Page 318 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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M – N: GRE Words
miscreant (MIS cree int) n. an evildoer; criminal; villain —adj. villainous; evil
• Comic books are filled with superheroes and super miscreants.
• Not all miscreants end up in prison, but many people think they should.
[miscreancy n.]
miser (MY zer) n. a greedy person who hoards money even at the expense of his
or her own comfort
• The classical story of a miser is that of King Midas who was granted the
ability to turn everything he touched into gold.
• Misers are likely to live a shabby life because it is the acquisition of money,
rather than the good life, that they crave.
[-ly adv.]
molecular (muh LEK yoo loer) adj. consisting of, produced by, or being
between molecules
• At the molecular level, certain forces hold atoms together.
• Molecular study is possible with the electron microscope.
molecule (MAH lik YOOL) n. 1. the smallest particle of an element or com-
pound that exists and still retains the properties of that element or compound;
2. a very small particle
•A molecule of the element oxygen consists of two oxygen atoms and is
represented by the symbol O 2.
•A molecule of water contains three atoms, two hydrogen atoms and one
oxygen atom, and is represented by the symbol H 2O.
• Flora had a molecule of hope that she’d succeed.
mores (maw RAYZ) n. traditional behaviors that seem so conducive to the
welfare of a group that they come to have the force of law and sometimes even
become part of the legal code
• Nomadic tribes live by mores alone, having no formal code of laws.
• Often one’s mores can serve to tell one what is right and what is not right.
mortgage (MAWR gidzh) n. 1. the pledging of a property as security for a sum
of money; 2. the deed that a mortgager holds —vt. 1. to put an advance claim or
liability on; 2. to pledge property by a mortgage
• Most homeowners owe banks, with the person who lives in the home
making regular mortgage payments.
• When a mortgage has been paid off, the bank delivers the deed to the new
homeowner.
• Charles mortgaged his future with college loans.
mute (MYOOT) vt. 1. to soften or muffle the sound of a musical instrument;
2. to subdue the intensity of a color —adj. softened; subdued —n. a person who
cannot speak
• Some trumpet players used to play their trumpets into a hat to mute the
sound.
•A muted trumpet does not have the blare of an open-belled one.
• Certain artists are known for their use of muted colors.