
- •Intolerant not willing to accept ways of thinking different from one's own; cf. Tolerant; cf. Tolerate
- •Vain full of self-admiration; conceited; without result; unsuccessful; n. Vanity
- •Violate break (a law); defile; desecrate; assault sexually; Ex. Violate graves
- •Impoverish make poor; deprive of natural strength or something important; Ex. Impoverished soil
- •Indoctrinate cause to accept a doctrine without questioning it; Ex. Indoctrinated with mindless anti-communism
- •Inestimable impossible to estimate; (apprec) invaluable; of immeasurable worth
- •Intrigue make secret plans; plot; arouse the curiosity of; n: secret scheme; plot; secret love affair
- •Interjection exclamation; Ex. ``Ouch''
- •Inextricable from which it is impossible to get free; that cannot be untied; Ex. Inextricable troubles; Ex. Inextricable two histories
- •Impassioned (of speech) filled with passion; fervent
- •Vivid (of light or color) bright and distinct; evoking lifelike mental images; Ex. Vivid red hair/description
- •Vertebrate having a backbone or spinal column; n: group of animals having a segmented spinal column
- •Intermediary intermediate; acting as a mediator; n: mediator; go-between
- •Vulgar of the common people; deficient in refinement; not refined; coarse; Ex. Vulgar display of wealth; n. Vulgarism: vulgarity; crudely indecent word; cf. Vulgarian: vulgar person; boor; lout
- •Vile despicable; unpleasant; disgusting; Ex. Vile slander
- •Impersonal not being a person; not showing personal feelings; Ex. Impersonal force/manner/organization
- •Varnish paint used to coat a surface with a glossy film; glossy coating produced by using this substance; Ex. Nail varnish; V.
- •Interstice narrow space between things
- •Idle not working; not employed or busy; lazy; without purpose; useless; lacking substance; baseless; not based on truth; Ex. Idle worker; Ex. Talk idly; V.
- •Voluptuous sensual; of or giving sensual pleasure; indulging in sensual pleasures; Ex. Voluptuous lines; Ex. Voluptuous life of the Romans; n. Voluptuary: voluptuous person
- •Xenophobia fear or hatred of foreigners; n. Xenophobe
Intermediary intermediate; acting as a mediator; n: mediator; go-between
mediocre ordinary; commonplace; neither good nor bad
meditation reflection; thought; V. meditate
medium element that is a creature's natural environment; nutrient setting in which microorganisms are cultivated; appropriate occupation or means of expression; channel of communication; compromise; middle position between extremes; intervening substance through which something else is transmitted
medley mixture
meek submissive; patient and long-suffering
suitor man who is courting a woman
megalomania mania for doing grandiose things; mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or importance
melancholy gloomy; morose; blue; N. ADJ. melancholic; CF. melancholia
blue gloomy; depressed
melee fight
mellifluous (of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious; having a pleasant tune
memento token; reminder of the past; keepsake; Ex. memento of your visit
memorialize commemorate
memorial something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to honor the memory of a person or event; ADJ: commemorative
menagerie collection of wild animals on exhibition; zoo
mendacious lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity
mendicant beggar; ADJ: living as a beggar
alms money or goods given to the poor
menial suitable for servants; lowly; mean; N: someone who does menial work (esp. servant in a house)
mentor counselor; teacher
mercantile concerning trade or merchants
mercenary motivated solely by money or gain; N.
mercurial capricious; quick and changing; fickle; containing the element mercury; Ex. mercurial temper; CF. mood
quicksilver mercury
meretricious flashy; tawdry; attractive on the surface but of no real value; Ex. metericious argument/jewel; CF. prostitute
Vulgar of the common people; deficient in refinement; not refined; coarse; Ex. Vulgar display of wealth; n. Vulgarism: vulgarity; crudely indecent word; cf. Vulgarian: vulgar person; boor; lout
merger combination (of two business corporations); act of merging
mesmerize hypnotize; N. mesmerism; CF. Franz Mesmer
metallurgical pertaining to the art of removing metals from ores; N. metallurgy: science that deals with extracting metals from ores
metamorphosis change of form; Ex. metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly; V. metamorphose: change by metamorphosis
metaphor implied comparison; CF. simile
soar rise or fly high in the air; Ex. The rocket soared into the sky.
metaphysical pertaining to speculative philosophy; of metaphysics; N. metaphysics: branch of philosophy that examines the nature of reality
mete measure; distribute; administer; Ex. mete out justice/punishment
meteoric like a meteor; swift; momentarily brilliant; Ex. meteoric rise to fame; N. meteor
methodical systematic; N. method: systematic method of procedure
meticulous excessively careful (with great attention to detail); painstaking; scrupulous
metropolis large city
mettle courage (to continue bravely in spite of difficulties); spirit; ADJ. mettlesome
miasma swamp gas; heavy vaporous atmosphere often emanating from decaying matter; pervasive corrupting influence; noxious atmosphere or influence
swamp wetland; marsh; V: flood; overwhelm; drench in with liquid
microcosm small representative world; world in miniature; Ex. microcosm of English society
s miniature small model; small painting; ADJ: small
migrant changing its habitat; wandering; Ex. migrant birds/workers; N: one that migrates
migratory wandering; V. migrate: move from one region and settle in another; move periodically from one region to another
milieu social environment; means of expression; Ex. feel out of one's milieu; Ex. His proper milieu is watercolor.
militant combative; bellicose; N.
militate work against; Ex. militate against the chances of promotion; CF. serve as a soldier
militia army composed of ordinary citizens rather than professional soldiers
millennium thousand-year period (as in the New Testament); hoped-for period of happiness and prosperity
mimicry imitation
mime pantomime(act without dialogue); mimicry; mimer; V: mimic; pantomime
minatory menacing; threatening
mincing affectedly dainty(delicate); V. mince: cut (esp. meat) into very small pieces; walk with exaggerated primness; walk in an unnatural way, taking little short steps; Ex. The actor minced across the stage; CF. mincemeat; CF. mincer
dainty delicate; delicately beautiful; fastidious; not easy to please; Ex. dainty movement/dress
exquisite delicate; very finely made; extremely beautiful; Ex. exquisite piece of jewelry
choice delicate; of very fine quality
minion servile dependent; obsequious follower
minuscule(miniscule) extremely small
minute extremely small; CF. minutes: official record of the proceedings at a meeting
minutiae petty or trivial details; CF. minutia
mirage unreal reflection; optical illusion
mire entangle; stick in swampy ground; stick or sink in mire; N: bog; deep mud; Ex. sucked deeper into the mire
mirth merriment; laughter
misadventure mischance; ill luck; Ex. death by misadventure
misanthrope one who hates mankind; misanthropist