John Wiley And Sons Webster''s New World - Essential vocabulary_T

T
talisman (TAL is min) n. 1. something (like a ring, necklace, or bracelet) bear-
ing symbols or engraved figures thought to bring good luck; 2. anything thought to
have magic power; something to ward off evil; an amulet
• In many primitive and not-so-primitive cultures, talismans are worn to
ward off evil spirits.
• Many educated persons have been known to carry a rabbit’s foot as a
talisman, despite the fact that it obviously did not bring much luck to the
rabbit.
[-s pl.]
tangential (tan JEN shil) adj. 1. diverging or digressing; going off at an angle,
like a tangent; 2. just touching on a subject, but not dealing with it at length
• The school superintendent started talking about the school budget but
soon went off on the tangential subject of the breakfast program.
• While examining the world news section of the newspaper, Sandy took a
tangential glance at the baseball scores.
[-ly adv.]
temerity (tim ER it ee) n. audacity; recklessness; foolhardiness
• Mark was shocked that only a week into skiing lessons, Allison had the
temerity to tackle the giant slalom.
• Nobody believed that North Vietnam would have the temerity to attack
South Vietnam while it was under American protection, but we all know
how that turned out.
temperament (TEM per mint) n. 1. one’s usual state of mind or disposition;
nature; natural disposition; 2. excitability; moodiness; capriciousness; volatility
• Collies usually have a very even temperament and are very good at herding
children who try to stray.
• A Jack Russell terrier’s temperament, on the other hand, is frenetic or (as
some might say) hyper, and it is in perpetual motion.
[Syn. disposition]
temperance (TEM pir INS) n. 1. self-restraint; moderation in appetite, expres-

sion, indulgence, and so on; 2. totally refraining from drinking alcoholic beverages
• It is a good idea to exercise temperance in the amount of fried foods that
one eats in a week.
• The temperance movement was responsible for the U.S. Prohibition era of
the 1930s.
tenacious (ten AY shis) adj. 1. holding on firmly; retaining well; retentive;
2. persistent; stubborn
• The British are known for being a very tenacious people, which is why they
embrace the bulldog as their national mascot.
• When he fell over the cliff, Carl held on to the tree root with a tenacious
grip until rescuers could reach him.
[-ly adv., tenacity n.] [Syn. persistent]
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tendency (TEN din see) n. 1. an inclination, bent, or propensity to move in a
certain direction; 2. an apparent moving toward some particular purpose; drift;
3. a purpose or point of view
• Things set in motion have a tendency to remain in motion until interfered
with by an outside force.
• An object at rest has a tendency to remain at rest until acted upon by an
outside force.
• Isaac Newton’s tendency was to state things as laws, such as the two laws of
inertia stated above.
• The tendency of the American people during the 1980s and 1990s was to
move politically toward the right.
[Syn. drift, trend]
tentative (TEN tuh TIV lee) adj. 1. proposed, but not definite; uncertain;
2. timid; hesitant
• The tentative time for our next meeting is Tuesday at 7
P

.
M
., but check back
before putting it on your calendar.
• Joanne wanted to ask Arthur to the dance, but her approach to him was, at
best, tentative.
[-ly adv., -ness n.] [Syn. uncertain]
tenuous (TEN yoo is) adj. not substantial; flimsy; inconclusive
• The challenger’s lead in the polls is, at best, tenuous.
• Nora had a tenuous grip on her tennis racket, and it was at risk of flying
out of her hand with each swing.
[-ly adv., -ness n.]
testimony (TES to MOH nee) n. 1. a declaration or statement made under oath,
sometimes in response to questioning, before a court of some sort; 2. a public affir-
mation; any kind of evidence; 3. any sworn statement
• The arresting officer gave testimony at the burglary trial.
• The general’s testimony before Congress was that the army was fully prepared.
• Lynn’s testimony was given in a letter signed before a notary public.
tether (TE thir) n. a rope or cord fastened to something to prevent its escape
—vt. to tie up or confine something/someone using a tether
• Tetherball is played using a ball attached to a stake by a tether.
• It is not unusual to find a dog tethered to a lamppost while its owner is in
the grocery store.
• Never tether your dog for any length of time in the presence of hot sun-
light with no recourse to shade and fresh water.
[-ed, -ing]
theoretical (THEE uh RET i kil) adj. 1. of or making up an idea or mental con-
cept; 2. limited to theory, but not practical or proven; 3. speculative
• Einstein had a theoretical view of the relationship between energy and mass.
• Air travel was purely theoretical until the beginning of the twentieth century.

• The existence of life in other galaxies is purely theoretical.
[-ly adv.]
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QUICK REVIEW #80
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
T: SAT Words 225
1. talisman
2. tangential
3. temerity
4. temperament
5. temperance
6. tenacious
7. tendency
8. tentative
9. tenuous
10. testimony
11. tether
12. theoretical
a. disposition
b. evidence
c. stubborn
d. uncertain
e. tie
f. audacity
g. inconclusive
h. speculative
i. amulet
j. moderation

k. drift
l. diverging
therapeutic (THE ri PYOO tik) adj. working to heal or cure; curative
• Walking is considered to be therapeutic for a sore leg, but how that can be
beats me.
• Professionals disagree over whether an ice pack or a heat pack is more
therapeutic for a sore back.
[-al adj., -ly adv.]
thorough (THOER oh) adj. 1. complete; omitting nothing; 2. absolute; very
exact; accurate; 3. paying careful attention to details
• Yolanda gave a thorough accounting of her encounter with the hijacker,
taking care to omit no detail.
• The doctor gave Edwin a thorough examination, including an
electrocardiogram.
• The counterfeiter did a thorough job of copying the design for the $50 bill.
[-ly adv.]
throng (THRAHNG) n. 1. a great number of people gathered together; a crowd;
2. a mass of things; multitude —vt. to crowd together
• The happy throng gathered for New Year’s Eve in Times Square.
•A throng of fruit flies massed around the cut peach, looking to grab a tasty
meal.
• The passengers thronged together, hoping to get a seat on the next bus.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. crowd]
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timorous (TIM er is) adj. 1. full of fear; subject to fear; timid; 2. caused by
timidity
• The most memorable use of the word timorous in English literature is in
Robert Burns’s To a Mouse, where he refers to it as a “wee timorous beastie.”
• It is quite fine for children to be timorous about talking to strangers.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. afraid]

tolerate (TAH ler AYT) vt. 1. to allow; permit; 2. to respect the beliefs of others,
although they differ from one’s own; 3. to put up with things or persons who are
disliked
• Julie’s parents would not tolerate her playing after school until her home-
work was done.
• Though not a believer in the curative powers of chicken soup, Hal tolerated
a well-meant bowl or two when he was laid up with the flu.
• Karen tolerated her in-laws’ presence at family gatherings, although she
really would have preferred not to see them.
[-d, tolerating] [Syn. bear]
tome (TOHM) n. a book, especially a large, ponderous, and/or scholarly one
• You know Professor Corey; he’s the one who wrote the thick tome on the
eating preferences of different species of termites.
• The writings of J. D. Salinger are not really lengthy enough to call tomes,
while Leo Tolstoy’s works are a different story.
torpid (TAWR pid) adj. 1. temporarily having lost all sensation and the ability
to move (like a hibernating animal); sluggish; 2. slow and dull; apathetic
• A bear, while torpid after just having awakened from hibernation, soon
after becomes much livelier.
• A sloth, on the other hand, is always torpid.
• Certain members of my family have a tendency to be torpid upon the com-
pletion of a Thanksgiving feast.
[-ly adv., -ity, torpor n.]
tourniquet (TOER ni kit) n. a pressure bandage whose purpose is to temporari-
ly clamp off the flow of blood through a part of the body
• The most commonly seen tourniquet among campers is made by tying
together two ends of a cloth square, slipping it over a limb, and then twist-
ing a stick through the loop to put pressure on the limb.
•A tourniquet is an emergency bandage to prevent excessive loss of blood by
a cut trauma subject.

tractable (TRAK ti bl) adj. 1. easily managed, controlled, or taught; docile;
compliant; 2. easily workable; malleable
• A horse is most tractable when it is younger than two years of age.
• Silver is a very tractable metal but not as much so as copper.
[tractability* n.] [Syn. obedient]
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tradition (truh DISH in) n. 1. a custom, belief, proverb, or story handed down
orally from generation to generation; 2. the act of handing down same; 3. long
established practices; precedent; 4. a historic line of principles, attitudes, or codes of
behavior
• The story of the Trojan War had been Greek tradition for hundreds of years
before Homer wrote it down in The Iliad.
• Tradition was often entrusted to minstrels, who were singing storytellers
and entertainers.
• The Thanksgiving turkey dinner is an American tradition.
• Bushido is the Japanese tradition of behavior passed down by the samurai
warriors.
trait (TRAYT) n. 1. a distinguishing characteristic or quality; 2. character; 3. a
quality of personality
• A palamino horse is distinguishable from all others by the trait of its golden
skin color.
• Nose shape is a trait that differs less among people than among dogs.
• Honesty is a desirable trait, often lacking in used-car salespersons.
[Syn. quality]
tranquillity* (tran KWIL i tee) n. the quality or state of peacefulness; calmness;
serenity
• A pastoral scene is one noted for its apparent tranquillity.
• Of course, the artist never portrays the cougar waiting behind the rock to
disrupt the tranquillity of the grazing flock.

QUICK REVIEW #81
Match the word from column 2 with the word from column 1 that means most
nearly the same thing.
T: SAT Words 227
1. therapeutic
2. thorough
3. throng
4. timorous
5. tolerate
6. tome
7. torpid
8. tourniquet
9. tractable
10. tradition
11. trait
12. tranquillity
a. peacefulness
b. bear
c. precedent
d. pressure bandage
e. apathetic
f. quality
g. obedient
h. multitude
i. curative
j. encyclopedia
k. accurate
l. afraid
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transient (TRAN see int) adj. 1. temporary; passing with time; 2. passing in a

short time; fleeting —n. 1. a transient person; 2. a brief electrical surge
• Don’t worry, your in-laws’ visit is a transient one.
• Weather in Texas is very transient; if you don’t care for it at the moment,
just wait five minutes.
• Motels rent their rooms mostly to transients.
[-ly adv., transience n.]
transparent* (trans PAR int) adj. 1. capable of being seen through; passing light
through so as to be able to distinctly see what is on the other side; neither translu-
cent nor opaque; 2. easily understood; very clear; obvious; 3. frank; without guile
• “I wouldn’t want to call you transparent,” Mabel told Todd, “but I can see
your car right behind your belly.”
• Will’s directions to Doris’s place were transparent.
• When a child admires a particular toy in the store, his or her motives are
usualy transparent.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. clear]
trauma (TROW muh or TRAW muh) n. 1. a bodily shock, wound, or injury; 2. a
mental shock or painful emotional experience
• Any cut can be called a trauma, but it is the more severe ones that get
immediate attention in the emergency room of a hospital.
• Scalding with nearly boiling hot water is one of the most painful forms of
physical trauma.
[-tic adj., -tically adv.]
travesty (TRA vis tee) n. 1. a burlesque or grotesque imitation for purposes of
ridicule; 2. a crude, distorted, absurd representation of something
• Political cartoonists love to make a travesty of politicians by emphasizing
some facial characteristic to a ridiculous extreme.
•A travesty was made of Richard Nixon’s jowls, for instance.
• Teddy Roosevelt was often portrayed with a monacle, a cigar, and a
grotesque shotgun and/or riding crop, making a travesty of his avocations.
• The pop diva’s remake of a popular 1960s ballad was considered a travesty

by those who knew and loved the original song.
[Syn. caricature]
treachery (TRECH ir ee) n. 1. a betrayal of trust or faith; treason; 2. an act of
disloyalty or treason; perfidy
• Benedict Arnold was known for his treachery in delivering the plans of West
Point to the redcoats.
• Less well known in the United States is the treachery of Vidkund Quisling,
whose so-called Fifth Column led to the taking of Norway by Nazi Germany.
tremulous (TREM yoo lis) adj. 1. trembling or quivering; 2. marked by trem-
bling or shaking; 3. timid; fearful; timorous
• Maricella’s tremulous hand made brain surgery an unsuitable occupation
for her.
• A good singer often has a tremulous voice on a sustained note, known as
“tremolo”; bad singers let this tremulousness get out of hand.
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• It is appropriate to be tremulous when unarmed and face to face with an
uncaged 600 lb. Siberian tiger.
[-ly adv., -ness n.]
trivialize (TRI vee uh lyz) vt. 1. to regard or treat as unimportant or insignifi-
cant; 2. to make seem unimportant
• It is easy for an adult to trivialize the fears of a child and, by so doing, to
traumatize him or her.
• A good teacher will not trivialize the questions of students.
[-d*, trivializing, trivialization n.]
truculent (TRUHK yoo lint) adj. 1. cruel; fierce; savage; 2. rude; mean; 3. belli-
cose; warlike; pugnacious
• Genghis Khan took a truculent attitude toward nearly everyone but his
wife, Sylvia.
• The North Koreans have been truculent toward those in the South since

shortly after World War II.
[-ly adv., truculence n.]
trustee (TRUS tee) n. 1. a person entrusted with the management of someone
else’s property or money; 2. a country in charge of administering a trust territory;
3. a group of persons or a board appointed to manage the affairs of an institution
•A trustee is often appointed by a bankruptcy court to manage the appli-
cant’s financial affairs.
• The United Kingdom was made trustee over much of the former territory of
the Ottoman Empire after World War I.
• Many major instutions’ financial affairs are in the hands of a board of
trustees.
turmoil (TOER moyl) n. uproar; confusion; disarray; tumult; commotion
• The floor of the New York Stock Exchange always appears to be in a state
of turmoil.
• The police do their best to control the turmoil as the crowd leaves the race-
track at the end of the Indianapolis 500.
• Fear and turmoil gripped the passengers and crew of the Titanic in their
attempt to leave the stricken ship.
turpitude* (TOER pi TOOD) n. 1. depravity or vileness; baseness; 2. any
instance of the foregoing
• One of the approved reasons for removing a public official from office is
moral turpitude.
• The turpitude of Adolph Hitler is without parallel in modern times.
tyranny (TIR uh nee) n. 1. the government of an absolute ruler; 2. oppressive
government; unjust government; 3. cruel and unjust use of authority; harshness;
severity; despotism
• The first so-called tyrannies took place in ancient Greece, and tyranny
comes from the Greek word tyrant.
• Any modern-day dictatorship is a tyranny.
• The Reign of Terror, which followed the French Revolution, was not a

tyranny in the first sense of the word but was one in the third sense.
[tyrannies pl.]
T: SAT Words 229
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