Lesson 39   -   edHelper.com

Word List persist perspective perspicacious pertinent perturb peruse pervade perverse pessimism petty philanthropy piety pilgrimage pinnacle pithy pivotal placid plaintive plateau plausible plethora poignant polarize poll pompous

Definitions

1.

persist (pr-sst) verb    a. to endure or continue steadfastly, stubbornly, or tenaciously. b. to continue steadfastly in a task or course of action or hold steadfastly to a belief or commitment; persevere. c. to pursue stubbornly or insistently a demand, line of questioning, or the like.

2.

perspective (pr-spktv) noun    a. a technique of depicting volumes and spatial relationships on a flat surface. Cf."aerial perspective, linear perspective." b. a picture employing this technique, esp. one in which it is prominent c. a visible scene, esp. one extending to a distance; vista

3.

perspicacious (pû) adjective    keenly perceptive or understanding; discerning.

4.

pertinent (pû) adjective    of, concerning, or connected to a subject; relevant.

5.

perturb (pr-tû) verb    a. to cause great disturbance in (the mind); agitate or worry. b. to cause great confusion in; derange. c. to disturb the ordinary motion or equilibrium of.

6.

peruse (p-rz) verb    a. to read through with thoroughness or care b. to read. c. to survey or examine in detail.

7.

pervade (pr-vd) verb    to spread or be present everywhere in; permeate.

8.

perverse (pr-vû) adjective    a. willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary. b. characterized by or proceeding from such a determination or disposition c. wayward or cantankerous.

9.

pessimism (ps-mzm) noun    a. the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems, etc. b. the doctrine that the existing world is the worst of all possible worlds, or that all things naturally tend to evil. c. the belief that the evil and pain in the world are not compensated for by goodness and happiness.

10.

petty (pt) adjective    a. of little or no importance or consequence b. of lesser or secondary importance, merit, etc.; minor c. having or showing narrow ideas, interests, etc.

11.

philanthropy (f-lnthr-p) noun    a. altruistic concern for human welfare and advancement, usually manifested by donations of money, property, or work to needy persons, by endowment of institutions of learning and hospitals, and by generosity to other socially useful purposes. b. the activity of donating to such persons or purposes in this way c. a particular act, form, or instance of this activity

12.

piety (p-t) noun    a. reverence for God or devout fulfillment of religious obligations b. the quality or state of being pious c. dutiful respect or regard for parents, homeland, etc.

13.

pilgrimage (plgr-mj) noun    a. a journey, esp. a long one, made to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion b. Islam. "the Pilgrimage,"hajj.&ain;umrah. c. any long journey, esp. one undertaken as a quest or for a votive purpose, as to pay homage

14.

pinnacle (pn-kl) noun    a. a lofty peak. b. the highest or culminating point, as of success, power, fame, etc. c. any pointed, towering part or formation, as of rock.

15.

pithy (pth) adjective    a. exactly and concisely appropriate; effective; forceful. b. like, composed of, or containing much pith.

16.

pivotal (pv-tl) adjective    a. of, pertaining to, or acting as a pivot. b. critically important or crucial; on which something is contingent.

17.

placid (plsd) adjective    calm, smooth, or tranquil.

18.

plaintive (plntv) adjective    showing or expressing sadness or sorrow.

19.

plateau (pl-t) noun    a. a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons. b. a period or state of little or no growth or decline c. Psychol. a period of little or no apparent progress in an individual's learning, marked by an inability to increase speed, reduce number of errors, etc., and indicated by a horizontal stretch in a learning curve or graph.

20.

plausible (plô) adjective    a. seeming to be truthful or reasonable; credible. b. of a person, seeming to be honest, worthy, or acceptable, but often not really being so.

21.

plethora (plthr-) noun    a. too great an amount; overabundance. b. too great a flow of blood in a particular vessel or to an organ.

22.

poignant (poinynt) adjective    a. keenly distressing to the feelings b. keen or strong in mental appeal c. affecting or moving the emotions

23.

polarize (pl-rz) verb    a. to cause polarization in. b. to divide into sharply opposing factions, political groups, etc. c. to give polarity to.

24.

poll (pl) noun    a. the casting of a ballot or the recording of votes in an election. b. the number of ballots cast in an election; turnout. c. (usu. pl.) the place where ballots are cast in an election.

25.

pompous (pmps) adjective    a. showing or inclined to show an exaggerated air of dignity or importance. b. marked by showiness or bombast. c. characterized by pomp and ceremony.