Vocabulary Flashcards

Question

APPRENTICE

Answer 1

a person who works for someone else in order to learn smth Example: He worked for two years as a plumber’s apprentice

Answer 2

judge/umpire/person empowered to decide matters at hand Example: Professional mediators arbitrate disputes.

Answer 3

ancient/primitive Example: The schools archaic computer system predated even floppy disks—it stored records on tape drives!

Answer 4

nobility Example: His aristocratic manner alienated many voters.

Answer 5

any object made by humans, especially those from an earlier time, such as those excavated by archaeologists Example: The archaeologists dug up countless artifacts, from simple pottery shards and coins to complex written tablets.

Answer 6

(to) give credit Example: He ascribed his good grades to diligent studying.

Answer 7

(to) affirm/claim/state Example: The companies have asserted that everything they did was appropriate.

Answer 8

the process by which a minority group adopts the customs and way of life of a larger group Example: The assimilation of immigrants into American culture has been a constant feature of US history.

Answer 9

(to) achieve Example: You need financial security in order to attain emotional well-being.

Answer 10

(to) give credit to Example: Her success can be attributed to three main factors.

Answer 11

Not typical Example: The sociable behaviour of lions is considered atypical of the cat family.

Answer 12

(to) produce an unexpected and unwanted result Example: The company’s new efficiency measures backfired when workers protested and staged a walkout, thus stopping production completely.

Answer 13

the remaining part/leftover amount Example: The publishing division accounted for 25% of the profits, and the film division for the balance. This means that the film division provided 75% of the profits.

Answer 14

plainly/explicitly Example: An article in Mother Jones explained that Maine is not very diverse: “It is, to put it baldly, one of the whitest states in the union.”

Answer 15

(to) swell /(to) increase rapidly Example: During the dot-com bubble, the university’s investments ballooned to three times’ their former value.

Answer 16

(to) happen to (used with something bad) Example: Disaster befell the company once again when the CEO was thrown from a horse.

Answer 17

(to) contradict/misrepresent Example: The data belie the accepted theory—either we’ve made a mistake, or we have an amazing new discovery on our hands!

Answer 18

expressing goodwill Example: I grew up happily under the benevolent influence of my Uncle Walt.

Answer 19

harmless/kind or beneficial Example: He was relieved when the biopsy results came back, informing him that the growth was benign.

Answer 20

disease that kills plants rapidly/any cause of decay or destruction Example: Many potato farmers have fallen into poverty as a result of blight killing their crops. Example: Gang violence is a blight on our school system, causing innocent students to fear even attending classes. In fact, violence has blighted our town.

Answer 21

(to) dull/weaken/ make less effective Example: The new therapy has severe side effects, but they can be blunted somewhat with anti-nausea medication and painkillers.

Answer 22

(to) make blurry, unclear, indistinct Example: In Japan, company titles are taken very seriously and roles are sharply defined, whereas in the U.S.—especially in smaller firms—roles are often blurred as everyone is expected to pitch in on a variety of projects.

Answer 23

fake, fraudulent Example: The back of this bodybuilding magazine is just full of ads for bogus products—this one promises 22-inch biceps just from wearing magnetic armbands!

Answer 24

(to) strengthen, support Example: Many people use alcohol to bolster their confidence before approaching an attractive person in a bar.

Answer 25

(to) suffer, tolerate Example: The dictator will not brook dissent.

Answer 26

Something that separates two groups, people, etc., who potentially do not get along

Answer 27

1) government characterized by many bureaus and petty administrators 2) excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements.

Answer 28

past, former; that which is in the past Example: At the nursing home, the time to reminisce about bygone days was pretty much all the time.

Answer 29

avoid, go around; ignore

Answer 30

body of accepted rules, standards

Answer 31

risky, not having a certain outcome

Answer 32

(to) direct or guide along a particular course Example: You might channel your energy towards productive purposes.

Answer 33

restrained, held back Example: Once the economy took a turn for the worse, the investors began to hold spending in check. Example: The situation isn’t so simple—while the warlords are surely criminals o f the worst degree, they are the only force checking the power of the dictator.

Answer 34

arranged in or relating to time order Example: Joey, I’m afraid you’ve done the assignment wrong—the point of making a timeline is to put the information in chronological order. You’ve made an alphabetical-order-line instead!

Answer 35

noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise Example: As soon as a scent o f scandal emerged, the press was clamoring for details. Example: The mayor couldn’t even make herself heard over the clamor of the protestors.

Answer 36

traditional social unit or division of a tribe consisting of a number of families derived from a common ancestor.

Answer 37

(to) cover, conceal Example: Apple’s new products are often cloaked in mystery before they are released; before the launch of the iPad, even tech reviewers had little idea what the new device would be.

Answer 38

(to) come together, unite; fuse together Example: East and West Germany coalesced into a single country in 1990.

Answer 39

force; use o f pressure, threats, etc. to force someone to do something

Answer 40

existing at the same time or in the same place Example: The goal of the Camp David Accords was the coexistence of Israel and Egypt.

Answer 41

(to) conspire; cooperate for illegal or fraudulent purposes Example: After two competing software companies doubled their prices on the same day, leaving consumers no lower-priced alternative, the federal government investigated the companies for collusion.

Answer 42

obeying; following the requirements Example: Those who are not compliant with the regulations will be put on probation and possibly expelled.

Answer 43

(to) reduce the quality or value of something Example: It is unacceptable that safety is being compromised in the name of profits.

Answer 44

(to) give in, yield; Example: The negotiations were pointless, with each side’s representatives instructed by their home countries to make no concessions whatsoever.

Answer 45

(to) overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless Example: While underage drinking is illegal, at many universities, it is tacitly condoned by administrations that neglect to enforce anti-drinking policies.

Answer 46

(to) consult; bestow Example: Excuse me for a moment to make a call— I can’t buy this car until I confer with my spouse. Example: A Ph.D. confers upon a person the right to be addressed as “Doctor” as well as eligibility to pursue tenure-track professorship.

Answer 47

as a result, therefore Example: The new medicine is not only a failure, but a dangerous one; consequently, drug trials were halted immediately.

Answer 48

large, significant

Answer 49

factors to be considered in making a decision Example: The book began with a thorough consideration of the history of the debate.

Answer 50

(to) unite, combine, solidify, make coherent Example: As group leader, Muriel will consolidate all of our research into a single report.

Answer 51

contemplating, thoughtful, meditative

Answer 52

(to) assert; compete Example: I contend that a novel should tell a story and tell it well. Example: The top tennis players in the world are contending for this title.

Answer 53

(to) place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances ``` Example: Virginia Woolf’s feminism is hard to truly understand unless contextualized within the mores of the highly restrained, upper-class English society of her time. ```

Answer 54

(to) shrink

Answer 55

traditional, customary Example: Her family was surprised that she had eschewed the conventional wedding ceremony in favor o f a bohemian ceremony on the beach

Answer 56

(to) move towards one another or towards a point; unite Example: I know we’re driving in to the wedding from different states, but our routes ought to converge when each of us hits 1-95— maybe we could converge at a Cracker Barrel for lunch!

Answer 57

in an opposite way; on the other hand Example: I am not here to argue that lack of education causes poverty. Conversely, I am here to argue that poverty causes lack of education.

Answer 58

twisted; very complicated Example: Your argument is so convoluted that I'm not even able to understand it enough to start critiquing it.

Answer 59

plentiful, bountiful Example: Although she took copious notes in class, she found that she was missing a big picture that would have tied all the information together.

Answer 60

accompanying; having the same or almost the same relationship Example: Our profit-sharing plan means that increases in profit will be matched by corresponding increases in employee compensation.

Answer 61

(to) support, add evidence to Example: You’re telling me you were thirty miles away riding a roller coaster when the school was vandalized? I have a hard time believing that—is there anyone who can corroborate your story?

Answer 62

(to) approve, tolerate Example: I saw you cheating off my paper, and I cant countenance cheating—either you turn yourself in or I'll report you.

Answer 63

against what a person would intuitively expect Example: Although it seems counterintuitive, for some extreme dieters, eating more can actually help them to lose weight, since the body is reassured that it is not facing a period o f prolonged starvation.

Answer 64

contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art. Example: The plays lighthearted, witty narrator provides a welcome counterpoint to the seriousness and grief expressed by the other characters. Example: The hot peppers work in counterpoint to an otherwise sweet dish.

Answer 65

defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal Example: The candidate’s attempt to win swing votes in Ohio was actually counterproductive—following his speech in Toledo, his poll numbers actually went down 5%.

Answer 66

believability, trustworthiness Example: Many famous “experts” with “Dr.” before their names are not medical doctors at all. Any television “doctor” who turns out to have a Ph.D. in botany, for instance, ought to suffer a serious drop in credibility.

Answer 67

(to) reach the highest point or final stage Example: A Ph.D. program generally culminates in a written dissertation and its defense to a committee

Answer 68

(to) cut short, reduce

Answer 69

Thinking the worst of others’ motivations; bitterly pessimistic Example: Listening to politicians for too long can make you cynical.

Answer 70

(to) degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality Example: Members o f the mainstream church argued that the fringe sect was practicing a debased version of the religion, twisting around its precepts and missing the point. Example: You have debased yourself by accepting bribes.

Answer 71

weakening, disabling Example: Strokes are a common debilitating condition of old age.

Answer 72

(to) expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims Example: Galileo spent his last years under house arrest for debunking the widely held idea that the Sun revolved around the Earth. Example: The show MythBusters debunks pseudoscientific claims.

Answer 73

(to) condemn openly, criticize Example: The activist decried the destruction of the animals' habitat.

Answer 74

(to) judge, consider Example: “You can take the black belt exam when I deem you ready, and not a moment before,” said the karate instructor.

Answer 75

(to) cause to curve; turn aside, especially from a straight course; avoid Example: The purpose of a shield is to deflect arrows or bullets from an enemy. Example: Every time he was asked a difficult question, Senator Warrington deflected by changing the topic, saying he’d answer later, or even— insincerely, it seemed—calling for a moment of prayer

Answer 76

(to) fix, mark, or define the boundaries of Example: The role o f an executive coach is delimited by our code of conduct—we may not counsel people for psychological conditions, for instance.

Answer 77

(to) be a name or symbol for, represent smth Example: His angry tone denoted extreme displeasure.

Answer 78

(to) mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously Example: The manager really thought that deriding his employees as “stupid” or “lazy” would motivate them to work harder; instead, it motivated them to hide his office supplies as an act of revenge.

Answer 79

something that restrains or discourages Example: Some argue that the death penalty is a deterrent to crime—that is, the point is not just to punish the guilty, but to frighten other prospective criminals.

Answer 80

Division into two parts or into two contradictory groups Example: There is a dichotomy in the sciences between theoretical or “pure” sciences such as physics and chemistry, and the life sciences, which often deal more with classifying than with theorizing.

Answer 81

revealing, exposing the truth, something that has been revealed Example: Any public disclosure of this information would be very damaging to the company

Answer 82

(to) ignore information because it is considered untrustworthy, underestimate Example: After staying up all night to finish the presentation, he was understandably unhappy that his boss discounted his contribution, implying that she had done most of the work herself.

Answer 83

(to) injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in Example: Congresswoman Huffman’s opponent tried to use her friendship with a certain radical extremist to discredit her, even though the Congresswoman hadn’t seen this so-called “extremist” since sixth-grade summer camp.

Answer 84

difference, inconsistency Example: When there is a discrepancy between a store’s receipts and the amount of money in the register, the cashier’s behavior is generally called into question.

Answer 85

separate, distinct, detached Example: Be sure to use quotation marks and citations as appropriate in your paper in order to keep your ideas discrete from those of the experts you are quoting.

Answer 86

judicious, discerning, having good judgment or insight Example: He is a man of discriminating tastes—all his suits are handmade in Italy, and I once saw him send back an entree when he complained that black truffle oil had been substituted for white. The chef was astounded that he could tell. Example: You can tell a real Prada bag by the discriminating mark on the inside.

Answer 87

unbiased, impartial Example: Let’s settle this argument once and for all! We’ll get a disinterested observer to judge who can sing the highest note!

Answer 88

distinct, different Example: He chose the college for two disparate reasons: the strength of the computer science program, and the excellence of the hip-hop dance squad.

Answer 89

(to) Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish Example: Because the demonstrators didn’t have a permit, the police showed up with megaphones, demanding loudly that the crowd disperse.

Answer 90

(to) Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish Example: Because the demonstrators didn’t have a permit, the police showed up with megaphones, demanding loudly that the crowd disperse.

Answer 91

(to) put aside, reject To dismiss biases in science is to rule out possible prejudices that could have influenced results. Example: “Before I dismiss class,” said the teacher, “I want to remind you o f the importance of dismissing biases in your research by ruling out or adjusting for factors other than the variable you are testing that may have led to your results.”

Answer 92

(to) scatter, spread about, broadcast Example: In the 1760s, revolutionary ideas were disseminated via pamphlets such as Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.”

Answer 93

(to) Deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite of invest) Example: When she found out that the most profitable stock in her portfolio was that of a company that tested products on animals, she immediately divested by telling her broker to sell the stock. Example: Once his deception was exposed, he was divested of his position on the Board.

Answer 94

(to) join. fit together Example: When the neuroscientist married an exercise physiologist, neither thought they’d end up working together, but when Dr. Marion Ansel received a grant to study how exercise improves brain function and Dr. Jim Ansel was assigned to her team, the two found that their careers dovetailed nicely.

Answer 95

doubtful, questionable, suspect Example: This applicant’s resume is filled with dubious qualifications—this is a marketing position, and this resume is mostly about whitewater rafting.

Answer 96

a level, rank, or grade; the people at that level Example: Obtaining a job on Wall Street doesn’t guarantee access to the upper echelon o f executives, where multi-million dollar bonuses are the norm.

Answer 97

Selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources Example: Eclectic taste is helpful in being a DJ—crowds love to hear the latest hip-hop mixed with ‘80s classics and other unexpected genres of music.

Answer 98

(to) cover up, darken, or make less important Example: Billy Ray Cyrus, who had a hit song, “Achy Breaky Heart,” in the ‘90s, has long since found his fame eclipsed by that of his daughter, Miley.

Answer 99

in effect, but not officially Example: He went on a two-week vacation without asking for time off or even telling anyone he was leaving, thus effectively resigning from his position.

Answer 100

the quality o f being able to produce the intended effect (frequently used in reference to medicines) Example: Extensive trials will be necessary to determine whether the drug’s efficacy outweighs the side effects.

Answer 101

related to belief in the equality of all people Example: It is very rare that someone turns down an offer to be knighted by the Queen of England; however, he was egalitarian enough to feel uncomfortable with the entire idea o f titles and royalty.

Answer 102

Extraordinarily or conspicuously bad Example: Your conduct is an egregious violation of our Honor Code—not only did you steal your roommate s paper off his computer and turn it in as your own, you also sold his work to a plagiarism website so other cheaters could purchase it!

Answer 103

Prominent, distinguished, of high rank Example: The commission consisted of fifteen eminent political figures.

Answer 104

(to) give attention to Example: She emphasized the importance of good nutrition.

Answer 105

coming from, based on, or able to be verified by experience or experimentation; not purely based on theory Example: The Ancient Greeks philosophized about the nature of matter (concluding, for instance, that everything was made o f earth, water, air, and fire) without any empirical evidence— that is, the very idea of conducting experiments hadn’t been invented yet.

Answer 106

(to) copy in an attempt to equal or be better than Example: The ardent Star Trek fan emulated Captain Kirk in every way possible—his brash and confident leadership might have gotten him somewhere, but the women he tried to impress weren’t so impressed.

Answer 107

puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person Example: The enormous rock sculptures in Stonehenge, Scotland, are truly an enigma—were they created as part of a religious observance, in deference to a great ruler, or for some other reason?

Answer 108

(to) benefit from Example: The college has long enjoyed the support of wealthy alumni.

Answer 109

(to) guarantee smth Example: If you go past this security checkpoint, I cannot ensure your safety.

Answer 110

(to) count or list; specify one-by-one Example: The Bill of Rights enumerates the basic rights held by every citizen of the United States.

Answer 111

fair, equal Example: As the university president was a heavily biased towards the sciences, faculty in the liberal arts felt they had to fight to get an equitable share of funding for their departments.

Answer 112

the state of being equal or essentially equal

Answer 113

(to) use unclear language to deceive or avoid committing to a position Example: Not wanting to lose supporters, the politician equivocated on the issue, tossing out buzzwords related to each side while also claiming more study was needed.

Answer 114

inconsistent, wandering Example: When someone engages in erratic behavior, family members often suspect drugs or mental illness. However, sometimes the person is just building a top-secret invention in the garage!

Answer 115

mistaken, in error Example: Hilda was completely unable to assemble her new desk chair after the instructions erroneously instructed her to screw the left armrest onto a small lever on the bottom o f the seat.

Answer 116

former, previous Example: A novelist and erstwhile insurance salesman, he told us his story of the long road to literary success, before he was able to quit his day job.

Answer 117

the minimum velocity that an object must attain in order to completely escape a gravitational field

Answer 118

worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated Example: As the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review, Barack Obama presented an estimable resume when he ran for president in 2008. Example: Riding a roller coaster is safer than driving on the highway, but there is still an estimable risk.

Answer 119

the character, personality, or moral values specific to a person, group, time period Example: At the prep school, the young man happily settled into an ethos of hard work and rigorous athletic competition.

Answer 120

(to) make worse, violent, severe Example: Allowing your band to practice in our garage has greatly exacerbated my headache.

Answer 121

very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention Example: The boxing coach was exacting, analyzing Joeys footwork down to the millimeter and forcing him to repeat movements hundreds of times until they were correct.

Answer 122

(to) put into effect, do, perform (to execute a process). Execute can also mean enforce, make legal, carry out the terms of a legal agreement. To execute a will is to sign it in the presence of witnesses. To execute the terms o f a contract is to fulfill an obligation written in the contract.

Answer 123

comprehensive, tending to exhaust Example: The consultant s report was an exhaustive treatment of all possible options and their likely consequences. In fact, it was so exhaustive that the manager joked that he would need to hire another consultant to read the first consultant s report.

Answer 124

wanting to expand, such as by conquering other countries

Answer 125

suitable, proper Example: When invited to a wedding you cannot attend, it is expedient to send a gift.

Answer 126

direct, clear, fully revealed Example: The goal of my motivational talk is to make explicit the connection between staying in school and avoiding a life of crime.

Answer 127

irrelevant; foreign Example: This essay would be stronger if you removed extraneous information; this paragraph about the authors life doesn’t happen to be relevant to your thesis. Example: Maize, which originated in the New World, is extraneous to Europe.

Answer 128

(to) predict by projecting past experience Example: No, I’ve never been to Bryn Mawr, but I’ve visited several small, private womens colleges in the Northeast, so I think I can extrapolate.

Answer 129

(to) make easier, help the progress of Example: As a midwife, my goal is simply to facilitate a natural process.

Answer 130

a group (especially an exclusive group with strong beliefs, self-interest, bias, etc.) within a larger organization. This word is usually meant in a negative way Example: The opposition movement was once large enough to have a chance at succeeding, but it has since broken into numerous, squabbling factions, each too small to have much impact.

Answer 131

an ability, often a mental ability Example: A stroke can often deprive a person of important mental faculties.

Answer 132

declining Example: In the face o f fading public support for national health care, the Senator withdrew his support for the bill.

Answer 133

manner; way Example: The watchmaker works in a meticulous fashion, paying incredible attention to detail.

Answer 134

(to) understand deeply Example: I cannot even remotely fathom how you interpreted an invitation to sleep on my couch as permission to take my car on a six-hour joyride!

Answer 135

the findings refers to a discovery, report, result of an experiment Example: When the attorneys received the results of the DNA report, they were shocked by the finding that John Doe could not have committed the crime.

Answer 136

suspicious, unlikely, questionable

Answer 137

New; inexperienced Example: The Society o f Engineers is available for career day presentations in elementary schools, where we hope to encourage fledgling talents in the applied sciences.

Answer 138

passing quickly, transitory Example: I had assumed our summer romance would be fleeting, so I was very surprised when you proposed marriage!

Answer 139

(to) indicate; suggest beforehand Example: Low unemployment may foreshadow wage and price increases.

Answer 140

(to) delay, hinder Example: Our research has been forestalled by a lack of funding; were all just biding our time while we wait for the university to approve our grant proposal.

Answer 141

slow, unsympathetic Example: Progress happened, but at a glacial pace everyone found frustrating. Example: He had wanted to appear on the reality singing competition his whole young life, but he was not encouraged by the judges’ glacial response to his audition.

Answer 142

the act of acquiring money or other benefits through illegal means, especially by abusing one’s power Example: It’s not cool for your boss to pressure you into buying Girl Scout cookies from his daughter. If she were selling something larger, we’d call that graft.

Answer 143

(to) perform showily in an attempt to impress onlookers Example: I was really passionate about the candidate when he spoke at our school, but now that I think about it, he was just grandstanding. I mean, who could disagree that young people are the future? And doing a cheer for the environment doesn’t actually signify a commitment to changing any public policies about it.

Answer 144

a set of guesses or estimates; work based on guesses or estimates Example: She had to rely on pure guesswork in deciding how much food to order.

Answer 145

cunning Example: The game o f poker is all about guile, manipulating your own body language and patter to lead other players to erroneous conclusions about the cards you’re holding.

Answer 146

a mark of indication of quality, purity, genuineness Example: Fast-paced rhymes, an angry tenor, and personal attacks on celebrities are hallmarks of Eminem’s music.

Answer 147

(to) pick by hand, to personally select Example: The retiring CEO handpicked his successor.

Answer 148

bold, brave, capable of withstanding hardship Example: While the entire family enjoyed the trip to South America, only the hardier members even attempted to hike to the top o f Ecuador’s tallest volcano.

Answer 149

(to) pay attention to hearken back or hark back means to turn back to something earlier or return to a source Example: The simple lifestyle and anachronistic dress of the Amish hearken back to an earlier era. Example: The nation’s first change of leadership in decades is causing the people to hearken closely to what is happening in government.

Answer 150

(to) avoid commitment by leaving provisions for withdrawal Example: When the professor called on him to take a stand on the issue, he hedged for fear of offending her: “Well, there are valid points on both sides,” he said.

Answer 151

domination, authority; influence by a one country over others socially, culturally, economically Example: The discovery o f oil by a previously poor nation disrupted the larger, richer nation’s hegemony in the region—suddenly, the hegemon had a competitor.

Answer 152

different in type Example: Rather than build the wall with plain brick, we used a heterogeneous mixture of stones—they are not only different colors, but a variety of sizes as well.

Answer 153

a ranked series; a classification of people according to rank, ability, etc Example: The Eco-Action Coalition was led by a strict hierarchy — members followed orders from district leaders, district leaders from regional leaders, and regional leaders from the national head.

Answer 154

property, such as land, capital, and stock Example: The company liquidated its holdings. (the company sold off everything)

Answer 155

a large amount Example: They cared for wounded soldiers and performed a host of other duties.

Answer 156

deliberate exaggeration for effect Example: Oh, come on. Saying “That movie was so bad it made me puke” was surely hyperbole. I strongly doubt that you actually vomited during or following The Back-up Plan.

Answer 157

attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions Example: A lifelong iconoclast, Ayn Rand wrote a controversial book entitled The Virtue of Selfishness.

Answer 158

ready to occur, impending Example: In the face o f imminent war, the nation looked to Franklin D. Roosevelt for reassurance.

Answer 159

(to) make worse, weaken Example: Playing in a rock band without earplugs will almost certainly impair your hearing over time.

Answer 160

unbiased, fair Example: Judge Gonzales removed himself from the case because, having a personal connection to the school where the shooting took place, he did not think he could be appropriately impartial

Answer 161

deadlock Example: If the union wont budge on its demands and the transit authority wont raise salaries, then we are at an impasse.

Answer 162

(to) hold back, obstruct the progress of Example: I didn’t realize business school would be entirely group work—sadly, there’s always at least one person in every group who impedes the group’s progress more than helps it.

Answer 163

(to) trespass on, violate Example: The government's spending limits will seriously impinge on the education budget. Example: Civil liberties experts argued that a school systems regulating what its students do on Facebook outside of school is an impingement of their right to free speech.

Answer 164

(to) collapse, break down Example: The startup struggled for years before it simply imploded—the management team broke into factions, all the clients were scared off, and employees who hadn’t been paid in weeks began taking the office computers home with them in retribution.

Answer 165

(to) hint at, suggest Example: I'm not implying anything about your cooking, but could we eat out tonight?

Answer 166

(to) credit, attribute; lay blame or responsibility for Example: The ineffectual CEO was nevertheless a master of public relations—he made sure that all successes were imputed to him, and all of the failures were imputed to others.

Answer 167

accidentally, carelessly, as a side effect Example: In attempting to perfect his science project, he inadvertently blew a fuse and plunged his family’s home into darkness.

Answer 168

since, because (inasmuch as) Example: Inasmuch as a whale is not a fish, it will not be covered in this biology course specifically about fish.

Answer 169

accidentally, by the way Example: The environmental protection law was incidentally injurious to the rubber industry. Example: I think we should move forward with the new office. Incidentally, there’s a great Mexican restaurant opening up right across the street from it!

Answer 170

(to) burn, reduce to ashes Example: The company is accused of incinerating hazardous waste without a license.

Answer 171

insignificant, unimportant Example: You wrote a bestselling book and got a stellar review in the New York Times—whatever your cousin has to say about it is simply inconsequential.

Answer 172

(to) combine, unite, form a legal corporation Example: When a business incorporates, it becomes a separate legal entity—for instance, the business can declare bankruptcy without the owners doing so.

Answer 173

not fixed, not determined, indefinite Example: The results of the drug trial were indeterminate; further trials will be needed to ascertain whether the drug can be released. Example: The lottery can have an indeterminate number of winners— the prize is simply divided among them.

Answer 174

indicating, suggestive of (indicative of) Example: Your symptoms are indicative of the common cold.

Answer 175

(to) persuade or influence (a person to do something Example: They induced her to take the job by offering her a bonus.

Answer 176

inactive Example: All o f the missiles at the military museum are inert—they’re not going blow up. Example: When she saw her fathers inert body on the floor, she thought the worst, but fortunately, he was just practicing very slow yoga.

Answer 177

not able to be avoided or escaped Example: Benjamin Franklin famously said that only two things in life are inevitable: “death and taxes.”

Answer 178

not able to be explained Example: For some inexplicable reason, he's decided to cancel the project.

Answer 179

in a way such that one cannot untangle or escape something Example: There's an inextricable bond between twins.

Answer 180

(to) conclude from evidence or premises Example: He inferred that she was not interested in a relationship from what she said in her letter.

Answer 181

(to) inspire, give substance, essence Example: Her work as an art historian is informed by a background in drama; where others see a static tableau, she sees a protagonist, a conflict, a denouement.

Answer 182

inventive skill, imagination, cleverness Example: Drug smugglers constantly use their ingenuity to find new ways of getting drugs into a country.

Answer 183

deep-rooted, forming part of the very essence Example: Religious observance had been ingrained in him since birth; he could not remember a time when he didn’t pray five times a day.

Answer 184

essential quality Example: New research seems to support the idea that humans have an inherent sense o f justice—even babies become upset at puppet shows depicting unfairness.

Answer 185

first, at the beginning Example: She failed her driving test on the initial try, but passed the next time. Example: (initial deposit might be the money you put down to open a new bank)

Answer 186

excessive, not within proper limits Example: Students taking practice computer-adaptive tests at home often take an inordinate number of breaks— remember, on the real thing, you cant stop just because you’re tired or hungry.

Answer 187

important in causing something to happen Example: As secretary of state, he was instrumental in the creation of NATO.

Answer 188

detached, standing alone; narrow-minded Example: The young actress couldn’t wait to escape the insularity of her small town, where life revolved around high school football and Taco Bell was considered exotic international cuisine.

Answer 189

interaction, reciprocal relationship or influence Example: Bilingual readers will enjoy the interplay of English and Spanish in many of the poems in this anthology of the work o f Mexican-American poets.

Answer 190

difficult to control, manage Example: That student is positively intractable! Last week, we talked about the importance of staying in your seat during the lesson—this week, she not only got up mid-class, but she actually scrambled on top of a bookcase and refused to come down! Example: Back injuries often result in intractable pain; despite treatment, patients never feel fully cured.

Answer 191

fearless, brave Example: Intrepid explorers Lewis and Clark led the first U.S. expedition to the West Coast, facing bitter winters and rough terrain.

Answer 192

belonging to the essential nature of a thing Example: Despite all this high-tech safety equipment, skydiving is an intrinsically dangerous proposition. Example: Communication is intrinsic to a healthy relationship.

Answer 193

(to) flood, overwhelm Example: As the city was inundated with water, the mayor feared that many evacuees would have nowhere to go. Example: I can t go out—I am inundated with homework!

Answer 194

priceless; so valuable that the value cannot be measured Example: The new job will provide you with invaluable experience.

Answer 195

formally giving someone a right or title Example: The former dean had her academic robes dry cleaned in preparation for her investiture as university president.

Answer 196

complicated, intricate; confused Example: The story is quite involved—are you sure you have time for it?

Answer 197

immune to attack; not vulnerable; impossible to damage, injure Example: The command bunker is virtually invulnerable, even to a nuclear attack.

Answer 198

(to) discard, cast off; throw items overboard in order to lighten a ship in an emergency Example: We got so tired while hiking the Appalachian Trail that we jettisoned some o f our fancy camping supplies just so we could keep going. Example: Sadly, when school budgets are slashed, the first thing jettisoned is usually an art or music program.

Answer 199

unusually large, supersized

Answer 200

critical point in time, such as a crisis or a time when a decision is necessary Example: We are at a critical juncture in the history of this organization: either we can remain a nonprofit, or we can register as a political action committee and try to expand our influence.

Answer 201

(to) place side-by-side (either physically or in a metaphorical way, such as to make a comparison) Example: The exhibition juxtaposes Picasso's early drawings with some of his later works.

Answer 202

not shiny; dull, mediocre; lacking brilliance or vitality Example: Many young people today are so accustomed to being praised by parents and adults that they are shocked when a lackluster effort in the workplace receives the indifference or mild disapproval it deserves.

Answer 203

object (such as a building) that stands out and can be used to navigate by; a very important place, event Example: The Civil Rights Act o f 1964 was a landmark in the battle for equality. Example: In Lebanon, many roads are unmarked, and people navigate by landmarks—for instance, “third house down from the water tower.”

Answer 204

potential; existing but not visible or active Example: Certain experts believe that some people have a genetic propensity for addiction; however, if such a person never comes into contact with drugs, the propensity for addiction can remain latent for life.

Answer 205

not strict; careless, loose, slack Example: My parents were really lax about homework—they never checked to see if I did it or not.

Answer 206

regular people, non-specialists Example: The doctor s books were so successful because he was able to explain complicated medical concepts in colloquial language for the layperson.

Answer 207

(to) collect tax from, wage war on Example: When England levied yet another tax on the colonists, the colonists were pushed one further step towards levying war. Soon, the worried British began to levy troops.

Answer 208

(to) remove (such as a restriction); improve or lighten (such as a person’s mood) Example: If the city government lifts the water rationing restrictions, we’ll be able to hold a car wash.

Answer 209

also, in addition to; similarly, in the same way Example: Chip was baffled by all the silverware set before him, so when his host began eating salad with the smallest, leftmost fork, Chip did likewise.

Answer 210

(to) keep a record of, write down Example: Lawyers who bill by the hour have to be sure to log all the time they spend on every clients case.

Answer 211

crafty schemes or plots Example: It s cute to think that teen idols became famous because their talent was simply so great that the music industry reached out to them, but usually, any teen idol is the product o f intense coaching and parental machinations.

Answer 212

very important or influential person, especially in business Example: Many students pursue MBAs in hopes of becoming wealthy and powerful magnates; some students never quite make it there, instead spending their careers staring at spreadsheets and taking orders from magnates.

Answer 213

improvised, relating to a temporary substitute Example: Lost in the woods for over 24 hours, the children were eventually found sleeping under a makeshift tent made from branches and old plastic bags.

Answer 214

able to be bent, shaped, or adapted (also mean physically bendable, or metaphorically bendable, as in “easily influenced or shaped by others.”) Example: The more malleable the material, the easier it is to bend into jewelry—and the easier it is to damage that jewelry. Example: My mother is a little too malleable—she said she liked all the things her first husband liked, and now she says she likes all the things her second husband likes.

Answer 215

obvious, apparent, perceptible to the eye (adj.) or to become obvious, apparent Example: Lupus is difficult to diagnose, but sometimes manifests as muscular weakness or joint pain.

Answer 216

(to) take to the limit (in a good or a bad way) Example: The air conditioner was maxed out, but it still felt hot in the car.

Answer 217

a general truth or fundamental principle Example: My favorite maxim is “Seize the day!”

Answer 218

quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty Example: Its tough being married to someone so mercurial. I do pretty much the same thing every day—some days, she thinks Ym great, and other days, the exact same behaviors make her inexplicably angry.

Answer 219

stuck, entangled Example: Mired in her predecessor s mess and mistakes, the new CEO found it difficult to take the company in a new direction.

Answer 220

humble; simple rather than showy; decent Example: The reporter was surprised that the celebrity lived in such a modest house, one that looked just like every other plain, two-story house on the block.

Answer 221

customs, manners, or morals of a particular group Example: An American in Saudi Arabia should study the culture beforehand so as to avoid violating conservative cultural mores.

Answer 222

story, report

Answer 223

important Example: The chief o f staff told the assembled doctors, “We all make mistakes. But this mistake was nontrivial, and there is going to be an investigation.”

Answer 224

longing for the past Example: The retail store Urban Outfitters uses nostalgia as a marketing strategy, branding many products with cartoon characters popular 10-20 years ago. Sure enough, many adult women do want to buy Jem or Spongebob t-shirts and lip balm.

Answer 225

subtle differences in tone, meaning, expression Example: People with certain cognitive disabilities cannot understand the nuances of non-literal speech. For instance, “You can come if you want to, but it’s really going to be mostly family” really means that you shouldn’t try to come.

Answer 226

casual, informal; done without preparation or forethought, brusque Example: I was pretty happy with my salary until my coworker Deena mentioned offiiandedly that she was thinking about buying a house now that she made six figures.

Answer 227

(to) counteract, compensate for, compensation Example: Property taxes did go up this year, but we didn’t really suffer because the hit to our finances was offset by a reduction in fees paid to our homeowners association.

Answer 228

government by the few, especially by a class or a small group or clique

Answer 229

(to) remove, delete, take out Example: I’d be upset if my name were omitted from the list of contributors.

Answer 230

best, most desirable or favorable

Answer 231

(to) surpass, exceed Example: Our sales figures this quarter have outstripped those of any other quarter in the company’s history.

Answer 232

(to) renovate, redo, revise Example: I have my whole room decorated in Twilight: Eclipse paraphernalia. When Breaking Dawn comes out, I will surely have to revamp my decor.

Answer 233

model or pattern; worldview; set of shared assumptions, values Example: Far from being atypically bawdy, this limerick is a paradigm of the form—nearly all o f them rely on off-color jokes.

Answer 234

contradiction Example: Kayla was always bothering the youth minister with her paradoxes, such as “If God is all-powerfiil, can He make a burrito so big He can’t eat it?”

Answer 235

model of excellence, perfect example Example: Unlike his sister, he was a paragon o f responsibility, taking in her three children when she went to jail, and even switching jobs so he could be there to pick them up from school.

Answer 236

Biased, prejudiced, favoring one over others; having a special liking for something or someone Example: Although I grew up in New York, I’ve always been partial to country music. Example: His lawyers are appealing on the grounds that the judge was partial to the plaintiff, even playing golf with the plaintiff during the trial.

Vocabulary Flashcards

(261 cards)