4000 CPE Vocabulary List

n. any of various large, thick-skinned, hoofed mammals, as elephant
The elephant is probably the best-known pachyderm.

n. rubber or plastic nipple or teething ring for a baby to suck or chew on
Have you had to help a child break a pacifier or thumb habit?

n. one opposed to force; antimilitarist
Shooting his way through the jungle, Rambo was clearly not a pacifist.

v. ease the anger or agitation of; make calm or quiet; end war or violence
Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify them.

a. crowded to capacity; compressed
In our yard, the ground was covered with wet, heavily packed leaves.

n. song of praise or joy;  loud and joyous song; the song of triumph
At present, the same form of paean is employed at the beginning, and the end, whereas the end, should differ from the beginning.

n. one who worships false gods; idolater; person not adhering to any major or recognized religion
What did he mean by such a pagan idea? I had no intention of dying with him.

a. extremely careful and diligent work or effort; taking of pains
The truth is, I didn't want to have to call any parents, so by outlining everything in painstaking detail in my newsletters, I could avoid it.

a. acceptable; sufficiently agreeable in flavor to be eaten
Neither Jack's under-baked opinions nor his overcooked casseroles were palatable to Jill.

a. of nature of palace, as in spaciousness or ornateness
After living in a cramped studio apartment for years, Alicia thought the modest one-bedroom looked downright palatial.

n. board on which the painter mixes pigments
At present, art supply stores sell a paper palette that may be discarded after use.

n. manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing erased
The parchment, known as a palimpsest, contains the only known copies of some of Archimedes' works.

v. grow tiresome; have dulling, wearisome, or boring effect
The study of word lists can eventually pall and put one to sleep.

v. lessen the violence of disease; moderate intensity; gloss over with excuses
Not content merely to palliate the patient's sores and cankers, the researcher sought a means of wiping out the disease.

a. abnormally pale; lacking intensity of color or luminousness
Because his job required that he work at night and sleep during the day, he had an exceptionally pallid complexion.

a. tangible; easily perceptible; unmistakable
The patient's enlarged spleen was palpable: even the first-year medical student could feel it.

v. beat rapidly; shake with fast, tremulous movements
As he became excited, his heart began to palpitate more and more erratically.

a. insignificant; lacking in importance or worth; worthless
One hundred dollars for a genuine imitation Rolex watch! Lady, this is a paltry sum to pay for such a high-class piece of jewelry.

v. feed to the full; feed luxuriously; glut; indulge with rich food
As far as I've seen, they don't overly pamper the girls even though obviously they are privileged.

n. brochure; leaflet; a small book usually having a paper cover
Below you will find a 6-page pamphlet meant as a public service to help educate bloggers about this growing problem.