by Hatice Oncel TOEFL VOCAB-11

rate, speed pace

Careful, thorough It took months of painstaking research to write the book painstaking

unimportant, minor The company offered Jeremy a paltry sum which he refused paltry

Chief, top There are many priorities, but reducing the budget deficit is paramount/is of paramount importance. paramount

strange, old, unique, special She has the most peculiar ideas. What a peculiar smell! peculiar

enter, go into, puncture Amazingly, the bullet did not penetrate his brain. penetrate

observe, sense, notice I perceived a note of unhappiness in her voice. perceive

n. danger, hazard, risk I never felt that my life was in peril peril

dangerous, risky, hazardous The country roads are quite perilous perilous

constant, endless, eternal They lived in perpetual fear of being discovered and arrested. perpetual

puzzling, confusing The disease has continued to perplex doctors perplexing

Important, key, crucial a pivotal figure/role/idea pivotal

epidemic, trouble, harass a plague of insects plague

Likely, credible, believable a plausible explanation/excuse plausible

beg, appeal He was on his knees, pleading for mercy/forgiveness plead

luxurious, opulent, elegant He took me out to a really plush restaurant plush

strong, powerful, effective The Berlin Wall was a potent symbol of the Cold War. potent

jump, leap The cat sat in the tree ready to pounce on the ducks below. pounce

accurate, exact The cat sat in the tree ready to pounce on the ducks below. precise

first, opening, leading, foremost He's one of the nation's premier scientists premier

urgent, crucial The most pressing question is what do we do next? pressing

Excuse, justification I called her on the pretext of needing more information pretext

Succeed, win, triumph I am sure that common sense will prevail in the end prevail

Common These diseases are more prevalent among young children prevalent

Investigate The interviewer probed deep into her private life probe

Obtain, secure She's managed somehow to procure his telephone number procure

Important, deep profound

Plentiful, copious profuse

Punctual They've written back already - that was a very prompt reply prompt

Flourish, succeed A lot of microchip manufacturing companies prospered at that time prosper

Careful, sensible It's always prudent to read a contract properly before signing it. prudent

grind, powder, crush pulverized coal/bones pulverize

Bitter, sharp I sat down to a cup of wonderfully pungent Turkish coffee. pungent

chase, follow, seek The car was pursued by helicopters pursue