51-100

Question 1

dichotomy

Answer 1

n. a division into two contrasting or non-overlapping parts Sentence: Those who cling to a strict dichotomy based on gender are finding their views challenged by the issue of transgendered people, who do not always fit neatly into the strict division of all people into male and female.

Question 2

assail

Answer 2

v. to attack; to assault Sentence: When they finish attacking his reputation in general, prosecutors will assail the details of his alibi.

Question 3

propitious

Answer 3

adj. presenting favorable circumstances Sentence: Sitting in his car, Bd waited for the rain to stop or at least let up and offer a propitious moment for him to run to the front door.

Question 4

eclectic

Answer 4

adj. composed of materials from various sources Sentence: Her living room was an eclectic collection of furniture from various garage sales.

Question 5

dapper

Answer 5

adj. neatly dressed; trim; stylish Sentence: Because Oliver normally wore baggy, torn jeans and threadbare T-shirts, we were stunned by his dapper appearance when he wore a tuxedo to the prom.

Question 6

audible

Answer 6

adj. able to be heard Sentence: The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 was so powerful that echoes from the explosion were audible halfway around the world.

Question 7

quiescent

Answer 7

adj. inactive, often suggesting a temporary state Sentence: For a minute or two, the dog lay quiescent in the yard, but then he spotted a butterfly and set after it with all the energy he could muster.

Question 8

extol

Answer 8

v. to praise highly and lavishly Sentence: The cell phone manufacturer extolled the numerous features of its new phone, but this praise seems excessive since I cannot understand why a phone needs to have a fold-out map of Algeria.

Question 9

ritual

Answer 9

n. a ceremonial act; a customary procedure Sentence: Each evening the father went through the same bedtime ritual with his daughter.

Question 10

emulate

Answer 10

v. to copy someone; to imitate Sentence: He shaved his head and joined the swim team in an effort to emulate his older brother.

Question 11

discrepancy

Answer 11

n. lack of agreement; difference Sentence: Banks are careful to reconcile account statements without error; it’s very unusual to find a discrepancy in their accounting.

Question 12

manifest

Answer 12

adj. obvious; very clear; evident Sentence: I know you’re not finished yet, but the hard work you’ve done so far is certainly manifest to anyone who takes a look.

Question 13

chauvinism

Answer 13

n. unreasoning and boastful devotion to one’s country or sex Sentence: You will not have a very good time as a tourist until you set aside your chauvinism and accept other cultures.

Question 14

shade

Answer 14

n. a small variation, a nuance; a small amount Sentence: You will understand this novel much better if you reread it, for there are many shades of meaning that aren’t evident at first.

Question 15

furtive

Answer 15

adj. characterized by secretive behavior Sentence: Unaware I was watching her like a hawk, my dog took a few furtive steps toward the tray of coffee table mints.

Question 16

semblance

Answer 16

n. outward form or appearance Sentence: If you’re hoping your parents will let you go out tonight, you should restore your room to at least a semblance of order.

Question 17

euphemism

Answer 17

n. the substitution of an agreeable word or phrase to replace one that might offend Sentence: Saying someone has passed on is just a euphemism for saying he has died.

Question 18

lopsided

Answer 18

adj. larger or shaped differently on one side than another Sentence: The painter deliberately created a lopsided work to comment on the expectation for rectangular forms.

Question 19

antiseptic

Answer 19

adj. free from germs; thoroughly clean Sentence: The home cleaning industry has begun to market antiseptics far more powerful than the real risk of infection warrants.

Question 20

subjective

Answer 20

adj. based on personal experience or feeling, not on external evidence Sentence: Reading a novel is a subjective experience since each of us responds in a different way.

Question 21

pale

Answer 21

v. to decrease in relative importance Sentence: Jenny’s projects, as impressive as they are, pale in comparison to Gina’s.

Question 22

facile

Answer 22

adj. with effortless ease; without proper care; superficial Sentence: In hindsight, your arguments seem more like facile excuses for avoiding work.

Question 23

incarcerate

Answer 23

v. to restrict by imprisonment; to keep in prison Sentence: It is foolish to incarcerate those who commit non-violent crimes.

Question 24

resilient

Answer 24

adj. able to recover quickly (e.g., from bending or illness) Sentence: If Mike were more emotionally resilient he could take criticism in stride.

Question 25

passive

Answer 25

adj. unresisting; submissive Sentence: Since the hero was so passive for most of the movie, no one believed it when he suddenly took control.

Question 26

dismantle

Answer 26

v. to take apart Sentence: Californians voted to dismantle the system of bilingual education.

Question 27

integrate

Answer 27

v. to form into a unified whole Sentence: The latest trend is to integrate many separate programs into a seamless package.

Question 28

mendacious

Answer 28

adj. lying; false, esp. habitually Sentence: Matilda protested she was never intentionally mendacious.

Question 29

blasphemy

Answer 29

n. an act that shows contempt for God or religious matters Sentence: The priest was struck speechless by the blasphemy of the graffiti on the altar.

Question 30

elude

Answer 30

v. to escape from, as by daring or skill; to escape understanding Sentence: Police helicopters make it almost impossible for car thieves to elude capture.

Question 31

redoubtable

Answer 31

adj. fearsome; formidable Sentence: His bravery dissolved when he met his most redoubtable opponent.

Question 32

sweltering

Answer 32

adj. oppressively hot and humid Sentence: The greenhouse was noticeably warm, even in winter, though it was hardly sweltering.

Question 33

detest

Answer 33

v. to hate Sentence: Charles detests green beans, and no amount of persuasion can get him to eat them.

Question 34

palatable

Answer 34

adj. pleasant or acceptable to the taste Sentence: Mom's recipe for kumquat tuna casserole turned out to be barely palatable.

Question 35

gala

Answer 35

adj./n. characterized by festivity; a festive occasion Sentence: The wedding reception was a gala event.

Question 36

quarters

Answer 36

n. a place of residence, esp. for military personnel; an assigned station Sentence: The soldier was declared AWOL when he failed to return to his quarters.

Question 37

eccentric

Answer 37

adj. unconventional; odd Sentence: Every sitcom has at least one eccentric character.

Question 38

stigma

Answer 38

n. a sign of disgrace; a mark that lowers reputation Sentence: There is a stigma attached to dropping out of school early.

Question 39

immerse

Answer 39

v. to cover completely in a liquid; to engage wholly Sentence: Scholars who immerse themselves in their subjects can seem removed from daily life.

Question 40

inception

Answer 40

n. commencement; beginning; origin Sentence: The play was not popular in its inception, though it later gained a large following.

Question 41

quaint

Answer 41

adj. odd, esp. in an old-fashioned way Sentence: There was a certain quaint charm to Betty's use of “sir” and “ma’am.”

Question 42

propound

Answer 42

v. to suggest for consideration; to propose Sentence: He lost his audience when he began to propound theories about aliens and pyramids.

Question 43

insinuate

Answer 43

v. to hint Sentence: I didn’t mean to insinuate that all your jokes fell flat.

Question 44

nocturnal

Answer 44

adj. occurring at night Sentence: The study of nocturnal animals has become easier with modern cameras.

Question 45

agrarian

Answer 45

adj. related to farming Sentence: The U.S. is no longer the agrarian society Jefferson envisioned.

Question 46

eerie

Answer 46

adj. causing inexplicable fear or uneasiness Sentence: Other than some good smoke effects and eerie music, the haunted house was a disappointment.

Question 47

ruthless

Answer 47

adj. having no compassion or pity Sentence: His rise to power was marked by a ruthless disregard for others.

Question 48

ultimatum

Answer 48

n. a final demand or statement of terms Sentence: The ambassador delivered an ultimatum: lift the embargo or face war.

Question 49

abase

Answer 49

v. to lower in rank or prestige Sentence: The felon refused to abase himself before the judge and received the maximum sentence.

Question 50

knack

Answer 50

n. a specific talent for doing something, especially something hard to teach Sentence: Traci has a knack for making friends; almost everyone she meets likes her instantly.