porous
a. full of pores; able to absorb fluids; full of tiny pores that allow fluids or gasses to pass through |
posterity
n. descendants collectively; the race that proceeds from a progenitor; future generations |
posture
n. position or arrangement of the body and its limbs |
precarious
a. uncertain; risky; dangerously lacking in security or stability |
precedent
n. act or instance that may be used as example in subsequent similar cases |
precipice
n. cliff; overhanging or extremely steep mass of rock; dangerous position |
precipitous
a. extremely steep; descending rapidly, or rushing onward |
preface
n. a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book |
premiere
a. first public performance, as of a movie or play; premier |
preponderance
n. superiority in numbers or amount |
prerequisite
n. something that is required in advance; necessity; required as a prior condition |
prescribe
v. dictate; guide; advise the use of; assert a right; claim |
preside
v. be set, or to sit, in the place of authority; occupy the place of president, chairman, moderator, director; direct, control, and regulate, as chief officer |
prestigious
a. honored; respected; reputed; exerting influence by reason of high status |
prior
a. preceding in the order of time; former; previous |
prone
a. inclined; lying face downward; having a tendency |
propensity
n. natural inclination; tendency or preference; predilection |
proprietor
n. one who has legal title to something; owner |
propriety
n. fitness; correct conduct; quality of being proper; appropriateness |
prospector
n. someone who explores an area for mineral deposits |
prosper
v. flourish; thrive; gain in wealth; grow stronger |
pseudonym
n. pen name; fictitious name used when someone performs a particular social role |
pterodactyl
n. extinct flying reptiles that existed during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods |
pulchritude
n. great physical beauty and appeal; attractive moral excellence; moral beauty |
punctilious
a. marked by precise accordance with details |
pungent
a. stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic |
quintessence
n. pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing |
rally
v. call up or summon; call together for a common purpose |
rankle
v. grow worse; cause persistent irritation or resentment |
raze
v. destroy completely; scrape or shave off |
recant
v. retract a previous statement; sing over again; utter repeatedly in song |
receptacle
n. container; reservoir; an object or space used to contain something |
reclamation
n. rescuing from error and returning to a rightful course |
recluse
n. one who lives in solitude; withdrawn from the world; reclusive |
recompense
v. render an equivalent to, for service, loss; requite; remunerate; compensate; give in return; pay back |
recourse
n. one that is turned or applied to for aid or security; resort for help or protection; access or admittance |
rectitude
n. uprightness; moral virtue; correctness of judgment |
redeem
v. purchase back; regain possession of by payment; ransom or rescue from captivity; pay penalty; make amends for |
redundant
a. exceeding what is necessary or natural; repetitious; excessively wordy |
refugee
n. one who flees to shelter, or place of safety |
regimen
n. prescribed diet and habits; a systematic plan for therapy; governmental rule or control |
rejoinder
n. retort; comeback; answer to a reply |
rejuvenate
v. make young again; restore to youthful vigor or appearance |
relent
v. give in; become more compassionate or forgiving; cause to soften in attitude or temper |
reminisce
v. recollect and tell of past experiences or events; talk or write about memories of the past, especially pleasant memories |
remnant
n. remainder; small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists |
rendezvous
n. meeting at a prearranged time and place; popular gathering place; prearranged meeting point for troops or ships |
rendition
n. translation, often interpretive; performance of a musical or dramatic work |
renege
v. deny; go back on; fail to fulfill promise or obligation |
repertoire
n. list of works of music or drama; class of compositions in a genre; range or number of skills |
replica
n. copy or reproduction of a work of art |
reproach
v. express disapproval or disappointment; bring shame upon; disgrace |
resilient
a. elastic; having power of springing back or recover readily |
restive
a. impatient under restraint or opposition; resisting control; difficult to control |
resuscitate
v. restored to life; restore consciousness, vigor, or life to; revive |
retaliate
v. do something harmful or negative to get revenge for some harm; fight back or respond in kind to an injury or affront |
retentive
a. holding; having quality, power, or capacity of retaining, as to retain knowledge with ease |
retinue
n. following members; attendants accompanying high-ranking person |
revenge
v. do punishment in return for injury or insult; avenge |
rhetoric
n. art or study of using language effectively and persuasively; insincere language |
riddle
v. pierce with numerous holes; perforate; permeate or spread throughout |
rowdy
n. rough, disorderly person; boisterous person |