Word List 4

Question 1

attenuate

Answer 1

to make thin or slender; (in consistency) rarefy
to lessen the amount, force, magnitude, or value of; weaken

e.g. Earplugs will attenuate the loud sounds of the machinery.
an investment attenuated by significant inflation over the years

Question 2

attest

Answer 2

to affirm to be true or genuine, specifically to authenticate officially
to be proof of; manifest
to bear witness; testify

e.g. I can attest that what he has said is true.
The certificate attests the authenticity of the painting.

Question 3

attribute

Answer 3

an inherent characteristic
an object closely associated with or belonging to a specific person, thing, or office
to explain by indicating a cause

e.g. The interviewer asked me what I consider to be my best attribute.
A scepter is the attribute of power.
The psychotherapist is a little too quick to attribute every emotional problem or character defect to an unhappy childhood.

Question 4

attune

Answer 4

to bring into harmony; tune
to make aware or responsive

e.g. After years spent in academia, he’s finding it difficult to attune himself to the corporate culture.

Question 5

audacious

Answer 5

intrepidly daring; adventurous
recklessly bold; rash
contemptuous of law, religion, or decorum; insolent
marked by originality and verve

e.g. an audacious mountain climber
She made an audacious decision to quit her job.
audacious experiments

Question 6

augur

Answer 6

one held to foretell events by omens
to foretell especially from omens
to give promise of; presage

e.g. ancient Roman augurs who predicted the future by reading the flight of birds
The extended interview augurs well for your acceptance into that law school.

Question 7

august

Answer 7

marked by majestic dignity or grandeur

e.g. We visited their august mansion and expansive grounds.
The family claims an august lineage.

Question 8

auspice

Answer 8

observation of an augur; a prophetic sign, especially a favorable sign
(pl.) kindly patronage and guidance

e.g. This program for inner-city youths is under the auspices of a national corporation.
He interpreted the teacher’s smile as an auspice that he would get an A on his presentation.

Question 9

auspicious

Answer 9

showing or suggesting that future success is likely; propitious
attended by good fortune; prosperous

e.g. She told him that she couldn’t dance with him just them, but her auspicious smile encouraged him to ask again later.
an auspicious year

Question 10

austere

Answer 10

stern and cold in appearance or manner; somber, grave
morally strict or giving little or no scope for pleasure; ascetic
markedly simple or unadorned

e.g. an austere critic
They lived an austere life in the country.
They chose austere furnishings for the office.

Question 11

authoritarian

Answer 11

of, relating to, or favoring blind submission to authority
of, relating to, or favoring a concentration of power in a leader or an elite not constitutionally responsible to the people

e.g. He grew up with an authoritarian older sister who though she was the queen of the world.
an authoritarian regime

Question 12

autocrat

Answer 12

a person (as a monarch) ruling with unlimited authority
one who has undisputed influence or power

Question 13

auxiliary

Answer 13

offering or providing help; functioning in a subsidiary capacity
supplementary

e.g. an auxiliary branch of the state university
an auxiliary power plant

Question 14

auxin

Answer 14

any of various usually acidic organic substances that promote cell elongation in plant shoots and usually regulate other growth processes (as root initiation)

Question 15

avalanche

Answer 15

a large mass of snow, ice, earth, rock, or other material in swift motion down a mountainside or over a precipice
a sudden great or overwhelming rush or accumulation of something

e.g. hit by an avalanche of paperwork

Question 16

avarice

Answer 16

excessive or insatiable desire or wealth or gain; greediness, cupidity

e.g. The corporate world is plagued by avarice and a thirst for power.

Question 17

aver

Answer 17

to verify or prove to be true
to declare positively

e.g. He averred that he was innocent.

Question 18

averse

Answer 18

having an active feeling of repugnance or distaste

e.g. averse to strenuous exercise

Question 19

aversion

Answer 19

• averse

e.g. He regards drunkenness with aversion.
She expressed an aversion to parties.

Question 20

avert

Answer 20

to turn away or aside (as the eyes) in avoidance
to see coming and ward off; avoid

e.g. The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war.

Question 21

aviary

Answer 21

a place for keeping birds confined

Question 22

apiary

Answer 22

a place where bees are kept

Question 23

aviatrix

Answer 23

a woman who is an aviator

Question 24

avid

Answer 24

desirous to the point of greed; urgently eager; greedy
characterized by enthusiasm and vigorous pursuit

e.g. avid for publicity
He is an avid admirer of horror movies.

Question 25

avow

Answer 25

to declare assuredly to declare openly, bluntly, and without shame e.g. He avowed that the colonization of Mars in our lifetime is not only possible but probably. They avowed their undying love for each other.

Question 26

svelte

Answer 26

slender, lithe having clean lines; sleek urbane, suave e.g. a svelte figure The svelte dancer seemed to float across the stage.

Question 27

glib

Answer 27

marked by ease and informality; nonchalant showing little forethought or preparation; offhand lacking depth and substance; superficial marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful e.g. Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions. He only has glib solutions to knotty problems.

Question 28

awl

Answer 28

a pointed tool for making surfaces or piercing small holes (as in leather or wood)

Question 29

awning

Answer 29

a rooflike cover extending over or in front of a place (as over the deck or in front of a door or window) as a shelter e.g. He stayed under the awning outside the shop during the rainstorm.

Question 30

awry

Answer 30

in a turned or twisted position or direction; askew off the correct or expected course; amiss e.g. His cravat is put on awry. Most people try to act cool, like nothing is awry, when nearly everything is tilted.

Question 31

axiom

Answer 31

a maxim widely accepted on its intrinsic merit | a statement accepted as true as the basis for argument or inference

Question 32

axle

Answer 32

a bar on which a wheel or a pair of wheel turns

Question 33

babble

Answer 33

to talk enthusiastically or excessively to utter meaningless or unintelligible sounds e.g. He'll babble on about sports all night if you let him. Her cousins were babbling in an unfamiliar dialect.

Question 34

backdrop

Answer 34

a painted cloth hung across the rear of a stage background e.g. The mountains provided a perfect backdrop for the wedding photos. The novel unfolds against a backdrop of war.

Question 35

backhanded

Answer 35

indirect, devious, especially sarcastic using or made with a backhand e.g. "You throw okay, for a girl" is a bit of a backhanded compliment.

Question 36

barge

Answer 36

a roomy usually flat-bottomed boat used chiefly for the transport of goods on inland waterways

Question 37

cadge

Answer 37

to persuade someone to give you (something) for free; beg, sponge e.g. She cadged a free cup of coffee from her sister.

Question 38

badger

Answer 38

any of various burrowing mammals to harass or annoy persistently e.g. She finally badgered me into cutting my hair.

Question 39

badinage

Answer 39

playful repartee; banter e.g. the sophisticated badinage of the characters in plays by Oscar Wilde

Question 40

bail

Answer 40

a temporary release of a prisoner in exchange for security given for the due appearance of the prisoner; also the security given to release under bail to help from a predicament (used with out) e.g. The magistrate granted him bail. bailing out impoverished countries

Question 41

bait

Answer 41

to persecute or exasperate with unjust, malicious, or persistent attacks entice, lure e.g. The interviewer kept baiting the politician by asking him whether he was lying.

Question 42

bale

Answer 42

great evil woe, sorrow a large bundle of goods, specifically a large closely pressed package of merchandise bound and usually wrapped e.g. a bale of paper/hay

Question 43

baleful

Answer 43

deadly or pernicious in influence foreboding or threatening evil e.g. the baleful effects of water pollution a dark, baleful sky portending a tornado

Question 44

balk

Answer 44

beam, rafter hindrance, check to stop short and refuse to proceed; to refuse abruptly block e.g. The extravagant centerpiece proved to be a balk to the flow of conversation. The horse balked and would not jump the fence.

Question 45

ballast

Answer 45

a heavy substance placed in such a way as to improve stability and control something that gives stability (as in character or conduct) e.g. To make it soar well or sail well, friendship must have ballast.

Question 46

balloon

Answer 46

to swell or puff out; expand to increase rapidly e.g. the ballooning costs of education

Question 47

balmy

Answer 47

having the qualities of balm; soothing mild crazy, foolish e.g. A completely balmy but harmless old man talked intently to plants and believed they answered back. A pleasant, balmy breeze was all that stirred the wildflowers growing near the shore.

Question 48

banal

Answer 48

lacking originality, freshness, or novelty; trite e.g. He made some banal remarks about the weather.

Question 49

bane

Answer 49

a source of harm or ruin; curse e.g. National frontiers have been more of a bane than a boon for mankind.

Question 50

banish

Answer 50

to drive out or remove from; to clear away, dispel e.g. The dictator banished anyone who opposed him. His discovery banishes anxiety.

Question 51

banister

Answer 51

a handrail with its supporting posts; handrail

Question 52

solvency

Answer 52

the state of being able to pay debts e.g. They reviewed financial records to measure the borrower's solvency.

Question 53

banter

Answer 53

``` to speak (to) or address in a witty and teasing manner good-natured and usually witty and animated jokes ``` e.g. The teacher bantered pleasantly, albeit a bit awkwardly, with the students at the school dance.

Question 54

barb

Answer 54

a sharp projection extending backwards (as a fishhook) | a biting or pointedly critical remark or comment

Question 55

barbarous

Answer 55

uncivilized; lacking culture or refinement; philistine mercilessly harsh or cruel e.g. She abhors barbarous behavior such as eating with your fingers. the barbarous treatment of the native peoples of the New World by those bent on conquest at any cost

Question 56

occult

Answer 56

to shut off from view or exposure; cover, eclipse not revealed; not easily understood; secret, abstruse, mysterious of or relating to supernatural powers or practices e.g. The actor's private life had long been occulted by a contrived public persona. occult practices such as magic and fortune-telling

Question 57

barefaced

Answer 57

open, unconcealed having or showing a lack of scruples; shameless e.g. barefaced impudence a barefaced lie

Question 58

baroque

Answer 58

characterized by grotesqueness, extravagance, complexity, or flamboyance e.g. a somewhat baroque writing style

Question 59

barrage

Answer 59

artillery fire laid on a line close to friendly troops to screen and protect them a vigorous or rapid outpouring or projection of many things at once e.g. a barrage of protests

Question 60

barren

Answer 60

not reproducing not productive devoid, lacking (used with of) lacking interest, charm, inspiration, or ideas e.g. Few organisms can thrive on these barren mountaintops. barren of excitement barren routine/mind

Question 61

barter

Answer 61

to trade by exchanging one commodity for another

Question 62

base

Answer 62

lacking or indicating the lack of high qualities of mind or spirit; ignoble, degrading e.g. a base and sneaky act that is a clear violation of international law

Question 63

bask

Answer 63

to lie or relax in a pleasant warmth or atmosphere to take pleasure or derive enjoyment e.g. Tourists were basking on the beaches. He stood before the audience, basking in their applause.

Question 64

baste

Answer 64

``` to sew with long, loose stitches to moisten (as meat) at intervals with a liquid (as melted butter, fat, or pan drippings) especially during cooking ```

Question 65

bathetic

Answer 65

displaying bathos, the sudden appearance of the commonplace in otherwise elevated matter or style; anticlimactic displaying insincere or overdone pathos e.g. The man spoke earnestly, but a third person and extraneous hearer could hardly avoid being struck by the bathetic conclusion.

Question 66

battalion

Answer 66

a considerable body of troops organized to act together

Question 67

bauxite

Answer 67

an impure mixture of earthy hydrous aluminum oxides and hydroxides that is the principal source of aluminum

Question 68

bawdy

Answer 68

obscene, lewd; boisterously or humorously indecent e.g. a bawdy film that is not appropriate for children

Question 69

bazaar

Answer 69

a market (as in the Middle East) consisting of rows of shops or stalls selling miscellaneous goods

Question 70

bearing

Answer 70

the manner in which one conducts or carries oneself, including posture and gestures reference or relation (used with on) e.g. a man of dignified bearing It has some bearing on the problem.

Question 71

bedeck

Answer 71

decorate e.g. The ladies arrived bedecked in furs.

Question 72

bedlam

Answer 72

a place, scene, or state of uproar and confusion e.g. He was instrumental in the transformation of bedlams from filthy hellholes to well-ordered humane institutions. The park had never had so many visitors at one time. It was total bedlam.

Question 73

befuddle

Answer 73

to muddle or stupefy with or as if with drink confuse, perplex e.g. Most of the applicants were befuddled by the wording of one of the questions on the driving test.

Question 74

begrudge

Answer 74

to give or concede reluctantly or with displeasure to look upon with disapproval e.g. begrudge money begrudge their rivals' success

Question 75

behoove

Answer 75

to be necessary, proper or advantageous for e.g. It behooves us to go.

Question 76

belabor

Answer 76

to attack verbally; to beat soundly to explain or insist on excessively e.g. He uses his newspaper column to belabor writers for even the most minor grammatical errors. Her habit of belaboring the obvious makes her a very boring speaker.

Question 77

belated

Answer 77

delayed beyond the usual time existing or appearing past the normal or proper time e.g. She received belated recognition for her scientific discovery.

Question 78

beleaguer

Answer 78

besiege trouble, harass e.g. The troops beleaguered the castle for months. an economically beleaguered city

Question 79

belie

Answer 79

to give a false impression of to show something to be false or wrong; to run counter to, contradict disguise e.g. Their actions belie their claim to be innocent.

Question 80

bellicose

Answer 80

favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars e.g. Bellicose hockey players always seem to spend more time fighting than playing.

Question 81

belligerence

Answer 81

an aggressive or truculent attitude, atmosphere, or disposition e.g. Among the Native American tribes of the colonial period, the Iroquois were known for their belligerence.

Question 82

bellwether

Answer 82

one that takes the lead or initiative; leader; also an indicator of trends e.g. She is a bellwether of fashion.

Question 83

bench

Answer 83

the place where justice sits in the court

Question 84

benediction

Answer 84

the invocation of divine blessing something that promotes goodness or well-being e.g. The priest offered a benediction for the missing children.

Question 85

valediction

Answer 85

an act of bidding farewell

Question 86

benefactor

Answer 86

one that confers a benefit, especially one that makes a gift or bequest e.g. With the help of a rich benefactor, he set up a charity.

Question 87

beneficiary

Answer 87

one that benefits from something the person designated to receive proceeds or benefits e.g. The college was a beneficiary of the private grant.

Question 88

benison

Answer 88

blessing, benediction e.g. During the harbor festival, the parish priest offered a benison for the local fishermen.

Question 89

benevolent

Answer 89

marked by or disposed to doing good marked by or suggestive of goodwill e.g. a benevolent donor a benevolent smile

Question 90

volition

Answer 90

an act of making a choice or decision; also a choice or decision made the power of choosing or determining; will e.g. Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder marked by recurrent tics and vocalizations that are beyond the suffer's volition or control.

Question 91

truculent

Answer 91

feeling or displaying ferocity; cruel, savage deadly, destructive scathingly harsh; vitriolic aggressively self-assertive; belligerent e.g. a theater critic who was notorious for his titanically truculent reviews Die-hard fans became truculent and violent after their team's loss.

Question 92

malign

Answer 92

evil in nature, influence, or effect; injurious having or showing intense often vicious ill will; malevolent e.g. Both parties to the divorce showed a malign desire to make each other's future life utterly miserable.

Question 93

bent

Answer 93

a strong inclination or interest; bias a special inclination or capacity; talent capacity of endurance

Question 94

bequeath

Answer 94

to give or leave by will, used especially of personal property to hand down; transmit e.g. Lessons of the past are bequeathed to future generations.

Question 95

bequest

Answer 95

the act of bequeathing | something bequeathed; legacy

Question 96

berate

Answer 96

to scold or condemn vehemently and at length e.g. There's no need to berate someone for making a mistake during the first day on the job.

Question 97

bereft

Answer 97

deprived or robbed of the possession or use of something (usually used with of) lacking something needed, wanted, or expected suffering the death of a loved one e.g. Both players are instantly bereft of their poise. a cheap motel completely bereft of all amenities a bereft mother

Question 98

beset

Answer 98

to set or stud with or as if with ornaments trouble, harass to set upon, to hem in; assail, surround e.g. He's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life. The settlers were beset by savages.

Question 99

besiege

Answer 99

to surround with armed forces to press with requests; importune to cause worry or distress to; beset e.g. The army besieged the castle. Customers have besieged the company with questions. Doubts besieged him.

Question 100

besmirch

Answer 100

to cause harm or damage to (as reputation of someone or something); sully, soil

Question 101

bestial

Answer 101

beastlike | brutal

Question 102

bestow

Answer 102

to put to use; apply to convey as a gift (used with on or upon) e.g. He bestowed his spare time on study. The university bestowed on her an honorary degree.

Question 103

betroth

Answer 103

to promise to marry to give in marriage e.g. Her father betrothed her to him at an early age.

Question 104

troth

Answer 104

loyal or pledged faithfulness; fidelity one's pledged word (by my troth) e.g. They solemnly announced their troth before the church's congregation.