Ossify (v): os-uh-fahy
If an idea, system, or organization ossifies or if something ossifies it, it becomes fixed and difficult to change = harden
Rosaiah faced an ossified economic system
Ostracize (v): os-truh-sahyz
If someone is ostracized, people deliberately behave in an unfriendly way towards them and do not allow them to take part in any of their social activities = exclude
As soon as the newspapers carried the story of his connection with the criminals, his friends began to ostracise him
Palliate (v): pal-ee-eyt
to reduce the effects of illness, pain etc without curing them = ease pain
We should palliate the sufferings of the poor
Palpitate (v): pal-pi-teyt
If something palpitates, it shakes or seems to shake = throb, flutter
On hearing the news, my heart began to palpitate
Pander (v): pan-der (455)
If you pander to someone or to their wishes, you do everything that they want, often to get some advantage for yourself
I don’t want to pander to your foolish requirements
Paraphrase (v): par-uh-freyz
If you paraphrase someone or paraphrase something that they have said or written, you express what they have said or written in a different way
After the Group Discussion, the invigilator asked the dumb-looking boy to paraphrase the topic
Parry (v): par-ee
If you parry a question or argument, you cleverly avoid answering it or dealing with it = to ward off, avoid
She parried all questions about their relationship
Permeate (v): pur-mee-eyt
If something permeates a place, it spreads throughout it = pass through; spread
The smell of roast beef permeated the air
Perpetrate (v): pur-pi-treyt
If someone perpetrates a crime or any other immoral or harmful act, they do it = commit an offense
Only an insane could perpetrate such a horrible crime
Perturb (v): per-turb (460)
If something perturbs you, it worries you quite a lot = disturb greatly
What perturbs me is that magazine articles are so much shorter nowadays
Petrify (v): pe-truh-fahy
If something petrifies you, it makes you feel very frightened = terrify
Prison petrifies me and I don’t want to go there
Peruse (v): puh-rooz
If you peruse something such as a letter, article, or document, you read it = examine
A copy of the report is available for you to peruse at leisure
Pillage (v): pil-ij
If a group of people pillage a place, they steal property from it using violent methods = plunder
The enemt pillaged the palace and left it in ruins
Pillory (v): pil-uh-ree
If someone is pilloried, a lot of people, especially journalists, criticize them and make them look stupid = ridicule
A man has been forced to resign as a result of being pilloried by some of the press
Pinion (v): pin-yuhn (465)
If you are pinioned, someone prevents you from moving or escaping, especially by holding or tying your arms = restrain
At nine the next morning Bentley was pinioned, hooded and hanged
Placate (v): pley-keyt
If you placate someone, you do or say something to make them stop feeling angry = to appease, pacify, mollify
He smiled and made a gesture intended to placate me
Plagiarize (v): pley-juh-rahyz
If someone plagiarizes another person’s idea or work, they use it or copy it and pretend that they thought of it or created it = copy
He accused other scientists of plagiarizing his research
Plummet (v): pluhm-it
If an amount, rate, or price plummets, it decreases quickly by a large amount = fall sharply
In Tokyo, share prices have plummeted for the sixth successive day
Polarize (v): poh-luh-rahyz
If something polarizes people or if something polarizes, two separate groups are formed with opposite opinions or positions = divide
The issue has polarized the country
Pontificate (v): pon-tif-i-kit (470)
If someone pontificates about something, they state their opinions as if they are the only correct ones and nobody could possibly argue against them = express
Politicians are always pontificating about education
Portend (v): pawr-tend
If something portends an event or occurrence, it indicates that it is likely to happen in the future = foretell, warn
The change did not pottend a basic improvement in social conditions
Prate (v): preyt
an old word meaning to talk in a silly way for a long time about unimportant things = speak foolishly, boast idly
Let us not prate about our qualities; rather, let our virtues speak for themselves
Prattle (v): prat-l
If you say that someone prattles on about something, you are criticizing them because they are talking a great deal without saying anything important = chatter, babble
What's Ramya prattling on about?
Precipitate (v): pri-sip-i-teyt
If something precipitates an event or situation, usually a bad one, it causes it to happen suddenly or sooner than normal = bring about
A slight mistake could precipitate a disaster
Preclude (v): pri-klood (475)
If something precludes an event or action, it prevents the event or action from happening = eliminate,
Age alone will not preclude him from standing as a candidate
