Eng, Vocab Definition first

Question 1

adj. happy and without worryadj. lacking due thought or consideration

Answer 1

blithe (blithe) •[blahyth, blahyth]He was blithe about the risks to his health.A blithe disregard for the rules of the road.adv. blithelyn. blithenessadj. blithesome( literary)

Question 2

adj. offensive or disgusting by accepted standards of morality and decency (sometimes sex-related); repugnant, repulsive adj. disgusting to the scenes

Answer 2

obscene (ob·scene)•[uhb-seen]He was accused of making obscene phone calls.He made an obscene gesture at the driver who cut him off.The company’s executives earn obscene salaries.He spends an obscene amount of money on clothes.Using animals’ skins for fur coats is obscene.adv. obscenelyobscene languageobscene jokesobscene literature

Question 3

v. to (cause something to) spread in many directionsv. to (cause a gas or liquid to) spread through or into a surrounding substance by mixing with itadj. spread out over a large area; not concentrated

Answer 3

diffuse (dif·fuse)[dih-fyoo-zhuhn]Television is a powerful means of diffusing knowledge.Oxygen diffuses from the lungs into the bloodstream.The drop of red dye diffused slowly in the water.The forest was filled with a soft, diffuse light.n. diffusionadj. diffusive

Question 4

v. promote or make widely known (an idea or cause);v. put (a law or decree) into effect by official proclamation

Answer 4

promulgate (prom·ul·gate) •[prom-uhl-geyt, proh-muhl-geyt]Her ideas have been widely promulgated on the Internet.The law was promulgated in April 1988.In January 1852, the new constitution was promulgated.n. promulgator n. promulgation

Question 5

adj. standing out so as to be clearly visibleadj. attracting notice or attention

Answer 5

conspicuous (con·spic·u·ous)[kuhn-spik-yoo-uhs]He was very thin, with a conspicuous Adam’s apple.He showed conspicuous bravery.n. conspicuity |ˌkänspiˈkyo͞oitē|adv. conspicuouslyn. conspicuousness

Question 6

n. preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience

Answer 6

prejudice (prej·u·dice)[prej-uh-dis]Accusations of racial prejudice.Prejudice resulting from delay in the institution of the proceedings.

Question 7

n. something that is allowed or given up, often in order to end a disagreement, or the act of allowing or giving thisn. the act of admitting defeat

Answer 7

concession (con·ces·sion)[kuhn-sesh-uhn]The strikers returned to work having won some concessions.Her only concession to fashion was her ornate silver ring.Tax concessions.operates the concessions at the stadium | [ as modifier ] : public restrooms and concession stands.

Question 8

n. the state of being well known for some bad quality or deedn. an evil or wicked act

Answer 8

infamy (in·fa·my) •[in-fuh-mee]a day that will live in infamy.one of history’s greatest infamies.adj. infamous

Question 9

n. enjoy oneself in a lively and noisy way, esp. with drinking and dancingn. get great pleasure from (a situation or experience)

Answer 9

revel (rev·el)[rev-uhl]A night of drunken reveling.Bill said he was secretly reveling in his new-found fame.On New Year’s Eve, thousands of revelers fill Trafalgar Square.n. revelern. revelsp. revel in

Question 10

n. a larger number of events than usual, especially unpleasant ones, happening at about the same timen. a large number or amount

Answer 10

spate (spate) •[speyt]A spate of attacks on travelers.Spate of burglaries is being fuelled by drug use.Spate of thefts of road tax disks from cars in our area.in ( full ) spate (of a river) overflowing due to a sudden flood. • (of a person or action) at the height of activity: work was in full spate.p. in (full) spate

Question 11

n. a way of criticizing people or ideas in a humorous way, or a piece of writing or play that uses this stylen. trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly

Answer 11

satire (sat·ire)[sat-ahyuhr]Her play was a biting/cruel satire on life in the 80s.His movies are known for their use of satire.

Question 12

v. take in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fullyv. to make similar; cause (something) to resemblev. to make someone or something become part of a group, country, society, etc.

Answer 12

assimilate (as·sim·i·late) •[v. uh-sim-uh-leyt; n. uh-sim-uh-lit, -leyt]There was a lot of information to assimilate at school.The churches assimilated to a certain cultural norm.They found it hard to assimilate to American society.adj. assimilablen. assimilationadj. assimilativen. assimilatoradj. assimilatory

Question 13

adj. (of two or more people) fully in agreementadj. being of one mind

Answer 13

unanimous (u·nan·i·mous)[yoo-nan-uh-muhs]The jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty after a short deliberation.After a lengthy discussion we reached a unanimous decision on the proposal.

Question 14

adj. too eager to serve and please someone else in a way that shows you do not have much respect for yourself

Answer 14

servile (ser·vile) •[sur-vil, -vahyl]Bowing his head in a servile manner.As a waiter you want to be pleasant to people without appearing totally servile.She found the servility of the hotel staff embarrassing.adv. servilelyn. servilenessn. servility

Question 15

adj. (of an amount of money) very small and of little or no valueadj. low in qualityadj. mean, despicableadj. trivial

Answer 15

paltry (pal·try) •[pawl-tree]Student grants these days are paltry.The company offered Jeremy a paltry sum which he refused.She made some paltry excuse and left.p. a paltry trick (mean, despicable) p. a paltry excuse (trivial)p. made a paltry donation (meager, measly )

Question 16

v. run away secretly in order to get married, especially without parental consent

Answer 16

elope (e·lope)[ih-lohp]She eloped with an Army officer.n. elopementn. eloper

Question 17

adj. badly conceived, designed, or plannedadj. unlawfully conceived : illegitimateadj. having a disreputable or improper originadj. being despised, deformed

Answer 17

misbegotten (mis·be·got·ten)[mis-bi-got-n]A misbegotten belief/idea.A misbegotten child who never knew his father.p. a misbegotten scoundrel (being despised, deformed)

Question 18

n. a person who dislikes/hates or distrusts humankind and avoids human society.

Answer 18

misanthrope (mis·an·thrope)[mis-uhn-throhp, miz-]A former misanthrope who now professes a newly discovered love of mankind.

Question 19

adj. using or containing more words than are necessary; wordy

Answer 19

verbose (ver·bose)[ver-bohs]a verbose explanation/report/speech/styleHe was a notoriously verbose after-dinner speaker.adv. verboselyn. verbosenessn. verbosity

Question 20

adj. (of love or friendship) intimate and affectionate but not sexual:adj. confined to words, theories, or ideals, and not leading to practical action.

Answer 20

platonic (Pla·ton·ic)[pluh-ton-ik, pley-]They had a platonic friendship, not a romantic one.Our relationship was strictly platonic.he knew he fancied her, but preferred to keep their relationship platonic.adv. platonically

Question 21

adj. (of something regarded as unpleasant) continuing without pause or interruption

Answer 21

incessant (in·ces·sant) •[in-ses-uhnt]She talked incessantly about the most trivial things.The incessant beat of the music.adv. incessantly n. incessancyn. incessantness

Question 22

adj. not fully worked out or developed; provisionaladj. done without confidence; hesitant; uncertain

Answer 22

tentative (ten•ta•tive)[ten-tuh-tiv]I have made tentative plans to take a trip to Seattle in July.He eventually tried a few tentative steps round his hospital room.adv. tentatively n. tentativeness

Question 23

n. the face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression, etc.; countenance.n. aspect; appearance.

Answer 23

visage (vis·age)[viz-ij]An old man with a noticeably happy visage.The grimy visage of a mining town.

Question 24

n. a dark shape seen against a light surface; the outline or general shape of something:

Answer 24

silhouette (sil·hou·ette)[sil-oo-et]The castle was silhouetted against the sky.He admired the sports car’s sleek silhouette.

Question 25

adj. capable of making mistakes or being erroneous, especially in being deceived or mistaken.

Answer 25

fallible (fal·li·ble)[fal-uh-buhl]We place our trust in doctors, but even they are fallible.This method is more fallible than most because it depends on careful and accurate timing.

Question 26

n. a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning; deceptive reasoning n. the clever use of arguments that seem true but are really false, in order to deceive people

Answer 26

sophistry (soph·ist·ry) •[sof-uh-stree]If sophistry is all you bring to the table, then your arguments fall flat on their proverbial nose.Until then, the artful general has nothing to offer his domestic critics except sophistry.n. sophism

Question 27

adj. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sourcesadj. including things taken from many different sourcesn. a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

Answer 27

eclectic (ec·lec·tic) •[ih-klek-tik]The collection includes an eclectic mix of historical artifacts.If you're a rock and pop fan, it gives you a stream of songs that is eclectic , unpredictable and serendipitous.adv. eclecticallyn. eclecticism

Question 28

adj. not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapseadj. dependent on chance; uncertain

Answer 28

precarious (pre·car·i·ous) •[pri-kair-ee-uhs]Instead, the fate of the plan is more precarious than ever.My own state of health is certainly precarious enough.Most of the country's impoverished citizens still live precarious and uncertain lives.adv. precariouslyn. precariousness

Question 29

adv/adj. into partsadv/adj. apart from each other in position

Answer 29

asunder (a·sun·der) •[uh-suhn-der]Fifty years ago, the largest bomb ever used in warfare tore Hiroshima asunder.Close behind it you see a blackened slip of wood with two white marks on it ten inches asunder.

Question 30

n. the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another.

Answer 30

reciprocity (rec·i·proc·i·ty)[res-uh-pros-i-tee]One would think that the affinities would pronounce themselves with a surer reciprocity.The proposal calls for reciprocity in trade relations.

Question 31

adj. playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing wayadj. erratic; unpredictable; acting or behaving in a capricious manner

Answer 31

whimsical (whim·si·cal)[hwim-zi-kuhl, wim-]A whimsical sense of humor.He was too whimsical with regard to his work.n. whimsicalityadv. whimsicallyn. whimsicalnessadj. unwhimsical

Question 32

adj. large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldyadj. slow or complicated and therefore inefficient

Answer 32

cumbersome (cum·ber·some)[kuhm-ber-suhm]cumbersome diving suitsThe application process is cumbersome and time-consuming.organizations with cumbersome hierarchical structuresadv. cumbersomelyn. cumbersomeness

Question 33

n. a standard of judgment or criticism; a rule or principle for evaluating or testing something.

Answer 33

criterion (cri·te·ri·on)[krahy-teer-ee-uhn]*Criterion is one, criteria is more than one.The one criterion for being a good parent is to be understanding.The key criterion for successful driving is keeping to the right side of the road.n. criteria adj. criterial

Question 34

adj. characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotionadj. very stormy

Answer 34

tempestuous (tem·pes·tu·ous)[tem-pes-choo-uhs]*tempest - a violent storm; tumult, uproarHe had a reckless and tempestuous streak.Her parents seem to have had a tempestuous marriage.A tempestuous wind.adv. tempestuouslyn. tempestuousness

Question 35

adj. exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling; having or displaying a passionate intensity: zealous adj. very hot; glowing; burning

Answer 35

fervent (fer·vent) •[fur-vuhnt]A fervent speech that called for tolerance and compassion for those who are different.It is his fervent hope that a peaceful solution will soon be found.The nationalists believe fervently in independence for their country.n. fervorn. fervencyadv. fervently

Question 36

adj. showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense

Answer 36

vehement (ve·he·ment) •[vee-uh-muhnt]He became a vehement opponent of coalition troop increases in that country.It is only at intervals that the clamour on the subject is loud and vehement .adv. vehemently

Question 37

n. a sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained

Answer 37

whim (whim)[hwim, wim]It's quick and easy to take your picture in a booth on a whim.Most prosecutors can still be fired on a political whim.Salaries aren't decided on the whim of department chairs.

Question 38

adj. given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior; impulsive, unpredictable, erratic

Answer 38

capricious (ca·pri·cious)[kuh-prish-uhs, -pree-shuhs]The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious.A capricious climate.The film dissects the importance of luck and its capricious nature.n. capriceadv. capriciouslyn. capriciousness

Question 39

adj. strange, peculiar, or unusual in an interesting, pleasing, or amusing wayadj. pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliaradj. unusual or different in character or appearance : odd

Answer 39

quaint (quaint)[kweynt]Quaint can also be used to show that you do not approve of something, especially an opinion, belief, or way of behaving, because it is strange or old-fashioned:"What a quaint idea!" she said, laughing at him.adv. quaintlyn. quaintness

Question 40

n. the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.

Answer 40

philanthropy (phi·lan·thro·py) •[fi-lan-thruh-pee]Volunteering and philanthropy are strongly emphasized in our household.n. philanthropismv. philanthropize

Question 41

v. to express an opinion

Answer 41

opine (o·pine)[oh-pahyn]You can opine about any subject you like.Ernest Rutherford opined that his work on radioactive substances would be of little or no practical use.

Question 42

v. dig out (something buried, especially a corpse) from the ground.v. to bring back from neglect or obscurity; to revive or restore after neglect or a period of forgetting

Answer 42

exhume (ex·hume)[ig-zoom, -zyoom, eks-hyoom] The commission decided not to exhume the bodies because it was costly and probably too late.Exhumed a great deal of information from the archives.n. exhumationn. exhumer

Question 43

adj. extremely good, beautiful, or enjoyable; very greatn. the ultimate degree or perfectv. Chemistry - to cause to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state and condense back to solid form

Answer 43

sublime (sub·lime)[suh-blahym]He seemed to believe that music had to be either sublime or ridiculous.adv. sublimelyn. sublimity

Question 44

v. clear (someone) of blame or suspicionv. show or prove to be right, reasonable, or justified

Answer 44

vindicate (vin·di·cate)[vin-di-keyt]He was never charged, and court records vindicate him.adj. vindicablen. vindicationn. vindicatoradj. vindicatory

Question 45

adj. deliberately created rather than arising naturally or spontaneouslyadj. created or arranged in a way that seems artificial and unrealistic; having an unnatural or false appearance or quality

Answer 45

contrived (con·trived)[kuhn-trahyvd]The funny thing about this photo is that the whole thing is contrived.Everything in the piece is contrived to promote disapproval rather than understanding.

Question 46

v. reject (someone or something) in an abrupt or ungracious mannern. an abrupt or ungracious refusal or rejection of an offer, request, or friendly gesture

Answer 46

rebuff (re·buff)[n. ri-buhf, ree-buhf; v. ri-buhf]Our request for assistance has been rebuffed.Any attempt to win her friendship was met with rebuffs.

Question 47

n. the owner of a business, or a holder of property.

Answer 47

proprietor (pro·pri·e·tor)[pruh-prahy-i-ter]He is the proprietor of one of the best hotels in Orlando.adj. proprietorialadv. proprietorially

Question 48

n. moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury; luxurious self-indulgence

Answer 48

decadence (dec·a·dence)[dek-uh-duhns, dih-keyd-ns]The casino's leading opponents are less concerned with elegance than decadence.The sign's of a long and inexorable decadence are quite clear.adj.n. decadent

Question 49

v. (of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeblev. suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation

Answer 49

languish (lan·guish)[lang-gwish]Plants may appear to be languishing simply because they are dormant.He has been languishing in jail since 1974.n. languisheradv. languishingly

Question 50

adj. introduced or coming from without; not belonging or proper to a thing; external; foreign: adj. not pertinent; irrelevant

Answer 50

extraneous (ex·tra·ne·ous)[ik-strey-nee-uhs]When the transmitter pack is turned off, no extraneous noise is heard.Other insects attach extraneous objects or material to themselves.adv. extraneouslyn. extraneousness

Question 51

adj. never done or known before; not experienced before; unexampled or unparalleled

Answer 51

unprecedented (un·prec·e·dent·ed)[uhn-pres-i-den-tid]The government took the unprecedented step of releasing confidential correspondence.We’ve entered an age of unprecedented prosperity.adv. unprecedentedly

Question 52

n. awareness, realization, or knowledge; notice; perceptionn. law - the action of taking jurisdiction

Answer 52

cognizance (cog·ni·zance)[kog-nuh-zuhns, kon-uh-]Surely there ought to be some cognizance taken of these recurring horrors.The state takes no cognizance of private sin until it becomes a public crime.The lawyer asked the jury to take cognizance of the defendant's generosity in giving to charity.adj. cognizant

Question 53

n.adj. participating in the knowledge of something private or secret; to be told information that is not told to many people

Answer 53

privy (priv·y)[priv-ee]I was never privy to conversations between top management.He was no longer privy to her innermost thoughts.But it's safe to suggest that very few are privy to any real actual battle plan that's being drawn.adv. privily

Question 54

adj. used to describe something as another, more exciting, interesting, or unusual thing, as a way of emphasizing its character

Answer 54

veritable (ver·i·ta·ble)[ver-i-tuh-buhl]My garden had become a veritable jungle by the time I came back from holiday.The normally sober (muted in color) menswear department is set to become a veritable kaleidoscope of colour this season.veritable·ness nounveritably adverb

Question 55

v. to accustom or become accustomed to a new climate or environment; adapt.

Answer 55

acclimate (ac·cli·mate)[ak-luh-meyt, uh-klahy-mit]It does take a while for foreign students to acclimate .To acclimate to the big chill ahead, they rode exercise bikes in a friend's walk-in freezer.n. acclimation

Question 56

adj. continuing without any possibility of being stopped; impossible to stop or prevent

Answer 56

inexorable (in·ex·o·ra·ble)[in-ek-ser-uh-buhl]The seemingly inexorable march of new technology.The inexorable rise of a political movement.The inexorable progress of science.These events led inexorably to war.n. inexorabilityn. inexorablenessadv. inexorably

Question 57

v. appoint or instruct (someone) to perform a task for which one is responsible

Answer 57

depute (de·pute)[duh-pyoot]I've deputed Lara Brown to speak for me at the conference.She had been deputed to look after him while Clarissa was away.

Question 58

adj. corresponding in size or degree; in proportion; in a correct and suitable amount compared to something else:

Answer 58

commensurate (com·men·su·rate)[kuh-men-ser-it, -sher-]Pay will be commensurate with experience and ability.Starting salary is commensurate with qualifications.Authority and power are here commensurate with the duty imposed.adv. commensuratelyn. commensuration

Question 59

v. evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone in reaction to one’s own actions or questions:

Answer 59

elicit (e·lic·it)[ih-lis-it]This foray into monkey business will elicit a large share of laughter.His gifts to strangers almost always elicit a smile.This witty and intelligent picture book is sure to elicit squeals of laughter.n. elicitationn. elicitor

Question 60

n. objects kept or collected because of their historical interest, especially those associated with memorable people or events

Answer 60

memorabilia (mem·o·ra·bil·i·a)[mem-er-uh-bil-ee-uh, -bil-yuh]Packing her memorabilia for storage took more than a month.

Question 61

v. to credit or assign, as to a cause or source; attribute

Answer 61

ascribe (as·cribe)[uh-skrahyb]They don't just give a name, they ascribe value.adj. ascribable

Question 62

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Answer 62

bane

Question 63

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Answer 63

purgatory

Question 64

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Answer 64

endorphins

Question 65

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Answer 65

vapid

Question 66

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Answer 66

contingent

Question 67

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Answer 67

ostentatious