128 VOCABULARY FOR TOEFL iBT
cadge (kaj) v. to beg, to obtain by begging. Their dog Cleo would cadge at my feet,
hoping I would throw him some table scraps.
cajole (ka ̆·'johl) v. to urge with gentle and repeated appeals or flattery; to whee-
dle. Valerie is quite adept at cajoling others to get what she wants, even if it’s some-
thing she hasn’t earned.
candor ('kan·do ̆r) n. frank, sincere speech; openness. When I told my boss about my
performance concerns, he welcomed my candor.
capitulate (ka ̆·'pich·u ̆·layt) v. to surrender under specific terms or agreed upon
conditions; to give in, acquiesce. Old man Jones was finally ready to capitulate and
sell his land to the timber company, but he balked when he saw that he would be com-
pensated for only half of the value of his property.
capricious (ka ̆·'prish·u ̆s) adj. impulsive, whimsical and unpredictable. Robin
Williams, the comedian, demonstrates a capricious nature even when he is not performing.
careen (ka ̆·'reen) v. 1. to lurch from side to side while in motion. 2. to rush care-
lessly or headlong. Watching the car in front of us careen down the road was very
frightening.
caste (kast) n. a distinct social class or system. While visiting India, Michael was
fascinated to learn the particulars of each caste and the way they related to each other.
castigate ('kas·t ̆·ayt) v. to inflict a severe punishment on; to chastise severely.
When his parents caught Bryan stealing money from his classmates, they castigated
him.
catharsis (ka ̆·'thahr·sis) n. the act of ridding or cleansing; relieving emotions via
the experiences of others, especially through art. Survivors of war often experi-
ence a catharsis when viewing Picasso’s painting Guernica , which depicts the bombing
of a town during the Spanish civil war.
caustic ('kaws·tik) adj. 1. able to burn, corrode, or dissolve by chemical action.- bitingly sarcastic, cutting. The mechanic was very careful when working with the
caustic fluid around the car because it could damage the car’s paint.
censor ('sen·so ̆r) n. an official who reviews books, films, etc. to remove what is
considered morally, politically, or otherwise objectionable. v. to forbid the
publication, distribution, or other public dissemination of something because
it is considered obscene or otherwise politically or morally unacceptable. The
librarian served as a censor, deciding what books were appropriate for the young
readers.