SAT Study Guides
Cardset M - SAT Vocabulary Flashcards
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Macadamize
v. to finish the construction of a road by compressing a layer of small broken stone upon a convex roadbed
Machinery
n. a group of machines; the components of a machine
Machinist
n. someone who assembles and operates machinery
Macrocosm
n. the universe; a large scale reproduction of something
Madden
v. to make mad
Madonna
n. the Virgin Mary
Magician
n. someone who performs magic or tricks of illusion
Magisterial
adj. relating to a master; overbearingly assured or authoritative; relating to a magistrate
Magistracy
n. the office of a magistrate, or a government official
Magnanimous
adj. possessing a courageous spirit; having a nobility of sentiment and a strong generous streak
Magnate
n. someone of distinction
Magnet
n. something that attracts other things to itself
Magnetize
v. to make magnetic
Magnificence
n. the state of being magnificent, or grandiose in mind, body or spirit
Magnificent
adj. grand or exalted; impressive or sumptuous
Magnitude
n. the state of being sizable in size, quality or importance
Maharaja
n. in the Hindu culture, a prince ranking above a raja
Maidenhood
n. the state of being a maiden, or an unmarried woman
Maintain
v. to keep from falling into decay or decline; to preserve or sustain; to argumentatively assert
Maintenance
n. the act of maintaining the functionality of property or equipment
Maize
n. Native American corn
Makeup
n. the ingredients of something; someone's constitution; cosmetics applied to the face for beautifying purposes
Malady
n. an illness or disease; a disorder
Malaria
n. a disease transmitted through blood (and is therefore primarily transmitted by mosquitoes) that is characterized by fever and chills
Malcontent
n. someone who is discontented or disgruntled; a rebel
Malediction
n. a curse
Malefactor
n. a criminal offender; a felon; an ill-doer
Maleficent
adj. tending to do harm or evil
Malevolence
n. the state of being malevolent, or intending harm
Malevolent
adj. characterized by extreme ill will or hatred; tending to do harm or evil
Malign
v. to vilify or slander
Malignant
adj. characterized by evil; passionately malevolent or malicious; fatal or tending to lead to death
Malleable
adj. alterable or extendable; capable of being influenced by exterior factors
Mallet
n. a large-headed hammer
Maltreat
v. to abuse or subject to cruelty
Mandate
n. an official order
Mandatory
adj. obligatory
Mane
n. a mass of long and heavy hair growing atop the head or around the neck
Man-eater
n. something that has a desire to eat humans
Maneuver
v. to tactically wiggle into or out of a situation or position; to manipulate or skillfully bring about
Mania
n. extreme and unwarranted enthusiasm; hyperactivity combined with disorganized behavior and mood elevation
Maniac
n. a lunatic; someone who has inappropriate and unmanageable enthusiasm for something
Manifesto
n. a public, written statement conveying the views of its issuer
Manlike
adj. structurally resembling a human male or a member of the human race
Manliness
n. the possession of the qualities traditionally associated with the ideal man; strength and virility
Mannerism
n. a peculiarity of bearing or behavior
Manor
n. a mansion
Mantel
n. a shelf or beam resting above a fireplace
Mantle
n. a cloak (literal or figurative); something that envelops
Man-trap
n. a human-catching trap
Manufacturer
n. someone who manufactures something
Manumission
n. the act of emancipating, or freeing one from slavery
Manumit
v. to free from bondage
Marine
adj. relating to the sea
Maritime
adj. relating to sea commerce or navigation
Maroon
v. to abandon someone to a state of isolation from which there is no immediate hope of escape
Martial
adj. relating to war
Martian
adj. relating to the planet Mars
Martyrdom
n. the act of suffering death in the process of attempting to further a cause
Marvel
v. to feel surprise, wonder or astonishment at
Masonry
n. the occupation of a mason, or a stone or brick layer
Masquerade
n. an event in which people wear fancy masks and sometimes costumes
Massacre
n. a massive slaughter of helpless human beings or animals
Massive
adj. extremely large in size or degree
Masterpiece
n. a composition created with supreme artistic skill
Mastery
n. the state of having conquered or bested another in a contest; the possession of significant skill in some subject
Material
n. something that can be used to create or bring about something else
Materialize
v. to manifest in material form
Maternal
adj. relating to a mother
Matinee
n. a performance or public event conducted in the daytime
Matricide
n. the act of murdering one’s mother
Matrimony
n. marriage
Matrix
n. something that serves as a blueprint or mold for something else
Maudlin
adj. effusively sentimental to the point of being silly
Mausoleum
n. a sizable tomb
Mawkish
adj. saccharine; sickeningly sentimental
Maxim
n. a common saying that illustrates a generally accepted truth or moral code
Maze
n. a devilishly intricate network of passages
Mead
n. a beer-like beverage composed of a fermented combination of honey, malt and yeast
Meager
adj. of little quantity or substance; scant
Mealy-mouthed
adj. devious or roundabout
Meander
v. to ramble; to wander without purpose or pressing destination
Mechanics
n. a physical science concerned with the effects of force and energy on material bodies
Medallion
n. a sizable medal
Meddlesome
adj. inclined to meddle, or interfere with others’ concerns
Medial
adj. occurring in the middle
Mediate
v. to assume the role of an intermediary and attempt to reconcile disputing parties’ differences
Medicine
n. something used to alleviate ailments or treat diseases; the science of health, particularly concerning the prevention and treatment of disease
Medieval
adj. relating to the Middle Ages
Mediocre
adj. of acceptable but not excellent quality; ordinary
Meditation
n. the process of meditating, or engaging in contemplative reflection
Medley
n. an assortment or mixture containing diverse ingredients
Meliorate
v. to ameliorate, or cause to be better
Mellifluous
adj. characterized by richness or sweetness
Melodious
adj. relating to a melody, or a pleasant arrangement of sounds
Melodrama
n. an artistic work marked by over-the-top theatricality and dramatis
Memento
n. a reminder or warning
Memorable
adj. notable or worthy of being remembered
Menace
n. a threatening or dangerous person
Menagerie
n. an animal training space where animals are prepped for exhibition; a mixture of diverse ingredients
Mendacious
adj. deceptive or dishonest
Mendicant
n. a beggar
Mentality
n. one’s mental capacity or outlook
Mentor
n. a trusted coach, teacher or guide
Mercantile
adj. relating to merchants or market trading
Mercenary
adj. greedy; out merely for pay or base advantage
Merciful
adj. having mercy or compassion
Merciless
adj. devoid of mercy or pity
Meretricious
adj. relating to prostitution; cheap and gaudy
Mesmerize
v. to hypnotize
Messieurs
n. a high ranking Frenchman
Metallurgy
n. the science of metals
Metamorphosis
n. a dramatic change in appearance or character; a sudden developmental and structural change
Metaphor
n. a simile lacking the "is like" terminology in which one entity is directly replaced by another in order to invite comparison
Metaphysical
adj. relating to metaphysics, or the philosophical study of the nature of reality and existence; extremely abstract or not readily perceptible by the senses
Metaphysician
n. a metaphysics specialist
Metaphysics
n. the philosophical study of the nature of reality and existence
Mete
v. to dole out or to measure
Metempsychosis
n. the postmortem passing of a soul from one physical body to another
Meticulous
adj. excessively careful regarding details
Metonymy
n. in language, the act of using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is associated
Metric
adj. relating to the metric system
Metronome
n. a mechanism that marks time through a regularly repeated audible tap
Metropolis
n. a huge, important and often bustling city
Metropolitan
adj. relating to a metropolis, or a bustling city
Mettle
n. strength of temperament; stamina; courage
Mettlesome
adj. vigorous, courageous or spirited
Microcosm
n. a little community that is a representation of a larger community
Micrometer
n. metrically, one millionth of a meter (length)
Microphone
n. a mechanism that transmits or records sounds through manipulation of electric current and sound waves
Microscope
n. an instrument that uses a combination of optical lenses to enlarge images of tiny objects
Microscopic
adj. tiny; extremely precise; relating to microscopes or microscopy
Microscopy
n. the use of a microscope
Midsummer
n. the middle of the summer season
Midwife
n. someone who helps women through childbirth
Mien
n. the state of being particularly expressive of personality; bearing
Migrant
adj. someone who migrates, or regularly moves from place to place in pursuit of work
Migrate
v. to travel from one location to another
Migratory
adj. relating to migration; wandering
Mileage
n. the total distance in miles traveled over a time period
Militant
adj. combative or inclined to fight
Militarism
n. the state of being aggressive in military preparedness
Militate
v. to effect
Militia
n. a group of citizens brought together for the sake of military service
Milky Way
n. a wide, luminous strip of light composed of a great number of faint stars that stretches completely around the celestial sphere
Millet
n. any small-seeded grass that is cultivated so that its grain can be used for food
Mimic
v. to imitate in a mocking way
Miniature
adj. having the quality of being a small representation of something larger
Minimize
v. to lower or hold to a minimum; to play down or deliberately underestimate
Minion
n. an underling or follower
Ministration
n. the process of ministering, or providing aid
Ministry
n. clergy; a group of religious officials that represent a religion
Minority
n. of two or more groups, the smaller or smallest in number; a segment of a population that is subjected to differential treatment due to singular characteristics
Minute
adj. extremely small; tending to pay close attention to details; of little importance
Minutia
n. a small or minor particular
Mirage
n. a delusion generally caused by the reflection or bending of light rays by a layer of heated air
Misadventure
n. an unfortunate incident or spot of bad luck
Misanthropic
adj. relating to the quality of harboring extreme dislike for humankind
Misanthropy
n. an extreme dislike of mankind
Misapprehend
v. to wrongly accuse of a criminal offense
Misbehave
v. to behave inappropriately or badly
Misbehavior
n. inappropriate or offensive behavior
Mischievous
adj. inclined to cause trouble or injury; recklessly playful
Miscount
v. to count incorrectly
Miscreant
n. a criminal; a heretic
Misdeed
n. an offense
Misdemeanor
n. a criminal act that isn’t as serious as a felony
Miser
n. someone who is excessively stingy with money
Mishap
n. an accident; a spot of bad luck; an unfortunate incident
Misinterpret
v. to comprehend wrongly
Mislay
v. to set down in a forgotten spot; to lose
Mismanage
v. to manage badly
Misnomer
n. an incorrect or inappropriate name
Misogamy
n. the quality of hating marriage
Misogyny
n. an extreme dislike of women
Misplace
v. to place in an inappropriate location
Misrepresent
v. to depict falsely with intent to deceive; to poorly represent
Misrule
v. to govern incompetently
Missal
n. a bound collection of everything that is said and sung during mass over the course of a single year
Missile
n. a weapon or peaceable mechanism projected with the general intent of striking or reaching a destination
Missive
n. a letter or written item of correspondence
Mistrust
v. to suspect or doubt
Misty
adj. characterized by mist; vague or blurred; uncertain or unclear
Misunderstand
v. to understand incorrectly
Misuse
v. to apply or use incorrectly or inappropriately; to abuse
Mite
n. a tiny arachnid that tends to infest stored foods and sometimes animals or plants
Miter
n. a ceremonial headdress donned by abbots and bishops
Mitigate
v. to alleviate or relieve
Mnemonics
n. devices and techniques used to sharpen one’s memory
Moat
n. a wide, deep water-filled trench that surrounds a fortified structure such as a palace
Mobocracy
n. mob or angry majority rule
Moccasin
n. a heelless shoe or boot made of soft leather
Mockery
n. a contemptuous demonstration; a topic of derision; a ridiculous and impertinent imitation
Moderation
n. the act of lessening the extremity or severity of
Moderator
n. someone who mediates or arbitrates; a chairman or presiding officer of a council, panel or discussion
Modernity
n. the state of characterizing the present or very recent past
Modernize
v. to make modern or contemporary
Modification
n. a qualification; the act of making a slight change in something
Modify
v. to lessen in intensity; to limit; to alter slightly; to reorient
Modish
adj. stylish or fashionable
Modulate
v. to tune; to alter so as to restore proper proportions; to modify the amplitude or velocity of
Mollify
v. to assuage or soothe
Molt
v. to periodically shed an outer layer such as feathers, hair or skin
Momentary
adj. brief or fleeting
Momentous
adj. extremely important or significant
Momentum
n. the force acquired through movement or the development of occurrences; impetus
Monarchy
n. a national government characterized by the absolute rule of a single individual
Monastery
n. a place where monks or other religious devotees live or worship
Monetary
adj. relating to money
Mongrel
n. an animal created from diverse breeds or strains
Monition
n. a warning
Monitory
n. an admonitory letter
Monocracy
n. a government consisting of a single individual
Monogamy
n. the custom of being married to or mating with one person at a time
Monogram
n. an engraving consisting of the combined initials of a name
Monograph
n. a scholarly written account describing a single thing
Monolith
n. a huge, single-stone structure generally erected in the form of an obelisk or column
Monologue
n. a dramatic speech designed to be performed by one actor
Monomania
n. unhealthily extreme concentration on a single concept or object
Monopoly
n. exclusive control of commodities
Monosyllable
n. a one-syllable word
Monotone
n. a string of words delivered in the same key or pitch
Monotonous
adj. consisting of a single tone; unvarying in pitch
Monotony
n. dull, tedious lack of variation
Monsieur
n. a high ranking Frenchman
Monstrosity
n. a horrific and shocking thing that deviates from normality; a freak
Moonbeam
n. a lunar ray of light
Morale
n. one's state of psychological well-being, particularly regarding confidence and optimism; moral teachings
Moralist
n. someone who lives by a moral code; a philosopher who studies moral concerns; someone who attempts to influence the morals of others
Morality
n. virtue; adherence to established standards of human conduct
Moralize
v. to impart a moral quality upon
Moratorium
n. an authorized waiting period or delay
Morbid
adj. relating to a disease; marked by gloomy feelings; gruesome
Mordacious
adj. tending to wound; barbed
Mordant
adj. caustic in manner; pungent
Moribund
adj. dying; inactive
Morose
adj. sullen; markedly gloomy
Morphology
n. the study of biological form and structure
Motley
adj. diverse in composition
Motto
n. a concise expression used to convey an entity's character or philosophical views
Mountaineer
n. someone who scales mountains
Mountainous
adj. characterized by the presence of many mountains
Mouthful
n. a lengthy verbal expression; a meaningful statement; a bite-size quantity
Muddle
v. to bungle or mess up; to make muddy
Muffle
v. to envelop; to dull the sound of something by wrapping a cloth, material or substance around it; to deaden or suppress
Mulatto
n. someone who has both black and white ancestry
Muleteer
n. someone who drives mules
Multiform
adj. marked by the presence of multiple forms or appearances
Multiplicity
n. the state of being multiple; a large number
Mundane
adj. relating to the world; ordinary or commonplace
Municipal
adj. relating to political affairs
Municipality
n. an urban political unit sporting corporate status and self-government powers
Munificence
n. the state of being generous
Munificent
adj. extremely generous; lavish
Muster
n. a sample; an assembly
Mutation
n. a basic but significant change; a notable genetic alteration
Mutilate
v. to hack off a limb or necessary part of; to maim or cripple
Mutiny
n. an organized revolt or concerted resistance against an authorized authority
Myriad
n. a very large number; specifically, ten thousand
Mystic
n. someone who follows or advocates mysticism, or the belief that subjective experience can connect one with some spiritual entity
Mystification
n. the act of mystifying, or bewildering
Myth
n. a story passed on by tradition that serves to explain the current state of the world, a natural phenomenon or the origins of a people
Mythology
n. a collection of myths specific to a certain people that deal with gods, demigods and legendary heroes and villains
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