogs
@ I plan to leave my dog in a kennel when I go on holiday.
JUVENILE Adj., N.
young, childish, immature
þ Syn. infantile, callow KERNEL N.
¬ Ant. mature, adult, ripen, older the inner softer part of the seed
@ J uv en i l e d el i n qu e nt s ne e d re ha b i l i t at i on m or e t ha n th e @ The delicacy required fresh kernels of corn.
reprimand.
@ Her behaviour was quite juvenile at the party. KEYNOTE – note or tone on which a musical key is founded, main
idea of a speech, program, etc.
JUXTAPOSITION N., JUXTAPOSE V. þ Syn. theme, salient point
placing close together, side by side @ The uni versi ty asked the hi storian to del i ver the keynote
þ Syn. combination, concurrence address at the conference.
@ Juxtapose the two different situations and you will appreciate
my decision.
@ The juxtaposition of cultures in New York makes it a varied
and interesting city.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . insolent a . prov oke

2 . i nsti gate b . like an island
3 . insular c . uncontrol lable
4 . integral d . essential
5 . i ntractabl e e . arrogant
5 . (c ) 4 . (d ) 3 . (b ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . ( e )
IC : PTpntvb01 (107) of (188)

KINDLE V. KNEAD (NEED) V.
to set fire to, arouse to press together in a mass
þ Syn. light, inflame, inspire, ignite þ Syn. massage, press, rub, work, mold
¬ Ant. extinguish, discourage @ If your muscles are sti ff, knead them w ith your fingers to
@ To kindle a dream is an act of kindness. help them relax.
@ Use paper to kindle the fire.
KNELL (NELL) N.
KINDRED Adj. the stroke of a bell usually connected with death or funeral
a group of related individuals @ The Quit India movement was the death knell of British rule.
þ Syn. relatives, family members
@ The rich man was ready to spend millions in his search for KNICKKNACK (NIK–NAK) N.
someone kindred to him.
a small trifling toy, plaything, amusement, trinket
@ We recognised each other as kindred spirits.
þ Syn. ornament, souvenir, object
KINETIC @ T h e r o o m w a s c r o w d e d w i t h o r n a m e n t s a n d u s e l e s s
knickknacks.
relating to motion, characterised by movement
þ Syn. dynamic, mobile
¬ Ant. static, stati onary KNOLL N. (NOLL)
@ The ki neti c sculpture moved back and forth, startli ng the a small hillock, top of a hill
museum visitors. þ Syn. hill, hummock, mound, mount
@ The car was parked beyond the knoll.
KINGPIN N. @ A grassy knoll was visible through the trees.
chief, don, boss
þ Syn. key player, top dog, linchpin KNOTTY (NOTTY) Adj.
@ The terrorist group has been the kingpin behind many bomb intri cate, diff icult, tangled
blasts in India.
þ Syn. difficult, tricky, awkward, hard
¬ Ant. simple, easy, plain, effortless
KINK N.
a whim; a mental or physical peculiarity; imperfection @ The knotty problems of our country are poverty, population
explosion, poor i nfrastructure and corruption.
@ If a rul er goes by his ki nks, he may pl ay havoc wi th the
go vern anc e.
@ She asked her hairdresser to make her hair straight and take KOWTOW V.
out any kink. to act in an obsequious way, bow, kneel, genuflect
þ Syn. be conventional, be traditional
KLEPTOMANIA N. ¬ Ant. rebel, insurgent, mutineer
a morbid impulsion to steal things @ I want a promotion but I’m not prepared to kowtow to the
@ A kleptomaniac needs psychological attention. boss for it.
KNACK (NAK) N. KUDOS N.

dexterity, talent, prof ici ency, abili ty prestige, credit, f ame
þ Syn. ability, skill, talent, flair, aptitude
þ Syn. status, standing, stature, esteem
@ The knack of hitting the headlines makes one a celebrity.
@ Kudos to the athlete who won the marathon.
@ Making pastry is a knack that you can soon pick up.
Enginee ring and Construction
The following are 10 words that are related to the topic mentioned above.
CALIPER : a twopronged instrument used to measure diameter or thickness of an object
DOWEL : a round peg used to join wooden parts together
FLANGE : a projecting rim, edge, collar or ring on a pipe or shaft
GLAZ IER : one who cuts and fits glass panes for windows
HYDRAULICS : the branch of sci ence and technol ogy concerned w i th the conveyance of
liquids through pipes and channels, especially as a source of mechanical force
or control
MA SONRY : stonework
PITON : spike hammered into rock fissures or ice to aid in climbing
RA SP : an abrading tool made of steel
SHA FT : a long cylindrical rotating rod for the transmission of motive power in a machine
WINCH : a machine used to pull up heavy weights
(108) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“L”
LABYRINTH N., LABYRINTHINE Adj. LAMPOON N., V.
maze, perplexity, a very confusing and intricate problem a personal satire, caricature, satire aimed at a person or persons;
þ Syn. warren, jumble, muddle to ridicule
@ Being a novice at international politics, he found it very difficult þ Syn. satirise, parody
to navigate through the labyrinth. @ The cartoonist makes lampooning an art.
@ The doctors f ound i t di ff i cul t to remove the l abyri nthi ne @ The magazine is famous for its merciless political lampoons.
growths surrounding his lungs.
LANGUOR N. LANGUID Adj., LANGUISH V.
LACERATE V., LACERATION N. lassitude, tiredness or weakness of body or mind
wound, to rip, rend or tear in a harsh way, to distress emotionally þ Syn. laz iness, torpor, lethargy
þ Syn. mangle, tear, afflict ¬ Ant. vigour, energy, dynamism, drive
¬ Ant. heal, soothe, cure @ He has recovered f rom chroni c mal ari a but suf f ers f rom
@ The surgeon lacerated the infected tissue with a scalpel. l anguor.
@ He reserved his most lacerating criticism for the English, whom
he detested. LANK Adj.
slender, thin
LACHRYMOSE Adj. þ Syn. scrawny, skinny
producing tears ¬ Ant. burl y, chubby
@ He is better known for his lachrymose ballads than hard rock @ The lank Indian cattle give an idea of their malnutrition.
numbers.
LAP(v) – to drink using the tongue, to wash against

LACKADAISICAL Adj.
(n) – circuit, stretch
halfhearted, enervated, sluggi sh, languid
þ Syn. splash, lick up
þ Syn. dilatory, limp, lethargic
@ The thirsty dog eagerly lapped up all the water in the bowl.
¬ Ant. energeti c, li vely, active, vigorous
@ T h e f o o d w a s n i ce e n o ug h b u t t h e s er v i c e w a s r at h e r
lackadaisical. LARCENY – theft of property
þ Syn. pilfering, thievery
LACONIC – using very few words @ Stealing a wallet can be categorised as a petty larceny.
þ Syn. taciturn, brief

¬ Ant. loquacious, tal kative LARGESSE/LARGESS N.
@ She was a laconic poet who built her reputation on using very generosity, li beral donation, bounty, rew ard

few w ords, very ef fecti vel y. þ Syn. charity, money
¬ Ant. meanness, nastiness, malice
LAGOON N. @ The mysterious beneficiary of the largesse is likely to arouse
a small lake or pond near a sea suspicions.
þ Syn. mere, tarn

Manish Harodia
@ Lake Chilka is a freshwater lagoon.
IIMA, L, K
LAMB AST V. PT helped me improve

to thrash, to reprimand severely, rebuke
on a regular basis and
@ Chi n a w as l ambast ed by s everal w ester n nati o ns f or i ts
aggression in Tibet. the material in the class
immensely helped me
LAMENT(v) – to deplore, grieve with the short cuts
(n) – burial hymn, moaning
which eventually
þ Syn. bemoan, bewail
¬ Ant. celebrate, rejoice
proved to be the
@ The children continued to lament the death of the goldfish winner.
weeks after its demise.
IC : PTpntvb01 (109) of (188)

LARYNX – organ containing vocal cords LAXITY – carelessness
@ The opera si nger's l arynx w as damaged i n the acci dent, þ Syn. laxness, remissness
spelling doom for her career. ¬ Ant. vigilance, caution
@ Our newspaper always reaches late because of the delivery
LASCIVIOUS Adj. boy's laxity.
wanton, lustful, lewd, l echerous
@ She was about to obey him and move closer to him when his LECTERN N.
lascivious leer made her change her mind. a reading desk on the stage
@ We prepared a glass lectern for the guest of honour to deliver
LASSITUDE N. the l ecture.
weakness, acedi a, l istl essness
þ Syn. weariness, lethargy, stupor LEERY Adj.
¬ Ant. energy, vital ity, verve, lif e, drive suspicious, cautious
@ The l assi tude of l aw impl ementi ng authori ti es has l ed to þ Syn. di strustf ul, apprehensive, wary
anarchy in the state. ¬ Ant. trusting, credulous, innocent
@ He is leery about everything he eats out of his home.
LATENT – present but hidden, potential
þ Syn. dormant, untapped LEGIBLE – readable
¬ Ant. obvious, manifest þ Syn. legible, decipherable
@ Job rotati on can hel p bri ng out th e l ate nt tal ent of the ¬ Ant. illegible, unreadable
empl oyees.
@ Gracy's chickenscratch handwriting was barely legible.
LEGISLATE – to decree, mandate, make laws

LAUD V., LAUDABLE Adj.,
þ Syn. constitutionalise, ordain
LAUDATORY Adj.
@ Some congressmen make every effort to legislate in favour
to praise of powerful business houses.
þ Syn. praise, acclaim, extol, mention
¬ Ant. denigrate, di sparage, degrade LENIENT – easygoing, permissive
@ The minister lauded the official’s actions. þ Syn. liberal, sparing
@ The committee’s efforts to raise money for social programmes ¬ Ant. strict, severe
were laudabl e.
@ When the bowler was only fined a small amount for tampering
@ She was the subject of many laudatory articles in the national wi th the ball, there was an uproar of protest from cricket
dail ies. l o ver s.
LAUREATE N.
the recipient of honour for achievement in art or science LESION N.
@ Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s poems are best enjoyed a harmful change in an organ
in Bengali.
þ Syn. sore, laceration
@ Brain lesions can be caused by bacterial infections.
LAUREL N.
a prize, honour, distinction
@ Behind every laurel lies a lot of sweat and grime.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . i rrevocabl e a . planned trip route

2 . i ti nerary b . place side by side
3 . judicious c . exercising sound judgement
4 . ju xta po se d . i rreversi bl e
5 . kinetic e . act i ve
5 . ( e ) 4 . (b ) 3 . (c ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . (d )
Answ er K ey Mini R evision Test
(110) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

LETHARGIC Adj., LETHARGY N. LIBEL N., LIBELOUS Adj.
torpid, sleepy, weary a written accusation, a malicious defamatory publication, smear
þ Syn. sluggish, tired, weary, lacklustre þ Syn. defamation, vilification, slander
¬ Ant. energetic, lively, vigorous ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend, extol
@ The lethargic government machinery is a drain on our economy. @ Indian politicians seldom sue for libel.
@ The leader was offended by a libelous article about his party
LEVERAGE N., V. in the newspaper today.
advantage gai ned for any purpose
þ Syn. influence, power, force, pull LIBERTARIAN – one who believes in unrestricted freedom
@ In life, you ought to leverage your core strengths. þ Syn. permissiveness, liberal
¬ Ant. oppressive, domineering
LEVIATHAN N. @ The libertarian refused to pay taxes to the government, as
he didn't recognise its jurisdiction over him.
anything huge, gigantic, colossal
þ Syn. mammoth, overwhelming, titanic
LIBERTINE – one without moral restraint
¬ Ant. tiny, dwarfish, lilliputian
þ Syn. womaniser, philanderer
@ The leviathan statue at Shravan Belagola is world famous.
¬ Ant. puri tan, ascetic
@ The libertine took pleasure in gambling and seducing innocent
LEVITATE – to rise in the air or cause to rise y ou t hs .
þ Syn. escalate, climb
¬ Ant. plunge, plummet LICENTIOUS – immoral, unrestrained by society
@ The magician caused his assistant to levitate in the air, and þ Syn. debauched, w anton
the audience broke into thunderous applause.
¬ Ant. moral, virtuous
@ Religious citizens were outraged by the licentious exploits of
LEVITY N. the community of artists living in the town.
lack of seriousness or steadiness, frivolity, lightness of approach
or treatment, humour
LIMPID – clear, transparent
þ Syn. cheerfulness, humour, joki ness
þ Syn. lucid, crystalline
¬ Ant. gravity, seriousness, importance
¬ Ant. murky, inexplicit
@ Academicians recognise that a little levity i n the classroom
helps rather than hinders learning. @ Nidhi could see all the way to the bottom through the pond's
limpid water.
LEVY V., N.

LINEAGE – ancestry
impose a fi ne, coll ect a payment, to take or requi re by l egal
means þ Syn. descent, genealogy
þ Syn. tax, charge, rates, toll, duty @ Shruti could trace her lineage back through many generations.
@ The municipality will have to levy new taxes to cover up its
def icit. LINGERIE N.
women’s underclothing
LEXICON – dictionary, list of words @ There is a huge business in designer lingerie worldwide.
þ Syn. thesaurus, encyclopedia
@ It is said that the word impossible does not exist in that brave LINGUISTIC Adj., LINGUIST N.
warrior’s lexicon. pertaining to language, study of speech, philology
@ The study of linguistics reveals how many English words are
borrowed from other languages.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . l abyri nth a . mourn

2 . laconic b . using few words
3 . lament c . maze
4 . lampoon d . present but not visible
5 . l atent e . satiri ze
5 . (d ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (b ) 1 . (c )
IC : PTpntvb01 (111) of (188)

LIONISE V. LOATHE V.
treat as a celebrity to dislike intensely
þ Syn. glorify, idolise, praise, fete þ Syn. hate, di slike, detest, despise
@ She likes to be lionised but at the same time is afraid of the ¬ Ant. adore, love, worship, esteem
media. @ If the fruits of liberalisation do not trickle down to the masses,
they may loathe the process itself.
LIQUIDATE V.
to dispose of, to wind up, to do away with LOCOMOTION – movement from place to place
þ Syn. pay a debt, shut down þ Syn. mobility, transit
@ The company will have to be liquidated if it fails to secure @ Some believe that the advent of rapid methods of locomotion
new loans by the end of the month. speeded up the spread of civilisation.
LISSOME Adj. LOGISTICS N.

nimble, flexible, supple, agile the art of movement and supply of army troops; the handling of
@ The lissome dancers in the ballet enthralled the audience. the details of an operation
@ W i t h o u t s t r e a m l i n e d l o g i s t i c s , a r m y t r o o p s c a n n e v e r
manoeuvre properly.
LISTLESS – lacking energy and enthusiasm
@ The resulting improvements in airline operating logistics might
þ Syn. enervated, spiri tless
even bring ai rfares down.
¬ Ant. energeti c, lively
@ Listless and depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend, LOGO – corporate symbol
Neeraj spent his days moping on the couch.
þ Syn. monogram, trademark
@ Bajaj's logo can be found on all its products.
LITANY N.
a prayer, chant, either musical or repetitive, a prayer of entreaty
with responses LOITER V.
@ Pooja’s litany of complaints seems to have no end. amble, dawdle, idle, loaf
@ The re i s a l i tany of me di cal pro bl ems f aci ng th e pri son þ Syn. wait, hang around, linger, dally
popul ati on. @ He loitered on the shore, reluctant to leave.
LITERATI N. LONGEVITY N.

intelligentsia, scholarly people great length of life
@ Her novels are popular wi th the uni versity li terati but they þ Syn. long life, permanence, durability
have failed to attract a wider audience. @ In any business proposition, i t is the longevity of the deal
that brings in true prosperity.
LITHE N.
supple, limber, agile, flexible and graceful LOQUACIOUS Adj., LOQUACITY N.
þ Syn. flexible, lissome, agile, nimble talkative, glib, garrulous, gabby
@ We watched the lithe, beautiful motions of the dancers and þ Syn. effusive, rambling
were impressed with their physical condition and grace. ¬ Ant. taciturn, sil ent, reserved, aloof
@ Her loquacity has landed her in trouble.
LITIGATE V., LITIGATION N. @ She was very loquacious about her experiences.
to dispute by a legal suit
þ Syn. go to court, sue, proceedings LUCID Adj., LUCIDITY N.
@ The villagefolks litigate over trivia. transparent, easily understood, clear and distinct, intelligible
@ Pub l i c i nte rest l i t i gat i ons i n t he S C ha ve e xpos ed m any þ Syn. logical, coherent, cogent, plain
problems to public gaze and attention.
¬ Ant. confused, puz zled, baff led
@ A journalist’s prose should have lucidity but a literary style is
LITTER N., V. not necessary.
any scattered coll ection of objects @ The drugs she’s taking make her drowsy and confused but
þ Syn. waste, trash, garbage, disorder there are times when she is quite lucid.
@ The littered streets of our colony is an eyesore.
@ We sell most of our straw to the local stables who use it as LUCRE N. LUCRATIVE Adj.
litter for their horses. sordid gain, riches, money, capital
@ The greed for lucre got him involved with criminals.
LIVID Adj.
anaemic, ashen, extremely angry, enraged
þ Syn. bruised, furious
@ My father was livid at my brother’s disobedience.
@ He had a long livid scar across his cheek.
(112) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
LUDICROUS Adj. LURID Adj.
ridiculous, absurd, comical, laughable, absurd melodramatically sensational, shocking, ugly, violent, excessively
þ Syn. foolish pale looking, provoking horror, gruesome
¬ Ant. sensible, sane, reasonable þ Syn. loud, bright, garish
@ He knew he looked ludicrous in the costume but he was bent @ She told me all the lurid details of her affair.
upon wearing it for the duration of the party.
LUSCIOUS Adj.
LUGUBRIOUS Adj. delightful, fulsome, sweet
mournful, sad, dismal, looking or sounding profoundly sad þ Syn. juicy, succulent, fresh
þ Syn. gloomy, doleful, cheerless ¬ Ant. bland, withered, dry, shrivelled
¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, smiling, joyful @ Fondness f or l usci ous sw eets are sometimes w orse than
@ The lugubrious atmosphere of the morgue made him queasy. addiction to wine.
LUMINARY – bright object, celebrity, source of inspiration LUSH Adj.

þ Syn. dignitary, megastar rich and juicy, luxuriant
¬ Ant. nobody, pleb þ Syn. verdant, abundant, green
@ The luminaries of Bollywood gathered for a charitable cricket ¬ Ant. arid, dry, baked, barren
match in Mumbai. @ Kerala is one of the most lush green states.
@ T h e o l d g u r u k u l s u s e d t o b e s e t a m i d s t l u s h g r e e n
LUMINOUS – bright, brilliant, glowing surroundings.
þ Syn. shini ng, incandescent
¬ Ant. dark, dull LUXURIANCE – elegance, lavishness
@ The luminous moon shone right through the curtains into the þ Syn. splendour, magnif icence
bedroom. ¬ Ant. austeri ty, poverty
@ The luxuriance of the couches made them an obvious choice
LUNATIC Adj., LUNACY N. for the palace sitting room.
a madman, maniac
þ Syn. outrageous, crazy, fool ish LYRICAL – suitable for poetry and song, songlike
¬ Ant. sensible, rational, reasonable þ Syn. melodic, subjective
@ It seems that his love for the woman has turned him into a ¬ Ant. harsh, objecti ve
lunati c. @ Ambar's lyrical talents made him a gifted poet and songwriter.
LUNAR – relating to the moon LYNCH V.

@ The scientists analysed the lunar rocks for traces of water. to judge and put to death without the usual form of law
þ Syn. string up, hang, assassinate, kill
@ The errant truck driver was lynched by the mob.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . l ethargy a . li ghtness
2 . l evi ty b . taking a lot
3 . loquacious c . sl uggishness
4 . lucid d . exaggeratedl y mournf ul
5 . lugubrious e . easy to understand
5 . (d ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (b ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . (c )
IC : PTpntvb01 (113) of (188)

“M”
MACABRE Adj. MAG NITUDE
gruesome, deathlike, horrible, eerie extent, greatness of si ze
þ Syn. ghoulish, ghastly, grisly, chilling þ Syn. immensity, vastness
@ Even the police were horrified at the macabre nature of the ¬ Ant. smallness, triviality
killings. @ When she saw the large wet patches on the walls, she realised
the full magnitude of repairs the house needed.
MACHIAVELLIAN (MAKIAVELIEN) Adj.
crafty, perfidious in activity, based on amoral political rules MAGNILOQUENT Adj.,
þ Syn. evil, wicked, deceitful, fraudulent MAGNILOQUENCE N.
@ The Machiavellian activities of our politicians surprise no one. pompous, boasting
@ The magniloquent contestant sounded too rude.
MACHINATE V., MACHINATION N.
to form a plot for doing some harm MAGNUM OPUS N.
þ Syn. plot, conspire, plan a great work especially of literature or learning
@ The arrested person revealed about the machinations of the @ Paradise Lost is John Milton’s magnum opus.
assassination.
MAIM V.
MACHO Adj., MACHISMO N. to disfigure, mutilate
aggressive, dominant, domineering, heman @ Many maimed bodies were recovered from the bogies of the
@ He’s too macho to admit he was hurt when his girlfriend left illfated train.
him.
MALADROIT Adj.
MA CROCOSM unskillful, clumsy, gauche, faltering, inept
the entire universe, a complex that is a largescale reproduction þ Syn. awkward, ungainly
of one of its parts
@ Her lack of selfconfidence does make her rather maladroit in
þ Syn. cosmos, galaxy social situations.
¬ Ant. microcosm, model
@ In a welfare society, the state can be considered a macrocosm MALA DY N.
of the family in that it takes care of the elderly and children.
disease, fault, illness
þ Syn. problem, difficulty, trouble, woe
MA ELSTROM
@ Inefficiency is the biggest malady plaguing the Indian industry.
whirlpool, turmoil, agitated state of mind
þ Syn. tumult, eddy
MALAISE N.
@ The transportation system of the city had col lapsed in the
uneasiness, a feeling of discomfort
maelstrom of war.
þ Syn. depression, disquiet, melancholy
MAESTRO N. ¬ Ant. optimism, sanguinity, buoyancy
a master, especially an eminent music composer or conductor @ She wrote about the depression and malaise felt by women
trapped in their suburban homes.
þ Syn. genius, expert, ace, whiz
¬ Ant. amateur, unpaid, recreational
MA LAPROPISM N.
@ The si tar maestro Pt. Ravi shankar wi l l gi ve a reci tal thi s
even i ng. Verbal blunder, misapplication of words
without mispronunciation, wrong use of a similar sounding word
@ In the sentence, “The price of food in Japan is gastronomical”,
MAGNANIMOUS Adj., MAGNANIMITY N.
the word ‘gastronomical’ is a malapropism, because it should
generous, largehearted, not petty, noble and generous in victory be ‘astronomical.’
as well as defeat, forgiving
þ Syn. benevolent, ki nd, chivalrous
MALCONTENT N.
¬ Ant. petty, mean, mal icious, obdurate
a person who is not satisfied
@ Arsenal’s manager was magnanimous in victory and praised
the losing team. þ Syn. dissident, nonconformist
@ The usual malcontents turned up for the meeting and made
trouble.
MAGNATE N.
a very powerful person, VIP, tycoon
þ Syn. attraction, inducement, pull
@ Bombay and Surat are inhabited by diamond magnates.
(114) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
MALEDICTION N. MALODOROUS
cursing, a calling down of evil foulsmelling
¬ Ant. benediction þ Syn. fetid, putrid
@ Malediction, if heartfelt, does come true at times. ¬ Ant. fragrant, aromatic
@ The malodorous beggar stood no chance of winning anyone’s
MALEFA CTOR N. sym path y.
an evildoer, a criminal
¬ Ant. benef actor MA LNUTRITION
@ A malefactor policeman can wreak havoc. undernourishment
þ Syn. anorexia, hunger
MALEVOLENT Adj., MALEVOLENCE N. @ The child's distended stomach and spindly limbs were sure
signs of malnutrition.
illdisposed, wishing evil, sinister, ominous, bad, intense hatred
¬ Ant. benevolent
MAMMOTH Adj.
@ The character was not entirely malevolent; the author made
a point of showing her good qualities as well. very huge, colossal, goliath, promethean
þ Syn. enormous, huge, massive
MALFEASANCE N. ¬ Ant. tiny, minute, little, small, petite
mismanagement, malpractice @ Cleaning up the Yamuna is going to be a mammoth task.
@ Several cases of malpractice and malfeasance in the financial
world are currently being investigated. MANDA TORY
necessary, requi red
MALFUNCTION þ Syn. obligatory, compulsory
breakdown, fail ure ¬ Ant. opti onal, voluntary
þ Syn. collapse, impairment @ It i s mandatory f or al l company empl oyees to wear bl ue
@ The malfunction of the booster rocket meant that the space uniforms while on the job.
shuttle could not be launched on schedule.
MANIFEST(adj.) – obvious (v) – demonstrate
MALICE N., MALICIOUS Adj. þ Syn. show, exhibit
illwill, spite, antipathy, animosity, acrimony ¬ Ant. hide, mask
þ Syn. hatred, malevolence, cruelty @ The fact that she had had plastic surgery was manifest, since
¬ Ant. compassi on, gentleness she looked 20 years younger than she did the previous week.
@ One of my malicious students has spread canards about me.
@ Killing the neighbour’s dog was an act of sheer malice. MANIFESTO N.
a written public declaration
MALIGN Adj., V., MALIGNANT N. þ Syn. policy, proposal, programme
baleful, injurious, malignant, to speak of in an evil way, to defame @ Mani f estos of al l pol i tical parti es are hi gh sounding and
or slander; having an evil influence theref ore all uring.
þ Syn. slander, criticise, libel
¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend MANIFOLD
@ El aborate and speci ali sed treatment is required to prevent diverse, varied, comprising many parts
the spread of a malignant disease. þ Syn. multitudinous, multifarious
@ She has maligned my reputation because she has a prejudiced ¬ Ant. simple, single
vi ew . @ The manifold touri st attracti ons of London make it a great
place to visit.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . martyr a . lying
2 . maudlin b . overl y sentimental
3 . mendacious c . one who dies for a cause
4 . mentor d . te ac he r
5 . mercenary e . hired soldier
5 . ( e ) 4 . (d ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (b ) 1 . (c )
IC : PTpntvb01 (115) of (188)

MANTLE N. MARSHAL V., N.
a symbol of authority, coat to lead solicitously, to place in proper rank and position; a high
@ S he u ns uc ce ss f u l l y at te mp te d to a ss um e th e ma nt l e o f ranking military official
presi dency. þ Syn. assemble, line up, position
¬ Ant. dismiss, give notice, reject
MANUAL(adj.) – operated by hand @ T he f i gh t i n g i n t he ci ty f o l l o w ed r e po r ts o f t h e re b el s
(n) – instruction book marshalling their forces in the countryside.
þ Syn. physi cal, nonautomatic
¬ Ant. automatic, mechanical MARSUPIAL Adj.
@ When the power lines went down, the secretary dug out his mammals that carry their young ones in a pouch
old manual typewriter to finish the letters. @ Kangaroos are marsupials.
MANUMIT V. MA RT IA L
emancipate, free from bondage, release from slavery warlike, pertaining to the military
@ The authorities in our big temples should come forward and þ Syn. combative, soldierly
manumit the devdasis . ¬ Ant. civil, civilian
@ Experts in martial arts know how to defend themselves using
MAR – to damage, deface, spoil their bare hands.
þ Syn. disfigure, detract
¬ Ant. improve, enhance MA RTINET
@ T he t el e ph o ne p ol e s m a rr e d t he n at u ra l be a ut y o f th e strict disciplinarian, one who rigidly follows rules
countrysi de. þ Syn. bully, authoritarian
¬ Ant. liberal, lenient
MARAUDER N., MARA UD V. @ A complete martinet, the official insisted that Pankaj fill out
a plunderer, a raider, seeker of goods, pillager all the forms again even though he was already familiar with
þ Syn. raider, l ooter, prowler, intruder his case.
@ The marauders burst into the camp, shooting into houses,
hurling stones and smashing car windows. MA RT YR
person dying for his or her beliefs
MARGARINE N. @ Joan of Arc became a famous martyr after she was burned at
a butterlike substance, fat or lard used in cakes, desserts etc. the stake for her beliefs.
@ I prefer my toast with margarine.
MA SCOT N.
MARGINAL – barely sufficient a talisman, one who brings good luck
þ Syn. insignificant, minimal þ Syn. lucky charm, amulet
¬ Ant. vast, gross @ T h e r e ’ s a c o m p e t i t i o n f o r d e s i g n i n g a m a s c o t f o r t h e
commonwealth games.
@ Because her skills were margi nal, she was paid a very low
sa l a ry.
MASOCHISM N., MASOCHIST N.
MARIJ UANA N. pleasure obtained by being tortured by others, grati fication in
pai n
cannabis, ganja , grass
@ He was so lazy that, for him, the marathon was nothing short
@ Regular smoking of marijuana can cause shortterm memory of masochism.
loss and longterm health problems.
MA SQUERA DE
MARINATE V., MARINATION N.
disguise, action that conceals the truth
to soak food in a liquid or paste; a step in food preparation
þ Syn. pretence, decepti on
@ Marinate the chicken i n w hi te w i ne f or a coupl e of hours
bef ore fryi ng. ¬ Ant. honesty, candour
@ The rogue who was masquerading as a senior police officer
managed to dupe several wealthy persons.
MA RITIME Adj.
pertaining to the sea, having a sea coast
MASTICATE V.
þ Syn. marine, naval
to chew or grind to a soft material before swallowing
@ The blockade of the ports has eliminated
þ Syn. munch, crunch, chomp
mariti me trade but some suppl ies are sti ll getti ng through
over land. @ Ayurvedic drugs need to be masticated.
(116) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

MA TERIA LISM MAXIM N.
preoccupation with material things proverb, a truth pithily stated, repeated saying of truth
þ Syn. worldliness þ Syn. adage, proverb
@ Hermits renounce materialism. @ A Sil icon Vall ey company is about to test the maxim that
smaller is always better for computers.
MATRON N., MATRONLY Adj.
An elderly lady of staid and sober habits MAYHEM N.
@ The matron of a hostel or a hospital has to be ruthless at a violent or noisy situation
times. þ Syn. chaos, disorder, turmoil
@ The woman was too matronly to suit this kind of job. ¬ Ant. arrange, sort, organi se, regul ate
@ The mayhem at the site of accident was beyond control.
MAUDLIN Adj.
weepy, excessi vely sentimental MEAGRE Adj.
þ Syn. mawkish, sappy, slushy, mushy deficient, scraw ny
¬ Ant. unemotional, impassive þ Syn. scanty, paltry, trifling
@ Every Saturday night, he drank until he was quite maudlin. ¬ Ant. abundant, plentiful , enough
@ M e a g r e r e s o u r c e s a r e m a j o r o b s t a c l e s t o g r o w t h i n
MAUL V. infrastructure .
to handle roughly, beat, bruise
@ Mauled by her brotherinlaw, Seema filed a report of physical MEANDER V.
abuse at the police station. to wander aimlessly, to follow a winding course
þ Syn. roam, amble, stroll, rove
MAUSOLEUM N. ¬ Ant. rush, hurry, dash, sprint
a large tomb @ Narmada meanders through the Vi ndhyachal s and enters
þ Syn. crypt, burial chamber Guja rat.
@ The mausoleum of Akbar is at Sikandra in Agra. @ We spent the af ternoon meandering around the streets of
the old town.
MAVERICK N.
MEDDLER
a nonconformi st, a stray person, unorthodox person
person interfering in others' affairs
þ Syn. eccentric, rebel
þ Syn. intruder, interloper
¬ Ant. conformist, follower
@ Mi c key i s a rea l me ddl e r, al w ays rea dy w i th unso l i ci ted
@ He was considered as something of a maverick in the publishing suggestions and offers of help.
worl d.
MEDDLESOME Adj.
MA WKISH
very of fici ous, interfering
sickeningly sentimental
þ Syn. intrusive, nosy
þ Syn. sickening, nauseating
@ We have very meddlesome neighbours, who always want to
¬ Ant. cool, impassive know what we’re doing.
@ The poet hoped to charm his lover with his romantic poem,
but she was put off by its mawkish tone.
MEDIEVAL
relating to the Middle Ages (about 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D.)
@ In medi eval times, diseases consi dered trivi al today ki ll ed
thousands, because medicine w as not very advanced.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . mercurial a . gloomy
2 . metamorphosis b . magical change in form
3 . mitigate c . sof ten
4 . mollify d . moderate the eff ect of
5 . morose e . emotionally unpredictable
5.(a) 4.(c) 3.(d) 2.(b) 1.(e)
IC : PTpntvb01 (117) of (188)

MEDLEY N. MELODY
a mingled mass, mixture, assortment pleasing musical harmony, related to music
þ Syn. combination, mix, jumble þ Syn. tunefulness, lyricism
@ There was a medley of stalls in the book fair. @ The hit pop song had the same basic melody of a favourite
@ Discotheques play a medley of dance numbers to keep the old song.
rhythm going.
MENACE N.
MEEK Adj. threat, danger, nui sance
submissive, patient and long suffering þ Syn. danger, hazard, peril
þ Syn. humble, timid, gentle @ Teenage drivers are a traffic menace.
¬ Ant. assertive, confi dent, forcef ul
@ The law still seems to regard women as meek and submissive MERCENARY(adj.)
and men as strong breadwinners. motivated only by greed, moneyminded
(n) – hired soldier
MEGA LITH þ Syn. rapacious, materialistic
huge stone used in prehistoric structures ¬ Ant. charitable, philanthropic
@ The archaeol ogist w ondered how the prehistoric tribe had @ M a n y c e l e b r a t e d " e x p l o r e r s " w e r e a c t u a l l y m e r c e n a r y
managed to move the gigantic megalith to the top of the hill. pl underers.
MEGALOMANIAC N. MERCURIA L

a person having a hunger for greatness and power quick, shrewd, and unpredictable
@ The breed of megalomaniacs is increasing nowadays. þ Syn. vol atile, unpredictable
@ The rulers in many countries build the tallest structures just ¬ Ant. stable, constant
to satisfy their megalomania.
@ Her mercurial temper made it difficult for her team to arrive
at a rational decision.
MELANCHOLY N., MELANCHOLIC Adj.
s a d n e s s , s u f f e r i n g , g r i e f, s o r r o w , a b n o r m a l d e j e c t i o n , MERIDIAN
excessively low spirit
imaginary circle passing through the two poles of the Earth
þ Syn. sad, depression, low, down
@ The explorer attempted to follow the meridian from the North
¬ Ant. cheerf ul, happy, jovial, positive Pole to the South Pole, but his ship failed to negotiate the
@ Dilip Kumar is an actor who is famous for melancholic roles. i cebergs.
MELANGE (MAYLANZH) N. MERITORIOUS

a mixture of different elements deserving reward or praise
þ Syn. concoction, brew, combination þ Syn. praiseworthy, commendable
@ Her book presents an i nteresti ng mel ange of i deas f rom ¬ Ant. worthless, discreditable
dif ferent phil osophi es. @ The student's meritorious performance won him a scholarship.
MELLIFLUOUS Adj.
sweetly or smoothly flowing, very smooth MENDACITY N., MENDACIOUS Adj.
þ Syn. smooth, honeyed untruthfulness, lying, deceiving, falsity
¬ Ant. harsh, cruel, callous þ Syn. dishonesty, deceit, lies, falsehood
@ The mellifluous tunes of Beatles songs made them living pop @ Mendacity is the hallmark of most Indian politicians.
l egends.
@ The mendacious saint was in for a public thrashing now that
he w as exposed.
MELLOW Adj., V.
soft and ripe, well matured, melodic MENDICANT N., MENDICANCY N.
þ Syn. smooth, rich, full, soft a beggar
¬ Ant. harsh, cruel, unsympathetic @ Mendicancy seems to be a thriving business in India.
@ Age mellows the wildest of youth.
MENIAL Adj., N.
MELODRA MATIC Adj., MELODRAMA N. work of a servile or humiliating nature, bluecollar work
exaggerated, histri oni c, overdone, sensati onal þ Syn. unskilled, boring, tedious, basic
@ If all Hindi films are not melodramatic, what are they ? ¬ Ant. skilled, capabl e, expert, able
@ We Indians love melodrama, be it TV serials or films. @ The lot of the menials will never improve in the world.
@ Many nurses fi nd themsel ves gi ven meni al tasks, such as
making beds and washing patients, which make little use of
their skills.
(118) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

MENTOR MIASMA N., MIASMATIC Adj.
experi enced teacher and wise adviser swamp gas, heavy, vaporous atmosphere, often emanating from
þ Syn. trainer, counsellor decaying matter
¬ Ant. disciple, student @ A miasma of pollution hung in the air over the city.
@ Ruchi asked her mentor for help to choose the right college.
MICROBE
MERETRICIOUS Adj. a microorganism like bacterium, particularly the kind that causes
di sease
flashy, gaudy, glamorous in a cheep and showy way, rooted in
bigotry and hypocritical views @ The discovery that microbes caused certain diseases was a
major medical breakthrough.
@ H e c l a i ms th a t a l o t o f j ou rn a l i s m i s m er e tr i ci o us an d
superf icial.
MIG RA TORY
METAP HOR wandering from place to place with the seasons
figure of speech comparing two different things þ Syn. translocation, migrating
þ Syn. fi gurative expressi on, anal ogy @ Bird watchers started gathering near the lake, in anticipation
of the arrival of the migratory birds.
@ The metaphor "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles
by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.
MILIEU N.
MESMERISE V. the surroundings or atmosphere
hypnotise, captivate, engross, charm þ Syn. setting, environment, locale
þ Syn. enthral l, entrance @ The European milieu is a shock to the Asians at first.
¬ Ant. bore, tire, irk, bore stiff
@ The audience was completely mesmerised by her singing. MINATORY Adj.
having a menacing quality, threatening
METAMORPHOSIS N. @ Munna threatened to kill the Sharma family and his minatory
gaze said it all.
a sudden or drastic change in characteristics, unexplainable but
usually very noticeable change of form or character
@ The collapse of communism caused the metamorphosis of the MINCE V.
erstwhil e USSR. to cut into tiny sections, to talk or walk in an affected or overly
dainty manner, to hold back words discreetly
METE V. þ Syn. cut up, chop up, hash
to allot, give out @ Do not mice words with me – tell me what you’re thinking.
@ Corrupt and criminal politicians should be meted out proper @ Mince two pounds of chicken finely for preparing kebabs .
puni shment.
MINUSCULE – very small
METEORIC Adj. þ Syn. diminutive, tiny
breakneck, explosi ve, spectacul ar, speedy ¬ Ant. vast, huge
þ Syn. dramatic, sudden, swift, rapid @ Dave needed a magnifying glass to read the minuscule print
¬ Ant. gradual, slow, regular, measured on the lease agreement.
@ Anyone who has a meteoric rise can fall to the lowest depth
in life. MIRE V., N.
entangle, sti ck i n swampy ground, deep mud, al so unpleasant
METICULOUS Adj. si tuation
very careful about minute detai ls, showing extreme care in all þ Syn. swamp, marsh, sludge, slush
respects @ Thei r expedi ti on w as h ampered t emporari l y becaus e the
þ Syn. scrupul ous, thorough, fussy vehicles of their caravan were mired in the mud.
¬ Ant. carel ess, slapdash, casual, sloppy
@ A copy editor must correct written materials meticulously so MIRTH N.
that the published material is as perfect as possible. gladness or gaiety accompanied with laughter
þ Syn. glee, hilarity
METTLE ¬ Ant. dejection, gloom
qual ity of character, courage, endurance @ An atmosphere of mirth prevailed in the f reshers’ party at
þ Syn. f ortitude, tenaci ty Hindu college.
¬ Ant. cowardice, irresolution
@ The pilot showed his mettle, landing the helicopter very close MISANTHROPE N., MISANTHROPIC Adj.
to the wounded soldiers, despite the heavy winds. a person who hates his fellow human beings
@ Hitler was often called a misanthrope.
@ His tendency to avoid any company is almost misanthropic.
IC : PTpntvb01 (119) of (188)

MISAPPREHEND MITIG ATE
to misunderstand, misconstrue to soften, or make milder
þ Syn. confuse, misjudge þ Syn. pall iate, appease
@ The poli ceman misapprehended the si tuati on and arrested ¬ Ant. aggravate, intensi fy
Mohan, although Prahlad was the guilty one. @ The judge may mitigate the sentence if he is convinced that
the crime was committed in selfdefence.
MISCONSTRUE V.
to misinterpret, misjudge, misrepresent MNEMONIC Adj.
þ Syn. misunderstand, misread pertaining to memory
¬ Ant. understand, appreciate, know @ Things, phone numbers, words etc. can be remembered with
@ Their caution was misconstrued as cowardice. mnemonic tricks.
MISCREANT N. MOCK

an evildoer to deride, ridicule
þ Syn. scoundrel, malef actor þ Syn. jeer at, scorn
@ Police apprehended the miscreants on the eve of holi . ¬ Ant. inspire, encourage
@ Charles suspected that Toni was mocking him behind his back,
and decided to be on his guard with her.
MISDEMEANOUR N.
bad conduct, a misdeed, violation, crime, offense
MODERA TE
@ The government apologised for police misdemeanour.
to make less excessive, restrain, regulate
þ Syn. curb, diminish
MISERLINESS
¬ Ant. aggravate, increase
extreme stinginess
@ The engineer moderated the flow of electricity to the house
þ Syn. thrift, penuri ousness after its fuses blew repeatedly.
¬ Ant. generosity, liberality
@ Although Mohandas was a rich man, he was too much of a
MODICUM N.
miser to help others.
a very small amount
þ Syn. little, bit, degree
MISGIVINGS N.
@ Given time, modicum of rancour can blow up into fullfledged
doubts v e n de t t a .
þ Syn. qualms, worries, fears
@ Misgivings should be done away with because they break up MODUS OPERANDI N.
families and spoil lives.
the manner of operating or working
@ The modus operandi of the crime suggested a mafia hand.
MISHA P
acci dent, misfortune
MOGHUL N.
þ Syn. setback, adversi ty
powerful person who has great wealth and power
¬ Ant. fortune, fortui ty
þ Syn. tycoon, industriali st, magnate
@ In an unfortunate mi shap, the actress broke her arm and
could not perform that night as planned. @ Subhash Chandra, al ready a TV moghul is now thinking of
venturi ng i nto newspapers.
MISNOMER
MOLLIFY
an incorrect name or designation
to calm or make less severe
@ Some f eel that "peacemaker" is a mi snomer for a nuclear
missile. þ Syn. appease, allay
¬ Ant. enrage, inflame
MISOGAMIST N., MISOG AMY N. @ Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe
any compromise could mollify them.
a person hating marriage
@ G.B. Shaw was often accused of being a misogamist.
MOLLYCODDLE V.
@ Failed marriages are creating misogamy in today’s youth.
to pamper
@ She mollycoddled the irate child by buying him a soft toy.
MISOGYNIST N., MISOGYNY N.
a person hating women
MOMENTOUS Adj.
@ The club’s refusal to allow women to become members is sheer
misogyny. extremely important, crucial, decisive
þ Syn. important, significant, crucial
@ Whether or not to move overseas was a momentous decision
for the family.
(120) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

MONASTIC MORGUE N.
extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery a place where dead bodies are kept for identification
þ Syn. asceti c, austere þ Syn. motherly, caring, tender
¬ Ant. luxurious, indulgent @ To identify the dead in the morgue is in itself a mortifying act.
@ T h e p h i l o s o p h e r r e t i r e d t o h i s m o n a s t i c l o d g i n g s t o
contemplate life, away from any worldly distraction. MORIBUND Adj.
about to die, in a dying state
MONOCHROMATIC þ Syn. declining, waning, past it
having one colour ¬ Ant. thriving, flourishing, booming
@ T h e m u l t i c o l o u r e d b u t t e r f l y r e a l l y s t o o d o u t i n t h e @ The old Indian social structure appears to be in a moribund
monochromatic foliage of the clearing. s t at e .
MONOGA MY MORON N.

custom of marriage to one person at a time a feebleminded person
þ Syn. wedding, matrimony @ Some moron smashed into the back of my car yesterday.
¬ Ant. polygamy
@ Monogamy is the accepted norm in Indian culture, though MOROSE
some members of certain religions take more than one wife.
gloomy, sullen or surly
þ Syn. taciturn, sulky
MONOLITHIC Adj., MONOLITH N.
¬ Ant. cheerful, communicative
solidly uniform, unyielding; a massive structure
@ After he was rejected by the university of his choice, Amit
@ Many PSUs in our country are monolithic in structure. was morose for weeks.
MONOLOGUE MORTIFY V.

dramatic speech performed by one actor to humiliate, to deaden, subdue, to destroy
þ Syn. soliloquy, spiel þ Syn. degrade, crush, shame
¬ Ant. di alogue, conversati on @ She remembered how mortified she’d been as a child, having
@ The actor skilfully varied the tone and pace of his 40minute to wear her sister’s old dress to school.
monologue to make it interesting.
MOTIF N.
MONUMENTAL Adj. a theme, design, issue, argument
commemorative, memorial, columnar þ Syn. pattern, i mage, decoration
þ Syn. colossal, epic, huge, vast @ The typical moti fs in ancient Indian pal aces is due to the
¬ Ant. small, little, minute, tiny, petite assimilation of Mughal architecture.
@ Monumental strides in the field of electronics have made the @ We chose some curtains with a floral motif.
little things in life a lot more convenient.
MOTLEY Adj.
MORA TORIUM N. heterogeneous, assorted, di verse, of di fferent, oddl y grouped
legal delay of payment, stopping of an activity for a period parts
þ Syn. suspensi on, f reeze, hal t, pause þ Syn. assorted, diverse, vari ed
@ A general moratori um on repayment of agri cul tural l oans @ The museum has been converted i nto of fi ces and i s now
pr ovi d es f ar mers so me r oom to try an d ov erc ome the i r inhabi ted by a motley assortment of archi tects, designers
probl ems. and arti sts.
MORBID Adj. MOTTLED Adj.

induced by disease, pessimistic, brooding, grisly, macabre sp ott ed
þ Syn. morose, gloomy, dark, moody þ Syn. dappled, spotty
¬ Ant. cheerf ul, happy, cheery, joyf ul @ The mottled deer is so beautiful that it’s worth watching.
@ The morbid declaration of doomsday or the end of the world
can frighten some people. MOULT
to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically
MORDANT Adj. @ The snake moulted its skin and left it behind in a crumpled
bi ti ng, sarcasti c, stinging, cutting to the heart of the matter, mass.
incisive
þ Syn. caustic, acerbic, scathing MOUND N.
¬ Ant. gentle, mild, kind, calm a hillock, a heap
@ Celebrities fear the mordant coverage of their private life by þ Syn. heap, pile, stack, mass, load
the press.
@ Archaeologists are investigating whether the small hill is really
a burial mound
IC : PTpntvb01 (121) of (188)
MULCT V., N. MUTILATE V., MUTILATION N.
to defraud or cheat; a fine, a penalty cripple, damage, disfigure
@ The new ruler mulcted the citizens in the name of a new city þ Syn. maim, injure, hurt, harm
development fund. @ Repeated amendments have mutilated the constitution.
MULTIFACETED MUTINY N., MUTINOUS Adj.

having many parts, many sided defi ance, di sobedience, insurrection, rebel lion
@ The multifaceted actor played five different roles in a single þ Syn. revolt, sedition, uprising
film, executing each to perfection.
@ The mutinous crew had endangered the passengers on the
pl ane.
MULTIFA RIOUS @ The disillusionment has deeped to open mutiny in the ranks of
di ve rse the soldiers.
þ Syn. varied, manifold
¬ Ant. homogeneous, uniform MUZZLE V., N.
@ India is famous for its multifarious culture and cuisine. to silence; mouth, snout
þ Syn. silence, gag, shut up, quiet, stifle
MUNDANE Adj. @ A good administrator never muzzles dissent.
commonplace, everyday, earthly as opposed to heavenly, worldly,
ordinary or runofthemill, menial MYOPIC Adj.
þ Syn. dull, routine nearsighted, shortsi ghted
¬ Ant. foreign, from abroad, exotic þ Syn. bigoted, i ntolerant
@ Mundane matters such as eating and drinking do not excite ¬ Ant. broadminded, tolerant
her any longer.
@ The i r myo pi c re f usal to act now w i l l un doubte dl y ca use
problems in the future.
MUNIFICENCE N., MUNIFICENT Adj.
magnificent liberality in giving, very liberal, generous in giving, MYRIA D Adj.
lavi sh
numberless
þ Syn. largesse, benevol ence
þ Syn. countless, innumerable, many
@ Sir Swaraj Paul is known for his munificence.
¬ Ant. few, little, the minority
@ They offered no solution for all our myriad problems.
MUTABLE Adj., MUTATION N.
vari able, subject to change
þ Syn. changeable, changing
¬ Ant. fixed, permanent, unchanging
@ Mutable government policies keep investors at bay.
@ In today’s changing environment, a company has to maintain
a mutable stand on policy matters.
G as t ro n om y
a bo ve .
BRA ISE : to cook f irst by seari ng, then si mmering i n a smal l
amount of liquid
BREW : make beer, tea or coffee by soaking formation or boiling
COLANDER : a perforated basket used to strain waterfilled foods
CONFECTIONERY : any sweet food comprised primarily of sugar
DECANTER : narrownecked glass container used to hold and serve
wi ne
GASTRONOMY : the science of preparing and serving food
PASTEURIZE : to steri l i z e by rai si ng and l ow eri ng temperature to
prevent fermentation and growth of bacteria
SAUTE : fry briefly over high heat
TRUSS : to secure (hold together) with skewers or twine before
cooki ng
Z EST : the outside rind of any citrus fruit which contains the
essential oils used for flavoring
(122) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“N”
NADIR N. NEFARIOUS Adj.
the lowest point of something, absolute bottom wicked, villainous, vicious, perverse, evil
þ Syn. lowest point, depths þ Syn. evil, despicable, immoral
¬ Ant. zenith, peak, pinnacle ¬ Ant. reputabl e, upright, honest
@ The defeat was the nadir of her career. @ The nefarious activities of the mafia pervade Italy.
NAIVE (NAAEEV) Adj. NAIVETE N. NEGLIGIBLE

si mple, natural , ingenuous, frank, unworl dl y, unsophisti cated, not worth considering
unaffected, innocent; quali ty of being unsophisticated þ Syn. insignificant, trivial
þ Syn. immature, adolescent, green ¬ Ant. significant, considerable
¬ Ant. complicated, stylish, difficult @ It is obvious from our negligible dropout rate that our students
@ They make the naive assumption that because it’s popular it love our course.
must be good.
NEMESIS N.
NARCISSISM N., NARCISSIST N. an agent of retribution, a terrible opponent
excessive selfadmiration, egotism, vanity; conceited person þ Syn. vengeance, retribution, doom
þ Syn. selfishness, conceit @ Avarice may prove to be the nemesis of man.
@ Actors must need a certain amount of narcissism to get up on
stage and perform in front of an audience.
NEOLOGISM N.
new or newly coined word or phrase
NASCENT – starting to develop, coming into existence
þ Syn. new expression, new term, new phrase, coinage
þ Syn. embryonic, incipient
@ The newspaper used the neologism DINKS to describe the
¬ Ant. established, dying coupledouble income no kids.
@ The advertising campaign was still in a nascent stage, and
the details were yet to be finalised.
NEONATE
newborn child
NATAL Adj.
@ Af ter the gas leak, the intensi ve care unit w as fi ll ed wi th
insti nctive, genetic, inherent, i nborn neonates havi ng respiratory problems.
þ Syn. biological, birth, natural
@ The natal gentleness of a cat can be seen in the kittens. NEOPHYTE N.
tyro, novice, beginner, di lettante
NATATION N. þ Syn. tenderf oot, recruit
Swimming ¬ Ant. veteran, expert, prof essi onal
@ The instructor emphasised the need for courses in natation. @ Unfortunately the manual is written by people who seem to
have forgotten that most of their readers are neophytes.
NATTY Adj., NATTILY Adv., NATTINESS N.
smart and f ashionable. NEPOTISM N.
Syn. smart, fashionable, dapper, trendy undue patronage to one’s relations
Ant. scruffy, unti dy, dirty þ Syn. favouritism, partiality, bias
@ Malaika is a natty dresser and sets fashion trends. @ The government was dismissed following revelations about
corruption, nepotism and political incompetence.
NEBULOUS Adj.
hazy, vague, ambiguous, confused, fuzzy, unformed, indistinct NETHER Adj.
þ Syn. vague, imprecise, unformulated lower
¬ Ant. precise, exact, accurate, speci fic þ Syn. posterior, rear, hind
@ Our pl an f or touri ng the West had been so nebulous that ¬ Ant. front, foref ront, fore
every ni ght on the trip, we had to pore over gui debooks, @ The boiler room is somewhere down in the building’s nether
deciding where to go next. regions.
NECROMANCY N. NETTLE V.

witchcraft, sorcery, black magic to sting, bother
Syn. wizardry, occultism, enchantment, divination þ Syn. annoy, i rritate, exasperate, vex
@ It is sad but true that even educated people believe in necro @ S h e l o o k e d u p a t m e s h a r p l y, c l e a r l y n e t t l e d b y t h e
mancy. interrupti on.
IC : PTpntvb01 (123) of (188)

NEUTRALITY NIHILISM N., NIHILITY N.
disinterestedness, impartial ity a belief in nothing, extreme scepticism; nothingness
þ Syn. fairness, lack of prejudice @ N i h i l i s m i s t h e b a c k l a s h o f t h e r a m p a n t m a t e r i a l i s m ,
¬ Ant. partiality, bias consumerism and heartless modern life.
@ Sw i tz e rl a nd i s w el l kno w n f or i ts neu tra l i t y i n ti mes of
international conflict. NIGGLE V., N.
cause slight but persistent annoyance
NEXUS N. þ Syn. Irritate, annoy, w orry, trouble
association, link, connection @ I don’t react any more when opponents try and niggle me.
@ T he no t or i ou s po l i t i ci a n c ri m i n a l n ex u s i n I n di a s e em s
unbreakabl e. NITPICKING Adj.
carping, faultfinding, finicky, hairsplitting
NIBBLE V. @ Nitpicking never delivers goods.
to bite gently, chew, gnaw @ In the fi ght against corrupti on, the macro issues must be
þ Syn. chew, gnaw, bite, eat targeted first; nitpicking should not mislead the crusade.
@ While sitting idle, he kept on listlessly nibbling at the food.
NOCTURNAL Adj.
NICETY of night, operating in the night
elegant or delicate feature, minute distinction þ Syn. of the night, night
þ Syn. nuance, subtlety @ O w l s a r e n o c tu r n a l c r e at u r e s . M o s t b a t s a n d o w l s a r e
@ Rani went to fancy parties all summer, enjoying the niceties nocturnal .
of uppercrust society.
NOISOME Adj.
NICHE ( NISH ) N. e x t r e m e l y o f f e n s i v e t o t h e s e n s e s ( e s p . s m e l l ) , h i g h l y
a recess in a wall, a special place objectionabl e
þ Syn. position, place, slot, function þ Syn. obnoxious, off ensive, repugnant
@ Marketers are concentrating on niche markets. ¬ Ant. pleasant, sw eetsmelling
@ The jailhouse was a noisome dungeon.
NIFTY Adj. NOMAD N. NOMADIC Adj.
fine, smart, sharp, neat w anderer
þ Syn. ingenious, clever, natty, neat þ Syn. rover, travell er, dri fter
@ The nifty receptionist in the front lobby was attracting all @ At heart he was a nomad.
e y e s .
@ Thanks for a nifty piece of work ! NOMENCLATURE
terms used in a particular science or discipline
NIGGARDLY Adj. þ Syn. language, termi nology
stingy, thri fty, greedy, parsimonious, very tight w ith money or @ Although I've been studying medicine for six months, I just
means, penurious can't seem to get the nomenclature right.
þ Syn. stingy, meagre, miserly, measly
¬ Ant. kind, liberal, giving, charitable
@ The company’s ni ggardly sal aries di scouraged many of i ts
employees, who began to look elsewhere for better pay.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . mundane a . a huge number

2 . myriad b . new word
3 . nebulous c . evil
4 . nef arious d . ordi nary
5 . neologism e . va gu e
5 . (b ) 4 . (c ) 3 . ( e ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . (d )
(124) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

NOMINAL NOVICE
existing in name only, negligible apprentice, beginner
þ Syn. titular, official þ Syn. l earner, inexperi enced
¬ Ant. real, substantial ¬ Ant. veteran, expert
@ A nominal but far from devout Catholic, she rarely went to @ Although Julie is still a novice at saili ng, she show s great
chur ch. potenti al .
NONCHALANT Adj. NONCHALANCE N. NOXIOUS Adj.

unconcerned, careless, unceremonious hurtful, deadly, lethal, baneful
þ Syn. casual, offhand, unfl appable þ Syn. harmful, toxic, poisonous
¬ Ant. concerned, worried, troubled ¬ Ant. harmless, safe, risk free
@ Unlike many of the runners who were obviously nervous, the @ The noxious fumes from modern automobiles, industries etc.
champion seemed almost nonchalant before the race. are polluting the environment.
NONDESCRIPT Adj. NUANCE N.

not easily classified, commonplace, dull shade of difference in meaning or colour
þ Syn. ordinary, dull, uninteresting þ Syn. shade, tone, gradation, ti nge
¬ Ant. special, particular, individual @ The arti st has mana ged t o cap ture every nuanc e of the
@ The meteorological bureau is in a nondescript building on the woman’s expressi on.
outskirts of town.
NUBILE Adj.
NONPAREIL Adj. suitable for marriage.
matchless, unequalled @ She is worried about finding a husband for her nubile daugh
@ Performancewise “Gone with the Wind” remains nonpareil. t e r.
NONPLUS V. NUGATORY Adj.

surprise, astonish, amaze, baffle, discomfit futile, w orthl ess
þ Syn. unnerve, throw, stump @ The adv i ce w as nuga tory as e very mem ber of t he t eam
committed the same old blunders.
@ Diana’s candid interview nonplussed many.
NUGGET N.
NON SEQUITUR Adj.
a lump
an irrelevant conclusion, an illogical statement
þ Syn. piece, bit, chunk, hunk, wad
@ It was obvious that he was not paying attention during the
discussion as he came up with a non sequitur. @ Confucius’s philosophy consists of many nuggets of wisdom.
@ A chicken or fish nugget is a small piece that has been covered
in bread crumbs and fried.
NOSTALGIA N.
sentimental longing for past times, reminiscence, recollection
NULLIFY
þ Syn. wistfulness, longing
to make legally invalid; to counteract the effect of
@ Nostalgia is the last resort of fallen heroes.
þ Syn. annul, repeal
¬ Ant. ratif y, vali date
NOSTRUM N.
@ Rowl ing nul lified her contract wi th her publisher when she
a secret or quick remedy received a better offer from another company.
@ There are no nostrums available for the chronic ailments of
Indian society.
NUMISMATIST N.
person who collects coins
NOTORIETY
@ The numismatist’s collection of antique coins is unique because
unfavourable f ame he has taken pains to document the history of every coin.
þ Syn. infamy, disrepute
¬ Ant. low profile, anonymity NUPTIAL Adj.
@ Arjun realised from the silence that greeted him as he entered pertaining to marriage
the bar that his notoriety preceded him.
þ Syn. marriage, wedding, bridal
@ Apparently, the nuptial knot is tied stronger in the east than
in the west.
IC : PTpntvb01 (125) of (188)

“O”
OAF N. OBLIVION N. OBLIVIOUS Adj.
stupid, awkward person the condition of being f orgotten, exile, emptiness; inattentive,
þ Syn. lout, boor, barbarian unmindful
¬ Ant. civilised, sophisticated, intelligent þ Syn. f orgetf ul ness, stupor,
@ The servant was so used to being called a clumsy oaf that he ¬ Ant. aw areness, al ertness

almost stopped responding to his real name. @ Af ter al l that she w ent through she w el comed the great
oblivion of sleep.
OBDURATE Adj. @ He was oblivious to the danger around him.
hardened in heart and feelings
þ Syn. obsti nate, stubborn, tenacious OBLOQUY N.
¬ Ant. meek, flexible, faltering slander, di sgrace, infamy
@ The President remains obdurate on the question of cutting þ Syn. humiliation, disgrace, misery
t a x e s . ¬ Ant. honour, credit, tribute
@ Regardless of the provocation, the obloquy on her character
OBEISANCE N. was in bad taste.
an act of reverence, a bow

þ Syn. bob, bend, curtsy OBNOXIOUS Adj.
@ The nobl emen came f orw ard one by one and made thei r off ensi ve, objectionabl e
obeisance before the queeen. þ Syn. hateful, abhorrent, unbearable
¬ Ant. nice, good, find
OBFUSCATE V. @ Obnoxious effluents from the industries have polluted all our
to darken, obscure, conf use ri ve rs.
þ Syn. confuse, conceal, disguise
¬ Ant. clarify, make clear, simplify OBSCENITY N. filthiness, perversion; indecent act or word
@ She was criticised for using arguments that obfuscated the @ Obscenity is a relative term.
main issue. @ A woman shouted obscenities at the speaker.
OBLIQUE – indirect, evasive, misleading, devious OBSCURE Adj., V

þ Syn. slanting, sloping not distinct, make unclear
¬ Ant. straight, di rect þ Syn. concealed, undistingui shed
@ U suall y open and f riendl y, Ashok has been behavi ng i n a ¬ Ant. obvious, distinct, noticeable
curiously oblique manner lately. @ The teacher’s explanation was so obscure that the students
were forced to approach another tutor.
OBLITERATE V.
to blot out, to efface, raze, annihilate, terminate OBSEQUIOUS Adj.
þ Syn. nullify, quash, wipe out sycophanti c, excessively servi le
¬ Ant. validate, authorise, confirm þ Syn. flattering, toadying, submissive
@ Obliterate your own w eaknesses before you point a finger ¬ Ant. assertive, forceful , conf ident
an ot he r. @ T h e y o u n g e m p l o y e e d e c i d e d t o a d o p t a n o b s e q u i o u s
approach to win a promotion.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . nihilism a . in name only

2 . nominal b . subtl e dif ference
3 . noxi ous c . belief in the absence of
all values and morals
4 . nua nce d . stubborn
5 . obdurate e . harmful
5 . (d ) 4 . (b ) 3 . ( e ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . (c )
(126) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

OBSESSED Adj. , OBSESSION OBVIATE V.
consumed, dominated; fixed idea to eliminate a difficulty
þ Syn. gri pped, fixed, passionate þ Syn. prevent, hinder, avert
¬ Ant. uninterested, indif ferent, aloof ¬ Ant. permit, let, sanction
@ The government seems obsessed by the need for secrecy. @ A peacef ul sol ution woul d obviate the need to send a UN
military force.
OBSESSIVE – preoccupying, allconsuming
þ Syn. addicti ve, f anati cal OCCLUDE V. , OCCLUSION N.
¬ Ant. balanced, practical shut, close
@ Shyam is obsessive about his work; he never leaves the office @ Prejudice and bigotry occluded reason and common sense as
before 10 at night. the riots raged on.
OBSOLETE Adj. OCCIDENT N.

out of use, outdated, antiquated, archaic the west
þ Syn. out of date, outdated, past it @ Globalisation have blended the cultures of the occident and
the orient.
¬ Ant. uptodate, new , advance
@ The obsolete ideas of the clergy are the biggest obstacles
facing the women of the world. OCCULT Adj.
secret, hidden, esoteric
OBSTETRICIAN N. @ She cl aims to have occult pow ers, gi ven to her by some
mysterious spirit.
physician specialising in the delivery of children
@ An obstetrici an has special trai ning i n caring for pregnant
women and in helping with childbirth. OCULAR Adj. OCULIST N.
pertaining to the eye, optical, visual; physician who specialises
in the treatment of the eyes
OBSTINATE Adj.
þ Syn. visual, optical
dogged, immovable, persistent, stubborn, adamant
@ An ocular operation can correct the vision of a person.
þ Syn. fixed, adamant, persistent
@ An oculist is required to have a degree in ophthalmology.
¬ Ant. compliant, obedient, amenable
@ There is a thi n l ine between being determined and bei ng
obstinate.
OBSTREPEROUS Adj.
noisy, clamorous, unruly, boisterous
þ Syn. hostile, defiant, sullen
¬ Ant. cheerful, joyful, in good sprits
@ The shop announced heavy discounts but failed to placate its Abhinav Dave
obstreperous customers as the goods were sold out within an IIMK, MDI
hour.
The PT course material

OBTRUDE V. OBTRUSION N.
was well designed. It
become noticeable in an unwelcome or intrusive way
@ The sound of the boisterous laughter obtruded the silence of started with basics
the temple. p r o v i d i n g a s ol i d
foundation and exposed
OBTRUSIVE – pushy, too conspicuous
to the tougher part of the
þ Syn. noticeable, prominent
¬ Ant. unobtrusive, inconspicuous subject. The vocabulary
@ I think that huge portrait that you hung in the hall is a bit sessions conducted in
obtrusi ve.
the class were quite
advantageous as it
OBTUSE Adj. helped me retain words.
blunt, dull, insensitive
þ Syn. dullwitted, thick, slow
¬ Ant. intelligent, able, quick
@ Media always hype up the obtuse statements of controversial
authori ties.
IC : PTpntvb01 (127) of (188)

ODIOUS Adj. ODIUM N. OMNIPOTENT Adj.
monstrous, disgracef ul, atrocious; detestation allpowerful, invincible
þ Syn. hatef ul, loathsome, repulsive þ Syn. allpowerful, invincible, supreme
¬ Ant. pleasant, amiable, charming ¬ Ant. powerless, toothless, immobilised
@ Henry Bavington plays the part of Mr. Gri mes, the odi ous @ Even the omnipotent Hitler was finally defeated.
headmaster.
@ His trial has led to widespread public odium. OMNISCIENT – having infinite knowledge, allseeing
þ Syn. allknowing, allwise
ODYSSEY N. ¬ Ant. ignorant, illiterate
a long trip, a trip fraught with dangers @ Christians believe that because God is omniscient, they cannot
@ The film follows one man’s odyssey to find his mother from hide their sins from Him.
whom he was separated at birth.
OMNIVOROUS – eati ng everything, absorbing everything
OFFICIOUS Adj. þ Syn. indiscriminate, undiscriminating
interfering, meddlesome ¬ Ant. discriminate, selective
þ Syn. bossy, fussy, intrusive @ She is an omnivorous reader, covering everything from comics
¬ Ant. submissive, docile, passive to Premchand.
@ He’s an officious little man and widely disliked in the company.
ONEROUS Adj.
OFFSHOOT – branch burdensome, oppressi ve
þ Syn. side shoot, tendril þ Syn. arduous, heavy, diffi cult
¬ Ant. trunk, bole ¬ Ant. easy, , simple, painless
@ The company encouraged the growth of the small spare parts @ To achieve 100 percent literacy is an onerous task.
shops as offshoots of the main factory.
ONOMATOPOEIA N.
OGLE V. words that sound like the noises they refer to.
to look at fondly, amorously @ “Hiss”, “buzz” and “squelch” are onomatopoeic words.
þ Syn. look at, stare at, gaze at
@ His riches made people ogle at his balance sheet. ONUS N.
burden, responsibil ity
OLIGARCHY N. þ Syn. responsibility, burden, duty
government by a few, rule of elite @ The onus lies with the customer to check every detail before
@ Do you think oligarchy is preferable to dictatorship? signing any contract.
OMINOUS Adj. OPALESCENT – iridescent, displaying colours

threatening, sinister, impending þ Syn. multicoloured, prismatic
þ Syn. gloomy, menacing, warning @ The infant, fascinated by the opalescent stone, stared at it
¬ Ant. reassuring, supportive, cheeri ng for hours on end.
@ There was an ominous silence when I asked for the renewal
of my contract.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . of ficious a . misleadingl y apparent

2 . onerous b . impossible to see through
3 . opa que c . annoyingl y helpful
4 . ostensible d . showing off
5 . ostentati ous e . burdensome
5 . (d ) 4 . ( a ) 3 . (b ) 2 . ( e ) 1 . (c )
(128) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

OPAQUE – impervious to light, difficult to understand ORB – spherical body, eye
þ Syn. nontransparent, obscure þ Syn. spheroid, globe
¬ Ant. transparent, transl ucent ¬ Ant. nonspherical, polygonal
@ The heavy buildup of dirt and grime made the car windows @ Paramjeet sighed at the sight of the lantern orbs glowing like
almost opaque. small moons above the tables in the restaurant.
OPINE – to express an opinion ORCHESTRATE – to arrange music for performance, to coordinate

þ Syn. think, suggest þ Syn. to arrange, to organise
@ The rude participant in the show opined that the guest was a ¬ Ant. to disorganise, to usurp
pathetic excuse for a human being. @ Though the president took all the credit, it was his wife who
had actual ly orchestrated the enti re event.
OPPORTUNE Adj.
very right or fit ORDAIN V.
þ Syn. fitting, apt, right decree, manage, conduct
¬ Ant. inappropri ate, w rong, unsuitable @ The counci l, in its w isdom, has ordained that all the local
@ Be prepared to grab the opportune moment. libraries will remain closed on Mondays.
OPPORTUNIST – one who takes advantage of circumstances ORDEAL N.

@ Doz ens of opportuni sts travel l ed to the earthquakestruck labour, nightmare, torment, tribulation
region to sell food and water to the victims. @ Travel by bus or train in India is really an ordeal.
OPPROBRIOUS – disgraceful, contemptuous ORGY N.

þ Syn. abusive, scornful wild, drunken revelry; unrestrained indulgence
¬ Ant. laudatory, praising þ Syn. debauch, carousal, carouse
@ Despite his opprobrious addiction to gambling, the governor @ It was a night of wild orgy for them.
was reelected.
ORIENT Adj.
OPPROBRIUM N. rising, as the sun, Eastern
disgrace, infamy, ignominy @ The lore of the orient constantly attracts Western tourists.
þ Syn. abuse, vituperati on, condemnation
Ant. praise, accolade, encomium ORNATE Adj.
@ The i nt erna ti on al co mmun i ty heap ed op prob ri um on the el aborate, flori d, showy, decorated
country after its unprovoked invasion of its neighbour.
@ The gates at the marriage reception pandals these days are
ornate and gaudy.
OPULENT Adj. OPULENCE N. ORNITHOLOGY N. , ORNITHOLOGIST N.

wealthy, extravagant, cornucopi an, luxurious; extreme wealth, study of birds; scientific student of birds
luxuri ousness, abundance
@ Dr. Salim Ali was a famous ornithologist.
þ Syn. rich, welltodo
@ Bird watching is just a small activity under the discipline of
¬ Ant. poor, impoverished, desti tute orni thol ogy.
@ There is great irony in the opulent lifestyle of the socalled
godmen.
ORTHOGRAPHY N.
correct spelling
ORACLE – person who foresees the future and gives advice
@ Until and unless you master English orthography, you cannot
þ Syn. prophet, fortune teller hope to be a good writer.
@ Omar decided to consult an oracle when he could not make
the decision on his own.
OSCILLATE – to move back and forth
þ Syn. sway, swing
ORATOR – lecturer, speaker
¬ Ant. remain steady, be sedentary
@ The new professor's dull tone of voi ce and lack of energy
make him a particularly poor orator. @ The ancient oscillating fans did little to cool down the room.
ORACULAR Adj. OSSEOUS Adj. OSSIFY V.
prophetic, hard to interpret, enigmatic made of bone, bony; change or harden into bone
@ The creature appeared to be osseous, yet very fl uid in i ts
þ Syn. predictive, prescient, prognostic
movements.
@ The saint spoke in an oracular tone.
IC : PTpntvb01 (129) of (188)

OSTENTATION N. OSTENTATIOUSNESS Adj. OUTLANDISH Adj.
act of showing, boasting; showy biz arre, peculiar, unconventional
þ Syn. pretension, di splay, affectati on þ Syn. pecul iar, strange, odd
¬ Ant. modesty, diffi dence, reserve ¬ Ant. run of the mill, average
@ Ostentation can only evoke envy not fri endship. @ Looking even further into the future, he expected designers
@ The ostentatious lifestyles of Boll ywood stars evoke much to experiment with even more outlandish ideas.
interest among the public.
OUTRAGEOUS Adj.
OSTENSIBLE Adj. atrocious, barbaric, infamous, monstrous
outwardly showing, apparent, likely þ Syn. shameful, shocking, offensive
þ Syn. apparent, suppose, seeming ¬ Ant. commendable, worthy, admirable
¬ Ant. real, actual, true, valid @ It i s outrageous that these bui l di ngs remai n empty w hil e
@ He visited Pakistan ostensibly to visit his brother. thousands of people have no homes.
OSTRACISE V. OVATION N.

to boycott socially applause, enthusiastic recepti on
þ Syn. exclude, banish, shun þ Syn. acclaim, applause, praise
¬ Ant. include, take in, contain ¬ Ant. jeering, mocking, hissing
@ For centuries, lepers were ostracised by society and banished @ The royal bal let received a thunderous ovation w hen they
to remote colonies. performed here two months ago.
OUST V. OVERT Adj.

expel, drive out open to view
þ Syn. expel, throw out, exile þ Syn. open, clear, plain, evident
¬ Ant. appoint, employ, hire, sign up ¬ Ant. hidden, unseen, unknown
@ He has been ousted from the company for no mistake of his. @ His overt life showed him to be a very respectable and kind
man.
OUSTER – expulsion, ejection

OVERSTATE – to embellish, exaggerate
þ Syn. bani shment, debarment
þ Syn. overdramatise, overemphasi se
¬ Ant. including, welcoming
¬ Ant. understate, play down
@ After his insane behaviour at the meeting, the chairman faced
ouster by his fellow board members. @ I do not want to overstate this, but I need you to understand
the seriousness of the situation.
Linguistics
a bo ve .
ASSONANCE : repetition of sounds, especially vowel sounds, in a word
or phrase
DIALECTOLOGY : branch of linguistics concerned with dialects
ELOCATIVE : causing an emotional reaction in the listener ( or reader)
INTONATION : the melodic pattern produced by the variation in pitch
of the voice during speech
LOCUTION : any utterance, expressi on, or phrase
PERORATION : th e c onc l u di n g p art of a pu bl i c a ddr ess o r s pee ch
(especi ally, summing up and recapitulating key points
and /or exhorting and uplifting the audience)
PHONETIC : based on sounds (e.g, th phonetic spelling of a word)
REBUS : the representation of a word by pictures or symbols
SEMA NTIC : involving sings (especially, words) and the things (ideas)
they are intended to signify
SYNTAX : construction of a sentence; arrangement of words in a
se nt en ce .
(130) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“P”
PACHYDERM N. PALLID Adj.
an animal with a thick skin, such as an elephant, a rhinoceros or weak, pale, without colour
hippopotamus, also an insensitive person þ Syn. pale, white, ashen
@ Call a politician a pachyderm and he will probably take it as a ¬ Ant. colorful, pink, rosy
compliment.
@ A pallid complexion could be the symptom of a disease.
PAEAN N.
PALPABLE Adj., PALPITATION N.
song of praise or joy
tangible, obvious, detectabl e, noti ceable
þ Syn. exal tation, panegyric, alleluia
þ Syn. bl atant, flagrant, overt
@ I wonder if singing paeans to our freedom fighters once or
twice a year is sufficient to instil patriotism in our children. ¬ Ant. covert, hidden
@ The sense of excitement among the crowd was palpable.
PA CIFIST
one opposed to war PA LTRY Adj.
insignificant; petty
þ Syn. peacel over, appeaser
þ Syn. worthless, measly, trivial
¬ Ant. warmonger, belligerent
@ For one who claimed to be a pacifist, Dinesh was surprisingly ¬ Ant. substantial, large, considerable
fond of weapons of war. @ The company offered Jeremy a paltry sum which he refused.
PALATABLE Adj. Palate N. PAN V.

tasteful, nice to eat, appetising, delectable, agreeing with your criticise harshly
taste buds or your mind, pleasing þ Syn. censure, attack, lambaste, condemn
þ Syn. edi ble, pleasant, tasty ¬ Ant. praise, commend, applaud
¬ Ant. bland, tasteless, dull @ Sulman Rushdie’s latest book has been panned by critics.
@ The meal w as barely palatable – i n f act, I thought i t w as
di sgusting.
PANACEA N.
the ultimate cure for everything, remedy, cure
P ALA TIA L
þ Syn. cureall, solution, answer
like a palace, magnificent
@ Education is a panacea for India’s problems.
þ Syn. luxurious, opulent
¬ Ant. modest, humble
PANACHE N.
@ After living in a oneroom flat for five years, Amrita thought
flair, flamboyance, behavi our, speech, dash or verve
the modest onebedroom house looked downright palatial.
þ Syn. flamboyance, flai r, style
¬ Ant. clumsiness, awkwardness
PALEONTOLOGY N. PALEONTOLOGIST N.
@ The solo passages were played with great panache.
the study of fossils
@ Paleontology has revealed a lot about the evolution of life on
pl anet E arth. PANDEMIC Adj.
widespread, prevalent over a whole country or the world.
PALETTE N. þ Syn. pervasive, rif e, rampant
a thin board used by artists to mix colours ¬ Ant. Sporadic, intermittent, scarce
@ She mixes her col ours on the canvas rather than on the @ The WHO fears that the AIDS epidemic w ould soon reach
pal e tte. pandemic proportions.
PALINDROME N. PANDEMONIUM N.

a word or phrase which is spelt the same backwards and forwards a great uproar and confusion, chaos, indiscipline
@ The word Malayalam is a palindrome. þ Syn. chaos, mayhem, bedlam, racket
@ You can cage a swallow, can’t you but you can’t swallow a ¬ Ant. peace, calm, order
cage, can you? (Try reading the sentence backwards, last @ Pandemonium broke out in the burning pandal.
word first. )
PALLIATE V. PALLIATION N.

ease pain, make less severe or offensive
@ We should palliate the suffering of the poor affected by the
landslide.
IC : PTpntvb01 (131) of (188)

PANDER V. PARAGON N.
cater to the low desires of others a perfect model of virtue, excellence etc., treasure, gem, the
@ Hol l yw ood f i l m producers pander to the masses through ideal
violence and sex. þ Syn. model, ideal, epitome
@ Political leaders almost inevitably pander to big business. @ After hearing repeatedly that our cousin Amy was a paragon
of virtue, we lost all interest in meeting her.
PANEGYRIC N.
a speech in great praise of someone PARAMOUNT Adj.
þ Syn. eulogy, encomium, accolade supreme, extreme, above all
@ She delivered a panegyric on the Presidentelect. þ Syn. dominate, chief, principal
¬ Ant. marginal, peripheral, minimal
PANORAMA N. PANORAMIC Adj. @ Character and ethics are paramount in whatever you do.
complete view or picture of a subject; denoting an unobstructed
and a comprehensive view PA RAMOUR N.
þ Syn. view, scene, vista, landscape a term used for an unlawful lover
@ This book promises to be a panorama of Indian culture. @ The paramour was thrashed by the husband.
PANTOMIME N. PARANOIA N.

acting or making gestures without speech ty pe o f a p sy cho l o gi cal d i s eas e w h ere a p ers on f eel s th at
@ She did a pantomime of opening a lock and finally I understood everyone is against him
that she wanted her room key. þ Syn. fear, suspici on, obsession
@ In his last days, Hitler suffered from paranoia.
PARADIGM (PARADYME) N. PARA DIGMATIC Adj.
model, pattern, an extremely fine model or example of a type, PARAPHERNALIA N.
ar ch et yp e equipment; odds and ends
þ Syn. example, model, pattern þ Syn. apparatus, kits, implements
@ Tatas, Birlas and Ambanis are the paradigms of great success @ H e r p u r s e c o n t a i n e d c o m b s, g l o s s a n d o t h e r p e r s o n a l
in business. paraphernal i a.
PARADOX N. P ARAP HRASE

a thing which seems to contradict itself but may actually be true, to reword, usually in simpler terms
a statement that appears to contradict itself but may be true
þ Syn. rephrase, restate
þ Syn. enigma, incongruity, mystery
@ In paraphrasing the poet, she lost the eloquence of his style
@ Paradoxically, Ravi ate so much but never put on weight while and the punch of his message.
Ajay bloated on a starvation diet.
Lite r ature
a bo ve .
APOCRYP HAL : of unknown authorship or doubtful integrity

BA LLAD : a narrative poem meant for recitation or singing
COLOPHON : a p ub l i s h er ’ s a nd / o r pr i n t e r’ s d i st i n c t i v e e m bl e m ,
monogram or cipher
DENOUEMENT : the f i nal unf oldi ng or a plot; the f i nal resol uti on or
outcome following the climax
DOGGEREL : p o e t i c v e r s e o f g e n e r a l l y p o o r q u a l i t y ; v e r s e
characterized by a crude, rough, irregular, or burlesque
styl e
EUPHEMISM : a pleasant or complimentary word or phrase used instead
o f on e th a t i s h a rs h or d e ro ga to r y to p re v en t th e
conveyance of a bluntly honest opinion
FIGURATIVE : metaphoric; not to be interpreted literally
MISSIVE : a letter, usually formal or official
ODE : a literary or musical work
P LA GIARISM : the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and
passing them off as one’s own
(132) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

P ARA SITE PA RODY
person or animal that lives at another's expense humorous imitation
þ Syn. scrounger, leech þ Syn. satire, lampoon
@ Sameer was a parasite wasting his wife’s money in drinking @ Shahana's new play is a thinly veiled parody of corruption in
and gambling. the government.
PARIAH N. PARSIMONIOUS Adj. PARSIOMY N.

a person ostracised by civilisation, an outcast of society miserly with money, stingy, thrifty
þ Syn. exile, outsider, recluse þ Syn. economical, frugal, saving
@ For his beliefs, Vidyasagar was initially declared a pariah. ¬ Ant. wastrel, spendthrif t, squanderer
@ His parsimonious attitude denied him of friends.
PARITY – equality
þ Syn. equival ence, congruence PARSIMONY
¬ Ant. disparity, inequality sti nginess
@ Mrs. R amanna tri ed to mai nt ai n pari ty betw een h er tw o þ Syn. thrift, miserliness
children, although each claimed she favoured the other. ¬ A nt. extravagance, generosity
@ Ethel gained a reputation for parsimony when she refused to
PARLANCE N. pay for her daughter's college education.
a special way of talking or conversing, expression, verbiage
þ Syn. idiom, phrasing, dialect PARVENU N.
@ Campus parlance often shocks parents. a person who has recently acquired riches
@ Rich tastes cannot be expected of a parvenu.
PARLEY N. V.
conference (also v) PASSE Adj.
þ Syn. meeting, discussion, confab not in current use, oldfashioned, outdated, obsolete
@ The parl ey between the two countries conti nues but there @ Manual typewriters are passe.
not much hope of an agreement.
PASTICHE N.
PAROCHIAL Adj. imitation of another’s style in musical composition or in writing
a restricted, narrow viewpoint; ignorant, unsophisticated þ Syn. take off, imitation, spoof
þ Syn. narrow, provincial, insular @ The critic wrote that the author’s l atest work was a mere
@ The parochi al boundari es of caste and col our have been pastiche and lacked originality.
detrimental to our growth.
PA STORA L Adj.
PA RODY rel ated to a calm, peaceful village l ife, of the country, rustic,
humorous imitation bucolic
þ Syn. satire, lampoon þ Syn. rustic, countrified, rural
@ Shahana's new play is a thinly veiled parody of corruption in ¬ Ant. urban, city, town, municipal
the government. @ The paintings depict beautiful pastoral settings that remind
me of my childhood on the farm.
PAROLE N.
conditional release of a prisoner before his sentence is actually PATERNITY
o v e r fatherhood, acquired from the father
@ The crime was committed while the prisoner was out on parole. @ In this week's episode, the serial’s star refuses to reveal the
paternity of her child.
PAROXYSM N.
a wild, uncontrollable fit of anger; rage, wrath PATENT
þ Syn. convulsion, fit, outburst, spasm official document giving exclusive commercial right to an invention
@ These proposals have thrown many people into paroxysms of þ Syn. copyright, li cence
ra ge . @ M ar ga r et r eg r et te d t ha t t ho ug h s he ha d d ev el op e d th e
machine first, she had not bothered to get a patent for it.
PARRY V.
ward off a blow, deflect PATHOGENIC
þ Syn. avert, block, counter, evade causing disease
@ The boxer ducked and parried the blow. þ Syn. infective, morbid
@ Bi na's research on pathogeni c organi sms should help stop
the spread of di sease.
IC : PTpntvb01 (133) of (188)

PATHOS N. PECCADILLO N.
the qual ity which arouses a feel ing of sorrow, stri ngs of pi ty, a small error, minor fault, minor flaw, small offense
poi gnancy þ Syn. sin, offence, failing, crime
þ Syn. sadness, pity, sorrow ¬ Ant. asset, virtue
¬ Ant. joy, delight, pl easure @ He dismissed what had happened as a mere peccadillo.
@ Thomas Hardy’s novels were built around pathos.
PECUNIARY N.
PATOIS N. referring to money, monetary, fiscal
local or provincial dialect þ Syn. financial, fiscal, economic
þ Syn. vernacular, local parlance, argot @ Some hard decisions are overdue in the pecuniary arena.
@ It may be the same language but the difference in the patois
as one moves from village to village is simply fascinating.
PEDAGOGUE N.
unpleasant pedantic teacher, who gives too much attention to
PATRICIDE N. formal rules and is tedious
murder of one’s own father @ The pedagogues keep students away from colleges.
@ In the heat of the moment he committed patricide.
PEDANT N. PEDANTIC Adj.
PA TRIMONY a person always trying to show off his knowledge by pointing out
heritage derived from one's father minor errors, a nitpicking type
þ Syn. inheritance, l egacy þ Syn. doctrinaire, sophist
@ After the will was read, Pooja asked her brother to donate ¬ Ant. amateur, dabbler
his share of the patrimony to charity. @ In college, where students can often choose their professors,
pedants may find their classrooms rather empty.
PATRONAGE N. PATRONISE V.
giving support or encouragement; support, act superior toward PEDESTRIAN(adj.) – commonplace
þ Syn. support, backing, aid (n) – person on foot, walker
@ Bharat Bhavan survives under central government patronage. þ Syn. plodding, unimaginative, stroller
¬ Ant. imaginative, inspired
PAUCITY N. @ Although the restaurant's prices were high, critics considered
scarcity, lack of enough amount, dearth its food little more than pedestrian.
þ Syn. scarcity, rareness
¬ Ant. pl ethora, excess, surfeit PAEDIATRICIAN
@ The paucity of funds does not deter a diligent worker. doctor specialising in the care of children and their ailments
@ She chose to be a paediatrician because she loved working
with children.
PAVILION
tent or light building used for shelter or exhibitions
PEER N.
þ Syn. marquee, arbour, pergola, bower, gazebo, porch
a person of the same rank or class or group
@ The ca terers deco rated the pa vi l i on l avi shl y w i th l i ghts,
streamers and balloons. þ Syn. gaze, stare, examine
¬ Ant. glance, look, glimpse
PAUPER N. @ Peer group pressures dictate teenage behaviour.
a poor person, beggar
@ His gambling turned him into a pauper.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . p ar a do x a . satirical imitation
2 . parochi al b . obvi ous
3 . pa ro dy c . narrow in point of view
4 . parsimonious d . contradi ctory truth
5 . pa te nt e . stingy
5 . (b ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (c ) 1 . (d )
(134) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

PEERLESS PENURY N.
unequall ed extreme poverty, great lack of something
þ Syn. incomparabl e, unmatched þ Syn. poverty, destituti on
@ H ar p r ee t ’s d ed i ca t i on to t he c au s e o f c r ea t i ng gr e a te r ¬ Ant. af fl uence
awareness about leprosy has been peerless. @ His childhood was spent in penury.
PEEVED Adj., PEEVISH Adj. PERDITION N.

annoyed, bad tempered damnation; complete ruin
þ Syn. annoyed, irritated, irked, piqued Syn. doom, condemnation, destruction
¬ Ant. pl eased, satisfied, content @ The clergy spoke passionately about perdition for all sinners.
@ They were peeved that the trip was reduced from the usual
three weeks to 10 days.
PEREGRINATION N.
jo urn ey
PEJORATIVE Adj.
@ The pol i tical l eader undertook a peregrinati on across the
disapproving, disparaging, making something worse country, in what he called a “journey of discovery.”
þ Syn. derogatory, negati ve, cri tical
¬ Ant. positive, optimistic, helpful PEREMPTORY Adj.
@ Somethi ng terrible must have happened for ‘home’ to have demanding and leaving no choice
such a pejorative connotation for him.
þ Syn. authori tati ve, dictatorial
¬ Ant. polite, civil, gracious
PELLUCID Adj.
@ It was a peremptory order for promotion with transfer and
transparent, limpid he had to accept it.
Syn. clear, comprehensible, lucid
Ant. clouded, vague, confusi ng PERENNIAL – present throughout the year, persistent
@ Readers enjoy Stephen Hawkin’s pellucid writing. þ Syn. ceaseless, perpetual
¬ Ant. seasonal, temporary
PENANCE N. @ This is a perennial flowering plant and will look good in your
punishment accepted to make amends for some sins committed ga rd en .
earl ier
þ Syn. atonement, contriti on, remorse PERFIDY N. PERFIDIOUS adj.
@ As p ena nc e, she s ai d s he w o ul d b uy th em al l a bo x of faithl essness, disloyalty, treachery
chocol ates.
þ Syn. disloyalty, deceit, lying
@ The double agent was punished for his perfidy.
PENCHANT ( PAYSHAY ) N.
a strong liking or inclination for something
PERFUNCTORY Adj.
þ Syn. liking, fondness
mechanical, rapid, superficial, symbolic, hollow
@ His penchant for cars turned him into a car collector.
þ Syn. unthinking, automatic, dutiful
@ Her penchant for disappearing for days at a time w orries
her family. ¬ Ant. thoughtful , consi derate
@ Perfunctory medical examinations often fail to detect serious
ail ments.
PENITENT N.
one who is sorry for having done something wrong
PERIPATETIC Adj.
þ Syn. apologetic, remorseful
walking about; moving
@ A penitent Bharat followed Ram to the forest.
þ Syn. nomadic, itinerant, migrant
¬ Ant. stationary, fixed, unmoving
PENSIVE Adj.
@ Finally, tired of his peripatetic lifestyle, he decided to settle
dreamily thoughtf ul; contemplative down with a stable job.
Syn. philosophical, cogi tative, rumi native
Ant. joyful , cheerf ul PERJURE V. PERJURY N.
@ I tried to cheer Mohan out of his pensive mood. to tell lies in a court of law where you have sworn to tell the truth
þ Syn. equivocate, misstate, concoct
PENULTIMATE @ Perjury is a punishable offence under the law.
next to last
@ The lowscoring cricket match ended in the first hour of the
penultimate day of the fiveday test.
IC : PTpntvb01 (135) of (188)

PERMEABLE PERTURB V.
penetrabl e to disturb, make anxious, to bother greatly or annoy, to disquiet,
þ Syn. porous, absorbent discompose
¬ Ant. impermeable, watertight þ Syn. trouble
@ Karishma discovered that her new raincoat was permeable @ The new s that h er son had b een a rreste d by t he pol i ce
when she was drenched in the rain, in spite of wearing the perturbed her greatl y.
coa t.
PERTURBATION
PERNICIOUS N. disturbance
harmful, evil, bad, wicked þ Syn. fluster, discomfiture
þ Syn. destructi ve, harmful, deadly ¬ Ant. reassurance, comfort
¬ Ant. harmless, safe, nontoxic @ Grandpa sleeps so soundl y that no perturbati on can wake
@ The pernici ous ef f ects of al cohol and tobacco cannot be him up.
de ba te d.
P ERUSA L
PERPETRATE V. close examination
commit an offence þ Syn. scrutiny, inspection
Syn. inflict, wreak, bring about @ When you fly, your carryon luggage is always subject to the
@ The insurgents perpetrated a series of offences against the perusal of customs officials.
government.
PERUSE V.
PERPETUAL inspect, comprehend, examine
endless, lasting þ Syn. read thoroughl y, scrutinise
þ Syn. everl asting, eternal ¬ Ant. skim, glide, float
¬ Ant. transitory, intermittent @ He opened a new spaper and began to peruse the personal
@ Although objects may appear solid, electrons that make up advertisements.
every object are actually in perpetual motion.
PERVASIVE Adj. , PERVADE V.
PERSECUTE V. spread throughout; become part of something else, to permeate
to torment, to treat cruelly þ Syn. invasive, insidious
þ Syn. hound, pursue, bully ¬ Ant. envel opi ng, persi stent
@ Galileo was persecuted for his beliefs. @ The g overnment ’s ref or ms are be i ng under mi ned by al l
pervasive corrupti on in the country.
PERSPICACIOUS Adj.
one who has brilliant insight, sharp PERVERSION N.
þ Syn. insightful, wise, astute corruption, turning from right to wrong
¬ Ant. dense, opaque, solid þ Syn. parody, cari cature, di stortion
@ Hi s perspi caci ous grandf ather had bought the l and as an @ He was always honest, upright and straightforward; so it is
investment, guessing that there might be gold underground. difficult to understand his perversion.
PERT Adj. PERVERT(v)

impertinent, forward to cause to change in immoral way; to misuse
þ Syn. animated, alert, lively (n) – degenerate, debauchee
¬ Ant. listless, languid, lethargic þ Syn. distort, warp
@ Your pert remarks will do you no good; it might result in a loss. ¬ Ant. consecrate, sancti fy
@ Chandan objected when the opposing lawyer seemed to be
perverti ng the truth.
PERTINACIOUS Adj.
stubborn; persi stent
PETRIFY V.
þ Syn. tenacious, assiduous, resolute, intractable
to turn to stone, to horrify, to scare
¬ Ant. tentative, i rresolute, waveri ng
þ Syn. fri ghten, terrify, horrify
@ Su jat a w as ve ry per ti n aci ous i n h er que st f or t he ri g ht
information. @ It was a petrifying sight at Latur after the tremors stopped.
PERTINENT PETTY Adj.

applicable, appropri ate trivial, unimportant, very small
þ Syn. relevant, apposi te þ Syn. little, trivial
¬ Ant. irrelevant, inappropri ate ¬ Ant. important, vital, significant
@ The supervi sor f el t that hi s empl oyee's compl ai nts w ere @ It i s su rpri si ng that petty quarrel s ul ti matel y l e d to the
pertinent and mentioned them in the meeting. couple’s separati on.
(136) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
PETULANT Adj. PETULANCE N. PILFER
irritable, badtempered, illhumoured and peevi sh, occasionally to steal
rude, illmannered þ Syn. embezzle, mi sappropriate
þ Syn. huffy, snappish, grouchy @ Marianne did not pilfer the money for herself but rather for
¬ Ant. relaxed, easygoing, calm her sick brother, who needed some medicine.
@ One colleague recalled the dancer’s petulant refusal to collect
an award because her name had been wrongly pronounced. PILFERAGE N.
thef t, burglary, misappropriation
PHILANDERER N. @ Railways lose millions due to pilferage.
faithless lover, flirt
þ Syn. liberti ne, playboy, seducer PINNACLE N.
¬ Ant. chaste, faithful the topmost point, acme, apex, peak, zenith
@ No woman would ever want a philanderer as her husband. þ Syn. summit, peak, height
¬ Ant. base, bottom, foot
PHILANTHROPY Adj. @ Indian cricket was at its pinnacle in the 70’s.
monetary or volunteer promotion of mankind’s welfare, generous
giving of self or resources
PIOUS
@ Your generous acts of phi lanthropy are greatly appreci ated
dedicated, devout, extremely religi ous
by the beneficiary institutions.
þ Syn. spiritual, sanctimonious
PHILATELIST N. ¬ Ant. irreligious, impious
stamp collector @ Shantanu, a pious man, walks to the temple everyday and
p ra ys .
@ The high value of the old rare stamps is what motivates many
to become philatelists.
PIQUANT Adj.
PHILISTINE N. pleasantly interesting, amusing

þ Syn. spicy, hot
person unsympathetic to the arts, narrowminded
¬ Ant. bland, insipid
@ I wouldn’t have expected them to enjoy a film of that quality
anyway they’re just a bunch of philistines! @ More piquant details of the former official’s private life were
re vea l e d.
PHLEGMATIC Adj.
calm, not easily annoyed, imperturbable, sluggish, slow, showing PIQUE N.
little emotions, impassive, stolid resentment, annoyance, i ndi gnati on
þ Syn. apatheti c, indiff erent, placid þ Syn. interest, attract
¬ Ant. energetic, lively, acti ve @ He stormed from the room in a fit of pique shouting that he
@ As a f ootbal l er hi s great asset w as hi s cal m, phl egmati c had been misunderstood.
manner.
PITHY Adj. PITH N.
PHOBIA concise, meaty; core, marrow , essence
exaggerated illogical fear þ Syn. terse, condensed, curt
þ Syn. dread, fixation ¬ Ant. convol uted, compl icated
¬ Ant. obsession, mania @ He gave a pithy summary of his political views.
@ According to Tanya her phobia of spiders started when she
was bitten by one in the school. PITTANCE N.
low wages or allowances
PHONETICS þ Syn. meagre amount, trifle, nothing
study of speech sounds @ When you pay a pittance, don’t expect the best brains to
@ The f i el d of p honeti cs had i nterested Il a ever si nce she work for you.
conquered her stammering as a teenager.
PLACATE V.
PICTURESQUE Adj. to c al m, so othe, m ake l es s angry, assuag e, al l a y, appe ase,
very artistic, beautiful, charming, special, uncommon particularly by offering to be good; to do a favour for someone
þ Syn. charming, striking, quaint þ Syn. pacify, conciliate
@ Th e p i ct ure squ e s i gh ts of Ka shm i r att rac t t hou san ds of ¬ Ant. enrage, i nfuriate
tourists from all over the world. @ It takes skill, experience and guts to placate an irate mob.
PIEBALD Adj.
of different colours; mottled; spotted
þ Syn. speckled, pied, variegated
@ The farmer rode a piebald horse.
IC : PTpntvb01 (137) of (188)
PLACEBO N. PLAUDIT N.
an innocuous or inert medication, given as a pacifier or as part of enthusiastic approval; round of applause
experiments on the efficacy of a drug @ The movie generated great reviews and earned plaudits from
þ Syn. sop, gesture the classes and the masses alike.
@ P l a c e b o s a r e s o m e t i m e s u s e d t o t r e a t p s y c h o s o m a t i c
disorders. PLEBEIAN Adj.
comm on, pert ai ni ng t o the co mmon pe opl e, co ncerni ng the
PLA CID common folk or masses (often used in a derogatory way)
calm, imperturbable þ Syn. blue collar, working class
þ Syn. tranquil, serene ¬ Ant. aristocratic, noble
¬ Ant. turbulent, temperamental @ Pol iticians make speeches calculated to appeal to plebeian
@ Looking at Aparna's placid expression, no one could tell that minds.
she was inwardly seething with rage.
PLETHORA N.
PLAGIARISM N. , PLAGIARISE V. excess, overabundance, a vast amount, great excess
copying the work of someone else, theft; steal another’s ideas) þ Syn. overabundance, excess, surf ei t
þ Syn. copying, lifting, bootlegging ¬ Ant. shortage, lack, defici ency
@ The editor has the experience and the skill to know whether @ Our l ibrary boasts of a plethora of books on modern and
a work is plagiarism or original. anci ent li terature.
PLAINTIFF PLIANT Adj.

injured person in a lawsuit flexible, easi ly influenced
¬ Ant. def endant þ Syn. pliable, flexible
@ The lawyer asked the plaintiff to rise and show the court his ¬ Ant. stiff, rigid, taut
injuries. @ It is not healthy to force children to be too pliant.
PLAINTIVE Adj. PLIGHT N.

sad, gloomy, melancholy, dismal, doleful condition, state, predicament
þ Syn. mournful, sad, nostalgic Syn. diff iculty, trouble, extremi ty
@ The plaintive notes of violin are pervading the atmosphere. @ The arti cle hi ghl ighted the pli ght of child labourers i n the
co untr y.
PLATITUDE N.
cliche, banality, commonplace phrases, an old and stale comment PLUCK N.
lacking originality or freshness, trite remark cour age
þ Syn. cliche, inani ty, banality þ Syn. nerve, guts, resolve
@ We’ll get the usual politicians who’ll mouth the usual platitudes ¬ Ant. cowardice, fearfulness
about ‘the glories of democracy.’
@ I was amazed at the pluck of the frail woman fighting to get
justice from the law.
PLATONIC Adj.
nonsexual love between a man and a woman PLUMMET V.
þ Syn. spiritual, friendly, nonphysical to fall sharply, to erode soon
@ Platonic relationships are rare in today’s materialistic world. þ Syn. plunge, drop, dive
@ A recently published report suggests that the levels of literacy
have plummeted across the nation.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . perf un ctory a . deadl y

2 . pe rju ry b . love for mankind
3 . perni cious c . rel e vant
4 . perti nent d . lying under oath
5 . phi l anthropy e . unenthusi asti c
5 . (b ) 4 . (c ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . (d ) 1 . ( e )
(138) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

PLURALISTIC POLYGLOT
including a variety of groups speaker of many languages
@ The United States is a pluralistic society, incorporating a wide þ Syn. linguist, multilingual person
range of groups. @ Vandana's extensi ve travel s have hel ped her to become a
true polyglot.
PLUTOCRACY N. , PLUTOCRATS N.
government by the very rich; barons, industrialists PONDER N. , PONDEROUS Adj.
@ T he f i r st f e w se l f g ov e rn me nt s u nd er B ri ti s h ru l e w er e to think deeply; heavy
plutocraci es. þ Syn. consider, think about, mull over
@ He sat back in his chair to ponder his next move in the chess
PLY game.
to use diligently, to operate, to join together
þ Syn. manipulate, operate PONTIFICATE V. , PONTIFICAL Adj.
@ The weaver plied the fibres and made a blanket as if by magic. to speak or write in a pompous way; pertaining to a bishop or
Pope, pompous or pretentious
PNEUMATIC þ Syn. be dogmatic, preach
relating to air, worked by compressed air @ Grandfather will pontificate on any subject if you let him.
@ The rebel launched a missile with the help of a pneumatic
g un . POROUS
full of holes, permeable to liquids
PODIUM þ Syn. penetrable, absorbent
platform or lectern for orchestra conductors or speakers ¬ Ant. impenetrable, impervious
@ The audience could see Tara shaking as she walked up to the @ Unfortunately, the tent was more porous than we thought
podi um. and the rain soaked us to the bone.
POIGNANT Adj. POIGNANCY N. PORTENT N. , PORTEND V.

v e r y m o v i n g , s a d , h e a r t b r e a k i n g , s e n t i m e n t a l , m a u d l i n , a warning that something unpleasant is going to happen
profoundly affecting feelings, highly emotional in effect, piercing þ Syn. omen, sign, presage
þ Syn. moving, emotional, distressing @ The report reveals some worrying economic portents for the
¬ Ant. unemotional, pokerf aced coming year.
@ Nirmal Verma’s novels are poignant in theme and complex in
st yl e. PORTLY Adj.
stout; corpulent
POLAR þ Syn. plump, paunchy, potbellied
relating to a geographic pole, exhibiting contrast ¬ Ant. slim, thin
þ Syn. frozen, conflicting @ He was easy to spot, a portly figure in a tightfitting jacket
¬ Ant. molten, analogous and bow tie.
@ Though Sean and Angeli na are polar in temperament, they
have been happily married for nine years. POSTERIOR
bottom, rear
POLARISE þ Syn. hind, rear end
to tend towards opposite extremes ¬ Ant. front, anterior
þ Syn. antagonise, collide @ The veterinarian injected the antibiotics into the posterior of
¬ Ant. accord, concord the animal.
@ The leaders feared the conflict would polarise the group into
two separate camps. POSTERITY N.
generations which will follow, offsprings, descendants
POLEMICAL Adj. , POLEMIC N. @ Every attempt is being made to ensure that these works of
controversial; controversy, argument in support of point of view art are preserved for posteri ty.
@ Throughout her regi me Mrs Gandhi remained a pol emical
l e ad er. POSTHUMOUS Adj.
@ Her polemical essays are rather naïve and simplistic. after death, occurring after death (as posthumously published
manuscripts)
POLITIC @ E mil y Dicki nson, the Ameri can metaphysi cal poetess, got
di screet, tactful recogni tion posthumousl y.
þ Syn. diplomatic, sagacious
¬ Ant. unwise, injudicious POTAB LE
@ Her prompt and politic management of the crisis led to her re dri nkable
election the following year. @ Though the water was potable, it tasted terrible.
IC : PTpntvb01 (139) of (188)

POTENTA TE PRECIPITATE V.
monarch or ruler with great power to make something happen suddenly
þ Syn. emperor, overlord @ An invasion would certainly precipitate a political crisis.
@ Alex was a much kinder person before he assumed the role of
potentate and it went to his head. PRECISION
state of being precise
POTPOURRI N. þ Syn. exactitude, accuracy
general mixture of bits and pieces ¬ Ant. vagueness, bluntness
þ Syn. hodgepodge, assortment @ The watchmaker assembled the tiny parts with remarkable
@ Indi a i s f amous in the world for its potpourri of cultures, precision and speed.
races and religions.
PRECLUDE V.
POUND V. to prevent something from happening, prevent, inhibit, to make
to hit hard, to run heavily impossi ble or i neff ectual by pl anni ng or acting in advance, to
þ Syn. hit, strike, beat, hammer forestall , hinder, avert, prevent
@ My heart was pounding as I opened the letter from the IIM. þ Syn. prevent, stop, rule out, bar
¬ Ant. permit, allow, authorise
PRAGMATIC Adj. , PRAGMA TIST N. @ Hoping to preclude any chance of failure in the competition,
Durga practised over and over again.
dealing with facts, not theory; practical, useful, downtoearth;
sometimes excluding artistic or intellectual endeavours
þ Syn. practical, realistic, sensible PRECOCIOUS N. Adj.
¬ Ant. idealistic, optimistic, romantic a chi ld extremely advanced for its age, having unusual earl y
mental development; talented, gifted
@ Deng’s pragmatic approach towards the economy turned China
into a super power in just over two decades. þ Syn. intelligent, bright, gifted
¬ Ant. slow, sluggish, leisurely
PRATTLE V. @ The precocious child could speak three languages by the time
he was eight years old.
to talk in a childish manner
þ Syn. chatter, bl ather, natter
PRECURSOR N.
@ Many radio listeners are bored with DJs who prattle on instead
of playing music. a person or thing which goes in advance, ancestor, predecessor,
f orerunner
þ Syn. pi oneer
PRECARIOUS Adj.
¬ Ant. successor, hei r, descendent
likely to fall, uncertain, subject to chance or circumstances beyond
control, risky or hazardous @ Sel ecti on f or Ranji Trophy games is usually a precursor to
s e l e c t i o n f o r t h e n a t i o n a l t e a m , b u t t h e r e h a v e b e e n
þ Syn. shaky, unstable, insecure, unsafe except i ons.
¬ Ant. stable, steady, firm
@ The precarious foreign exchange situation improved slowly PREDATOR N. , PREDATORY Adj.
under the new government.
animal which lives by eating other animals; plundering, preying
þ Syn. marauder, killer
PRECEDENT N. Adj.
@ The antel opes are on their guard against li ons and other
something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or predators.
guide for f uture action, something occurring before they may
serve as a model for subsequent, similar acts, antecedent
þ Syn. standard, instance, example PREDICAMENT N.
@ Sadly there are precedents of accidents happening at railway a difficult situation, troubles, crisis, dilemma
crossi ngs. þ Syn. mess, jam, pickle, fix
@ With no money, no job and nowhere to live, he found himself
PRECIPICE N. in a real predicament.
cliff; dangerous situation
Syn. rock face PREDILECTION N.
@ Stallone found himself dangling precariously from a precipice. p a r t i a l i t y, p r e f e r e n c e , p o s i t i v e f e e l i n g s o r o p i n i o n h e l d
beforehand, natural preference, prejudi ce
þ Syn. fondness, liki ng, preference
PRECIPITOUS Adj.
¬ Ant. dislike, hate, abhor
very steep, spectacular, meteoric, impulsive
@ Ever since she w as a child, she has had a predil ection for
þ Syn. steep, sheer, abrupt spi cy food.
¬ Ant. gentle, mild, calm, cool
@ We slowly made our way down the precipitous mountain path.
(140) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

PREDISPOSITION PRESENTIMENT
tendency, i ncli nati on premonition, sense of foreboding
þ Syn. susceptibil ity, proneness þ Syn. intuition, inkling
¬ Ant. immunity, aversion @ I had a presenti ment of do om w hen I saw the manager
@ I have a predisposition to be suspicious of used car salesmen, heading towards us with an angry look on his face.
even though some of them may be honest.
PRESCIENT Adj. , PRESCIENCE N.
PREEMPT V. , PREEMPTION N. , person who can tell about future; ability to foretell the future
to get an advantage by doing something before anyone else þ Syn. propheti c, psychic, clairvoyant
þ Syn. forestall, anticipate, block @ Their prescient comments about the dangers of l ead were
@ The accused f iled for antici patory bail in an effort to pre made some si x years before research show ed that lead in
empt his imminent arrest. drinking water harmed children.
PREEN V. PRESUMP TUOUS Adj.

Make oneself tidy in appearance; feel selfsatisfaction rude and bold, arrogant, impudent, presuming or assuming too
much in an overbeari ng way, overweening, overstepping.
þ Syn. tidy, smooth, arrange
þ Syn. swoop, jump, jump out
@ She preened herself before the mirror before leaving for the
p a rt y. @ It is never presumptuous to demand what is rightfully yours.
PREMEDITA TE PRETEXT N.

to consider, plan beforehand e xc us e
þ Syn. cogitate, deli berate þ Syn. alleged reason, cause, ploy, ruse
¬ Ant. falter, vaci llate @ He has a plethora of pretexts not to start the project at all.
@ The di st ri ct a ttorn ey ha d to p rove that the mu rder w as
premeditated for the jury to consider the maximum penalty. PREVARICATE V.
to try not to tell the truth, to stray f rom the truth, to li e or
PREMONITION N. , PREMONITORY Adj. equi vocate
feeling that something unpleasant is going to happen; serving to þ Syn. hedge, evade, quibbl e, dither
w arn @ It was obvious that the witness was trying to prevaricate.
þ Syn. feeling, intuition, hunch
@ He stopped swimming because his friend had a premonition PRIM Adj.
that he might drown. very precise and formal
@ She is always very prim and proper in her attire and appears
PREPONDERANCE N. composed all the time.
superiority of pow er, quantity etc.
@ The preponderance of the English speaki ng middle class is PRIMORDIAL Adj.
one of the biggest factors in the emergence of the BPO sector existing at the beginning (of time), rudimentary
in India.
þ Syn. primeval, primal, elemental
@ The trip took us through ancient, primordial rain forests.
PREPOSTEROUS Adj.
silly, absurd, fantastic, bizarre
PRISTINE Adj.
þ Syn. ridiculous, absurd, silly
fresh, unspoilt, new or almost new
¬ Ant. sensible, sane, rational
þ Syn. immaculate, perfect, pure
@ The themes of Hindi films are often preposterous.
¬ Ant. soiled, dirty, mucky
@ They moved into a pristine house which was totally furnished.
PREROGATIVE N.
privilege belonging to one person or a group, special rights
PRIVATION N.
þ Syn. privilege, right, due, choice
hardship, want
@ Defence and foreign policy will remain the prerogative of the
centre, while the new states will control their own economies þ Syn. adversi ty, poverty, neediness
and resources. @ Several villages suffered seri ous privations during the long
spell of rainless months.
PRESA GE
to foretell, indicate in advance PROBITY N.
þ Syn. prophesy, portend uprightness, incorruptibility, sticking to noble ideas

þ Syn. goodness, decency, honesty
@ The demol iti on of the Berl in Wal l presaged the fall of the
Soviet Union. ¬ Ant. wickedness, evil, sin
@ Probity in the public life of a person contributes to making him
a charismatic leader.
IC : PTpntvb01 (141) of (188)

PROCLIVITY N. PROFOUND Adj.
inclination, natural tendency, inherent leaning towards something very serious, very deep, esoteric, severe
objectionabl e þ Syn. deep, thoughtf ul, refl ecti ve
þ Syn. liking, appetite, taste, penchant ¬ Ant. superficial, surface, shallow
@ His proclivity for alcohol was almost as wellknown as his @ The most profound influence on a child is that of its parents
p o et r y. and teachers.
PROCRASTINATE V. PROFUSE Adj. PROFUSION N.

to postpone, put off, to delay until another time abundant, excessive, plentiful, extravagant; lavish expenditure,
þ Syn. delay, postpone, adjourn overabundant condi ti on
@ Procrastination leads to mismanagement. þ Syn. plentiful, copious, prolific
¬ Ant. scanty, insuffici ent, very little
PROCURE @ In our wedding recepti ons, f ood and dri nks are served i n
to obtain profusi on.
þ Syn. acquire, secure @ The company accepted blame and sent us profuse apologies.
¬ Ant. bequeath, dispose of
@ I was able to procure tickets to the premiere of the new Star PROGENY N.
Wars movie. offspring, scion, descendant, child
þ Syn. chi ldren, young, descendants
PRODIGAL Adj. @ Pandit Nehru’s progeny could not match his charisma.
pl enti ful, extravagant, cornucopian
þ Syn. wasteful , reckless, di ssolute PROGRESSIVE
¬ Ant. cautious, careful, alert favouring progress or change, movi ng forw ard, going stepby
@ There have been rumours that he was prodigal with company s te p
f un ds. þ Syn. accelerati ng, enterprising
¬ Ant. conservative, reacti onary
PRODIGIOUS Adj. @ T h e p r o g r e s s i v e p a r t y p u s h e d f o r r e f o r m s , w h i l e t h e
marvellous; enormous conservatives tried to maintain status quo.
@ We marve l l ed at t he pr odi gi ous a rches of the c athed ral
building. PROLETARIAT N. , PROLETARIAN N.
the working class, common people, peasant class; member of the
PRODIGY N. , PRODIGIOUS Adj. working class
ge ni us , w i z ar d; i n sp i ri ng a w e, e xt rem el y l ar ge , eno rm ou s, þ Syn. grassroots, w orkers, plebs
monstrous ¬ Ant. aristocracy, landed gentry
þ Syn. geni us, sensation, phenomenon @ C o m m u n i s m b a s i c a l l y p u r p o r t e d g o v e r n a n c e b y t h e
@ Most child prodigies go on to become maestros in their chosen prol etari ans.
fi el d.
PROLIFERATE V. , PROLIFERATION N.
PROFANE Adj. grow rapidly, spread, multiply
obscene, crude, lewd, blasphemous þ Syn. reproduce, propagate, multi ply
þ Syn. irreverent, wicked, sacril egious @ Seedy projects for making easy money have been proliferating
¬ Ant. pious, devout, virtuous, moral in our country.
@ Profane literature is causing undue damage to young minds.
PROLIFIC Adj.
PROFICIENT fertile, creative, voluminous, multifarious, extremely fruitful or
productive, f ecund
expert, skilled in a certain subject
þ Syn. productive, creati ve, fruitf ul
þ Syn. accomplished, dexterous
@ Sidney Sheldon is a prolific writer who manages to give best
¬ Ant. inept, incompetent
sellers with his each new book.
@ The mechanic was proficient at repairing vintage cars.
PROLIXITY N. PROLIX Adj.

PROFLIGACY N. , PROFLIGATE Adj. tedious wordiness; verbosity
extravagance, wild spending; di ssipated, wasteful, licentious Syn. circumlocuti on, wordiness
þ Syn. dissolution, decadence Ant. succi nct; terse
¬ Ant. parsimony, frugal ity, prudence @ He found the book too prolix and boring.
@ Fiscal profligacy of the government leads to huge deficits.
(142) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

PROLOGUE PROSELYTISE V.
introductory section of a literary work or play Induce someone to convert to a religion or belief.
þ Syn. f oreword, preface @ It is wrong for people to proselytise in the guise of charity
¬ Ant. epilogue, postscript work.
@ The novel's prologue introduces the narrator of the story.
PROSECUTE V.
PROMISCUOUS Adj. to bring to court to answer a charge
lecherous, wanton, indiscriminate, immoral, mixed þ Syn. put on trial, act against, impeach
þ Syn. immoral, loose, licentious @ They will prosecute him for laxity in duty.
@ The sixties are synonymous with promiscuous sex and free
li ving. PROSECUTOR
person who initiates a legal action or suit
PROMULGATE V. þ Syn. attorney, legal agent
to make a law known to the public, announce, proclaim @ The prosecutor's aggressive questioning l eft the defendant
þ Syn. broadcast, propagate, spread f l ustered.
@ Aurangzeb promulgated Zazia.
P ROSTRA TE
PROPENSITY N. lying face downward, flat, sapped
fondness, inclination, disposition, distinct and sometimes strong þ Syn. f atigued, spreadeagl ed
natural tendency or inclination, leaning ¬ Ant. fresh, upright
þ Syn. parti ality @ Af ter t aki ng a tumbl e dow n the sta i rs, Mi l l i e w a s f ound
@ She’s inherited from her father a propensity to talk too much. prostrate on the floor of the basement.
PROPHESY V. PROPHETIC Adj. PROTAG ONIST

to foretell what wi ll happen in the future, predi ct, anti cipate; main character in a play or story, champion
having to do with predicting the future þ Syn. hero, lead, star
þ Syn. predict, f orecast, envi sage ¬ Ant. minor character, opponent
@ The mini ster suggested that the dire prophecies of certain @ In dramatic tragedy, the protagonist often brings about his
leading environmentalists were somewhat exaggerated. own downfall.
PROPHYLACTIC Adj. PROTEAN Adj.

used to prevent disease versatile, able to take on many forms
@ Despi te al l the prophyl acti c measures by the doctor, she þ Syn. variable, changeable, mutable
succumbed to her injuries. @ He was so protean as an artist that the critics could never
categorise his work.
PROPINQUITY N.
nearness; kinship PROTEGE ( PROTEEJEE ) N.
@ Their propinquity during college days blossomed into a lifelong person who is supported in work with money or advice by someone
friendship. el se
þ Syn. responsibility, dependent
PROPITIOUS Adj. @ Sam Pitroda was a Rajiv protege.
favourabl e, auspicious
þ Syn. promising PROTOCOL
@ With the economy in the worst recession for 30 years, it was ceremony and manners observed by diplomats
scarcely the most propitious time to start up a company. þ Syn. eti quette, conventi on
@ Diplomats must strive to observe the correct protocol in their
PROSAIC Adj. dealings with foreign heads of state.
commonpl ace, dul l , pedestri an, of f acts, not i magi nati ve or
original, ordinary, banal PROTRUSION
þ Syn. mundane, colourless, ordinary something that sticks out
¬ Ant. inspiring, stirring, exciting þ Syn. lump, outgrowth
@ Most of our magazines are full of prosaic writings. @ The carpenter noti ced a protrusi on on the surf ace of the
wood and sanded it down till it disappeared.
PROSCRIBE V. , PROSCRIPTION N.
to forbid by law, prohibit, outlaw
þ Syn. ban, bar, forbid, disallow
¬ Ant. permit, allow, make available
@ Consuming alcohol is proscribed in Gujarat.
IC : PTpntvb01 (143) of (188)

PROVIDENCE N., PROVIDENT Adj., PROVIDENTIAL Adj. PRURIENT Adj.
f a t e , d e s t i n y ; d i s p l a y i n g f o r e s i g h t , t h r i f t y, p r e p a r e d f o r vulgar, obscene, l ew d, raunchy
emergencies, providing for times ahead; saving, prudent, frugal @ Prurient songs and other noises cause immeasurable harm to
þ Syn. fate, chance, luck, destiny our psyche.
@ Providence did not give Rajiv a second chance at premiership.
@ A provident man that he was, he had arranged everythi ng PRY V.
for his family in the eventuality of his death. inquire impertinently; use leverage to raise or open something.
þ Syn. scrutinise, probe, snoop around
PROVINCIAL @ It’s not correct to pry into other people’s lives.
rustic, limited in scope
þ Syn. unsophisti cated, parochial PSEUDONYM N.
¬ Ant. metropolitan, cosmopolitan false or invented name, nomdeplume, a pen name, any assumed
@ Anita, a sophi sticated ci ty gi rl, sneered at the provi nci al name
attitudes of her country cousins. þ Syn. alias, false name, stage name
@ Saki was the pseudonym of H.H.Munro.
PROVOCATION
cause, incitement to act or respond PSYCHE N.
þ Syn. goading, stimulus soul, mind
¬ Ant. suppression, curbing þ Syn. consciousness, awareness, mind
@ Snakes seldom attack without provocation. @ Charisma also comes from knowing the psyche of the people
or the masses well.
PROWESS N.
talent, skill, efficiency, adroitness, brains PSYCHIC
þ Syn. incite, aggravate, goad, needle perceptive of nonmaterial, spiritual forces
@ Bradman’s batting prowess is legendary. þ Syn. paranormal , supernatural
¬ Ant. natural, normal
PROXIMITY N. @ Many gullible persons have been robbed of their savings by
nearness people claiming to have psychic powers.
þ Syn. nearby, close, adjacent
¬ Ant. distant, remote, isolated PUGNACIOUS Adj. PUGNACITY N.
@ Too much of proximi ty can l ead to apathy even betw een quarrelsome, belligerent, bellicose, contentious, warlike, spoiling
coupl es. for a fight, combative, truculent
þ Syn. aggressive, bell igerent
PROXY ¬ Ant. serene, harmonious, calm
power to act as a substitute for another @ Sameer was a pugnacious guy, always spoiling for a fight.
þ Syn. deputy, del egate
@ The senile woman's niece produced a document that identified PUISSANT Adj.
her as her aunt's proxy for all legal matters. powerful , strong, potent
@ Being a puissant man, he expected everyone to be in awe of
PRUDENCE N. , PRUDET N. him.
foresight, vigil ance
þ Syn. care, caution, discretion PULCHRITUDE N.
¬ Ant. reckl essness, w ildness, haste beauty; comel iness
@ The firm was commended for its financial prudence. @ Her pulchritude was purely the product of his passion.
PRUDENT PULMONARY Adj.

caref ul , cautious referring to the lungs
þ Syn. wary, f arsighted @ Pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood f rom the lungs to
the heart.
¬ Ant. incautious, imprudent
@ Considering the small size of our army, it would not be prudent
for us to attack right now. PULVERISE
to pound, crush, or grind into powder; destroy
PRUDISH Adj. PRUDE N. þ Syn. mash, demolish
strict, puritanical, narrow minded; excessively modest or proper ¬ Ant. crystallise, construct
person @ The polar bear has such powerful paws that one blow can
þ Syn. prim, stuff y, pedantic pulverise a man.
þ Syn. relaxed, tranquil, calm, cool
@ Prudes cannot appreciate avant garde fil ms, art, l iterature
e t c .
(144) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
PUNCTILIOUS Adj. PURPORT V. N. PURPORTED Adj.
meticulous, conscientious, painstaking, exacting, carping, precise t o m e a n , e x p r e s s , i n d i c a t e , h i n t , i m p l y, t o a p p e a r t o b e
about observi ng customs and rul es, conventional, scrupul ously something, to profess, intend; meaning that is open or suggested;
e xa c t substance, gist, import
þ Syn. scrupulous, thorough þ Syn. claim, assert, allege
¬ Ant. sloppy, slack, shoddy @ I didn’t read it all but I think the purport of the letter was
@ The mistake w as spotted i mmediately by thei r puncti li ous that he will not be returning for at least a year.
l a w y er.
PURVEYOR N.
PUNDIT N. furnisher of foodstuffs, caterer
learned Hindu, any learned person, authority on a subject. þ Syn. suppli er, seller, vendor, outlet
þ Syn. expert, specialist, analyst @ He has been in contract as a purveyor of wine and food in the
@ He is the new pundit in marketing. club.
PUNGENT PUSILLA NIMOUS Adj.

strong or sharp in smell or taste timid, afraid, petty, cowardly, lacking forcefulness
þ Syn. pervasive, nauseating þ Syn. timid, cowardly, fearful, nervous
¬ Ant. bland, mild ¬ Ant. brave, courageous, bold, daring
@ The smoke from the burning tyres was extremely pungent. @ He’s too pusillanimous to stand up to his opponents.
PUTRID Adj.
PUNITIVE Adj. dirty, rotten, vicious, disgusting, foul
punishing þ Syn. rotten, rotting, rancid
þ Syn. penal, disciplinary ,corrective, severe, stringent ¬ Ant. fresh, clean, new, bright
@ The judge ordered $4 million in punitive damages against the @ We came across the putrid body of a dead fox while we were
convi ct. walking in the woods.
PURGATION PYRE N.

catharsis, purification ceremonial fire
þ Syn. absolution, atonement @ A traditional Indian custom used to involve a widow burning
herself alive on her husband’s funeral pyre.
¬ Ant. contamination, defilement
@ Some religions make converts undergo ritual purgation before
accepting them as members of the faith. PYROMANIAC N.
An obsessive desire to set things on fire
PURGE N. V. þ Syn. arsoni st, incendiary, firebomber
laxative, an elimination; eradicate, eliminate, clean; rid oneself @ The police is looking for the pyromaniac responsible for the
of something unwanted; to free or eliminate series of catastrophic fires in the area.
þ Syn. wash out, cleanse, remove
@ We need to purge the society of racism. PYRRHIC VICTORY N.
a victory which costs the victor too much efforts
@ Ashoka’s pyrrhi c vi ctory over Kal i nga l ed to hi s spi ri tual
transf ormati on.
G ov e rn m e n t
a bo ve .
COUP : a sudden, vi ol ent and il legal seiz ure of pow er from a
government.
INSURGENCY : a minor revolt against a local government; uprising
JUNTA : a small group, usually composed of military officers, ruling
a country in the absence of a civilian government
MORA TORIUM : an officially declared stoppage
OMBUDSMA N : an intermediary between a citizen and the government
w h o i n v e s t i g a t e s c o m p l a i n t s b y c i t i z e n s a b o u t
government agencies or officials
POTENTA TE : a monarch, dictator, or similar person possessing great
political power
REG A LIA : emblems and trappings of a political or military office
SECEDE : to separate from an organized body of government
THRA LLDOM : sl avery; serfdom
USURP : to assume political power or office by force or without
right
IC : PTpntvb01 (145) of (188)

“Q”
QUACK N. QUAINT Adj.
sound made by a duck; an unqualified doctor oddly, odd fashioned, picturesque
þ Syn. fraud, charlatan, cheat, hypocri te þ Syn. old world, charming
@ Do not take his advice seriously – he’s a quack. @ They may be a li ttl e quaint and conservati ve but I found
them quite adorable.
QUAFF V.
drink with relish QUALIFIED Adj.
þ Syn. drink, swill, imbibe, guzzle limited, restricted
@ He’s always quaffing these strange herbal medicines, which þ Syn. fit, capable, competent, skilled
he thinks will make him healthier. @ An MBA does not mean that you are automatically qualified
for the managing director’s job.
QUADRUP ED
animal having four feet QUALM N.
@ After injuring my back, I could only manage to move around a feeling of guilt or worry, compunction
like a quadruped. þ Syn. misgiving, doubt, bad feeling
@ Most parents have occasional qualms about whether they’re
QUAGMIRE N. doing the best thing for their children.
soft boggy area of land that gives way underfoot; an awkward,
complex or hazardous situation QUANDARY N.
Syn. swamp, morass, mess, predicament, plight dilemma, enigma, predicament, puzzle
@ After the killing of the gangster’s son the whole village has þ Syn. fix, jam, difficulty
sunk into a quagmire of violence and arson. @ Govt. is in a quandary over the exit policy issue.
QUAIL V. QUARANTINE N.

cower; lose heart period of time when someone has to be kept in isolation to prevent
@ The brave do not quail in the face of danger. spreading an infectious disease; enforced isolation
þ Syn. seclusion, exile
@ The horse had to spend several months in quarantine when it
reached Britai n.
QUARRY N., V.

Deepak Balan
place where stones are dug out of ground; prey, game; to mine,
IIMA, C, L, K, I to dig
þ Syn. pi t, excavati on
Being in job, I didn't get @ The pack of wild dogs pursued their quarry for several miles,
much time to prepare and went in for the kill when it was exhausted.
for CAT but it was PT's

QUASH V.
material and the
subdue, crush, squash
interactive classroom þ Syn. suppress, repress
sessions that made my ¬ Ant. bring about, prompt
job easier. It was PT's @ The military was sent in to quash the rebellion in the city.
dedication that helped

QUEASY Adj.
me reach to the top
feeling sick, restless, squeamish
level. I thank PT for þ Syn. nauseous, sick, ill
providing such great @ The il linformed and half educated youth of today beget a
queasy feeling in us.
content!
QUELL V. to calm, stifle, annihilate

þ Syn. suppress, subdue, crush, quash
¬ Ant. provoke, inflame, rouse, goad
@ Th e ar my q ue l l ed t he r eb el l i on a nd a rr es te d do z e ns o f
parti ci pants.
(146) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

QUERULOUS Adj. QUISLING N.
badtempered, peevish, complaining person who betrays his country or cause
þ Syn. argumentative, dif ficult, irritable þ Syn. coll aborator, turncoat, renegade
¬ Ant. friendly, sociabl e, aff able @ Terrorist organisations have become the breeding ground of
@ He became increasingly dissatisfied and querulous in his old quislings.
a g e .
QUIVER N., V.
QUIBBLE N. container for arrows; slight shake, tremor; to tremble
arguments about details, dispute þ Syn. shudder, shi ver
þ Syn. equivocate, hedge, nitpick, cavil @ The opening bars of the music sent a quiver of excitement
@ Quibbles have become the norm in parliament. through the crowd.
QUIETUDE N. QUIXOTIC Adj.

tranquilli ty strange, impractical
þ Syn. tranquillity, calmness, quietness þ Syn. idealistic, unrealistic, romantic
¬ Ant. activity, movement, stir, flurry ¬ Ant. practical, realistic, sensible
@ He liked the place because of its quietude. @ Any plan to reduce poverty in India can easily be termed as
qui xoti c.
QUINTESSENCE N.
QUIZZICAL Adj.
essence, core, crux, gist, pi th, substance
amused
þ Syn. embodiment, epitome, soul
þ Syn. questioning, curious, puzzled
@ Mot her Teresa w as the q ui ntes sence of c ompas si on and
sacrif ice. @ The quizzical expression on his face is deceptive; he knows
exactly what is going on.
QUIP N., V.

QUORUM N.
taunt, a witty remark
number of members necessary to conduct a meeting
þ Syn. jest, pun, repartee
@ Four members walked out of the session, with the result that
@ S hr ad d ha ’s qu i p f a i l e d to e v ok e a ny l a ug ht e r f r o m he r the committee did not have a quorum and could not take any
audi e nce. deci si on.
QUIRK N. QUOTIDIAN Adj.

abnormality, idiosyncrasy daily, commonplace, customary
þ Syn. peculiari ty, trait @ Sensational scoops have become quite quotidian in these days
@ By the quirk of fate, we ended up on the same train. of the camera with a sting.
Health P rof ession
a bo ve .
CONGENITAL : existing or dating from birth; inbred; inborn; innate

EMETIC : any substance used to induce vomiting
FEBRILE : f everi sh
GERIA TRIC : relating to medical care and treatment of the elderly
HOSPICE : a shelter for the sick, dying, or underprivileged (or for
travel ers)
MORBIDITY : the incidence or prevalence of disease (or death)
NATAL : pertaining to birth
PLACEBO : a pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the
ps ycho l og i cal ben ef i t to th e pa ti e nt o f be i ng gi v en
prescription than for any physiological effect
PROSTHESIS : an artificial body part.
VENTILATOR : an appliance or aperture for artificial respiration
IC : PTpntvb01 (147) of (188)

“R”
RACKET N. RAMSHA CKLE Adj.
illegal profitmaking deal, scam, swindle dilapidated, falling to pieces
þ Syn. row, noise, din, commotion þ Syn. rickety, tumbledown
@ Surprisingly, a policeman was also involved in the protection ¬ Ant. sturdy, strong, powerful
ra ck et . @ There’s a ramshackle old shed at the bottom of the garden.
RACONTEUR N. RANCID Adj.

storytel ler tasting or smelling bad
þ Syn. narrator, storytell er þ Syn. sour, stale, putrid, fetid
@ He knew many jokes and was a brilliant raconteur. ¬ Ant. fresh, sweet, pleasant
@ A rancid smell pervaded the dockyard.
RA DICA L
fundamental, drastic RANCOUR N.
þ Syn. exhaustive, rudi mentary disli ke, bitterness, hate, acrimony, anti pathy
¬ Ant. superficial, conservati ve þ Syn. resentment, bitterness, spi te
@ Bored with her appearance, Lucy decided to make a radical ¬ Ant. amicability, affability, philanthropic
change and dyed her hair bright purple.
@ As he denounced the government, we could hear the rancour
behind every word.
RAGAMUFFIN N.
person weari ng tattered clothes RANKLE V.
þ Syn. urchin, waif irri tate, fester
@ One can find scores of ragamuffins begging near the traffic þ Syn. annoy, irk
si gnal s.
@ It still rankles that my junior got promoted and I didn’t.
RAKISH Adj.
RAPACIOUS Adj. , RAPACITY N.
stylish, sporty
greedy, grabbing
þ Syn. dashing, debonair, jaunty, carefree
þ Syn. greedy, voracious, graspi ng
¬ Ant. shabby, dull
@ Rapacious soldiers looted the houses in the city.
@ He was a rakish guy who set fashion trends in the college.
RAPPORT N.
RAMBLE N., V.
harmony, intimacy, liaison, association
wander aimlessly, itinerate, discuss
þ Syn. rel ationshi p, understanding
þ Syn. walk, hike, stroll, wander
@ Maintaini ng rapport w ith those in pow er is crucial f or the
@ I love to ramble through the fields. growth of many an industrial empire.
RAMIFICATION N. R A P T
consequence, progression, branching out deepl y absorbed
þ Syn. result, implication, corollary þ Syn. engrossed, preoccupi ed
@ The collapse of communism in Russia had global ramifications. ¬ Ant. uni nterested, inattentive
@ Surprisingly, the normally restless infant sat rapt in attention
RAMPAGE N. during the classical music performance.
riot, stampede, storm
þ Syn. charge, run riot, storm, go wild RA SH
@ T he tr oo p s w en t o n a r a mp ag e t h ro u gh t h e c on qu e re d careless, hasty
territory. þ Syn. reckless, impulsive
¬ Ant. cautious, prudent
RAMPANT Adj. , RAMPANCY N. @ Rash driving can be injurious to one’s own health.
unrestrai ned, free, audacious
þ Syn. uncontrolled, unbridled, wild RATIFY V.
¬ Ant. controlled, restricted, limited approve formally, confirm, verify
@ Corruption has become rampant in the country. þ Syn. sanction, endorse, corroborate
¬ Ant. reject, revoke
@ The countri es decided to ratif y the Free Trade Agreement
within one month.
(148) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
RATIOCINATION N. RAZE V.
reasoning, act of drawing conclusion from premises destroy completely
@ Her gift of ratiocination helped her immensely in her research þ Syn. demolish, annihilate, level, wreck
work. ¬ Ant. construct, put up, erect, make
@ The land mafia wants to raze the ancient structure so that it
RATIONAL Adj. can grab the land.
open to logical reason or being reasonable; of sane mind
þ Syn. lucid, balanced, sane, normal REACTIONARY Adj.
¬ Ant. illogical, unreasonable, foolish recoiling from progress; retrograde
@ We need to decide what would be the most rational course of þ Syn. di ehard, conservati ve
acti on. ¬ Ant. activist, campaigner, protester, objector
@ It is surpri sing that the urban educated support thi s party
RAUCOUS Adj. which is so blatantly reactionary.
noisy, blatant, rough, harsh
þ Syn. rough, harsh, strident, hoarse REBUFF V. N.
¬ Ant. soft, yielding, spongy snub; beat back
@ I think their music is rather raucous. þ Syn. rejection, refusal, snub, denial
¬ Ant. accept, welcome
RAVAGE V. @ I rebuffed his proposal in the most polite manner.
to plunder, devastate, maraud
þ Syn. devastate, destroy, desol ate REBUKE V.
@ Chechnya is a provi nce ravaged by war. scold, berate, admonish
þ Syn. censure, reprimand, reproach
RAVE N. ¬ Ant. praise, admire, commend, extol
overw helmingly favourable review ; praise enthusiastically; talk @ Her mother rebuked her for frightening her brother.
in a noisy or excited manner
þ Syn. talk wildly, rant, ramble REBUTTAL N.
@ The cri tics gave a rave revi ew of the movi e and w ere al l ref utati on, response w ith contrary evidence
praise for the director.
þ Syn. disproof, confutation, denial
¬ Ant. acceptance, receipt, taki ng
RAVENOUS Adj.
@ S h e i s su e d a p o i n t by p oi n t re b u tt a l o f t he c om p a ny ’ s
very hungry, voracious, covetous accusati ons.
þ Syn. famished, starving, starved
¬ Ant. full, filled, occupied RECALCITRANT Adj.
@ Growing children have ravenous appetites. stubborn, unmanageable, unruly
þ Syn. i ntractable, refractory, wayw ard
RAVINE ¬ Ant. well behaved, obedient, duti ful
deep, narrow gorge @ Overindulgent parents tend to raise recalcitrant children.
þ Syn. canyon, gully
@ Police officers scoured the crime scene for days and finally RECANT V.
found the murder weapon in a ravine.
to take back, recede, retract, rescind
þ Syn. renounce, disavow , deny
@ The witness was forced to recant by the mafia.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . provincial a . foolishly romantic

2 . proximi ty b . consequence
3 . prud ent c . nearness
4 . quixotic d . narrow in outlook
5 . ramifi cation e . caref ul
5. (b ) 4 .( a ) 3 .( e ) 2. (c ) 1. (d )
IC : PTpntvb01 (149) of (188)

RECAPITULATE V. RECRUIT
to repeat the main points of an argument enlist, to seek
þ Syn. sum up, summarise, run through þ Syn. to draft, to enroll
@ In any f ormal meeti ng, i t is necessary to recapi tulate the ¬ Ant. dismiss, disband
proceedings of the earlier meeting. @ Companies often send representatives to college campuses
to recruit bright young employees.
RECEPTIVE
open to others' ideas, congenial RECRIMINATION N.
þ Syn. openminded, acceptant countercharges, act of accusing in return
¬ Ant. resistant, unresponsi ve þ Syn. accusation, reproach, all egation
@ The software company was quite old but the management @ Di vorce proceedings normall y wi tness bitter recriminations
was receptive to new ideas. from both parties.
RECIDIVISM N. RECTITUDE N.

habitual return to crime upri ghtness, integri ty
@ Unlike men, women are rarely recidivist and tend to reform. þ Syn. morality, goodness
¬ Ant. wickedness, immorality
RECLUSE N. @ An austere man of unquesti oned moral recti tude, Tushar
person who leads a solitary life, loner inspired deep devotion in those who worked for him.
þ Syn. hermit, outsi der, ascetic
@ A recluse leads an austere life away from the humdrum. RECTIFY
to correct
RECLUSIVE þ Syn. amend, reform
shut off from the world ¬ Ant. perpetrate, damage
þ Syn. secl uded, isolated @ Most people would rectify their errors if they are given the
opportuni ty.
¬ Ant. gregarious, sociable
@ Anthony's reclusive tendencies led him to leave the city and
move into a lonely cabin in the mountain RECURRENCE
repetiti on
RECONCILE V. þ Syn. happen agai n, happen repeatedly
correct inconsistencies, become friendly after a quarrel @ The frequent recurrence of cancer even after it is seemingly
cured makes it a particularly terrible disease.
þ Syn. settle, square, reunite, resol ve
¬ Ant. estrange, ali enate
REDOLENT Adj.
@ It’s nice to see the two friends reconci le after their bitter
fight last year. fragrant; odorous
þ Syn. evocative, suggesti ve, remini scent
RECONDITE Adj. @ The movie was redolent of the golden era of Indian music.
esoteric, obscure, abstruse @ The whole household was redolent with the smell of spices, a
sure sign was grandma was at work in the kitchen.
þ Syn. complex, hidden, concealed
¬ Ant. mainstream, normal, typical
REDOUBTABLE Adj.
@ They left the physicist in peace, happily grappling with some
recondite formula. formidable, causing fear
þ Syn. impressive, terrible, fearsome
RECONNOITRE V. RECONNAISSANCE N. @ E ve n a t th i s ag e , Ma r ti na Na v ra ti l ov a i s a r ed ou b ta bl e
opponent f or anyone.
to ma ke a surve y to get i nf ormati o n especi al l y f or mi l i tary
operati ons
@ Their ground forces were able to manoeuvre and reconnoitre REDRESS N.
without any danger of air attack. remedy, compensation
þ Syn. restore, equali se, rectify
RECOUNT V. @ S E B I i s t h e a g e nc y t h a t e ns u r e s r e d r es s a l o f i nv e s t o r
narrate or tell; count over again gri eva nces.
þ Syn. tel l, narrate, relate, report
@ I listened to him recount an anecdote about a woman he’d REDUNDANCY
met on a train. unnecessary repetition
þ Syn. superfl uity, uselessness
¬ Ant. usefulness, eff icacy
@ The editor suggested deletion of some paragraphs as there
was too much redundancy in the article.
(150) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

REFORM REGRESS
to change, correct to move backward, revert to an earlier form or state
þ Syn. improve, alter þ Syn. deteriorate, retrogress
¬ Ant. preserve, mai ntain ¬ Ant. progress, improve
@ T h e n e w m a y o r s t r u g g l e d t o r e f o r m t h e c o r r u p t @ Elderly people who suffer from senility often regress to the
administration, to keep her promise to the voters. early years of their childhood.
REFRACTORY Adj. REHAB ILITA TE

stubborn, unmanageable; capable of enduring high temperature to restore to good health or condition, reestablish a person's
þ Syn. unruly, intractable, disobedi ent good reputation
¬ Ant. good, obedient, dutiful þ Syn. restore, reinstate
@ He was a spoilt child, quite refractory and rather repulsive in @ The star wanted to get rid of her drug addiction and checked
his manners. into a clinic in order to rehabilitate herself.
REFRAIN V. REITERA TE

abstain from, resist to say or do again, repeat
þ Syn. desist, abstai n, cease, renounce þ Syn. restate, retell
¬ Ant. persist, persevere, continue @ The teacher was forced to reiterate the instructions because
some students had come late.
@ An audi ence cannot be refrai ned f rom joi ni ng i n during a
chorus renditi on.
REJOINDER N.
REFUGE retort, comeback, reply
escape, shelter þ Syn. response, answer, reply
þ Syn. asylum, sanctuary @ She always has a witty rejoinder to any question.
@ As the storm broke, the couple took refuge under a tree.
REJUVENATE V.
REFULGENT Adj. to make someone young again, invigorate
brightly shining, gleaming þ Syn. revitalise, revive, renew, restore
@ The refulgent orb of the Golden Temple is a heartening sight @ She felt rejuvenated by her fortnight in the Bahamas.
to every devotee.
RELEGATE V.
REFURBISH V. banish to an inferior position,delegate,assign
rejuvenate, revamp, restore, polish up þ Syn. downgrade, exile, demote
þ Syn. renovate, smarten up ¬ Ant. upgrade, promote
@ The developers refurbished the house inside and out. @ He disliked being relegated to doing all the menial jobs around
the house.
REFUTE V.
disprove RELENT V.
þ Syn. contest, rebut, counter give in
¬ Ant. prove, show, confirm þ Syn. cave in, concede, surrender
@ The barrister used new evidence to refute the charges and ¬ Ant. stand firm, hold on, hold out
cl ear the defendant. @ Her parents just did not relent when she wanted the liberty
to choose her lifemate.
REGALE V.
entertain, suppl y lavi shly RELIC N.
þ Syn. amuse, delight, fasci nate object which has been left over from the past
@ The old man regaled us with stories of his youth as we waited þ Syn. historical object, artifact, remains
for the rain to abate. @ The archaeologists wanted to cordon off the site where the
relics were found but the villagers were more worried about
their farms than some “useless” pieces of pottery.
REGIMEN N.
prescribed diet and habits
RELINQUISH V.
þ Syn. routine, schedule, treatment
resign, surrender, abdicate, quit
@ Physical fitness requires a strict regimen.
þ Syn. give up, abandon, resign
¬ Ant. retain, keep, hold
@ She relinquished responsibility for the family investments to
her son.
IC : PTpntvb01 (151) of (188)

RELISH V. REMORSE N.
savour; enjoy regret, sorrow, penitence, guilt
þ Syn. like, appreciate þ Syn. sorrow, guilt, compunction
¬ Ant. dislike, detest, abhor @ The cri mi nal di d not deny h i s behavi our and show ed no
@ I want to relish each and every moment of my holiday. remorse for the pain he had caused.
REMEDIABLE REMUNERATION
capable of being corrected pay or reward for work
þ Syn. curable, treatable þ Syn. emoluments, wages
¬ Ant. irremediable, incurable @ You can't expect peopl e to do this ki nd of bori ng work
without some form of remuneration.
@ In the belief that the juvenile thief was remediable and not
a hardened criminal, the judge put him on probation.
RENDEZVOUS N.
REMINISCENCE meeting place, appointment
remembrance of past events þ Syn. tryst, assignation, assembly point
þ Syn. recall, recollection @ The lovers met at a secret rendezvous in the park.
¬ Ant. amnesia, forgetful ness
@ The old timer's reminiscence of his childhood was of a time RENEGADE Adj.
when there were no cars. rebel, dissident, agitator
þ Syn. traitor, rebel , turncoat
REMISS Adj. @ T h e p o l i t i c a l p a r t y w a s w e a k e n e d b y t h e r e n e g a d e s
negl igent clamouring for their share of the spoils of power.
þ Syn. careless, lax, slipshod
@ It was remiss of me to forget to give you the message. RENEGE
to go back on one's word
REMIT þ Syn. repudiate, retract
to send (usually money) as payment ¬ Ant. keep, honour
þ Syn. dispatch, transmit @ Hitler reneged on his promise not to attack the Soviet Union
when his troops invaded the country during World War II.
@ Every month, the sailors had to remit part of their pay to
creditors in the village.
RENOUNCE V.
REMNANT N. resign, quit, relinquish
remainder, residue, vesti ge þ Syn. reject, relinquish, abandon
þ Syn. remainder, remains, relic ¬ Ant. accept, believe, recognise
@ The remnants of the marriage party littered the lawn. @ Buddha renounced the world.
REMONSTRATE V. REMONSTRANCE N. RENOWN

to protest against something fame, widespread acclaim
þ Syn. argue, protest, object þ Syn. stardom, eminence
¬ Ant. concur, consent, correspond ¬ Ant. anonymi ty, obscurity
@ We called an agitation to remonstrate against the company’s @ Having spent his whole childhood banging on things, Siva
policies. grew up to be a great drummer.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . rebuke a . hard to understand

2 . recal ci trant b . criticize sharply
3 . rec ant c . publicly deny
4 . reclusive d . stubbornl y defiant
5 . recondi te e . hermitlike
5 . ( a ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (c ) 2 . (d ) 1 . (b )
(152) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

REPARTEE N. REPROACH V.
series of witty answers in a conversation condemn, berate, admonish, scold
þ Syn. banter, jousting, wordplay þ Syn. criticism, censure, reprimand
@ Oscar Wilde’s plays are full of witty repartee. ¬ Ant. praise, commend, compliment
@ The students were reproached for not completing their task
REPEL on time.
repulse, disgust, offend
þ Syn. to rebuf f, parry REPROBATE N.
¬ Ant. be overwhelmed by, welcome person hardened in sin; devoid of decency
@ So f ar, the castl e defenders have managed to repel the þ Syn. rogue, profligate, debauchee
attac kers. ¬ Ant. principled, upright, virtuous
@ Our elections witness many a reprobate vouching for morality.
REPERTOIRE N.
talents, acts, catal ogue REPROVE V. REPROOF N.
þ Syn. range, list, stock censure; rebuke
@ The comedy artist had many funny acts and anecdotes in his þ Syn. criticise, accuse, scold, tell off
repertoi re. ¬ Ant. praise, compliment
@ T h e t e a c h e r g e n t l y r e p r o v e d t h e b o y s f o r n o t p a y i n g
REPINE V. attenti on.
fret, complaint
þ Syn. mope, languish, lament REPUDIATE V.
@ She was left all alone when her husband went away but she to reject or refuse to accept, condemn, exile
did not repine and was quite resolved to get on with her life. þ Syn. reject, disclaim, renounce, rebut
¬ Ant. acknowledge, admit, recognise
REPLICA N. @ He repudi ated the all egation that he had tried to deceive
dummy, duplicate, copy them.
þ Syn. copy, imitation, model
¬ Ant. unique, i nnovati ve, creati ve REPUGNANT Adj. REPUGNANCE N.
@ The ship is an exact replica of the original Golden Hind . unpl easant, nasty, l oathi ng
þ Syn. disgusting, revolting, repulsive
REPREHENSIBLE Adj. ¬ Ant. good looking, gorgeous
blamew orthy, cul pable, fel onious @ The repugnant acts of the U.S military in Iraq has shocked
þ Syn. guilty, in the wrong, to blame the world.
¬ Ant. innocent, blameless, guiltless
@ Your behaviour is reprehensible and sets a bad example for REPULSE
the youngsters. sicken, disgust
þ Syn. repel, fend off
REPRIEVE N. ¬ Ant. be overpowered by, be overwhelmed by
interruption, rest, amnesty @ He thinks women can't resist him, when in reality many of
þ Syn. official pardon, acquittal them are repulsed by his arrogance.
¬ Ant. charge, punish
@ The holiday brought a longdesired reprieve from work. REQUITE V.
repay, revenge
REPRIMAND N., V. þ Syn. return, reci procate, avenge
severe rebuke, scol ding, chide @ Ram swore to requite the atrocities heaped on his family.
þ Syn. warning, talking to, telling off
¬ Ant. praise, commend, compliment RESCIND V.
@ His boss reprimanded for being late yet again. cancel, abrogate, annul, quash
þ Syn. revoke, abolish
REPRISAL N. ¬ Ant. assign, consign
retaliati on @ If you continue to lose library books, we wi ll rescind your
right to borrow them.
þ Syn. payback, punishment
@ The king marshalled his troops fearing reprisal from the rebels.
RESENTMENT N.
indignati on; bitterness; di spleasure
þ Syn. anger, vexation, discontent
¬ Ant. contentment, happiness
@ He could hardly hide his resentment when his opponent was
aw arded the trophy.
IC : PTpntvb01 (153) of (188)
RESILIENT Adj. RESURRECT V. , RESURRECTION V.
pliable, flexible, alterable revive, rebui ld, restore
þ Syn. elastic, flexible, pliant þ Syn. bring back to life, restore to life
¬ Ant. unbending, inflexible, stiff ¬ Ant. kill, slay, take life
@ Only the most resilient of the lot will survive the 16 mile trek @ Over the past f ew months, she has been busi ly trying to
along the countrysi de. resurrect her career in telecom.
RESOLUTE RETAIN
determined, with a clear purpose to hold, keep possession of
þ Syn. purposive, resolved þ Syn. keep, engage
¬ Ant. irresolute, doubtful ¬ Ant. give up, dismiss
@ Louise was resolute; she would get into medical school no @ Britain had to give up most of its colonies, but it retained
matter w hat. control over Hong Kong until very recently.
RESOLVE(n) RETALIATE V.

determination, firmness of purpose repay in kind, usually for bad treatment
(v) – to conclude, determine þ Syn. hit back, get even, react
þ Syn. resol ution, perseverance ¬ Ant. believe, recognise, admit
¬ Ant. indetermination, indecision @ The terrorists retaliated by lauching a bomb attack.
@ I admire your resolve, but is it really a good idea to go
through with the marathon in this bad weather? RETA RD
to slow, hold back
RESPITE N. þ Syn. hinder, delay
delay in punishment, interval of relief; rest ¬ Ant. accel erate, expedi te
þ Syn. interval, break, breather @ She thought bonsai was a cruel way to retard the normal
@ Although neither side was satisfied with the treaty, both sides growth of plants.
recogni sed the need f or some respi te f rom two years of
conf li ct.
RETICENT Adj.
taciturn, uncommunicative
RESPLENDENT Adj.
þ Syn. secretive, shy, laconic
very splendid, glowing
¬ Ant. gregarious, tal kative, verbose
þ Syn. dazzling, magnificent, glorious
@ A reticent man would be uncomfortabl e in the presence of
@ The resplendent Moghul architecture i s evi dent in The Taj gregarious peopl e.
and other historical buildings.
RETINUE N.
RESTIVE Adj.
fol lowers, escort
restlessly impatient; obstinately resisting control
þ Syn. entourage, fol low ers, attendants
þ Syn. agitated, anxious, recalcitrant
@ A w hole reti nue accompanies the film star on all outdoor
¬ Ant. calm, biddable, peaceable shoots regardless of the need and the cost.
@ The star was very late in his arrival and the crowd was growing
increasi ngl y restive.
RETIRING
shy, modest, reserved.
RESTORA TIVE
þ Syn. diffident, unassuming
having the power to renew or revitalise
¬ Ant. bold, outgoing
@ Indu told all her fri ends about the miraculous restorative
@ A shy and reti ring man, he w as horri fi ed at the idea of
powers of herbal tea.
having to speak in public.
RESTRAINED
RETORT N.
controlled, repressed, restricted
quick, sharp reply
þ Syn. reticent, discreet
þ Syn. reply angrily, rejoin, snap
¬ Ant. immoderate, emotional
@ She was ready with a retort every time he chose to chastise
@ The formerly wild girl became restrained and serious after a her on her conduct.
month in the strict boarding school.
RETRENCHMENT N. RETRENCHMENT V.
RESURGENT Adj. RESURGE V.
reduction, cutback
rising again after a defeat; new increase in interest or activity
þ Syn. cutback, economising
@ In his articl e, he tal ks of the resurgent fundamentalism in
many religious movements. @ Workers’ retrenchment is an emotionally charged issue.
(154) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

RETRIBUTION N. REVOKE V.
well deserved punishment to cancel, abrogate, annul
þ Syn. vengeance, revenge, justi ce þ Syn. annul, w ithdraw, retract, repeal
@ The cruel pirates feared nothing, not even divine retribution. ¬ Ant. maintain, uphold, preserve
@ The authorities have revoked their original decision to develop
RETRIEVE V. RETRIEVAL N. a public park here.
recover, find and bring in
þ Syn. get back, regain, salvage REVULSION N.
¬ Ant. misplace, mislay, drop disgust, aversion, repulsion
@ C o m pu t e r s ar e u s e d t o s t o re a n d re t r i e v e i n f o r m at i o n þ Syn. revolt, nausea, horror
ef fi ci entl y. ¬ Ant. attraction, magnetism, pull, draw
@ A person sufferi ng from jaundice devel ops a revulsion f or
RETROGRADE V., Adj. f oo d.
go backw ards; degenerate
þ Syn. retrospective, nostalgic RHAPSODY N.
¬ Ant. acti vist, advanced, f uturi stic music, poetry, ecstasy, bliss
@ Some regard the rampant growth in consumerism to be a þ Syn. rapture, enthusiasm
retrograde step in the spiritual evolution of man. ¬ Ant. gloom, darkness, shade
@ There was much rhapsody in her farewell speech and it left
RETROSPECT V., RETROSPECTIVE Adj., RETROSPECTION N. all eyes moist.
recall, recollect, reminisce
@ In retrospection, the past is always glorious. RHETORIC N.
art of speaking forcefully and eloquently
REVELRY N. þ Syn. public speaking, language
boisterous merrymaking @ The art of r heto ri c begi n s w i th a stro ng i dea a nd g ood
grammar.
þ Syn. festivi ties, celebrati ons, partying
@ The revelries next door kept me awake all night.
RIBALD Adj.
vul gar, obscene, crude, erotic, wanton
REVERBERATE V.
þ Syn. coarse, vulgar, baw dy
echo, resonate,
¬ Ant. sophisticated, superior
þ Syn. ring,
@ The programme's humour w as too ribald for the evening’s
@ The hall reverberated with the applause of the audience. audi e nce.
REVERENT Adj., REVERENCE N. , REVERE V.

RIFE Adj.
respectf ul ; respect
teeming, swarming, prevalent
þ Syn. deferential , reverential, aw ed þ Syn. widespread, common, rampant
¬ Ant. disrespectful, cheeky, mocking ¬ Ant. sparse, thin, spare, light
@ There is a thin li ne betw een a reverent attitude towards a @ T h e r e i s e v e r y e v i d e n c e t h a t c o r r u p t i o n i s r i f e i n t h e
person and hero worshipping. government.
REVERIE N. RIFT N.

daydream, musing openi ng, break
þ Syn. dream, trance
þ Syn. crack, gap, hole
@ He was shaken out of his reverie by the ground realities of
@ The marriage caused a ri ft between the brothers and they
lif e around.
didn't speak to each other for ten years.
REVILE V. RIG V.

slander; vilify fix, manipulate
þ Syn. insult, abuse, scorn þ Syn. distort, falsify
¬ Ant. admire, praise, commend @ T he p ar ty tr i e d to ri g th e e l e ct i o ns by s et ti n g up f ak e
@ His is the nasty habit of reviling anybody. candi dates.
IC : PTpntvb01 (155) of (188)

RIVETING Adj. RUE N.
absorbing; engrossing regret or sorrow
þ Syn. fascinating, enthralling þ Syn. be remorseful, lament
¬ Ant. boring, monotonous, dull @ You will rue the day you insulted me.
@ He may never win the Pulitzer but his books are very riveting.
RUMINATE V.
ROBUST Adj. chew over and over (mentally or physically) mull over, ponder
strong, vigorous, sturdy, muscular þ Syn. meditate, contemplate, brood
þ Syn. heal thy, vigorous, hearty @ Shekhar wanted to be alone so that he could ruminate over
¬ Ant. feeble, frail, puny the unexpected turn of events in his life.
@ Robust health was the old man’s greatest asset.
RUSE N.
ROCOCO Adj. trick; stratagem
ornate, highl y decorated þ Syn. ploy, tactic, machination, subterfuge
þ Syn. ostentati ous, flamboyant @ It was a ruse to trap him into confessing.
¬ Ant. plain, simple
@ The living room was furnished in rococo style.
Health P rof ession
a bo ve .
CONGENITAL : existing or dating from birth; inbred; inborn; innate

EMETIC : any substance used to induce vomiting
FEBRILE : f everi sh
GERIA TRIC : relating to medical care and treatment of the elderly
HOSPICE : a shelter for the sick, dying, or underprivileged (or for
travel ers)
MORBIDITY : the incidence or prevalence of disease (or death)
NATAL : pertaining to birth
PLACEBO : a pill, medicine, or procedure prescribed more for the
ps ycho l og i cal ben ef i t to th e pa ti e nt o f be i ng gi v en
prescription than for any physiological effect
PROSTHESIS : an artificial body part.
VENTILATOR : an appliance or aperture for artificial respiration
(156) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“S”
SABOTAGE N. SA LUTA RY Adj.
malicious and deliberate destruction tending to improve, beneficial
þ Syn. damage, disrupt, impair, harm þ Syn. helpful , useful, valuable
@ They suspect sabotage to be the cause of accident. ¬ Ant. unwelcome, irrelevant
@ The community service programmes have a salutary effect
SACRILEGIOUS Adj. on young offenders and help them rejoin the mainstream.
lack of deference, respect or reverence for anything sacred or
special SAMARITAN N.
þ Syn. blasphemous, heretical , desecrating person who helps someone in trouble; member of the Samaritans
¬ Ant. reverent, deferential @ As stress levels i ncrease the worl d needs more and more
@ The clerics banned the book stating that it was sacrilegious good Samaritans.
and downright trash.
SANCTIMONIOUS Adj.
SACROSANCT Adj. displ aying ostentatious or hypocritical devoutness
very sacred, pure, consecrated þ Syn. smug, pious, selfrighteous
þ Syn. sacred, revered, holy @ It is nothing but sanctimonious behaviour when the exconvict
@ The head priest refused to al low any change in the ritual, pledged honesty.
stating that it was too sacrosanct.
SANCTUARY
SADISM N. SADISTIC Adj. haven, retreat
pleasure derived from being cruel; inclined to cruelty þ Syn. shrine, altar
þ Syn. aggression, fighting, hostility @ He was given sanctuary in the US Embassy in Beijing.
@ The sadism of Hitler is history.
SANGUINE Adj.
SAGACITY N. SAGACIOUS Adj. confident, optimistic
wisdom and discernment; keen perception, shrewdness þ Syn. cheerful , hopeful, positive
þ Syn. shrewdness, wi sdom, prudence ¬ Ant. doubtf ul, uncertain
¬ Ant. foolishness, stupidity, idiocy @ He’s sanguine about getting the work finished on time.
@ We admired our grandmother’s sagacity and often asked for
her advice and opinion. SARCASM N. Sarcastic Adj
scornful remarks; stinging rebuke
SALACIOUS Adj. þ Syn. irony, mockery, derision
erotic, obscene, lascivi ous @ Sarcasm will never win you friends, only enemies.
þ Syn. scandalous, spicy, exci ting
@ S a l ac i o u s l i t e r a tu r e o u gh t t o s t a y o ut o f t he r e a ch o f SARDONIC Adj.
you ngste rs.
scornful, cynical, mocking, sarcastic
þ Syn. sarcastic, deri sive, scathing
SALIENT Adj.
@ He wears a permanent sardonic grin that keeps people away.
prominent
þ Syn. outstanding, relevant, significant
SARTORIAL Adj.
¬ Ant. minor, slight, small, negligent
referring to clothes (especially of men) or tailoring
@ O u r c o n s t i t u t i o n d r a w s o n t h e s a l i e n t f e a t u r e s o f t h e
@ He was renowned for his sartorial elegance.
constitutions of many countries.
SALUBRIOUS Adj. SATE V.
he al t hy satisfy to the full; cloy
þ Syn. wholesome, respectable, decent þ Syn. satisfy, fill, quench, slake
¬ Ant. unhealthy, unpleasant ¬ Ant. starve, deprive, dissatisfy
@ Taking a walk after your dinner is salubrious. @ The boy slept with a sated look on his face, after its first full

meal in days.
IC : PTpntvb01 (157) of (188)

SATIATE V. SATIETY N. SCENARIO
surfeit; satisfy fully plot outline, possible situation
þ Syn. satisfy, fill, sate, slake þ Syn. framework, course of events
@ I was so hungry that it took three plates of food to satiate @ Their daily confrontation in the suburban train would make an
me. interesting scenario for a play.
SATIRE N. , SATIRICAL Adj. SCEPTIC N.

form of literature in which irony, sarcasm and ridicule are employed person doubtful of many things, cynic, detractor, agnostic
to attack vice and folly ¬ Ant. believer, disciple
þ Syn. send up, spoof, lampoon @ They tried hard to convince the sceptics of the truth but in
@ It was a wonderful satire that somehow managed to get past vai n.
the censors and gave its audience a rare chance to laugh at
the dictator.
SCEPTICAL
doubtful , questioning
SA VOURY
þ Syn. denying, not convinced
agreeable in taste or smell
¬ Ant. convinced, believing
þ Syn. delectable, tangy
@ Al th oug h h er pa re nts t ri e d t o tel l her t hat Sa nt a C l a us
¬ Ant. unappetising, unpalatable existed, the girl was sceptical.
@ T he ba n qu e t g u es t s c on s um e d t he sa v ou r y t r ea t s w i t h
pl easure.
SCHISM N.
division of a group into sections, a breach
SCAMPER N.
þ Syn. split, division, rupture, gulf
run, gallop, scurry, sprint
@ Some people believe that globalisation has only widened the
þ Syn. scuttle, hurry gap between the haves and the havenots.
@ The deer went scampering on sighting a lion.
SCHIZOPHRENIA N. ,
SCAPEGOAT N. SCHIZOPHRENIC Adj.
person who carries the blame for someone else ment al i l l ness w h ere th oughts, f eel i ngs an d acti o ns are al l
þ Syn. victim, whipping boy disconnected; divided personality
@ The captain became a scapegoat for the team’s failure to win @ S y m p t o m s o f s c h i z o p h r e n i a c a n i n c l u d e d e l u s i o n s ,
the cup that year. hallucinations, thought disorder and strange behaviour and
emotions.
SCATHING Adj.
harsh or severe to an extreme; strongly critical SCINTILLATE V.
þ Syn. scornful, mocking, derisive to shine, sparkle, gleam, glimmer
¬ Ant. complimentary, flattering @ His confidence makes his personality scintillate.
@ Mohan wrote a scathing editorial for our school newspaper
attacking those who polluted our local waterways. SCION N.
young member of a noble family
SCAVENGER N. , SCAVENGE V. þ Syn. implant, graft, shoot, bud
animal w hi ch feeds on dead ani mals; hunt through discarded @ Jyotiraditya is the scion of the Scindia family.
materials for usable items; search, especially for food
þ Syn. hunter, f orager, searcher
@ Urchins scavenging for food is a heartwrenching but common
sight in our country.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . scrupul ous a . having nothing to do

with religion
2 . scrutinize b . stri ct
3 . secul ar c . devote to pleasure
4 . sensual d . accidental good f ortune
5 . serendipity e . examine very carefully
5 . (d ) 4 . (c ) 3 . ( a ) 2 . ( e ) 1 . (b )
(158) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

SCOFF V. SECTA RIAN
to make fun of in a nasty way narrowminded, relating to a group or sect
þ Syn. mock at, sneer, belittle, deride þ Syn. partial, onesided
¬ Ant. laud, prai se, extol ¬ Ant. tol erant, broadmi nded
@ The Prime Minister scoff ed at the suggestion that he w as @ Si nce the f al l of communi sm, the country’s various ethnic
about to resign. groups have plunged into sectarian violence.
SCORCH V. SECULA R

blacken, blister, burn, char, roast not specifically pertaining to religion
þ Syn. burn, singe, sear, char þ Syn. worl dly, profane
@ His feet were scorched by the burning sands. ¬ Ant. sacred, religious
@ The new manager was so secular in his outlook that he did
SCORN N. not want the column for religion in the application form.
feeling of looking down, disrespect, contempt
þ Syn. disdain, derision, ridicule SEDENTARY Adj.
¬ Ant. admiration, respect, esteem always sitting down, not active
@ She feels nothing but scorn for people who condemn l ying þ Syn. inactive, sitting
but tell lies themselves. ¬ Ant. active, lively, energetic
@ My doctor says I shoul d take up some sport because my
SCOURGE N. lifestyle is too sedentary.
thing which causes suffering, affliction, plague, bane
¬ Ant. blessing, bonanza SEDITION N.
@ Terrorism looks set to be the scourge of the world for many encouraging people to rebel against the government
years to come. þ Syn. agitation, treason, subversi on
@ The government charged them for sedition and put them in
SCRUPLE N. SCRUPULOUS Adj. jail.
reservation, qualm, compunction, pang; conscientious, extremely
thorough SEDULOUS Adj.
þ Syn. misgiving, doubt, qualm, regret very caref ul and persistent, resolute, perseveri ng
@ A scrupulous young woman, she was the most suitable person Syn. assiduous, meticulous, dogmatic
for the post. ¬ Ant. careless, sl oppy
@ He is a man without scruple he has no conscience. @ Clearing CAT requires a sedulous effort.
SCRUTINY SEMANTICS N.

careful observati on study of deep meaning of languages
þ Syn. i nvestigati on, survey @ Very few universities offer semantics as a subject.
¬ Ant. glance, cursory look
@ The prehistoric fossils were subjected to a careful scrutiny SEMBLANCE N.
by the team of scientists.
appearance, simi lari ty, anal ogy
þ Syn. impressi on, resemblance, veneer
SECEDE
@ The city has now returned to some semblance of normality
to withdraw formally from an organisation or a union after last night’s devastati on.
þ Syn. split with, leave
¬ Ant. join, resign SEMINAL Adj.
@ Eventually Latvia seceded from the USSR. g e r m i n a l , r e l a t e d t o s e e d o r s e m e n ; i n f l u e n c i n g f u t u r e
devel opments
SECLUDED þ Syn. determining, influential, decisive
isolated and remote ¬ Ant. irrelevant, unimportant
þ Syn. lonely, cut off @ He played a seminal role in the formation of this organisation.
¬ Ant. accessible, public
@ The hermit lived i n a secluded cottage, far from the other SENILE Adj. SENILITY N.
vi llagers. old and mentally weak;feeblemindedness of old age
@ Some memory loss is normal with aging and not a sign that a
SECLUSION N. person is completely senile.
isolation, solitude
þ Syn. pri vacy, qui et, shel ter
@ The vi cti m ’s f ami l y remai ned i n secl usi on yest erday and
refused to talk to reporters.
IC : PTpntvb01 (159) of (188)

SENSUAL Adj. SHAM N.
referring to pleasures of the body and not of the mind f raud, hoax, counterf ei t
þ Syn. bodily, physical, corporeal þ Syn. pretense, deception, con, fraud
¬ Ant. spiritual, mental ¬ Ant. genuine, real, authentic
@ According to some, too much focus on the sensual has led to @ It turned out that he wasn’t a real doctor at all – he was just
the decadence of American society. a sham.
SENSUOUS Adj. SHAMBLES N.

which gives pleasure to the senses, hedonistic slaughter house; scene of a mess or a muddle
þ Syn. sumptuous, luxurious, rich þ Syn. mess, muddle, dump
¬ Ant. asceti c, austere, frugal @ After the dinner was over, my room was in shambles.
@ A sensuous presentation by the troupe.
SHARD
SENTENTIOUS Adj. piece of broken glass or pottery
too full of moral sense, terse, concise þ Syn. fragment, splinter
Syn. moralistic, judgemental, pompous @ Bina picked up the shards of the broken vase and attempted
@ The young have neither the ti me nor the pati ence for the to glue them back together.
sententi ous.
SHEEPISH
SENTIENT timid, meek, bashful
aware, conscious, able to perceive þ Syn. ashamed, mortified
þ Syn. responsive, reacti ve ¬ Ant. unabashed, unembarrassed
¬ Ant. insentient @ Sam l ooked sheepish and apologeti c when he w as caught
@ The anaesthetic didn't work and the patient was still sentient smoking in the nosmoking zone.
when the surgeon made the first cut.
SHIRK
SERENDIPITY N. to avoid a task due to laziness or fear
pleasure obtained from things got accidentally; luck, coincidence þ Syn. dodge, shuffle
þ Syn. chance, fate, desti ny ¬ Ant. fulfilling the duty, sincere
¬ Ant. design, plan, intend, mean @ She was hardworking and did not shirk any task.
@ Finding that parking space right in front of the museum was
sheer serendipity. SHODDY Adj.
sham; not genuine; inferior
SERENE Adj. SERENITY N. þ Syn. careless, slapdash, inferior
amiable, calm, pleasant @ If you look at the way the furniture has been put together,
þ Syn. tranquil, calm, peaceful, quiet it’s fairly shoddy.
¬ Ant. bustling, busy, active
@ The serene European countryside attracts millions of tourists. SHREW N.
scolding woman
SERRA TED Adj. þ Syn. termagant, spitfire, martinet
toothed, with a zigzag edge @ H e r f o r m e r h u s b a n d d e s c r i b e s h e r a s a g r e e d y a n d
þ Syn. jagged, notched, ragged manipulative shrew.
¬ Ant. smooth, f lat, even
@ The serrated edge of the branch cut him sharply. SIESTA N.
af ternoon sleep
SERVILE Adj. þ Syn. rest, nap, sleep, snooze
like a slave, ingratiating, menial, obsequious @ In most Medi terranean countri es markets cl ose dow n f or
si est a.
Syn. sycophanti c, subservient, unctuous
Ant. bossy, arrogant
SIMIAN Adj.
@ Your servile behaviour will only earn you disdain and contempt.
monkeylike
@ Some mammals may show simian characteristics but not the
SEQUEL
monkey’s intelligence.
anything that follows
þ Syn. continuation, with flow SIMULATE V.
¬ Ant. gap, breaks to pretend, dupli cate, copy, clone
@ I hear they're making another sequel to the movie, Matrix. þ Syn. replicate, reproduce, imitate
@ The most important part of astronaut training is to simulate
space flight conditions.
(160) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
SINECURE N. SLOTH N. SLOTHFUL Adj.
wellpaid position with little responsibility lazi ness
@ The post w as just a si necure passed down from one party þ Syn. idleness, laziness, inactivity
member to another. ¬ Ant. liveliness, energy, sparkle
@ Th e rep ort c ri t i ci se s t he go ver nm ent ’s sl oth i n t ack l i ng
SINEWY Adj. environmental problems.
tough; strong and firm
þ Syn. wiry, lean, strong SLOVENLY Adj.
@ H i s s i n e w y a nd m us c u l a r p h y si q ue a dd s to hi s er u d i t e unti dy, careless
demeanour. þ Syn. sloppy, dishevelled, messy
¬ Ant. tidy, neat
SINGE @ The store manager lectured his employees on the importance
to burn slightly, scorch of neatness, warning them that a sl ovenly appearance was
þ Syn. char, blacken cause for dismissal.
@ Martha singed the hairs on her arm while trying to save the
vessel on the stove from toppling SLUG GA RD
lazy, inactive person
SINISTER Adj. þ Syn. immobile, impassive
evil ¬ Ant. active, energetic
þ Syn. menacing, ominous, evil, creepy @ He w as a sl uggard, only i nterested in eating potato chi ps
@ E very soci ety has certai n si ni ster el ements; rel i gi on has while lazing on the couch and watching TV.
nothing to do with it.
SMATTERING N.
SINUOUS Adj. slight knowledge
winding; bending in and out; not morally honest þ Syn. bit, modicum, dash, smidgen
þ Syn. lithe, supple, twisting, windy @ I’ve only got a smattering of experience with computers.
¬ Ant. straight, erect
@ The sinuous movement of the snake propelled it through the SMIRK N. V.
desert sand. conceited smile
þ Syn. grin, leer, sneer, simper
SKIRMISH N. @ Polly had a smirk on her face when her colleague made a poor
slight battle between opposite sides presentati on.
þ Syn. contest, encounter, struggle
@ W e a r e r ec e i v i n g r e p o r t s of s e v e r a l s k i r m i s he s i n t h e SMOULDER V.
surroundi ng countryside. burn without flame; be liable to break out at any moment
þ Syn. burn, smoke, glow
SLANDER V. @ Safety regulations prevent the sale of any furniture that can
to say untrue or malicious things about a person catch fire from a smouldering cigarette.
þ Syn. insult, malign, libel, defamation
¬ Ant. acclamation, praise SMUG Adj.
@ He sued the papers for slander against him. selfsatisfied, narcissistic
þ Syn. superior, arrogant, conceited
SLIG HT ¬ Ant. humble, modest, unassuming
to treat as unimportant, insult @ Most Indian companies are facing immense difficulties in the
þ Syn. lightweight, i nconsequential liberalised regime, smug as they were earlier under protection.
¬ Ant. substantial, important
@ Prakash slighted his old friend Shyamala by not inviting her SNICKER or SNIGGER N. V.
to his birthday party. halfstifled laugh, laugh at someone
þ Syn. scorn, scoff, mock, deride
SLIPSHOD @ There w as snicker i n the class w hen the teacher made a
careless, hasty mi stake.
þ Syn. disorganised, casual They spent much time sniggering at the clothes worn by the
members of rival group.
¬ Ant. meticulous, careful
@ Because he was so stressed out, Kumar did a rather slipshod
job of his last project.
IC : PTpntvb01 (161) of (188)

SNIPPET SOMBRE
tiny part, tidbit dark, gloomy
þ Syn. morsel, fragment þ Syn. melancholy, dismal
¬ Ant. total, whole @ Everyone at the funeral was weari ng dark, sombre clothes
@ From the brief snippet of conversation she overheard, Isha except for the little girl in the flowery dress.
realised that her job was in danger.
SOMNAMBULISM N. , SOMNAMBULIST N.
SNUB N. V. walking in sleep
insult, disregard; spurn, ostracise @ The defence lawyer claimed that the accused suffered from
þ Syn. ignore, sli ght, rebuff somnambulism.
¬ Ant. admit, acknowledge, allow
@ The PM is rumoured to have snubbed the offer. SOMNOLENT
drowsy, sleepy, inducing sleep
SNUG Adj. þ Syn. tired, languid
warm and comfortable, homey, cosy ¬ Ant. energetic, enthusiastic
þ Syn. cosy, warm, homely, close @ She felt somnolent after a tiring schedule.
¬ Ant. bleak, unwelcoming, austere, miserable, drab
@ We curled up in bed, all snug and warm and listened to the SONOROUS Adj.
wind in the trees outside. which makes a loud ringing noise
þ Syn. loud, deep, resonant
SOBRIETY ¬ Ant. thin, fine, sheer, reedy
seriousness @ The sound of the sonorous church bells brought the whole
þ Syn. sol emnness, gravity village to life.
¬ Ant. anxiety, perturbati on, discomposure
@ Shashank's w i tty comments all evi ated the sobri ety of the SOP HIST
budget conf erence. person good at arguing deviously
þ Syn. debator, swindler, trickster
SOB RIQUET ¬ Ant. dumb, quiet
nickname @ The philosopher, known as a masterful sophist, was respected
þ Syn. moniker, byname, pet name by people but not trusted.
¬ Ant. full name, formal designation
@ One of Ronald Reagan's sobriquets was “The Gipper”. SOPORIFIC Adj.
sl eepinduci ng
SODDEN þ Syn. hypnotic, heavy, monotonous
thoroughl y soaked, saturated ¬ Ant. stimulating, inspiring, exciting
þ Syn. drenched, streaming @ A good lunch and a bad lecture are both soporific.
¬ Ant. dry, arid
@ My shoes were thoroughly sodden after trekking through the SORDID Adj.
damp forest grass. wretched, foul, dirty, inferior
þ Syn. squalid, distasteful, foul
SOJOURN ¬ Ant. pl easant, enjoyable, l ovely
vi si t, stay @ Journalists snooped around for sordid bits of gossip.
þ Syn. stopover, resi dence
@ A f t er g r a du a t i n g f r o m co l l e g e , K a l y an i i d e ci d e d on a n SPARTAN Adj.
extended sojourn in South India. lacking luxury and comfort; sternly disciplined
þ Syn. frugal, simple, basic, bare, severe
SOLECISM N. ¬ Ant. luxurious, comfortable, deluxe
construction that is flagrantly incorrect @ They lead a rather spartan life, with no comforts or luxuries.
þ Syn. error, mistake, blunder
@ The article contains many solecisms. SPASMODIC Adj.
fitful; periodic
SOLICITOUS þ Syn. irregular, sporadic
concerned, attentive, eager ¬ Ant. continuous, incessant, constant
þ Syn. mindful, responsible @ His spasmodic attempts dieting did not achieve anything.
¬ Ant. irresponsible, careless
@ The solicitous waiter stood at the star's table right through
the meal, attentive to her every need.
(162) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

SPATE N. SPURIOUS Adj.
sudden fl ood false; counterfeit; forged; illogical
þ Syn. epidemic, wave, rash, craze þ Syn. bogus, forged
@ The river which passes through our village, causes a spate ¬ Ant. genuine, authenti c, indisputable, actual
ev ery yea r. @ Onl y experts can disti ngui sh betw een a spuri ous di amond
@ Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the Kingsland and a genuine one.
Road area.
SPURN V.
SPECIOUS Adj. reject; scorn
seemingly reasonable but incorrect þ Syn. snub, slight, repulse, disdain
þ Syn. false, hollow, erroneous, baseless ¬ Ant. accept, believe, recognise, admit
@ Her specious arguments didn’t really convince anyone. @ I think he was rather outraged that I’d spurned his advances.
SPECTRE N. , SPECTRAL Adj. SQUABBLE N.

ghost, fear; ghostly quarrel, argument, altercati on
þ Syn. apparition, spirit, image þ Syn. argue, quarrel , bicker, row
@ The spectre of failure made him nervous. @ They squabbled i n the morni ng, made up by eveni ng and
started all over again the next morning.
SPECULATION
contemplation, act of taking business risks for financial gain SQUALID Adj. SQUALOR N.
þ Syn. gambl e, hypothesising shabby, dirty, fil thy, sooty, sordid
@ Speculation in the stock markets is quite common. þ Syn. filthy, dirty, foul, nasty
¬ Ant. clean, spotless, unsoiled
SPONTANEOUS @ Man y pr i son s, ev en t oday, are ove rcro w ded and squa l i d
on the spur of the moment, impulsive pl ac es.
þ Syn. impromptu, impulsive
¬ Ant. planned, calcul ative SQUANDER V.
@ Jean took a spontaneous decision to go to the movies instead to waste away money or energy
of visiting her inlaws. þ Syn. waste, spend, dissipate, misuse
¬ Ant. save, put aside, keep, bank
SPOONERISM N. @ It’s better to save your money for when you really need it
exchanging letter of words by mistake than to squander it.
@ The Reverend William Spooner used to produce spoonerisms
such as “a scoop of boy trouts”, instead of “a troop of boy SQUEAMISH Adj.
scouts.” easily shocked, easily made sick
þ Syn. delicate, prudi sh, particular
SPORA DIC Adj. ¬ Ant. strong, burly, robust, glaring
occasional, recurrent, infrequent @ Many cooks are squeamish about putting live shellfish into
þ Syn. intermittent, inf requent, erratic boiling water.
¬ Ant. regular, usual, normal, recurring
@ Your sporadic visits to the library will not fetch the desired SQUIRM V.
resul ts. to wriggle about, writhe, fidget
þ Syn. wriggle, writhe, twist, fidget
SPORTIVE @ The thief squirmed when the police asked him some searching
frolicsome, playful questi ons.
þ Syn. high spirited, romping
¬ Ant. solemn, staid STAG NANT
@ The lion roared in pain as the sportive cub bit its tail playfully. immobile, stale
þ Syn. inert, stable
SP RIG HTLY ¬ Ant. following, running
lively, animated @ T h a t s t a g n a n t p o n d i s a p e r f e c t b r e e d i n g g r o u n d f o r
þ Syn. energetic, vigorous mosquitoes.
¬ Ant. doddering, sluggish
@ He was quite sprightly and active for a 98yearold. STALEMATE N.
deadlock
þ Syn. impasse, deadlock, draw, tie
@ The talks on wage revision has again reached a stalemate.
IC : PTpntvb01 (163) of (188)

STALK STILTED
to hunt, pursue stiff, unnatural
þ Syn. to look for, to search for þ Syn. artif icial, unrelaxed
@ The rock star put a restraining order on the insane woman ¬ Ant. ef fortl ess, natural
who had been stalking him for many years. @ The nervous father of the bride gave a rather stilted speech
at the weddi ng banquet.
STALWART N.
strong, vigorous, brave person STINT N.
þ Syn. strong, muscular, athletic job, task, assignment, duty, chore
@ The Tatas have been the stalwarts of Indian industry. þ Syn. spell, stretch, period
@ His stint at the World Bank taught him a lot.
STAUNCH V.
to stop blood from flowing, resist, check STIPEND
þ Syn. resolute, unyielding, stubborn allowance, fixed amount of money paid regularly
¬ Ant. irresolute, vacillating, unsure þ Syn. salary, emolument
@ The country’s asylum laws were amended to staunch the flow ¬ Ant. incentive, perks
of economic migrants. @ Unable to survive on her small stipend from the university,
Jane was forced to take loans.
STARTLE V.
frighten, alarm, intimidate, spook STIPPLE V.
þ Syn. surprise, shock, frighten paint or draw with dots
@ The noise of the car startled the birds and the whole group @ He stippl ed pai nt on the canvas to create an i nteresti ng
flew up into the air. abstract painting.
STICKLER N. STIPULATE V.

perfectioni st, puri st insist, demand, require
þ Syn. pedant, nitpi cker, martinet þ Syn. specify, instruct, order
@ He’s a stickler for detail. @ In a democratic setup it is difficult to stipulate a monetary
fine for spitting on the roads.
STIFLE V.
suffocate, curb, censor, suppress STOCKADE
þ Syn. smother, throttle, choke enclosed area forming defensive wall
¬ Ant. encourage, let out þ Syn. a military prison, defensive area
@ He threw a blanket over the burning frying pan to stifle the ¬ Ant. open place, public area
f lames. @ As the enemy approached, the soldiers took their defensive
positions behind the stockade.
STIGMA N.
guilt, blame, onus, shame, disgrace STOIC N.
þ Syn. shame, disgrace, dishonour person who accepts pains without complaining
¬ Ant. honour, credit þ Syn. austere, ascetic, unmoved
@ There is no longer any stigma attached to getting a divorce. @ We knew she must have been i n pai n, despi te her stoi c
att i tud e.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . stri ngent a . not obvious

2 . stymie b . awesome
3 . subju gate c . thw art
4 . sublime d . stri ct
5 . subtl e e . subdue
5 . ( a ) 4 . (b ) 3 . ( e ) 2 . (c ) 1 . (d )
(164) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

STOLID Adj. STOLIDITY n. STUPEFY V.
sl o w an d he avy, not exc i tab l e, p hl eg mati c, s toi c ; du l l ne ss; to astonish, daze, stun, shock
impassi veness þ Syn. astonish, astound, amaze, stun
þ Syn. impassi ve, matteroff act @ Stupefied by the number of items required for a lengthy canoe
@ IBM’s growth has been a stolid unlike that of Microsoft. trip, I gritted my teeth and set about collecting the supplies.
STOUT Adj. STUPOR N.

robust, sturdy, muscular, strong slate of apathy; daze; lack of awareness
þ Syn. fat, heavy, solid þ Syn. trance, coma, daze, dream
¬ Ant. weak, slight @ While in a drunken stupor he became abusive and violent and
@ I’ve bought myself a pair of good stout boots for hiking. had to be restrained by hotel staff.
STR A TA G EM STYLISE

plan or trick designed to deceive an enemy to fashion, formalise
þ Syn. scheme, tactic þ Syn. magnified, polished
¬ Ant. random, without plan ¬ Ant. casual, informal
@ The Trojan Horse must be one of the most successful military @ After Nita stylised her wardrobe to match Princess Diana's,
stratagems in history. everyone said they could have been sisters.
STRA TIFY STYMIE

to arrange in layers to block or thwart
@ Caste was used to stratify society in ancient India. þ Syn. obstruct, inhibit
¬ Ant. assist, help
STREW V. @ The guard’s effort to trap the bank robber was stymied when
the thief escaped through a rear window.
spread randomly; sprinkle; scatter
þ Syn. encumber, litter, fill
SUAVE ( SWAHV ) Adj. SUAVITY N.
¬ Ant. free, gratis, at no cost
extremely polite, slick, smooth, genteel
@ The floor of the auditorium was strewn with flowers.
þ Syn. smooth, polished, polite, urbane
@ A successful manager has first of all got to be suave.
STRIDENT Adj. STRIDENCY N.
rough, harsh, caustic, loud
SUBDUED
þ Syn. vociferous, clamorous, shrill
suppressed, sti fl ed
¬ Ant. yielding, squashy, elastic
þ Syn. lowspirited, downcast
@ The strident commercials often take away the pleasure of
watching movies. ¬ Ant. lively, cheerful
@ The a ctor w as momentari l y subdu ed af ter the di rec tor’s
outburst, but was soon his overconfident self again.
STRINGENT Adj.
strict, firm, inflexible, harsh
SUBJECTION
þ Syn. severe, strict, rigorous, stern
dependence, obedience, submission
¬ Ant. lax, sloppy, flexible, sloppy
þ Syn. domination, oppression
@ In spite of the rather stringent rules at camp, we enjoyed
the acti viti es. ¬ Ant. submissive, accommodating
@ The coach demanded total subjection from the athletes in his
team.
STULTIFY V. , STULTIFICATION N.
to make someone stupid
SUBJUGATE V.
þ Syn. deaden, dampen, cloud, blunt
overpower, ensl ave, subdue, def eat
¬ Ant. emphasise, highlight, stress
þ Syn. beat down, vanquish
@ Too much of pampering will only stultify the child.
¬ Ant. help, f oster, nurture
@ The British subjugated the Indians through divide and rule.
STUNTED
having arrested growth or development
SUBLIMATE V.
þ Syn. bantam, dwarf
ref ine; purify
¬ Ant. giant, huge
@ We shoul d try to sublimate our stami na and energies into
@ The plant’s growth w as stunted, smothered by the rapidly constructive work.
growi ng creeper.
IC : PTpntvb01 (165) of (188)

SUBLIME Adj. SUCCINCT
grand, nobl e, magni ficent, very great terse, brief, concise
þ Syn. inspiring, inspirational, uplifting þ Syn. compact, condensed
¬ Ant. ridiculous, ludicrous, absurd ¬ Ant. verbose, l engthy
@ The dresses in the fashion show went from the sublime to the @ She was sought af ter by many talk show s, as her remarks
ridiculous. were always succinct and to the point.
SUBLIMINAL Adj. SUCCOUR N.

below the consciousness of the senses help, assistance
þ Syn. subconscious, concealed þ Syn. help, aid, assi stance, support
¬ Ant. explicit @ T h e w h o l e w o r l d , t h e d e v e l o p e d a n d t h e d e v e l o p i n g
@ The interview was carried out in front of a factory to give countries, should provide succour to the starving children of
voters the subliminal message that the Prime Minister was a Ethiopia, Rawanda and such other African countries.
man of the people.
SUCCULENT Adj., N.
SUBSERVIENT Adj. SUBSERVIENCE N. juicy; full of richness
behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious þ Syn. juicy, most, tender, luscious
þ Syn. submissive, obedient ¬ Ant. dry, shrivelled, unappetising
¬ Ant. pushy, aggressi ve @ This is the land of plenty of succulent fruits.
@ Being an upright man, he refused to be subservient to any
o n e . SUFFERABLE
bearabl e
SUBSEQUENT þ Syn. manageable, tolerable
following in time or order ¬ Ant. unbearable, enduring
þ Syn. succeeding, ensuing @ The only thing that made his prison term sufferable was his
¬ Ant. previous, prior beloved pet mouse, Romeo.
@ A statement will be issued subsequent to the meeting.
SULLEN
SUBSISTENCE N. brooding, gloomy
existence; means of support; livelihood þ Syn. morose, resentful
þ Syn. maintenance, support, upkeep ¬ Ant. cheerful, sociable
@ My pension is the only means of my subsistence. @ The sullen child sat in the corner by herself, refusing to play
with her classmates.
SUBTERFUGE N.
deception, trick, fraud, hoax SUMPTUOUS Adj.
þ Syn. trick, ploy, ruse, dodge very luxurious, splendid, opulent
¬ Ant. honesty, openness þ Syn. extravagant, costl y, superb
@ It w a s c l ea r t hat th ey had o bta i ne d t he i nf orm ati on by ¬ Ant. meagre, scanty, too little
sub terf u ge. @ The dinner served at the wedding was simply sumptuous.
SUBTERRANEAN SUNDER V.

hi dden, secret, underground separate; part
þ Syn. secret, conceal ed þ Syn. divi de, split, cleave
¬ Ant. on the surface, in light @ North and South Korea were politically sundered.
@ The new railway had to take the subterranean route as there
was no room left above ground in the growing city. SUPERANNUATED Adj.
retired or disqualified because of age
SUB TLE @ He was superannuated from his job when he turned 60.
understated, muted
þ Syn. toned down, subdued SUPERCILIOUS Adj.
¬ Ant. lurid, obvious arrogant, lofty, haughty
@ The pickpocket was so subtle that his victims did not even þ Syn. snooty, patronising
realise they had been robbed.
¬ Ant. modest, humble, meek
@ The supercilious invariably have a great fall.
SUBVERSION N. SUBVERSIVE Adj.
revolt, mutiny, treason; tending to overthrow; destructive
@ He was found guilty of subversion and imprisoned.
(166) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

SUPERFICIAL SURLY Adj.
hasty, shallow and phony rude; cross
þ Syn. external, outer þ Syn. gruff, brusque, abrupt, curt
¬ Ant. deep, thorough ¬ Ant. courteous, considerate, civil
@ The politician was friendly, but in a superficial, unconvincing @ His surly behaviour is the root cause of his failure.
w a y.
SURMISE N.
SUPERFLUOUS Adj. a guess, supposition, assumption
excessi ve; overabundant; unnecessary þ Syn. guess, infer, deduce, gather
þ Syn. surplus, not required, excessive ¬ Ant. know
¬ Ant. essential, basic, fundamental @ I surmise that Rajat is involved in some illegal activity.
@ Whenever I go travel ling, I al ways make sure that I don't
take any superfluous luggage with me.
SURMOUNT V.
to overcome an obstacle
SUPERNUMERARY N.
þ Syn. prevail, conquer, triumph
person or thing in excess of what is necessary; extra
¬ Ant. fail, not pass, disappoint
@ His role in the play seemed supernumerary when he appeared
@ Progress results when you surmount your limitations.
on the stage.
SUPERSEDE V. SURP A SS
cause to be set aside; replace to do better than, be superior to
þ Syn. succeed, supplant, surpass þ Syn. excel, outshine
@ He was promoted superseding other senior officers. @ Ayrton Senna surpassed his own record to clinch the F1 title.
SURREPTITIOUS Adj.
SUPPLANT V.
cl andesti ne, deceitful, covert
replace; usurp
þ Syn. di splace, succeed, supersede þ Syn. secret, sly, craf ty
@ In most offices, the typewriter has now been supplanted by ¬ Ant. bl atant, open, honest
the computer. @ He’d been so surreptitious about hi s dri nking that no one
realised he'd become an alcoholic.
SUPPLE
flexible, pliant SURROGATE N.
þ Syn. agile, sprightly substi tute, backup, standby

þ Syn. repl acement, proxy, deputy
¬ Ant. stiff, unfit
@ Due to a ban on direct advertising, liquor manufacturers have
@ The supple stalks of bamboo swayed back and forth in the
to rely on surrogate advertising in India.
wind.
SUPPLIANT Adj., N. SURVEILLANCE N.
entreating; beseeching strict w atch, observati on
þ Syn. begging, pleading, imploring þ Syn. watch, scrutiny
@ Few can resist a suppliant dog. @ More banks are now installing surveillance cameras.
SUSCEPTIBLE
SUPPLICANT
vul nerabl e, unprotected
one who asks humbly and earnestly
þ Syn. borrower, suitor þ Syn. credulous, gullible
@ He w as normal l y a tough f el l ow , but transf ormed i nto a ¬ Ant. sceptical, streetw ise
supplicant when pleading with the banker for a loan. @ Because of her w eakened state, Veena was suscepti bl e to
infection.
SURFEIT Adj.
excess, plethora, abundance SUSPEND
þ Syn. surplus, glut, flood to defer, interrupt, dangle, hang

þ Syn. postpone, del ay
¬ Ant. deficit, undersupply
¬ Ant. continue, resume
@ The country has a surfeit of cheap labour.
@ The Golden Gate bridge is suspended two miles in the air on
steel wires.
IC : PTpntvb01 (167) of (188)

SUSTAIN SYMBIOSIS
support, uphold cooperation, mutual helpfulness
þ Syn. endure, undergo þ Syn. alliance, coalition
¬ Ant. collapse under ¬ Ant. autonomy, competition
@ If we can sustain our efforts a little longer, I'm sure our plan @ The rhino and the bird live in symbiosis; the rhino gives the
will succeed. bird food in the form of ticks, and the bird rids the rhino of
parasi tes.
SWARTHY Adj.
dark; dusky; SYMP OSIUM
@ He was swarthy but his smile really dispelled all darkness. meeting with short presentations on related topics
@ The universi ty's E ngli sh department held a symposi um on
sexual imagery in the works of D. H. Lawrence.
SWELTER V. , SWELTERING Adj.
be oppressed by heat
SYNOPSIS
þ Syn. scorching, red hot, sizzling
plot summary
¬ Ant. freezing, cold, icy, chilly
þ Syn. abstract, outli ne
@ In many states in India, people swelter in the summer season.
@ Oren wrote a onepage synopsis of a 55page book.
SWERVE V.
SYNTHESIS
to move to one side, deviate, detour
blend, combination
þ Syn. veer, deviate, change directi on
@ The methods used i n the experiment w ere a synthesis of
@ The car swerved after slipping on the road. techniques from biology and medicine.
SWINDLER N. SYNTHETIC

che at artificial, imitation
þ Syn. fraud, faker, biker, shark
þ Syn. mock, simulated
@ He was very successful as a swindler because he was able to
¬ Ant. real, natural
persuade people to believe in him.
@ The flowers in the window looked so realistic that you could
hardly tell they were made of synthetic materials.
SYCOPHANT N.
person who flatters those in power
þ Syn. toady, fl atterer
@ The politician is surrounded by sycophants.
Political Science
a bo ve .
BUREAUCRA CY : a system of govt. in which most of the important decisions

ar e t ake n b y s tat e o f f i ci a l s ra the r t han by el ect ed
representati ves
GERRYMANDER : to alter voting district lines so as to further one’s own
interests in obtaining votes
INCUMBENT : currently in office; running against a challenger
JINGOISM : belligerent or excessive patriotism
JUNKET : personal trip of a public official financed by public funds
NEPOTISM : p o l i t i c a l f a v o r i t i s m t o w a r d f r i e n d s a n d r e l a t i v e s ,
especially in granting favours
PA RTISAN : advocating or favouring the views of one party
RAB BLEROUSER: a person w ho speaks wi th intention of i nf lami ng the
emoti ons of a crowd of people, typi cal ly for poli tical
reas ons
QUORUM : the minimum number of members required to conduct
busi ness
STA L WA RT : an unw avering, staunch supporter
(168) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“T”
TA BLEA U TALISMAN N.
vivid description, striking incident or scene an object supposed to bring good luck
þ Syn. pageant, scene þ Syn. charm, amulet, fetish
@ The tourists admired the famous painter's lifelike tableau of @ She has worn the ring as a talisman ever since she survived
the Last Supper. the plane crash.
TABLOID N. TA NG

a type of popular newspaper with smal l pages, many pictures sharp flavour or odour
and short simple reports usually of the sensational kind þ Syn. taste, savour
þ Syn. lurid, scandalous, shocking @ After being smoked with herring, the bacon had a distinctly
¬ Ant. admirable, estimable, excellent fi shy tang.
@ Information on the personal life of a film star is just the sort
of story the tabloids love. TANGENTIAL
irrelevant, i nessenti al
TABOO N. þ Syn. secondary, unimportant
r es tr i c ti on , ba n, p ro hi bi ti on , ba r; t he a vo i d an ce , am on g a ¬ Ant. primary, important
particular group of people, of parti cular acti ons or words f or
@ Your argument is interesting, but it's tangential to the matter
religious or social reasons
at hand, so I suggest we get back to the point.
þ Syn. forbidden, banned, outl awed
¬ Ant. acceptabl e, sui table, sati sfactory
TANGIBLE
@ Death is a taboo subject for many.
that can be sensed, perceptible, measurable
þ Syn. palpable, tactile
TA CIT
¬ Ant. theoretical, abstract
silently understood or implied
@ The storming of the castle didn't bring the soldiers tangible
þ Syn. implicit, understood rewards, but it brought them great honour.
¬ Ant. explicit, stated
@ Everyone in the room knew that a tacit agreement had been TANGY Adj.
reached about the course of action.
with a sharp taste and smell
þ Syn. tasty, spicy, sharp, strong
TACITURN Adj.
¬ Ant. bland, insipid, weak, mild
uncommunicative, reserved, sil ent, reti cent; saying littl e (esp.
habituall y) @ Everyone loves the tangy pickles grandma prepares.
þ Syn. silent, cold, quiet, distance

¬ Ant. tal kati ve, communicative, chatty TANTALISE V.
entice, titillate, attract, arouse; to excite or attract (someone)
@ Taci turn candi dates w il l not able to perform well in stage
by an offer or a suggestion of something which is, in fact, unlikely
show s.
to happen
þ Syn. tease, enti ce, excite, tempt
TACTILE Adj.
@ Tantalised by the prospect of two weeks in the Bahamas, she
sensitive to touch, corporeal, related to touch bought ten lottery tickets.
þ Syn. physical, concrete, percepti ble
¬ Ant. intangible, vague, subtle TA NTAMOUNT Adj.
@ The right hemisphere of the brain specialises in the perception identical, same, equal, synonymous; being almost the same or
of complex patterns, both visual and tactile. having the same effect as (usually something bad)
þ Syn. equal, the same as, identical
TAINTED Adj. TAINT V. ¬ Ant. different, dissimilar, unlike
contaminated, corrupt @ T h e b a n k w o u l d n ' t l e n d a n y m o r e m o n e y, w h i c h w a s
þ Syn. ruined, stained, polluted tantamount to making the business close down.
¬ Ant. clean, untained, wholesome
@ Hi s reputati on w as p ermanent l y tai n ted by t he f i nan ci al TANTRUM N.
scandal . a t t a c k o f u n c o n t r o l l a b l e b a d t e m p e r, a s u d d e n p e r i o d o f
uncontrolled childish anger
þ Syn. outburst, f it, paroxysm
¬ Ant. out of shape, unfit, in poor shape
@ The director and the producer of Hindi films usually have to
bear with the tantrums of their stars.
IC : PTpntvb01 (169) of (188)

TARDY Adj. TA WDRY Adj.
late, sluggish, delayed, slow or late in happening or arriving blatant, brazen, gaudy, tasteless; l ooking bright and attractive
þ Syn. slow, behind but in fact cheap and of low quality
¬ Ant. punctual, prompt, timely þ Syn. ostentatious, showy
@ The star made a fashionable tardy entry. ¬ Ant. tasteful , refi ned, el egant
@ The clothes that had l ooked so beautif ul on stage l ooked
tawdry, hanging in the dressing room.
TARNISH V.
disgrace, damage, obscure, discolour; to make or (esp. of metal)
become less bright or a different colour TAXONOMY
þ Syn. dull, stain, smear, dirty science of classification
¬ Ant. cl ean, dirtfree, sanitary @ Certain new species do not seem to fit into the systems of
classification used in traditional taxonomy.
@ The media has the evil power to tarnish the image even of a
celebrity with impeccable character and record.
TECHNOCRAT
TARNISHED strong believer in technology, technical expert
corroded, discoloured @ The technocrat could barely hide his contempt as the CEO
struggled to open a file on his computer.
þ Syn. discredited, di sgraced
¬ Ant. bright, polished
TEETOTALLER N.
@ The antique silver plate was so tarnished that Anna had to
polish it for hours before she could use it. person who never drinks alcohol
@ The tribe of teetotallers is shrinking.
TARRY V.
delay; dawdle TEMERITY N.
þ Syn. l inger, l oiter, procrastinate audacity, insolence, effrontery, chutzpah; a willingness to do or
say something that shocks, angers or upsets other people
@ The teacher asked the students not to tarry in the corridors
and to go to the library instead. þ Syn. nerve, gall, cheek
¬ Ant. silence, discretion, shyness
TAUT Adj. @ He had the temerity to tell me that smoking was bad for me
when I knew he was a smoker himself.
tense, hard, secure, firm, tight or completely stretched
þ Syn. tight, rigid, firm, rigid
TEMPERANCE
¬ Ant. slack, loose, limp, baggy, floppy
restrai nt, self control, moderation
@ He kept h i s eye s on t he roa d ahea d, hi s f ace taut w i th
concentrati on. þ Syn. abstenti on, sobriety
¬ Ant. crapulence, bibulousness
TAUTOLOGY N. @ The strict, religious community frowned on newcomers who
did not behave with temperance.
unnecessary use of synonyms in a single phrase
@ “Nothing was covered up and no information was concealed,”
sai d the mi ni ster, produci ng hi s second tautology of the TEMPEST N. TEMPESTUOUS Adj.
i ntervi ew . storm; violently stormy, impassioned
þ Syn. storm, gale, snowstorm
@ The ship was blown 200 miles offcourse by the tempest.
@ S h e h a d a t e m p e s t u o u s n a t u r e a n d g o t i n t o a l o t o f
arguments.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . surrepti tious a . naturall y untalkati ve

2 . syc opha nt b . f l att erer
3 . synthesi s c . combining of parts
4 . taci t d . sn ea ky
5 . taciturn e . implied
5 .(a ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (c ) 2 . (b ) 1 . (d )
(170) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

TEMPORA L Adj. TERSE Adj.
not lasting forever, limited by time, secular, relating to practical laconic, concise, crisp; using few words, sometimes in a way that
matters or material things seems rude or unfriendly
þ Syn. chronological, of time, activist þ Syn. short, brief, curt
@ Everything in the life of a person and in the world is temporal. ¬ Ant. rambling, wordy, confused
@ In a terse statement yesterday, the company announced that
TEMPORISE V. it was closing three of its factories.
avoid committing oneself, gain time; to delay making a decision
or stating your opinion in order to obtain an advantage TESTA MENT
@ The gover nment tempori sed f or months, w ai ti n g f or the statement of belief, will
economy to pick up before calling an election. þ Syn. evidence, proof
@ Guy's children couldn't believe that he had left everything to
TENABLE his chihuahua in his last will and testament.
defensible, reasonable
þ Syn. justifiable, sustainable TESTY Adj.
¬ Ant. untenable, indefensi ble irritable; shorttempered
@ This politically convenient view is no longer tenable. þ Syn. grumpy, peevish, crabby
¬ Ant. cheerful , goodhumoured
TENACIOUS Adj. TENACITY N. Her chronic illness has turned her into a testy and snappy
resolute, dedicated, stubborn, holding tightly onto something or pe rso n.
keeping an opinion in a determined way; firmness, persistence,
adhesi veness TÊTEÀ TÊTE N.
þ Syn. stubborn, resolute, firm private talks between two people
¬ Ant. irresolute, unsure, cow ardly þ Syn. conversation, talk, dialogue
@ The conservation group was tenacious in its opposition to the @ He is believed to have had a têteàtête with the PM before
new ai rport. the cabi net reshuffl e.
TENDENTIOUS Adj. TETHER

having an aim, biased, designed to further a cause; (of speech to bind, tie
or writing) expressing or supporting a particular opinion which
þ Syn. tie up, hitch
many other people disagree with
@ H e cl ai ms t ha t th e ar ti cl e g i v es a d i s to rt ed a nd h i g hl y ¬ Ant. unl eash, release
tendentious view of the political situation in the country. @ The cheetah chewed through its tether and ran away.
TENET N. THEISM N.

doctrine; dogma belief that God exists; the belief that there is only one God, who
Syn. principle, beli ef, percept, view is completely separate from His creations, rather than being a
part of them
@ The con serva ti ve Lef t doe s not bel i eve i n t he te nets of
liberali sation. @ T h e i s m i s a t r e m e n d o u s b o n d i n g f o r c e f o r u n i v e r s a l
brothe rhood.
TENSILE
THEOCRACY N.
capable of withstanding physical stress
government of a community by religious leaders
@ Archi tects use tensi l e materi al s to construct bui l di ngs i n
earthquakeprone areas. @ Theocracy is feasible in the country where there is a single
religion and that is the state religion.
TENUOUS Adj.
THERAP EUTIC
thin, rare, slim, weak, easily damaged or proved false
medicinal
þ Syn. weak, shaky, feeble, vague
þ Syn. remedial, curing
¬ Ant. strong, sturdy, tough
¬ Ant. harmful, detrimental
@ We w ere only able to make a tenuous connection between
@ Tarun found the hot springs to be very therapeutic for his
the two robberies.
aches and pains, so he bathed in them often.
TEPID
THESIS
lukewarm, showing little enthusiasm
theory or hypothesis; dissertation; long, written composition
þ Syn. warmish, apathetic
þ Syn. proposal, contention
¬ Ant. hot, cold, passionate
@ Henry worked for six years on his Ph.D. thesis.
@ Roxanne refused to take a bath in the tepid water, f earing
that she would catch a cold.
IC : PTpntvb01 (171) of (188)

THESPIAN Adj. , N. TIFF N.
pertaining to drama, connected with acting and the theatre small argument, quarrel
þ Syn. theatrical, staged þ Syn. row, spat
@ The biography covers a thespian career which spanned four ¬ Ant. agreement, accord, union
de cade s. @ We had a slight tiff over whose turn it was to clean the floor.
THRALL N. TIMOROUS Adj.

slave, bondage demonstrating fear, lacking confidence, easily fri ghtened
þ Syn. power, yoke, enslavement þ Syn. nervous, fearful, timid
¬ Ant. freedom, manumit ¬ Ant. brave, dari ng, f earl ess
@ The impossible terms set by the moneylenders held the poor @ His timorous demeanour exposed his weakness.
illiterate farmers in thrall for generations.
TINGE
THRA SH V.
shade, col our
to batter, assail, attack; to hit hard or make a series of violent
and uncontrolled movements þ Syn. dye, stain
@ Photographs develop a yellowish tinge as they age.
þ Syn. beat, whip, lash, batter
@ Police thrashed the outlaw but failed to extract a confession.
TIRADE N.
THRIFTY Adj. extended scolding, denunciation, a long angry speech expressing

strong di sapproval
careful about money, economical
þ Syn. outburst, rant, lecture
þ Syn. frugal, careful, prudent
¬ Ant. praise, extol, honour, admire
¬ Ant. spendthrift, wastrel, squanderer
@ Concluding his furi ous tirade, the oppositi on spokesperson
@ Fortunately he was thrifty and managed to save even out of demanded the minister's resignation.
his meagre salary.
TITAN
THROES N.
person of colossal stature or achievement
great suff eri ng; i n the process of doing somethi ng w hi ch i s
difficult, unpleasant or painful @ Despite hi s odd personal habits, it can't be deni ed that Mr
Shah was a titan of the nation’s industry.
@ My brother is in the throes of a midlife crisis which makes him
rather difficult to live with.
TITANIC Adj.
THRONG N. gigantic
great crowd of people þ Syn. colossal, immense, huge, giant
þ Syn. multitude, mass, crowd, horde ¬ Ant. uni mportant, irrelevant

@ The titanic project required a unique entrepreneurship.
¬ Ant. few, little, not many
@ Throngs of people were milling about the airport waiting for
delayed fl ights. TITILLATE V.
to excite, stimulate, electrify, arouse; to excite intentionally but
THROTTLE V. only a little, usually with sexual images or descriptions
to strangle by squeezing the neck; a valve which allows more or @ These days many advertisements are designed to titillate.
less fuel to go into an engine and thus changes the power of the
engine TITULA R Adj.
þ Syn. strangle, choke, stifle having the title of an office without the obligations, having the
@ The operator opened the throttle a little and the machine ran title of a position but not the responsibilities, duties or power; in
f a s t e r. name only
þ Syn. supposed, ostensible, socalled
THWART V. ¬ Ant. actual, real, definite
prevent, deter, foil, hinder; to stop (something) from happening @ Even though he was only the titular head of the company, he
or (someone) from doing something enjoyed all amenities and perquisites.
þ Syn. spoil, prevent, foil, ruin
¬ Ant. encourage, cheer, hearten TOADY N.
@ She i s constantly trying to thwart my efforts to make new servile flatterer, yes man; a person who praises and is artificially
f ri ends. pl easant to people i n authority, usuall y in order to get some
advantage from them
þ Syn. f latterer, creep, crawl er
@ Bosses l i ke the toadi es and not the i ndi vi dual w orker or
i ndependent adviser.
(172) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

TOLERANCE TOTALITARIANISM N.
capacity to respect different values, to endure or resist something single party government system
þ Syn. sufferance, l iberali ty þ Syn. despoti sm, tyranny, absolutism
¬ Ant. unbearable, intolerance ¬ Ant. democracy, democratic system
@ Dictators are characterised by their lack of tolerance for any @ China follows totalitarianism.
opposition.
TOTTERING
TONAL walk unsteadily, barely standing
relating to pitch or sound þ Syn. stagger, stumble
@ Although it has interesting lyrics, the song's tonal deficiencies ¬ Ant. stabl e, steady
make it unpleasant to the ear.
@ The tottering old man still managed to make his way to the
corner shop every day to buy his favourite candy bar.
TOP OGRA PHY
art of making maps or charts TOUCHSTONE N.
þ Syn. contour, shape stones used to test the fi neness of gold al loys; criterion, an
@ A master in the art of topography, Leavenworth was hired to established standard or principle by which something is judged
create maps of the coast of South America. þ Syn. criterion, acid test, hallmark
¬ Ant. unusual, odd, curious
TORMENT V. @ In business, having a l arge share of the market is often
to make someone suffer, great mental suffering and unhappiness assumed to be the touchstone for success.
or great physical pain
þ Syn. angui sh, suffering, agony, pain TOUT V.
¬ Ant. pleasure, joy, bliss, satisfaction publicise, praise excessively; to advertise or make known or praise
@ The prisoners underwent great torment under their captors. (something or someone) repeatedly, esp. as a way of encouraging
their sale, popularity or development
TORPOR N. TORPID Adj. þ Syn. advertise, hype, plug
lethargy, sluggishness, dormancy ¬ Ant. understate, minimise, belittle
þ Syn. inactivity, inertia @ The local car manufacturer has produced a series of television
advertisements touting the safety features of their cars.
@ Our people are so lethargic that nothi ng can arouse them
from their torpor.
@ Torpid workers can hardly contribute to TQM. TOXIN
poi son
TORRID Adj. þ Syn. harmful, dangerous
passionate, burning, hot, fi ery ¬ Ant. fruitful, salutary
þ Syn. hot, boiling, burning @ It's essential to keep all toxins away from children, as they
might eat them accidentally.
¬ Ant. cool, chill, cold
@ In the torrid heat of May, no one was keen to walk f ar or
indulge in strenuous exercise. TRACTABLE Adj.
amenable, obedient, submissive; easily dealt with, controlled or
persu aded
TORTUOUS Adj.
þ Syn. good, obedient, dutiful
full of twists and turns, not direct or simple
¬ Ant. disobedient, defiant, naughty
þ Syn. winding, twisted, twisting
@ He’s quite a docile, tractable child.
¬ Ant. straight, directly
@ The route through the back streets is a little tortuous, but it
helps you avoid the worst of the traffic.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . surrepti tious a . naturall y untalkati ve

2 . syc opha nt b . f l att erer
3 . synthesi s c . combining of parts
4 . taci t d . sn ea ky
5 . taciturn e . implied
5 .(a ) 4 . ( e ) 3 . (c ) 2 . (b ) 1 . (d )
IC : PTpntvb01 (173) of (188)

TRADUCE V. TRAUMA TIC Adj.
expose to sl ander, to cri ti cise ( someone or somethi ng) very pertai ni ng to an injury caused by vi ol ence, severe emoti onal
negati vel y shock; pain caused by an extremely upsetting experience
þ Syn. defame, malign, calumniate þ Syn. shocking, disturbing, upsetting
¬ Ant. praise, applaud, cheer ¬ Ant. reassuring, supportive, cheering
@ She tried to traduce his simplicity by calling him a simpleton. @ A traumatic experience in childhood stays a long way through
one’s life.
TRANQUILITY N.
calmness, peace TRAVAIL N.
þ Syn. calm, quiet, stillness painful labour
¬ Ant. uproar, di n, racket, @ There is always a limit to enduring travail and humiliation.
@ I love the tranquillity of the countryside.
TRAVESTY N.
TRANSCENDENT Adj. , TRANSCEND V. comical parody, treatment aimed at making somethi ng appear
ri di cul ous; something w hi ch fai ls to represent the val ues and
which rises above the level of ordinary reasoning; exceed, surpass qualities that it is intended to represent, in a way that is shocking
þ Syn. supernatural, mystical, divine or off ensi ve
¬ Ant. mundane, average, medi ocre þ Syn. charade, parody, farce
@ Transcendental meditation has its own merits. @ The activist described the court ruling as a travesty of justice.
TRANSGRESS V. TRANSGRESSION N. TREMULOUS Adj.

to go against a rule, trespass; to break (a law or moral rule) shaking, quivering
þ Syn. sin, lapse, do wrong þ Syn. unsteady, shaky
¬ Ant. behave, act, perf orm ¬ Ant. steady, firm, solid
@ Those are the rul es and anyone w ho transgresses wi ll be @ The o l d man’s voi ce w a s tremul o us but hi s resol v e w as
severel y puni shed. unw averi ng.
TRANSIENT Adj. TRANSITORY Adj. TRENCHANT Adj.

something temporary, lasting for only a short time, temporary sharp, biting remark; (esp. of criticism, remarks, etc.) severe
þ Syn. brief, temporary, passing and expressed with force
¬ Ant. permanent, lasting, stable þ Syn. pointed, caustic
@ It is an organisation set up to provide money and help for ¬ Ant. benevolent
transi ents. @ His most trenchant criticism is reserved for the party leader,
in his opinion, “the most incompetent and ineffectual the party
has known.”
TRANSLUCENT
partial ly transparent
TREPIDATION N.
þ Syn. diaphanous, glassy
affliction, fear or anxiety about what is going to happen
¬ Ant. opaque
þ Syn. f ear, anxiety, concern
@ The man was visible through the translucent shower curtain.
¬ Ant. equanimity, calmness, poise
@ There’s always a certain amount of trepidation when you’re
TRA NSMUTE
starting a new job.
to change in appearance or shape
þ Syn. al ter, adapt
TRIBULATIONS N.
¬ Ant. fixed, irreversible
di stress, suff eri ng
@ In stages, the caterpillar transmuted into a beautiful butterfly.
þ Syn. evils, harms, problems
@ He is now at peace, those days of trials and tribulations are
TRANSPIRE V. just a bad memory.
be revealed, happen; (of a fact which was secret or not known)
to become known
TRIFLlNG
þ Syn. leak, come out
of slight worth, trivial, insignificant
@ No one is willing to predict what may transpire at the peace
þ Syn. unimportant, insignificant
con f eren ce.
¬ Ant. serious, considerable
@ That little glitch in the computer program is a trifling error;
TRAPPINGS N.
normally it works really well.
outward decorations, ornaments, all the things that are part of
or are typical of a particular job, situation or event
þ Syn. accessories, frills
@ He enjoyed the trappi ngs of pow er, such as a chauf f eur
driven car and bodyguards.
(174) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

TRITE Adj. TURBULENCE N.
v e r y o r d i n a r y, c o m m o n p l a c e , u n e x c i t i n g ; e x p r e s s e d t o o state of violent agitation, a state of confusion and lack of order
frequently to be interesting or seem sincere or strong uneven movements within air or water
þ Syn. stale, tired, corny þ Syn. commotion, disorder
¬ Ant. original, novel, new ¬ Ant. calm, still, cool
@ I find the words of love and peace in his lyrics too trite to be @ Due to the presence of terrorists and subversive elements,
taken seriousl y. there is always turbulence in Kashmir and Assam.
TRUCULENT Adj. , TRUCULENCE N. TURG ID Adj.

aggressive and discourteous, badtempered and tending to argue sw ol l en, b l oated, i nf l ated, p ompous; bombasti c ( of speech,
a lot writing, style etc.)
þ Syn. hostil e, defiant, fractious þ Syn. pompous, dull, hard going
¬ Ant. friendly, gracious, open ¬ Ant. airy, fresh, light, open
@ He was in a very truculent mood throughout the meeting. @ Her prose is too turgid for the common reader.
TRUNCA TE TURPITUDE N.

to cut off, shorten by cutting depravi ty, baseness, vil eness
þ Syn. cut short, trim @ The turpitude of chil dmolesters is sickening and deserves
¬ Ant. l engthen, extend severe punishment.
@ The mayor truncated his standard lengthy speech when he
realised that the audience was in a hurry to go home. TUTELAGE N. TUTELARY Adj.
guardianship, training, help; advice or teaching about how to do
TRYING – difficult to deal with somethi ng
þ Syn. taxing, demanding þ Syn. auspices, gui dance, support
¬ Ant. easy, painless @ She is learning classical music under the tutelage of Pandit
J as r aj .
@ Mi racul ousl y, she managed to fi ni sh the project under the
most trying of circumstances.
TYCOON N.
TRYST N., V. a business magnate, baron, big shot, capitalist, a person who
has succeeded i n busi ness or i ndustry and has become very
meeti ng
wealthy and powerful
þ Syn. assignation, meeting þ Syn. magnate, mogul, industrialist
@ This pl ace is a regul ar dating joi nt and w itnesses many a @ This year has seen the rise of many business tycoons in diverse
t r ys t s . sectors.
TUMID Adj. TYRANNY N.

swollen, pompous, bombastic oppression; government by a ruler or small group of people who
þ Syn. di stended, engorged, bloated have unlimited power and use it unfairly and cruelly
¬ A nt. shrunken,si mpl e,modest þ Syn. oppressi on, cruelty, autocracy
@ Her tumid belly was a proof of her oncoming motherhood. ¬ Ant. liberty, freedom, autonomy
@ Even in this age, there are tyrannies in many countries.
TUMULT N.
commotion, riot, noise, a loud noise, esp. that produced by an TYRO N.
excited crowd or a state of confusion, change or uncertainty a beginner, a novice
þ Syn. uproar, clamor, din þ Syn. novi ce, learner, trainee
¬ Ant. peace, calm, quiet ¬ Ant. expert, old hand
@ You c ou l d n' t he a r h e r s p e ak o ve r th e tu m u l t f ro m th e @ A tyro cannot command the price of a master.
screaming fans.
TURBID Adj.
muddy, thick, disordered; (of a liquid) not transparent because
of suspended matter
þ Syn. di rty
¬ Ant. clear, obvious, lucid
@ The onceclear waters of the lake have become turbid with
microscopic algae.
IC : PTpntvb01 (175) of (188)

“U”
UBIQUITOUS Adj. UNBRIDLED Adj.
th i n g w hi ch s eem s to be p res en t eve ry w h ere , w i des pr ea d, which is not controlled, free, excessive, unrestrained, violent
common, omnipresent þ Syn. uninhibited, unconcealed
þ Syn. everpresent, everyw here ¬ Ant. contained, limited, enclosed
¬ Ant. rare, scarce, sporadic @ Unbridled constructions are turning cities into ghettos.
@ Corruption is a ubiquitous phenomenon around the world.
UNCANNY Adj.
ULTERIOR Adj. mysterious, astonishing, strange, bizarre, strange or mysterious,
hidden or secret, covert, secondary; ( esp. of a reason f or a difficult or impossible to explain
particular action) secret þ Syn. eerie, weird, strange, mysterious
þ Syn. concealed, secret, underhanded @ It’s uncanny how much you and Radhika look like sisters.
¬ Ant. transparent, seethrough, clear
@ He claims that his attempts to depose the leader were only UNCONSCIONABLE
for the good of the party but I suspect he may have had
some ulterior motive. unscrupulous, shockingly unfair or unjust
þ Syn. immoral, unprincipled
¬ Ant. ethical, acceptable
UMBRAGE N.
to take umbrage, to feel insulted, to feel upset or annoyed @ The president's betrayal of his employees who had worked
hard to get him elected was unconscionable.
þ Syn. offense, pique, indignation
@ The minister took umbrage to the article.
UNCOUTH Adj.
ru de , i m po l i t e, a ud ac i ou s; l ac ki ng gr ac e, p ol i te ne ss a nd a
UMPTEEN Adj. pl easant appearance; rude and unpl easant
very large number, many þ Syn. boorish, coarse, uncivilised
@ I have reminded them umpteen number of times but to no ¬ Ant. sophisti cated, poli te, courteous
avai l .
@ An uncouth marketing manager will soon get the boot.
UNABASHED Adj.
UNCTUOUS Adj.
not ashamed, blatant, barefaced, shameless, impudent, without
any worry about possible criticism or embarrassment oily, bland, insincerely suave; full of praise, interest, friendliness,
etc. that is unpleasant because it is false
þ Syn. brazen, blatant, f orward, brash
þ Syn. sycophantic, grovell ing, creepy
¬ Ant. modest, coy, demure, dismayed
@ The salesman was unctuous and glib, hoping to sell us his
@ He w as quite unabashed i n admi tting hi s need f or cheap products.
publicity to retain his position in the film industry.
UNDERHAND Adj.
UNA DULTERATED
c ra f t y, c r o o k e d , d e c e p t i v e , d o n e s e c r e t l y a n d s o m e t i m e s
absolutely pure dishonestly, in order to achieve an advantage
þ Syn. undiluted, original þ Syn. devious, dishonest
¬ Ant. degrade, debase ¬ Ant. aboveboard
@ Only bottles containing drinking water that is unadulterated @ The underhand dealings of bankers, bureaucrats and brokers
with chemicals should be labelled "pure". led to the Bombay Bank scam.
UNANIMITY UNDERMINE
state of total agreement or unity to sabotage, thwart
þ Syn. accord, harmony þ Syn. threaten, compromise
¬ Ant. disagreement, division ¬ Ant. enhance, improve
@ The unanimity of the council on this issue was surprising; I @ Rumours of his infidelity undermined the star's marriage, and
never thought they'd be able to agree on it. it eventually ended in divorce.
UNAPPEALING UNDERSCORE V.

unattractive, unpleasant accentuate, hi ghli ght, focus
þ Syn. uninvi ting, unfascinating þ Syn. underline, emphasise
¬ Ant. attractive, fascinati ng @ U nderscori ng the need f or greater transparency i n stock
@ The fish dish looked so unappealing that Jitendra could not trading, the minister launched the BOLT on the BSE.
bring himself to taste it.
(176) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

UNDERWRITE V. UNISON N.
to i nsure, give guarantee for, certif y, endorse unity of pitch, complete accord, in unison, together; at the same
þ Syn. guarantee, countersi gn, fund time
@ If a company underwri tes an i nsurance pol icy, someone's þ Syn. agreement, harmony, unanimity
property, etc., they have an agreement to pay out money in ¬ Ant. dispute, argument, friction
case of damage or loss. @ The international community must act in unison if we are to
find a lasting resolution to this problem.
UNDULATE V. UNDULATING Adj.
move with a wavelike motion UNKEMPT Adj.
@ The crowd was undulating behind him, as he led them in an di shevell ed, with uncaredf or appearance
unusual walking prayer. þ Syn. tousled, messy, scruffy
¬ Ant. tidy, neat, shipshape, organi sed
UNEQUIVOCAL Adj. @ He always looks unkempt, as if he's just got out of bed.
cl ear, easi l y understood, unambi guous; total or ( expressed)
without any doubt
UNMITIGATED Adj.
þ Syn. explicit, obvi ous, definite
unrelieved; immoderate; absolute
¬ Ant. equivocal , vague, unclear
þ Syn. categorical, complete, total
@ The union's unequivocal rejection of the latest pay offer will
¬ Ant. partial, limited
almost certainly lead to further strikes.
@ His unmitigated enthusiasm lifted our spirits.
UNFLINCHING Adj.
solemn, stoic, unemotional, dignified; not frightened of or trying UNPRECEDENTED Adj.
to avoid danger or unpleasantness novel; unparallel
þ Syn. unwavering, constant, resolute þ Syn. extraordinary, unrivall ed, excepti onal
@ Only with an unflinching desire for perfection can an artist ¬ Ant. normal, common
create masterpieces. @ In an unprecedented move, the company deci ded to close
the lossmaking factories.
UNGAINLY Adj.
awkward, graceless in movement UNRAVEL V.
þ Syn. clumsy, lumbering, mean di sentangle, sol ve; (of a pi ece of w ool len or woven cloth) to
¬ Ant. elegant, refined, poi sed separate into threads
@ He is in this ungainly position out of his own doing. þ Syn. loosen, untangle, unstitch

@ She takes a very long time to unravel her tangled hair.
UNIMPEACHABLE Adj.
blameless and exemplary; (of a person's character) completely UNREQUITED Adj.
honest and moral not reci procated
þ Syn. faultless, flawless, impeccable @ She suffers in unrequited love.
¬ Ant. shameful, disgraceful, appalling
@ He has an unimpeachable record of services to the cause of UNRULY Adj.
the chari ty. wild, with no discipline, defiant; difficult to control and not tending
to obey rules
þ Syn. boisterous, disobedient, wild
¬ Ant. wellbehaved, dutiful, polite
@ The unruly crowd of demonstrators suddenly turned riotous
as the police appeared.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . transgress a . everywhere at once

2 . transi ent b . not lasting long
3 . trepidation c . f e a r
4 . turpi tude d . wickedness
5 . ubiquitous e . vi ol ate
5 . ( a ) 4 . (d ) 3 . (c ) 2 . (b ) 1 . ( e )
IC : PTpntvb01 (177) of (188)

UNSEEMLY Adj. UPSHOT N.
unbecoming, indecent outcome; something which happens as a result of other actions,
þ Syn. rude, uncouth, indecorous events or decisions
¬ Ant. proper, correct, suitable, right þ Syn. result, ef fect, end
@ Due to an unseemly act of his, he has earned a bad name. @ T he u ps h ot o f th e d i s cu s si on s i s th at th er e w i l l be n o
redundancies.
UNTENABLE Adj.
URBANE Adj.
indefensible, not able to be maintained
sophisticated, cultured; (esp. of a man) confident, comfortable
þ Syn. refutable, flimsy, implausible
and polite in social situations
¬ Ant. tenable, defensible þ Syn. suave, refined, cultured, stylish
@ The w itness gave such an untenable account of her stand ¬ Ant. simple, primitive, unrefined
that the judge ruled it as inadmissible.
@ The socalled urbane class of our society does not know the
ground realities of our country.
UNTOWARD Adj.
u n f o r t u n a t e , a n n o y i n g ; u n e x p e c t e d a n d i n c o n v e n i e n t o r USURP V.
unpl easant
to take possession by force; to take ( control or a position of
þ Syn. troublesome, awkward power), esp. without having the right to
¬ Ant. appropriate, suitable, ri ght, apt
þ Syn. seize, take, assume, grab
@ Unless anything untoward happens we should be there just
¬ Ant. admit defeat, submit, yield
before mi dday.
@ The land mafia are usurping the open plots in our cities.
UNWARRANTED Adj.
UTILITARIAN Adj.
w hi ch i s not justi f i ed, unreasonabl e, undue, l acki ng a good
reason, unnecessary practical, accessible, within reach
þ Syn. gratuitous, needl ess, uncalled for þ Syn. useful, practical, functional
¬ Ant. needed, essential, requi red ¬ Ant. ineffecti ve, futile, i nadequate
@ Cel ebri ti es have to f ace unwarranted i ntrusion i nto thei r @ A utilitarian attitude in life does not bring happiness.
private li ves.
UTOPIA N.
UNWIELDY Adj. an imaginary ideal place; (the idea of ) a perfect society in which
large and awkward; (of an object) di fficult to move or handle everyone works well with each other and is happy
because it is heavy @ To think of eradication of poverty in India is to chase utopia.
@ All PSU s are not unwi eldy; some are marketfri endly and
flexibl e too. UXORIOUS Adj.
submissively fond of a wife
UNWITTING Adj. @ He was so uxorious that he thought it an honour to be called
unintentional, not knowing, without knowing or planning henpecked.
þ Syn. ignorant, innocent, unconscious
¬ Ant. cauti ous, cagey, circumspect
Ajeeta Kahale
@ The two women claimed they were the unwitting victims of a
IIFT, XLRI, FMS
drugs dealer who planted a large quantity of heroin in their
l uggage. The comprehensive
course material helped
UPBRAID V.
me prepare thoroughly
to scold severely
for CAT. The tricks
þ Syn. tell off, reproach, rebuke
@ In her newspaper articles she consistently upbraided those gi ven by fac ult ies
in authority who overstepped their limits. helped me a lot to
remember and recall
UPROARIOUS Adj.
marked by commotion, extremely funny, very noisy
the words. It was a
þ Syn. hilarious, a hoot, hysterical great experience being
@ The New Year’s party was an uproarious affair and a huge with PT. Thanks!
success.
(178) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

“V”
VACILLATE V. VANITY N.
to waver, to hesitate; to be uncertain what to do or to change pride, disdain, narcissism,
frequently between two opinions þ Syn. conceit, arrogance, egotism, airs
þ Syn. hesitate, dither, f luctuate ¬ Ant. humility, humbleness, meekness
¬ Ant. decide, choose, determine, elect @ The entire cosmetic industry survives because of vanity.
@ T h e v a c i l l a t i n g a t t i t u d e o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t o n P S U
privatisation will help no one.
VANQUISH
to conquer, defeat
VACUOUS Adj.
þ Syn. beat, annihi late
w i th n o me an i n g, s i l l y, va can t, n ot e xp re ss i n g or s ho w i ng
intelligent thought or purpose ¬ Ant. create, build
þ Syn. emptyheaded, stupid, inane @ Napoleon was vanquished by the E ngl ish at the Battl e of
Water l oo.
¬ Ant. bright, brilliant, intense, dazzling
@ Family planning and poverty reduction slogans are becoming
vacuous in our country. VAPID Adj.
dul l , a bsent mi nd ed, s i l l y, bor i ng; hav i ng n o i m agi na ti on or
excitement
VAGARY N.
þ Syn. insipid, lifeless, weak, watery, flat
oddity, whim, impulse, caprice
¬ Ant. lively, sparkling, vivacious
@ Vagaries of the monsoon still determine India’s fate.
@ Audiences will never listen to vapid presentations or talks.
VAGRANT Adj.
VARIEGATED Adj. , VARIEGATION Adj.
wandering, gypsy, nomadic, a person who is poor and does not
have a home or job, Manycoloured; a pattern of different colours, especially yellow,
white or red, on the leaves of a plant
þ Syn. nomadic, itinerant, roaming
þ Syn. spotted, dappled, f lecked
@ Vagrants and drunks hang around the bars at the end of the
¬ Ant. uniform, identical, even, regular
s t re e t .
@ The gypsies wear variegated cl othes.
VAINGLORIOUS Adj.
boastful ; excessi vel y conceited VAUNTED Adj.
@ The actress turned out to be vainglori ous and arrogant in boasted; bragged; highly publicised
att i tud e. þ Syn. flaunt, brag, extol
@ The muchvaunted movi e f ail ed to get even a decent first
VA LIDA TE week collection.
to authorise, certify, confirm

VEER V.
þ Syn. substanti ate, authenticate
change in direction
¬ Ant. invali date, reject
@ The employee validated my guest pass so that I could enter þ Syn. turn, swerve, change direction
the park for free. @ Manic depressives may veer back and forth between periods
of manic behaviour and normality.
VALOUR N.
b r av e r y VEGETATE V.
@ Rani Lakshmi Bai’s valour in the battle against the British has live in a monotonous way, to live in a way that lacks physical and
gone down in history. mental activity
þ Syn. sit around, stagnate, loaf, kill time
@ A rep ort ha s s how n t hat ch i l d ren sp end to o m uch ti me
VAMPIRE N.
vegetating in front of the TV when they come home from
ghostly being that sucks the blood of living beings school .
þ Syn. leech, parasite, tick, mosquito
@ The most famous vampire is Count Dracula of Transylvania in VEHEMENCE N. , VEHEMENT N.
the stories of Bram Stoker.
forceful way; f ierce, furious
þ Syn. intensity, fervour, vi olence
VANGUARD N.
¬ Ant. indi fference, unresponsiveness, apathy, unconcern
forerunners; advance forces, esp. an army or figuratively, who
are making changes or developments @ The vehemence of the Narmada Bachao Andolan took the
government by surprise.
þ Syn. frontl ine, precursor, f orerunner
@ Our environment group has always been in the vanguard of
all movements related to environment and ecology.
IC : PTpntvb01 (179) of (188)
VEHEMENTLY VERACIOUS Adj. VERACITY N.
strongl y, urgently truthf ul, legiti mate, factual; truthf ulness
þ Syn. forcef ully, frantically þ Syn. trustw orthy
¬ Ant. in a laidback manner, impassively ¬ Ant. deceitful, dishonest, lying
@ Ritika vehemently denied the accusation that she had cheated @ She proposed hi s name f or the promotion because of hi s
in the test. v erac i ty.
VENAL Adj. VERBA TIM Adj.

who will take a bribe, fraudulent, evil word for word, using exactly the same words as were originally
@ The w hol e o f the go vernmen t machi nery has appare ntl y us ed
become venal. þ Syn. precisely, l iterally, accurately
¬ Ant. approxi mately, around, nearly
VENDETTA N. @ He kept verbatim transcripts of discussions with his friends
private quarrel between families so he could use them in his next novel.
þ Syn. quarrel, dispute, hostilities
@ He saw himself as the victim of a personal vendetta being VERBIAGE N.
waged by his political enemies. l an g ua ge w h i ch i s v e ry co m pl i c a te d a n d co n ta i ns a l o t o f
unnecessary words
VENEER N. @ His explanation was wrapped up in so much technical verbiage
that I simply couldn’t understand it.
thin layer, cover; a thin layer of decorative wood or plastic used
to cover a cheaper material
þ Syn. facing, finish, surface, layer VERBOSE Adj.
@ Lamination gave it a fine veneer. using more words than necessary
@ She managed to hide her corrupt dealings under a veneer of þ Syn. wordy, effusive, loquaci ous
respectabi li ty. ¬ Ant. taciturn, reti cent, reserved
@ He w as notorious for bei ng a verbose and rather tedi ous
VENERABLE Adj. VENERATE V. afterdi nner speaker.
deserving high respect (due to age or wisdom)
þ Syn. renowned, honoured, eminent VERDANT
¬ Ant. disreputabl e, di shonourable green with vegetation, inexperienced
@ He w as a ve nerabl e man, mu ch soug ht af ter by var i ous þ Syn. grassy, flourishing
compani es. ¬ Ant. experienced, barren
@ He w and ered dee p i nt o th e ve rdan t w oo ds i n se arch of
VENERATION mushrooms and edible flora.
adoration, honour
þ Syn. reverence, respect VERIFIED
¬ Ant. insult, disdain proven true
@ In traditional Indian society, the young treat their elders with þ Syn. substantiated, confirmed
ven erati on. ¬ Ant. refuted, deni ed
@ Before you publish that information, please have it verified
VENIAL Adj. by the right authority.
forgivable, trivial, not serious and therefore easily forgivable
@ T h e o r t h od o x y, n a r r ow m i n de d n e s s a n d r i g i d i t y o f t h e VERISIMILITUDE N. VERISIMILAR Adj.
illiterates are venial but what about the literates? appearance of being true, likelihood
@ She has included photographs and reproductions of letters in
VENOM N. the book to lend verisimilitude to her storytelling.
poison, toxin, bane, acrimony, ill will, malice; a poisonous liquid
which some snakes, insects, etc. produce when biting or stinging VERITABLE Adj. VERITY N.
þ Syn. poison, toxin, bane, malice, spite actual; not false or imaginary
¬ Ant. antidote, cure, remedy, solution @ On stage, she is a veritable actress, dazzling the audience
@ A vacci ne has been created for people who are allergic to with her performance.
bee stings, which uses the venom extracted from bees.
VERMIN
VENT N. small creatures offensive to humans, worthless person
small opening, outlet; a small opening which allows air, smoke or þ Syn. obnoxious person, the hoi polloi
gas to enter or escape from an enclosed space @ Neeti called the exterminator to fumigate her vermin infested
þ Syn. expel, voice, emit, utter, declare apartment.
¬ Ant. repress, stifle, restrain, constrain
@ The closed vent in the cellar caused humidity.
(180) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

VERNACULAR N., Adj. VIABLE
li vi ng l anguage, natural style; the form of a language that a workable, able to succeed or grow
regional group of speakers use naturally þ Syn. feasible, possible
þ Syn. dialect, language, lingo, argot ¬ Ant. impracticable, improbable
@ His lively vernacular style goes down well with the younger @ I don't thi nk your pl an to increase sal es by sendi ng f ree
vi ew ers. samples to every household is viable.
VERNAL VICARIOUS Adj.

related to spring indirectly felt; experienced by watching, listening to or reading
¬ Ant. autumnal about the activities of other people.
@ Bindu basked in the balmy vernal breeze, happy that winter þ Syn. explicit, shocking, vivid, juicy
was at last coming to an end. ¬ Ant. bland, insipid, weak, tasteless
@ They get a vicarious thrill from watching motor racing.
VERSATILE
adaptable, al lpurpose VICIOUS Adj.
þ Syn. flexible, multifaceted evil, wild, violent, fierce, having or showing an intention or desire
¬ Ant. rigid, limited to hurt very badly
@ This versatile little gadget can be used to dice vegetables, þ Syn. ferocious, inhuman, sadistic
open cans, and even whip cream! ¬ Ant. cheerful, friendly, kind, happy
@ A life of vice has a vicious end.
VERVE N.
enthusiasm, liveli ness, great energy VICISSITUDE N.
þ Syn. vitality, energy, vigour, dash, life variation in luck, change of fortune
¬ Ant. lethargy, weari ness, tiredness @ V i c i s s i t u d e t u r n s s o m e t o d u s t a n d o t h e r s t o m e n o f
@ Her lectures were full of verve and wit which the students determi nati on.
enjoyed i mmensely.
VIE V.
VESTIGE N. contend; compete
trace, remains, shadow; a still existing small part or amount of þ Syn. contest, fight, grapple
something larger
@ It is amusing to watch the antics of some stars as they vie for
þ Syn. mark, indication, hint, evidence attenti on.
@ There is no vestige of hope that the missing children will be
found alive.
VIGILANT
attenti ve, w atchful
VETO V. to reject formally N. – rejection, dismissal
þ Syn. observant, alert
þ Syn. deny, turn down
¬ Ant. negligent, inattentive
¬ Ant. approval, authori sati on
@ Air traffic controllers must be vigilant in order to ensure that
@ Fearful that the new law would be used to reduce her powers, planes do not collide with one another.
the president vetoed it.
VIGNETTE N.
VEX N.
picture; short literary sketch
annoy; distress
@ The star of yesteryears stil l looked stunning in her l atest
þ Syn. irritate, enrage, nettle vi gne tt e.
¬ Ant. placate, mollify, appease
@ You will vex the teacher if you keep talking in the class.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . ve rb os e a . capable of living

2 . vernacul ar b . ann oy
3 . ve sti ge c . last trace
4 . v e x d . w ordy
5 . viabl e e . slang
5 .(a ) 4 . (b ) 3 . (c ) 2 . ( e ) 1 . (d )
IC : PTpntvb01 (181) of (188)

VILE Adj. VIRULENCE N. VIRULENT Adj.
extremely unpleasant, wicked, wretched, evil great strength; extremel y poisonous
þ Syn. depraved, base, degraded, foul @ As a virulent critic of the ruling party, he has made himself
¬ Ant. high quality, superior, excellent very unpopular in certain circles.
@ He is a man of vile intentions.
VISAGE N.
VILIFY V. VILIFICATION N. appearance, expressi on, aspect, the face
slander; to say or write unpleasant things about (someone or þ Syn. f eatures, f acade
something) @ His stern visage concealed a soft and loving heart.
þ Syn. speak ill of, malign, denigrate
¬ Ant. compliment, praise, tribute VISCERAL Adj.
@ During elections, the candidates are busy vilifying each other felt in one’s inner organs; based on deep feeling and emotional
in order to grab votes. reactions rather than on reason or thought
þ Syn. intuitive, animal, primeval, gut
VIM ¬ Ant. factual, accurate, reali stic
energy, enthusiasm @ The infection seems to be visceral.
þ Syn. verve, vi gour
¬ Ant. inability, incapacity VISCOUS
@ The sprightly old woman, still full of vim and vigour, walked thick, syrupy, and sticky
four miles every day. þ Syn. viscid, gluey
¬ Ant. watery, freeflow ing
VINDICATE V. @ The viscous sap trickled slowly down the trunk of the tree.
to justif y, maintain, warrant, argue, to show to be free from
guilt or blame
VITIATE V.
þ Syn. claim, exonerate, defend, prove
spoil the effect of; make inoperative
@ The CE O’s f ai th i n hi s manager w as vi ndi cated af ter the
Our economic growth has been vitiated by the rise in population.
stupendous success of the new marketing plan.
VINDICATION VITREOUS Adj.
clearance from blame or suspicion, proof of truth like glass
þ Syn. amnesty, absolution @ The bizarre stone is vitreous in structure.
¬ Ant. conviction, condemnation

@ Many years af ter he w as unjustly accused of treason, the VITRIOLIC Adj.
new evidence provided ample vindication of his innocence. very vi olent, rude, caustic
þ Syn. spiteful, hurtful , acerbic, bitter
VINDICTIVE Adj. ¬ Ant. kind, type, style, sort, class
wanting to take revenge, spitef ul, revengef ul, @ He launched a vitriolic attack on the prime minister, accusing
þ Syn. malicious, bitter, mean him of shielding corrupt friends.
¬ Ant. forgiving, compassionate, kind

@ In the film ‘Cape Fear,’ a lawyer’s family is threatened by a VITUPERATE
vindictive former prisoner. to abuse verbally
þ Syn. berate, condemn
VINTAGE N. ¬ Ant. praise, laud
old, antique; group of things or people active during the same @ The crabby old man vituperated his wife for forgetting to buy
particular period; the wine made in a particular year his favourite breakfast cereal.
þ Syn. period, age, epoch, traditional
@ He possesses both vintage cars and vintage wine. VITUPERATION N. VITUPERATIVE Adj.
abuse, insulting words; abusive, scolding
VIRILE Adj. , VIRILITY Adj. @ When his proposal was rejected by the committee, he became
manly, mascul ine, stalw art; strength (of a man, esp. a young more vituperative.
man)
@ In this role, Shahrukh is a virile tycoon bent on having his VIVACIOUS Adj.
w a y. lively, scintillating, attractively full of energy and enthusiasm
þ Syn. cheerful, spirited, chirpy
VIRTUOSO N. ¬ Ant. relaxed, leisurely, lazy, lethargic
person skilled in an art, expert, master @ Apart from being beautiful and savvy, an aspirant to beauty
þ Syn. genius, performer, maestro contests should be vivacious.
@ Famous mainly for his wonderful voice, Kishore Kumar was
also a virtuoso performer on screen and on stage.
(182) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

VIVID Adj. VOLLEY
impressive, expressive, very brightly coloured; (of descriptions, flight of missiles, round of gunshots
memories, etc.) producing very clear, powerful and detailed images þ Syn. torrent, barrage
in the mind
@ The troops fired a volley at the enemy, but they could not be
þ Syn. bright, glowing, brilliant sure how many of the bullets found their targets.
¬ Ant. boring, dark, stupid, tedious
@ The leader of the Antarctica expedition gave vivid descriptions VOLUBLE N.
of the trip.
who speaks easily with a lot of words
þ Syn. fl uent, articulate, verbose
VIXEN N.
@ Only voluble comperes can be successful in TV talk shows .
female fox, illtempered woman
@ It is surprising that such a knowledgable, sober, intelligent
woman in the office can turn into a vixen at home. VOLUMINOUS
large, having great volume
VOCIFEROUS Adj. þ Syn. sizeable, immense
clamorous, noisy, repeatedly expressing opinions and complaints ¬ Ant. tiny, tightfitting
in speech @ The bride's voluminous dress trailed several yards behind her
þ Syn. voluble, enthusiastic, noisy as she walked down the aisle.
¬ Ant. quiet, calm, silence, hush, peace

VORACIOUS Adj.
@ Local activist groups have become increasingly vociferous as
the volume of traffic passing through the village has grown. greedy, gluttonous, hungry
þ Syn. avi d, big, hungry, ravenous
VOGUE N. @ Usually, voracious readers find it easy to clear CAT.
fashion, populari ty, craze
þ Syn. trend, rage, mode, fad, style VORTEX N.
@ Body piercing is out of vogue these days. whirlwind, whirlpool, centre of turbulence, predicament into which
one is inexorably plunged
þ Syn. eddy, whirlpool, current
VOID
@ The vortex of a tornado tends to be very calm.
emptiness, vacuum
þ Syn. empty space, blankness
¬ Ant. filled up, stuffed VULNERABLE Adj.
@ The astronauts released their shuttle's ancillary rockets and weak, unprotected; physically, emotionally or mentally hurt easily;

watched them drift off into the void. infl uenced or attacked
þ Syn. susceptibl e, weak, defenseless
VOLITION N. ¬ Ant. impervious, impermeable, solid
wish, initiative, ambition, the power to make your own decisions @ The troops were in a vulnerable position, completely exposed

to attack from the air.
þ Syn. decision, desi re, preference
¬ Ant. compulsion, bullying, cruelty
VYING Adj.
@ The minister wished it to be known that he had left the cabinet
of his own volition. rival, competing, opposing
@ MNCs are vying for the mega projects in our country.
Mini Re vision Test
1 . vi cari ous a . upheaval

2 . vi cissitude b . clear from suspicion
3 . vil ify c . seeki ng revenge
4 . vindi cate d . defame
5 . vi ndi cti ve e . experienced through
an oth er
5 . (c ) 4 . (b ) 3 . (d ) 2 . ( a ) 1 . ( e )
IC : PTpntvb01 (183) of (188)

“W”, “X”, “Y” and “Z”
W
WANGLE V.
wiggle out, fake, achieve by trickery
þ Syn. contrive, mani pulate, devise
WAFFLE N.
@ Th e st ud en ts de ci de d ei t he r to w a ng l e a n i nv i t at i o n or
to talk or write a lot without giving any useful information or any
gatecrash the New Year’s party.
clear answers
þ Syn. gobbledygook, rubbish
WANTON Adj.
@ The Presi dent has been w af f l i ng on thi s i ssue, probabl y
because he is still uncertain about what to do. unrestrained, wilfully malicious, unchaste
þ Syn. gratuitous, reckless, wilful
WAFT V. ¬ Ant. justifi ed, correct, acceptable
to carry or f loat gentl y or l ightl y through the ai r or over the @ He spends whatever he earns in a wanton manner.
w ater
þ Syn. drift, float, fan, blow, breath WARRANT V. WARRANTED Adj.
@ Sounds wafting across the lake create a romantic feeling. justify, authorise; to make (a particular activity) necessary
þ Syn. merit, deserve, demand, justify
WAGGISH Adj. @ The responsibility of the post warrants my twentyfour hour
mischievous; humorous; tricky readiness for the job.
þ Syn. roguish, playful, comical
@ His waggish attitude lands him in trouble with the authorities. WARRA NTY
guarantee of a product's soundness
WAIF N. þ Syn. assurance, promise
homeless child or animal; a child or animal which does not receive @ I can't believe that the warranty on this car ran out two days
enough care before it broke down.
þ Syn. stray, soul, thing, urchin, orphan
@ The hostel is designed to give a bed for the night to homeless WARY Adj.
people and other waifs and strays. very cautious, not completely trusting or certain about something
or someone
WAIVE V. þ Syn. cautious, distrustful, guarded
to give up a claim to, postpone, delay; to not demand (something ¬ Ant. slapdash, casual, uncaring
you have a right to) @ She's been a bit wary of dogs ever since one bi t her as a
þ Syn. surrender, give up, put aside chi ld.
¬ Ant. put into effect, implement, inflict
@ They have waived the fine in view of your past record. WASTREL N.
profligate, one who does nothing positive with one’s life
WALLOW V. þ Syn. spendthrift, compulsive shopper
roll in, indulge in, become helpless; to lie or roll about slowly in @ His son turned to be a wastrel who drank and gambled away
deep wet earth, sand or water the family fortune.
þ Syn. flounder, stumble, lurch, stagger
@ I wallowed through the muddy ravine up to the hill. WAX V.
increase, grow
WAN Adj. þ Syn. polish, shine, buff, increase
pale, colourless, sickly; (of a person's face) paler than usual and @ Due to her hardwork and zeal, her career was always waxing.
tiredlooking
þ Syn. pallid, ashen, feeble, weak WAYLAY V.
@ He would remember the child's wan face at the window, waving ambush, lie in wait
at him. þ Syn. accost, intercept, surprise, stop
@ The underworld mafia of Mumbai can waylay and kill anybody
WANE V. anyti me.
grow gradually smaller, weaken in strength or influence
þ Syn. diminish, get smaller, disappear WA YWA RD
¬ Ant. shi ne, buf f, expand, enl arge errati c, unrestrained, reckless
@ By the late seventies the band's popularity was beginning to þ Syn. wilful, unmanageable
w an e. ¬ Ant. wellbehaved, docile
@ Mr. Sharma’s wayw ard son squandered hi s inheri tance and
got into trouble with the law.
(184) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01
WEAN V. WILFUL Adj.
accustom a baby not to nurse, give up a cherished activity intentional, headstrong; determined to do exactly as one wants,
@ She decided to wean herself away from the habit of taking even if it is known to be wrong
tea frequently. þ Syn. stubborn, obstinate, unruly
¬ Ant. instinctive, spontaneous, refl ex
WEATHER V. @ The present crisis is the result of years of wilful neglect by
endure the effects of weather or other forces, the conditions in the council.
the air above the Earth such as wind, rain or temperature
þ Syn. climate, conditions, withstand WILY Adj.
@ He has learnt to weather the vagaries of both climate and fortune. cunning, artful; (of a person) clever
þ Syn. crafty, sl y, devious
WELTER N. ¬ Ant. open, unlock, begin, start
turmoil, bewildering jumble; a large and esp. not well organised @ In money matters, she is very wily.
number (of things)
þ Syn. flurry, jumble, mass, confusion WINCE V.
@ The welter of complicated process and paperwork precludes shrink back, flinch, to show pain briefly and suddenly in the face
high collection of income tax revenues.
þ Syn. flinch, cringe, start, make a face
@ It makes me wince even thinking about eye operations.
WHEEDLE V.
cajole, coax, deceive by flattery; to try to persuade (someone)
to do (something) by praising them or being intentionally charming WINDFALL N.
þ Syn. inveigle, charm, persuade, talk fallen fruit, unexpected lucky event
@ She’s one of those children who can wheedle you into giving þ Syn. bonus, boon, extra, premium
her anything she wants. @ The inheritance was a windfall for him.
WHELP N. WINNOW V.

young of a carnivorous animal like a wolf, dog, tiger etc. sift, separate good parts from bad
@ It will be very difficult to look after the whelp as a pet. @ After several rounds of talks, they winnowed down the list of
candidates to three.
WHET V.
sharpen, excite, stimul ate, arouse WINSOME Adj.
þ Syn. sharpen, file, increase, arouse agreeable, gracious, engaging; (esp. of people) attractive and
pleasing
@ I read a brief extract of his new novel on the train and it has
whetted my appetite for the book. þ Syn. charming, pleasant, endearing
¬ Ant. repellant, disgusting, revolting
WHIFF N. @ By his winsome approach, he made friends wherever he went.
puff or gust of air, scent etc., hint, a brief smell, carried on a
current of air WISPY Adj.
þ Syn. smell, aroma, scent, hint, trace thin, slight, barely discernible
@ He starts working as a detective on the slightest whiff of a þ Syn. f eathery, fi ne
myst ery. @ Her wispy hair was all ruffled in the wind.
WHIMSICAL Adj. WHIMSY N. WISTFUL Adj.

capricious, fanciful; unusual and strange in a way that might be vaguely longing, sadly pensive
amusing or annoying
þ Syn. melancholy, refl ective
þ Syn. fanciful, capricious, unusual
¬ Ant. satisfied, content, pleased
@ He was a whimsical guy, constantly changing his priorities in life.
@ As his granddaughter talked about her life in the theatre, he
began to grow wistful about his own days as an actor.
WHIT N.
smallest speck WITHER V.
þ Syn. scrap, speck, shred shrivel, decay; (to cause) to become weak and dry and decay
¬ Ant. overabundance, profusi on þ Syn. wilt, shrink, droop, fade
@ His absence didn’t make a whit of difference to the group. ¬ Ant. bloom, blossom, flower, flourish
@ Plants can wither both in strong sunlight and with excessive
WHITTLE V. w ateri ng.
cut of f bits; to make ( somethi ng) out of a piece of w ood by
cutting off small thin pieces
þ Syn. carve, cut, shape, fashion
@ He whittled a piece from the bark of the tree.
IC : PTpntvb01 (185) of (188)

WITHHOLD V. WONT N.
refuse to give; hold back custom, practice, habit
þ Syn. stop, retain, hide þ Syn. accustomed, inclined, routine
¬ Ant. give in, divulge @ The voters are wont to change their mind at the last minute.
@ We decided to withhold the wages till the workers completed
their assigned tasks. WOO V.
lure, solicit; to attempt to obtain the support of (someone) by
WITLESS Adj. persuasi on
foolish, idiotic, stupid or lacking intelligence þ Syn. court, enti ce, pursue, flatter
þ Syn. pointless, unintelligent, clueless ¬ Ant. di shearten, dissuade, deter
@ His witless statements show that he is a foolish man. @ The party has been trying to woo the voters with promises of
electoral reform.
WITTICISM N.
witty saying, facetious remark, a remark that is both clever and WRANGLE N.
humorous argument; dispute (esp. one which continues for a long period of
þ Syn. quip, joke, clever remark time)
@ The best man’s speech contained all sorts of witticisms about þ Syn. argue, dispute, quarrel, battle
the bridegroom. @ The joint venture ended in a legal wrangle between the two
compani es.
WIZARDRY N.
sorcery, magi c; the skil l of a w i zard or fi gurativel y cl ever or WRATH N.
surprising ways of doing things great anger
@ Using their new hightech wizardry, the police were able to þ Syn. rage, fury
locate the owners of the stolen property within hours. @ He incurred the wrath of many people in the acting world by
saying there was a marked lack of talented young actors.
WIZENED Adj.
dried up, shrivelled, withered WREAK V.
þ Syn. wrinkled, lined, aged inf lict, to cause (something) to happen in a viol ent and of ten
¬ Ant. smooth, flat, soft, charming uncontrolled way
@ Even at 70, he has not wizened. þ Syn. cause, do, inflict
@ I knew he would wreak his vengeance when he was out of the
prison.
WOEFUL Adj. WOE N.
mournful, pathetic, melancholy; very bad or (of something bad
or unpleasant) very great or extreme WRENCH V.
þ Syn. unhappy, doleful, sorrowful to twist or pull with force, take by violence
¬ Ant. cheerful, happy, jolly, smiling þ Syn. pull, tug, jerk, twist, seize, snatch
@ When I saw her woeful face, I knew she had bad news. @ His hands had been tied behind his back but he managed to
wrench one hand free and untie himself.
A n a t o m y
a bo ve .
A MB ULA TORY : able to walk or move about

DEGLUTITION : the act or process of swallowing food
HYPERTROPHY : abnormally large growth of a bodily organ
INCONTINENCE : the inability to control one’s bodily urges and functions
LACUNA : cavity, hole or gap in a bone (or in a plan’s cellular tissue
or a rock)
MANDIBLE : the principle bone of the lower jaw
SOMA TIC : pertaining to the body
TUMOR : a swell ing of a part of body, caused by an abnormal
growth of tissue
ULCER : an open sore on body (internal or external) caused by
break in skin or mucous membrane
VESICLE : any fluidfilled sac in the body
(186) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

WRIT N.
legal paper ordering people to do or not to do something; citation, YEN N.
w arr ant desire, appetite, craving, Japanese currency, a feeling of intense
þ Syn. summons, injunction desire
@ There have been at least seven writs issued against him for þ Syn. urge, desire, craving, hankering
late payment of bills. @ I have a yen for mountains and snow.
WRITHE V. YELP – shriek, cry out with pain

to distort the body, twitch, contort in pain þ Syn. screech, squeal
þ Syn. squirm, wriggle, struggle, thrash @ When the dog was hit with a large stone, it yelped in pain.
@ She writhed at the thought of the horrific scene.
YEOMAN N.
WRY Adj. farmer wi th his own land; a man who w as not a servant and
twisted, with a humorous twist; showing that you find a bad or owned and cultivated an area of land
difficult situation slightly amusing @ He was no slave but an yeoman, humble despite his riches.
þ Syn. ironic, cynical, sardonic, dry
@ The captain had a wry smile on his face as the team caved in YOKE V.
yet again despite his brilliant individual performance.
joi n together, uni te, a wooden bar whi ch is fastened over the
necks of two animals
X þ Syn. repression, oppression, burden

@ All these dif ferent pol iti cal elements have somehow been
XENOPHOBIA N. yoked together to form a new alliance.
di sl i ke and hatred for f orei gners; extreme di sli ke or f ear of
foreigners, their customs, their religions etc. YOKEL N.
þ Syn. chauvinism, racism country bumpkin, a stupid or awkward person who lives in the
¬ Ant. broadmi ndedness, acceptance countryside rather than a town
@ Xenophobic tendencies of the locals were well exploited by þ Syn. Oaf, lout boor
the politicians. @ In his school days his classmates took him to be a yokel.
XYLOGRAPHY YORE N.

wood engraving, especially of an early period time past, of a long time ago
@ In the modern era of computerisation, xylography is becoming @ Homer’s Iliad is an epic of the yore.
exti nct.
XYLOPHONE N.
a musical instrument consisting of flat wooden bars of different
Z
ZANY Adj.
lengths hit with a pair of sticks
absurd, preposterous, mad, crazy
@ He plays the xylophone beauti fully.
þ Syn. madcap, wacky, screwball
@ Many consider time travel to be a zany idea.
Y ZEALOT N.
YACHT N.
enthusi ast, f anatic, crusader, a person who has very strong
sailing boat, cruiser, craft, vessel, a boat with sails and sometimes
opinions about something and tries to make other people have
an engine
them too
þ Syn. ship, cruiser, dinghy, f erry, craft
þ Syn. supporter, bel iever, advocate
@ More than 800 yachts from 26 classes are racing at Cowes ¬ Ant. scepti c, cynic, doubter
this year.
@ The irrational religious zealots have shunned all approaches
to peaceful talks.
YARD – backyard, workshop
þ Syn. courtyard, factory
ZEALOUS Adj.
@ After all the passengers had alighted, the train was moved to
fiery, loyal , enthusi astic, eager
the yard for cleaning and overhauling.
þ Syn. keen, passionate, extreme
¬ Ant. apathetic, uni nterested, droopy
YARN – thread used for weaving
@ He has remained a zealous supporter of the government's
þ Syn. strand, string
policies.
@ Sweaters are made from yarns of wool.
IC : PTpntvb01 (187) of (188)

ZENITH N. ZING N.
apex, acme, climax, crescendo, peak spi rit, sparkle, li veli ness, vi gour, energy, a qual ity that makes
þ Syn. peak, summit, pinnacle, top something interesting or exciting; enthusiasm or energy
¬ Ant. nadir, bottom þ Syn. vitality, dynamism, vigour
@ The newspaper reached its zenith in the 1960s but has since ¬ Ant. apathy, l ethargy, l aziness, ennui
decli ned. @ A bit of lemon juice will add zing to the sauce.
ZEPHYR N. ZILCH N.

the west wind, a mild gentle wind or breeze zero, nothing, none, no
þ Syn. waft, gust, puff of air, draft þ Syn. zip, nil
@ The zephyr, they say, brings romance with it. @ Avarice and litigation reduced his business to zilch.
ZEST N. ZOOLOGIST – scientist who studies animals

enthusiasm, zeal, passion, thri ll, eagerness, energy, interest @ The zoologist spent much of his career studying the social
þ Syn. keenness, gusto, reli sh, appetite interaction among a group of chimpanzees.
¬ Ant. apathy, lethargy, boredom, ennui
@ After last week's defeat, the team seems to have recovered
some of its zest.
The SMS REMINDERS for EXAM NOTIFICATIONS
PT cares! Value added service for our PTzens. A unique SMS reminders for exam
notifications (SREN) service where registered students will receive around 100 SMSs
on issues like exam notifications, last dates for filling up application forms, exam
reminders etc. related to MBA Entrance Tests.
The process for the students to use this facility will be :
1. The st udent will regist er fo r t his facilit y t hr ough a link pro vided on
www.PTeducation.com
2. He/she will update the mobile no. whenever it changes using this weblink itself
3. Students registering for SREN will automatically avail of this facility
All the best ... Kar ke dikhayenge!
P s ych olo gy
a bo ve .
ANACLITIC : dependent on another person

CA TAP LEXY : a sudden paralysis of all voluntary movement, resulting
in a collapse of the entire body
CAPRICIOUS : given to sudden & unaccountable changes of mood or
behavi our
EMPA THY : the ability to partici pate i n another person’s feeli ngs
and experiences and to understand them
EUPHORIA : a feeling of wellbeing happiness.
G ESTA LT : uni f ied whole, especi al l y the human psyche, having
properties distinct from the sum of its parts
LUDIC : pertaining to play and playful curiosity
PLACEBO : a treatment that has no effect expect in the patient’s
own mind
SUB LIMATE : to express repressed desires or wishes in acceptable
forms
SURROGA TE : a substitute
(188) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

Pinnacle Vital - Vocabulary Development Book

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Pinnacle Vital - Vocabulary Development Book

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

CONTENTS

Alphabetical Wordlist ................................................................................................ 10 – 188

(2) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

A few words ...

IC : PTpntvb01 (3) of (188)

Q. What kind of words am I not likely to find in the test? Vibhav Singh

(4) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

IC : PTpntvb01 (5) of (188)

Some innovative (but time consuming!)

(6) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

IC : PTpntvb01 (7) of (188)

Using a card system

Great vocabulary learning tips

(8) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

IC : PTpntvb01 (9) of (188)

(10) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

IC : PTpntvb01 (11) of (188)

ABOMINABLE Adj. ABOMINATE V. ABSTAIN V., abstinence N.

ABORT V. A B STRA CT

ABRASIVE Adj. ABRASION N. ABRADE V. A BSTRUSE

ABRIDGE ABUNDANT Adj.

AB ROGA TE ABUT V.

(12) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ACCENT N. ACCOUTREMENT N.

ACRIMONIOUS Adj. ACRIMONY N. ACUTE

ACROBAT N. ADA GE

Mini Re vision Test

Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column.

1 . abdicate a . theoreti cal

Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test

(14) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ADDUCE V. ADMONISH

ADIEU N. A DROIT

ADIPOSE Adj. ADULA TION

IC : PTpntvb01 (15) of (188)

ADVENTITIOUS Adj. AFFECT V.

@ We made the paper airplane more aerodynamic by folding the @ Aficionados of chocolates can be found anywhere.

(16) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

IC : PTpntvb01 (17) of (188)

A LIA S ALLEY N.

ALIENATE V. ALLIGATOR N.

ALOOF Adv. AMAZEMENT N. AMAZE V.

IC : PTpntvb01 (19) of (188)

(20) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ANACHRONISM N. ANACHRONISTIC Adj. þ Syn. attach, new scaster, presenter

out of the present time or age, something or someone misplaced ¬ Ant. unfasten, undo, di sengage

Mini Re vision Test

Match each word in the first column with its meaning in the second column.

1 . antithesis a . mysteri ous

Answer Key ­ Mini Revision Test

IC : PTpntvb01 (21) of (188)

ANIMADVERSION N. ANNUL

(22) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ANTHOLOGY N. ANTIQUITY

IC : PTpntvb01 (23) of (188)

(24) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

A QUA TIC ¬ Ant. modern, updated

þ Syn. marine, maritime

IC : PTpntvb01 (25) of (188)

A RDUOUS ARRAIGN V.

ARMAGEDDON N. þ Syn. eloquent, cogent, assert

(26) of (188) IC : PTpntvb01

ARTLESS Adj. ASPERSION N. ASPERSE V.

Answer Key Mini Revision Test

Answer Key Mini Revision Test

Answer Key Mini Revision Test

Answer Key Mini Revision Test

Answer Key Mini Revision Tes

Answer Key Mini Revision Test