illegitimate a. not according to law; not regular or authorized; unlawful; improper |
illustrious a. possessing luster or brightness; brilliant; luminous; splendid |
impeach v. make an accusation against; challenge or discredit the credibility of |
imperative n. having power command or control; critically importance; some duty that is essential and urgent |
imperial a. like an emperor; related to an empire; ruling over extensive territories |
impertinent a. improperly forward or bold; rude |
impoverish v. make poor; reduce to poverty or indigence; exhaust the strength, richness, or fertility of |
impregnate v. infuse or fill completely; fertilize and cause to grow; make pregnant |
inaccessible a. unreachable; not available; unattainable |
incandescent a. strikingly bright; shining with intense heat; emitting light as result of being heated |
incision n. cutting into a substance; cut into a body tissue or organ, especially one made during surgery |
inclination n. preference; tendency; inclined surface; slope |
inclusive a. tending to include all; taking a great deal or everything within its scope |
incorporate v. combine something into a larger whole; unite |
incriminate v. accuse of a crime or other wrongful act; suggest that someone is guilty |
indemnify v. make amends for; pay compensation for; secure against future loss, damage, or liability |
indisposed a. averse; disinclined; unwilling to do a task |
induce v. persuade; bring about; reason or establish by induction |
inducement n. something that helps bring about an action or a desired result; an incentive |
inert a. inactive; lacking power to move; unable to move or act |
inevitable a. unavoidable; incapable of being avoided or prevented |
infatuate v. arouse unreasoning love or passion in and cause to behave in an irrational way |
infernal a. pertaining to hell; devilish; abominable; awful |
inkling n. slight hint or indication; slight understanding |
innumerable a. too many to be counted; numerous |
inquisitive a. disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer; given to examination, investigation, or research |
insufferable a. incapable of being suffered, borne, or endured; insupportable; unendurable; intolerable |
integral a. essential or necessary for completeness; entire |
intolerable a. incapable of being put up with; unable to be endured |
intolerant a. not enduring; not able to endure; unwilling to tolerate difference of opinion |
intuition n. immediate insight; power of knowing without reasoning |
inundate v. overwhelm; cover with water, especially floodwaters |
invertebrate n. animal, such as an insect, that lacks backbone or spinal column |
invincible a. incapable of being overcome or defeated; unconquerable |
invoke v. call upon; ask for; request earnestly |
ire n. anger; wrath; keen resentment; irritate |
irony n. expression by deliberate contrast between apparent and intended meaning; witty language used to insult |
irreducible a. incapable of being made smaller or simpler |
jargon n. language used by a special group; technical terminology; nonsensical or meaningless talk |
kinetic a. relating to, or produced by motion; dynamic |
lateral a. coming from side; situated at or extending to the side |
laud v. give praise to; glorify; celebrate or honor |
legacy n. gift made by a will; something handed down from an ancestor |
liberalism n. a political orientation that favors social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution |
linear a. having form of a line; straight; consisting of lines; lineal |
linguistics n. humanistic study of language and literature |
liquidate v. settle accounts to pay them off; clear up |
listless a. lacking in spirit or energy to exert effort |
lucid a. easily understood; expressed clearly; bright or luminous |
mainstay n. a prominent supporter; a central cohesive source of support and stability |
malady n. disease, disorder, or ailment; unwholesome condition |
manipulate v. operate with one's hands; control or play upon people, forces artfully |
manor n. the mansion of a lord or wealthy person; the landed estate of a lord |
materialize v. come into being; become reality |
maternal a. motherly; relating to mother or motherhood |
maudlin a. tearfully sentimental; over-emotional; sickly-sentimental |
maul v. handle someone or something in a rough way; cause serious physical wounds |
mechanization n. the condition of having a highly technical implementation; the act of implementing the control of equipment with advanced technology |
medley n. mixture; musical composition consisting of a series of pieces |
mendicant n. beggar; religious friar forbidden to own personal property who begs for living |
metaphysical a. without material form or substance; based on abstract reasoning; highly abstract or theoretical; supernatural |
minutiae n. petty details; small particular or detail; a minute or trivial matter of fact |