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1
Q

Define

temerity

(tuh-mer-i-tee)

A

n. reckless confidence

The temerity of the pirate crew cost them their ship.

2
Q

Define

depredate

(dep-rih-deyt)

A

v. to plunder, pillage, destroy

v. to exploit

The Vikings depredated the whole valley.

3
Q

Define

genuflect

(djen-yoo-flekt)

A

v. to bend knee to ground (as in worship)

v. to grovel

The king’s subjects genuflected when he entered the room.

4
Q

Define

wend

(wend)

A

v. to go, proceed, walk

We wended our way through the market.

5
Q

Define

pelagic

(puh-ladj-ik)

A

adj. relating to open seas rather than waters adjacent to land

The pelagic organism was only found in the deepest part of the ocean.

6
Q

Define

froward

(froh-werd)

A

adj. intractable, stubbornly disobedient, difficult to manage

The froward mule sat down and refused to move all afternoon.

7
Q

Define

punctilious

(puhngk-til-ee-uhs)

A

adj. precise, paying attention to trivialities of etiquette

A secretary who punctiliously records every detail.

8
Q

Define

aphorism

(af-uh-riz-uhm)

A

n. a tersely phrased truth or opinion; adage; epigram

n. a brief statement of principle; or general truth

The children had finally learned the meaning of the aphorism “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”.

9
Q

Define

purloin

(per-loin, per-loin)

A

v. to steal

The manipulative thief purloined the diamonds after gaining the confidence of their location.

10
Q

Define

esoteric

(es-uh-ter-ik)

A

adj. intended for or understood only by a particular group

adj. not publicly disclosed; confidential

The esoteric ideas of the cult failed to enlighten many outsiders.

11
Q

Define

succor

(suhk-er)

A

n. relief during a time of struggle

The Red Cross provides succor to refugees in emergency shelters.

12
Q

Define

protean

(proh-tee-uhn)

A

adj. readily assuming different forms or characters, versatile

Fans regarded the protean actress as capable of playing any role.

13
Q

Define

callous

(kal-uhs)

A

adj. insensitive; having no feeling

The callous remark upset the entire family.

14
Q

Define

proscribe

(proh-skrahyb)

A

v. to prohibit or forbid as harmful or unlawful

Citizens pushed to proscribe swimming in the polluted lake.

15
Q

Define

denouement

(dey-noo-mahn)

A

n. an outcome or solution to a complex series of events

Though public interest slackened after the arsonist was caught, the denouement of the case was just as interesting as the manhunt that had preceded it.

16
Q

Define

supercilious

(soo-per-sill-ee-uhs)

A

adj. arrogant, overbearing; displaying condescending superiority over someone else

His supercilious behavior drove away many of his peers.

17
Q

Define

parley

(pahr-lee)

A

n. discussion between enemies, often to prepare terms of surrender

The longtime enemies held a parley to work on peace negotiations.

18
Q

Define

apoplectic

(ap-uh-plek-tik)

A

adj. furious; enraged; overcome with anger

When Jim found out he was fired, he apoplectically stormed out of the office.

19
Q

Define

simper

(sim-per)

A

v. to say with a coy smile; to smirk

Dave simpered a feeble attempt at an apology.

20
Q

Define

miscegenation

(mih-sedj-uh-ney-shuhn)

A

n. the interbreeding of different races

n. any mixture or hybrid

Miscegenation, the intermarriage or mixing of different racial groups, was historically met with social and legal barriers in many societies. But today, miscegenation is widely accepted in many societies, and interracial relationships are common and often celebrated as a sign of cultural diversity and tolerance.

21
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. recklessness

A

temerity

(tuh-mer-i-tee)

synonyms: arrogance, brashness

22
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to plunder, pillage, destroy

v. to exploit

A

depredate

(dep-rih-deyt)

synonyms: despoil, ravish, defile

23
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to bend knee to ground (as in worship)

v. to grovel

A

genuflect

(djen-yoo-flekt)

synonyms: kneel, beg

24
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to go, proceed, walk

A

wend

(wend)

synonyms: go, journey, travel

25
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to open seas rather than waters adjacent to land

A

pelagic

(puh-ladj-ik)

synonyms: aquatic, oceanic

26
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. intractable, stubbornly disobedient, difficult to manage

A

froward

(froh-werd)

synonyms: antagonistic, conflicting

27
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. precise, paying attention to trivialities of etiquette

A

punctilious

(puhngk-til-ee-uhs)

synonyms: meticulous, careful, finicky

28
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a tersely phrased truth or opinion; adage; epigram

n. a brief statement of principle; or general truth

A

aphorism

(af-uh-riz-uhm)

synonyms: axiom, precept; principle, truth

29
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to steal

A

purloin

(per-loin, per-loin)

synonyms: burglarize, cheat, swindle

30
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. intended for or understood only by a particular group

adj. not publicly disclosed; confidential

A

esoteric

(es-uh-ter-ik)

synonyms: obscure, secret, cryptic

31
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. relief during a time of struggle

A

succor

(suhk-er)

synonyms: aid, comfort, refuge

32
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. readily assuming different forms or characters, versatile

A

protean

(proh-tee-uhn)

synonyms: versatile, adaptable, dexterous

33
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. insensitive; having no feeling

A

callous

(kal-uhs)

synonyms: soulless, cruel

34
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to prohibit or forbid as harmful or unlawful

A

proscribe

(proh-skrahyb)

synonyms: condemn, banish

35
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. an outcome or solution to a complex series of events

A

denouement

(dey-noo-mahn)

synonyms: finale, final achievement

36
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. arrogant, overbearing; displaying condescending superiority over someone else

A

supercilious

(soo-per-sill-ee-uhs)

synonyms: bossy, condescending

37
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. discussion between enemies, often to prepare terms of surrender

A

parley

(pahr-lee)

synonyms: conference, mediation

38
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. furious; enraged; overcome with anger

adj. relating to a stroke

A

apoplectic

(ap-uh-plek-tik)

synonyms: angry; wrathful

39
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to say with a coy smile; to smirk

A

simper

(sim-per)

synonyms: grin, leer, sneer

40
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the interbreeding of different races

n. any mixture or hybrid

A

miscegenation

(mih-sedj-uh-ney-shuhn)

synonyms: interbreeding, mixing races

Miscegenation, the intermarriage or mixing of different racial groups, was historically met with social and legal barriers in many societies. But today, miscegenation is widely accepted in many societies, and interracial relationships are common and often celebrated as a sign of cultural diversity and tolerance.

41
Q

Define

androgynous

(an-drodj-uh-nuhs)

A

adj. not distinguishable between male and female

The names Sam is androgynous because it could stand for Samantha or Samual.

42
Q

Define

covey

(kuhv-ee)

A

n. a family of partridges

n. a small group

Outside the classroom was a covey of giggling schoolgirls.

43
Q

Define

supine

(adj. soo-pahyn)

A

adj. inactive, lying on one’s back apathetically

adj. morally slack

The officials exhibited a supine acceptance of corruption.

44
Q

Define

cozen

(kuhz-uhn)

A

v. to cheat, beguile, or deceive

The corrupt televangelist cozened money from viewers by lying about charitable intentions.

45
Q

Define

limpid

(lim-pid)

A

adj. calm, untroubled, serene

adj. transparent, clear (as of water, air, or crystal)

The family flew a kite down by the limpid blue pond.

46
Q

Define

refulgent

(rih-fuhl-juhnt)

A

adj. shining radiantly; brilliant

The refulgent palace seemed out of place amid the poverty of the villages surrounding it.

47
Q

Define

phlegmatic

(fleg-mat-ik)

A

adj. hard to excite, calm, sluggish

adj. unemotional, stoic

Pete’s phlegmatic response was difficult for his friends to read.

48
Q

Define

attenuate

(uh-ten-yoo-eyt)

A

v. to weaken or reduce in force or value

v. to make small or fine

The medicine attenuated the fever’s effect.

49
Q

Define

disingenuous

(diss-in-djen-yoo-uhs)

A

adj. lacking in sincerity or candor

When the oil prospector’s promises were discovered to be disingenuous, he was run out of town.

50
Q

Define

epistle

(uh-piss-uhl)

A

n. a written message, usually a formal letter

The epistle was hand-delivered by a confidant in order to avoid interception.

51
Q

Define

factitious

(fak-tish-uhs)

A

adj. produced artificially; not natural

adj. fake

The factitious laughter of insincere talk show hosts makes my skin crawl.

52
Q

Define

pied

(pahyd)

A

adj. containing patches of two or more colors, usually in blotches

The jester’s pied coat was stitched together from scraps of blue and red fabric.

53
Q

Define

militate

(mill-ih-teyt)

A

v. to have substantial weight on preventing; to argue against; discourage.

The volatility of the situation militated against any rash action.

54
Q

Define

Stygian

(stidj-ee-uhn)

A

adj. dark, gloomy, dismal

adj. infernal, hellish

The stygian murk of the cave made it difficult to navigate.

55
Q

Define

gainsay

(geyn-sey)

A

v. to declare false

v. to deny

v. to contradict or claim exception to

Evidence and witness testimony all gainsaid the defendant’s claims.

56
Q

Define

palliate

(pal-ee-eyt)

A

v. to make something appear less serious; to mitigate; to alleviate

The student tried to palliate the significance of his plagiarism.

57
Q

Define

nostrum

(nos-truhm)

A

n. cure-all, questionable remedy, or a placebo

An ad on television depicted a nostrum that claims to cure hangovers.

58
Q

Define

obstreperous

(uhb-strep-er-uhs)

A

adj. unruly, noisy, loudly stubborn

The obstreperous two-year-old cried the entire train ride.

59
Q

Define

precocious

(prih-koh-shuhs)

A

adj. unusually quick development or maturation, especially in intelligence

The child’s precocious understanding of calculus stunned his teachers.

60
Q

Define

regale

(rih-geyl)

A

v. to entertain; to supply lavishly

Steve regaled his guests with exciting tales.

61
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. hermaphroditic

adj. not distinguishable between male and female

A

androgynous

(an-drodj-uh-nuhs)

synonyms: cross-sexual, unisexual, trans-sexual

62
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a family of partridges

n. a small group

A

covey

(kuhv-ee)

synonyms: a small group, a small flock of birds

63
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. inactive, lying on one’s back apathetically

adj. morally slack

A

supine

(adj. soo-pahyn)

synonyms: lying down, flat; apathetic, lazy

64
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to cheat, beguile, or deceive

A

cozen

(kuhz-uhn)

synonyms: hoodwink, swindle, dupe

65
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. calm, untroubled, serene

adj. transparent, clear (as of water, air, or crystal)

A

limpid

(lim-pid)

synonyms: tranquil, peaceful; glassy, translucent

66
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. shining radiantly; brilliant

A

refulgent

(rih-fuhl-juhnt)

synonyms: glowing, luminous, gleaming

67
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. hard to excite, calm, sluggish

adj. unemotional, stoic

A

phlegmatic

(fleg-mat-ik)

synonyms: apathetic, dispassionate, lethargic

68
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to weaken or reduce in force or value

v. to make small or fine

A

attenuate

(uh-ten-yoo-eyt)

synonyms: deflate, cripple, lessen

69
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. lacking in sincerity or candor

A

disingenuous

(diss-in-djen-yoo-uhs)

synonyms: dishonest, crooked

70
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a written message, usually a formal letter

A

epistle

(uh-piss-uhl)

synonyms: card, letter, memo

71
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. produced artificially; not natural

adj. fake

A

factitious

(fak-tish-uhs)

synonyms: artificial, false, sham

72
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. containing patches of two or more colors, usually in blotches

A

pied

(pahyd)

synonyms: patches of color, uneven coloring

73
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to have substantial weight or bearing on; to argue for or against

A

militate

(mill-ih-teyt)

synonyms: weigh, important, influential

74
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. dark, gloomy, dismal

adj. infernal, hellish

A

Stygian

(stidj-ee-uhn)

synonyms: inky, sombre

75
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to declare false

v. to deny

v. to contradict or claim exception to

A

gainsay

(geyn-sey)

synonyms: deny, disaffirm, disprove

76
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to make something appear less serious; to mitigate; to alleviate

A

palliate

(pal-ee-eyt)

synonyms: gloss over, condone, lessen

77
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. cure-all, questionable remedy, or a placebo

A

nostrum

(nos-truhm)

synonyms: elixir, quick fix, aid

78
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unruly, noisy, loudly stubborn

A

obstreperous

(uhb-strep-er-uhs)

synonyms: boisterous, loud, riotous

79
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unusually quick development or maturation, especially in intelligence

A

precocious

(prih-koh-shuhs)

synonyms: advanced, developed, quick, intelligent

80
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to entertain; to feast

A

regale

(rih-geyl)

synonyms: delight, amuse; treat

81
Q

Define

ambit

(am-bit)

A

n. the extent, boundary or scope of something

Though I find her actions reprehensible, she was acting within the ambit of the law and so my hands are tied.

82
Q

Define

apostate

(uh-poss-teyt)

A

n. one who abandons a belief, cause, party or religion

The apostate is dealt with very harshly in many religious traditions.

83
Q

Define

sophistry

(sof-uh-stree)

A

n. fallacious reasoning; faulty, although plausible, logic

The students were quickly convinced by the professor’s sophistry and did not inquire further.

84
Q

Define

perspicuity

(purr-spih-kyoo-ih-tee)

A

n. clarity or perceptiveness in speech, thought, or writing

The perspicuity of the writing made a complicated topic easy for all to understand.

85
Q

Define

enjoin

(en-join)

A

v. to command or direct an action with authority

v. to prohibit or forbid an action

The captain enjoined his men to respect the local laws while on shore leave.

86
Q

Define

fulsome

(fool-suhm)

A

adj. offensively flattering or insincere.

adj. offensive to the taste

adj. generous or abundant

I prefer Sara’s sincere criticism to all the fulsome praise I receive from Deb.

87
Q

Define

imprecation

(im-prih-key-shuhn)

A

n. a curse

The witch cast an imprecation on the villagers.

88
Q

Define

extenuate

(ik-sten-yoo-eyt)

A

v. to lessen the magnitude or seriousness of; to mitigate

The prisoner’s illness may extenuate the conditions of his captivity, but it shall not lead me to order his early release.

89
Q

Define

ineluctable

(in-ih-luhk-tuh-buhl)

A

adj. certain, inevitable, unavoidable

A hectic lifestyle seems to be the ineluctable product of modernity.

90
Q

Define

vitiate

(vish-ee-eyt)

A

v. to reduce the quality of

v. to corrupt

The tear in the painting vitiated its overall appeal and halved its appraisal cost.

91
Q

Define

turpitude

(tur-pih-tood)

A

n. depravity, baseness

n. a vile act

Because of stealing, he was dismissed on grounds of moral turpitude.

92
Q

Define

plaintive

(pleyn-tiv)

A

adj. mournful, sorrowful, melancholy

The procession was led by the plaintive strains of the bagpipe.

93
Q

Define

pertinacious

(purt-n-ey-shuhs)

A

adj. holding tenaciously to a belief

adj. stubbornly unyielding

Her pertinacious devotion to the debunked theory led her to be marginalized in the scientific community.

94
Q

Define

recreant

(rek-ree-uhnt)

A

adj. unfaithful, disloyal to belief or principle

adj. cowardly or craven

n. one who is a coward, unfaithful, or disloyal

The recreant knight ran from the battle.

95
Q

Define

adduce

(uh-doos)

A

v. to offer as proof in an argument

Seth adduced several recent studies in support of his hypothesis.

96
Q

Define

traduce

(truh-doos)

A

v. to slander or speak maliciously of

As a “green energy” campaigner, I distrust politicians who habitually traduce the motivations of environmentalists.

97
Q

Define

apposite

(app-uh-zit)

A

adj. relevant, suitable, or fitting

Though clever, Dmitry’s pun was not apposite to the solemn occasion.

98
Q

Define

discursive

(diss-kurr-siv)

A

adj. rambling aimlessly through a wide range of subjects.

The poor speaker gave a rambling, discursive speech

99
Q

Define

avocation

(av-uh-key-shuhn)

A

n. an extracurricular activity; a hobby

My favorite avocation is playing baseball in the summertime.

100
Q

Define

adumbrate

(uh-duhm-breyt)

A

v. to foreshadow vaguely

v. to produce a faint outline or resemblance of something

The first volume merely adumbrates the basics of the story to be developed in the next two books.

101
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. the extent, boundary or scope of something

A

ambit

(am-bit)

synonyms: compass, extension, range

102
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one who abandons a belief, cause, party or religion

A

apostate

(uh-poss-teyt)

synonyms: traitor, defector, unfaithful

103
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. fallacious reasoning; faulty, although plausible, logic

A

sophistry

(sof-uh-stree)

synonyms: fallacy, inconsistency

104
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. clarity or perceptiveness in speech, thought, or writing

A

perspicuity

(purr-spih-kyoo-ih-tee)

synonyms: comprehensibility, articulateness

105
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to command or direct an action with authority

v. to prohibit or forbid an action

A

enjoin

(en-join)

synonyms: order, command; disallow, outlaw

106
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. offensively flattering or insincere.

adj. offensive to the taste

A

fulsome

(fool-suhm)

synonyms: overdone, copious, distasteful

107
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a curse

A

imprecation

(im-prih-key-shuhn)

synonyms: spell, hex

108
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to lessen the magnitude or seriousness of; to mitigate

A

extenuate

(ik-sten-yoo-eyt)

synonyms: mitigate, lessen, lighten

109
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. certain, inevitable, unavoidable

A

ineluctable

(in-ih-luhk-tuh-buhl)

synonyms: inescapable, destined

110
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to reduce the quality of

v. to corrupt

A

vitiate

(vish-ee-eyt)

synonyms: cheapen, deteriorate; blemish, debase

111
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. depravity, baseness

n. a vile act

A

turpitude

(tur-pih-tood)

synonyms: debasement, immorality

112
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. mournful, sorrowful, melancholy

A

plaintive

(pleyn-tiv)

synonyms: afflicted, distressing

113
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. holding tenaciously to a belief

adj. stubbornly unyielding

A

pertinacious

(purt-n-ey-shuhs)

synonyms: determined, tenacious, stubborn

114
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unfaithful, disloyal to belief or principle

adj. cowardly or craven

n. one who is a coward, unfaithful, or disloyal

A

recreant

(rek-ree-uhnt)

synonyms: cowardly, unfaithful, deserter

115
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to offer as proof in an argument

A

adduce

(uh-doos)

synonyms: introduce, exhibit

116
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to slander or speak maliciously of

A

traduce

(truh-doos)

synonyms: defame, slander

117
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relevant, suitable, or fitting

A

apposite

(app-uh-zit)

synonyms: pertinent, timely, appropriate

118
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. rambling aimlessly through a wide range of subjects

adj. drawing conclusions based on reason (as opposed to intuition)

A

discursive

(diss-kurr-siv)

synonyms: digressive, erratic; inclusive, absolute

119
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. an extracurricular activity; a hobby

A

avocation

(av-uh-key-shuhn)

synonyms: hobby, recreation

120
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to foreshadow vaguely

v. to produce a faint outline or resemblance of something

A

adumbrate

(uh-duhm-breyt)

synonyms: bode, suggest, indicate, outline

121
Q

Define

alchemy

(al-kuh-me)

A

n. the medieval study of transforming lead into gold

Although it was never proven possible, alchemy is in many ways related to the chemistry we study today.

122
Q

Define

allege

(uh-ledge)

A

v. to state that something is true without providing proof

The neighbors alleged that it was the store owner who started the fire, but it turned out that he had been out of town after speaking with him.

123
Q

Define

allude

(uh-lewd)

A

v. to refer to another concept indirectly

She would occasionally allude to a summer house, though nobody knew exactly where it was.

124
Q

Define

altruism

(al-true-iz-um)

A

n. selfless concern for others

Many charities were formed thanks to Rajiv’s altruism and generosity.

125
Q

Define

ambivalence

(am-biv-uh-lunce)

A

n. confused or contradicting feelings

The bride’s ambivalence towards the color of the roses meant the groom had to decide.

126
Q

Define

amble

(am-bul)

A

v. to walk slowly

The old man ambled over to our table and started up a conversation.

127
Q

Define

ameliorate

(uh-meal-yuh-rate)

A

v. to make better

The new medicine ameliorated her condition rather quickly.

128
Q

Define

amenable

(uh-men-ih-bull)

A

adj. open to suggestion or criticism

adj. accountable

A good manager is amenable to his employee’s new ideas.

129
Q

Define

analgesic

(ann-ul-djee-zick)

A

n. pain reliever

After the surgery, the doctor prescribed an analgesic for her patient’s leg.

130
Q

Define

anecdote

(ann-ik-dote)

A

n. a story of a specific incident, used as an example or for entertainment

The actor’s acceptance speech included an anecdote about his first audition.

131
Q

Define

annul

(uh-null)

A

v. to declare invalid

The couple had their marriage annulled when it was revealed that the groom was still married to another woman.

132
Q

Define

didactic

(die-dak-tick)

A

adj. overly instructive, educational

He may mean well, but Pat’s efforts to help came across as fussy and didactic.

133
Q

Define

diffident

(diff-ih-dunt)

A

adj. lacking confidence; restrained or reserved

Since it was her first day, Lucy ventured only diffident answers to her superiors’ requests for input.

134
Q

Define

diffuse

(v. dih-fewz; adj. dih-fewss)

A

v. to spread out

adj. widely spread, scattered

adj. wordy and rambling

Such a diffuse network of law enforcement will not be able to eliminate all instances of crime.

135
Q

Define

dilapidated

(dih-lap-ih-date-id)

A

adj. ruined, worn down

The abandoned house was dilapidated from years of neglect.

136
Q

Define

dilate

(die-late)

A

v. to widen or enlarge

v. to give a long speech on a subject

The eye drops dilated his pupils so the eye doctor could better examine them.

137
Q

Define

dilettante

(dill-ih-tont)

A

n. a person with an interest in a topic without really commiting

n. a patron of the arts

The dance school accepted dilettantes as well as trained professionals.

138
Q

Define

dirge

(durge)

A

n. a mournful song

We heard a chorus singing a dirge as the funeral procession began.

139
Q

Define

disabuse

(diss-uh-bewz)

A

v. to free from a misconception or error in thought

Luke made it his goal to disabuse his students of the notion that they didn’t need to work hard to do well.

140
Q

Define

disaffect

(diss-uh-fect)

A

v. to make someone lose loyalty or affection

Her attention-seeking behavior disaffected many of her classmates.

141
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the medieval study of transforming lead into gold

A

alchemy

(al-kuh-me)

synonyms: sorcery, wizardry, medieval science

142
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to state that something is true without providing proof

A

allege

(uh-ledge)

synonyms: assert, claim

143
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to refer to another concept indirectly

A

allude

(uh-lewd)

synonyms: bring up, imply, mention

144
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. selfless concern for others

A

altruism

(al-true-iz-um)

synonyms: charity, kindness

145
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. confused or contradicting feelings

A

ambivalence

(am-biv-uh-lunce)

synonyms: confusion, dilemma, hesitation

146
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to walk slowly

A

amble

(am-bul)

synonyms: saunter, drag

147
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to make better

A

ameliorate

(uh-meal-yuh-rate)

synonyms: amend, help

148
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. open to suggestion or criticism

adj. accountable

A

amenable

(uh-men-ih-bull)

synonyms: willing, cooperative; chargeable, liable

149
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. pain reliever

A

analgesic

(ann-ul-djee-zick)

synonyms: painkiller, soother

150
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a story of a specific incident, used as an example or for entertainment

A

anecdote

(ann-ik-dote)

synonyms: episode, account, chronicle

151
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to declare invalid

A

annul

(uh-null)

synonyms: void, abolish, cancel

152
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. overly instructive or preachy

A

didactic

(die-dak-tick)

synonyms: advisory, sermonic, bookish

153
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. lacking confidence; restrained or reserved

A

diffident

(diff-ih-dunt)

synonyms: hesitant, unconfident

154
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to spread out

adj. widely spread, scattered

adj. wordy and rambling

A

diffuse

(v. dih-fewz; adj. dih-fewss)

synonyms: delocalized, verbose, prolix

155
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. ruined, worn down

A

dilapidated

(dih-lap-ih-date-id)

synonyms: ramshackle, wasted, decayed

156
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to widen or enlarge

v. to give a long speech on a subject

A

dilate

(die-late)

synonyms: stretch, amplify; hold forth

157
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a person with an interest in a topic without really commiting

n. a patron of the arts

A

dilettante

(dill-ih-tont)

synonyms: green, unskilled; artist, connoisseur

158
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a mournful song

A

dirge

(durge)

synonyms: death song, lament, funeral hymn

159
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to free from a misconception or error in thought

A

disabuse

(diss-uh-bewz)

synonyms: correct, debunk

160
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to make someone lose loyalty or affection

A

disaffect

(diss-uh-fect)

synonyms: alienate, antagonize

161
Q

Define

discern

(dih-surn)

A

v. to recognize, to recognize as different

From a distance, it was difficult for Josh to discern who was waving at him.

162
Q

Define

discomfit

(diss-kum-fit)

A

v. to unsettle

v. to upset or prevent from succeeding

The presence of the victim’s family at the trial discomfited the accused.

163
Q

Define

hackneyed

(hack-need)

A

adj. overdone or cliché

The student’s poem contained the hackneyed expressions that typically fill teenage diaries.

164
Q

Define

hallmark

(hall-mark)

A

n. a unique, identifying trait

n. a mark used to indicate the purity of certain metals

Complete obedience is the hallmark of a good soldier.

165
Q

Define

harangue

(huh-rang)

A

v. to speak with intense emotions

n. a rant

The lobbyists arrived at the senator’s office expecting to make a deal, but instead they received a 45-minute harangue from the angry politician.

166
Q

Define

hedonism

(heed-in-iz-um)

A

n. dedication to pursuing pleasure

Jake’s hedonism became apparent when he quit his job rather than cancel his trip to the Bahamas.

167
Q

Define

tan

(tan)

A

v. to whip

v. to make leather out of animal hide

He spent days tanning the leather properly.

168
Q

Define

heretical

(huh-ret-ih-kull)

A

adj. differing from official beliefs

Galileo’s discoveries of the nature of Earth’s place in the universe were considered heretical at the time.

169
Q

Define

hieroglyphic

(high-ruh-glif-ik)

A

adj. difficult to understand, mysterious

The students could not read the teacher’s hieroglyphic writing on the board.

170
Q

Define

homogenous

(hoe-modj-ih-nus)

A

adj. composed of similar or identical parts

The audience was mostly a homogenous group of fashion design students, though one or two engineering students also attended.

171
Q

Define

hone

(hone)

A

v. to perfect

v. to sharpen

The swimmers spent all day in the water trying to hone their skills before the meet.

172
Q

Define

husband

(huz-bund)

A

v. to conserve

The campers knew they would have to husband their supplies on their trip.

173
Q

Define

nonplussed

(non-plust)

A

adj. confused

She was nonplussed when her mother scolded her for no apparent reason.

174
Q

Define

noxious

(knock-shuss)

A

adj. harmful in a physical or moral way

Unfortunately, the group did not notice the noxious gas until it had claimed several victims.

175
Q

Define

nuance

(new-awnss)

A

n. a small difference

A trained scientist is sensitive to the nuances between these two seemingly identical procedures.

176
Q

Define

obdurate

(ob-duh-ritt)

A

adj. stubborn; inflexible and unyielding

adj. emotionally cold; not compassionate

Even when the witness began to cry, the accused remained obdurate and detached.

177
Q

Define

obsequious

(ob-see-kwee-us)

A

adj. very submissive and flattering

In industries where obsequious service is expected, one generally leaves a tip.

178
Q

Define

obstinate

(ob-stuh-nitt)

A

adj. stubborn, unyielding to change an opinion

The obstinate woman refused to move out of the other customers’ way.

179
Q

Define

obviate

(ob-vee-ehyt)

A

v. to anticipate and prevent

v. to make obsolete

The Internet has all but obviated the need for radio stations.

180
Q

Define

occlude

(uh-clued)

A

v. to close or block off

v. to combine opposite surfaces

The only way out of the cabin was occluded by a mound of fresh snow.

181
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to see clearly

A

discern

(dih-surn)

synonyms: note, notice, focus

182
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to unsettle

v. to upset or prevent from succeeding

A

discomfit

(diss-kum-fit)

synonyms: frustrate, annoy

183
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. overdone or cliché

A

hackneyed

(hack-need)

synonyms: tired, common

184
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a unique, identifying trait

n. a mark used to indicate the purity of certain metals

A

hallmark

(hall-mark)

synonyms: authentication, emblem, brand

185
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to speak with intense emotions

n. a rant

A

harangue

(huh-rang)

synonyms: diatribe, tirade, speech

186
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. dedication to pursuing pleasure

A

hedonism

(heed-in-iz-um)

synonyms: seeking pleasure and happiness

187
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to whip

v. to make leather out of animal hide

A

tan

(tan)

synonyms: flog, beat

188
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. differing from official beliefs

A

heretical

(huh-ret-ih-kull)

synonyms: unorthodox, disagreeing, dissenting

189
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. difficult to understand, mysterious

A

hieroglyphic

(high-ruh-glif-ik)

synonyms: unclear, unreadable, cryptic

190
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. composed of similar or identical parts

A

homogenous

(hoe-modj-ih-nuss)

synonyms: same, of like parts, uniform

191
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to perfect

v. to sharpen

A

hone

(hone)

synonyms: train, discipline; whet, grind

192
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to conserve

A

husband

(huz-bund)

synonyms: retain, preserve

193
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. confused

A

nonplussed

(non-plust)

synonyms: perplexed, baffled, puzzled

194
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. harmful in a physical or moral way

A

noxious

(knock-shuss)

synonyms: dangerous, corrupt

195
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a small difference

A

nuance

(new-awnss)

synonyms: degree, subtlety

196
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. emotionally cold; not compassionate

A

obdurate

(ob-duh-ritt)

synonyms: insensitive, apathetic

197
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. very submissive and flattering

A

obsequious

(ob-see-kwee-us)

synonyms: flattering, sycophantic

198
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. stubborn

A

obstinate

(ob-stuh-nitt)

synonyms: stubborn, determined

199
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to anticipate and prevent

v. to make obsolete

A

obviate

(ob-vee-ehyt)

synonyms: anticipate, counteract; inhibit, stymie

200
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to close or block off

v. to combine opposite surfaces

A

occlude

(uh-clued)

synonyms: clog, prevent, choke, congest, smother