WORD LIST 167
succor ('suk·o ̆r) n. assistance or relief in time of difficulty or distress. v. to pro-
vide assistance or relief in time of difficulty or distress. The Red Cross and other
relief organizations provide succor to the needy during natural disasters.
sundry ('sun·dree) adj. various, miscellaneous. The sundry items in her backpack
reveal a great deal about her personality.
supercilious (soo·pe ̆r·'sil·ee·u ̆s) adj. haughty, scornful, disdainful. Sunil’s super-
cilious attitude and sarcastic remarks annoy me greatly.
supplicant ('sup·l ̆·ka ̆nt) n. a person who asks humbly for something; one who
beseeches or entreats. The supplicants begged for forgiveness.
surfeit ('sur·fit) n. 1. an excessive amount or overabundance; glut. 2. the state of
being or eating until excessively full. v. to feed or fill to excess, satiety, or dis-
gust; overindulge. In some countries, the leaders and a select few enjoy a surfeit of
wealth while most of the population lives in squalor.
surly ('sur·lee) adj. bad-tempered, gruff, or unfriendly in a way that suggests
menace. Emily received a surly greeting from the normally cheerful receptionist.
surmise (su ̆r·'m ̄z) v. to infer based upon insufficient evidence; to guess, conjec-
ture. After finding dirty footprints in her apartment, Lakisha surmised that someone
had stolen her misplaced jewelry.
surreptitious (sur·e ̆p·'tish·u ̆s) adj. 1. done, made, or obtained through stealthy,
clandestine, or fraudulent means. 2. marked by or acting with stealth or
secrecy. Ian’s surreptitious manner makes me believe his support for you is spurious
and that he has a hidden agenda.
surrogate ('sur·o ̆·it) n. a substitute; one who takes the place of another. Martha
agreed to be a surrogate mother for her sister.
svelte (svelt) adj. slender and graceful, suave. The svelte actress offered a toast to her
guests.
sycophant ('sik·o ̆·fa ̆nt) n. a person who tries to win the favor of influential or
powerful people through flattery; a fawning parasite. Omar realized that one of
the drawbacks of his celebrity was that he would always be surrounded by sycophants.
Ttaciturn ('tas·i·turn) adj. habitually untalkative, reserved. I’ve always known him
to be taciturn, but yesterday he regaled me with tales of his hiking adventures.