Toefl Vocabulary Q-R-S
Q
QUASH: To crush; to render void - quashed a rebellion; quashed an indictment.
Synonyms:suppress, extinguish, quell; annul
QUERULOUS: Given to fault-finding and complaining - Her querulous nature estranged many people.
Synonyms:fretful, whining, captious, carping, peevish, petulant
Antonym: affable
QUIXOTIC: Extravagantly romantic or idealistic; highly impractical - a quixotic scheme that can never materialize.
Synonyms:utopian, visionary, fantastic
R
RACONTEUR: A skilled storyteller - held spellbound by a superb raconteur.
RADICAL (noun): One who advocates extreme basic changes - The reform movement was led by a radical.
(adj.): Thorough, extreme - radical measures adopted to meet the emergency.
Antonym:(noun and adj.) conservative
RAMIFICATION: A branching; sub-division - studied the subject in all its ramifications.
RAZE: To tear down completely- razed the old building.
Synonyms:level
Antonym:rear
RECAPITULATE: To restate in a brief, concise form; to sum up - recapitulated the main ideas.
RECIPROCAL: Mutual; done in return for something received - held each other in reciprocal esteem.
RECUMBENT: Lying down; leaning back or down - resting in a recumbent position.
REDOLENT:
(1) Fragrant - a room redolent of roses.
Synonym: aromatic
(2) Reminiscent of - redolent of olden times.
REDOUBTABLE: Commanding fear or respect - cringing before a redoubtable enemy.
Synonym:formidable
REFUTE: To prove incorrect or false-refuted his opponent's argument.
Synonyms:rebut, confute
Antonyms: substantiate, confirm, corroborate
REITERATE: Repeat (several times) - reiterated his story once more.
REMUNERATIVE: Profitable - a remunerative job.
Synonyms: lucrative, gainful
RENEGADE: One who forsakes political or party principles or his religious faith - a renegade from his formerallegiance.
Synonyms: turncoat, apostate, recreant, traitor
REPRISAL: Injury inflicted in turn for one received - took action in reprisal against his neighbor.
Synonym: retaliation
RESENTMENT: Feeling of displeasure or indignation resulting from mistreatment or abuse - showed resentment at what he considered an unwarranted insult.
Synonyms: umbrage, dudgeon, animosity
RESILIENT: Elastic; light-hearted; possessing power of recovery - a resilient Spirit, refusing to admit defeat.
Synonyms: flexible, pliable, supple, limber
RESPITE:
(1) Temporary deferment or cessation of work or pain - a brief respite from labor.
Synonym: surcease
(2) A temporary delay in the execution of -a sentence - granted the doom man a temporary respite.
Synonym: reprieve
RETRIBUTION: The reward or punishment exacted for an injury, wickedness, or other action - suffered justretribution for his folly.
Synonyms: requital, nemesis
RETRIEVE:
(1) To make good -retrieved a mistake.
(2) To recover -retrieved the suitcase left at the station.
(3) To restore - retrieved his lost fortunes.
REVERBERATE: To echo - a shot reverberating through the valley.
Synonym: resound
RUDIMENTARY: In an early stage of development - possessing only a rudimentary, knowledge of physics.
Synonym: incipient
RUE (adj.: RUEFUL): To be sorry for-He will rue the day he left home.
Synonyms: regret, repent
S
SACROSANCT: Very holy - a shrine. regarded as sacrosanct.
Synonyms: consecrated, inviolable, hallowed
SAGACIOUS (noun: SAGACITY): Wise; shrewd - proved to be sagacious in his judgment.
Synonyms: perspicacious, astute, sapient, discerning, sage
SALLOW: Sick - a sallow complexion.
Synonym: pallid
Antonyms: rubicund, ruddy, florid
SALLY: (verb): To rush forth suddenly - sallied out to meet the enemy.
(noun): A Witty remark - amused the audience with his sallies against his opponent.
Synonyms: quip, banter
SANCTIMONIOUS: Pretending to be religious - showed his hypocrisy in a sanctimonious display of piety.
SANGUINARY: Bloody - a sanguinary battle.
Synonym: gory
SANGUINE: Of a hopeful disposition; blood-red in color - a perennial optimist, sanguine in temperament.
Synonyms: buoyant, ardent
SARTORIAL: Pertaining to a tailor or clothes - a picture of sartorial perfection.
SATELLITE:
(1) An attentive or flattering follower - a prince surrounded by many satellites.
Synonyms: lackey, toady, disciple, adherent; adj., fawning, obsequious, partisan
(2) A country influenced or controlled by another - Freedom is conspicuously absent ,in the Soviet satellites.
(3) A body (natural or artificial) which revolves around a larger body, generally a planet - The moon is the only natural satellite of the earth, but in recent years it has been joined by many artificial satellites.
SCINTILLA: A trace; a particle - not a scintilla of convincing evidence.
Synonyms: iota; vestige
SCOURGE (verb): To punish severely; to afflict; to whip - a disease that scourged the country.
Synonyms: excoriate, flay
(noun). A whip or other means of punishment; a cause of affliction - The Black Plague was a dreadful scourge of theMiddle Ages.
Synonym: tribulation
SCRUTINIZE: To examine carefully -scrutinized the contents of the letter.
SHIBBOLETH: A party slogan - a shibboleth designed to attract votes.
SIMPER (verb): To smile in a silly or affected way simpered as he greeted each guest.
(noun): An affected or silly smile - stood nervously, a simper on his face.
Synonym: (verb and noun) smirk
SINECURE: Employment entailing little or no responsibility or labor - His job was a sinecure.
SINISTER: Threatening or showing evil; dishonest - the sinisterlook of a gangster.
SLEAZY: Flimsy and cheap - sleazy cloth which is used only in cheap garments.
Synonym: unsubstantial
SLOVENLY: Untidy-severely criticized the student's slovenly appearance.
Synonyms: slipshod, slatternly, frowzy
SOPORIFIC: Tending to induce sleep - a poorly written novel, soporific in effect.
SORDID: Mean and base; filthy - Sordid motives breed selfish actions.
Synonyms: degraded, vile, ignoble
SOVEREIGN: Supreme m power and authority; independent of the control of any other government - possessing sovereign powers; a sovereign state.
Synonyms: autonomous, imperial, majestic, paramount
SPORADIC: Occurring singly, at irregular intervals; scattered - sporadic cases of illness.
SPURN: To refuse or reject with contempt - an offer that was spurned instantly.
Synonyms: repel, snub
STOIC: Indifferent, calm in bearing pain or pleasure; practising remarkable self-control over emotions - maintained a stoic attitude despite all his trials.
Synonyms: stolid, impassive
STRINGENT: Strict; compelling, constraining stringent regulations; stringent requirements.
Synonyms: exacting, rigid
Antonym: lax
STUPENDOUS: Amazing by, virtue of its immense size, force, or any quality in exceptional degree - The circus is a stupendous spectacle.
Synonyms: astounding, prodigious, monstrous, marvelous, colossal, awful
SUCCULENT: juicy - a succulent steak.
Antonyms; desiccated, vapid
SULTRY: Close, hot, and moist - sultry tropical weather.
SUPINE:
(1) Lying flat on the back - resting in a supine position.
Antonym: erect
(2) Inert, inactive, averse to taking action - a supine, ineffective administrator.
Synonyms: listless, torpid
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