The Shakespeare List Is a Group of 1625 Words That Have Appeared on Past SAT/PSAT Tests
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The Shakespeare List The Shakespeare List is a group of 1625 words that have appeared on past SAT/PSAT tests. Many of the words have appeared several times on past tests. This section lists the words in alphabetical order along with definitions, pronunciation guide, synonyms, antonyms, sentences, and derivatives. The definitions given here, sometimes the secondary meaning, are those used on past SAT/PSAT tests. For that reason, it is expedient to give the students these definitions that they are likely to be tested on, rather than have the students look the words up themselves in dictionaries and copy definitions of their choice. A pronunciation guide is a simplified method of indicating the pronunciation of words so that the student who is not familiar with phonetic symbols is not handicapped. The synonyms are included in this section as a prediction of words that may appear on future SAT/PSAT tests. If ETS, the creators of the SAT/PSAT, feels a particular word is important enough to put on the test, then perhaps they will also put the synonym of that word on future tests. The sentences were added to assist the student in seeing how the words are used in context The derivatives of the words are predictors of words on future tests. Often a variation of a word will appear on a test, so we want to expose the student to as many forms of the words as possible. Copyright 2005 © by Advanced Placement Strategies 197 Shakespeare List 1. a cappella ah cuh PEL luh without accompaniment by an instrument Synonyms >> Antonym >> accompanied The girl had to sing acappella when her piano accompanist did not appear at the audition. Derivatives >> 2. abandon uh BAN dun act of unrestrained behavior disregarding consequences Synonyms >> license, laxity Antonym >> caution, self-restraint Some say Teddy Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill with reckless abandon. Derivatives >> abandonable, abandoner, abandonment, abandoned, abandonedly 3. abase uh BAYS to degrade, to humiliate Synonyms >> corrupt, debase, debauch, demean, deprave, Antonym >> to exalt The bitter woman deliberately set out to abase her husband in public. Derivatives >> abasement, abaser, abased, abasing 4. abate uh BAYT to reduce in intensity or amount Synonyms >> decrease, diminish, dwindle, ebb, lessen, reduce, Antonym >> to increase The flood waters abated after forty days of rain. Derivatives >> abatable, abater, abatement, abated, abating 5. abdicate AB duh kayt to renounce or to give up a power Synonyms >> Antonym >> to usurp In order to marry the commoner, the king had to abdicate his throne. Derivatives >> abdicable, abdicative, abdicator, abdicated, abdicating 6. aberration ab uh RAY shun the act of straying from the right or usual course; deviation from truth Synonyms >> wandering, deviation, divergence, abnormality, Antonym >> common occurrence This particular rule is an aberration of our usual standards. Derivatives >> aberrant, aberrance, aberrancy, aberrational 7. abet uh BET to encourage or to assist (usually an offense against justice or the law) Synonyms >> foment, incite, instigate Antonym >> to discourage; to interfere To aid and abet an enemy of the country is a crime. Derivatives >> abetment, abettor, abetted, abetting 8. abeyance uh BAY uns suspension of action Synonyms >> dormancy, latency, quiescence Antonym >> activity The meeting was held in abeyance until the chairperson arrived. Derivatives >> abeyant 9. abhor ab HOR to regard with extreme repugnance; to detest utterly; to loathe Synonyms >> despise, abominate Antonym >> to admire If there is one particular food I abhor, it is hominy. Derivatives >> abhorred, abhorring, abhorrer, abhorrence, abhorrent, abhorrently 10. abject ab JEKT utterly hopeless, humiliating, or wretched; contemptible Synonyms >> debasing, degrading, despicable; miserable Antonym >> exalted We were concerned about his health when we discovered that he was living in abject poverty. Derivatives >> abjection, abjectly, abjectness, abjectedness, abjective 11. abnegate AB nuh gayt to surrender or to relinquish (a right, belief, or idea) Synonyms >> forgo Antonym >> to admit, to accept He asked the committee to abnegate its right to rule on the issue. Derivatives >> abnegated, abnegating, abnegates, abnegation, abnegator Copyright 2005 © by Advanced Placement Strategies 198 12. abode uh BODE a home Synonyms >> dwelling, residence, domicile Antonym >> Even though the house is small, he is proud of his humble abode. Derivatives >> 13. abominable uh BOM uh nuh bul repugnantly hateful; very unpleasant, detestable, loathsome Synonyms >> abhorrent, horrible, revolting, foul Antonym >> likable The weather was abominable last week with temperatures reaching as high as 115 degrees. Derivatives >> abominableness, abominably, abominate, abominated, abominating, abomination 14. abrasive uh BRAY siv harsh, causing irritation, rough Synonyms >> Antonym >> kind; soothing His mother was disturbed by his rude and abrasive behavior. Derivatives >> abrasion 15. abridge uh BRIJ to shorten, to diminish Synonyms >> abbreviate, curtail, retrench, shorten Antonym >> to expand Some companies publish abridged versions of novels. Derivatives >> abridgable, abridged, abridger, abridgment 16. abrogate AB ruh gayt to abolish, to do away with Synonyms >> annul, invalidate, negate, nullify Antonym >> to establish The king abrogated the law passed by the parliament. Derivatives >> abrogable, abrogation, abrogative, abrogator, abrogated, abrogating 17. abscond ab SKOND to leave secretly and hide Synonyms >> flee, fly Antonym >> to give oneself up After the thief absconded with the bonds, he was never found. Derivatives >> absconder, absconded 18. abstemious ab STEM ee us sparing (usually in eating or drinking); temperate Synonyms >> Antonym >> gluttonous A person who is abstemious in his alcohol intake might not be welcome by that wild fraternity. Derivatives >> abstemiously, abstemiousness, abstention, abstentious 19. abstracted ab STRAK ted removed in thought from the immediate situation, lost in one's own mind Synonyms >> Antonym >> attentive The child, thinking of Christmas, had an abstracted look on his face. Derivatives >> abstractedly, abstractedness 20. abstruse ab STRUSE difficult to understand, recondite, concealed Synonyms >> complex, complicated, intricate, knotty Antonym >> readily understood; clear Some concepts of Einstein were so abstruse that many physicists could not understand them. Derivatives >> abstrusely, abstruseness 21. abyss uh BISS bottomless hole, a vast expanse or depth Synonyms >> Antonym >> The man had fallen into the abyss of depravity. Derivatives >> abysm, abysmal, abysmally, abyssal 22. acclaim uh KLAYM praise, approval; to salute; to hail Synonyms >> Antonym >> to slander; to ridicule; to defame He received great acclaim for discovering a polio vaccine. Derivatives >> acclaimer, acclamation, acclamatory 23. accolade AK uh layd praise, an award Synonyms >> Antonym >> censure He received many accolades for being an excellent teacher. Derivatives >> accolades 24. accord uh KORD agreement, state of harmony Synonyms >> Antonym >> disharmony; disagreement We are in accord concerning the method of handling this problem. Derivatives >> accordable, accorder, accordance, accordant Copyright 2005 © by Advanced Placement Strategies 199 25. accrue uh KREW to accumulate, to gather, or to grow as interest on money Synonyms >> Antonym >> to become less If you leave the money in the bank, it will accrue interest, and you will have more money. Derivatives >> accrual, accrued, accruing, accruement 26. acerbic uh SER bic sour or bitter in mood or tone Synonyms >> Antonym >> kindly His cold sarcasm demonstrated his acerbic attitude. Derivatives >> acerbity 27. acquiesce AK wee es to give in, to comply Synonyms >> accede, agree, assent, consent, subscribe Antonym >> to object; to disagree I was so desperate that I had to acquiesce to his demands. Derivatives >> acquiescence, acquiescent, acquiescingly, acquiescently 28. acrid AK rid caustic, bitter, harsh (relates sometimes to taste and smell) Synonyms >> caustic, mordant, scathing Antonym >> agreeable The acrid odor in the restaurant caused me to leave. Derivatives >> acridity, acridness, acridly 29. acrimonious ak ruh MONE ee us caustic Synonyms >> Antonym >> cordial The prisoner of war had acrimonious remarks for those that mistreated him. Derivatives >> acrimony, acrimoniously, acrimoniousness 30. acuity uh KEW uh tee sharpness of perception Synonyms >> Antonym >> denseness His acuity in determining the facts made him a good judge. Derivatives >> acuities, acute, acuteness 31. acumen uh KEW men mental sharpness Synonyms >> insight, discernment Antonym >> lack of perceptiveness Several past Presidents have been known for their political acumen. Derivatives >> acuminous, acuminate, acuminated, acumination, acuminating 32. adage AD ij a wise saying Synonyms >> proverb, maxim, motto Antonym >> "The early bird catches the worm" is an old adage. Derivatives >> adagial 33. adamant AD uh munt inflexible, immovable, obstinate Synonyms >> inexorable, obdurate Antonym >> pliant The man was adamant in his decision to seek a political office. Derivatives >> adamantine, adamantive, adamancy, adamantly 34. addendum uh DEN dum something added, usually to a book Synonyms >> addition, supplement Antonym >> The next edition of the book will have an addendum containing new information. Derivatives >> addend, addenda, addendums 35. adherent ad HEER unt a follower of something such as a leader, party, philosophy, or profession