Advanced Vocab Words - Set 6 Flashcards

Learn to understand and effectively use 100 advanced vocabulary words. Improve your test scores, or simply be more articulate in your daily life. Each word is used in context in a sample sentence and includes synonyms and a pronunciation guide.

1
Q

Define

pedant

(ped-ant)

A

n. someone who shows off knowledge

n. someone who pays undue attention to rules

Dominic is a pedant who annoys everyone in the class with his long-winded questions and unnecessary quotes from the textbook.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define

penchant

(pen-chunt)

A

n. a strong preference for something

Kate had a penchant for interior decorating, so she took over the role of set designer for the play.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Define

penury

(pen-yuh-ree)

A

n. extreme poverty or destitution

Having lived in penury their whole lives, the townspeople were very grateful for the donations sent by the charitable organization.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Define

tangent

(tan-djunt)

A

n. a different topic

adj. touching

Halfway into her speech on global warming, she went on a tangent about materialism in modern society.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Define

technocracy

(teck-knock-ruh-see)

A

n. rule by scientists

In the movie, the future is a technocracy where programmers rule the entire world.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Define

tedium

(tee-dee-um)

A

n. dullness

n. the feeling of being bored

The tedium of a fixed routine made John reconsider his plans to become a teacher.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Define

tenacious

(tuh-nay-shuss)

A

adj. sticking strongly to something

adj. having greater than average longevity

adj. stubborn

Despite the sudden thunderstorm, the tenacious runners continued to move towards the finish line.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Define

timorous

(tim-er-us)

A

adj. easy to frighten

The timorous young man jumped at even the slightest sound.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Define

tirade

(tahy-raid)

A

n. a long, angry rant

One student asked a simple question about the death penalty, causing the teacher to launch into a tirade about the topic.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Define

torpid

(tore-pid)

A

adj. lacking physical or mental energy

The student was torpid and generally uninvolved in discussions, so the teacher had to speak with him about his participation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Define

torpor

(tore-per)

A

n. a state of low physical or mental energy

The doctors discovered that her torpor was a symptom of a severe illness.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Define

torrid

(tore-id)

A

adj. extremely hot

adj. having intense emotion or passion

The president was accused of carrying on a secret and torrid love affair with his aide.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Define

totalitarianism

(toe-tal-ih-tare-ee-un-izm)

A

n. absolute, dictatorial control by the government

After years of civil war, one party emerged triumphant and dominated the country in a return to totalitarianism.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Define

tractable

(track-tuh-bul)

A

adj. easy to handle or control

adj. easily shaped

After some training, the dog became tractable enough to be sold as a pet.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Define

anomalous

(uh-nom-ih-luss)

A

adj. different from the norm; aberrant

The new shampoo was a success, although there were a few anomalous cases in which it actually damaged consumers’ hair.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Define

antipathy

(an-tip-uh-thee)

A

n. aversion; loathing

The couple tried to hide their antipathy toward the new neighbors so as not to seem unwelcoming.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Define

approbate

(ap-ruh-behyt)

A

v. to approve

The judge _approbate_d her right to keep the house.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Define

appropriate

(uh-pro-pree-ehyt)

A

v. to take by force

v. to assign for a certain purpose

During the chaos following the president’s death, his wife _appropriate_d the role of head of the organization.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Define

arbiter

(are-bih-ter)

A

n. a person chosen to solve a dispute

One of her duties as babysitter was to act as arbiter when the children got into arguments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Define

archetype

(are-kih-tahyp)

A

n. a typical example of something

n. the original on which something else is modeled

Dante’s Divine Comedy was the archetype upon which many derivative works were based.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. someone who shows off knowledge

n. someone who pays undue attention to rules

A

pedant

(ped-ant)

synonyms: sophist, doctrinaire, know-it-all

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a strong preference for something

A

penchant

(pen-chunt)

synonyms: fondness, inclination

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. extreme poverty or destitution

A

penury

(pen-yuh-ree)

synonyms: squalor, deprivation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a different topic

A

tangent

(tan-djunt)

synonyms: digression, departure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. rule by scientists

A

technocracy

(teck-knock-ruh-see)

synonyms: scientific rule

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. dullness

n. the feeling of being bored

A

tedium

(tee-dee-um)

synonyms: monotony, boredom, routine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. sticking strongly to something

adj. having greater than average longevity

adj. stubborn

A

tenacious

(tuh-nay-shuss)

synonyms: adamant, persistent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. easy to frighten

A

timorous

(tim-er-us)

synonyms: fearful, nervous, rattled

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a long, angry rant

A

tirade

(tahy-raid)

synonyms: abuse, outburst, berating

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. lacking physical or mental energy

A

torpid

(tore-pid)

synonyms: dormant, drained, motionless

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a state of low physical or mental energy

A

torpor

(tore-per)

synonyms: dormancy, apathy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. extremely hot

adj. having intense emotion or passion

A

torrid

(tore-id)

synonyms: arid, blazing, impassioned

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. absolute, dictatorial control by the government

A

totalitarianism

(toe-tal-ih-tare-ee-un-izm)

synonyms: dictatorship, tyranny, authoritarianism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. easy to handle or control

adj. easily shaped

A

tractable

(track-tuh-bul)

synonyms: manageable, compliant, adjustable

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. different from the norm; aberrant

A

anomalous

(uh-nom-ih-luss)

synonyms: unusual, abnormal, strange

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. aversion; loathing

A

antipathy

(an-tip-uh-thee)

synonyms: disgust, abhorrence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to approve

A

approbate

(ap-ruh-behyt)

synonyms: affirm, accept

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to take by force

v. to assign for a certain purpose

A

appropriate

(uh-pro-pree-ehyt)

synonyms: steal, embezzle; allocate, assign

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a person chosen to solve a dispute

A

arbiter

(are-bih-ter)

synonyms: mediator, negotiator, referee

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a typical example of something

n. the original on which something else is modeled

A

archetype

(are-kih-tahyp)

synonyms: prototype, paradigm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Define

ardor

(are-der)

A

n. feeling of great warmth or intensity

His sense of justice manifests itself in the ardor with which he throws himself into his legal work.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Define

arduous

(ar-djew-us)

A

adj. requiring mental or physical strain

adj. demanding

The beach was practically empty, as reaching it entailed an arduous journey through a bramble thicket.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

Define

aria

(are-ee-uh)

A

n. a solo vocal piece in an opera

During her aria, the opera singer expressed her character’s sorrow to the audience with great skill.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

Define

arid

(air-id)

A

adj. extremely dry

adj. lacking spirit or vitality

The arid climate of the desert is ideal for plants that do not require much water, such as cacti.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

Define

sundry

(suhn-dree)

A

adj. various, miscellaneous, separate

The sundry items at the garage sale ranged from antique to almost brand new.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
46
Q

Define

reprise

(ruh-preez)

A

n. a repetition of an action

v. to repeat or resume

The reprise of the song had the audience dancing in the aisles.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
47
Q

Define

harrow

(hair-oh)

A

v. to distress, torment

Any talk of layoffs would always leave the entire division _harrow_ed and unable to focus on their work.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
48
Q

Define

sardonic

(sahr-don-ik)

A

adj. cynical, mocking

The class clown’s sardonic remark landed him in detention.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
49
Q

Define

subterfuge

(suhb-ter-fyoodj)

A

n. a deliberate deception to avoid a consequence

Policemen who stop drunk drivers can see right through the subterfuge of hastily chewing a piece of gum.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
50
Q

Define

axiom

(ack-see-um)

A

n. a generally accepted truth

In math class, we learned about the different _axiom_s we could use to develop geometric proofs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
51
Q

Define

controvert

(kon-truh-vurt)

A

v. to deny the truth of

Recent experiments seem to controvert the predictions of previous theories.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
52
Q

Define

progeny

(prodj-uh-nee)

A

n. one born or derived from another; an offspring or descendent

n. a product of creative effort

That family claims to be the progeny of the king of France, but they refuse to submit to a DNA test to prove their bloodline.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
53
Q

Define

potentate

(poht-n-teyt)

A

n. one with absolute power to rule; a monarch

While the potentate sipped wine, the peasants toiled in the field.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
54
Q

Define

cardinal

(kahr-dn-uhl)

A

adj. of paramount importance

adj. dark red

At the graduation speech, the valedictorian gave them cardinal rules to live by.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
55
Q

Define

hidebound

(hahyd-bound)

A

adj. rigid, dry, unmoving

The hidebound rules of organized religion have never appealed to me much.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
56
Q

Define

chary

(chair-ee)

A

adj. very cautious; not giving or spending freely

adj. shy

Joe was chary of his praise for his daughters, but when he did congratulate them, they beamed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
57
Q

Define

arabesque

(air-uh-besk)

A

n. a complex, ornate design

The kimono was trimmed with an arabesque of tiny yellow curlicues.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
58
Q

Define

rapturous

(rap-cher-uhs)

A

adj. expressing great pleasure or enthusiasm

The presidential decree was greeted with rapturous applause.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
59
Q

Define

amalgamate

(uh-mal-guh-meyt)

A

v. to combine several elements into a whole; to blend

Our county will amalgamate with the neighboring county in order to cut administrative costs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
60
Q

Define

prattle

(prat-uhl)

A

v. to babble or speak foolishly

The confused student _prattle_d for a few minutes before sitting back down.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
61
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. feeling of great warmth or intensity

A

ardor

(are-der)

synonyms: admiration, passion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
62
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. requiring mental or physical strain

adj. demanding

A

arduous

(ar-djew-us)

synonyms: burdensome, exhausting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
63
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a solo vocal piece in an opera

A

aria

(are-ee-uh)

synonyms: descant, hymn, song

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
64
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. extremely dry

adj. lacking spirit or vitality

A

arid

(air-id)

synonyms: dry, barren

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
65
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. various, miscellaneous, separate

A

sundry

(suhn-dree)

synonyms: assorted, different

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
66
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a repetition of an action

n. to repeat or resume

A

reprise

(ruh-preez)

synonyms: recurrence; repeat

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
67
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to distress, torment

A

harrow

(hair-oh)

synonyms: depredate, harass

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
68
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. cynical, mocking

A

sardonic

(sahr-don-ik)

synonyms: derisive, scornful

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
69
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a deliberate deception to avoid a consequence

A

subterfuge

(suhb-ter-fyoodj)

synonyms: cheating, dishonesty, dissimulation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
70
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a generally accepted truth

A

axiom

(ack-see-um)

synonyms: principle, fundamental

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
71
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to deny the truth of

A

controvert

(kon-truh-vurt)

synonyms: oppose, argue, deny, dispute

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
72
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one born or derived from another; an offspring or descendent

n. a product of creative effort

A

progeny

(prodj-uh-nee)

synonyms: offspring, children, lineage; result

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
73
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one with absolute power to rule; a monarch

A

potentate

(poht-n-teyt)

synonyms: autocrat, chief, leader

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
74
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. of paramount importance

adj. dark red

A

cardinal

(kahr-dn-uhl)

synonyms: important, key; burgundy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
75
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. rigid, dry, unmoving

A

hidebound

(hahyd-bound)

synonyms: fixed, immovable, strict

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
76
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. very cautious; not giving or spending freely

adj. shy

A

chary

(chair-ee)

synonyms: stingy, cautious; abashed, modest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
77
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a complex, ornate design

A

arabesque

(air-uh-besk)

synonyms: design, frill, adornment, flourish

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
78
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. expressing great pleasure or enthusiasm

A

rapturous

(rap-cher-uhs)

synonyms: delighted, happy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
79
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to combine several elements into a whole; to blend

A

amalgamate

(uh-mal-guh-meyt)

synonyms: integrate, combine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
80
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to babble or speak foolishly

A

prattle

(prat-uhl)

synonyms: chatter, gab, gush

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
81
Q

Define

simian

(sim-ee-uhn)

A

adj. relating to apes

Humans have many simian characteristics.

82
Q

Define

precipice

(press-uh-piss)

A

n. a steep rock or cliff face

The climber faced the largest precipice of his career.

83
Q

Define

augury

(aw-gyuh-ree)

A

n. divination

n. an omen, portent

Augury is often performed by observing a crystal ball.

84
Q

Define

picayune

(pik-ee-yoon)

A

adj. of little value, paltry, petty

n. something of little value

His craftsmanship wasn’t worth a picayune.

85
Q

Define

anthropomorphic

(an-thruh-puh-mawr-fik)

A

adj. having human characteristics

Many people believe that aliens will be anthropomorphic, but there is no evidence to support that.

86
Q

Define

ramify

(ram-uh-fahy)

A

v. to be divided, to branch out

The dispute _ramifi_ed as more factions got involved.

87
Q

Define

upbraid

(uhp-breyd)

A

v. to scold sharply, reprimand, or blame

Mom _upbraid_ed me for not doing the dishes last night.

88
Q

Define

banality

(buh-nal-ih-tee)

A

n. triviality

n. something overused and trite

The once-funny joke had become a banality in the camp.

89
Q

Define

base

(behyss)

A

adj. immoral

adj. made of low quality materials

The young man was criticized by his parents for his base, degrading lifestyle.

90
Q

Define

sodden

(sod-n)

A

adj. thoroughly soaked, saturated

My clothes were sodden from the rainstorm.

91
Q

Define

stolid

(stawl-id)

A

adj. stoic, emotionless

People in old-time photographs tend to have stolid expressions.

92
Q

Define

phthisis

(thigh-sis)

A

n. a disease characterized by body-part atrophy (especially of the lungs)

His phthisis was interfering with work more every day.

93
Q

Define

vintner

(vint-ner)

A

n. one who makes or sells wine

In Italy there are a great number of _vintner_s.

94
Q

Define

salient

(sehy-lee-uhnt)

A

adj. prominent or conspicuous

The cover of the study guide listed its salient features, such as diagnostic and practice exams.

95
Q

Define

haughty

(haw-tee)

A

adj. arrogant, snobbish

I prefer the company of one or two good friends to a party full of haughty, self-absorbed socialites.

96
Q

Define

blanch

(blanch)

A

v. to whiten or turn pale

During the biology dissection, Jennifer _blanch_ed and ran out of the room.

97
Q

Define

inimitable

(in-im-ih-tuh-buhl)

A

adj. incapable of being imitated or duplicated

The Broadway debut was a spellbinding performance thanks mainly to the inimitable stamina of the female lead.

98
Q

Define

accretion

(uh-kree-shuhn)

A

n. growth; increase by successive or gradual addition

The accretion of dirt has changed the floor’s color.

99
Q

Define

trenchant

(tren-chuhnt)

A

adj. forceful and effective

adj. extremely perceptive

The experienced CEO offered trenchant criticisms of the young company.

100
Q

Define

turgid

(tur-djid)

A

adj. swollen or distended

adj. excessively ornate; grandiloquent

Marcy’s turgid leg was enough to concern her parents.

101
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to apes

A

simian

(sim-ee-uhn)

synonyms: ape-like

102
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a steep rock or cliff face

A

precipice

(press-uh-piss)

synonyms: crag, bluff, cliff

103
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. divination

n. an omen, portent

A

augury

(aw-gyuh-ree)

synonyms: fortunetelling; forewarning

104
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. of little value, paltry, petty

n. something of little value

A

picayune

(pik-ee-yoon)

synonyms: diminutive, frivolous; a trifle

105
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having human characteristics

A

anthropomorphic

(an-thruh-puh-mawr-fik)

synonyms: humanlike

106
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to be divided, to branch out

A

ramify

(ram-uh-fahy)

synonyms: diverge, diversify, fork

107
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to scold sharply, reprimand or blame

A

upbraid

(uhp-breyd)

synonyms: berate, criticize, reprimand

108
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. triviality

n. something overused and trite

A

banality

(buh-nal-ih-tee)

synonyms: cliché, quotidian

109
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. immoral

adj. made of low quality materials

A

base

(behyss)

synonyms: vulgar, low; shoddy, cheap

110
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. thoroughly soaked, saturated

A

sodden

(sod-n)

synonyms: soaked, soggy, wet

111
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. stoic, emotionless

A

stolid

(stawl-id)

synonyms: apathetic, indifferent

112
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a disease characterized by body-part atrophy (especially of the lungs)

A

phthisis

(thigh-sis)

synonyms: infection, decay

113
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one who makes or sells wine

A

vintner

(vint-ner)

synonyms: winemaker, wine merchant

114
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. prominent or conspicuous

A

salient

(sehy-lee-uhnt)

synonyms: noticeable, important, pertinent

115
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. arrogant, insolent

A

haughty

(haw-tee)

synonyms: egotistic, conceited

116
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to whiten or turn pale

A

blanch

(blanch)

synonyms: discolor, fade, wash out

117
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. incapable of being imitated or duplicated

A

inimitable

(in-im-ih-tuh-buhl)

synonyms: unique, matchless, peerless

118
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. growth; increase by successive or gradual addition

A

accretion

(uh-kree-shuhn)

synonyms: increase, build-up

119
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. forceful and effective

adj. extremely perceptive

A

trenchant

(tren-chuhnt)

synonyms: sharp; observant

120
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. swollen or distended

adj. excessively ornate; grandiloquent

A

turgid

(tur-djid)

synonyms: bloated, enlarged; grandiose

121
Q

Define

belabor

(buh-lehy-burr)

A

v. to speak or worry about something at length

v. to attack

She was known to belabor the point when it came to environmentalism, so we tried not to bring it up.

122
Q

Define

belie

(buh-lahy)

A

v. to give a false impression

v. to reveal as untrue

She greeted us with a smile, but the redness of her eyes _belie_d her cheerful attitude.

123
Q

Define

benign

(buh-nahyn)

A

adj. pleasant

adj. not harmful, especially to health

The doctor’s benign manner endeared him to patients.

124
Q

Define

bent

(bent)

A

n. a natural talent

n. an inclination or interest

Lisa had a true bent for working with animals, so people often told her to consider a career as a veterinarian.

125
Q

Define

berate

(bih-rate)

A

v. to scold or criticize angrily

Jane’s boss was so mean that he _berate_d her for even the smallest mistakes.

126
Q

Define

blithe

(blahyth)

A

adj. carefree and happy

When he lost his job, John struggled to maintain his blithe and optimistic attitude toward life.

127
Q

Define

capacious

(kuh-pay-shuss)

A

adj. having a lot of room

The capacious living room often impressed their guests.

128
Q

Define

capitulate

(kuh-pitch-ih-lehyt)

A

v. to surrender; to give in

The mother _capitulate_d after hours of tantrums and finally bought her son the toy.

129
Q

Define

caprice

(kuh-prees)

A

n. a sudden desire

Her decision to come along on the trip was a mere caprice; she had never expressed a desire to come before then.

130
Q

Define

carp

(karp)

A

v. to raise trivial objections

n. a type of fish

She hated when her coworkers _carp_ed about the minimal work they had to do.

131
Q

Define

cascade

(kass-kehyd)

A

n. a waterfall

n. something that falls or progresses like a waterfall

I knew the wire was badly damaged when a cascade of sparks fell the moment I touched it.

132
Q

Define

castigate

(kast-ih-gehyt)

A

v. to give harsh criticism

v. to punish harshly

His parents _castigate_d him for his bad grades by taking away his car keys.

133
Q

Define

caustic

(kaw-stick)

A

adj. capable of corroding

adj. harsh or sarcastic in tone

The comedian was known for his caustic jokes about political scandals.

134
Q

Define

censure

(sen-shur)

A

n. strong disapproval, esp. official disapproval

v. to condemn

The professor was _censure_d by the administration for his controversial and politically incorrect lectures.

135
Q

Define

chauvinism

(show-vuh-niz-um)

A

n. fanatical patriotism

n. prejudiced support of one’s own group, sex, or cause

My father’s chauvinism was characterized by a rather dim view of other races.

136
Q

Define

chimera

(kahy-mere-uh)

A

n. a creature possessing the body parts of different animals

n. a fanciful mental illusion

The ability to make easy money is a chimera; it only works until the next economic downturn.

137
Q

Define

collusion

(kuh-loo-zhun)

A

n. a conspiracy or secret plot

Acting in collusion with several high officials, the rebels completed the government takeover successfully.

138
Q

Define

complacent

(kum-plehy-sunt)

A

adj. satisfied and thus not wanting to improve

Kate became complacent after years of success as a model and so was unprepared when younger women challenged her position at the top.

139
Q

Define

complaisant

(kum-plehy-sunt)

A

adj. eager to please

Although usually argumentative, Paul is surprisingly complaisant with his girlfriend.

140
Q

Define

concise

(kun-sayhs)

A

adj. brief; able to express a lot in few words

Before the show, the director gave a concise introduction that explained his reasons for getting involved in the production.

141
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to speak or worry about something at length

v. to attack

A

belabor

(buh-lehy-burr)

synonyms: dwell on, repeat; invade, assail

142
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to give a false impression

v. to reveal as untrue

A

belie

(buh-lahy)

synonyms: falsify, garble, distort; disprove

143
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. pleasant

adj. not harmful, especially to health

A

benign

(buh-nahyn)

synonyms: amiable; harmless

144
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a natural talent

n. an inclination or interest

A

bent

(bent)

synonyms: ability, gift; propensity, intent

145
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to scold or criticize angrily

A

berate

(bih-rate)

synonyms: abuse, discipline

146
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. carefree and happy

A

blithe

(blahyth)

synonyms: animated, buoyant, cheerful

147
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having a lot of room

A

capacious

(kuh-pay-shuss)

synonyms: spacious, roomy, expansive

148
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to surrender; to give in

A

capitulate

(kuh-pitch-ih-lehyt)

synonyms: bow, concede, succumb

149
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a sudden desire

A

caprice

(kuh-prees)

synonyms: fancy, impulse

150
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to raise trivial objections

n. a kind of fish

A

carp

(karp)

synonyms: nag, bother

151
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a waterfall

n. something that falls or progresses like a waterfall

A

cascade

(kass-kehyd)

synonyms: chute, downpour, flood

152
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to give harsh criticism to

v. to punish harshly

A

castigate

(kast-ih-gehyt)

synonyms: criticize, berate; punish, batter

153
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. capable of corroding

adj. harsh or sarcastic in tone

A

caustic

(kaw-stick)

synonyms: abrasive, erosive; ironic, bitter

154
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. strong disapproval, esp. official disapproval

v. to condemn

A

censure

(sen-shur)

synonyms: criticism; blame, chide, incriminate

155
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. fanatical patriotism; and

n. prejudiced support of one’s own group, sex, or cause

A

chauvinism

(show-vuh-niz-um)

synonyms: jingoism, ethnocentricity

156
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a creature possessing the body parts of different animals

n. a fanciful mental illusion

A

chimera

(kahy-mere-uh)

synonyms: dream, fantasy

157
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a conspiracy or secret plot

A

collusion

(kuh-loo-zhun)

synonyms: pact, trick, connivance

158
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. satisfied and thus not wanting to improve

A

complacent

(kum-plehy-sunt)

synonyms: self-assured, unconcerned, gratified

159
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. eager to please

A

complaisant

(kum-plehy-sunt)

synonyms: obliging, compliant

160
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. brief; able to express a lot in few words

A

concise

(kun-sahys)

synonyms: short, succinct

161
Q

Define

conjecture

(kun-jeck-chur)

A

n. inference based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence

The scientist’s paper was criticized by his peers for being based purely on conjecture.

162
Q

Define

consternation

(kon-stur-nehy-shun)

A

n. a state of confused terror or apprehension

A feeling of consternation filled the room as the teacher began to hand back papers immediately after the students had handed them in.

163
Q

Define

consummate

(v. kon-suh-meyt; adj. kon-suh-muht)

A

v. to make complete or perfect

adj. perfect in every aspect

The team’s victory was _consummate_d by a spontaneous celebration on the field.

164
Q

Define

contention

(kun-ten-shun)

A

n. a point or argument in a debate

n. a competition

The ceasefire is holding, but a few points of contention must still be resolved before a final peace can be reached.

165
Q

Define

contrite

(kun-trahyt)

A

adj. full of remorse

The letter explained that he was truly contrite and wanted to apologize in person.

166
Q

Define

convalesce

(kon-vuh-less)

A

v. to recover

After the accident, Tom was told to convalesce for at least two weeks.

167
Q

Define

deleterious

(dell-uh-teer-ee-us)

A

adj. causing harm or damage

It is now common knowledge that smoking is deleterious to one’s health.

168
Q

Define

demagogue

(dem-uh-gog)

A

n. a speaker who targets his or her audience’s emotions or prejudices

The candidate’s opponent accused him of being a demagogue and relying upon the public’s fear of change.

169
Q

Define

denigrate

(den-ih-grehyt)

A

v. to attack the reputation of

The columnist _denigrate_d the baseball coach for his string of high-profile losses.

170
Q

Define

denote

(dih-noht)

A

v. to mark or indicate

The red text on her report card _denote_d which classes she was failing.

171
Q

Define

desiccate

(dess-ih-kehyt)

A

v. to cause to lose moisture

Mary had her wart removed at the doctor’s office by _desiccat_ing it.

172
Q

Define

despond

(dih-spond)

A

v. to become dejected

His campaign team _despond_ed when they heard the official results of the election.

173
Q

Define

desultory

(dess-uhl-tore-ee)

A

adj. having no plan or purpose; random

The desultory thoughts running through Mick’s mind prevented him from concentrating on the essay he had to write.

174
Q

Define

diatribe

(die-uh-trahyb)

A

n. a harsh rant or critical review

After hours of waiting with me in the lobby, my mother began her usual diatribe on the various failings of airport management.

175
Q

Define

discrete

(diss-kreet)

A

adj. distinctly separate

The U.S. government has three discrete branches: the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive.

176
Q

Define

disparage

(dih-spare-idj)

A

v. to express a negative opinion of

She _disparage_d her friend behind his back, yet praised him to his face.

177
Q

Define

disparate

(diss-puh-rit)

A

adj. completely different

The two had such disparate opinions on the topic that it seemed impossible for them to work together effectively.

178
Q

Define

dispassionate

(diss-pash-ih-nut)

A

adj. unbiased; objective

A dispassionate judge will favor neither the prosecution nor the defense.

179
Q

Define

disposed

(diss-pohzd)

A

adj. having a tendency or partiality to

Kate was particularly stubborn when she was angry and was not disposed to listen to reason.

180
Q

Define

tendentious

(ten-den-chuss)

A

adj. exhibiting a trend; having an ulterior motive or bias

Wendy’s tendentious assessment of the war mentions only its positive effects, skipping over the negative points.

181
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. inference based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence

A

conjecture

(kun-jeck-chur)

synonyms: assumption, guess, presumption

182
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a state of confused terror or apprehension

A

consternation

(kon-stur-nehy-shun)

synonyms: dismay, distress, panic

183
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to make complete or perfect
adj. perfect in every aspect

A

consummate

(v. kon-suh-meyt; adj. kon-suh-muht)

synonyms: fulfill, finish, achieve; flawless

184
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a point or argument in a debate

n. a competition

A

contention

(kun-ten-shun)

synonyms: allegation, claim; altercation, contest

185
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. full of remorse

A

contrite

(kun-trahyt)

synonyms: regretful, atoning, remorseful

186
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to recover

A

convalesce

(kon-vuh-less)

synonyms: grow strong, rest, recharge physically

187
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. causing harm or damage

A

deleterious

(dell-uh-teer-ee-us)

synonyms: destructive, injurious, hurtful

188
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a speaker who targets his or her audience’s emotions or prejudices

A

demagogue

(dem-uh-gog)

synonyms: agitator, rabble-rouser

189
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to attack the reputation of

A

denigrate

(den-ih-grehyt)

synonyms: malign, slander, defame

190
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to mark or indicate

A

denote

(dih-noht)

synonyms: assign, signify

191
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to cause to lose moisture

A

desiccate

(dess-ih-kehyt)

synonyms: dehydrate; dry out

192
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to become dejected

A

despond

(dih-spond)

synonyms: despair, dishearten, surrender

193
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having no plan or purpose; random

A

desultory

(dess-uhl-tore-ee)

synonyms: aimless, erratic

194
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a harsh rant or critical review

A

diatribe

(die-uh-trahyb)

synonyms: criticism, tirade

195
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. distinctly separate

A

discrete

(diss-kreet)

synonyms: detached, disconnected, separate

196
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to express a negative opinion of

A

disparage

(dih-spare-idj)

synonyms: insult, belittle

197
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. completely different

A

disparate

(diss-puh-rit)

synonyms: contrary, unlike, various

198
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unbiased; objective

A

dispassionate

(diss-pash-ih-nut)

synonyms: unbiased, fair, not affected by emotion

199
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having a tendency or partiality to

A

disposed

(diss-pohzd)

synonyms: inclined, prone to

200
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. exhibiting a trend

adj. having an ulterior motive or bias

A

tendentious

(ten-den-chuss)

synonyms: biased, calculated