I

Question 1

iconoclast

(n.)

Answer 1

one who attacks common beliefs or institutions

(Jane goes to one protest after another, but she seems to be an iconoclast rather than an activist with a progressive agenda.)

Question 2

idiosyncratic

(adj.)

Answer 2

peculiar to one person; highly individualized

(I know you had trouble with the last test, but because your mistakes were highly idiosyncratic, I’m going to deny your request that the class be given a new test.)

Question 3

idolatrous

(adj.)

Answer 3

excessively worshipping one object or person

(Xena’s idolatrous fawning over the band—following them on tour, starting their fan club, filming their documentary—is really beginning to get on my nerves.)

Question 4

ignominious

(adj.)

Answer 4

humiliating, disgracing

(It was really ignominious to be kicked out of the dorm for having an illegal gas stove in my room.)

Question 5

illicit

(adj.)

Answer 5

forbidden, not permitted

(The fourth-grader learned many illicit words from a pamphlet that was being passed around school.)

Question 6

immerse

(v.)

Answer 6

to absorb, deeply involve, engross

(After breaking up with her boyfriend, Nancy decided to immerse herself in her work in order to avoid crying.)

Question 7

immutable

(adj.)

Answer 7

not changeable

(The laws of physics are immutable and constant.)

Question 8

impassive

(adj.)

Answer 8

stoic, not susceptible to suffering

(Stop being so impassive; it’s healthy
to cry every now and then.)

Question 9

impeccable

(adj.)

Answer 9

exmplary, flawless

(If your grades were as impeccable as your sister’s, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.)

Question 10

impecunious

(adj.)

Answer 10

poor

(“I fear he’s too impecunious to take me out tonight,” the bratty girl whined.)

Question 11

imperative

1.(adj.) 2.(n.)

Answer 11

1. necessary, pressing
2. a rule, command, or order

1. (It is imperative that you have these folders organized by midday.)
2. (Her imperative to have the folders organized by midday was perceived as ridiculous by the others.)

Question 12

imperious

(adj.)

Answer 12

commanding, domineering

(The imperious nature of your manner led me to dislike you at once.)

Question 13

impertinent

(adj.)

Answer 13

rude, insolent

(Most of your comments are so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an answer.)

Question 14

impervious

(adj.)

Answer 14

impenetrable, incapable of being affected

(Because of their thick layer of fur, many seals are almost impervious to the cold.)

Question 15

impetuous

(adj.)

Answer 15

rash; hastily done

(Hilda’s hasty slaying of the king was an impetuous, thoughtless action.)

Question 16

impinge

(v.)

Answer 16

1. to impact, affect, make an impression
2. to encroach, infringe

1. (The hail impinged the roof, leaving large dents.)
2. (I apologize for impinging upon you like this, but I really need to use your bathroom. Now.)

Question 17

implacable

(adj.)

Answer 17

incapable of being appeased or mitigated

(Watch out: once you shun Grandma’s cooking, she is totally implacable.)

Question 18

implement

1.(n.) 2.(v.)

Answer 18

1. an instrument, utensil, tool
2. to put into effect, to institute

1. (Do you have a knife or some other sort of implement that I could use to pry the lid off of this jar?)
2. (After the first town curfew failed to stop the graffiti problem, the mayor implemented a new policy to use security cameras to catch perpetrators in the act.)

Question 19

implicate

(v.)

Answer 19

to involve in an incrimination way, incriminate

(Even though Tom wasn’t present at the time of the shooting, he was implicated by the evidence suggesting that he had supplied the shooters with guns.)

Question 20

implicit

(adj.)

Answer 20

understood but not outwardly obvious, implied

(I know Professor Smith didn’t actually say not to write from personal experience, but I think such a message was implicit in her instruction to use scholarly sources.)

Question 21

impregnable

(adj.)

Answer 21

resistant to capture or penetration

(Though the invaders used battering rams, catapults, and rain dances, the fortress proved impregnable and resisted all attacks.)

Question 22

impudent

(adj.)

Answer 22

casually rude, insolent, impertinent

(The impudent young man looked the princess up and down and told her she was hot even though she hadn’t asked him.)

Question 23

impute

(v.)

Answer 23

to ascribe, blame

(The CEO imputed the many typos in the letter to his lazy secretary.)

Question 24

inane

(adj.)

Answer 24

silly and meaningless

(Some films are so inane that the psychology of the characters makes absolutely no sense.)

Question 25

inarticulate | (adj.)

Answer 25

incapable of expressing oneself clearly through speech ## Footnote (Though he spoke for over an hour, the lecturer was completely **inarticulate** and the students had no idea what he was talking about.)

Question 26

incarnate | 1.(adj.) 2.(v.)

Answer 26

1. existing in the flesh, embodied 2. to give human form to ## Footnote 1. (In the church pageant, I play the role of greed **incarnate**.) 2. (The alien evaded detection by **incarnating** himself in a human form.)

Question 27

incendiary | 1.(n.) 2.(adj.)

Answer 27

1. a person who agitates 2. inflammatory, causing combustion ## Footnote 1. (If we catch the **incendiary** who screamed “bomb” in the middle of the soccer match, we’re going to put him in jail.) 2. (Gas and lighter fluid are **incendiary** materials that should be kept out of hot storage areas.)

Question 28

incessant | (adj.)

Answer 28

unending ## Footnote (We wanted to go outside and play, but the **incessant** rain kept us indoors for two days.)

Question 29

inchoate | (adj.)

Answer 29

unformed or formless, in a beginning stage ## Footnote (The country’s government is still **inchoate** and, because it has no great tradition, quite unstable.)

Question 30

incisive | (adj.)

Answer 30

clear, sharp, direct ## Footnote (The discussion wasn’t going anywhere until her **incisive** comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.)

Question 31

inclination | (n.)

Answer 31

a tendency, propensity ## Footnote (Sarah has an **inclination** to see every foreign film she hears about, even when she’s sure that she won’t like it.)

Question 32

incontrovertible | (adj.)

Answer 32

indisputable ## Footnote (Only stubborn Tina would attempt to disprove the **incontrovertible** laws of physics.)

Question 33

incorrigible | (adj.)

Answer 33

incapable of correction, delinquent ## Footnote (You can buy Grandma nicotine gum all you want, but I think that after sixty-five years of smoking she’s **incorrigible**.)

Question 34

increment | (n.)

Answer 34

an enlargement; the process of increasing ## Footnote (The workmen made the wall longer, **increment** by increment.)

Question 35

incumbent | 1.(n.) 2.(adj.)

Answer 35

1. one who holds an office 2. obligatory ## Footnote 1. (The **incumbent** senator is already serving his fifth term.) 2. (It is **incumbent** upon this organization to offer aid to all who seek it.)

Question 36

indefatigable | (adj.)

Answer 36

incapable of defeat, failure, decay ## Footnote (Even after traveling 62 miles, the **indefatigable** runner kept on moving.)

Question 37

indigenous | (adj.)

Answer 37

originating in a region ## Footnote (Some fear that these plants, which are not **indigenous** to the region, may choke out the vegetation that is native to the area.)

Question 38

indigent | (adj.)

Answer 38

very poor, impoverished ## Footnote (I would rather donate money to help the **indigent** population than to the park sculpture fund.)

Question 39

indignation | (n.)

Answer 39

anger sparked by something unjust or unfair ## Footnote (I resigned from the sorority because of my **indignation** at its hazing of new members.)

Question 40

indolent | (adj.)

Answer 40

lazy ## Footnote (Why should my **indolent** children, who can’t even pick themselves up off the couch to pour their own juice, be rewarded with a trip to the mall?)

Question 41

indomitable | (adj.)

Answer 41

not capable of being conquered ## Footnote (To be honest, Jim, my **indomitable** nature means I could never take orders from anyone, and especially not from a jerk like you.)

Question 42

induce | (v.)

Answer 42

to bring about, stimulate ## Footnote (Who knew that our decision to boycott school lunch would **induce** a huge riot?)

Question 43

ineffable | (adj.)

Answer 43

unspeakable, incapable of being expressed through words ## Footnote (It is said that the experience of playing with a dolphin is **ineffable** and can only be understood through direct encounter.)

Question 44

inept | (adj.)

Answer 44

not suitable or capable, unqualified ## Footnote (She proved how **inept** she was when she forgot three orders and spilled a beer in a customer’s lap.)

Question 45

inexorable | (adj.)

Answer 45

incapable of being persuaded or placated ## Footnote (Although I begged for hours, Mom was **inexorable** and refused to let me stay out all night after the prom.)

Question 46

inextricable | (adj.)

Answer 46

hopelessly tangled or entangled ## Footnote (Unless I look at the solution manual, I have no way of solving this **inextricable** problem.)

Question 47

infamy | (n.)

Answer 47

notoriety, extreme ill repute ## Footnote (The **infamy** of his crime will not lessen as the decades pass.)

Question 48

infusion | (n.)

Answer 48

an injection of one substance into another; the permeation of one substance by another ## Footnote (The **infusion** of Eastern religion into Western philosophy created interesting new schools of thought.)

Question 49

ingenious | (adj.)

Answer 49

clever, resourceful ## Footnote (Her **ingenious** use of walnuts instead of the peanuts called for by the recipe was lauded by the other garden club members who found her cake delicious.)

Question 50

ingenuous | (adj.)

Answer 50

not devious; innocent and candid ## Footnote (He must have writers, but his speeches seem so **ingenuous** it’s hard to believe he’s not speaking from his own heart.)

Question 51

inhibit | (v.)

Answer 51

to prevent, restrain, stop ## Footnote (When I told you I needed the car last night, I certainly never meant to **inhibit** you from going out.)

Question 52

inimical | (adj.)

Answer 52

inimical | (adj.) ## Footnote (I don’t see how I could ever work for a company that was so cold and **inimical** to me during my interviews.)

Question 53

iniquity | (n.)

Answer 53

wickedness or sin ## Footnote (“Your **iniquity**,” said the priest to the practical jokester, “will be forgiven.”)

Question 54

injunction | (n.)

Answer 54

an order of official warning ## Footnote (After his house was toilet-papered for the fifth time, the mayor issued an **injunction** against anyone younger than 21 buying toilet paper.)

Question 55

innate | (adj.)

Answer 55

inborn, native, inherent ## Footnote (His incredible athletic talent is **innate**, he never trains, lifts weights, or practices.)

Question 56

innocuous | (adj.)

Answer 56

harmless, inoffensive ## Footnote (In spite of their **innocuous** appearance, these mushrooms are actually quite poisonous.)

Question 57

innovate | (v.)

Answer 57

to do something in an unprecendented way ## Footnote (Because of the stiff competition, the company knew it needed to pour a lot of energy into **innovating** new and better products.)

Question 58

innuendo | (n.)

Answer 58

an insinuation ## Footnote (During the debate, the politician made several **innuendos** about the sexual activities of his opponent.)

Question 59

inoculate | (v.)

Answer 59

to introduce a microorganism, serum, or vaccine into an organism in order to increase immunity to illness; to vaccinate ## Footnote (I’ve feared needles ever since I was **inoculated** against 37 diseases at age one; but I have also never been sick.)

Question 60

inquisitor | (n.)

Answer 60

one who inquires, especially in a hostile manner ## Footnote (The **inquisitor** was instructed to knock on every door in town in order to find the fugitive.)

Question 61

insatiable | (adj.)

Answer 61

incapable of being satisfied ## Footnote (My **insatiable** appetite for melons can be a real problem in the winter.)

Question 62

insidious | (adj.)

Answer 62

appealing but imperceptibly harmful, seductive ## Footnote (Lisa’s **insidious** chocolate cake tastes so good but makes you feel so sick later on!)

Question 63

insinuate | (v.)

Answer 63

to suggest indirectly or subtly ## Footnote (I wish Luke and Spencer would stop **insinuating** that my perfect report card is the result of anything other than my superior intelligence and good work habits.)

Question 64

insipid | (adj.)

Answer 64

dull, boring ## Footnote (The play was so **insipid**, I fell asleep halfway through.)

Question 65

insolent | (adj.)

Answer 65

rude, arrogant, overbearing ## Footnote (That celebrity is so **insolent**, making fun of his fans right to their faces.)

Question 66

instigate | (v.)

Answer 66

to urfe, goad ## Footnote (The demagogue **instigated** the crowd into a fury by telling them that they had been cheated by the federal government.)

Question 67

insular | (adj.)

Answer 67

separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off ## Footnote (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for the CIA must remain **insular** and generally only spend time with each other.)

Question 68

insurgent | (n.)

Answer 68

one who rebels ## Footnote (The **insurgent** snuck into and defaced a different classroom each night until the administration agreed to meet his demands.)

Question 69

integral | (adj.)

Answer 69

necessary for completeness ## Footnote (Without the **integral** ingredient of flour, you wouldn’t be able to make bread.)

Question 70

interject | (v.)

Answer 70

to insert between other things ## Footnote (During our conversation, the cab driver occasionally **interjected** his opinion.)

Question 71

interlocutor | (n.)

Answer 71

someone who participates in a dialogue or conversation ## Footnote (When the officials could not come to an agreement over the correct cover of the flags, the prime minister acted as an **interlocutor**.)

Question 72

interminable | (adj.)

Answer 72

without possibility of end ## Footnote (The fact that biology lectures came just before lunch made them seem **interminable**.)

Question 73

intimation | (n.)

Answer 73

an indirect suggestion ## Footnote (Mr. Brinford’s **intimation** that he would soon pass away occurred when he began to discuss how to distribute his belongings among his children.)

Question 74

intractable | (adj.)

Answer 74

difficult to manipulate, unmanageable ## Footnote (There was no end in sight to the **intractable** conflict between the warring countries.)

Question 75

intransigent | (adj.)

Answer 75

refusing to compromise, often on an extreme opinion ## Footnote (The **intransigent** child said he would have 12 scoops of ice cream, or he would bang his head against the wall until his mother fainted from fear.)

Question 76

intrepid | (adj.)

Answer 76

brave in the face of danger ## Footnote (After scaling a live volcano prior to its eruption, the explorer was praised for his **intrepid** attitude.)

Question 77

inundate | (v.)

Answer 77

to flood with abundance ## Footnote (Because I am the star of a new sitcom, my fans are sure to **inundate** me with fan mail and praise.)

Question 78

inure | (v.)

Answer 78

to cause someone or something to become accustomed to a situation ## Footnote (Twenty years in the salt mines **inured** the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime.)

Question 79

invective | (n.)

Answer 79

an angry verbal attack ## Footnote (My mother’s irrational **invective** against the way I dress only made me decide to dye my hair green.)

Question 80

inveterate | (adj.)

Answer 80

stubbornly established by habit ## Footnote (I’m the first to admit that I’m an **inveterate** coffee drinker—I drink four cups a day.)

Question 81

inviolable | (adj.)

Answer 81

secure from assault ## Footnote (Nobody was ever able to break into Batman’s **inviolable** Batcave.)

Question 82

irascible | (adj.)

Answer 82

easily angered ## Footnote (At the smallest provocation, my **irascible** cat will begin scratching and clawing.)

Question 83

iridescent | (adj.)

Answer 83

showing rainbow colors ## Footnote (The bride’s large diamond ring was **iridescent** in the afternoon sun.)

Question 84

irreverence | (n.)

Answer 84

disrespect ## Footnote (The **irreverence** displayed by the band that marched through the chapel disturbed many churchgoers.)

Question 85

irrevocable | (adj.)

Answer 85

incapable of being taken back ## Footnote (The Bill of Rights is an **irrevocable** part of American law.)