Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the SAT (A Harvest Test Preparation Book)

by Charles Harrington Elster

], [>], [>], [>]]

  ascetic, adj. holding back from pleasures or comforts, self-denying (SAT synonyms: austere, spartan). [[>], [>]]

  aspiration, n. a strong desire (as to attain a goal). ambition: to have aspirations for high office. [[>]]

  aspiring, adj. having great ambition for something, possessing a desire to attain a goal: an aspiring athlete. [[>], [>]]

  assailant, n. an attacker. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  assent n. agreement, acceptance, consent. [[>]]

  assert, v. to state confidently or declare firmly, assertion, n. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  assess, v. to determine the value, importance, or extent of; to evaluate, estimate, weigh (SAT synonym: appraise). assessment n. assessor, n. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  asset n. a valuable thing, quality, or resource. [[>], [>]]

  assiduous, adj. showing careful, constant attention (SAT synonyms: diligent, industrious). assiduously, adv. [[>], [>], [>]]

  assuage, v. 1. to make less severe or intense, mitigate, pacify: The passage of time will assuage his disappointment. 2. to satisfy: to assuage one’s thirst. [[>], [>]]

  astute, adj. very smart, intelligent, clever, cunning (SAT synonyms: discerning, insightful, keen, perceptive, perspicacious, sagacious, shrewd). [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  attest, v. to state that something is true, correct, or genuine, give evidence of, confirm. []

  attire, n. clothes, dress, apparel, esp. if fancy or elaborate. [[>]]

  attribute, v. to put forward as the source, origin, or author of; assign, ascribe. attributable, adj. [[>], [>], , [>]]

  attribute, n. quality, characteristic, trait. [[>]]

  audacious, adj. daring, bold, adventurous, audaciously, adv. [[>]]

  audible, adj. able to be heard, audibly, adv. [[>], [>]]

  augment, v. to increase, make or become greater (in size or amount). augmented, adj. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  auspicious, adj. showing signs of future success, indicating a happy or fortunate outcome, favorable. [[>], [>]]

  austere, adj. 1. stem or severe in appearance, grim (SAT synonyms: grave, somber, staid). 2. severely simple, without luxury (SAT synonyms: ascetic, spartan). austerity, n. [[>], [>], [>]]

  authenticate, v. to establish the truth of or show to be genuine (SAT synonyms: confirm, corroborate, substantiate, validate, verify). authentication, n. [[>], [>]]

  authenticity, n. the condition or quality of being genuine or true. [[>]]

  authoritative, adj. commanding, giving orders, showing authority. [[>]]

  autonomy, n. independence, self-reliance, self-government, autonomous, adj. [[>], [>]]

  avaricious, adj. greedy for wealth or possessions, miserly, avarice, n. (SAT synonym: cupidity). [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  avid, adj. enthusiastic, having a keen interest in or intense desire for something (SAT synonyms: ardent, fervent, zealous). [[>]]

  B

  banter, n. good-humored, playful teasing or joking conversation. [[>], [>]]

  barbarity, n. cruelty, brutality, savagery. [[>]]

  beguiling, adj. charming, amusing, delightful (SAT synonyms: captivating, engaging, winsome). [[>]]

  belittle, v. to make something or someone seem small or unimportant (SAT synonyms: denigrate, disparage). [[>], [>]]

  belligerent, adj. ready and eager to fight, quarrel, or make war (SAT synonyms: antagonistic, hostile). [[>]]

  beneficence, n. the doing of good; generosity or kindness. [[>]]

  beneficial, adj. contributing to health and well-being. [[>]]

  beneficiary, n. a person who receives a benefit, spec, an inheritance, bequest, or legacy. [[>]]

  benevolence, n. an inclination to do good; kindliness. [[>], [>]]

  benighted, adj. in a state of mental or moral ignorance (SAT synonym: unenlightened). [[>]]

  benign, adj. kind, good-natured, arising from or indicative of goodness or happiness, not malevolent or malicious. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  bequeath, v. to pass on or hand down, to leave by means of a will. [[>], [>]]

  bequest, n. money or property given or left to someone by means of a will (SAT synonym: legacy). [[>]]

  bestial, adj. having the qualities of a beast, cruel, brutish. [[>]]

  bias (pl. biases), n. preference, inclination, prejudice, often one that is unfair or unjust. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  —Bias and prejudice both refer to feelings that make a fair judgment impossible. Bias may refer either to a reasonable preference or opinion or to one that is unfair and unjust: a bias in favor of one’s children; a bias against foreigners. Prejudice always refers to an unfair or unjust judgment made without concern for the facts: a prejudice against all new ideas. Unreasonable or harmful biases are forms of prejudice.

  biased, adj. showing a strong preference or inclination, having one’s opinion already formed, prejudiced in someone’s favor (SAT synonym: discriminatory). [[>], [>], [>]]

  bibliophile, n. a lover of books, a book collector. [[>], [>], [>]]

  bizarre, adj. extremely unusual in style or manner (SAT synonym: outlandish). [[>], [>]]

  blithe, adj. carefree, showing no concern, thoughtless, blithely, adv. [[>]]

  boisterous, adj. noisy and wild, lacking restraint (SAT synonyms: raucous, vociferous). [[>]]

  bolster, v. to support, prop, buoy up, or strengthen: They piled sandbags to bolster the levee. [[>]]

  bombastic, adj. using or pert, to speech or writing that sounds grand or impressive but has little meaning or substance (SAT synonym: grandiloquent). [[>]]

  bondage, n. slavery, servitude, subjection, serfdom. [[>]]

  boor, n. a crude, insensitive person. [[>]]

  bourgeoisie, n. the middle class, the class between the working class and the very wealthy class. [[>]]

  brawny, adj. strong and muscular (SAT synonym: stalwart). [[>], [>]]

  breadth, n. width, the measure of something from side to side. [[>], [>]]

  burgeoning, adj. growing or developing quickly (SAT synonym: flourishing). [[>], [>]]

  C

  cacophony, n. a harsh or unpleasant blending of sounds. [[>]]

  callous, adj. unfeeling, insensitive, hardhearted. [[>], [>], [>]]

  candid, adj. open and direct, frank, straightforward. [[>]]

  cantankerous, adj. quick to dispute or quarrel, argumentative (SAT synonym: irascible). cantankerously, adv. [[>]]

  capacious, adj. able to contain a large quantity, roomy, large: The school’s capacious auditorium could seat the entire student body (SAT synonym: commodious). [[>], [>], [>]]

  capitulate, v. to yield, surrender, esp. under specifically negotiated terms. capitulation, n. [[>], [>]]

  capricious, adj. unpredictable, changing suddenly for no apparent reason, inconstant (SAT synonyms: fickle, impulsive, wayward). [[>]]

  captivate, v. attract, fascinate, charm, capture the attention of. captivating, adj. (SAT synonyms: beguiling, engaging, winsome). [[>]]

  castigate, v. to criticize harshly or severely, berate (SAT synonym: upbraid; cf. admonish, censure). [[>]]

  catastrophic, adj. involving or pert, to a great disaster, terrible misfortune, or total failure. [[>], [>]]

  categorical, adj. absolute, without any question or condition: The company issued a categorical denial of all the charges that had been made, categorically, adv. [[>], [>]]

  celerity, n. speed, quickness: The soldiers followed their commander’s orders with celerity. [[>]]

  censor, v. to ban, prevent from becoming known or circulated (SAT synonym: suppress). [[>]]

  censure, v. to officially condemn as wrong, criticize harshly (cf. admonish, castigate, upbraid). [[>]]

  chagrined, adj. embarrassed or annoyed as a result of failure, humiliation, or disappointment. [[>]]

  chaos, n. 1. utter confusion or great disorder. 2. an unformed state or condition. [[>], [>]]

  chaos, n. 1. utter confusion or great disorder. 2. an unformed state or condition. [[>], [>]]

  chaotic
, adj. completely disordered and confused. [[>]]

  charade, n. an elaborate and obvious show or illusion. [[>], [>]]

  charlatan, n. a fake, phony, quack, or fraud, esp. one who pretends to have great knowledge or skill. [[>]]

  chasten, v. to discipline or punish in order to correct or improve (cf. chastise). chastened, adj. [[>]]

  chastise, v. to criticize or scold harshly (cf. chasten). [[>], [>]]

  chimerical, adj. imaginary, unrealistic, wildly improbable. [[>]]

  chronicler, n. a person who records events in order of time. [[>]]

  circumlocution, n. a roundabout or wordy way of expressing an idea. circumlocutory, adj. [[>], [>]]

  circumspect, adj. cautious, careful, considering all conditions before acting (SAT synonyms: discreet, prudent, vigilant, wary). [[>], [>]]

  circumvent, v. to go around, avoid, bypass, get around by clever maneuvering. [[>]]

  cite, v. to refer to or quote, citation, n. [[>], [>], [>]]

  clamor, n. a loud and continuous noise, strong and noisy protest or outcry, hubbub, uproar (SAT synonym: din). [[>]]

  clandestine, adj. done in secret, kept hidden, esp. to conceal something that is illegal or immoral (SAT synonyms: covert, devious, furtive, surreptitious). [[>], [>]]

  clarify, v. to make clear or easier to understand (SAT synonyms: elucidate, enlighten, illuminate). [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  claustrophobic, adj. afraid of being in a small or enclosed space. [[>]]

  cliché, n. an overused expression that has become stale and has almost lost its meaning: “As good as gold” is a cliché. [[>]]

  coerce, v. to force or compel by threats, intimidation, or violence, coercive, adj. [[>]]

  coherence, n. order, consistency, logical relationship of parts. [[>], [>]]

  coherent, adj. expressed or constructed in an orderly, consistent, logical manner. [[>], [>]]

  coincide, v. 1. to occur at the same time or be in the same position in space at the same time. 2. to agree exactly. [[>], [>]]

  coincidental, adj. happening or existing at the same time merely by chance or accident. [[>]]

  collaboration, n. a working with another or others, as on a literary or scientific project. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  collaborative, adj. done by working together, cooperative, pert, to or produced by collaboration. [[>], [>]]

  collective, adj. pert, to or done by a number of persons acting as a group. collective, n. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  colloquium, n. a meeting for discussion, esp. an academic seminar to exchange views on a particular subject. [[>]]

  collusion, n. a secret agreement ot cooperation between persons for an illegal or wrongful purpose. [[>], [>]]

  colossal, adj. very great in size, gigantic, enormous. [[>], [>]]

  combatant, n. a person engaged in a fight or contest. [[>]]

  combustible, adj. capable of catching fire and burning. [[>]]

  commendable, adj. praiseworthy, admirable: Promoting literacy is a commendable endeavor (SAT synonyms: laudable, meritorious). [[>], [>], [>]]

  commodious, adj. having plenty of room, spacious (SAT synonym: capacious). [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  commonplace, adj. ordinary, dull, unremarkable (SAT synonyms: lackluster, mundane, pedestrian, prosaic). [[>], [>]]

  communal, adj. of or relating to a community; public: All freshmen must eat in the communal dining room. [[>], [>]]

  compassion, rt. sympathy for the suffering of others combined with a desire to help. [[>]]

  compel, v. to force, drive. [[>], [>], [>]]

  compelling, adj. forceful, powerful, moving, convincing. []

  compensate, v. 1. to make up for, offset, counterbalance. 2. to pay (money) for, recompense, reimburse, compensation, n. [[>], [>]]

  competence, n. sufficient skill, ability, or fitness; the state or condition of being qualified or capable, competent, adj. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  compile, v. to gather from different sources and put together in an orderly form, assemble, compose, [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  complacent, adj. uncritically pleased with oneself or one’s circumstances, esp. in a narrow-minded or annoying way; self-satisfied (SAT synonym: smug). complacency, n. [[>], [>], [>]]

  complex, adj. having two or more interrelated parts, complicated or involved, not simple (cf. convoluted). [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  compliant, adj. willing to give in or go along, obedient, submissive. [[>]]

  comply, v. to act in agreement; to submit to another’s request, wish, rule, or command. [[>]]

  composure, tt. calmness, control over one’s emotions. [[>]]

  comprehensible, adj. understandable, capable of being understood: The professor’s lecture helped make the text comprehensible. [[>], [>]]

  comprehensive, adj. including much, large in scope, inclusive, extensive, wide-ranging. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  concede, v. to acknowledge as being true, reasonable, or proper. [[>], [>], [>]]

  concise, adj. short and to the point, brief and clear (SAT synonyms: succinct, terse). [[>], [>]]

  conclusive, adj. serving to settle a question or put an end to doubt, final, definitive (cf. crucial, decisive). [[>], [>]]

  concoct v. to make up, invent, cook up. [[>]]

  concomitant adj. existing with something else, accompanying. [[>]]

  concordance, n. an alphabetical index of the important words in a written work (or the works of an author) indicating the passages in which they occur: She consulted a concordance to the works of Shakespeare. [[>], [>]]

  concur, v. to agree. [[>], [>], [>]]

  condescension, n. a proud, snobbish attitude toward anyone considered inferior. [[>], [>], [>]]

  confidant, n. a person to whom one entrusts personal matters or secrets. [[>]]

  confirm, v. to establish as true or certain, make firm or binding, strengthen, support (SAT synonyms: authenticate, corroborate, substantiate, validate, verify). [[>], [>]]

  conflagration, n. a great, destructive fire. [[>]]

  congregate, v. to come together in a crowd, assemble. [[>]]

  conjecture, n. an opinion or conclusion based on insufficient evidence, a guess (SAT synonyms: speculation, surmise). [[>], [>], [>]]

  connoisseur, n. an expert, esp. a person with special training in a field or an informed taste for something. [[>], [>], [>]]

  conscientious, adj. 1. guided by conscience (SAT synonyms: ethical, upright virtuous). 2. showing thought and care: conscientious work (SAT synonyms: fastidious, meticulous, painstaking, scrupulous). conscientiously, adv. [[>], [>]]

  consequence, n. a logical or natural result, outcome, or effect. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  conspicuous, adj. 1. easy to see, obvious (SAT synonyms: prominent, salient). 2. striking, outstanding. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  conspiracy, n. a secret plot to commit an evil or illegal act. [[>], [>], [>]]

  conspiratorial, adj. pert, to or characteristic of a conspiracy or of the persons involved in it. conspiratorially, adv. [[>]]

  constraint n. a restriction or limitation. [[>]]

  contemplative, adj. thoughtful, devoted to meditation (SAT synonym: reflective). [[>], [>], [>]]

  contemporary, adj. current, modem, of the present time. [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  contemporary, n. a person living at the same time as another. [[>], [>], [>], [>], ]

  contempt n. the feeling that someone or something is low, undesirable, or disgusting; a display of this feeling (SAT synonym: disdain). [[>]]

  contemptuous, adj. full of contempt, thinking of or treating as inferior or worthless (SAT synonyms: disdainful, supercilious). [[>], [>], [>]]

  contention, n. a claim that someone supports and argues for: It is the contention of many environmentalists that life on earth is in danger. [[>]]

  context n. the part of something written or spoken that comes before or after a word or passage and affects or casts light upon its meaning; surrounding material, setting, [[>], [>],
[>], [>], [>]]

  continuity, n. an unbroken flow or succession, connectedness. [[>]]

  contradiction, n. opposition or lack of agreement, logical inconsistency. [[>]]

  conventional, adj. established by widely accepted custom or practice, according to generally accepted standards or rules (SAT synonyms: orthodox, traditional). [[>], [>], [>], [>], [>], [>]]

  convey, v. literally, to carry, transport, or transmit; figuratively, to make known, express, or communicate. [[>], [>]]

  conviction, n. a strong belief or opinion. [[>]]

  convivial, adj. 1. festive. 2. fond of good company, esp. when eating and drinking, sociable (SAT synonym: gregarious). [[>], [>]]

  convoluted, adj, literally, coiled or twisted; hence, extremely complicated or complex. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  copious, adj. large in quantity, great in number, yielding or containing much (SAT synonym: abundant). [[>], [>]]

  cordial, adj. warm, friendly, hearty (SAT synonyms: affable, amiable, jovial). cordially, adv. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  corpulent, adj. fat, fleshy, stout, obese (cf. portly, rotund). [[>], [>]]

  correlate, v. to correspond, be mutually related: Grades correlate with class participation. [[>]]

  correlation, n. a link, relationship, correspondence. [[>]]

  corroborate, v. to support with more evidence, make more certain or believable, provide further proof (SAT synonyms: authenticate, confirm, substantiate, validate, verify). [[>], [>], [>]]

  corrupt v. to make dishonest, evil, wicked, or impure (SAT synonyms: debase, undermine). corrupt adj. (SAT synonyms: depraved, unethical). [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  corruption, n. immoral or dishonest behavior. [[>], [>]]

  counter, v. to offer in response, meet or return, oppose. [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  coup, n. a brilliant move or action, clever maneuver. [[>]]

  covert, adj. secret, concealed, hidden, sheltered; not done in an open, visible manner; not overt (SAT synonyms: clandestine, devious, furtive, surreptitious). [[>], [>], [>], [>]]

  coveted, adj. possessing so much value as to inspire greed or envy. [[>]]

  covetous, adj. having a strong desire for something that belongs to someone else. [[>], [>]]

  credence, n. belief or confidence in the truth of something: The darkening sky gave credence to the storm predictions. [[>