Palliation (n): pal-ee-eyt
An act of making less severe or violent
Panacea (n): pan-uh-see-uh
If you say that something is not a panacea for a particular set of problems, you mean that it will not solve all those problems = cureall
The book attempted to offer a universal panacea
Pandemonium (n): pan-duh-moh-nee-uhm
If there is pandemonium in a place, the people there are behaving in a very noisy and uncontrolled way = uproar
There was pandemonium in the classroom till the head appeared
Panegyric (n): pan-i-jir-ik, -jahy-rik
A panegyric is a speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something = paean
She delivered a panegyric on the president
Panoply (n): pan-uh-plee (1005)
A panoply of things is a wide range of them, especially one that is considered impressive = array
The panoply of Maharana Pratap contains a shield that weighs around 20 kgs!
Panorama (n): pan-uh-ram-uh
A panorama is a view in which you can see a long way over a wide area of land, usually because you are on high ground = vista
The watch tower offered a wonderful panorama of the jungle
Pantomime (n): pan-tuh-mahym
A pantomime is a funny musical play for children Pantomimes are usually based on fairy stories and are performed at Christmas
Papyrus (n): puh-pahy-ruhs
Papyrus is a type of paper made from papyrus stems that was used in ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece
Parable (n): par-uh-buhl
A parable is a short story, which is told in order to make a moral or religious point, like those in the Bible = short story
The story is a pleasing parable of the problems created by an excess of wealth
Paradigm (n): par-uh-dahym, -dim (1010)
A paradigm is a model for something which explains it or shows how it can be produced = model, example
Dr Abdul kalam remained the paradigm of what a President should be
Paradox (n): par-uh-doks
You describe a situation as a paradox when it involves two or more facts or qualities which seem to contradict each other
It's a paradox that in such a rich country there can be so much poverty
Paragon (n): par-uh-gon, -guhn
If you refer to someone as a paragon, you mean that they are perfect or have a lot of a good quality = epitome
We don’t expect all the candidates to be paragons of virtue
Parallelism (n): par-uh-le-liz-uhm
When there is parallelism between two things, there are similarities between them
There is a striking parallelism between the twins
Paramour (n): par-uh-moor
Someone’s paramour is their lover = illicit lover
She eloped with her paramour
Paranoia (n): par-uh-noi-uh (1015)
If you say that someone suffers from paranoia, you think that they are too suspicious and afraid of other people
Saddam Hussain was such a paranoid that he used to sleep in different rooms on different days
Paranoiac (n): par-uh-noid
Paranoiac means the same as paranoid
Parapet (n): par-uh-pit
A parapet is a low wall along the edge of something high such as a bridge or roof
I got up and went to the corner of the parapet, from where I could see in three directions
Paraphernalia (n): par-uh-fer-neyl-yuh
You can refer to a large number of objects that someone has with them or that are connected with a particular activity as paraphernalia = accessories
Get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays and other paraphernalia associated with smoking !
Parasite (n): par-uh-sahyt
A parasite is a small animal or plant that lives on or inside a larger animal or plant, and gets its food from it
Paregoric (n): par-i-gawr-ik (1020)
Medicine that eases pain
Pariah (n): puh-rahy-uh
If you describe someone as a pariah, you mean that other people dislike them so much that they refuse to associate with them = outcast
For many years the country was treated as a pariah by Western governments
Parity (n): par-i-tee
If there is parity between two things, they are equal = equality
The Open University students are at parity with the State University students in terms of academic standards
Parlance (n): pahr-luhns
You use parlance when indicating that the expression you are using is normally used by a particular group of people
In military parlance, Kashmir is known as live wire
Parley (v & n): pahr-lee
A parley is a discussion between two opposing people or groups in which both sides try to come to an agreement
Though the problem appears insurmountable, I am sure that parleys can throw up some idea
Parody (n): par-uh-dee (1025)
When you say that something is a parody of a particular thing, you are criticizing it because you think it is a very poor example or bad imitation of that thing = travesty, humorous imitation
The first trial was a parody of justice
Paroxysm (n): par-uhk-siz-uhm
A paroxysm of emotion is a sudden, very strong occurrence of it = fit
Later the same day, he exploded in a paroxysm of rage, which continued for half an hour
Parricide (n): par-uh-sahyd
The crime of killing your father, mother, or any other close relative
He was jailed for 10 years for parricide
Partiality (n): pahr-shee-al-i-tee
An unfair support of one person or one group against another = bias, inclination
He has a great partiality for chocolate biscuits
Parturition (n): pahr-too-rish-uhn
delivery; childbirth
Doctors recommend highly nutritious food to mothers before and after the parturition
Parvenu (n): pahr-vuh-noo (1030)
If you describe someone as a parvenu, you think that although they have acquired wealth or high status they are not very cultured or well-educated = upstart; newly rich person
Dr Manmohan Singh is considered by many as a parvenu when it comes to politics
Pastiche (n): pa-steesh
A pastiche is something such as a piece of writing or music in which the style is copied from somewhere else, or which contains a mixture of different styles
Music composers these days are often accussed as pastiche by the critics
Pathology (n): puh-thol-uh-jee
Pathology is the study of the way diseases and illnesses develop
Plant pathology studies the disease of plants
Pathos (n): pey-thos
Pathos is a quality in a situation, film, or play that makes people feel sadness and pity = tender sorrow, pity
The pathos of the woman trying to keep her lover is miserable
Patina (n): pat-n-uh
A patina is a thin layer of something that has formed on the surface of something
He allowed a fine patina of old coffee to develop around the inside of the mug
Patois (n): pat-wah (1035)
A patois is a language that has developed from a mixture of other languages = creole, local or provincial dialect
The tourist was both bemused and confused on listening to the patois of the local
Patriarch (n): pey-tree-ahrk
An old man who is respected as the head of a family or tribe
He is its founder, leader and patriarch
Patricide (n): pa-truh-sahyd
A person who murders his father
Patrimony (n): pa-truh-moh-nee
Someone's patrimony is the possessions that they have inherited from their father or ancestors = inheritance from father
I left my parents' house, relinquished my estate and my patrimony
Paucity (n): paw-si-tee
If you say that there is a paucity of something, you mean that there is not enough of it = scarcity, dearth
The stranded passengers were further frustrated wih paucity of information
Pauper (n): paw-per (1040)
A pauper is a very poor person = extremely poor
He did die a pauper and is buried in an unmarked grave
Peccadillo (n): pek-uh-dil-oh
Peccadilloes are small, unimportant sins or faults
People are pepared to be tolerant of extra-marital peccodilloes by public figures
Peculation (n): pek-yuh-leyt
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle
The accountant was blacklisted for peculation of the firm’s funds
Pedagogue (n): ped-uh-gog, -gawg
If you describe someone as a pedagogue, you mean that they like to teach people things in a firm way as if they know more than anyone else = teacher
De Gaule was a born pedagogue who used the public platform and the television screen to a great effect
Pedagogy (n): ped-uh-goh-jee
Pedagogy is the study and theory of the methods and principles of teaching = teaching, art of education
Every teacher must develop a pedagogy of his own
Pedant (n): ped-nt (1045)
If you say that someone is a pedant, you mean that they are too concerned with unimportant details or traditional rules, especially in connection with academic subjects
Our teacher is a real pedant when it comes to punctuation marks
Pediment (n): ped-uh-muhnt
A pediment is a large triangular structure built over a door or window as a decoration
The remains of these figures resemble the present west pediment in style
Pelf (n): pelf
Wealth or riches, especially when dishonestly acquired
Penance (n): pen-uhns
If you do penance for something wrong that you have done, you do something that you find unpleasant to show that you are sorry = atonement
Thousands of pilgrims arrive in Varanasi every year to perform penance for their sins at the banks of River Ganges
Penchant (n): pen-chuhnt
If someone has a penchant for something, they have a special liking for it or a tendency to do it = fondness
He had a penchant for playing jokes on people
Penumbra (n): pi-nuhm-bruh (1050)
Partial shadow in an eclipse
A penumbra is an area of light shadow
