2012.9.17 TOEFL Words

punctilious /ˌpʌŋkˈtɪlijəs/ adjective

[more punctilious; most punctilious] formal : very careful about behaving properly and doing things in a correct and accurate way
▪ She's very punctilious about grammar.  

▪ a punctilious [=meticulous] caretaker

— punctiliously adverb
▪ They do their jobs punctiliously.

— punctiliousness noun [noncount]

imbecile /ˈɪmbəsəl, Brit ˈɪmbəˌsi:l/ noun

plural imbeciles

[count] : a very stupid person : an idiot or fool
▪ He drank too much and started acting like a complete imbecile.

— imbecile or imbecilic /ˌɪmbəˈsɪlɪk/ adjective [more imbecile; most imbecile]
▪ imbecilic behavior

— imbecility /ˌɪmbəˈsɪləti/ noun, plural imbecilities
[noncount] ▪ the imbecility of his behavior 

[count] ▪ He was repeating all his usual imbecilities about politics.

rebuke /rɪˈbju:k/ verb

rebukes ; rebuked ; rebuking

[+ obj] formal : to speak in an angry and critical way to (someone) — often + for  

▪ She was rebuked [=reprimanded] for being late. 

▪ The boss rebuked us for talking too much.

— rebuke noun, plural rebukes [count]
▪ He was stunned by the harsh rebuke from his father.

facile /ˈfæsəl, Brit ˈfæsaɪl/ adjective

[more facile; most facile] formal 1 disapproving : too simple : not showing enough thought or effort
▪ a facile explanation 

▪ This problem needs more than just a facile solution.

2 always used before a noun, disapproving : done or achieved in a way that is too easy
▪ a facile [=effortless] victory

3 always used before a noun, chiefly US, approving : working, moving, or performing well and very easily
▪ He is a wonderfully facile writer.

— facilely adverb

hardy /ˈhɑɚdi/ adjective

hardier; hardiest

1 : able to live through difficult conditions (such as a cold winter or a drought)
▪ a hardy rose  

▪ the hardiest plants/animals

2 : strong and able to accept difficult or unpleasant conditions
▪ Most of the soldiers were hardy young men.  

▪ Hardy fans stuck with the team through good times and bad.  

▪ Only the hardiest pilgrims made the journey.

— har·di·ness /ˈhɑɚdinəs/ noun [noncount]
▪ the hardiness of the rose 

▪ cattle bred for hardiness

penury /ˈpɛnjəri/ noun

[noncount] formal : the state of being very poor : extreme poverty
▪ struggling with penury  

▪ living in penury

 

venal /ˈvi:nəl/ adjective

[more venal; most venal] formal : willing to do dishonest things in return for money : corrupt
▪ a venal court official

— venality /vɪˈnæləti/ noun [noncount]

flit /ˈflɪt/ verb flits; flitted; flitting

[no obj] : to move or fly quickly from one place or thing to another
▪ butterflies flitting around the garden  

▪ The hummingbird flitted from flower to flower. 

 ▪ She was always flitting around the kitchen.  

▪ writers who flit [=bounce] from topic to topic

 

magnate /ˈmægˌneɪt/ noun

plural magnates

[count] : a person who has great wealth and power in a particular business or industry
▪ a railroad magnate

botch /ˈbɑ:tʃ/ verb botches; botched; botching

[+ obj] : to do (something) badly : to ruin (something) because of carelessness or a lack of skill
▪ The store botched the order—I received only half the books I paid for. 

▪ They clearly botched the investigation.  

▪ a botched robbery/experiment — sometimes + up  

▪ He really botched up [=messed up] the speech.

botch noun plural botches

[count] : a bad job : a poorly done piece of work
▪ a botch job  

▪ The plumbers made a botch of the pipes. [=the plumbers did a poor job with the pipes]

citadel /ˈsɪtədl̟/ noun

plural citadels

[count] : a castle or fort that in past times was used to protect the people of a city if the city was attacked
▪ We visited a medieval citadel in Italy. — often used figuratively 

▪ The magazine has become a citadel [=stronghold] of liberalism/conservatism. 

▪ the citadels of power ◊In the U.S., The Citadel is the name of a well-known military college.

libidinous /ləˈbɪdənəs/ adjective

[more libidinous; most libidinous] formal : feeling or relating to strong sexual desires
▪ libidinous urges

mendicant /ˈmɛndɪkənt/ noun

plural mendicants

[count] formal : someone (such as a member of a religious group) who lives by asking people for money or food
▪ wandering mendicants

— mendicant adjective
▪ mendicant friars  

▪ a mendicant monk