preservation(PREZ ir VAY shin) n. 1. protected from harm; 2. kept from spoil-
ing or rotting; 3. maintaining by regulating
- Acid-free sleeves help with the preservationof photographs.
- Food preservationbegan with vacuum packaging in the nineteenth century.
- The preservationof wildlife is just one assignment of the U.S. Forest Service.
presumptuous(pri ZUMP shoo uhs) adj. overconfident or arrogant; taking too
much for granted - How presumptuouswas the guest at the cocktail party to take a plastic bag
from her purse and start filling it with jumbo cocktail shrimp? - It was rather presumptuousof the wedding guest to take a seat at the head
table.
[-ly adv., -ness n.]
pretense(PREE tens) n. 1. an unsupported claim of having accomplished some-
thing; 2. a false claim; 3. a pretending, as in make-believe - It was quite by accident that a former vice president made a pretenseto
having invented the Internet. - A major pretenseof a certain U.S. president is that he can pronounce the
word “nuclear.” - Children often learn proper behavior through pretenseto be adult role
models.
pretentious (pree TEN shis) adj. 1. claiming some importance or distinction;
- ostentatious; showing off; self-important
- George of the Jungle was a rather pretentiouscharacter, considering that
Ape was the brains of the outfit. - The triple loop performed by the roller boarder was a very pretentiousdis-
play of his/her skills.
previous(PREE vee uhs) adj. before the present; prior; at an earlier time; preceding - The previousadministration enjoyed more popularity than the current one.
- Mary was convinced that she had been a sheep in a previousincarnation.
primarily(pry MER i lee) adv. at first; originally; principally; mainly - Primarily,vacations seemed more important than school to Ian, but that
came to change. - Alice went to space camp primarilyto learn more about the solar system.
primary(PRY mer ee) adj. 1. first in order or first to have been developed; 2.
primitive; fundamental; basic; 3. in the first level of a series or sequence; 4. chief;
principal; main - The primarypolio vaccine was the Salk vaccine, with Sabin’s coming along
later. - Primaryschool is where a child develops fundamental reading and math
skills. - In the primaryelections, the final candidates are selected.
- The president is the primaryexecutive officer in the United States.
P – Q: SAT Words 191